Nigerian-born/Canada-based rapper and producer BANGGZ‘s latest single ‘21’ symbolises his new age and the opportunity to reflect and strike up a conversation about his fears and insecurities, over a carefully crafted instrumental with jazz & hip hop influences.
Have a listen to the track below…
Amidst the uncertainty and grief in these surreal times, CHARLIE TREES’ latest single, ‘Smile Back’ brings some much-needed light within all darkness. Following on from his first release of 2020, ‘Trees’, Charlie continues to reach his genre-defining sound to the masses.
Another collaboration with Yrk Rd and SludgeWizard, the laidback guitars and dreamy undertones takes us through a cosmic trip, as Charlie shows how to embrace the positivity he wants to see in the world. Alongside the single comes a film by No1, a music video, that fittingly demonstrates the happiness Charlie brings to those he cherishes.
The themes of the new single and its accompanied film showcase a different side to Charlie Trees, bringing positivity and love to the forefront. ‘Smile Back’ serves as a reminder to ignore the bad vibes, spend time with the ones we love and awaken our third-eye. The 4/20 loving, Grime-Bap MC uses his hallucinogenic experiences to create music that comes with a message, one that is more relevant now than ever.
Check out the video for ‘Smile Back’ below…
‘Jewels’ – the first single to drop from JYELLOWL‘s [J-yellow-L] forthcoming debut LP. Born to Jamaican and Nigerian parents and raised in Ireland, the Dublin-based rapper has drawn on all three origins to create a distinctly powerful sound that is radically individual.
Speaking on ‘Jewels’, JyellowL explains: “Jewels is a celebration of our multifaceted nature, as well as the complexity of the human condition. It’s about recognising our worth and understanding that we are all inherently valuable and that our value may just manifest itself in different realms.”
The 21-year-old artist is dynamic in his lyricism and is fuelled by political conviction. A leading voice emerging out of the fierce juggernaut that is Ireland’s rap scene, this debut LP follows two groundbreaking EP’s and a string of headline performances, both in Ireland and internationally. His standout track ‘Ozone’ has surpassed 1.5 million views on Spotify alone and the single, ‘Oh Lawd’, featured on the soundtrack of the ‘Normal People’ TV series, has already surpassed 1.1 million views. A self-driven artist and entrepreneur, his newly established JyellowL Records Ltd quickly landed a distribution deal with the international distribution company IDOL.
The lyricism JyellowL delivers cuts to the heart of issues that are at once deeply personal and urgent on a global scale, driving political change right now. With a degree in politics from UCD University in Dublin, he explores the social problems that both intrigue and disturb him, from international conflict to economic inequality, unafraid to tackle subjects like racism in his music early on. In 2020, as protests erupted across the world, he spoke to a crowd of thousands at a Black Lives Matter in Dublin, envisioning a future Ireland that is radically inclusive and anti-racist.
As far back as 2017, his track Cold In The Summer addressed the international crisis of racial injustice and the legacy of slavery, while voicing a defiant demand for change. He released a video with Dublin-based creatives. VICE Magazine profiled him as a leading voice of Irish rap in their 2017 Music Issue,’on the crest of a wave of young artists in Ireland with an increasingly political bent’.
It didn’t take long cutting his teeth in Dublin’s burgeoning rap scene to make his rise. By 2018, JyellowL had released his groundbreaking debut EP Bulletproof and was supporting Rap superstar Nelly on a 3-date Irish tour that November, followed by a sold out Dublin show with ‘Money Trees’ hitmaker Jay Rock.
In 2019, his highly acclaimed Me N Me 2 EP followed, coming out at the same time as he took on a headline Irish tour, his first headline show in London, and performed a headline international sold-out concert at Steck Poppodium in The Netherlands.
Named as one of RTE’s 2FM Rising acts for 2019, he released two singles – the catchy Ozone and hard hitting Tek Time, the latter of which featured on Spotify’s influential Who We Be playlist. Endorsements from Spotify solidified his position as one of Ireland’s most influential young artists, featuring on a plethora of editorial playlists.
JyellowL made his stamp on the Irish festival scene that summer with a series of knockout performances including Longitude, KnockanStockan, Body & Soul, Band On The Strand Festival, Red Bull Gaf Party, and an international headline slot at Delft Jazz Festival in Holland. He ended that summer on a high with a coveted headline slot at the ‘3 Made By Music Stage’ on the Saturday night of a sold-out Electric Picnic, the pinnacle of the Irish festival circuit.
This game-changing performance led to the next and most exciting part of 2019, with JyellowL’s single Ozone selected to feature on the in-game soundtrack for the mammoth EA Sports FIFA 20. The curated playlist placed his track on the same level as hits by Anderson Paak, Major Lazer, Hot Chip and Skepta to name but a few. The success of 2019 peaked with a live performance and broadcast of Ozone on Ireland’s biggest broadcast event of the year, RTÉ’s NYE party.
Stay tuned for future single releases from JyellowL’s forthcoming debut album – 2020 D|vision…but for now, check it ‘Jewels’ below…
Hotly tipped Bristol lyricist and founder of Official Recordings, WISH MASTER (the guy in the middle; see the above video clip) has unveiled visuals for ‘Mindfulness’ and ‘Far Away’, taken from his third album ‘The Bull (The Best Underrated Living Legend)’.
Two tracks in one, the double-bill music video for ‘Mindfulness/Far Away’ sees the MC cycle far away into the countryside to boost his mindfulness. Fellow Bristolians PatchUp Productions capture the adventure amazingly, joining Wish by the sea for a contemplative classic.
Wish Master was named in BBC Music Introducing’s Ones To Watch 2019, leading to him recording at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios. He’s also supported Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah, but awards and accolades aside, his experience in the game is best expressed through his own music.
Check out the video for ‘Mindfulness/Far Away’ below…
I’ve always known NICKI KNIGHTZ to be that rapper who fiercely take on the boldest of the boldest arrangements with her no nonsense flow, but her latest EP, ‘For The Uninformed’, has caught me off guard. With the exception of the drum bass heavy/Congolese guitar sample, ‘Blacker the Berry,’ which pays homage to her father’s work ethic, the EP shows a soft and perhaps a more vulnerable side to the Hackney native.
The three-track set sees Nicki focusing on the neglected identity issues of being biracial, eliminating any glamorized images of being a light skinned person. In second effort, ‘India Arie’, Nicki gives a vivid account of the problems her parents faced when contending with her hair, over a warped soulful/jazz instrumentation. An old-school soulful drive makes its presence known and runs sombrely throughout concluding track, ‘1964 Howlett Drive’, serving as the perfect backdrop for Nicki’s uncharacteristically emotive delivery, which gives an insight of her experiencing her mother’s culture and its heartbreakingly stark contrast to their life in the innercity area.
A complete 180 to her sonically boisterous 2018 debut EP ‘Hate’, ‘For The Uninformed’ takes on a more minimalist theme, allowing the uninformed to really soak up and resonate with the experience of her childhood.
Have a listen to ‘For The Uninformed’ below…
Must Listen: India Arie
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