Droppin’ Knowledge: Behind The Boards With Farma Beats
In 2018, Brooklyn spitter Rome Streetz released one of the best collections of hip hop that year, Street Pharmacy. The album is filled with hard-hitting street stories, told with precision and skill, a cautionary tale that expressed some hard truths and offered some hard-won wisdom. Streetz is a skillful raconteur, but the album also featured …
Droppin’ Knowledge: As White Horse, Indy Hip Hop Heroes Gajah and Uncommon Nasa Discover America – Interview & Review
Uncommon Nasa, the legendary East Coast emcee, producer and overall sound whiz, likes to talk. He can talk and talk and talk, but like many other unique New York City characters, he can also tell a story. His talking generally serves a purpose, it’s not merely idle chit chat. It’s possible that in the morning, …
Sound Photographers Share Debut Single: “Shade” – Listen
Philadelphia duo Sound Photographers have shared their debut single, “Shade,” which is now available on all streaming services. The group, which consists of Hoozmo and Indy James, plan to release one single per month, for a year, followed by the release of their first album. According to Sound Photographers, “Fundamentally, the song is about hope. …
Droppin’ Knowledge – Behind The Boards With Astro Mega
And we back… Prolific Toronto producer and beat maker Astro Mega just released his new album on Sunday Dinner Records, Channel 10. It’s a collection of songs inspired by funk, R & B, Hong Kong action movies, easy listening music, jazz, and smooth jazz. Samples are thrown into a steaming cauldron, where they are chopped, …
Droppin’ Knowledge: World Premiere – Rapper Hernon & Producer Frowns Share Their New Album Masterplan, Discuss Its Creation
The artists discuss their new album and share it with Backseat Mafia. Virginia rapper Hernon and Toronto-based producer Frowns met the way many artists meet each other today, on social media. After exchanging some direct messages on Instagram, they began to collaborate on a project together, their new album, Masterplan. While the process of creating …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Brooklyn Pranksters Giggity Share New Single – Hard
Brooklyn hip hop pranksters Giggity have shared a new single from their current album, Wake Up on the Rooftop, released in August. The song, “Hard,” finds the Bushwick, Brooklyn based duo riffing on the word “hard” and its meaning, both inside and outside of hip hop culture. The group consists of Charlie Smarts, a veteran …
Droppin’ Knowledge – Yo Daddy Doe’s You Been Knowin’ Is An Undiscovered Gem
While many independent artists acknowledge that it is easier to reach fans today than it was ten or fifteen years ago, it is still difficult to rise above the noise. Discovering new music is practically a full time job, that requires time and a commitment to dig deep, and to listen closely, and repeatedly. Many …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Public Enemy – What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down? – Review
Unfortunately, Public Enemy is not in full effect on its latest album, an exercise in righteous nostalgia, not righteous anger. This week, Public Enemy releases its latest long player, What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?. It is the iconic rap group’s fifteenth studio album, and marks a return to Def Jam Recordings. …
Droppin’ Knowledge – Behind The Boards With Saharas Greenery
The Maryland based musician describes his sound as “Black psychedelic beat music.” And we back… Maryland-based producer, musician and beat maker Saharas Greenery released his new album this week, Science of the Formless Self, an expansive, yet meditative collection of instrumental hip hop, on Sunday Dinner Records. The album imagines vast soundscapes that invite the …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Gold Standard Collective Shares “Deli Slice” – Watch
Chicago based hip hop ensemble Gold Standard Collective shares a new video and single from their forth-coming compilation album, Deli Slice. The title cut finds veteran emcees, Thaione Davis, Neak, Philmore Greene, F.A.B.L.E., Since9ine6ix and Rashid Hadee, trading conscious bars over a pounding beat, in a style they call “true-school hip hop.” According to the …