Greetings again one and all, tis I Singerdread with another review. This time around it is Verb T’s newest offering, ‘Medicated Dreams’ EP.
I find it unlikely that anyone reading this doesn’t know who Verb T is, but if you don’t, I’ll just say he is a guy who has been in the game for a while and done more than paid his dues. This is why I think he has the position he has at the moment, as a kinda OG of high focus records (I’m sure Verbs won’t mind me referring to him as an OG! haha).
This EP is now the second release from Verbs that is completely produced by the man himself, and as anyone who has the previous Verb T produced album, ‘I Remain’, will tell you….he ain’t too shabby son!! Many rappers try at producing, some do Ok, aaaaaaand some do not. Verbs falls into another category of rappers who produce……he fucking smashes it!!
I dont think that myself and fellow HHLAT writer Adam will ever forget when we saw Verb T perform the title track from ‘I remain’ at Boom Bap festival last year and the crowd reaction when that beat switches!!! Jheeeez!! Haha anyways, moving on……
I really like Verbs style of production, as at times its hard to hear what he’s played and what is the sample….which is awesome!! and also a real testament to his skills as a producer. His beats remind me a lot of Madlibs beats (I’m sure Verbs won’t mind this comparison either), as he creates tracks that have their own type of vibe to them and sometimes may not strictly sound like ya average hip hop beat. That theme or style of beats match perfectly with the subject matter of the EP. ‘Medicated Dreams’ is a trippy and laid back 9 tracks in which Verb T tells tales of pain, insomnia, and basically insanity!! Don’t let the laid back sound fool you though, as Verbs is as complex as he can be with his rhymes and patterns, making the replay factor of this EP very strong.
I really think this EP is brilliant, and I couldn’t stop listening to it, as was the same with Verb T’s last album, ‘I Remain’. My final thought on this EP is one that I don’t want people to get misconstrued. The point I wanted to make was that I think Verbs age and music now is at a maturity level which gives him the freedom to do some things others may not be able to do with his sound and subjects. It is for this reason that I think the older hip hop head may well appreciate this EP more than a younger buck…BUT, as I said, I don’t want people to get this twisted, as I’m sure younger listeners too will appreciate what Verbs has done here.
There is only one verdict I could have come to when reviewing this EP……Go and buy it now!!…..its awesome and its out now!!!
Thank you for your time in reading this and thanks to HHLAT for the chance to do this again. that’s me, Singerdread, signing out. Peace Love Unity to all.
Verb T had this message “This is a good prelude to my new EP I guess. This video was filmed in December 2011 at St. Thomas’s hospital. I had been struggling for years with Crohn’s disease and all the different medication I had to take was affecting me badly as well. In that hospital bed I finished off writing the Morning Process album. I was there over Christmas when I should have been with my kids. My hair looked fucking sick really but I was at the lowest point I ever have been physically. When I came out I was on a huge dose of steroids which made me feel better at first only to feel a lot worse. This is around the time when the four owls album was new and we were doing shows all over. I would be sitting backstage looking half dead and have to jump up and go mental on stage. The traveling and not sleeping were hard, it had to be a case of mind over matter to get through it sometimes. I heard an endless list of “you look tired man” “you look well sad mate” “are you wasted?” “did some one shit in your ruck sack?” (ok not the last one). in the past few months I’ve tried other more natural remedies and tried taking better care of myself generally and it’s helped but it’s still a struggle sometimes. So my new EP is a wacked out journey through my experiences under the influence of different types of medication with side helpings of weird dreams, some depression and some optimism, it’s out on now, that’s good isn’t it? yes.”
From intestines to chitlins, from old dusty records to Hip Hop, necessity has always been the mother of invention. Nobody knows this better than hiphop stalwarts Apollo Brown & Ras Kass. Today they’re breaking down the mathematics of change on their new song, ‘Humble Pi’ that debuted yesterday at XXL.
As Ras Kass’ legacy has been written into the annals of Hip hop, he’s watched plenty of his compatriots stumble – something that reminds him of Momma reading Proverbs 16: Pride Comes Before A Fall. With that spirit Ras Kass & Apollo Brown take up the tools of their craft to reflect and recreate some ‘Humble Pi’.
Directed by Jay Brown, the new video is the first from Apollo Brown & Ras Kass’ eagerly anticipated upcoming album “Blasphemy ” out October 28th
After releasing his debut album ‘K In Da Flesh’ back in 2006 he has gone on to share stages with the likes of Sugar Hill Gang, Mos Def, GZA/Genius (Wu-Tang),Tinchy Stryder and Mark Ronson, as well as homegrown legends such as Rodney P, Blak Twang, Ty and more. K*Ners long awaited album V.O.T.C ( Voice Of The City ) signed to Bristol’s urban heavyweight label Reel Me Records is now ready to go for summer 2014 …
K*Ners has delivered another slice of UK Hip-Hop that is guaranteed to grab your attention. A tight collection of tracks with guest appearances from Sway, Roots Manuva, Harry Shotta and more.
Former Single “Watch You” mixed and mastered by Kosheen and supported by Charlie Sloth on BBC 1Xtra, is included here on an exclusive upfront radio sampler alongside 4 fresh new tracks from the album.
K*Ners has recently been performing ‘Clint Eastwood’ Live on tour for Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz project and is due to go on tour with the group later this year …
Pre-Order ‘Voice Of The City’ on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/album/voice-of-the-city/id910475685
You can keep up to date with the latest from K*NERS on Twitter and Facebook
Veteran NYC Emcee Darkim be Allah unleashes a new single from upcoming collaboration project with Producer Endemic Emerald. The record is a New York style banger with sharp intensely delivered rhymes from Darkim and a raw melodic backdrop from Endemic.
“We were working closely with Endemic Emerald for a minute before he moved to NYC last year, so it was only a matter of time before we came with a collaboration project” says Darkim who has his Fame Labs team representing on the album.
Endemic Emerald [Formerly Just Endemic] is originally from the UK and has released his Terminal Illness 2 project to critical acclaim as well as working with artists such as Immortal Technique, Royal Flush, Tragedy Khadafi, Shabaam Sadeeq, Easy Mo Bee, Bankai Fam, Nutso & many more since dwelling in Brooklyn.
Circle Infinite wears many hats. After winning The UK DMC Championship a few years ago as Dj Quest, he honed his production and vocal work with a nod to creative wordplay and conscious creative expansion. Sharp lyrics and sharp beats with an eye for detail.
Circle Infinite draws the Universe closer with three tracks produced by Benjamin One, Awkward and Circle Infinite himself.”
Out now via Ghostlocust Music (Free, or pay what you’d like)
Here’s the second leak from Saigon‘s upcoming album ‘Greatest Story Never Told 3: The Troubled Times of Brian Carenard’ out 30.09.14. The track ‘One Foot In The Door’ features the legendary Big Daddy Kane and DJ Premier on the boards and is available as an instant gratitude download if you Pre Order GSNT3 on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/gsnt-3-troubled-times-brian/id917472757?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
After releasing his mixtape ‘Lost Souls’ in June, Coops returns to SBTV but this time for a warm up! This is also the first time Coops has ever rapped over a beat in front of the camera.
Last week, Joey Badass dropped by the Toca Tuesdays studio to kick it with DJ Tony Touch. While there, he spit an off the top freestyle over Sean Price’s “Figure Four” beat. Tune in to Toca Tuesdays each and every Tuesday from 8p till Midnight (EST) on Shade 45.
If like us you were left disappointed by the final product of the much hyped Charlie Sloth BBC Radio 1 cypher at the weekend, well we wernt alone Swiss expresses his opinions on it in this track.
Be on the lookout for the Swiss and Lowkey, yes LOWKEY previously unheard 40 minute cypher dropping tomorrow and available for FREE download
hiphoplifeandtimes 