Get lit to some low-key joints from Krista Papista, Metro Boomin and 21 Savage, and get sucked into the freestyle brought to you by a particular squad from Seoul.
The original music comes from Krista Papista, who refers to her own style as “sordid-pop” with strange, eerie vibes that can clearly be heard in the way the track shifts and disorientates the listener. With the chic Parisian ways of Clara3000, the very same DJ behind the soundtrack for Vetements and Balenciaga shows last season, the track has been transformed into a dark dance-floor anthem rolling with synths and drums. If the fashion elite plans to stage a party during this year’s Halloween, this would definitely be the backing track.
Fern Souza’s known as the producer to go to if you’re ever in the mood for some tuned down hip-hop and jazzy beats. His latest work, a tweak of The Pussycat Dolls’ “Don’t Cha”, is based on a slowed down BPM with Busta Rhymes’ verse muffled through a low-pass filter. The hit chorus is peppered with delayed synths, bass and claps, and smoothed out with organs, making the track just right to chill or dance to.
A bunch of rappers from Seoul deliver this hard-hitting freestyle with trippy graphics reminiscent of last year’s hit “It G Ma”. With a sanjo (a Korean traditional instrument) playing in the background, the guys take their turns at spitting out verses, managing to fit in a Rich Chigga diss, Metro Boomin shout-out and a Kanye West reference in under three minutes. Flowsik, the last rapper to lay down his verse, has a sick flow and voice that’s like a cross between Busta Rhymes and Stevie Stone. We absolutely dig this.
Atlanta’s Shayaa Joseph aka 21 Savage recently revealed that he’s only been rapping for a year and a half, but the man’s already made it to the 2016 XXL Freshman list. For a self-proclaimed rookie, he sure knows how to generate hype, especially with fellow Atlanta-based Metro Boomin producing his nine-track project titled Savage Mode. “Ocean Drive” is just a small sample of the album, with the rest of the tracks making up a dizzying mix of club bangers and gritty raps that are heavy on the bass.
Check out this track that surfaced on the radar after it was used in a Filthy Frank video and more recently, the first episode of Christina Paik’s Wolfpaik documentary. With such an addictive beat, it’s no wonder so many people are bent on using this in their video work.
Got a suggestion for next week’s grind? Drop us an email at editorial@straatosphere.com.
Tira Lee is Straatosphere’s resident aux cord heaux. She’s in-charge of pulling together nifty mixes each week to spread dope tracks and good vibes to the public. In her free time, she partakes in something distressingly referred to as academia and often experiences an existential crisis of sorts. She’s also paid to put pretty clothes on pretty people sometimes.
Read more: 5 Tracks for This Week’s Grind, 12 July 2016