The first half of 2013 is now behind us and we have been plunged into a heatwave as the Hip-hop releases fly out at an alarming rate. There was a reason Stevie Wonder named one of his albums Hotter Than July and 33 years after the fact it still holds true. As we expected, Pusha T’s album was pushed back and Jay-Z’s (I still add the hypen, I’m a rebel) Magna Carta Holy Grail stole the thunder from everyone else’s album on Independence Day. That being said? Thank God for the underground because there are more than enough other projects you can be listening to and purchasing right now.
“While You Were Sleeping” is a feature exclusive to Hip-Hop Wired which showcases the quality indie and underground Hip-Hop and Rap releases that fly under the radar due to a lack of sizable marketing and promotions budgets at the disposals of the individual artists or their indie labels. The first three weeks of July provided us with 10 quality projects from a diverse group of artists including beloved Bay Area Hip-Hop collective/crew Hieroglyphics, legendary DJ/producer Tony Touch, Billy Woods (with producer Blockhead), Virgina outfit DMP (with producer Nottz), Brownsville, Brooklyn’s own KA, REKS, ScienZe, Chaotik Stylz (with producer Oh No), ¡MAYDAY! and a Boston/New York collaboration between MC Charmingly Ghetto & producer ATG.
If you missed the previous six months of this feature you can just click here and revisit the previous installments at your own leisure. Seeing as how time is money and it’s hot as hell outside I don’t need to waste anymore time. Let’s just launch into it already.
Here’s what you all may have missed, while you were sleeping…
Billy Woods x Blockhead – Dour Candy (Backwoodz Studioz) 7.2.2013
Last year, Billy Woods released one of the best and most overlooked albums in his opus History Will Absolve Me. This year, he’s applied scimitar wit and top shelf lyricism to Dour Candy, a project produced entirely by Blockhead. Dour Candy boasts features from Aesop Rock, Moka Only, Elucid & Open Mike Eagle. You can cop Dour Candy from iTunes, Amazon, UGHH or Sandbox Automatic. You can even cop special editions with bonus material & merchandise direct from Backwoodz Studioz. You’ve officially been notified.
Nottz x DMP – God Made Durt! (Raw Koncept) 7.2.2013
Nottz follows up his previous Raw Koncept releases You Need This Music! and his In My Mind EP with the long awaited DMP project God Made Durt!. Whether or not you’ve been checking for Durtee Muzik Produkshinz since the old 12″ vinyl releases circa 2001-05 or you just caught on after last Summer’s Live From Early Street you need this album in your lives. God Made Durt! features VA’s own Pusha T, Toronto’s Kardinal Offishal, the Bay Area’s Mistah FAB, RL & Shateish. You can cop that (Nottz) raw directly from the connects at iTunes.
REKS – Revolution Cocktail (Gracie Productions) 7.2.2013
REKS dropped two of 2012’s best albums back to back with his collaborative project with Statik Selektah Straight No Chaser and REBELutionary which was produced entirely by Numonics. REKS is back once again with his new album Revolution Cocktail. This project picks right up from where REBELutionary left off and features production from MoSS, Numonics, Lee Bannon, Soul Searchers, The Architype, ATG, A3 and Introspective Minds amongst others. There are also appearances from Rapper Big Pooh, Bishop Lamont, J NICS, Singapore Kane, Boycott Blues, J Tronius, EZ DREAD and more. Step to the bar(s) and order a Revolution Cocktail from the following spots: iTunes, Amazon or cop it from his site REKSHipHop plus you even have the option to stream & buy it from DJ Booth.net. Don’t sleep…
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Photo: Hiero Imperium
