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Deluge Of Underground Rap Releases Keeps On Coming

Apparently, the City of Houston has enacted some sort of bill stating that everybody release new rap music every single day of the goddamn year. How else to explain the abundance of emails received these past few weeks with music? It very nearly surpassed the number of hate messages we received, which is pretty impressive.

Six pieces of music you should listen to this weekend before the next 14 tapes come out next Tuesday:

1. After building up a fair amount of anticipation among undergrounders, Montana, the floppy-haired dynamo from rap group ATW, released his first solo effort, Lift Off. The EP is every bit as unruffled as Montana is; he wanders around through myriad soundscapes (boom-bap sonicism, worldly production, subtle and engaging horns), existing two steps away from ostentatious and six miles away from anxious, somehow still appearing likeable and charming.

Highlights include "Green," the front half of "Leavin' Flo" and the bombastic "Front Butt," which, despite our sincerest hopes, is not, in fact, about an actual front butt. Listen to the full thing here.

2. Yung Zavey, the precocious MC we first saw take on Wayne's "6'7'" track several weeks ago, has officially released his mixtape for free download, Thinking Out Loud. Despite a skit that introduces the tape that runs too long, it mostly flows well, highlighted by "Sweat Shop," which sees Zavey float around in his most natural cadence, and "Everybody Raps," which samples the same set of horns that The Niceguys did on "The Show."

Also, there's a skit on there that's less a skit and more a straight sound bite from Montell Williams' surreal interview re: his marijuana use. It's still funny. Get it here.

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Shea Serrano