I posted on the City Paper's Noise blog about #Letspushthebutton, a new mixtape featuring Ogun, Los, Starrz and a ton of other Baltimore rappers.

Labels: Baltimore City Paper, Los, Noise, Ogun, StarrZ

I wrote about Los's new mixtape with Mark Battles on the Baltimore City Paper's Noise blog.

Labels: Baltimore City Paper, Los, Noise

This week's Baltimore City Paper has my hip-hop column Rap Sheet, with news about Los and Kane Mayfield, and a list of AllBmoreHipHop.com's top 5 most downloaded mixtapes of 2012. Also wrote The Short List as usual.

Labels: ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, Kane, Los

On the Baltimore City Paper's Noise blog I wrote a post about the local radio hit "Trashbags" by DBoi Da Dome and Starrz, and the recent remix with Caddy Da Don and Los.

Labels: Baltimore City Paper, Caddy Da Don, DBoi Da Dome, Los, magazines/newspapers, Noise

I reviewed DDm's Winter And The Tinman's Heart, featuring guest appearances from Los and Rye Rye, for MobtownStudios.com.

Labels: Los, Midas, mixtape/album review, Mobtown Studios, Rye Rye

I wrote a post on the City Paper Noise blog about how Baltimore rapper Los just signed with Bad Boy Records (for the second time).

Labels: Baltimore City Paper, Los, Noise

Last Monday when DatPiff.com premiered the new Los mixtape The Crown Ain't Safe, hosted by DJ Ill Will and DJ Drama, I was one of the first to listen to the mixtape and liveblogged my reactions for the Baltimore City Paper's Noise blog.

Labels: Baltimore City Paper, Los, magazines/newspapers, mixtape/album review, Noise

It's been an annual tradition that at every December, I do a post here listing my favorite Baltimore hip hop albums and mixtapes of the year. But I never got around to it before the end of 2010, and here we are at the end of January and I feel bad about slacking and just want to get it out there, better late than never. I'll be posting each entry one at a time, and you can follow me on Twitter for updates when I add a new one:



1. Dirt Platoon - Deeper Than Dirt (Brake Fast Records)
So many underground rappers, especially in Baltimore, talk a good game about real hip hop, keeping it grimy, bringing the ‘90s back, all that shit, but when you really listen to their music they’re as eager to keep up with trends or be on some pop shit as anybody they’re complaining about. So that’s why it’s so refreshing to hear Dirt Platoon just not fuck around at all and make some nasty gritty old fashioned hip hop, but still have enough production values, attention to detail and content in their lyrics that it all holds together as a real dope album.
purchase Deeper Than Dirt on Band Camp
Dirt Platoon - "D.P. Shit" (mp3)



2. Los - Shooter (After Platinum/DJ Ill Will/DJ Rockstar)
As a pure MC Los is one of the rare people in Baltimore who I can sincerely say has inspired awe in me at times, just how fast his mind works and how the words pour out of him. I don’t love every creative decision he makes on this, really his first album-style project of all original production, but it’s a consistently engaging listen and probably the only record on this list I’ve seen on any year-end lists outside of Baltimore, even XXL’s, so I’m really happy that dude is kind of becoming a breakout star around here.
download Shooter on DatPiff
Los - "Freedom Of Speech" (mp3)



3. Rome Cee - Tunnel Vision (FreEP)
This may be billed as a “FreEP,” but at just under 40 minutes with barely a second wasted, it’s closer to what rap albums used to be like and probably should still aspire to. Rome Cee was easily the best new Baltimore MC (or new to me, anyway) to grab my attention in 2010 with such a concise, no-nonsense record.
download Tunnel Vision on Band Camp
Rome Cee f/ Kneel Knaris - "Rock My Style (mp3)



4. Backland - Block Work: None Better (DJ Jabril/Block Boy Music)
Backland’s been on the scene forever, and has always been one of the most talented rappers in Baltimore, but his projects have been fewer and further between since an accident and resulting health problems put him on the sidelines for a while. So every new mixtape is an event, especially this one, which he kept trickling out dope songs from throughout 2010 before finally dropping the whole thing on us.
download Block Work: None Better on AllBmoreHipHop.com
Backland - "Goin' In" (mp3)



5. Mickey Free - Last Of The Tight Wiggers
Sometimes white rappers give me some bullshit about how I'm biased against them, but really I just wish more of them were as dope as Mickey Free or were able to navigate their way through hip hop with the same kind of wit and creativity, letting race factor into his identity but not dictate it, playing with white rapper archetypes while transcending them. Last Of The Tight Wiggers is a fun, funny record with some great rapping and the kind of goofy-ass skits people don't make anymore.
purchase Last Of The Tight Wiggers on Band Camp
Mickey Free - "The Unnies" (mp3)



6. Mania Music Group - Welcome To The Audience (Mania Music Group)
I'm a big fan of Mania and have always enjoyed their plethora of free online releases, although no single one of them completely lived up to the crew's overall potential. And that extended to their first official retail album, but they got close enough with a nice collection of jams where all 4 of the group's MCs got a good solo showcase or a standout verse on a posse cut.
purchase Welcome To The Audience on Band Camp
Mania Music Group f/ Dappa!!! Dan Midas - "U Might Think" (mp3)



7. Mullyman - Harder Than Baltimore (Major League Unlimited)
Mully's second album was a total improvement over 2005's Mullymania and really found him tightening his circle up to 2 great producers that both cover a lot of territory, DJ Booman and MBAHlievable, and just focusing on collecting the best of his various singles and leaks over the past year or two plus some dope new songs.
download Harder Than Baltimore on DatPiff
Mullyman - "MULLY!" (mp3)



8. Greenspan - Got Green 2 (Federal Reserve/IllVibes-DMV.com/DJBooth.net)
Greenspan is one of the few rappers in Baltimore that seems to make every move carefully and thoughtfully, his rhymes are always well written, his tracks are always crisp, his live show is always entertaining, just an all-around solid artist.
download Got Green 2 on DJBooth.net
Greenspan - "Never Done" (mp3)



9. Skarr Akbar - The Pursuit Of Happyness (Akbar Enterprize)
Skarr Akbar is one of those artists that keeps dropping new mixtapes year in, year out, and always makes this list, usually somewhere lower, because honestly although he's a huge talent and every record has some dope songs, a lot of times they end up feeling like just another mixtape. But The Pursuit Of Happyness and to a lesser extent its sequel really broke that pattern and felt like cohesive album statements.
download The Pursuit Of Happyness on AllBmoreHipHop.com
Skarr Akbar - “Unbreakable” (mp3)



10. Rapdragons - Featuring Baltimore (Ltd Comp)
I'm really kind of jealous of Rapdragons that they got the brilliant idea to build an entire rap album out of samples from Baltimore rock and indie bands and that they executed it so well.
download Featuring Baltimore on Ltd Comp
Rapdragons - “Come Harvest” (mp3)



11. The Boy Blesst - Show-N-Prove (Reign Music)
I was a huge fan of Blesst's 2009 album Charmicidal, and while this one doesn't have as many memorable songs to keep me coming back, it's still another solid record from one of Baltimore's most underrated rappers, who just has a completely unique voice, an interesting lyrical perspective and a great ear for beats.
download Show-N-Prove on AllBmoreHipHop.com
The Boy Blesst f/ Barnes - “Homeboy” (mp3)



12. Al Great - The Take
After a few freestyle-heavy mixtapes that didn't particularly grab me, Al Great came hard with a couple of records full of original production in 2010, The Heist and a few months later this great follow-up, The Take.
download The Take on DatPiff
Al Great f/ Jet Noise Cardi - “Blinders” (mp3)



13. Si-Notes - Cash On Delivery (Gritty Gang/ARS Productions)
There were other female MCs from Baltimore that made a lot more noise in 2010, but Si-Notes made a mixtape I can really bump front to back last year and they didn't, so I'm still pretty happy with having given her the Best of Baltimore award.
download Cash On Delivery on AllBmoreHipHop.com.
Si-Notes f/ Hunnit Proof - “C’mon Baby” (mp3)



14. Rickie Jacobs - Air Jacobs (BuckMarleyXXX.com/The Good Life Reviews)
After a couple years of enjoying the tracks I'd heard from Rickie Jacobs here and there, it was cool to finally hear a full-length project from him. His voice and his presence on the mic are still a little lacking, in my opinion, but I like where his head's at and what he's trying to say with his music.
download Air Jacobs on Tha Good Life
Rickie Jacobs - “The End” (mp3)



15. Spita - The Fire
This is one of those kinds of odd records that isn't on anybody else's radar that ended up in my e-mail inbox that I really dug, exists very far outside current trends while still being kind of contemporary and radio-friendly, unique voice and some great production.
purchase The Fire on iTunes
Spita - “Spita” (mp3)



16. Bossman - The Re-Up (1Up Entertainment)
Almost immediately after this album was released, Bossman began a campaign of desperate publicity stunts like "Fuck Radio" song and the one-sided Wale 'beef' that, to be honest, were just bizarre and sad to me, and really made me wonder if the dude has just lost his way completely and isn't worth paying any attention to anymore. But the best part of his uneven 2nd official album at least affirmed that he's still got some of that spark that made the Law & Order album so great way back in 2004.
purchase The Re-UP on Amazon MP3
Bossman - “Pain” (mp3)



17. NOE - Gone Till Noevember (DJ 4Five / G14)
NOE has more of a 'biter' stigma than anyone else in Baltimore, but honestly at this point most of the comparisons to Jay-Z is purely from the voice he was born with and he's really got his own rhyme style and ear for beats that doesn't feel especially derivative of anyone in particular.
download Gone Till Noevember on AllBmoreHipHop.com
NOE f/ Jim Jones - "Tangerine Fisker" (mp3)



18. TestMe - In A Lane By Myself (Power Hitter Records)
TestMe is still copping Lil Wayne's rhyme style, delivery and vocal mannerisms so much that the title In A Lane By Myself is pretty inaccurate, but he's still one of the most talented biters in Baltimore and has gotten better and better at putting together consistent mixtapes.
download In A Lane By Myself on AllBmoreHipHop.com
TestMe - "No Hooks" (mp3)



19. Height With Friends - Bed Of Seeds (Friends Records)
Height is kind of the de facto ringleader of a weird, mostly white crew of rappers in Baltimore that gets overlooked or ignored in most conversations about Baltimore hip hop, and the Height With Friends records in particular go a little beyond hip hop with rock instrumentation and vocals that are sometimes more chanted than rapped. But they're in a great groove right now with the records they've been doing and really making a case for why their eccentric vision of rap is exciting and valid.
purchase Bed Of Seeds on Band Camp
Height With Friends - “Link Wray” (mp3)



20. Ogun - In My Spare Time (Architects Studio/Real On Purpose)
There's so much passion and honesty in Ogun's music at his very best that sometimes I just get a little disinterested when emphasizes swag more and kinda lets go of that earnestness that defined his early albums. And the fact that this mixtape is called In My Spare Time only kind of reminds me how much I'd rather him go hard on making the best possible album he can, but there's still some joints on here.
download In My Spare Time on AllBmoreHipHop.com
Ogun f/ Goon - “Why You Acting” (mp3)

Labels: Dirt Platoon, lists, Los, Mania Music Group, Mickey Free, mp3, Ogun, Rapdragons, Rome Cee, Skarr Akbar, The Boy Blesst

This week the Baltimore City Paper ran its annual Top Ten Issue and as usual I submitted a ballot for The Year In Music and The Year In Local Music lists. Nothing from my ballot made it onto the former list, but four local albums I voted for got onto the latter, and I wrote the blurbs for three of them: Dirt Platoon’s Deeper Than Dirt, Los’s Shooter and The Art Department’s Paperwork/Birdwork. I’m also happy to see Labtekwon, J Roddy Walston and the Business, and Dustin Wong on the list. Later this month I’ll be posting my full year-end albums list on Narrowcast and my Baltimore hip hop year-end list on Government Names.

Labels: Baltimore City Paper, Dirt Platoon, Labtekwon, lists, Los, magazines/newspapers

Here's Los's great video for "Freedom of Speech" and "The Next Black President," the two kind of ambitious, political songs that close the Shooter mixtape.

Labels: Los, video

Los - Shooter (After Platinum/DJ Ill Will/DJ Rockstar)

It's been a long time, almost 4 years, since I interviewed Los for the City Paper, and back then his talent was really undeniable, but he really didn't have much music out at all at that time. So it's been nice over the past couple years to see him really step up on the mixtape circuit and drop music consistently, to the point that it seemed right to give him a Best of Baltimore award this year. I was especially looking forward to Shooter because as great as he can be on other people's beats, it was exciting to finally get a full project of all original production. I wouldn't say this is a front to back classic, there's a few songs that get on my nerves, but for the most part this lives up to my expectations, just a solid tape. It's got the track with Midas that I posted a while back, production and cover art by Skarr Akbar, and a lot of big features like Raheem DeVaughn, Rick Ross and Cory Gunz.

Los - "Shooter Intro" (mp3)
I love when rappers treat intros as a chance to just start the record on a good tip and rap their asses off, and that's totally what this is, produced by 21.

Labels: Los, Midas, mixtape/album review, mp3, Skarr Akbar

Labels: flyer, Greenspan, Los, Smash

Los f/ Dappa!!! Dan Midas - "Take Off" (mp3)
Here's a leak from the Shooter mixtape Los is dropping later this month, the first new track he's dropped since we at the City Paper named him Best Male MC in the city last week. And it features Midas from fellow Best of Baltimore alumni Mania Music Group, really cool to see these guys working together, didn't see this collab coming at all but it really works.

Labels: Los, Midas, mp3

The Baltimore City Paper’s annual Best Of Baltimore issue hit the streets today, and as usual I helped pick some of the best-ofs for the Arts and Entertainment section and wrote a few blurbs that appear in the issue:

Best Male MC: Los
Best Female MC: Si-Notes
Best Hip-Hop DJ: DJ Jabril
Best Live Band: Soul Cannon
Best Summer Jam: CJ Hilton - “We Can Get It In”
Best Solo Artist: Reina Williams
Best Radio Show For Local Music: Strictly Hip Hop

Some of the other music winners I'm happy about included Mobtown Studios, Labtekwon, Mania Music Group's producers, Supa DJ Big L, Murder Mark, and DJ Pierre, and in the readers poll, the Best Hip-Hop Act winners included the Get 'Em Mamis, A Cool Stick (who?), Rapdragons and Height With Friends, and some other hip hop winners and runner-ups include Shodekeh and 92Q.

(Si-Notes photo by Rarah)

Labels: 92Q, Baltimore City Paper, CJ Hilton, DJ Jabril, DJ Pierre, G.E.M./Tha Plague, Labtekwon, Los, magazines/newspapers, Mobtown Studios, Shodekeh, Si-Notes, Soul Cannon, Strictly Hip Hop

Los - Zero Gravity: Intent To Deliver (DJ Head Debiase/The Aphilliates/After Platinum)

I've been bad about keeping up with all the mixtapes Los has released in the last couple years, but I think this is the most recent one and that another, Shooter, is dropping soon, unless it's out already and I just haven't seen it yet. But I gotta say, it feels like dude has really been building some momentum lately and it's exciting to see, he's always had obvious talent but I was never sure he had the grind to get his career going until this run he's on. A lot of industry beats on this mixtape, but he makes it work with some good lyrics, and this has that single "Sexy While You Chillin'" featuring Mario if you're after that. One thing that I noticed about this mixtape is that it's like 70 minutes long, and nobody really makes long mixtapes like that anymore and try to max out the CD length, since a lot of people just cop them online now anyway. In a way I like shorter mixtapes and like the trend towards shorter running times, but I feel like the length of this is kind of a good example of how Los just always has a ton of music to give away, speaks to his work ethic and that he can just rap for days and always sound inspired. Download Zero Gravity at Allbmorehiphop.com.

Los - "Never Landing" (mp3)
It's funny, I was just saying something recently about how I hate the airplane-themed inspirational songs that B.o.B. and Wiz Khalifa have out this year, but this song is kinda on the same vibe and I totally love it, definitely one of the best original beats on this mixtape and a good way to kick off the CD.

Labels: ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, Los, Mario, mixtape/album review, mp3

Los - "Baltimore 2 Step" (mp3)
New joint from Los's upcoming Shooter mixtape, not sure if it's kind of annoying or if it really bangs. I do hate how Los pronounces "how you doin'" like "hi you dern," like he's hollering at Jurassic Park co-star Laura Dern or something.

(photo by Rarah)

Labels: Los, mp3

Los f/ Mario - "Sexy While You Chillin'" (mp3)
Here's Los's current single, which as far as I know is the first time Mario's collaborated with a Baltimore hip hop artist, good look.

Labels: Los, mp3

Here's Los's new video "Angel," which has gotten a whole lot of hits on WordStarHipHop.com.

Labels: Los, video

Labels: Always Dope, Brakefast Records, flyer, Los, Red Maple, Under Sound Music

Paula Campbell - DreamMaker (DNA)

I've always been a fan of the early singles and independent album Paula Campbell put out in 2003 and 2004, and for a long time since then she's seemed like Baltimore's best hope for another mainstream R&B star after Mario. But to be honest I don't really know what's been going on with her career since then. She got signed to Sony 4 years ago, and started working with Ne-Yo 3 years ago, but doesn't seem to be any closer to dropping an album now. She finally has a song out featuring Ne-Yo called "Denial," but it's kind of mediocre and sure isn't a hit. Still, I give her props for still representing her Baltimore roots and doing a lot of stuff with artists here still, as well as this new 'street album' with DNA that's on AllBmoreHipHop.com. It has some new songs along with a lot of the singles she's released over the last few years, including the latest ones "Denial" and "Get Back 2 U," and older ones like "Champion," "Crying Tonight," "Won't Love U Back," and "Ain't Nobody Stupid." Sadly, again, hearing all these songs together is just a reminder that none of these songs went anywhere or were particularly good. She still has an appealing voice and I think just needs the right material, but for whatever reason she had better songs earlier in her career, especially on that indie album Who Got Next. The bonus track at the end of the mixtape is a megamix of the DMX and Baltimore versions of the "Where They Do That At?" remix that includes the Smash, 100 Grandman, Mullyman, Los and Comp verses, among others.

Paula Campbell - "I'm The Ish (PC Rmx)" (mp3)
I'm kinda completing a set here, since this is just about the only "I'm The Ish" remix I haven't posted here at some point (although I mentioned it in the DJ Class Best of Baltimore piece last year).

Labels: 100 Grandman, ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, Baltimore club, Comp, DJ Class, DNA, Los, mixtape/album review, mp3, Mullyman, Paula Campbell, Smash