While You Were Sleeping: Top 10 Underground Hip-Hop Albums Of September 2013 (Part 2)

As September draws to a close we experience more and more hints that Fall is near. Regardless, there are still some constants that we can count on: There were a gang of excellent Rap/Hip-Hop albums that dropped and Hip-Hop Wired will let you know what they are.  

I’ll now showcase the next 10 independent and underground Hip-Hop/Rap releases from the second half of September on this particular edition of “While You Were Sleeping.” If you think it was tough picking 10 from the first two Tuesdays of September then multiply that by 5 and add 3 to figure out how tough it was to pick only 10 for the last three weeks of it.

“While You Were Sleeping” exists purely to showcase quality indie and underground Hip-Hop/Rap releases that are regularly overlooked, under promoted or downright ignored by most supposed “Rap” or “Hip-Hop” sites. This is mostly attributed to a lack of significant marketing and promotions monies at the disposal of these individual artists or their independent labels. In many instances much of it can just be chalked up to general lack of interest on the part of mainstream Rap sites and publications because they don’t think independent or underground Rap deserves any attention because it isn’t “relevant” to them (relevant = generates enough money for them to care about it). I combat their apathy through action. Somebody’s gotta do it and I elect myself.

How this works is I pick 10 indie/underground projects from the first half of a month and at the end of the month we post another 10 selections for a total of 20 albums a month. This installment is the second half of the 20 picked for September. This week’s post features the returns of the legendary groups The Procussions and Tanya Morgan, a debut album from Clear Soul Forces, a new album from Grayskul, DJ Skizz, Low Budget Crew’s Sean Born’s collaborative project with Dunc of DTMD, Hus Kingpin featuring Roc Marciano, Guilty Simpson’s collaborative project with Small Professor, Danny Brown’s latest effort on Fools Gold and more.

If you missed the previous nine full months of “While You Were Sleeping” (including the post you’re reading presently) you can just click here and feel free to revisit the previous WYWS installments at your own leisure. Now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way? Let’s finally get down to business:

Here’s what you all may have missed, while you were sleeping…

DJ Skizz – The Brooklyn-Queens Experience (Soulspazm) 9.17.2013

DJ/producer DJ Skizz recently delivered a producer album that drew cosigns from DJ Premier and DJ Eclipse which is no small feat. All it takes is one listen to the hard beats featuring guest bars from a long list of notable MC’s like Masta Ace, Craig G, Tragedy Khadafi, Cormega, Lil’ Fame, Roc Marciano, Torae, REKS, Maffew Ragazino and more to relaize you need the album in your lives. Don’t waste money on major label imprint compilation albums *cough!* SELF MADE 3 *cough!* when you can instead cop The Brooklyn-Queens Experience from iTunes, Amazon, Fat Beats & UGHH.

Clear Soul Forces – Gold PP7’s (Fat Beats) 9.17.2013

Four man Detroit crew Clear Soul Forces (Departure EP & Detroit Revolution(s)) have built up quite a reputation for their hyper lyricism and energetic stage shows over the past few years. All of the hard work and consistency resulted in a new deal with Fat beats and Clear Soul Forces stepped up to the plate and delivered with Gold PP7’s. Production is handled by group member Ilajide, DIBA$E, NAMELESS & Illingsworth and Gold PP7’s can be acquired from these fine digital and physical music retail outlets: iTunes, Amazon, Fat Beats, Sandbox Automatic & UGHH. You can even stream it on Soundcloud via Fat Beats if you want to preview it before purchasing.

Grayskul (Onry Ozzborn x JFK) – Zenith (Fake Four Inc.) 9.17.2013

Fake Four Inc. has quite a year for anyone who’s keeping track at home. Releases from Sadistik, Factor, F. Virtue and Cesci amongst others have dropped all to favorable reviews and anticipation gets higher with each release. The duo Grayskul keeps the momentum going as Fake Four builds up to it’s Fall release schedule. Production comes courtesy of Smoke M2D6, Aesop Rock, 6 Fingers, Kuddie Fresh, Taco Neck, Marcus D and more. The latest Grayskul release also boasts guest appearances from Raekwon, Aesop Rock, Soliliquists Of Sound, Snafu and Reva DeVito amongst others. Zenith can be copped from iTunes, Amazon, UGHH, Sandbox Automatic or stream & buy it directly from Fake Four Inc’s Bandcamp page.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

—

Photo: YouTube

Hus Kingpin & Roc Marciano – The Cognac Tape (Digi Crates/Mello Music Group) 9.17.2013

If you’re familiar with the Japanese label Digi Crates then you’ve no doubt heard the name Hus before. Hus, Rozewood and Smoovth who appear on The Cognac Tape alongside Roc Marciano (who hosts the project and also appears on it multiple times) take their talents over to Mello Music Group for this release and the end result is as expected: pure magic. Beats are handled by DJ Kryptonite, DJ Phantom, Doktor Rheal, Manu Beats, King AL, Snowgoons, Vans Cal amongst others and bars from Ghosta Nostra, Marvelous Mag and Septa Nitah keep the overall gully factor high. The Cognac Tape is available for purchase via iTunes, Amazon, Fat Beats, UGHH & you can stream it & cop it from the Mello Music Group Bandcamp site.

Sean Born x Dunc – Organic (Low Budget Crew) 9.19.2013

Sean Born delivered one of the best albums that 2012 had to offer with his opus Behind The Scale. Dunc was the producer of one of the best albums of 2011, DTMD’s Makin’ Dollas. Put them together as the end result is one of the best EP’s of 2013, Organic. Organic features guest bars from Low Budget Crew members Kev Brown & Kaimbr plus Toine (DTMD), Uptown XO (Diamond District) and Hassaan Mackey. Organic is available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon & from Sean Born’s Bandcamp. Don’t sleep on it.

Guilty Simpson x Small Professor – Highway Robbery (Beat Goliath/Coalmine) 9.24.2013

Veteran Detroit MC Guilty Simpson (Ode To The Ghetto, O.J. Simpson, Random Axe, The Mission EP & Dice Game) has worked with the some best producers on the planet, this impressive list includes J Dilla, Madlib, Black Milk, Apollo Brown & Eric Lau. Small Professor (Slowbus & Gigantic, Vol. 1) is well known for his beats already but he more than holds his own supplying sonic backdrops for a cat that’s spit raw bars on some the best beats Rap music has to offer. Over 10 tracks Guilty Simpson brutalizes the English language plus he and Small Pro enlist the help of  Statik Selektah, DJ Revolution, AG (DITC), Elucid (Lessondary Crew), Castle and Boldy James to assist them both in this musical heist. Highway Robbery can be acquired via iTunes, Amazon & it can be streamed and purchased from DJBooth.net.

The Procussions – The Procussions (Procussion Sound) 9.14/24.2013

The Procussions (As Iron Sharpens Iron, Up All Night & 5 Sparrows For 2 Cents) released their classic debut LP almost a decade ago and through each subsequent release and each stage they tore down with their incredible live shows brought them more and more fans (artists and music fans included). They decided to disband after releasing what was their best album to date in 2006. Mr. J. Medeiros and Stro Elliot worked on individual projects then eventually together as The Stare before the Indiegogo campaign began to fund their return album.

After receiving an overwhelming response from the public the end result is The Procussions’ first new jawn in 7 years. The self titled LP features production by Stro Elliott and Logan plus guest appearances from Blame One, Shad, ¡MAYDAY!, Logan and more. The Procussions can be copped via iTunes, Amazon, UGHH and you can stream & purchase it directly from The Procussions Bandcamp page. Now do us all a favor and don’t ever leave us again…

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Tanya Morgan x 6th Sense – Rubber Souls (ImprintOne80) 9.24.2013

Two of the most important Rap groups of the past decade are easily the aforementioned crew The Procussions and Tanya Morgan (Moonlighting, The Bridge EP, Brooklynati & You & What Army). Ever since Tanya Morgan first emerged on the scene back in 2004, eventually leading up to their classic 2006 LP Moonlighting they’ve found new ways to keep their sound fresh and evolve with each subsequent release. Rubber Souls is no different as they collaborate with producer 6th Sense to craft what will no doubt end up on most Best Of… lists at the close of the year.

Rubber Souls features guest appearances from Nitty Scott MC, Spec Boogie, 6th Sense, Rocki Evans (of CharlieRED), Spree Wilson, Outasight and more. Rubber Souls can be bought via iTunes, Amazon, Fat Beats, UGHH, stream & purchase it from DJBooth.net or  cop the deluxe edition package directly from ImprintOne80. If you appreciated the Native Tongue aesthetic and love original quality Hip-Hop music then you must own this record.

Madlib x Freddie Gibbs – Deeper EP (Madlib Invazion/Stones Throw) 9.24.2013

You’ve no doubt already heard the Thuggin’ EP. You more than likely have already heard the Shame EP. Do I really need to sell you on the concept of Madlib and Freddie Gibbs anymore? I honestly didn’t think so. The vinyl only release Deeper EP can be purchased from the Stones Throw Store, UGHH, Fat Beats & HHV (for the overseas readers). The album Pinata drops February 4th, 2014 via Madlib Invazion/Stones Throw. Was that hard?

Danny Brown – Old (Fools Gold) 9.30/10.8.2013

Danny Brown has been gaining more & more traction in his career since he dropped the Nick Speed helmed free album Hot Soup back in 2008. His profile was raised significantly on the Hip Hop blogosphere in 2010 after the back to back releases Detroit State Of Mind 4 and The Hybrid. Afterwards, even mainstream Rap publications couldn’t ignore him anymore. Danny Brown was so hot at that time his former G Unit associate Tony Yayo released their collaborative project Hawaiian Snow to capitalize off of it. Ultimately Danny signed with Fools Gold and dropped two more excellent projects in 2011, XXX & his collaborative project with Black Milk Black and Brown! .

Danny has toured & done numerous guest appearances all leading up to his present tour co-headlining with Action Bronson in anticipation of his new release, Old. Old features appearances from Schoolboy Q, Freddie Gibbs, Ab-Soul, ASAP Rocky, Charli XCX, Zelooperz, Scrufizzer & Purity Ring. Production is handled by Oh No, Paul White, A-Trak, Rustie, SKYWLKR, Frank Dukes and Darq E Freaker amongst others. If you’re curious to hear it, Old is streaming right now on Spotify and is available for pre-order via iTunes, Amazon, UGHH, Fat Beats or you can instead cop it straight from Fools Gold. Your iTunes library ain’t s%#! if it ain’t got no Danny in it…

BONUS PICK: Mr. Probz – The Treatment (Left Field Recordings/Traumashop) 9.17.2013

Mr. Probz’ album is everything these major label soundalike albums wish they could be. Lyrical. Melodic. As multiple songs could potentially work on terrestrial radio without sounding like they were intentionally made to do so. In addition to all of that, The Treatment is a concise album from top to bottom. The reason you may not have heard of Mr. Probz before now is because he’s an independent MC based in The Netherlands. Luckily for you, Dart Adams is a Hip-Hop fan and Hip-Hop is GLOBAL. You can hear The Treatment for yourselves on Soundcloud & then cop it from iTunes. You’re all welcome…

EVEN MORE RAWNESS: Alage – Throwaway Series (Alage Music) 9.2.2013, AG Da Coroner x ATG – Crushed Grapes EP (Man Bites Dog) 9.18.2013, EPP – Chrome Plated Chronicles (Bandcamp) 9.24.2013, Deltron 3030 – Event II (Deltron Partners/Bulk Recordings) 9.30.2013 & True Master – Master Craftsman (Persia Legacy) 9.17.2013

While You Were Sleeping will return in a few more weeks to showcase the rest of the best underground & independent Hip-Hop releases October has to offer. Until then, this is Dart Adams saying “Don’t sleep”.