The nb rapper with the mouth eyes Kill Bill: The Rapper and Rav are two of the best kept secrets in the current underground rap scene. With a deep history of over a decade of releasing music together through their rap guild, exociety, they've amassed a strong cult following through both their collaborative efforts as well as their solo works (many of which have charted on Billboard independently). From award-winning merch sales on tours to cultivating a rabid, devoted fanbase all across the globe, they've somehow remained one of Hip-Hop's hidden easter eggs; a rabbit hole of indie rap akin to a modern Def Jux or Anticon. After what feels like forever since releasing their cult classic mixtape, NEW MOON, Rav and Kill Bill: The Rapper reunite for their much anticipated first collab album, KEEP THE CHANGE! The duo join forces with an updated in-your face, industrial hip- hop sound reminiscent of the likes of Danny Brown and Run The Jewels. Self-produced. DIY as fuck. Really rapping but not being corny about it. KEEP THE CHANGE! runs a gamut of sounds all the way from breakbeats a la Jet Set Radio to stumbling upon a forbidden forest ritual with crushing 808s squeezed between your breaths. Even in its diversity, KEEP THE CHANGE! somehow remains a cohesive and compelling listen.

For heads of a certain time period of NYC hip-hop, Brooklyn born, New Orleans-based rapper and songwriter, Cavalier was the one that got away. The outrageously talented artist whose name and reputation preceded him everywhere you went in the scene. The rapper who everyone knew was so dope that he had to blow, but who never seemed concerned with any of that. The pretty boy draped in Polo who stole every live show with a feather in his hair and a mouth full of gold fronts. The cat so dedicated to his own independence that even indie labels stopped trying to sign him and projects came when they came, but when they came they were undeniable. Cavalier was THAT guy for a lot of us; a silver-tongued philosopher with an eye for the poignant details of black life and a delivery as effortless as a young Ken Griffey’s swing. All that said, it never really felt like Cav had that moment in the spotlight that we always assumed was coming. After chiseling away through headier cult corners of the NYC hip-hop scene Cavalier was recognized for his memorable co-pilot to Quelle Chris’ 2013 Mello Music debut, Niggas Is Men. The critically acclaimed LP helped propel Quelle Chris into the forefront of indie hip-hop (and also happened to be the first production credits for Messiah Muzik). Cav followed up with his first full length, Chief, which sports a notable Raekwon feature but also early work from producers like Ohbliv and Tall Black Guy. A relocation to New Orleans and partnership with producer/vocalist Iman Omari yielded two more projects: 2015’s Lemonade EP and Private Stock in 2018. Great records all; eagerly sought by collectors and signal boosted by influential media like OkayPlayer, Solange’s Saint Heron, and Pitchfork. Cavalier’s bonafides have never been in question, but his new album Different Type Time feels like a revelation—a sonic suspension bridge between his rich history and the artform’s future.