The Underachievers are one of Brooklyn's up-and-coming rap groups. They're most recent album Evermore: The Art of Duality was just released this past Friday, and might just be the duo's best work to date.
Hailing from Flatbush, Brooklyn, The Underachievers are AK and Issa Gold. They caught the ear of Flying Lotus in 2012, and the producer signed our subjects to his Brainfeeder label in 2012, sparking a string of mixtape and album releases that boast a fresh blend of psychedelic hip hop. Last year's Cellar Door: Terminus ut Exordium boasted production from the likes of Statik Selektah and Ryan Hemsworth along with a lone feature from Portugal. The Man. Clearly they aren't concerned with being just another rap duo...
Today we're introducing The Underachievers to those who may not know. Here's ten essential tracks from the Flatbush duo's earlier work. If you like what you hear, be sure to pick up Evermore today!
"Philanthropist"
The opening track from 2013's Indigoism is a solid introduction to The Underachievers and their wild psychedelic style.
"Two young souls motivated from the pain
Tryna save the world, mothafuck your fame
Flow hit hard, like a sniff of cocaine
Dropped a little acid brain clean, no stains"
"Herb Shuttles"
The duo's debut mixtape didn't feature any big-name production or features, but the music is still quality. Peep "Herb Shuttles," which sounds like a mix between early A$AP and Wiz Khalifa's Kush and OJ-era sound.
"Gold Soul Theory"
That beat though...
"Leopard Shepherd"
Like jazzy boom-bap beats with some of the stronger raps in the game today? The Underachievers got you covered.
"The Mahdi"
The chemistry between AK and Issa is great, making The Underachievers one of the better duos in hip hop today. Check out six smooth verses over a beat that samples the classic “93 til Infinity.”
"N.A.S.A."
Get high as NASA does with the "New Age Smokers Anthem." It's no wonder these dudes ended up on the Smokers Club tour alongside Joey Bada$$ and Ab-Soul.
"Flexing"
Over a Lex Luger beat, our subjects flex their skills on this Lords of Flatbush cut.
Clockwork Indigo - "Butterfly Effect"
The Underachieves + Flatbush Zombies = Clockwork Indigo. They did a full EP last year.
All five MCs come with a level of precision that propels "Butterfly Effect" into modern classic territory for those who love bars.
"Amorphus" feat. Portugal. The Man
Linking up with psychedelic indie band Portugal. The Man isn't a very hip hop move. You probably wouldn't see many artists doing that, but The Underachievers aren't like most artists in the game.
"Chrysalis"
This one sounds kind of like it was made with label-boss Flying Lotus, but the beat is actually credited to Death Tarot. The psychedelic sound is accompanied with visuals that take it to the next level.
