Lifted from his first mixtape ‘DO NOT DISTURB’, arriving on 15th March 2024, the new titan of UK Rap NEMZZZ gives the first taste from 11-track project with single ‘L’S’, produced by Zel & Aifo.
Over a relaxed drill beat shimmering with keys and smoky sax notes, Nemzzz reflects on his losses and how he holds his head above the noise of being a rising star in the industry. ‘L’S’ is the first glimpse of the ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ mixtape concept, an exploration of how the young artist is shaped by his upbringing and his fame. ‘L’s’ is accompanied with a slick video shot entirely on 16mm film by frequent collaborators DON Productions. The fresh visual splices footage of Nemzzz at home with friends in Manchester with shots of him in London roaming around the city.
The ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ tape follows a massive 2023 for the young star with a consistent slate of releases including his debut EP Nemzzz Type Beat (which was pulled together in just 17 days in a flex of his innate talents) alongside a string of singles including ‘Therapy’ (Spotify Rap UK Cover), ‘MONEY & VIBES’ (A list at 1Xtra, over +1M streams a week) and ‘8AM IN MANNY’ which landed to props from some of the biggest rappers in the world – Drake and Lil Yachty. Last year saw Nemzzz deliver his first sold-out headline tour alongside performances at festivals including Glastonbury, Ibiza Rocks and more.
Nemzzz is one of the most exciting breakout rap talents of recent years, the rapper is characterised by his ear for leftfield beats and his unique flow. The rapper is shaped by his tough upbringing in Gorton, using his music to reflect on his experiences in Manchester and his mental health struggles.
Since bursting onto the scene at the tender age of 14, he has relentlessly chipped away at his craft – building steady buzz amongst the industry, media and fans alike. With over 180 million combined streams in 2023, mine million TikTok views, tips including BBC Radio 1xtra’s Hot For 2023, Amazon Music x Hunger Magazine Ones To Watch, No Signal Class of ’23, Best Newcomer Nominee MOBO Awards 2022, plaudits from Pitchfork, The Face, DAZED, The Guardian, HYPEBEAST, CLASH, Complex UK and NME – Nemzzz is making serious moves. Check out the video for L’s below…
Hackney rapper NICKI KNIGHTZ latest EP, ‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ is a rollercoaster of both extreme highs and painful lows, produced by genre bending partner in crime Henny Knightz. This is her third project following 2020’s ‘For The Uninformed EP’.
‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ is an 8 track play which marries early 2000s nostalgia, rap, avant garde samples and classic 808s. A both playful yet intense overlook of how traumatic experiences lead to partaking in activities that are riddled with self-sabotaging themes, which in turn ties into the projects title.
Opening track ‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club’ (Intro)’ tells of how NIcki came to refer to herself as a ‘lonely girl’ relaying her experiences of council estate living and being painfully different from the accepted norms. It also celebrates the solace she found once discovering equally talented and artistic outcasts. Accompanied by a cinematic video which exhibits Nicki and three fellow ‘lonely girls’ that the world has turned its back on. Though they experience extreme highs when together, once alone they are left grappling with sombre thoughts and intense emotions. Inspired by the hit movie ‘Set It Off’ to fight back they take their destinies into their own hands.
Second track ‘Along Came Molly’ a retelling of the high and lows of the experimentation with MDMA, over a whimsical, stripped back bed of instrumentation with Nicki’s husky vocals stabbing through prominently.
Third track ‘Step With Me’ ft. Joe Jas , A nostalgic song with heavy influences from the much praised 00’s era with braggadocios lyrics, smooth tones and a catchy hook By JoeJas. Henny Knightz taps into the early 2000’s creating a beat that brings you straight back to the times of MTV in the first few seconds. A song that has a true sense of individuality, with three of the most distinctive, artistic individuals from London’s weird and wonderful Alternative Hip Hop scene.
Fourth track ‘You Want Me’ ft. Tai A song that explores the fantasy of a girl next door crush, that you are then able to explore and the thrill that it provides, once attained. A quite mellow and chilled, sexy instrumental that features East London multidisciplinary artist Tai.
Fifth song ‘Bigger Things’ ft. Ivohé delves into the nuances of working a 9-5 whilst also trying to fund and prioritise a dream. Berlin based artist Ivohé’s angelic voice reinforces the message being shared.
Sixth song ‘ICY’ Sonically a lot more darker and a lot more focused on rapping capabilities, Nicki vents her frustrations on recent experience, a fuck you so to speak to all.
‘Cherry’ ft. RETROPXSSY, an exploration of how Nicki came into her sexuality. Retropxssy blesses the chorus with her experimental performance, reiterating that sometimes the ‘normal’ way isn’t always meant for everyone.
The multifaceted, multi-layered project, ends with ‘P.O.V’. A song told from a perspective other than Nicki’s. “I created this song not from my own experience, but from a lot of females point of view that I have spoken with. The first verse is me speaking from a woman who is going through domestic, sexual abuse with her partner at home and how on the gram, socials she presents to be happy/perfect but really, she is struggling, she is broken. The second verse then speaks from the male’s perspective who is inflicting the abuse, where he speaks on how he became to be this person, from watching his father do the same to his mother.”
A voice for the outcasts, routing out of Hackney, rapper Nicki Knightz’s emotional turmoil is easily identifiable through her husky tone and self-descriptive lyrics over demanding, bass fuelled alternative production. Nicki’s voice is still nothing short of ‘unique’ and raw, accompanied by her partner @hennyknightz left-field production, making her ‘sound’ even more of a breath of fresh air categorising it underneath the genre – Alternative HipHop. Nicki Knightz released her first EP ‘Hate’ in late 2018, celebrating its release by headlining her own show at Old Blue Last in Shoreditch with supporting artists @HennyKnightz & @BZERK.
2020, Nicki Knightz returned to share an important message about her mixed-race identity with the release of ‘For The Uninformed’ during a pivotal time in history – the uprise after the George Floyd protests. The E.P was congratulated by Toddla T praising ‘India Arie’ by making it his ‘coldest record of the week’ on Radio 1 commenting “this is special, “I’ve never heard anything like it”.
Mid 2022, Nicki released her lead single “Lonely Girls Hearts Club” with a cinematic visual, that premiered on KALTBLUT Magazine – Germanys leading indie print / online magazine for Art, Fashion, Music.
Why not check out ‘Lonely Girls Hearts Club below…
Must Listens: You Want Me?; Bigger Things; Cherry; POV
Canadian rapper and producer CLASSIFIED‘ single ‘Wonder,’ which features fellow Canadian native singer-songwriter Ian Janes, paints a picture of an individual grappling with personal loss, societal challenges, substance use, and questions about identity and existence. It’s a profound reflection on life, questioning the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of reality and trying to find meaning amidst struggles.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think over the years…really any time I’m not on the go my mind is usually racing. I think a lot of people are like that too…just wondering about things,” says Classified. “It’s like when you go to bed at night and all of your thoughts come at once, this is what that song reflects. Thinking about various personal what-ifs, questioning society, wondering why things are the way they are. The things we wonder can feel personal, but really, we aren’t that unique. This song connects my personal thoughts to what everyone else might wonder about too, giving a glimpse into both my life and our shared experiences.”
This track (penned, crafted, and captured by Classified) skillfully illustrates an individual wrestling with intimate sorrow and daily contemplations. It offers a deep introspection on life, inquisitive about the mysteries and mechanics of this world, while endeavoring to unearth significance amidst life’s trials.
‘Wonder’ is out now via HalfLife Records and Big Story Entertainment, why not check not the compelling video below…
ELEANOR is a singer-songwriter with an R&B leaning sound, coloured in hues of soul and indie. She takes a narrative approach to songwriting, based on experiences of grief and overcoming to shape stories that are robust and deeply felt.
“I make music because it would be harder not to, it’s a very natural extension of my personhood,” says the artist, whose debut album, ‘A Late Bloom’, has come to fruition. “I hope that in being honest on this project, listeners will feel less alone.” Largely produced by 3x JUNO nominated artist John Fellner, stream it in full here.
The mini set includes previously released singles, ‘Make Sense’ (which claimed the Song of the Week title last December) ‘Waste My Time’, and ‘Former Friend’. With guitar plucks giving a rich soulful sound, debut single, ‘Make Sense’ chronicles a conversation with her mother, reflecting on the frustration that comes with not reaching certain milestones ‘on time,’ such as marriage and home ownership.
Processing a mesmerically hypnotic backdrop, ‘Waste My Time’ was inspired by a friendship that was tiptoeing into a relationship, whereas ‘Former Friend’ leans towards a folklore feel, reflecting on self-worth when a friendship comes to an end
The closing track, ‘Faintest Hope’, is both beautiful and unsettling, a cry for hope from a vacant and barren tundra.
‘A Late Bloom’ was released last Friday, 6th October across various music platforms below…have a listen below…
Must Listens: Make Sense, Former Friend, Bow, Faintest Hope
Hailing from the eastside of Indianapolis,18 year old phenom, HACE is not like a lot of artists his age because he believes in being positive and setting goals to better himself. He started rapping after losing a lot of family and friends to gun violence especially the loss of his older brother. Hace said in a recent interview with Stopbeefinradio “I created my new project “Away From Evil” as a way to keep in contact with him”.
His music is for kids that want to show their feelings but do not know how. The first song he ever created, ‘Fuck Friends’ came from him learning the hard lesson that not everyone is a friend. Now that he graduated high school, he is ready to travel the country showcasing his music and telling his story…and through telling his story, Hace has already garnered a lot of support from djs and promoters.
The first performance he did was at Club Onyx (a strip club) with Big Boogie. He is on a tour with Skilla Baby now all around the Midwest and will be performing with finesse two times and webbie this summer. Listen to Hace’s latest project below
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