Tag: rap

By Jacob Ezra

JazzZ and Tenten- ‘ABSINTHE’

Nigerian singer JazzZ and Zimbabwean producer Tenten captivated us in July with their collaborative album ABSINTHE, a hazy, dream-like blend of hypnotic alternative R&B cuts. With a warm, immersive feel and poignant, organic sonics, ABSINTHE presents a character-rich, intimate offering from JazzZ and Tenten that remains as one of our favourite releases this summer.

Fatboi Sharif and Steel Tipped Dove- ‘Decay’

New Jersey’s Fatboi Sharif and New York’s Steel Tipped Dove connected for their LP Decay, which dropped in July on Backwoodz Studioz. An uncompromisingly experimental, head-trip of a record that lives up to its namesake with dilapidated, raw instrumentation and apocalyptic lyricism. On Decay, Sharif sounds at home atop Steel Tipped Dove’s frigid, asymmetrical production, weaving together idiosyncratic flows and vivid imagery in a dizzying fashion.

YL- ‘Don’t Feed the Pigeons’

 New York mainstay YL’s ‘Don’t Feed the Pigeons’ LP is a refreshing project from June that captures the oft-sought NY hip-hop essence without leaning too heavily into nostalgia. It demonstrates his versatility as he tackles beats ranging from drill to ambient-infused instrumentals, while conjuring a subtly surreal atmosphere that gives it unique character. 

Fatboyshaun- ‘BLOOD ON MY CARHARTT’

South Texas’ Fatboyshaun dropped off his project BLOOD ON MY CARHARTT in early July- a tour-de-force of potent lyricism atop raw, soulful instrumentation. Demonstrating the versatility that makes him a layered emcee, BLOOD ON MY CARHARTT both packs a punch with imposing lines and introspects with heartfelt cuts, with Fatboyshaun sounding equally natural in both lanes.

Ché- ‘CHÉ’

New York’s Ché captivated us with his self-titled project from July. CHÉ is an album versatile in sound and heartfelt in content, as it finds the New York artist dropping a series of thoughtful verses atop engaging, diverse instrumentation. Throughout the record, an undercurrent of youthful energy is present- with shades of hope for brighter times, while also touching upon being in the thralls of depression and frustration. Using his bicycle as a motif, the album’s dynamic pace, observational nature, and NYC references are given added context and layers, giving CHÉ a conceptual edge.

Stounson- “Break Bread” (ft. Ricky Mapes)

“Break Bread” is a self-produced cut from Seattle’s Stounson, featuring The Bronx’s Ricky Mapes, released in August. With a DIY feel and psychedelic edge, “Break Bread” makes for a potent cross-coast collaboration between the two artists. Raw layers of samples give the track a pulsating rhythm, complemented by dusty drums and potent, cutting flows from Stounson and Mapes that demonstrate a natural chemistry.

Yeshua Sunn has linked with kip c for a fresh single called “shi-ballads”. Following up expressive, thoughtful releases like “coldtrain++” and “shield of wind*”, “shi-ballads” continues to carve out Sunn’s ethereal sound with an engaging new song that blends detail-rich lyricism with atmospheric, lo-fi production. Atop a tapestry of kaleidoscopic samples, airy guitars, and reverb-soaked percussion, Sunn and kip c deliver soulful verses full of dream-like lyricism. Matching the track’s abstract soundscape and uplifting energy, Sunn and kip c’s free-form flows and poignant lyricism give “shi-ballads” a unique edge and make for a refreshing listen. Check out “shi-ballads” below. 

Döuno has linked with Ukraine’s LoVibe. for a fresh single called “S19”. Hailing from the rich musical landscape of Baton Rouge, LA- Döuno’s music brings a refreshing twist to the timeless sounds of neo-soul, while drawing inspiration from personal experiences to give listener’s a view into his life. His latest offering is the potent, engaging “S19” with LoVibe., a vivid song that puts his sharp songwriting and atmospheric vocal style on full display atop buoyant, warm instrumentation. Atop airy keys, crunchy percussion, and infectious bass, he delivers sleek melodies that build dynamically into an ear-worm hook, giving added replay value and character to the track. Check out Döuno and LoVibe.’s latest song “S19” below here.

Pacific Northwest multi-disciplinary artist Stounson has connected with New York’s Ricky Mapes for a fresh single called “Break Bread”, mixed and mastered by BlessedBySanto. Self-produced by Stounson, the track contains a raw, potent energy that suits the vital, confident flows of Stounson and Mapes. Underscored by gritty samples laid in textural, glitchy patterns atop sturdy percussion, the two emcees demonstrate their skills as lyricists, weaving together vivid, detail-rich lines with ease. Their dynamic, energizing flows match with the instrumentation’s darkly hypnotic feel, giving the track much personality. Give “Break Bread” a listen below now.

insyt. caught our attention for his recent EP The Nothings I’ve Felt. An introspective, vivid journey into the life and times of the artist- The Nothings I’ve Felt is a refreshingly personal, character-rich drop that puts insyt.’s lyrical abilities on full display. Following up his project The View From the Sky from earlier in 2023, The Nothings I’ve Felt finds him continuing to refine his potent, heartfelt sound with an engaging 5-track offering.

The Nothings I’ve Felt opens with “Eons”, a hypnotic joint featuring warm production and introspective lyricism from insyt. that sets the tone for the project and grasps the listener from the get-go. “Gemini” follows next with an organic, thoughtful cut that finds insyt. piecing together vibrant, poetic lines atop textural, laid-back keys and infectious percussion. “1973”, featuring Samad M, features glowing, gospel-tinged production that creates an air of nostalgia, suiting the emcees reflective verses. “Eating my Tail”, featuring Uhuru Noir, closes the project strongly with an emotive offering, finding the emcees confessional with gripping verses that feel cathartic in nature.

Take a listen to The Nothings I’ve Felt below here.

By Todd Anderson

Arkansas-born artist YB has dropped off a fresh new album called Dreams Don’t Have Deadlines. YB is what happens when optimism and uplifting content meets melodic trap. He wraps emotional storytelling over hard-hitting 808s and trunk-knocking drums, making for a refreshing blend of sounds and styles. He has now come through with a triumphant, infectious new album called Dreams Don’t Have Deadlines, which finds him further defining his sharply-crafted style with a set of relatable, cathartic bangers.

YB is an artist that has a penchant for combining emotive themes and content with hard-hitting, gritty sounds. Over a tapestry of booming 808s, raw horns, and clasping percussion, he manages to rhyme poetically in a way that feels emotionally captivating for the listener. This contrast helps YB stand out and provides him ground to continue expanding his characteristic style, as made evident by his new project Dreams Don’t Have Deadlines. It sees him building on the positive elements of his past releases, with songs like “HOSTAGE” and “LIGHT” displaying a keen sense of songwriting and focus that translates naturally into YB’s confident vocals and production choices. Songs like the lead single “PRAYING HANDS” push the energy levels to the limit while also providing thought-provoking content. Then, there are tracks like “B.I.G.” that take on a laid-back approach and in doing so demonstrate YB’s overall versatility.

With the release of Dreams Don’t Have Deadlines, YB continues to transcend the medium with his studio work. Over 10 million streams as an independent artist, and a prolific streak of releases has led to him building much momentum in the underground and beyond. Give his latest release Dreams Don’t Have Deadlines a listen below and be sure to connect with YB while you’re at it for more soon.

Connect with YB: Spotify | Instagram | Twitter

Indianapolis artist G.Hall has shared a fresh single called “Move Around”. Continuing his run of refreshing, hard-hitting joints that are often versatile in style, “Move Around” blends hip-hop and R&B influences into a dark concoction of atmospheric production and menacing yet catchy vocals. It contains potent production from Say Cheezz that creates an aptly ominous backdrop for G.Hall with its smoky, reverb-soaked synths and raw rhythm section. As a vocalist, he finds a solid medium between hip-hop flows and catchy R&B vocals with his melodic flourishes. Capped off by a hook that can best be described as an “ear-worm”, “Move Around” makes for a potent track from the Indianapolis artist that contains much replay value.

Take a listen to “Move Around” here and further familiarize yourself with G.Hall, a prolific artist coming out of the underrated Indianapolis scene.

Connect with G.Hall: Spotify | YouTube | Instagram