The Monthly Hype | October 13th, 2020

Curated rap & hip hop, updated monthly. Underground favorites, a handful of classics, and new releases that aren't already in your rotation. Best listened to in order, with a 3-4 second crossfade. Support all of these artists.

38 Spesh - “Paper Trail” feat. Benny the Butcher

Everyone should start their fall season off with this shimmering masterpiece. It’s not every day that someone can stand toe to toe with Benny, but Rochester’s 38 Spesh throws down a stunning verse that accentuates the beat to absolute perfection. He’s outdoing himself with these 2020 albums, with a staggering nine releases to date; throw a dart and you’ll find a banger on any of them. Can’t wait for Benny’s Burden of Proof which drops on Friday.

Remo Conscious - “Souls in a Cipher” feat. Conway the Machine, Planet Asia

Oakland native Remo Conscious is distinctly better as a producer than he is as an MC, but this cut comes from his upcoming full-length Souls in a Cipher, his first in over a decade. You’re already spinning the powerhouse album From King To A God, so clearly the highlight of this track is Conway’s ice cold verse on an October-friendly beat. Planet Asia delivers a signature crisp verse, bookending Remo’s unobtrusive verse and hook.

Villain Park - “Visions”

West LA trio Villain Park takes as much from Inland Empire’s Audio Push as they do from 90s West Coast legends and early Aftermath records. This track is bouncy and catchy, giving Bunge and Smokey an opportunity to show off their quick and technical flows interspersed with the slower, echoing chants of “hold up / we got this shit sowed up.” These guys need more attention; hit up last year’s full-length The Recipe front to back.

seeyousoon - “BEN AFFLECK”

I feel like I’ve stumbled onto another collective to contend with PNTHN. Floridian group seeyousoon, with all nine of their disparate members, is putting out some truly original work that I haven’t fully wrapped my head around yet. It’s frightening how club-worthy this track is, and their debut album VIDÉ is deep and wild.

Quentin Miller - “Stuck Up.”

It’s been over five years since the Drake/Meek Mill beef caught Quentin Miller in its wake, derailing his momentum and distracting from his talent. It’s unfortunate that he’s felt the need to keep a lower profile in years since; even if you can still occasionally hear the Drake flow come through in his style, he deserves more credit. Also, the depth of this 808 is glorious.

Bekah CC - “No Change”

Accurately described as ‘suburban horrorcore,’ this creepy, dissonant beat feels all too Halloween. Candidly, I’m suspicious of suburban white rappers, but Amherst Mass’ Bekah CC gives off more of a slurred Amanda Blank sound in all the best ways. She’s surprisingly nimble and grooves perfectly to the beat, all while looking like that rich girl you knew in high school who was lowkey really shady.

Young Thug - “Dream” feat. Yak Gotti

The enigmatic power and influence of Young Thug over the past five years shouldn’t be understated, in my opinion. Slime Season and Slime Season 2 were eye-opening mixtapes, and those were preceded by the major label mixtape Barter 6. In case you didn’t recognize the inflammatory shots fired at the time, this was back when Lil Wayne’s Carter V was still caught in legal hell, and picked Thugger up in a separate legal battle that resulted in the change from its original title, Carter 6.

Lil Wayne - “Throw It In”

No Ceilings was relentlessly in my rotation in October 2009, and I had to honor that with this crowd pleaser. See above for past Thugger beef. There are so many beautifully dated references like “I bought a cell phone and I don’t even much call it” and “stop playing bitch we ballin’ like Okafor.” There's nothing quite like peak mixtape Weezy.

Ghostface Killah - “Feds” feat. Harl3y, Hue Hef

Cut Throat City is the third movie RZA has directed, and this dark alley beat comes from the soundtrack. We get a typically dominant showcase from Ghostface, and it includes an exceptional verse from Hue Hef, who you might remember as Huey of “Pop, Lock & Drop It” fame, a mid-2000s mainstay.

Kool Keith - “Sly We Fly”

Keith’s multiple personas and overly sexualized approach were ahead of his time. Halloween and 2020 references abound on this eerily simple beat, with one of the best lines right at the top: “I'm known The Phantom with my black mask, MC's go to hell.” I wanted something sinister and spooky, and since I wasn’t prepared to go as horrorcore as Cage or Necro, this seemed like a better choice. Keith is one of the unsung eccentric greats, especially when it comes to NSFW skits, as you can hear here.

The D.O.C. - “Let The Bass Go”

West Coast g-funk rap doesn’t get much better than this. It would be a shame if you didn’t know the tragic backstory of the D.O.C., but regardless, everyone should spin this indelible jam regularly. It’s shocking how well these verses have aged.

Spillage Village - “Baptize” feat. EARTHGANG

Normally I wouldn’t put songs on here that are already getting plenty of space in your rotation, but this is too good to leave out. Spill Vill finally gifted us with Spilligion a few weeks ago, adding to the glutton of riches from the Dreamville roster in 2020, in a year when we could really use it. This track goes club-level electronica at the end, borderline Coachella-friendly. Favorite line: “I’ve been over my lyrical phase / I’d rather be potent.”

Kojey Radical - “Sugar” feat. Amaarae

This production is stunningly impeccable, and London’s Kojey Radical has some authentic Chance in 2013 vibes going on here, but with a more robust and focused style. Amaarae’s hook is radiant, smiling perfection. “Sunday sip holy water, then I baptize in sin.” This might be the most addictive song I’ve heard in 2020, and it was released last year, so I guess I’m the asshole.

Tru - “Fungus” feat. K. Solar, Scott Kelley, Steve Lacy

Tru Sound’s The Leimart Park Project shows a different side of LA that most aren’t used to hearing. What starts as a synth-driven boom bap track turns into a corner-store cipher battle that brings to mind a more polished, West Coast version of Joey’s 1999, namely “Righteous Minds” or “Snakes.” That bass groove runs just slightly behind the beat, giving off jazz vibes to complement the ever-evolving hook as it builds on itself after each verse.

Kool A.D. - “Town Business” feat. N., Trackademicks, Dope G, MondreMan

I’ve always enjoyed Kool A.D.’s mixtape output as we moved further away from Das Racist. This is pure goofy Bay Area fire from 2013 with one of Kool’s best verses, especially next to the slurred appearances from Dope G and Main Attrakionz’s MondreMan, which are still great in their own right. Shouts to Keak Da Sneak while we’re at it.

GDP - “Muzzy”

West Orange product GDP has a lot of impressive work under his belt, including this grimy gem that’s somehow now a decade old. I’ll never forget my first impressions via the music video for “Succumb,” or the raw gloom of the melancholic EP Holla. I love this cover art of the Magic Bullet EP of Obama smoking a cigarette. Simpler times. Favorite lines: “Steal my album, I ain’t scared / check it from me at chain stores, I ain’t there” | “I make tracks however I decide / detach myself from the world outside”

G Perico - “Toolie” prod. Girl Talk

“Get my mutha fuckin’ A&R on the phone right now.” South Central’s G Perico impresses throughout this track with the way his flows move effortlessly in different directions. Also, Girl Talk is producing rap songs now? I guess I lost touch after Feed The Animals proved that mashup was just a flash-in-the-pan college town trend. To his credit, this beat is absolutely top-notch.

03 Greedo - “Drip Keep Going” feat. Key Glock

This one lodges into your brain on first listen, and will find you echoing the hook in your sleep: “I got water on my wrist / it’s a faucet on my pinky.” Watts’ own 03 Greedo continues with his behind-bars streak by dropping the robust Load It Up Vol 1 shortly after being denied parole over the summer. He’s still serving his 20-year sentence in Texas, eligible for release again in June 2021. Always count on a solid verse when Key Glock is on your track.

JPEGMAFIA - “Does This Ski Mask Make Me Look Fat” feat. Heno

I’ve wanted to include this song since I first heard it. This one-off single from the aggro enigma JPEGMAFIA is disjointed and dark, peppered with Windows error sounds across a discordant beat that circles back on itself in impressive fashion. I don’t see what people have against the COLORS SHOW version of “Thug Tears” either, it’s singularly powerful and unexpected. If the creepy slowdown towards the end of this one doesn’t put you in an October mood then I got nothing else for you.

Paul Epworth - “Mars & Venus” feat. Vince Staples, ISHMAEL, Elle Yaya

Grammy-decorated producer and songwriter Paul Epworth isn’t really a household name, although he gets credit for the bulk of Adele’s 21, even if “Rolling in the Deep” is still identical to Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” to my ears. This opening track from his debut full-length Voyager might lean a bit towards being a prom night or wedding song, but it’s undeniably catchy, and Vince Staples turns an out-of-character guest spot into a flex on his range.