ATSIC S04E29 - Team Building
The roster expands once more, this time with the addition of my good friend DJ Dice. He's been credited every episode since he did the scratches for the theme song 3.5 years ago, but this will be the first entire episode he’s mixed. We've collaborated on a couple of albums, performed together, and spent a lot of hours discussing music and the music industry. It’s an honour to have him join DJ Baggylean and me in our journey to showcase the best Hip Hop from across the country every week.
The format remains roughly the same: I curate and host the show, while my turntablist friends handle the scratching and blending that gives each mix its unique blend of spices. Our goal is to create cohesive hour-long mixtape-style shows, highlighting as much talent from across the country as possible.
This week, we kick things off with another new track from Ghostface Killah. It got me wondering if GFK has an album dropping soon, given the string of singles he's been releasing lately. A quick Google search reveals talk of an upcoming 25th-anniversary Wu-Tang Clan album that Ghost is apparently curating the beats for, but no news of a solo project. Nevertheless, it's always a pleasure to play something from the man who inspired the show's name.
We dive into the mix with "Nightshift" by Arlo Maverick, featuring KazMega & Just Moe. KazMega picks this track up and runs it across the goal line on his back, especially with that "where do checks go when they bounce" refrain. Looking forward to seeing how much of Kaz’ presence can be felt on this next drop from the Maverick team. Arlo recently announced the release party for the "Blue Collar" album on Oct 21, with Calgary-based emcee Sinzere also performing. I'm looking forward to the every-man themes he promised when we chatted on Fly in Formation a few weeks ago.
Next up, when I hear new Sean P, it’s hitting the airwaves. Royal Flush and Sean Price have a project that just dropped, so here we are. Even when the bars are recycled repeats that he sold to anyone with 500 bucks, I’m here for it.
Following that, we get into a section of the show that could carry a trigger warning, as it features about five songs in a row dealing with stress and depression. I believe it's essential to have music that represents all the emotional realities of life. #ATSIC isn’t always a show to party to. "Falling" by Justo the MC & Brelstaff offers a perspective on the descent into addiction and poverty from a first-person view. Listening to such storytelling fosters empathy.
"The Edge" finds Elev8ed and Switch trading verses about the precarious nature of life, stress, and being pushed to the edge. Switch is always impressive when he gets introspective, combining poignant, relatable quotables with his signature wordplays. While I don't know much about Elev8ed, I'll be paying attention moving forward. Switch sent over his next single, "Someone You Believe In," today, so perhaps I can feature it on a mix before its streaming release on Friday, Oct 13. It continues the theme of introspection, so stay tuned.
"Aquarius" is another single from Mickey O'Brien's newly released "OREBODY" project. Mickey reflects on memories left behind after the loss of a loved one. Fresh Kils provides somber tones, Matt Saroka adds a soulful hook, and DJ Versatile delivers the cuts. I talk with Mickey OB on Oct 17 on Twitch.
The next song, "Lighten Up," intrigued me. It's credited to Shark and Ivason Black, and it was Ivason who sent it over, but I can only hear Shark on it. Maybe Ivason contributed the beat… or maybe he's the one crooning on the hook.. changing his usual barritone to a falsetto? Regardless, it's a fantastic song, with Shark breaking down the realities of aging in the rap game on some real shit. The standout line to me was, "…before my body breaks like Hal and Joanne. I built a valuable brand based on helping people out and hanging with my friends." That's some expert level Canadian reference game.
Rel McCoy's new single, "Where I Go," is laid-back and catchy, conveying the message of sticking to one's values and making music on one's own terms, without dilution. It's an important sentiment: don't let the game, your job, your family, or friends change who you are at your core. Resonates with me.
I had to curse $our._t's name again while preparing the IG story promo post for this episode. Typing in 20 different artists' names can be frustrating, and if you click the wrong thing, it glitches out and stops working. It was particularly annoying this time. Nonetheless, it's a cool song, but perhaps a new name would be beneficial for everyone. For anyone wondering, $our._t's IG name is @s0ur._t, with a zero instead of an O. Must be tough having a name that everyone else already has, with numbers, symbols, underscores, and periods all crammed into a five-letter name. Yikes.
Next up is more from Ivason Black, and this time it's a usual recognizable style. His new single, "Welcome to the Game," is part of his "Put it on a T-Shirt" album. Dice expressed concerns about being too old for achieving fame to me as we talked earlier. I reminded him to take a listen to this mix and type in these artists' names. While some younger artists are featured, many of them are in their 30s, 40s, and possibly even their 50s. I don't actually know their birthdates, but my point is this: you don't have to give up on making Hip Hop when you turn 26. I don’t believe in Hip Hop having an expiry date. Just because we lost legends like Tupac and Biggie at a young age doesn't mean they wouldn't have continued making music today if their lives hadn't been cut short. If the only definition of success is reaching Drake-level fame, maybe Dice has a point, he and I both might have started too late with this #ATSIC thing. On the other hand, if the goal is to be a contributing member of the Hip Hop scene, it's never too late. Welcome back to the game.
Def 3 and producer FarfetchD unleash festival-ready bass with "Crossfire." Def3 is based out in Vancouver, and his bio shows surfing on an actual surfboard on a festival crowd. Checks out.
Tone Chop and Frost Gamble consistently keep shooting, and this week's no exception with "The Whole Shebang." I'm not entirely sure if the song title is a reference to an American chip brand, but I'll assume so while munching on my ketchup-flavored Old Dutch.
"Rap Dominus" is a new track from Jak Hellington, featuring the UK's Makzwell Skot, who shines on a Sythe beat reminiscent of Galaga. Jak, an emcee based in Brantford, ON, is part of a group called the Original Beatsters, known for their boom bap and bars. On a side note, I'd just been griping about how everyone's rap name is some variation of their government name when I saw Makzwell Skot's name. It cracked me up. As I was ranting, I'd said, "My name's D-reck because my real name's Derek." But Makzwell Skot takes it to a whole new level. If anyone is wondering, my real name is Doobert Yisfeild.
It was a pleasant surprise to hear a verse from the late and great Edmonton Hip Hop promoter Joose on K-Blitz's new single, "Borsche." Joose commanded a lot of respect in conversations with Edmonton-based artists. He played a significant role in bringing big names to town, providing local talent with opportunities to perform for large crowds. His close relationship with K-Blitz adds a layer of nostalgia to the new single from Blitz’ "Don't Assume My Genre" album. Speaking of genres, I assume they all fall under "Hip Hop" in my catalog, regardless of what the artist tags them as in their info.
Mathematik's new album, "Mathuniversal," is rock-solid. We revisit it with "One Shot," appreciating its organic production and well-thought-out, well-delivered bars.
We also circle back to Sean One and Uncle Fester's VV2 Remix LP, presenting another MF DOOM remix, this time featuring Dope Skill and Kurious. You can't go wrong with DOOM.
As I listened to the mix DJ Dice sent back to me, I initially thought the track to close out the hour was one he had added independently. It has that old-school vibe Dice lives and loves. Upon closer inspection, I realized I had sent it – a Main Source remix by K-Cut & Navi the North. It's a fantastic way to wrap things up. Just a reminder, though – I'm not faking the funk; I'm not a DJ. If you want raps, just ask, and I can deliver. For DJ skills, I'm happy to refer you to my talented friends, DJ Dice & DJ Baggylean.
Tune in every week for new rap releases from coast to coast. The mix won't always lean toward boom bap; some weeks, it'll gravitate toward trap, drill, dance, or other influences. However, it will always feature new music and maintain a high Canadian content level, hovering around 90 percent. I'll include the track listing below, along with each artist's location (as best I can determine). I add the location details for my own satisfaction, as CKXU doesn't require it. I just want to compile the stats and crown the "most played" artist at the end of the season. Feel free to say hi and place your bets in the comments.
If you enjoy the music, show your support for the artists, just as I do. I buy this music every week as a show of solidarity with the music industry and to set an example. If you appreciate what I'm doing and want to support my efforts in making #ATSIC mixes, conducting Fly in Formation interviews, and creating my own music, you can donate at http://www.paypal.me/doobyis. Another excellent way to support and show love is by telling a friend about the show and where to find it, or by liking, sharing, and commenting on posts.
On Tuesdays, I engage in conversations with new artists from across the country for my podcast series "Fly in Formation." You can watch the full interviews live on http://www.Twitch.tv/doobyis every Tuesday, or catch up on artists you missed on Youtube. Subscribing on Twitch also helps keep the show running and puts a few bucks in my pocket. If you have Amazon Prime, you can link it to your Twitch account and get one free subscription to a creator of your choice each month. Give me those Bezos bucks.
Stay up.
