Find Harley Geffner courtside at Madison Square Garden with rapidly graying hair.
Allblack & Offset Jim featuring daBoii, $tupid Young & Fenix Flexin – “Trip on It”
“Trip On It” is a Golden State block party. Bringing the Bay area’s Allblack, Offset Jim, and DaBoii together with LA’s $tupid Young and Fenix Flexin, the video is a 2-tone celebration of powerfully minimalist Cali rap. The black and white fits the cold piano backbone, lighting up with a single splash of color per rapper, which is a more tasteful take on the Cole Bennetization of all rap videos. Everyone takes a turn talking their shit in what feels like a new-day, West Coast “1 Train.”
Yung Nudy – “No Go”
Nudy is such a man of the people. Not only does he drop the most consistent heat out of anyone working, but he does little things like leave melodic nuggets for his fans from older songs. On “No Go,” he plays around with old hooks of his twice, while also buying 10-piece hot wings for the girls. His rapidfire flow is untouchable and he writes such a classic Nudy hook that you can hear it in just reading:
Creep in the street and you know I ride solo
Me and my stick, n****, solo dolo
Hotboii featuring Stunna 4 Vegas – “4PF Baby”
In its own sunshine state ecosystem, Hotboii has been popping off for the better part of a year, alongside talented rappers from the area like Rico Cartel, who makes a cameo in this video, 438 Tok, Lpb Poody, Breadwinna Gdwag, Spotemgotem, and many others. Hotboii has been putting out phenomenal loosies while continuing to gain fans in this self-contained Florida orbit, so it’s nice to see him get a feature from a hot artist outside the region. Unfortunately, Stunna delivers a pretty awful verse here, but it’s a showcase for Hotboii’s instinctive ear for melody. And peep the potential new Quay tag.
Teejayx6 – “On Tour”
Teejay should try writing more often. Thoughtfully crafting a song with a nice hook and clever bars that he’s not overused, without pasting together cut-ins is a good exercise for him. He’s getting better, and it shows in his writing. Though his scam bars are something to behold, he’s been quick to point out that it’s not just scamming he raps about, it’s all sorts of shit he does on the daily, and his depression bars have always rung very self-aware. In “On Tour,” he raps “All the closest people to me dying it’s not usual / Lately I been dressing up going to different funerals / Smile on my face but inside I’m really miserable.” And Undefined has to be my favorite producer alive. The man is a magician on the beat.
BlueBucksClan DJ & Jeezy – “Waterproof”
The BlueBucksClan supposedly has LA strip clubs going up and it’s easy to see why. Shoutout Isabel for putting me on.
G Perico – “One More Day”
With Angeleno legends passing what feels like every month, the city’s been hurting. G Perico feels it; he’s been paranoid ever since Nip passed. Seeing so many friends and idols lost is desensitizing, so while G still needs more time, pleading with the man above for another day, he’ll be spending his eating waffles at Roscoe’s and continuing to “drop hits … for the crips.”
