What up, what up. I’ve slowly been building a treasure chest of hip-hop jams lately, and given that it’s been a minute since I’ve posted anything raptastic, I thought I’d share a mini-playlist with the bakery.  The full writeup treatment may be coming for a few of these artists, but for now just turn up the bass and crank the shit outta your speakers – it’s neck-snapping time.

There’s something so familiar about the sample used in this jam by Fly Gypsy – a duo made up of Jamaican-born MC, Kowboy Kom and Russian-born producer Alexei.  I don’t know if I’ve heard it before, but I do know that this song puts a smile on my face and has also been known to inspire some furious foot tapping sessions on the NYC subway.  Reports of solo 2-stepping in my apartment can neither be confirmed nor denied at this point.

Fly Gypsy – 2 Step

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Buy Change For A Dollar at Amazon

Next up is a remix of a song from Georgia & Declaime’s upcoming album, SomeOthaShip. I love jams with huge beats in the background like this – it feels kinda old school, but has a new school twist.  Oh, and it’s impossible to not do the ‘serious-face-while-headnodding’ move any time this is on (try it for yourself).

Georgia & Declaime – Endure (EthNick remix)

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SomeOthaShip will be out soon.

Another boom-bap laden jam, this time courtesy of NYC emcee/DJ/graf artist Bisco Smith.  I like this because there’s little Aesop Rock vibe here, a little battle MC vibe there – all backed by an ominous electro-infused breakbeat.  Now let’s get Sluggo on a remix and I’ll be in rhyme-junkie heaven.

Bisco Smith – Time Zones (247365)

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I don’t know how I missed Diamond District last year, but their ’09 album In The Ruff is pretty ridiculous.  Their songs are throwback East coast rap gems – gritty, dense and somewhat mercurial.  I think of two things when I hear ‘I Mean Business’ – 1) This would have been perfect on the Juice soundtrack, and 2) This video should just be shots of Diamond District cruising the streets in some badass car, with random cuts to streetlights bouncing Nas ‘One Mic’ style.  Holla at me Diamond District and let’s set this up…

Diamond District – I Mean Business

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Buy In The Ruff at Amazon

Time to slow it down a little with this introspective song from Detroit emcee, Finale.  Now don’t get me wrong, I like to get my groove on (see ’2 Step’ above) as much as the next guy, but every once in a while you gots to get your grown man on too, and I like that Finale lays it all on the line here while rapping about chasing the proverbial American dream.  As the man himself says – “what’s realer that that?”

Finale – A Pipe Dream And A Promise

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Buy A Pipe Dream And A Promise at Amazon

So yeah, this next song doesn’t really fit the theme of the rest of the playlist, and I also realize that it has been out for a month or so (i.e. 10 years internet time) – but I don’t care because I’ve had it on repeat for a minute now. This is definitely the highlight of an otherwise mediocre Rebirth – I mean, we know that Weezy is capable of spitting some clever syrup-induced verses, but I don’t think even the strongest of syrups is going to help someone randomly make a rock album.  So skip the album and give this a spin instead – you won’t regret it.

Lil’ Wayne – Drop The World ft. Eminem

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Rebirth will be out February 2, 2010

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That’s all I got for you right now my fine Muffin friends, hope you enjoyed this little serving of heat, I’ll be back soon enough with the next course. Peeeaace.

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