You Need More People

NC producer Ski Beatz - sometimes just Ski - has been in the game seemingly forever. Though his airy, retro-chic productions are responsible for launching the careers of both Curren$y and DC mainstay Tabi Bonney - who I honestly forgot about until I saw him on this album’s tracklist - Ski’s been busy since the early ’90s, when he was producing for none other than S. Carter himself, Jay-Hova.

That the same guy who produced “Dead Presidents” and “Feelin’ It” is still putting out great material is simply a thing of beauty. And more impressively, the beats showcased on 24 Hour Karate School Presents Twilight walk the line between capturing the classic quality of Ski’s older material and sounding undeniably fresh. Even the genre’s greats - I’m looking at you, Raekwon - can get stuck in a sonic rut and refuse to smarten up their sound.

Pick up Ski’s new collection over at Amazon or, you know, anywhere.

(Photo via 2DopeBoyz)

The home-cooked Mississippi rapper/producer extraordinaire dropped his new mixtape, 4evaNaDay, this morning. K.R.I.T. doesn’t produce new material at the same alarming rate as former tourmate Curren$y, but, considering that all - all! - of his material is self-produced, that he puts out at least one excellent mixtape a year is truly impressive. This one’s not only self-produced but free of guest verses. K.R.I.T. previewed the jazzy, Friday Night Lights-indebted “Boobie Miles” last month. 

Last year’s Return of 4Eva was overlong and relied on a few too many Southern rap cliches - pimps, hos, Caddys, etc. - but K.R.I.T.’s sumptuous soul-food production made it an always enjoyable listen. “Dreamin’”, in particular, is a gorgeous slice of *actually* inspirational gospel rap. Once K.R.I.T. can walk without his Dixie crutches, he’ll be within spitting distance - no pun intended - of the best in the game - in terms of production if not rapping.

I try to highlight new releases by any and all up-and-comers who’ve piqued my attention, but this is one I’m truly excited about. Pick it up over at LiveMixtapes.

(Photo via Boi-1da.net)

The absurdly prolific Curren$y drops yet another in a stream of mixtapes, full-lengths, EPs, and collaborative albums. This one hits 3 of the 4: it’s an EP-length collaborative mixtape with Ruff Ryder-affiliate Styles P, who I primarily know from his guest verse on Rick Ross’ “BMF.” This one’s hot on the heels of Curren$y’s Here, a 5-song treat that let the swamp-mouthed weed rapper flow over some vintage beats, including DJ Premier’s peerless “Bring It On” all the way back from Reasonable Doubt. Assuming #The1st28 conforms to the same level of QC as the rest of Curren$y’s shit, this should be a blast.

Check it out over at DatPiff.