What's Good (Week of 8/10)
Back after last week's (almost) break, What's Good returns with a slew of new joints, including:
New Albums
- Alaska, Alex Ludovico & Jason Griff
- Evidence
- Kaytranada
- Marissa Nadler
- Preservation & Gabe 'Nandez
- Rap Man Gavin & LU!
- Recoechi
New Singles
- clipping.
- The Cool Kids
- El Michels Affair
- Lady Wray
- Neko Case
- Sudan Archives
- Squadda B
And much more. I'm not going to single out any specific actions to take this week re, The Horrors™, but checking in on previous weeks like the campaign to contact payment processors in support of adult and queer content creators, supporting public broadcasting, or keeping a watch out on ICE are all unfortunately still very relevant.
Also, I appreciate you all still checking in with me while the blog was on restricted minutes. I don't normally plug the whole Subscribe/RSS bit until the end, but I figure I oughta remind you that the easiest way to keep in touch with me no matter what happens to the rest of the internet is by subscribing via the button in the corner or this form here:
If you don't want to do the email thing, this blog has an RSS feed that you can plug into any reader easy as pie. Not familiar with RSS? Check out this piece from Molly White's 'Citation Needed' newsletter for what RSS is, why it's a powerful way to take back the way you consume digital media, and how to get started. Things are bad all over, and if nothing else, I wanna make sure I can put you onto dope shit no matter what. Now with all that out of the way, let's get into things with a grip of Bonus Beats.
Playlists
TIDAL
TIDAL: What's Good Playlist - Week of 8/10/25
YouTube
Bonus Beats
For its milestone 200th episode, The Rap Music Plug Podcast sat down with Richmond's on SilkMoney for an expansive talk on his new album WHO WATERS THE WILTING GIVING TREE ONCE THE LEAVES DRY UP AND FRUITS NO LONGER BEAR?, creative freedom, and psychedelia in his art.
Elmattic on the legacy of Schooly D, his misunderstood status as the originator of Gangsta Rap, the specificity of his sound (it's the drums), the perils of academic analysis in rap, and much more:
Sometimes I feel academic analysis is condescending, unnecessarily trying to justify rap music as worthy of attention — of being ‘real music’ — by laying on all this intellectual scaffolding. There’s an implication that rap music has no validity on its own; it has to be deemed worthy by the ivory tower. There’s often an aspect that makes me uneasy: it’s only Black music that is linked to ‘lost history’ and ‘stolen culture,’ and this can be simplistic and reductive. No one posits a throughline from cantors, klezmer and Jewish diaspora culture or some shit for the Beastie Boys? It denies rap as new and rappers’ individuality, unique experiences — and even unconsciously implies Black people will always be Africans, and therefore will always be yoked with ancestral identity as slaves. There is no break from the past, you cannot be you, rap is just replicating African drums and griot traditions. There’s a difference between reclaiming and acknowledging this, and when it’s imposed by way far outsiders: you, Schoolly D, a primitive organic Gramscian intellectual, didn’t even know you were doing this, but I, the citation-laden visiting scholar on a research grant, will explain it.
KEV BROWN
Kev Brown ressurects an early blog/prime piracy error beat tape of his over on Bandcamp:
a long time ago... back when i had hair and i was working in philly at A TOUCH OF JAZZ there was an event called BEAT SOCIETY that was just starting. They had just put a website up and were asking new producers that they rock with to give them some beats to put up on the site...this was super early on in the internet days...not even sure if myspace was out yet...anyway shortly after that i saw this beat tape under the name "FRESH BROWNIES" pop up online with my logo and everything on the cover. someone took the beat tape from the beat society website, ripped it, made a cover, named the beats and everything and just put it up online!!!! low quality mp3's and all. i remember being hot at the time. unfortunately this was the beginning of a new era (napster/limewire/blogpots...)
some of theses beats have gone on to be real songs or at least interludes in previous projects throughout my catalog.
...so why not? this beat tape is over 20 yrs old come to think of it...been doin this a loooooong time. I refined the cover a little bit and let the low grade mp3's be. a fan/supporter actually brought this up in a comment when i was promoting something else.. i thought to myself.. eff it. its been online free for over 20 something years. if people want to support it/play it...whatever...
Alchemist's Rap Camp TV takes us behind the scenes of his ALC & Friends concert at The Novo in LA, with appearances from Boldy James, Earl Sweatshirt, Meyhem Lauren, Quelle Chris, L.ive, Navy Blue, Roc Marciano, and many more.
Music
Natalie Slade - The Lesson (From Molasses, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | BBE Music | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Blueprint - Dedicated (From Vessel, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Physicals and merch bundles via Weightless Recordings | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Lady Wray - Hard Times (From Cover Girl, out 9/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Big Crown Records | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Michael Christmas - Prime Time Freestyle (Out now. Purchase: Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Marissa Nadler - Light Years (From New Radiations, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Vinyl via Sacred Bones | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Tyler, The Creator - SUGAR ON MY TONGUE (From DON'T TAP THE GLASS, out on date. Purchase: Merch and CD bundles via Golfwang | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Sudan Archives - MS. PAC MAN (From THE BPM, out on 10/17. Preorder: Bandcamp | Physicals via Stones Throw | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Jay Som - Cards On The Table (From Belong, out on 10/10. Preorder: Bandcamp | Vinyl and merch via Merch Table, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Sarah Meth - Bromance is Dead (From the Bromance Is Dead/Sister You Said single, out now. Purchase: Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
El Michels Affair - Mágica feat. Rogê (From 24 Hr Sports, out on 9/5. Preorder: Bandcamp | Big Crown Records, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Kendra Morris - Something In Common (From Next, out on 9/19. Preorder: Bandcamp | Physicals and Vinyl w/Board Game via Colemine Records | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Verses GT - Found (From Verses GT, out on 9/12. Preorder: Bandcamp | Physicals and Digital via LUCKYME, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Miya Folick - Elton John (From Erotica Veronica (Deluxe), out on 1/2/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Neko Case - Winchester Mansion of Sound (From Neon Grey Midnight Green, out on 9/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Vinyl and merch via Neko Case's Official Store, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Kaytranada - Space Invader (From Ain't No Damn Way, out now. Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
clipping. - Forever War (From Dead Channel Sky Plus, out on 9/19. Preorder: Bandcamp | Sub Pop Mega Mart | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Squadda B - Street Receipts (From the Street Receipts single, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
DJ Haram - Stenography feat. Armand Hammer (From Beside Myself, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Vinyl and Digital via Hyperdub | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Alaska, Alex Ludovico & Jason Griff - Maybe Tomorrow feat. Rich Jones (From Yesterday's Weirdness Is Tomorrow's Reason Why, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Los Retros - Doves feat. hikari (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
The Expert - Dreams feat. Blu & Stik Figa (From Vivid Visions, out on 9/26. Preorder: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Rap Man Gavin & LU! - Scrolling Through The Doom (From Scrolling Through The Doom, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Cassandra Jenkins - Wormhold Music (From My Light, My Massage Parlor, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Vinyl via Merch Table | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Blockhead - Honestly, I Haven't Danced In Decades (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
FloFilz - Insomnia feat. Nao Yoshioka (From Hagaki 葉書, out on 9/12. Preorder: Bandcamp | Purchase "Insomnia" via Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Catpack - What I've Found (Jacob Mann) (From Meowmixes, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Zilla Rocca - Rolling 7's (From the Rolling 7's/Bourbon Generals Theme Pt. 3 single, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Sxlxmxn - Big Screen Body Slam feat. Boldy James, Vic Spencer & Na'ki (From Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
El Cousteau - Menace to Society (From DH2, out on 9/10. Purchase: "Menace to Society" available at Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | Youtube Music)
Chè Noir & The Other Guys - Sugar Water (From No Validation, out on 8/29. Preorder: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Apple | YouTube Music)
Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 3, 2022
CRIMEAPPLE & V Don - Victor Charlie (From Bulletproof Chicken, out on 8/29. Purchase: Purchase "Victor Charlie" via Bandcamp, Stream: Tidal | Apple)
Preservation & Gabe 'Nandez - War feat. billy woods (From Sortilège, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Backwoodz Studioz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Evidence - Stay Alive feat. Blu (From Unlearning Vol. 2, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Physicals & Merch via Rhymesayers | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Recoechi - FLAVAZ (From FLAVAZ, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
YL - Attend (From 4 Point Play, out on date. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Kal Banx - 0022ZAY feat. Isaiah Rashad (From RHODA, out now. Stream: Tidal | Apple | Youtube Music)
Murs - Beauty In The Streets (From Love & Rockets 3:16 (The Emancipation), out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz | Physicals via Mello Music Group, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Son Raw X Tokyo Cigar - Wade VS. Slade (From Distorted Axe, out now. Purchase/Stream: Bandcamp)
The Cool Kids - Foil Bass (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | Youtube Music)
Sam Wilkes - Learning To Fly (From 104.3, out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Tidal | Apple | YouTube Music)
Sudie & Sunbeam - Flying (Out now. Purchase: Bandcamp | Qobuz, Stream: Apple | YouTube Music)
That does it for this week! If you enjoyed your time with the blog or found any new music, do me a favor and share it with your friends, and one last reminder to subscribe (it's free!) or add me to your RSS feed to make sure you get What's Good delivered direct to you as soon as I hit publish.
Take care until next week, enjoy your weekend, and make good choices.
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