Here's one of those aggro tracks that I fuck with. Not just for that HEAVY beat, but for the content. At varying points in my life, I've felt like a loser (for whatever reason), so to have a track with my kind of sound speaking my kind of language? All wins. This one is taken from Ruk's Confessions Of A Loser EP, which he has penciled in to drop on the 15th of November. About the subject matter, Ruk says "Its a very loose concept album that just plays like a movie - the ups and downs of being a loser - from trying to get a girl drunk to increase the odds of getting laid, to genuinely having a crush on a girl and trying to holler...from brief moments of confidence and "swag" to the reality that when you chase your dreams you're alone. Its all there". He's shooting for the stars on this one, and losers like me are more than ready.
Soulbrotha & Rukus "Starbreaker": Esbee and Ruk come back like they left something over a proper warning alarm/hammer banger track. The title isn’t just some kind of witty random word affixed to an MP3 – these two really dig into their views on what’s ailing the current state of the scene, in many facets. And they don’t mince words. And what’s better is their un-minced words fit along with what many of my peers feel. Soulbrotha says he has an untitled EP currently in production, while Rukus has the following up to his latest mixtape, The Hunger, on the horizon. 2011 just got a lot hotter, and more aggressive.
Rukus “Pass Out Freestyle (Be A Star Now)”: Ruk flips a particularly popular riddim to spit some bars on his particular murderous style and dreams of stardom. He tackles the track expertly, although I wanted to hear him rip up the DnB towards the end!
Rukus ft. SoulBrotha "Natalie Suliman Music": Two of the finest Nigerian MCs today have flipped Rick Ross’ “Aston Martin Music” into a pretty interesting concept. Natalaie Suliman is a UK-born Sudanese model, and someone many males would aspire to get with. How do they think they can get in her good graces? By guapping up and giving her whatever riches she desires, by any means necessary. Thing is, most people feel that they make their own hustle, but the message here is that a lot of that is birthed from The Creator (no Pete Rock). Hit the jump for the SoulBrotha-sung chorus and it’s translation (he flips part of it in pidgin).
Rukus ft. Soulbrotha "NEPA (Light Up Freestyle)": New freestyle from two of Nigeria's nicest... words from SB: ""NEPA" now currently known as the Power Holding Company of Nigeria is basically the Nigerian National Electric Service provider and for decades has had issues with providing this basic service to the citizens of the country. This irresponsibility on the part of the Federal Government led to the recent twitter movement - #lightupnigeria. A cry by youth to bring to bear upon the government by showing the entire world the issues that having irregular power can do in terms of forestalling basic services in the country.
Rukus "Dream Deferred": From Ruk - "This is just what most aspiring rappers feel + my honest, personal struggles getting put to verse over Kanye's "Say You Will" (or Drake's "Say What's Real")". This cut is taken from The Hunger, Rukus' mixtape that will be dropped in two versions - a Nigerian/UK version that drops around the end of March 2010 that leans more to traditional Hip-Hop and afrobeat, and a US version that will be out in April and has more of a Hip-Hop/spoken word/R&B flavor to it. "Fashi Mi", the bonus cut below, is more of the Nigerian flavor... enjoy!
Rukus "The Name's Ruk": Rukus is dropping his new mixtape, The Hunger, in March 2010, and will be serving you both full songs and freestyles that will represent Hip-Hop in America and Nigeria. This cut and the bonus are both from the tape, and make me fiend for the full meal.
Rukus "Skipped Breakfast": Here's a freestyle from the negro Rukus. Dude serves up a lyrical treat for all of you who stay missing the most important meal of the day. His Hungry mixtape is coming soon, and as many of you out there are saying, 2010 is his. Maybe it's mine. Maybe it's ours?
Rukus "Babymakingmusic" (prod. by Kid Konnect): Ruk flips some sexy shit for the ladies on this one, with Kid Kon jacking some Maxwell croonin' over this bedroom banger. If you were to make a tape with tracks like this on it, what'd be on it?
So, Rukus picked up the SLIKKstrumental beat tape and let it marinate. On the low, homey wasn't feeling the new trends within Hip-Hop production, and dipped back to that classic vibe that Slikk provided and started cutting tracks to them. We've dropped a few of these, and now the entire project, Chasing Cars, is available for the masses. It's too dope to really sleep on, so just download it.
Rukus ft. Soulbrotha "Slow It Down" (prod. by J. Slikk): I hate being kept in the dark, but its OK when my niggas are working on some heat. This is like the third Rukus/J. Slikk related track I've gotten passed, and if you guys are still sleepin'... why? Anyways, with all of the recent deaths and kids gone buckwild these days, we should all take heed and slow... it... down.
Rukus "Life Of A Star": Here's a quick freestyle from the nigga Ruk over a fresh J. Slikk beat. This is what we call at the RTD War Room a "no brainer".
Rukus ft. Marium "Lovesicklonely": Here's some heat for those cool summer nights, where you need a joint to knock in the whip on the way to whatever cookout or club you're hitting up. Ruk is a problem, and if he can churn out more cuts like this... crossover status should be undeniable! Shouts to Soulbrotha for hipping me to this.
www.houseofoni.com for more info!
RUKUS ft. Naira & Soulbrotha "Diva (Remix)": Uh oh! Two of my favorite Nigerians help introduce the world to Naira, who blows the back out of this heatrock of an instrumental.