For a while, I was mad concerned for Toronto, Ontario's HESK. After covering a lot of his material over on DoAndroidsDance? (RIP), he'd seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth the internet for a while. We're talking like three years of no word from this prolific producer. This past June, he returned with a bang, literally dropping 100 tracks spanning a massive amount of time, and it looks like he's far from done.
This week, he posted My Jeep, a six-track footwork EP spanning material from 2015 to 2018. It does exactly what it says on the tin, giving you 100% footwork for 100% free. Stream this thunderous release below, and download it for however much you want to pay for it over on Bandcamp.
Ren Thomas is one of the nicest in the Garden State doing it. Hopefully a cut like "In The End," which caps off his #RensDay series with a heavy dose of real talk, can get some of those sleeping heads to wake up.
If you're talking best albums of 2018 and not mentioning Jean Grae and Quelle Chris' Everything's Fine, your list is off. One of the best tracks from the project, "My Contribution To This Scam," gets a dope visual, animated by Crackbunny. It does a great job of playing off of the fuckery in the hip-hop game that Chris and Jean bring up. And it's also just a beautiful piece of art. Watch it in full below.
"Playing every day like it's game seven" is a great way to look at life, and is the mantra that runs through the first track on UllNevaNo and Illien Rosewell's third project, Confidence Is Everything 3. Feels like it's been forever since we've dropped new material from Bmore's UllNevaNo, and it's great to hear that he's still at it, churning out these tracks.
You can stream the full project below, and grab it via Bandcamp.
After only becoming familiar with Homage CVG's material via his recently-released Hacienda LP, it's great to see that CVG's back with another one.CVG's next project, Used Cars, which was made in collaboration with Waldo from Cincinnati; it's a sequel to their 2017 smash Grocery Choppin'.
Kudos to them for linking with Jermiside on the lead single from Used Cars, "Power Windows". It's just as dope as you'd imagine it'd be, all light and airy and hypnotic. Run this one back multiple times.
You can stream "Power Windows" in full below, and cop it via Bandcamp today.
To close out 2017, Trenton's own Valona Denise dropped SBTP, which we loved for its intoxicating effect. Roughly nine months later, she takes one of the more gorgeous and soulful tracks from that release, the Iamnobodi-produced "Love Jones," and dropped a dope visual for it. Check it out below.
The homie Jett I. Masstyr is no stranger to this URL. We've seen him grow and evolve for a while now, and each new project feels like the next chapter in his sound. The Upside Sessions, which dropped roughly a week ago, is no exception.
"The Upside Sessions," Jett shared, "is a collection of tracks made mostly in 2017. They remained unused until now. I always use where I am at in life to guide my inspiration behind projects."
"Once you reach certain levels in life," the Houston-representing producer continued, "you can find yourself at a new bottom, and another level in front of you to achieve. There's a level of optimism needed to be successful. Even when things aren't the most positive around you...you can control that. I'm definitely searching and looking forward to the upside."
Deep, motivational words for a truly intriguing project. Stream it in full below, and download it from one of these digital retailers today.
Not sure if Fall is truly made for Footwork, but the Teklife camp definitely drops some superior releases during the chiller months of the year. Keeping with that tradition is Heavee, who unleashed his long-awaited album WFM this week; it was truly worth the wait.
Clocking in at eight tracks, there's truly no fat or filler on this release. Many of you will remember his DJ Rashad collab "It's Wack" from Grand Theft Auto V, but that just scratches the surface of this release. "Cloud Ride" (featuring DJ Phil) is a ready-made club anthem, while his Sirr Tmo collab "What U Waiting For" is the space-y footwork trip that the newer school of Teklife producer specializes in.
You can stream WFM in full below, and cop it today. Heavee also dropped a mix for Rinse FM, which you can stream (and download) right now.
Cymarshall Law breathes Jersey hip-hop swagger. We've been covering him for a while, and his latest album, Imperfectly Perfect, finds him in peak form. Just press play on the video for "The Warning." With that hypnotic sample and those razar sharp bars, along with Cymar's styling, this is one cut you'll keep on repeat.
For the last three years, Drake and Meek Mill haven't fucked with each other. I want to say it started when Drake didn't tweet something about a song he did with Meek, but I don't know. I just remember Meek calling Drake out for not writing his verses (which, who was actually surprised, then or now?), and then Drake overcoming the odds by handing Meek his own ass. Twice. Meek took forever to respond, and when he did, the shit was trash, and he got turned into all of the memes.
While the beef peaked during that OVO Powerpoint Fest of Meek memes, there have been stray shots and trolls since, but it felt like their situation was a) dead and b) a warning for anyone trying to beef with somebody in the Internet Age. For example, the clock is onEminem to respond to MGK during whatever this thing is they are engaging in currently.
While no one was thinking of whatever this Meek/Drake beef has turned into (especially since Pusha T made Drake a fool in their situation), Drake decided to bring Meek out during his Boston show last night, effectively deading their beef. Drake had Meek perform, but also spoke on the situation: “This right here is a long time coming. This right here is important. This one of my favorite rappers, for real for real."
So, their beef is over. If you don't believe that show of solidarity, don't worry: someone had their phone ready to record this epic $20,000 ping pong game between Meek and Drake. "This is how we will teach kids to settle their differences" one caption read.
Hey, if you like it, I love it, but wasn't ping pong called "honkey ball" in South Central? Do kids in the hood play ping pong like that? And what if they get into a heated $20 ping pong battle and the beef isn't squashed? Do they go to the basketball courtNBA 2K19? When are jokers allowed to take it to the streets ala Rocky and Tommy Gunn? That's how Philly bols do it, right Meek?
Fair play either way; just don't throw up no brick when the inevitable collab drops.
