Photo credit: Weston Rich
BoodahDARR
Milwaukee's rap scene has been in overdrive for the last couple of years, but we do our best to keep up with it. Once again we've rounded up our favorite singles, mixtapes, videos and odds and ends from the last few weeks for our periodic Milwaukee Hip-Hop Round-Up.
BoodahDARR - Cheat Codes
Milwaukee's Cream City Motion crew has one of the most unmistakable sounds in the city right now: an electronic-inspired variation of party rap distinguished by its posh, minimalist production and addictive, celestial bounce. The crew has spent much of this year proving itself more than just the sum of its flagship star IshDARR, with some memorable singles from EMAAD and Ju Preach and a rock-solid crew compilation. And now with his full length project Cheat Codes, BoodahDARR gets his turn in the driver's seat. Cream City Motion's ace beat maker Canis Major produced the record's entire opening half and contributes some truly wild tracks, including the nutso '80s arcade throwback "Pretenders," but the album is more than just a showcase for some top-shelf production. BoodahDARR has a presence that's all his own, grimy and excitable and utterly captivating. It's remarkable that one crew has this much talent.
IshDARR - "Foreplay"
Speaking of IshDARR, he released a new video this week, a short for his romancer "Foreplay," from his recent Four The Better EP. It's directed by Damien Blue, and like every video directed by Damien Blue it looks absolutely fantastic.
Denny Lanez - "Lights On"
You'd be hard pressed to find many local rappers who rap with more hunger than Denny Lanez, a relative newcomer who has already started raking up some pretty impressive streams. He raps with the same by-the-throat intensity of a young Meek Mill, and like Meek Mill, he's got some industry ambitions: He's appeared, as an actor, on NBC's "Chicago Fire," and his 2016 single "Zeus" is currently being used in a UWM Panthers advertisement. He's got a new album streaming on his website, which is every bit as relentless and overheated as this lead single.
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AWillThaGreat - Portraits
J. Cole has one of those fanbases so earnest and overbearing that it's almost impossible not to rip on them every once in a while, which is why all those "J. Cole went platinum with no features" memes still crack me up even a year later. But all jokes aside, hip-hop is such a collaboration-based medium these days that any album without features—platinum or not—can't help but stand out. AWillThaGreat, an artist with more than a little bit of Cole's thinking-man's mindset, went the (virtually) feature-free route for his debut full length Portraits, and the album is better for it; AWill proves himself more than capable of carrying a record on his own. Furnished with smooth, no-gimmicks production from guys like Renz Young and Dylan Graham, the record is a leisurely tour of the rapper's overactive mind. It's the kind of album that invites you to kick back in a comfy chair with a cold drink and just escape for a little while.
Ar Wesley - "Traffic Jam"
I wish actual traffic jams were as enjoyable as this. Over another one of those jazzy, Midnight Marauders-esque grooves that he's made his specialty, Ar Wesley delivers a succession of bars that glide so effortlessly out of his mouth it feels like they've been there all along. Lots of rappers dabble in this sound, but few make it sound so weightless and kinetic. Ar Wesley owns this vibe right now.
Hiii Tribe - "Voodoo"
Though it doesn't sound much like '90s hip-hop, there's a weird, mischief energy to Hiii Tribe that reminds me a bit of The Pharcyde. Earlier this fall they released a compilation of six blunted, trap-shaded tracks, but the group is at their best when they're indulging their more playful urges, which is what Hiii Tribe's Asis and King Myles do on their latest track. Set to a whimsical, vaguely tropical guitar riff that makes me want to grab a drink at Foundation, it's an animated showcase for some solid one-liners ("I'm in my own lane, I do my own thang, get it? / King of the Hill, spitting propane, is you with it?")
Taiyamo Denku - "Stand Up"
Despite being one of the most innovative acts in both Latino hip-hop and alternative hip-hop in the '90s, The Beatnuts don't get the respect they deserve. One guy who clearly appreciates them, though, is Milwaukee spitter Taiyamo Denku, who recruits Beatnuts producer Psycho Les for his latest single, "Stand Up," a slab of prickly funk that should perk the ears of any O.G. Beatnuts fans. Hopefully it's not the last collaboration we hear from these two.
Kane - The Art of Rolling EP
Milwaukee rapper Kane teams with one of the city's hottest trap producers LeanBeatz for his latest EP. It's an effective combination: Kane's cold, Chief Keef-esque croak and LeanBeatz's stark, basement sex dungeon beats compliment each other, casting a deep, almost gothic chill.
Lik and Shai - "Midwest Connection"
There's a lot of irony in calling a song so openly indebted to West Coast hip-hop "Midwest Connection"—there's very little Midwest about this upbeat single from the Milwaukee duo Lik and Shai. It's a refreshing change of pace, though. There are so many Milwaukee rappers dabbling in classic East Coast hip-hop and southern trap that it's fun to hear some give Cali funk and Bay Area hyphy a try, and this sound always hits the spot—especially this time of the year, when all of us stuck in Wisconsin could use a reminder of what sunshine feels like. Favorite part of the song: When one of the guys admits he hasn't even been to the Bay Area before, but says he'd like to get there one day. Too relatable.
Nate Brady - "With This Microphone"
Nate Brady doesn't have much use for modern trends. His sound is planted firmly in hip-hop's golden age. "With This Microphone" is of those tracks that shows how much life is left in this sound. Rapping with Guru-esque authority, Brady rides an untamed, boom-bap thump, landing bar after bar. If you're going to stick to a sound this familiar, this tried and true, you've got to execute it perfectly. Brady does.
Zed Kenzo - "The Killing" (Sofar Chicago)
And finally, we'll end this month's round-up with a live clip. In addition to being one of Milwaukee's most original rappers, Zed Kenzo is also a one-of-a-kind live performer. In this video shared by Sofar Chicago, a seated audience watches Kenzo deliver deliver a breathless performance that's part rap show, part performance art and part exorcism. It's impossible to take your eyes off of her.
