We’ve reached the end of July and August is just under way. The Summer is coming to an end but it doesn’t stop the new wave of hot underground & independent Hip-Hop albums from dropping at a high rate. The frequency with which more and more potential Album Of The Year contenders cross my desk let me know that there are way more albums that Rap fans should be talking about outside of the usual suspects that have corporate sponsorships.
While You Were Sleeping is a feature exclusive to Hip-Hop Wired where we highlight the best indie and underground Hip-Hop and Rap releases that don’t receive the publicity the rightfully deserve often due to a lack of sizable marketing and promotions budgets at the disposals of the individual artists or from the indie labels they’re signed to. July provided us with another 20 quality projects and here’s the second round of 10 releases from producers The Alchemist (with Willie The Kid), Ta-Ku (with Crown City Rockers frontman Rasshan Ahmad), Paul White, Preservation, Def Dee, Factor, Portland product Tope and Scud One. This post is rounded out by the newest projects from Wu Tang Clansman U-God and Hip Hop crew Soundsci.
If you missed the previous seven months of While You Were Sleeping where we showcase the best & brightest in indie /underground Hip-Hop releases just click here and revisit the previous installments at your own leisure. Enough with the formalities and the like, let’s go to the main reason why we’re all here shall we?
Here’s what you all may have missed, while you were sleeping…
Ta-Ku x Raashan Ahmad – Low Fidelity, High Quality (Jakarta) 7.5.2013
While You Were Sleeping regular Ta-Ku & MC Raashan Ahmad (Crown City Rockers) both worked on a project during Raashan’s tour of Australia a while back but the album was buried on a hard drive for quite a while until recently when the head of Jakarta Records had dinner with him during his recent European tour and Ta-Ku’s name was brought up. The album was found, retrieved and released by Jakarta Records more than 3 weeks ago and I’m sure you slept on it. You can cop Low Fidelity, High Quality from the Jakarta Records Bandcamp page.
TOPE – Trouble Man EP (Bandcamp) 7.9.2013
Portland producer/MC TOPE is from the crew TxE ( We Get It In True & Tetherball EP) with G_Force AKA Calvin Valentine & Epp. He’s also dropped several projects in the past few years that have increased his profile such as Soul Music, Full Speed, Until The Next Time We Meet & Since The Last Time We Spoke. TOPE’s latest project is an introspective look at the past 6 months of his life that’s also produced entirely by himself. If he’s managed to slip under your radar until now here’s the perfect opportunity to break that chain. You can check out TOPE’s Trouble Man EP from his Bandcamp page. Go now.
Preservation – Old Numbers (Mon Dieu Music) 7.9.2013
Preservation is a NY based DJ/producer is well regarded for his work with underground mainstays such as Lord Jamar (Brand Nubian), C Rayz Walz, RA The Rugged Man, Afu Ra & his old group Sonic Sum. He’s probably best known for his production work for Mos Def and GZA over the years. Shortly after releasing a Mos Def remix album The REcstatic, Preservation dropped an album full of unreleased tracks he produced for Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Jean Grae, Edo. G, Minnesota (Money Boss Players), Jemini The Gifted One and more. You can cop Old Numbers on iTunes, Amazon & Rhapsody. Old numbers still count…
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Soundsci – Soundsational (Ubiquity) 7.23.2013
Soundsci is a California Hip Hop group comprised of MCs Audessy, U-George & Oxygen with producers Ollie Teeba (The Herbaliser) and Johnny Cuba (Dynamic Syncopation) handling the sonic half. The album Soundsation originally started out as an EP inspired by the music of Mike James Kirkland (which is why has name is on the album cover) but Ubiquity Records wanted them to make a full length album out of it instead. The end result is the 10 track opus called Soundsation which you can acquire from iTunes, Amazon, UGHH or get it directly from Ubiquity Records.
Scud One – Lost Tapes (Dirty Science/Bandcamp) 7.23.2013
Scud One is a MC/producer plus a Chicago native that’s an affiliate of Crown Nation (Quelle Chris, Denmark & MosEl), Tensei & Exile. He’s about to drop a gang of projects in the next 5 months including “The Gawds Made Dirt EP” with Denmark of Crown Nation and the next will be the Denmark Vessey x Scud One Cult Classic project. Lost Tapes is a collection of tracks Scud One rhymed on featuring production from himself, Copywrite (MHz), Simple X, Midas Wells & P Nut of Tensei, Ill Legit and more and it’s available via for purchase via Scud One’s Bandcamp page.
Factor – Woke Up Alone (Fake Four Inc.) 7.23.2013
Factor is best known for his production albums and compilations but this time around he embarks on an ambitious concept album based on the book On Death And Dying. There are 5 acts which each correspond to the 5 stages of grief and there are roles played by members of the Fake Four crew and their affiliates. Kirby Dominant fills the role of the protagonist and supporting roles (guest appearances) are provided by Ceschi, Open Mike Eagle, Onry Ozzborn and Myka 9 amongst others. A husband grieves for his dead wife and his descent towards possible madness in the wake of her loss makes for one of the most original Hip-Hop albums released this year. Woke Up Alone can be acquired through the following music marketplaces: iTunes, Amazon, UGHH or cop it direct from Fake Four Inc. If you think smart hip-Hop albums are a thing of the past then you’re dead wrong.
U-God – The Keynote Speaker (Soul Temple Music) 7.23.2013
U-God’s latest album was executive produced by The RZA and is released on his new imprint Soul Temple Music. Say what you want about U-God’s place in the Wu Tang Clan pantheon or hierarchy but he actually possesses more notable verses than a lot of rappers than people typically consider “better” than him. This might end up being one of the surprise albums of 2013 alongside N.O.R.E.’s. The Keynote Speaker features GZA, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Elzhi, Kool Keith and production from RZA, DJ Homocide, Leaf Dog, Blastah Beatz, Steve Reaves and others. If you’re a 20 years in Wu fan then you should cop this. The Keynote Speaker is available via iTunes, Amazon, UGHH or directly from the Soul Temple Music Bandcamp.
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Willie The Kid x The Alchemist – The Masterpiece Theatre (ALC Records) 7.23.2013
The Alchemist mentioned that he’d worked on an EP with Willie The Kid on Twitter last month and it would be out soon. He then announced the release date of said project. On the day the album was set to be released, ALC posted up a website URL followed by some instructions. For $5 you could buy the album direct and a link will be emailed to you. purchase your copy of The Masterpiece Theatre directly from their joint website. Enjoy…
Def Dee – 33 & A Third (Mello Music Group) 7.23/30.2013
Mello Music Group drops gem after gem and this is no exception. Seattle producer Def Dee was originally signed to Mello Music Group as a developmental artist. He then released the beat tape Cheap Heat and the free collaborative project Zulu Delta with Zar. Both raised anticipation for his debut album which boasts features from an impressive lineup of emcees including Jamall Bufford, Magestik Legend, Oddisee, One Be Lo, Black Milk, John Robinson, yU, Kenn Starr, The Black Opera, Wise Intelligent, Uptown XO, Zar, Grynch, Hassaan Mackey and many more. This is yet another surprise album that you’ll no doubt find on many Best Of 2013 lists come December. You can purchase 33 And A Third from iTunes, Amazon, Fat Beats or cop it directly from Mello Music Group’s Bandcamp.
Paul White – Watch The Ants EP (One Handed Music) 7.29/30.2013
UK producer Paul White (The Strange Dreams Of Paul White, Paul White & The Purple Brain, Sounds From The Skylight & Rapping With Paul White) released his latest collection of instrumentals and collaborations with vocalists and emcees titled Watch The Ants. This project features Sean Price, Homeboy Sandman, Danny Brown & Trim in between some great Paul White compositions. You can get your hands on the Watch The Ants EP either through iTunes or the One Handed Music Bandcamp. Don’t sleep on it…
While You Were Sleeping will be back in a few weeks to once again showcase of all the notable and quality releases from what promises to be a hot August as far as underground & independent Hip-Hop releases are concerned. Until then, this is Dart Adams saying “Don’t sleep”.
One.
