If you like "Discovery"-era Daft Punk, you're really going to enjoy this amazing set by German artist FIP5.  The title track is a must-listen! Detailed sampling and some super-cool guitar work. 

You can follow him on Twitter@Fipsotron

An incredible album from Tallahassee's rising star.

I've posted some of C-Red's prior work (For The Listeners, Vol. 2), but "The Stroll" is her most complete album, to date. Here's the description from the host page:

When you finish "The Stroll", you can tell C-Red took her goals for this album seriously and nailed it.  She had an idea, and it came to life - brilliantly.

From the title track on, the raps are impressive, the beats make sense, and the vibe is just cool. Speaking of beats, one of my favorite tracks is "Keep Pushin' (feat. great flavor from Phresh)", produced by the multi-talented Trilltrax.  But a lot of the incredible jazz flips and sound bites are courtesy of C-Red, herself.  Choice cuts. 

Lyrically, the emcee went deeper than ever before. She shares glimpses into her childhood, and talks about her devoted faith.  One of the most personal moments happens with "Victory", a poignant dedication to her brother.  That's a must-listen.

"Legends" pays homage to some of her favorites of Hip-Hop. And oh yeah... it features Rampage (Flipmode Squad)!

All of the features and special guests hold down their own.  There's great energy and life across the span of 19 songs. Some of my other stand-outs include "John C.", "For The Love", and "Let's Go",  Even the Outro is good.

Time for you to take "The Stroll". Bring a friend - they're going to enjoy it, too.

Here's the link to the album on BandCamp.

Back to one of my favorite sources for Indie Music - BROADJAM!!

Today we're reppin' the home state - NJ

Your Only Knowledge Above Specialty

The music industry has changed, and artists are required to do more for themselves than ever before. Yokas B - from Jersey City - is one emcee that takes that challenge head-on.  He raps, pushes his promo (hard), and gladly controls his own destiny as a truly independent artist.

Yokas B gets it. Straight-up. He knows his role as an indie rapper, and as a man.  He remembers where he came from, and he knows where he's going from here.  He loves his fans. He draws influences from the right places. These interview videos with him are great - Part 2 is a must-watch.

Aside from being a generally cool dude, Yokas B also makes great music.  In fact, he's currently #5 on the Jersey City Hip-Hop charts at ReverbNation.   SO many good songs are on that site, including "To Be Me", "Live & Struggle", "Split and Spit", and "Drifting Away From Her".

You can find this talented rapper on all the major sites, and he's worth following or liking or fanning (whatever you're into).
JERSEY

We're back, ringing in 2013 with Minnesota rapper BlaccOut Garrison.

First off, go ahead and get BlaccOut's mixtape, "Dreams & Thoughts".  It's got so much soul - from his passionate delivery to the true Hip-Hop beats.  The album opens with the mellow "Ventilation", and builds nicely up to songs like "Living a Dream" and "King's Palace", which bring more energy.  The highlight for me, so far, is "Seasons", which is just nice.

Check out the video for "Different", off this same mixtape.

I follow BlaccOut on Twitter, and I've been listening to his music for a few weeks now.  It's a refreshing sound that strays from the radio norm, and he's working hard to get his message to the people. Remember music with substance? See BlaccOut Garrison.

Here's the link for the mixtape "Dreams & Thoughts".

Looking forward to more great music from BlaccOut Garrison and the rest of the indie scene in 2013! Have a safe and happy New Year!

New single - "I'm Tipsy" -  from Detroit rapper Infinite Stylez!

Big things are happening for the talented Infinite Stylez.  "I'm Tipsy" is his latest single from the upcoming album Fear The Failure, which follows this year's earlier release, Double Duty. This new piece is modern, catchy, and it showcases all of Inf's strengths - real lyrics, pro flow, and creativity.  The beat's got a great vibe that captures the rapper's soul.  Definitely a must-listen. 

Here's the link for the FREE DOWNLOAD at SoundCloud.  Limited Time Only!  (25K+ spins and 2K+ downloads at the time of this post!!)

More from Denmark's best, M.W.P.
Here's the link to the FREE DOWNLOAD

A wise man once said to me, "Aim High", and that man was M.W.P.

This remix album has been blowing my mind all weekend. Just go get it.  You don't even need to read the rest of this.

M.W.P. chose to remix some classic Hip-Hop songs from the game's most influential MCs, and the result makes you feel like you're hearing these bars for the first time again.  "Reenactments #1" is a 21-gun salute to Rap and quintessential beats. 

The Danish producer stays true to his style - soulful, dynamic, clean.  The poetry is courtesy of stars the likes of Kool G Rap, Mobb Deep, Nas, Common, MF Doom, and more. Right now, I'm on his remix of Smif-N-Wessun's "Stomp". 

Honestly, I can either write about this album for the next 8 hours, or just stop now and get you closer to hearing some real Hip-Hop.

So...
Here's the link for the FREE DOWNLOAD.

Back with a new album from Ackurate Tha Wise.
Here's the link for the FREE DOWNLOAD.

Tired of thinking, "I can't get into what's popular right now."?  Download this album.  Are you clinging to your records, and want something NEW? Download this album. 

"Ackurate Precision" is full of pure passion, skillful rapping, and real Hip-Hop.  Through his delivery and lyrics ("Stop Fooling Yourself"), you realize Ackurate wants to set himself apart from the norm.  He'll admit he has more to accomplish, but the determination is there.  The flow is there. The words are there.

The album features upbeat and varied instrumentals, carefully chosen to fit the MC's style. "Target Artist" is the perfect song to really set it off, with a good hook and honest lyrics.  Next is "Shadows", which is just great. And it holds up the rest of the way through.  Towards the end, "Click" and "Hope" are standout songs.

Ackurate brings in some timely features here, as well, including Rock L Spivey, Drig, E.D.G.E., & RTFaQ.  He calls upon his group, PickOne, for "Destined To Shine", featuring Jane G33 and Lightman McCloud, who both slay the mic.

This is for fans of true Hip-Hop.  Forget what's popular.  Go for what's GOOD.
Here's the link again for that FREE DOWNLOAD.

We hit St. Louis this time, with Julian Keaton's debut EP "The Calling".
Click here for a link to the FREE DOWNLOAD on DatPiff.

These days, short and sweet seems to work best for everyone's busy lives, and Julian Keaton delivers the perfect listen with his six-song debut mixtape.  Right off the bat, the aptly-titled "Proper Introduction" grabs you.  It's a great beat, and Keaton fires off his sharp lyrics with a old-school flow.  His message comes through loud and clear, and he's an instantly likeable MC.

In fact, I haven't heard someone so direct and to-the-point in a long time, and it's a nice change.  Some of his best performances shine through on "Not Rich Nor Famous" and "Doin It Now".  You get a laidback vibe with "Day In The Life", and overall, Keaton's choices of producers and beats is diverse, which allows him to show his different angles.  You'll hear a range of styles from underground to electronic.

And did I mention that he actually has something to say?  No empty swag talk, here.  Keaton uses his words and his opportunity to tell you abou

So, show this new artist some love, download the mixtape, and check out his site.  This might be the first time you've heard about Julian Keaton, but it won't be the last.

Here's the link again for the FREE DOWNLOAD.

Been streaming Broadjam Radio regularly the past week or so, and I've picked another 3 artists to feature on this week's post.

First up, some Hip-Hop from Bambu. "Born Again" is a high-energy, motivational song good enough for Rocky. Link

Next, my favorite EDM song on all of Broadjam - "Abracio" by Jim Reeder.  Impossible not to get into this track.  Link

Finally, a Pop song with great lyrics, rhythm, instrumentation, and performance from Akil Wingate - "Shattered".  Link

If you're a musician of any kind, and you want to join a growing community of talent, you need to be on BROADJAM.  It's FREE to join, but you can also take advantage of the many incredible paid services they offer. 
If you're simply a music fanatic, Broadjam is the place to find some of the best unsigned artists out there. 

Check back here regularly, too.   I plan to feature more from Broadjam in the coming weeks.  There's just too much great music on there...