ferocious, ambitious, assured, barbed, as Jadon Woodard spits on “Bad Azz,” the spirit of first principles hip-hop is alive and well. All attention is on the emcee’s delivery. The single is cold and stinging, exactly how his bars are delivered.
Conscious Hip-Hop
Why We Like It: Goldfished’s “One Man Down”
“One Man Down” by Goldfished is a hip-hop duet about the rippling effect of police brutality. Vocalist Leela Rosa picks up where rapper Eauxby leaves off after a poorly fated interaction with law enforcement. The track’s low tone gives the song a feeling of swaying back and forth, teetering on the edge of falling off.
Why We Like It: Otis Mensah’s “No Record Store Day”
Otis Mensah returns with another eviscerating poem, this time spit over the guitar laden “No Record Store Day.” He directs the anxieties of his larger isolation at the cancelation Record Store Day, a day that usually holds a lot of happiness and excitement for Mensah.
Why We Like It: Dayon Green’s “Free”
On his new single, “Free,” Dayon Greene raps about the internal freedom of expression that he feels within, while recognizing all of the ways that he sees freedom around him that he wants to gain. The upbeat instrumentation is inspiring and energetic.
Why We Like It: Animist, Jedos & Horus Ra Mindset’s “Reasons”
The combined power of the soul sample and gently unraveling poetic yarn of “Reasons” makes it a stand out single. Animist, Jedos and Horus Ra Mindset meld their energies beautifully to drop clever and dynamic verses that float over the production. Poetry in motion.
Why We Like It: SadoSan and Sentry Sinvil’s “Infinity”
“Infinity” is the castle on a hill of unconventional production. SadoSan and Sentry Sinvil spend the minute-and-a-half runtime rapping over a beat that sounds like a mic dropping down a rabbit hole of lo-fi instrumentation. Their rhymes are tight and their flow manages to snag a tough pocket in the best way.
Why We Like It: Brian Fender & TxTHEWAY’s “Running Outta Time”
“Running Outta Time” may seem like a song with two identities. Hope and optimism on one hand and the uncertain futures imposed by state violence on the other. For TxTHEWAY, Brian Fender and Black America, it’s two faces of the same coin.
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