Benz and a Backpack

Last month, Detroit emcee Ty Farris (@TyFarris1) dropped his latest project Champion Hoodies ‘N Hennessy, a mixtape meant to bring the east side Detroit streets to life through rhymes. Presented by SkrillaGorillas, Ty flexes on production from some of the grittiest beatsmiths around: !llmind, Alchemist, as well as K.R.I.T. and Araab. Stream the tape below, and cop it from Ty’s website!

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I got to thinking about Odd Future the other day. I decided that they were about to take a bow out of the limelight. Shock value only lasts so long; to the masses atleast.

On the surface, that’s all the group is; Shocking. Dig a little deeper into OFWGKTA though and you actually find something substantial. You find a self-sustaining group of misfits who refuse to be boxed in. Imagine my suprise when I when I found out Hodgy let some other producers lace his stuff. It’s completely out of character, but because he let the best in the game do it (Juicy J, Thelonius Martin, Alchemist, Flying Lotus), it was well worth it.

For once, I hope you all can put aside the OFWGKTA reputation and enjoy this for what it is. Good music.

Hit the skip for the download link and the track list. Click the album artwork above to stream.  Read the rest of this entry →

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Gangrene (Oh No + Alchemist) starts the year off right and gives us another taste of their upcoming album. The release of Vodka & Ayahuasca is a mere three weeks away and if this is any indication of what to expect, y’all need to strap in. The title track has some of the cleanest and meanest production I’ve heard in a long time and you know the album is gonna have some tight features. If you follow the Alchemist (@Alanthechemist) on twitter, you might have seen him hint that Roc Marciano, Action Bronson, and Evidence will make an appearance at their upcoming show at The Terrace in Pasadena, CA. So if you happen to be out west, be sure to hit that up!

Hit the skip to stream/download the track. Album drops the 24th!

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Go ahead, hate. I put Jet Life as the artist instead of Curren$y. I’m not backing down. Spitta’s team is one of the strongest groups on the circuit and it’s about time they got some credit. Fellow jets Young Roddy, Trademark Da Skydiver, and newest member Sir Michael Rocks say goodbye to the “feat.” prefix and find themselves in the Artist category for once. Well sort of anyways, Curren$y actually places himself in the features along with the rest of the crew. All that’s important is that this album is tight. This track in particular has an infectious guitar riff and an overall laid back feeling that anyone can get behind. The video brings nothing new to the table; just the team posted up enjoying their success. Big things to come from the team, but if you must have your dose of Curren$y, Covert Coup 2 has been confirmed for next year. Most likely to drop in April again, on (you guessed it) the 20th.

Enjoy the video and cop Jet World Order if you haven’t already. I’m not going to tell you twice. Hit the skip for the tracklist and a link to the iTunes store. Read the rest of this entry →

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Esteemed producers The Alchemist and Oh No are once again corroborating under the name Gangrene and I couldn’t be happier. The duo’s first project Gutter Water was a sample-heavy punch in the gut that was as powerful as it was satisfying. This next LP, Vodka & Ayahuasca is set to drop January 24th, so if you haven’t had a chance to hear the former you still have a little time to get wise. Confirmed features for V&A include heavyweights Kool G Rap, Evidence, and  Long Island emcee Roc Marciano, whose lyrical styling graced the group’s Greneberg EP which dropped earlier this year.  Stream the first single, “Dump Truck” below for a  little taste of what’s to come.

Hit the skip for the album artwork and a link to where you can purchase the single.

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Here goes the first set of visuals off Curren$y and Alchemist’s Covert Coup for “Blood Sweat & Gears” featuring Jet Life affiliate Fiend. “Blood Sweat & Gears” might be the best song off the mixtape, with a dynamic chromatic bass line and signature Alchemist drums. The video is an accumulation of footage from Spitta’s tour over the past several months. Let’s hope “Ventilation” gets the visual treatment next!

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“Why Cry” finally gets the video treatment from director Jon Wolf. The cut was produced by the Alchemist, and it’s off Reks’ most recent album  “R.E.K.S.” (Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme) out now on Showoff/Brick Records. If you don’t already have it, make sure you grab it as soon as possible.

Download: Reks – R.E.K.S. (Album)

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REKS now sets out to take the next step in his progression with what promises to be an instant classic, with his third LP, R.E.K.S (Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme), which is scheduled to be released on March 8^th, 2011 on Showoff/Brick Records.

The LP lists such notable legends as DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Hi Tek, Alchemist, Nottz, Sha Money XL, Sean C & LV, Fizzy Womack and the ever present Statik Selektah contributing production; and newcomers Blaze P and Mike Frey join in for this classic as well.  Throw in highlight tracks with Styles P, Freeway, Termanology, Lil Fame, Atticabarz and DJ Corbet and you have the recipe for another instant classic!

The Year of the Showoff continues with an eerie Alchemist cut that creates the perfect sonic bed for Reks and Styles P to stretch out on. The duo, affirming East Coast style hard, ruminate on the ever-changing game, intense personal struggles and stories, and the lackluster efforts of many of their peers. Reks is currently on tour with Statik & Term (a.k.a 1982) in Europe. Hit the skip for upcoming dates!

Reks ft. Styles P – Why Cry [prod. Alchemist] by BenzAndABackpack6

Download: Reks ft. Styles P – Why Cry [Prod. The Alchemist]

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This cipher, featured on Tim Westwood’s radio show, was released early on this past summer. It included Eminem, Royce Da 5’9″ and Mr. Porter spitting over an exclusive Alchemist instrumental. It was a follow up from a freestyle he did with Tim a year ago in 2009. Even though this came out back in the summer, I figured that our BaaBP readers who haven’t seen it would appreciate it. Also, for those unfamiliar with Tim Westwood, watch the UK radio personality drive the Diplomats around London circa 2003.

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“Right back to the valley/just to show em how we do in central Cali my home/on the map now, they tell me sit in the throne/I tell em im not concerned with a crown or a robe/just wanted to meet the world become a man on my own/and I did now the names household Santiago/C-A get hot as Iran, I hit Chicago/it’s the heart that guides me, my mind just follows/I go where the wind takes me/samsonite bag full of clothes like jack hit the road/to the next city fuck it let’s travel the globe/luggage already packed who knows when ill be back.” -Fashawn, Samsonite Man

A couple weeks ago, Clutch and I caught Brother Ali, Fashawn and BK-One in Providence on the East Coast swing of their Breakin’ Dawn Tour. Clutch is a big Brother Ali fan, and although I was hyped to see him too I was most interested in catching Fashawn (real name Santiago Leyva), who made major waves in ’09 with his debut solo album Boy Meets World. More than Fashawn’s individual talent and character, the young Fresno-bred emcee has an incredible knack for surrounding himself with great people. At just 21 years old, “The Phenom” (as he is aptly called) already has a resume that rivals many veterans’ credentials.

Clutch and I got a late start on our way down to the Jerky’s for the show, so by the time we got there we could already hear Brother Ali’s warmly deep voice booming through the PA upstairs. Angry at myself for having missed Fashawn, we hung back for a second and puffed down to the labels until we (I) were (was) ready to go upstairs, resigned to the fact that I’d missed my shot at seeing one of the best young emcees around. As we were about to climb the steps, a compact but lively dude bounded down them, fitted slanting up from his sweaty brow, and immediately pulled out a sizable spliff, turning to me for a lighter. Without thinking, I reached in my pocket and handed over my nahbud-light, then asked Clutch if he was ready to head in. Like a ton of bricks it hit me:

“What’s good, Fash.”
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The Queens rapper, Hollow Da Don is one of the best battle rappers in the nation. His most recent battle against Okwerdz from California ensured him that title.
Now he’s trying to do what most battle rappers attempt to do, which is cross over into the mainstream and make records. He recently drop his first project “Money Changes, Loyalty Don’t”. This song he has released as his first single off the album. On his trip out to California to battle Okwerdz, Alchemist reached out to him as a fan and they did a few tracks. With co-signs like that, he’s more then likely going to have a different future then most battle rappers.
He was also featured on Math Hoffa’s last mixtape A.C.M.D. 2, on a track called “Punch Line Festival”, which they are currently filming a video for.

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We’ve seen a couple collaborations between Snoop and CuDi of late, the most recent of which (“I Do My Thing”) was produced by none other than Dr. Dre. All old school Snoop (and tree) lovers take notice: there’s a new toker in town.

CuDi’s making waves not only in the music world but also in the realm of television. He plays the bottle-popping, easy-going Domingo on HBO’s newest hit series How To Make It In America. CuDi’s character is peripheral (so far), but the show itself taps into hip hop culture in a big way: the two main characters were raised on hip hop in New York City, and now in their late 20′s and with little direction in life they team up to start a denim line called Crisp.

Hit the skip for new CuDi X Snoop, plus a full Mixtape Monday stuffed with goodies from all over the industry (including the very first single off Drake’s upcoming official album AND the first four episodes of How To Make It In America!).

Kid CuDi ft. Snoop Dogg – I Do My Thing [prod. Dr. Dre] [prod. Watts & Ringo]

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Little Brother – Curtain Call

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Drake – Over [prod. Boi-1da]

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