Asher Roth’s latest is an impressive freestyle laid over Missy Elliott’s ”Pass That Dutch.” While under three minutes, Roth’s song is packed with catchy lyrics rattled off at an Eminem-esque speed. It seems as though Asher has done some growing up in the past few years, moving on from rapping about drinking in college to making tunes about smoking weed (although I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to rocking out to “I Love College” back in ’09). Roth’s approach in this new one is more developed than his previous hits, allowing for his lyrical aptitude to shine through. Keep your ears open and your limbs loose while you listen, because you WILL start dancing. A truly enjoyable song that will compliment any “awfully crazy” party you choose to throw. Stream below.

STREAM: Asher Roth – “Pass That Dutch”

With their debut album, In A Title Wave Of Mystery, coming out in just a few days, L.A.’s Capital Cities have piqued listeners’ interest with a new single, “Farrah Fawcett Hair (Ft. André 3000).” As to be expected the number is intricate and captivating. NPR personality Frank Tavares narrates the piece, while a classic André 3000 verse is seamlessly placed after an extremely entertaining chorus crooned by Merchant and Simonian. This quirky number flows from start to finish without a hiccup and even provides a few laughs as an extensive list of things people like are rattled off: “Solar energy, Nutella…my voice…I like it when public bathrooms have scented candles…I like it when my hair’s fluffy…” Listen to Capital Cities’ new single below. “It’s good shit.”

STREAM: Capital Cities – “Farrah Fawcett Hair (Ft. André 3000)”

The latest offering from J. Cole, presumably to appear on sophomore effort Born Sinner, is a contemporary re-imagining of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Notorious Thugs,” complete with a menacing minor key melody, double-time rapping and numerous lines taken straight from the Biggie classic (“Straight up weed no angel dust / Label us notorious”).  It pays homage in a thousand ways, but diverges from the original in perhaps the most crucial: “Notorious Thugs” was a watershed collaborative moment in the career of the late M.C., who amped up his signature laid-back flow to match that of his nimble-tongued guests, Bone Thugs ‘N’ Harmony, on the track, a gesture to cosmopolitan hip-hop and an act of cross-stylistic bridge-building that flew in the face of the parochial Brooklyn boom-bap aesthetic.

We’ve traveled back in time with Viceroy before, and this morning he set the dial on his hit-maker time machine for 1996 with the release of his remix of “Pony” by Elgin Baylor Lumpkin, aka Ginuwine.

Viceroy hasn’t just re-purposed this 90’s classic though; his remix breathes new life into “Pony,” transforming it from bedroom anthem to poolside hit. With remixes like this, it’s no surprise that Viceroy’s motto is “summertime, all the time.”

STREAM: Ginuwine – “Pony (Viceroy Jet Life Remix)”

Earlier today we posted Lovelife’s “Every Minute,” a track appearing on their upcoming 7″ split with tour-mates and partners-in-noir The Neighbourhood (as well as The 1975 and JMSN). Hours later, the L.A. outfit drops the accompanying “West Coast,” a track dripping with the old-school hip-hop sound of their hometown. Stream it below.

STREAM: The Neighbourhood – “West Coast”

With the impending release of their new album, A Better Tomorrow, the RZA has seen fit to open up the Wu-Tang vault and give us a previously unreleased nugget of Wu-Tang gold. “Execution In Autumn” features an all-star line up Inspectah Deck, Raekwon, RZA and U-God doing what they do best. It’s a tease at only three minutes five seconds, but any Wu-Tang is good Wu-Tang. Stream it below.

STREAM: Wu-Tang Clan– “Execution In Autumn”

Gilbere Forte finds a new friend in Active Child on his latest track, “Nolita.” The hip-hop artist and recent Epic signee is no stranger to indie music, having having flirted with a Fiona Apple sample on his earlier single “PRAY.” “Nolita” is a bit darker than its predecessor in both lyrics and sound, which makes it all the more fitting for Pat Grossi’s haunting, operatic vocals. Stream it below.

STREAM: Gilbere Forte – “Nolita (Ft. Active Child)”

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that when Neon Gold Records speaks, the world should listen. Well they have spoken, this time about a single from ASTR called “Operate.”

Hailing from the always musically impressive New York City, ASTR has emerged onto the blogosphere with ferocity, employing elements of indie R&B and hip-hop in a style not too unlike that of Until The Ribbon Breaks. It’s hard not feeling like the coolest thing since sliced bread when “Operate” blasts through your car speakers with the windows down. Download it below.

MP3: ASTR – “Operate”

Kid Cudi has tackled hip hop and television, so the logical next step is….collaborations with indie buzzbands? Apparently that’s the case on “Red Eye,” which comes off his soon-to-be-released third album, Indicud. “Red Eye” prominently features BBC Sound of 2013 winners Haim, and by prominently features we mean they absolutely dominate the track. Indicud is set to feature Kendrick Lamar, Father John Misty, the RZA and would-be rap genius Michael Bolton, though Haim’s input is the highlight of the recently-leaked album. Swirling synths, syncopated drum kicks and a beautiful harmony between Mescudi and the sisters Haim make “Red Eye” one of the best tracks of the year so far. Stream it above.

Indicud is set for release on April 23rd on Republic.

K.Flay, the silk-tongued tomboy hottie who might be supplanting Amanda Blank as the number one white-girl rapper in my pouty little heart, dropped her West Ghost mixtape in February and followed it with “Hail Mary,” a sex-static electro track that features Detroit wildman Danny Brown absolutely wrecking the beat. Against the buzzy, stuttering background, K.Flay slinks through her rap game and brings her best Bat For Lashes impression on the numb and confessional chorus – but the real star here is Mr. Brown, who spits his verse with characteristic derangement and sends “Hail Mary” straight to the replay pile. Grab it below.

K.Flay’s West Ghost mixtape is available for free on her website, and Danny Brown’s Old is set for release this August.

MP3: K.Flay – “Hail Mary (Ft. Danny Brown)“