Saturday, September 19, 2026

John Densmore and Chuck D "No Country for Old Men" [VIDEO]


"No Country for Old Men" as a title track is a mission statement, not a complaint. Chuck D and John Densmore's doPE project blends spoken word, rhythm, and raw social commentary, bridging generations of rebellion and reflection and the David C. Snyder-directed video gives that meeting its visual form. The song turns the distinction between merely getting older and actually becoming an elder into a meditation on legacy, responsibility, and creating with purpose. Densmore's drumming stays alive and unsentimental; Chuck's voice remains one of the great instruments of moral pressure in American music. Public Enemy meets The Doors sounds like a novelty on paper on record, it plays like two lifers comparing notes on how to stay dangerous. The limited vinyl with Chuck D's own illustrations is a collector's footnote; the substance is the conversation itself.

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Benefit (of EMS) "Labyrinth Center" prod. Thvnos [VIDEO]


"Labyrinth Center" finds Benefit at the middle of his own maze and unafraid to describe the view. The Western Massachusetts MC, a core member of the EMS collective, uses the track a standout from "The Labyrinth" EP as concentrated self-examination, with Thvnos providing the production frame and DJ Decepta's cuts keeping the hip-hop architecture visible. Jaestar Filmz extends the EP's themes into the visual space without prettifying the underground grain that defines Benefit's work. This is regional rap in the best sense: rooted, reflective, and uninterested in borrowed identities.

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MRKBH x Rico James "Righteous Gemstones Pt. 4" [EP]

 

"Righteous Gemstones Pt. 4" continues one of the underground's quieter reliable series. The division of labor stays clean: MRKBH handles all writing and performance, Rico James builds, mixes, and masters the entire sonic frame a two-man operation with no leaks. The five-track run opens heavy, with El Da Sensei of the legendary Artifacts sharing space on "Lightning In A Bottle" alongside Tha Truth, while DJ Kanga's cuts close the circle. From "Footprints" to "Prosperity Gospel," MRKBH's writing works the seam between craft talk and conscience. Part four proves the series thesis: small format, full weight, zero waste.

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Bernadette Price & Terror Van Poo "U May Not Understand" [VIDEO]


The visual for "U May Not Understand" keeps the same discipline as the record itself. Produced by Beatz By Neff and moving within the Duck Down orbit, the video puts Bernadette Price front and center with Terror Van Poo as the firm counterweight presence over production design, conviction over choreography. The clip doesn't try to expand the song's world; it confirms it. For a track built on lived weight and lineage, that restraint is the right call: let the faces and the voices do what they already do on wax.

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Skanks The Rap Martyr "New Word Order 2" [ALBUM]

 

"New Word Order 2" is Skanks The Rap Martyr doing what the series title promises: reordering the conversation through words. Across 19 tracks, the Crown Heights veteran moves between culture-war commentary ("Industry Plants," "The Save Hip Hop Telethon"), memorial work ("Doc Ahk's Obituary"), and straight bar exercise, with Greezi Amiin anchoring the production alongside Amadeus 360, Cash Bilz, Roclord, and more. Easy Mo Bee's presence on "Make It Easy" connects the record to New York production royalty a returning thread from the first installment. The guest list runs deep, Ruste Juxx and Terror Van Poo among them, but the album never loses its center: a Bankai Fam co-founder and label head who treats lyricism as civic duty. Long, loud, and communal a block party with a manifesto.

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Shydak "L'Ambiance est chill" feat. Jean l'Art Na 'cœur [VIDEO]


"L'Ambiance est chill" previews Shydak's upcoming album with a deceptively relaxed surface. Shydak comes out of La Rezistance, the Paris crew from the immediate circle of our team member G-Zon the first group HHHEADZ ever visited, back when G-Zon still worked as a duo with DJ Ronsha (rest in peace). That lineage means old-school French boom bap values: craft over trend, crew over clout. Jean l'Art Na 'cœur adds warmth as the featured voice, but the record stays Shydak's laid-back in tone, exact in intention. The album is taking its time, which is exactly how this school operates.

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JD Riggz "Back In The Days" prod. Swishallnet [VIDEO]


"Back In The Days" does memory work the right way: specific, warm, and unsentimental. JD Riggz pulls the track from "The Best Rapper You Never Heard" an album title that weaponizes underdog status instead of complaining about it. Swishallnet's production gives the reflection room to breathe, and Riggz's Rochester grounding adds another data point to that city's quietly deep MC bench. Physical heads get served too, with CD, tape, and vinyl editions carrying bonus tracks a detail, not the headline. The headline is a rapper making his case one honest record at a time.

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Money Stacks "Concrete Angels" [EP]


"Concrete Angels" works a lane New York rap has always understood: memorial as street document. The title frames the EP's emotional register those lost to the pavement elevated without being sanitized. Money Stacks keeps the format tight, letting the concept carry the weight rather than stretching it thin. Information around the release stays lean, which fits; this is the kind of record that asks to be heard before it's explained.

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La Ciudad Maldita & AB FNX "Una Idea Ganadora" prod. FUNKDEALER [VIDEO]


"Una Idea Ganadora" runs on collective momentum. FUNKDEALER lays a groove-first foundation, and the mic rotates through Zábaz, Pablo Medina, Nieve Leao, AB FNX, Asir Ones, and Tapias Tamayo without the track losing its through-line. That's the hard part of posse cuts keeping six pens inside one idea and the La Ciudad Maldita frame holds it together. Recorded at Check Da Beat, the record carries that Colombian underground energy where the cypher is the point: a winning idea passed hand to hand rather than owned by one voice.

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Taiyamo Denku "Reason For Reading Me" prod. Dynamo [VIDEO]


"Reason For Reading Me" is a rare case of a song aging alongside its author. Born on "Articles of Mind," later remastered, then fully re-recorded, the track now gets its visual chapter and Taiyamo Denku treats it as living material rather than nostalgia. Dynamo's production holds up as the constant while Denku's delivery reflects the years between versions. The Milwaukee veteran has built his reputation on relentless output and deep collaboration networks; revisiting a personal favorite this thoroughly shows the other side of that work ethic care for the catalog, not just expansion of it.

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CRIMEAPPLE & MichaelAngelo "PEDIGREE" [VIDEO]


The "PEDIGREE" title track lands as the album's thesis statement. CRIMEAPPLE runs down his pedigree in the Diego Cespedes-directed clip over MichaelAngelo's production, and the pairing makes sense the way his best producer relationships always have: the beat provides cold air and texture, the pen provides everything else. Across the 14-track frame released through Manteca Music, MichaelAngelo never crowds the writing he understands that CRIMEAPPLE's deadpan Spanish-English wit needs pauses to land. The title cut distills that exchange: lineage as evidence, delivered without raising the voice.

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Tres Aurland & King Gordy "Death Over Disrespect EP" [EP]

 

"Death Over Disrespect" works because both names understand weight differently and meet in the middle. King Gordy brings that unmistakable Detroit menace horrorcore instincts tempered by real emotional undercurrent while Tres Aurland holds the project's structural spine. Marv Won adds battle-tested sharpness on "Over Here," and the "Five Mics" cut stacks voices including Jarren Benton into the EP's biggest room. Six tracks is the right size: enough space for range, no space for padding. The title isn't posturing; it reads like a rule both artists have lived by.

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Third Eyez (Roc C x Phoenix Flame) "Cinematic Barz" feat. RJ Payne [VIDEO]


"Cinematic Barz" announces Third Eyez as a real unit with a shared thesis: rap as picture-making. Roc C brings veteran West Coast precision, Phoenix Flame sharpens the duo's edge, and ohnothedisrupt builds a frame where visual writing can actually breathe. RJ Payne's guest verse raises the temperature without stealing the room his density works as contrast, not takeover. As the opening signal for "Third Eye Vision," the single sets the bar where it should be: sharp storytelling first, spectacle second.

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Villa Velli x Dizzy Dizasta x Work Scorsese "Stick to the Script" [VIDEO]


"Stick to the Script" extends the "Plot Armor" concept without over-explaining it. Villa Velli treats the script as survival code stay in character, follow the plan, don't improvise when the stakes are real. Work Scorsese's production keeps the cinematic frame grounded rather than ornamental, and Dizzy Dizasta's verse adds a second angle without pulling the record off its axis. It's a focused album cut doing exactly what a mid-campaign single should: reinforcing the world instead of restarting it.

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Friday, September 18, 2026

Papo2oo4 & Bane Capital "NORTH OF BROOKLYN" [SINGLE]


Papo2oo4 and Bane Capital are building something with real architecture. „NORTH OF BROOKLYN" arrives as the first single from „TERMINAL 2" a full album coming later this year and the title alone does significant conceptual work: north of Brooklyn as both geographic reality and psychological positioning, beyond the center, on your own terms. Papo grew up in Washington Heights with The Notorious B.I.G.'s „Ready to Die" as a foundational text, shaped further by his neighbor Anderson Hernandez better known as Vinylz who opened his ears to the full range of what rap could be. More than ten albums since 2020, most with Subjxct 5, global touring with Wiki and AKAI SOLO: Papo is not building a resume, he's living one. Bane Capital, operating out of Toronto with Ghanaian-Canadian roots, bring the advanced sampling technique that landed them on Pitchfork's 32 Best Rap Albums of 2025, collaborations with Raekwon, BLU, MED, Fly Anakin, and Rome Streetz. The infrastructure behind this single is serious, which means „TERMINAL 2" deserves close attention when it lands.s serious, which means „TERMINAL 2" deserves close attention when it lands.

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Big Twins "Laws Of Attraction" (prod. DJ Woool) [VIDEO]


Big Twins carry the Queensbridge address that alone is a kind of credential that can't be manufactured. DJ Woool handles production on „Laws Of Attraction," delivering a beat that gives the duo room to operate. No reinvention, no repositioning this is underground New York rap that understands where it comes from and doesn't need to explain it. Out on all streaming platforms, the visual is up. Steady work from MCs who have never stopped grinding.

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Kendall Spencer x UND$ "Glass Cieling EP" [EP]


Whether the spelling „Cieling" is intentional or not, the title concept lands clearly: invisible barriers, structural limits, the ceiling you can see through but can't break. Kendall Spencer and UND$ take four tracks to explore that territory. Four cuts is the right scope for an idea this focused enough space to develop, not enough to overstay.

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Azariah feat. Niina Reiign & Euphony Bars "RIGHT BACK" (prod. Slidebeatz) [VIDEO]


Rochester, New York, doesn't get the coverage it deserves, and Azariah is one of the reasons that's worth noting. Half of Young, Black and Gifted, Azariah brings in Niina Reiign and Euphony Bars for „RIGHT BACK" a three-voice track produced by Slidebeatz, with visuals by Bodega Films. The concept of „right back" as both defiance and return gives the track an emotional frame that three MCs can each interpret from their own angle. A well-structured single from an artist building steadily outside the hype centers.

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RJ Payne "ANYBODY CAN GET IT" [EP]


 Seven tracks and a title that doesn't negotiate. RJ Payne keeps it direct „ANYBODY CAN GET IT" sets a tone and holds it. Payne's reputation in the underground is built on bars that don't require context to land. Short form, high intensity, no detours.

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Nejma Nefertiti "Goddess" (feat. Shortie No Mass & Pos / prod. LuckCharmBeats / cuts DJ Evil Dee) [VIDEO]


Nejma Nefertiti is operating with precision every credit on „Goddess" is a choice. LuckCharmBeats on production, DJ Evil Dee on cuts, Jake Palumbo handling mix and master at Space Labs, Hastyle Art delivering the animation that brings the visual dimension together. Pos of De La Soul and Shortie No Mass appear as features on a track that sits on the album „Method To My Madness (M.T.M.M.)" an album title that doubles as a manifesto. The animated format, now used a second time by Nefertiti, signals a visual identity as strong as the musical one. Brooklyn-rooted, funky, and fully in control.

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Tha God Fahim "Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 6" [EP]


Six volumes of „Dump Gawd: Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap" is a statement about process as much as output. Tha God Fahim references the Hyperbolic Time Chamber from Dragon Ball Z a space outside of time, used for concentrated training as the conceptual frame for a series that treats isolation as a creative condition rather than a limitation. Seven tracks, no excess. Fahim doesn't explain his references; he trusts his listener. One of the most prolific serious MCs in the current underground, and the DGHYCR series is his running proof of concept.

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Whatafunk "Hood Thangs" (feat. UnLearn the World) [SINGLE]

 

Whatafunk opens the „Life of an Underground Rebel" campaign with the right call: a sample-heavy, dark Boom Bap cut that doesn't introduce itself, it just arrives. UnLearn the World brings a New York late-'90s underground pedigree to the track raised inside a scene that valued substance over style and his delivery carries that history without announcing it. Deep voice, sharp bars, the kind of dark attitude that makes the skill level apparent from the first verse. Whatafunk gives him exactly the right environment: grimy, classic-leaning production with a hardcore edge that respects the MC's frame. First single, strong statement.

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Ricky Lix x King Street Blues "Lucid Nightmares" [ALBUM]


Fifteen tracks is a commitment Ricky Lix and King Street Blues are not playing the EP game here. „Lucid Nightmares" sets an atmospheric premise with the title: consciousness inside the nightmare, aware but unable to exit. That's a concept with depth if the execution matches the ambition. King Street Blues on production means Ricky Lix has a consistent sonic environment across the full runtime, which is the right call for a record of this length. Underground rap that takes the long form seriously.

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Vic Monroe & Tone Spliff "Native Science" [VIDEO]


Vic Monroe and Tone Spliff deliver the title track for an album built around one of the most generative movements in hip-hop history. The Native Tongues ATCQ, De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Black Sheep didn't just make records; they established an entire philosophical framework for conscious, community-rooted rap. Monroe weaves references to Native Tongues titles and song names directly into his lyrical structure, creating a track that rewards the listener who knows the catalog. Tone Spliff handles both production and scratch work the turntablism isn't decorative, it's structural, which is exactly how it should be. Matt Wagner handles mix and mastering. Philmore Greene and E.Smitty appear on the full album. The limited vinyl and CD physical release makes the statement complete: this record wants a physical relationship with its listener.

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Bernadette Price "U May Not Understand" (feat. Terror Van Poo) [SINGLE]


„U May Not Understand" works as a title because it doesn't try to bridge a gap it acknowledges one. Bernadette Price delivers with that understanding built in. Terror Van Poo appears as a feature on a track that holds its ground without seeking validation. Underground rap operating on its own frequency.

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Greg Cypher & Def Dee "3 Piece EP" [EP]

 

Def Dee and Greg Cypher close out the summer with three tracks that understand economy. Each cut has a single feature Planet Asia on „Stutterstep," Aaron King on „Better Than This," Homeboy Sandman on „Ride With Me" and none of them overstay their welcome. Def Dee handles production across the board, with mixing and mastering by Poison Jams, keeping the sound cohesive from first to last. Homeboy Sandman bringing his precise, idiosyncratic delivery to the final track is a strong way to end an EP that never overreaches. Short form done right.

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Remy Banks "supreme." (prod. Conductor Williams) [VIDEO]


 Remy Banks doesn't chase moments he builds them patiently. „supreme." is the second single off the forthcoming album „sole nero.," following „grim.," and the lowercase aesthetic says something about where Banks positions himself: deliberate, subdued, precise. Conductor Williams brings a production palette shaped by years alongside Westside Gunn and Boldy James dense, textured, cinematic without being theatrical. Banks' delivery doesn't battle the beat; it moves with it, Queens-rooted but never parochial. The album title „sole nero" black sole operates on multiple levels simultaneously. One of the more interesting rap stories developing in 2026 that isn't asking for your attention, which is exactly why it deserves it.

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Lord Juco x Jamal Gasol "Das Ruger" [SINGLE][VIDEO]


„Das Ruger" is an unusual title in the American underground the German-language choice is deliberate, not decorative. Lord Juco and Jamal Gasol are working with a specific register here: direct, unambiguous, no metaphor that needs three listens to decode. Jamal Gasol brings a reputation for precise bars to the table; Lord Juco holds the other side of the track. A single that functions as a statement of intent rather than a radio pitch.

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Johnny Merk "Wild Card" [VIDEO]


Johnny Merk drops „Wild Card" with a clear institutional context: Philagraphik Memories and The Monastery. Both tags carry weight in underground circles. The track doesn't need to announce itself the positioning does the work. „Wild Card" reads as a declaration of independence from easy categorization, which is either a statement or a starting point, depending on where the body of work goes from here.

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D.V. alias Khryst "DECEIT" (feat. Will Sully) [SINGLE]


D.V. alias Khryst delivers „DECEIT" as a focused single the title doesn't need unpacking, and the MC doesn't dress it up. Will Sully appears as a feature, adding a second voice to a track built around a single, honest theme. Straightforward underground rap that trusts the listener to fill in the context.

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Rxnde Akozta & Delle Digga "C R E A M I N A L" (2026) [EP]

 

Rxnde Akozta and Delle Digga are operating on their own axis no cosign needed, no scene affiliation required. The title „C R E A M I N A L" is a direct nod to Wu-Tang's foundational anthem, fused with „criminal," establishing the economic and street-level framework right up front. Delle Digga produces the full project out of Montevideo, Uruguay, while Rxnde Akozta records in Barranquilla and feature Izla in Cali the geography of this record is part of its identity. DJ Destroy handles scratch duties on „Tema Cero," and „Tumbao Cubiche (Boleriro)" pulls Cuban rhythmic language into the Boom Bap framework without sounding like a genre exercise. Eight tracks, tight, no filler, Latin American underground on its own terms.

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Hatch Wiseguy x Young Zee "Practice Day" [SINGLE]


Young Zee's credentials speak for themselves a founding voice of the Outsidaz out of Newark, New Jersey, with a guest vocal on the Fugees' „Cowboys" that most people have forgotten to cite. Hatch Wiseguy carries his own weight: a BET Freestyle Friday champion who never went the easy route. „Practice Day" puts two underground veterans on the same track and trusts that the material justifies itself. No features needed when the two leads are already holding history on their shoulders.

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Adria The Reject "Come Jack a Londra" [VIDEO]


„Come Jack a Londra" arrives as a visual statement as much as a musical one. Produced by Los Migol, with visual work by Vwleriw, Adria The Reject occupies a space where performance art and underground rap converge. Tantamorte Records is doing exactly what small independent labels should be doing: maintaining a clear aesthetic vision across music and visuals. The track has energy and a point of view London as both setting and symbol, filtered through an Italian underground lens.

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Killah Dilla x Frizzy Astro "BAD CHOICES" [SINGLE]


Killah Dilla and Frizzy Astro have something going on that's worth tracking. „Bad Choices" frames consequences without editorializing the track doesn't need to moralize because the subject matter speaks for itself. Frizzy Astro's production gives Dilla the right foundation: nothing flashy, just a solid base that puts the MC front and center. The visual side comes courtesy of The Muckman himself, keeping the aesthetic in-house. With „WORK" from the „Muckleberry Finn" project already in the rearview, this duo is clearly building toward something larger.

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Northeast Beast "Daily Affirmations Vol. 2" [EP]

 

Northeast Beast keeps it tight with three cuts that don't overstay their welcome. „Daily Affirmations Vol. 2" reads like a personal inventory each track a different angle on the same central question: where you stand and why. „Steppin In My Destiny" gives the most room to breathe at over three minutes; the other two land and exit without a wasted bar. Underground rap that does what it says on the cover.

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Sam R I x Castle Money Beats "Endz" (feat. K-Prez) [SINGLE]


Sam R I and Castle Money Beats have been building a consistent body of work on the underground circuit, and „Endz" lands as another clean entry in that catalog. Castle Money Beats keeps the production grounded no excess, no gimmicks while Sam R I delivers with purpose. K-Prez appears as a feature, adding another voice to a track that keeps the emphasis on place as identity. What you get is street rap that doesn't need to perform being street.

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Craig G & Phat Kat "Damage To Your Boro" [VIDEO]


Legends link! Juice Crew/Queensbridge representative Craig G trades bars with Detroit’s Phat Kat on new Psych Major produced single.

“Damage” To Your Boro” is that grimy type of head-nodding boom-bap that has ignited these emcee's pens since the golden era. Animal avatars for the duo in the accompanying video (courtesy of BroadcastKing).

Watch official video for “Damage To Your Boro”: Here

This is actually the second Psych Major track that Craig G has appeared on as he made a special appearance on Psych’s track “The Recluse” last fall.

Both tracks are available via all streaming platforms now.




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Montao x Rakim "Present Tense" [SINGLE]


Liverpool producer Montao unveils “Present Tense,” an atmospheric collaboration with one of hip-hop’s most revered voices, Rakim. Moving through a slow-burning blend of trip-hop, cinematic electronica and alternative hip-hop, the track is built around a soaring female vocal loop that hangs in the air like a memory, creating a haunting and emotional backdrop for Rakim’s unmistakable delivery. 


His reflective verse run’s inward, contemplating life, growth, mortality and the relentless passing of time, while Montao’s production gives those ideas space to breathe. 

The result is a meeting of worlds that feels both timeless, and completely of the moment.

“Present Tense” takes Montao’s instinct for atmosphere and emotion into striking new territory, pairing his immersive, understated production with the lyrical weight of Rakim, a foundational figure whose influence on hip-hop is almost immeasurable. Rather than leaning on nostalgia, the collaboration feels forward-looking: an intimate meditation on where we are, where we’ve been, and how quickly it all passes. 

In essence, Present Tense is a record for late nights, long journeys, and moments when the world goes quiet…

Present Tense is out now - https://ffm.to/presenttense

For more information on Montao:


About Montao

Montao is a Liverpool-based producer, multi-instrumentalist and recording artist whose distinctive sound sits at the intersection of hip-hop, trip-hop, lo-fi and cinematic electronica. His production is built around immersive soundscapes, eclectic samples and a strong sense of musical storytelling, creating beats that leave space for some of hip-hop’s most respected voices. 

His growing list of collaborations reads like a roll call of underground and legendary talent, including Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa of Wu-Tang Clan, B-Real of Cypress Hill, Royce da 5'9", KXNG Crooked, Slug of Atmosphere, Sa-Roc, Napoleon Da Legend, and Koncept.

Montao’s work has attracted international radio and press attention, including BBC Introducing, Radio X and Chuck D’s Rapstation, alongside coverage from a plethora independent music outlets. His collaborations with some of hip-hop’s most respected artists have continued to establish his reputation for ambitious, cross-continental projects, whilst his debut album, Echoes of the Cosmos, showcases the breadth of his production as a richly textured body of work.


Thursday, September 17, 2026

Sankofa x August Fanon "Nowhere Fast“ [SINGLE]


“Nowhere Fast” turns a phrase usually associated with failure into a deliberate philosophy. Sankofa is not celebrating stagnation; he is questioning the assumption that speed automatically equals progress. In a release economy built around constant movement, endless updates and immediate replacement, choosing an unhurried life becomes its own form of resistance. August Fanon supplies a collage rather than an obvious emotional script, allowing Sankofa to find his own pace inside the production. Tali Rodriguez handles the engineering, while Jesse Reno and Bad Apple Workshop shape the larger visual language of “Calm on Purpose.” The title is not an isolated thought either. Placed early in a nine-track album built around intentional calm, it establishes how the rest of the record should be approached: without rushing toward the next song before the current one has finished speaking. The numbered vinyl run is limited to one hundred copies, a physical format that quietly supports the track’s argument. Slow down, hold the object, let the record occupy time instead of merely filling it. 

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Rakim x Kurupt x Masta Killa "DPG WU-TANG, WU-TANG DPG THE GODBODY LP“ [ALBUM + VIDEO]


“The Godbody” connects three rhyme traditions that were never guaranteed to fit. Rakim represents measured precision and the architecture from which modern technical rap grew. Kurupt brings Dogg Pound mobility, speed and West Coast attack. Masta Killa works through restraint, giving fewer words more room to settle. The album’s potential rests on Rakim and Nick Wiz finding a production language that respects those differences rather than flattening them into generic heritage boom bap. The sixteen-track sequence appears carefully divided. Kokane joins “Goin’ Down”; Daz Dillinger, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon meet on “Rock Ya Body”; KRS-One and Kool G Rap appear on “Still Ill!” The wider cast includes Buckshot, Rim, Trigga, Killa Sin, Snoop Dogg and Mic King, while each member of the main trio receives individual space. That structure matters. A full album of three-way verse trading could become predictable; separating the voices allows the listener to understand what each artist contributes before they reconvene. “Rabbit,” featuring MacShawn 100, places Kurupt and Masta Killa in front while Rakim and Nick Wiz control the beat. Its central image flips the power dynamic: prey gains the weapon and the entire chase changes direction. WESTLYFE keeps the visual treatment direct, allowing Kurupt’s animated attack and Masta Killa’s measured spacing to create the contrast. A final review would be premature because the complete digital album remains officially listed as a pre-release at the time of this rundown. The available material does, however, show that the collaboration has more substance than its headline lineup. Multiple physical editions are also prepared, including CD, cassette and several double-vinyl configurations. 

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Ghostface Killah, Scarface & Kool G Rap "Red Bull Spiral Freestyle (Grant Parks Beat Edition)“ [VIDEO]


First, the distinction: the original Red Bull Spiral performance was captured in Los Angeles in one take over production by Jake One. The linked upload is a Grant Parks beat edition marked for promotional use, meaning the legendary vocal performance has been re-scored rather than presented in its untouched official form. That difference is not a footnote it is the entire reason to hear this version. Ghostface, Scarface and Kool G Rap bring three separate concepts of command. Ghost attacks from unpredictable angles, throwing images into the room before the previous one has fully settled. Scarface controls space through patience and emotional weight. G Rap compresses internal rhyme until the instrumental seems to tighten around him. No host is needed to manufacture competition; their contrasting methods create it naturally. Grant Parks’ reinterpretation changes where the verses lean and where the silence lands. It offers a fresh way into an already exceptional performance, but it should be heard as an alternate producer treatment, not mistaken for the original Spiral session. 

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Termanology & Royal Flush "Angel Whispers (Remix)“ (feat. Dru Hoffa) [VIDEO]


“Angel Whispers” originally appeared on Termanology and Royal Flush’s collaborative album “Royal Terms,” with AraabMuzik producing the album version. The new visual is built around a separate Dom Dirtee remix, an important distinction: this is not simply an old track receiving late video treatment, but familiar verses placed inside a new production frame. Termanology and Royal Flush remain the real draw. Term’s tightly linked patterns sit against Flush’s calmer Queens authority, while Dru Hoffa provides an additional voice without disrupting the duo’s ownership. Dom Dirtee’s remix gives the record a second route through the same writing, and the NYJ-directed visual keeps that new version rooted in New York rather than turning it into a conceptual detour. The parent album also has a physical vinyl edition for heads who want the complete session. 

Transparency Note: Content & research created independently by HHHEADZ. AI tools are strictly used for translation and language refinement.

Vic Monroe & Tone Spliff "Native Science“ [ALBUM]


“Native Science” pays respect to the Native Tongues without attempting to recreate a sealed period in hip-hop history. Vic Monroe and Tone Spliff understand that the original movement mattered because it opened possibilities warmth without softness, intelligence without stiffness, individuality without abandoning crew spirit. Their album carries those values forward instead of borrowing the old wardrobe. Tone Spliff handles every beat and scratch, making the DJ element part of the record’s bloodstream rather than an occasional gesture. Vic Monroe keeps the writing centered across thirteen tracks, with Philmore Greene appearing on “Chicag-Ode” and E-Smitty on “Never Give Up.” Those guests deepen the album without shifting its ownership. The sequence moves naturally from positive energy and lyrical exercise toward love, city life, money and mortality. The physical presentation follows the same focused thinking: a small CD run and a vinyl edition, with Matt Wagner handling the final sound and Tone controlling the visual package. “Cuties” is the current window into the project; the full release is still in its final pre-release stage. 

Transparency Note: Content & research created independently by HHHEADZ. AI tools are strictly used for translation and language refinement.

Shabaam Sahdeeq & Es-K "Scalpels & Forceps“ (feat. U.G. & Ruste Juxx) [VIDEO]


“Scalpels & Forceps” is one of the sharper cuts on “Outside the Lines,” with Es-K supplying the album’s complete production frame and Shabaam Sahdeeq remaining the record’s central technician. U.G. of Cella Dwellas and Ruste Juxx add separate textures of pressure, but the track never loses sight of its lead voice. The surgical title fits: this is controlled incision rather than blunt-force noise. The new visual places the song inside Shabaam’s Brooklyn art show and listening event, surrounded by work he created himself. That setting matters because it reveals continuity between the way he constructs a verse and the way he builds an image layering, detail, hard edges, no wasted surface. Shot and directed by Chuck Steak, with additional footage from Shabaam and editing by Don Digital, the video turns the gallery into part of the record without allowing the setting to overpower it. 

Transparency Note: Content & research created independently by HHHEADZ. AI tools are strictly used for translation and language refinement.

Melly Santana "MACHINES VOL1“ [EP]

 

“MACHINES VOL1” introduces Melly Santana’s new Instagram tape series with five records and no interest in pretending to be a sprawling album. Rah Tha Ruler provides the only guest appearance on “ALPO,” leaving the rest of the run firmly in Melly’s hands. The brevity feels intentional: these tracks arrive like captured sessions, not songs held back until a larger campaign could be built around them. The sequence moves from the workmanlike pressure of “Machines & Fatigues” into the more reflective language of “Ashes to Ashes” and “Life & Times,” before “GOD BLESS (DILLA DAY)” closes with a clear salute to beat culture. Volume one establishes the operating method: short transmission, direct impact, another batch likely waiting behind it. 

Transparency Note: Content & research created independently by HHHEADZ. AI tools are strictly used for translation and language refinement.

Datkid "Narcotic Athletics“ (prod. Illinformed & Dumb Logic) [VIDEO]


“Narcotic Athletics” is the second strike in Datkid’s current run with Illinformed and Dumb Logic, following “Smoked Out.” The title holds the conflict that drives the record: intoxication and discipline, damage and stamina, the body being pushed forward while the mind carries everything it has survived. Datkid has always sounded most convincing when honesty and menace occupy the same bar, and this track leaves that tension untouched. Illinformed and Dumb Logic avoid crowding him. The production is built to knock, but its real job is to keep a hard pocket open for Datkid’s voice. SLUGS takes the same approach visually, staying close to the performance instead of manufacturing spectacle around it. The result feels like part of a deliberate new run rather than another disconnected single raw Bristol rap with its scars still visible. 

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Nasty Nel x Kid Gotti "High 4 Real" [VIDEO]

Nasty Nel and Kid Gotti have released their new collaborative project, The Glades Project, available now on streaming platforms.

The release arrives alongside the official music video for “Reckless,” giving listeners the first visual from the new offering.

The Glades Project follows Nasty Nel’s recent Humidity EP, released in July 2026. The seven-track project featured collaborations with Tech N9ne, Stevie Stone, Krizz Kaliko, Cappadonna and Token, further establishing Nasty Nel’s place within independent hip-hop, whilst continuing to explore the overlap between rap, grunge and rock influences.

A Native American hip-hop and grunge artist, Nasty Nel is known for his direct lyricism, raw delivery and genre-blending approach. With The Glades Project, he now turns his attention to a new collaborative release with Kid Gotti.

The Glades Project is out now.

Listen to The Glades Project: Spotify

Nasty Nel: Official links

 
 

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Rakim x Kurupt x Masta Killa "Rock Ya Body" (feat. Daz Dillinger, Ghostface Killah & Raekwon) [VIDEO]


The fourth Godbody preview is the track that pushes the East-West concept furthest. Raekwon and Ghostface Killah from Wu-Tang, Daz Dillinger from the Dogg Pound that's the maximum coastal bridge moment of the album on a single record. The animated video extends the visual line already suggested by the WESTLYFE_ clip and the RoadsArt remix thinking: Godbody isn't only thinking in live performance, but across multiple formats. But the most important element of this entry is the updated full tracklist. Compared to the previous version, two changes stand out: „Is It Love" now carries an official feature credit for Jamall Ray, and „Hallelujah (Remix)" featuring Mic King appears as a sixteenth track one that didn't exist in any earlier tracklist. The total length grows to sixteen entries. The complete album remains produced by Rakim and Nick Wiz, with the sole exception of track ten „Nights Over Brooklyn" (Masta Killa solo), produced by Nick Price for Kulture Media Group. The picture of the full project sharpens: Kurupt gets „Nine & Chrome Fiend" as a solo cut, Masta Killa gets „Nights Over Brooklyn" as his own, Rakim carries „A Different Kind" as his established solo. Killa Sin represents Killarmy on „Upstate Introspective," KRS-One and Kool G Rap stand together with Rakim on „Still Ill!" that's the crowning moment of the project on paper. Eminem and Jay-Z on the interlude, Snoop Dogg on the Rabbit Remix, Buckshot, Rim and Trigga on „Thelonius." With the Godbody album approaching its September 18, 2026 release, every preview has proven more substance than the project claimed at announcement.

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Erg One x BoneWeso "Tsunami" [VIDEO]


„Tsunami" was already in the program as audio produced by INFAMUSGod, with BoneWeso and Erg One in their established configuration and One Eye Films on the visual. Now the official video arrives. The track lives on its simple core image: tsunami as a metaphor for unstoppable force. Erg One belongs to the 23 Incredible Industries / Estee Nack orbit. BoneWeso continues building one of the most consistent atmospheric foundations in the current underground, and One Eye Films gives the whole thing the visual signature this network is known for.

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Five Steez & Chosen One "Strait Darts" [SINGLE]

 

After „Keep It Blazing," „Strait Darts" arrives as the second and final single before the full „Re:Emergence" EP release on September 29, 2026. Five Steez describes the track himself as a classic display of skill the artistic and cultural principles of being an emcee in the hip-hop tradition. Chosen One's instrumental is described as haunting. The fact that a video is on the way suggests „Strait Darts" is meant to be the visual centerpiece of the EP campaign. What separates Five Steez from many underground MCs is not only technical precision but geographic starting point: Kingston, Jamaica not Toronto, New York or London. Rap from Jamaica, not ragga or dancehall but bar-centered boom bap, remains massively underrepresented in international underground discourse. „Strait Darts" as a phrase from British-Caribbean slang means roughly: the direct, unfiltered shot, no deviation.

Transparency Note: Content & research created independently by HHHEADZ. AI tools are strictly used for translation and language refinement.