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Ka "Our Father" On "They Know It's About," the first track off the follow-up to last year's seminal low-fi 100% DIY effort Grief Pedigree, Ka hits listeners like Ra's al Ghul's League of Shadows in...

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I'm woefully out of touch this year, and there hasn't been nearly as much that's caught my attention in 2013, as there was in 2012, BUT this is new Grandmilly.  I can't wait to hear what Milly cooked up in the lab this time around as volume 1 was one of the best releases of 2012.

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Some new Tree, "Get It," allegedly the first leak off of Sunday School 2.  Not sure what that means for Soul Trap, but if Sunday School 2 sounds this nice, I'm not sure I care.  After all, nobody produces Soul Trap music like the originator, purveyor, and innovator Tree himself.

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Read this sad piece by Davey D today about Saafir being confined to a wheelchair due to some really bizarre circumstances.  Unfortunately stories like this are all too common among former underground rap legends (and one's who achieved more mainstream success than Saafir was well).  But this one has quite a combination of stories and factors involved.  

As a side note, I don't know that there's been any discussion publicly about the connection between Kendrick's style and Saafir's.  Whether direct, indirect, or unconscious it's easily as worth discussing as a connection to Andre 3000 or Devin's Zeldar.  When Saafir came to prominence there wasn't a rapper out with a more mechanical/cybernetic/robotic cadence.  Clearly Kendrick and Saafir couldn't be further apart in terms of vocal tones, but in terms of delivery and cadence there are actually some interesting parallels.

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Almost there…

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I ponder the XXL Freshmen nominees and propose a few names for consideration that didn't make the list, including: Denzel Curry, Kevin Gates, Haleek Maul, MarQ Spekt, Pepperboy, SL Jones, The Underachievers, Tree, & Amber London

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No offense to Pro Era/Underacheivers, etc - but Grandmilly has this shit on lock.

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Yung Simmie is one of the most dynamic artists in the Raider Klan, possessing an unique sound that appeals to both fans of BRK's "throwback phonk," but also to those who are into the more modern trap sound.  Basement Muzik is his third mixtape as a member of the Raider Klan and takes a big step up from last year's promising XXL Freshman of 1993.  Shit just reminds me that I still haven't published my BRK Florida Edition Interview... shame on me.  Anyway, check this project out.

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Unreleased work from one of the most important yet slept-on individuals at the center of the independent/underground NY rap scene from the late nineties through the middle of the last decade.  For those that don't know, Cryptic One was essentially the RZA of Atoms Fam (the crew that spawned albums like Cannibal Ox's Cold Vein, Hangar 18's Multi-Platinum Debut Album, Cryptic One's own Anti-Mobius Strip Theory, and great compilations like Euphony and the Prequel.  Another fun fact is that Crypic One mixed Aesop Rock's Labor Days) which was at the core of the movement of artists who moved their independent music from the streets to the internet where they connected with like-minded artists and fans alike.  In today's terms that concept seems almost silly of course - since it seems like most music is now consumed  distributed, and discussed via the internet - but at the time it was borderline revolutionary and gave many artists exposure that otherwise might have never developed anything more than mild regional acknowledgement among a select group of fans.  

Anyway, I haven't even listened to it yet, but those are some reasons why I - and you - should be interested that Cryptic has his musical juices flowing again and is putting out material again, new and old.

A lil leakage from the never released Truth LP from 04

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I must admit I've fallen off my grind on the 2.7.5 watch a bit with the holidays and all.  Here is the first (I believe) video from Grandmilly and Zeem - the two thought partners behind last year's under the radar Bandanas & Black Magic, which still stands as one of the top 5 releases put out by any BRK member, and was the #8 mixtape of 2012 according to Hardwood Blacktop.  This is "The Paper."

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Shit is re-upped for the second time.  When it goes down, it's gone.  Happy New Year.

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Best producers of 2012.  10 of 'em.  

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List of a lot of great songs that came out in 2012.  There were a lot more too.

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Rapper of the year, year of the rap.

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Well if you haven’t done your shopping yet, you’re probably not sitting in front of a computer screen at this point, as it’s too late for overnight delivery or any of those other sneaky procrastinating means we use to slide a Christmas gift under the front door at the last minute, but here are a few December treats that can be had at little (or no) cost for yourself or others.

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Whoa! That’s a checkbook ladies and gentleman. He paying for gas with a check.

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Hardwood Blacktop - Best Mixtapes of 2012

My end of the year mixtape list is up.