A year full of rising rap newcomers and seasoned vets that delivered a solid soundtrack over the last 12 months. Continue reading…
Harry Fraud
50 of the Greatest Producer Tags in Hip-Hop
Pi’erre Bourne, Tay Keith, Southside and more have some of the coolest producer tags in hip-hop. Continue reading…
October 2021 New Music Releases
Fall vibes. Continue reading…
J. Cole Advised Dave East To Make One Change To Improve His Rap Voice
Harlem rapper Dave East has been around for a minute, but absent the big-name co-signs or signature hits that drove some of his peers’ careers, mainstream success has eluded him. With that said, his latest project, the Harry Fraud-produced Hoffa, is a masterclass in ignoring mass appeal in favor of crafting high-quality work and staying true to yourself — the album Dave East always needed in his catalog. However, it turns out one of East’s peers had some advice for him to improve his chances to gain traction on future projects.
Speaking with Apple Music 1’s Ebro, East recalled how J. Cole helped him make some adjustments to improve his rap voice — a key component in any rap artist’s success. “I got a chance to lock in with J. Cole, just me and him in the studio with the engineer, and he asked that same question, like, ‘Bro, I’m a fan of what you do, I really respect your pen, but you rap with one tone,’” he recounted. “And I really sat and listened to myself, and a lot of my sh*t is one tone.”
The rest of the session, he said, consisted of “me and him in the studio testing tones. He’s just really seeing how high I can take my voice, how low I can take it, and then he just was like, ‘Apply that to your music. Watch the difference. That’s just something I gotta keep working at, keep working at. I think it will be something dope to add to my music.” Listening to Hoffa, it’s clear the advice paid off, as Dave sounds more energized than ever, partly as a result of Harry Fraud’s complementary beat choices but also because his inflections bring a new-found dimension to his delivery, highlighting the emotional stakes of his rhymes.
Watch Dave East and Harry Fraud’s interview with Ebro below.
Best Hip-Hop Projects of 2021 So Far
Tyler, The Creator, J. Cole, Polo G, Rod Wave and more of the game’s revered rap stars make the cut. Continue reading…
Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2021 So Far
Certified bangers from Drake, Tyler, The Creator, J. Cole and more. Continue reading…
Benny The Butcher’s ‘When Tony Met Sosa’ Compares Working With Harry Fraud To A Classic Movie Moment
Benny The Butcher and Harry Fraud continue the rollout of their collaborative project The Plugs I Met 2 with the video for “When Tony Met Sosa.” The video mostly sees Benny performing his dextrous verses on a rooftop overlooking the city and seated beside a bathtub as a woman soaks in the frothy bubbles. At the very end, there’s a glimpse of the movie Scarface, from which Benny derives the song’s title.
The video for “When Tony Met Sosa” arrives just over two weeks after the clip for the Rick Hyde-featuring “Survivor’s Remorse” and a little over a month since the release of the
The Plugs I Met 2 project, which launched alongside the video for the 2 Chainz-featuring “Plug Talk.” The Plugs videos give a strong push for the Griselda Records rapper — who also appeared on Belly’s comeback single “Money On The Table” — as he capitalizes on the newfound notoriety he’s received since his 2020 breakout, Burden Of Proof and the past year’s string of show-stealing guest appearances. While it may have taken the Griselda gang over ten years to climb to their current position, it looks like they’re taking full advantage, both as a unit and individually.
Watch Benny The Butcher and Harry Fraud’s “When Tony Met Sosa” video.
Benny The Butcher And 2 Chainz Attend Hustler’s Anonymous In Their Honest ‘Plug Talk’ Video
It’s not like the members of Griselda to let too much time in between projects as the rap collective is known to deliver quality projects over a short period of time. Looking to keep that up in 2021, Benny The Butcher returns with his new effort, The Plugs I Met 2. In addition to sharing the Harry Fraud-produced body of work, the Buffalo rapper also dropped a new video for “Plug Talk” with 2 Chainz.
The visual begins with Benny in the midst of an on-camera interview as he reflects on his turbulent 2020 year. The scene then switches to a group of men that includes Benny and 2 Chainz seated in a circle for a “Hustler’s Anonymous” meeting where the rappers deliver honest raps about their past.
The Plugs I Met 2 arrives with contributions from Fat Joe, French Montana, Jim Jones, and Rick Hyde in addition to 2 Chainz. It’s also the second release from the Griselda camp after Conway The Machine teamed up with Big Ghost Ltd for their If It Bleeds It Can Be Killed project in February. It was just five months ago that Benny dropped his Burden Of Proof album, which many labeled as one of the best hip-hop projects of 2020. He also starred in Griselda’s first film, Conflicted, which they released in mid-December.
Watch the “Plug Talk” video above.
The Plugs I Met 2 is out now via Black Soprano Family. Get it here.