The releases we put out on Мишка Records are bands/artists that excite us as music listeners/nerds. We put out music that satisfies the never ending hunger for new sounds. If you don’t know that hunger, you’ve probably never spent hours, lost deep in a Youtube hole watching dudes rap in a language you don’t speak. I envy your efficient use of Youtube. We’re coming off a 2011 where we put out records by, then new and now familiar, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Main Attrakionz, Stalley and Lakutis—just to mention the rap releases. For 2012, we attempted to bring you more new artists that’ll become favorites in the coming months.

Here we have all of the rap/hip hop albums we put out in the last year. As usual our output reflects various styles and moods—because, you know, we’re sophisticated and diverse type listeners. There’s pretty much something here for everyone from the classic NYC rap of Meyhem Lauren to the knowledge raps of BBU wrapped in party production. But you don’t have to take our word for it…

2012 In Review: Мишка Hip Hop Releases

BBU – bell hooks (February 2012)

If we’ve learned in rap by the year 2012, we’ve you can’t succeed entirely on entertainment or edification. Dudes yelling about knowledge only have their mixtapes heard on Okayplayer messageboards, and dudes that only rap about tits eventually end up doomed to an eternity of opening for Travis Porter. But, when you mix highbrow concepts with some ass shaking production, good hooks and plenty of humor, you’re on the road to making something special.

bell hooks accomplishes exactly that, an album that tries to get girls open and mentions imperialism in the same vein. Put this on and turn that liberal arts department party the fuck out.

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Children of the Night – …Queens Revisited (March 2012)

Children Of The Night are part of the larger World’s Fair collective which came through big this year. These are young dudes from Queens doing classic NY rap in a big way. …Queens Revisited reminds of a lot of older NY rap cats from Tribe to Co Flo, without ever dickriding or sounding weirdly nostalgic.

“86 Mets” might be the best thing to happen to the Mets, since the ’86 Mets; if Mets management was smart they’d have this joint on the commercials.

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Max B & Isaiah Toothtaker - Toothy Wavy (May 2012)

Toothy Wavy is a collaboration between Max B, The Hood Internet and Machina Muerte’s Isaiah Toothaker. Max recorded his verses via phone while Toothaker and The Hood Internet collaborated for the beats and hooks. The resulting album is one of the more unique sounding things to come out this year.

Quite possibly the waviest release of the year. Especially check “A Kingdom” to hear Max B sound much like he’s calling home to Earth from a dimension entirely made of wave, through a space bridge.

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Kool A.D. – 51 (Apil 2012)

Das Racist’s Kool A.D dropped a mixtape that threw all the Das Racist haters for a loop by sounding like a “normal” mixtape. While Kool A.D and the rest of D.R are known for being the clown princes of literary rap pranksterism, on 51, A.D drops bars over fairly classical beats with his trademarked “I’d much rather be anywhere but here” disinterested flow.

Features include fellow Das Racist alum Heems, Main Attrakionz, Meyhem Lauren, and Boots Riley from The Coup. Recorded entirely in Oakland, dude sounds very focused in a laid back, and extremely wavy way.

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Lil B – Faces of the Based God Vol.1| Vol. 2| Vol. 3| Vol. 4| Vol. 5 (June 2012)

A five volume set by beholdthedestroyer! comprising the best of Lil B as of July. Which means, by now there could be another 3 volume set cataloging the best of Lil B from July to present.

Each volume in the set captures a different face of the Based God; there’s Lil B the star (his catchy pop work); Lil B the eternal (his spacey, existential based freestyles), Lil B the struggle (his more conventional hood tales), Lil B the gorgeous (pretty boy music) and Lil B the lover (his emotional, empathetic freestyles). A based god for all occasions.

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Aaron Cohen – Murk (October 2012)

Featuring production from Ryan Hemsworth, ASAP Ty Beats, Infinite Jeanius, and Black Noi$e; Murk is a diverse listening experience. You’re transported from trap bangers to bloud rap musings with stops at just about every genre inbetween.

The glue holding it all together is Aaron Cohen’s near deadpan delivery and punchlines. Depending on the beat dude sounds like a coldblooded serial killer or the voice of sanity trying to talk you down from the ether. Either way, a compelling listen throughout.

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Haleek Maul & Supreme Cuts – Chrome Lips (October 2012)

Look at that cover. How unsettling and weird is that fucking thing. That “person” represents the ungodly combination of Supreme Cuts and Haleek Maul. Haleek unfolds tongue tying raps while Supreme Cuts creates soundscapes that could easily score a horror movie.

Chrome Lips leaves you feeling, disturbed, and molested. Musically. Some of the most atmospheric production of the year.

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DJ Muggs – Sound Clash Business (October 2012)

Darkly electronic productions, heavy on bass, meet rappers. This has been a trend as of late. But as long as eardrums shatter and clubs get tore up—we’re gonna keep fucking with it. DJ Muggs of Cypress Hills pairs up with A$AP Rocky and Chuck English on a couple of tracks for this EP to show the kids that OGs can make young dude’s music better than they can.

For the entirety of the EP, I have a strong desire to do donuts in  a lowrider while flipping off the LAPD. Maybe that’s just me though.

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Cities Aviv – Black Pleasure (November 2012)

Somewhere between noise rap, new wave and Rick James lays Cities Aviv. Dude has no problem rapping over a beat that could’ve easily gone to ’03 The Rapture, at the same time he also has no problem playing an in-store set that sounds like ’05 Black Dice.

Put that all together on an album with lyrics that ponder love and the nature of reality, you end up with one of the most idiosyncratic experiences in rap or any other type of music.

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Meyhem Lauren – Mandatory Brunch Meetings (December 2012)

New god flows for old gods of New York. Meyhem’s Mandatory Brunch Meetings, has one foot in classic NY shit talking, hard rapping and Polo enthusiasm while the other foot is steeped in inventive beats and a refined sense of humor.

New York rap that people who don’t like NY rap could fuck with. Locals should already appreciate it. The Junior’s cheesecake of rap. Don’t sleep on this one.

 

- raythedestroyer