August Heatrocks


Download the August Heatrocks here!

Emotion in a verse is a powerful tool. It can make a weak verse sound dope. But if you are actually spitting, and displaying some real passion about those words - game over. Don Trip kicks off the August Heatrocks with “Letter 2 My Son." Sounds like his son's mom is putting him through some bullshit and he couldn’t handle it anymore. The dude just wants to be their for his child.

Big K.R.I.T. has stormed the rap world in 2010 dropping K.R.I.T. Wuz Here early on and not letting up, connecting with Def Jam, Curren$y and that camp things just seem to be falling into place for the Mississippi representer. He has been at it for awhile though and their is a lot of fresh work to dig through if you so desire. I’ve done my hardest to find as much as I can and start that process. Here is one jam I found that displays a little more hunger than on much of what I’ve heard as of late.

I had a random song for a long time that I loved by a guy named Rozewood. I never heard or saw anything by him. Recently I saw an album in my iTunes by a Rozewood. It’s rap, it’s a dude. It could be the same guy. I’m really not sure. That song I loved isn’t here but 2012 holds cuts. “Hennessy Afterparty” is a good jam that anyone who has ever kicked it on the late night after hours tip would have to enjoy... maybe this should be our theme song?

I believe Sene is an LA rapper coming up right now. Haven’t given his tape a spin but this track “Workflow” came on in shuffle and it stuck with me. The beat is AWESOME! Up beat and fun, Sene rides it and feels like he is just loving life, enjoying himself. Passion.

A James Brown anything is pretty much perfect and probably gonna move anyone, thus why he is the most sampled artist of all time. Someone named Parker (not of the SOTA Boys) regrooved “It’s A Man's World” to pretty dope results. Laying some real clean congo drums underneath the classic track, dropping in random rap vocal snippets and a few other tweaks here and there you have an awesome reinterpretation of an unforgettable song.

This instrumental slow jam by The Clonious called “Hang On” might just make you feel that way. Feeling like some free jazz straight out of NYC circa 1968, it’s probably not what everyone is looking for but it’s quick and awesome.

Starlito is by far the best artist I’ve discovered this year. Ok that might be an overstatement but he is DOPE and his back catalog is just as on point. Over a haunting beat Lito tells us about his “Homies.” Some he’s lost, some he’s fallen out with, some have left him. The stories he tells are honest and he holds nothing back. It’s eye opening.

Theophilus London is a brilliant artist from Brooklyn who is merging so many styles of music I would never try to place him in one space. He does it all. Seeing him open for A-Trak last year solidified my already high suspicion that he was a secret talent. As he progresses in his career and refines what it is he does it’s going to be awesome for us to hear. His latest mixtape already hints at even bigger things to come. He kicks off the tape with an awesome Marvin Gaye cover for the song “I Want You.” Rapping the first verse over sparse drums and then letting the track fill up and singing us out, it’s glorious.

While down in Oregon packing my room in a house I never lived in I was messaged by Matson asking if I listened to Lil B. I had only recently been hearing the name but didn’t pay any attention to him. Matson directed me to a few youtube clips and then said “proceed at your own risk.” His lazy flow is great and the beat here on “Birth of Rap” is pretty dope spaced out production. I feel like he is a product of Lil Wayne. He strikes me as just being incredibly creative and never wanting to stop. He has the money to do it so he is. Can’t be mad at it. I’m not sure if I’ll ever dig into the thousand or so songs he posted on his website but if they come on here and there I’ll take notice.

Slugabed is pretty ridiculous in my eyes. He concocts some crazy shifty, beat shit for the year 10,000. Being introduced to him via his banging remix of “Super Freak” I’ve been on the watch ever since. From the EP of the same name “The Moon Zoop Jam” is slower and more of a composition. Featuring numerous change ups and multiple synths and squeeks you will not be bored nor unmoved.

Wiz has put his city on and I for one have been trying to find as much as I can from Pittsburgh. Divine Seven has a mixtape out entitled LISTEN!!! - this track “Reachin” is off of it and every other song from it that’s come on has made me look to see who it was. He’s good. The ‘burgh has some talent I think. This features a mellow jazzy beat with a dusty drum loop and a simple 2 bar violin sample, the perfect canvas for Seven to talk about working for more out of life.

Terror Danjah took the cue from Wiley and let loose two free projects. Hardstrumentals is a project of beats he has made. This one with it’s repeating high pitched “So Real” vocal sample over a cool piano line and some serious bass seems ready to be rapped on. I love that artists are just making stuff and putting it out there for their fans to enjoy. I’m personally finding great music all the time and it’s being released by the artist on their own terms. Here is one example.

July was Curren$y month, but it didn’t really slow down in August. The song I found myself coming back to a month after it’s release was this Stalley featured jam “Address.” It’s great, I felt it as I was moving into my first real home in almost a year. The beat feels like life to me, it’s like a breath of fresh air caught on wax. Stalley is far and away a better emcee than Spitta but they almost compliment each other. “Ain’t nothin changed but the address... Ain’t nothin changed...”

More of that electro party music for ya! Seriously this shit is the new Hip Hop beat in my eyes. I love dusty NY, 90s boom bap but this is the future, time to make something new. Rusko’s album is pretty hit and miss with me but this track mashes. Just big time, loud, full, funness. Get down!

I’m not really sure where this MF Borat album emerged from but this song is a remix of one of my favorite songs ever. Wale Oyejide released “This is Dedicated To...” on his debut solo album. Here it is remixed with an almost as stellar beat that features celebratory drums that make you wanna dance. Doom’s verse is included and they add vocals by another chick who does a good job, but I’d still take Wale’s version, gonna have to dig it up.

Smoke DZA is another in the current line of weed rappers. He does his thing, but I do agree with my guy Thad that he doesn’t really distinguish himself. This cut is hella fun and his whole album (free!) is def good music to sit back and burn to. Enjoy and roll up!

The Widdler was unknown to me until the album came on and I decided to let it ride through. I liked it from what I remember. Here on the tune “Long Gone” you get an up beat groove with spacey synths, stuttering drums and a repetitious vocal refrain. I like the deepness to the bass in the background and the vocals are totally awesome.

Download the August Heatrocks here!

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