Malkovich - 'Great Expectations'

Would you give up everything for a dream? I mean everything. All of your possessions? Even your home? That's what Iranian American MC Malkovich did to clear the path for his desire to travel and craft great music.

'Great Expectations' is a very lofty title for an album. Probably especially so for a Rap album. Any artist that has the intelligence to allude to Charles Dickens' work certainly grabs my attention though. Malkovich did just that and I'm thoroughly enjoying the sound.

The blurb read, "Great Expectations is an album about the gap between our dreams and our lives." This is a chasm that I'm sure many of us have known. Some built a bridge and crossed and others just stood at the edge on the wrong side.

The album is authentic Boom Bap material with a host of new producers creating the soundscape. Malkovich is a capable lyricist with a sometimes "slumped" delivery that took a little getting used to. If you don't know what "slump" is I don't know what to tell you other than to get your Parliament/Funkadelic game up. Anyway, it's solid material and will certainly be added to my playlist.

Check the limited time free stream and download below.

Baiyu - "Again"

Happy new year! 2013 is here and an entire world of opportunity awaits. As usual, you can expect me to be here curating the soundtrack to your highs and lows throughout the year.

To kick things off in top form, I have new music from one of my absolute favorite artists, Baiyu. "Again" is the first single released outside of her last project "Hunter." Baiyu is always working and evolving her sound and she's promised that we will get to watch the process more closely this year. How so, you ask? She'll be releasing a new song ever month.

Hell yeah!

Check out the free stream and download of the fantastic new track below.

Christmaz - "128 Ninjas" feat. Algato

I got goosebumps when the verse hit on this track! It was the music itself but it was also knowing that these 18-22 years young men can replicate the sound of an era well before their time and from a place almost 4,000 miles away with such honesty and authenticity.

"128 Ninjas" comes to us by way of Stockholm, Sweden. (Don't worry, it's 99% in English.) Christmaz, of Stockholm locals Pangaia, handles the heavy lifting on this track with a 2 bar Swedish spot from fellow Pangaia member Algato.

Christmaz is here 5 days early as far as I'm concerned. I'm truly impressed with his sound, delivery and lyricism. This gritty and cold weather styling takes me back to the time when I bumped Onyx, Heltah Skeltah and Wu-Tang records on my way to school. Back when I would take the 1 train down to The Wiz on 96th street to buy singles for .99 cents.

Check this international flava out below...

*Sidebar for New Yorkers: TheWiz still exists online!

Noah - "Namaste"

YES!! The West Coast has their own thing going on with Hip-Hop. It's always been that way. They keep it closer to the roots than the East Coast, to be honest. All elements of Hip-Hop culture thrive in a more robust way over there. Maybe it's the sunshine?

Noah came out of nowhere and quickly earned a place on the RoxFontaine.com watchlist. He even took a place on my Top 5 indie albums >/= Watch the Throne with 'The Wonderful Struggle.' I had a blast with that project and was looking forward to new material.

This is the first I've heard since "Supernova" and that was a long time ago. The up and comer has been working though. No doubt about that. He stated, "(I'm) withholding a lot of music right now, taking my time with this next project and visuals." I've always heard that good things come to those who wait. Not a thing wrong with getting your product right.

Check out this new release called "Namaste" that was dropped in my box. Signature Noah music and feels good all around. Free stream and download. Breathe easy y'all...

Bueller Da Don - "Groundhog Day"

Bueller back! Crispy clean audio, big beats and all types of fly talk as expected for a Bueller Da Don track. "Groundhog Day" is, I'm guessing, a leak from the upcoming 'Cruise 2 Fame 2' album.

This is definitely a joint to play in the am or at the gym to get you motivated to achieve. Bueller talks work, progress and opportunity on "Groundhog Day" while the airy pads of the Hotman produced track take your mind away.

Free stream and download for you rightchea...