TDE shows full potential on appreciation week - Kendrick goes GaGa

This year has already been blessed with lots of dope music from the TopDawg Entertainment camp, with ScHoolBoy Q and Ab-Soul releasing their solo projects and Kendrick unleashing the summer smasher "The Recipe" alongside Dr. Dre plus the hit single "Swimming Pools (Drank)". Only Jay Rock has kept it on the down low so far, only releasing the street anthem "Checkmate".

This week, the camp reached back to give all their fans some super heat and introduced the world to the "TDE appreciation week".
The first move was made by Jay Rock who gave us the Dave Free produced banger "YOLA", a bass heavy song about the dope game.


Second was ScHoolBoy Q with his drug-crazy, enthusiastic track called "Party". And if you remember how Quincy partied on fan's favorite "Hands On The Weel" (feat. A$AP Rocky), this one is the legitimate follow-up.


The strongest track comes from the Black Hippy dictionary Ab-Soul. "Nibiru" perfectly continues where Soulo hast left us with his "Control System" album, blessed with a great atmospheric beat by JMSN. It's incredible how Ab-Soul has improved his lyrical game and his delivery and how he's now able to fascinate listeners all around the world with his groundbreaking wordplay - or can you recall any rapper talking bout Anunnaki Flow? No? Then check the lyrics.


Last but not least it was the turn of the hottest musician on the west coast, Mr. Kendrick Lamar who provided us with a west coast anthem just yesterday. "Westside, Right On Time" does not only see Young Jeezy on one of his best guest appearences ever, but more importantly sets the right mood for a day on the beach, Tequila Sunrise in your hand, shades on lock. Kendrick confirmed on twitter that this track is not gonna be on his long awaited upcoming solo record "good kid, mAAd city" and that may be the best thing about the song. It's just basic and irrelevant enough to leave it from a conceptual album like Kendrick's, but smooth and catchy enough to bump it like a warm-up for the real deal all summer long.



On another note, Kendrick and Lady GaGa (!) have confirmed that there is gonna be a duet song for Kendrick's album and they plan to release it on September 6. While it wasn't a secret anymore that GaGa was a fan of Kendrick's music, we can all be excited how the track called "Partynauseous" is gonna sound like.


If you're new to Black Hippy and their members and you want more, stop by at freeonsmash.com to get a videography (click) of this year and some interesting side information.

Complex Mag states the top 100 L.A. rap songs

Just found this on the homepage of Complex Mag and felt like I need to share this.

http://www.complex.com/music/2012/06/the-100-best-la-rap-songs/

Now what are your thoughts on that list?

Jarren Benton - Skitzo (Video)

Ok, I admit I'm really late on this one, but I gotta share this. If you wanna see something really weird but yet artistically interesting, check Jarren Benton's video to "Skitzo".



If this is making you curious about more music, check out the A3C v.1 compilation.

Cousin Fik peeps the old bay and the new bay on new single

Sic Wit It rapper Cousin Fik, who a lot of you may know from his feature appearences on the latest E-40 albums, is gearing up for the release of his upcoming album "Sickest Nigga Healthy". As for that he called out Decadez to provide him with the minimalist and bassy beat to his new single "Old Bay New Bay". The track is a nice little piece of music for people who like the electronic sound of the new bay. Cousin Fik's rhymes are always worthwhile listening to, he sure has some wit and style, although on this one, he sounds kinda monotonous. Enough babbling though, check the video:

Krizz Kaliko releases "Kickin & Screamin"

Strange Music's own Krizz Kaliko just celebrated the release of his new album "Kickin & Screamin". The Kansas City singer slash rapper hence dropped his 4th solo effort and it sure is an ambitious one. Besides guest appearences by (of course) Tech N9ne, T-Pain, Twista, Chamillionaire among others, fans can expect a wiser and more thoughtful Kaliko, compared to his last release "Shock Treatment" from 2010. But he is not forgetting the party and sometimes almost dub-step kind of heaters either.

One of such is the shrugging, electronic and bass-driven "Spaz" for which he just dropped a video. He gets assistes by label boss Tech N9ne.



Another Tech N9ne featured track is the introspective "Hello Wells", which also got chosen to shoot a video for.



These two tracks should give you a proper impression of what to expect from "Kickin & Screamin", so judge for yourself and if you like it, support Krizz Kaliko and Strange Music.

E-40 strikes with a great line-up for his new videos

Vallejo native and bay area legend E-40 has been known for a work-a-holic not only since he dropped a three-disc album called "The Block Brochure: Welcome To The Soil" earlier this year. Combined with the four-disc set of "Revenue Retrievin" from 2010 and 2011 he has released 140 songs within the last three years and shot numerous videos also. While you can surely argue about the necessity of dropping so much music in that short time, I can assure you that his two new videos will be pleasing the quality rap fan. Therefore he has been reaching out to some of the sickest artists in the scene.

Today, E-40 presented his new single "Catch A Fade" on facebook, featuring his son Droop-E and the westcoast's new ambassador Kendrick Lamar. Watch it below.



Just last week he sent another banger through youtube, the gritty horror-visual of "Zombie" featuring Sacramento's finest Brother Lynch Hung and the fastest tongue in hip-hop Tech N9ne. You can find it below.



E-40 also announced that he's gonna "shoot videos for 93% of the songs on all 3 BLOCK BROCHURE albums". Again, you can discuss whether that is really needed, but as long as he keeps dropping heat like this, most of you should be fine.

And don't forget, the duo album "The History Channel" with long time partner Too $hort is said to be dropping later this year.

Update on Ab-Soul's "Control System"

Coming Friday on May 11th is the release of Ab-Soul's long-awaited solo album "Control System" dropping on TopDawg Ent / Aftermath / Interscope. Close to its release he pushes further ahead to get his name around by putting out the Skhye Hutch produced single "ILLuminated" featuring long time collaborator and label mate Kendrick Lamar for free download.



He also unveiled the cover artwork which you can check below:

In case you haven't checked the other leaked tracks / videos of this album, check my related post (click).

Please support Ab-Soul for the sake of fresh and elaborate rap music and buy "Control System" on May 11th.