Sneakerbox Chock - "Nah Never" Music Video

 

After a performance at the last BET Music Matters event and just before his upcoming performance at the SOHO Apple Store, Sneakerbox Chock keeps the momentum going with a new music video. Shot in Camden, NJ the video is for Traxx Trigga produced "Nah Never." This is the first track to drop since the debut of his new site www.WhoIsChock.com.

I had a chance to meet up with Chock a few weeks ago in Philly and he promised to bring out all the stops this summer. "Nah Never" is just the tip of the iceberg. If you're in the NYC area, definitely drop by for his performance at the Apple Store on June 22nd. Details on his website under Events. Sneakerbox Chock and his band Soundwayve are something serious!

In the meantime, get into this music video. Competition is on alert. Chock said he ain't losin'...

Apollo the Great - "5AM Eastern Time"

Apollo the Great is an inspired MC. The way it should be. He's talking about real grit and true crime like nobody else. See, Apollo is from Camden, New Jersey. Consistently one of the most dangerous and poor cities in America. A city where half of it's police force were laid off late last year because they didn't have enouch presence, control or effect. They needed to bring in a non union force and double their presence. How can you not rap about that?

Taking the instrumental from Drake's "5AM in Toronto," Apollo gives more of that Camden scary tales raw that is his staple. It's dark and street but clearly based in remarkable skill and true hunger for an escape.

Check out the free stream and download below. His latest album, 'Hennessy Diaries,' is available now on iTunes.

  

Apollo the Great - "Above the Sky"

They say nothing good comes out of Camden. Apollo the Great says that "they" are so very wrong.

Long regarded as one of the most key independent artists to watch in the tri-state area, Apollo is back in full media swing for promotion of his upcoming 'Hennessy Diaries' project. This new release, "Above the Sky" launched at Complex yesterday and we're sure to see Apollo heat up as the weather cools down.

The young lyricist tore up the scene in 2010 with "Call it Quits" and the next thing anyone knew, he was gracing the pages of XXL, cutting records with the likes of Sean Price and Joell Ortiz and gracing stages wherever real Hip-Hop was to be found. It's no secret that Apollo the Great is drawing from an era slightly before his time. He has a way with words and an ear that are not of this time and place.

That works out to be a beautiful thing and "Above the Sky" has already gotten me fired up for the full album. Dig into the free stream below....

L.O.C.K. - "Dolo"

image via artists facebook page

Whoa. L.O.C.K. teases us with yet another dope track titled "Dolo", which hit his facebook page earlier today. No word yet on whether he's dropping a full project or not. We've already got a great video and a super ill leak, so I'm betting that something is cooking up behind the scenes. 

This self produced cut throws us back to the heyday of the Wu-Tang Clan. It's lo-fi, gritty, dissonant and crunched. It's a revival of the illest kind. If this is the direction that the South Jersey MC is going with it, then he may be on to something strong. Retro everything has been the wave the last 5+ years. Rightfully so, the Wu-Tang sound has been untouched. Even the members themselves largely abandoned their original unpolished sound. There aren't many people that could do the Wu sound justice but L.O.C.K. is on it. 

I'm still surprised by his lyrical ability. As mentioned in previous posts, I've known him primarily as a videographer. To be able to hop back and forth between those two skill sets so easily is pretty special. Is he a rapper that happens to be a videographer or vice versa? My bet is on rapper. Lyrics like these don't come easily. 

Check out the streaming audio below.

Dolo by L.O.C.K aka NEO by L.O.C.K