Underrated Audio: July 20-26

Sango is a producer I’ve been watching for a while now, ever since I heard his many remixes of The Weeknd tracks a few years ago. He’s definitely grown and improved, recently releasing his debut project online, North. The collection of songs includes “Affection” which features another dope producer who is also singer, JMSN. The sound of either blend extremely well together, as Sango’s sultry and mellow production are a perfect match for JMSN’s looping vocals. This is definitely a song to vibe too during late nights and early mornings. And there are plenty more vibes like this on North, which you can cop here.

R.A. The Rugged Man’s “Underground Hitz” received an all-out remix from Mr. Green this past week. All-out, because the song now has a completely different sound and additionally features Jarren Benton. The original, off R.A.’s Legends Never Die album, had an operatic beat which sampled Mozart. While it’s solid, it definitely doesn't have a mainstream feel (which was obviously the point, hence the title). Now that Mr.Green has hopped on the instrumental it has a more classic hip-hop sound to it, perhaps making it more accessible. Jarren Benton and Hopsin make it a Funk Volume affair, and are appropriate features given the theme.

Many artists have been dropping tributes to Trayvon Martin since the not-guilty verdict came out. New Orleans native Kidd Kidd’s effort was one that stood out the most. It’s also a tribute to a little six-year old girl who was stabbed to death in Lousiana. As Kidd Kidd goes in over a dope sample, he contemplates street life and all the issues Black Americans face, whether or not they’re into street life.

Stalley was on UA last week with his serious and thought-provoking track “Raise Your Weapons.” Today he’s back with a much lighter and feel-good cut, “A-Wax.” It definitely has summertime vibes. The rapper leaked this one off his upcoming mixtape Honest Cowboy, and if we’re judging from his past two leaks there will definitely be variety on the free project. Mid-song, we get some gun shots which also introduce a change of pace beat-wise, but it quickly picks back up, as Stalley stunts on us, “Gold in my mouth talk diamonds like I'm a jeweler, Rings on my fingers call me Slick Rick the Ruler.”