Caskie Drops Conscious Track, ‘Third Eye Shut’

‘3rd Eye Shut’ is the first single from the new EP by South East London emcee Caskie.

Attacking the beat with his relentless flows and articulately condensed rhyme patterns, Caskie remarks on the ongoing struggle faced by the many, whilst addressing the urgent need to shine a light on the dark.

“Everything around us in terms of the social and economic landscape today seems geared to mislead or misinform us… from crooked politicians to so-called gangsters…. the narrative rewrites and perpetuates itself daily.” – Caskie

In context of the superficial, fake and fraudulent society in which we live, Caskie uses the music video to illustrate the way in which mainstream media can deceive and manipulate the public’s perception.

The accompanying video, referencing 1980s John Carpenter movie ‘They Live’, was shot, edited and produced by Nicholas Tate of Deaf Nick Visuals who was also responsible for the visual effects.

After spending many years as a session drummer and backing vocalist, he was also a member of the group Dusty Stragglers alongside Flabz, Sylva Grey and producer Peter Coates. Caskie has since turned his attention to his solo material, and come out of the shadows with his debut EP ‘Ways To Stay Broke’, out September 5th, 2020.

Led by ‘3rd Eye Shut’, the EP was released on Friday (14th August) on all streaming platforms. Check out the video below…

Song of the Day: Trust The Process – Strizzy Strauss

STRIZZY STRAUSS‘ track, ‘Trust the Process’ is an inspirational and motivational piece exploring his journey as an artist, flanked by a chilled reflective piano driven production.

‘Trust the Process’ is the leading single from Strauss’ debut album bearing the same name. The album is a triumphant breakthrough, exploring Strauss’ personal struggles with parenthood, ambition and street life.

Hailing from Leicester, Strizzy Strauss has toured and performed with the GZA, Big Daddy Kane, Pharoahe Monche, Rodney P, Klashnekoff among others. He has received support from BBC 1Xtra, BBC Introducing, Mixtape Madness, Trench Magazine, FuBar Radio, DemonFM and I Am Hip Hop Magazine.

Check out the video for the track below…

Song of the Day: Type 0 – Gear

Jumping into today’s hot spot is U.S. alt-rapper/producer GEAR and his rampant track entitled ‘Type-0’, his first release with label Potent Funk.

Hailing from Dallas, GEAR is a multi-talented artist who creates rap inspired by a smorgasbord of electronic genres.

Throughout his younger years, GEAR discovered a large realm of styles in deep corners of the internet. They included grime, industrial, dubstep, drum & bass, and more. His sound is the pounding product of these influences.

In addition to what he gained through an immersion in Southern rap, he also draws inspiration from countries across the globe, making for an incredibly left-field and unprecedented combination. Check out the video for ‘Type-0’ below…

Lyrique Shares New Video For Single ‘Smoke Break’

Philippines-born, Calgary-based hip hop act LYRIQUE‘s video for single, ‘Smoke Break’ is a narcotic-infused reflection on love and cannabis that swirls to a chill rap beat.

“When creating lyrics, I sometimes like to use objects as metaphors to dig into other topics,” says Lyrique. “In this case, I’m comparing the sensation of a drug-induced daze to the feelings of being in love.”

Shot in the Forest Lawn and Bridgeland neighbourhoods of Calgary, the hypnotic video features various area landmarks that serve as a shout out to the rapper’s adopted city. The video follows the release of a series of singles and mixtapes from the artist since 2016, which have drawn attention from COMPLEX, CBC’s Q, MTV Philippines, and more.

Arriving in Canada in 2014 to work as a live-in nanny, Lyrique’s rhymes often draw from his personal struggles as a temporary migrant worker. Now a permanent resident striving to fulfill his dreams, Lyrique’s story is one of many within Canada’s Filipino diaspora.

Lyrique’s debut full-length album will be announced later this summer…but for now, check out the video for ‘Smoke Break’ below…