EarlWolf - Orange Juice

So there's this group of LA skater punks that are also rappers and the internet is going nuts over them. They're called Odd Future, or Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFGWKTA for short) and are a collective of an indiscriminate number of rappers. Much to their dismay though, cause now their shows are packed out with blogging elite as opposed to the kids who usually make their shows good. And as a result are the victims of over-hype and being called the new Wu-Tang (HI PITCHFORK!) At the same time they're shut out of the usual internet rap circles because of their tendency to tell Nah Right and 2dopeboyz to go fuck themselves at every opportunity.

End of the day I agree with most of the other writers out there with their heads on their shoulders. They're no doubt talented kids and are making some of the most exciting music out there today. But they still have along way to go in terms of polish and focus.

But yeah, Orange Juice sees members Tyler the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt going in over the Lemonade beat (which I love) and do the best job on it I've seen to date. Credit to GVB cause I found it on their best of list the other day. If you dig that, go check out Tyler's mixtape Bastard. Its pretty good.

EarlWolf - Orange Juice
Tyler the Creator - Bastard

Lemon in the Shade with my Feet Up

Every now and again I become absolutely obsessed with a song. The last instance of this happening (and frankly its still going) was while I was traveling, when I became obsessed with Gucci Mane's ode to all things yellow, Lemonade. What gets me isn't so much the lyrics, which by the way are almost hypnotic, but rather the genius beat from Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, who rose to prominence for his beats for Lil' Wayne and others, has crafted this beat which upon first listen, is just annoying, but upon repeat, is sheer brilliance. It's deceptively simple with repeated keys, gradually building with a clap/kick combo and what sounds like an actual bass guitar. But when the keys and bass finally start spiraling upwards with children singing about lemonade, I'm totally geeking out.

Since it sounds completely unlike anything else in rap at the moment, like A milli before it, its become the beat of choice for all rappers to try their hand at free-styling over. Particularly choice is the recent Major Lazer mashup/remix of it with La Roux, which totally shouldn't be this good, but is. Also killer and unexpected is the White Lions remix of the original which slows it down into a total disco jam.

My recommendation, just let yourself go and get sucked into it. Those keys will rule your life from now on.

Gucci Mane - Lemonade
Gucci Mane - Lemonade (White Lions Remix)
Curren$y - Lemon Kush
Major Lazer and La Roux - I'm Not Your Lemonade + Heroes n' Villains Remix
Yelawolf - Lemonade Freestyle
The National - Lemonworld(Has nothing to do with Gucci, but hey, all lemon everything! BURRRRRRRRRR)

LINKS REMOVED AS PER REQUEST