Stream Squadda B’s New Instrumental Album SM6

The Oakland rapper and producer Squadda B used to be half of Main Attrakionz, the duo who established the underground sound known as cloud rap. Last month, Pitchfork put Main Attrakionz’ 2011 mixtape 808s & Dark Grapes II on their list of the hundred best rap albums ever made. I don’t know 808s & Dark Grapes II would be higher than Doggystle or Flockaveli or The Cold Vein on my own personal list, but it’s an amazing piece of work regardless. I respect the take.

Earlier this year, Squadda B worked with collaborators like Danny Brown, ZelooperZ, and Fatboi Sharif on his album The Wonderful World Of Squadda B. Today, Squadda follows that one with SM6, the latest in a long-running series of instrumental albums that Squadda calls his secret mixtapes. SM5, the last one, arrived back in 2021. Here’s how Squadda recently described the series on his Patreon:

It all started in 2017 allegedly. I was coming to terms with not being in Main Attrakionz anymore and was doing almost anything to keep my sanity and continue working on music. Producing specifically. [Secret Mixtape] is my first “beat tape,” but it was more of a true mixtape with me cutting samples from vinyl and giving my favorite beats of the year and making a few specifically for this release. Initially this was a bonus “secret mixtape” for a few special downloaders, but I ended up releasing to all. I say all that to say, the SM series is back and on October 17th i’ll be releasing a full length new entry to the series named SM6 and full of new music. I mixed this new one in two or three different countries, so it’s safe to say that my life has not been dull since..

If Squadda B had started releasing instrumental albums in 2011 or so, critics probably would’ve lost their shit for that stuff. We definitely did for Clams Casino, Squadda’s collaborator and contemporary. The music on SM6 is a little sharper and more resolved than anything Clams would’ve made, but it’s still got that ineffable free-floating feeling. It’s got a lot of sped-up chipmunk-soul samples. Also, I like that it’s got the Main Source Breaking Atoms cover art, but with three Squadda Bs. (According to Pitchfork, 808s & Dark Grapes II is better than Breaking Atoms.) Hear SM6 for yourself below.

SM6 is out now on Green Ova Undergrounds.