Probcause Distractions

ProbCause is an emcee out of Chicago who’s been putting out some great hip hop for a few years now. The last time we got an official release from him was back in 2015, when he released the excellent album, Drifters. Now he’s back with a surprise EP at the end of the year called Distractions. As Distractions opens with the title track, you’ll immediately be hit by the energy and charisma that ProbCause is known for, as he teams up with Lembo to deliver some really infectious disco/pop/hip hop.

Various Artists - Flight

Say Word Entertainment is a record label and events production company that was founded in New York in 2003. As they prepare to enter their fifteenth year, they’ve re-upped their efforts, added a couple of new names, and are planning to release four new albums in 2018. Before we get to all of that, we get a compilation to wet our whistles, Flight. There are a lot of different types of compilations, but Flight is pretty straightforward as to what its role is.

Harrison Blakoldman - Opera

Harrison Blakoldman is a producer from Paris and former member of the PAPAJAZZ crew. His latest release on the Soulection label is a short five-song EP, which is bound to catch some ears. HBO covers a lot of ground with this EP, so much that it’s hard to pigeon hole him with genre labels. The best comparison I can think of would be DJ Nobody with the way he’s able to blend so many different styles at the same time.

MyrihaB - Life of a Struggling Student

MyrihaB is part of the Not Enough Mics collective, a group of womyn hip hop artists in the Midwest, and Life of a Struggling Student marks her debut album. The Detroit native has come to Madison to go to school, and this album documents that experience. It’s a great debut, and it presents a unique perspective about a situation that many of us go through, yet doesn’t get a lot of coverage.

Crashprez - IHAYRN: A Thesis

CRASHprez is up-and-coming emcee who has quickly established himself in the Madison hip hop scene. An eighteen-year-old college student who came to the Madison from Maryland, he dropped this EP on election day. With this release, it’s easy to see that there’s a lot of talent in this young man. With a title like I Hate All You Rap N—-s: A Thesis, you can correctly assume that there is a certain amount of anger and bitterness to CRASHprez’s music.

Boombaptist - The Lost Files Vol. 4 (2007-2009)

If only every up and coming producer had a back catalogue like BoomBaptist. Over the course of this year, the Austin beat maker has dropped several volumes of music he’s crafted in the past, before he started releasing music, in which we’ve been introduced to the different styles that BoomBaptist is capable of as an instrumental hip hop producer. We’ve also had the fortune of being able to listen to BoomBaptist explore and change in fast-forward, which is also incredibly interesting.

Mikal kHill & Romero Shaw (and friends) - Buy Product

There’s a common misconception that any artist who’s been labeled “nerdcore” doesn’t actually care about hip hop, it’s merely a means to an end for them. The truth, however, as it is with most things, is much more complex. There are certainly a few nerdcore artists and fans out there that have helped perpetuate that stereotype, but there are just as many, if not more, that are true hip hop fans and artists that just happen to be nerdy.

The Happy Unfortunate - July Never Dies

I’m always excited to find hip hop from cities I’m not familiar with as a hip hop fan. In this case, that city is Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Happy Unfortunate started when two friends both faced the tragedy of their respective dad’s deaths, and decided to join forces and take their love of hip hop more seriously. The name they chose refers to the positive creativity that they were able to build out of the unfortunate situation that brought Malcolm-Jay and DJ Envoy together.

Aquil - Land of Synth

Emcee Aquil has been making records in his hometown of Philadelphia for a few years now, but has remained relatively unknown outside of the area until now. He seems poised to breakout, though, with his latest album, Land of Synth. Working with a handful of producers constructing songs on synthesizers, Aquil introduces himself to a potentially new audience as a thoughtful and creative artist. The first comparison that came to mind when I heard Aquil rhyme was to another Philly emcee, Has-Lo.

Amin PaYnE - Cosmic Disfunktions

Amin PaYnE is a producer raised Aukland, New Zealand and now living in Melbourne, Australia. He has put in work as part of Condensed Milk along with Jackson Miles and MåSëlf, and as part of The Operatives with Silent Jay. He has put out a few solo projects over the last couple of years as well, including the enjoyable tributes to Gil Scott-Heron and Curtis Mayfield. This album once again allows Cascade to introduce everyone to a talented international producer they might not have found otherwise.