na: hip-hop

It’s been a while since we’ve done a hip-hop roundup, and the arrival of a few notable titles on the site make today as good a day as any.

Ghostface Killah, Hidden Darts: No big mystery why I’m starting here. Not only do I love Ghost, but this is the best of the batch, a mixtape featuring remixes, alternate versions and unreleased Ghost gems. It also features “Charlie Brown,” which was supposed to be on Fishscale but got squashed because of an uncleared Os Mutantes sample (yes, you read that right). Also good: the gnarled acid rock jam “Starks & Chef” and the ominous “Back in the Air” featuring O.D.B.

Finale, A Pipe Dream and a Promise: Hailing from Detroit, Finale has a thick, huff-n-puff flow, and his debut straddles the line between old school soul and new school thump. Boasting production from Flying Lotus, Black Milk and J Dilla (among others), A Pipe Dream & a Promise is a solid first outing.

Deception, Under False Creek: Try though I may, I can find absolutely nothing about this guy online. Anywhere. Which is a shame, because this record sounds solid — old-school soul loops topped with nimble, bouncy, internal-rhyming lyrics. Verses could be stronger, but the way his voice bounces over the beats more than compensates.

ECID, Red Beretta: ECID is a producer and rapper from Minnesota who wouldn’t be out of place on Def Jux. The production is solid throughout, even if the rapping is a bit iffy (though I personally like the mile-a-minute “Insert Bob Dylan Reference Here”). He’s mostly got a stretched-out, snotty flow, not unlike Aesop Rock or El-P. Sample before diving in fully.

Kool G Rap, Legens, Volume 3: Similar to the Ghostface compilation, this is a collection of remixes and unreleased tracks from rap legend Kool G Rap. The production is fantastic throughout, and there are some true gems — the collaboration with Mobb Deep’s Prodigy “Where You At” is one, the remix of “Fast Life,” featuring Nas, is another.

Various Artists, Mass Movementz: A compilation from the Leedz Entertainment label, Mass Movementz rounds up a bunch of contemporary rappers who favor the old style. There’s some great stuff on here — the Pacewon/U-God collabo, the Mic Geronimo track, the Slaine track — and some truly awful stuff (Ill Bill. Shocking, I know). Worth a listen.

Cas One, Liberation: A rapper from Evansville, Indiana, which itself is a bit bizarre. Cas One is not too far off from the time-tested backpack rap of Brother Ali or Atmosphere.