Over the past few years, the collective talent and consistent production of the St. Louis underground has become an unstoppable force in the Midwest. Leading the march on Atlanta are Black Spade, Vandalyzm and Gotta Be Karim, three MCs who share the scene’s dedication to musical purity. All three capitalize on The Lou’s status as a transit city, mixing the best of sounds from the Chi, to the Dirty South to coasts East and West. And all three focus on winning hearts and minds with their lyrical chops—no gimmicks here.

Despite these shared principles of artistry, each artist maintains a definitive style that sets them apart. Spade acts the part of the older wiser sage, equally adept snapping off a casual verse or crooning a soulful chorus. Vandalyzm’s cockiness and confidence on the mic obscure that he’s one of the hardest working artists around. And Karim’s sunny but street personality shines through on every track he makes.

The tracks selected here show both these MC’s collective talents and unique skills. Revolutionary Bullshit” features Karim and Spade swapping stories over a head boppin’ beat. “Get Dough,” finds Vandalyzm behind the mic and the boards, and the result is pure hustle music. Enjoy, and come see them at more at A3C.

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Download — Black Spade Feat. Gotta Be Karim – “Revolutionary Bullshit”

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Download — Vandalyzm – “Get Dough” (Prod. by Flying Lotus)

Download — Union LA, Trackstar The DJ & TSS Present Black Spade – Build & Destroy Mixtape

Download — Cobblestone Rock Music & The Smoking Section Present Gotta Be Karim – Bullets & Books

Download — Vandalyzm – Megatron Majorz Redux