Tag: autobiographical songs

EP Review: KWESBAAR RMXS – Neak

NEAK‘s latest project, ‘KWESBAAR RMXS’ maybe a mini set of just five tracks, but it burst with influences, with his spin on hip-hop from the golden era (circa late 80’s), which is often met with rhythmic loops of 70s-style soulful vocals. Third effort ‘The Gift (Mashup)’, brings a little something different to the project as it taps into the boombap vibe working in unison with bluesy jazz tones for that tinging sensation.

‘KWESBAAR RMXS’ is a spin off from Neak’s critically acclaimed/self-produced full-length album, ‘KWESBAAR’ as it entails four new interpretations/remixes from that set plus new track, ‘Nothing To Lose, Inner City Blues’. Released year ago, ‘KWESBAAR’ accumulated over 30,000 streams with the first few weeks of its release. Neak’s lucid delivery gives a hard-hitting account of the trials and retributions of being an African-American male in America which, personally, feel (at times) that Kanye West is taking a shot on the collection.

‘KWESBAAR RMXS’ carries on the same theme of his everyday struggles that’s definitely worth a listen…check it out below…

Must Listens: The Gift (Mashup), My Life

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Song of the Day: Smooth Criminal – Big Narstie (ft. Still Greedy)

Undoubtedly one of the biggest stars to come out of the Grime scene, BIG NARSTIE has made a name for himself, from the early days coming up in the UK hip-hop scene to more recently being known for having his own award winning Channel 4 show with Mo The Comedian ‘The Big Narstie Show’ and guest appearances on Big Fat Quiz, Celebrity Coach Trip, Celebrity Bake Off and plenty more. Narstie is one to stay true to his roots and still consistently releases music, this time he gives us ‘Smooth Criminal’ featuring Dice Recordings label mate Still Greedy.

With 60 million plus streams, his latest album BDL BiPolar featured Ed Sheeran, Raleigh Ritchie and Craig David, where he scored a top 10 single with When The Baseline Drops. As well as this Big Narstie has various brand endorsements with the likes of Zopa, 888Sport, McDonalds, Carphone Warehouse; Big Narstie is a brilliant example of a modern day success story.

Having been named ‘Best Grime Act’ at the Urban Music Awards five times, heralded as Noisey’s ‘Man Of The Year’ and ‘Personality of The Year’ at GRM Daily’s Rated Awards, he has also performed at an abundance of festivals such as Wireless, Lovebox, Glastonbury and more.

With consistent radio support from the likes of 1Xtra, Radio 1 and Beats 1, this latest release further proves why Big Narstie is one of the best in the country. Check him out below…

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Song of the Day: Paranoid – Kid Tana

Making moves on the underground over the last year, KID TANA has been building an impressive portfolio of music, catching the eye of major UK Rap platforms including Link Up TV and GRM Daily.

The rising West London star is full of promise as he heads into 2020 with his first joint of the year ‘Paranoid’. Effortlessly transitioning between flows with an exceptional flair for storytelling and lyricism, Kid Tana is in a space of discovery where all the UK greats have risen from over recent years.

Produced by Akamoshen, ‘Paranoid’ samples the haunting strings of R&B classic ’Tell Me’ from Bobby Valentino, bringing with it a soulful edge to the hard bars and chaos of Kid Tana’s cold street tales. The record beats with emotion and depth as Kid Tana really comes into his own with this drop and is clearly enjoying the fruits of his studio time and ongoing musical experience and knowledge.

Following on from his well-received drop ‘Buju Banton’ and tracks including ‘Billie Jean’ and the ‘Killin Dem Remix’ with Muckass, Kid Tana has also boxed off a string of freestyles for Link Up TV and Bl@ckbox, which have spawned a slew of comments that tipped him as “up next” and “one to watch”.

Check him out below…

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Song of the Day: Vices – Alfie Neale

Originally from Dorset, now based in Brighton, singer-songwriter ALFIE NEALE has been steadily building his fanbase with songs full of emotion and blunt honesty, where he pours his soul into every lyrics he writes.

His latest ‘Vices’ is a true testament of the above, as it reflects the compilation of his experience of moving to a new city (Brighton) and living with five of his best friends for two years. The song describes the importance of the little things in life, and how much support friends must show each other through the hard times. Although the bottom line of the song is serious there are less serious aspects to the song such as simple case of not having enough money to get a taxi home from a night out in Brighton.

The track is part of Alfie’s forthcoming five-track EP Titled ‘If My World Falls Apart’, set for release in March. To support the EP Release, Alfie will be playing a London headline show on April 30th at Colours Hoxton and a short run of city festivals including Live at Leeds, Hit The North and Liverpool Sound City.

Have a listen to this stunning track below…

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Album Review: Insight – Nebr, The Tiger

NEBR, THE TIGER‘s debut album, ‘Insight’ delves into the mind of the Detroit emcee’s random thoughts – from current affairs, his fate in the rap game to that roller coaster feeling in being love.

Starting off on a smooth note, easing into a rich boom-bap tone, the 13-track set goes off on a whirlwind of tones – from Nebr’s take on R&B afterhours to the sporadic and jarring/distorted bass line and tones often coupled with the use of slow motioned techniques. To add to the experimental sound, a nice touch of delicate oriental-esque tones make a brief appearance towards the end of the album. Through the chaotic arrangements, this upriser manages to deliver a very audible flow that’s record-breakingly fast and bang on the money.

‘Insight’ is definitely an album you have to play at least a couple of times to really grasp the concept of the whole collection – once you get, you’ll understand and really appreciate that every element/tones in each track, represents his intricate thoughts. So welcome to the world of Nebr, The Tiger…

Must Listens: R.T.W., These Days, Insight, Different, F.T.L 

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