Mixtape Monday: Cut Chemist, Wordsworth x Sam Brown, The Chopstars + More
From funk sets to true school tapes and a chopped and screwed take on a certified gem, each Mixtape Monday release is guaranteed to stick to your ribs.
Maxwell and Cut Chemist serve up funk jams for the vinyl junkies. Newcomer JRSwiftz pays tribute to 1998, while Jett I. Mastyr takes a quick trip from Houston to the West Coast. Wordsworth and Sam Brown report on Our World Today. The Chopstars take on Thundercat and Robert Glasper gets the rap treatment on Chris Classic’s Unmentioned. Taylor Bennett keeps pace with an energetic collection of limited-edition loosies.
Cut Chemist - A Stable Sound Ep. 22: The Deep Funk Show
Cut Chemist digs deep funk for the 22nd episode of his A Stable Sound series. Packed from front to back with the "best records ever," the set is a pocket heavy dream for anyone compelled by or curious about the funk.
Cut Chemist takes us back to school with an all 45's megamix tribute to the Deep Funk era made famous by legendary DJs and collectors such as Keb Darge, Ian Wright, and Dj Shadow. Take a trip back to a time when record stores still lined the streets and funk records could still be found in them. All OG, well except for Soul Drifters...Enjoy!!
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Maxwell - Diggers Dozen Guest Mix for Soul Cool Records
London selector Maxwell takes the reigns for the latest from Soul Cool Records’ guest mix series. True to deep crate culture, the Diggers Dozen chief populates the set with nothing but vinyl originals.
Maxwell, the hands behind DIGGERS DOZEN selects 12 Funk & Soul gems exclusively for Soul Cool Guest List. All the records used in this mix are original vinyl pressings. No Compilation, No Bootleg, No Recent Reissue. DIGGERS DOZEN is a monthly event based in London that brings top line-ups of record supremos each selecting 12 of their top shelf, original vinyl rarities to bring to the tables.
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JRSwiftz - ’98
Rising beatsmith JRSwiftz pays tribute to the year that shaped his sound on ‘98. The 13-track release is a look back at his move from Brooklyn to the south and the music that scored it; ‘98 is his take on the aesthetic of foundational late-90s hip-hop gems.
...Why '98? That was the year I was truly introduced into hip-hop. My dad, he always had such a profound influence on me...especially musically. This was the year I had moved around, a lot! Just the essence...the nostalgic feeling I had that year was dope. I had just relocated from Brooklyn, NY to Virginia to stray away from the harsh reality. I will never downplay where I’m from. That reality played a major part in my sound. The grit, the soul, the rawness...all of the elements of the city life, is poured into this project.
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Jett I. Mastyr - LAX
Jett I. Mastyr follows the Early Service instrumental project with LAX -- an ultra-smooth dose of traveling music that finds him jetting from his native H-Town to the West Coast in the span of five tracks.
I love going to Los Angeles, whether its to work on music or just visit. I've never spent more than a few days, and it's never long enough. Immediately after landing, I can sense it's a different world..a different vibe completely. When I go to LA it's always a short trip and before I know it...I'm on a plane back to Houston. Peace to the homies El Prez, Free (fka Grandior), Rockaway, Roosh, and my cousin Alex that all live out there.
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Chris Classic - Unmentioned
New York City rapper, writer and producer, Chris Classic, follows his viral #classicTwenty16s single series with Unmentioned. Bundling the loosies for the first time, he makes them available as one downloadable album. Classic pairs his timeless flow, sharp observations and refreshing maturity with expertly chopped samples, which include everything from Robert Glasper’s unmistakable chords to Rudy Huxtable’s finest solo.
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Def3 x Late Night Radio - Small World
Canadian spitter Def3 follows the acclaimed 2014 WILDLIF3 LP with Small World, produced entirely by Denver’s own Late Night Radio. The 11-track release is a clinic in everyman rap that features contributions from Masta Ace, Moka Only, Del the Funky Homosapien, Skratch Bastid and more.
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WholeFoodz - Whole Foodz EP
The WholeFoodz collective takes a cue from DOOM’s beloved Special Herbs series, with the arrival of their self-titled EP. Preserving the flavor in hip-hop, the crew led by MC's Charlie K (formerly of Writtenhouse) and Journalist delivers a solid collection of joints named for healing plants. Each track is punctuated by mesmerizing vocals from K. Warren and Krissy Carlson. Whole Foodz is produced by Brizzo.
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Wordsworth x Sam Brown - Our World Today
Wordsworth and Sam Brown team to drop some of the realest rap ever recorded on Our World Today. Lending airtight lyricism to the mix, Wordsworth tackles injustice, politics and invasive technology with a flurry of grown man bars. Armed with true school production and candid commentary, the pair keep it a hunnid about today’s most pressing issues. Our World Today features appearances from yU, Pearl Gates, Apocalypse, Tonedeff, Masta Ace, Sadat X and Louis.
Our World Today by Wordsworth & Sam Brown
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Taylor Bennett - Throwaways (Unmixed)
Chicago's Taylor Bennett liberates a healthy stack of loosies with the arrival of Throwaways (Unmixed). The bounce heavy 13-track project includes a take on Kanye West’s “Real Friends” and features appearances from his Windy City compatriots Satchel Stokes, The Social Experiment and Dice Soho. Taylor’s brother Chance The Rapper also makes a cameo. This joint is only available for a limited time, so stream it while you can.
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The Chopstars x Thundercat - Drank
H-Town’s DJ Candlestick and OG Ron C. add their syrupy touch to Thundercat’s 2017 Drunk LP on the remix project Drank. Like everything Thundercat touches, Drunk is an achingly beautiful collection of compositions that highlight his dynamic sound and technical skill. By slowing the originals down, The Chopstars have somehow managed to make the release even more beautiful while adding their unmistakable signature to the mix.
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Mistah Rapsey - MusicalDopeTrip Vol. 15 (STRETCHED)
Montreal-based selector Mistah Rapsey returns with the latest in the stellar MusicalDopeTrip series entitled STRETCHED: In My Feelins. The 41-minute set from the Staying Underground chief is an introspective journey full of mysticism, gritty production and weepy, atmospheric jams. Tracks from Noname, Mac Demarco, Homeboy Sandman, Kendrick Lamar, Nick Hakim and The Alchemist are just a few to make the cut.
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Karas Lamb writes and digs for tunes you haven’t heard yet. She actually wants to listen to your mixtape. Follow her on Twitter @karaslamb or Instagram @blamblamkaraslam.