The realisation that we’re halfway through the year is a scary thought. In other news we’re still nowhere close to getting that J.Cole/Kendrick collab tape, but at least we can bank on Dreamville’s ‘Revenge Of The Dreamers 3’ album; following two brand new singles ‘Down Bad’ and ‘Got Me’. This week’s 5 for Friday features contributions from up-and-coming rapper Kofi Stone, AYLØ and Little Simz too. There’s no doubt that you’ll enjoy each of their releases below, so scroll down and get locked in.
Kofi Stone – Talk About Us feat. Ady Suleiman
A 5 for Friday debut selection from Kofi Stone is ‘Talk About Us’ which features neo-soul singer Ady Suleiman join the rapper on his saving grace. An audible sedative inspired by jazz raps of the golden era.
Kofi Stone balances his time between London and Birmingham, but in ‘Talk About Us’ he’s planted outside his lover’s doorstep in search of a remedy. An easy drum pattern and slow-winding piano notes make for a great platform to get your thoughts out clearly, and Kofi seizes the moment with a lucid tale. Ady Suleiman fills the song with a light dosage of riffs and delivers alto billed notes on the thoughtful hook. The visual is a refreshing watch that lumps all the lengths Kofi will go to make amends.
AYLØ – Paris
AYLØ is a one-of-a-kind rapper, singer and beatsmith forging new ways to elevate his alternative sonic. ‘Paris’ is an anti-clockwise swing from the alté and feels like a car ride into outer space.
Trembling piano keys intertwine with echoey kick drums that rattle the core of a trippy rhythm. AYLØ clocks polyphonic notes and masterfully pitches sharp croons which are underscored by arcane mumbles and matched with silky high notes. AYLØ evokes a less is more ethos on ‘Paris’ while very much staying true to the latter half of R&B music. His words are like cryptic carvings on a slab of concrete, difficult to translate but are very much felt sonically.
Dreamville – Down Bad ft. JID, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG & Young Nudy
Dreamville roll out a much awaited single from their ‘Revenge Of The Dreamers’ session, ‘Down Bad’ features J.I.D, Bas, J.Cole, Johnny Venus (of EARTHGANG) and outsider Young Nudy mash up a spectacular beat.
On ‘Down Bad’ each rapper tackles a rhythmic roulette and jump on the fray in signature style. Young Nudy begins the hurdle and flaunts his slippery rap flow over an ominous loop before passing the baton. J.I.D tackles the hook and beats the production down to a pulp, pitching a verse that is highly lyrical and catchy, and Bas daps up the ville with his no-frills delivery. Leaving J.Cole and Johnny Venus to wrap up the bitesize entreé to their forthcoming compilation.
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Giannis feat. Anderson .Paak
In the lead up to their full-length album ‘Bandana’, Gangster Gibbs & Madlib share ‘Giannis’ and hook up with Anderson .Paak on a left-field beat named after NBA athlete Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Madlib cooks up a fruitful beat which Freddie Gibbs shreds apart with a slew of words that feel like they’re never-ending. When you combine Madlib and Freddie Gibbs years in the rap game, you get a number of years that span generations of Hip-Hop. “That 360 mean a percentage of every income stream,” Gibbs drops on his second verse, dropping game like an OG. .Paak holds up his weight with a mantic hook and charts his soulful vocals on the tail end sealed by a Hindi sample.
Little Simz – 101FM
Little Simz dropped ‘Grey Area’ earlier on in the year and indulged our ears with polished lyrical expression and cinematic soundscapes. She follows through with a new visual for ‘101 FM’, a nostalgic cut seeping with an Indian bounce.
Little Simz charts a sharp and calculated cadence over a bouncy production that’ll have your head skipping along to a cocktail of instruments. Her effortless delivery finds the wordsmith slinging words that hit like notes from a diary, with anecdotes narrating her humble beginnings. Directed by Jeremy Ngatho Cole & Marco Grey, we gloss over a montage of clips with a few VHS cuts throwing us back to the 2000s. Little Simz lives out her experiences, from the early studio sessions to the late nights shoobs (house party), and even features her mother deliver a notable performance that almost everyone can relate to.
