Tag: hip hop

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Slimpoet shares emotive project, ‘Poetry w/ Death’

By Jacob Ezra

North Carolina artist Slimpoet, aka Myles T. Jordan, has shared a new project called Poetry w/ Death. The prolific emcee, who has been on a tear of releases recently with engaging singles like “Home/ U”, “D.B.U.”, and more, returns with his latest offering, Poetry w/ Death. This project is an introspective journey through detail-rich rhymes laid atop expansive, emotive sounds.

Unafraid to be introspective and vulnerable, Slimpoet connects with listeners through his true-to-life poetry on Poetry w/ Death. A highlight appears early in the project with “Purpose + Passion”, with its silvery, soulfully ambient production and evocative, inspiring rhymes. “izm” follows up with a sleek performance from Slimpoet atop laid-back, warm grooves. “Mary Jane”‘s balmy, jazzy production and focused vocals close the project on a high note as well. Give Poetry w/ Death a listen here now.

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mynameisntjmack and Sol ChYld share refreshing single “proper vertigo” (prod. Wulf Morpheus)

Virginia standout mynameisntjmack has shared a new song called “proper vertigo”, featuring Camden, NJ artist Sol ChYld, and produced by Wulf Morpheus. With an engaging, infectiously breezy sound that crafts a relaxed, wistful backdrop for mynameisntjmack and Sol ChYld, “proper vertigo” seems to be an apt song for the coming fresh spring weather. Graceful keys and a resonant rhythm section give the song a balance of liveliness and relaxation, while mynameisntjmack and Sol ChYld come through with nimble, vivid verses while playing off each other’s energy. Give “proper vertigo” a listen here now.

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Ovrkast. connects with Navy Blue for atmospheric single “January”

Prolific Oakland artist Ovrkast. has returned once again with a fresh single called “January”, featuring Navy Blue. A product of the Bay Area, Ovrkast. makes soulful, thoughtful, and laid-back hip-hop, often blending sampling with trap-inspired percussion. For his latest, he links with ever-talented lyricist Navy Blue for a song that lives up to its namesake with a refreshing, atmospheric soundscape and poetic lyricism.

Atop floating, airy vocal samples and a buoyant, crisp rhythm section, Ovrkast. and Navy Blue drop emotive, self-aware bars full of vivid, memorable lines. With smooth, confident flows that suit the relaxed sonics of the beat, they display a natural chemistry while trading silky verses on “January”. Check out the new visual for “January” below.

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nofacerapper exhibits lyrical skills on ‘And It Was Beautiful’ (prod. Foule Monk)

nofacerapper has dropped off a new project called And It Was Beautiful, produced by Foule Monk. Inspired by the complexities of life, he’s embarked on his musical journey to share his personal experiences, weaving tales that touch on themes of God, family, and critiquing wack rappers. His latest offering presents a collection of hypnotic, raw tracks that never get too bogged down by heaviness, combined with sharp lyricism from nofacerapper.

The gritty soundscape and razor sharp rhymes of “Blame Foule Monk” call to mind 90’s East Coast hip-hop with a refreshing twist, and a spacey edge. “COYF” presents a ruminative sound and showcases another side of nofacerapper, with reflective, thoughtful bars discussing mental health. “NFR Shippuden”, featuring LUNAR, is a graceful, glorious finisher with a vibrant instrumental and sleek flows that closes the project on a high note.

Support the artists directly by heading to BandCamp to pick up their project And It Was Beautiful HERE.

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Jay Cinema and Chow practice ‘Alchemy’ on new album

By Jacob Ezra

Jay Cinema and Chow have connected for a fresh project called Alchemy. Cinema is a visionary abstract hip-hop artist from Yonkers, New York, known for his boundary-pushing sound and thought-provoking lyrics- while producer Chow is a prolific beat-maker whose captivating, refreshing twist on underground hip-hop sounds merges particularly well with Cinema’s expressive style. On Alchemy, the two find a natural, engaging chemistry as they piece together a tapestry of raw, sampling soundscapes that drift from eery and claustrophobic to vibrantly psychedelic. Chow’s heavy, gritty drum lines, glitchy patchwork of samples, and potent bass-lines provide an intriguing soundscape for Cinema, as he lays down bar after bar of vividly poetic, often grippingly introspective lines. The project provides an interesting mixture of dark sounds with colorful textures, which gives it added character. Songs like “All On Me” are powerfully cathartic despite their laid-back demeanour, while joints like “Chemdawg” are kaleidoscopic and layered, bringing together that dark griminess with a certain almost intangible vibrance. Many projects get described as “sonic journeys”, but Alchemy is one that is certainly worthy of the title, with its vast range of emotions and sounds laced within Jay Cinema and Chow’s heartfelt performances. Give Alchemy a listen below now.

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LBE Hunt shines on “Dunking In Sauconys”

By Jacob Ezra

LBE Hunt has dropped off a new song, titled “Dunking In Sauconys”. The Hampton, Virginia artist is known for his deft ability to flow on soulful sounds and tell stories from childhood strategies. His latest track, “Dunking In Sauconys”, caught our attention for its hopeful yet realistic style and sound- with LBE Hunt sounding optimistic atop a glistening, jazzy instrumental while dissecting the truths of life. Filled with personal anecdotes, “Dunking In Sauconys” shows how powerful Hunt’s confessional material can be- bolstered by a potent yet relaxed instrumental. With undertones of victory, “Dunking in Sauconys” is a layered, thoughtful new offering from Virginia lyricist LBE Hunt. Give it a listen below.

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Nickelus F shares engaging visual for “PIMENTO”

By Jacob Ezra

Influential Virginia artist Nickelus F has dropped off a fresh video for his song “PIMENTO”. A strong addition to his ever-expanding discography, which always finds Nickelus F versatile and dynamic, “PIMENTO” condenses all of what we love about Nickelus F- witty, charismatic rhymes, soulful, eclectic production, and vivid lyricism. Atop textural, atmospheric vocal samples that drift alongside a buoyant rhythm section, Nickelus F glides with sleek flows that feel effortless and yet assured. The new video, shot by @Teonproductions and @theMSQ, captures the song’s focused, elegant sound with warm, stylish, fast-paced shots and an engaging performance from Nickelus F. Give it a watch below now.

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Evil Twin continue to build with ‘EVIL TWIN RELOADED’

Evil Twin, the duo consisting of sharp-witted lyricists Ricky Mapes, who hails from New York, and Fatboyshaun out of Texas, have returned with a fresh installation of their self titled EVIL TWIN series. Their latest offering picks up where they left off on the original EVIL TWIN project, but adds extra layers of complexity both lyrically and sonically that give it much character. Both Mapes and Fatboyshaun have a knack for versatility, able to flip heartfelt, personal rhymes and raw, piercing bars at the drop of a hat. This skill is shown throughout EVIL TWIN RELOADED, and it helps to engage the listener, having them on their toes across 7 tracks never quite knowing what to expect. Laced with soulful production from the likes of Micro, A U R, and more that ranges from ominous and bleak to rich and vivid, EVIL TWIN RELOADED finds the two emcees trading razor-sharp verses packed with dense imagery. Give EVIL TWIN RELOADED a listen below.

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Josiah Hotwire and Illinformed’s ‘BODYBAG SEASON LP’ (ft. Wish Master) is a blazing cross-continental collab

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.

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Mikem Nahmir lets us know that ‘THESE THINGS JUS’ HAPPEN’ with new project

By Jacob Ezra

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.