Author: befree

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Slimpoet shares emotive project, ‘Poetry w/ Death’

By Jacob Ezra

North Carolina artist Slimpoet, aka Myles T. Jordan, has shared a new project called Poetry w/ Death. The prolific emcee, who has been on a tear of releases recently with engaging singles like “Home/ U”, “D.B.U.”, and more, returns with his latest offering, Poetry w/ Death. This project is an introspective journey through detail-rich rhymes laid atop expansive, emotive sounds.

Unafraid to be introspective and vulnerable, Slimpoet connects with listeners through his true-to-life poetry on Poetry w/ Death. A highlight appears early in the project with “Purpose + Passion”, with its silvery, soulfully ambient production and evocative, inspiring rhymes. “izm” follows up with a sleek performance from Slimpoet atop laid-back, warm grooves. “Mary Jane”‘s balmy, jazzy production and focused vocals close the project on a high note as well. Give Poetry w/ Death a listen here now.

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rivan shares blazing new single, “get ya money”

Vermont-born, New York-based artist rivan has shared a new song called “get ya money”. The hard-working musician, who is fresh off potent releases like “BIG (tom hanks freestyle” and “paper tabs”, as well as his work with eclectic band Juicebox, returns with a blazing track in “get ya money”. Providing a motivational feel with its powerful, raw horns, grooving, potent percussion, and commanding rhymes, “get ya money” finds rivan tackling topics like remaining on your grind and staying focused, while always keeping things authentic. He displays confidence and dexterity on the mic, with dynamic flows that find him switching effortlessly between rhyme patterns and cadences. Give rivan’s latest song “get ya money” a listen here now.

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mynameisntjmack and Sol ChYld share refreshing single “proper vertigo” (prod. Wulf Morpheus)

Virginia standout mynameisntjmack has shared a new song called “proper vertigo”, featuring Camden, NJ artist Sol ChYld, and produced by Wulf Morpheus. With an engaging, infectiously breezy sound that crafts a relaxed, wistful backdrop for mynameisntjmack and Sol ChYld, “proper vertigo” seems to be an apt song for the coming fresh spring weather. Graceful keys and a resonant rhythm section give the song a balance of liveliness and relaxation, while mynameisntjmack and Sol ChYld come through with nimble, vivid verses while playing off each other’s energy. Give “proper vertigo” a listen here now.

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NAHreally and The Expert share potent single “Breaking Down in Real Time” (ft. Open Mike Eagle)

NAHreally and The Expert have dropped off a new single, titled “Breaking Down in Real Time”, featuring the lyrical genius Open Mike Eagle. The laid-back, reflective song features warm guitars and a piano riff somber undertone, underscored by calming percussion. Atop the bittersweet instrumentation, the emcees lace the track with poignant verses talking about the nature of time and mortality. Displaying a kinetic chemistry atop this hypnotic joint, NAHreally, The Expert, and Open Mike Eagle deliver a pensive new song that refreshes with its potent subject matter. Give it a listen here now.

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Ovrkast. connects with Navy Blue for atmospheric single “January”

Prolific Oakland artist Ovrkast. has returned once again with a fresh single called “January”, featuring Navy Blue. A product of the Bay Area, Ovrkast. makes soulful, thoughtful, and laid-back hip-hop, often blending sampling with trap-inspired percussion. For his latest, he links with ever-talented lyricist Navy Blue for a song that lives up to its namesake with a refreshing, atmospheric soundscape and poetic lyricism.

Atop floating, airy vocal samples and a buoyant, crisp rhythm section, Ovrkast. and Navy Blue drop emotive, self-aware bars full of vivid, memorable lines. With smooth, confident flows that suit the relaxed sonics of the beat, they display a natural chemistry while trading silky verses on “January”. Check out the new visual for “January” below.

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nofacerapper exhibits lyrical skills on ‘And It Was Beautiful’ (prod. Foule Monk)

nofacerapper has dropped off a new project called And It Was Beautiful, produced by Foule Monk. Inspired by the complexities of life, he’s embarked on his musical journey to share his personal experiences, weaving tales that touch on themes of God, family, and critiquing wack rappers. His latest offering presents a collection of hypnotic, raw tracks that never get too bogged down by heaviness, combined with sharp lyricism from nofacerapper.

The gritty soundscape and razor sharp rhymes of “Blame Foule Monk” call to mind 90’s East Coast hip-hop with a refreshing twist, and a spacey edge. “COYF” presents a ruminative sound and showcases another side of nofacerapper, with reflective, thoughtful bars discussing mental health. “NFR Shippuden”, featuring LUNAR, is a graceful, glorious finisher with a vibrant instrumental and sleek flows that closes the project on a high note.

Support the artists directly by heading to BandCamp to pick up their project And It Was Beautiful HERE.

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fresco. shares raw new track, “YUNG NiNJA GAiDEN”

Phoenix artist fresco. has caught our attention for his recent song, “YUNG NiNJA GAiDEN”. Here, the emcee tackles an icy, raw soundscape built around glimmering keys and sturdy drums, with an infectious bass-line gluing together the groove. On the mic, fresco. sounds confident and in control, and yet there’s an energy and urgency that keeps his flow and vocal delivery engaging throughout. Displaying a penchant for sharp lyricism and focused lines, fresco. impresses with his latest track “YUNG NiNJA GAiDEN”. Give it a listen here now.

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Jay Cinema and Chow practice ‘Alchemy’ on new album

By Jacob Ezra

Jay Cinema and Chow have connected for a fresh project called Alchemy. Cinema is a visionary abstract hip-hop artist from Yonkers, New York, known for his boundary-pushing sound and thought-provoking lyrics- while producer Chow is a prolific beat-maker whose captivating, refreshing twist on underground hip-hop sounds merges particularly well with Cinema’s expressive style. On Alchemy, the two find a natural, engaging chemistry as they piece together a tapestry of raw, sampling soundscapes that drift from eery and claustrophobic to vibrantly psychedelic. Chow’s heavy, gritty drum lines, glitchy patchwork of samples, and potent bass-lines provide an intriguing soundscape for Cinema, as he lays down bar after bar of vividly poetic, often grippingly introspective lines. The project provides an interesting mixture of dark sounds with colorful textures, which gives it added character. Songs like “All On Me” are powerfully cathartic despite their laid-back demeanour, while joints like “Chemdawg” are kaleidoscopic and layered, bringing together that dark griminess with a certain almost intangible vibrance. Many projects get described as “sonic journeys”, but Alchemy is one that is certainly worthy of the title, with its vast range of emotions and sounds laced within Jay Cinema and Chow’s heartfelt performances. Give Alchemy a listen below now.

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Kardinal Bloo shares potent new project, ‘Birds Rap Too’

Kardinal Bloo has dropped off a new album called Birds Rap Too. Kardinal Bloo is a rapper/ bassist of Haitian descent from Arlington, Tx. While Kardinal’s always had a passion for music, he didn’t start creating tracks until he was studying medicine & psychology at the University of North Texas in Denton, initially under the name BlackFace Alien (BFA). Denton proved an excellent starting ground rife with open mics, house shows, and small venues that allowed Kardinal to master his stagecraft alongside his lyricism, giving birth to the style he likes to call “class conscious rap nonsense”. Kardinal Bloo earned a reputation for being an exhilarating and charming performer, which lead to him opening up for the likes of R.A.P. Ferreira and almost Homebody Sandman (a very annoying story he’ll tell you if you ask) before leaving Denton. As of 2024, Kardinal Bloo is based out of Austin, Texas. His latest offering, Birds Rap Too, is an engaging 9-song offering chock full of eccentric charm and creative, conceptual tracks.

The thought-provoking yet fun-loving Birds Rap Too puts Kardinal’s personality on full display with an off-beat charisma that captivates on tracks like “SkiddleDeeDoo” with YoursTruuly. “The Bird In Us” is a highlight track with airy, potent production and lyrically rich verses with vivid imagery. “Life Is Jarring” slows down the pace with a laid-back, atmospherically soulful soundscape that creates an apt backdrop for the song’s fluid, focused vocals.

An expansive, vibrant project from this Texas up-and-comer, Birds Rap Too provides an entertaining, thought-provoking listen across its 9 songs. Give it a listen here now.

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JoshSimmons shares engaging visual for “MENACE”

Baton Rouge artist JoshSimmons has dropped off a fresh visual for his song “MENACE”, directed by Ricardo Betancourt. A song from his strong recent album DEMO (Deluxe), “MENACE” finds Simmons rapping with a sleek, engaging confidence atop an ominous, powerful instrumental. Underscored by booming 808s, clasping drums, and nocturnal, hypnotic synths, Simmons attacks the track with poignant, memorable bars that display a keen sense of focus. The new video captures the song’s nocturnal, raw feel with fast-paced, spacey editing and an intense, charismatic performance from Simmons. Give the new “MENACE” video a watch here now.