The Weekly Dip 2/25/22
It seems that every time we do our annual dip, the weather is never in compliance with what we wish we could be doing right now, but that might have something to do with the fact that a lot of this week’s selections are as inclement as they come! So fret not consumers, there’s too much music out there to be pining over there not being anything worthwhile out to listen to right now, there’s always diamonds to be found within the rough so take some time to admire the ones we’ve chosen for you today.
MJ Apollo - It All Add Up (Video)
The first release from MJ Apollo in 2021 comes in a visual treatment titled “It All Add Up,” which I believe is one of the best videos out right now. The cinematic visual is shot by BXRFILMS, who has done a *chef kiss* marvelous job in making this a stunning masterpiece for MJ Apollo to run wild through. The eerie effect of the transition going from shot to shot with MJ’s ethereal raps that pound heavy through this release like footsteps in hell when proceeding forward on this mystified production. He’s like a walking-talking a24 film with the way mystery and star-studded effects follow him throughout this drop. MJ Apollo’s catalog with visuals is untouchable at this point and by far exceeding his peers. I’m hoping to see more art like this surface from him, even possibly another project, since it’s been a while we’ve been gifted hearing his menacing vocals back on a track-to-track basis. - Frank Campos
Vermin The Villain - II. Lust (Single)
With 2021 chock full of releases from The Romance Club, The Death Tape collaboration project with Father Wasp, the solo work he’s dropped & the numerous performances he’s done, Vermin The Villain has been on the forefronts of hardworking emcees and still doesn’t look to be stopping anytime soon. His latest single titled “II. Lust” showcases the masked assassin rocking more illustrious raps over the pristine production he’s known to hash out & contributed the essence of the golden age of Hip-Hop. He’s one of the few that welcomes it to this generation, and we always applaud him for bringing back that champion sound most of us were raised by. This record is the first glimpse into his forthcoming project, which you know I'm personally excited for especially being a huge fan of “Prototype_V.” He’s as mysterious as his art, and he’s only getting better as time goes by. Also, if your Saturday is looking free, catch him performing live in San Antonio. Never a dull moment when he hits the stage, so if you’ve never seen his performance, we highly recommend you do so ASAP. - Frank Campos
Deni Reed feat Stilo Jordan - Cutthroat (Single)
The artist formally known as Lovewreck, Deni Reed, appears like a phoenix rising from the ashes of her old self and is now back with more growth & prosperity in her life to introduce us to her journey for the future. Her first single under her new moniker surfaced this week titled “Cutthroat,” featuring A.A.G Ent's own Stilo Jordan to give listeners more of her reverie vocals to balance out the highs & lows of her days to always see more positive than negative at the end of them. The world is corrupt, and while evil lurks in every corner, we try to find the ways out the best to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and the musically controlled substances like this that we come across help us cope with finding the best direction out. It’s one of her more profound records and one we can hear more emotions being driven in it, which goes to show that Deni Reed will be someone to admire when new music surfaces moving forward. - Frank Campos
Liveola, King Kyle Lee, Famous & SoSanAntone - San Antonio On The Map (Video)
Still riding high from their 2021 collaborative EP “San Antonio On The Map,” Liveola, King Kyle Lee, Famous & SoSanAntone recently linked up with TeoShotThis to be behind the lens on their latest visual treatment over the self-titled record. Posted by San Antonio’s historical stadium, The Alamodome, these rap game veterans showcase that there is still no need for introduction as they’ve been making moves since day one & continue to prosper even after all these years. More punchlines than Roy Jones Jr in his prime and a heavy cadence of melody raps served nicely by all four emcees. A great way to continue maximizing awareness for their project, which I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of later in the future. - Frank Campos
GRIP - Emo Stick (Single)
Every era of Shady Records has yielded some of the most unique talent we’ve seen but this most recent era of theirs has to be the most impactful after 2 plus decades as a label. From the singing of indie conglomerate GRISELDA, to the signing of Compton’s Westside Boogie, which now brings us to Atlanta’s own GRIP. Still relatively fresh off his debut with the label, GRIP comes back for a second time after that to remind listeners that he didn’t die just for you to sweep his skills under the rug. GRIP is one of those dudes who’s just so prolific, the amount of music we already had to live with before his Shady debut & now it seems we aren’t too far off from getting more of the Atlanta spitters ferocious rhyming. Not to mention this production is so dizzying, got me feeling like I’m spiraling, sorta like a whirling dervish. GRIP is a silent assassin & one that’ll strike when you least expect it. We’re all here for it. Think of that scene in Breaking Bad where Gus stands in front of dude sniping him!
Fefe Dobson - FCKN IN LOVE (Single)
Fefe is pretty underrated in the Pop world in my opinion. 3 really great albums under her belt, particularly “Joy”, highly recommended but finally we get the 1st hint at a possible new record, which would mark her 1st since 2010’s “Joy” but also her first musical output since her contribution to 2020’s “Unpregnant” film. The thing I really admire about Fefe is her fierceness in simply being herself. If you didn’t know, her husband is the one & only Yelawolf so when she says the sun is really showing off the tattoos on his skin, we know who she’s talking about. She professes her love for him in typical Fefe fashion. What an anthemic power pop number this is, with a little punkish edge to it as well cause if you follow these two, they’re like an outlier couple, two rebels just in the wind, true outlaws of the industry in love. We can’t wait to see what the visuals have to offer but for now, this needs to be getting multiple spins on radio cause what a smasher this is!
Phxbia - Flame Freestyle (Single)
I met this cat at random one day & let me just say that, it’s not everyday you run into someone relatively unknown, at least to you, only to leave a lasting impression on you with his skill set. I appreciated how willingly he shared his talents with someone he just met, he just had this confidence about him that is ever so present on this first dose of what’s to come of the game’s latest nightmare, Phxbia. I usually am not a fan of the whole “sleeping on me” concept but it makes beautiful sense in his case, even his spoken word on this introduction is a play on words with his moniker. The bars that follow are intense & the more violent his flow gets, the more he raises his voice, barely cracking, almost snarling at his enemies, like a junkyard dog that just snapped each link off the chain. He’s got the flow, he’s got the hunger, the syllables & wordplay, his wittiness, the theatrics when he’s talking his shit at the end, even his adlibs are animated, he’s just having fun giving you a hard time & we’re all for it. Not only that but if this is too intense for your fragile little ears then fret not, the man can even make the ladies swoon with his crooning on joint single “Intoxicating” so you got two really great introductions to an artist, both offering a different sound to hold you over til the next curveballs he has to offer musically.
Basik & Adashdre - Jetz (feat. Bobby V.) (Single)
Look up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, no it’s a jet & Basik is zipping around in it off the zip. This may just be the best record I’ve heard thus far from Basik, my God is he rhyming at a godly level on this one. This was the perfect atmosphere PKBEATZ supplied these three with & each of their third eyes are open as they take listeners into the further with this out of body experience they’ve offered us here. Basik is basically to elevated to focus on those levels beneath him, he’s forever in the sky like the jets you’ll never fly. Basik is spilling wisdom as he’s waxing eloquently, not necessarily paranoid but aware of his surroundings & is urging listeners to follow suit, it’s usually the closest to you plotting on you. Adashdre & Bobby V. can’t understand where the animosity is coming from but they ain’t letting it phase them fore they too are just too high above it all. It’s beyond their control so why bother, just acknowledge the lessons it has to teach you & move forward but if they really wanted to they would fly back down to your level, be grateful they haven’t yet & heed this daunting warning. We cant wait for this full length collaborative record from these two drops & this will surely hold us over til then!
Gnarly Marley - Check Up On Me (feat. Swank Wit Da Dank) (Video)
Shoutout our fearless leader, Frank, he’s always putting me onto to talent that otherwise would’ve never hit my radar, if not eventually that is. Even the name has enough intrigue & mystique to it to pull me in, let alone the feature, I’m big on words so little things like the artist’s name or title of the record can force me to listen. The production on this record is so subtly soulful yet banging ever so gracefully as Gnarly does parkour lyrically all over this beat. The annunciation he’s using to rhyme a lot of these words that otherwise shouldn’t rhyme is impressive & it has a lot to do with his voice, which is as unique as they come, it’s one that stands out, especially when he’s delivering simple yet smooth one liners, which it seems that every single bar is one in this case, no filler lines whatsoever. Swank swangs through wit da dank to deliver a verse that is the polar opposite in tonality but the same in delivery, just a nonchalant onslaught of dope lyricism. The visuals may be simplistic but that’s cause they don’t need all that extra extravagance to be super fly with it & spit that high level rap, that upper echelon shit & I can’t wait to hear more, from both MC’s who are now on my radar!
KXNG Crooked & Joell Ortiz - Vacancy (feat. Blakk Soul) (Video)
Are you, like me, still a bit torn about the whole Slaughterhouse dismemberment? Then fret not, KXNG Crooked & Joell Ortiz are back again, still building off that chemistry they’ve always had, even when still in the group, check records like “On The House” to really feel that chemistry. But now they’re back to give fans a little more closure on that situation cause clearly they’re still as affected by it as we are. The record is reminiscent of those classic introspective numbers you could always count on the group gifting us with, it’s just unfortunate it’s not so much a brotherhood anymore, I mean it’s all love still as far as I’m concerned but they don’t see why they can’t all get together to figure out this situation & give the fans what they’ve long deserved. Yeah, it’s just business but like Joell said, let’s put this business in the back & get back to business, this is about culture. But hopefully this doesn’t cause any unwarranted tension, I’ve already seen that Royce is a bit disappointed by it but I’m sure they can all come to an understanding, they’re all grown men & still brothers at the end of the day, group or no, it’s family business, pun intended.