New Releases

What's the word kiddies!  It's BK aka Real Hip Hop back at you once again.  Still getting used to this whole blog thing so bear with me.  Nothing too heavy or deep on my mind this time around, so I'll update you on a few of the best hip-hop currently out right now.  First to bat is the new album from the duo of DJ/highly-in-demand producer Statik Selektah and very talent underground emcee Termanology.  Together they're known as 1982, which assumably is the year both cats were born.  They're debut album, the self-titled 1982, was one of the hottest releases to come out in 2010.  Heralded as one of best DJ/MC duos since Gangstarr, their sophomore follow-up was eagerly anticipated, and definitely, their second album, the appropriately entitled 2012, picks up where the debut left off, maybe even goes a little beyond where the debut was at in terms of production value and the lyrical ferocity that Term brings.  Guest spots from the likes of Mac Miller, southern legend Bun B, M.O.P.'s Lil' Fame, Roc Marciano, Mobb Deep's Havoc, and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men (wow, picture that) all contribute to just how serious this project is.  It's truly hard to pick a favorite cut or two on the album.  That alone lets you know how ridiculous the album is.  Do yourself a favor and cop this crazy new release from one of the most commercially underrated, yet highly regarded, duos in the game.
Another highly touted release comes from south of the Mason-Dixon line in the form of Killer Mike aka Mike Bigga.  This one-time affiliate of Outkast has had a couple of tremendous albums over the last few years.  From his much-talked about I Pledge Allegiance To Da Grind II to last year's crazy Pl3dge, big Mike has crafted outstanding, and at times controversial, music for the masses.  This year's offering serves as a tasty treat before his Grand Hustle debut later this year (hopefully).  He collaborates with famed underground producer/emcee El-P (formerly of Company Flow fame) to present R.A.P. Music.  This is an explosive album filled with social commentaries and sonic jolts of power to equal the combustion spewed by Mr. Bigga.  It's been compared to Ice Cube's unforgettable solo debut masterpiece, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, and I can easily see why.  It's not too often that you get up-north producers that so perfectly adapt to southern culture and stylistics, but this is proof that it's more than possible, much less for a whole full-length project.  Guests like Bun B and his Grand Hustle boss, T.I., serves as only a couple of guests on a mostly guest-free project.  Songs like "Untitled", "Reagen", and "Ghetto Gospel" will all have you hanging off of every word he spits just in terms of social climate, religion, and anything else that has huim miffed and pissed off.
While other releases like the sophomore album by those drugged-out alcoholics Gangrene (The Alchemist & Oh No), Vodka & Ayahuasca, the amazing collabo album between Brooklyn most underrated MC, O.C., and buzz-worthy Detroit producer Apollo Brown, Trophies, and the magical musical hip-hop marriage of DJ Premier & Bumpy Knuckles, KoleXXXion, are all superb listens, right now 1982 and Killer Mike/El-P are "killin'" em!  Be on the lookout for releases from Queens icon (and my personal favorite MC of all-time) Nas, Life IS Good, in July, the long-awaited Shady Records debut monstrous hip-hop supergroup Slaughterhouse (Royce Da 5'9, Joe Budden, Crooked I, and Joell Ortiz), welcome 2: Our House, on June 12th, and other releases from Sean Price, southern icon Scarface, T.I., Ludacris, Prodigy of Mobb Deep, and the ambitious collabo project between revered Brooklyn MC Masta Ace and underground champion, the enigmatic MF DOOM (MA DOOM).  I'm gonna leave you with a sample from both Killer Mike and 1982. Until next time, I'm out!