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 BeautifulHERE.
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.
Philadelphia artist Ryshon Jones has shared a new song, called “Sense of Certainty”. Beyond just a unique delivery style, Jones has carved a lane for his ability to connect with listeners- as he is an artist unafraid to drop his guard and speak from the heart. His latest offering, “Sense of Certainty”, follows up potent releases like “Life Feeds the Work”, and “Weight My Senses”. On “Sense of Certainty”, the emcee displays his penchant for personal lyricism and vivid instrumentation with a refreshing song that cuts deep with its hypnotic blend of warm keys, infectious percussion, and focused flows. Give “Sense of Certainty” a listen below now.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 