A general in the field, Black Milk is on the frontlines waving the flag high for progressive, sample-based hip-hop. He's hit a stride in recent years and shows no signs of stopping -- he's even dropping a new album this fall.
The LP is called If There's A Hell Below, and features a nod to the grit on tracks like "Detroit's New Dance Show." It also has a Curtis Mayfield reference, acknowledging the sun-drenched soul that permeates bangers like "Gold Piece."
The latter features an energized Bun B who sounds entirely like the statesmen of Southern hip-hop he is. If this is what hell sounds like, I'm on my way down.