The Audacity of Dope

Wow. We need more music from Casual (and Pep Love, for that matter) stat!

A few posts ago, I mentioned that Taysean is possibly the most underrated artist in the Seattle scene. Looking at the game from a national perspective, I might have to give that distinction to Laws. I’m continually surprised that more people aren’t up on one of the nicest and most versatile MC’s around. Hopefully that will change with the release of his Paul McCartney inspired Yesterday’s Future project this summer.

The homies Emilio and Court Dunn link up for the “FTW” video off Life Without Shame.  I’d love to play this one on Sound Session, but something tells me it wouldn’t go over that well with the FCC.  Haters.

Seattle’s hip-hop scene is starting to catch on outside the PacNW and while we’re on our way, I’m also wondering how long it’ll take for other talented cats to get recognized. Helluvastate, a group formed by Taysean (of Helladope) and Thaddeus (of State Of The Artist), is a prime example. I’m not sure if Taysean and Thaddeus view their collaboration as a side project of sorts, but it’s clear that it’s a great match and worthy of far more publicity/buzz than I’m seeing for the duo.

On the low, Taysean’s production and rhyme skills might make him the most underrated cat in the town right now. Guys like him, P-Smoov, Ryan Lewis, and Budo are so ridiculously talented musically that it’s almost not fair. When they link up with dope MC’s, it’s a wrap.

Download the entire Helluvastate project, Adventures In A Helluvastate, right here.

Pretty fresh and I’m a sucker for anything shot in Paris.  It’s also a great record as the weather finally starts to turn here in Seattle.  There’s not a city in the world that’s nicer than the 206 when the sun’s out…

As the hip-hop community, and all who love music, reel from the loss of the legendary Gil Scott-Heron, I thought to myself about the messages in his records.  Do today’s artists have the desire and ability to make music that elevates to the levels Gil effortlessly resided in? 

While mass media would certainly tell you otherwise, I think they can.  We certainly need music that offers us escape, but it’s vitally important that we continue to create good music with real purpose.

Shout to Kendrick for doing just that with one of the best songs of 2011 so far.

Quiet as kept, the Recess EP is one of the best projects of the year.  If you’re an avid Sound Session listener, you likely know that already, but for those who have been sleeping, download it here.

I shouldn’t have watched this video before eating dinner, because now I want to hit up a diner for that good, good (chicken tenders + milkshake = win). One of my favorite up and coming MC’s, Rapsody, links up with Mac for this Khrysis produced track. Straightforward, no-nonsense, fun, and dope. Can’t beat it.

Now where are those chicken tenders…

During one of the 329821329834230 times I saw the Pac Div homies rock live at SXSW, I remember tweeting that they make the exact kind of hip-hop I like the most. “Fallin'” off their Mania release is just such a record.  While I may take excursions into other sub-genres, it’s essentially the same experience I have while consuming other forms of media: fantasy land is fun to visit, but I live in the real world and relate to that real music.  Exhibit A above.

As soon as I saw the still for this video, I noticed Frank and director Dave Wilson didn’t actually use an Integra, but as Mr. Ocean mentioned on his blog, the visuals were a “decent excuse to drive a NSX through mountains.”  I’m not mad one bit.  The song itself is simply constructed, with Frank riffing over an Adele-esque piano loop, so the video is a fitting accompaniment.

However, I am a little salty that I can’t see a NSX without thinking of one of my exes, who was obsessed with them hahaha.  What up girrrrrrrrrl?