Jonathan Stewart aka DJ Skarface has just released our DJ Mix Of The Week. Titled ‘Rage The Jewels’, Skarface has taken vocals from a selection of Rage Against The Machine tracks and mashed them over beats by Run The Jewels.
Originally this mixtape was made as a response the Rage Against The Machine/Run The Jewels tour announcement, not as a response to the events of the past few weeks. Having said that, there is no better time for DJ Skarface to have dropped this one.
I’m not equipped to speak on the matters at hand but DJ’ing and music have always done a good job of expressing how I feel”.
DJ Skarface
Having received a co-sign from el-p on Twitter, there’s no better tick of approval on that one. Spin the mix above and grab a download whilst you’re at.
“I rapped in prison when it wasn’t eeets to rap in prison…”
Sydneys very own Spanian aka the Armageddon Don has just unleashed his latest single titled ‘The Six’. The underground rapper has been making waves with not only his raw and honest approach to music but also via a series of viral videos where he breaks down stories from his past and time spent behind bars.
His authentic demeanour has gained a legion of fans and headlines from some of the biggest publishers on the planet. The Six, produced by DAYTODAY is a slow paced head nodding joint packed with everything fans have come to expect from Spanian, killer tails from the street and a pair of fresh Asics, but it doesn’t stop there. In true Spanian fashion he breaks down why he’s a real g and leaves no one questioning his position.
You talking heart I am man down to my true fabric, you’re talking brands I am Gant down to my two Asics. I carry things in the streets that I do stab with, and actual back what I say, you just do ad libs”.
Spanian
Spanian has gone from strength to strength over the past year, and if The Six is anything to go by we’re in for some hectic new tracks on the horizon and hopefully a full album release soon. The Six dropped alongside a straight up street styled film clip, filmed and edited by The Last Addition. The locations on this one echo stories the Sydney rapper has shared in the past putting his city firmly in focus. Be sure to bang this one loud, you can keep up to date with Spanian here.
Wombat’s back like he never left! Tasmanian rapper Wombat has teamed up with Dagenham legend Devlin on the highly anticipated and long awaited collab dubbed ‘Adrenaline’. After destroying Wrighty (remember Wrighty?) in Australia’s first ever grime clash, Wombat continues making moves forward on this massive AUS to UK link up.
The energy Wombat brings to all of his tracks is unmatched in Australia and Adrenaline is no different. Prod by PEZOTB, Wombat rides the menacing beat with a barrage of bars that would impress the hardest of emcees. Devlin, not to be outdone, uses his years of experience to compliment Wombats ferociousness with his well constructed verses and a technical takeover that hones in with the precision of a guided missile.
…All these cunts wanna claim they came from the guttah, you came from your mother cunt!”
Wombat
Even though Wombat has been around for a moment now, we feel this is just the beginning of what’s coming from The Bat. No word on an upcoming album just yet, but with the release of this collab we feel we’re on the cusp. With such a great outcome from their first collaboration, it’s hard for us not want to see a joint EP from these two in the near future. Who knows…
You can check out the visuals for Adrenaline above, filmed by AV Club/No1 Network & Risky Roadz. Keep up to date with Wombat here and Devlin here.
Right after summer officially hits, 6LACK (LVRN/Interscope Records) serves up his newest EP 6 PC HOT for the world. It features production from Timbaland, Fwdslxsh, Gravez, STWO, and more as well as one guest feature from Lil Baby. Aside from the music, he has a lot of news to announce as well.
Fans can enter an augmented reality chicken shop pictured on the EP cover via Instagram to view merch, including the hot sauce, tied to the project. It can be found by searching “6pc hot” in the IG filter search menu. A link to the filter is available HERE (to be opened on a phone). Once selected, a 3D shop will launch through the camera to share pictures and videos. The AR shop was created by Jackie Carlise, a 3D motion designer who recently graduated from School of The Art institute of Chicago. She created it using the Spark AR platform.
6LACK is running a number of special activations across both Atlanta and Los Angles. 6LACK also showed love to Australia by working with Butter who delivered custom orders of 6 hot wings. The first 70 fans (35 per store) received a special t-shirt. This box contained 6 of BUTTER’s crispy fried chicken wings covered in a one off hot sauce curated by their exec chef Julian Cincotta.
In addition to local fans in different parts of the world, 6LACK is looking to help aspiring Black entrepreneurs by presenting a handful of them with 6LACKCARDS. These will be Amazon gift cards to purchase any equipment and supplies to help get their dreams off the ground.
After 6LACK collected over 25K addresses in under an hour through his 6LACKBOX “6PC Scratch and Win” folder, he sent fans a classic scratch off lottery-styled ticket which they should receive this week. It reveals the tracklist to the EP, the date of release, and the chance to be one of the select few to win physical prizes.
The 6LACKBOX has also been updated with resources like voter registration tools and a contact sheet for Black businesses. A Black author history reading list and access to social justice reform information and participating organizations will also soon be available. 6LACKBOX was announced alongside his open letter to his fans regarding the social unrest stemming from the murders of innocent Black men and women. Inside the 6LACKBOX, you’ll find snippets of unreleased music, the East Atlanta Love Letter movie that he premiered at his album release event at Starlight Drive-In Theatre in East Atlanta, never before seen photos, and more. It will also contain some content leading up to his upcoming third studio album.
For those who still have cookouts to prepare for during the warmer months or also need a new hot sauce for the collection, 6LACK will be releasing his own hot sauce brand “600 Degrees.” It’ll be the perfect addition to your own 6 pieces of wings as you listen to the new project.
L Fresh The Lion Drops New Single Reminding Us That Policing Of Language In Australia Isn’t A Story Of Our Past
Pulling no punches, Mother Tongue arrives as an honest recount of L-FRESH The LION losing the ability to speak his native language, his Mother Tongue. The track captures the experience of many migrant and BIPOC communities here in Australia and throughout the world, diving deep into the shame, grief and disconnect L-FRESH has felt losing not only his connection to his first language of Punjabi but to the roots of his culture.
Release of Mother Tongue is coupled with the announcement of L-FRESH The LION’s forthcoming album SOUTH WEST on July 17. The body of work will be a celebration of South West Sydney, the area that raised him and continues to inspire him. Levelling up in every possible way, listeners can expect L-FRESH The LION at his best on this album with sounds reminiscent of his personal heroes Kendrick Lamar, J Cole and Talib Kweli. Like his heroes, L-FRESH is inspired by the community around him. SOUTH WEST, a homage to the place that raised him up, and a nod to the rise of his fellow Western Sydney artist, including the likes ONEFOUR, Becca Hatch, Jessica Jade, Hooligan Hefs and A.GIRL.
“Mother Tongue was written about my story with my native language, my mother tongue. As a kid, English wasn’t the first language I spoke. It was Punjabi. My experiences of being born within 2, sometimes competing, cultures meant I lost touch with my language. I lost my fluency because I was conditioned to think my language wasn’t cool. Mother Tongue explores my regret in letting my language go, and how I’m working now to relearn it so I can keep close to my roots”.
L-FRESH The LION
Flexing his ability to lay down hard-hitting bars with unmissable truths, Mother Tongue teaches us something new with each repeat listen. Flow and lyrical-mastery are at the forefront of this track. Exploring the politics of otherness, lyrics like “Nothing is sacred, even the tongue is gentrified” explore white Australia’s ongoing issues with exploitation and discrimination against Australians of non-anglo background.
While some may think the policing of language or banning of tongues is a thing of the past, scratch a little deeper and you can see this practice is still alive and well. Too often people are asked to choose between their culture and the ‘Australian way’. To adopt words, to soften their message, to ‘speak properly.’ Mother Tongue arrives today as a reminder that culture is to be upheld and celebrated.
Multi-platinum, ARIA-award winning producer UNO Stereo today drops his debut major label release, a compelling collection of beats and collaborations dubbed ‘Innerludes’, available to stream now. Following his lauded production work behind the scenes with a multitude of hip-hop and R&B music’s biggest names including Khalid, Wale, Wiley, Kaiit, Denzel Curry and more, UNO Stereo delivers a typically stylish and richly textured set on ‘Innerlude’s, spearheaded by the instant energy of lead track “PLAYIN”.
UNO’s curatorial nature is on full display with ‘Innerludes’, as he deftly weaves chopped up vocal samples from close collaborators into beats featuring his rare taste in classic hip-hop, traditional soul, neo-soul standards and a modern electronica, held together by sharp attention to detail and impeccable sound design.
“’Innerludes’ is what happens when I get the freedom to create music that sounds like what I imagined in my head 20 years ago as a kid tryna make beats after school. Because each song is kinda like an ode to my idols, I think the tape sounds strangely nostalgic but at the same time distinctly unfamiliar. Maybe it was the product of being in lockdown but the little vocal chops that I scattered throughout each song became the soundtrack to how I felt this year. The artists who I collaborated with, I’m proud to say are all Australian artists that are my homies. And I’m just a straight up fan of their art regardless, so it’s an honour to be in their company. The exciting thing about Innerludes to me is, it’s organically become the perfect segue into the next phase of music I have planned for later this year.”
UNO Stereo aka Nic Martin
As one of Australia’s most agile producers, UNO forgoes glossy productions in favour of bright textured grooves and local emerging talent. On “Vinny’s Interlude” frequent collaborator 18YOMAN provides the hazy, melancholic soundscape, as Jordan Dennis brings his syrupy lilt to the piano-laden beat on “Keynote Interlude”. Meanwhile, Majerle’s vocoder-treated vocals melt into the melody of “On My Mind”, and the magnetic funk of “Need 2 Say” heralds Ojikae’s powdery alto. UNO’s trademark innovative use of percussion keeps the dreamy collection upbeat, with primarily instrumental tracks “PLAYIN” and “Purple Tape” featuring as standouts.
Even without company, UNO reveals multifaceted tracks, with the kind of chopped up samples and crisp production that have cemented him as one of Australia’s best kept production secrets.
Hailing from South-West Sydney, Freesouls have been carving out their lane with a track record of consistent releases since their debut in 2018. The trio of diverse and hugely adept artists each bring an individual talent that combined with a dedication to their craft, has seen them garner the support of the national hip hop community in such a short amount of time.
When thinking about the finest acts in this genre, Freesouls are now placing themselves right at the forefront of the conversation with their first single of 2020 “Living Legend” and thus propelling them into the ranks of the track’s title.
From the moment it launches, you are instantly drawn in by the melodic hook that quickly paints a picture of gratitude of which is the groups intention with ‘Living Legend“. World class production combined with varied but effortless vocals, it starts to become clear that Freesouls are collectively levelling up with what is their most exciting release to date.
“Living Legend is a special release for us as it’s an ode to those who have shared this journey with us from the beginning. Our family and day 1’s have been our biggest support.”
Freesouls
With proven versatility as a collective, together with their live show and recorded content, we are reminded that Freesouls are a group in love with their art and it’s hard to not get excited about the trajectory they are on, and with a debut EP slated for late this year, ‘Living Legend’ presents itself as the perfect breakthrough.
Trippie Redd is keeping busy in quarantine – in May he released ‘Excitement‘ feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR and also featured on the late Juice WRLD’s postmortem single ‘Tell Me U Luv Me‘. Today, the prolific rapper and singer shares his latest single ‘Dreamer’ in celebration of his 21st Birthday – out now via 10K Projects / Caroline Australia. Zane Lowe aired ‘Dreamer’ on his New Music Daily Beats 1 show and caught up with Trippie via FaceTime, check out the interview HERE.
One of the most versatile and creatively daring artists in hip-hop today, platinum-selling rapper, singer and songwriter Trippie Redd has landed four albums in the Top 10 in the space of three years. With the November 2019 release of A Love Letter To You 4 —his first-ever album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart — Trippie offered up his most dynamic body of work to date, delivering a 21-track effort that amassed more than 125 million stream in its first week alone. The now–21-year-old Ohio native continually defies genre boundaries, embedding his melodic take on rap with elements of rock-and-roll and heavy metal to ultimately create a sound that’s wildly experimental yet massively appealing.
As he recalls, the urge to create his own music arose soon after his older brother, an aspiring rapper who went by the name Dirty Redd, died in a car accident when Trippie was 10. “I took his dream and did it myself,” Trippie says. Drawing much of his inspiration from the free-flowing style and inventive lyricism of Lil Wayne, Trippie began recording in his cousin’s basement and later relocated to Atlanta to further hone his skills, quickly landing a record deal with 10K Projects in 2017.
Since then, he has had a deep commitment to evolving his sound and to constantly create new music, but despite his desire to continually evolve, there are certain qualities that endure across all of Trippie’s music—most notably, his penchant for crafting songs that hit on a visceral level. “I like making timeless music,” he says. “You’ve got to think of a timeless concept—love, hate, anger, sadness—all that shit is timeless. And if you can make something without it just meaning one thing, people can feel it and turn it into their own. That’s what makes it timeless.”
Teaming up with regular collaborator Andy Bull, YIBBY reveals the vintage-tinged visuals for current single ‘No Sweat’ which premiered recently, illustrating the blossoming and quick breakdown of a friendship.
Once again the Ethiopian-born, South Sydney-raised rapper has teamed up with dynamic producing duo Clockwork Odyssey to create a funk riddled track full of swirling synths and a bouncing beat, as a bed for YIBBY’s signature animated flow. YIBBY explains the content saying “No Sweat is about not stressing while going through adversity or dealing with things and still celebrating the wins.”
Since its premiere on triple j’s Home & Hosed, ‘No Sweat’ was included in The Guardian’s Best Music for May.
Forever a melting pot of genres, YIBBY’s music always comes accompanied with coming of age tales and food for thought bars. His debut single ‘Woah’ came in late 2018 signalling the start of a rapid fire first year for the now 20-year-old which consisted of the Lost In Translation EP and a hard-hitting team up with fellow up-and-comer Raj Mahal.
Quickly gaining recognition from fans and media, last year he came in at #14 on FBi Radio’s Most Played Artists of 2019. He also left his mark on triple j’s Bars of Steel and FBi Radio’s Independent Play. Single ‘Folk’, pulled from his debut EP, was added to spot rotation on triple j, as well as full adds on triple j Unearthed, FBi Radio, SYN Radio, 4ZZZ and EDGE Radio, and spins on Beats Radio 1.
On the live circuit he’s cut his teeth supporting Drapht, Arno Faraji, Milan Ring and Kuren as well as performing a show-stopping set at Bad Friday Festival.
