Yeah, this was coming, but I still got jazzed when I heard that JAMES MATTHEW’s EL SERENO TAPE was dropping. Almost peed myself, tbh. But I cinched up, and I spun EL SERENO TAPE, and when I first heard those (always) ill drums, Pusha, some b-day shit, Pete, AND horses, I was hooked. Like, jonesing-for-my-next-round hooked.
And after the fifth or sixth spin, I got to thinking. I thought about how so many producers — JAMES MATTHEW included — use old verses from established rappers instead of new cats. Sure, Swim Team has Izy, but it seems like A LOT of teams/groups/what-have-you are missing that new, live aspect. Things are just fractured, I guess. Good thing the beats on EL SERENO TAPE stand up on their own; that they don’t need a new MC on them; that they shake the flakes off your noggin’ with all your noddin’. Fuck it. Ride with EL SERENO TAPE, and don’t worry about someone over top of it. Just enjoy.
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• JAMES MATTHEW: https://jamesmatthew.bandcamp.com
• EL SERENO RECORDS: https://elserenorecords.bandcamp.com