Despot

I saw Despot perform live with Das Racist and he was fucking amazing. He's a short dude with red hair that kind of looks like Mitchell from Modern Family but when he starts rapping he OWNS the stage. He actually led the entire crowd in aerobics at one point, which was hilarious.

Here is some of his music I like:

Look Alive


Crap Artists


There are a lot of amazing tracks out there where he stands out as having the best performance. For example on "Power" off Das Racist's "Relax" he ends what might be the best song on the album with what might be the best verse on the album:



He's also got a great verse on one of the other best tracks of 2011- "The Last Huzzah (Remix)" by Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire Ft. Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown and EL-P:



From seeing Despot perform live I can tell you he's got wit, charisma and more talent than most rappers out there. The one thing he doesn't have is an album, but that is apparently coming in 2012 with all the beats done by the band Ratatat. If this track is any indication, it is going to be fucking awesome:

Das Racist - Mixtapes

Das Racist is the most exciting thing in Hip-Hop right now. I like it so much, I literally cannot listen to other music. I'm addicted to them the way I imagine Alcoholics are addicted to booze. But there is no Das Racist Anonymous and I'm pretty sure there are no detrimental side effects, aside from freestyling in my car when I should be watching the road, so I'm going to share my favorite stuff with you.

I've only dug into the free mixtapes so far, "Shut Up, Dude" and "Sit Down, Man." They also have a for-profit album titled "Relax" but I want to stretch this "so-excited-I-can't-believe-how-good-what-I'm-listening-to-is" feeling out for as long as I can, so I'm putting off listening to it until the month of October. Last time I liked two albums this this much was last year with the one-two punch of "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" and "Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager." I'm not going to try to come up with a definitive statement about who they are or what they are trying to say that's not already in their name. But they are from Queens and met at Wesleyan, if you care about stuff like that.

They don't have any songs I would consider less than excellent (with the possible exception of the original mixes of "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" and "One Dollar Can" but those are joke songs). Their music is dance-able, insightful and hilarious all at the same time while having an abundance of those lines that make you go "Oh shit," stop the track and rewind 10 seconds. Every day I have a new favorite song, but these are the front-runners right now.

Shut Up, Dude

Who's That? Broooown!



Nutmeg


Shorty Said


Sit Down, Man

rapping 2 U

This is actually my favorite song, maybe ever. Since a first heard it, not a day has gone by where I've listened to it less than 6 times.


you can sell anything (prod by Diplo)

This has one of my favorite lines from anything ever:
"Label's like, 'Maybe we can cake off the weirdos'
Ok - plug your nose, here goes
Caveman porn star riding on a unicorn
Undercover cop, and I'm wearing a uniform
Plus I wrote all of my rhymes in cuneiform
Hella years ago, B.C., you better be informed"

rooftop


Mixtapes available for download here