Another week, another fresh batch of Colorado hip-hop. We've got a brand new mix from Chris Karns, who is retiring his DJ Vajra moniker. We've also got a new single from Pries, along with fresh cuts from Lil Bad and AP and J Dubb. Continue on to see what's good this week in local hip-hop.
See also: - Fresh local hip-hop from Young Tenner, Killa Keezy, 2MX2 and Panama Soweto - Fresh local hip-hop from Slam 1 with Tech N9NE, Trev Rich, TC Crook and Boss Goodie - Fresh local hip-hop from BLKHRTS, Panama Soweto, Innerstate Ike and more
Chris Karns - Live Bait: How to Set a Trap DJ Vajra is no more. Retiring the moniker of his DMC winning alter ego, Chris Karns has emerged with a magnificent new mix under his own name. The mix, done in one take, is built on an electronic base of big drops with samples from the likes of KRS-One, Jay-Z, Kanye West, TI, Paul Wall and many more. The mix makes for an incredibly entertaining listen as Karns flawlessly blends tracks like D.R.U.G.S.' "Who's Watching" (Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me") into Kayne's "Mercy" in a matter of seconds. A great intro to trap, this mix also finds Karns blending other genres in with masterful timing and refined selection of music. About sixteen minutes into the mix, he goes on a rampage of scratches that is amazing. Trap is Karns at his best.
Lil Bad featuring AP - "Hustle" AP drops in immediately as the beat creeps with a gritty street cadence over languid synths. The production here is simplistic yet enticing, bringing focus to the rhymes, which are obviously about money. Lil Bad is extremely confident with a gangster persona about him, while Bad's rhyme style is classic West Coast influenced with a high-pitched voice inflection in his delivery. The laid back nature of the track sounds California gangster-ish with Colorado references.
Pries - "Colfax" "He's starting to get a chip on his shoulder and he show it," raps Pries on his latest single, "Colfax." Here the rapper sounds as edgy as the clandestine areas of the street that the song is named after. "Whats a rapper with no chains/Guess I'll pray for some on Sunday," he raps, touching on the lure of money and fame from the perspective of someone sleeping on his "momma's couch." An inspiring listen overall.
J Dubb - "Momma" This song is built around the refrain "I put that on my momma," and while this is only a preview of the entire song, the beat is bodacious and the tune itself is catchy as hell, driven by J Dubb's flow, which is very simple and chant-like.
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