What I really find interesting about this track (and especially the video) from Congolese artist Fredy Massamba is how American it seems. It is like American (or maybe French, like blog favourite MC Solaar) hip hop culture transplanted to Africa, so completing a cycle.
Fredy Massamba:
/RjK
*Artist #713
I stumbled across this on YouTube earlier in the week and haven’t been able to shake it since. I love how smooth it is. Now Mos Def seems to be a full time actor activist it is easy to forget that he has got some significant music game.
The track is taken from Taken to the Next Phase (Reconstructions), a 2003 album comprising of remixes/reimaginings of Isley Brothers tracks.
Mos Def:
/RjK
Another track from Washington Rapper/Producer Oddisee’s excellent 2011 album Rock Creek Park.
Oddisee:
/RjK
I haven’t been able to stop listening to this guy since posting him a few days ago. I suspect he is going to be big – the next Kid Cudi?
/RjK
Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$ is someone who I first discovered earlier in the year and have been enjoying his mellow rhymes ever since.
This track is taken of his excellent mixtape 1999, which was released last summer. It featured the beat from a track called Alien Family by the late, great J Dilla.
Joey Bada$$ – 1999:
/RjK
This features two of my favourite NYC rappers, the enigmatic, food-metaphor loving, Ghostface sound-a-like Action Bronson and the somewhat more solemn Roc Marciano.
I really like the simplicity of the hook and rhymes, giving the track a mellow, unflashy appeal.
Action Bronson (yes really!):
/RjK
This still sounds great nearly 10 years later. Although given that it samples my favourite track of all time I may be a little biased. The video is pretty solid here too.
Touch the sky:
/RjK
