You Need More People

XXL just released its always-controversial - but usually on-point - annual list of the best and the brightest new faces in hip-hop.

I’ll admit I’m not totally familiar with most of these dudes, though the inclusions I am familiar with seem sound - love Danny Brown, not quite sold on French Montana - even though I just can’t stand bone-simple R&B robot Future. And while it’s nice to see Iggy Azalea repping for the ladies, I would’ve preferred to see her similarly named contemporary, the fabulous and fabulously talented Azealia Banks. And it’s too bad they slept on Boldy James, Main Attrakionz, and Schoolboy Q. In general, though, spilling some ink on lesser-known quantities is always something I’m in favor of. 

Check it out over at XXL’s website.

Boldy James’ 2011 mixtape Trapper’s Alley: Pro’s and Con’s appears to have been slept on by most of the hip-hop blogerati, which is perplexing if you, you know, listen to the thing: hard-bitten tales of ‘ye slinging - delivered in a neo-Prodigy croak - over a staggeringly good collection of heady, soul-drenched beats.

I’ll admit that I was one of said sleepers, but the infectiousness of cuts like “I Sold Dope All My Life” - plus some totally appropriate clips from The Wire - made me a convert.

Boldy dropped his latest, Consignment - Favor for a Favor, The Redi-Rock Mixtape, this morning. Pick it up here.