Leathal Weapon raps like he’s from the street and sings like a radio star. It’s all about the sick rhymes and disses with “I’m The Hottest.” It’s pretty easy for this artist to point out what someone isn’t and to declare you’re the best. At least it is for Leathal Weapon. Things don’t come across as menacing as the last on “They Just Salty.” One would expect this one to be a little more sassy just because of the title. It’s just so-so. GB and JC of the Finest hop on to help out with “In These Streetz.” It’s a departure from where we started. This one is based more on storytelling and has a great R&B hook. It’s not best for this time of year, but wait a few more months and you’ll have your hip hop Christmas classic is “All I Want.” It’s niche but not corny and actually fun with a great beat. We stick with that R&B feel with “Fantasy Man.” If one had to choose which side of Leathal Weapon was best, it’d definitely be this Chris Brown like thing he has going on when he slows it down and goes more mainstream with it. If you’re a fan of urban music that is fine tuned, check out Leathal Weapon today. (https://soundcloud.com/leathalweapon918 )
Want a rising star? Look up and check out DC Da Champ. “Dreams” has a very east coast feel. You can always tell when you have a song from the Big Apple. Here it’s a little obvious thanks to name dropping the city, but also because of the well constructed, less thug-like appearance of the beat. With “Nuyorican” you get a new term that I’m sure 99% of the population isn’t that familiar with. This one picks it up but stays grounded and doesn’t go overboard too much. The attitude starts to rear its head with “Ready or Not” thanks to the aggression coming through at a fast pace. We slow it back down and things get really interesting with DC and “This Ain’t No Sing Along.” The intro throws you a curveball but things smooth out beautifully in a Nas-like way. Hi boy Nate Vokalz jumps on a track that has a popular term in the hip hop realm, “Ride or Die.” All in all this emcee has his cards stacked up right and can strike at any moment because it’d be right. If you like what makes the east coast hip hop scene pop, check out DC Da Champ today. (https://www.dcdachamp.com/)
AG’s Empire is a place where hip hop talent shines. They have a tight knit group of skilled rappers and producers looking to make their Empire reign supreme. Mani feat. R.O.B. “Big Bang” has a sweet beat that people are going to attach themselves to instantly. It has this Snoop Dogg in the ’00s feel to it. With “You Already Know What It I$” starts with this beautiful lounge like piano. When the rhymes drop in, they come hard but the music stays elegant. It’s a nice contrast between the two that works out great. We circle back to Mani but stick on the elegant path as far as music in concerned. This time though the lyrics are reality based and have a great story behind them. We hear one produced by R.O.B. now with “Murder in the First.” We step away from the mentality of the previous two and head straight to the street wise ways of hip hop with this one. This guy proves to be a key asset to AG’s Empire as we hear his skills in the construction of “Time Alone” and “Let Me Get It.” If you’re looking for the next crop of artists to get into, check out who’s coming out of AG’s Empire. (https://www.hulkshare.com/AGsEmpire)
Appearing like T.I.’s Tiny intertwined with the skills of Da Brat, REMODY comes through as one of the up and coming female emcees in the hip hop game. Leading her game is her newest track “SWAGG” featuring Fred The Godson. The two together are flawless and seamless. They play off one another well and it comes through in the end result - which is a hot track that oozes charisma and well, swag. REMODY comes through like a clear cut rhymer but what was great was towards the end when she sang some notes and really showcased that she could do more than spit rhymes. She’s a well-rounded artist who will definitely be a must-know in 2015. If you like artists like Da Brat and Missy Elliot, check out REMODY and her “SWAGG” featuring Fred The Godson today. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8t7tMra3Lo)
The Windy City is known for a lot of things, and today we’re adding emcee Ceo Mikey to that long list. “Fathers Keeper” starts with a sample done in a falsetto, but then Ceo comes through with reality driven words. It’s an interesting sample too. It takes a minute to realize, because it’s been even longer since Kings of Leon were relevant. There’s quite the build up to “You Can’t Party with Us.” It’s quite the diss put to song, it’s also very hype and fun - even though it’s a dig at someone you don’t like. We go from keeping it real, to not playing around to a hard hitting joint with “No Love.” This one has a more aggressive take on the delivery end. That feel continues on with “I Did It (Outro).” That’s not where this ends though with Ceo Mikey. We’re going to wrap this up with a very interesting one, “Rigamortis.” It has this lowkey Mardi Gras feel in the beat, while the lyrics come across in a chilled manner. When it all boils down, Ceo Mikey is the full package. He can spit out rhymes about his life, tear you down or build the party. If you like well-rounded hip hop artists, check out Ceo Mikey sooner than later. (https://soundcloud.com/mikeybnice)
Ezy money keeps his cool as one of the latest emerging emcees. “And I” has a swagger feel to it that makes it a stand out right out the gate. We head to the streets, ironically with “Streets Ain’t Safe.” This one has a chilled vibe but still holds a strong intimidation. With “Set Up” it comes across like the others, but has a more whisper tone. We go from keeping things low key to getting a little energetic with “Talk that Talk.” This is the most oomph we’ve had from Ezy money the whole time and it’s refreshing. It seems like that’s where we’re at now because “$tag on it$” has an upbeat. It’s not overdone or anything, it’s not getting crazy but compared to where we started with Ezy money, this is up. Rounding out things with this rapper is “On My Momma.” This is a great one to end with because it has a good beat, a fantastic lyrical flow and makes you want more. If that’s what happens to you - check out Ezy money and keep an eye out for what he does next. (https://www.reverbnation.com/ezymoney)
You don’t hear much about the hip hop scene in Colorado, but Young Z is about to change that. “Life’s Good” featuring David Frederick has a sick beat that goes throughout and sounds like something from The Ying Yang Twins camp back in the day. He’s all about creating a captivating beat that gets you hooked, and the proof is in the butter and the tunes. That sentiment doesn’t stop as we go from “Good” to “Bandwagon.” Then we roll on to “We On” with Eric The Almighty helping out to give this one an extra ounce of oomph. It’s time for a remix as we hit “Believe Me.” This one is easy to follow along to. Young Z isn’t one to spit fire when he rhymes. He takes his time and fans will appreciate his laid back approach to hip hop. Then he proves me wrong and picks it up with “Bitch You Would.” This sounds like a song that would be popular with high school kids, but would never get played at the school dance for obvious reasons; maybe a house party instead. We’ll close this out with “Closet Thing.” What is great about going from “Bitch” to this one is the energy shift.” Young Z can really change lanes swiftly and can showcase a all sides in a definitive manner that’s to be respected. If you like well rounded artists, check out Young Z sooner than later. (https://soundcloud.com/youngz605)
HMK offers up something different at every turn. “Ship It” has a great line about being a cell phone and roaming, but with today’s internet culture - this may be the most unexpected hit among fandoms thanks to the idea of shipping fictional couples. It’d be funny to hear this looped on a fan made video of the stars of say “Supernatural.” All that aside, HMK is creating fine tuned hip hop that fans of that style of music will love. The former was more serious a bit, but “Mr. Inappropriate” lightens up things with its beat, the lyrics - not so much. It’s a little threatening but it’s fun to listen to bounce to the chorus. We step into the club for “Make It Hot.” It’s more a dance track than a hip hop jam with its electronic base. We head back to the basics with “I Waz Gon’ Bol” and then close things out with the old school feel of “Sittin’ In Tha Park.” What’s great about what comes from HMK is that no two songs sound the same. Each press of play is unique. If you like a healthy mix, check out HMK right now. (https://www.jango.com/stations/337271688/tunein?l=0)
A lot of rappers rely on the beat, not Chayne Spitta. All of his magic is in his words. “Hail Mary” comes across like young guns like Tyga and Wiz Khalifa. When it starts, it’s your typical hip hop track but as you unravel the layers, things get fast and furious. As soon those words were typed, “Standing Still,” and slows it down. “Killer” continues to keep the vibe going slow and steady but a bit more constructed. Spitta gets a little naughty with “Twerk Some.” Produced by Freshwaterbeats, this one has a lot of rated-r language and definitely wouldn’t make it onto radio, but would definitely be a playlist favorite at parties. I feel “It’s All Good” sounds more or less the same as the last one we shined a light on. With a title like that, it would’ve been nice to hear a lighter beat to this one and a less serious tone. While I would’ve liked that one hyped up, “Say What U Mean’s” slow pace is perfection. When it comes to hip hop, Chayne Spitta doesn’t rush it out and lays it down nice and slow, but isn’t afraid to pack a punch lyrically. Keep tabs on him because he has new joints coming April 2015. (https://soundcloud.com/chaynespitta)
One Six has a lot of ammo up his sleeve and he isn’t afraid to use it in the rap game to come out on top. “Southern Cali Bullshit” starts with an omnipresent monologue that sends chills down the spine but then makes the mind wander to a futuristic movie. It’s less of a song and more of just an intro track to set the tone for what’s to come. We get some humor with “Dessert” as the idea of what a salad fork causes some laughter. Then the rhymes kick in and we’re given low key fun with a cool beat thanks to Six and “JMusiQ. Prote J On The Beat produced “The Blueprint” and with him on board we get a really chill gem. It plays more like a really cool speech rather than a song. Young Ceno hops on to help out with “Open” as we pick things up with a track that’ll make booties clap. Finally we end where the day begins with “Early Mornin.’” We hear his daily routine and get a little green with envy that’s how One Six starts his days. If you’re into hip hop that has a very youthful demeanor like Wiz and Hoodie Allen, then check out One Six now. (https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/blaq-kennedy-southern-cali-bullshit-mixtape.110652.html?song-1861928)
T.M.E is a hip hop trio from Houston, Texas made up of H.B., Kano Sano and Easy-International. Together they’ve got a handful of tracks on deck that offer up a variety. “Stone Cold Stunna” has a chorus that exists on being repetitive, and it’s really the verses that drive this song. The hook captures you but the meat of the track lays within every other part. The music of “Another Bitch” stands out here. It reminds me of something Timberland would’ve done back in the day, or something you would’ve heard in a Dru Hill hit. With a title like “Freakin to R Kelly,” you have to expect magic. We ditch street hip hop and go more for a mainstream feel with it as this one borrows from an R&B standpoint. Capping things off with T.M.E is “Texas Slow.” It’s a club jam that will have girls moving nice and slow, but never fear - booties will still be able to pop to it. If you’re into hip hop that offers up a wide range, check out T.M.E today. (https://www.reverbnation.com/hustlinb4)
He has the heart of a lion and the audacity of a mainstream rapper. Too Deep is a force and is ready to take on whatever comes his way. “Flicker” starts like a scene out of a horror movie with a scream and music that makes the skin crawl. Then things take a turn and it doesn’t even sound like the same song when the rhymes kick in. Too Deep turns it up with “Man Up” with a very fast pace delivery, which relies on his words and not the beat. He takes control of the action with his natural gift like a boss. With every push of play a new side of Too Deep comes through. “Ballen Ant Easy” sounds like something that’d come from The Ying Yang Twins back in the day. Comm comes hard when he hops on “New Club.” Then things calm down a bit with the sly and fly ways of “Finally Made It!” In between all the hard rhymes, this one stands tall. We turn it back up and round this out with “All About The Money.” Materialistic, but realistic is the key here. If you like emcees who can do it up and turn it down in one move, check out Too Deep now. (https://www.imtoodeep.com/)
