Video: Jay’Ton f. J-Dawg & Lil Boss, “Hood Wired Up”
- story THE FADER
Houston kind of fell out of the national scope when everybody got tired of hearing about candy paint dripping and people having bigger grills than George Foreman, but camps like ABN and the Boss Hogg Outlawz never stopped churning out H-Town trunk rattlers, broadcasting live from the land hip-hop forgot. And while our infatuation with Trae The Truth (both real and animated) is well-documented, lately we’ve been under the spell of the rest of the ABN, namely Jay’Ton, who alongside Lil Boss
and a scene stealing J-Dawg of BHO, use some pretty strong “sign language” while rapping in this clip for “Hood Wired Up.”
Freeload: Trae f. Krayzie Bone + Twista, “I Won’t Change”
- story THE FADER
A while back there was a glut of rap coming out that sounded like it was recorded during sunset at Club Med. As fans of all things relaxing, we were all about it. Now Trae, along with Krayzie Bone and Twista are taking the easy listening train a stop further, threatening dudes over smooth drugstore guitar. Paired together, we’re not sure if we should be buying a Caramello and some Claritin or beating a bunch of people up.
Download: Trae f. Krayzie Bone + Twista, “I Won’t Change” (via Traps N Trunks)
Freeload: Trae f. Bun B + Lil Keke, “Grey Cassette”
- story THE FADER
When the trailer for Trae’s upcoming animated series materialized yesterday, we had a long office talk about bad ideas. What didn’t come up in our discussion, though, was “Grey Cassette”, a DJ Screw tribute track from Trae’s upcoming Streets Advocate mixtape featuring Bun B and Lil Keke. Between the cartoon, this song, punching Mike Jones and having an entire day dedicated to him, it’s hard to believe that only two years ago we were trumpeting Trae as a relatively unknown talent.
Download: Trae f. Bun B + Lil Keke, “Grey Cassette” (via Nah Right)
Video: Trae f. Slim Thug, “Nuthin 2 A Boss” + “Million Bucks” f. Jayton & Boss
- story THE FADER
We were actually getting a little worried that we weren’t going to fulfill our character from the Wire appearing in a rap video quota this week—but then this Trae two video epic came out, and there’s Slim Charles in the second half sitting on the steps! That was close. We’re not sure what the thinking is in releasing this directly on the heels of the Trae as a biker video, but we’re also not going to question it too much because any new Trae is welcome, especially when it contains a song-stealing verse from Jayton and the return of Slim Thug, who’s Already Platinum is still in rotation.
Video: Trae, “I’m Fresh”
- story THE FADER
Trae as leader of a biker gang is definitely not the first concept we would have come up with for a music video, especially because even when he is bragging about being a rockstar, Trae still sounds sad. Could this video signify a new direction for Trae or could it just mean that he’s been hanging out with Jim Jonsin and collecting bandanas? Either way, we’re just happy to have new Trae music. Keep listening to those Sabbath records dude!
Freeload: ABN, “Miss My Dawgs”
- story THE FADER
Recently Trae and Z-Ro have been performing for prison audiences, presumably to support their upcoming Assholes By Nature album. We can’t imagine what that’s like, but here’s a guess: Depressing. But both Trae and Z-Ro excel at baritone remorse, forever missing the people they’ve lost. Basically what we’re saying is that it’s kinda weird that we’re looking forward to a full album of emotionally crushing songs like “Miss my Dawgs.” But we are.
Download: ABN, “Miss My Dawgs”
Freeload: Trae, “Watch Ova Momma” & “Wrist Out Tha Window”
- story THE FADER
Every so often Trae (who is apparently no longer on Rap-A-Lot) drops some new songs on us and they are always great, yet dude still gets no love from the general public. Can you still call someone underrated if everyone thinks they are underrated? Trae is one of those dudes that has total longevity and we will be listening to him even when we are 80 and complaining about the state of rap. Seriously though, he does wistful tracks like “Watch Ova Momma” better than any other rapper except maybe Scarface, but since Scarface is perpetually about to retire, Trae might be the next gravelly-voiced dude to take the crown. “Wrist Out Tha Window,” is technically a Rich Boy song with Shawty Lo (sounding especially like a tiny Young Jeezy) and “Watch Ova Momma” is all internet, but either way, Trae is now touring, so check him out if he comes through your area.
Download: Trae, “Watch Ova Momma”
Download: Rich Boy f. Shawty Lo & Trae, “Wrist Out Tha Window”
Audio: Trae f. Z-Ro, “Who’s Tha Man”
- story THE FADER
Both Trae and Z-Ro are perpetually underrated, creating double time melancholy over meaty southern soul tracks, sometimes venturing into ’90s g-funk territory but always dark and forever questioning everything—good and bad—that rap has brought them. “Who’s Tha Man” is the first single from Trae and Z-Ro’s upcoming Assholes By Nature project.
