Danny Brown, “Ain’t It Funny”
This week’s Very Good Song/Video Combo Award goes to Danny Brown for a Jonah Hill-directed effort in which Detroit’s finest rapper plays drug-taking uncle to a 1980s sitcom family. Gus Van Sant makes an appearance as the dad and if that wasn’t surreal enough, just wait ’til the final scene. We’d take a whole season of this stuff.
KWAYE, “Cool Kids”
This new kid loves a bit of color too, but prefers to pair his color with funky synth-pop. Here we find the Zimbabwe-born, London-raised artist dancing his way through an estate; a pop of color in director Billy Boyd Cape’s grey landscape. Out now on Mind of a Genius.
Azizi Gibson, “High prod. by Kamandi”
We covered Azizi Gibson’s Nintendo King the other day and we’re covering this now. Why? Because Azizi Gibson is one of the most intriguing voices in US rap today. We’re into it.
Otik, “Danni Minogue” ft. Grim Sickers
Well this is a surprising but totally genius collaboration out on Boom Ting Recordings. In what seems to be an ode to Kylie’s little sister, DJ Otik and Grim Sickers have made something killer. It’s Grim Sicker’s birthday today, actually. Happy birthday, Grim Sickers!
S4U, “Rocksteady” ft. 808ink, Jackum, Nick Bam, and Linx
Exciting new duo alert! You pronounce it Something4U and they’re made up of London songwriters Rosita Bonita and Prinz George. Want to know more? We met them last year.
Diveliner, “I Feel Like Britney”
LA’s Diveliner hit us up to tell us that this lovely track is not just an ode to Britney but also one for when you’re feeling and looking super duper fly. Diveliner remembers, he says, getting down to “Toxic” whenever it came on the radio at aged seven, and wishes that more men would celebrate women for their greatness. “So many artists make songs where they compare themselves to male athletes… I’m tryna hear rappers talking about how they’re flexing like Yoncé!” His favorite Britney looks are, FYI, “The all-denim, the snake at the VMAs, and the shiny silver jumpsuits.”
Shame, “Tasteless” (Happa Remix)
Shame here with your weekly dose of racket, this time aided by Leeds production guru Happa. It’s loud, proud, and sounds absolutely nothing like the original. A proper old-fashioned remix.
BIRTHDAY, “We Need To Talk”
Nice track title here from our buddies Luka and Fake Laugh under their joint BIRTHDAY alias. Maybe next time you actually need to have a serious chat with somebody, you should just stick this on instead and let the falsetto do the talking.
Mura Masa & Charli XCX, “1 Night”
A nice bit of marimba on a Friday here courtesy of Charli XCX and Guernsey’s finest Mura Masa. Come to think of it, you don’t hear much marimba these days do you? Have some more.
Credits
Text Frankie Dunn and Matthew Whitehouse