Atlanta is perennially one of the hubs of global hip-hop, and for years one of the city's chief innovators has been Daniel from the DJ and production team: HXV. He's had a hand in the city's scene on pretty much every level, from production to engineering to developing new artists to organising parties to helping introduce the world to trap, a hybrid of dance music and street rap that's taken a life of its own. He knows everything and everyone in Atlanta, so we decided to give him a recurring column on Noisey, where he curates mixtapes of the hottest tracks in his city. Below is Volume One, with explanations of why each track is dope below that.
Ca$h Out got known for a track called "Cashin' Out", and then a lot of people wrote him off as a one-hit wonder. Well he has been steadily proving those people wrong with a stream of consistent releases. His new flow, found on "Mexico," "Let's Get It," and now "Juice," seems to have given him new life. This song has been getting major play in Atlanta's strip clubs in the city so that only means one thing—it's set to explode.ManManSavage - "On the Road"
Get to know ManManSavage immedately. He will be everywhere within the next four months. His self-titled mixtape has been getting a lot of rotation and his songs with Atlanta favourite Key! are helping to cement him as next up in the new creative class. We performed together at Fools Gold Day off in Atlanta and when "On the Road," produced by 808 Mafia, dropped the entire room turned into a moshpit.Bankroll Fresh - "Hot Boy"
The hottest song in in the city right now, no question. Get to know it—I'm sure a remix is on the way to take it to national exposure. It took a minute to gain momentum but after DJ Scream put it in his last mixtape, this track has just been unstoppable.Young Dolph - "Preach"
Producer Zaytoven's sound helped create the foundation of southern trap music and this beat showcases why on this Young Dolph track. The flutes and 808s is classic Zay, calling back to the 06 trap era. This is one of the hardest Dolph tracks ever.Cap1 - "Bird Bath"
Technically Cap1 is from Chicago but this song might as well be from Atlanta. A lot of the new Chicago drill sound is heavily influenced by early 2000's Atlanta music like Crime Mobb, mixed with the rise of Lex Luger and Sonny Digital, while being orchestrated by Chicago mastermind Young Chop. I'm saying that not to take anything away from Chicago or the movement—I love the drill sound and it's very much their own thing, but "Bird Bath" sounds like a perfect mix of both worlds: Chicago drill x Atlanta trap.Peewee Longway + Bankroll Fresh - "Jumped Off the Porch"
No list of mine is complete without PeeWee Longway. He's probably my favorite artist right now—he can do no wrong in my eyes. This track sees him going back to back with Bankroll Fresh and features an incredible verse, where Peewee switches flows like three times throughout. Everything about this record is crazy.OG Maco - "Want More"
Maco has been having a great fall, but he wants more than that. His track "U Guessed It" exploded and instead of riding off the success of just one song, he's going for the jugular by releasing more and more material, showing a wide variety of styles, beat choices, and lyrics. In my eyes, Maco is one of 2014's finest new artists. His voice is ferocious and contains so much energy. OG Maco isn't satisfied and I hope he never is if it means he continues making music like this.Father! - "2 dead 6 Wounded"
Everyone knows about "Wrist x6" but this is the real sleeper. I've seen house parties get to alarming levels set to this song. This record really embodies the sound of East Atlanta underground music right now—minimal, DIY, dark, and violent.fKeyi - "Good Lord"
fKeyi is a collaboration project between Key! and First of Fki. I presented their project last month and this is a standout in an already incredible EP. You haven't lived until you've heard this song played in the strip clubs while so much money flies through the air you can't even see.Offset x Hoodrich Pablo x Jose Guapo x PeeWee Longway x Quavo - Trap dab freestyle
I mean look at these features. They include some of the best upcoming talent in the city going back and forth, AND it's produced by 808 Mafia. Download on sight.Sonny Digital - "Im the Man"
Sonny Digital, known for his instrumental role in trap production from everyone from Future, Que, to Makonnen, comes with something completely different and out of his box—he sings on his own record about the pressures of being number one. This shit is incredible. Hopefully we get an entire project like this.DJ Drama - "Right Back" (feat.) Rich Homie Quan, Jeezy, and Young Thug
New Atlanta tempo. New Atlanta anthem.Daniel HXV is an Atlanta-based DJ and producer. Don't nobody fuck with his kitchen. His EP Vultures is due out sooner than you think. Follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.
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Ca$h Out - "Juice"
Ca$h Out got known for a track called "Cashin' Out", and then a lot of people wrote him off as a one-hit wonder. Well he has been steadily proving those people wrong with a stream of consistent releases. His new flow, found on "Mexico," "Let's Get It," and now "Juice," seems to have given him new life. This song has been getting major play in Atlanta's strip clubs in the city so that only means one thing—it's set to explode.ManManSavage - "On the Road"
Get to know ManManSavage immedately. He will be everywhere within the next four months. His self-titled mixtape has been getting a lot of rotation and his songs with Atlanta favourite Key! are helping to cement him as next up in the new creative class. We performed together at Fools Gold Day off in Atlanta and when "On the Road," produced by 808 Mafia, dropped the entire room turned into a moshpit.Bankroll Fresh - "Hot Boy"
The hottest song in in the city right now, no question. Get to know it—I'm sure a remix is on the way to take it to national exposure. It took a minute to gain momentum but after DJ Scream put it in his last mixtape, this track has just been unstoppable.Young Dolph - "Preach"
Producer Zaytoven's sound helped create the foundation of southern trap music and this beat showcases why on this Young Dolph track. The flutes and 808s is classic Zay, calling back to the 06 trap era. This is one of the hardest Dolph tracks ever.
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Technically Cap1 is from Chicago but this song might as well be from Atlanta. A lot of the new Chicago drill sound is heavily influenced by early 2000's Atlanta music like Crime Mobb, mixed with the rise of Lex Luger and Sonny Digital, while being orchestrated by Chicago mastermind Young Chop. I'm saying that not to take anything away from Chicago or the movement—I love the drill sound and it's very much their own thing, but "Bird Bath" sounds like a perfect mix of both worlds: Chicago drill x Atlanta trap.Peewee Longway + Bankroll Fresh - "Jumped Off the Porch"
No list of mine is complete without PeeWee Longway. He's probably my favorite artist right now—he can do no wrong in my eyes. This track sees him going back to back with Bankroll Fresh and features an incredible verse, where Peewee switches flows like three times throughout. Everything about this record is crazy.OG Maco - "Want More"
Maco has been having a great fall, but he wants more than that. His track "U Guessed It" exploded and instead of riding off the success of just one song, he's going for the jugular by releasing more and more material, showing a wide variety of styles, beat choices, and lyrics. In my eyes, Maco is one of 2014's finest new artists. His voice is ferocious and contains so much energy. OG Maco isn't satisfied and I hope he never is if it means he continues making music like this.
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Everyone knows about "Wrist x6" but this is the real sleeper. I've seen house parties get to alarming levels set to this song. This record really embodies the sound of East Atlanta underground music right now—minimal, DIY, dark, and violent.fKeyi - "Good Lord"
fKeyi is a collaboration project between Key! and First of Fki. I presented their project last month and this is a standout in an already incredible EP. You haven't lived until you've heard this song played in the strip clubs while so much money flies through the air you can't even see.Offset x Hoodrich Pablo x Jose Guapo x PeeWee Longway x Quavo - Trap dab freestyle
I mean look at these features. They include some of the best upcoming talent in the city going back and forth, AND it's produced by 808 Mafia. Download on sight.Sonny Digital - "Im the Man"
Sonny Digital, known for his instrumental role in trap production from everyone from Future, Que, to Makonnen, comes with something completely different and out of his box—he sings on his own record about the pressures of being number one. This shit is incredible. Hopefully we get an entire project like this.DJ Drama - "Right Back" (feat.) Rich Homie Quan, Jeezy, and Young Thug
New Atlanta tempo. New Atlanta anthem.Daniel HXV is an Atlanta-based DJ and producer. Don't nobody fuck with his kitchen. His EP Vultures is due out sooner than you think. Follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.