Themselves – Rapping 4 Money (ft. Why, Odd Nosdam, and cLOUDDEAD)

from theFREEhoudini mixtape

Themselves are currently on tour and performing in Brooklyn this Friday.  I’ve never seen Doseone (or any of the Anticon crew) perform live. But I must say as an artist, Doseone is an unrestricted creative force. And the world of underground hiphop is/was too restricted for his drive, so he’s constantly pushing boundaries. “Rapping4Money” is enchanting, accessible, even with the intricate rhymes and rhythm patterns.  We still get the psychological complexities and ambiguities (which is also why I appreciate and enjoy works by Dose/Jel/and some of the anticon cats.)

When mics is hung in these times of crisis…

One of my favorite lines from Dose – “You can tell a lot about a man from the sound of his music…/Anyways, yours is hollow-sounding” -  and it’s by no means one of the best or most intriguing lines from Dose or even from that particular track “Good People Check” (“From underground to mainstream, pioneers to fireplace rap/This is the voice of our rage/Come see me, I’ll serve you, give you free music, and step!/It was nothing!/I did it just to save our rep!”)

&

Recession Rap Jams – In these times of economic crisis…

If you’re interested in hearing even more fresh, happening, avant-garde rap ish, here’s some new wayne + even more new wayne, along w/ T-Pain and Juelz co-starring.