CoachellAltDelight brings attention to special artists that will be featured in Indio come April.
Some we love. Some we just discovered. All essential.
Click here for more from this series.
3/10 Days

Earl Sweatshirt (of Odd Future) is set to perform solo at Coachella this year. The 19 year old was sent to boarding school in Samoa during Odd Future’s swift rise to fame and unable to perform with them during their Coachella debut in 2011. He released his first album EARL in 2010 at the tender age of 17. Before being sent away, Earl was a fan favorite within the group along with Tyler, The Creator. Both he and Tyler have become somewhat notorious for the violent acts they describe in their songs.

Earl has returned and recorded his next album Doris, which is set to be released this spring. He has since released two singles “Chum” and “Whoa.” They couldn’t be more different thematically, lyrically or musically at all. That variance, for me, is much appreciated. It’s really nice to see Earl showcase his talents as a writer. Opposed to him painting himself into a corner with Odd Future. With the possibility of special guests being at a high, you can guarantee I’ll be there on Friday.

Earl Sweatshirt – Chum
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Earl%20Sweatshirt/Chum.mp3]

Earl Sweatshirt (Featuring Tyler, The Creator) – Whoa
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Earl%20Sweatshirt/01%20Whoa%20%28feat.%20Tyler%2c%20The%20Creator%29.mp3]

Earl Sweatshirt – Luper
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Earl%20Sweatshirt/06%20Luper.mp3]

There’s a reason Biggie is the go-to rapper for current artists to use on their beats. His flow is impetuous. His lyrics are impregnable. He’s just ferocious! Of all the hip hop album mashups I’ve heard, this one takes the cake. It’s keeps consistent throughout its entirety. Though I prefer other renditions to some of the tracks, Flume‘s beats compliment Biggie’s flow with near flawlessness. Like some of the songs should have been made that way to begin with. I’ve included a couple classic Biggie beat mashups that still get a lot of playtime from me to this day.

“Gotta stay on the positive vibe. All my people gotta stay on the positive vibe.
Negativity just brings failure. You know? We ain’t trying to fail in this game. We trying to succeed.”

RATATAT – Party And Bullshit (The Notorious B.I.G.)
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/bigflume/02%20Party%20And%20Bullshit%20%28The%20Notorious%20B.I.G.%29.mp3]

The XX – Dead Wrong Intro
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/bigflume/01%20Dead%20Wrong%20%28Intro%29.mp3]

I sound like an idiot when I try to talk about hip-hop so I will spare you by just saying that Murs and Fashawn are infuggincredible on their own so I was very excited to hear about their colab. “Slash Gordon” was finally released a few days ago but was well worth the wait. Check it out.

Slash Gordon
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/gooldroom/03%20Slash%20Gordon%20feat.%20Murs%2c%20Fashawn%20%28DatPiff%20Exclusive%29.mp3]

One thing I’ll miss about college is the consistent opportunities to experience great events put on by student groups for little to nothing out of the pocket. UC Irvine’s Hip Hop Congress is bringing Urban Arts Festival back for its fourth run this year and again have packed the bill with talent.

LA’s own Pac Div will be headlining the night. Last I saw them was in ’08 opening for The Cool Kids and their performance was live as fuck to say the least. Like, Mibbs, and BeYoung never waste a verse and are so good at combining humor and honest introspection. One of the best and most likeable rap groups out there (check out the series they did on Vimeo).

Another LA local, Blu, will be the main opener for the night. At this point the man can be considered underground royalty and his Below the Heavens almost a classic.

UCI alum Azad Right and Nyne-D will start the night off. Last year’s show brought out Dom Kennedy and Fashawn in the most intimate environment you’ll get to see them. Check a (kinda shitty) video of Dom from last year below. Tickets are $5 presale (on-campus), $7 online and $10 at the door.

Pac Div – Useless (ft. Asher Roth)
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Jangbar/Pac%20Div%20-%20Useless%20%28ft.%20Asher%20Roth%29.mp3]

Pac Div – Take Me High
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Jangbar/Pac%20Div/Pac%20Div%20-%20Take%20Me%20High.mp3]

Blu & Exile – So(ul) Amazin’ (Steel Blazin’)
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Jangbar/03%20So%28ul%29%20Amazin%27%20%28Steel%20Blazin%27%29.mp3]

Blu & Exile – Blu Collar Workers
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Jangbar/06%20Blu%20Colla%20Workers.mp3]

Here’s some Monday morning juice to get your week started off on the right foot. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are essentials in my library and they recently released a track, “Victory Lap.” It’s packed to the brim with positivity and energy, charting Macklemore’s career from when he started at 17 to where he is now. He recently announced that he is working on a new album. I’m stoked.

Macklemore – Victory Lap
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/macklemore/23%20Victory%20Lap.mp3]

Free Candy

Macklemore – Fake I.D.
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/macklemore/_Fake%20I.D..mp3]
Macklemore – Otherside Remix ft. Fences
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/macklemore/Otherside%20Remix%20ft.%20Fences.mp3]
Macklemore – Can’t Hold Us
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/album%20reviews/macklemore/Can%27t%20Hold%20Us%20%28Radio%20Rip%29.mp3]

CoachellAltDelight brings attention to special artists that will be featured in Indio come April.
Some we love. Some we just discovered. All good stuff.
Click here for more from this series.
8 (15) Days

Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover aka Troy from Community is set to hit the stage Saturday at Coachella. His skill as a writer is the back bone of his music, producing some witty metaphors and stupid fun raps. I wonder if anyone who watches Community will see him on stage and trip. I can only stand so much of him at a time but that amount of time is about the length of a performance; plus he’s a natural entertainer, so his live performance will probably be solid. I wouldn’t be mad if he incorporates some of his standup material.

Childish Gambino – Backpackers
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Jangbar/Childish%20Gambino%20-%20%20Backpackers.mp3|titles=Childish Gambino – Backpackers]

Childish Gambino – Heartbeat
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Jangbar/Childish%20Gambino%20-%20%20Heartbeat.mp3]

Childish Gambino – Freaks and Geeks
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Jangbar/Childish%20Gambino%20-%20Freaks%20and%20Geeks.mp3]

Childish Gambino – Lights Turned On
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Jangbar/Childish%20Gambino%20-%20Lights%20Turned%20On.mp3]

CoachellAltDelight brings attention to special artists that will be featured in Indio come April.
Some we love. Some we just discovered. All good stuff.
Click here for more from this series.
17 (24) Days

I rarely get this excited over “buzzy” shit, but I’m all about Team Banks right now. She’s just the walking, spittin’, flowy little k-word that we need right now. What do you kids think? Over the top wannabe gangsta shit? Or a rough-n-tumble, not-giving a fuck, let’s see how many forties we can kill before its noon shit? I choose the latter. Day 2 of Coachella. You already know.