The Weekly Dip 3/4/22
The additions to this week’s dip are as dense as they come, meaning that, each of these records holds the utmost weight, sinking to the bottom of the ocean only to burst right back up like a cataclysm with how tidal wavy these records are! As always, while a majority of what we cover is Hip Hop, we like to slide in a little variety as well, as if the variety in rappers wasn’t diverse enough so let’s finally take this dip now that the weather is demanding it!
privacynumber - vampireheart (Video)
After years of being behind the boards on some of the most prominent hits here in the city, J Allan decided to show off just how versatile his craft is and utilize his vocals as he takes on a new persona that goes by privacynumber. He gives us a grudged look into his preternatural mind on his latest release titled “vampireheart,” which is catchy like his signature phrase and one that cements him to be an artist who can do it all and be one of the most refined products to lead by example. I’m hoping to see & hear more from him in this nature since I know it will undoubtedly take off more in the year & give us an insane amount of striking visuals. - Frank Campos
Ayo Tamz feat The Alien Babe - Muévelo (Single)
After seeing the sultry photoshoot of Ayo Tamz & The Alien Babe together months back, we hoped that a record from the two would be in the works. Not long after, more photos appeared, yet it was announced that a single had been finished from the two, but there was no release date on when it would surface. Before leaving February, they're collaborative single titled “Muévelo” was announced and would see its first day out during a performance then show up on DSPs the next day. The record is just as zesty as we expected, filled to the brim with exotic production while both these ladies conduct a series of spice & sensual vocals to the fast-paced joint. It’s a hip-shaker, and one record I can see exciting the function with a good time while dancing the night away. I’m sure a visual for the single is already in the works or maybe even finished. I recommend you stay tuned to their Instagrams to wait for any news on what’s in store for the future. - Frank Campos
Lady J - Real Truth (Single)
Thanks to The413Joint, an independent blog tapped into the East Coast culture, who recently introduced us to artist Lady J through her latest single titled “Real Truth.” The single was laid down with a fresh, crisp production that helps deliver this high energy from Lady J that flourishes nicely with the raps she conveys here. She’s riding a wave of her own & is surfing through it with such grace that it complements her to be an artist on the rise. It shows how wild she can be with the verse and someone we are new fans of that I know many more will follow suit. We hope to see her appear more on our timeline to write about her art and introduce our viewership to her craft. - Frank Campos
ZootedHeist - Dark Light (Single)
From the depth of hells where the fallen angels lie, ZootedHeist is singing out with pain on his latest single titled “Dark Light.” He’s more heartless than heartbroken in this J Allan produce single, especially from his last few records that dive into an R&B spiral. At the same time, this summons up more emotions that flood his mysterious aura to newborn listeners. Not going to lie, since hearing Heist from the beginning of his career to now, this might be some of the best work to date that show off his deep feelings on wax and one that I’m excited to hear more of heading to the future. - Frank Campos
cal scruby - GHOST
Isn’t it beautiful how many artists we’ve yet to discover, yet they’ve been killing it for years? It’s never too late to catch on & become a fan of someone & that’s my exact case with cal scruby. I’ve never been one to judge based off appearances, in fact, your appearance could make me wanna look into you more. I was not expecting this kid to go this hard, which makes this record all the more welcoming an introduction. Over an 808 Mafia beat, another curveball if you ask me, cal has no time for the fake love, he’s not even willing to entertain any of it. It’s a sentiment I’m sure every artist has felt at least once in whatever juncture in their careers. But rather than waste his time & efforts in sticking it to these people, he chooses to acknowledge & reciprocate that love back to his fans & supporters, which is beautiful & if this is the 1st drop of the year then it’s gonna be a heavy one for him & gives me & anyone else all the more time to delve deep into his discography.
Papa Roach - Cut The Line
Boy do I hate roaches but boy do I also really love Papa Roach. Not many bands have been able to continue to grow & get better with age but Papa Roach has been able to stand the test of time & grow out of a lot of their contemporaries at the beginning of their career cause you’ll see that only barely a handful of those bands a lot of us grew up on are still around & still putting out the best music they’ve done. Everything from the lyrical content, to the simplistic visuals to the instrumental structuring just screams that late 90’s, early 2000’s teenage angst & we’re all here for it. It’s a bit grim with the titling cause it’s almost like, you’re on that suicide hotline, begging for that help you so desperately need only to be cut off rather shortly but on the flipside, he’s also saying that it’s up to us to untangle all these cords within us, though it would be easier to just cut them.
Conway the Machine - Stressed (feat. Wallo267)
Conway’s Shady Records debut is his most poignantly complete body of work to date. The records on here find the Machine at his most vulnerable but on this number, he takes us even deeper into his psyche to inform us on why & how someone of his stature & success could be stressed. We put these artists on such high pedestals that it then becomes difficult to understand that they’re human just like the rest of us & go through a lot of the same shit we go through, enough to come down to a level playing field with their fans & supporters to show them that. If you don’t at least empathize with Conway after he runs you through his laundry lists of stress factors then I don’t know what to tell you cause clearly you don’t carry the soul that he bares over this important record in Conway’s archive.
xoDEADHOMIE - Kill Me
One of San Antonio’s most prolific yet overlooked artists right here. He’s went by many monikers, currently recording under xoDEADHOMIE & it’s like an amalgamation of every side of him times 10. On these visuals taken from his 2nd full length release, he takes the time to entertain the fact that some people do want him dead but he knows it’s all talk & they wouldn’t dare to step to him, whether they’re aware of the consequences or not & I think it’s just the way he carries himself & the sheer honesty he exhibits through these records. You know he comes from some of the darkest places cause nobody would be that open about it if they didn’t so don’t think that survivor isn’t still in him & he won’t go into fight or flight mode at the 1st hint of trouble & that fire behind him is an obvious indicator that he wants all the smoke. Too bad these cowards will never bring it.
Grizzly - Smoky Mountain Freestyle
I know I have my grips about Instagram but they actually did something right this time when it comes to those random sponsorships that find their way on my page. The other day I stumbled on one that actually had to with music so naturally I clicked & it couldn’t have been better cause I literally discovered an impeccable artist in Grizzly. I’m not too entirely sure about where he’s from & all that other good stuff but after this standout from his beautiful & latest EP “Tennessee”, which I’m definitely gonna be writing about in its entirety, he waxes eloquently with a beautiful mixture of lyrical bounce & soul searching introspection. It’s almost like Grizzly is going back into hibernation after expressing his disdain for this game but once he wakes back up, it’s on again. Can’t wait til he does so we can get more of what he’s offered on this track alone, let alone the whole EP.
KXNG Crooked & Joell Ortiz - Backstage
It’s unfortunate all the tension within one of the greatest groups the culture has ever seen, this joint project has caused but the guys knew the blowback, particularly from the other two better halves of the unit, this idea would bring but they took that risk to give us longtime fans of Slaughterhouse the closure we so craved. Joe & Royce already spoke their truths respectfully & now these two have come to speak theirs, simple. You know whenever they rhyming over these soul loops that it’s about to be some real spillage. I have a strong feeling, especially after the truth spilled on this single, which blows “Vacancy” out the water, that this entire “Rise & Fall of Slaughterhouse” album will be like, if “Truth for Truth” was an entire album, minus the other two members, which makes this record all the more bittersweet but this is their way of letting go & we’re here for it. It’s rare that we get to understand why groups never seem to work but I’m glad these two are to be the 1st to do that.
Cavetown - Fall In Love With A Girl (feat. beabadoobee)
Nothing like a little earnest acoustic number to really pull at your heartstrings & strikes chords within yourself that otherwise would’ve never gotten to feel these fuzzy feelings records like this make the listener feel. There’s a sense of nostalgia to this modernist love they’re displaying here. It’s all butterflies in the beginning, until they begin to flutter away & that’s sad but it’s all part of our experience in growing up. Both artists have such soft & tender vocals that it really just adds to the innocence of this record. It makes me feel like I’m falling in love all over again & boy what I would give to feel those beginning stages of a relationship once more. Since Beabadoobee already did a collaborative EP with members of the 1975, I think she should do one with Cavetown here if they don’t already have more music under the tuck cause this one is just too sweet not to.