Words by C. Paicely

Rockie Fresh teases us for months with bits and pieces of an upcoming project, and now he’s rewarding us with a holiday gift for all our patience. A dope ass mixtape. Thanks, Rock.

On The Otherside we are presented with an unpolished rapper spiting over polished production from The Cartoonz and the contrast is strangely refreshing and endearing. On “The Worth,” electric guitar riffs echoing behind him, Fresh rolls through compound-syllable rhymes with a matter-of-fact ease that almost dwarfs the beautifully composed music. The intro track, “A.C. Green,” showcases Fresh’s ability to smoothly ride a bass-driven trunk-pounder with clarity and refreshing crudeness, while the clever “Sofa King Cole” displays Rock’s wordplay wizardry and swagger-filled delivery. Even the month-old “Living” feels brand new when tied into the well-sequenced string of songs that make up the mixtape.

“What’s the Hurry” introduced Rock as a rhyming recluse shrouded in darkness, and that aura continues to resonate throughout The Otherside. Fresh is resigned to the solitude that comes with progressing beyond his peers, and flawless production combined with monstrous gusto from the slick-spitting Chicagoan make this free mixtape feel like an organic work of art.

See for yourself and stream/download The Otherside by clicking on the player below.

Gender be damned, Rapsody is a rapper on a mission to smash all stereotypes and judgments. In her latest offering, Return of the B-Girl, she plays the fitting role of Luke Skywalker to prove she can keep up with the best of them. The tape features many recognizable guest stars including Big Daddy Kane, Skyzoo, Rah Digga, Phil Adé, and Mac Miller, with 9th Wonder handling the great majority of the behind-the-scenes to guide young Jedi along the journey. Read the rest of this entry »

Words by C. Paicely

“I’m busy makin’ moves, and the only time I fail is when I fail to lose.”

A few weeks ago Rockie Fresh was strolling the streets of a strangely desolate Chicago, solitary, unwanted, but unrelenting in his self-confidence. He successfully pulled off “lonely at the top” without being anywhere near the so-called top.

That attitude of entitlement lingers in the new cut, “Living,” but this time Mr. Fresh ditches the lonely Chicagoan visage. Just one fiery verse from Naledge reminds us that the Windy City is still a Hip-Hop metropolis full of pissed off deep thinkers who couldn’t care less about red suits and crowns. The whole project is glued together with a hook that’ll float around in your head long after your earbuds and eardrums part ways. There’s a strange paradox going on here, as the anthem-like quality makes the chorus invigorating while the overall tone remains chill, almost hypnotic. Fresh made immaculate use of his resources on this one, and churned out what I would call a “feel good” song. It feels good to know this dude actually has friends and a promising future.

Oh yeah, props to Phil Adé for closing the door nicely with a hilarious 50 Tyson.

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Download — Rockie Fresh Feat. Naledge & Phil Adé – “Living” (Prod. by The Cartoonz)

Rockie’s upcoming mixtape Otherside, which drops on December 16th presented by 2DopeBoyz and produced entirely by The Cartoonz. For more info, check out his official site, Rockieml.com.

In Hip-Hop nowadays, all a rapper needs is one shot, one co-sign and/or one fantastic feature. Flying high off his Don Cannon-backed mixtape, The Letterman, and an all-star aligned remix that would make the folks at G.O.O.D. proud, DMV emcee Phil Adé has attained all three and has seen his star rapidly rise in 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

It may be Naledge Born’s born-day, yet he’s the one doling out the gifts. The Windy City native linked up with Aphilliate DJ Moondawg for his Twentysomething mixtape to celebrate the occasion. Much like The Land Of Make Believe, Twentysomething is a celebration of that transitional place between 25 & 30. Read the rest of this entry »

Soulja Boy’s “Pretty Boy Swag” meets the Winner’s Circle as Phil, Dee Boy & Da Phuture add a little more lyrical bounce per ounce. 368 FTW Vol. 1, coming soon.

Dee Boy, Da Phuture & Phil Adé – “368 Swag” | Download

With his rise and recent success, Raheem opened the door for Phil Adé first and now the rest of the 368 Music roster – Dee Boy, Da Future and Stello – is bumrushing the show. Read the rest of this entry »

Does the name Kingpen Slim ring a bell? Well, it didn’t for me either until I thought back to Oddisee’s Odd Spring. Wise enough to realize his name recognition isn’t at an all-time high, he recruited some of his DMV/PA brethren in Wale, STS & Phil Adé (no strangers ’round these parts) to aide him on “The Way You Move.” The first leak from his upcoming The Beam Up 2: So Cinematic. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s not much that hasn’t already been said here about Phil Adé’s potential as an emcee and artist, so we’ll save the long diatribe (but feel free to click any one of those hyperlinked words to understand the anticipation). Today’s the day for The Letterman, sponsored by DJBooth.net, Okayplayer, Sneaker Pimps, and Virginia streetwear company Cmonwealth and hosted by Don Cannon. Read the rest of this entry »

As one of the most freshest new voices around, Phil’s been releasing solid song after solid song in anticipation of The Letterman, which drops next week. On “My Story,” he drops a brief autobiographical anecdote detailing how he went from group member to standing alone Read the rest of this entry »

“I’m starting a revolution and I came alone, Check the blog, I’m all up in the post like K. Malone.”

Please mark this kid Phil as one to watch. Devin first hipped everybody here (or at least me) to him and I’ve been listening closely ever since. The kid was good then but the progression he’s gone is amazing. Read the rest of this entry »

Phil Ade has been quite successful on the JV team but now he’s taking aim for varsity. With the song “The Letter” and the solid video accompanying it, he makes a strong play to be considered for starting time in your playlist. I’d like to doff my cap to the young man for employing the DJ and scratches into his music. And honestly, he’s set to make a name for himself, having made very few (if any) musical missteps thus far. So far, so dope.

Hosted by Don Cannon, Phil’s mixtape, The Letterman, will be out July 6th via Okayplayer. Read the rest of this entry »

Devin’s been the main one biggin’ up Phil’s music but perhaps it’s time we all pay a little more attention. It’s hard not to @ least be curious when you see a lineup that features Chef alongside several the notables from the nation’s capital. While the original was already strong, bolstered by Raheem’s chorus and one helluva soundbed, the combined effort on the remix make the DMV’s version of Hip-Hop sound soulful, each artist making an earnest statement to stay true to their start. Read the rest of this entry »

Fresh from Neako’s upcoming The Rubix Cube: Blue.5 Edition, this crispy, self-produced remix of his joint “Suicide” features a few names we’ve been seeing a lot lately. One of them – guess who – is slowly making his mark by becoming the fastest flow-spitter in the land, consistently showing up cats on tracks like he was born to do it.

Oh, and forgive my nit-picking, but why is this song called “Suicide” again?

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Download — Neako Feat. Shawn Chrystopher, Phil Ade, Yelawolf, Smoke DZA & Stalley – “Suicide” (Remix)

Don’t forget to catch Yela, Pill & Prynce @ Lenny’s on Saturday @ Fuggin’ Awesome. Click here for the skinny.

Now pardon the tardiness on this here post, but I’m in a DC-type of mood given the requisite listening of the recent release from one Mr. Folarin (the numbers don’t look good, but hopefully they pick up given the offering was the best ’09 debut this side of Fashawn’s Boy Meets World). Read the rest of this entry »