New Music: Big K.R.I.T. ft Bun-B - Shine On

K.R.I.T. is one of my favorite MCs out of the last few years and it he hasn't given us much new music in a while, so he was generous enough to bless us with this gem of a single.  As always, he impresses lyricly and the beat is vintage K.R.I.T., perfectly sampled old soul-type track but rearranged with a very modern feel.  Bun-B always comes hard on features, and does not disappoint here either. Bottom line: the track is fire, listen to it, tell a friend to tell a friend so real rap can get the attention and praise it deserves!

#BeatTape Kelly Portis - Scores & Spaghetti

Being a huge fan of sample driven beats, this tape was awesome to me.  I stumbled across this by accident really, the cover artwork drew me in, and I'm sure glad I gave it a listen.  I'm not really one to just sit down and listen to a beat tape of a producer I have never heard of, but this is some high quality music that I have spent the better parts of a few days having on repeat.

From the first few bars of the first track, The Opening Credits, I had a feeling this was going to be a great tape.  Focusing on scores from classic Spaghetti Westerns, the album really has a unique, sound and though there are no lyrics it truly does feel like a real album and not just a collection of beats.  The tape ranges from grand-scale ballads to  low-key super smooth jazzy tracks and a few other styles in between.  Album highlights for me are The Opening Credits, 24 Bar Da Vinci, and my personal favorite, Draw.  All in all Scores & Spaghetti is a great piece of aural art with quality production throughout, and a unique and satisfying feel to it.  I am now a Kelly Portis fan, and am hoping for more music from this very talented producer!

Download Scores & Spaghetti HERE.  Also worth checking out is the tape he put out prior to this entitled Free Lunch: Beats Vol. 4