On his latest track “Ya Never Know” Stro reminds us that we never know what’s going to happen–good or bad. He uses his lyricism to make sure the message resonates with listeners. His intricate bars shape a track filled with societal observations, interesting realizations and more. Listen to the cut from the Brooklyn MC below.

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Artwork: Adri Cakes

For those who’ve been following Brown Bag AllStars since the Fat Beats days you should have a clear understanding that these cats work their asses off. Audible Doctor (having produced for the likes of 50 Cent, John Legend, Sadat X, Onyx, Astro and more) is predominately known for his carefully crafted, soulful production. We’ve heard him step away from the hardware in the past and bless the mic, but since the 2014 release of Can’t Keep The People Waiting there has been a wave of new fans supporting him as a consistent lyricist. Is Audible Doctor equally as successful on the mic as he is on the boards? You can draw your own opinions. In a recent sit down with RESPECT. Magazine‘s Dread Solo he stated:

“I’ve been rapping for longer than I’ve been producing but my production has kind of always overshadowed my rapping. In the last 2-3 years I’ve put an emphasis on releasing more solo material where I’m rapping and really focused on getting my bars up so I think lyrically I’m in a good place at the moment. I’m never going to stop producing but I’m definitely going to be focusing on the rapping aspect more moving forward.”

Can’t Keep The People Waiting made multiple headlines and nudged its way into a handful of notable media figures’ “top of 2014” lists. With that being said – if you missed the release you should probably catch up and have this in your collection now. The physical/vinyl releases are now available as well. Take a trip on this beautifully dark, dramatic journey while the Doctor battles his demons on the acclaimed “The Burial Plot”:

Just in case you are in doubt about the release, we’ve attached the full stream below. If you’re a real hip-hop junkie we are one hundred percent certain you will love this. Peace and love:

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Brooklyn based rapper Astro took to both Twitter and Instagram yesterday to release the cover art and tracklist for his upcoming EP Computer Era is set to drop on December 2nd.  This comes two weeks are he went to on Instagram to talk about Computer Era‘s buzz or lack thereof, and stressed the importance of music lovers. He also took the time to comment on how the internet has distorted the music purchasing process, hence the EP’s title.

The 13-track compilation features production from Boi 1da, The Audible Doctor and Sammy J just to name a few. Astro also is assisted by Bishop Nehru, but uses most of his features to put us to new talent like Noelle Flores, Nathaniel and Spade. View the full tracklist below. 

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OFWGTKA in this bitch! MellowHype (also known as Left Brain and Hodgy Beats) continues to release tracks off their upcoming album Numbers. “Astro” features a boastful Frank Ocean who sings about wearing a yellow tux to The Grammy’s and rocking out with his c*** out. Ahh you gotta love those OFWGTKA guys. Of course the track was produced by Left Brain, so you already know that it’s dope. Enjoy the track below.

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Hip-hop was born in the Bronx, but it was raised in Brooklyn. That probably isn’t how the story goes, but that’s how it felt at Celebrate Brooklyn’s latest show. Filling Prospect Park’s Bandshell to capacity, New Yorkers came out en masse to celebrate both Brooklyn and hip-hop in the form of Ghostface Killah. Though Ghostface hails from Staten Island, Brooklyn treated him like one of their own, happily chanting lyrics, enjoying jokes and swaying without prompt.

Of course, Tony Starks wasn’t the only emcee to get some Brooklyn love. Before the appearance of the Shaolin’s finest, the stage was occupied by a host of hip-hop legends and legends-to-be.

The show started with a brief set from Farrah Burns, a young and laidback emcee from Brooklyn. She performed merely two songs, but the crowd was receptive and energized. That energy was a bit diffused when Astro, a prodigious kid from Brooklyn and former X-Factor contestant, rocked the stage. Lean and fifteen, the crowd was immediately skeptical of his ability to perform. Diving right into a lyrical landslide that left the crowd stunned, Astro immediately confronted that skepticism and ended all speculation. There was no doubt about it: this kid could spit.

Rah Digga followed with a set that resuscitated the slightly weary crowd. Spitting classics as well as songs from her album Classic, Digga showed her experience. Swaying, sweating and even jumping, Brooklyn showed her immense love and respect. Old school hip-hop definitely still has an audience.

This audience was enthralled when Kid Capri hit the stage during an intermission and asked, “Do y’all want me to play that new shit? Or do y’all want that old shit?” The crowd unequivocally demanded the latter. Kid Capri obliged, packing 15 years of legendary hip-hop into a 15 minute jam session that had the crowd damn near ready to swag surf.

Prodigy followed Kid Capri, but his performance was mired by a lack of energy and a crowd that wanted nothing less than Ghostface. After about 45 minutes, Prodigy and his stage cronies exited rather uneventfully.

Ten minutes later, the crowd got what it came for: Tony Starks in the flesh. Accompanied by fellow Wu affiliate Cappadonna, Ghostface waltzed onto the stage with his typical, avuncular facial expression: a strange mixture of confusion, swagger, mockery and distrust. The set began with “Ice Cream,” Raekwon’s classic song featuring Ghost and Cappadonna. Though the song choice was slightly mocking considering the heat of the night, the crowd didn’t care. Wu-Tang ice cream beats real ice cream any day. The crowd’s enthusiasm reached unprecedented levels as Ghost started to run through his extensive catalog. From his own joints “We Made It” and “Assassination Day” to Wu classics like “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Protect Ya Neck,” Pretty Tone rocked the mic and thrilled the crowd. Thirty minutes into the set, Sheek Louch made a brief cameo and performed his verse from “We Are the Streets.” He also endorsed the much-anticipated Wu Block album, due out sometime before the end of the year.

Ghostface ended the set with “Cherchez LaGhost,” one of his more recent tracks. He seemed reluctant to end the set, but apparently his performance was capped at 45 minutes. The crowd was a bit surprised, but there were no riots or boos. It was a free concert, after all. Before bidding the crowd adieu, Ghost asked everyone to throw up a peace sign and shout “Peace!” in unison. It was a strange request, but Brooklyn obliged, ending the event and exiting the park without incident.  The celebration was over, for now.

Photos by Stephen Kearse

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