In many ways, “Continue” is representative of their recent album, Gold PP7‘s, as a whole. Rapping over the sounds of some of their favorite games, they stake their territory in their favorite genre. It’s easy to dismiss that territory as nerdy or “rappity rap,” but if you listen closely, you notice that it’s really just them being focused. And whether you like that focus or not, it allows them to do some interesting things with song structure, like going beyond the stale mix of 16 bars + chorus + 16 bars + chorus + bridge. Plus, the fact that they are doing these experiments with structure as a group is even more engaging. There are solo artists who can’t even conduct such experiments.

The post New Video: Clear Soul Forces – “Continue” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

It’s well-known that the members of Clear Soul Forces play a lot of video games. Their new album Gold PP7’s , which references Goldeneye, only proves this even further: it begins with the character select noise from Street Fighter 2!

But beyond their shared enthusiasm for video games, they have a shared enthusiasm for exemplary lyrics. It will take a few spins (and a purchase?) to really appreciate the depths of this album, but for now, sit back and stream it. In-group producer Ilajide has really stepped up his production skills so on your first run through just appreciate the soundscape. And keep in mind  E-fav‘s line from “Beats, Rhymes and Life.” “This sounds like hip-hop to me.”

The post Album Stream: Clear Soul Forces – Gold PP7’s appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo by Nina Lincoff/RESPECT.

Clear Soul Forces is back with another fresh visual for their upcoming album, Gold PP7s. Produced by in-house producer and emcee Ilajide, “Ain’t Playin” features the Detroit crew’s signature high-impact rhymes and crafty wordplay. What really stands out, however, is how seamlessly they execute transitions between verses. If you pay attention, you’ll notice that except for the final verse, the chorus starts with the person who previously rapped, who is joined by the person waiting in the queue for the next verse. It’s a minor detail, but it really helps move the song along without losing momentum and makes the verses cohere. DJ Khaled should take note. Watch below and peep the tracklist for Gold pp7s over at Okayplayer.

The post New Video: Clear Soul Forces – “Ain’t Playin” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo by Nina Lincoff

Clear Soul Forces has been on the grind since we interviewed them last year. In addition to touring, working on their next album and reaching over a million views for “Get No Better,” they’ve even collaborated with Idris Elba. Gearing up for Gold PP7’s, their sophomore album, “Detroit’s Next Crew” released the video “Beats, Rhymes and Life,” the album’s first single. Filmed on a dark Detroit night, the four artists light up the evening with colorful rhyme patterns and luminescent visuals. Watch below.

The post Video: Clear Soul Forces – “Beats, Rhymes and Life” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.