Lenzman and Dan Stezo Take It Back to 'The Boombox'

Lenzman has been on a roll with The North Quarter, especially when it comes to cooking up marvelous mixtapes. Their latest, "The Boombox," feels like an instant classic. Lenzman's a don when it comes to a particularly soulful drum & bass vibe. Add Dan Stezo on the vocal, on a day like today, when Winter Storm Benji is lightly coating part of the East Coast with snow? Puts you in some type of mood.

The mix is massive, and free; stream and download below. And if you love that artwork, you can win a hoodie with the art on it. Only thing missing is a tracklist, which you more than likely won't get. Happy hunting!

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Redman Is the Rap Oscar Madison, and This Compilation Proves It

While I know Ivan of Hip Hop Is Read is around, I know he hasn't been keeping HHIR as tidy as he could.  Hell, I go through the same shit. But it's dope to see that he returns with a BANGER of a compilation, highlighting how ill Redman has been...over the last four years. For as many jokers as there are out there sleeping on Red, it's funny to see a compilation that's 24-tracks deep showcasing all of the reasons why you shouldn't be sleeping on Doc right NOW!

The best part? Ivan got the idea from a stray comment in a Hot 97 interview. Stream the full project below.

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The Planet of the Drums Crew Assemble For a Drum & Bass 'Awakening'

While AK1200, Dieselboy, Messinian, and DJ Dara have been touring the world, preaching the drum & bass philosophy as Planet of the Drums since 2000, this new mix ('Awakening') is their first official mix...EVER. Spanning 81+ tracks (which include a number of teases), this mix clocks in at an hour and 37 minutes, and truly takes heads to another dimension. There's no time frame on track selection; you're being given teases of Remarc's "RIP" and Digital's "Deadline" alongside newer material from DC Breaks, Chase & Status, Dimension, and others. The set moves at full speed, doesn't take breaks, and is the perfect way to ride out a truly trying year.

This set is a perfect combination of the squad's collective strengths, and should be seen as a proper statement of intent from the crew. Stream and download the mix via SoundCloud, and bask in the glow of the tracklist down below.

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Cymarshall Law Remixed An Ed Sheeran Track

Wifey and I have been watching a fuckload of those FBE "React" channel episodes where the adults and teens they have on the payroll have to guess songs by a few seconds of audio. The other day, they played Ed Sheeran's "The Shape Of You," and while I couldn't figure out the name of the song, I knew I was a fan of the track...which was kind of surprising?

Almost as surprising as NJ's Cymarshall Law going for almost three moments over this slinky riddim about, what else, shorty who he's eyeing. Truth be told, if you're trying to holler at shorty, you might need to commit some of these lines to memory. She'll be impressed. Then pass her the MP3 and be like "here, this is how I feel about you." You're welcome. Stream and download below.

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DJ Cable's "Work" Flips a Hip-Hop Classic

DJ Cable's a certified favorite here at RTD for tracks like this. The UK-based DJ/producer/label head has an edge up on most, considering that he's a nimble-fingered DJ who knows how to properly slide in between the worlds of hip-hop and grime to create truly unique tunes for the heads on both sides. Riddle me this: who else would take the sample from East Flatbush Project's "Tried By 12" and turn it into this diced-up UK grime mastrerpiece? Add emcees Reece West and Grim Sickers to the mix and it's MURDAH!

Cable's not only giving away the vocal for "Work," but he's also giving you the instrumental, all for the free. What more could you truly as for?

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Holly (and Company) Journey Into the Future on 'Maggie Love'

Portugal's Holly has truly been on one. My homey Nappy put me onto his material back when we were still asking if androids could dance, and the prolific producer has netted himself everything from releases on SMOG, Firepower, Trekkie Trax, and other progressive imprints to winning A-Trak's first Goldie Awards.

For his next trick, he's aligned with SATURATE! to release his new EP, Maggie Love, featuring a number of talented producers: Starkey, Kraddy, and more. And because it's SATURATE!, it features a host of superfuture material and a stack of remixes, including an intoxicating rework from DJ Pound. The entire release (10 tracks, including remixes) feels like we're immersing ourselves in the future of sound. Dare to dive in.

You can grab the EP from SATURATE!'s Bandcamp page for free; it will only be available for a limited time for that price, so hop on this deal ASAPia.

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Westside Gunn Is Coming Off The Top Rope, "Finn Balor"

You ever been making a mix(tape) and wanted to slow the vibe down a mite, but couldn't find the track to do it? Westside Gunn's latest might be that one. Similar to how Ghostface can take a hypnotic, throwback loop and do a thug's waltz to it, Gunn comes off the top rope (similar to WWE superstar Finn Balor) on the Green Lantern-produced track. This isn't an elegant swan dive; Gunn's brutalizing the beat, stomping on top of it on some precision missile shit.

The best part? It's available for free. Enjoy that.

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Cold Chillin': Von Pea and The Other Guys Break Down Their New Album, 'The Fiasco'

We're a little over a year of Donald Trump being elected to the office of President of the United States of America; even typing that is weird as shit. And because of how weird and horrific and challenging it's been, heads cope in different ways. If you're me, you write your feelings out while downing bottles of brown liquor. If you're someone like Von Pea, you link up with the Washington, D.C.-based production duo known as The Other Guys and craft what became the 10-track album The Fiasco, which is out now (digitally, with vinyl expected to drop in January of 2018).

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Valona Denise Has to "Level Up Now"

Feel like it's been a minute since I've heard some new heat from Trenton's own Valona Denise, and I'm loving this Beatmenace-produced "Level Up Now." Over the barely two-minute gem, V.D. doesn't hold anything back, clapping at anyone standing in her way and commenting on anything that's fucking up her day.

Sometimes, it just beez like that. Stream "Level Up Now" below, and turn this one up LOUD. Hopefully we've got some new material from Valona on the way.

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Von Pea and The Other Guys Are Back With A New Project, 'The Fiasco'

Back in 2014, Von Pea released To: You, an album that was produced front-to-back by The Other Guys. In a year that's seen projects drop from each, they've linked up together once again for a 10-track album, The Fiasco. From what I've heard, it's going to be a problem, especially if you're a fan of Von's pen.

Don't believe me? Check out these two tracks from the release. "Oh Yeah" features Von Tanya Morgan bredren Donwill on the mic, while Skyzoo and fellow Lessondary member Rob Cave drop bars on "Wires." The Fiasco drops November 24th. Pre-order today.

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