5 Albums You Should Know About [02/15/2010]

Published by Tyler Hakes on February 15, 2010 at 9:00 am

With Valentine’s day out of the way it’s time for another week of hip-hoppery. We’ve got some dope picks for this week, including probably the hands-down most hotly anticipated drop of this decade thus far in the Freeway/Jake One collabo. But don’t let that one overshadow all else that’s dropping this week. Check it out.

1. Oddisee – Traveling Man

DMV area double threat, Oddisee, emerges with a new instrumental album this week in Traveling Man, which pairs the bright beatmaker’s compositions with 24 different cities he stayed in while on tour, translated musically. Among the stops are Chicago, Khartoum, Sao Paulo and of course his native Washington D.C.

2. Freeway and Jake One – The Stimulus Package

Philly hard-rock MC, Freeway, and Seattle’s reigning production wiz, Jake One, combine to create and release the Stimulus Package, their first collaborative effort ever and the most anticipated release this week. The actual CD features wondrously creative packaging and the much-revered flow of Freeway being added to the always-soulful and boom-bapped arrangements of Jake One has these two setting out on a worthy mission; stimulate the current state of Hip-Hop.

3. DJ Mathematics – Return of The Wu and Friends

Longtime Wu-Tang Clan producer, DJ and affiliate Mathematics returns to drop his 2nd installment of his ”Wu-Tang & Friends” series with Return Of The Wu & Friends, a brand new lot of hard to find songs and exclusive remixes from all 9 core members of the Shaolin brotherhood the world knows as Wu-Tang Clan.

4. Souljazz Orchestra – Rising Sun

Ottawa, Canada based Funk band the Souljazz Orchestra readies their 3rd album Rising Sun, that promises to find their already widely diverse sound being expanded upon. Expect to hear everything from Afro-Jazz, Ethopian Modes and even a cover of legendary American Jazz Saxophonist Pharoah Sanders’ 1981 track “Rejoice”.

5. Joyo Velarde – Love and Understanding

Bay Area fixture and co-writer of her husband Lyrics Born’s 90′s smash “Balcony Beach”, the sultry and soulful Cali Filipina songstress who was classicly trained in opera in Rome known as Joyo Velarde returns with a new album titled Love And Understanding. Along with some serious assists from a host of Hip-Hop’s most dynamic producers including RJD2, Jake One, Tommy Guerro and Lyrics Born, Joyo puts a new twist on traditional Soul music.