Rhymefest deserves a lot more credit than he's been given. The Chicago-based rapper could have become a household name after co-writing "Jesus Walks" with Kanye West, but has instead remained in the background. His first LP, Blue Collar, was released in 2006, and he'll now follow-up the album with a brand new record this spring.
The album is called El Che, and will be Rhymefest's first for indie label dN|Be Entertainment. The label, which has offered the artist complete creative control, was a natural fit for Rhymefest, who said in a press release, "I wanted to be somewhere that not only appreciates artistry, lyricism, and originality, but also serves a greater purpose in hip-hop and the black community."
Amidst its 16 tracks, El Che is said to feature guest spots from Little Brother and Saigon, along with production from Scram Jones, S1, BKS and Terry Hunter. No tracklisting has been released yet, but the songs "Say Wassup" and "How High" can be streamed here.
In between full-lengths, Rhymefest also released the excellent Michael Jackson-themed Man in the Mirror mixtape in 2007. That release, complete with three bonus tracks, is available again here.
The album is called El Che, and will be Rhymefest's first for indie label dN|Be Entertainment. The label, which has offered the artist complete creative control, was a natural fit for Rhymefest, who said in a press release, "I wanted to be somewhere that not only appreciates artistry, lyricism, and originality, but also serves a greater purpose in hip-hop and the black community."
Amidst its 16 tracks, El Che is said to feature guest spots from Little Brother and Saigon, along with production from Scram Jones, S1, BKS and Terry Hunter. No tracklisting has been released yet, but the songs "Say Wassup" and "How High" can be streamed here.
In between full-lengths, Rhymefest also released the excellent Michael Jackson-themed Man in the Mirror mixtape in 2007. That release, complete with three bonus tracks, is available again here.
