Apparently Peter Rosenberg is releasing a mixtape this thursday with a cadre of his favorite MCs rapping or something. Regardless of Rosenberg’s various shortcomings as a purveyors of tact and taste, getting Bronsolino and La Music De Harry Fraud together again is something of a public service. But really, can’t we just get a joint album from these two Empire State kingpins? It would be baby lamb perfect after all and easily one of the most anticipated projects to enter our collective consciousness. Sending out serious brainwaves in anticipation. Anyways, “Compliments 2 The Chef” sees Bronson rehashing some of his favorite pastimes, turban wrapped blunts and fellatio among the sensory delicacies. Oh and Lauriana Mae lays down a prettier than thou chorus.
While Rick Ross has long been referred as the captain of yacht rap, between you and me, Bronsolino has a stranglehold on that real beamer with the racing seats shit. Between “Morey Boogie Boards” and “Bird On A Wire”, there isn’t a rapper who evokes Versailles on the high seas better than Ill Prosciutto. Of course, Harry Fraud plays the role of cartographer, guiding Bronson’s rough vocals through Miami Vice guitars and a heart-wrenchingly honest vocal sample. Can we please get a Fraud/Bronson full length already?
It’s easy to criticize Action Bronson as being solely a formalist New York style MC, but is that really such a bad characterization? With nextbigthing Harry Fraud offering up a classic-sounding, speaker rattling beat, Bronson dedicates “Strictly 4 My Jeeps” to the old heads and waxes poetic about eating steak off of gold plates while being stoned and listening to Coldplay. I’m not so sure how I feel about that Coldplay bit, but I’m all about that gold plate steak life. “Strictly 4 My Jeeps” might just be a sign of an upcoming Bronson/Fraud full length, which would be extravagant to say the least. Stream below.
Alchemist has basically reinvented himself over the past few years as the guitar looping torchbearer of the the type of realist hip hop that has caused mass hysteria among both longtime hip hop fans and internet folk. Action Bronson is probably Alchemist’s MC counterpart in that sense, so when news broke a little while back that the two would be collaborating on Rare Chandeliers, many a jaws were dropped. When the video for “The Symbol” came out last month, we knew it was all over. After a one over, Rare Chandeliers is everything we expected and more. The beats are classic, dusty Alchemist and Bronsolino brings the seared Chinook salmon in rap form. Schoolboy Q, Roc Marciano and Evidence are along for the ride. We’ll have much more on the tape soon, but a release of this immense quality deserves to be heard immediately. Stream below and grab the whole tape for free courtesy of Noisey.
Adult Swim might have some competition folks. For the first time in years, another corporate dweller has managed to fanute their way into the hearts and minds of the blog masses (ourselves included) via a number of collaborative projects and exclusive releases. Nick Hook, Daedelus and Danny Brown’s Bruiser Brigade have released tunes through Scion A/V in the past few months and sometimes you just have to give credit where credit is due. It’s not like tC’s will start popping up in Curren$y bars or Rozay videos any time soon, but it shouldn’t be a surprise when Scion is the first name that pops into your head when ruminating over tactful marketing schemes.
Which brings us to Toyota’s latest “guerilla” marketing stab, the questionable combination of French Montana and Action Bronson over Harry Fraud production. Questionable because French Montana popularity is largely due to his imprecision and slack lyrical ability while Bronsolino throws enough fine dining references into one verse to make Bobby Flay genuflect at his feet. Regardless of the protean attempt at attaining “hip”, “Mean” manages to work in a way that few (superficial) one off collaborations do. Fraud’s laid-back kicks and organ work allow Montana to essentially layer ad-lib on ad-lib, forming something that kind of resembles a verse. Bronson is more playful in his wordplay than usual, but of course Dr. Lecter was lying when he said he loved you, he’s too busy chewing beef in Greece and puffing autumnal strains. I’m sure you can find “Mean” on the Scion website, but it would be a lot easier to just download below. Namean?
We’ve been fairly absent from the blog this week, because of various nature excursions and other computer time limitations. Luckily, we’re back now and ready to continue bringing you the phonk. Amid a hectic SXSW filled week, a large amount of new music was actually released, much of it from the hip hop world. As a result, we bring you this special edition Sounds From The Astral Plane as a summary of the week’s happenings.
Stream: Nas – “The Don” (Prod. Salaam Remi, Da Internz and Heavy D)
Nas never ceases to amaze me with his tenacity on the mix. Dude has been in the game for over 20 years, and while there will never be another Illmatic, Nasir will go down as one of, if not the greatest, rappers of all time. Following last year’s “Nasty,” a sickening tear over minimalist percussion, Nas brings us “The Don,” produced by Salaam Remi with a helping hand from Da Internz and the late Heavy D. I can imagine Nas turning on the radio, hearing “Work Out” for the millionth time, calling up Salaam and hitting the studio. This shit is gully.
Sene is one of those MC’s who everyone has heard of, but no one really thinks twice about. He’s worked extensively with Blu, but none if it has made waves like the latter’s collaborations with Exile, Fashawn and Mainframe. It might be time to give Sene a little respect. “Backboards,” conveniently featuring Blu, is downright beautiful, eliciting comparisons to The Visionaries. Also, Blu on a mastered track? Pretty unheard of over the past couple years. “Backboards” is off of Sene’s upcoming Brooklyknight album, dropping April 24 on Plug Research.
There isn’t much to say about Danny Brown that hasn’t been said. Read this Passion of the Weiss post for details. “Baseline” is as minimalist as Brown gets, allowing the MC to get ugly with the rhymes. If glorified drug usage, misogyny, and one of the most unique flows in contemporary hip hop interests you, then download “Baseline” above.
Squeaky production from Toki and majestic vocals from Rucyl = chilled out bliss. Hopefully this is a sign that the wait for a followup to 2010’s Midnight Menu will soon be over.
Chicago DJ/producer Brenmar has publicly stated that one of his main goals is to get “people to hook up at the club.” This track will certainly do that. Brenmar ramps up the sex appeal for his take on Texas crooner Kirko Bangz’s “Drank In My Cup,” turning the syruppy original into a dance floor anthem. This is club music at its best.
“Worst Job Of Good luck” is off of London label Bullet Train Records’ Bullet Train Allstars compilation. It’s the best track off the comp and features incredibly clean production from Pale mixed with some pitched down vocals. Nice minimalist cut right hurr.
Stream/Download: Dam-Funk – “Serious”
There is never a shortage of new material on Dam Funk’s Soundcloud page. It fells like every week or two, he throws a superb new cut on their as a free download. Dam plays all the instruments on “Serious,” a jazzy track with that trademark Dam Funk sound. It’s no surprise that Dam can meld his sound into a jazz aesthetic, but it is still damn impressive.
Stream: Nocando – “Miyamoto Musashi” (Produced by DNAEBeats)
Low End Theory is in Japan right now. Nocando released a song about legendart samurai Miyamoto Musashi. Sounds about right.
Action Bronson supplies the raps. Party Supplies supplies the beats. It’s fantastic. Oddly enough, the first track, “Pouches of Tuna” uses the same beat as the Sene’s track above. Not sure if Party Supplies made it, or what, but I have to say that the Sene version is better. Beyond that confusion, “Thug Love Story 2012” sounds like classic Ghostface-ish. That comparison is getting a little old at this point, but it’s just too hard to ignore on tracks like this. Download Blue Chips from DJ Booth above.
Watch: Nacho Picasso and Blue Sky Black Death – “Rammin”
More visuals from Lord of the Fly, this time for the grimy “Rammin.” If you can get over the overdone effects, this is a pretty enjoyable vid. This is what The Weeknd sees when he hits the club. Some real XO shit.
The Astral Plane 