Tef Poe and Trackstar are reunited again for Power Over Everything. One listen to the new material from Tef and it’s apparent that he’s still operating in MJ mode. Read the rest of this entry »

You can miss the St. Louis Force with generic ramblings of country grammar to piggyback off some stereotype. Instead, they’re out to give the world their own unfiltered brand of raw rap and it continues tonight in their Midwest sister city of Columbus, OH. Read the rest of this entry »

Nato delivers a visual for “REVEL,” the tune Track spoke on for final entry of The 30 Day Song Challenge. Yeah, the vid’s arrival seems a little late but it’s right on time considering how stale most music is at the moment. Read the rest of this entry »

I spent a whole morning examining my iTunes catalog and mixtape playlists, trying to figure out just what my favorite song was at this time of last year. When no clear-cut champion emerged, I had the bright idea to search my Gmail to see if I did any excessive ranting and raving that could help determine the right choice, and found this in a chat log: Read the rest of this entry »

St. Louis has been clean out of control in Twenty Eleven, earning more highlights for WSHH fiascoes than on the real rap scene. That simply won’t do and Tech Supreme — the multifaceted producer slash rapper slasher artist extraordinaire — has rounded up some of the finest talent in Missouri’s should be capital to reign a true Supremacy on the game. Read the rest of this entry »

Jay Electronica. Dr Dre. Rockwell Knuckles.

Some artists do things on their own schedule, happy to let anticipation build up before releasing new material when it’s just right, and not a moment before. It’s been over a year since Choose Your Own Adventure, but You’re F*ckin Out, I’m F*ckin In is worth the wait. Read the rest of this entry »

Rocky’s so far ahead of us normal humanoids that he’s probably in 2012 by now. Thankfully he’s left us some goodies to bring in 2011 with this video for “Silly Human.” The track plays up the more idiosyncratic, unique parts of his character with his trademark flair and rhyming abilities. The video complements the song nicely, highlighting Rocky’s thematic affinity for robot adventurer themes while keeping the viewer’s attention on his performance. Read the rest of this entry »

Tis the season of giving and Tef Poe comes bearing gifts in the form of a new mixtape. Of course, War Machine may not be something you play while walking over the hills and through the woods to grammas house, unless your family’s matriarch is into loud beats and boisterous, twisted lyrics from STL’s rising star. Read the rest of this entry »

STL’s terror twins are back with a new gem to drop on us.  While “Murda Musik’s” title is an obvious homage to NYC’s ultimate underground duo, the style of this track has more Midwestern flavor and the song eschews the measured metronomes of the East Coast for a more rapid style. Read the rest of this entry »

Every month or so I pick fifteen-to-twenty of my personal favorite joints to move from computer to compact disc and ride out the rest of the month to. After just hearing Rockwell Knuckles’ rewind-required and taco-neck-inducing, “Bouncing,” I’m already clearing room on said playlist. Read the rest of this entry »

Humans enjoy the chase more than anything else on the planet. It’s why scientists spend countless hours trying to understand our vast universe. It’s why heroin addicts still scrounge up dollar bills to try and feel that feeling they first felt when needle hit vein. It’s why Black Spade’s success is always building and also why his latest video catches the St. Louis native in some sweatpants following the one thing we chase the most Read the rest of this entry »

Wafeek’s music has never been short of wit and imagery, making it better visualized and seen than heard. Many of his tracks play like sonic dream sequences than songs, allowing listeners a theater seat to view Feekee’s warped mind in 3D. On “Monster,” the longstanding Force member drops sensational, memorable punchlines dedicated to one of the sources of his twisted approach to musicianship. Read the rest of this entry »

Given the strength in numbers, we could prolly mention The Force on a daily as the loose, multifaceted collective is consistently dropping material and finding angles to approach listeners. On “Crazy,” Tech Supreme’s upbeat tempo sets the pace as a young lady pushes Poe to the brink of going berserk Read the rest of this entry »

Gotta Be Karim is a man’s man’s; a rapper’s rapper so he wastes no time when it comes to renewing his grind. Barely removed from the head shot homework found on Bullets & Books, he’s making it a point to Do For Self like any respectable earner would do. The first leak, “Beverly Click,” flows like those scenes in the Spike Lee movies where the characters move without moving a muscle. It’s effortless. It’s fluid. It’s Gotta Be Karim. Read the rest of this entry »

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