Arkansas artist YB has delivered a fresh single called “Praying Hands”. With a style that can be best described as optimistic in tone and content, but hard-hitting and trap-based sonically, YB is an artist that has been keeping fans eyes glued to him with a flurry of poignant, powerful releases, and his latest, “PRAYING HANDS”, is no exception. The booming, expansive single employs a heavy, trunk-knocking rhythm section and ethereal, ominous keys to create a cathartic yet uplifting soundscape. YB himself shines with a fast-paced, razor sharp flow and focused mic presence that captivates from the get-go. The song demonstrates his skill as an emcee and mic control that set him apart alongside quick-witted lyricism and sleek production.
Take a listen to “PRAYING HANDS” here and connect with YB on social media for more.
Cleveland artist 3vd returns to our platform with a fresh release, called “Man on a Mission”. The prolific artist recently dropped offerings called “Euphoria” and “Cutthroat”, which caught our attention initially for their versatility and sonic vibrancy. His latest, “Man on a Mission” continues the same diverse songwriting he has been displaying on his rapidly growing discography, accompanied by an engaging, energizing visual.
Warbling, futuristic synths and booming percussion create an adrenaline-fuelled backdrop for 3vd’s powerful yet self-contained flows. He sounds focused and poised on the mic as he rides the heavy 808s and poignant synths smoothly, captivating the listener’s attention from the get-go. The new visual, shot by @Zenen Saneshige, does well to enhance the track’s raw, off-the-wall feel with nocturnal visuals and sharp, fast-paced cuts that suit the track’s buoyancy.
The latest from 3vd, “Man on a Mission” represents another solid outing from the young Ohio artist and it has us excited for whatever else may be coming from him this year.
Massachusetts artist Jxylen has dropped off a new EP called DIVINE ORDER: ACT I, produced by E.N.G. Creation, fresh off the heels of his recent LP PROJECT MAYHEM: FIGHT CLUB EDITION. While his previous full-length project was often a dark, ominous analysis of the world around him, DIVINE ORDER: ACT I turns things further inward with its introspective content, simultaneously taking on a lighter, cathartic tone in its production and lyricism.
Weaving, soulful beats carry a certain airiness beneath Jxylen’s flows, as he sounds more assured and less burdened on DIVINE ORDER: ACT I, managing to let much off his chest and turn his focus towards new possibilities. Songs like “DON’T WAIT” encapsulate this, with Jxylen still enhancing his delivery with force, yet containing it and throwing in a sense of subtle optimism to balance things out. “THE GOD HOUR” sounds nearly triumphant, despite its aura of gritty realism, as stabs of refreshing vocal samples and elegant keys ring out under Jxylen’s confident verses.
DIVINE ORDER: ACT I takes on a different tone from Jxylen, while retaining his usual penchant for poetic, thoughtful lyricism and grimy instrumentation. It gives off a sense of release and letting go to make way for a brighter future, while keeping its style and sound gritty and raw like the Massachusetts rapper’s previous efforts. Give it a listen below and check out the new video for “DON’T WAIT” while you’re at it.
Wrek has dropped off an eclectic new single, titled “Déjà vu”. Hailing from New Jersey, he has been building a versatile discography of releases prolifically of late, and “Déjà vu” is the latest expressive release from him, capturing his poignant songwriting and ear for character-rich sounds. The consistent East Coast artist shares a colorful track with “Déjà vu” that harnesses flourishes of Jersey club and dance music and mixes it engagingly with hip-hop and R&B flavors. The result is a highly cohesive drop that captures a youthful, optimistic energy with infectious songwriting and focused vocals.
“Déjà vu” presents another strong release from Wrek that finds him covering new ground with a vivid, catchy new drop that remains emotive and personal throughout. Give it a listen below.
Detroit’s Valid and Stretch Money have shared a fresh song and video called “Game Film”. After release the well-received “Commentate” and their engaging 80s inspired single “Sentimental” ,Valid and Stretch Money are back with their ode to 80s cinematography, “Game Film”. Co-production shared by platinum credited Grammy-Award winning DJ Head of Shady Records, Grammy-Award winning Anthony Rizzo, and Detroit staple Eddie Logix. “Game Film” is an ethereal, lush track that pairs silky instrumentation with assured, charismatic flows from the two rappers that demonstrate their natural chemistry.
Warm, hypnotic harps blend with drifting strings to create a blissful atmosphere, as crisp, refreshing percussion moors the track beneath. Atop the silvery beat, Valid and Stretch Money deliver poignant verses full of references to films from the 80s, demonstrating a deep love and knowledge of retro cinematography. The video, directed by Jerry Reid, makes for a cohesive accompaniment with VHS-inspired shots that capture the song’s old school feel, complete with locker room and gym settings and an engaging performance from the two emcees.
During a phone conversation, Valid mentioned to Stretch that an idea came to him for them to do a record referencing classic 80s movie titles, scenes, and phrases. As he was saying it out loud, it came to him instantly that sports team’s study game film. “Stretch, I got it. To stay true to the concept of the album, we watch game film like sports teams do, but our game film is these classic gangsta’ ass 80s flicks.” Stretch saw the picture painted clearly, and the two went to work on top of the Eddie Logix score. The two MCs would end up penning what both would consider some of their proudest works, and a legit ode to the VHS era.
Chicago artist Patrick Sun has shared a new EP called Villain Energy. Sun is starting off the year with his most honest body of work to date on his new EP. Through relatable storytelling and hard hitting bars across the project’s eight tracks, the Chicago rapper declares his own righteousness after accepting who he truly is as creator.
Villain Energy exudes a feeling of maturity and self-awareness across its 8 tracks, as it seeks to find a median between dark, ominous sounds and content and atmospheric brightness. Sun brings imposing, aggressive energy on the EP, while balancing it out with restraint and focus on the microphone. He especially shines as a wordsmith, with reflections upon self-acceptance and the complex moral nature of the individual’s inner workings. Portraying himself as a complicated character in a relatable fashion, Sun paints a clear picture for the listener. The mercurial feeling of the instrumentals enhances his message, with tracks like the expansive opener “Time Crisis” and the crisp “Follow Me” blending nocturnal elements with colorful, airy sonics.
Villain Energy can best be described as the peak of Sun’s character arc. The journey of reflection and acceptance that listeners hear on Sun’s EP creates an effect that moves one enough to consider the maturation of their own character and how they will ultimately choose to carry themselves in this life.
The New Jersey rapper-producer continues to expand his limits with “Practice”, a noisy, progressive track that showcases his versatility. The wall-of-sound approach and grimy samples almost recall an old school RZA beat but with clean, crisp drums and booming 808s that bring the track into 2023, or even a bit ahead of that. It’s a tour-de-force of hard-hitting production and forceful lyricism that makes it difficult to ignore Dzh’s “Practice”.
mynameisntjmack- “Leak”
mynameisntjmack, hailing from Virginia, drops off a stellar 2-part song called “Leak”. The artist goes into depth about his personal trials and tribulations atop a beat that showcases two disparate yet cohesive sounds. Beginning with a manic segment that implements a feeling of urgency with brisk flows and chaotic percussion, “Leak” builds before dropping into a smoky, laid-back ending that conjures a moody atmosphere for jmack’s introspection. “Leak” is an emotive, harrowing listen that showcases his diverse sound in the process.
Francesca Wexler- “LOVING U”
Francesca Wexler drops off another track this month, the genre-bending “LOVING U”. There’s no denying the Toronto-via-Lagos artist’s songwriting abilities, and with each track she seems to come up with a new inflection or melody that captures the ear in a refreshing way. Atop fluttering, futuristic production that builds in atmospheric layers, she once again lays down irresistible vocal lines that draw the listener deeply into the track’s textural, nearly aquatic soundscape.
Jxylen- “DON’T WAIT”
Jxylen’s “DON’T WAIT”, off his recently released DIVINE ORDER: ACT I feels cathartic in tone, as he lets much off his chest atop soulful production from E.N.G. Creation. His lyricism remains a standout as there are many layers to unpack within “DON’T WAIT”’s dense, vivid verses. The new video enhances the song’s catharsis with shots of open fields and an emotive performance from Jxylen. There’s a sense of relief to the track and video, while it also dives deep and remains unafraid to bare its soul.
LÉA THE LEOX- “Purpose”
LÉA THE LEOX delivers a heartfelt, thoughtful track with “Purpose”, a song that details her path of self-discovery and stresses the importance of connecting with what matters most in life. The acoustic R&B joint gives a clear picture of the songwriter’s mind state and personal journey atop pensive guitars and elegant strings. A moving song with a character-rich vocal performance from LÉA, “Purpose” makes for a relatable listen for many.
Ricky Mapes- “Heaven”
Bronx artist Ricky Mapes’ release “Heaven”, produced by PERFECT10, continues a prolific run for him with a sleek, atmospheric boom-bap cut. Retaining the essence of the lyricist’s gritty NY sound while adding in crisp percussion and airy samples that give the song a certain gloss, “Heaven” balances the rawness out with a smooth sheen. Paired with Mapes’ sharp, clever lines and sly delivery, its an offering that is simply easy to re-visit.
Dzh has shared a brand new single called “Practice”. Here, he provides a refreshing take on his usual sound and breaks into new ground with glitchy, progressive production that neatly splits the line between boom-bap, trap, and experimental hip-hop. Atop wavering, booming bass, grimy drums, and psychedelic, dark samples, Dzh weaves together poignant lines at a rapid pace, demonstrating his focus and inimitable mic presence. His flow is commanding and fluid as he attacks the track with a resonant confidence, shining with a laser-like delivery that hits the target with each syllable. As the production creates a buoyant, powerful backdrop for him, he steals the show as a vocalist and proves that his technical abilities are up there with the best in the underground with “Practice”.
New Jersey artist Dzh is a dual threat on the mic and the boards, developing his own sound and style through years of hard work and experimentation. Building a burgeoning, dedicated fanbase through engaging projects like his 2019 debut Under This Hoodie and 2020’s The Durag Tape and La Vita Nuova with Oklahoma’s Levi Hinson, Dzh has consistently displayed passionate, focused songwriting across his discography. His latest offering “Practice” is a real scorcher with a progressive edge to it, making us excited for what may be coming from him this year.
When it comes to hip-hop, Motor City is a locale synonymous with the genre. Over the years, the city has spawned many sub-genres, sounds, and styles that have resonated with many and laid their imprint upon the rap game as a whole. On Mike Wilder and Jake Bass’ new album D.E.A.P. (an acronym for Detroit Emcees and Producers), they tie all of these sounds together in a cohesive manner alongside a gifted set of collaborators. A poignant, infectious set of 10 songs that is diverse as it gets, D.E.A.P. brings in elements of boom-bap, lyrical hip-hop, trap, and more, to further exemplify why Detroit remains as one of the top cities in rap year after year. It’s a potent statement backed by powerful sonics and sharply-crafted lyricism, and D.E.A.P. makes for a strong offering overall that combines the sharp skills of multiple talents, including the likes of Pariis Noel, Marvwon, and more.
Some highlight tracks here include the atmospheric “Pray For Me”, which includes a dazzling set of lyrically-focused verses delivered smoothly, and the heavy, trap banger “Roll Witta Clique”, a track densely packed with charisma and style.
D.E.A.P. is the latest poignant offering from Mike Wilder and Jake Bass. Wilder, who executive produced this album alongside Jake Bass originally got his start in the industry by co-producing Eminem’s debut album Infinite in 1996. He also co-founded the prolific music company NUKID, LLC alongside Marky Bass. Be sure to check out D.E.A.P. below and further familiarize yourself with some of Detroit’s most talented rappers and producers.
Rising out of one of the south’s music capitals Houston, Texas, comes CA the Don with a captivating new release titled “Too High”. An engaging, genre-bending track that combines elements of hip-hop, R&B, and dance for a truly versatile joint, “Too High” presents another strong release from the consistent CA. In particular, “Too High” puts his songwriting on center stage, while also demonstrating his sharp ear for poignant production. CA the Don continues to push his own boundaries with each new release, isn’t afraid to experiment with his sound, and delivers to his audience time and time again, and “Too High” is another example of this.
Rich guitars and infectious bass open up “Too High”, followed by an engaging drum groove that pairs smoothly with the track’s warm instrumentation. CA starts off slow and slick with vocals that combine hip-hop and R&B elements with melodious inflections, before the song makes an engaging transition into a dance-infused joint. Throbbing percussion and immersive synths give the track a clean club feel, as CA takes the song to new heights as a vocalist with his silky delivery. The new video makes for a cohesive accompaniment as well, with balmy shots and a retro filter that immerse the listener in the track’s energizing yet laid-back feel.
Produced by Scar, cam sos, and CA himself, “Too High” is a solid new offering from him that continues the Houston artist’s run into the new year. Check it out below and connect with CA the Don on social media for more.
