South London rapper DC today track, ‘The Latest’, pays homage to his rap hero J Cole. the Greenwich-born storyteller lifts the sample from ‘Chaining Day’ (Sly Slick & Wicked’s ‘Sho’nuff’), pairing the smooth, lush instrumentation with hard-won tales from life growing up in inner-city London.
Bursting onto the scene with his first freestyle ‘Gleamin’’ in 2015, the rapper quickly set the industry alight, matching dextrous wordplay with an ear for beats that has seen him win fans at the likes of Complex UK, CLASH, The Line of Best Fit, DUMMY, TRENCH, GUAP and more. DC has gone on to support J Hus on tour, graced the stage at this year’s Wireless festival and rounded out 2021 with his debut headline show which sold out in seconds and featured an appearance from collaborator Knucks.
‘The Latest’ is the first taste of music following DC’s last EP In The Loop which pushed the rapper to a new level with the singles amassing over 20 million streams on Spotify alone. Check out the video for ‘The Latest’ below…
Directed by BBY Chris, the visual for ‘IYKYK’ showcases EBHONI in rare form as the 21-year old singer/songwriter hailing from Toronto powerfully delivers a flurry of edgy, fashion-forward performance shots, commanding her audience and unapologetically baring her soul.
An abbreviation for “if you know, you know,” the single was first released on Ebhoni’s mixtape “Good Dick & Weed,” a refreshing departure from the current landscape of female R&B heavily influenced by Ebhoni’s Caribbean upbringing. On the track Ebhoni speaks directly to a night where gunfire punctured six bullet holes in the backseat window of her family’s car, and they had to temporarily relocate to her grandmother’s house, where she openly wondered: what if she had been sitting in that backseat?
Putting up walls for her own self-protection, she’s only now beginning to draw from the power that comes from her own vulnerability. ‘IYKYK’ takes viewers on a 3 minute and 12 second journey through Ebhoni’s world, boldly sharing her pain, her vulnerability and ultimately her gift.
Earlier this year, Ebhoni released her EP ‘X,’ to critical reception from press and rare groove enthusiasts. In addition to Pitchfork praising Ebhoni for “reclaiming the Toronto R&B crown for women.” HotNewHipHop wrote, “Ebhoni has been one artist to keep an eye out for in the 6ix,” it’s no wonder FLAUNT crowned her “Our favoUrite new R&B artist.” Tracks like “Rotation” only bolster the rep she’s built as one of R&B’s most magnetic young stars, and with the release of Good Dick & Weed, Ebhoni’s growing fandom will surely only continue to expand.
Here’s your chance to check out one fierce artist-on-a-serious rise; hit that play button below…
award-winning Ghanaian rap veteran and UNICEF ambassador M.ANIFEST‘s latest single, ‘Confusion’ is rich in musicality from the very start. The lush guitar licks and percussion drums are the central elements of the alluring sonic bed of hip-hop and afrobeats which blends seamlessly together.
‘Confusion’ is driven by M.anifest’s captivating wordplay, assured cadence, and infectious melodic rap flow, as he weaves an enthralling tale about the beautiful chaos of living in a modern African city like his hometown Accra. According to M.anifest, “such is the paradox of life in our cities, that there is always a constant tension between the feeling of ‘hurry hurry’ and ‘ok wait’”.
A rap music veteran of over a decade, with six acclaimed projects spanning that time, countless awards over his career and over three million fans on social media, M.anifest is one of the most revered figures in the African music scene. Described as the foremost rapper on the continent by The Guardian UK, with further acclaim from BBC, CNN and Revolt, his musical reach extends beyond Africa, with collaborations that range from Damon Albarn and Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Flea, to Erykah Badu and Tigga Da Author, to Kojey Radical and Burna Boy.
Have a listen to ‘Confusion’, produced by MOBO Award nominated artist and producer JULS (GoldLink, Kojey Radical, Pa Salieu, Ms. Banks)…
A run of exceptional and critically acclaimed singles climaxes with the release of the debut album ‘Misdiagnosis of Chyvonne Johnson’ from TRUEMENDOUS. Marking the release with a fresh, new visual for one of the albums finest cuts, ‘Mood Ring’ is a skippy track that details unpredictability and emotional instability in a relationship. The track has been heavily supported by the likes of Shortee Blitz & MK, DJ Target and fellow Brum native Lady Leshurr, and it is the perfect dedication to mark the occasion.
As one of the UK’s most dynamic and exhilarating rappers, TrueMendous is incomparable. Her music is packed with statements, a point to prove and a refreshingly undiluted determination to deliver her music, her way. Executing a weighty 17 tracks in its entirety, the album is a complete representation of TrueMendous and without a doubt, her most accomplished body of work to date.
Releasing on the ground-breaking, Brighton based hip-hop label High Focus Records, the album features production from Dirty Dike, Illinformed, Chemo, Wundrop, Mark Fear and more as well as guest vocals from the legendary Masta Ace, Kofi Stone and Rozzz. A selection of tracks has floodlit the way to the album release, starting with the aptly named ‘Cause A Scene’ – a torrent of vigour, razor sharp flows and powerful lyricism that was received by thunderous applause. Sophomore release ‘Worst Child’, a conscious Hip-Hop number demonstrating an introspective side to the Birmingham rapper, followed soon after, premiering with Jack Saunders on BBC Radio 1. Produced by Illinformed, the record was teamed with a visual that captured the heart of London Town, from the iconic venue Chip Shop in Brixton, to outside shots filmed in Camden, TrueMendous showcased the spirit of the city through the transcending backdrops of her enthralling music video.
Continuing to set the standard at stellar levels TrueMendous reached new heights with the double hit of intricately lyrical ‘You Don’t Wanna’, which teased the sleek and soulful ‘Y’ that was released in its entirety a week later.
Marking a prodigious milestone in her accelerating career, TrueMendous displays a new depth to her artistry with the ‘Misdiagnosis of Chyvonne Johnson’. Leaning on the connotations of the title, that also acts as homage to Lauryn Hills’ ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’, the musicality demonstrates the many dimensions to TrueMendous as an artist, which allows her significance as one of the modern-day hip-hop figures to be appreciated in all of its glory.
Preserving a strong presence within the world of Hip Hop over the last seven years and hailed as ‘one to watch out for’ by Akil The MC from the legendary Hip Hop crew Jurassic 5, making her TV debut in the 2020 Christmas Pepsi Max and McVities adverts and landing singles on the Adidas ‘COLD.RDY’ campaign, as well as the FIFA 21 Soundtrack, the career of TrueMendous had already been pinpointed for an exciting year. Shattering the confines of genres, incorporating Hip Hop with Neo-soul, Jazz and Pop, the new 17-track opus delivers on every expectation and more.
With the release adding to an expansive portfolio that spans six independent projects and an EP with High Focus Records, her work rate is equally impressive outside of the studio too. In 2019 she secured an impressive 11 festivals slots, including Glastonbury, Leeds and Reading where she opened up on the BBC 1Xtra stage. Through the course of her career, she has also performed at 10 venues across Atlanta and North Carolina, which includes opening up the UK stage at A3C Festival in Atlanta. She has also graced the Lovebox lineup and performed at the likes of Gloucester’s ‘King’s Jam’ festival, Chip Shop in Brixton and both Exit and Sea Dance Festival, which took place in Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro. She was also one of the leading artists on the ‘Queens of Art’ tour and it was the first ever UK all female hip hop tour, which was later covered by the BBC.
Presenting a truly unique body of work, TrueMendous lends her distinctive flow and a sound layered with precision, to an amalgamation of fiery, raw, soulful and weighted bars that are seasoned immaculately with powerful lyricism and unrelenting production. The result is a celebration of hip-hop culture with contemporary understanding applied and an album that will be filed alongside the greats for years to come.
Coming on the back of the success of her debut single ‘Slowzy’, which has been garnering support from the likes of BBC 1Xtra, Rinse FM, Spotify, DSTNGR, Kingsize Magazine, and PUMA, fast-rising Swedish songstress and creative NÁPOLES circles back for the release of her brand new single, ‘Circulate’, the second offering from her forthcoming debut EP ‘Slowin It’, slated for release later this summer.
Produced by fellow Swedish creatives Chapee and Wihib Sulaiman, and co-written by herself and Joe Lefty, ‘Circulate’ sees Nápoles making full use of her intoxicatingly enchanting vocals which weaves throughout a captivating fusion of soul jazz, R&B and hip-hop.
Alongside her blossoming music career, Nápoles is also one-third of the popular Swedish-based DJ and creative collective Ladieslovehiphop, with whom she has opened for Beyonce and Jay-Z on their ‘On The Run II’ European tour, collaborated with adidas and PUMA, toured with Sweden’s biggest female rapper Silvana Imam, and collaborated with Red Bull Music to host the Ladieslovehiphop Music Festival, among other accomplishments.
This is too good to pass up…have a listen to ‘Circulate’ below…
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