For your approval, another young NW rapper you haven't heard ofâgod knows I never write about those: Tacoma's Kayzee, who hit me with his Don't Mind if I Do mixtape, a smooth, blunted, and braggity work of clever shit-talk that (mostly) keeps it witty and light over 28 (!) tracks. Far from easy. Peep the video for the smoky standout "Strollin," which captures well those molasses-slow, high-as-fuck-in-the-store moments we all know. The titles "93 Til Infinity" and "Martin Wayans Bros" should tell you where he's at; the hazy cool of the vintage-nod production and his syllable-rich style (not far out of Dom Kennedy's lane) sound right off cassetteâ"I'm a '90s baby," he shrugs, "the fuck you expect?"
Federal Way's Grammy-nominated MC/producer Q Dot returns with his latest drop, Black Goldânot to be confused with Texas tea or Porter Ray's BLK GLD. On "Desecrate the Throne (Black Privilege)," he speaks to the topic of the dayâhiphop appropriationâbefore noting, "We can't even wear a jacket with a hood in our own neighborhood/And we just supposed to get over it." My favorite here is "Soul Clap," whose lean keyboard-funk sound recalls an earlier Q Dot highlight ("Music" from his 2009 Underground Railroad).
LA homeboy Bambu is touring his best and latest album, Party Worker, hitting the Crocodile on Wednesday, March 11, with comrades DJ Phatrick, high-school senior MC Klassy, Rocky Rivera, the Bar (Bam's group with Prometheus Brown, fool), and Faith Santilla. "Bambu, where the fuck you find these crazy Filipinos?" The next night, the Croc's back bar hosts the latest installment of Home Slice, this time featuring town underground mover-shakers Black Magic Noize, with Jamil Suleman, All Star Opera, and Odo (Deep Space Nine reference!).
Hollow Earth Radio is celebrating all month with Magma Fest 2015 at its Central District HQ (2018 E Union St). On Friday, March 13, catch Porter Ray, JusMoni, Astro King Phoenix, and OCnotes flexing all ages. On Saturday, March 14, the power combo of Dave B and Ugly Frank are at the Vera with Tele Fresco, Young Vlad, and Wilt Gameberlin. That same night, Odd Futureâapproved hardcore heads Trash Talk hit Neumos with NYC's raucous grime kids Ratking. If you're dropping your teenagers off at those showsâyou might wanna peep Salt-N-Pepa, Kool Moe Dee, Kwame, Chubb Rock, and my wifey since '90, Monie Love, all at the ShoWare Center in Kent.
Lastlyâif radio rap is just not connecting with the rage you feel in your gut after reading the DOJ report on the Ferguson PD, the latest inevitable antics of racist white people in the news, or the off-the-books Gitmo-style site where Chicago PD (they're gonna make me say "allegedly") tortures suspects into confessions using beatings and some say threats of heroin injections, go see Talib Kweli and Immortal Tech at the Showbox on Tuesday, March 17, and righteously rage it out. If you can still smile at your boss the next day, good on you. 
