Eighty4 Fly "1st Class in Fly World"

Eighty4 Fly isn't slowing down. As the Eighty4 Fly Project just starts to cool off, he comes back this time with a "mixtape" hosted by DJ B Mello. 1st Class in Fly World is for all intents an purposes a debut album that's mixed by a Northwest legend, can't be mad at that (maybe slightly mad at the drops, just sayin...).

This project continues what we saw with the EP, that is a voice from Seattle aiming squarely for the attention of the masses. His beats beg to be played in the club, his lyrics lack much substance - but believe they are delievered in excellent style and he is never short a clever couplet.

What emcee do you know is going to do an entire song with his vocals screwed? Eighty4 Fly does it on "Break Lights to great results. Over a beat that is subtley hypnotic he tells a story about late night partying. This is a common topic. That and weed smoking. Ladies are mentioned more than a few times too. Overall Eigthy4 Fly shows he is about having a good time and if you can't get with that get out of his way.

Spac3man shows up on "The Fly" and continues to hold the crown of best guest emcee in the town. While I'm tempted to give his tape a listen off the strength of the new video I'm not quite there, this might be the incentive i need. Anyway he does his thing here, but Fly isn't to be forgotten as he sounds pretty clean over this sparse beat.

Elsewhere we hear beat selections from Eighty4 that show he has a precise sound he is looking for. A sound influenced as much by the tradition of Hip Hop as it is his own desire for something a little spacely. Some tracks have a full sound with lots of instruments, some are bare. Most are cause for celebration and smiles, a few might make your flight just a bit more elevated.

After years of listening to Seattle hip hop that always felt distinctly Seattle it's exciting to hear artists from the town making tracks that just scream "play me." The EP worked at showing some diversity from Eigthy4 Fly, the tape is more one minded but we all need something to spark up too thats knocking.

Download 1st Class in Fly World here!

He couldn't hold onto this jam! "Like Planes" finally has a home with the release of this album, why not bring the video back.

Avatar Young Blaze "Russian Revolution"

Seattle artists don’t hustle. We got some cats that work hard, rock shows, kill it and stay promoting themselves but you don’t see dudes in the lab dropping multiple projects a year. Not even tracks daily. Not to say the scene isn’t fruitful. Avatar Young Blaze has taken a page out of the book of trappers turned rappers and stayed making music at a higher volume than anyone else in his town.

With his latest project Russian Revolution hitting twitter earlier this week I’ve been sitting with it pretty much on repeat trying to get a feel for where the young man is taking us. Having listened to a couple other projects, watched the videos and talked with him in the last month I feel like I’ve started to see behind the mask.

To be honest this tape shows more depth than anything else he has done to date. Sure he still has the street shit. He rocks “BMF” and does a pretty good job with it, I’d love to hear what some national critics think of his rendition. He seems to take the same route talking in code about a bunch of shit most of us probably aren’t privy too. But his flow is rocks and you can’t deny his presence.

Elsewhere we see him do the weed song over some beautiful piano and guitar chords that certainly have you forgetting about that “Zone Out” video. “Wishing On A Dream” features Isabella Du Graf doing her thing over a beautiful beat with knocking drums, some ill strings and horns - a composition perfect for Av to talk about life of today and tomorrow.

At times in the past I have thought Avatar’s voice and flow were a bit awkward, gone is any of the clunkyness to his spit here. He is 100 percent on point throughout the tape, carrying it pretty much all by himself with only his homie Ackrite the Butcher and Eighty4 Fly making guest verse appearances. Ackrite and Avatar work really well together, we’ve already heard their chemistry and I’m anxious to hear a full project from the Butcher.

“Extraterrestrial” is another turn for Young Blaze, featuring a spacey beat with sparkling synths it sounds much more up the alley of it’s guest Eighty4 Fly. They do their thing, and I guess I’m gonna have to stop doubting Fly, he always holds his own.

The production throughout this tape is great. I don’t have an actual list of creidts but he shouts out Jake One on “The Quattroporte” and it sounds pretty trademark White Van Music with awesome drums, a hard bassline, and that crispness Seattle needs to be known for. Elsewhere Avatar selects records to suit his needs. He gets the synthed out club records, the hard gangsta shit and he even takes it back flipping the 808 for “Posse on Jackson.” It’s a bold move that no one should be mad at.

Listening to Russian Revolution you shouldn’t find much to be mad at. While Avatar projects of the past have shown us a young kid from the streets ready to spit venom at those just like he was still out on the block scoping a chain to snatch, this one shows a more mature Avatar. He is rounding himself out. And it makes for a listening experience that does not tire.

Download Russian Revolution here!

Eighty4 Fly "The Eighty4 Fly Project"

Eighty4 Fly has a song on his new EP called “Sunset Blvd.” It features a slow beat that reminds me of Nelly’s “Dilemma” for some reason. On it he tells a story about kicking it with a chick, you can guess where. Eighty4 Fly is from Seattle but you wouldn’t know it. And it might just be the secret to coming success for another talented rapper out of the 206.

While everyone is making a big deal out of Pinder’s move to Atlanta, DJ’s and producers from the town have been leaving for greener pastures for years. But it’s not really about moving away but expanding your brand to new markets. You can have a home base in one city and connections to make other major markets feel like home. Eighty4 Fly seems to be working towards this goal.

His music is smooth, slick and refreshing. It sounds like commercial radio in some respects. Certainly seems to me like it could break the Clear Channel playlist before your favorite Champagne Champagne or Mash Hall track. His beat selection is in favor of airy knockers that float along, epitomized by “So Cool” a lead off track that features a great video courtesy of Jon Augustavo.



The EP opens with a thumper more directed at a harder audience but doesn’t push to far. “Hello Future” seems like his manifesto of sorts talking about what’s coming next (him) and he spits some braggadocios lines to make you believe he is just that bad ass. It works, his cockiness is conveyed with a dope flow over this beat that just begs to be blasted.

He closes The Eighty4 Fly Project out with a joint that features Nipsey Hussle. At first listen I didn’t dig the cut too much. I’m still a little disappointed by the beat. It’s cool but I want more bombast, within the context of the EP however it fits well and I can’t be mad at a dude making sure he has a complete package. As far as who gets who? Nipsey is a very talented rapper and technically I like his flow more, but I think Fly might have got him lyrically. Both of em are spitting bars - you’ll be playing this song for a minute.

In between there are six more cuts most of which posses synth heavy beats with serious bass knocks ready to set the club off. Eighty4 Fly spends most of the album talking about trying to scoop chicks and making money.

The Chemist cooks up half of the EP and you can’t be mad at any of his tracks. “The Flyest” might be his best, with its celebratory keys and stuttering drums it’s a cross between dirty south and Swizz Beatz style east coast club banger. This is Fly’s greatest asset, he can play to a lot of markets. His appeal is broad.

A lot of groups have tried to make a more accessible style of music in the town and few have really seen the kind of success the music implies. I have no crystal ball, but Eighty4 Fly is doing things the right way and if he keeps creating product like this he will do what he wants in his musical career.

Download the Eighty4 Fly Project here!