Stream Grey Dolf's Debut Project, "What's Yor Enternitity?"

Downtown Baltimore standout Grey Dolf has just released her debut full length project, an 11-track tape called What's Yor Eternitity? Known through local circles for her quirky delivery and no-rules approach to releasing music, I briefly spoke to Grey about the motivation behind her debut, to which she confessed a need to change her music making methods: "I dedicate this to myself and newness and to everyone else that had to go through overcoming the pressures of the real and fake. Pressures of illusion; thinking things are one way and having a mapped out plan and, in reality, it's an entirely different wave and it takes God to really help you see the reality," she said.

There's definitely a sense of Godliness and a need for guidance on What's Yor Eternitity? as the bulk of the tracks feature ethereal production accompanied by Grey's distant, echoed voice -- almost as if she's taking on the role of God speaking to her, telling her to change gears. The project features production by Grey herself, Macdona, Fr33drvgs (who produced 4 of the tape's 11 tracks) and more. Stream and purchase What's Yor Eternitity on Bandcamp:

Stream Butch Dawson's New Project, "PREY"

Whether he's performing, producing, dropping collaborative projects or dropping Basement Rap Radio mixes, it's hard not to see Butch Dawson's name pop up in Baltimore music circles. Known for a sound that points more towards key-heavy production and loopy synths, Dawson's latest full length offering, PREY, is one of his most trap-heavy outputs and as he descibes in a note below, it soundtracks one of the darkest periods in his life. Stream PREY below. 

From Butch Dawson:

"PREY is a dark and sinister project. It's about being in my own world of consciousness and what comes out of it musically. I started this project in a depressed, angry state of mind and i felt like the color red worked for what i wanted as far as art direction. The slogan I used to promote the tape was "prey on silence" and that basically means that I'm killing silence with noise."

Premiere: Watch JPEGMAFIA's Video For New Track, "I Smell Crack"

Since moving to Baltimore last Spring, JPEGMAFIA has carved himself a consistently-growing space within the city's downtown music scene with his combative approach to police brutality, hard-to-detect liberal racism and art students' sense of entitlement. All of those talking points will be addressed with more fire than he's ever exerted in his forthcoming project, Black Ben Carson, which is set to drop on Valentine's Day. As a preview of the project, we're premiering JPEG's video for "I Smell Crack" where he comes at racist police and insincere politicians on a snowy Baltimore rooftop. Watch below:

Watch Tate Kobang's Video For His New "Jumpman" Freestyle

After having a stronghold on Baltimore's airwaves this summer with his track, "Bank Rolls", Tate Kobang has been consistently dropping loose tracks -- presumably, to keep fans occupied before he releases his full-length debut on 300 Ent. His most recent offering is a freestyle over Drake and Future's Metro Boomin-produced "Jumpman" from their What A Time To Be Alive album. Here, he raps non-stop as he bounces around and, as always, shares the spotlight with friends breaking out into a combination of Baltimore dances. Watch the video below:

Stumbled On: DaKidd Moo

Is it really a rush better than stumbling across a crazy track when you least expect it? Nah. Not for me anyway. Last week when I was kicking it with my man Keem, we hit YouTube and Sound Cloud as a part of my new favorite activity: searching for non-covered Baltimore rap. Over the past few months, I've been treating local music as if I'm an outsider and it's been paying off in a major way. This time around, we caught wind of DaKidd Moo--an East Baltimore rapper with a voice you can't possibly overlook. At first I thought I was hearing my uncle. Then I thought, "This might be the Baltimore Boldy James." Then the dude from those classic Philly vs. Baltimore battles came to mind. Either way, what I was hearing was blowing my mind. 

On his track, "Just Bars", you get occasional trendy ad libs like "SQUAD", "GANG" and "SKURRTT" but that's minor shit to look over in the hook-less song. Moo is hitting on all cylinders here; his energy is at full speed throughout, the voice can't be denied and his wordplay is fluid and hard-hitting--something that local standouts like Young Moose, Lor Scoota, Lor Stackks and others still find trouble doing for the full duration of a track. A story is being told. It opens with: "Turn me up, bitch I'm in my zone/ I'm from East, you gotta keep a tone / I'm from where they let the knockers roam / They'll search you drawers right in front your home / I'm from Bradford where we sellin' stones / My block a vacant. Ain't nobody home."  Moo has sprinkled tracks all over the internet but this three-month-old track is probably his most proper introduction: he's telling you where he's coming from, his plans to provide for family and warning you to stop sleeping from now on.

The cinematic video, a seemingly subtle reference to Shottas, is mostly shot in his neighborhood, a car where he's being set up and a candle-lit room. It's about as raw as you can get but the skill can't be questioned, which characterizes Baltimore altogether. Doing some digging, I found that Moo has a tape being circulated on the streets right of the same name as the track, Just Bars. Hopefully it'll be available online sometime soon but either way I'm gonna go cop the physical and pray that some more undeniables are on it. 

Some of my other favorite bars from "Just Bars":

"My mama already got the Masi, I'm just tryna get me the Bentley/ Porsche truck for my lor sister, Kendall dipping in a 650/ Boobie said he gone keep the Lincoln, he don't ask for much just give him 650."

"Every time I come in the city it's a new nigga that's playin' the 50 / If it's beef tell 'em come and get me/ The thing like a I.D, I keep it with me."

Diary: Buffa7o

From True Laurels Volume 4:

Photo: Keem Griffey

Sometimes I sit and think to myself "am I so great?" or does everything suck so much that I'm able to feel this way.

I digress, but I am never put at ease with everyone's onslaughts to be the most original. I find happiness in the smaller and sometimes the finer things of life. Despite my poisoned mind, standoffish personality and attachment to individualism, older people I've met say I give off a hippie vibe. Also due to the massive amounts of marijuana I smoked up, earning me the name Leafy Lo. I started this whole rap experience by jacking for beats and making homemade video recordings of me spitting on Facebook. My friend Curtis discovered these ancient artifacts, passing them on to BlackZheep Dz thus earning me a spot with the 7th Floor Villains. Prior to these recent events I grew up all through Baltimore moving every school year due to my mother's financial instability. This caused the streets to claim me for its own, transforming my promising potential into probable potential.

All in all, I live and lived my life vicariously through others while still playing my vital position. I hate hate hate an unjustified hater so for those who hate with no debate for goodness sake consolidate!

- Buffa7o

Here's a new cut from BuffaLo's EP set to release this Fall, titled, 'Genesis'.

Follow Buffa7o on Twitter: @Buffa70

Butch Dawson: On Lower Mercury, Unwarranted Advice & His Creative Space

Butch Dawson has been rapping in organized cyphers, playing underground shows and helping shape a concrete scene for anyone interested in rap in Baltimore (something that didn't exist more than five years ago) for the past two years. Initially an indistinguishable member of his 7th Floor Villains collective, whose style all seemed to overlap in their earlier days, Butch has positioned himself as the group's most musically productive as he produces the bulk of their output, in addition to regularly releasing his own material. Of late, his style has gone from purely rap, to melodic harmonies over spaced-out, bass-heavy production. Lines that'd previously be about serving around the way and eating chicken boxes have transitioned into songs about his annoyance with unwanted feedback ("Yada Yada"); there's more to be learned about him now. Even with his improved intensity and focus in his performances, there seems to be a current leap in his artistic development. He's set to release his new album, Lower Mercury, next week and to get a feel for how his music has changed and what alterations he's made to his process, I chatted with Butch over the weekend. Read below: 

True Laurels: Your new project, Lower Mercury, is set to drop soon. How has your approach to making music changed since you started putting this together?

Butch Dawson: My process always changes based on what inspires me everyday. Also, every time I’m in a new environment I start making new shit. I move a lot—like three times in the last year— so when I set my room up, I do it in a way that reflects the current music I’m making.

What is Lower Mercury? Take me into that world.

BD: I came up with Lower Mercury because it’s blue, which I like a lot as a feel and mood. It’s kind of like having my own planet in space, it’s home. I always mention home in my music and this is kind of bringing you into that world. Into my room, really.

“Yada Yada” is one of the first tracks you released from Lower Mercury and it expresses your dislike for unwarranted feedback. How do you gauge that as an artist? Like, who’s worth listening to?

BD: I try to get as much feedback as I can from people who keep it real with me. Some people just tell you shit without trying to get to know you. There just always seems to be a misunderstanding when it comes to making art. People don’t always get it after the first listen but they’ll still react without knowing.

Most of the work you’ve done up to this point has always been heavily assisted by people within your circle. Lower Mercury is more solitary than you’ve ever been with your music. Why?

BD: 7th Floor Villains are my brothers but I really didn’t want anyone else rapping on this project. This is my story and I need to convey my message to the listeners by giving all me. There could be good ass lyrics from those features but it wouldn’t be the same.

Do you ever think you’ll eventually choose either rap or production one day or are you happy doing both?

BD: I always have a mental war over that shit. I love rapping and that’s what I did initially but when I couldn’t get beats from people, I started doing it myself. I don’t know. Sometimes I think I’m not gonna be rapping forever but I’ll still be making beats. I am committed to rap right now, though.

What do you feel is the most blaring deficiency in your work?

BD: It’s really hard to say but I definitely wanna spit better bars.

Baby Pigeons, Teen Pigeons, Thuggin Pigeons unite get together floss out, one time only do not miss ya chance ta blow LOWER MERCURY JULY 29th

“Red Leather Chair” from Lower Mercury looks back at your favorite place to put music together. What's your favorite way to create material now that the chair is gone?

BD: When I moved into the house where I had the red leather chair, it was always there. I started out making beats on it. I made the actual song really quick sitting in it. Now I live with a bunch of creative people where I can be constantly inspired and influenced to make stuff. It’s hard to get a block on your creativity when you’re in that kind of environment. Especially when the people I live with are so supportive.

Deep down, when you made this project, what did you want to get out of it? From who it reaches, to its overall sound, and beyond.

BD: I want people to cry when they hear this. I want people to have some kind of emotional connection to it. I try to make my shit like a movie. Like when Spike Lee or Wes Anderson make films you can feel their signature on it. That’s what I’m trying to do here and I feel like the sound creates some visuals.

In music, Baltimore is overwhelmingly underrepresented so what unique quality do you have to offer? 

BD: My creativity. I think just making my ideas come to life whether they're complete, incomplete or whatever anybody wants to classify it as; it's unique. Baltimore has definitely forced me to think outside the box, prior to music. Before I started doing music, there was no different music or videos in the Baltimore local scene and being in that circle made me wanna do things my way. 

Off the album "Lower Mercury" coming soon. Artwork by Ronin Woods http://fam-design.com/ butchdawson.us

Follow Butch Dawson on Twitter: @butchdawson_