Tag: new album 2022

Listen To Young RJ’s Latest Album, ‘World Tour’

As the rightful heir to the positions of J Dilla and Baatin in one of Detroit’s most important Hip-Hop groups Slum Village, rapper/producer YOUNG RJ releases his third full-length solo album ‘World Tour’

While the vast majority of the project’s 11 songs may have been born from complete social isolation and civil unrest between 2020 and 2021, the project’s overall tone is hopeful. That tone is inherent in the album’s title. “I missed being out there with the fans performing”, RJ explains. “It felt right to title [the album ‘World Tour’]”. With songs like ‘Black Is Beautiful’, ‘Freedom’, and ‘Sign Of The Times’, the album captures a common sentiment in the wake of racial injustice; while the upbeat title track opens the album with an optimistic outlook towards the future, and ‘Last Breath’ highlights the sheer will power of an artist to rise above adversity. The contrast reflects RJ’s emotional and mental state through personal dealings at a point in time, and how it all affected his view of the world around him.

Available on all digital streaming platforms via Ne’Astra Music, World Tour features Pete Rock, Boldy James, Blu, Eric Roberson, Mega Ran, Abstract Orchestra, among others, and arrives on the heels of Slum Village’s sold out, 17 date European tour.

Must Listen: World Tour, Black Is Beautiful, Last Breath

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Jason Griff Makes A Quick Return And Presents ‘Fireside Chats 2’ Album

A year and a half after releasing his critically-acclaimed Fireside Chats album, producer JASON GRIFF is back again with ‘Fireside Chats 2’, flipping punk rock songs into scorching beats featuring over 20 of the best artists in indie rap. Familiar voices such as Defcee and Curly Castro return on the second installment as well as new collaborations with artists like AJ Suede, Fatboi Sharif, Brian Ennals and more.

The Fireside Chats projects are inspired by Griff’s love of the punk rock scene in Chicago in the late 90s, when he often made the trip from the far reaches of the Northwest suburbs to the Fireside Bowl on Fullerton Ave. The iconic bowling alley-turned venue-turned bowling alley again is featured on the cover of the album. Griff came up with the idea to flip punk rock samples during a time when producers were so heavily leaning into flipping soul samples, and he wanted to do something he felt was new and unique to the world of sample-based hip-hop. The result was Fireside Chats.

The second instalment in the series leans more heavily into the collaborative spirit than the first. Eight of the ten songs feature more that one rapper, often highlighting fresh pairings that we have yet to hear, e.g Brian Ennals and Alex Ludovico on ‘KetaMegan’ and Bobby Noble (of PenPals) and Love, Ulysses on ‘Laser Eyes.’ The album is also fortunate to include another posthumus verse from the late Lorde Jones Scorcese, as he pairs with longtime friend and collaborator NiceyMost on the banger ‘PB & J Flow (Ode to Dipset).’ Scorcese had originally recorded the song for the first Fireside Chats, but it was withheld from the album after his passing in order to include it on Fireside Chats 2.

Also featured on this murderer’s row of indie rap talent are Ace Cannons, Teller Bank$, Billa Camp (Low Down Brass Band), King Micah the Infamous, Doampeace (DXA), Rapswell (PenPals), Alaska (Hanger 18, Def Jux), Zilla Rocca, andrew and Jesse the Tree.

Why not check out the fire collection below and the blog’s song recommendations below…

Must Listens: Seen Team, DISCMAN, PB & J Flow (Ode to Dipset), KetaMegan, Laser Eyes

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April Kry’s New Album ‘Krysalis’ Will Leave You Totally Breathless

Nashville-based singer/songwriter APRIL KRY‘s new full-length concept album, Krysalis, is the reason why she’s often dubbed as the “tiny girl with a big voice”. Her powerful emotive vocal delivery glides over, at large, the featherlight soulful pop melodies leaves the prospective listener with a tear in the eye. 

Speaking of her ten-track project, April says“This body of work was written over a period of 2+ years. It was a transformative chapter of my life where I was forced to look at myself in the mirror and reflect on why I chose to create in the first place. Recording this album while pregnant, and in a global pandemic was challenging, but worth it. In these songs, you will hear moments of self-reflection, extreme highs and lows, and everything in between. Creating life, celebrating love, and examining my time in the music industry. I’ve learned that using my voice to inspire is more important than approval. No one ever talks about the season of growth the caterpillar needs to go through in order to become the butterfly. You don’t know who you are or where you are going. This is the Chrysalis growing stage. and this is the story of my Krysalis.” 

The album is a follow-up to her 2018 EP, Sink Or Swim which received national acclaim with songs from the EP landing a spot on the Music Row Country Breakout charts, with plays on numerous radio stations across the country, over 4 million streams across platforms,  including a coveted rotation on Radio Disney Country. Her newest album explores the growing stages of life with themes of empowerment and self-reflection.  

April Kry has been fortunate enough to write and work with Grammy award-winning songwriters and collaborate with some amazing talent including Nick Jonas and industry veteran, Phil Ramone. Kry pulls in heavy hitters on her new album, like Joshua Gleave (Chris Young, The Swon Brothers) and 9AM Music (Leon Bridges, Celine Dion). Talent and fans alike are drawn to Kry’s meaningful lyrics and soulful, strong, effortless tone.

Krysalis was released last Friday (30th September).Have a listen to April new album below…

Must Listens: Take The Edge Off, Scratch The Surface, B-Side, Seven or Seventeen

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Check out POP Buchanan’s New Album, ‘Sober Is Dope’

‘Sober is Dope’ is the second album by rapper POP BUCHANAN which highlights his entire life and his road to recovery from alcoholism.

Produced by Nudgi-Nudge, ED-APE, Scott Freebase, and K. Miles, the ‘Sober is Dope’ album is dedicated to POP’s late Uncle “Atiim” Lyn Ferguson”, Kevin “Brick Jones” Byrdsong, and the addiction recovery community. Recorded in a unique podcast style, this album brings together the Sober is Dope podcast with POP Buchanan’s music thus bridging together both worlds. With hints of motivation, real-life testimonies, raw Boom Bap beats, and solid lyrics, “Sober is Dope” is an album that Pop hopes can inspire and stand the test of time.

‘Sober Is Dope’ was released last Thursday (29th September) across various music platforms. Check it out below…

Must Listens: Dear Poppy, Black Irish, Legacy

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Listen To Diamond D’s Latest Album, ‘The Rear Window’

“Wow, this guy [Diamond D] is one of the all time greats,” Chris Rock professes on the opening track of D DIAMOND‘s latest album, ‘The Rear View’. That statement isn’t so much of a stretch when considering a legacy that helped architect a sound, bridge regions in Hip-Hop and launch the careers of other all time greats like Fat Joe,  Big L, Big Pun and DJ Khaled. Released on all digital streaming platforms via Dymond Mine Records/EMPIRE, The album Diamond D’s ode to both his own legacy and resilience.

Considered the best producer on the mic by his contemporaries and critics, the hip-hop legend explains the meaning behind the 15-track release: “Whatever you did in the past, honor and respect it, but always move forward. I don’t want to [harp on] what I did twenty years ago. It doesn’t mean I don’t respect or acknowledge it, because it’s all made me who I am today. The title of the album ‘The Rear View’ means to always look back, but focus on where you’re going… What’s in the rear view should stay there. Going into recording this album, I wanted to show why I’m considered one of the best producers on the mic who rhymes with his own pen. I also want listeners to appreciate my growth as a producer and artist who came on the scene in the early ’90s, and is still here consistently producing and putting out new music today.”

Arriving a month short of the 30th anniversary of Diamond D’s 1992 classic debut Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop, ‘The Rear View’ serves as Diamond D’s sixth full-length solo album and follows his 2021 collaborative album Gotham with Talib Kweli. Guest features include De La Soul’s Posdnuos, Westside Gunn, among others, while heavyweights such as Nottz, Aftermath’s Focus…, and more assist with the album’s production.

So it’s time to check out the album below…(hint, not to be missed!)

Must Listens: Live Your Life, The Rear View

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