The Greener Side of Hip Hop

“I got Friday Patience,
So I don’t wait.
But the time that its taken,
That might change…”
Jacobi Ryan, “Friday Patience”

It’s week four of Jacobi Ryan’s “52in365 Formerly Fresh” campaign and this week Jacobi delivered another banger – the soulful and hip hop inspired track entitled “Friday Patience”. Produced by Tuelv, this track touches upon a variety of topics including the influence of his upbringing by his parents, however the central theme of the track is about his true testament of his patience and aggressive determination to path forward – or maybe wait. (Check out his podcast on Monday to hear his take on the track.) Similar to some of his previous releases, on “Friday Patience” Jacobi never let’s you forget what time it is with him – “I got the fire/Who want me to be the arsonist?/ I ain’t never been too concerned about who really started it….”). False Evidence Appearing Real? He from Lawton – not this artist.

Producer Tuelv comes through on this track with the horns and strings with the same razor sharp expertise of a Pete Rock or a J Dilla and Jacobi delivers on point lyrics and a mean ass flow filled with so much conviction about his personal ideologies – you’ll stan for him because he dope. I hope to hear more music from these two again at some point during this campaign.

So, “Heyyyyy, ayyyyyy” (in my Jacobi voice from the “Friday Patience” track)… listen and enjoy the snippet y’all!!

“Friday Patience” is now available on all digital streaming platforms.

Listen to last week’s episode of Jacobi Ryan’s “The More I Know, The More I Don’t” podcast below to find out the background story behind Week 3’s #52in365 #FormerlyFresh track release for “Young Kings Came Up”, and Jacobi discusses the concept of showing love to who shows you love, the relationship between initiation & reciprocation (in relationships), and “toxic femininity.

“Call up all the boys
Let me tell you how it be…”
BenjamIN – “Westside

BHG Music Group’s BenJamIN is keeping fans satisfied as he recently released his second track of 2019 entitled “Westside” – another banger for the homies, except for this time BenJamIN muses about his life and times. Produced by @JohnnyStormBeats, the track is part, a cool mellow vibe which compliments BenjamIN’s unswerving, yet measured flow and also gives an insight into this masked emcee’s (it’s about the bond not the outside aesthetics… be a true fan) truth, family, and where he comes from. He’s more than just a homie from the Westside. Add this track to your playlist, listen, and enjoy!

“Never knew I had a dark side
Til’ I fell off the moon and
The stars died…”
Klokwize, “Mama Forgive Me”

Hartford, CT’s Klokwize dropped his seven track EP entitled “Dangerous Youth” today. The EP boasts several bangers that I like, including the lead single, the reflective “Dangerous Youth” with the beautiful vocals by Amanda Sloan, the edgy “Goddam” with rapper Mike Flowz, and the red cups in the air ready dance track “I’d Rather” with Alisa V. Yes, my ears was all over this EP and I am pleased as Klokwize did not fall short of giving fans a pleasureable buffet of tracks filled with various blends of musical genres (bluesy, hip hop, soul, pop) that makes a dedicated fan wonder with anticipation – “How will he finesse these genres this time?”. And, don’t worry fans, Klokwize’s gravely voice is still in tact – his pen game and voice is why we fell in love with him in the first place.

“Dangerous Youth” is now available on all DSPs…. And, oooh, it was so hard picking one snippet to include in this post because the whole EP is dope! “Mama Forgive Me” is the one I selected as it connects listeners with the whole theme of “Dangerous Youth”. Y’all enjoy…

“The first time I ever testified
The homie looked me in my eye
Told me..
He heard Smif n Wesson died…”
Smif N Wessun, “Testify”

Shit, not even. The veteran emcees from the Boot Camp Clik, Smif n Wesson (Tek and Steele) are HERE and still present for the culture with their latest visual for “Testify”. The track is off their 9th Wonder and The Soul Council produced project entitled “The All” which drops on February 22nd and will feature artists Rapsody, Rick Ross, Musiq Soulchild, and Raekwon. Yep, let that sink in. Like, I said – still here and present for the culture – our highly esteemed emcees matter. Check out “Testify” below and enjoy!

I’m late. Music is timeless. But, I’m just gone leave this (these words) right here… I was on SoundClound last night and I swear Napoleon Da Legend’s EP walked up to me and said “Wassup Sis? Let’s take this journey.. . And just like that I was immersed in this four EP track entitled “Brooklyn Mulhouse”… Well crafted lyricism from a familiar emcee. I personally haven’t had a chance to listen to Napoleon Da Legend’s music in a minute – so nice to meet you again. That’s my story. Y’all enjoy – again.

Wesley Boy recently released the visuals for his energetic and afro trap track entitled “Money Dance”. The track and dance itself is not about just about “gettin’ money” per se, it’s about celebrating the struggle, hard work and determination that leads to success and yes ultimately obtaining and enjoying money – it’s a journey. “Money Dance” is that soundtrack music you need when you prepare to take that “W”. Blessings. Listen and enjoy!

Michigan rapper Jus Derrick recently released visuals for his track “I JUS RAP” which is an ode to the 90s rap that veteran rappers before him laid the blueprint for and hip hop fans still cherish to this day. The track is a single from his current project “The New 90s Vol. 1”. Just Derrick was born in the 90s but his flows and lyricism are impeccably nostalgic for that era and just as the hook and title says – he just raps on this track over an energetic lo-fi type beat. However, you “just can’t rap” when paying homage to a slice of the hip hope culture. Jus Derrick obviously worked on his craft and came through for the preservation of a dope era. “The New 90s Vol. 1” is now available on all DSPs. Relax and enjoy the visual!

“Understand what you dealing with.”
– Jacobi Ryan

Well, damn… This week, Jacobi Ryan’s “#52in365 #FormerlyFresh” campaign went all the way grimey, and all the way in with the release of the energetic and bass heavy banger “Young Kings Cames Up”. If you haven’t heard anything from Jacobi’s catalog of songs yet this the track that will make you say – “Oooh, who dis?”. The lyrics and his aggressive flow on the track tells it all – “I don’t need attention, I don’t even need nobody to know, I’m just focused, I’m taking care of what I got in control…” And, when you finish listening to this track, you’ll see why Jacobi’s laser focused demeanor and work ethic makes him the shit – trust me, (really trust him) you can’t ignore it.

Don’t forget to listen to his podcast on Monday (click here for the link) to see what Jacobi has to say about the genius behind “Young Kings Came Up” which is now available on all streaming platforms. Alright, listen below and enjoy a snippet of this #OklahomaKnock!

Listen to last week’s episode of Jacobi Ryan’s “The More I Know, The More I Don’t” podcast below to find out the background story behind Week 2’s #52in365 #FormerlyFresh track release for “L-Intentioned”, as well as his recent oil change, the responsibility that comes with expertise/genius, bad advice, the value of stories, the responsibility of his mental health and the format change on the podcast.

Londoner, Parallax is new to TGSofHH pages (but has been doing hip hop justice for some time now) and earlier this month he released his visuals for “In Doubt For Too Long” a track from his debut LP “Auditory Vision” which features Dilated Peoples, Phoenix Da Icefire, C.A.M. and more. The track itself is energetic, yet laid back like a warm cozy afternoon, but Parallax’s rapid fire flow will quickly remind you why you fell in love with good lyricism in the first place. Enjoy!

“Animal House” is the lead single off of edthemadassassin’s latest project of the same name which was released earlier this month. Produced by ShortFuZe, the track is a head noddin’, wildly insane mix of all bars, boom bap and blaring horns and features J. Bond, O.G. Bobby Ne’gro and Pisto Pop. Enjoy!