If you follow the South Sound hip-hop scene by now you've probably heard the name Xperience a time or two.  For the past 10 years XP has been solidifying his name as one of the best artists in our area, and he continues to make big moves for himself. Through mid-December XP joins Macklemore on a 27 city nationwide tour, and if he plays his cards right, he could really do some damage in the hip-hop game. 

Along with the tour, XP also just released his new mixtape, The Durden Papers Vol. 1, which has production courtesy of some of the Northwest's most talented producers.

A follow up to his first two albums, Soultree (2006) and William VIII (2010), XP wasted no time getting his third project released to the public.  It was actually a breath of fresh air for people, like me, who got a little antsy between his first two releases, waiting for something new out of the Gary, Ind. transplant.  Although it only took a little over a year to complete, this mixtape is still probably the best project I've heard out of XP.  The sound quality, beats and vocals are all so on point it makes you think XP - and Smoke of Oldominion (the project's sound engineer) - must have spent a good portion of the last 12 months in the studio. This mixtape is another example of XP's ability to expose real hip-hop to listeners while supplying a soulful and philosophical landscape. Along with XP's high-powered lyrics, The Durden Papers Vol. 1 features verses from JFK, Grynch, SOTA Boys, Dice and Sonny Bonoho.

A follow-up, The Durden Papers Vol. 1 should be released in January. Expect it to feature cameos that I can't speak on but are guaranteed to blow your mind. 

XP - being the standup person he is - will donate a portion of the mixtape's profits to The Evergreen State College's Gateways program for incarcerated youth. He has long been involved with charity work - most specifically with the Gateways organization, which provides college level education and academic mentoring for Washington's juvenile facilities.

XP also just launched his new website, x2dap.com, where you can find out more about his fundraiser, check tour dates and download the new mixtape.