WHY? - Proactive Evolution

I'd be white, weak and blind
The opposite of oxen
Feeling for an exit with
Fingers stiff as branches
Of a tiny bonsai birch
Bark falling off in strips
Leaving nude wood, white
So bright in raw scar-glow
Like a fresco angel, except
Starved and deranged though
And for an exit, trying
Through blindness and time
If I wasn't when I am

I've got a very clear, and very cool memory of one of my first experiences with Oakland's Why?. It comes from back when I first moved to San Francisco from Seattle. I'd just discovered their 2008 release Alopecia and had "The Hallows" in frequent rotation. I remember sitting there on the floor of my new apartment, sun and summer air streaming through open bay windows, listening to Alopecia and dreaming up my SF adventures. Good times. It's been a bit since I'd thought about them, but the couple new tracks I've seen come through lately are great. And today's Most Important, "Proactive Evolution" has piqued my interest quite a bit again. I'm sure I'll remember this for awhile as well, sitting here jamming their catalog as I write this, thinking about this week's upcoming summer adventures in Melbourne.

RIYL: Menomena, Dan Deacon, tUnE-yArDs, YACHT, Dirty Projectors

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Run The Jewels - Hey Kids (Bumaye)

Say hello to the masters, on behalf of the classless masses
We showed up, ski masks, picks, and axes to murder asses
Lift up our glasses and watch your palaces burn to ashes
Fucking fascists, who the fuck are you to give fifty lashes?
All 'cause I'm motivated, stimulated, never smoking simulated happy and burning hashes
Killer, killer, dealing with him like he's a squealer
Get 'em, got 'em, shout 'em, and flipped the matress
Woo! I'm the man, bitch, got big ideas, got plans to rob
Any Rothschild living, Bill Gates, and the ghost of Jobs
Yeah I said it, I meant it, I ain't flinch'n, Marshawn Lynch'n it
Run through a motherfucker's face like ig'nant, isn't it
Domain eminent, we the pre-eminant
Villainous willingness, spitting this ready raw rap shit rhyme ridiculous
Enemy grave, he digging it, then we piss in it
Us go to hell, we been in it, getting it, yeah

New RTJ dropped on Christmas. It's dope and pretty much what you'd expect from them: fresh, deep, dark and creative beats, wicked production, complex rhymes and a lot of irreverent attitude. Oh and a Marshawn Lynch reference on today's Most Important. Go Seahawks!

RIYL: MF Doom, Deltron 3030, Earl Sweatshirt, Cannibal Ox, Madvillan

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REMI - Substance Therapy

If you do it my way
You get faded when life plummets
If you're going south
You're headed for Southern Comfort
Although it can push you to jumping or acting the dummy
Like spending all of your money cause you just got made redundant
But retail therapy's the only one for your budget
So Dr. denim is the only therapist you're funding
Besides
He lets you prescribe
Any drugs that you like
To get high as the rent you need to cover
Even though at home you've got a lady missing your loving
And you've got sons you need to lead like Marcus Mumford
And you've got bills to pay
But you need a real escape
So you hit the town harder as punches from Muhammad
1 bag, 2 pills, 3 shots before leaving yours
By 5 your face is in the gutter
But you'll be back next week
Throwing your hands up in the club
Like woo girls from 'How I Met your Mother' tryna cover the pain

Bounce
All my people feeling down
If you're loving the sound
Then let me see you get around me
You got sorrows you need to drown
Get around me
And lets try and pretend
That Shit is astounding huh

Everybody bounce
All my people feeling down
If you're loving the sound
Then let me see you get rowdy
By another round now
You should get rowdy
And lets try and pretend
That Shit is astounding uh huh

REMI created this song (with producer Sensible J) to reflect the cycle of depression when life's problems cause a dive into alcohol/drugs. Melodic and accessible, I'm enjoying catching up with this Melbourne-based hip-hop artist. This Most Important cut is a single from his recently released second album, Divas and Demons. For another vibe, check out this bonus track from REMI's debut LP with it's old school, upbeat chill (if that makes sense).

RIYL: Mos Def, Nas, Resin Dogs, A$AP Rocky

Upcoming Shows