Listen: Price Stylez - "This Thing of Ours"

In a partnership with the UK's DJ Crank, underground label and blogmaster crew HiPNOTT Records, recently dropped a compilation entitled 'The Platform: HiPNOTT Radio'. As part of the release, DJ Crank will be playing the hottest underground Hip Hop selections on his Friday shows, along with the newest HiPNOTT joints featured on this album. Included in the EP are tracks from The Regiment, The Other Guys, Amiri, MarQ Spekt, SciFi Stu, Price Stylez, Carolina Dirty, and P.SO the Earth Tone King.

The standout track to me was by Price Styles and his track "This Thing of Ours". I like the flow and the beat selection here and it was enough that I am now seeking out the rest of his catalog. True school lyrics and appreciation of the art form always get my attention, so check him out below and see for yourself.

DOWNLOAD LINK
https://hipnottrecords.bandcamp.com/track/this-thing-of-ours

Fine Art Friday: Cai Guo Qiang - "Gunpowder Drawings"

Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang recently exhibited a new series of artwork, made of gunpowder drawings titled Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Though I have seen performance art done with fire and alternative drawing materials before, the typical results are pretty bland. However, Guo-Qiang uses a series of porcelain reliefs decorated with gunpowder then ignited at an event by Cai, which creates a large gathering of spectators. He uses a contemporary take on traditional Chinese motifs of nature and landscapes and uses the explosions to highlight some of the intricate details of the forest and natural elements hidden in the all-white surfaces of the work.

ARTIST WEBSITE
http://www.caiguoqiang.com/

Nocando - "Lucid Dream"

Kind of a left field post, but Nocando recently dropped a Dam Funk produced track and video for his track "Lucid Dream" from the 'Jimmy The Burnout' album. Sounds like a bit of a throwback with G-Funk bass lines, but the lyrics are about appreciating life and staying "appreciative, humble and focused on the things that are truly important to you in your life". Glad to see the left coast coming with some curve ball gems now and again. Check it out and support a West Coast up and comer.

DOWNLOAD LINK
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/jimmy-the-burnout/id826841169