Hip Hop July Selection

If in the underground circles, many know and appreciate Evidence mainly for the lyrical skills and the hypnotic flow displayed during his glorious career in the Los Angeles group of the Dilated People, the rapper of Italian origins, perhaps, does not yet have enough admirers for what he is able to do as a producer. Intros, Outros & Interludes, the new album in collaboration with the other Los Angeles MC and former member of Odd Future, Domo Genesis, is an unquestionable testament to the incredible qualities of Evidence at the production machines. The beats made by Ev, clearly “Alchemist”-influenced (it is no coincidence that he and The Alchemist are longtime friends and associates), perfectly marry the flow of consciousness of Domo Genesis, interpreting at best the light, thoughtful and intelligent spirit and rap of this beautiful project.

10 years ago when Joey Bada$$ debut album “1999” came out, the Brooklyn’s MC was just a kid, but the impact he had with his debut record shook the whole NYC hip-hop community: the incredible talent of this boy was reminiscent of the illustrious predecessors who had walked the same streets a few generations earlier. In a dark moment in its hip-hop history, the Big Apple suddenly woke up with a potential “next big thing” as great icons of the past like B.I.G and Nas. The historical moment, however, with a music industry that pointed in a completely different direction than the Joey’s one, inspired by the glorious city tradition, and the understandable difficulties in managing the immense pressures of the uncomfortable comparisons juxtaposed to his name, may have prevented Joey Bada$$’s career from shining as one would expect, despite some success nonetheless. Today, after having tried in every way to shake off the cumbersome label of predestined, the Brooklyn rapper has grown and matured, perhaps finding peace and self-confidence in a precise identity and artistic career. With the publication of  his new album “2000“, in fact, he restarts from that moment of ten years ago, a delight and probably a cross of his early career, reworking the artistic path that made him a man, according to a new, more aware and mature perspective. This is confirmed by the blessings of Diddy and Nas in the intro and interlude of the album.

The rapper from South Jamaica Queens projects, grew up within the G-Unit and Mobb Deep circles, Nyce Da Future finds in Eto, MC and producer of Rochester, a town in the cold lands north of the state of New York, a new partner-in-crime perfect for his street rap, inspired by the sounds of the golden moment of New York’s Rap, when the crew of 50 Cent dominated the market. The raw and raw style of Eto, not only as an MC, but also as a producer, perfectly marries the rap of Nyce Da Future, who with his rhymes transports us to the center of the popular blocks of South Jamaica Queens.

In the international Hip-Hop panorama, today, it is difficult to find an artistic entity like that of Al.Divino: MC, producer, painter, artist at 360°, maybe “philosopher” and much more, no one interprets and models the Hip-Hop material like this eclectic native of Massachusetts. Often the genius lies in the ability to think in a totally alternative way to the masses. Geniuses mostly see what for others is unthinkable and inconceivable and act in a way that does not conform to the dominant thought. And Al Divino, perhaps, in his totally unorthodox way of interpreting this musical genre, from the unconventional choice of his productions (for the project in question  the are made up by him, Daringer, Graymatter, Ewonee and others producers of the Mini Mansion collective) to his unique and singular rapping, passing through the dirty way in which he mixes songs or markets his art (at prices often prohibitive for the mass), emits vibrations destined for the perceptive abilities of a few. The times that you are able to get in sync with the intuitions of Al Divino, intellectual and sensorial doors that have not been explored before can open up. The double album Guns & Butter can be a good start if you’ve never approached this eclectic artist.

Mozzy after signing a partnership with Yo Gotti’s label CMG, releases a new album that perfectly embodies the poetics of the Sacramento rapper, who can finally claim to have made it and to have reached the definitive artistic maturity. “Survivor’s Guilt” is, in some ways, the manifesto of the “introspective” gangsta rap that over the years has allowed Mozzy to carve out a first-rate role first in the West Coast scene, and then cross the borders of the state and the nation , gaining admirers at all levels. The rapper from Oak Park (Sacramento), in fact, has found a functional formula that allows him to stay in balance between his lyrical skills, street bangers and more “catchy” or melodic moments, for clubs and radios. Mozzy has now really made it out of the hood, but like so many who survived the street life, remorse remains for all those they grew up with who, however, did not have the same luck or talent. This is the “Survivor’s Guilt”.

It was 1995 when the DPG (Dogg Pound Gangstaz), Daz and Kurupt, from Long Beach (Los Angeles) launched their battle cry “New York, New York”, backed by Snoop Dogg and addressed to New York rivals, exacerbating the beef between the two coasts that characterized the 90s. The harsh response by the Big Apple beating heart was not long in coming. Tragedy Khadafi, Queensbridge’s legend, and CNN (Capone’N’Noreaga) responded with the killer-banger L.A, L.A. … These events today belong only to history pages with some legendary outlines, now outdated. So much so that Daz and Capone, once rivals, on opposite sides of the barricades, come together to give light to a new project that wants to draw guidelines, against a common enemy: the poverty of human, charismatic and, often, qualitative depth that is served up by the music industry nowadays. Two legends like Daz and Capone, in fact, have grown up with values ​​and principles which, despite their contradictions, today seem to have disappeared completely, leaving space only for social media fiction. However, “Guidelinez” is not a nostalgic operation, it is simply rap made and produced as God commands, where the word passes to veterans, who from their experience can teach youngsters and less young heads to move in life and industry musical. In fact, Daz and Capone preside over an OG’s reunion which also includes Kurupt, Nore, M.O.P, Smif-n-Wessun, Conway The Machine, Mistah Fab, Styles P, Curren$y.

Consistency and coherence always pay off. This is testified by the latest project by Silla DDR, rapper and producer, from the southern area of ​​Milan, who continues his artistic growth in total autonomy, with a clear vision of his own artistic aesthetic and without giving in to sirens and easy temptations. A path that, persevering with stubbornness, led him to a patient but constant evolution, which allowed him to model for himself a clear, original musical identity, faithful to his tastes and beliefs, which today no one can snatch from him anymore. Inspired by the street lyricism and the refined sounds of Roc Marciano and the wave he created, Silla DDR carves his rap and his own productions, chiseling everything with cultured quotations, mixed with some hood’s language. That of Silla DDR is a refined aesthetic, perhaps still for a few, who, however, have some acquired tastes for Rap. Accompanying him on the microphone are MistaMan, Jack The Smoker, Dome Flame, Elia Phoks and Lexotan.

Actually released on the last calendar day of June, OV3 is the new album by the French-speaking Swiss rapper of Moroccan origins, with a skate background, DI-MEH. The young rapper from Geneva proves to have innumerable arrows in his bow and despite a good commercial success both in Switzerland and in France, he faces his latest OV3 project showing all his familiarity and skills, also, sounds and samples with a more boom–pap classic flavor. OV3 project enlisted also several guests, including the Franco-Gabonese Benjamin Epps and the native of Brussels, Caballero.