1. Goines – “The Clap”
Pine Bluff’s Goines was one half of Suga City, the only Arkansas rap duo ever to be featured in both the Oxford American magazine and the soundtrack to “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.” This is from his new LP “Success Vol. 1,” which he describes as the “highly anticipated follow up to Goines’ already extensive catalog of greatness.”
2. PZA – “MARBLE MALL WITH FERN”
PZA’s music reminds me of playing Super Mario 64 in Savannah, Ga., circa 1997. Also the wild demo songs from Casio keyboards of the same era. So, I guess, recommended for fans of Ashford & Simpson and Game Boy Camera.
3. Rodney CoLe ft. J. Legacy & Al Bundy – “Way Too Real”
Rodney CoLe is one of the best and most underrated rappers in Little Rock. His songs have a real sense of melody and momentum — they’re personal without being self-aggrandizing, and he’s a good writer.
4. Big Piph – “Big Boi”
Here’s the latest from Big Piph, who as far as I know has a new EP coming out today called “I Am Not Them” (a title it shares with his web series; it’s a point he’s eager to stress). He’s also got a new video, for “Why,” a 15 city tour of the Midwest planned for July and a TED talk scheduled after that. (UPDATE: Per Twitter, Piph says the tour and EP have been rescheduled due to “trouble on the homefront.”)
5. Midwest Caravan – “I Got a Nosebleed on Space Mountain”
Midwest Caravan have a new album on the way, too, and you can preorder it for $7. Here’s the first single, a brief dissertation on the gulf between public amusement and private shame.
6. NEON GHO$T ft. Ghoulish – “Lord Luci”
Little Rock’s NEON GHO$T is about as depraved as a UALR English major can be these days, which is apparently pretty depraved. His new EP, “TIME,” is good, if you are a fan of nightmarish Memphis rap tapes.