I'm reopening my Who Dat? Who Dat? series just for this one.
New York bred artist STACE prides himself on his eclectic sound, but he's just trying to get the party rocking on his new self produced single aptly titled "I'm Chillin'."
The homie Lone Ranger came through with yet another installment of his NCCU Cypher series, which showcases the lyrical sensibilities of North Carolina Central's best emcees. Nige Hood and GUE favorite Quent return to the spotlight for the third cypher, but share their shine with Los Angel, Yung Game, Defacto Thezpian, who each show off some quoteworthy material. Watch North Carolina hip hop in it's pure form below!
Shot by Lone Ranger & SirMPTV Produced by Kevin McCloskey aka Black Pearl
Who really killed the cypher? Hit up the comments and let me know what you think!
Mal and Classic Anderson rhyme over Calvin Harris's "Flashback" on their new track "FML." Everyone's had a F**k my life moment, so this is something that people can relate to even thought both emcees get pretty personal and with their verses.
Since today officially kicks off J. Cole's Dreamville Weekend in Fayetteville, I figured it's the perfect to bring some more North Carolina shine to G.U.E.!
It's been a while since an R&B singer and an emcee have come together for a full project but duo Quent and J. Spells do it with ease. Although both have the ability to make music to rock to at a party, they decided to go a different route on their new project Conscious Thoughts. Flowing over Outkast classics "Spottieottiedopaliscious" and "Black Ice" on the first two tracks, they provide the perfect introduction. Enjoy the mixtape below, and hit the jump to check out their video to "Sky High," which was directed by my friend Keith Eason!
Virgin Islands born, Atlanta based rapper Judicial is excited to share his first single from his upcoming album In Session. On "Hold Up," he and Jus Nice made a song that could be heard in the club or on radio, but still has a relatable appeal to it. Check out the SMKA produced track below, and be sure to hit the comments with your thoughts on "Hold Up!"
Toronto rapper-producer 4th Pyramid's upcoming album The Pyramid Scheme drops 3.13. Check out the soulful "Let The Drummer Play" below, and hit the jump to read 4th Pyramid's motivation behind The Pyramid Scheme single!
Zip Kennedy's Sky Republic standouts "Please And Thanks" and "Boom Boom Bang" have both managed to sit comfortably on this week's top 10 posts list after just two days. Since you were clearly feeling the GA State student's sound, check out the entire Sky Republic project, which contains 21 tracks produced entirely by JaLeno Beatz. Stream or download the project below, and consider it a prelude to his Zip's upcoming mixtape, #StampMyName, which is expected to drop this March!
Zip Kennedy's "Please And Thanks" was so well received on G.U.E. that it jumped to the this week's top 10 posts in less than 24 hours! Since you're feeling what the Decatur emcee has to offer, I thought I'd drop off one last track from Sky Republic before I spotlight the full project.
Check out "Boom Bang" featuring McKenzie of The Coedz below, and hit up the comments to let me know what you think about the Glee-sampled track by hitting me up on Facebook or Twitter!
Zip Kennedy - Boom Boom Bang ft. McKenzie of The Coedz [Prod. by JaLeno Beatz]
Chicago-bred emcee Trinity is giving you quite the introduction to her upcoming project The City Is Ours. Check out the music video to "Odds & Evens," the tape's lead single featuring R.O.E. below as she and directors Tony Shane & Sense Hernandez take you to the some of the Windy City's most captivating landmarks.
Fresh out of Decatur, Georgia, 19-year old emcee Zip Kennedy hopes to no longer call himself "the most underrated, underestimated human being to ever walk the face of the earth." With his latest mixtape Sky Republic making a lot of waves online, Zip is gaining the respect and admiration he deserves one fan at a time.
After taking a listen to what the Georgia State student has to offer, Zip's ability to spit with the intensity of a battle rapper and transition with ease into a catchy melody is what sets him apart from the pack of rappers hoping to break away. If you won't take my word for it, the JaLeno Beatz-produced track "Please And Thanks" is a prime example of his versatility. Check out the Sky Republicstandout below, and hit me up on Facebook or Twitter to let me know if you're feeling Zip Kennedy!
Zip Kennedy - Please And Thanks [Prod. by JaLeno Beatz]
Illinois emcee Brief plans to make an impact in Hip Hop because he raps about real issues while others focus on materialistic things that they probably don't even own. His storytelling skills are put to good use on his new track "Miss Popular," a smooth Lando Beats production that sets the tone for Brief's confession of infidelity.
"Miss Popular" is the first leak from Brief's upcoming EP, whose production will be manned primarily Lando Beats and Trak Masta Tom. Hit me up on the comments, Facebook and Twitter to let me know if you want to hear more from the midwest representer!
For me, the best thing about Hip Hop is discovering raw, new talent before they've reached their full potential. Luckily, my home state of NC has plenty right down the highway. Roll with me to North Carolina Central University in Durham and see the talent that this school has to offer.
Watch below to see what Izzo TV, The Bad Guy, Quent, Jizzle P, E.R.A. & Nige Hood bring to the table when rhyming off the top to an instrumental of an AJ Padgett track sampling Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's classic "They Reminisce Over You!"
Hit the jump to see the original NCCU Cypher starring Nige Hood, Izzo TV & Quent!
"I'm seasoned. I spring forward, I watch y'all fall back..."
I'm usually all about being humble, but sometimes you've gotta be a little cocky and pat yourself on the back to keep your morale up. After being laid off from work, ATL based rapper Mal needed to let off some steam and stay motivated, so he got the track from Scoot Beatz and went after it.
“I believe that "Never" represents a class of people who are working towards a goal and feels confident about what they are doing. If you are not confident in yourself, then it is hard for others to have confidence in you.”
Check out the track below, and make sure you check out his freestyle at the A3C Festival earlier this year!
Usually when my Twitter mentions and DMs get bombarded with music, it's pure garbage. Thankfully, I found a diamond in the rough when I checked out Harlem rapper Rugz D. Bewler's new track "Pause Time," the lead single from his upcoming project By Any Means Necessary.
Rugz D. Bewler - Pause Time
Hit the jump for a mobile friendly stream/download!
I was first introduced to Hi Stakez at the A3C Festival when he gave an impressive freestyle during Enter The Cypher. What is more impressive is his work ethic-- this junior at The University of Houston still finds time to write music, record, travel, and promote just like any pro in the game.
In early 2012, Hi Stakez will be releasing his upcoming EP, Audiophile, which features the standout track "Make It Right." Check out the Anita Baker sampled track, which HiStakez produced himself, below!
*Do not hit play if you have any type of neck injury. Gangstas Use Emoticons is not responsible for any injuries caused from excessive head nodding.*
I met Sean G at the A3C Festival last weekend, and I was impressed by his performance in all three rounds of Enter The Cypher. Although Sean G wasn't the most well known rapper at A3C, his energy was sky high, and the crowd couldn't help but feel what he was saying.
Thursday night, I had the pleasure of hearing Oklahoma representer Big Rec perform for the first time at the A3C Hip Hop Festival. Two things that stood out with him amongst the other rappers in the set was his stage presence and, of course, his skills. I don't even really have to give too much of an appeal for Big Rec. This video speaks for itself.
