Charlotte’s very own phonk legend FLLS releases a new album, titled ‘The Norf Cack Mack: Story Of Lucious Johnson’, and it will more than likely blow your car speakers out of service. If you’re a fan of phonk and Memphis/ Texas style hip hop, you will play this album over and over again.
Producer and rapper FLLS, also known as Lavonte Hines is a Charlotte native and a lover of southern music wanted to pay homage to talented southern rappers of the 90’s and 00’s by creating a fire phonk album. FLLS wanted his audience and fans to understand just how much they have influenced him by making an album that is audibly and phonically amazing in each and every way.
We don’t have a particular favorite track as each song is a true 10 out of 10. We loved how some of the tracks such as ‘Freaky Pimp’, ‘Sugar Creek Sweep’ and ‘If I Never’ gave bits and pieces of Charlotte’s history while also simultaneously giving somewhat of a “culture” feeling that Charlotte, North Carolina lacks. You can only stream this album on Bandcamp so support FLLS directly & purchase ‘The Norf Cack Mack: Story Of Lucious Johnson’ on his bandcamp here!
Harlem, New York emcee Josiah Hotwire and London producer Illinformed‘s album BODYBAG SEASON LP, featuring Bristol’s Wish Master is a blazing collaboration from across the Atlantic from start to finish. Equipped with hard-hitting, eclectic production that feels focused throughout, as well as detailed, razor-sharp rhymes from Hotwire and Wish Master, BODYBAG SEASON LP makes for a late year scorcher that blends NYC and UK hip-hop aesthetics cohesively.
Album single “HARLEM KNIGHTS” is a powerful song from early in the track-list that kickstarts the album with a fierce energy. Weaving strings, crunchy percussion, and immense flows give “HARLEM KNIGHTS” a gripping sense of urgency, paired with a sense of style that lives up to the song’s name. “IT GETS GREATER L8ER” contains angelic yet raw instrumentation that sounds poignant and cohesive when paired with Hotwire’s captivating verses. The orchestral, epic feel of “INSIDE MY MIND” makes for a truly impressive closer, with expansive energy and vivid lyricism from the two emcees. Give BODYBAG SEASON LP a listen here now.
Denmark-based artist yeshua sunn has dropped off a new single called “BADMOUTH pt. 1”, produced by olan. The glitchy, hypnotic new track combines sunn’s penchant for surreal sounds with poetic, introspective lyricism that provokes thought from the first line. With themes of exploring one’s inner self and spirituality, “BADMOUTH pt. 1” is a left-field, captivating new cut from sunn and olan that finds the emcee flowing deftly atop weaving, staggering samples and clunky percussion. Give it a listen below now.
Baton Rouge artist V!lla has caught our attention for his fresh single, “!NVASiON”. An independent, multi-disciplinary artist, V!lla brings something refreshing to the table with each release, while displaying much versatility in the process. For his latest offering, he blends genres engagingly with a cohesive yet expressive, atmospheric alternative/ experimental R&B cut. With undertones of house and club, “!NVASiON”‘s vibrant, lush production merges seamlessly with V!lla’s silky flows and character-rich tone for a surreal offering. Give it a listen below now.
Bigg Head has connected with Unitus and tyhir for a fresh song called “Wrong Era”. The imposing, raw track utilizes a booming, powerful rhythm section and glorious brass to conjure an aura of triumph. Merging cohesively with the cathartic production, Bigg Head, Unitus, and tyhir deliver stylish, commanding vocals that blend potent hip-hop flows with infectious melodies. Building dynamically until it releases the tension with a memorable hook, “Wrong Era” represents a intense, victorious offering from the three artists.
It’s rare that a live show captures my true full attention. I often end up getting distracted, or the performer doesn’t quite have the stamina to make every moment of their set intriguing. So, it was an unexpected treat to witness an act that I was truly impressed by. A couple Saturday evenings ago, I found myself with a spare bit of time. I contacted a friend of mine to hang out, and he said he was going to a show in Bushwick to see his friends perform. Intrigued, I tagged along.
Pretty soon after we had arrived, a large group of people walked onto the stage, and my friend became super excited. “This is them!” he exclaimed. The group was clearly trying to make a memorable impression. They were dressed in eccentric outfits – sports jerseys, camo vests, chains, sci fi-esque glasses, and baggy clothing. One of them even had a device that shot bubbles into the air. Their stage presence and chemistry was something to behold. There wasn’t a single moment when at least one of them wasn’t airborne – flying around with a contagious wave of energy.
As I would come to learn, this group was called 3rd Ave. Though they knew each other informally at NYU in the music technology program, their group formed essentially by accident, after they all happened to win tickets to the Rolling Loud music festival via a giveaway through their school. After combining forces, they began to build a creative environment that feeds off collectivism. Each member contributes different elements based on need, instead of having designated producers and vocalists. Most of them if not all have the ability to produce for the group by themselves as they are all sufficiently talented, but they have mastered the art of splitting up tasks so that the final product is as polished and perfectly crafted as possible.
This would of course be irrelevant if their sound wasn’t there, but their sound is perhaps 3rd Ave’s most alluring quality, They manage to turn some of the most ubiquitous, familiar, and over-represented genres out there – trap, hyperpop, emo rap, and commercial pop – into a style that is undoubtedly unique and fresh. They almost manage to make you feel like you went back to the 2010’s in a time machine and were able to experience the Soundcloud era all over again.
Their most streamed release entitled “ackerman” is a perfect example of this. The beat is as simple as it gets – trap drums, booming bass, and a catchy flute sample. On paper it should just be another generic trap song, but it isn’t. The hypnotizingly infectious hook samples the fitness gram pushup test audio halfway through it, injecting it with charisma and nostalgia. Jaden, the first MC to take a verse on the track, does so in his signature whisper delivery, immediately forcing the listener to pay attention due to how unconventionally it hits the ear.Thai and Type Oh Negative attack the other two verses with punchy, effortless flows that glide over the instrumental with grace and swagger. The lyrics themselves are nothing revolutionary, but they still manage to jam pack in tons of quotables and charismatic lines. “Elastipussy, call her Ms. Incredible”, is a bar I won’t be forgetting any time soon.
Their recent album “CYBERBULLY” is their first full length LP, and it features an impressive diversity of production and vibes. It has cuts similar to “ackerman” on tracks like “BOP IT!”, to mind-warping hyperpop breaks on “TAMAGOTCHI” and “HOLD MY HAND // PIECES”, to jarring tracks with beats that are absolutely bonkers such as “???” that would fit perfectly in an expository scene of a depraved dystopian sci-fi flick.
3rd Ave. has immense potential, and should not be overlooked. The group is set to study abroad together in Prague this upcoming Spring, and there’s no telling how that experience will inspire their music moving forward.
Long Beach, California artist Mikem Nahmir has caught our attention for his recent project, THESE THINGS JUS‘ HAPPEN. The soulful, personal release provides vivid lyrical imagery that paint pictures of Nahmir’s mindstate and environment, laced atop immersive, sampling production. Here, the West Coast lyricist’s poetic pen shines through, especially on tracks like the evocative “no cryin’ no sufferin'”, a song that balances stark realism with hopefulness eloquently. Elsewhere, Nahmir achieves a similar effect with the rapper inspiring the listener while always keeping a grounded sense of matter-of-factness. “faces”, featuring cystic, contains haunting beauty, enhanced even further by Nahmir’s detailed, cathartic lyricism. The smoky, jazzy sound with uplifting notes on THESE THINGS JUS’ HAPPEN calls to mind some elements of Common or Blu, but Nahmir is certainly doing things his own way. All in all, THESE THINGS JUS’ HAPPEN comes through as a late-year highlight and will likely go down as one of our favorite projects from 2023. Support Mikem Nahmir directly on Bandcamp HERE.
New York artist Dustrial Dre is an emcee we’ve been following for some time now, and his latest release “Mind’s Good” takes things to a new level with refreshing, vibrant production from Arlo Walker alongside sleek, charismatic flows. Both gritty and elegant, “Mind’s Good”‘s weaving keys, crunchy percussion, and nonchalant confidence make it a track that’s easy to immerse yourself in. The laid-back yet focused joint has also been paired with a nocturnal visual that suits the track’s textural, grimy feel. With classic East Coast influences merged with their own refreshing twist, Dre and Arlo Walker provide an engaging lyrical cut with a vivid atmosphere and solid chemistry. Give the music video for “Mind’s Good” a watch below and be sure to stream the song as well while you’re at it.
This is a pretty big deal. Dirty Art Club has released the gems he’s been hiding of unreleased loops, rough drafts, beats and ideas from the past decade. Dirty Art Club is not only a beat maker, but he also produces for rappers such as the legend himself, Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon. Some of Lord Jah-Monte’s hit tracks that Dirty Art Club has produced are; ‘NAH SHE GOT LITTLE’, ‘Angela Basett’, and ‘SHE GOT THAT DAWG IN HER’. Aside from producing hits, Dirty Art Club creates remarkable beat tapes showcasing his amazing beat making and producing skills like the beat tape ‘FMTI’, which gave not only gave remarkable beats, and butter smooth rhythms but it also provided a nostalgic feeling, because of the phenomenal samples that were used and how Dirty Art Club chose to sample & mix his creations. However, this new release ‘B Sides (Jacuzzi Sushi / Car Test)’ is a fusion of beats that sound as if the greatest rappers of our time could add a verse to and the productions would probably be the crème de la crème of our generation. We would love to see Dirty Art Club producing for Navy Blue, MIKE, Westside Gunn & Griselda and a collaboration with Stove God Cooks but we can only hope that these collaborations are upon us in the near future. Check out Dirty Art Club’s new release here on Bandcamp HERE as it’s only a bandcamp exclusive!
Fresh on the scene, Blue Sol is a new hip hop producer and beat maker from the UK. His first released album titled ‘Somethin For Ya Eardrums’ is a colorful, jazzy 90’s inspired album full of hypnotic boom bap songs. As each track embodies that classic hip hop sound, you’d think these instrumental beats were the instrumental tracks to hip hop legends like Black Moon, Souls Of Mischief or Gang Starr- but the ludicrous part is they aren’t. With tracks like “Nehmia’s Groove” and “Hey Piano”, Sol definitely knows how to keep an audience engaged and begging for more as each beat is a one of a kind and has achieved such excellent production. Our favorite track is “Hey Piano”, but each song brings a fresh element to the table, and is an absolute solid 10/10. The album showcases Blue Sol’s talent and creativity in blending old-school hip hop vibes with his own unique style. Whether you’re a fan of boom bap beats or simply appreciate good music, ‘Somethin For Ya Eardrums’ is a must-listen. Don’t sleep on Blue Sol’s debut album, as it promises to leave a lasting impression on your eardrums. Stream on spotify or buy directly from Blue Sol bandcamp HERE!
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 