via HipHopNMore

If you haven’t heard by now, TDE’s Punch is pretty nice on the mic. “Fear” features Punch’s seasoned flows and unique perception over smooth production that will take you back to a time when things were much simpler. Check it out below.

The post TDE’s President, Punch, Releases “Fear” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

To celebrate the one year anniversary of Watching Movies With The Sound Off, Mac Miller lets loose some material that didn’t quite make the cut for the album. He teams up with his buddy Schoolboy Q on the Pete Rock-produced track “Melt.” This track is so smooth and it’s to be expected when you have Pete Rock in the production seat. The jazzy, piano instrumentation along with the subtle drums blend together perfectly with the laid back verses from Miller and Schoolboy Q. This track definitely wouldn’t have fused together with the other cuts on Watching Movies With The Sound Off, but it’s dope nonetheless. Enjoy below.

The post New Music: Mac Miller feat. Schoolboy Q – “Melt” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

While the coordination of the color schemes, outfits, and choice of amazing locations (the statue made of symbols, in particular) are all incredible, what sets this video apart is its brilliant toeing of the line between irony and sincerity. The “old people rapping” thing is more than tired at this point, but the subtlety and tastefulness that Mac had it done here is unprecedented. Props are due to the actor who plays the monk, who never oversells the comedy of his role, and just lets it unfold, all the while looking genuinely wise and full of wonder as the song’s curious nature demands.

Read our review of Watching Movies With The Sound Off here.

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Mac Miller hasn’t really been in the rap game for very long, but he’s already undergone multiple identity changes. These changes are reflected in his music ( on Watching Movies With the Sound Off , Loaded Lux pokes fun at the changes during an interlude) – and in his lifestyle. Some of these changes were organic, occurring in response to his quickly- blooming career,  but others have been conscious, specifically his adoption of the Larry Fisherman and Larry Lovestein personas. Sitting down with HardKnock TV, Mac broke down the personas and discussed how his life has changed since the grueling Macadelic tour. He also discusses working with Ariana Grande and how having multiple identities is actually quite normal, possibly even necessary. Watch below.

Check out our review of  Watching Movies With the Sound Off here.

The post Video: Mac Miller Explains His Alter Egos appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Mac Miller brings us some new visuals off Watching Movies With The Sound Off. Here we have Mac making good on his statement that he’s still bicycling. He’s also doing plenty of drugs with Schoolboy Q. Watch below.

The post New Video: Mac Miller feat. Schoolboy Q – “Gees” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The artwork says it all, but the music says it better: Vince Staples had to grow up fast. Produced entirely by Mac Miller‘s production alter-ego, Larry Fisherman, Stolen Youth is a wavering account of building an adulthood from the debris of a cruel youth. If that sounds depressing, maybe even nihilistic, that’s not quite the case. Staples is actually reminiscent of a young Jay-Z. He’s not regretting his past, praying for forgiveness or redemption. He’s too calm, nearly indifferent, for that. Instead, he’s exploring his past, using it to understand and explain his present; he’s meditating through rhymes, in a sense.

Vince isn’t the only one having thought experiments. Via Larry Fisherman, Mac Miller explores a universe of sound that differs from the introspective, playful atmosphere of the well-crafted Watching Movies With The Sound Off (which we reviewed). Less interested in the grandiose, Miller goes for the humble, weaving familiar sounds into something down-to-earth, yet still engaging. Listen to the pair below. Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q and Miller guest star.

Also, read his interview with The Fader.

The post New Album: Vince Staples x Larry Fisherman (Mac Miller) – Stolen Youth appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The projections for the June 18th battle are in and it’s looking good for Kanye West. HitsDailyDouble reports that Yeezus is on pace for another #1 debut for Ye, with 375 to 400,ooo first-week sales. That’s the second-highest debut of the year, behind Justin Timberlake.

Meanwhile, J. Cole’s Born Sinner comes in at a respectable 2nd and is on track to sell between 290-315,000 copies, which is a nice bump up from the 217,000 that The Sideline Story scored in 2011. In a still very respectful third, Mac Miller’s latest effort will land somewhere in the 95-105,ooo range. Regardless of who you were rooting for, this is a great week in hip-hop with three releases totaling over 600,000 in total sales.

The post News: Kanye West Projected to Win Sales Battle appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.