This one’s produced by J. Cole and features one of my favorite west coasters Fashawn.

Old fashioned rapping. No hook. No problem.

Download: J. Cole feat. Omen & Fashawn – Relaxation (via NR)

Pill

Wiz Khalifa

Nipsey Hussle

Fashawn

XXL will reveal their line-up from their 2010 freshman class. Here are four MCs, six more to go.

Last week, Fashawn was in New York City and stopped by Shade 45 to visit DJ Tony Touch. Check out his freestyle above.

Fashawn writes:

Just wanted to thank everybody for their support in 2009. I couldn’t have been asked for a better group of colleagues, fans, and team to help get my music out to the masses. I’m gonna drop this project I actually wrote and recorded in a week while living in LA last summer before I did The Antidote [mixtape with Alchemist.] I chose to hold off on it for a while, but feel 2010 is the perfect time to let my fans hear it. Here’s a little taste of it.

Shout outs to Green Lantern for lacing me with instrumentals, to Large Pro for helping me get what is almost impossible to get and to one of the best poets to ever live who inspired me to do what I do. Look for more music, collabs and shows for 2010. God Bless and Thanks again.

Download: Fashawn – Memory Lane

Fashawn performs the “Intro and Freedom” from Boy Meets World during his album release show in Fresno, California.

Boy Meets World produced by Exile in stores now (check out a preview of the album here).

Bio:

The early 90’s is considered by some to be the golden era of Hip Hop – a time where De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, Public Enemy, and NWA produced music robust with messages of political unrest, a hunger for knowledge, and self appreciation that represented a culture and generation of young people. It was a period where the 90’s babies learned what they could from the best and began harvesting their own skills, making them some of today’s most promising emcees.

World meet Fashawn – a 90’s baby hailing from Central California whose music will leave you believing that maybe Hip Hop’s golden era has yet to arrive. Full of raw talent, charisma, and an undying hunger, the 20 year old emcee is the breath of fresh air hip-hop has been waiting for.

Born in 1988, Fashawn grew up in a virtually parentless home. His father was incarcerated, while his mom was focused on feeding her drug addiction – a combination that caused a boy to become a man quicker than most. Placed in a group home by child services at the age of 12, Fashawn found solace in music, and began writing rhymes to escape the less than desirable hand he had been dealt so early in life.

Here’s a selection of tracks from Fashawn’s Boy Meets World CD (entirely produced by Exile), which dropped in stores on October 20th.

“Freedom”

“Life As A Shorty”

“Our Way”

“When She Calls”