Phil Nash - Hip Hop Ish

When a record’s title perfectly summarizes its contents, it makes it kind of impossible to come up with a clever track review intro.  Case in point: Phil Nash‘s Hip Hop Ish, a newly-leaked mixtape cut that delivers exactly what it says on the tin: grade-A, unfiltered, lyrically-driven hip-hop from the Motown motormouth who earned reader acclaim for the hyperkinetic Going Up.  Veteran DJ Jazzy Jeff‘s old-school boardwork sets a mellow mood, and, fittingly, the emcee comes with slightly less intensity than on his previous feature.  Nash’s “laid-back” flow, however, is still worlds faster and more agile than most emcees at their most frantic, and each verse comes so densely-packed with imagery and wordplay that it would take me about an hour to pick one standout line to quote.  If you’re thinking that Phil would be a prime candidate for our exclusive freestyle series, we’ve got you covered—he’s already spit entry #78, which will hit our front page next Tuesday.  Fans can find this track, Phil’s Booth-exclusive freestyle, and more on Mick Boogie & Dub Floyd present: Phil of the Future Part 2, out August 11th.