In case you've been wondering what the Physics have been up to since the release of their (at least for my very smart and well-considered money) regional classic album Love Is a Business, I'm happy to inform you that they've been working on the follow-up, Tomorrow People. They want your help in its upcoming release via Kickstarter—I'm guessing they'll have hit their goal by the time this sees print, but you shouldn't let that stop you, especially if you don't live in Seattle, as any extra gravy will go toward their fall tour. Get into the swing with their single "Days," available on the finer internet blogs.

This Wednesday, August 1, Crenshaw Ave alumnus Nipsey Hussle puts the G in Nectar and Fremont—it's August 1 already? Yeah, and you're gonna have to be okay with that. Saturday, August 4, at Barboza, catch DJ Swervewon and WD4D spinning out, plus the Flavr Blue playing a mix of cuts from their new album, Pisces. Wait, who? Since you asked—the Flavr Blue are Clockwork's Lace Cadence, Hollis, and State of the Artist's Parker Joe, cranking out club-ready, commercial-ready, pop/EDM—so besides the pedigree of the three behind the music, it's not exactly the sort of stuff I write about, or truthfully even listen to—and I listen to hella shit. (If you somehow didn't know by now, I'm a big dork who hates clubs, champagne, and most currently-agreed-upon forms of fun.) The admittedly undernourished purist in me would love to start throwing words like "mainstream" and such right now, but if you can get into the sounds of the Cataracs, Far East Movement, or Ke$ha, then I think you'll appreciate the Flavr, artificially sweetened or no.

On Tuesday, August 7, the Crocodile brings you one of Motown's finest, ex–Slum Village MC Elzhi. I've actually followed Elzhi (sounds creepy) since I first heard him on "Come Get It" from J Dilla's Welcome 2 Detroit, and it was his verses on that song that made me finally realize that the best Detroit MCs all seem to share that thorough, syllable-perfect rhyme style. I kept up with Elzhi via his Witness My Growth collection on through his post-Dilla SV membership and its acrimonious dissolution. It's all about that Elmatic tape he put out last year, and if you're lucky, he'll lean on that material, seeing as it's his finest moment up to now. An appropriately lyrical and classically minded cast of openers awaits you as well: Thaddeus David and Justis, with DJ Swervewon holding it down.

Lastly, shouts to 206hopradio.com, where Seattle rap is streamed 24/7, 365; initial intelligence tells me that it's curated by OC Notes, DJ Audeos, and P.Supremo. Pure edutainment, as classic sounds from the late-'90s compilation era (e.g., Do the Math, 14 Fathoms Deep), all the new Town-approved favorites, and local instrumentalists are all represented. This shit is way more Seattle than the latest T-shirt with a Space Needle/Kingdome/SEA graphic on it, and you can keep your money. Or even better, just PayPal it to hiphop@thestranger.com. Thanks in advance.