Skratch Bastid | DJ Mix

Have you noticed an influx of great hip-hop music this year? Unless you're living under a rock, or you don't read my newsletter, or you just aren't trying to hear good new music, then you have realized that 2025 has been a banner year for our wee little 52 year old culture. Led by Mass Appeal's Legend Has It series (Nas & Premier, De La Soul, Mobb Deep, Ghost, Rae +++) and accompanied by everything from Clipse's return to Tyler evolution to Doechii's continued elevation, we've seen a steady stream of great music and range throughout the year. It may not be topping the charts weekly (what does a chart even mean in 2025?), but the sound is vibrating around and if you're a true fan - I can't see how you're complaining.And trust me, there's still TONS of great music out there that didn't cross your radar. That is why I take the time to write these words about songs and music that hit me weekly. There's a lot of noise out there, and ay... I... think there will be a lot more in years to come. So when you like something, you gotta let people know, to cut through! Like those old Tommy Boy 12" stickers used to say: When You Play It, Say It! So let me tell you about Serial Killers. No, this isn't turning into a true crime podcast...Serial Killers consists of B-Real, Xzibit, and newcomer Demrick, as well as Scoop Deville on production, and maybe even vocals... you never know with this talented guy. Yeah, Scoop has been around for a minute, but I've missed his name on production credits. He's got modern classics under his belt: Kendrick x Dre "The Recipe", Snoop Dogg "I Wanna Rock", Kendrick x Drake "Poetic Justice", as well as a bunch of other tunes that find a perfect balance between classic hip-hop and current bass-driven, crisp sounds. His work on the first two SK singles shows this off yet again, albeit even a bit HARDER - think that mid-90s N.W.A. / Cube sound, but updated. You can hear that on "SK Anthem", and our Record of the Week: "Call The Cops".The OGs on the mic rip it in full form. B-Real has been delivering top notch material since I can't even remember (you heard him on one of our ROTW's this year "sLAng" by Coyotes), and Xzibit, who's "Kingmaker" album shone this year, continues to re-assert his presence, 30 years after his first solo album drop. Voice still cutting hard! And Demrick has me excited - fresh voice and lyrics that do not turn shy next to two icons. This trio definitely has my ears for upcoming releases, which I assume will be a full length after two stellar singles. Let's GOOO!A little thought to end off: with all of these great artists active these days, it does feel like many of them are understanding that they can express themselves however they want, outside of the traditional record label system, and reach their true fans using the accessibility of social media and streaming music. As a fan, are you participating? For many of these artists, it's easy! My suggestion: find your favorite artist NOW (do your googles) and support them. Merch, subscriptions, show tickets, and at the very least sharing their music. It's something you can do for the holiday season to give back to artists that have given you so much of their lives, over the years, and up until this very day. A little goes a long way - many artists can immediately see or feel the support (you can tag them on social media!) - and without direct support, these artists may not be around again. So let's make them feel welcome. Roll out the red carpet, it doesn't take much. Thanks for reading :)