Aesop Rock takes a giant leap forward with jazz-flavored hip-hop on his latest full-length, None Shall Pass. Likewise, Waajeed and partner Tiombe Lockhart up the ante with some serious soul on The War (which includes production work from the late J Dilla), and Wiley might be proclaiming that Playtime is Over, but he’s making quite an exit if that’s the case. Meanwhile, Detroit and Chicago have a head-to-head collision on Windimoto‘s new track, and the one-man band Blue States adds another solid track to the instrumental rock catalog.

Aesop Rock “None Shall Pass”

Tiombe Lockhart and Waajeed “The Overtaking”

Wiley “50/50”

Windimoto “Don’t Leave Me ALone (Nicolay Remix)”

Blue States “The Electric Compliment”

Waajeed and Tiombe Lockhart
Photo By Dustin Ross