If It's Too Loud...

Artist : Angela Autumn Album : Believer Quick Thoughts : It could be easy, at first glance, to write off Angela Autumn as another rootsy singer with a unique vocal delivery, but there's something different about her that sets this album apart. For me, I was hooked the moment I heard "Electric Lizard" for the first time, but this record offers song after song of compelling, different, and memorable music. "Mountain Stream" is a sonic delight, "Millionaire Money" a fairly straightforward-yet-earwormy take, and by the time my first listen was through, I knew I'd be digging through her back catalog. A great listen. Songs of Note : "Heavy Tobacco," "Mountain Stream," "Bleach Bugs," "Millionaire Money," "Electric Lizard" Artist : beabadoobee Album : Pylon Quick Thoughts : Of the female singer-songwriters who rose over the last decade, I feel like the Boygenius Industrial Complex has crowde...

Rakim has been making music for nearly forty years, first as half of Eric B. & Rakim. He's known as The God MC, and is still making fantastic music this far into his career. His latest single, "Not to Be Defined," features Lazarus and blows away anything most of his peers have done in the past twenty years. This isn't an MC who is trying to rehash his glory days, or desperately trying to keep with with what the kids are doing these days. Rakim is moving his music forward in his own style. If you're a fan of Rakim's classic music, you're going to love "Not to Be Defined." This new song shows that no matter how respected Rakim has always been, he's still somehow underrated to your average music fan. You can watch the video for "Not to Be Defined" below. The Re-Up is due out August 29 on 1332 Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Rakim, check out the artist on Instagram .

For his first official single in fifteen years, hip hop legend Rakim has joined forces with two other hip hop legends. "Be Ill" features Kurupt and Masta Killa, and it's every bit as great as you want it to be with these three teaming up. This is pure vintage hip hop, just maybe a little more laid back than it used to be. It also sounds a little more modern than I expected, but modern in the way that this is what these legendary MCs should sound like in 2024. If you think you might want to check this one out, trust me... you do. And if you know you need to hear "Be Ill," you're going to love this one. You can listen to "Be Ill" below. G.O.D.'s Network (Reb7rth) is due out July 26 and will feature collaborations with Method Man, Kool G Rap, Joell Ortiz, the late Nipsey Hustle, and more. It's available for pre-order here . For more on Rakim, check out the artist on Twitter and Instagram .