Rapsody: Ibtihaj

Named for Ibtihaj Muhammad (the first American to wear a hijab when competing for the USA in the Olympics), new single “Ibtihaj,” from North Carolina rapper Rapsody, heavily samples GZA’s “Liquid Swords” and also features the Wu Tang member. Unlike the 1995 track, this release includes the immediately recognizable vocals of D’Angelo. The infectious groove will appear on Rapsody’s upcoming album EVE, which features songs …

Papa Bear & His Cubs: Sweetest Thing on This Side of Heaven

Founded in 1963 by Eddie Disnute Sr, Papa Bear & His Cubs was a family band—Disnute Sr and his six kids—from Hampton, Arkansas. The group toured, recorded at SugarHill Studios and produced an LP—though only two tracks ever surfaced from those sessions. Our favorite, “Sweetest Thing on This Side of Heaven,” is a rich and soulful gospel-influenced track. Disnute Sr taught the kids to sing …

Blarf: Banana

Starting off with a sample from Jorge Ben’s “Vendedor De Bananas,” “Banana”  by Blarf (aka comedian Eric Andre) soon embraces utter chaos. The track appears on Andre’s debut album under the Blarf moniker, Cease and Desist—and it’s aptly titled considering its reliance on samples. The album, somewhat a sonic replication of Andre’s comedic style, masks brilliance with madness. And the track itself bangs along until it …