From the new album from AWAR & Vanderslice The Winning Team, available now.

Emcee AWAR teams with producer Vanderslice (Army Of The Pharaohs, Apathy) for The Winning Team, available today. Guests include Roc Marciano and Freddie Gibbs, not bad company. Check out the full stream below, courtesy of DJ Booth.

With “The Winning Team” album release just a week away (7/22/14), AWAR & Vanderslice unleash a “Wake Up Call” to the world featuring Gangsta Gibbs. If you hit the snooze button one too many times, this one smacks you awake with AWAR & Freddie Gibbs taking turns obliterating verses over one the hardest hitting beats of the year by Vanderslice & Green Steez.

Prepping the final stages of their Winning Team project, Awar & Vanderslice enlist the work of longtime collaborator Roc Marciano for a vivid tale of a home invasion & robbery straight out of a movie. The chilling backdrop provided by Vanderslice and Green Steez illustrates the scenery perfectly for certified street music purists everywhere. The Winning Team drops in July and in addition to Roc Marciano it features Freddie Gibbs, Troy Ave, King Los, BJ The Chicago Kid, Latoiya Williams, and more.

“Cadillac Grills” is the lead single from AWAR & Vanderslice’s upcoming album, The Winning Team and features New Yorkers AWAR & XXL Freshman Troy Ave on the mic, with Vanderslice & Green Steez production. The project is coming July 8th and also includes guest appearances Freddie Gibbs, Roc Marciano, Bj the Chicago Kid, King Los, Latoiya Williams, Has-Lo and Giant Gorilla Dog Thing. While AWAR and Vanderslice have worked extensively in the past, The Winning Team is the first full-length effort from the emcee and producer combination.

Prepping the final stages for it’s release Vanderslice presents Everything’s Awesome. The title track featuring Evidence from Dilated Peoples and long time collaborator and close personal friend AWAR. Everything’s Awesome is a collection of instrumentals and in addition to Evidence & AWAR features from Freddie Gibbs, Maffew Ragazino, Merkules, Apathy, Celph Titled, & Twin Gambino. Along side his partner Green Steez, Vanderslice has created a soundscape and a collage of sounds ranging in style and extreme levels of awesomeness. Head over to www.ihatevanderslice.com for more information.

“Cut Throat Rap” is the iTunes bonus track from Awar’s new LP, The Laws of Nature, available now.

    Glory Days starts off with a bang. Awar demonstrates a natural knack for putting together solid rhymes. “Insecurity Guards” comes off quite nice as Awar makes a statement as a force to be reckoned with. When he and Manifest tackle the mic on the “Don’t Get Caught” it is apparent that Awar possesses the lyrical ability to mic duel with the best of them with one liners like “So full of shit you spit colostomy bags” and “you look bitch like Cam’ron’s pink wristbands with tampons in each hand.” He even delves into interesting territory with “Let My Nuts Swang” which may be nothing but a rant about his testicles, but entertaining nonetheless. 

    Now many may say “Sure the kid can battle but what about making songs?” Well Awar demonstrates that ability pretty well also. When he takes the beautiful production by the horns and delivers his vivid vision of a perfect world on “Utopia”. Here, Awar delivers a song that showcases a ton of depth within the mind of the emcee. Sure, “Feelin Like” may feel just a tad bit sappy with the sing songy chorus, but songs such as “Purple Heart” make up for it. When Awar speaks about a lady who ends up as “damaged goods” the listener can almost feel the pain Awar speaks of. The two movement track blends effortlessly as Awar changes moods throughout.

    With JJ Brown (of Louis Logic fame) and M-Phazes handling the bulk of the production, one has got to be impressed with the results. Whether it be by the hardcore thump of “Gang Initiation” or the feel good vibes of “Utopia” the production here comes off relatively and surprisingly well. Though not a classic album, Awar’s Glory Days does achieve quite a bit in terms of being a new artist. By demonstrating a profound lyrical depth coupled with the ability to make a song, Awar is sure not to become just another number in the infinite graveyard of emcees who just didn’t have it.