Recent Adds is the series where we check terrestrial radio charts to see what independent records have been added to the playlists recently. The idea is that it will help shine some light on semi-significant or at least payola’d out songs that slip below the blogosphere. Mostly it just results in me making fun of rap names until I overdose on Lex Luger synth sweeps. It’s been almost a year since the last installment so there’s a lot to talk about. Some of it’s actually good. Most of it features Yo Gotti.

Rocko – “Goin Steady” (Atlanta, GA)
It’s hard to take Rocko seriously, what with his Real Househusband of Atlanta status and all, but then he goes and makes very viable – if unmemorable – radio records like this and last year’s “Maybe” and you’re like “oh, okay, I guess that guy exists for a reason.”
Added: WHTA Atlanta, GA (64); WJWZ Montgomery, AL (52)

Young T – “Let Me Check My Fresh” (Dallas, TX)
Dallas’ stronghold on Southern rap radio has weakened in favor of Lex-Lite tracks which is a shame because theirs is an infinitely more adaptable sound. This is Travie/Roscoe rap through a D-Town lens. Which is actually a kaleidoscope effect, presuming the old boogie stuff had some influence on those guys.
Added: KBTT Shreveport, LA (7); KRRQ Lafayette, LA (7)

Young Ghost f/ Yo Gotti – “He Ain’t Got It” (Chicago, IL)
Over the past year it’s been consistently shocking how frequently Yo Gotti’s name pops up in this column. He’s a good rapper, don’t get me wrong, but his profile still seems much lower than his actual presence. But this turtle crawl rise to semi-prominence makes for an interesting case study in hip hop marketing. It’s a simple model – where many rappers rush to spread their music to as many ears as possible, guys like Gotti aim smaller (Waka is another example of a guy who does the same, though obviously he has more of an above ground push going on). For years he’s been jumping on records with tons of local rappers of moderate esteem and then let it make a small ripple locally. When he’s in DC, for example, he’ll record with a street credible dude like Garvey The Chosen One. He’s taking the slow rise of, say, a Bun B instead of risking a quick burnout. This is how underground legends are made. And it’s starting to pay off, with random Gotti cameos getting minor play all over the country. Though this track with its Fex Fuger moves in particular might not be the best example because it didn’t actually get any spins. But Young Ghost’s people are probably psyched to have Gotti’s name on the cover of their tape and that will go a long way. While the rest of you bums are begging bloggers to
Gotti is out there networking with his peers.
Added: WRPB Youngtown, OH (0)

T-Man – “Touch Me” (St. Louis, MO)
Grown and sexy stuff that I cannot abide by. At first I thought this was going to be an product personification track about ladies shoes ala “187 Proof” and “Drink The Pain Away” but then dude gave up on the concept about two bars in.
Added: WHHL St Louis; WEUP Huntsville, AL (25); KIPR Little Rock, AR (22) +2 More

Trina f/ T-Pain – “Ghetto” (Miami, FL)
It’s good to know that Miami radio still supports Trina and its even better to know that she’s back to spitting hard raps and off whatever diva aspirations she had with her last album. But this is a pretty forgettable record and unlikely to catch on beyond hometown charity. T-Pains sudden evolution from major pop entity to sort of washed up guy who loans his voice to sort of washed up rappers for singles has been unexpected. But it’s kinda cool, like he’s reached a level where he made a ton of money and is just gonna record songs with the rappers he likes. Or maybe I’m giving him too much credit and Slip N Slide had to dip deep into their Rick Ross money to pay for this track. (Assuming Trina is even on Slip N Slide anymore.)
Added: WEDR Miami (12)

Fred Marshall – “It’s Friday” (Atlanta, GA)
I was hoping this would be a Rebecca Black cash-in rap. It’s not. Nor is it notably fun fun fun.
Added: KNDA Corpus Christi, TX (22); WEMX Baton Rouge (10) + 1 More

Lil Kee f/ Dorrough & Juicy J – “Buss It Wide Open (Remix)” (Tampa, FL)
This is like the midpoint between Nelly and Mannie yet it doesn’t quite feel right. Maybe modern radio rap isn’t supposed to be this happy when not produced by Flo-Rida or the Black Eyed Peas? This is still a more productive career move for Juice than just jumping on whatever blog bait he’s been cutting lately.
Added: WEDR Miami (32); WJZE Toledo (25) + 20 More

Josh X-An-Tus f/ Ghostface Killah – “I Don’t Care” (Queens, NY)
Not a full on rap record, per se, but the fact that a song that prominently features Ghostface (two verses!) and sampled Primo-styled drums is getting some burn nationally is a cause for celebration. X-An-Tus is a Juliard-trained pianist and his last name sounds like that of a Power Rangers villain. There are also regional targeted remixes featuring Nipsey Hussle and Ace Hood which might be what’s boosting its spins, sadly. (It’s always sad when Ace Hood’s music is played anywhere.)
Added: WFXA Augusta, GA (19); WZFX Fayetteville, NC (17) + 25 More

Mims (Notgonnagoogleit, NY)
Remember Mims? He’s back and Lex Lugered. This was produced by the real Lex, who needs to stop devaluing his brand by selling beats to Mims and Mimstypes.
Added; WCCG Fayetteville, NC (14)

Tity Boi f/ Yo Gotti – “Boo” (Atlanta, GA)
Mo Gotti. I should probably be paying more attention to Tity Boi but I still can’t get over the name.
Added: WHRK Memphis, TN (64); WJWZ Montgomery, AL (32)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Mo Pain f/ Yo Gotti – “Meet Me In The Tunnel” (??)
The frustrating thing about the Twitter era is that it makes it tough to find even basic biographical details about artists. A few years ago I could’ve easily hit an artist like Mo Pain’s Myspace and found out his hometown and life story by way of a poorly edited and formatted press bio. Now he just lists his twitter location as (you guessed it) “TUNNEL.” So I don’t know where he’s from. But he’s got a great rap name and a serviceable enough lead single, all “Gridin’” water drops and d-boy boasts. Your Boi Yo Gotti makes his third appearance here. Jeezy’s on the remix too.

Gena – “My Dip In Da Club” (East St. Louis, IL)
Finally, an East St. Louis rapper of moderate national acclaim. This is surprisingly and annoyingly infectious.
Added: KNDA Corpus Christi, TX (75); WPEG Charlotte, NC (25) + 17 More

Yo Gotti – “We Can Get It On” (Memphis, TN)
Noticing a pattern yet? This is an unforgivably soft record.
Added: WHRK Memphis, TN (58); KNDA Corpus Christi, TX (27) +7 More

SJ Boyz f/ Jamm Boyz – “501′s”
Another track of indeterminate origins. I presume this is from somewhere in Louisiana given the sound and fashion sensibilities. Probably Baton Rouge. It knocks. Mouse/Trill inspired stuff, complete with Triggerman interpolations.
Added: KBTT Shreveport, LA

Scripture f/ DJ Bay Bay – “Big Knots” (Shreveport, LA)
Mark my words: Fake Lex Luger beats is going to be a genre that old white people and foreigners get into in ten or fifteen years. They’re gonna fly a just freed Big Meech over to the Jazz Cafe to sign autographs.
Added: WEMX Baton Rouge, LA (1)

T-Scott – Wanna B’s (Little Rock, AR)
I don’t even know what to say about these songs anymore. Project Pat’s supposed to be on a remix.
Added: KIPR LIttle Rock, AR (21); WRBJ Jackson, MS (11)

(Recent Adds update: An entire year and just seventeen Wizards victories later and “Do The John Wall” has been picked up by Universal and is still getting minor burn in such major markets as Wilmington, DE and Toledo, OH. Meanwhile Suga Shizz, the Kentucky based creator of the dance >was murdered last fall.)

This entry was posted on Friday, March 25th, 2011 at 2:33 pm and is filed under Recent Adds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.