(31) Days of Good: Day 13

(lazy sunday = extra large post on monday)

I've pretty much been covering indie, pop, and some electronic music for the last 12 days, so I figured it was about time to branch out and feature some of the best hip hop of 2010.

Now it's no secret that hip hop isn't exactly my favorite genre. Don't get me wrong though, I really enjoy good hip hop, unfortunately, most of what you hear on the radio and TV these days is complete trash. I don't care if Kanye made a 35-minute film about beastiality, he's still overrated. And don't even get me started on Lil' Wayne's (over)use of auto-tune and douchebags, like Asher Roth.

But thanks to modern technology, lesser known hip hip artists have been able to produce some really good stuff and if it weren't for music blogs and especially the The Hype Machine, I probably wouldn't know about half of the hip hop on my iPod.

First up, the DC rapper Wale. Wale has been blowing up the hip hop scene and blogosphere with his mixtapes since 2005. Always busy at work, last year saw the release of his debut studio album, Attention Deficit, and his Back to the Feature mixtape. This year, he dropped yet another mixtape, More About Nothing, as well as today's featured track, the oh so good freestyle, Hold You.

Wale - Hold You

More at walemusic.com (you can download all the mixtapes here)

Next up, one of my favorites these days, Childish Gambino. You may be more familiar with his alter ego, the comedian/actor Donald Glover. Childish has been hard at work this year and has been garnering more and more attention for his indie music inspired mixtapes. Earlier this year saw the release of two must listen mixtapes—I Am Just A Rapper and I Am Just A Rapper 2. This year also saw the release of his third album, Culdesac, and quite a few live performances.

The I Am Just A Rapper mixtapes have been on constant repeat since they first dropped, which makes it's really hard to pick just one favorite, so do yourself a favor and head on over to Mr. Gambino's blog and download the mixtapes.

Childish Gambino - Get It (Tightrope)

Like Mr. Gambino, these last two hip hop acts i'm featuring today don't hide their love for indie music. Hoodie Allen is a NY based rapper and songwriter, with a penchant for candid storytelling and witty punchlines. Rapdragons are a Baltimore based hip hop duo with fresh lyrics, impressive beats, and huge hooks.

Hoodie Allen - You Are Not A Robot

More at timeforthepeprally.com (you can download the complete album, Pep Rally, here)

Rapdragons - Big Dreamers (samples Little Dreamer by Future Islands)

More at rapdragons.ltdcomp.com (you can download all of Featuring Baltimore here and more)

Even more GOOD at 35mmBeats (and be sure to check out DAY 4 for more good hip hop from 2010)

Indie Hop

I'm not really sure who started the recent indie/hip hop fad, or if it's even that new, but I know one thing...I enjoy it immensely.

Not that I dislike the genre, but I'm much more picky when it comes to the hip hop I like, and let's be honest, mainstream hip hop is nothing to brag about these days. But as of late, there is an influx of hip hop artists embracing their indie music love. I've included a few of my favorite artists and tracks below, plus links to their websites. Definitely check out the websites, all of these artists have their mixtapes/albums/experiments available for free download.

Childish Gambino

Childish Gambino is the hip hop alter ego of Community's, Donald Glover. Mr. Gambino has released three albums, one being a pair of mixtapes, from which the track below hails from. The I Am Just A Rapper mixtapes consist of popular indie tracks by Sleigh Bells, Animal Collective, The Knife, and more, with Gambino's flow and lyrical skills slapped right on top...simple, yet effective. These mixtapes, and more, are available for free download here.

[mp3] childish gambino - my girls

Hoodie Allen

Hoodie Allen is a NY based rapper and songwriter, who's been gathering quite a buzz on the blogosphere as of late. Hoodie's most recent work samples a diverse array of artists from UK pop singers (Marina & the Diamonds) and indie rock staples (Death Cab for Cutie). The new mixtape, Pep Rally, is available for free download here.

[mp3] hoodie allen - you are not a robot

Rapdragons

I did post of Rapdragons not too long ago (here), but in case you missed it, Rapdragons is the hip hop duo of Nick Often and Greg Ward. Hailing from Baltimore, MD, the duo recently dropped the mixtape, Featuring Baltimore, which is a collection of hip hop tracks each sampling a different band from Baltimore, including Beach House and Future Islands. Featuring Baltimore is available for free download here.

[mp3] rapdragons - i went to her feat. seven (samples you came to me by beach house)

Want more indie hop? Check out Chiddy Bang and The White Panda

got RAPDRAGONS?

While I shuffling through hype machine for the latest blogosphere offerings last week, I stumbled upon this hip hop duo.

Rapdragons is Nick Often and Greg Ward. Hailing from Baltimore, the duo released their debut record, Ten Stories High, in 2009 to local, regional, and bloggable acclaim. The duo just followed up that release with the much-anticipated mixtape album, Featuring Baltimore — a collection of hip hop tracks each sampling a different band from baltimore, including Beach House and Future Islands.

Jump on over to their site, RAPDRAGONS, where you can download all three records (the third is a Ten Stories High remix album). If you'd rather taste test before taking the jump, check out the track below.

mp3: Rapdragons - Dragon's Heart (samples A Dog's Dick by Lower Dens)