Music Archives - Dead End Hip Hop

Foster & The Pranksters present to us “The Acid Test EP” [video]

November 1, 2018 By Donnie

Foster & The Pranksters are a genre-bending group made up of Foster (Rap Vocals) Mike C. (Guitars) Steve Padelski (Bass) and Chris Stadler (Drums). The group mix vintage styled psyche rock with hip-hop elements laced with biting commentary and visceral subject matter. Formed in New Jersey in 2016 by Foster and Mike, Padelski who was a longtime friend of Mike was later recruited and the last addition was drummer Chris Stadler.

Less than three months after the release of their surprise debut EP, La Honda, Foster & The Pranksters are back with the hard-hitting, psychedelic trip, THE ACID TEST. The 4 track project is dense, off-kilter and thought-provoking. From the cinematic opener “1ortheothr”, rollicking “Mad Hatter Freestyle”, gritty “killing room” to the guitar-heavy “Hog farm”. Foster tackles many topics ranging from religion, urban and socio-political themes and far out themes. The project is laid out in a 10-minute playlist format smoothly transitioning between spaced-out, melodic grooves and high-caliber lyricism

The visual takes it back to the 70s adding a unique touch to the vintage sounds. In the meantime, Foster & The Pranksters continue to defy conventions with their gripping arrangements and dense songwriting. We can only wonder where they will take their sound to from here but for now, the only question left is: “Can you pass the acid test?”

Tracklist

1 1ortheothr

2 Mad Hatter Freestyle

3 Killing Room

4 Hog Farm

Follow The Pranksters on IG // Twitter // Soundcloud // Spotify

A Short Guide to Westside Gunn’s “Hitler Wears Hermes” Series (1-5)

November 1, 2018 By Jake Milgate

Prominent Buffalo MC and Griselda Records chief, Westside Gunn, decided to give us all a treat on Halloween by releasing the 6th installment in his Hitler Wears Hermes series. Gunn is fresh off his release of Supreme Blientele, an album that will most certainly be in the “album of the year” talks at the end of 2018. Hitler Wears Hermes is a series of projects that ranges all the way back to the beginning of Westside Gunn’s career. He’s dropped a new installment in the series almost every year since 2012 (aside from the year 2013).

The running controversial title of the series was intentional, according to Gunn, and served as a metaphor for the grimy, yet luxurious, feel of the music he makes. Here is Gunn’s reasoning behind the title, pulled from a mini documentary:

“The whole Hitler Wears Hermes, you know the title, man, was just, I wanted to come with, you know, some of the grimiest but flyest shit I could come up with, cuz like, that’s basically my whole style, you know. Just the grimiest, flyest shit I could think of, so. You know, everybody was already used that Devil Wears Prada, and I’m just like, you know I want to flip that right there. Like that was something, I just wanted to come with somebody that soon as you hear it, you be like, ‘Yo that shit’s crazy, but fly at the same time.’ So that’s how I really came up with it.”

So, in honor of the release of Hitler Wears Hermes 6, (which you can purchase here) here is a short guide of installments one through five in the Hitler Wears Hermes series!

Hitler Wears Hermes

Released: 2012

The original (OG) installment of the Hitler Wears Hermes series. It is also the shortest out of all the installments, only including six tracks. It also features only two tracks containing original production. However, Westside Gunn does a hell of job making those tracks his own, one track in particular being “Rayful’s Plug”, which includes the beat from Wiz Khalifa and 50 Cent’s, “Telescope”, produced by Harry Fraud. If you’ve never heard any of the Hitler projects, feel free to start with this one and work your way up.

Hitler Wears Hermes 2

Released: 2014

This installment is my personal favorite of the Hitler Wears Hermes series. It includes several memorable songs, including the first track representing the iconic duo, Hall & Nash (Westside Gunn and Conway). The production from Gunn’s in-house producer and right hand man, Daringer, is stellar. The way he flipped “Sleepy People” on “City, Sos & Me” will forever be ingrained into my eardrums…it’s quite beautiful. Do not let this one slip by your ears. Don’t believe me? Take KA’s word for it.

Hitler Wears Hermes 3

Released: 2015

This is easily the longest of all the installments (17 tracks), and also includes some of the most potent features of the bunch (Sean Price, Benny, Skyzoo, Durag Dynasty and Vast Aire). The Vast Aire (member of Cannibal Ox) feature on “Rixh Lord Poor Lord” in particular is quite a standout. Aside from Daringer handling business as usual on the boards, fellow Buffalo producer, Camoflauge Monk, takes the opportunity to shine on this project, producing tracks such as “Dear Winter Bloody Fiegs” and “Oil Base”.

Hitler Wears Hermes 4

Released: 2016

Around the time this project was released, Westside Gunn (and Griselda Records in general) began to get a lot more attention (shown through the “Combat Jack Speaks” sketch on the project…R.I.P.). He was fresh off his release of FLYGOD, which had dropped earlier that year (check it out here). Like usual, this is yet another solid installment in the series that not only showcases Gunn’s talents, but his label mates as well. Conway’s verse on “The Cow” is easily one of his most emotional and memorable verses he’s ever done…and it’s the VERY FIRST verse you hear on the album. Conway also appears on the track “Nitro” alongside fellow Griselda representative, Benny. The chemistry between all the emcees of Griselda Records is undeniable.

Hitler Wears Hermes 5

Released: 2017

You could argue that Hitler Wears Hermes 5 may in fact be the grimiest installment of the series. The first two tracks, “Hebru” and “MAC 15’s”, strongly support this statement. Also…shoutout to Buffalo poet, Keisha Plum, who has appeared on every installment of Hitler Wears Hermes (as well as FLYGOD and Supreme Blientele). On HWH5, she appears on “Hebru”. Her dark, chilling vocabulary is extremely fitting with the aesthetic of Westside Gunn’s music. In fact, a Westside Gunn project without her presence wouldn’t feel quite right. Conway and Benny once again make appearances. Conway in particular makes an appearance on “R.I.P. Bobby” and glides with Gunn over a beat produced by The Alchemist. The beat includes a gorgeously flipped sample of “I Can’t Stay Away From You”.

Hitler Wears Hermes 6 is available exclusively on Westside Gunn’s website. It will be available on other streaming platforms on November 9th.

Jake Milgate (@MILFENCE) is a staff writer for DeadEndHipHop. He resides in Rochester, NY.

Elcamino – Walking On Water [Album Review]

October 10, 2018 By Jake Milgate

If you haven’t gotten in tune with the Buffalo hip-hop scene as of yet, you’ve seriously been missing out on some great music. The emergence of Griselda Records and their artists (Westside Gunn, Conway and Benny) have placed a spotlight on the city, something that Buffalo, along with the rest of Western New York, as not seen in regards to their music scene. Elcamino is also one of those emerging artists. After coming off his strong self-titled solo debut, which was released earlier this year, Camino has graced us with yet another project entitled, Walking On Water. Following a similar grimy tone to it’s predecessor, Walking On Water is yet another example of why the Buffalo scene is worth paying attention to.

Walking On Water is an album of triumph. At the end of the day, Camino is using his music to separate himself from his drug selling past. The “walking on water” concept is employed as a reference to Jesus Christ performing miracles. Camino believes it is a “miracle” he made it out of the streets of Buffalo alive. On the title track, he shares this sentiment: “The shit that I witnessed, you wouldn’t believe…”

The album cover itself, as well as the “Outro”, also pushes the concept that Camino is performing a miracle. Of course, he’s not the first rapper to turn a bad situation into a good one.

So what makes Elcamino’s music stand out amongst others?

Camino is very straight forward when it comes to his raps, something that can become a crutch. However, within the scope of Walking On Water, it works to his advantage. The simplicity and straightforwardness of Camino’s speak feels necessary for the raw content he is speaking on. His scratchy vocals and his “no bullshit” demeanor are enticing.

The production on Walking On Water provides a beautiful canvas for Camino to paint and detail his tales of drug slanging and braggadocio. A handful of the tracks on here, including “Coke” and “Rayful Bag”, are produced by Shay. Other producers that make appearances on here include Rick Hyde, IceRocks, and common collaborator, Boodeini, who produced the entirety of Elcamino’s solo debut.

It is the mesh of the two aspects I just mentioned that make Walking On Water so enjoyable. The beats are grim and stripped down, and they compliment Camino’s similarly grimy lyrics and mafioso content. It’s as if you’re kicking it with Camino himself in a dark alleyway and he’s telling you these stories face to face. It’s a perfect aesthetic for those who are fans of gangsta rap.

One track in particular that highlights this aesthetic is “Peter in a Porsche”, which has a sample of a Lil Boosie track in the beginning; a shoutout to Camino’s Baton Rouge origins. The track then swings into a slow guitar-lead beat with a near desperate sounding soul sample moaning, “Standing on the corner….somebody please…” Camino’s savageness rings soundly on this song:

“I’m having evil thoughts,

Walking ‘round in the dark

Choppa in my hand

I think somebody gettin’ walked

I’m layin’ in your bushes

I think somebody gettin’ stalked…”

It’s as if Camino almost wants someone to test him to prove that he really means everything he says in his lyrics.

There is, however, one instance on Walking On Water where Camino speaks from a more vulnerable state. On the track “Rosemary”, he reminisces his late grandmother and the impact she had on her life. It’s nothing overly complex…but you can hear the pain in his voice. The Al Green sample in the instrumental adds another wave of sorrow to the song. “My heart gone ain’t no replacing you…” Camino states as he recounts the moment he learned of her death:

“My baby sister called me crying,

And said Granny not waking up

I swore that she was lyin’

Yo, I wish that she was lyin’

I’m just sittin’ there silent…”

There are plenty of gangsta rap bangers on here that will almost certainly catch the ears of those who are fans of likes of Mobb Deep, Ghostface Killah, and Raekwon. In fact the song “Coke” shares the sample used on a Ghostface track called “Purified Thoughts”, from his 2010 album, Apollo Kids. The biggest standout banger on this project is “Rayful Bag”. The deep, cavernous piano used on the beat is menacing, as Camino pulls in his fellow Buffalo collaborator, Benny, for one of the most hard knocking thug anthems I’ve heard all year.

This album is a must for those who are fans of the Griselda movement, as well as those with an ear for gangsta rap. Walking On Water is yet another strong entry in the Buffalo, NY hip-hop scene, which continues to grow stronger every year.

Grade: B+

***

Jake Milgate is a Staff Writer at Dead End Hip Hop. You can tweet at him here.

Getting to know the real Upper Reality [Q/A]

October 5, 2018 By Donnie

Texas-based producer/singer/songwriter Upper Reality made a splash on our radar a while back with her unorthodox take on the RnB/soul genre. The multi-talented act who produces ALL of her music was also on deck to answer some burning questions we had for her. So sit back and watch how it all unfolds below.

DEHH: What is the concept behind your moniker?
TBH it was a more sophisticated Instagram name than “Skilledluvr” — I needed something less hoe-ish going into college. I was messing around with fonts on GIMP with this random picture I took on the beach, and I found an upper-case font and thought “upper” — found a swirly font and thought “reality” — I guess it was the spirit talking to me.

DEHH: How did you venture into producing and what was the first beat/song you made?
I used garage band in middle school— I had aspirations to be a classical/Latin composer, so the first beat I made was this slightly Arabic/latin vibe. You can still hear it on SoundCloud “The last goodbye”

DEHH: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?
Passion. Because I’m passionate about the space in life I am now and thankful for not having to sit at a desk cranking out what I supposedly learned from my economics degree

DEHH: What were you thinking about when your songs are developed? Explain your process.
Usually, I’m just in the moment when the song comes. taking in everything around me and speaking the language of the universe. Usually the less I think about it, the better the song is.

DEHH: What is the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in the music industry?
The idea that you have to sell yourself. I used to think that if you did something dope, the people would just come because it was dope. Now I realize that you have to not only sound good but sound good while sounding like other people that “sound good,” and then — look good. And push that look to as many people as possible as much as you’d push encyclopedias or makeup. It was a tough realization, but I don’t mind it necessarily — backing away from a challenge has never been my thing.

DEHH: What role does the artist have in society from your perspective?
I think depending on what you want to do, the artist has 3 roles — for popularity, speak to what society wants to hear. For a legendary status, do a couple popular songs then speak to what society needs to hear. For yourself, just speak your soul and fight for your role in society as an artist (yes, I do believe part of being an artist is fighting to be an artist)

DEHH: What has been a seminal experience for you?
Heh, seminal… have you heard my tantra song “slowly”? lol, pun intended…anyway, I went to a Lauryn Hill concert once and had this feeling like “hey, my music is just as good as hers..if not better. Why can’t I be her? just the on-time version.”

DEHH: Is there a particular song or musical passage that never fails to move you emotionally?
A couple. The one that gets me right now is “Deeper,” by Freddie Gibbs/Madlib. That beat is a soul beat. Anything you put on it that comes from your soul is going to sound amazing on it, and you will transcend this realm just by engaging it in that way. Freddie Gibbs on top, he just has this way of bringing you into his shoes. But at the same time inviting you to relate his experiences to yours. It’s powerful. Sometimes I cry.

DEHH: What is the importance of the connections you make? How can you utilize them?
Everything is connected. The main thing I do is recognize the connections I happen to see, and just let them fall into songs—not emphasize them too much, because then they can get a bit cliche/tacky—but just to recognize them and give them a nod every chord, every embellishment of the voice.

DEHH: Name three artists you’d like to be compared to.
I always tell people “just think of Sade with lo-fi synths.” So Sade is at the top. I’m also cool with being compared to Erykah Badu, I don’t think I sound a thing like her but I think it’s people’s way of saying I’m different and they like it. So I’m cool with that. I like comparisons to Tracey Chapman and Joan Armatrading the best because I think I do tap into their sound the most without even trying. We’re of the same lineage if you will. And also Me’Shell Ndegeocello. I guess that was four….

DEHH: What’s your strongest memory of your childhood?
Ooh, tough……..Probably how I got into it with a teacher like in the 3rd grade about how she was teaching us art. I just straight up confronted her and said “hey, you say to do things and then you do them a certain way, I do it that way and you say it’s wrong, or messy. What’s that about!?” And she just smiled. I think I earned her respect that day. I realized the importance of speaking my mind, even if it’s different.

DEHH: Favourite or most inspirational place?
Cairo Hookah Lounge, in Richardson, Texas. The only truly multicultural place around. Run through there one of these days.

DEHH: Is there something you would like to do more of in the future?
Shows. Also collabs with some of the bigger people. Its hard to get their attention (as I mentioned, you have to sell how good you are, you can’t just be good) — but the more I do my own thing as hard as I can, I know it’ll come. I have dreams of winning grammies, and also Oscars for soundtracks, like Shaft or Black Panther, something like that.

DEHH: What personal advice would you give to someone wanting to pursue this career?
Do it if you want to, for yourself. Not for the accolades, cause they will never be enough. But if you love it, go for it. Do what does right, even if at that moment it doesn’t make sense. If you can see it in your mind, then you can hold it in your hand.

DEHH: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
A homeless lady once told me “You take yourself everywhere you go.” That stuck with me.

DEHH: In closing, tell us something about any projects and ideas you have in store or are already working on?
I have a few tracks in store for the winter season. I’m a teacher at Guitar center, so my acoustic guitar has been improving a lot lately. I’ll be incorporating more of that. I also have a music video for “My Language” off my EP coming out soon. Stay tuned.

Follow Upper Reality | Soundcloud: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram

Get familiar with Upper Reality’s surreal RnB jam “Slowly” (@upper_reality)

October 2, 2018 By Donnie

Upper Reality is the moniker of a Texas-based producer/singer whose style of RnB is so eclectic and refreshing. Her most recent song “Slowly” caught my ears for its futuristic vibes and sultry elements. From the first listen you can tell she knows exactly how to draw the listener in as she employs different aural techniques to achieve just that. She starts off with a Reggae-dub sample which slowly morphs into a surreal soundscape backed by minimal trap drums. The only other instruments she employed are a steady bass and a trippy guitar to accompany her sultry vocals as she softly entices the listener with her come-hither lyrics and inviting melodies. She doesn’t hold back her feelings as she knows what she wants and how she wants it so anything less will receive zero attention.

“Slowly” is taken from her newest self-produced EP titled “Holy Mountain Wata”.

Follow Upper Reality | Soundcloud: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram

Good Morning: Self Reflection and Mac Miller

September 22, 2018 By Jake Milgate

Photo by DJNowGraphics

The past month and a half, for me, has been a candid reminder of the fragility of human life.

I had just recently lost a friend to drug-related issues, so the death of Mac Miller was a profound blow to me. On September 7, 2018, hip-hop lost a very talented artist.

Mac was someone whose music I had become increasingly more drawn to since he released Macadelic in 2012. He had, in my eyes, expanded his artistic palette much further, honed in his lyrical ability, and created a unique little niche for himself within the genre.

I also understood his personal demons. He was never shy about discussing his struggles with depression, loneliness and addiction within his music. Albums like Watching Movies with the Sound Off and his most recent release, Swimming, are just a few of Mac’s projects where he is brutally honest about his struggles. On “I Am Who Am”, a song off WMWTSO, carries these sentiments:

“Forfeit in the war, he lays a sword down and walks away

Grabs a 40 from the corner store and begins to contemplate

Dealing with death like he work in the morgue, absorbing the souls

Forgotten, he lost his way

Starring down that barrel, thinking not today…”

After his death, I played his music for the entirety of the day. After listening to said albums above, along with others such as his 2014 release, Faces, I came across an album I hadn’t touched in several years: GO:OD AM. I remember playing that album heavily when it came out in 2015 because it was released during my last semester at environmental school. My college experience had changed me permanently. One of the main contributors to my depression is my muscular dystrophy, but the stresses of schoolwork, the potential future, and my chemical imbalance due to excessive drug use only amplified my depression and near-brush with suicide during that time in my life.

As I listened to GO:OD AM again, I began to have flashbacks. All of these past emotions resurfaced once again.

Eventually, I got to “Two Matches”.

I was outside my dorm building smoking a Newport near the bench behind the building. The bench overlooked a cemetery that was also located behind the building.

It was nighttime, and I was all alone, something that became common for me that semester. I would deliberately procrastinate on my assignments to go outside and smoke, whether it was weed or cigarettes. It was how I listened to albums.

I had forgotten how gorgeous that Sounwave beat sounded. I would walk outside with my headphones, pray no one was out on the bench, and walk over by my lonesome and listen to whatever I had found that day. GO:OD AM got that same treatment.

“Two Matches” in particular stood out to me not only for its production quality, but for the sentiment of risk and wonder regarding the future the song discussed:

“Hey, blow out your candles, make a wish

What’s a life if you never take a risk?

Ain’t a place too far, ain’t a dream too big

Ain’t nothin’ wrong with a little bit of fun (let’s have some fun)

Ain’t nothin’ wrong with a little bit of fun…”

To a budding young nineteen year-old, lyrics like this made the song feel like an anthem.

Some nostalgia kicked in as I replayed songs like “Time Flies” and “Weekend”. I remember having “Time Flies” on repeat for WEEKS. Mac really rode that bouncy, beat beautifully: “You can’t expect the unexpected, these dreams are manifested, from my head into reality, they seems a bit excessive”.

Every track returned me to a another memory. The song “Clubhouse” brought me back to a particularly vivid one.

I’m crumbling weed onto a frisbee inside a cemetery mausoleum with a few friends (the cemetery was a common chill spot for myself and fellow students who lived at the dorm). I had my portable speaker next to me blaring GO:OD AM. I was always keen on showing off my music collection to my college buddies. I became known for it (I may have over-requested the aux a few times). “Clubhouse” was currently the song blaring out of my speaker: “If there’s a list to the top you could sign me up”. God, that hook was catchy. The scratching mixed with that little faint xylophone only amplified the vibe.

Almost every night, I was partying and smoking. However, this particular night would be cut short. After rolling up, a cop decided to pull up to our location. I spent the next thirty minutes ducking from his spotlight behind gravestones until I could make a break for the dorm room. Luckily we all got out without getting arrested.

The loneliness and boredom of being at school triggered my drug use, which ultimately led to me doing poorly in school, which would then lead to me being kicked out of school.

“Perfect Circle” began to play.

Those opening, haunting vocals smacked me with a wave of sadness.

This was a song I used to play a lot during my time at school. A song I always played when I was depressed and alone. I was depressed and alone a lot.

I started to remember the day I found out I was going to be kicked out of school. That night, I got an acquaintance to pick me up a bottle of Jack Daniel’s from the liquor store. I went to the graveyard by myself and chugged half of that bitch in less than an hour.

I didn’t give a fuck anymore.

The next thing I remember is waking up with dried vomit on my clothes. It was still pitch black outside and I was still drunk. To this day, I have no idea how I found my way back up to my dorm room that night. It’s honestly a miracle I made it back safe.

As I continued to listen to “Perfect Circle” with tears in my eyes, I began to see the parallels between my prior lifestyle and the one Mac was describing:

“I wash these pills down with liquor and fall

Leave it to me I do enough for us all

Got what you need if you like breaking the law

My mother raised me a God”

So much similarity between us, yet, I’m still here, and Mac Miller isn’t. Another wave of sadness hits me when I hear:

I’ve been a sinner, I’m just tryna stay

Warm through the winter, and I’ll be on my way

I’m just a drifter, in endless seas of whispers

I just need shelter, give me shelter from the wind.”

By the time “Perfect Circle” turns into “God Speed” I’m bawling, knowing the potential fate he wished to prevent had come to fruition:

“But white lines be numbing them dark times

Them pills that I’m popping, I need to man up

Admit it’s a problem, I need a wake up

Before one morning I don’t wake up…”

I cried because Mac Miller never had the chance to heal himself, and now he’s gone.

I cried because my friend met the same fate as he did.

I cried because, in reality, it could’ve been me.

I pushed through the tears and eventually finished the album. What had started as a tribute to a fallen artist, turned into a powerful segment of self-reflection and thankfulness for life:

“Gotta thank God every morning that I woke up…”

One of the truly great things I loved about Mac Miller was his relatability to the people of my generation. A piece of Mac Miller existed in everyone. There are “Mac Millers” out there everywhere that struggle with the same issues he did whose fates have yet to be decided.

I guess I survived because I found a balance. That balance was my passion for music and writing.

My demons aren’t completely buried, and my vices still tug at me every so often. I’m not perfect, nor will I ever be. But I feel like I’m in a state of balance in my life currently that I’m comfortable with. To quote the late rapper himself: “But I think that the beauty is in being able to be in both places […] I really wouldn’t want just happiness. And I don’t want just sadness either. I don’t want to be depressed. I want to be able to have good days and bad days. I feel like that’s really important”.

R.I.P. Malcolm McCormick