Tubby Talk

Tubby's Top 5 for May

By James “Tubby” Storlie

It's summer time, muthafuckas! I just got off the Slope, where it's still cold as hell and the snow is still dumping down. As soon as I got to the crib, I lit one up and started going through my local rap playlists and realized it's time for another Tubby's Top 5, a list featuring what I consider to be the hottest 5 tracks from Alaska's greatest and latest. These tracks will surely be in rotation throughout the next 3 months at your local neighborhood BBQs, rap shows and house parties. This is Tubby's Top 5 for the month of May. Aye, who's grilling this weekend, though?!

WRKN4DAWEEKND – Darius

When I end up looking back, thinking about local hip hop music during the summer ‘17, the song that will most likely come to mind first is the standout single from Darius & Johnny Kohler's "Where 2 Now" album, "WRKN4DAWEEKND." Darius actually played me this record several months ago and I knew immediately the record was special. The upbeat, dance track, crafted by Fairbanks production wiz kid Johnny Kohler immediately puts you in a feel-good mood and with Darius' smooth, chill, light-hearted delivery, you can't help but wanna nod your head and find a chick to dance with. W4DW is that record you unabashedly dance to in your car while leaving work at the end of the week, and with lyrics like this you got no choice but to be happy and sing along as you get ready to unwind, away from the nine-to-five grind. "Oh, you like that? You ain't know I got moves like I'm Mike Jack, if you want another drink, I can buy that, I know you can too, cuz it's just like that… Everybody workin’ for the weekend, everybody workin’ for the weekend." 

W4DW has been getting a lot of love within the Anchorage hip-hop circuit. With several Tubby & Friends shows lined up for the summer—many of which Darius will be headlining—W4DW's buzz will definitely be expanding as Darius has already incorporated the summer banger into his performance sets. 

Tayy Tarantino – Illegal

Bad Agenda's franchise player Tayy Tarantino has shown zero signs of slowing down after a very productive and successful 2016. And with his new release, the Gunnah produced "Illegal," Tayy makes it very clear he's still in the zone and blowing weed smoke along the way. The track, which released last week, has a very dark, gritty instrumental that says Gunnah all over it, and with Tayy's catchy cadence, you can't help but sing along to the chorus, "You know we blowin’ smoke wherever we go, you know we rep that set, wherever we go, you violate my click, yeah, that's illegal…" 

Tayy is definitely gearing up for a strong 2017. You can catch him performing his new record all summer long, around the state on the Tubby & Friends showcase tour, as well as various other spots around Anchorage. Illegal is available on iTunes, Spotify and all other music outlets. 

Some Mo' - Alaska Boi featuring D.C The Savage

Tubby & Friends’ very own Alaska Boi may have made not only his best record to date, but quite possibly the hardest record in 2017 with Some Mo featuring D.C The Savage. The record, produced by Gunnah Da Hitman showcases A.B flexing on his adversaries immediately in the first verse with aggressive bars like, "I just wanna be the man. Wait, nigga, I already am. You just a wannabe, nigga, I'm doing this shit cuz I can. I just wanna keep it real, nigga, fuck niggas just flex for the ‘gram. If I said it, I did it, I meant it, my nigga, the fuck do you think that I am?!" 

As an added bonus, D.C. The Savage makes a pleasant appearance on the sinister, dark Gunnah instrumental with lines like "Fuck it up and get some mo', gotta get it on the go, in my blazer, blazin’ dope, outta Henny, need some mo, love tellin’ bitches no, damn, the game so cold, pick this money off the flo', I don't make it rain, I make it snow…" 

Some Mo, which was just released several days ago, has been on repeat since it dropped and I don't see myself getting sick of it anytime soon. 

Oh - Madd Angler

Madd Angler has recorded and released a lot of music over the last year. He's recorded so much music in fact that a few weeks ago he put out a couple of unreleased tracks that were just laying around. One of those records in particular, was "Oh," produced by Angler's partner, local Fairbanks producer Trinity, has been playing on my computer/phone nonstop. The up-tempo club beat is not the usual canvas that Angler prefers to create his art with, but he matches it very well with a smooth delivery. I've always considered Madd Angler more of a backpack, battle style rapper but "Oh" shows Angler's versatility as an emcee and ultimately as a performer. I would definitely like to hear more of these style records along with Angler's self-described "struggle raps." 

Fresh - Double Dose

Local Anchorage rapper, and Ben Swann affiliate, Double Dose got a banger titled "Fresh" that's been floating around for the last month that I truly think you need to hear. The record, produced by Jay 80Eight, got an upbeat, jazzy vibe with Dose flowing effortlessly with his signature braggadocios flow. On "Fresh," Dose spits "I'ma keep it mobbin’, this is for the holes in my pocket, this for the hoes that ain't jockin’, this is for the haters, I know they watchin’, fallin’ for the fakes, got the option, my streets ain't safe like Compton…"  I've always loved Dose's flow, but on "Fresh" he definitely shows the confidence of a rapper on his come-up. "Fresh" will be on Dose's upcoming project "Scarlet Fever."