Reggie Bonds
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.
Danny Arcane - "Mi Mynd"
Danny Arcane looks to contemporary club sounds then turns them inward on his dreamy latest single "Mi Mynd," the latest from the chilled-out rapper/singer's upcoming album Arcane. It's the catchiest, most blissed-out thing we've heard from him yet. I imagine that if Youth Lagoon's Trevor Powers produced rap music it might sound like this.
Dahm ft. Pharoh Khalid – “Day to Day”
As one half of the duo Dahm & Mashio, Dahm recorded some very fun mixtapes that were often very rough around the edges: some beats, some rapping, and boom, that's about it. Striking out on his own, Dahm hasn't lost that "keep it simple" mindset. His latest track is blown-out and blissful, and features a slick guest verse from the very promising up-and-comer Pharoh Khalid.
Reggie Bonds - "No More Parties w/ Fake Rappers"
The always-visceral Reggie Bonds digs into one of Kanye West's most kinetic beats in recent memory, "No More Parties In L.A.," on his latest mind trip, "No More Parties w/ Fake Rappers." The song recounts an imagined conversation with Erykah Badu, and fittingly plays out with the same dream logic of Badu's recent output.
CameOne and Lex Luther - "Lucha Bangers"
Two of Milwaukee's most prominent producers, CameOne and Lex Luther, teamed up for their latest mixtape, Lucha Bangers. Both are Miltown Beat Down champions, and that battle mentality carries through the tape. It really does sound like each producer is trying to one-up the other.
Blizz McFly ft. Klassik and Vincent VanGreat – “ Bang Bang”
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Blizz McFly gets a little help from his SAFS crew peers on his chest-thumping latest single, “Bang Bang,” which features assists from Klassik and Vincent VanGreat, who also lent the track its crackling, anthemic beat.
Ralphael - "No Question"
And here's the latest from What's Really Good Ent., a Milwaukee label that's been putting out reliably good, low-budget club singles over the last year. "No Question" comes from Milwaukee rapper Ralphael and is produced by Los Angeles beatmaker XYZ, but the sound is pure Houston, all sticky drawl and authoritative snap. This one will linger in your head for a while.
And finally...
Local hip-hop fans from a few years ago will remember promoter JC Poppe's Hip-Hop Hates shows, a series of fundraisers that benefited some very worthwhile causes. Poppe has announced that he's doing a fifth (and quite possibly final) installment of the series, Hip-Hop Hates Cancer, Friday, April 29 at the Cactus Club. The night will feature SAFS Crew, Klassik, AUTOMatic and another yet-to-be-announced act, as well as DJ sets from Those Hip-Hop Guys.
