Hailing from Ottawa, Canada BANGGZ‘s official video for single ‘Open Up’ paints a picture of a rather noxious relationship between a love interest and the man himself.
The three-minute production features the 22-year-old artist going on with his daily activities, ignoring his beau’s calls – but he eventually text her as though she had been on his mind throughout the day – ouch! With the vivid storytelling and descriptive video scenes, this piece is Banggz’s attempt to portray how toxicity affects relationships.
‘Open Up’ follows his hip-hop track ’21’, which, like his latest offering, is inspired by his life experiences. Being Nigerian, Banggz has also produced and released afrobeat influenced singles including ‘Jostice’ and ‘Yawa’.
Why not check out the video for ‘Open Up’, directed by Tani Olorunyomi under Banggz’s production company ‘Twelve07’.
Following the release of his highly-anticipated fifth studio album GRACE (via TheCAPMusic) and a run of dynamic singles including ‘Everytime’ featuring Kranium, his collaboration with Afrobeats heavyweights Tiwa Savage and Wizkid on ‘Dis Love’ and the remix for his hit single ‘Sere’ ft Fireboy DML with additional vocals from the triple-Grammy Award nominated US alt-R&B singer, rapper and songwriter 6lack, the award winning DJ, producer and songwriter SPINALL has returned with the video for his latest single ‘Jabole’ ft Oxlade and Ycee.
“Ma Je Ko Jabole” is a street slang in Yoruba that is meant to encourage women to keep their swag on at all times. Directed by Dalia Dias, the video sees Spinall, Oxlade and Ycee accompanied by an array of beautiful and powerful women exuding their own unique style and confidence.
Spinall shares: “I was working on this sound when Oxlade walked into the studio and he fell in love with it and laid the hook. I rang the coolest guy ever – Ycee who went on to lace the record with his slick bars.”
Currently riding the massive waves he has been creating with GRACE, released in December, amassing over 100 million streams across all platforms and earning widespread acclaim from a slew of outlets with Clash describing it as a ‘symbolic record in more ways than one’, he continues to push the scene forward to the world with innovative concepts and collaborative efforts and with even more new visuals and music to come throughout the year, Spinall is set to continue his journey as one of music’s brightest stars in 2021 and for many more years to come.
California rapper WALLIE THE SENSEI continues his recent hot streak with a luxurious, emotional new single, ‘Lamb,’ out yesterday (18th June) on Capitol Records. The track is featured on Wallie’s new mixtape, Golden Child, out 2nd July.
The lush throwback finds Wallie effortlessly singing over a buttery beat, showcasing his one-of-a-kind flow and knack for incisive lyrics about his rise from hustling street grinder to global rap star.
‘Lamb’ comes alongside an extended run of excellence for Wallie, who dropped the low-key summertime anthem, ’03 Flow,’ in late May. The track also follows Wallie’s team-up with Detroit talent 42 Dugg on the enthralling remix of Wallie’s own hit single ‘Scandalous.’
Since the release of Wallie the Sensei’s No Love EP at the beginning of 2020, he’s quickly become a West Coast artist to watch. Respect magazine praised the ‘Scandalous’ video for showcasing Compton’s “camaraderie, hustle, and rawness,” while Rosecrans Ave highlighted Wallie’s storytelling abilities, saying he is “providing guidance to those who come after” with his pain-stricken tales. After the hit of the ‘Scandalous’ remix, Wallie the Sensei’s proved that his skyrocketing success is no fluke.
‘Lamb’ is poised to reach even more open-minded listeners. It’s an anthem for hustling Cali natives and anyone who craves a little bit of glow-up magic. Check out the video for the track below…
Coming on the back of her ambitious 52 Shades of Alus series, which saw her release a new original song every week throughout 2020, amassing over one million plays along the way, rising pop-R&B star and singer/songwriter ALUS is back with a new single ‘WIG!’ in collaboration with prolific New York rap house artist CAKES DA KILLA in celebration of Pride Month. The single comes with a captivating new music video and the release of an exclusive NFT auction of the visuals, with proceeds going towards LGBTQ+ charity Transgender Law Center.
Shot and directed by burgeoning filmmaker Sally Tran, with choreography by Omari Brown (Justin Bieber, Ashanti, Chris Brown), the music video for ‘Wig!’ is a choreographed interpretation and embodiment of what using the term feels like. The track sonically evokes confidence, sass and freedom from Alus and Cakes Da Killa, which is what the dance-led video represents in the form of a one-take shot on 16 mm film, featuring a cameo appearance from trans model and actress Yén Nguyen, and a vocal sample from Canada’s Drag Race star Lemon.
Driven by a vision to inspire all and serve as a beacon of solidarity and women empowerment, Alus stems from a lineage of talented musicians and has always been drawn to music, taking inspiration from her touring violinist grandmother who attended the revered Juilliard, and performed with Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack. Classically trained with guitar and piano skills, Alus comes with co-signs from Nicki Minaj, Big Sean and Steve Rifkind, scene-stealing performances at Madison Square Garden, SXSW and Nassau Coliseum, and has been championed by MTV, VIBE Magazine, Ladygunn, Popdust and Flaunt Magazine, among others.
Extraordinary vox and melodic sensibilities combine for Ottawa-born, Toronto-based pop singer/songwriter AMIR BRANDON and his debut single, ‘champagne’.
Serving as a preview to the Toronto-based artist and multi-instrumentalist’s forthcoming debut album, ‘Lonely Club’, ‘champagne’ achingly peels away Amir’s desire to ditch the bubbly in favour of dancing alone with his broken, pained heart. His authenticity as a melancholic man of sadness comes to life on the track, giving us a one-way ticket into uncharted loneliness.
On “champagne,” Amir takes creative licence, carving his own unique place in the rhythm and blues world. Dripping with charisma and eloquence from every note, his falsetto pierces the heart, while breathless runs solidify his dedication to drawing in the listener and holding them captive.
Having gained early accolades from chart-topping Billboard singer/songwriter JoJo, Amir Brandon has performed headlining showcases at Canadian Music Week, shared the stage with Black Eyed Peas’ Taboo, and amassed more than 2+ Million streams on YouTube for his stunning takes of R&B greats.
Heard across CBC, Netflix’s Cobra Kai, Disney’s PJ Masks, The Young & The Restless, Spotify’s New Music Friday, and more, he has also headlined the “We’re Funny That Way” LGTBQ Festival, Youth Day at Yonge & Dundas Square — as well as being featured as a singer/songwriter at the Toronto Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, and performer, songwriter, and co-producer for ‘Rapid-Eye Movement’ at Nuit Blanche and Summerworks Festival.
Enduring years of closed doors, homophobia, and fighting for artistic integrity only fuelled Amir Brandon’s creative fire, inspiring a striking sense of vulnerability and confidence in his songwriting. After much experimentation, self-discovery, and reinvention, his music stands as a testament to his resilience in the industry.
“champagne” is available now. Lonely Club is available Summer 2021. Check out the music for the single below…
New Lease Music 