A Letter From The Editor

This is the 200th edition of the CABBAGES hip-hop newsletter. Those who've been following along since I launched this thing five years ago (holy shit, thank you!) should note that they've received way more emails than that, something closer to 540 inclusive of podcast episode announcements, bonus content, and other such things. But in the weird, useful-only-to-me way that I track my output, I've now reached an arbitrary milestone worth marking and pondering about for no real reason.

America is not in a great place right now, and truth be told neither am I. The collapse of the entertainment journalism ecosystem under the weight of aloof media execs and craven venture capitalists, a general public disinterest in music writing that isn't celebrity-driven or clickbait, and the rise of a crowded content creator economy teeming with bad actors and complete idiots are all factors that make my professional life difficult. These are hardly the most pressing matters in this country or the world today, obviously, but that doesn't mean these conditions aren't cause for concern. Tech CEOs are deciding the fate of the music business and you don't have to look hard at the headlines to see what else they're up to that impacts your life and the lives of your loved ones, neighbors, and fellow citizens.

I'm not asking you for money today. Lord knows your inboxes are already full of politicians demanding donations. This isn't some heartstring-tugging wind-up to a fundraising effort or paid subscription promo. But I'm telling you all this because doing CABBAGES is harder now than it was when I started it. Over the past year, with subscriber attrition outpacing new sign-ups, I began to wonder whether my energies might be better spent elsewhere. Constructively, I did things like add video to the podcast offering, post episode clips on social, and start an official Spotify playlist. Less positively, I considering the logistics of shuttering the entire operation or radically reducing the free content.

Neither of those latter options interest me at the moment. There's far too much great independent and underground hip-hop/rap music out there right now, some of which you'll find discussed below this existential essay. After all, the whole reason I launched CABBAGES was to raise awareness for and promote discovery of these artists and their work. Those who've been featured in these digital pages or on the podcast or on the radio show (new episode LIVE today at 5PM EST!) would likely tell you that CABBAGES serves as a net positive in their musical lives, something many of them have privately shared with me.

I've been writing about hip-hop for a fairly long time, and despite what any commenter, peer, publicist, manager, or plain ol' hater has had to say about me over the last two-and-a-half decades, I care about this thing of ours–the art and the culture. At the end of the day, I'm a kid from Queens who fell in love with this music and has never fallen out of love with it. So, you know what? I'm not leaving. I'm not fuckin' leaving.

Queen Herawin, Awaken The Sleeping Giant

(buy it / stream it)

Late last year, when the Juggaknots took the stage as surprise guests of billy woods at Brooklyn's Warsaw, Queen Herawin was obviously front and center. Her influence and impact on the realm of underground rap that Backwoodz Studioz traffics in cannot be overstated, and it certainly was felt in the room that night. While some may fantasize about a prospective Juggaknots album for the still-ascending indie label, the immediate blessing of Awaken The Sleeping Giant shows just how prepared and on point she remains. With a Bear-One beat in line with what Griselda types favor, opener "Focus" comes on strong as she emerges with self-awareness for this long-awaited solo outing. Any concerns about the rust or dust of seeming absence dissipate soon enough as she righteously simmers over "Anger" and admits vulnerability for "Anxiety." Her honesty keeps the roughly half-hour long album consistent, even as she shares the spotlight via features from other skilled emcees like Apathy, Open Mike Eagle, and her brother Breeze Brewin. When battle rap mainstay Poison Pen gets boisterous on "Arrogant," she proudly accepts the challenge to embrace her boldest side.

Teller Bank$ & Wino Willy, Black Man!

(buy it / stream it)

About a year ago, Des Moines rapper/producer Teller Bank$ put out a solid EP called No Sympathy 4 Dead Men. In the digital liner notes of Bandcamp, he recounted sentiments about feeling alone and isolated that should be unsettlingly familiar to other independent hip-hop artists toiling in home studios. This was a man in need of community, and one hopes that he's found some of that via this concise yet potent collaboration with prodigious beatmaker Wino Willy. Over the course of these eight tracks, Bank$ gives it to us straight with his somewhat nasal, slightly raspy delivery. "Brillo Pad" kicks off with outward insults and observations before sharply turning on himself with rather cogent criticism, the violence in his voice like an unresolved lump in the throat. That inner monologue doesn't let up on "Best Days," its woozy instrumental an appropriate soundtrack to an aggression without direction. His threats and machinations on "Anthrax" and "MEGABUSTA BANK$" sound sinister like a supervillain, a perfect match for the comics-inspired cover art.

Three new tracks to snack on...

Recoechi, "Walking Temple"

Andrew Mbaruk & Th' Mole, "Cultural Studies"

pulp Cruz, "s.o.s."