Wretch 32 - Daily Duppy

It's Sunday. A day of reflection. So let us recall one event of the week in particular. Wednesday. The day of the storm. The storm that ripped up the UK rap scene. Wretch 32's Daily Duppy. 

There is a reason I have always loved Wretch. He has been my favourite UK Rapper since "End Scene" days where his story telling skills first captured me. On a lyrical front Wretch the Wordsmith has always been untouchable and it's the very reason I feel he is underrated by so many - because his lines simply go over too many people's heads. It's such a shame because there is nothing like sitting on the bus and getting that gas mark 100000000 feeling after uncovering the double (sometimes even triple) meanings hidden amongst the bars - and I can assure you there is not one artist that has got me pausing, rewinding, looping the track as much as Wretch has so I can bask in that very feeling. That's probably why I still haven't got over his Daily Duppy. Until Wednesday I didn't actually think it was possible for him to elevate any higher on the lyrical front. The wordplay was unmissable (quite literally as good ol' GRM daily illustrated it all for us) and if BBM didn't flop then I could predict with 99.9999% confidence that my recent updates would be full of lines taken from this very masterpiece (amongst the odd 'pop up I'm bored'). After taking a few deep breaths and getting over the content, you can then begin to appreciate that full power in the punch does not finish in his words, but lives on in the charisma that leaks out of his delivery and that strong flow - both of which have always been present in his work (if you need proof listen to his Woo Riddim Freestyle), but have also been upgraded, continuing with this theme of growth which we can clearly witness.

I forget in which interview, but I remember when talking on the topic of his achievements, him saying: "it's less celebrating and more elevating". He is improving with success. He reversed the formulae. Charts have changed him - but for the better. He's not sitting around getting too comfortable and allowing himself to slack. That's the kind of mindset that will get him the attention of the US scene. The attention and recognition he definitely deserves because if he was from the USA, this Daily Duppy would have the world going mad.

NOW CAN I GET AN AHHHHHHHHHHHH YEAH

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Mercston - Back To 95

So it seems 'The Movement' (that's Wretch, Ghetts, Scorcher and Mercston by the way) are all back to...well making musical movements really. There was talk a couple of years ago about a reunion mixtape from them, but evidently that wasn't followed through and the members continued to work on individual projects. Then along came this summer and they hooked up to give us a 'Fire in the Booth', a 'Car Check', but still no confirmation of any big plans to produce a musical something-something to get us all nostalgic. But it seems Mercston has got it covered and has thrown us back even further than the Movement Days by bringing us 10 Garage infused tracks on his new release.

Now before you do, don't expect classics like "Bring You Flowers" or "Please Don't Turn Me On". It would be silly to even expect that from:

1. A Grime artist 
2. Any artist in 2013 -  the genre isn't as significant anymore so that level of vibe just can't replicated right now.

But what Mercston has managed to produce are brand spanking new tracks that have the authenticity to pass as actual tracks that would have been floating around all those years ago have you time travelling back to a decade or so. Therefore, its safe to say it is clear that he has successfully replicated the sound and vibe of the good old days and he has done what he set out to do - take us "Back to '95".

There is a great deal of risk surrounding the mixtape which has so wonderfully paid off. For one, there was a risk of mocking the genre in effort to replicate it's sound - it is like doing a cover of a classic song. Thankfully he captured the right energy. There is also risk of not recieving a good reaction to bringing something so new to the table - especially when "new" comes not in the form of diverse beats or multiple flows, but in the form of, well, the old. It did help that he managed to do do the 'old' properly but no matter what the quality, with anything slightly different there is always the risk of a hostile reception. Personally, I like different. Especially when it's good different. So mercy Mr Mercy-Mercston for the fresh dose of old skool and letting the vibes get H'IIIIIIINSSSSSSIDEEEE my body!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

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GFrsh - Legoman II Mixtape

FIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

On terms of consistency, range and overall mad vibes - Legoman II has hit the spot. The sun has finally decided to show itself and this mixtape couldn't have come at a better time because mateeeee - these tracks + summer vibes = yes.
 So far, it's the UK mixtape of 2013 (yeah, it's only April, but if there are going to be any UK releases this year that will rob GFrsh of this title then they have got be be fiyaaaaaaaa x2)

Full of braggish bars on hoodish tracks, he gets away with making you get to the end of the track thinking "lol woteva ya little priiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...". Maybe it's the fact that he does actually practice half of what he preaches or the fact that some of these tracks gas you to such a level, you get caught in the energy he delivers and feel you have no reason to envy GFrsh's "20 on his wrist" and the "license for his kicks" ...not that material possessions determine a happy life, ofcourse ;)

The choice of features reflects the true "L.O.N.D-Boy" in GFrsh, with him choosing some of the finest talents floating about the scene at the moment without the man himself being overshadowed. The vaunting verses, matched with the heavy beats add a little American flavour to the tracks. That doesn't mean he hasn't kept it grounded and goes in with that pirate radio flow on a couple of these tracks though - he took it thurrrrr! He manages to go in without forcing himself. Everything on Legoman II is well within his comfort zone - and considering the standard of the tape, it shows the level of talent GFrsh is working with. To be honest, I didn't expect anything less from him, but you may find he's slightly exceeding expectation when you remind yourself this is only a FREE MIXTAPE... muadddddd.

GFrsh has released 3 visuals for Legoman tracks.

Check out the latest visual for my favourite track on the mixtape: #IMBALLLLLLLINNNNNNNNNNN (don't expect to be able to say that normally once you hear it) 

AND if you haven't already - DOWNLOAD THE TAPE HOSTED BY GRM DAILY http://wp.grmdaily.com/gfrsh-legoman-2/

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