If It's Too Loud...

Photo courtesy Raw Poetic Raw Poetic, aka the duo of MC Jason Moore and guitarist P-Fritz, have mastered the art of jazz influenced hip hop. They've once again teamed with producer Damu the Fudgemunk on their latest single, "Dank Ish." The song is a laid back track that reminds me of the progressive rap of the early 90's. It has a whole PM Dawn, A Tribe Called Quest, and Gang Starr vibe going on. There are just some collaborators that bring out the best in each other, and Raw Poetic and Damu the Fudgemunk do that for each other. "Dank Ish" is just simply a great throwback hip hop song that avoids sounding dated. Jason Moore says of his band's new single: “‘Dank Ish’ was initially just a play on a friend’s name, that turned into a mystical journey back to Africa after taking a sip of a drink. What was really in the drink, who knows!” You can listen to "Dank Ish" below. Away Back In is due out August 25 on Def Presse, and is available for pre-ord...

Photo by Nick Moreland Raw Poetic, the Virginia/DC based duo of MC Jason Moore and guitarist P-Fritz, released two excellent albums in 2022, and are somehow already back with new music. "Ease Side" sees Raw Poetic once again teaming up with produder Damu the Fudgemunk. The song showcases their perfect fusion of hip hop and jazz, with just a little bit of a rock edge. It's a laid back song that explores the inner workings of a worry free relationship. Positive relationship songs are a rarity in hip hop, but seem ideally suited to an artist like Raw Poetic.  Jason Moore says of the new single: “‘Ease Side’ for us is like a universal calling for everyone to pump the breaks a little. Life is tough, but sometimes it’s good to take a step back and appreciate the good parts of it.” You can listen to "Ease Side" below. Away Back In is due out August 25 on Def Presse, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Raw Poetic, check out their website .

Photo by Earl Davis The latest from Raw Poetic is definitely a hip hop song, but "Digits" doesn't quite sound like what you expect a hip hop song sounds like. It's hard to describe, but once you listen, you'll get it. First off, the beat doesn't seem to be the focal point of the music. If anything, the focus is what sounds like a piano sample with some strange space age effects on it. While a lot of hip hop has a jazzy or even a space age feel to it, "Digits" doesn't quite fit that. It has some elements of those styles, but Raw Poetic doesn't go all in on either. Instead, the Damu the Fudgemunk produced song has a slick style that sounds completely unique. Raw Poetic says of his new single: “‘Digits’ is basically about moving through the digital ages, yet being unfazed by it.  I like being an average joe. I like doing things in an organic way. So while the sound rides and moves into this unique digital format, we still give you what’s true to...

Photo by Earl Davis Raw Poetic's upcoming album is going to be somewhat of a concept album that clocks in around two hours. The first single off that album is "A Mile in My Head" which features legendary saxophonist (and Raw Poetic's uncle) Archie Shepp. This new song starts off sounding like it's going to be a freeform jazz track before evolving into something that's much more straight up hip hop, although the jazz side does meander in and out quite frequently. If you liked Ocean Bridges , the 2020 collaborative album between Raw Poetic, Shepp, and Damu the Fudgemunk, chances are you're going to also get into this one. "A Mile in My Head" is that perfect melding of jazz and hip hop which we really should get more of these days. Raw Poetic says of his new single: “I always liked ‘A Mile in My Head'’ because it really does break down a day in the life of our metropolitan area.  The sound provides such a backdrop that you can actually visualize...

Photo by Earl Davis Raw Poetic (real name Jason Moore) is creating some of the most unique hip hop out there today while still staying firmly in the genre. His latest single, "Open Roads," is less jazzy than his collaborative album with Archie Shepp and Damu the Fudgemunk, but it's still much more jazz than your standard hip hop. This is experimental hip hop that is still going to work for those with more mainstream tastes. It also has this uplifting vibe that we used to get with artists like PM Dawn or Arrested Development. And then there's Raw Poetic's flow, which is both smooth and abrupt at the same time. This is the kind of hip hop that can bring former hip hop heads back to the style. Jason Moore says of his new song: “ ‘See I never see them elite,’ are the first lyrics on the song .  My mother always said she never liked people who think they are better than her. And neither do I. So it was my way of telling everyone who hears it, we are all allowed to have...

Photo by Earl Davis We were big fans of Raw Poetic's 2020 collaborative album with his uncle Archie Shepp and Damu the Fudgemunk. This year he's releasing his sixth solo album and we can now check out the first single. "Sunny Water" is more straight up hip hop than the jazz/hip hop hybrid album Ocean Bridges , but it's definitely not your average hip hop song. It has that free feeling of jazz without sounding like jazz. Musically, it doesn't really sound like hip hop, either. The beats are more restrained than I've ever heard in a rap song before. It's jazzy without sounding like jazz and hip hop without being an obvious rap song. Raw Poetic is pushing boundaries on this one, and we can't wait to hear more. Raw Poetic (aka Jason Moore) also has a hard time describing his upcoming album in a press release: “I still can’t fully describe what kind of album this is so I’ve now reserved myself to telling people it’s a ‘Jason’ album.  I wanted to tell pe...

The collaborative album from Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic, and Damu the Fudgemunk is slowly shaping up to be the hip hop album of the year, or at the very least the hip hop/jazz hybrid album of the year. The second single, "Tulips," is another improvised song from the uncle/nephew team (Archie Shepp is Raw Poetic's uncle). The combination of live hip hop/jazz beats, Raw Poetic's vocals, and Shepp's saxophone is purely intoxicating. Much like the title suggests, "Tulips" is an undeniably positive, nearly sunny song. It's a free level of experimentation missing in today's overly produced hip hop world.  Raw Poetic explains the song:  "I let the spring vibe name the song, and the flower that bloomed was a tulip. Sometimes you gotta let the music spell it out.” You can listen to "Tulips" below. Ocean Bridges , the collaborative album from Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic, and Damu the Fudgemunk, will be out May 22 on Redefinition Records. Yo...

Photo by Earl Davis Jason Moore (aka Raw Poetic) had been sending music to his uncle for years. His uncle happens to be legendary jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp. It wasn't until Shepp heard his nephew's collaborations with producer/DJ Damu the Fudgemunk that he decided he was ready. The trio have an album coming out, and the first single, "Learning to Breathe," is simply a must hear. The album was improvised, and the melding of jazz and hip hop in "Learning to Breathe" is impossibly raw. There is a feeling to the song that you rarely get in modern music, let alone modern hip hop. Jazz and hip hop have been combined before, but rarely does it combine in such an intriguing and immediate way. You can listen to "Learning to Breathe" below. Ocean Bridges , the upcoming album from Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic, and Damu The Fudgemunk will be out on May 22 via Redefinition Records. You can pre-order a copy here .