News: King Dice O mixtape is arriving mid-August!

Brooklyn rapper/poet KING DICE O will be unleashing his first mixtape, The Life Vol.1 this month.

KING DICE O – who described himself as the modern day BOB MARLEY- has been writing lyrics since the age of 13 and has been working with notable producers, @twzmuisc and LCEnt.

Now the New Yorker is ready to drop his mixtape any day now. So what to expect from The Life Vol.1? Well, listen to the hot track Drive. Featuring his long-time collaborator Jason Black and Dice Cannon, this knock- out track will give you a pretty good insight of this upcoming mixtape – so be sure to keep a lookout!

If you like Drive, you can download it on SoundCloud.

News: CHASE mixtape comes out in the fall

Chase Stebbins everything

Boston rapper CHASE STEBBINS is his unleashing his freshman’s mixtape, Blessed in the fall.

First single from the mixtape, Everything deserves a moment of your time, as you get to witness this upcoming rapper’s super rapid lyrics over a ridiculously-cool atmospheric/airy track. Man, he makes it look so easy! He may be new to the hip-hop game, but seriously this guy is MORE than ready to shoot to the very top!

Check out the official video to Everything.

News: Prez- P drops his mixtape in September.

Prez P Ride to da beat

Up and coming rapper PREZ-P will be releasing his mixtape All State in mid September.

For those who are unfamiliar with this Alabama-born rapper, PREZ-P – whose real name is Steve People – is best known for his ultra slick and versatile wordplay. The first release from the mixtape Ride to da Beat$, is an exploration of super cool, out-of-sight beats that make you want to jump out of the chair and get moving! Have a listen!

If you’re really feeling Ride to da Beat$ (it’s hard not to!) go over to this unsigned artist Soundcloud page and check out more of his work.

Review: Mike Baggz –Isolated and Faded

Mike Baggz Late nights

1. Role up With Me
2. 5Hunna
3. Real N***a
4. Nerrrdwave
5. Toniht in Old English (featuring Ashley Martinez)
6. Counting Money (featuring French Montana)
7. You Ain’t Bout That Life
8. I Ride 550
9. Ginobili
10. Duffle Bag Boy
11. Sidewalk Pimpin It
12. Eyes With The Ex’s
13. Hurricane Sandy
14. Late Nights
15. Baby Its All On You
16. Nothing But A Number
17. Love Me or Hate Me

If you haven’t heard of MIKE BAGGZ, you soon will. After featuring on over 600 mixtape compilations and produced two mixtapes/albums, the hip-hop artist – whose real name is Micah Brown- has dropped another album Isolated and Faded. Released last month, the 17-track production display why this New Yorker is a force to be reckoned with.

Isolated And Faded kicks off with the out-of-this-world Role up With Me where you’re introduced to this unsigned artist’s faster-than-lightening raps over that easy riding beat. Further along the line, the album switches to up-tempo, beat swinging track Nerrrdwave and the electro dance, Toniht in Old English (featuring Ashley Martinez). With these tracks, I realised that this guy is no one-track pony – drop a classical beat and he’ll effortlessly rap to that!

Towards the end, the album definitely reaches a climax with old-school-inspired hip-hop/ smooth R&B tracks, Late Nights, Baby Its All on You, Nothing But A Number and lastly Love Me or Hate Me. An absolute must listen.

In 2012, MIKE BAGGZ gained recognition with his album, Catch 22. No doubt Isolated and Faded will continue to fuel this hip-hop upriser’s success.

Isolated and Faded is available on iTunes

Review: Kings of Lowertown – 60 More Miles

Kings of Lowertown

1. Long Long While
2. Pembroke Murder Ballad
3. Shotgun Preacher
4. Ain’t No Mercy In This Cruel Old World (Gots Me A Blunt)

 Masters of ‘dirt blues’, KINGS OF LOWERTOWN is unleashing their album 60 More Miles this October. The first release from the album Shotgun Preacher is the perfect introduction to their four-track production. This two and a half minute production offers no more than pure low-down dirty blues which is complicated by distorted vocals – definitely a standout track.

The album continues to offer that good old gritty blues with that muzzled, distorted vocals with Ain’t No Mercy In This Cruel Old World (Gots Me A Blunt) – but this time, there is a very light, sweet and distorted presence of the harmonica. The distortedness is obviously the band’s trademark -which I must say is totally ingenious!

Long, Long While is a more racy gritty rock creation which perhaps has an infusion of THE DOORS and TOM WAITS, whereas Pembroke Murder Ballad features a very light, feel good summery melody with the gritty guitar raging in the background, giving it a slight bluesy edge to it.

These guys were named one of the best bands in Ottawa last year by the Big Beat Blog. When you listen to Shotgun Preacher, it won’t be hard to figure out why they are worthy of that title.