Referencing the famous clothing brand, Blu & Nottz recruit ANTHM, Homeboy Sandman, Sene and Johaz to leave this song in the murky dungeon where it was spawned. 2013 has been a quiet year for Nottz as far as releases, but he’s clearly not been lollygagging about. The metallic, nearly cartoonish clangs of the instrumental create an atmosphere of imminent fatality, like armed crooks raiding a unprepared castle. Listen below.

Blu & Nottz’s collaborative EP, Gods in the Spirit, is out next Tuesday, October 22nd.

The post New Music: Blu & Nottz feat. ANTHM, Homeboy Sandman, Sene & Johaz – “Crooks in Castles” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

A3C is quickly becoming one of rap’s most invigorating and important music festivals. We have never covered A3c, but we have been told of its importance by industry insiders as well as rappers themselves. This year we still were unable to send someone to cover it in its entirety – events, conversations, complications, consequences – but we were able to get a photographer to capture some of the majest of the event.

There are no crowd shots in these photos, but the ubiquitous sweat on the artists’ brows is telling. All photos are by Robin Johnson. You can see more of her photography here. Enjoy.

Ghostface Killah

WILL

Too Short

DJ Paul

Charli Baltimore

Crunchy Black

Crxcxdile

Da Mafia Six

Big Sant

Audra the Rapper

ANTHM

Talib Kweli

Too Short

Skyzoo

Siwel Neicul

Schoolboy Q

Ryan Collins

Ro Akin

Pharoahe Monch

Pharoahe Monch

REi The Imperial

The post Photo Recap: A3C appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo by Julia Schur / RESPECT.

At a distance, ANTHM seems to be a man of contradiction. Once a Wall Street shark-to-be, he’s almost three years deep in an already impressive rap career that has seen him work with Blu, Sene, Freddie Gibbs, and DJ Whoo Kid. It’s not just his origins that are rife with contrast, though; ANTHM’s artistic range brings the variety of his aspirations to the forefront. One moment, ANTHM is teaming up with Blu (as GodleeBarnes) for one of the year’s best under-the-radar projects, a thoughtful, melodic dissection of aspects of life big and small. The next moment, he’s spitting perfectly polished venom over Eminem‘s “Role Model,” dropping more names than the white boy himself would. The next moment after that, he’s walking into the dark, wooden Sons of Essex in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, to sit down with RESPECT. for an hour and a  half.

ANTHM showed up exactly on time, holding a spare shirt in a plastic bag. His speaking voice was surprisingly similar to the resonant, emotive high-ish pitch that he has on wax. With rushed confidence, he bounced through the entrance, greeted the hostess, and sat at a dim booth near the back of the bar. Before it could become entirely clear why the sight of him in this lighting, in this booth, was familiar, ANTHM told us. This was where he shot the Houdini-ish fast-motion video for “Manhattan,” an early track in his catalog, perhaps the first one to establish his artistic presence–driven, thoughtful, and crisp.

The balance of extremes, and how that balance can distinguish a “rapper” from an “artist” was a topic of clear importance to the 28-year-old MC. As he spoke on the strengths of “BST,” a highlight from his July release, The Fire Next Time, he proudly highlighted its use of both a complex song structure–the use of a pre-hook, among other things—and that it was able to feature both “hot 16s” and “have a bounce to it.” “BST” finds a balance between dense, lyrical hip-hop and more easily accessible, head-nodding territory. Noting “BST” as a signal of growth, ANTHM recalled, “When I started I was a really good rapper, but a really bad artist. Every time I jumped on a record I would try to make it, like, 64 bars of fury.” When asked what pushed him over from his initial focus on complex, reference-driven writing to focusing on a song’s ability to move wide audiences, he responded quickly: “It’s definitely not…It’s not an overnight move, you feel me? It’s about breaking down what you understand. Early on I was just getting hype off technicals, or—or—moments that only I’m getting inside, or just a small group of people is getting inside. It’s like in hoops. It’s a dunk contest versus an offense that really works. As an artist, you’ve got to just take a step back and reflect on all the music that made you feel a certain way. Why did it make you feel that way? Every time you’re down and you go to a record to make you feel better you’re not…it’s not because you remember how many consecutive bars someone had a complex rhyme scheme. It’s about the moments in a record.”

As the interview continued, ANTHM’s manager, friend, and former Wall Street mentor, DG, entered the bar. In the brief moments when we spoke with DG about various managerial aspects of ANTHM’s movement, ANT himself took a moment to text. He didn’t once glance at his phone during conversation, but given even a momentary break from one form of his grind, he dives into another. He was and is eager for every opportunity.

Though he’s grown to prioritize and find greater satisfaction in being emotionally accessible, ANTHM’s competitive nature shines through in an almost pre-emptively headstrong manner. Shooting off topic for a moment, he commented, “What I feel right now is that I don’t really care who comes in the room.  Name anyone in hip-hop you like. Have them come in and say “Yo, you’re not a strong emcee,” and I’ll be like, ‘OK. Whatever.’ I don’t really care. I m indifferent cause I’ve already done what I needed to do, and I don’t see developing a sound as coming at the expense of writing.” He’s both an artist and man entirely unwilling to give ground. Paradoxically, though, he doesn’t resist change. ANT went on to recount how he wholeheartedly accepted the fact that his earliest works were not well rounded enough, and then adjusted accordingly, all the while refusing to let any one piece of his craft fall beneath his lofty personal standards. Take “We Were Kings” from The Fire Next Time, for example. The track is laced with some incredibly dense rhyme schemes and tight metaphorical imagery about the state of the rap game, but is sewn together by a hook that is always changing and the varying moments throughout ANTHM’s verses that become mini-hooks, of their own. In this way, his lyrics still find the forefront, only dressed up to be a little easier on the ears.

Examining a short list of ANTHM’s influences and role models, it’s not hard to tell where the polar pulls of his musical style come from. The precise, battle-ready rhymes that ANTHM often utilizes clearly hail from Eminem, a man that ANTHM recalls obsessing over in his gradeschool days. “I remember when ‘Dead Wrong‘ came out…when a record dropped, you just spun it until you memorized it, and then you went to school to talk shit with friends—‘Oh you fucked up that bar, it went like this.’ Some people would cheat and print the lyrics out and sneak them in their notebooks.” To see that ANTHM’s love of 90’s rhymes and no-frills mentalities runs deep, look no further than his excited, beaming choice for an ideal collaboration: “Rae[kwon] Ghost[face Killah], Method Man, Redman. And not just on a song where cats are mailing in verses, I want to see them light one up and talk shit. I wanna be in on the way cats used to make records back in the day. Not because I think it’d be some kind of groundbreaking single, it would just be fucking phenomenal, it’d be an experience. That’s some shit I would just go home and write about.” Speaking quickly, ANTHM continued, “And I always said I’d make a record with Eminem…and AZ. Man, I would probably get so sidetracked, I wouldn’t make my own shit.” Among the few other artists that ANTHM speaks with such excitement about are Jay Z, Rakim, and Kanye. Especially Kanye; the expansive, experimental, and emotive reach of ‘Ye’s work has had a sizeable impact on the Manhattan rhymer. As ANT put it with refreshing candor, “He doesn’t do it for the ‘cause.’ He does shit for the art. It’s fucking inspiring.”

A bit of Mr. West’s brash manner of being lives inside Anteneh Addisu (ANTHM’s birthname) as well. Asked about his Twitter handle, @NoCosign, ANT replied, in a vaguely, distantly offended way, “I believe in myself, otherwise I’m making an ass of myself for being here. ‘@NoCosign’ is about believing in myself.” The same way ANTHM is hard on the industry, openly criticizing and assailing it through much of The Fire Next Time, he’s hard on himself. He’s placed an aweful lot of pressure on those skinny, bouncing shoulders.

It’s important to note the colossal nature of each of ANTHM’s cited influences. The man is on a mission—in spite of their similar voices and knack for dense poetics, ANTHM didn’t cite Blu. He didn’t talk about Talib Kweli, with whom he shares both a socio-political conscience and an instrumental (The Fire Next Time’s opener finds ANTHM rhyming over Kweli and Hi-Tek’s “Love Speakeasy.”) While ANTHM clearly respects both of those artists, he only has eyes for the greater conquests of the mainstream, for crossover appeal, for more. Asked if “Polaris” would still be his choice for a fan’s introduction to his music, ANTHM took only a second before excitedly reaffirming the selection, noting that the track has the ability to appeal to non-hip-hop crowds. Though it may seem that ANTHM spends too much time meditating on hip-hop as a whole and his place in it, that’s only once piece of his puzzle. As he said himself, with one of his big, thin hands striking downward over and over to drive his words like nails through the air, as a response to the industry-damning “Vultures,” he gives the audience “AMG Forever.” Quoting the track, ANTHM rapped, “I don’t respond to no boxes anyone tries to put me in. It’s just me, DG and the music. I know exactly what we’re doing.” It sure seems he does know; he’s got his heart and mind in alignment, and now it’s time for us to sit back and enjoy. When it was all said and done, ANTHM thanked us profusely for the interview, and we thank him back. As of our last, brief word with him about a week ago, he was plotting on his next tape. Watch out for ANTHM—it may not be a choice for too much longer.

The post Interview: ANTHM Balances His Extremes appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

New York’s ANTHM, a soulful and skillful rhymer to the utmost degree, has dropped his second project this year, The Fire Next Time. As with Handful Of Dust, which earned a spot on our 13 Best Below-The-Radar-Projects of The Year So Far, it is available for purchase at a price of your choosing; a particularly generous move given the considerable amount of time and energy that must have been devoted to writing such intricate, passionate, and varied songs about himself and the world around him. Even more impressive: this tape is even better than the one that landed on the “Best Of” list above. Check out The Fire Next Time below.

The post Album Download: ANTHM – The Fire Next Time appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

2013 has been chock-full of great hip-hop and the latter half looks just as bright, with albums from Jay-Z, Pusha T, ScHoolboy Q, Drake and Eminem slated. For now, the June 18th album explosion is getting most of the attention, but with there have been a ton of below-the-radar releases just as deserving of the spotlight. While these projects didn’t garner as much fanfare as the big name drops, they caught our ear. Now maybe they’ll catch yours.

Sadistik – Flowers for my Father (February 19, 2013)

One of the bright spots in Seattle’s gloomy skies, Sadistik has a knack for extremely intricate rhyme patterns that sometimes mask the dark introspection his lyrics contain. Flowers was crafted following the death of the rapper’s father and is essentially an update on the events in his life that his hero has missed thus far. Given the events that lead to making album, the music is heavy and unrelenting but it also stands out as one of the strongest efforts of the year.

Nacho Picasso & Avatar Darko – Vampsterdam (June 10, 2013)

Staying in Seattle for a moment, this EP finds two relatively new friends exploring the levels of degradation they can include in their music while still making the listening experience fun. Nacho and Avatar are backed with grandiose production from AraabMuzik, Blue Sky Black Death and Raised Byy Wolves. Vampsterdam was concocted through many early-morning drug-fueled studio sessions and the result is both offensive and enjoyable.

Sahtyre – LSD (Prelude) (April 3, 2013)

Sahtyre has been making his name known around the blogosphere for a while, and in April he caught the attention of many with his 11-track project, LSD (Prelude). The work is experimental, with ear-grabbing samples. At the end of LSD, the listener finds a man trying to balance an extremist personality that ranges from addiction to depression to narcissism.

M.i. & Tyler Keyes – Pushing Keyes (May 16, 2013)

M.i and Tyler Keyes showcased their rapper/producer chemistry on this release. While the album was bolstered by a few guest appearances from Chamillionaire, Blu, OnCue and a few others, the main attraction was M.i delivering a confident, well-polished performance.

MaG – freedom (January 15, 2013)

MaG took three years to craft his follow-up to I Ain’t Going Back to Retail! and it was well worth the wait. While the Bronx rhymer can certainly spit, it’s the clear passion and earnestness that makes freedom stand out. MaG is a poet who loves hip-hop and that translates in the songs. While some may find the album a little too dense for their listening pleasure, it certainly has its place in the headphones of a listener who enjoys taking a journey with a rapper.

Gabriel Stark – Cocaine Gold (April 2, 2013)

Cocaine Gold was a labor of love for Gabriel Stark and it’s an intricate as it is dope. The album plays out like a movie, with interludes and characters that play pivotal roles in the story being told. With production from Clams Casino, Austin Millz and others, the music is great to vibe to as well, but as with any movie, it’s better if you follow along.

Ibn Inglor – GawdsSpeed (February 8, 2013)

GawdsSpeed was recorded entirely in Ibn Inglor’s bedroom and, judging by the sound of the music, that’s probably a scary place. The Illinois rapper created an extremely dark and paranoid project. While the music certainly sounds like it was pulled from the depths of hell, it is not a buzz-kill experience. The production is hard-hitting and allows Inglor to let his mind race while keeping up the listener’s energy.

Brotha Lynch Hung – Mannibalector (February 5, 2013)

Brotha Lynch is not for everybody. Listeners either find him to be an evil genius or a misogynistic horrorcore dweller and he certainly doesn’t do anything to change those opinions here. Mannibalector does not tiptoe on the dark side, it resides there with great pleasure. For those who enjoy their hip-hop soaked in blood and terror, this album meets all requirements while still putting an emphasis on the art of rap with appearances from Tech N9ne, Yelawolf, Hopsin and more.

Nino Bless – R.O.A.M. 2 (Janaury 23, 2013)

Nino Bless has had an interesting career. He was that close to being in the Shady Records supergroup Slaughterhouse, but the other four members did not feel as though he had paid his dues at that point. After being featured on their initial record in 2008, Nino did several disappearing and re-emerging acts, but made a statement with his mixtape at the top of 2013. ROAM 2 details some of the rapper’s hardships that may have kept him away from music for a bit, including a dwindling bank account, a break-up and a miscarriage. However, the tape also features some clever wittiness that Nino can bring, including a track that does not feature 2 Chainz.

Nickelus F – Vices (Janaury 21, 2013)

Sweet Petey followed up his 2011 album Faces with an album that found him focused, having produced the entire album, save for the Jake One beat on his previously unreleased Drake-assisted record “Number 15.” For the most part, the album finds the rapper dealing with the vices of the world, while maintaining his sense of humor that is sprinkled in throughout the run.

ANTHM – Handful Of Dust   (March 4, 2013)

Though ANTHM’s collaborator, GodleeBarnes a.k.a. Blu is of a higher profile, few have heard of the man who handles the rapping (and occasional singing) on this brief but beautiful LP. ANTHM pays tribute to the women in his life, tackles racial tension, and his journey through the music industry, all from fresh angles and with extraordinarily tight rhyme schemes. GodleeBarnes’ beats are soulful, energetic, and are always in perfect marriage to ANTHM‘s tone and subject. Also, the cover landed on our list of the best of the year.

Gee Watts – Watts Up (March 7, 2013)

Kansas’ Gee Watts put out one of the most lyrical, versatile mixtapes of the year. Watts raps about everything from God, to your ex girlfriend, to paranoia, to radio sellouts, and he does it all with a serious knack for punchlines and flow. He has a talent for beat and guest selection: his only high-profile guest? Kendrick Lamar, who Watts more than holds his own with on “Watts R.I.O.T.”

eGo – Vicodin: The Prescription (May 7, 2013)

eGo‘s brief, dark mixtape brings plenty to explore. With a nasally, strangely on point flow reminiscent of homie Chance The Rapper‘s, eGo talks a lot of shit but also dives into personal, panicked subjects. The production is at times big and electrifying, and at others, smaller and more intimate. Stay on the lookout for the tape this is the prelude for Vicodin: The Overdose.

The post The 13 Best Below-The-Radar Projects Of The Year (So Far) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The year isn’t even half-way done, but we’ve already seen some very memorable artwork for singles, albums, and mix-tapes. Below is a compilation of ten of our favorites.  While music is their primary medium, these artists clearly understand that strong acoustics are only strengthened by strong visuals.  We doubt that any of these artists would willingly say, “Yeezy taught me,” but in terms of the quality of these covers, Kanye‘s go-to artist  George Condo definitely comes to mind.

 10. The cover art for Harry Fraud‘s Adrift is a beautiful picture of a pier that evokes alienation by contrasting the grey sky with the ocean and emphasizing the distance between the pier and the beach.

9. Thelonious Martin’s From Me to You –artwork has many layers to it. In addition to its dark background, if you look closer you can see some writing that resembles newsprint. Somehow, probably with a meticulous attention to detail, the artist was able to give the viewer the sense that light is coming out of the piece itself.

8.  Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge  know how to go old school with 12 Reasons to Die. This cover is straight out of the blaxploitation thriller playbook.

7. “Creepy” doesn’t even begin to describe Azealia Banks‘ artwork for “Yung Rapunzel “. The cover is brutally nightmarish and the track is just as dark. Notice the similarity between the cover and Rene Magritte’s painting, “The Rape.”

6. Quasimoto – Yessir Whatever – The concept for this art work is innovative and intriguing. Using a sticker that creates an illusion of movement, the art has multiple layers, just like a Madlib beat.

5. Tyler, The creator  artwork for Wolf  shows us a fun portrait of Tyler as a child. This work is admirable due to it’s high attention to details. If you look at the tree you’ll notice a subtle eye; in the bottom right you can see a random doll head on top of a little trunk; and at the bottom left what looks like a chipmunk dressed in a traditional Irish outfit. This art work is fun and a little ridiculous, much like the artist himself.

4. Big K.R.I.T‘s cover for  King Remembered in Time is reminiscent of an ancient Greek vase. The gold color in contrast with the dark-purple galactic background works very well.

3. The art work for ANTHM‘s latest project,  produced by Blu as GODleeBarnes, features a very harmonious fusion of writing and image.

2. Chance The Rapper embraces his weird side , using a combination of psychedelic and galactic imagery to evoke his uniqueness. The intriguing thing is that this uniqueness is contrasted by the trees and the home at the bottom. It’s the perfect combination of being down-to-Earth and out of this world.

1. Finally, the victory goes to Mobb Deep’s Prodigy and The Alchemist artwork for their joint LP, Albert Einstein. This art cover is a piece of art that can stand on its own without the music.The artist’s ability to re-create the well-known portrait of Einstein with originality  and adaptability to contemporary times is beyond admirable.

Let us know who you like best!

The post Best Album and Single Artwork of 2013 (So Far) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Manhattan’s own ANTHM lets loose some harsh thoughts over the instrumental twang of Eminem’s “Role Model.” The reference-heavy track finds ANTHM snarling the names of upper-echelon acts like Lil Wayne, The Throne, and Rick Ross as well as industry heads Paul Rosenberg and Rap Radar’s Eliot Wilson. In keeping with a growing theme, amidst a sea of apparent shots, ANTHM tosses some high praise Kendrick Lamar’s way. Other than that, it’s all-out assault, riffing on the assertion that ANTHM is “not a Freshman, nigga check my grades in this class. / Battle me? Better off facing Jason Mraz.” If you didn’t know, ANTHM and Los Angeles’ Blu a.k.a. GodLeeBarnes just released a far chiller tape, Handful of Dust, which deserves a spin and a purchase after you listen to ANTHM get grimy below.

The post New Music: ANTHM – “Double Excel” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.