Song of the Day: Storyteller – DDG

What happens when you fuse space-age production quirks and trap-soaked drums with a ranged, melody-driven rap toolkit? You get DDG. After turning into ‘Elon Musk’ alongside YSL’s Gunna and diving into the UK rap ether — via Notion — selecting a 10Trax-worth of UK rap anthems, DDG is back to govern the summer. The multi-platinum Pontiac native is back with his single, ‘Storyteller’, courtesy of Epic Records.

For the track — produced by Corbett — DDG tugs on the heartstrings as he croons in a pop-adjacent manner over a trap-spun beat. In a welcome switch-up from his recent tunes, ‘Storyteller’ does exactly what the title infers. DDG crafts a narrative around heartache, toxic masculinity and the art of emotional warfare. On the instrumental front, the track is kitted-out with sharp 808 drum kicks and shimmering guitar riffs.

‘Storyteller’ follows DDG’s viral, Gunna-assisted single ‘Elon Musk’, released back in February. Since its debut, the Complex co-signed-track has amassed well over 25 million streams on Spotify alone — with almost 10 million views on YouTube too. ‘Storyteller’ looks to continue DDGs relentless splash in the UK scene as he comes through with pitch-perfect style and bravado.

This July, DDG is set to share a highly-anticipated full-length project. Tentatively entitled, ’Take Me Serious 2’ — the follow-up to his cult classic mixtape from 2017 — DDG will accompany this drop by flying to European shores in July to hit the festival circuit. DDG is looking to infiltrate the Europe rap sphere with gigs at Wireless Festival in the UK, WooHah in the Netherlands, Rolling Loud Portugal and Splash in Germany.

With a potential classic project in the works, ‘Storyteller’ has set the benchmark high for mainstream hip hop in 2022. Check him out in an official video below…

Cassie Marin Releases Single ‘Gemini’ Ahead Of Album ‘Lil 5i5’ – Out 12th August.

Los Angeles-based vocalist, producer and multi-instrumentalist CASSIE MARIN shares her new single, ‘Gemini,’ taken from her much-anticipated album, Lil 5i5, out on 12th August.

Pairing emotive melodies, atmospheric production and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, Cassie delivers pure synth-pop magic on “Gemini.” Cassie elaborates on the meaning behind the track: “I’ve always had the tendency to look at things from both sides — it’s comes with the positive of not being quick to judge, but when it pertains to analyzing my characters, it can create a confusing and inescapable duality that becomes, at times, overwhelming. The song sees me tackling one side of myself with humor and the other side of myself with passion. One side feels deserving of the good things that come to me while the other side feels stuck in an unwanted habit of self-sabotage. It’s a bit of a mood swing of a song that I feel many can relate to. Ultimately, it’s about acknowledging the partitioned soul, the partitioned mind, and attempting to fuse them against the forces that repel them.”

Constantly exploring new musical and visual dimensions, Cassie Marin has emerged as an avant-garde luminary in the left-of-center pop space. Her upcoming album, ‘Lil 5i5’, which will be out on 12th August, is a dynamic 19-track album that shows off Cassie ever-evolving musicality. Pairing the rhythms of dance music with emotive melodies and meaningful lyricism, ‘Lil 5i5’ sees Cassie at her strongest and most vulnerable yet.

Get an insight to her album below..

Song of the Day: Malibu – Preyé

After the highly successful release of ‘Red Wine’, PREYÉ‘s first single from her upcoming EP, ‘Don’t Look Down’, the Nigerian singer-songwriter returns with ‘Malibu’, a summer-ready single inspired by her trip to the California city.

‘Malibu’ combines dreamy synths and an infectious bass line with Preyé’s soulful voice.

The smooth R&B-inspired chorus and production make this timeless record feel like an idyllic summertime scene.

Recently selected as one of six artists for Spotify’s Africa Month global campaign Spotify Sounds Of Africa, alongside LADIPOE, Zoë Modiga, Nomfundo Moh, Chris Khaiga and Nikita Kering, Preyé’s star is on the rise and she’s got the backing and streams to match!

Check out the official video for ‘Malibu’ below..

Rapper Mindflip Drops Track, ‘Exquisite’ + Video

Rapper MINDFLIP was born with Tourette’s Syndrome and although he feared being limited by the condition, he eventually started to see it a different way in order to power up his dreams.

With his brand new single, the vibrant rhymester wanted to capture the essence of what it means to be Exquisite while also showcasing the fun, positive vibe of the song.

Starting out in 2018, Mindflip carved out a lane out for himself, putting a modern take on 90’s/2000’s style Hip-Hop. He’s currently working with producer Soké, on his new project, the Duality: The Life of a Gemini EP which will broaden his sound while still maintaining the smooth but intricate flows he’s known for.

Why not check out the video for ‘Exquisite’ , where the single shows the other side of this spitter to his fans and listeners…

Song of the Day: Motive105 – D.R.O.P

West London rapper MOTIVE105 shakes up 2022 with single‘D.R.O.P’. Produced by ParkedUP, the electrifying single spins tales of schemes and plots, marking a defiant statement of what’s to come from the rapper this year. Accompanying the release is an enthralling visual following Motive and his crew as they embark on a high-stakes, high-octane diamond heist, inspired by the iconic Guy Ritchie film ‘Snatch’.

Motive105 is one of the most exciting rappers emerging on the scene at the moment. Releasing his debut EP The Drive Downtown: Part One in 2021, this rising UK Rap star is a natural storyteller who weaves strong narrative threads through his music and pairs each of his emphatic releases with captivating, aesthetically-led visuals. Already attracting heat from the likes of Complex UK, CLASH, Dummy, TRENCH, Metal, New Wave Mag and more, Motive105 will be joining fellow lyricist Kojey Radical on his UK tour in November with more live dates set to be announced.

Check out the official video for D.R.O.P below…