Tag: hip-hop

Song of the Day: Came Up – Lights (ft. Levelle London)

LIGHTS teams up with Levelle London for his latest single, ‘Came Up’. Laid-back soul and jazz tones meet a familiar sample for hip-hop fans and the honest and genuine lyrics from the East London emcee, that has a history of striking a chord through his music.

Presenting the video via GRM Daily, LIGHTS, formerly known as ‘Lightnin’, shrouds the record with sun-filled, good-time vibes as he kicks back in the Dominican to tell his tale. Enlisting the harmonious talents of Levelle London, the hook and ad-libs make for the perfect recipe against the truth and real-talk from the man himself.

Taken from the upcoming EP of the same name, due for release in early next month, the record is the first to come from LIGHTS since his well received mixtape ‘I Ain’t Signed But I’m Nice’, which preceded a sold out headline show. However where some fail to make an impression upon their re-emergence, LIGHTS has walked straight back into his role as an honest, reflective and genuine emcee with a talent for making relatable music.

The upcomer has been a fixture in the scene since the early days of UK’s Grime and Rap. Coming up under East London’s legendary Nasty crew, which also housed the likes of Ghetts, Kano and D Double E, LIGHTS found solo success with Channel U classic ‘Hard Life’ ft Taley Riley thanks to his ability to capture the pain and frustrations of a young generation. He is now part of an independent label called “NO Stars” which includes the likes of fellow emcee and renowned producer, Pepstar.

Check out this SUPERFLY single…

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New Track: Nokia Nostalgia – FooDoo

The multi-instrumentalist and unclassifiable electronic music producer, FOODOO enlists the vocals of Bonkaz, Dotty, Mugun and Marvz Skee for the release of his ‘Be Like’  EP. The visuals to lead single ‘Nokia Nostalgia’ ft Bonkaz dropped via Link Up TV last week.

Littered with musical influences that see the tracks lend from jazz, hip-hop, grime, funk, soul and R&B, FOODOO has a clear talent in being able to both capture and portray emotion through his productions before a vocal is even laid. Hazy beats, downtempo pop and woozy R&B give the E.P both a welcoming and intoxicating aura.

Having started his production journey at the age of just 14, the London-based talent received his first radio play just 4 months later on BBC Radio 1Xtra. His work soon caught the attention of artists and labels alike, resulting in him working and remixing for Bonkaz, Sway, Tiggs the Author, Bluey Robinson, Glasser and Raheem Bakare, with the music releasing through Pitched Up (Sony), Warners, True Panther Sounds, Tru Thoughts, Kitsune and Otherway Records.

His solo releases to date have resulted in critical acclaim from the likes of iD Magazine, Clash, Pigeons and Planes, The405, Indie Shuffle and Complex UK, highlighting him as a gifted producer with a promising future, something his new release is not only expected to live up to but also exceed.

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Album Review: No Stems – Dutch Rebelle

In preparation for her upcoming project, ‘BANG BANG’, DUTCH REBELLE kept her supporters titillated and dropped a collection of sample tracks, forming the 11-track offering, ‘No Stems’, earlier of this month.

Her heavy bassline trademark makes no apologies and runs riot throughout the entire set – but deeper, harder and twice more infectious than her previous releases. The seriously dope, head-rolling combination is topped of by the female emcee’s tighter-than-tight flow. Go further along this project and there a slight reggae fusion working its way through that dense drive in track, ‘Is This Love?’

This is an excellent run up to the next big project – better hit that play button!

Must Listens: Young OG, Stripper, Not Sleeping, Miss Me

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Song of the Day: Simba – Tobi Sunmola

Following the gripping visuals to ‘Never Forget We’re Here/Tales From The East IV’, TOBI SUNMOLA returns with ‘Simba’ – the debut release taken off his forthcoming EP.

‘Simba’ is a gritty and emotional testimony of both heartache and promise providing a compelling insight into the ethnological struggles of being an artist in today’s industry.

Tobi explains: “It talks about who I am as a person, the colour of my skin and how that may either hinder my growth to where I aspire to be.” Throughout the racial upheavals experienced, Nigerian-born Sunmola remains positive and resiliently confides in his unshakeable pursuit of greatness as he sings “through the pain, in the rain, in the night, any day…I’ll preach”. The instrumentation compliments this sentiment where melancholy chords are backboned by a bouncy hip hop beat that underlines his infectious flow and hook patterns. Authentic and unfiltered ‘Simba’ is an intriguing take on modern hip-hop that draws upon the influence of TOBI SUNMOLA’s rich African heritage.

The Manchester-based artist has achieved an admirable amount, since his humble beginnings in the studio of his local youth club. Co-producing ‘Simba’ with local rapper Two4Kay – who has previously featured on Link UP TV and The 405 – this new release is the product of a long-standing relationship that blossomed within the tight-knit Manchester music scene which forged early on in their careers. Named as Mobo’s ‘One to Watch’, this emerging talent has since been championed by Huw Stephens, DJ Booth and Mistajam whilst Complex, Afropunk and Flavour Magazine have been writing about his ‘stunning versatility’ online.

Combined with an array of adept live performances, including BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Exeter last year – the wondrously creative, ‘Simba’ is a perceptive and accomplished piece of work, that will cement Sunmola’s place as one of the UK’s most exciting, rising hip hop artists this year.

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Interview with: Money B

NEW LEASE MUSIC is very proud to have MONEY B in the hot seat. The former member of Digital Underground has teamed up with Young Hump for single, ‘Come Here’,  featuring Too Short and 4Rax.

Check out the video where this veteran emcee talks about his latest single, his close relationship with Tupac Shakur, plans for the rest of 2017…and defends Tupac’s Biopic ‘All Eyez On Me’ from film critics who panned the 2017 production.

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