Malmö, Sweden’s own Why-D takes it back to the glory days of Yo! MTV Raps and the Golden Era with his new single and video, “The Veteran (Out To Get The Props).”
Paying homage to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s isn’t just a style choice for Why-D, it’s out of respect for a time period that made him the artist he is. “This is the era that shaped me, and that’s what I was trying to bring back with this video,” the rapper/producer says. “The Kangol hats I’m wearing symbolize that I’m now a veteran in the game who was influenced by veterans before me.”
In addition to Kangol, you’ll see plenty of other “old school,” though still very sought-after, fashion in the video like FILA, Polo, and Champion, among others. Beyond the retro visuals, the track itself sounds like it emerged from that time period thanks to Why-D’s own sample-flipping production and slick talk-heavy bars.
Check out the visuals and head over to your preferred digital retailer or streaming platform to support. Stay tuned for more music taken from Why-D’s forthcoming album, The Work of a Doloist, due out this fall!
Denver, Colorado emcee & Lyrikal Snuff Productionz founder Scum moving on from the Dyin’ World Chroniclez trilogy by releasing his 15th full-length solo LP. Starting as a member of an experimental grind/noise band called Down Syndrome about 28 years ago, his solo debut Enter the Asylum just turned 20 this past winter & has outdone himself plenty of times since. Case in point: The Gorefather, Out with the Old & recently his 3rd EP Bad Unclefully produced by Chapter 17/Psychopathic Records in-house producer Devereaux last summer. I also found myself enjoying the previously mentioned Dyin’ World Chroniclez trilogy of course too & was certainly interested in the outcome of Anti-Human.
M.M.M.F.D. gets us started with “This Pain” morbidly talking about losing an addiction battle & doubting that heaven would let them in if they even try walking through the pearly that is until “Revenge is Cheap” grabs the ski mask & makes them bleed rather quickly over this gruesome trap instrumental. “The Past” takes the trap metal route stylistically blowing up in people’s faces similarly to that of an explosive barrel, but then “Float or Sink” featuring Big Hoodoo works in kicks & snares talking about swimming for your life.
“What U Leave Behind” has more of a cloudy trap flare to it tackling the idea of forgetting things that one may now regret as time passes by while “Bloody Mess” works in some guitars & hi-hats talking about leaving them curled up in a ball bruised & abused. The piano-heavy “When I’m Gone” featuring Madopelli presents self-mutilation at it’s finest clarifying it’s about those who’ll remember you when the hype is through as opposed to who’ll show up at your funeral just before “Unsobriety” goes trap metal again talking about being fucked up to cope with anxiety.
Smallz One joins Scum for “Pull Up” going for a cloudy trap vibe advising to come through just to be murdered leading into “Cold One” featuring Lyte menacingly breaks down simply how cold both the Gorefather & the Psychopathic MonStar can be. “Guilty” wickedly talks about sitting in this motherfucker with a shotgun while “Daaamn” calls out an individual that he heard stole from those that you should never steal from in the first place & severing ties in the process.
“No More” featuring JP tha Hustler, Mista Doesha & Slyzwicked begins the final moments of Anti-Human in the form of all 4 MCs desecrating everyone who pushed them to the limit returning to the boom bap in the process while “Heavy Lies the Crown” continues the encore of the album with a synth-trap fusion talking about too much pressure steady caving in on his skull now. “Voicemail” ends the LP getting relatable over on top of kicks & snares needing someone to talk to as soon as possible rather than leaving a voice message.
Over 2 decades of giving the underground nothing but straight-up gore hop & Anti-Human continues to make that the case for the Gorefather himself. The overall sound is predominantly trap, yet you also get hints of trap metal & even boom bap so Scum can bring some his LSP brethren & even a couple Psychopathic Records alumni keeping the underground wicked shit scene alive & thriving in the distinctive styles of all performers involved.
After the “Ronald Bartel” intro, the first song “Flammable Material” is a grimy boom bap opener produced by C-Lance talking about feeling like he’s showing off every single time he’s writing whereas “Backdraft” featuring Lord Goat finds the 2 over a coldblooded instrumental with kicks & snares as they look to burn everyone lyrically. “Point of Origin: The Biography of John Leonard Orr” portrays the life of the titular serial arsonist & mass murder on his 75th birthday coincidentally with the help of Stu Bangas, but then “Pyromaniacs” featuring Celph Titled hops on top of a piano/boom bap crossover talking about their names raising to the top.
“All Consuming” featuring Daniel Son finds the 2 on their battle shit over some more keys, kicks & snares from Johnny Slash just before “Burning Monk” featuring Moecyrus begins with some jazzy horns & a vocal sample talking about feeling like a monk lighting himself on fire tackling the theme of self-destruction. The song “Waking Up to the Fire” is an operatic boom bap cut about his rhymes being conceived in his sleep leading into “Incendiary Device” featuring A.M. Early Morning recapturing the magic of their collab effort from a couple years ago. “Sent from Hell” featuring Benny Holiday ends on an atmospherically dusty note thanks to the Snowgoons burning hoes naked.
It’s been amazing to watch this guy gradually getting better over the last 3 years & his Goon MuSick debut here as I expected stands as yet another fiery entry in Novatore’s discography. The traditional boom bap production dominant throughout his entire catalog continues to only get consistently stronger by each year, it has a one of the more consistent list of guest MCs that match his caliber of lyricism portraying himself as an arsonist for about 27 minutes.
Detroit, Michigan emcee Stretch Money returning 4 months after 1984 to release his 10th EP. Emerging in the fall of 2006 off his full-length debut album Take Money to Make Money, he would go on to put out 3 more LPs with 25 Miles Per Hour as well as Locked In & Lil Daran from da Way Way. His output of EPs consists of The Villain, The Tribute, The Drunken Master, The Real Money, the Upper Echelon: Legend of the Silver Surfa duology, Giant, Eastside Lord & the previously mentioned 1984. Stretch also formed the duo Bill & Isiah with Valid, introducing themselves a year ago on their eponymous debut paying homage to the 80s in the process. However to start the 2nd quarter of the year, he’s cooking up an open letter To the West Coast…with Love.
“L.A.” appropriately starts the EP by setting the tone as a warm, slick tribute to the entertainment capital of the world whereas “Make Sum Em” goes into atmospheric turf talking about being stuck to this shit & keeping the faith at his lowest. “This is Y They Mad” is this smooth ass middle finger to everyone hating on him for making paper leading into “Ain’t No Secret” spaciously acknowledging that the way he’s coming really isn’t a secret whatsoever.
Meanwhile on “No Favors”, we have Stretch passionately talking about not needing a plug since he has his own cables just before the souful “Never Thought” talks about never imagining serving time behind bars like he did. “Zombie” weaves these pianos & hi-hats only needing money & Mary Jane, but then “Cool” is a trap closer thanking everyone for hopping on the plane with him.
Being a Detroiter who considers Los Angeles his 2nd home, this EP really spoke to me & I feel like a lot of people in both cities are gonna enjoy To the West Coast…with Loveas a profound love letter to the sunshine state. He & the producer Vino coming straight outta South Central take the connection they have with one another & channel it all into this 8-track, 19 minute offering showing their appreciation for the City of Angels.
The dynamic duo of Method Man and Redman headlined the inaugural BUD DROP concert at Terminal 5 in NYC on Friday, April 19th. This groundbreaking event, produced by LTB Productions, provided a New Year’s Eve-style celebration on the eve of the cannabis holiday, culminating in a midnight “BUD DROP,” which is a spinoff of the NYE ball drop – counting down to the 4/20; marijuana culture’s high holiday.
The night started with sets from DJ DPrizzy. Host Ace the General introduced the opening act including Doov.DJ Self provided an enthusiastic set that transitioned from old-school hip-hop to Latin, to reggae, keeping the crowd energetic before the duo Girll Codee performed their set. They had the crowd chanting, “Roll that smoke that pass that” as it was a 4/20-themed event. DJ Self also paused for a brief moment to acknowledge the late great DJ Mister Cee, who recently passed away. Kyah Baby also graced the stage for the main acts.
Yonkers legend Styles P performed some of his old hits including “Fuck You” and “Wild Out.” Fellow LOX member Sheek Louch came out to perform “Wild Out” with Styles P. The duo also paid tribute to the late rapper DMX, performing “We Gonna Make It.”
His high-energy performance set the tone and prepared the crowd for Method Man and Redman, who closed out the BUD DROP event with an iconic performance. In the middle of their set, Method Man and Redman counted down the last few seconds before it was officially 4/20. Balloons and confetti dropped soon after and the Wu-Tang members continued their celebratory performance.
Throughout the show, attendees were able to shop with different THC and weed strain companies. Some vendors included Nectar Wellness, Motagua NYC, Don Karlos Cannabars, The Culture Craft Cannabis, and the Empire Cannabis Club. Attendees were able to purchase teas, candy bars, edibles, vapes, and weed strains.
Sei Less was the event’s food partner. They gave concert-goers a culinary journey that perfectly complements the festive atmosphere. Empire Cannabis Club NYC brought its unique touch to the event, ensuring concert-goers enjoyed an immersive holiday atmosphere. Empire provided all the pre-rolls in the balloons that dropped after the bud drop countdown, as well as complimentary tote bags upon entry filled with branded lighters, grinders, pre-rolls, edibles and more.
Jae Markwick is a South Australian singer/songwriter who got his start in mid 2021 where he began writing in his spare time after a friend told him he had a good voice for singing and rapping. Jae grew up listening to the likes of Hilltop Hoods, Justin Bieber, and Guy Sebastian. Jae made connections by attending local live shows to network. In his first few releases he has clocked over 1 million streams on Spotify. Landed himself in over 10,000 playlists, including Spotify editorial “Bongo Bars”, opened for Avery Harden on his Australian tour, and supported by international and national press.
Jae’s goal is to connect with his fans personally and make music that reaches people’s hearts and helps them understand their own emotions.
The Love You Give is a poignant reflection on parental guidance and personal struggles. Set against a backdrop of heartfelt hip-hop melodies, Jae and VAF delve into their respective journeys, from navigating heartbreak to battling personal demons. With introspective lyrics and soulful vocals, the song resonates with authenticity, showcasing Jae’s ability to connect with listeners on a deeply emotional level. Through its raw honesty and evocative storytelling, “The Love You Give” not only showcases Jae’s talent as a singer/songwriter/rapper but also fulfills his goal of creating music that touches the soul and fosters understanding of one’s own emotions.
