Black Mask - Serious Joke (2009)

 

Today's upload is one of my most sought after physical releases on the wantlist - 2009's "Serious Joke" from Black Mask!

We've talked a lot about Black Mask on this blog so you probably know the deal - a Mountain state crew of revolving members headed up by super-producer Maulskull. The crew has dropped a lot of (free) music throughout the years that you can still peep on Bandcamp, but this project from 2009 evaded me for the longest of times. Maulskull uploaded several tracks from it over the course of several compilations, but I could never find the actual album in full. Luckily, my buddy BrothermanTrill passed me a digital copy a couple of years ago. 

It's always intrigued me that this one seemed to have gotten buried. The production is crisp as are the raps. Verbal Kent, Eternia, Celph Titled, and Tha Alkaholiks all stop by as well. Banging album all around. Check it out below! [Oh yeah - if anyone has a physical CD copy of this...please let me buy it from you lol!)

Serious Joke

New Music: AG Flux - Long Winter

 

As I get older, I find myself listening to more and more instrumental Hip Hop and AG Flux's recent "Long Winter" album has been at the top of the list over the past week. 

AG Flux is a member of the mountain-state collective Black Mask as both a rapper and producer. Most of his output recently has been beat-based. "Long Winter" is a collection of 8 lush and colorful instrumentals that deliver full length song punches. Think a slightly more ambient version of fellow Black Mask member Maulskull's production. I can definitely relate to the title as well as we recently got 3+ inches of snow up here in the middle of April lol! 

Peep it below!

Long Winter

Black Mask - Free.P (2007) + Announcement

This week's upload is 2007's "Free.P" from the western mountain based collective, Black Mask. Black Mask is best known for being the crew headed up by Maulskull. The super producer/super rapper has collaborated with many indie acts from his native region (e.g. Rhyme Progression, Milogic, Eye Cue) and has also branched out and worked with larger names from the underground scene (e.g. Ceschi, Celph Titled, Snak The Ripper.) 

As far as I know, "Free.P" is Black Mask's first release. I got it off the collective's now defunct website back in the day, and not much info is out there about it (I'm not even sure about the track order as none of the songs have track numbers.) I'm also not even entirely sure who was in Black Mask at this point. Maulskull, Carnage, and INfluence were definitely in the mix. Nobe1 and Raph might have been in the mix too. The lineup has changed various times throughout the years so it's a bit hard to tell. 

What I can say, however, is that even in its early stages, Black Mask made some great music. Maulskull is still trying to find his production style on the project, but even so, the instrumentation is great - especially when things get fluffy and atmospheric. Nearly everyone in the crew can also rap well - lots of fun cadences and engaging content on here. Josh Martinez also stops by for a feature! 

Grab this jewel if you haven't already and also be sure to check out Maulskull's amazing "Unamazing Grace" album that he dropped late last year as well as AG Flux's (a Black Mask member who joined post "Free.P") "Accompanied By Solitude" and Alex Knox's (another Black Mask member who joined after "Free.P") "Who Goes There" albums, both of which dropped last year as well.

Download

And now for a small announcement of sorts. In honor of their turning ten, I have started to count down my Top 209 Favorite Hip Hop Projects of 2009 over on my RYM page. For each entry, I'll be dropping some brief thoughts on the given project, and for select entries, Dimxsk will be joining me! If this interests you at all, feel free to check out the countdown list HERE.