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Hustle Emcee - "Major Keys Freestyle"

The other day, I was out to get some lunch when I saw the homey Hustle Emcee at the bar. He was doing him, and we said whattup, but before he dipped, he hit me with a CD with a few gems on it. I know he's been getting back into the swing of things, and it's dope to hear that he's unleashing material like this.

Out now is his "Major Keys" freestyle, which finds Hustle going for his over that "Nas Album Done" instrumental from DJ Khaled's latest. And it's a scorcher. Nas merked that track, and Hustle gets on his own illmatic pen game for this, bringing intellect to the block. With hoodie season creeping into the air, these are some major keys for those who might be hugging that block. Think on it.

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Donwill Is Dropping All Kinds of New Music

I'm not sure if it's because Lessondary finally dropped their album, but I'm loving all of the new Lessondary material that's dropping. Last week, it was a Tanya Morgan cut (produced by Che Grand), and this week, we not only get ANOTHER Che Grand-produced TM track, but we get a full EP from Donwill.

Yes, you read that right.
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RTDMIX003: Patrice McBride

Image via Jeff Stewart
With fall in the air, it's imperative that you have the right selection. Luckily, my homey Patrice McBride is here to solve whatever soundtrack issues you might have.

I've known Patrice for a bit now; the city of Trenton, NJ is so small, you're bound to run into the small number of people who rock with electronic music sooner or later. I just rarely run into drum & bass heads. Patrice has been in in the game for a while, first getting bit by the DJ bug back in middle school while living in Philly. As his skills progressed, he not only took on the mash-up game, but got some production credits under his belt, too. While he lives in Trenton, he thrives in the City of Brotherly Love, being named one of Philly's top DJs in October of 2015.

You can hear him mixing an array of styles, but it was at the Mujeres exhibit at Artworks Trenton a few weeks ago where I heard him sneak some dnb into the atmosphere. After a quick catch-up, he knocked out 52+ minutes of current liquid styles from this year, featuring music from Lynx, Zero T, Logistics, and a scorcher from that new Utah Jazz album. Throw this one into your earholes ASAP.

You can stream this mix below, and if you're so inclined, subscribe to the podcast.


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SPKTRM and Ronin Selecta Are AGN7


2016 has been an intriguing year for drum & bass. Bad Company made a comeback, TeeBee and Optical have looked back at their glorious back catalogs, and producers like Detboi have helped light a fire under Goldie and the Metalheadz imprint. That said, there's still a void in the genre; not too many producers are taking charge and truly bridging the gap between the cerebral drum & bass pressure we grew up with in the mid-to-late '90s with today's sound aesthetic...until now.

Enter AGN7, a duo made up of SPKTRM and Ronin Selecta. Heads should be up on SPKTRM; he's one of the few stateside producers who truly updated the old school sound and style many grew to love, and his 2012 album Android Dreams on Project 51 was truly his opus. Ronin Selecta's put in this time as well, working as a producer and a force behind the decks, tearing it down for worldwide dnb radio institution BassDrive with a similar understanding of the scene as SPKTRM does.

These are the AGN7s of change. Calling their aesthetic "adventurous," AGN7 says they are "devoted to exploring the myriad corners of where the music could go, but hasn’t yet." With their debut single on AGN7 Audio, that definitely seems to be the case.

"Mantra" is one of those pressure cookers, with the drums kicking in super early (and super hypnotic), establishing a calm with some ethereal vocals and chilled breakbeat edit work before a monster of a gutpunch in the way of sub bass and even harder drums kicks in. On the flipside, "Vignette" gets more militant with a drumfunk exercise in precision cuts. A lethal collection that steps to the left of what people expect from their regular dnb diet, which is a huge plus.

AGN7 says that each release will be different than the last, which is a blessing for those who don't want to touch an imprint for the same "sound." Giving listeners something they can embrace because they know they'll be challenged? I'm all for that.

This single is set to drop via AGN7 Audio in October. Preview both sides down below.

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Kaytranada's New Mixtape "0.001%" Is Better Than His Album "99.9%"


Earlier this year, Kaytranada dropped his long-awaited debut album 99.9%. While I dug it, it didn't give me the next level feels I thought I'd be getting. Dude's definitely a part of the future of black electronic music, but much of the project leaned on the club-ready jams that got people into his stellar remix game. It could be my fault; I love his deeper cuts with less 4-on-the-floor. Sue me.

This week, Kaytra got ill with it and let loose an almost 90-minute mixtape situation entitled "0.001%," which is said to feature "beats, loops, remixes and sounds made during the process of 99.9%." Look at this as cuts that might've painted the journey to that project...I just look at it as jams I wish I had on the release as well. No tracklist, but you'll hear some fly remixes as well as the instrumental to the Katy B track Kaytranada produced, "Honey."

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DJ Food Debuts Third "Future Shock" Mix on Solid Steel


Back in 2014, DJ Food kicked off his "Future Shock" mix series, which combined a grip of retro-y electronic/sci-fi tracks in a style he cleverly described as "Music from the Future you remember from your Past." The second mix hit in March of 2015, and this week, he dropped the third edition on Solid Steel.

Loads of ill sounds on here, including bits from Gil Scott Heron, Boards of Canada, The Human League, and even "The Imperial March." Get right to this.


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Scott Melker Is Back With Another Dose of Soul House


With today being the first day of fall, you're going to need the right mix to usher in this crispy new season. Leave it to Scott Melker, who is continuing his monthly Soul House mix series with this tasty set. In just under 32 minutes, he goes all the way from Keith Sweat's "I Want Her" to Usher's "Caught Up," with a number of edits and remixes from the likes of Eli Escobar, Gigamesh, Satin Jackets, and more. Personally, I love that he goes on an extended Prince run towards the end, including the dropping of "Erotic City."

As per usual, Scott's tearing down the 1 Hotel South Beach Rooftop every Thursday; if you're in the Miami area, you should peep it. If you can't make it, be sure to turn up to this mix, which you can download via Brooklyn Radio right now.


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Danny Brown ft. Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, & Earl Sweatshirt - "Really Doe"


If you've not heard this today, I don't know what to tell you. Rosenberg premiered this Black Milk-produced cut from Danny Brown's Atrocity Exhibition, and it's all gang gang gang. Danny with Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, AND Earl Sweatshirt? You already know what it is. This'll be in your rotation all day.

Stream the track below, and pre-order the album today.

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Ray Dawn - "Due Time"



It's been a minute since I've heard some new Ray Dawn, so it's dope to get something new from him to give to the people. This is one of those tracks that should become your anthem if you're out here trying to get what's coming to you and need to cut out the bullshit and fuckery out of your life.

Ray's coming into his own; he's coasting on this Bravestarr-produced beat, giving heads a mantra to stay persistent. Forget everyone else and just mind yours.

Word from Ray is that he's planning on dropping a new single every three weeks or so, so if you're a fan of "Due Time," we suggest you should be keeping it locked for his future material.

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Tanya Morgan - "Clappas (Cap-It-All)"


2016 is a blessing for Lessondary fans; that long-awaited Lessondary album Ahead of Schedule finally dropped, and now there's word that Tanya Morgan's new album You Get What You Pay For is set to be released this fall. This new banger, "Clappas (Cap - It - All)," is produced by fellow Lessondary vet Che Grand (who recently released Bad Man Grand), and it's a perfect lit weekend cool out tune. Check that bass.

Something about these brothers that will forever have me open. Students of the world of hip-hop who are knowledgeable about the internet and know how to spit witty fly shit over hypnotic beats? Forever open. Look out for You Get What You Pay For on HiPNOTT Records.

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Brodinski Takes It to The A On 'The Sour Patch Kid'


While France's Brodinski is known more for bringing a harder edge to the world of techno, he's also been on his hip-hop dean for a minute. Whether it's his syrup-drenched Purple Ride mixtape, his material with Beat King, or the bulk of his Brava LP, he's really about this life.

Today he dropped The Sour Patch Kid, a mixtape chock full of Atlanta-based rhymers, including 21 Savage, Lotto Savage, Wicced, and more. The sound is hypnotic, and is just as lit in a southern hip-hop sense as it is a French techno tip. Turn up.

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The Invisibl Skratch Piklz Take You to 'The 13th Floor' On Debut Album


It's crazy to think that the Invisibl Skratch Piklz have been together as a group in some form since 1989, but they're only now just dropping their debut album, The 13th Floor, which dropped this month on Alpha Pup.Paired down to a trio—Q-Bert, Shortkut, and D-Styles—the Piklz do what they do best, which is rip any sound that runs through their needles to shreds.

If you're a diehard turntablism fan like myself, you'd been waiting for this project; over the last year, these three have been performing routines at a number of venues, including a show-stopping 45-minute performance at last year's Red Bull Thre3Style (which you can stream below, along with a video of their last official release, "Da Klamz Uv Deth"). That performance actually featured a number of the tracks from this nine-song opus. Here's a look at the making of the album.



There's been a lot of buzz over the last five or six years regarding the rise of the DJ as a superstar via the EDM craze, but aside from DJs like Craze and A-Trak, many of them don't have the real skills to get theirs on the decks. It's good to see that ISP are still here, and are continuing to push the boundaries that they broke through twenty-plus years ago.

The 13th Floor is available via Alpha Pup on Bandcamp. Check out this dope feature on the release via FACT while you stream the album below.


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Boogie ft. Dana Williams - "Sunroof"


Feels like we've waited all summer for Boogie's Thirst 48, Pt. 2. While there's no word on when that's dropping, he did throw out a track from the project, "Sunroof," which feels like the perfect, strummed guitar lament for a decent summer. If you're a fan of contemplative, harmonizing Boogie, this is all you need.

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Big Makk's 'The Makk Tape' Has Been Posthumously Released

Image via Chadwickmak

August ended on a sad note with word that Florida's own Big Makk died after being in a horrific car accident. While a number of tribute songs and shows have already went down in his memory, it looks like fans and friends have been gifted with The Makk Tape, an album that Makk had planned on releasing today. His management went ahead and dropped it, with the following note:

"Today was the day Sam (aka BIG MAKK) was going to release this LP titled "THE MAKK TAPE". For those that didn't know Sam, he had 3 loves in his life; His Family/Friends, His Music, & His Shoes (mainly Vans). We also know there is nothing more he would have wanted than for everyone to listen and share this music as was planned. We miss you Sam and we couldn't think of a better way to honor your beautiful soul than to have your music live on forever."

You can stream this moving release via SoundCloud below or Spotify, and cop it on iTunes. All proceeds from the release will be going to his family.

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Swindle and D Double E Team Up For the Laid Back "Lemon Trees"


In August, Swindle kicked off his Trilogy in Funk project with his Connecta EP. While that project was hyper Brazil, Swindle's taking it back to the UK with Funk & Grime, an EP he collaborated on with D Double E and Ghetts. Seeing that summer has unofficially come to an end in the U.S., it made sense that Swindle and D Double's track, "Lemon Trees," would get a fresh video.

Something tells me that the G-funky vibes to this one will be getting a proper rinse on this lazy Monday afternoon/evening. Something about Swindle pouring up some liquor in D Double's cup has me itching for a concoction of my own.

The Funk & Grime EP drops on September 16; the tracklist is down below, and iTunes pre-orders are available right now. Swindle's also currently on tour, including a quick shot throughout the month of September. Check out those dates down below as well.


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PREMIERE: Ray Strife - "Never Cease"

When I think of the cats I got wind of when I first really started looking at what Trenton was doing on the hip-hop tip, Ray Strife was one that came to mind. He's an interesting figure, too, considering that he has a healthy punk background as well; people forget how deep Trenton's roots go on that lane. Feel like I first saw Ray spit live during an early Garden Variety show in the City, and since then I've tracked his movements from afar.

Dude has a certain energy that many MCs lack; he has a way of hitting you with every word to the point that even if he's off his face, the impact is still slicing through you. I mention all of this to say that his new iLL-Omega-produced track "Never Cease" marries everything I feel I've learned about Strife in one package. There's the rowdy crowd chant over hypnotic drums and tiny melodies that you might only hear if you're lit off whatever substance does you best. Strife dropping David Duchovny references.

Word is "Never Cease" is taken from Strife's forthcoming album Go For the Gusto, which is produced entirely by iLL-Omega and will drop via CapCity. Keep it locked for that one.

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