[Music Video + MP3] Desiigner – Panda

A video posted by Desiigner (@lifeofdesiigner) on May 10, 2016 at 11:33am PDT

Video for what might end up being the song of the year just dropped on Tidal (no embed or YouTube/VEVO link though, Hov?? Damn….) with creative by and an on-screen feature by Brooklyn teen MC, Desiigner‘s new label boss, Kanye West.

Is “Panda” the harbinger of the new New York (or is the old New York new again?) or is Desiigner a one-hit wonder? Time will tell.

Related reading:

– Desiigner’s ‘Panda’ Is Number One: What Is the Future of Authenticity? [Rolling Stone]

– 11 Experts Weigh In: Is “Panda” Actually Good? [FADER]

[Contest] Win a J. Dilla ‘The Diary’ Vinyl LP & T-Shirt Prize Pack

The much-rumored, long-awaited album by the legendary, late, great hip-hop producer & rapper, J. Dilla was finally released by Mass Appeal records on April 15 (Tax Day in the US). If you haven’t heard it, you can check out a couple tracks below or listen to it in full HERE on the DK Tumblr.

But why just stream it when you can own your beautiful copy on wax courtesy of The Kitchen? Want to learn how. Just retweet this tweet for a chance to win. Contest will end 12 noon EST on Friday May 13. Note: You must be a resident of Canada to be eligible to win.

[MP3] Black Thought – Making A Murderer Feat. Styles P (Prod. by 9th Wonder)

NOW THIS IS HIP-HOP! We’re on a good roll here, let’s keep it going….

[MP3 + Music Video] Phife Dawg – Nutshell (prod. by J Dilla)

I missed the tribute at The Apollo yesterday but this new posthumously-released Phife Dawg single & video, “Nutshell” is EVERYTHING! Pure hip-hop, top to bottom. And a beat made J. Dilla??! Could not be more fitting. Love it! #RIPPhifeDawg

[MP3] Savages / The Banjo / Layers: You Need to Listen to Royce 5’9″ RIGHT NOW!

Real talk, I was happy for the homie, Royce 5’9″ when he made a critical and online fan splash with the PRhyme project he made in conjunction with the legendary DJ Premier. It seemed like he was finally getting his proper due despite years of being rated as one of the best underground street spitters in the game who at times has been down with Dr. Dre and Eminem and made some noise as part of the underground super group, Slaughterhouse.

But for my money, this new music he’s been dropping in anticipation of his forthcoming Layers album, due to drop on April 15, bests PRhyme and anything else he’s done by a country mile. In fact, the teaser ‘mixtape’ EP he just dropped, Tabernacle: Trust the Shooter is so good, I feel like he should put a hold on the release of the official Layers album and let Tabernacle breath for a minute. It’s basically an amazing album in its own right which deserves some time to grow and spread which can only help make Layers even bigger than it might be if it’s released on the 15th. Then again, if the title track, also above, featuring Pusha T (who, BTW, just KILLED his show in #The6 this past weekend) and Rick Ross, maybe he don’t even need the hype because that track is en fuego too!

Seriously though, check out the Tabernacle EP, it’s amazing! Click play on “Savages”, a track from it, above and tell me that those bars aren’t some of the most incredible sh-t you’ve heard in a long time. But before you do, make sure you have a head brace securely on because Royce’s spit game will crack your skull wide open! And that track “The Banjo” with ‘The Ghost’, Styles P and two artists I’m not familiar with, Westside Gunn and Conway ain’t slouching neither, right??! Dig those? The rest of the project is almost as good. Don’t believe me? You can listen to the entire thing on the DK Tumblr HERE.