BBU - bell hooks

Sponsored by Mishka, put out by Mad Decent.  Bandcamp here.  Their press release:

Epic, Illekt, Jasson Perez, and DJ Esquire are the creative force behind BBU (short for Bin Laden Blowin! Up or Black, Brown, and Ugly, depending on the day), and they’re committed to making socially conscious rap that doesn’t sacrifice an ounce of fun. Pulling sounds from all over, including the rap of their childhoods and also the rich juke culture of their home city, BBU have truly created a soundtrack to their artist-activist lifestyle. From the impetus behind the title (the nom de plume of feminist writer Gloria Jean Watkins, in case you ain’t knowin’) to the poem that opens the album, BBU aren’t afraid to speak their very unique minds. But these nimble wordsmiths make sure to keep the energy sky high across all of bell hooks.

Featuring beats by Stefan Ponce, Montana Macks, The Hood Internet, and more, bell hooks is packed to the brim with politics and personality, whether it be on the juking fringe anthem “Outlaw Culture”, 90s music paen “Kurt De La Rocha”, or the double time dense rhymes of “Cormega.” These 17 tracks have also got guest verses from Das Racist, GLC, and the whole thing is mixed by DJ Benzi. It’s a thrillingly unique rap release that sets the bar high this early in the year.