Your iPod Is Interesting Again: 10 New Local Rap Releases Worth Noting

It appears that last year, local underground rap's most impressive in a handful of terms, was not an anomaly. Six weeks into the last year of human existence (goddamn you, Mayans) and Houston's burgeoning stars are moving as fervently as ever.

Ten relatively new bits of music for your brain:

There's Paul Wall. He's released a whole flurry of songs, held conveniently for you right here. It's pretty much an entire goddamn mixtape. This new "Paul Wall As A Local Rap Veteran" storyline is playing well for him. Gotta like that.

There's Le$, who, if you'll recall, had the second best tape of 2011. He has a new song called "Doin' My Thang," featuring Slim Thug, Dom Kennedy and Mac Miller. It fits right in line with what he did on Settle 4 Le$ Vol. 2, which is good. Somehow, even Miller sounds sure-footed here.

Extra Credit: Here's the slowed and chopped version of Settle 4 Les Vol. 2. Now you can die happy.

There's KDOGG. He has a new tape. It's called Killin' Spree 3. It's mostly rehashes of beats other people made famous, but there's simply no denying that KDOGG is in possession of an inherently interesting voice. It is not entirely unreasonable to assume that one day he'll make a song that people fall over themselves to hear.

There's John Dew. He released a J. Dilla dedication tape because duh. Dew is a sleeper pick for Underground Powerhouse this year. If he's holding an HPMA at the awards ceremony this fall, know that we called it first.

There's the #Thurogod. He released a song he decided to call "Words With Friends" and everyone went "Woo-Hoo!" Good stuff. Excited about the forthcoming tape.

There's Scooby. He (finally) released the new D. Coleman tape. Proper review of this one coming soon.

There's One Hunnidt. He released a song called "Talkin' Dine," perhaps the first in the history of the world that manages to make fun of Shaquille O'Neal's free throw percentage within the first few seconds.

There's The Niceguys. They released "Overtoast," (what we're assuming is) the follow up to "Toast," one of the standout tracks from their 2010 album, The Show. It's not as intoxicating as their redo "Ari Gold (Remix)," but good nonetheless.

There's Sherro. Just in time for Valentine's day, he has a new song called "Shake That Ass." Few guys in town are able to harness the Insta-Party aura as thoroughly as Sherro.