Let me introduce you to Metermaids, rap’s Bad News Bears. The duo realized success after the release of their legendary EP Smash Smash Bang, which earned the group immense industry support, and the interest of top hip-hop producers including 9th Wonder. The crew has returned with the equally legendary DJ Rob Swift to release more of their inebriating blend of indie rock and hip-hop with their HELLO mixtape, which was recently released as a free download through the group’s website. The music video above is their track titled “Yellow Tape,” in which they sample Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks” and add their own rhymes to it. Listen to the whole mixtape below and be sure to download this release and their past releases for FREE off of their website as well.
Check out another music video from their mixtape release, background on their “Rust and Sharp Edges” Dead Weather Remix, their biography and the artwork for the mixtape after the jump (I know.. kind of excessive but these guys are dope).
“Rust and Sharp Edges” Dead Weather Remix Background:
In “Rust and Sharp Edges”, the aggressive rhymes of MC’s Swell and Sentence continue over an in-your-face, pulse-raising beat. “We wanted to mirror the mood of the beat, but not over-think it, so we kept it simple and sort of battle-oriented,” says Sentence of their latest single. The song is a remix of The Dead Weather’s “Treat Me Like Your Mother.” Swell explains, “Sentence and I were huge, huge fans of the song and the video, and knew that the remix would fit our style perfectly.”
Throughout the song, Metermaids make it clear that they “Got it figured out,” as the reoccurring vocal snippet says on the hook. The duo has an undeniable confidence about themselves throughout “Rust and Sharp Edges.” “We rarely write songs that are just a lyrical free for all,” says Sentence. “When we do, it’s always fun.”.
Among the opening lines of this song, a fair warning is delivered: “We’re comin’ in, dead bolt the doorway.” For those who fail to realize the emergence of something special, a listen to their latest single, filled with raw verses and witty punch lines, should do the trick.
Biography:
Hailing from New York City, Metermaids are Swell and Sentence, two emcees who met through the local underground hip-hop scene in 2006. After releasing their debut EP the same year, the duo toured with the likes of Brand Nubian, Atmosphere, Sage Francis, Fabulous, Lady Bug Mecca (Digable Planets), The Lox, and Camp Lo. After this extensive and impressive tour, the duo released their first full-length effort in 2008 entitled Nightlife, exemplifying their choice to create a new sound in crossover music, blending indie rock with hip-hop. The release was followed up with the EP Nightlife In Illinoise. Never resting, that EP was followed with their “Turn The Lights Out” video which quickly became an internet sensation. The follow-up, the critically acclaimed Smash Smash Bang EP earned the group immense industry support, and the interest of top hip-hop producers including 9th Wonder. The band’s music is available for free at the group’s official website.
