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"Where Everybody Knows Your Name:" Otayo Dubbs & Tahaj The First (The Regulars) Unleash Regular Rap On FWMJ's Rappers I Know



Last Friday morning, I received a Bandcamp Notification email from FWMJ's Rappers I Know concerning Otayo "Tayo" Dubb & Tahaj "The First" Edwards AKA The Regulars' Regular Rap (Instrumentals.) However, prior to listening, I already knew it would be Hella dope, judging by a handful of FWMJ's Rappers I Know's past releases: Jay Electronica's Act I: Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind (the pledge,) Danny Brown's THE HYBRID, Chris "Daddy" Dave's Chris Dave & The Drumhedz Mixtape, Denmark Vessey's Martin Lucid Dream, Jake One's #PrayerHandsEmoji, and King Mason x Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. (King Mason Remixes.) Needless to say, Tayo Dubb & Tahaj The First's Regular Rap is an impeccable 11-track listen; I would, personally, say Regular Rap/Regular Rap (Instrumentals) is strongly suggested for fans of Black Star, The Cool Kids, The Foreign Exchange, Little Brother, Tanya Morgan, and honestly, even The College Dropout-era Kanye West. Actually, before discovering that there was, in fact, a vocal version of Regular Raps, I listened to the Tahaj The First-produced instrumental version of the album once through this past weekend; I would, also, strongly recommend listening to Regular Rap (Instrumentals) as well, for any beat-minded listeners.


A running theme through Regular Rap is something to the effect of, " Rap's a neighborhood bar and [we're] The Regulars" and it really does feel like Otayo Dubb & Tahaj The First are just a couple guys, who hang out at your local neighborhood Cheers-esque bar, who just so happen to rhyme extremely well and produce neck-snapping beats. "One could say that "The Regulars" have existed for along time now, actually, at least a dozen years or so, if you were to add up all of the times him and I appeared together on a "label release,"' according to Tahaj The First himself. While Regular Rap was released earlier this month on FWMJ's Rappers I Know, both Otayo Dubb & Tahaj The First have long self-released their solo and collaborative projects on their own labels, Otayo's Beat ROCK and Tahaj's now-defunct Drumdealer Music (or DRM DRL) with the latter, actually, having released The Regulars' debut 2016 single, "REGULAR BASIS." In addition to Tahaj The First & Tayo Dubb, Regular Rap features vocal assists throughout from rhyming friends and friends of friends, such as: Tha Alkaholiks' J-Ro, Rasco of Cali Agents, D-Wiz, Z-Man, L*Roneous, Sakima of The Co-Deez, The Watershed's EQUIPTO, and White Mic. The Regulars' Regular Rap & Regular Rap (Instrumentals) are both currently available to purchase or stream on FWMJ's Rappers I Know's Bandcamp page. RIK.Supply, also, has a variety of Cheers & Reynolds Wrap-evoking The Regulars T-shirts and miscellaneous accessories available to purchase, as well.