Hey, What About The Rest Of Us?

If you’re like me, then you’re probably worn out from all of the Drake footage that sites like the main hustle are flooding the e-waves with (I apologize for that). It happens from time to time, and while I do find it somewhat annoying myself there’s actually a percentage of society that truly care about every single thing the guy does.

For the other 85% of the hip hop world, however, most of us look to the sites like the main hustle either for new, different sounds or to snatch up “unauthorized” leaks before those alphabet boys come killing UserShare links and what have you. I personally have been listening to stuff that’s decidedly un-Aubrey like, and here are a few of said artists.

TiRon: For all the talk about Drake rapping and singing and being “emotionally vulnerable” and shit, for the rest of us who aren’t going to be lined up at Best Buy with the rest of the high school, teenage conglomerate we know that his style is nothing new and in some cases is done better. Around the same time Thank Me Later caught a case of the drips, this Los Angeles via Illinois artist dropped his latest project, MSTRD, and it’s thus far remained the most played album in my iPod this year.

Curren$y: I wasn’t a fan of the guy when he was underutilized rolling with Lil Wayne in the early Young Money days. But ever since he struck out on his own he’s become what Method Man and Redman wish they could do as successfully in 2010: weed rap over dope beats, provided by a rejuvenated Ski Beatz.

Ski Beatz: Speaking of which, I’ve always wondered why Jay-Z stopped working with the guy after he crafted some indelible moments on his first two albums. And while waiting on his oft-delayed 24 Hour Karate School project is similar to waiting on Detox or Act II, his other works with DD172 (with fellow Roc-A-outcast Dame Dash) will suffice for not. I’m still not a fan of the “Beatz” surname, however.

Diamond District: Wale isn’t the only act people should recognize from the DMV. Oddisee, XO and yU have ironically made some of the best East Coast boom-bap from the land of go-go and... errr... The Wire. The Diamond District released In The Ruff as a free (albeit edited) album last spring, and when it officially dropped in stores several months later it was still able to move units. Perhaps New York should pay attention to that instead of blaming everybody else for its issues.