The Audacity of Dope

I was already planning on posting this video of Dee-1’s SXSW adventures and then I saw footage of myself guarding him in the HoopxHang Tournament hahaha.  Let the records show that Team Hardknock dispatched Team Nola in that first round game, but on the real, chopping it up with one of my favorite new MC’s was a blast.  Much respect to Dee for his music and movement.  You’re gonna hear a lot from this dude in the near future…

Nardwuar hit a home run with all his hip-hop interviews at SXSW last year and this year was no different.  Dude was everywhere.  Here’s his clip with Kendrick Lamar, where K. Dot gives you a little insight into his history.  Love the story about his dad driving him and his mom home from the hospital for the first time and blasting Big Daddy Kane because “he has to hear this.”  Awesome.

Now this is an OFWGKTA cut I can get with.

At a photo shoot with Terry Richardson, the entire Odd Future crew started rapping along to their song as it played in the background and they ended up filming this impromptu music video.  Yeah, it’s 10 minutes…but that beat is great and each MC does his thing.  Tyler has the charisma of course, and Earl is everyone’s lyrical favorite, but I was pretty impressed by the other members as well.  Besides, you can tell they’re just genuinely having fun, kicking raps…and I love that.

White rappers be having theeeeeeeeeee worst relationships with women ever.  I need at least one of them to start rapping about their beautiful queen and happy life.  That won’t happen here, but the results are still dope.  Yelawolf is underrated on hooks too…

SXSW had a lot of highlights, but seeing Jhene perform in person was definitely one of them. She sounded great too, which is pretty hard to do at a festival where horrible acoustics and inept soundboard operators are the norm. Impressive.

Here’s a quick preview of her lead single, “3:16am,” off her upcoming Def Jam debut. Fisticuffs on the beat.

I imagine that mothers and fathers everywhere can relate to this one. I’m still on #TeamIceGrill though.

Possibly the most underrated producer in the game, 14KT, combines one of his amazing productions with handshot footage of family moments from 2011.  The result is a beautiful look into life and love. RIP to his pops.

I just mentioned how I’ve been thankful and inspired to see NYC’s current generation continue the legacy of that classic mid-90’s boom bap and Torae is, of course, another prime example. Primo on the beat. Knowledge on the mic.

This is how you rap!

I’m so glad to see cats like Maffew, Action Bronson, Saigon, Roc Marciano, Sean Price, etc. still making that kind of NYC music that Biggie would have been proud of.

Figured I might as well go completely in the opposite direction from the last post, from Bronson’s almost slapstick tales from the hood record to Co$$’ heartfelt rhymes about love lost.  It’s all about balance I suppose.

Anyway, this is that real life music.