Rapper NEAK circles back on the blog and drops his brand new music video, ‘What’s Really Here,’ Directed by Irv Vaz.
‘What’s Really Here’ takes us on a trip and captures the entire essence of Chicago (inner-city) and the ills that come along with living in underserved black communities. Featured on Neak’s latest project, INNENSTADT, this is the second visual released after 4eva Eva music video, directed by Irv Vaz and produced by Rashid Hadee. Hit play on the video below…
After the soon to be USC graduate woke up in the hospital with a broken heart from a break-up and hit-by-car-related-injuries, Jake McEvoy (AKA KID HASTINGS) immediately knew he had to write a song. The following day, he wrote Off Guard’ to make sense of whatever metaphor was being thrown at him, and the result is a melodic, indie, upbeat tune encouraging you to sing along and take life less seriously.
The accompanying video speaks to these surreal moments of life, and what better way to come to terms with absurdity than to embody it. Filled with over-saturated scenes of cow costumes and LA-river-fishing escapades, the video allows viewers to take any impact they want as they become intoxicated with the incomprehensible. Check it out below….
A year ago, Toronto musician and guitar builder ALEX BERALDO released his new album, ‘Freaktone Sessions’ to exactly zero fanfare, since it was right at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. This isn’t a story that is unique to Alex, in fact, it’s a story that many musicians releasing music last year have. But what is unique, is that he decided to shine some light on his overlooked album by re-releasing the single ‘Southern Heat’, along with a new live video filmed in his luthier workshop, on the anniversary of the album’s release.
‘Southern Heat’ is one of those songs that takes you by surprise. It seems like a sweet, romantic love song at first, but then it straight up hits you with an emotional punch that sits with you long after the song has ended.
Alex has been making music since 2006 and describes his sound as “a uniquely weird take on folk, blues, rock n roll and country music. Think John Prine trying to be Bob Dylan, but he hung out with Bradley Nowell.
Alex has fronted several bands and been a solo act, touring Canada multiple times from coast to coast. He’s independently recorded and released ten albums as the frontman of bands The Breaks and The People, including five solo efforts.
‘Southern Heat’ is available now on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, and other digital retailers and streaming services…why not check out the bitter-sweet single below…
Dutch singer ,songwriter and producer, ROMY DYA has revealed the official video for ‘Use U’ with K1D, directed by Djodjo Pongo and shot by Cherry Visuals.
Lifted from her debut LP, I FKN LOVE MYSELF, ‘Use U’ is about giving off low vibrations and filling up that emptiness you feel inside post break-up; dating or having a one-night-stand when you still have to work on yourself. Together with Belgian-based rapper K1D, Romy also shows the male perspective.
‘I FKN LOVE MYSELF’ is a memoir of the trials and tribulations that she has faced throughout her life and a reminder to love herself unconditionally. Combining R&B, Soul, Jazz and Pop, Romy has already been working hard behind the scenes, with cuts on records from Ghostface Killah to Martin Garrix.
The latest focus track follows on from singles ‘She’, ‘Thank You’, ‘Unspoken’, ‘RomCom’ & ‘What Is Love’. Check out the official video for ‘Use u’ below…
Before closing the door to his The Room EP, Edmonton hip-hop artist K-RIZ unveiled a new video for the potently blended jazz-rap track, ‘A Place Where Love Is.’ Elevated by the swinging coos of Calgary soul singer Yolanda Sargeant (of Sargeant X Comrade), the song is a declaration for choosing to love in a time of fear.
The video stars K-Riz, Yolanda Sargeant and fellow Alberta rapper Lyrique, and serves as a hopeful antidote to the bleakness of the past year. Filmed from Calgary’s Sunnyside neighbourhood and the city’s iconic Peace Bridge, the black and white video is punctuated by meaningful symbols. “Imagine life where colour doesn’t matter/Imagine peace where murder doesn’t happen…Under God’s blue sky, we all bleed the same you and I,” K-Riz spits, illuminating the possibility of a better world.
“This is the message that I wanted to close The Room out on,” said K-Riz. “I think this is a message that people need to hear right now—and over and over again. It’s time for people to open their hearts to peace and love.”
The Room EP was written by K-Riz while recovering from injuries sustained in a June 2020 car accident. The title signifies the room in which the album was conceived and the mental space and time he was given to reflect and create. The five-track collection is laced with smooth R&B grooves, jazz flourishes, lyrical atonements, and a near-death clarity, tracing the wrongs of past relationships (‘What a Shame’), faith (‘God First’), and a profound sense of gratitude for life (“A Place Where Love Is” feat. Yolanda Sargeant).
In the time since the EP’s release, K-Riz has been hailed by Complex for “quietly establishing himself as one of Alberta’s deftest lyricists; was named as a Black Canadian artist you need to know by Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe of CBC’s The Block; and was listed among the Canadian artists you need to hear by Exclaim in January of 2021. The EP follows his debut full-length album, Fresh Air (2016), which garnered the rapper a spot on Hip Hop Canada’s list of the Top 40 Canadian Hip Hop MCs.
The Room EP is now available on all streaming platforms. You can also look for K-Riz’s sophomore full-length, Peace & Love, set for release this summer. For now, check out the video for ‘Where Love Is’…
New Lease Music 