K. Diver
The Seattle-born, Milwaukee-raised rapper K. Diver (short for Knowledge Diver) raps unmistakably like one of my favorite rappers of the moment, Pee-Wee Longway, with the same fast, fired-up flow and wise-ass sense of humor. The music he raps over, however, bears little resemblance to Longway’s high-octane trap. Instead on his latest EP, Art of Drug Slaying, K. Diver contrasts his agitated rhymes against blunted, mellowed-out soul. The mix is a little rough around the edges, but that only lends to the EP's casual, too-high-to-care vibe.
Hip-hop doesn’t embrace the term "DIY" the way rock and punk do, but the DIY spirit is there regardless. To Sum It Up, the debut EP from 18-year-old Milwaukee rapper Rah is about as DIY as it gets, entirely written and produced by Rah, who also did the artwork. He shows a ton of promise. Mostly he sticks to the nonchalant, good-guy rap of J. Cole, but he’s just as convincing when he indulges in some braggadocio over the thumpy closer “Penthouse Views.”
This will make you feel old: Common’s great Kanye West-produced comeback album Be turned 10 years old earlier this summer. One rapper who clearly grew up listening to that classic is Emmitt James, who taps a similarly smooth, soulful vibe on his latest EP, Hunger Pains. James will play a show Thursday, Sept. 3 at the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery (926 E. Center St.) at 7 p.m. featuring local visual artists and designers; you can stream the EP below.
Milwaukee upstart Sean Smart is preparing a new full length for this fall, and last week he teased the first taste of it. “Irrationale” is a showcase for Smart's slippery, speedy flow featuring some bloopy production from the always reliable CAMEone and a cameo from the suddenly everywhere Mike Regal.
Speaking of CAMEone, he’s been busy lately. He produced the entirety of Yo-Dot’s upcoming LP, Burleigh Bodega, and last week the two leaked a new track from the project, “Until.”
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Some rappers treat violence as an abstract thing, but for Milwaukee rapper Dipperachi it hits close to home. His brother Bradley Garrett was shot to death this spring. Dipperachi channels some of the resulting anger into his single “In Milwaukee,” featuring Pizzle and Reggie Bonds. “The song is exposing the harsh realities of living in Milwaukee, with a murder rate of 101 homicides to date for 2015, only 8 months into the year,” he wrote last month.
Cardiac Da Pulse began rapping in the mid-’00s under the name Young L.T., and his voice has picked up considerable character with age. He puts that leery, authoritative voice to work on his lean latest track, “Built Like Me.”
Gerald Walker’s endlessly delayed debut album Target is finally near. It’ll come out on Sept. 22, and to help ease the wait Walker’s released another track from it, “Follow Through,” which adds even more knots to Walker’s already twisty flow.
Any fears that college would slow down IshDARR’s music career have proven unfounded. The snappy Milwaukee rapper has been dropping new tracks left and right this year, and they’ve all been sensational. “Somebodies,” produced by one of Ish’s go-tos Canis Major, is no exception. A bit of a breather after some of the party tracks he’d been dropping lately, it features one of his most inventive vocal performances yet.
And finally, if you missed it this spring, Vonny Del Fresco’s debut album Memoirs is one of the Milwaukee rap albums to top in 2015, a remarkably assured listen from one of the city’s most sophisticated rappers. Over the last couple of weeks Vonny has posted a pair of bonus tracks from that record, and they’re on par with the songs that made the final cut. Give them a stream below.
