Various
Eastern Conference All Stars II (Part 2 Of 2)

Eight years after their self-titled debut on Stones Throw, Quakers are back with Quakers II: The Next Wave. 50 minutes, 33 tracks, 31 rappers, 3 producers, one album. Quakers is an evolving collective consisting of music makers: Supa K (Katalyst), 7STU7 and Fuzzface (Geoff Barrow) as executive producer, along with an ever-expanding cast of MCs they invite along on the adventure.Since the 2012 release of Quakers’ debut LP, “Katalyst has evolved into Supa K, 7STU7 has taken up intergalactic smuggling, and Fuzzface only communicates telepathically, silently overseeing the Quakers operation from afar.” True to the group’s collaborative spirit, the three producers invite over thirty rappers from the Stones Throw stable and beyond to contribute to Quakers II: The Next Wave.The new wave of Quakers MCs includes The Koreatown Oddity, Guilty Simpson, Sampa the Great,  Jonwayne, Jeremiah Jae, Chester Watson, Boog Brown, and many more.  All adding their weight to the sonic arsenal.Much like Quakers’ self-titled debut, The Next Wave is loud, unapologetic and blunted. It’s also more explicitly political, with songs that speak directly to systemic corruption, racism, and the climate crisis. The artwork for The Next Wave, created by graphic novel artist Joe Currie, reflects this renewed focus on “interplanetary eco battles.”“The project has evolved organically, similar to last time,” explains Supa K, but “the world has changed and the music reflects that. We’ve all had enough of the global corruption and all those profiting from it.”Quakers leave us with this quote from the late, great Left Rev McD: “We have killed the very earth beneath our feet, yet we still kill each other and talk of the future.” The time for change is now.

New York rapper Your Old Droog and Atlanta rapper/producer Tha God Fahim present their latest collaboration in Tha Wolf of Wall Street. While Fahim trades in brass-tacks metaphors, Droog leans more toward punchlines and pop culture-laden double-entendre. Like any effective duo, their contrasting styles dovetail seamlessly on their new EP Tha Wolf on Wall St. The entire project is an assured slice of underground rap, but the pair’s compatibility shines brightest on the title track. Fahim and Droog move back and forth like co-stars on a long-running cable drama, and Fahim’s production provides a more serene mirror reflection. Fahim laces each of the EP’s eight tracks with sedate loops, splitting the difference between his and Droog’s clashing styles.