June 18, 2008 | Posted by David B. at 7:30 AM

Darkness ain't gonna hide you from light

common market

I don't post hip-hop very often, what's up with that?

Common Market - Red Leaves.

This is from the duo's record Black Patch War, which came out on May 20 (digitally on May 6). It's really good.

Common Market are from Seattle, and they share a member - DJ Sabzi (Alexei Saba Mohajerjasbi) - with the other awesome Seattle hip-hop duo, Blue Scholars. Both groups are on fire right now, with a handful of releases on Mass Line, the label co-owned by Common Market, Blue Scholars and rapper/teacher/activist Gabriel Teodros.

This is definitely "conscious hip-hop," but it's not telling you to all be nice to each other. It creatively tweaks the Jurassic 5 formula of old-school phrasing and production by discussing, for example, the tobacco industry in the early 20th century. Sure, why not?

There's also a new Blue Scholars EP out, and it's good, but if you ask me, this is where your northwest hip-hop sights should be focused right now. One of the best records of 2008 so far.

You can get Black Patch War from Mass Line Records. Keep your eyes peeled for their second LP, Tobacco Road, out in September.

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