With All Due RESPECT.: 5 Songs You’ve Been Sleeping On (5/11)

Photo by @TwonDonUC

Rolling Loud looked ridiculous. I just had to start off the column this week by letting that be known, although I’m not surprised. When the lineup was released earlier this year, names like Kendrick Lamar, Young Thug and Lil’ Wayne dominated the headlines, but just how deep the festivals talent roster was, caused me to raise an eyebrow or two. Mixing in budding superstars like Joey Bada$$ & Lil’ Yachty with the aforementioned studs, allowed the festival to also include some of Soundcloud’s finest including SAINt JHN, Jay IDK and of course the man of the hour, XXXTENTACION – who apparently played his set from his aux cord, which resulted in his phone ringing mid-performance. But all of that took a backseat to the fiasco that took place on Sunday, the last day of the festival.

To detail every discussion-worthy situation that happened this day, could garner its own 3000 word article – which it did, here’s the best one that I’ve read — so I’ll just stick to the highlights. First, Lil’ Uzi Vert went full on Rob Van Dam and did a Swanton Bomb on a group of eager fans from 20 feet in the air — this act completely exonerates him for his, “I’m a rockstar not a rapper,” comments. Then the city of Miami requested that the Migos NOT perform on the main stage due to seating capacity; which resulted in the WHOLE crowd running to the side stage to see the “Bad and Boujee” trio absolutely murk their set, complete with a guest appearance from Gucci Mane to do, “Slippery.” To end the day off, Travis Scott then closed out the main stage with probably the best performance of the whole weekend – sorry, Kendrick – which included bringing out Quavo and the Migos, an obvious “fuck you” to the Miami’s city council. Other news from the weekend included everybody’s favorite appropriator, Miley Cyrus, denouncing her love for “dirty” Hip-Hop and the Queen of Vibes – there, I tried to say it without laughing – YesJulz, might’ve shot herself in the foot with a racially ignorant tweet.

With all of that going on, it’s understandable why you may have missed some of the hottest music being released, recently. Don’t worry, we got you covered. Check out this week’s With All Due RESPECT. featuring a banging remix from Denver native Supreme Ace, a sensual sermon from Jake&Papa and a declaration of hometown pride from Sin City rep, Marion Write.

Photo by @CoolieMar

Coolie Mar – “Highway 2 Heaven (Feat. SEBBY OG + Saucalini)”

After discovering San Diego native Rossi Rock last year, I was sent down a Soundcloud spiral of infectious tracks from other 619 artists. First, I was lead to SEBBY OG and Saucalini’s prideful single, “Ball Cap,” which brought me to a track named, “Highway 2 Heaven” from Daygo rep, Coolie Mar. Throughout the track, which also features SEBBY and Sauce, Coolie Mar establishes his smooth player sound to the tune of warped trumpets being looped that makes you feel like at any moment, Al Capone could hop out with some ripped jeans and a Palace t-shirt. Oh yeah, the bars are ON POINT, the trio trades digs like, “I’ll go Jimmy Johnson if you in my lane,” and “I stay ready from dust to dust, that’s an all-nighter,” over the nostalgic beat produced by, GUM$. All I have to say is, thanks Soundcloud, you hardly let me down. Check out the track below.

https://soundcloud.com/cooliemar/highway-2-heaven

Photo by @SupremeAce

Supreme Ace – “Timepiece (Remix) (Feat. Jace + Mir Fontane + Wave Chappelle)”

Remixes are a lost art in Hip-Hop, and music in general. Gone are the days of Biggie getting on the original “Flava in Ya Ear” beat with a new 32 from Craig Mack. Thanks to Puffy, ironically, the remix became more about reiventing the song as opposed to adding another element to it. It resulted in smashes like, “I Need a Girl” & “Special Delivery“, but also in duds like, the “No More Drama” remix — which sounded waaaaay better on the original. Following in the legendary shoes of the mogul, Denver native Supreme Ace releases a remix to his track, “Timepiece”; revamped with a scathing 16 from New Jersey resident Mir Fontane — “Niggas shooting shots, but I’m Luke Cage in this bitch,” — an infectious verse from Wave, and probably the best Supreme Ace verse to date. “Rooftops in Miami, & then its 40s in Atlanta. Then it’s red eyes to L.A., meet me in baggage claim,” rhymes Ace on the opening verse, sounding more confident than ever. If my calculations are correct, considering the star-studded cast and the catchy chorus, “Timepiece (Remix)” will be the breakout song of the summer. Check out below.

Photo by @TwonDonUC

Twon Don – “Supreme (Feat. JAG)”

A little over a week ago, I had an artist by the name of Twon Don reach out to me about listening to his recently released tape, Paradise Isn’t Free. I won’t lie, initally, I slept. I slept hard. Twon then followed up on the email which prompted to me to check out the Dessy Hinds assisted — I’m a huge PE guy — track, “Black Bar Mitzvah.” While I half-expected to enjoy Dessy’s verse more due to my familiarity with him, I was 100% wrong. The NY native left no doubt that he could spit with the best of them, forcing me to listen to the rest of the tape. And boy am I glad that I did, as I ran into, “Supreme” featuring JAG. To put it plain and simple, the essence of this song captures everything that I imagine Troy Ave was trying to do with his, “Brooklyn rennisance.” The track, produced by DJ Relly Rell, is a 4-minute-ode to classic New York Hip-Hop with bars like, “Like communist, I treat my people equal; stay far from evil, the purest thoughts in my cerebral,” and “Perrion for dons, enough for me to bathe in,” over the nostalgic NYC track. Twon sets the stage for the dramatic beat flip that results in JAG going absolutely the fuck off, highlighted by hustler bars like, “I run the block like the cops coming,” & “The bottom floor got the merch, upper floor got the work.” In all honesty, “Supreme” might be the best New York music released this year. Check out the track below and get hip to Twon Don’s tape, Paradise Isn’t Free.

Photo by @MarionWrite

Marion Write – “He Got Game (Feat. Todd Zack Jr. + MOOSE The Coolest)”

Las Vegas has a sense of culture and pride building that is manifesting outside of the confines of the Las Vegas Strip. The motivation could stem from Dizzy Wright‘s evergrowing obsession with putting on his hometown, but more than likely comes from the years of neglect and ridicule the city’s local scene has endured for years. While guys like Dizzy get the shine for, “putting on” Vegas, there are cats that are more under the radar that have been helping to cultivate the scene, quietly, for years. Native Marion Write is one of those arists and he lets his affection for his city be known loud and clear on the wavy join, “He Got Game.” Set to the beat of easy-going drum kicks and a warm synth that is prevelant throughout the track — Produced by Chris Punsalan (Happy Graduation!) — Marion lets loose introspective ryhmes like, “Never call me underground, until I rest in peace,” and “Didn’t need to move to L.A., just to live a dream,” an obvious dig at locals, including me, who have said the Vegas scene was too broad to make it out of. Meshing those bars with the soothing harmonizations of Todd Zack Jr. and MOOSE The Coolest on the chorus, “He Got Game,” serves as the perfect song to bump in the whip on the way home from the Day Club to go get ready for the night festivities. In other words, it sounds like the calm before the storm. Check out the track below, and stop sleeping on Write’s new tape, Alumni.

https://soundcloud.com/marionwrite/he-got-game-ft-todd-zack-jr

Photo by @JakeAndPapa

Jake&Papa – “Phones”

Co-signs are tricky, and they always will be. It’s always hard to differentiate whether a co-sign is authentic, or just a returned favor or an attempt at wave-riding. So when Los Angeles soul-duo Jake&Papa were brought to my attention, highlighted by co-signs from radio giants, Big Boy and Sway Calloway; I took it with a grain of salt. That is, until I checked out the compelling visual for their track, “Phones” off of their new project, Tattoos&Blues. If you’ve never heard of the singer/songwriting duo before, I suggest this song is the one you use to get hip. Meshing summertime, island vibes — that don’t suck — with a clever chorus, “I hear your body calling, calling my name/ who needs phones,” and some wavy falsetttos, “Phones” is the song that plays at the club right before the lights come on. “Phones” also showcases what the duo is more widly known for, which is their pen, with lyrics like, “You come over, with nothing but a trench coat and your choker on, then you throw it back like some overalls, I am your best lover overall,” and “My ex tryna kick it like it’s 4th & 10.” Check out the sensual new track below, and get familiar with the L.A. natives.