Pete Rock - Cosmic Slop (Petestrumentals 2)

Mello Music Group has in a very short time established themselves as the hitmakers of the day for independent conscious Hip Hop.  Much of this has to do with the label founders and their philosophy of paying a living regular wage to their artists instead of soon-to-be-blown advances (which must be repaid against earnings).  Using this philosophy of remuneration they have managed to dominate a string of spring releases from Drew Dave's Synthbased to Red Pill's Look What The World Did To Us. Signing the indomitable Open Mike Eagle to a two record deal beginning with the most intelligent Hip Hop release of 2014 Dark Comedy.  Meanwhile, former Little Brother progenitor, Rapper Big Pooh released Words Paint Pictures echoing the conscious midwest sound of his brethren including legendary albums such as Elzhi's (Black Milk produced The Preface from 2008).

But finding a home for one of the Big Four of sample based producers like Pete Rock for his Petestrumentals 2 (due June 23) was a true coup d'etat.  Petestrumentals 2 is actually the third installment of Pete's Beat Generation series which he updated to respond in kind to Jay Dee's (aka J Dilla's) landmark Welcome to Detroit album. 

Rapper Big Pooh - Augmentation

Augmentation is the lead cut off former Little Brother member Rapper Big Pooh's new Words Paint Pictures EP .  Augmentation is produced by Apollo Brown whose 38 did well for the Mello Music Label and whose thumbprint, like braintrust Oddissee, can be felt all over the labels various releases.

Words Paint Pictures definitely has the Mid West and Detroit sound that Little Brother and Pooh are known for.  The album has that brainy feel of Elzhi and has the heft of his seminal album The Preface.

At points its a fairly dense political statement:

Cointelpro, they infiltrated the crew
Then throw us in a jail operated like a zoo 
I'm just reminding you of things we already knew 
From that project concrete, a rose grew
But we only we the weeds in our view