Some Good Looks for Boston Hip-Hop
While Boston-based indie rock groups like Passion Pit are moving 10,000 units in their first month and selling out the Orpheum and House of Blues in consecutive weeks, Beantown’s urban artists are squabbling about who got nominated for the Boston Hip-Hop Awards. I’ve already gotten two calls from local rock dudes laughing at me; “Is this some sort of publicity stunt?” one joked.
That said; as far as I’m concerned there’s too much good shit dropping around here for me to tear people down. At JTTS we support local and lash out at disproportionately propped d-bags like Wayne and Pain. Here are two fresh tracks that hit my in-box recently – one from the Block Brothaz (Bad Guy & Big Smo) and another by G. Montana featuring some Bean rap royalty. Enjoy.
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LISTEN: Block Brothaz – Don’t Stop Believing
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LISTEN: G. Montana featuring Smoke Bulga, Frankie Wainwright, Wispers, Dre Robinson, Axis, & Ben Carew – Ride for my City
November 30th, 2009 at 8:21 am
“At JTTS we support local and lash out at disproportionately propped d-bags like Wayne and Pain.”
you lash out at them.
i listen to them.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:16 am
fuck boston & ur shitty name having half ass rappers
30 years of hip-hop and u guys r still tryna get on
lol at the bean
November 30th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Where’s the diversity in Boston hip hop? Most of the time, I can’t tell one rapper from another. Seriously, no one cares if you need a gun to get domed out by some cokehead teen with no soul. Rap about something new.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:32 am
^ there’s very few Boston rappers that stand apart from each other..
November 30th, 2009 at 9:32 am
also — 90% of them lack that special something we call charisma..
it’s like listening to your cable guy rap about drugs + guns..
November 30th, 2009 at 9:50 am
^ dead on
In terms of rappers that stand apart, I give Term, Reks, and a couple others a pass.
We’re not in 1994 anymore.
November 30th, 2009 at 10:26 am
BOYCOTT BLUES
p.s. i thought there was going to be more passion pit in this post
November 30th, 2009 at 10:38 am
boston’s a great city but u guys should quit rapping and stick to baking beans
November 30th, 2009 at 10:38 am
…and maybe steeping tea
November 30th, 2009 at 10:44 am
…or filling donuts & pies
November 30th, 2009 at 10:44 am
definately not rapping tho
November 30th, 2009 at 11:18 am
these tracks sound mad plastic. i think boycott blues has some uniqueness but i hate how boston heads try way too hard to rep the bean. i live in prov & everytime i bump into one of these dudes down here they always hollerin boston,boston im reppin the bean 3 stripes muthafucka. ok i get it it’s kool but they take it way overboard. stoppin tryin to prove you a tuff guy and you from the hood and you killin niggaz and all this shit. the main goal is to get out the ghetto not to glorify the negativity that exists inside it.
November 30th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Wow – what a bunch of fucking morons.
Baked beans.
Hilarious.
Great point Trees – Moe Pope, Esoteric, Dre Robinson, The Camp, Big Digits, Akrobatik, Slaine, Badnewz, Al-Jabra and Audible Mainframe all sound exactly the same.
November 30th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
You just named all the good ones? sans the Camp and Big Digits who I have no idea what they sound like even though I’ve probably seen them both 200+ times..
November 30th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
I’m talking about the other 90% who are all very basic imo
November 30th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
but we already know ak & lif slaine & edo etc. are ill. i’m talkin bout some good up and coming artists. the camp is a good one. since they changed the time for 88.9@night i dont here too much new shit from the bean.
November 30th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
You know who Trees is talking about. You’ve seen some of these openers @ shows.
November 30th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
^ exactly
November 30th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Boston rappers dont all sound the same. If anyone thinks the cats on Ride For My City all sound alike they def weren’t paying attention. Smoke sounds NOTHING like Wispers, Dre sounds nothing like Frank.
Akro sounds nothing like them cats. Reks dont sound like Term. Shit Term dont even sound like EZ Money who is on his team.
Think some of ya’ll just wanted to get your Hiphop Elitism on today.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Yippie Kai Yaa!
March 6th, 2010 at 10:41 am
wad up everybody im GZ im a rapper/producer from boston,ma and as im readng your comments i respect your critism but id just like to clarify something about boston hip-hop. we are east-coast thats why we sound “vynal” and we definatly have success and have been on since the days of GANGSTARR. alot of you hafto understand that boston and newyork are very close and alot of rappers/actors from boston move to ny to further their careers then getting labeld ny rappers and boston getting no credit ive seen some of the biggest acts come from boston from bobby brown to ators like mark wharlberg. and believe me theres nothing to glorify in boston neighborhoods the lyrics reflect the lyfestyle and what happens here its very SAD. i dont think anybody is tryna be gangsta i think you hafto be tough as nails just to survive in boston. as far as the shootings and murders you could compare boston to compton anyday of the week. everyday the banks get robbed. people are getting layd off. kids are getiing kidnapped i see amber alerts everyday they find kids in dumpsters. boston is by the water and a major airport so the city is flooded with drugs and crime thats just what it is so pls tell me what should i rap about if thats all i see???-GZ
May 3rd, 2010 at 12:52 am
Boston aint as bad as that, mr georgey, however it has it’s share of shit just like anywhere else, I understand that. But rapping like that all you know is the hood around you & the violence and drugs is pointless, even in the “hood” they got the internet so everyone knows there is a less violent life out there. Also @ the comments about “it aint 1994″ man do I wish it was still, so we wouldnt have to here 3/4 of the bullshit rappers, WE NEED MORE SUBSTANCE
ps. nowhere in the US is reeaaallyy that bad anyway. we aint a fuckin 3rd world country. the baddest “hoods” in the US are a calk walk compared to even mexico, or brazil, colombia, haiti, india, romania, south africa etc. we can atleast DRINK our water!
December 12th, 2010 at 12:19 am
Guru & Ed O.G. enough said. Two Boston legends that hooked up with NYC legends(Premo and Masta Ace) for that real hip hop. East Coast is where its always been at for me. From Maine to Miami the 6th borough. Boston has always been on the map and reppin the elements hard. Peace!
March 7th, 2011 at 11:27 pm
TBH iv been in baghdad iraq and i came to Boston…..if u think u gotta be tough to survive in boston then ur just making a broad statement..u gotta be tough to survive anywhere, there is no place that has happiness thats why we live in a fukked up world dont blame that for your lack of creativity……u can spit punches and make an ILL rap song (alphabet soup – masta ace) u can speak about how eish is making u move towards negativity but reppin guns and coke to be dope was never a creative method….people did it but there was an overall theme in a song….i like cats like pacific division now adays and rappers that can integrate something new……..
however talent is not defined by city…it started in NYC true! but that dont mean that hip hop is only in NYC hip hop is a culture that spread throughout the world