Bonus Cut

Every week, Daniel and Gus pick five songs to share called The Starting Five. This week, they’re personally sharing these tracks as a feature.

Gus’ Picks

John Legend & The Roots—“Wake Up Everybody”

Melanie Fiona and Common too? I’m in. “Wake up all the teachers/ Time to teach a new way/ Maybe then they’ll listen/ To what’cha have to say.”

Kendrick Lamar—“good kid”

With the smoothness of Pharrell on the hook, Kendrick lays it down as he deals with the complicated themes of coming of age and the realization that follows.

Lewis Parker—“Snakes And Ladders”

If you’re not familiar with this cat, it’s about time you had a listen.

Pharoahe Monch—“What It Is”

“Raps like Star Wars only the stars die, it’s no sequels/ Beat three cases, see three PO’s/ Before Morpheus and Neo was killin em’/ We was duckin’ bullets in the hood like Remo Willams.”

The Roots—“75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)”

“Brown niggas hide yellow niggas and them red niggas/ No tellin’ when the bullet comin’, be prepared niggas/ Cause when it do it, it comin’ land, sea and and air niggas.”

If you haven’t seen the video of Yasiin Bey doing this whole song while at the shoot for the BET cypher in 2009, WATCH IT!

Daniel’s Picks

Captain Murphy—”Between Villains (feat. Viktor Vaughn and Earl Sweatshirt)”

FlyLo, Viktor Vaughn (DOOM) and Earl Sweatshirt. That’s all you need to know.

Ka—”Off the Record”

I don’t know what’s more impressive: the bars being spit or that beautiful record collection…

Nas—”My Way”

“Gateways, marble floors, chandeliers/ Jacuzzi’s, Gucci soap, throwing cash in the air/ Though I, still feel broke with millions in the bank/ And deals on the table, I focus to stay afloat.”

Smif-N-Wessun—”Bucktown”

Some of Brooklyn’s best. If you can’t dig Smif-N-Wessun then what do you dig?

The Knux—”Cappuccino”

I first listened to “Cappuccino” when it came out and blasted it for about a week. I completely forgot about until shuffle decided to surprise me. Let’s spin it again.