New Jersey native and member of Rap Villain, Tac0o has been on an insane run of singles from the beginning of the year and what better way to continue the streak than with “Prince of Da 3”. The 2 minute track is a very catchy, and finds Tac0o raps over an upbeat beat. Tac0o switches with different flows as the track progresses. The production, which was done by SoundsbyDax, was nothing short of amazing.
When I spoke to Tac0o about the single’s importance to him, he divulged, “it’s me embracing the sample and understanding that I come from a city full of other people doing what I’m doing but in music; no one sounds like me period. So with that in mind, I stand out like the Fresh Prince but I’m just in the 3 and not Bel-Air”.
Rap Villain have been on a crazy run all 2022 and Tac0o is showing us why he’s an artist to watch out for with what I consider, one of the best drops of the year.
23 year-old New York artist Gio Genesis has shared a fresh new single called “Wasting Away.” The musician, whose nimble, rich melodies are reminiscent of artists like Giveon and Daniel Caesar but with his own refreshing twist, is hot off the heels of engaging singles such as “Shoot For Something” and “Wither (Remix)” from earlier this year, and continues his run of solid alternative R&B offerings with “Wasting Away.”
Packed with emotion, “Wasting Away”‘s poignant songwriting and warm, wistful sound make it suitable for the sentimental months of late summer and early fall. With drifting, atmospheric guitars that create a nostalgic, minimalistic backdrop for Genesis’ evocative melodies, the song shines with simply his voice and the simple yet highly effective backdrop.
The latest from Gio Genesis, “Wasting Away” marks another strong offering from him and has us excited for what may be coming in the near future.
Brizzi Beats just released a hot new beat tape titled “Morpheus”, featuring hits such as “Slang”, “Cobain”, “Desert Eagle” and many others. The project provides a dark mood that gives you all the feels, with a series of hard-hitting, ominous instrumentals that are as imposing as they are addictive.
Some of my personal favorites include “Immortal” and “Stealth”, which utilize nocturnal soundscapes and heavy instrumentation to provide eery sonics while simultaneously hooking in the listener with addictive rhythms. The project’s 14-song run-time is also highly consistent, as Brizzi provides back-to-back songs that are enticing and invigorating, leaving few weak moments.
Check it out here and familiarize yourself with Brizzi Beats:
For their latest offering, Dallas String Quartet transforms the already upliftingand romantic “10,000 Hours” by country pop duo Dan + Shay into a luxurious instrumental arrangement perfect for serenading life’s happiest moments. This exquisite rendition brings the hometown feel with perfectly placed finger snaps, and weaves an elegant tapestry of uplifting and peaceful strings.
Optimistic, peaceful strings rise in layers over “10,000 Hours,” a dynamic classical release, until they reach an emotional crescendo. This cover is catchy and engrossing, luring the listener deeply into its romantic atmosphere. It is enhanced by rich stand-up bass. This cover from Dallas String Quartet is shimmering and opulent in sound, exhibiting their distinctive style as they skillfully combine classical orchestration with contemporary pop influences to produce a light, evocative offering.
Dallas String Quartet was founded in 2007 by violist Ion Zanca. A fusion of contemporary classical and pop music, DSQ is referred to as “Bach meets Bon Jovi” and is compared to artists like Lindsey Stirling, Vitamin String Quartet, Brooklyn Duo and 2Cellos. They use both traditional and electric strings performing as a quartet with the full accompaniment of drums and guitar and are known for their eclectic renditions of everything from Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child of Mine” to Shawn Mendes to Camila Cabello’s “Señorita” to their recent collaboration, “You Are The Reason,” with The Piano Guys.
Ever had an inkling to run out of your job, hop in your car and just ride away from it all? Stayathomedad can relate. Connecting with RVA content powerhouse theMSQshop, who not only filmed and edited the visual but handled creative direction as well as marketing for the song as a whole, the Orlando based singer/songwriter releases the music video for “Work Sucks.” The video for the Rasneek produced Pop song draws inspiration from popular television series ‘The Office‘ and serves as the first single from the Peter $un collaborator‘s upcoming album Music4YourMom, which was precursored by 2021’s Sweet.
Asked about his thought process when creating “Work Sucks,” SAHD states: “My wife came home from work one day, opened the door and just yelled. She then closed the door and proceeded to punch the air like Tre Styles in Boyz N The Hood. That’s when the concept was born. This record is a sign of the times we’re in on this rock hurling through space.”
Boasting a catalogue containing character-rich blends of Pop, R&B, and Soul, stayathomedyad (formerly known as Awkward Shaman) was born in Texas and grew up traveling all around the United States. He realized his vocal talents at eight years old while harmonizing to The Fugees‘ “Killing Me Softly.” His family immediately noticed his sonic similarities to Lauryn Hill and discovered he could mimic most melodies on the radio.
After high school, he joined the army and started his solo career in North Carolina. He was eventually deployed to Afghanistan to fight in the war, where he honed his songwriting, arranging, and rapping skills. The PTSD he experienced following deployment landed him at rock bottom and in a psych ward for two years.
While battling PTSD, stayathomedad never stopped working. He soon after landed a writing deal with T.I.‘s imprint Grand Hustle in addition toperformance opportunities at both A3C and SXSW, which opened the door for him to sing backup for Richmond rapper Peter $un while he was on tour with Russ. Now a family man, the onc-known awkward shaman is now stepping in full confidence and grace as a stay at home dad making music for himself and others.
Rising Brockton, MA-born, Los Angeles-based artist LÉA THE LEOX has shared a new visual for her recent single “T.V.” The video is vibrant and energizing, enhancing the spirited feel of the genre-blending single, which expertly blends influences from house, alternative R&B, pop, and funk.
Sonically, “T.V.” is rich and vivid, buzzing with a buoyant, vital energy, and showcasing sharp songwriting from LÉA and producer ObieIII. Sitting somewhere between Doja Cat and Kaytranada with a refreshing twist that is uniquely her own, “T.V.” provides a dance-able, empowering sound that is simply addictive. Containing warm, upbeat synths and bouncy percussion, the instrumental on “T.V.” creates a fun-loving backdrop for LÉA’s infectious vocals, as she comes through with a memorable performance that matches the instrumentation’s playful energy.
The video does well to enhance the song’s jubilant feel as well, with colorful shots that make focused use of movement, accompanying LÉA’s confident and charismatic performance. Throughout the video, she appears magnetic, drawing the listener into the song’s balmy, immersive sound and keeping their attention close until the end.
The latest from LÉA THE LEOX, “T.V.” tells the story of a hookup without the burden of further responsibilities. Telling the story of reclaiming your power and energy, this song and its accompanying music video screams fun summer dance vibes.
Los Angeles artist Ajna has shared a new album, titled ‘Lifelines.’ Across 10 tracks, the rapper continues his run of lyrically-focused, emotive offerings laced with vibrant, infectious production. With flows reminiscent of a West Coast J. Cole or Drake, he weaves together powerful, personal lyrics that draw the listener into his world.
One of our favorite tracks on the LP is opener “1-10 West”, which contains an elegant, breezy instrumental that enhances Ajna’s introspective verses. “Heart to Heart” makes for a truly vibrant listen, with spacey, lush samples and immersive keys laying a soulful foundation, as Ajna comes through with some of his most powerful, descriptive lyrics. Songs like “Protect Me” showcase Ajna’s versatility as his driving vocals blend with a more hard-hitting instrumental that draws influence from gospel. Closer “Lifelines” makes for an evocative finish to the LP with a smoky, wistful sound that captures the album’s poignancy and emotivity.
The latest from Los Angeles artist Ajna, ‘Lifelines’ finds him delivering some of his most potent and vibrant verses to date atop a series of sharply-crafted instrumentals that flirt with soul, jazz, and more.
IJR is a talented pop artist based in Texas. He has had a prolific output this year, releasing a total of six singles dating back to January. Viewing music as a form of therapy, IJR reels listeners in with honest songwriting centered around his life experiences. His latest single is no different. “Get high!” is a beaming record to round out the summer.
IJR is assisted by Houston, TX-based producer Tautchip’s bright, grooving sonics. He describes navigating the tension in his relationship. Taking a step back, IJR finds solace in the moments he’s alone. “Found my way when I’m searching on my own,” he sings assuredly. IJR also reminisces on the good times he’s had on the road with his friends, enjoying good company and euphoric experiences. “I wanna get high with my friends!” he rejoices. This record is bound to spark joy in listeners, looking back on fond, irreplaceable memories in the process.
Nick Dellas: Started playing the piano at the age of 6 but didn’t start writing music until I got out of high school.
Dami: What inspired you to start making music?
Nick Dellas: There’s a lot to talk about in this life and it’s important to have an outlet and music just happens to be mine.
Dami: Who are your biggest inspirations?
Nick Dellas: My mom. Seeing what she’s had to go through over the years, I’ve always wanted to make a better life for her.
Dami: Which artists do you wish to work with?
Nick Dellas: Big KRIT, Joey Badass, Mick Jenkins, Saba and Curren$y to name a few.
Dami: What’s your creative process like?
Nick Dellas: Most of the time, I just hop on YouTube, find a beat, start mumbling the melody out until I find something I like and then I’ll start writing. Nothing too crazy but I like to write in the mornings.
Dami: Why mornings?
Nick Dellas: No distractions and that’s when my thought process is the most clear.
Dami: How would you describe your sound?
Nick Dellas: I guess you could say alternative hip-hop. I try to stay versatile with my beat selection.
Dami: You dropped a single a few months ago titled “Tranquil Waters”. Tell us more about it.
Nick Dellas: I made Tranquil Waters to show my versatility as an artist. I didn’t focus so much on lyrics and it’s one of my shorter songs but I like that record a lot.
Dami: Why?
Nick Dellas: I think it just flows well from start to finish. The name of the song says it all lol.
Dami: What’s next for you after Tranquil Waters?
Nick Dellas: I’m working on getting a good amount of singles together and then I plan on dropping songs more consistently. No projects planned at the moment.
Dami: What do you want people to take away after listening to your music?
Nick Dellas: That’s a hard question. I think I would want people to be inspired to chase whatever dreams they have, fuck the opinions of others. If it makes sense to you and you have a passion for it, do that shit.
Dami: What has been the most challenging part of being an artist?
Nick Dellas: Staying consistent with it, life can get in the way sometimes.
Dami: What would you say has been your biggest achievement as an artist?
Nick Dellas: I don’t have an answer for that because there’s still so much I want to accomplish with my music.
Dami: What you tryna achieve by the end of the year?
Nick Dellas: It’s hard because I have a lot going on right now but to finish school is my main priority.
Listen to Nick Dellas‘ latest single “Tranquil Waters” HERE.
LIVE 4EVA: The earliest songs I can remember hearing were “Gold Digger” by Kanye West, “In Da Club” by 50 Cent, and “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira.
Dami: So what now inspired you to start making music?
LIVE 4EVA: I always wanted wanted to hoop but early on in high school, it looked like that wasn’t going to happen. Some corny ass people in high school were rapping and getting a couple of plays. I listened to their shit and thought, “if they could do it, why couldn’t I?”
Dami: So you started making music in high school?
LIVE 4EVA: Yeah. Late 2018, my sophomore year.
Dami: Who inspired you to start making music?
LIVE 4EVA: I guess those corny ass people but in all actuality, people like Kanye, Future and especially 6 dogs inspired me to dig my heels in and commit to this.
Dami: You dropped a single called “Steve Nash.” Can you tell us about it?
LIVE 4EVA: “Steve Nash” is a world building single. I am slowly but surely introducing and welcoming everyone to purgatory. On Steve Nash, I’m kind of taking a look into the future by acknowledging my past. I’m accepting my mistakes and learning from that while also taking into account that I wouldn’t be here without those mistakes. I’m also a huge basketball fanatic and love referencing the sport as a nod to my previous dream and with the rollout and “getting drafted” (#dontgetdrafted) it’s almost as if I did end up going to the league.
Dami: What are 3 words you’ll use to describe your music?
LIVE 4EVA: 3 words are too many but never enough but “I won’t die”.
Dami: What do you want people to take away after listening to your music?
LIVE 4EVA: I want people to have a place to escape within my music. My music is a walk in the art of escapism and hyperrealism so I want everybody to be able to forget all their problems whenever they turn on my music and just enjoy themselves. What I want people to take away from my music is that I do is for them. Life is hard but at least you can escape for a second by turning on some LIVE 4EVA.
Dami: What’s next for you after “Steve Nash”?
LIVE 4EVA: After “Steve Nash”, I may or may not have a couple more singles and music videos on the way, but what I’m gearing up for is welcoming everyone to purgatory and taking y’all on that trip with me.
Dami: What’s your creative process like?
LIVE 4EVA: I usually start off with either loop or a beat so I can get a vocal idea and maybe even a hook. From there, I either build out the beat or finish freestyling and come out with a finished song.
Dami: What’s the most challenging part of being an artist?
LIVE 4EVA: Most challenging part is getting back up after every fall, but if it was easy everybody would do it. Only a few people can dig their heels and push pass their limits and that’s not easy.
Dami: What’s the biggest thing you’ve achieved as an artist?
LIVE 4EVA: I’ve performed at a university and I have a couple of songs that have hit 40k streams before, but the biggest thing is hearing people relate to the feelings put in songs. I am not an emotional person so hearing people thank me for being one on a track makes me feel seen.
Dami: What you tryna achieve by the end of the year?
LIVE 4EVA: I wanna hit 10k monthly listeners and be performing consistently. I wanna make my name known in the underground before I take over the world next year.
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 