The Hip-Hop Dojo [Vol. 12]

Things are running a bit off schedule this week with The Hip-Hop Dojo, so I want to apologize. However, I assure you that the extra wait will certainly be worth it. Given the long wait, I want to cut the clutter down as much as possible so you can get right to the music.

We start things off with Blame One who explores some existential themes, even delving into potential philosophical and religious differences between him and the outside world. Things liven up a bit as we switch over to IAMSU! who dedicates this title to all the “Hipster Girls” obsessed with their Instagram feeds and Tumblr pages. F.Stokes is quickly becoming one of my favorite emcees out of the Chi, as he seizes the beat on “Carpe Diem.” Kanye West has undoubtably had an immense influence on the young minds of Chicago hip-hop, so what better way to pay homage than by crafting a sequel to one of his absolute classics?” Alex Wiley and Chance The Rapper attempt to capture the essence of the original with their rendition of “Spaceship II,” even snagging a feature from GLC who appears on both versions. Bird‘s new single, “Still Shine” features the first sighting of Little Brother we’ve seen in quite awhile. Before you get ahead of yourselves about a potential reunion however, be careful to note that the verses were actually recorded a few years back. Nevertheless, some new Phonte is always welcome in the Dojo. In preparation for his upcoming album, Watching Movies With The Sound Off on June 18th, Mac Miller decided to share two of the album’s most anticipated tracks, neither of which disappoint. C’mon, new Jay Electronica is still good for something right?

For some reason, this week featured a vast array of songs that incorporated incredibly dark tones and heavy content. Guys like Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire, Danny Brown, Flatbush Zombies, Ibn Inglor, Denzel Curry, Sir Michael Rocks, and A$AP Rocky all got in on the action, but there’s one artist I’d like to focus on in particular: Dillan Ponders. While little is known about the young Toronto native, one thing is clear: he has an extremely unique sound–so unique in fact, that I just had to share two of his singles with you all this week. If you’re feeling the material we’ve posted so far, I highly suggest checking out his full Overdose project as soon as possible. Additionally, I’d like to highlight another artist who coincidentally also hails from Toronto, P. Reign, who seems to have big plans for 2013 with his Dear America mixtape, set to drop later this year with features from the likes of Drake, French Montana, and Waka Flocka Flame. As he nears the one year anniversary of his signing with MMG, Rockie Fresh praises God for all the blessings  he’s received since.

If there’s one thing you take away from Action Bronson‘s “Strictly 4 My Jeeps” remix, it’s that LL Cool J can still rip beats with the best of them. Seriously, why can’t hear verses like this from him more often? It’s definitely a major upgrade over “Accidental Racist.” Smoke DZA and Harry Fraud prove they’re still winning as they bring us a triumphant anthem that sounds unlike anything we’ve heard from either of them before. With three straight hits under his belt now, I’m convinced that Hayk truly represents the “The Future” of hip-hop. Check out his latest track which features a fiery hot dubbed out sample of Boy Crisis‘ “Dressed To Digress.” Following in the same vein is West Coaster Jez Dior, who rips apart another dubbed out sample, this time Lana Del Rey’s Dark Paradise.” We’re really excited about what we’ve heard from Jez Dior this year, and are eager to hear what he has in store for us when his new project, Scarlett Sage, drops tomorrow. Make sure to check out the the trippy visuals for “Move On” as well. Angel Haze might be the hottest female emcee in the game right now. She’s murdered just about every instrumental she’s stepped on during the last few months, which now include the phenomenal remix to WoodkidsI Love You” and her latest single, “No Bueno.” Finally, we wrap things up with two Brits, who bring us a few feel good singles to jam out to all summer. The first of the pair features Amplify Dot (sounds like the name of a Kendrick song) flexing her skills alongside well-known veteran Busta Rhymes on “I’m Good.” Meanwhile, Londoners Rizzle Kicks attempt to resurrect the classic sound of the Roaring 20s on their upcoming album, which is available for pre-order now.

We hope you guys enjoyed our twelfth edition of The Hip-Hop Dojo as much as we did! As always, you can send all submissions/suggestions to baseer@themusicninja.com.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE FREE TRACKS

’Blame One & J57 – They Don’t Know (feat. Akie Bermiss)’
’IAMSU! – Hipster Girls’
’Warm Brew – Congregate ft. OxyXMoron’
’Chase N. Cashe – Me & Mine (feat. Casey Veggies)’
’F.Stokes – Carpe Diem’
’Frank Leone – Don’t Fight The Rain (Produced by Pigeon DO)’
’J.Nolan – For You (prod. zuCYDE)’
’Alex Wiley – Spaceship II feat. Chance The Rapper & GLC’
’Bird – Still Shine (Feat. Little Brother & Notes To Self)’
’Nipsey Hussle – All Get Right ft. J Stone’
’Mac Miller – Suplexes Inside Of Complexes And Duplexes (feat. Jay Electronica)’
’Mac Miller – Geez (feat. Schoolboy Q) (Prod. Chuck Inglish)’
’Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – Tomorrow’s Gone ft. Danny Brown, Nacho Picasso & Flatbush Zombies (prod. by DJ SicksentZ)’
’Ibn Inglor – Track 6’
’Dillan Ponders – Empty Pool (p. Portishead)’
’Dillan Ponders – Just Drive’
’Denzel Curry x Nell – Shepherd ft. Sir Michael Rocks’
’P. Reign – We Them Niggas ft. A$AP Rocky (Prod. Pro Logic)’
’The KickDrums & OnCue – Machines’
’Rockie Fresh – God Is Great’
’Action Bronson – Strictly 4 My Jeeps (Remix) f. LL Cool J x Lloyd Banks’
’Winners Circle – Runner Up ft. Nipsey Hussle (produced by DJ Pain1)’
’Harry Fraud & Smoke DZA – Win’
’Irv Da Phenom – Y.B.W. REMIX (ft Dizzy Wright & Jarren Benton)’
’Hayk – The Future (prod. EVO Productions)’
’Jez Dior – Move On’
’Woodkid – I Love You feat. Angel Haze’
’Angel Haze – No Bueno’
’Amplify Dot – I’m Good (Feat. Busta Rhymes)’

’Rizzle Kicks – That’s Classic’

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[Hip/Hop Horray] The June 2010 Hip/Hop Playlist

big-sean

Off the upcoming Finally Famous Volume 3: B.I.G. mixtape. Big Sean has that attitude packed flow, carefully placing emphasis on his words, and he’s often credited for coming up with the flow that Drake made famous.

Big Sean – “High Rise”

’High Rise.mp3′

j-cole-comes-up
Now that he’s got Jay-Z’s stamp of approval, J.Cole is unstoppable. Hailing from North Carolina, he seems to get better every time he drops something, and he’s a smart dude – he went to St. John’s on an academic scholarship and actually graduated, unlike most rappers.

J.Cole – “Higher”

’Higher.mp3′

From their upcoming EP Lives and Vibes, I don’t know too much about them but Intalek is the rapper, Ritchcraft is the producer, and this jam rapidly rolls through the positives and negatives of money. The fast pace matches up with the hustle that most of us face chasing that paper on a daily basis.

Intalek & Ritchcraft – “Everyday Money”

’Intalek – Everyday Money (Prod. Ritchcraft).mp3′

the cool kids
From The Cool Kids‘ latest mixtape, Tacklebox, this is the smoothest track I’ve heard in a minute. Production by Chuck Inglish this song perfectly epitomizes the duo’s name – cool as fuck.

The Cool Kids – Flying Kites

’The Cool Kids – Flying Kites.mp3′

From the upcoming album How I Got Over. Laid back and buttery, but the lyrics are strikingly real. This is the type of song that will help you make it through a tough morning and provide some motivation to make moves.

The Roots – “The Day” ft. Blu, Phonte, and Patty Crash

’The_Roots
The_Day_(Feat_Blu_Phonte__Patty_Crash).mp3′
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