Author: befree

By Damilola Grey

grape milk has blessed us with a new single titled “we don’t need therapy!”. Here, the 3-minute pop track sees grape milk make use of his signature soft delivery. In the track, grape milk addresses a person that says he doesn’t need therapy and instead needs money to buy drugs. I talked to grape milk about what the song meant to him and he told me “I struggled with depression around the time of my graduation from high school then I spent a lot of time trying to figure out why I was depressed and what I could do to get out of it. Over the course of this entire past year, I have taken myself on a few magic mushroom trips and I think they’ve slowly but steadily changed my life. Currently, I think my depression is at an all-time low since I first felt it, and that’s when I decided to write the song about it. All that to say, “we don’t need therapy!” is really a song about escaping what so many people are struggling with, and hopefully the song sparks hope for some people who are going through hard times”. grape milk put his all in this song and didn’t disappoint one bit.

NB: grape milk isn’t glorifying drugs or trying to undermine therapy but is highlighting his own experiences with depression.

Stream “we don’t need therapy!”:

By Damilola Grey

Juko has finally blessed us with his highly anticipated single “Change (It Won’t Be Long)”. The 3-minute track is way different from Juko’s previous work, as he switched up his vocals and even production style here. It’s a song about forgetting who you are, and then finding a way back. When I asked Juko what the track meant to him, he told me “the song has many meanings to me. I wrote it during a particularly difficult time in my life. One night-I was so scared of the fact that I felt like I haven’t changed as a person lately; that I haven’t grown into the person I wanted to be. I needed to force myself into a situation where I needed to grow. It took me a bit to realize that all of that should come naturally. Do your thing- try your absolute hardest- and the growth will follow”. Well, the growth is obvious on “Change (It Won’t Be Long, but instead of taking my word for it, give it a listen right now and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Listen to “Change (It Won’t Be Long)” now HERE.

By Damilola Grey

AYJ Wavey has finally dropped his long awaited EP 4EA. The 4 track EP shows AYJ’s versatility with turnt tracks like “Fall in Love”, to deep cuts like “Feel Something”, to a more bar heavy feel with “Whole Lotta Red”. AYJ was able to mix different sounds and emotions in just 4 tracks. When I talked to the England-based Nigerian about what 4EA meant to him, he told me “4EA is a state of mind, a way of life I maintained for most of the lockdown. I was in my head, in my own world, studying the game, learning, watching everything and this project is sort of my reaction to everything. This project is a care package for those that really fuck with what I do and think they can see the vision, cause I gotta keep those guys fed; they’re my core listeners. 4EA is also a reflection of my versatility and untapped sound”. It’s obvious with this project that AYJ has grown as an artist and we can’t wait for the visuals he has on the way.

Listen to 4EA now:

Vancouver, Canada artist BAINS. has shared a new single called “Feel Awful”. The second single from his upcoming album Punch Drunk, this self-produced offering contains emotive sonics and relatable lyricism- making for an evocative and memorable listen.

Fluttering guitars create an appropriately wistful introduction for BAINS.’ reflective, candid verses. He comes through with captivating lyrics that find the artist at a low point, ruminating over past mistakes and time lost. Also themed around his love/ hate relationship with alcohol, the honesty of this single’s subject matter shines through and impacts the listener directly.

Production-wise, “Feel Awful” is engagingly dynamic, with bouncy percussion and grooving bass dropping in mid-way through the first verse and crescendoing in the chorus to create a gripping effect. Drawing the listener into the song’s atmosphere as it builds, the production here is sharply-crafted and vivid.

The latest from BAINS., “Feel Awful” combines hip-hop, alternative R&B, and alt-pop influences into a vibrant and refreshingly personal medley. The second single from his upcoming album Punch Drunk, this release finds BAINS. expanding upon his previous work to present a relatable and infectious offering.

Listen to “Feel Awful” now:

Singer, songwriter, and TikTok influencer, Kylie Muse is back with another new single dubbed “Burning Home” part 2, this single talks about falling in love for someone who isn’t necessarily good for you. The new single follows one of her most recent tracks, “Burning Home” which was a track Kylie wrote from her dad’s perspective regarding his relationship with what Kylie notes as a narcissist.

This single contains atmospheric pianos underscored by graceful strings and light, airy percussion that provide an emotive backdrop for Muse’s powerful vocals. Showcasing her sharp songwriting abilities and evocative voice, “Devil in Disguise” continues her run of captivating, personal alt-pop singles.

Listen to “Devil in Disguise” now:

Rising Maryland underground hip-hop artist XL Hope has returned with a new EP titled ‘Self Motivated Motivation’. A series of five vivid, grand songs that do well to capture the rapper’s sharp lyrical ability and intense focus on the mic, this EP continues his run of charismatic offerings providing inspirational content for listeners. Expanding even further upon the confident command of the microphone and verbose flow he has displayed on previous releases, ‘Self Motivated Motivation’ finds the XL Hope at his most energized and poised.

“Rise” sets the tone for the project aptly, with dry, driving percussion, rich bass and glitchy vocal samples. Atop the adrenaline-fuelled, fast-paced production, XL Hope delivers a series of blistering bars that define his lyrically-focused, ambitious style. Next, the emotive, bittersweet “Stay Solid” brings in dream-like pianos and wistful vocal samples atop bouncy percussion. Here, he presents some of his most vivid verses, detailing his path to success atop the powerful production. An inspiring offering that is raw in sound, “Stay Solid” provides an album highlight that draws the listener further into the EP’s atmosphere.

Lead single “I Won’t Stop” finds glorious strings winding atop clattering, pumping drums, creating a sweeping, electrifying soundscape for Hope’s strong verses. He attacks the beat with a barrage of bar-heavy verses, before dropping into a memorable, infectious refrain. The DeeReal-assisted “The Vision” encapsulates the EP’s sound towards the culmination of the project, with shimmering, elegant vocal samples, crisp percussion, and heavy bass. Hope and DeeReal showcase an organic chemistry as they trade evocative verses back and forth, displaying character-rich lyricism and nimble flows. Finally, the EP closes out with “Visualizing Success”, which makes for an expansive and grand outro to the project. Here, glowing keys drift atop pounding drums and infectious bass. Delivering some of his most powerful verses yet, Hope closes the project out on a high note, with evocatively personal verses atop the uplifting instrumentation.

The latest from Maryland artist XL Hope, ‘Self Motivated Motivation’ showcases the rapper’s sharply-crafted lyrical abilities and powerful flows across 5 inspiring songs. On ‘Self Motivated Motivation’, the listener is immersed in this EP’s uplifting, engaging sound as they try to catch every bar from Hope.

Listen to ‘Self Motivated Motivation’ now:

By Mark Generous

UK hip-hop artist, BRYN, drops her latest single, Sellotape- an innovative blend of UK drill and indie music. This release accurately displays the artist’s creative potential & versatility by taking two distinct genres of music and merging them into a unique yet entertaining project.

The song introduces its progression with the traditional high pass effect over BRYN’s euphonious vocals. The conventional introduction may sound like the beginning to a pop/indie song to the listener. Still, the track takes a turn by introducing a sequence of UK drill drums accompanied by elegant sounding harps and pads. This ingenious fuse of genres brings a new generation of drill music into fruition while still paying homage to the genre’s origins. By maintaining traditional composition, clever vocal patterns and melodic songwriting – Sellotape is a unique concept in the UK hip hop scene which BRYN is evidently dominating.

Listen to “Sellotape” here:

By Mark Generous

The Metro Vancouver region has seen exponential growth in artistry and music culture within the past decade revealing new talent every day. Still, probably one of the most anticipated and recognized artists emerging from this rapidly growing city is the artist Teon Gibbs.

It’s going into three years since the release of his album Rose Tape, which features a lineup of many talented Vancouver artists & musicians such as Amber Bayani, Clive Fagan, Fara, Jonny Tobin, Makadi, & TRS. Since then, Rose Tape has become a timeless project that genuinely showcases Teon’s proficiency as an artist, collaborator and executive producer.

The overall composition of the Rose Tape project evokes a sense of sweet nostalgia mixed with ambition & desire – while overcoming the hardship of sacrifices. As the album progresses, listeners are exposed to a unique blend of instrumentation with sounds deriving from hip-hop, lo-fi, neo-soul, and R&B music.

“Typa Way” is one of those tracks that leave an everlasting footprint on the project, demonstrating Teon’s lyrical aptitude. Accompanied by a captivating chorus by Clive Fagan and soothing vocals from Amber Bayani & TRS – it’s a track that flawlessly exhibits Teon’s confidence and optimism as he overcomes the trials and tribulations of being a fresh, independent artist entering the music industry. His impressive beat selection for the project definitely plays a significant role in the album’s authenticity. In particular – the track “Way That It Goes” incorporates a left-field, lo-fidelity type R&B instrumental as an eccentric – yet fitting – back-drop for his and singer Fara’s mesmerizing voice. Given the complexity of the beat, which incorporates ethereal chord progressions over a prominently structured drum sequence, it’s a track that genuinely reveals his creative potential and tests his level of adaptability as an artist & lyricist. With each instrumental sounding distinct yet maintaining a sense of cohesiveness throughout the album- Teon reveals that he is not afraid to jump into the deep end, showing his ability to work over a wide range of sonics.

Rose Tape is only a glimpse of Teon’s line of work. The prolific artist continues to create music today, participating in many collaborative efforts and live performances. Each year, he displays a tremendous refinement in his sound and devotion to the craft. Truly an artist for the culture.

Listen to ‘Rose Tape’ here:

Watch the captivating music video/short film with IAMTHELIVING:

Follow him on Instagram.

California’s Ajna has returned with a new single called “Fall So Fast”. A single from his forthcoming album Lifelines, this track provides powerful sonics and charismatic, evocative vocals aided by Q. and Angelica that make for a stirring listening experience.

This song begins with a grand brass section drifting atop glowing pianos and grooving bass, before clean percussion and an infectious refrain delivered by Q. and Angelina starts off the track. After the hook, Ajna’s personal, character-rich verses pick up an engaging pace, as he comes through with a series of poised bars. Combining alternative R&B and hip-hop into a colorful blend, this track showcases Ajna’s characteristically soulful sound and honest lyricism.

The latest from Ajna, “Fall So Fast” precedes his upcoming album Lifelines, due soon.

Listen to “Fall So Fast” now:

By Christian Peeney

The King has returned.

Ahead of his highly anticipated fifth studio album, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers”, Kendrick Lamar dropped a new single titled “The Heart Part 5” along with a music video. Other than some features with his cousin Baby Keem, this is the first time since 2017 that Kendrick has dropped new music.

Kendrick flawlessly raps about “the culture” over a sample of Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You”. He discusses the glorification and desensitization of violence in the black community. He paints a story of a 17-year-old kid getting shot and killed during a drug deal, sparking short-lived GoFundMe campaigns before the inevitable next massively publicized murder. The vicious cycle continues, and the community lives on as normal because that’s “the culture”.

The song’s music video is relatively simplistic, depicting Kendrick rapping to the camera as he grooves back and forth. Further into the video, Kendrick uses Deepfake technology to morph his face into those of famous Black celebrities. These faces include Jussie Smollett, Will Smith, Kanye West, Kobe Bryant, OJ Simpson, and, most significantly, Nipsey Hustle. The unity of these men through Kendrick’s lyricism further represents this idea of culture uniting the community. The face morphs sync up to specific lyrics; Kanye comes in when Kendrick discusses bipolar disorder, and Will Smith comes in when mentioning how “hurt people hurt people”, referencing his slapping of Chris Rock at the 94 th Academy Awards.

Much of the final verse of the song transpires as Kendrick’s face is morphed into the late Nipsey Hussle, who died in 2019 after being shot by a former gang member. When viewing this final verse from Nipsey Hussle’s perspective, it takes on an entire new meaning. Through Kendrick, Nipsey tells his family that he’s happy in heaven and, more significantly, forgives his killer. He notes that he saw “the pain in [his killer’s] pupil” and that he “completed [his] mission” though he “wasn’t ready to leave”. It brings a sense of closure to his sudden death and harkens back to Kendrick’s “interview” with the late Tupac at the end of To Pimp A Butterfly. Through Nipsey’s perspective, Kendrick highlights that in a culture of violence that prematurely ends the lives of so many, their legacy lives on.

Listen to “The Heart Part 5” now: