Pharoahe Monch “Bad MF”

Pharoahe Monch will go down as one of the more underrated lyricists in hip-hop when his time is done, but from the looks of it he is showing no signs of slowing down. The rhyme scheme master released his well-received W.A.R album back in 2011 and (per usual) as taken some time to craft his next project titled P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). As the name would suggest, the album will rely on the concept of PTSD which is defined as “a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma”. Pharoahe Monch will use this theme as a means of narrating the life of an independent hip-hop artist that is struggling to fight against the “industry machine”. The track “Bad MF” showcases Monch on a lyrical warpath and should be a fitting representation of what P.T.S.D will sound like. 

Cam’ron & A-Trak “Humphrey” (prod. A-Trak & Party Supplies)

In what will be one of the more unexpected, pleasant surprise projects of the year, Harlem rapper Cam’ron is teaming up with Fool’s Gold owner/producer A-Trak for an EP titled Federal Reserve. This announcement was made only a week ago, and we already have new music that will be featured on the project! While the unlikely collaboration had many fans skeptical initially, “Humphrey” should be enough to dispel those feelings and get people excited. Killa Cam has been hit-or-miss in recent years, but this project is shaping up to be solid and will even feature appearances from fellow Dipset members Jim Jones and Juelz Santana.  Judging by the strength of this song, we will surely be on the look out for more news regarding Federal Reserve. 

YG “Who Do You Love” (ft. Drake) (prod. DJ Mustard)

Just before 2013 came to a close, an unfinished version of YG’s single “Who Do You Love” was leaked onto the Internet. With YG’s upcoming debut studio album My Krazy Life due out in March, his camp has decided to release the official version of the track that features none other than Drake. The record features DJ Mustard production so more likely than not, “Who Do You Love” will be a hit and receive major attention everywhere from the clubs to the radio. Having Drake come in to offer a verse will only help in that respect, and it is always worthy of noting when Drake jumps on these street anthems. Keeping all of these factors in mind, “Who Do You Love” is sure to give YG more momentum as he continues to rise in prominence on a mainstream level. 

Banks “Brain” (prod. Shlohmo)

I was first introduced to Banks last year as she was the opening act on The Weeknd’s Kissland tour and she certainly impressed me in her live performance. The singer introduced herself to the world last year with the release of two EP’s titled Fall Over and London, both of which were impressive projects. As she grows increasingly popular, it is only right that Banks has teamed up with LA producer Shlohmo for this massive track titled “Brain”. Shlohmo has worked with the likes of Little Dragon and Jerimih as he is becoming known for his magical R&B gems. This single is another example of that and should only elevate the status of Banks as a rising star with her debut album on the way. 

Album Review/Stream: Step Brothers (Evidence & Alchemist)- Lord Steppington

Although Evidence and Alchemist are not related, in the hip-hop world they members of the same family as they rose to prominence together back in the mid/late 1990’s. Alchemist is a prolific producer who is known as a sonic master in hip-hop through his signature boom-bap sound, and he has shown no signs of slowing down recently. As a certified veteran, Alchemist has made it a priority to link up with his favorite new school rappers to create standout full-length projects. Working with the likes of Action Bronson, Domo Genesis, Boldy James, and Curren$y as well as older emcees such as Prodigy and Roc Marciano, the quality, consistent output coming from Alchemist has been remarkable. And since Alchemist and Evidence have been tight since high school, it is only right that they have finally joined forces to create this Lord Steppington album (under the moniker of Step Brothers), a project that was announced back in 2008. Alchemist is responsible for the majority of the production, and it is easy to hear how comfortable he his rapping well-thought out, yet random bars with Evidence over multi-faceted, gritty beats. You might not fully appreciate Lord Steppington if you take it too seriously as the project features the duo at their most absurd lyrically. However, the advanced wordplay and outrageous imagery on display is impressive, and musically it is a body of work that holds up to the high standard that we have come to expect from the Alchemist. 

Ty Dolla $ign Interview On Sway In The Morning, Reveals Upcoming “Or Nah” Remix With The Weeknd

Ty Dolla $ign is a singer out of California who has been making a lot of noise  lately. We recently reviewed his Beach House EP (which was released earlier this month)  and although it only has seven songs on it, radio-hits like “Paranoid” will surely give Ty Dolla $ign plenty of momentum as 2014 rolls along. With a long standing working relationship with producer DJ Mustard as well as being welcomed in by Wiz Khalifa and the Taylor Gang family, Ty Dolla $ign is making all the right moves business-wise and his music has been up to par. Ty Dolla $ign made an appearance on the Sway In The Morning show recently to promote the Beach House EP and also discussed his musical past as well as what material we can expect from him in the future.

Big Boi “CPU 2.0” (ft. Phantogram and Sade)

OutKast has been all over the news recently since it was announced that the group would be headlining 40 festivals this year. There have also been reports that both Big Boi and Andre 3000 will be releasing solo albums in 2014, and this possibility all leads up to the big question of whether the duo will be releasing a new OutKast album. While Andre 3000 has been rather elusive in recent years when it comes to music, Big Boi has come through with a solid output of material with his album Vicious Lies And Dangerous Rumors being the most recent. And in the lead-up to Big Boi’s follow up album, he is releasing a series of mash-ups which re-purpose some of his previous work and older verses.  “CPU 2.o” is one of the first to be released and it blends Big Boi’s “CPU” (a collaboration with Phantogram) with Sade’s “Nothing Can Come Between Us”. 

June “Big Pimpin” (ft. Big K.R.I.T)

Memphis native June is an artist on the come up after his presence on the Smoker’s Club Tour last year and this collaboration with Big K.R.I.T will only help in spreading his name. June teamed up with producer (and younger brother) Teddy Walton and the results so far have been successful coming off the release of 2012 project EVOL. “Big Pimpin” is a hard-hitting, soulful record that is further elevated by a guest verse from Big K.R.I.T. With a music video for the song on the way, “Big Pimpin” is sure to receive more exposure as a worthwhile Southern anthem that June can build off of. And as always, we love hearing Big K.R.I.T demolish his guest appearances as we look forward to his next project Cadillactica, which is scheduled to be released sometime in 2014.

Dag Savage (Exile & Johaz) ‘Don’t Stop’ Music Video (ft. Blu)

The group name Dag Savage may not ring a bell for some people, but the fact that California rapper Blu and producer Exile have made a great deal of amazing music together is something that well-versed hip-hop fans are aware of. This trend continues on ‘Don’t Stop’ as Blu comes in for a guest appearance as Dag Savage consists of Exile and Jahaz, another emcee from Cali who is on the come up. The track is a single for the duo’s upcoming album titled E&J which is being released via Dirty Science and is set to be released on February 4th. The visuals for the track are set in Japan and they are fitting with the smooth grooves of the song. 

Mr. J. Medeiros ‘Forenoon’ (prod. by Beatsofreen)

While Mr. J. Medeiros is probably a name you do not know off hand, his work with The Procussions may be a little more familiar. However, this new track titled ‘Forenoon’ is a collaboration between Medeiros and jazz-influenced Dutch producer Beatsofreen. This is an exclusive, free-download release that should not be undervalued as Medeiros’ introspective and poetic raps sound at home over the jazz/boom bap  blended beat. The production is somewhat dark, yet also uplifting and the narrative of Medeiros resonates over the the well-crafted piano loop. If you have no idea who Mr. J. Medeiros is, ‘Forenoon’ is a track that will make you curious and he has plenty of solid prior work to go back to.