Touted as the birthplace of hip-hop, there is no denying that New York has been consistently yielding MCs who have heralded both the rap and hip-hop games. From veteran figures such as Biggie, Jay Z, and Mos Def to the new crop carrying the hip-hop message like Stamp favourite Joey Bada$$. An act we insist you add to that list is duo Quincy Vidal, a.k.a Le’Asha Julius and Caleb Eberhardt (CE). Hailing from Brooklyn, Caleb (producer, MC, vocalist) and Le’Asha (MC, vocalist) have gained comparisons to the likes of A Tribe Called Quest and Digable Planets for their 90s flavour and jazzy production style.
‘Who Knows’, featuring another Stamp favourite Gabriel Garzón-Montano, is one of our picks from their third album Utopia|LDZ, which represents a project that breaks away from duo’s usual collaborative formula. ‘Who Knows’ comes from Le’Asha’s side of the Outkast-style double album, and brandishes the wily lyricism and effortless swagger shared by both. With playful lines such as ‘you a badass, I got a bad ass’, and warm gravelly vocals from Gabriel, it’s hard to resist its charm. However, if you aren’t convinced already, check out the video below which also includes the brilliant ‘LDZ’ from CE (and see if you can guess the Dilla sample).
With news that their forthcoming album is to be released via Styles Upon Styles label, we’re excited to get to know QV better as their sound continues to evolve.
Be sure to check out the rest of the album on their Bandcamp with other stand outs such as ‘Check’, ‘Accidents (ft. Niambi)’ and ‘O Mistress Mine’. For those of you in New York, QV’s next show is with Gabriel at Friends and Lovers tonight.
