The Holstar- Six Sixteens

If grinding was an event in the Olympics, this dude would be Usain Bolt. Here is the latest offering from the grinda-holic emcee known as The Holstar. This is a project which he has entitled "The Six Sixteens" in which he has put together a deadly dosage of rhymes and metaphors guaranteed to pop vain. Hailing from the metropolis of Lusaka, Big Holstar has always held it down with solid lyrics and content, almost single handedly holding down for the much needed underground scene  in Zambia. Marinade on this my people.... Salute!

P

Download Link: The Holstar - Six Sixteens

http://www.limelinx.com/files/99300e46eec5bbf0f970b18183e3866a

Sauce Kid - The Game Needs Me (ft. Ghetto P)

Dope track from Nigerian rapper Sauce Kid. Iceberg Slim laced him with a nice Hova sample for the beat and Sauce Kid tells you exactly why the game needs him.

Lifted from his debut album 'African American' available now on NotJustOk or iTunes UK.

A.K.A - B.M.F (Exclusive)

Firstly, let me say Rick Ross's B.M.F is probably my favourite track of the year so far, and needless to say a lot of cats have tried to jump on the bandwagon. So far i havent been impressed by most renditions bar Lupe Fiasco's effort. But along comes A.K.A with his version of BMF.......... and i cant front... THIS JOINT IS SMOKING!! A.K.A. is really becoming one of my favourite rappers out there.. keep grindin playa.

P

Download.

http://www.mediafire.com/?eq61sdckem84mnw

follow aka on twitter: @akaworldwide 

M.anifest - If I Was King ft Krukid

M.anifest - 'If I Was King' ft Krukid

If you haven't heard his name before, let me introduce you to M.anifest.

Born in Accra, Ghana and now resident in Minneapolis, The Star Tribune named his debut album Manifestations as one of the top 5 albums of 2007 across genres and later asked "What's a rapper from Ghana who's as smart as Talib Kweli and as funky as Kanye West doing in Minnesota?"

Good question. All I know is that the music is great!

I've also included a video below from A.R.M (M.anifest + Krukid + Budo) ft Brother Ali...enjoy!


Taken from the "Uprising" LP.

Spoek Mathambo - the 'Prince of Township Tech'

Ok, this isn't exactly hip hop (I'm not sure what to call it actually), but it is definately DOPE.

His sound has been described as 'Electrorap', but Spoek prefers to call it 'township tech' and this is the first single 'Mshini Wam' off his debut solo album:



He is getting some serious coverage internationally, just check out this months FADER magazine if you want to know more - he made the cover!

Props to HeadHoncho for putting me on.

Isosceles - Never Underestimate (Lesotho hip hop)

"They think less of me, but I give more

Stand tall & stay strong like a King Kong"

NemesisInc sent this over and I was very impressed - just more proof that African talent is present all over the continent, peep this:

Isosceles ft Core Wreckah - Never Underestimate (produced by Cymptom)

UPDATE: This track was lifted from Isosceles 'Untitled EP' (click for free download). I've been listening to it for the past hour, definately gets the 25toLyf stamp of approval - some classic hip hop tunes!!

OkayAfrica!

I was doing my regular rounds on the blogs today, when I was pleasantly surprised to discover that okayplayer have a new site dedicated entirely to African music & culture! Check it out > okayafrica.

This is great news considering there really is a lack of good quality websites/blogs that focus on African music, yet we all know how much amazing talent the motherland has to offer! Okayplayer generally has good writers + content so I'm looking forward to seeing what the new site brings to the table.

I've posted two dope tracks after the jump that caught my ear while I was exploring their site. Listen/download below...

Metaphysics has a party!!!

"I'm illuminated, not illuminati,
I"ll educate ya'll fools, you thought it was a party"

Metaphysics, the godfather of Zimbabwean hip hop, is back with an absolute MONSTER of a track!!!

The track is titled 'The Party', but its not what you expect - 'The Education' probably would have been a more appropriate title, since Meta takes you to school on this one!!

Crazy beat, crazy flow - just listen to this lyrical destruction...and take notes:

  The party by gandanga

GANDANGA!