Game of Thrones fans, batten down the hatches – Winter, finally, has come. Or to our US counterparts, summer is almost here, and in all honesty this has absolutely nothing to do with Game of Thrones. Instead, for this first day of our new season, this is the ‘Rap Wrap’. Not unlike Cling Wrap, this shit will stick. I can’t speak on whether any of the following will be of any considerable use in keeping your sandwiches from becoming stale, but you can be certain that all of the following will help your day from becoming stale. Day, or sandwich? You decide.
Smoke DZA, Beloved (Prod. Mac Miller)
The first to fall in to our winter’s lap comes from Harlem’s Smoke DZA, by way of his latest mixtape George Kush Da Button: Don’t Pass Trump The Blunt released to Soundcloud today. The track is produced by Mac Miller, who would appear to have stepped out from behind his Larry Fisherman moniker for now. A smooth offering, perfectly complementing both DZA’s subdued ‘weed’ rap flow, and Miller’s penchant for the psychedelic, Beloved is a laid-back offering, perfect for allowing the day to peacefully pass by and in to gentle oblivion. Or to light up a blunt to, it’s dealer’s choice, I should imagine.
Bishop Nehru – Love What You Do
Bishop Nehru is a name which might still be unfamiliar to many – which is criminal considering how extraordinarily talented the nineteen year old New Yorker truly is. Still riding the high from his collaborative project with the esteemed MF Doom, NehruvianDoom, Bishop Nehru offers a chilled throwback to hip-hop’s Golden Era with Love What You Do. From the scratches to Nehru’s confident flow, the offering is further in the vein of the track preceding it, with a calm, laid-back presentation to see the day away.
Hopsin, Die This Way ft. Matt Black & Joey Tee
Having apparently done away with all connections to former label Funk Volume, of which he was a co-founder, Hopsin has hit his stride with new label Undercover Prodigy – as evidenced by latest release Die This Way featuring Matt Black and Joey Tee. For an artist who has perpetually been extraordinarily hit or miss, Hopsin has let loose one of his strongest tracks in recent memory, comparable to his storied Ill Mind of Hopsin series.
Young Thug, Gangster Shit
Only two months removed from his brilliant Slime Season 3 release, Young Thug has let latest single Gangster Shit hit the web. Not one to remain quiet for long, Gangster Shit is another in a long line of tremendous releases by the trap phenomenon – whose popularity, to this day, continues to climb at a frenzied pace. Having collaborated in previous months with such artists as Chance the Rapper and Lil Uzi Vert, it is surprisingly comforting to hear Thugger returning to solid solo cuts, proving himself a competent and infectiously listenable solo artist. One would stop short of saying they hope to hear a full-length project from Thugger soon, with such a project almost guaranteed considering Young Thug’s admirably consistent output of projects. Nonetheless, if Gangster Shit is anything to go by as far as expectations for the next project go, keep your eyes peeled and your ears ready. Sliiiiiime.
So tell us how you heard it, what’s the best track of the new season to beat the cold? Or compliment the heat? Or keep the sandwiches fresh? Or… what else did I say?
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