Label: Cinematic Music Group
Genre: Old School Hip-Hop from the New School
Members: Joey Bada$$
Based: Brooklyn, New York
Links: Facebook, theproera.com
Sounds Like: Nas, Tribe Called Quest, MF Doom
Be warned, if you’re looking for some progressive Hip-Hop with innovative beats and provocative lyrics, look away now. If, however, you need to silence your rumbling appetite for Hip-Hop in its 90s heyday with something new, then Joey Bada$$ is your guy. At the meagre age of 17, he’s been getting a lot of attention as Hip-Hop’s ‘next big thing’, although some aren’t so convinced. Yes he’s pretty much recycling old beats, and yes his delivery is nothing new, but cast your mind back to what you were doing at 17. Unless it was something on a par with Bada$$’s latest mixtape, 1999, then cut him some slack and just enjoy how easy on the ear this young MC’s work is. Listen below to our favourite joints from 1999 and download it for free here. Bada$$ is also part of the 18-strong Progressive Era collective, so check out some of their stuff via their website.
