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I've been tuned into this mixtape for a few weeks, listening with great intrigue. Bastard is the standout, irritable manifesto from teenage, Los Angeles hip-hop collective, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. Specifically, their 19 year-old creative leader and producer's, Tyler.

Beneath the purposefully aggro raps about raping prom dates and cutting wrists, and beneath the tripped out gang of skateboard punks with handicams, is an intelligent and darkly advanced work. Tyler's band brings a much-missed ingredient in today's young rappers: anger. Hashtagging media socialites bank on breaking with viral stylings, Odd Future resents, fights the Kid Cudi imitators.

Just like punk rock, the best rap music stem's from resenting a shitty future and rebelling. Bastard's intro is a brash middle finger for the most powerful guardians in rap music (especially, I imagine, for the kids): certain blogs. Throughout, we get dark beats (think the first few Atmosphere records) and intelligent, misguided angst.

I don't think it's an accident that their black and white video for "French" instantly recalls N.W.A.'s "Straight Outta Compton." Quick, scattered shots on their home turf, pointed anger. It's an instantly unsettling work: try not to cringe when Tyler's boy points a glock too heavy for his young arm (whether or not it's a toy doesn't matter). I hope the kids are alright.

Anyway, download Bastard and enjoy further analysis. It's an acquired cocktail, but carries an undeniable vitality.

Already back for seconds, ATG's favorite multi-culti MCs follow up the well-received Shut Up, Dude with the similarly titled Sit Down, Man. This time around, their growing profile has seen higher billed producers join the fold, including Boi 1da, Devo Springsteen, Teengirl Fantasy and the duo's longtime dream collaborator, Diplo. Features have been upgraded as well, with El-P and Chairlift stopping by with assists (Do I even need to point out that those two would never be featured together on any other record ever?). 

And here it is. With guest work from Black Milk, Bun B, Joe Budden and Elzhi complimenting Detroit's motor-mouthed icon, Royce Da 5'9'''s trilogy-completing mixtape is already a street summer classic. Just ask my friends. Get it after the jump.

Front court starters Raekwon, T.I. and Rick Ross earned their three-day weekends by unsheathing respective, promised mixtapes Friday morning. Get them after the jump.

Breath of fresh air. Noz posted some thoughts on gentrification's effect on hip-hop (cities as less real, recharging vitality of the burbs, etc.) and cited this as an early example of some suburban-repping quality rap.

The containing folder is free and mostly remarkable I'm intrigued. Odd Spring is fourth in a series of free Oddissee albums about the seasons. I think. Probably just contextualized by weather.


Oddisee - I'm From PG

Oddisee - Anticipation

You may remember Dice Raw as the Philly emcee who always steals the show on songs from The Roots. He's got a great, fiery presence and memorable quotables like "I'm kinda like W.E.B. Dubois meets Heavy D and the Boyz."

Back in February, The Roots released a mixtape with full-band interpretations of Dilla beats. Two months later, a competent rapper gets his hands on them. Tracklist + download link after the jump.