I think that 2025 is the year I open up the floodgates and start posting a ton of everything under the sun. What I mean by that is this: not just posting the stuff that sticks to any one sound or concept. Don’t get me wrong. I love my boombap and my conscious rap. However, I can’t truly support dope music in all its forms if I’m stuck mainly focusing on one sound or one type of hip-hop. Now, I’m still not going to write about tracks that detail reckless behavior ad nauseum. There are a metric ton of writers and sites like that. However, I’m relaxing my SOTB contingencies.

HoodTrophy Bino’s latest “Runnin Up A Bag” finds the LA native firing lyrical rounds off over a bouncy West Coast beat that finds him right at home. I think the biggest thing here was that Bino’s flow matches the fire in the lyrics and the energy behind the beat. When people say “they’re rapping for their lives,” I think this is an example of what they mean. After all, Bino’s been through hell and has worked to make his way out of some extenuating circumstances.

What makes this one extra special, to me, is because it serves as a new track and a way to pay homage to the late Chris King. Perhaps I’m showing my age, because I didn’t really follow Chris. I won’t even get on here and act like I did. However, folks like him were responsible for helping out, supporting and befriending an entire generation of artists. Say what you will about the SoundCloud Rap era, though you really shouldn’t “hate” something because it’s a bit different. The sounds and songs had a rawness to them that people are still trying to recapture. Plus, the songs themselves were, oftentimes, pretty damn lyrical in their own way.

I also appreciate the fact that Bino’s donating all proceeds from this song to a fund set up in King’s memory. That’s real and I have a lot of respect for it. Check out the visuals above and support dope music in all its forms.