Zion I x J.Period - Bomb First (Mixtape)

I watched Rush Hour 2 the other day.  100% of the reason I watched it was because of this scene.  I know this is a music blog, but I'd argue that that scene tops Chris Tucker's karaoke performance.  Anyways, I also noticed that since it was 2001, Tucker casually refers to people and things as 'da bomb' which unfortunately has gone out of style.  If you've read this far into the post, I'm guessing it's because you knew exactly which scenes I was referring to and you wanted to watch them and then see where I'm going with this.  I want to convey the excitement of shared interests.  It's always fun when someone expresses interest in things that you enjoy.  Long time collaborators Zion I and J.Period linked up for a warm up mixtape to Zion I's upcoming album release.  I had heard the Zion I x Little Dragon Remix earlier this week so my expectations were already set high.  I wasn't expecting them to produce a stellar tape made up almost entirely of my current favorite artists.  Not only are the features and samples amazing, never before have I heard such a varied mixtape.  We get remixes, added features from Zion I, samples with new verses, samples mixed with old verses, and straight, unadulterated hip-hop.  I was really blown away by the selections so I think it's fair to call it da bomb.

There are tracks by previous Push Up Ya Lighter post stars such as SBTRKT and Little Dragon, Blu, Danny Brown, and Curren$y.  I would be willing to bet lots of Curren$y A$AP that my most played list from the past few months contains the particular songs included here by Kendrick Lamar, Theophilus London, Azealia Banks, Frank Ocean, and Action Bronson.  And of course, there are nods to some of hip-hop's legends as J.Period mixes in verses and instrumentals from The Roots, Andre 3000, Nas, and MF Doom.  Hell, even the interludes are interesting!  Normally those are an instant skip but this time we get a vocal sample of Morgan Freeman from the show, Through The Wormhole.  And Lights is sampled!  That alone should be enough to hit DOWNLOAD.

Stream the uncut mix above and click the download link for a zipped file of the separate tracks.

Chiddy Bang - Paper & Plastic

This is a little old, but I'm still playing catch up on sharing some great tunes.  Chiddy Bang was one of those groups that was super exciting when they first popped.  Xaphoon Jones helped push the boundaries of hip-hop sampling by digging up indie rock music as opposed to traditional soul and R&B records.  He also adds his signature 'bleeps' and 'bloops' to most of his tracks.  His partner, Chiddy, is well known for his freestyle skills and clever delivery and word play.  That's why they're good.

In my opinion, they kind of fell off after all that initial hype.  After the brilliance of The Swelly Express, their subsequent mixtapes and EP's were a noticeable step down in quality.  Their debut album, Breakfast, also left much to be desired.  It may have had a little to do with the novelty of their style wearing off with time, but I feel that their energy level was decreased.  It seemed like they were going through the motions of what worked before, but with less fervor.

A few months ago they collaborated with Champs Sports and Converse on a project to produce an exclusive new track.  They involved fans by starting with a little audience participation:

Basically, they held a contest where people sent in refrigerator magnet poems and they based the writing process for the new song off the winner, "Ladies like the sandwich party captain".  Alright. There's still nothing new for them here.  It's the same style of production and the same style of rapping, except I really like it.  Using outside inspiration could have sparked a new energy level.  Or maybe since all their mediocre releases have food themes, looking outside the fridge was a step in the right direction.

The Underachievers

A reawakening is happening.  This time last year, I was most excited about the up-and-coming rappers out of the Pacific Northwest, but 2012 is unveiling some very refreshing new talent, and they are coming from the cradle of hip-hop, New York City.  A few months ago we saw Joey Bada$$ and his Pro Era Crew start to gain traction in the blogosphere.  I feel like when you can earn the respect of the Internet, being the fickle and fleeting fans they are, you've given yourself a good chance for success.  He has also drawn attention from a variety of fellow artists, so that is legitimizing as well.  Real recognize real, right?

Another young Brooklyn group, The Underachievers, are more than deserving of a spot in the limelight just because they shine bright, and they rhyme tight.  Check out their first music video:

Download: The Underachievers - Gold Soul Theory

Their name originated as a disparaging label which they are seeking to repossess and empower.  It isn't hard to imagine, however, that even the duo might feel a little bit of truth in their name given the fact that they grew up on the streets that produced some of the most important artists of all time.  Hopefully, that is plenty of motivation to stay dedicated to their craft and to continue to push the genre forward.  Ak and Dash clearly draw a lot of inspiration from their hip-hop predecessors, as well as from more experimental artists such as Flying Lotus, and, of course, they use plenty of herbal assistance:

Download: The Underachievers - Herb Shuttles

Their trippy visuals, gloomy beats, and focused rhymes combine to make a strong case for why they claim the East Coast is the Beast Coast.  Their first mixtape, INDIGOI.S.M., will be released next week on Tuesday.