Song of the Day: 24 – Banggz

In ’24’, BANGGZ fearlessly reflects on his relentless pursuit of success, beginning at the tender age of 21. From that pivotal moment, he has tirelessly pushed forward, fuelled by a burning desire to unravel the mysteries of his journey.

This introspective track showcases Banggz’s lyrical prowess, with each line revealing his raw emotions and candid thoughts. He delves into the complexities of life, straddling blurred lines and embracing the challenges that have moulded him into the artist he is today. The introspective rhymes that flow effortlessly from his lips offer glimpses into the depths of his soul, unravelling the intricate web of his existence.

As the song unfolds, Banggz’s deeply personal narrative comes to life, painted with vivid imagery and heartfelt sentiment. He shares the challenges of loss and separation, recounting the day his beloved grandmother passed away and the bittersweet moment he bid farewell to his mother, sending her on a long journey back home. Simultaneously, he confronts the hardships that beset his community, from power outages to the burdens he bears for those around him.

Amidst the trials and tribulations, Banggz finds solace in the unwavering support of his loved ones. The love and prayers he receives from family and friends become his guiding light, ensuring that his energy remains pure and his purpose unwavering. He embodies the legacy of his ancestors, orchestrating his own destiny and propelling himself towards new heights. Have a listen to his journey below…

Check out IDK’s new video for track, ‘Télé Couleur’

After announcing the return of No Label Academy (with the support of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research and Harvard Art Museums at Harvard), IDK gives a masterclass on how authenticity makes for quality content with ‘Tele Couleur.’

Where conscious rawness sits next to layered boom-bap production, the Maryland rapper uses all avenues available to explore where he comes from, and his life as one of hip-hop’s next superstars. The subtitled video finds him parading through New York City as he revisits the many moments that made the man born Jason Mills. Check out the video below…

Watch Sh8kes’ video for track ‘Regrets’ ft. The Musalini

Published author, motivational speaker, business owner, and spoken word poet from North Carolina Robin “SH8KES” Williamson released his debut EP Chance 2 Change exclusively on Bandcamp back in March. Narrated by one of Southern rap’s most coveted voices Big Rube (of the Dungeon Family), the seven track project served as a personal testimony of healing and growth through love, life lessons, connection with family, and much more.

Sh8kes shared more of his personal testimony with his loose, Truss One-produced single ‘Regrets’, featuring a guest verse from New York emcee The Musalini. (of 9th Wonder’s Jamala Records).

“This poem came from a place of failure, pain and self awareness. I went through so many things during 2022, I began to question if what I was doing was the right thing. I never wanted to give up, but questioned if I needed to switch my focus to something else. I found myself reevaluating the people around me that have been in my life for 20 plus years. It seemed like I gave so much of me, but never got the same in return.” – Sh8kes

Check out the video for ‘Regrets’ below…

T. Fernandez Shares Her Second EP, ‘Once Upon A Melody’.

Produced, mixed and mastered entirely by platinum selling writer Christopher ‘Scam’ Layton, singer-songwriter T. FERNANDEZ‘s second spellbinding body of work ‘Once Upon A Melody’, is an amalgamation of T’s own thoughts and complicated feelings, penned by herself.

Exploring themes of anxiety and self preservation, tracks like ‘Make It Make Sense’ showcase T’s compelling ability to lay it all down on the track. Playful moments on the EP include her collaboration with PaisleighB on track ‘Not With Me’, which bears an unapologetic, no-nonsense vibe. ‘Once Upon A Melody’ is delightfully brought to a close with T’s final offering ‘Saviour’ – a closing affirmation to remember to “show up for yourself through thick and thin”.

Born in West London to a Spanish Father and English Mother, T. Fernandez is an emerging singer-songwriter with a penchant for dreamy storytelling. T was raised in Brighton, where she developed a love for the cello during her primary school days, before returning back to London where she currently resides.

T’s secondary school years were a pivotal time for her as she began to discover her voice and the freedom she felt from singing. Putting down the cello to instead sing along to her favourite songs in her bedroom, this led her to attend a small theatre school after convincing her parents she was destined to pursue a career in music.

Undoubtedly inheriting an innate creative streak from her ballet dancing Mother and artist Father, T describes her upbringing as a time filled with “enriched experiences of the arts” that nurtured her now love and passion for self expression through music. T divulges on growing up with parents from different cultures with different languages, cuisines and customs as something she is “proud of”.

Notably throughout the span of her career, T. Fernandez has been championed and featured throughout a plethora of different mediums including radio plays on Westside, Flex FM, Pulse 88, Deja Vú, Unity Radio, GFM Radio, Rhythm In Britain and Relax and Bake FM, and with appearances on platforms such as the Frequency Platform, Black Owned London’s ‘The Spotlight Sessions’.

Her most notable releases include her debut EP ‘In My Poetic Feels’, with her debut single ‘One’ being one of her personal picks to date.

As she releases her succeeding EP ‘Once Upon A Melody’, T. Fernandez has plans to connect more deeply with listeners of her music throughout 2023 and beyond. Expect live performances, features and collaborations in the near future… have a listen below…

Must Listen: Make It Make Sense, Not with Me

Samuel Vincent Releases ‘Rivalry’, An EP About Battling the World (And Yourself)

It took a while for SAMUEL VINCENT to finally release his music to the world, but once he started, he had no plans of stopping. His newest release, ‘Rivalry’, manages to cover a multitude of internal conflicts while maintaining his integrity in an industry that has drastically changed its priorities.

‘Rivalry’ consists of a brief introduction followed by five hard-hitting tracks. The EP is a manifestation of Samuel’s thoughts on his upbringing, the culture, and his competition, all blended into straight up bars. The never-ending mental struggle of a man battling himself is perhaps only overshadowed by entertaining and approachable yet complex bars.

There’s a universality to most of his music, but what makes these tracks unique is his self-taught journey. This is his approach, his voice. Coming from a broken home, without the time to second-guess himself, the soul of Samuel lies in knowing what makes a comedian’s life so tragic.

Samuel started out with nothing but a pencil, a pad, a keyboard, and his father’s tape recorder inside a small condo smack dab in the centre of New Jersey. Spending countless evenings trying to transcribe lyrics from influential artists like Cassidy, DMX, Biggie, Ludacris, Jadakiss, Petey Pablo, and a slew of other legends in the game, he’s had several decades of writing experience and linguistic interpretation under his belt.

So here’s your chance to witness a spitter on-the-rise; check out Samuel’s EP below, released last Friday (27th January) across various music platforms.

Must Listen: Deadlock, Trouble, Finale