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…..And we’re back in the game. It has been a minute since my last update but I have been wondering the worth of continuing the blog for sometime, so I have been getting to it when I feel like it instead of allotting 2 hours a day to doing it with few positive responses or comments over the 2+ years of our existence. Enough bitching (or actually being honest), here is Shad back with a new song off of The Real Frequency’s New North compilation effort and the dude continues to be one the most consistent and a favorite of mine. I was fortunate enough to see him a couple weeks ago at the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival and he only did a couple tracks, like most artists, which was disappointing but the lineup was so dope that it was easy to gloss over. Grab the download and streaming song below courtesy of HeroHill.

Download: Shad – “Flawless”

We told you this tape was coming and it still blindsided us here at B&B faster than we expected. We have been very supportive of Darren for a few years now (and vice versa) and with each passing tape it gets more fun to see how he has evolved as an artist while still staying a cool ass person. I feel like a broken record saying that this is his best work to date, since I say it for almost every one, but that should speak volumes to his drive and refusing to allow his career and talent to stagnate. Go below the break and give the tape a listen and support indie artists who are on their grind and positively contributing to this way of life we call hip-hop. Both the download and streaming link are below. Read the rest of this entry »

Darren hit me up with this joint the other night and it has been stuck in my head ever since. “Higher” has a dreamier aspect to it with a slow, rolling piano loop and sung chorus which, despite the title, serves as more than a call to smoke weed. At B&B we have chronicled his career from the beginning, which would be his Darkside of the Moon days, and with every tape and song he shows constant improvement. Darren continues to polish his lyrics and production (although this is produced by YB & JZ) with each single seemingly more radio and mainstream ready than the last while still maintaining his skills on the mic and carving his own niche. Big ups to our homie DH and be sure to cop his latest tape on July 1st. Shouts to PatIsDope for the download link.

Download: Darren Hanible – “Higher”

For those who are late to the game, Bad Meets Evil is the name of the group which consists of Royce Da 5’9″ and Eminem who are both lyrical heavyweights. “I’m On Everything” delivers with a playful melody on the bass that give the two spitters plenty of opportunity to trade bars and switch flows while rapping about one of their favorite subjects, drugs. The chorus is hysterical too since it is a Mike Epps skit about all the drugs kids do now and Em and Royce turned it into an anthem. You can grab Hell: The Sequel on June 15th. Shouts to HHNM for the link.

Download: Bad Meets Evil – “I’m On Everything”

Oddisee hits us with another single from his latest, and really dope, album called Odd Seasons.

You Don’t Close Your Eyes is about the dynamics of a relationship turned cold. Clever wordplay and an effortless cadence propel this insightful tale of domestic apathy, which finds Oddisee questioning what changed in his relationship: “restaurant parking lots seem like the spot in the plot were you like to talk a lot, where it used to be the spot in the plot where the windows was steamed because the heat coming off was hot.” Also along for the ride is frequent collaborator/keyboardist, Ralph Real, whose tenor adds an emotional intensity that helps accentuate the frustrations of unrequited love.

He continually delivers with the a variety of style of beats and for this reason he has become one of my favorite producers and MCs in the game at the moment. Check below the break for this one and his previous single called “I’m From PG” (big ups to PG).

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Chiddy Bang hasn’t been up on the site in a while and it is time to change that with “When You’ve Got Music”. The duo continue in their tradition of sample heavy beats with a hard hitting bass and any true fan wont be disappointed in this one. The bass synth and sample predominate the minimalistic beat which helps you focus on Chiddy’s lyrics and contributes to the head nodding aspect of the song. “When You’ve Got Music” is the first offering off of their upcoming tape Peanut Butter & Swelly which drops tomorrow. Download is available courtesy of PMA via the SoundCloud stream above.

I haven’t heard from Thad in a minute and when I looked him up I realized I missed this single which released almost a month ago. Instead of adding it to the bottom of his next single I decided to throw it up on B&B because it is dope and we need more DMV love on here. “Unholy War” brings the hard hitting rhymes and a soul sample filled beat from J. Clyde for Thad to rock over which he does to the fullest. This is the first single from his upcoming project set to release this summer called Unadulterated Reid so be on the lookout for more of them in the future. Shouts to KevinNottingham for the link.

Download: Thad Reid – “Unholy War” (Prod. J. Clyde)

Cobe returns with the latest single from his upcoming project called Song of the Starz 2: Dark Night.

There have been many changes in my life, and I am thankful for those changes. Change is good, Change is Necessary, and they say changing you thoughts inevitably changes the world, since that’s the way the universe works. However, though Change is important one thing I will not change is the quality of music I create for the pleasure of others who do not know me personally or only desire one element of music while abandoning all other aspects of music. I love sharing my music to the world, but I also do this for my pleasure and self healing as well. Thoughts of Change inspired the creation of the song. – Cobe Obeah

The dude seems to be going through some serious inner reflection lately and whatever he is experiencing has only fueled his lyrics and passion on the mic.

Download: Cobe Obeah – “Times Change”

In case you missed it, Friday the 13th was this past Friday and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it than being at an Odd Future show. Yela seemed to catch onto this fact as well and recorded a dark song to enhance the mood that unleashes every time people realize the date. The song is bare bones with only a rolling piano loop which is accentuated by Yelawolf’s frenzied lyrics and flow which adds to the somber title. “Kill My Nightmare” seems to a be a one off so enjoy it until he starts recording for his next album.

Download: Yelawolf – “Kill My Nightmare”

I have been waiting for this mixtape for well over a year and it is almost surreal that it actually dropped today.

Songwriter and emcee Chris Faust has hooked up with DJBooth.net and 2DopeBoyz.com to bring fans his latest street release, the FAUST LP. The project features 17 fresh cuts from the underground up-and-comer, including reader-approved leaks “So Long,” “Maybe Now Begins,” and “As You Like It.” Joining Faust throughout the set are Ibe, Mike Maven, Sunny Jones, Rocki Evans, Outasight, Cocoa Sarai, Capri, Krystal Eversley, Kris Kasanova and Carras Paton. Production comes courtesy of Ibe, Tristate, 6th Sense, 2 Thumbs Up and Clyde and Harry.

For those unfamiliar, Faust is the rapper formerly known as Print and you can catch up on his previous release Comic Books Unlimited here. Grab this album and tracklist below the break courtesy of DJBooth.

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