Projects You Might've Missed Final

Wow...these posts are actually flying by. For last part of PYMM for 2011, I bring to you some artists from areas that a lot of people wouldn't associate hip hop with (maybe). Don't believe me? How many rappers do you know from Indiana? (Freddie Gibbs...oh wait there ARE more!) But putting Indiana aside for now, let me get started with one of our non-continental states...


16. Fortilive - I Vs. I

Number sixteen on my list of twenty-five comes from hip hop group Fortilive which is made up of producer !llmind of New Jersey and rappers Slo-Mo and Mushmouf of Hawaii (Slo-Mo does some board work on this as well). The two emcees spit a mixture of hype hip hop, anti-police brutality/profiling, and some songs for the ladies. Honestly, as the first hawaiian rappers I've ever heard, they've set the bar really high. You can check out Fortilive's project on DJ Booth: http://www.djbooth.net/index/mixtapes/entry/fortilive-i/

Fortilive - Gimme - I Vs. I

17. CyHi the Prince - Royal Flush 2

The next project comes from G.O.O.D. Music artist and Atlanta native CyHi the Prince. Following last year's Royal Flush, CyHi's Royal Flush 2 furthers the Card based concepts he is known for with even greater depth. Royal Flush 2 is divided into four parts based on the four playing card suits (Spades, Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds) This project features fellow signee Big Sean, along with other southern artists Yelawolf, B.o.B. and 2Chainz (Tity Boi). Look for a mixture of conventional, electro, and pop beats featuring CyHi's blend of punchlines, analogies, and metaphors. Remember it's all G.O.O.D. :http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/13986/cyhi_the_prynce_royal_flush_2.html

Cyhi the Prince ft. Big Sean - Woopty Doo (prod. Kanye West & No I.D.) 

18. Fresh Daily - The Quiet Life 

Next up is Brooklyn emcee Fresh Daily's The Quiet Life. This project features a wide variety of producers, but maintains a remarkable cohesion: the majority of the beats maintaining a very smooth jazz sound. To keep it short, though Fresh Daily claims to be a quiet man, he is far from that. His flow and lyrical content reveal great depth and ability, with songs like "Next Time" and "Art Mirrors" displaying personal sides of the artist without whine or overlypreachish tendencies. This project is one for the year. Just relax and take a listen, you will enjoy it: http://freshdaily.bandcamp.com/album/the-quiet-life

Fresh Daily - The Quiet Life (prod. Theory Hazit) - The Quiet Life

19. Nesby Phips - The Lockout

So now we're dipping into the South again...Nesby Phips is a New Orleans rapper who released The Lockout (inspired by the shenanigans of both the NFL and NBA) Though I haven't thoroughly saturated myself with this project, I know that it's a very good one. Phips as an artist brings a lot of personality to each track and doesn't try to be mainstream; he is who he is. The whole project sounds like an interesting talk with Phips holding it down for the vast majority of the project. I can't say too much about this project, but form your own opinion. Phips is someone to at least take a listen to. I definitely like The Lockout, you should check it out: http://www.djbooth.net/index/mixtapes/entry/nesby-phips-the-lockout

Nesby Phips - Magic ft. Curren$y & Stalley - The Lockout

20. alpha.live - Soul CineMa

And here we go. Without further ado, the Indianian rapper (not Freddie Gibbs) is alpha.live who released his project Soul CineMa in the spring time. The majority of the project features moodier, but saturated  production and soundscapes. alpha.live's flow tones each and every track well. This is definitely a project to play when you just want to think. Soul CineMa brings a quiet energy that draws me to it now and again. Listen to alpha.live's Soul CineMa and get a glimpse of what else Indiana has to offer. You can get it at DJ Booth: http://www.djbooth.net/index/mixtapes/entry/alpha-live-soul-cinema/

alpha.live - Wait A Minute ft. Bashiri Asad

Hope you enjoy the sounds. And be prepared for more in-depth looks at various projects and artists once the new year begins. Have a great day tomorrow and a great night tonight.