You know how it goes… Mad1ne joints get instant props around these parts. His latest collaboration with producers Henry Kool Mckool and The Fall, the horn-driven and catchy The Equation (plus the little bonus bars at the end) is the exact high-quality hip-hop we’ve come to know, love and expect from the San Antonio wordsmith. Give this one a bunch of watches this weekend, leave a like and a comment, and spread the word about it!
-chief
From the digital desk of Chris Conde and Fake Four Inc. :
“As an openly queer rapper, Texas‘ Chris Conde combines the classically detached spheres of hip hop, indie rock and avant-garde experimental art punk of the drag variety. In their sometimes hysterical but always poignant bars, Conde strives to relate to their audience through an honest communication of their personal narrative of overcoming drug addiction, internalized homophobia and self-acceptance.
Chris Conde is a Fake Four Freecember 2019 Alum who has received press shoutouts from NPR’s Tiny Desk series, the San Antonio Current, Texas Music Magazine, and Hip Hop DX. Engulfed in the Marvelous Decay features Ceschi Ramos and offers up production by K Death of Moodie Black, Lazerbeak of Doomtree, and Whatever Cecil with artwork by Squalloscope. Chris’s honest storytelling ability, beat selection, and sharp technical skills displayed across Engulfed in the Marvelous Decay are sure to move you and resonate on multiple levels.”
-chief
Posted in General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, Underground Me Now
Tagged chief, chris conde, doomtree, engulfed in the marvelous decay, fake four, fake four inc, freecember 2019, hip hop dx, hip-hop, k death, lazerbeak, moodie black, npr, san antonio, san antonio current, squalloscope, texas, texas music magazine, the doomsday device, tiny desk, whatever cecil
Engulfed in the Marvelous Decay, the upcoming Chris Conde release from Fake Four Inc., drops this upcoming Sunday, and with Conde doing the work in terms of promotional rollout, it makes sense that his third (and seemingly final prerelease) single would feature a guest appearance from the always stellar and compelling Fake Four label-head and foundational artist Ceschi. Over a very somber and spacious beat, Conde and Ceschi open up their minds and hearts about attempting to stay motivated and creative in a world that gives us reasons to believe otherwise. The Summer of Our Discontent could soundtrack these bleak and uncertain times we’ve been navigating through lately, so if you feel like you could use a sonic remedy, check out the video, leave a like and a comment, and spread it around for all to take in.
-chief
Mad1ne is continuing his prolific 2020–2021 run, and it seems like it’s only gaining momentum at the moment, meaning things are probably just getting really and truly going. Mad1ne and Blazy Green hit up Johnny Depp for some guest bars on Castaways, the latest single and video from Dark Side Of Jupiter. The track is dope, featuring a beat switch halfway through and bars all around, and the video not only features everyone tapped for the track, but a guest appearance from the homie Ruler Why as well. Definitely check it out, leave a like and a comment, and share it around so everyone can dig it.
-chief
Anybody with half a brain understands that nobody is perfect, and that all of us are out here trying our best to navigate the world and make some sort of positive impact without causing damage or issues to others. It’s this exact energy that fuels Everyday, the latest single and video from San Antonio MC Chris Conde from his upcoming Fake Four release Engulfed in the Marvelous Decay. With a little help from video director Wayne Fau, Conde is able to capture a down to Earth, slice of life presentation of his do-good manifesto, possibly in hopes of inspiring others to order their steps in a similar fashion. With the April 4th release of the project rapidly approaching, be sure to keep your eyes and ears open and tuned to Chris Conde‘s social media so that you can be hip from day one.
-chief
Recently, StereoFiend lead MC SymmaTree took a break from his daily meme onslaught to drop some sad news : the San Antonio-based band has officially ended their long run with the release of their final single, Hennessey. With so much talent in the group, it’s a shame that things have come to an end, but Hennessey is definitely a high note to go out on… Joy is not only singing with the kind of soul that comes with personal experience, but her lyrical imagery is a rich as the grooves that the band is laying down. Definitely cop this track if you have a buck to support, share it around, and help keep the name of StereoFiend alive past the band’s selected end date.
-chief
Raw raps from Mad1ne and Blazy Green over raw production by Green deserves a no-nonsense, direct approach when it comes to a video, and luckily, this is exactly what the duo brings you with Stezo, the third single off of Dark Side of Jupiter. Mad1ne has been prolific with the videos over the years, and Stezo marks another notch on a belt full of high quality and triumphant marches. The video honestly speaks for itself, so if you find yourself feeling it, leave a like and a comment before you spread it around for all to enjoy.
-chief
San Antonio-based MC RoyalKingMinus is back with a banger in the form of The Huntress, a collaboration with producer Blazay. The methodical, bass-heavy beat serves as the foundation for RoyalKingMinus‘s ruminations on a symbolic female figure discovering her own agency while simultaneously holding a connection to his fictionalized self-personification. The song serves as the lead single from the upcoming Beethoven’s Hair LP, so if you feel this track, keep your eyes and ears open for the eventual release of the full-length!
-chief
For an artist like Mad1ne, the recipe for dynamic and entertaining hip-hop is simple : clever and insightful lyrics delivered with supreme confidence on top of groove-inducing, new school throwback production. This formula is so strong for him, in fact, that it seems as if his latest single, the Henry Kool McKool-produced The Equation, is a rumination on these very aspects of creation. The tempo is deceptively upbeat given the cool, calm and collected nature in which the science is dropped, and the horn-infused track presented by McKool provides the perfect backdrop that allows the lyrics to breathe free and easy. Definitely check out the track, cop it if you can, and share it regardless!
-chief
San Antonio hip-hop has always been dope, and one of the dopest representing the city is the formidable MC known as MAD1ONE. After a busy 2020, it’s no surprise that MAD1ONE would be right back at it first of the year with new material, but unlike the majority of his recent releases, Dark Side of Jupiter finds MAD1ONE exploring different energy in much more contemplative, introspective rhyming without the usual intense presence backing up the words, and all over lush production from Blazy Green. It seems like spreading wisdom and reinforcing personal affirmations is more important this go-round than self-gratifying talk (not that MAD1ONE has ever dropped self-gratifying rhymes solely for the purpose of personal enjoyment). If you’re looking for hip-hop that will positively shift energy, then take a moment for Dark Side of Jupiter, support it by copping it if you can, and spread it around for as many people as possible to hear.
-chief
