Muggsy Malone - Guardian Angel

Fame, fortune, and critical acclaim are all well and good, but a parent’s approval often means more than a stadium filled with screaming fans. Making its world premiere on this very site, the latest leak off Muggsy Malone‘s forthcoming, DJBooth.net-sponsored mixtape finds the DMV up-and-comer paying tribute to the one person whose opinion matters most to him: his mother, Della A. Jackson. Though she passed away in ‘91, the emcee knows that she’s watching him from above, just like a Guardian Angel. Backed by Bigg Vic‘s subdued guitar/piano-loop beat, the artist spits bars brimming with vivid detail (how many other emcees could make shoe-tying sound this interesting?), even managing to incorporate some witty wordplay (“Feelin’ like an AIDS test, better if I’m negative/ I’m hyper while I’m broke, so the cheddar’s like a sedative.”) without undercutting the track’s seriousness. Topped off with a soulful hook by Mary Brown, Guardian Angel is a heartfelt tribute that would make any mother proud. Malone’s latest mixtape, The Parkway Kid, is set to drop Nov. 21. In the meantime, keep it locked to our front page for one more world premiere!