Pens & Needles is the culmination of years of relentless and painstaking work from two of the DMV area’s finest artists, rapper (and sometimes-producer) Tef Wesley and producer Grussle. From personal struggles to witty wordplay, the album includes a little bit of everything you’d want from a rap record in 2016.

You may recall that the duo hopped on our radar last year with the release “Gametime,” a flat-out banger featuring scratches from DJ Rags. They then held our (and plenty of others’) attention with the searing “F.T.S.” Well, those tracks and eight others have found a proper home on Pens & Needles, a concise and meticulously crafted project that showcases the best of what Tef and Grussle bring to the table musically.

For Tef, that means stepping away from the boards to place all of his attention on his bars, which definitely shows on the aforementioned singles, standout joint “Timeless” (feat. Mina Leon), and introspective album closer “The Last Note.” It’s also worth noting that Leon, a D.C. native, is the only guest vocalist on here, which provides Tef with even more opportunity to command the mic. And he does exactly that, though his rhymes are made that much more potent through Grussle’s instrumentals that border on psychedelia but are steeped in boom-bap.

Interestingly enough, Pens & Needles originally had a more soul-heavy sound to it. But when Grussle’s laptop and MPC were stolen, so was the album, which was 75 percent completed. So, the two went right back into the studio, pulling all-nighters and working together to get the record done. And they did so on their own terms, with Pens & Needles being an independent release from the duo.

You can stream the album below, courtesy of RESPECT., and refer to the following buy-links if you’d like to support.

Buy/Stream-Links:
• iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesPensNeedles
• Amazon: http://bit.ly/AmazonPensNeedles
• Google Play: http://bit.ly/GooglePlayPensNeedles
• Spotify: http://bit.ly/SpotifyPensNeedles
• Tidal: http://bit.ly/TidalPensNeedles

Tef Wesley Online:
• Website: www.tefwesley.com
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/TefWesley
• SoundCloud: www.soundcloud.com/TefWesley
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/TefWesley
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TefWesley

Grussle Online: 
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/grussle
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/grussle_23

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The post RESPECT. Premiere: Tef Wesley & Grussle – Pens & Needles (Album Stream) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

There are many areas that are making hip-hop proud currently – “DMV” being one on the list. For those unfamiliar, it’s the area where Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia mesh, which naturally developed the now-universal byname. With its rather central location along the east coast, it’s safe and evident to say that musicians by way of the DMV area draw influences from above and below – and it’s something beautiful. It’s a bit tough to pinpoint a sound or specific influence as a whole when you hear it.

To name a few from surrounding pinpoints, do recall Wale, Pharrell, Clipse, Oddisee (as well as a good portion of Mello Music Group recording artists), Missy Elliot, Skillz, D’Angelo and many more. We’d say that’s quite a beautiful hybrid of artists, right?

Tef Wesley gave us the original “Gametime” treatment last year (2015), having released a video for it as well. Fast forwarding a year later to now Tef decided to round up fellow partners in rhyme Jered Sanders and Cane to paint the triumphant, guitar riffed, heavy drummed Grussle canvas. Grussle is an electrifying beatsmith, always paying homage to the traditional, neck snapping and atmospheric boom-bap-esque sound that we all love and want more of. DMV’s Dj Ragz (of the Jazz Addixx) brought his sharpest Ginsu knives to the table, per-usual. Do be alarmed. This joint is potent.

Lets not turn this into a long, exhausting review. Enjoy the record and be sure to keep up with the fellas as 2016 unfolds. Peace and love.

Tef Wesley | Jered Sanders | Cane | Dj Ragz | Grussle

The post Tef Wesley Drops Off His Latest Remix Of “Gametime” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The post Listen to Tef Wesley Articulate His Exact Thoughts on His Latest Single “F.T.S.” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Tef Wesley is back in action. After sending a warning shot out with “RX” last year, he’s serving up a brand new single, “Gametime”, to kick off things in 2015. Produced by Grussle, this track will be on their upcoming collaborative album, Pens & Needles, due out later this year.

“Gametime” is a strong return to the table, modernizing the golden era hip hop sound with thorough rhymes over hard-hitting production and topped off with impressive cuts on the hook by DJ Ragz of the Jazz Addixx/Muzik Fiendz crew. The song was mixed and mastered by legendary engineer Eddie Sancho.

In the visual for the hit, Tef Wesley takes us into a day in the life with his SK crew and friends, representing to the fullest. The video was directed by Darren Harper for Love Being Street films.

Watch the video below:

The post New Video: Tef Wesley & Grussle Feat. DJ Ragz – “Gametime” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.