Focus Hip Hop

Music Writing with a Focus on Underground Gems

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  • Sasco – The Hottest Year on Record | Album Review

    NOTE: PATREON SUPPORTERS RECEIVED ACCESS TO THIS REVIEW ON AUGUST 30TH, 2024. This album was released on August 30th this year. I think I’ve been following Sasco for a while on social media, but I hadn’t heard any of his music until I checked out a single from this latest album here. I was really…

  • SB11 – Immortal (feat. Josiah the Gift, SUBSTANCE810 & Shottie) | Song Review

    NOTE: PATREON SUPPORTERS RECEIVED ACCESS TO THIS REVIEW ON AUGUST 23RD, 2024. This song was released on August 23rd this year. It’s the first single from SB11’s upcoming album, Heavenly Unknown. I am familiar with SB11 through their work with artists such as Lukah & Pro Zay. SB11’s also a member of Lupara, which is…

  • Exploring Lupe Fiasco’s Artistry with FreeMusicEmpire & SECRET HOUSE AGAINST | State of the Game, Vol. 215

    I was recently a guest on FreeMusicEmpire‘s State of the Game podcast again alongside Grand Mega Flowers of SECRET HOUSE AGAINST ALBUM REVIEWS. This was a “Scouting Report” episode of the podcast, which is basically where Dan & K analyze the strengths & weaknesses of a particular artist. The reason I was chosen for this…

  • Ilajide & Def Dee – Tape Delay | Album Review

    NOTE: PATREON SUPPORTERS RECEIVED ACCESS TO THIS REVIEW ON AUGUST 16TH, 2024. This album was released on August 16th this year. I recently wrote about Ilajide’s collaborative EP with Mic Phelps, Chief, which was really great, and easily one of my favorite projects of the year so far. I knew this album here was coming,…

  • JUNECINEMA – PERSEVERANCE | Listening Log Snippet (PATREONPROMO1)

    I will be doing these PATREONPROMO posts every now and then just to give y’all an idea of what you’ll be getting when you join as a Patreon supporter. The latest entry is a snippet from my Listening Log series, in which I discuss my thoughts on a bunch of different releases from any time…

  • OLD SELF – A drop in the bucket is still a drop | EP Review

    NOTE: PATREON SUPPORTERS RECEIVED ACCESS TO THIS REVIEW ON AUGUST 12TH, 2024. This EP was released on July 26th this year. OLD SELF is an artist to whom I was introduced a couple years ago when he was featured on Lt. Headtrip‘s Steinway album. I’d only heard him on features prior to checking this latest…

  • Fatboi Sharif & Duncecap – Psychedelics Wrote the Bible | EP Review

    NOTE: PATREON SUPPORTERS RECEIVED ACCESS TO THIS REVIEW ON AUGUST 11TH, 2024. This EP was released on July 18th this year. Fatboi Sharif is quickly becoming another one of my favorite rappers, especially of the 2020’s. It’s clear that he puts a lot of thought and care into his work, and it pays off in…

  • brainorchestra. – Relic | EP Review

    NOTE: PATREON SUPPORTERS RECEIVED ACCESS TO THIS REVIEW ON AUGUST 10TH, 2024. This EP was released on July 1st this year. This is one of those projects that I know I’m gonna like before I even listen to it. I am writing this preamble before hearing it. I just know I’m gonna dig this because…

  • Jamal Gasol & Cedar Law$ – Fresh 31 | Album Review

    NOTE: PATREON SUPPORTERS RECEIVED ACCESS TO THIS REVIEW ON AUGUST 9TH, 2024. This album was released on July 26th this year. I first started listening to Jamal Gasol around the release of his collaborative album with Vic Spencer. That album was really good, and I went on to enjoy his project with Flu & Evil…

  • Alim – Stayed Up Late & Ate a Rattlesnake | Album Review

    Note: Patreon supporters received access to this review on August 7th, 2024. I believe this album was released on or around April 4th this year. I pretty much went into this album completely blind; it was my first time listening to Alim, and I think it was my first time hearing any of the other…

  • Don’t Sleep | Les – Mania Man

    Note: Patreon supporters received access to this review on August 5th, 2024. Don’t sleep on this latest solo project from Les. It came out on April 5th this year, and Les has already followed it up with a project called REAL GRAPS by his group, SIQ KLIQ. I am planning on checking that project out,…

  • EP Review | Ilajide & Mic Phelps – Chief

    NOTE: PATREON SUPPORTERS RECEIVED ACCESS TO THIS REVIEW ON August 4TH, 2024. This EP was released on July 5th this year. As I said in Listening Log 001, Ilajide is one of the most slept on artists on my radar. He produces most of his own stuff, including this EP. He has a God-tier flow in my…