Lyrical Rap legend Kool G Rap has released his first official solo single in more than six years. Approaching June 2’s Return Of The Don album, G Rap prepares his first album with a single producer since his heralded 1989 Marley Marl-produced debut, Road To The Riches. This time around, the onetime mentor to Nas, Papoose, and Joell Ortiz works in full with Toronto, Ontario-based MoSS. Tied to DJ Premier’s camp, MoSS has done full-length collaborations with Obie Trice, in addition to key tracks for Ghostface Killah, Slum Village, and the late Sean Price. He also worked previously with G, care of the 2008 song “The Life.”

Premiering at Ambrosia For Heads, “Wise Guys” celebrates the Queens, New Yorker’s legacies as both a deft MC, but also an active pioneer of Gangsta Rap. Featuring Roc Nation’s Freeway and M.O.P.’s Lil Fame, this is a rare G Rap single to contain features. All three lyricists share an aggression in their deliveries, with a soul in their songwriting. While MoSS chops down some guitars, melodic vocals and drums, Kool, Fizzy, and Freezer rap about the streets, and it’s grimy and great at once.

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Acknowledging his place in Hip-Hop is a leading inspiration behind Return. “What motivates me to get in the studio is really being in that creative zone that you cannot just enter on demand” G says in a press statement. “It is more like an extremely powerful vibe that overcomes you. It’s triggered by hearing a particular track, or being inspired by another artist; or, a life experience that makes your mind and heart open up and lyrics just pour from your soul in the capacity of an avalanche. That’s what The Return Of The Don represents; an amalgamation of past, present and future and a tribute to some of my most favorite spitters worldwide; this is my salute to those artists.” As indicated by the 11-song tracklist below, that roster includes Sean P, Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon, Cormega, Kxng Crooked, and others.

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The track-listing to Return Of The Don:

1. Return Of The Don

2. Mack Lean feat. Fred The Godson & AG Da Coroner

3. Criminal Outfit feat. N.O.R.E

4. Wise Guys feat. Lil’ Fame & Freeway

5. Out For That Life feat. Raekwon

6. Times Up

7. Capitol Hill feat. Manolo Rose, Sheek Louch & Cormega

8. Running feat. Termanology & Saigon

9. World Is Mine feat. Kxng Crooked, Willie The Kid & Pearl Gates

10. Popped Off feat. Sean Price & Ransom

11. Rest In Peace feat. Conway The Machine & Westside Gunn

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In addition to launching an album website (with merchandise and further information), G announced Return Of The Don World Tour Dates (more to be added):

May 12 Philadelphia, PA – Voltage Lounge

May 13 Manchester, NH – Shaskeen Pub

May 25 New York, NY – BB Kings

June 10 Rome, Italy – Villaggio Globale

June 13 Stockholm, Sweden – Kagelbanan

June 14 Copenhagen, Denmark – Pumpehuset

June 16 Dublin, Ireland – Sugar Club

June 19 Glasgow, UK O2 ABC2

June 20 Leeds, UK – Wardrobe

June 21 Manchester, UK – Sound Control

June 22 Bristol UK – O2 Academy Bristol

June 23 London UK – O2 Academy Islington

June 26 Norwich, UK – TBA

June 28 Leicester, UK – 2 Funky Cafe

July 6 Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Bitterzoet

July 8 Oslo, Norway – Blaa

July 9 Paris, France – Paris Hip-Hop Festival

August 18 Orpund, Switzerland – Royal Arena Festival

August 19 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic – Hip Hop Kemp Festival

#BonusBeat: G Rap and Freeway share the mic with Big Daddy Kane, Craig G, Royce 5’9, Pharoahe Monch, and Smif-n-Wessun:

This was during DJ J. Period’s set a the 2016 Roots Picnic in New York City in October.