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Kaos the Baker shares “THE ESSENCE OF KAOS” on soulful new album (prod. SB11)

Kaos the Baker has shared a new album, titled THE ESSENCE OF KAOS, produced by Australia’s SB11 and mixed and mastered by TimePiece. Raised in Akron, Ohio and Charlotte, North Carolina- Kaos the Baker has been making waves for his emotive, raw delivery, detailed lyrical style and ear for engaging, soulful production. A mainstay in Charlotte’s hip-hop scene, Kaos co-founded the label AKB2 Entertainment alongside his cousin and fellow talented emcee Lord Jah Monte Ogbon. His latest album, THE ESSENCE OF KAOS, is a powerful addition to his consistent discography, featuring versatile, charismatic vocals atop rich soundscapes from SB11.

On THE ESSENCE OF KAOS, Kaos the Baker handles a variety of soul-laced, lush instrumentals from SB11 with ease. He demonstrates dynamic flows, a confident, emotive cadence, and re-playable lyrics that give THE ESSENCE OF KAOS much character. Coming through with a variety of sonic flavors while staying true to himself throughout, Kaos delivers potent, driving tracks like victorious opener “The Essence”- while also laying down ethereal, thoughtful joints like “Forming Galaxies” with ease. With ceaseless energy and poignant focus, Kaos the Baker and SB11 present a sonic tour-de-force with their latest offering THE ESSENCE OF KAOS.

Listen to Kaos the Baker’s latest project THE ESSENCE OF KAOS, produced by SB11, here now.

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Thought Provokah shares reminiscent EP ‘Expensive Thrifts’

By Jacob Ezra

New York artist Thought Provokah has caught our attention for his fresh EP Expensive Thrifts. A graceful, elegant set of underground hip-hop tracks that still retain their grit and rawness- Expensive Thrifts finds Thought Provokah painting reminiscent, vivid pictures with his lyricism atop production from IV, Ares Prod, Magnum Beats, Immortal Buddha, and Ganesboro. A sleek set of laid-back joints that find Thought Provokah exhibiting a focused, relaxed charisma through which he never sounds rushed, but always present and confident. “Wear Are You” is a poignant opener that brings forth a brisk, soulful feel with its cinematic key lines and triumphant vocals. Title track “Expensive Thrifts” is beautifully nostalgic with uplifting undertones, underpinned by a rich, infectious bass-line and characterized by Thought Provokah’s poetic verses.

Expensive Thrifts follows Thought Provokah’s persona Knapp Jones- who is on a little shroom trip and stumbles into a thrift store when a record he remembers- an Ahmad Jamal joint- piques his interest. As he gets deeper into his trip, he starts reminiscing as he sees items that bring about memories.

Give Thought Provokah’s Expensive Thrifts EP a listen here now. Support the artist directly HERE.

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NAHreally and The Expert share thought-provoking album ‘BLIP’

NAHreally and The Expert have dropped off a new album titled BLIP. This new LP from Massachusetts-born, New Jersey-based emcee NAHreally follows up his poignant 2022 album HACKINAWAY, and it finds him connecting with prolific producer The Expert for a thought-provoking collection of character-rich, ruminative songs. BLIP draws the listener into a hypnosis with a set of focused songs that are detail-oriented and relatable- putting a refreshing twist on observational lyricism while dissecting life’s minutiae from the outside looking in.

Songs such as standout track “Breaking Down in Real Time” featuring Open Mike Eagle, display NAHreally’s sharp eye for detail atop The Expert’s pensive production, as NAHreally tackles anxiety around aging in a manner that zooms in and gives listeners a clear picture. Jazz-tinged songs such as “Movement & Light” use ethereal production and vivid, poetic lyricism to convey a bittersweet wistfulness- while “Read the Room” discusses the awkwardness and uncertainty of human interaction atop potent, dark instrumentation from The Expert. Overall, BLIP is truly a journey through light and dark, and various integral emotions, while exploring the quirks and little complexities of being human.

Take a listen to NAHreally and The Expert’s new album BLIP here:

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Bub Styles shares raw new visual for “Can’t Buy Class” (ft. Lord Sko)

Standout Brooklyn artist Bub Styles recently dropped off his potent album Outerwear SZN 4, and he has now come through with a fresh video for “Can’t Buy Class”- a highlight joint from the project featuring Lord Sko. “Can’t Buy Class” pairs a grimy, raw energy with understated elegance- laced with sleek key riffs, punchy percussion, and dynamic, charismatic vocals from Styles and Sko. The two demonstrate a cohesive chemistry as they trade imagery-rich verses atop the track’s gritty, nocturnal instrumentation. The new video, directed by Gee, captures the tracks off-the-cuff rawness with crisp shots, engaging editing, and potent performances from the two emcees set to the apt backdrop of NYC’s streets at night time. Give the engaging new video from Bub Styles and Lord Sko for “Can’t Buy Class” a watch here now.

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Raz Fresco, BhramaBull, and CKooliente are “Victorious” on new single

Producer BhramaBull has dropped off a new track called “Victorious”, alongside Toronto emcee Raz Fresco and New Orleans’ CKooliente. A meeting of three standout minds in hip-hop’s underground, “Victorious”‘s effortlessly soulful, laid-back feel comes through in its weaving, graceful vocal samples, warm keys, and rich rhythm section. The emcees sound poised and sharp atop BhramaBull’s ethereal beat, as they trade raw verses while demonstrating a natural chemistry. Focused and in the pocket, Fresco and CKooliente’s assured tones match BhramaBull’s rugged yet smooth production style for a truly “Victorious” offering. Give it a listen here now.

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Nate Curry turns up the vibrancy on fresh song “Nah G”

By Jacob Ezra

Prolific Sacramento artist Nate Curry has shared a new release called “Nah G”. With a potent blend of genre influences that adds up to much originality and character, “Nah G” pairs vibrant, infectious songwriting from Curry with a unique soundscape from Cássio. Always one to experiment and take risks, Curry takes the listener into refreshing territory with an unorthodox yet highly effective approach to melodies on “Nah G”, while Cássio’s ethereal, percussive production enhances the song’s colorful surrealism. With undertones of optimism, “Nah G” presents an anthem for the warming weather of spring.

Regarding the new offering, Nate Curry says, ““Nah G” was created over FaceTime call with my producer Cássio. The song is basically an ode to the wave Cássio and I have been able to create through our art and care. The feeling that we’ve already made it to the “next level” we all want to be due to us having this amount of love, care, and fun surrounding the art. “Nah G” meaning…nah there’s no way this doesn’t work because we’re already in the middle of it working. It’s too new and we love it too much.

Listen to “Nah G” here now:

Watch the music video for “Nah G” here:

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MOMO AZUL! (Masongo Ogora & SoulLoops.) shine on ‘THE ALBUMLUDE’

By Jacob Ezra

California duo MOMO AZUL!, consisting of emcee Masongo Ogora and producer SoulLoops., come together for a soulful, uplifting release in THE ALBUMLUDE. A reflective, warm set of songs that feel freely expressive in a refreshing manner- THE ALBUMLUDE‘s potent, hopeful energy refuses to be constrained. With much character and engaging songwriting that often opts for unorthodox approaches, THE ALBUMLUDE is a vibrant, likeable offering from MOMO AZUL!. “GRIEF GUY // COMMERCIAL BREAK” introduces a carefree like-ability that lingers throughout the record, distilled by its chorus, which truly grows on the listener as time goes on. “DIM TO 2% BATTERY” feels like a sonic sigh of relief with its laid-back, thoughtful sound- while songs like “HALF-HUMAN 2ME” blend in free jazz and lo-fi elements for psychedelic offerings. Overall, THE ALBUMLUDE is a sonic journey that surprises and charms at many points. Give it a listen here now.

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Jaysanityy dives deep on ‘bag man julio’

Jaysanityy has dropped off a new album, titled bag man julio. The prolific artist has become known for his ear for hypnotic, soulful production, and especially his ability to go deep with his lyricism and content. Building a prolific catalogue of releases that put a forward-thinking twist on boom-bap, he continues to expand his sound with bag man julio, which features Jordan Ali, omontizay, and more. Jaysanityy has a penchant for building expansive worlds with his songs, while injecting a heavy dose of potent introspection. Both grounded and surreal, bag man julio cuts past the surface level from the get-go for a thought-provoking listen. Highlight tracks include the ethereal, epic “50 years of hip hop”, with the powerful catharsis it displays in its vocals, as well as the rich, meditative “generational artist”. bag man julio feels like one of these albums that just tunes the external world out, and inspires a deep dive within. Give bag man julio a listen here now.

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A.M. Early Morning and Nightwalker connect for new ‘Pitchin Quarters’ EP

A.M. Early Morning has shared a new EP called Pitchin Quarters, produced entirely by Nightwalker. The project finds the pair demonstrating a natural chemistry as they lay down a series of heartfelt, jazz-tinged tracks that reflect their work ethic and focus. Opener “Hard Times” makes for a reflective listen with its warm, nostalgic jazzy production and raw lyricism. The glowing soul loops and assured vocals of “Progression” conjure an undertone of triumph, while title track “Pitchin Quarters” paints a starkly real, vivid picture atop enotive production. An engaging EP that radiates authenticity, Pitchin Quarters presents a solid new release from A.M. Early Morning and Nightwalker. Give it a listen here now.

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Huey Slims shares emotive release, ‘*the precursor’

Huey Slims has dropped off a new project, titled *the precursor. A 6-song EP that demonstrates Slims’ emotive, heartfelt songwriting and ear for dark, cathartic production- *the precursor paints character-rich soundscapes, paired together with intense lyricism for a gripping listen. Raw, gritty percussion, ominous keys, and weaving guitars create a sense of urgency on the title track opener, greatly enhanced by Slims’ expressive vocal performance. He wears his heart on his sleeve across *the precursor in a way that connects with listeners in a to-the-point fashion, further demonstrated on the harrowing “sit & duck” and “boy meets world”. “harbingers of night” with Young King Noah is a dissonant, powerful song that is both beautiful and nightmarish- making for an engaging blend of contrasts.

Huey Slims is a rapper and producer hailing from Cleveland, Ohio. Influenced by the likes of Earl Sweatshirt and Navy Blue, Slims’ style is marked by heartfelt poetry recited over experimental and soulful instrumentation. Slims’ debut EP, *the precursor, was released on April 5th, 2024. Give it a listen here now.