Three Picks From June

After missing one of the 'pick three' segments, this month we focus on the project release of June. As always one three picks and the writers opinion. Checkout this month's picks below.


Duke Da Beast - YungTrendSetter 2 (Mixtape)
One of the new names to hit my radar in  2015, Duke Da Beast, has built a following through mixtape release pre "YungTrendSetter 2". But this years' project showed much strength as to way we should pay attention. Duke delivers a 13 track project that represents his brand and crew, but also his influence on his peers.

"YungTrendSetter 2" is a pretty energetic listen from start to finish. While the obvious drill influence is there, Duke Da Beast has a lyrical edge to his songs. We get more than simple records that only hold a catchy hook, but sill keeps it as energy fill as can be. Songs like "1000",  and "Lake Shore Drive" are easy event/party picks, to record to ride to like "Beamer". While I'm not the biggest fan of auto-tune, he dives into it on the first couple of tracks but doesn't overdose on the technique. With the head nodding production, street raps, adlibs that are tolerable, this is one project you should find time to checkout.

YP - Untitled (Album)
Call him Backwood Jones. YP dropped a new project focused on music and less on the title of it. Dealing with personal struggles, going back to being indie, general life experiences and more, he has plenty to talk about and shares it all. I will say that he should have taken it a step further and only provided the producer credit for each song, with no song title. Or you should just close your eyes after you press play. One thing to note is the production choices, many from Xtreme, are great with backdrops that YP seemed very comfortable over. What really makes this album good is how he flows through each record, keep true to his own style of rap. While this is shorter than previous project releases, he provides enough personal experiences, relatable raps, and dope beats to last for a long time.

AceSo - Sick La Familia (Mixtape)
This mixtape had been in the works for some time and a anticipation of mine. AceSo dropped a new project to get listeners familiar with his crew on "Sick La Familia". Holding 16 tracks, with bass banging production from the likes of C-Sick, AceSo delivers a flow that shows confidence in his raps. he kick things off with a beat building intro that definitely grab the attention. Never shying away from switching the style up, he avoids boring monotone raps, holding each songs' backdrop to its own standard. I would predominately consider this one a project to ride to with the windows, because of his balance of aggressive yet smooth combination. This is one that needs to be turned up to enjoy at its fullest quality.