Multi-genre vocalist ILLAMAN (PENGSHUi) reveals an honest new album ‘Sometimes Relax’, with the help of pensive producer Pitch 92 (High Focus). The fresh collection features Dabbla, Dubbledge, PAV4N, fattybassman(PENGSHUi) and Ruby Wood (Submotion Orchestra).
Pairing ILLAMAN’s off-kilter rap style with Pitch 92’s rich, reflective instrumentals, their 14-track project is contemplative and conversational. It expresses the struggles and successes of finding balance in closure, offering an intimate LP of personal and emotional development.
Leading the album is the seamless boom bap vibes of the title track which is accompanied by ILLAMAN’s straight and personal bars. Watch the music video for ‘Sometimes Relax’, Shot by KRUPA.
Three years after the release of her seminal debut album ‘The Almanac’, which was championed by the likes of COLORS, HotNewHipHop, and Ladygunn, among others, multidimensional Baltimore lyricist, songwriter, composer, and producer NERU THEE FOURTH FUGEE is finally ready to go again, as she begins to share details of her long-awaited sophomore album titled ‘Greater Than’, which is set to be released in the summer. To whet the appetite for the highly anticipated project, the Maryland native has unveiled the project’s lead single ‘End Daze’ featuring US rap royalty BbyMutha.
Written, arranged, and composed by Neru Thee Fourth Fugee herself, with additional production from Serbian beatsmith Shotta Beatz, ‘End Daze’ is a hard-hitting collaboration from two female rap powerhouses, which sees both Neru and BbyMutha in incomparable form, as both artists flex their lyrical prowess throughout the track from start to finish. ‘End Daze’ is signature braggadocious rap in its best form, with Neru and BbyMutha addressing any detractors, whether those are old school classmates trying to act familiar, or their rap competitors, or the “bxtches hating” on them.
Speaking about the inspiration behind ‘End Daze’, Neru says, “The song was inspired by MF Doom and Vince Staples, while the title itself is a double entendre on ‘End Days’, referencing a catastrophic end-of-the-world event, and ‘In Daze’ connecting those moments when you find yourself lost inside your thoughts. ‘End Daze’ brings a lot of boastful and confident energy, and that’s how I want my listeners to feel when they hear the single – powerful and confident like they can take on the world. I wrote ‘End Daze’ to continue to create balance with my music, but to also show that I cannot be categorized or boxed in – my music and style transcend genres”.
With a genre-defying sound that fuses hip-hop with neo-soul, ambient, funk and psychedelic music, to create her own musical universe, Neru Thee Fourth Fugee stands out for her abstract lyricism, transcendental harmonies, and trance-like kaleidoscopic soundscapes – her music offers a thought-provoking mind-bending listening experience that allows you to use both hemispheres of your brain simultaneously. Neru Thee Fourth Fugee might remind you of early Parliament Funkadelic music, with sprinkles of the great Ms. Lauryn Hill, but she remains firmly in her own artistic lane.
Neru Thee Fourth Fugee is also the founder of Baltimore creative community, AstroKnot Collective, which she birthed in 2021, and has grown to become a staple in Baltimore’s art scene. With a common goal to elevate, cultivate, reciprocate and be great, Neru currently mentors fifteen different artists across the US, through AstroKnot. Made up of diverse musicians, visual artists, designers, and activists, among others, Neru’s AstroKnot collective curate youth drives, art residencies, music videos, concerts, community events, and more, all over the city of Baltimore.
With two critically acclaimed EPs and a seminal album already under her belt, Neru has also shared the stage with stalwarts like The Roots, Danny Brown, Oddisee, Princess Nokia, and JPEGMafia, just to mention a few, while she counts the likes of Pigeons & Planes, COLORS, Brooklyn Vegan, HotNewHipHop, and Sway’s Universe among some of her supporters. In 2023, she plans to release her sophomore album titled ‘Greater Than’, which is set to feature Wu-Tang’s Killah Priest, Metaphor the Great, and BbyMutha, with whom Neru has unveiled her brand new single, ‘End Daze’. Check it out below…
TEDDY REISS‘ brand new single,‘ Lowkey’ gives an insight into his life experience, where he describes as being ‘in a season of hard work before seeing it pay-off fruitfully.’
His direct and powerful lyricism is met with a distinctive guitar riff over a heavy dose of bouncy hip-hop/trap and melodic synths. With a heavy focus on work ethic, ‘Lowkey’ serves as a motivating anthem for the hard-workers who are on a grind every single day.
Born and raised in South East London, in a very musical and religious family, Teddy initially wanted to be an accountant and went to university to study ACCA. After the course put him off accounting, he quickly found his new passion in music.
He wastes no time and started a social enterprise called Rap Association C.I.C, using rap as a tool to educate, entertain and empower the local community. After facilitating rap workshops and producing custom rap songs for corporate events, Teddy turned his hand to songwriting and at that point, he decided to forge a rap career. To further his knowledge in music, Teddy went on to study Music Industry Practice – Creative Artistry at ACM Birmingham. He received the ACE Scholarship in 2019.
Since receiving his ACE Scholarship, Teddy Reiss has produced a mixtape and has worked with UK’s promising underground artists, R&B singer Cherri V, rappers Triple O, Funky DL and Luxury Reem.
A regular performer at various open mics across London, Teddy Reiss hits the studio, creating an ode for the hard-grinders, who are waiting to see the fruits of their labour, through single ‘Lowkey’, out from 10th March on all good music platforms.
London producer REDD TUNE delivers another slick set with Mars Noel coming in the form of ‘Diplomacy’. The three track EP features rappers, Nobi 1 and Dr Mortis, who both take turns to drop unfiltered wordplay against the silky smooth, old school boom bap with occasional melodic chants.
‘Diplomacy’ is a nostalgic collection that will be appreciated by anyone who loves hip-hop/boom bap of the yesteryear…so true hip-hop heads, step forward and check out the EP below…
‘Phone Calls 4’ is packed with 12 new songs that show a different side of slick rapper DESHAUNJAY when comparing this new release to his last album, ‘Pinky’s Boy’. Both projects are filled with solid song structure and verses that are mixed well with the chosen production for each track, but there is one key difference between both albums.
“Pinky’s Boy was my first actual rap album so I wanted to make a statement as far as my ability to adapt to different types of beats as well as my ability to rap in general” says Jay when speaking on the comparison of the projects.
In his own mind, the San Antonio native is taking somewhat of a gamble releasing an album that isn’t what his fans are used to hearing from him, and releasing no single before the drop made it even clearer that the artist was ready to take a huge leap with ‘Phone Calls 4’. DeShaunJay finds himself in the midst of late night hook ups and potential relationships as he speaks on those topics with verses like “Pull up to the spot/bullin with the squad just wasn’t expecting your presence/couldn’t run from it/didn’t need your number I knew how to send you a message/RnB name/coke bottle frame/and plus she had Mya’s complexion” on third track, ‘Only’. His tenth effort ‘Outside’, has Jay somewhat infatuated with a female as he is ready to switch things up and drop everything for her, including any side pieces.
DeShaunJay enlists help from producers Trevv, Vovo, NoSalez, Dionso, Kyduh, Ricci, Havio Beats, and PK, with a lone feature from D’Shaun as he provides his talents with the hook on ‘Switch’. ‘Phone Calls 4’ is a ride filled with emotions, love and lust, with each song sharing a different insight into Jay’s recent roller-coaster of a love life. It’s time to check out the album plus the blog’s songs recommendations below…
New Lease Music 