The post New Music: Precise & DJ Tekwun’s That Ol’ Boom Bap appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The saying goes, “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue,” and very rarely does one get all of that and more in a single package, much less a single album. But here I am, in the living room of my West Philadelphia apartment, receiving a gift fit for someone entering a long term commitment. And I suppose I am, in some ways, committing to this music. This album is loving me back or, at least, I like to think it is. Whether it’s the way he marries lighthearted pimpin’ with a coarse, sultry tenor, or the funky bass riddled boom bap that has become a hallmark of his brand of hip hop, it’s safe to say that Anderson .Paak is making his own lane in an industry that has become altogether cut-and-paste.

If Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly is the album that urged hip hop back to its jazz and soul roots, then Malibu is the album to solidify this new era with an unmatched accessibility. The culprit’s name is Anderson .Paak, formerly known as Breezy Lovejoy, who is often cited as the grooviest man in the room. Malibu has dropped after a year marked by a relentless campaign of releases and collaborations with the likes of Knxwledge, Tokimonsta, and most notably Dr. Dre. His prominence on Compton, from tracks like “Animals” and “All In A Day’s Work”, brought him a considerable amount of attention and set the stage for a breakout release in this most recent LP.

On Malibu, .Paak delivers a unique mix of grit and longing in his vocals that helps elevate the album from fitting neatly into a single genre. The matrimony of singing and rapping intertwined with incredibly refreshing production from the likes of 9th Wonder, Madlib, Hi-Tek, and many others creates a soundscape that travels back and forth in time without missing a beat. On the tracks “Am I Wrong” featuring Schoolboy Q, and Lightweight, we find ourselves in a disco laden groove with .Paak giving us his best McFadden & Whitehead impression. On the slower, more sensual cuts (i.e. The Waters, Room In Here ft. The Game, and Waterfall), we receive an irresistibly smooth, sly voice that’s convincing us to stay for awhile. But what is most distinct about this album is the mastery of Anderson’s cadence–the shift from rapid fire rhyming to swaying phrases to all out singing creates textures that are a delight for anyone with an open mind and a love of hip hop.

2016 is already on pace to be a phenomenal year in music. Malibu is out of the gate bright and early, on bended knee, asking for your affection, if only for the moments until another album whisks you away on another love affair. But that’s just it–it doesn’t take much convincing when the music loves you back. RE

Malibu is available for streaming on Spotify and Apple Music, and if you dig it, slide the man $9.99. Consider it a gift to yourself, you deserve it.

The post REVIEW: Anderson .Paak Delivers with “Malibu” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo: Shane Davis

CHEMISTRY (ˈkeməstrē) is defined the complex emotional or psychological interaction between two people. Emcee P-Rawb (New Jersey) and producer Shane Great (Philadelphia), known as hip-hop duo The Jerzadelphians, embody such. Their chemistry is apparent. It’s admirable. It’s hip-hop. Remember the first time hearing Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth? Or, say, Gang Starr? Their connection as producer/emcee packages were precious, and irreplaceable to say the least.

Before meeting Shane Great face to face, he would be spotted at almost every worthy live show in Philadelphia wearing some sort of underground logo t-shirt. A humble, confident aura is inviting – after dealing with weekly bombardment from musicians especially. After five minutes of building for the first time we knew we found a jewel. It’s refreshing to discover raw talent naturally, you know? And maybe rare, considering the digital era we are standing at the peak of.

P-Rawb, Shane’s friend of over a decade and former United States Army Sargent, is the perfect puzzle piece in the equation. The perfect other half in the studio. Having met him shortly after conversing with Shane, we were left with the same conclusion. No frills, no skepticism, no phony smiles – entirely genuine and an overwhelming sense of self.

After streaming these few demo cuts here, you may notice this isn’t for the bubblegum sound admirers. Or the young trap lords. Having grown up under the boom-bap and golden era umbrella, as far as hip-hop, this is what you get from the two chemists. ‘Hard.Soul.Basement.Music‘ (’12) was their first release, which was followed by a generous amount of material. Check the records out. If you’re lazy and don’t, it’s okay! Because their work keeps getting better each time we hear it and wherever you hop in at will be satisfying.

Aside from music, P-Rawb is an incredibly talented self-taught photographer – having shot hundreds of live shows and works directly with musicians. His creative abilities leak just as well into this area, so I would definitely take a look.

We’re going to stray this article away from being a boring song(s) review post that you will skip over. With that being said, please enjoy the streams and draw your own opinions. Peace and love.

SoundCloud | BandCamp | Shane Great FB | P-Rawb FB

The post The Jerzadelphians: The Emcee/Producer Duo To Know appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Detroit’s staple lyricists Elzhi (formerly Slum Village) and Phat Kat have linked with Flip to bring you hip-hop in its purest form on “Without Warning.” Little introduction is needed for such a record, sealed with a dope visual by Mad Hiaz.

On February 17th Flip is set to release his long-awaited producer compilation album Reflections via Ill Adrenaline Records. On it He links up with some United States’ heavyweights, blessing the masses with featured emcees that will include Guilty Simpson, and Killah Priest along with others like Kev Brown, Tragic Allies and more. Mark your calendar folks: February 17th Reflections will be available digitally and in almost every physical form.

As stated previously, Flip is a hip-hop producer based out of Austria with a background of 20+ years in the game. His sound is heavily reminiscent of Hip-Hop’s golden era, the boom-bap years. Yes his production is raw, gritty and pure hip-hop, but it’s not stuck in a time machine by any means. Flip is not afraid to experiment and incorporate some synthesizer-heavy or non-formulaic layouts when he’s building beats. All these elements will definitely be present on Reflections.

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Jered Sanders is an MC to keep an eye on. He has a unique way of using his voice and phrasing his bars. Here, DatDudeTim’s soulful boom bap gives Jered a great palette to flex on–he brings a dense flow and some unusual punches: “Preach to reach em like a Pappy’s lecture / Speak to Jesus like a Baptist repper / Breathe and sneeze it like a crack of pepper.” Jered’s full-length debut, Gorgeous drops this summer on Elementality Productions.

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In preparation for her upcoming EP hosted by DJ Drama, Rapsody dropped She Got Game‘s first single: “Everlasting.” The North Carolina MC comes correct as always but someone needs to turn the production by Khrysis up. The mellow boom-bap takes a back seat to thoughtful lines like “the idea of a genre doing more, bridging the continent / in concert, whether ign’ant shit or consciousness, they all feeling our confidence.” Listen below.

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