Cal Rips - Auto Pilot ft MoneyFourDrugs & SIR E.U

Goddamn. So much great music has been coming from the Klan lately and this just might be the best yet. "Auto Pilot" serves as the single for Cal Rips' upcoming project Phor You alongside Ripkens are fellow Klansmen MoneyFourDrugs and SIR E.U. This just might be my favorite Cal single of all time, it is definitely up there. All three emcees lyrically pick up right where they left off at on "The Real Jim Jones" spitting top notch verses over some incredible soulful production from the highly underrated Suede Moccasins. I am incredibly hyped to hear the rest of the project, man...September 24th couldn't come any quicker. 

Also check out MoneyFourDrug's "CONFETTI" low quality sound but high quality raps.

[Video] Lupe Fiasco - Next To It ft Ty Dolla $ign

In preparation for Tetsuo Season Lupe Fiasco links back up with director Alex Nazari for his latest visual work of art and single "Next To It" featuring Ty Dolla $ign who not only provides the catchy hook but co-produced the infectious bouncey production along with Shafiq Husayn. Lupe enthusiast will notice that Alex Nazari also handled the videos for "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)" and the incredible "#1234" so you can expect that same cleverness and quality for this video. I know Lupe Fiasco has caught a lot of flack for his past "attempts" at being mainstream but this record feels like a genuine Lupe track, he is good friends with Ty so it isn't so half-ass attempt at grabbing a hot artist etc. blah blah. I really hope this joint finds the radio success it rightfully deserves. Tetsuo & Youth coming soon...

Plus just when I thought I couldn't like this track anymore than I already do, Ty decided to share the story behind how he and Lupe recorded it in the studio with Complex. How awesome is that?

Gold Panda - Clarke's Dream

If you've been following Digital Drop you'll know that from time to time I like to hit you guys with something that isn't Rap/Hip-Hop well today is one of those days. You guys also know how rare it is that I post instrumentals at all, so with all that in mind enter "Clarke's Dream" from UK producer Gold Panda. I won't get into the details of way I like this track, I just do, simple as that. This is just here for your listening pleasure as a suggestion from your favorite anonymous blogger. I do want to link it all back to Hip-Hop though, I only know who GP is thanks to Pitchfork and more importantly Curren$y all because of this legendary piece of footage here. 

"All I know is..."

[Video] Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Harold's

For his latest visual Freddie Gibbs heads back to Indiana to grab some "Harold's" and as always with Gibbs' videos there is a loose story for you to follow. BTW spotting too! I'm glad to see this track get a video, definitely one of my personal favorites from Piñata which is still Album of the Year in my opinion. Also, if you haven't seen any of the other videos from the project check them out they help expand the album's story and tie together some tracks.

Although his next album Eastside Slim will feature production from other producers Freddie made it clear that Madlib would in his words "touch" the project in some form, I'll keep my fingers crossed for at least one MadGibbs track I can't get enough of these two. Anyway, if you haven't checked out Piñata I highly recommend you do so it is one of 2014's best offerings of all music genres period.

Kasey Jones - WYB ft Al Hostile

Kasey Jones is one of those rare artist in which I know nothing about but still somehow manage to capture my attention and get a post out of me. I first came across Jones on Matt McGhee's "Dark" he handled the hook on the song but I didn't think he was an rapper but just a friend of Matt or Al. Fast forward a few weeks later 3rdiiiUth's Al Hostile got me hip (which he has done a lot of recently, might have to let him be the new Drop God lol) to a collab joint he had with Kasey called "WYB (Where You Been?)".

The duo of Kasey and Al aka HostileTurtle (Kasey being the Turtle Gawd) surprised me with how well the two sounded over some ill Baze Knox production, they definitely have good track chemistry. It however was Kasey who impressed me the most seeing as I didn't even realize he rapped, to finding out he is pretty damn good at it. Al on the other hand continues his streak of excellent guest verses and slowly but surely is becoming one of my favorites from the DMV area. Mayor Whop Mike of Doom and Steezy Uglies Grizzlies make cameo appearances both drawing inspiration from Puff Daddy, with Mike providing ad-libs and Steezy talking that shit on the intro. All in all a great first impression, I'll be keeping my eye on Kasey Jones from now on and hopefully the young rapper can keep up the good work.

Sidenote: I actually just remembered in writing this that I first heard Kasey on "YAMS" from Al Hostile's The Finer Thangz. Forgive me Turtle Gawd, you'll soon realize I ain't shit...