Listen: My People - Joe College (@lowcollege); A Niles P. Joint

With the way viral marketing is set up in this day and age, rappers have taken to releasing songs as often as possible.  Joe College however, is an old soul and does things at his own pace, trends be damned.  He's back on the scene with My People.  On a beat by a rapidly improving QdottDavis, College subtly forges a pro-Black anthem by mixing around the way adoration with social commentary.  Being that it’s Joe College, his flow is still impeccably cool and has yet to be duplicated by anyone in the Garden State.  Despite the hiatus he’s back just in time to hold us down for the summer.  You can never quite tell what College has up his sleeve next, but this writer hopes that My People snowballs into a new full-length project.  Check it out for yourself below.

Watch: Mental Note - @ARealCin feat. @loveleilaniii; A Niles P. Joint

Cin’s mixtape is the gift that keeps on giving.  Despite seeing a physical release in December of 2015, Just Till I Make It has now been released on DatPiff and other mixtape websites for digital download.  Never ones to miss a promotional opportunity, the A1 squad recently released a brand new video for Mental Note featuring Leilani.  Even when Cin was selling CDs sans tracklist, I remember this track standing out, especially the echoing saxophone (my readers know I love a good saxophone in a rap instrumental tapestry.)  Upon further listens, the song is a heartfelt letter to late loved ones.  Cin effortlessly mixes rapping and singing into her flow and Leilani complements everything with her hook.

The video builds on the concept even more on a few different levels.  It goes in full storytelling mode like with TT’s Story.  This one illustrates how soon life can be taken away in three separate stories.  It has a real life tie in as the credits before and after the song pay tribute to a handful of dearly departed individuals from the Neptune/Asbury Park area.  The cinematography is also on point as the special effects go.  They even used a drone for a few exterior shots.  I’m putting it in writing right now: Cin has the best/most creative videos in Jersey and single handedly raised the proverbial bar.  See for yourself; the video for Mental Note is after the break

Watch: 4 The Record - @ApolloGamble; A Niles P. Joint

The A1 crew has deployed another henchmen to attack the game from the treetops.  While he’s made a bunch of appearances on his mates’ songs and mixtapes, Apollo Gamble finally has a video of his own.  The Neptune singer/dancer dropped the video (which was also the song debut) for 4 The Record not too long ago.  Over the instrumental for Lemonade by Gucci Mane, Apollo breezes his way through a fun track.  It’s almost like he’s freestyle singing.  It’s an enjoyable spin on a cult classic song that’s been used.  To be honest, I like Gamble’s take the best.  The video encapsulates the levity of the song, as he dances down the sidewalks of downtown AP.  This kid has more weapons than an option-based offense in football.  He’s going to be one to watch this year.  Watch 4 The Record after the break and be on the lookout for my review of his debut project Luv Chronicles coming soon.  

Watch: For Ibn - @JoeCollege010; A Niles P. Joint

    Joe College always has done his own thing and always will, industry standards be damned.  So despite dropping a video for a new freestyle about a week ago, he’s back just a week later.  Only instead of a new or even recent joint, he made a video for a song that came out over a year ago.  Nonetheless, it’s still timeless and prevalent so the release still works.  For Ibn has dual functions inasmuch as it reflects on life around Neptune/Asbury Park (although the sentiments can apply to a town near you,) and also serves as a tribute of sorts to an incarcerated friend, hence the title.  Producer Johnny E successfully reworks the beat for DMX’s Slippin’ which is just as effectively somber as it was in 1998.  Qwikavelli continues his hot streak as a director and by the looks of things may never slow down, just like his rapping partner in crime.  Peep For Ibn after the break.

Watch: Big Tymin' - @JoeCollege010; A Niles P. Joint

When it comes to Hip Hop, Neptune’s own Joe College has mastered the art of guerrilla warfare.  You never know when he’s going to drop usually until the day of, but you know that it’s going to be quality every damn time.  Such is the case with his new video for Big Tymin’.  Directed by local auteur Life’s A Movie, it depicts an average day in the life of Joe College and the friends.  It’s simple yet effective as Joey never needed a bunch of fireworks and flashy shit to get his point across.  He flows over the classic Bad Boys instrumental by Shyne.  It’s astonishing how thoroughly College pummels the beat in the most casual manner possible.  Dude will let you know how dope he is as a rapper but still be relatable in his lyrics, which is the best paradox possible.  Check out the video after the break.