They say that good things come to those that wait. Today, we’re granted something very good after a long time waiting. New Jersey based producer Clams Casino has for over five years existed in two different realms of the music world – insane popularity among hip-hop heads, and insane popularity in the mainstream for his work with artists like A$AP Rocky and Mac Miller – although though the name itself has remained largely unknown. With his long awaited debut album 32 Levels releasing today, we got the chance to chat with him just as his career kicks into the next gear. Past work, his creative process, and control of his sound – he had plenty to say on it all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfIjIVLmhAI
Five years in the making, it’s surreal that your debut album is finally here. A few years ago you said that making music was just a hobby to you, what made you want to make it into a career?
Just when I realised I was able to. I never really thought it would be realistic, things kind of starting taking off own their own after I had gone through school. The music started taking off at the same time I was graduating so I just figured, “let me just see how far I can take it, and if it works out, it works out, and if not I’ll go look for a job.” It ended up working out so I never ended up getting a job for what I went to school for and just kept going with it. I think it happened over a few months. One of the big things was I’d gotten a bunch of music licensed on TV, for Adult Swim, the cartoon channel. They reached out and gave me a pretty good amount of money for the time for licensing a bunch of beats to play on their commercials. That’s when it kinda hit me, like “woah I can really do this.” So it was about five years ago when I became full time music.
Just on the note of your studies, you studied physical therapy and interned at a hospital while you were starting producing – what were your aspirations for that career path?
My favourite was working at a hospital in the inpatient department, which is like giving people therapy soon after surgery, or a few days after. I interned at a bunch of different levels of it. One of them was a little too much for me. My first internship was at a brain and spinal cord injury long-term care place, and I really wasn’t into that one. Then I worked with outpatients which was very light, people drive themselves to the clinic and do exercises and things like that, so I saw a good range of it. I liked working in the hospital, so I probably would’ve stuck with that.
Why call it 32 Levels?
It’s taken from a lyric from a Lil B song I had done, I’m God. When I was trying to think of a title the first thing I did was go to that song, because I feel like that was a major turning point in my career, and me making music. It really helped me find a direction, and where I was going to fit into music and my musical identity. I tried to get something from that song and it’s the first thing that popped out of that. So for me that’s the origin of it and why it’s special to me, but also I chose it because it can be open to interpretation for the listener. It can mean whatever, so that was important to me that they can think whatever they want to get out of it.
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What do you want people to feel when they listen to this record?
Hopefully they feel or they hear things for the first time, or things that they’re not familiar with. I always hope to challenge people, and I don’t want people that listen to my music to be fully comfortable or to get everything or nothing more than what they expect. People that know my music, I hope that they get what they expect, but of course more, and I hope to challenge people and show them something new. That’s always something that I keep in mind, it’s at the forefront of everything that I make.
What made you realise you wanted to make your own album rather than releasing beats for rappers? Has that been a different process?
It hasn’t been too much. It’s a lot of the same, where I’m making a lot of stuff at home most of the time. I usually make the best beats that I come out with at home by myself, so that process hasn’t changed too much. Here and there I’ll make some things in the studio with other people or rappers but not very often. For other people’s albums and mine, there’s really no difference that I can see. For example, the Vince Staples stuff. We started working on the song for my album, and during that process he was asking for beats for his album because he had to finish his up. So those songs all came out of the process of working on mine, and the beat for his song Norf Norf on his album I actually made for my album. I couldn’t get anybody on it, and then he found it and made it, so it’s just funny how it works. So really, no difference from working on other people’s stuff and mine, it’s just where it ends up I guess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb6Jc4juSF8
I remember reading a while ago you saying that “I usually try not to think about who I’m gonna make [beats] for.. cause then I end up thinking too hard and it doesn’t work right.” Is that something that’s stayed the same in producing your album? Or are you now making beats with people in mind?
That hasn’t changed. I would say that every beat that is made, if I make it for somebody in particular, I’ll give it to them or they just won’t end up using it. But, that’s a good way to get stuff done – because then I’ll have a really good beat for someone else. I don’t know why, maybe it is because I overthink it, but for whatever reason, whenever I try to make something specific for somebody, 95% of the time they’re not going to use it. That’s still true to today, that hasn’t changed. So probably everything that was made on here was given to somebody else after the first person I thought of just didn’t work out.
And you don’t like to play a part in the songwriting either, why is that?
I like to leave that up to them. If they ask me for advice or with decisions they can’t make up their mind on, I’m happy to do that, but I don’t have too much to say lyrically to be honest, I speak in different ways. I don’t like to get too in the middle of that. Whatever they feel from the music I try to get that out in the best way and have them deliver that in the best way possible. I’m aiming for the best performance out of them.
Your previous work was chockfull of samples, particularly by female vocalists. 32 Levels has almost none of that. Why the decision to move away from sampling?
Well the process changed a lot mostly because of legal issues and not being able to release things that I’d sampled on. So after a little bit of that and finding that process a little frustrating, of sampling things and things not being able to get commercially cleared, after a while I had to figure out a way to switch it up. So now, most of the samples are basically being recorded either by me or by my buddies that play instruments. We’ll go into the studio and just record sounds, or play some drums, play a little guitar – not that I’m good at guitar or keyboards – I can do basic things, just enough for me to chop up and sample. I’m recording it all into my computer, everything still ends up in the process that I’ve always done as far as the software that I’m using and the computer program and stuff. The only difference is now I’m recording audio into it. I’ll be at home or running to the studios. In the process of this album I was going to a few different studios in New York and LA, and London, and the main points of those trips are to record sounds. I would go the studio for a week at a time or five days and just block it out, and record as much as I could, and not really even try to be making beats but just be recording all this sample material. When I got home I would just take everything that I’d collected over those months and during those sessions and I’d have stuff to pull from. I was gone for almost a whole year just going to studios and just pulling as much sounds from everything that they had.
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With Rainforest and the release of your instrumental mixtapes, you really demonstrated how your music is able to sustain itself not only with vocals, but also as a standalone product. 32 Levels is fitting in your trend, getting a release with all the features, as well as an instrumental version – has that always been something you wanted to do?
I did that because, firstly I didn’t know how the album was going to end up. When I first started working on it I really didn’t know. My intent was just to make music and whatever ended up being the best stuff would be what went on. So I didn’t know if it was going to be all hip-hop, or mostly hip-hop and some instrumental or some singing stuff. I really didn’t have any idea so I was just going with all different types of artists, whoever I could work with, and just experimenting. I got a lot of stuff I really liked, but not instrumental stuff. I know that’s such an important thing, especially for my fans and people that just want to hear from me, so either way, however it ended up, I wanted to make sure that there was a way to get access to all of the instrumentals. I know people are really interested to hear that, and there’s a lot of detail in there that I really want people to hear. Sometimes with the vocal stuff you just can’t hear that. It’s just a whole other layer and an experience that the listener can have, and so I’m glad to be able to have that for them too. It’s two listening experiences in one.
Did you know you wanted a certain number of instrumentals on the album from the beginning, or is that something that shifted and changed?
It definitely shifted and changed. Some of them were made in the studio with the artist, but I would say most of them, probably three quarters were made at home by me first. Some of the ones that are instrumentals are just ideas that never got finished. Like for example there are some beats on there that are instrumental, but I tried to get rappers on them for months or even longer. If nobody ended up using them then I would say, “okay, well now I’ll make an instrumental version of it.” I would treat it a little differently. I knew I’d have a little more room to add some detail, and tweak it. Usually it’s just because they’re laying around and I want people to hear them and nobody has used them.
It goes without saying that you were instrumental in the creation of the ‘cloud rap’ sound, which has now become much more mainstream with artists like Rocky becoming so huge. How has that knowledge influenced the creation of your music?
I’m aware of that and I try not to let that affect it. I just think it’s something that I did naturally, and I feel that of course I’ve played a big part in bringing that to light, but I feel like if other people start doing it and I stop doing it then that’s me giving it up to them. I don’t see why I should do that, so I just keep doing my thing and I do what I always do and if people want to try to copy it then they can do it. I definitely don’t feel like shying away from that just because other people may try to do it. It’s mine and I’ll continue to do what I always do.
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Now that your debut is out, are you already planning your next move? What’s next?
I’m just getting back into making music again. There’s a lot of stuff I want to do. I want to move into scoring, soundtracks and film things like that. Also just getting back into other people’s albums and working behind the scenes, so it’s a little bit of everything. It’s good to not be working on the album anymore, it’s a little refreshing. I was getting so deep into it so it’s good to just do anything right now. Whatever comes in I’m happy to work on some new stuff right away.
Check our full review of Clams’ debut 32 Levels here.
Image: Pitchfork
Though in recent years hip-hop producers like Sonny Digital, Metro Boomin and Mike Will Made It have set themselves apart as their own artists, it’s rare that hip-hop instrumentals do much more than serve as a platform to rap atop. Without dissing, no one is likely to listen back to an Atlanta trap backing track and hear or feel anything other than Atlanta trap. It’s rare that a producer is able to produce a sound which acts in two different ways – both as its own piece of musical genius, and bringing depth and meaning to the words of another artist.
While you may not have heard Clams Casino’s name, you’ve definitely heard his style. Releasing his first EP, Rainforest, in 2011, Clams quickly became the talk of the underground hip-hop town. A bunch of collaborations with Lil B led him straight to A$AP Rocky, and consequently, the birth of the cloud rap sound, perhaps made most famous by the enigmatic Lil B. There’s no denying that tracks like Bass, Wassup and Palace are Rocky’s early best, and while his success took the sound further and out of Clams’ hands, he’s always been the king of the castle. The release of three separate Instrumental Mixtape Volumes meant budding rappers could do their own work over his, and his audience could greater appreciate the complexity and individuality of his sound on its lonesome. Though Clams was so cutting edge and ahead of the times, it’s hard to believe that over 5 years since the release of Rainforest, countless collaborations and remixes, we’re granted with his debut album – 32 Levels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfIjIVLmhAI
“The mind is so complex when you’re Based; 32 Levels; Welcome to my world” – Lil B, I’m God
It seems fitting that the album name is taken from one of, if not the most well known and awe inspiring pieces of Clams’ music. I’m God is the definitive Clams Casino track, and is the perfect combination of vocal sampling, heavy bass, atmospheric sounds and twisting synths that are found all throughout his work. 32 Levels opener, Level 1, feels like the spiritual successor to I’m God. “Yes..” whispers Lil B in the first of many vocal features – saying what we’re all thinking, “the album is finally here.” Essays could be written on the way the vocal samples, very reminiscent of I’m God, build and finally crash into an another explosion of bass and flanging sound that’ll send your eyes rolling back – but there’s more to address first.
Without even listening to the album, you can most likely appreciate it by looking at the list of vocal features, first revealed earlier this year. We’re hit right in the face after Level 1 with Be Somebody, the first track to ever feature both Rocky and Lil B on it. “We just made history, you know that right?” Lil B asks, breaking the wall between him and the listener yet again. It’s a match made in heaven, and god knows it’s been a long time coming. Vince Staples rolls through right after that, working the same magic he and Clams had on Norf Norf, this time on All Nite. While Clams has a particular affinity for hip-hop, his production also lends itself amazingly to styles never thought before. Thanks To You, with vocals by Sam Dew is a standout on the record, taking a much lighter tone than usual in both vocal style and instrumentally, but never straying too far from the flock. Kelela also feels right at home on Breath Away, making you wonder why they’ve never worked together before – the same feeling you might experience throughout every first-time collaboration on 32 Levels. Each feels like it could have come from any of these artists’ own catalogue, which is testament to Clams’ skill for bringing out the best performances of those he works with.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhXE1fGrv_M
That said, the man himself has said before that he prefers not to get involved in the songwriting process, even going so far as to not have anyone in mind when creating his beats. Taking this into consideration, these songs have no overarching themes or tone; instead, this is an album tied together through its sonic motifs more than any thematic concerns.
Although his production has traditionally been on the darker and thicker side of the spectrum, 32 Levels operates on a number of different emotional levels through its sound. Clams’ music has always been about atmosphere, with sounds either directly taken from real life environments like throughout his Rainforest EP, and heard again on All Nite, or built from scratch via spacious sounding synths and echoing percussion. This sense of atmosphere, as all good music should, takes us to another place. Where are we where we’re hearing music like this? It’s otherworldly, almost like the artists singing and rapping inside this world are doing so in some limbo like state, with the emotion behind their words extending further than it ever could have in real life.
There’s always been something about Clams’ sound that seems larger than life, and the trend continues on 32 Levels. Skull sounds near demonic, with Bowser style laughing and haunting flute sounds set alongside clicking snares and hats. Back To You is by far the most pop track on the record, with Kelly Zutrau providing some soft spoken and breathy vocals, but it never feels out of place. Metallic echoes, and her own layered voice hitting high notes before fading away into nothing further cement this idea of place in each track. It’s in this sense of shared depth and space that the album feels completely whole. Each artist isn’t themself, but simply a voice sharing and reflecting on feelings inside the worlds that Clams Casino creates within each of his songs. While he might not play a part in songwriting, everything on this record feels very calculated and very purposeful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLBKRKeRaL8
At times, the sheer number of voices on this record can become a little overwhelming. Clams’ environments and atmospheres are often better enjoyed in and of themselves, with no words to distract from the experience. Mr. Casino has obviously learned from the successes of his instrumental mixtapes, and blessed all of us with the same-day release of an instrumentals version of 32 Levels to get the best of both, and all, of Clams’ worlds.
32 Levels is a record that changes with every listen. The space that exists within each of its 12 tracks is like a magnifying glass to the emotions of the listener and the vocalists alike. While according to Lil B there are 32 levels in the Based Mind, it doesn’t seem like Clams Casino has any limits to his work.
Image: Jack Colquhoun for Howl & Echoes
While it might be rare to see her there, given the time and constant hard work she’s been putting in overseas, it was clear last Friday evening at the Metro Theatre that George Maple is most at home on stage in her hometown of Sydney.
Having just released banger collaboration Sticks and Horses, featuring Washington rapper GoldLink and the first of many new bits of solo material since 2014’s Vacant Space EP, Friday was like the pre-drinks for what will no doubt be a crazy George Maple party later this year.
It goes without saying that, though lockouts have severely impacted Sydney’s late night party-going, electronic music sets have remained confined to the later hours of the evening. Friday night was, refreshingly, much earlier. With Sydney support Yuma X kicking off at 8:30, and tour support UV boi at 9:30, the size of the crowd made it obvious that many punters either hadn’t made it to the city yet post-working week or were saving themselves for the main event.
Initially, there was plenty of room in what was a very high intensity set from UV boi, filled to the brim with jersey-club bangers and some pretty filthy trap to boot. His debut EP L-UV cemented him as one of Australia’s most exciting up-and-coming producers and the crowd gave him exactly the reaction he deserved dropping major tracks like If She, If He and No Answer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLAwtCYyy_I
While trap and jersey aren’t sounds that you might expect as a prelude to a headline set largely consisting of spacious and sexy-sounding synths, it warmed the crowd up perfectly. As the Metro filled up, big moments and drops seemed to become even bigger, with the audience breaking into chants and the dancefloor heaving more and more. The hour seemed to fly by, and it was 10:30 before anybody knew it.
It wasn’t long before a drummer and bassist took the stage, to the usual whistles and cheering. Nothing could have prepared everyone for George herself, however, making the entrance of a lifetime in a silver-sequinned jumpsuit. The crowd, understandably, went wild.
Starting off with her EP’s namesake, Vacant Space, George had already set herself completely apart from the rest of Australia’s female artists in blending singing and electronic production. While other voices and personalities remain more whispery and quiet, George Maple was a diva completely in control of her voice and her audience. Moving around the stage and grabbing the hands of her adoring fans, changing outfits to a space-age coat with knee-high-boots and gloves and dancing along to her own songs, she owned everything about her performance.
Her voice was consistently strong and the addition of live bass and drums over track instrumentals, while not completely necessary given the fact we could hear the original backing track, was a nice touch in pursuit of a more “legitimate” live show. A surprise appearance by Tkay Maidza sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy, with nothing but smiles between the two as they jumped back and forth, leading a dance charge all across the floor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c-zHOERb0M
With new music on the way, and thus far only one EP under her belt, it was also interesting to note that her set consisted largely of vocal features on other tracks. What So Not’s Gemini and her latest in Buried alongside Rome Fortune were by far two of the night’s biggest.
Though there wasn’t enough of her own material (thus far) to fill a whole set, her performance of these chart-topping hits was not only a pleasure to witness but also an interesting blurring of the lines between ownership and rights to perform these collaborations – which seems all the more relevant today than ever before. While these tracks are by far her most known, though not entirely under her name, it was a perfect ending to the evening when she closed with her biggest single by far in Talk Talk.
It was hard to see a face that wasn’t singing along word for word, and nothing would have been able to wipe the resulting smile off George’s face.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH_u_OiDChE
Though not having spent much time on Australian stages yet, George Maple is a name that people country-wide will soon be saying all the more often. If new material is of the quality we’ve become accustomed to, the features and collaborations stay this huge and her performances are as entrancing and commanding as tonight, there’s no telling just how high she can reach.
Check dates for the rest of her Australia-wide tour below.
George Maple Tour Dates:
Wed, Jul 13th: Corner Hotel, Melbourne (w/ Jia Lih)
Fri, Jul 15th, Oh Hello, Brisbane (w/ Jake Yuma)
Sat, Jul 16th: Jack Rabbit Slim’s, Perth (w/ KUČKA)
Image: The Interns
Sydney’s Electronic Music Conference has this week unveiled its first keynote speaker for the 2016 event, and it’s looking to start a conversation which concerns every fan of live music, and general nightlife, Australia-wide. Sydney’s own TEDfest style conference, now in their fifth year, announced that the Night Mayor of Amsterdam, Mirik Milan, will be making an appearance down under.
Milan has been the night mayor since 2012, and is largely responsible for Amsterdam’s amazing relationship between punters and nightlife business owners, creating a safe environment for people to enjoy themselves in, and ensuring the livelihood of the city’s world-renown and profitable nighttime economy. Sounds a little different to our own, right?
With the lockout laws having devastated Sydney’s nightlife and live music scene to a near irreparable degree, and Brisbane now on the brink of similar times – with a reported 20% drop in revenue on the lockout’s first weekend – Milan’s experience and words are vital in the construction of better alternatives to perceived nighttime violence and noise complaints. Programmer Erin Flanagan explained the importance of Milan as an EMC speaker perfectly, saying, “We believe Milan’s knowledge and experience will be invaluable in our own city’s pursuit of a vibrant and safe nightlife. Amsterdam has shown us and the rest of the world that it is possible to achieve this.” Although he’s speaking at the EMC specifically, this is an issue and a conversation that needs to involve everyone with any kind of interest or care for the fate of Australia’s music scene as a whole.
With EMC 2016’s press-cherry now popped, a number of different ticket options are now also available. Ranging from $100 – $600 (with a 10% earlybird discount), there’s something for everyone. Whether you just want to go for one of the two days and check out the conference, have access to none or all of the masterclasses, or even attend the gala dinner and the multi-club showcases and parties taking place each night, there’s so much in store. It all kicks off from November 28 – December 2 at The Ivy Complex, but don’t sleep on it or you’ll miss out. Check out full ticket details here and stay tuned till the full EMCPlay lineup emerges on September 14th.
Reports Suggest Lockouts to Blame for Increase In Violence At Star Casino
Read Why Lockouts Will Do More Harm Than Good In Queensland
While you’re at it, check this short documentary explaining just what Milak Milan does as Night Mayor, and how well he does his job.
Image: Supplied
Picture yourself walking along, or sitting, or standing, or whatever really, but you’re listening to music – that’s the important part. A track comes on, and there’s a particular section that sounds familiar to you, a particular sample, but you can’t quite put your finger on where it’s from. Or alternatively, you’re listening to a track and you don’t know the sample, but you love it, you want to find it, but you don’t know how. Frustrating, right? Well, have we got some good news for you.
Youtuber Donutsample (of J Dilla‘s Donuts) has over the last three months been meticulously analysing some of the biggest releases of the past few years, as well as some older favourites, so that you don’t have to. Whether it’s singles or albums, each of their videos compares both the original and the way it’s been more recently used. It’s not only great for looking into more classic tracks and expanding your music knowledge, but also adds another level to each piece of music. Why has an artist chosen to include that particular sample? What stories and meaning lay behind their choices? What’s the most obscure sample any of the musicians has used? Hip-hop has traditionally been the genre to sample, and it’s interesting to see how the art has evolved across a number of other genres too. It’s a rabbit hole you won’t regret falling down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMIC5Yta3qo
While licensing issues have definitely made it more difficult to utilise sampling in the creation of new music, Donutsample’s videos not only inform, but demonstrate perfectly the art of proper sampling.
The videos run through some of the best albums of the last few years and beyond, including
Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXEY1zM3t7U
Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, m.A.A.d City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNq34q0kRvA
Black Star, Black Star
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kS3xn3TR-Q
Outkast, Stankonia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBXk_5XciFA
Beyoncé, Lemonade
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLKjY2-eFFw
A Tribe Called Quest, The Low End Theory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGHVcekpM3I
Check them all out right here.
Image: DeliciousLiving
It’s sad to think that the biggest piece of Wu-Tang Clan news in recent memory is the ridiculous shit-storm that was that whole Martin Shkreli debacle. With the lone copy of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin in his seedy little hands, there was understandable concern among fans of the Wu that we wouldn’t be hearing much from the Clan for quite a while. Today though, we can breathe easy, with Ghostface Killah announcing that the next reunion is in his hands.
In an interview with HipHopDx, Ghostface stated “RZA put the ball in my hand. He said ‘Yo, I want you to do it’, and I been wanting to do it, and that’s a big test for me right there.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfa_IT_LUYE
In the same interview he also addressed the direction he hopes that album to take, continuing “you got to always go back to the foundation … It’s not what you do it’s how you do it. But it has to be done right. If it don’t fit then we can’t do it. It’ll just have to be done nice. That’s it. People can’t talk about it unless it’s good.”
As for features? At the moment it looks like it’ll be kept largely in the family. – “I mean when we do this, we don’t got to bring nobody in. Unless there’s somebody that’s already out with a strong name or a good voice that would be good. I learned to not be selfish. People know us. We got 10 people in the goddamn group.”
Wu-Tang’s last reunion in 2014, A Better Tomorrow, produced by RZA, got some really mixed reviews, and didn’t really feel like everything it could’ve been. While there’s no doubt RZA does amazing work, he’s leaving the next album in some of hip-hop’s most capable hands in those of Ghostface. Twelve Reasons to Die I & II, and Sour Soul, a collaborative album with BadBadNotGood, are all some of his best work to date and came in the space of two years. Ghostface has shown that even well into his 40s, he’s still one of hip hop’s best, and we can’t wait to see where he takes the Clan next.
Image: XXL Magazine
In its almost ten year history, the XXL Magazine Top 10 Freshmen list has always ignited debate and divided the hip-hop community on where the future of the art is going. This year 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Dicky, Dave East, Denzel Curry, G Herbo, Lil Yachty and Desiigner were the new boys in town, each of them bringing their own fanbases and haters to the table to knock heads.
One Freshman who is largely without any of that dividing beef, however, is California’s Anderson .Paak, today joining his fellow inductees in giving a freestyle to celebrate his inclusion in this prestigious list. You can watch it below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZewUroc-FY
Having just announced a full length NxWorries album – his side project with producer Knxwledge – is finished and his best work yet, XXL have caught him as the wave well and truly breaks. His freestyle is the perfect embodiment of his continuing success – both in its delivery and its lyrics. His husky voice echoes in the XXL studio, like we’re witnessing the delivery of a spoken word prayer about being brought down at the top of your game. While other Freshmen’s freestyles might not hit as hard without instrumentals, Anderson .Paak feels right at home in the silence.
Making this list came largely off the back of his fourth album Malibu, the second under the moniker Anderson .Paak, released earlier this year to largely rave reviews. So rave in fact, that Dr Dre threw his support behind the crooner and signed him straight to his iconic Aftermath label only two weeks following. He’s been making waves ever since, also featuring on tracks by Kaytranada and Snakehips, venturing as he does best out of his genre comfort zone.
For now, with all of these accolades and plaudits to his name, it looks like Anderson .Paak’s star is only going to skyrocket.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3ExCaQ8sEM
Image: XXL Magazine
If there’s one track that’s been near inescapable for the most part of this year, it’s been Desiigner’s Panda.
Whether you heard it heavily sampled on Kanye’s The Life Of Pablo, or in one of its many parodies, remixes and renditions by celebrities since, everyone now knows that Desiigner’s “got broads in Atlanta”, online, at least.
After many hints and much speculation, the 19-year-old rapper has now announced his debut mixtape, titled New English. Considering he’s only released a handful of tracks to date, this will no doubt be great news for his live audiences and those keen to tap him as a ‘next big thing’, but are worried that he might fall to the status of a one-trick panda pony.
Announced via Def Jam Recordings earlier today, the release will be premiered at a listening party in New York City (albeit on a smaller scale to the kind of premiere Kanye West has been working with), with the mixtape expected to be released online afterwards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=yrRAL59Pljg
While there’s no doubt that Desiigner has been comfortably riding Panda’s wave of success – featuring as an XXL Freshman of 2016 and making many TV and festival appearances, many have high hopes for the recent G.O.O.D Music signee, and we can only hope that this mixtape proves as much. He’s also announced a debut album, Life of Desiigner, but no further details have been announced as of yet.
We’re looking forward to New English, the next step in defining how Desiigner’s career continues. Will he maintain the standard he set with Panda? Or will the hype kill it? Only time will tell.
Image: FactMag
Having just wrapped up another of his jail sentences for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane has busted back onto the scene hard and is making up for some serious lost time. The release of First Day Out Tha Feds, literally the day he got out, was featured on Champions – a cut from Kanye’s Cruel Winter compilation, and he wasted no time in announcing his Gucci Mane & Friends concert tour in September.
One might be inclined to think his return is almost too good to be true. Isn’t this all just a little too convenient? The perfect little happy ending to a tale packed full of illegal firearms? Some people online (trust) are feeling exactly the same way, and have come to the logical conclusion that all of us sheeple are simply too blind to see:
Gucci Mane is still in prison, and the man parading around as him is actually, a clone.
Though you might dismiss it as just another crazy conspiracy theory at first, there’s at least a little physical evidence to support the claims. The Gucci out of jail looks very different to the Gucci that went in two years ago. He’s slimmed down a tonne, gained plenty of muscle mass, and his signature ice cream cone face-tattoo has almost completely disappeared. Twitter has, understandably, been going nuts over the claims, with people compiling comparisons to illustrate their point properly. Check ‘em below:
WE THINK GUCCI MANE IS HOME, BUT THE CIA SECRETLY RELEASED A CLONE THAT SPEAKS PROPER ENGLISH 😂😂😂😂 #blackplottwist pic.twitter.com/5C3rO996mc
— Collecti (@macintosh0x) June 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/_therealhoney/status/745105028403200000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“Gucci Mane” himself (whoever that may be) has even addressed the rumours, taking to Snapchat on Tuesday to “neither support or deny the accusations” – obviously loving it.
In the end, there are two ways that this situation can play out. Either this Gucci Mane is the real Gucci Mane and he continues on with what he’s doing and we all get on with our lives, or this is actually a clone, the real Gucci Mane manages to break out of wherever he’s being held prisoner and we see the craziest freestyle battle the world has ever known. I think it goes without saying which of these is the far better option.
https://twitter.com/IamAkademiks/status/745341152031875072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Image: Jack Colquhoun for Howl & Echoes