AJ Suede & Televangel: Parthian Shots (Stream)

As advised last month, today sees the release of the latest album from AJ Suede and Televangel. For those unfamiliar with the partnership, Parthian Shots follows on from last year’s much acclaimed collaboration, Metatron’s Cube, with the duo reaching the same heights – and arguably even higher – on this latest venture. If you needed more reasons to invest your time, the album also boasts features from the likes of Bruiser Wolf, Mr MFN eXquire, Rich Jones and Milc. It’s out in full today via Fake Four, along with the vinyl pre-order. Bandcamp is the best place to find it and it also happens to be Bandcamp Friday, so go sling them a few extra bucks while you have the opportunity. If you want a taster, you can preview the album below.

Rich Jones & goldenbeets: It is decidedly so (Stream)

The arrival of new music from Rich Jones seems to be a consistent gift on the ears and so what better way to start the week than with his latest EP, It is decidedly so. The project finds him pairing up with Portland producer, goldenbeets, who seems to have brought the best out of Jones, along with some perfectly matched features from Milc and greenSLLIME. Four tracks that fit the mood as the season slowly changes for the better. Listen below and head to Bandcamp to get your download.

Slim’s Pickings 2022 Pt. 1

For those of you unaware, I recently published a list of my top 10 favourite hip hop and RnB albums in The Wire Magazine, as part of their end of year review issue. It was a tough list to compile because 2022 contained a multitude of stellar releases, many of which deserved further praise.
Guilt quickly set in after I’d submitted the list to my editor, not because I felt like I’d made a mistake with any of my choices, but because I wish I had been given the time and space to write about the bevy of other favourites that had been in rotation over the last 12 months. So now I’m going to attempt to summarise those remaining projects and give them the shine they deserve. But first my original list and the accompanying blurb, for those of you who missed it the first time round. I should also mention that I fucked up with the Little Simz pick. I had it in my head that SIMBI came out in early 2022, but in fact it was late 2021. I blame my own sketchy-at-best memory and the fact that her MOBO win came so late in the year. Anyway…

andrew ft. Everyone: Flying Colors

As if 2022 hadn’t already been a hell of a year for andrew, he manages to add to his successes with a loosie that deserves as much attention as his earlier full-length offerings. The main reason being is that it takes the form of a gigantic posse cut that features the sort of guestlist that indie rap dreams are made of. Joining andrew on this self-produced behemoth are Defcee, Zilla Rocca, iAlive, Jymmy Kafka, Bloodmoney Perez, Jesse The Tree, PremRock, Rich Jones, Cody Cody Jones AND Alaska. A lineup so insane that you’d probably think I was making it up if the track wasn’t available for your listening pleasure below. As usual, downloads can be found on Bandcamp.

Rich Jones ft. Vyle: Go Free

Rich Jones dropped off a new single last week, which stands as something of a personal milestone for him, thanks to the drafting in of two of his musical heroes for the act. Go Free features a tight appearance from Vyle, accompanied by some equally on point production from Meaty Ogre, as well as Rich at his melodic best. The video for Go Free was made by Dunce Videos, the visual outlet of Mike Petrow aka Duncecap. Downloads are available now via Bandcamp.

Rich Jones & Killer Kane: Love You, Pay Me

You may remember me singing the praises of the latest release from Rich Jones, which saw him teaming up with producer, Killer Kane. The duo have now released a video from the EP, which features a friendlier twist on an old adage. The video was made by Orange Cap Pictures and it stars Sllime64. The Blue Beach EP is available now via Bandcamp.

Rich Jones: It’s Over + EP News

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Pleased to report that we are dangerously close to the release of the new EP from Rich Jones. The Chicago artist recently removed himself from the metropolis for a break on the East Coast, and while he was there he decided to use the new surroundings to his advantage, drawing on the tranquility of the moment to bring forth a new project.
On the beats, we have Killer Kane, who Rich reached out to after a few years of back and forth communications between the two. The result is Blue Beach, which Rich descibes as, “something that someone could get lost in for hours, or enjoy for a quick 15”. You can experience a taste of what he means below, thanks to the first track from the EP, It’s Over, and then stay tuned for the full drop on Friday.

Rich Jones & Montana Macks ft. Matt Muse, Defcee, SKECH185, Psalm One & Jovan Landry: Locals Only

A big drop here from Rich Jones, as he brings his locally sourced posse cut to life with some fresh visuals. Locals Only is taken from his Montana Macks produced project, How do you sleep at night?, which was released at the tail end of last year, and features a fine cross-section of the plethora of talent that Chicago has to offer. Matt Muse, Defcee, SKECH185, Psalm One and Jovan Landry all bring their unique flavours to the mix, with the track further fortified by this new video from New Trash Crew. The album is out now, available exclusively via Bandcamp.

Rich Jones & Davis the Dorchester Bully: nike vs. adidas

Rich Jones keep them coming with this latest single, which sees him teaming up with fellow Chicago rap merchant, Davis the Dorchester Bully. Straight up solid rhyming over a smooth beat from New Jersey producer, Good Food. The video is available above and you can find downloads over on Bandcamp.

Rich Jones & Montana Macks: How do you sleep at night? (Stream)

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Speaking of Rich Jones, he’s another rapper whose music I’ve once more been enjoying, while neglecting to promote it on here. So with that in mind, you would be wise to check out his most recent project which sees Rich reconnecting with the man who apparently first brought him into music, way back in the school bus days – Montana Macks. The album is only available either on Bandcamp or via the artists directly, because Rich believes it is an album that needs to be digested as a whole, without any loss of the context that can come with playlist placements and the like.
It was written while some of the darker events of recent times played out in front of Rich’s eyes, including the brutality displayed by Chicago police officers, which unsurprisingly found its way into his lyrics. The title itself was a question he was asking himself as the scenes continued to get murkier. Aside from Rich and Montana, the album boasts a line up of guests that reflect Chicago’s supportive network of artists, including the concluding track, Locals Only, which features Psalm One, Defcee, Skech185, Jovan Landry and Matt Muse. As always, self-discovery is a better experience than my words, so go and enjoy the album for yourself. Previews are available below, with downloads available over on Bandcamp.