El-P has dropped the new Run The Jewels 2 album online overnight for FREE, so get downloading this shit now before he changes his mind.
You know how this works though, these guys work tirelessly to write, record and deliver dope tunes all day and night long, so if you want an upgrade on your freebie, note that the vinyl is available right here.
With summer being a wash out so far, we decided you may need some fresh beats that are been dropping into speakers all over the world right now. Search through these mixtapes, videos and album reviews of what are officially Abjekt Approved and if you would like to contribute towards the next edition, then contact us.
TOP 4 MIXTAPES
Wiz Khalifa – Taylor Allderdice
Wiz Khalifa is back with a brand new mixtape, Taylor Allderdice, a nod to the name of his high school in Pittsburgh. The rapper found mainstream fame with his album Rolling Papers, but if the sugary nature of most of that album wasn’t for you, then worry not – Taylor Allderdice is a return to form, seeing Wiz vibe out again like he did on the brilliant Kush & OJ mixtape.
There are features from Juicy J and Rick Ross, production from Spaceghostpurrrp and Jake One as well as a Frank Ocean sample and plenty of weed references, of course. Sound like something you want to chill out to? Then grab it here.
Action Bronson & Party Supplies – Blue Chips
Action Bronson said he wanted to give something back to the people that have supported him over the past couple of years and what better way than some free music? The larger-than-life cook turned rapper has teamed up with producer Party Supplies for this mixtape full of references to food and women. What else was he going to rap about eh?
The beats aren’t always the most sophisticated, but they all hook you immediately and give Bronsolinho the perfect canvas to spill his guts, so to speak. You can just hear him grinning throughout the length of the mixtape and you’d be hard pressed not to do the same by the end. Get that get that.
Lute – West 1996
Lute is a new rapper on the block, coming out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Whilst it may not be the hotbed of rap talent, Lute comes out swinging, talking up his manor, proving that you don’t need to come from a coast or the dirty South to have skills. Technically, this may an album, rather than a mixtape, but either way it’s a thumbs up.
The beats are super throwback, as could have been guessed from the Nas-esque cover and that’s what makes it such a great listen. The drums snap, the samples are tight and the rapping is stellar. This might not be an instant bang-fest but give it a few listens and you’ll be sure to enjoy it. Stream it here.
Pete Rock – Portland Connection
The last offering comes from Indamix Records with the MY-G “Portland Connection” mixed by Pete Rock featuring 38 unreleased jumpoffs. Hopefully this will bring the sunshine to this rotten UK summer so far. You decide.
TOP TRACKS
El-P – The Full Retard
El-Producto is back with a new album, Cancer 4 Cure, out on Fat Possum right now. He released this and we got hyped. You should do the same as the album is amazing. Pump this shit.
Stalley – Everything New
Stalley’s latest project Savage Journey To The American Dream dropped at the end of March. Chad Hugo from The Neptunes produced this and we love it.
Yasiin Bey – Sunshine Screwface
Yeah yeah, we still call him Mos Def and he still rules. This track was produced by the always wonderful Dilla [R.I.P.] and sets us up nicely for the release of the next album, whenever that may be.
Killer Mike – Butane (Champion’s Anthem) feat. El-P
There are a few ways of getting my attention and making me love what you’re doing – one is to be affiliated with Outkast and the other is to have El-P giving you beats – Killer Mike fits the bill with both of these and as such it was with excitement that I listened to his new album, R.A.P. Music [Rebellious African People]. Read my full album review here.
VIDEOS WE LIKE
Joey Bada$$ & Capital STEEZ – Survival Tactics
Joey Bada$$ might not have the best name in the world, but considering he’s just 17, the dude has talent. He hooks up with his mate Capital STEEZ on this track where both rappers prove their worth. The video is cool, the beat is great and the MCs wrap it up nicely. Boom.
Schoolboy Q ft. Ab-Soul –Druggys With Hoes Again
Schoolboy Q’s album Habits & Contradictions has been getting some serious playbacks and this is one of the bouncier tracks, amongst the laid back, understated vibe of the majority of the record. With crew mate Ab-Soul riding alongside with him, it’s one to crank up high.
Flatbush Zombies – Thug Waffle
Likely to be next in line to win hipsters over, following in the footsteps of A$AP Rocky, Flatbush Zombies are a duo that sport gold fangs and smoke a lot of weed. Both of those things are fine with us, especially when they name tracks Thug Waffle.
Until next time…Abjekt.
Killer Mike
R.A.P. Music
(Williams Street Recordings)
There are a few ways of getting my attention and making me love what you’re doing – one is to be affiliated with Outkast and the other is to have El-P giving you beats – Killer Mike fits the bill with both of these and as such it was with excitement that I listened to his new album, R.A.P. Music [Rebellious African People].
The production is superb, that much goes without saying with El-P’s trademark layers surrounding the Atlanta rapper, whilst never engulfing him and stifling his lyrics and delivery. This isn’t your usual Dirty South fayre though, with opening track Big Beast laying down the gauntlet – never before have Bun B and T.I. rapped over so visceral a beat, their drawl sounding perfect alongside the Company Flow man’s beats. It’s not all dense though, there are plenty of catchy moments within the album, from the short-but-sweet Go [complete with DJ Abilities scratches], the bump-in-your-cars Southern Fried and the sing-a-long chorus of Anywhere But Here.
This album certainly isn’t just about the beats though, Mike kills it throughout regardless of the lyrical content. Bigging up himself up comes extremely easily, lyrics like “I go in, I go hard / I go stupid, oh my God / Shamalamadoomalama Shamalamadoomalama even when I ain’t saying shit”, “Ain’t I fresh, ain’t I clean / ain’t I ride through my city in the meanest machine” on some serious pimp shit, it makes sense that the rapper who seems larger than life says at much in his raps. He gets political too, breaking the light-heartedness immediately with a character assassination of a former President “I leave you with four words: I’m glad Reagan dead” and slams the police on Don’t Die, which sounds like NWA sent back from the future to smack kids listening to Drake: “I woke up this morning to a cop with a gun / who told me that he looking for a n**** on the run / I thought for a second, then I screwed my face / and asked them dirty pigs ‘why the fuck you in my place?’ / He said ‘Chill or we kill, this is a warning’ / then I told him ‘Fuck you, where is the warrant?'”
Whether he’s envoking the spirit of Ice Cube or reclining in the bask of his own Atlanta accent, Killer Mike has stepped up massively with this record. As he says himself on Jojo’s Chillin, “This album was made entirely by Jaime and Mike”, he’s always been a talent but going in so hard and with El on the boards behind him [and with a stellar verse on Butane], this is nothing short of a revelation.
Abjekt
It’s always a welcoming thought when you hear that EL-P is coming at your ears with a new album.
Today he released this ball-breaking trailer for ‘Cancer for Cure’, the all new, all in your face record that we long for. Get tazered to his usual depth charged beats here and watch this space.
Not a current news story, but it’s Monday and we want to kick the week off in style.
We saw Company Flow playing a one-off show at this weekend’s ATP Festival, curated by Portishead and they showed they’d lost none of their prowess in the decade they’ve been split up.
Watch for a live review from Saturday coming very soon but in the meantime, share our excitement by watching them at their peak: