Known his dynamic delivery and witty wordplay, veteran rapper BULLET BRAK returns with an old-school inspired joint, ‘Fan Blades’, out now across various music streaming sites.
The spellbinding Maryland-born entertainer is now living in SouthWest, Florida and has worked with heavyweights such as Papoose, Grafh, OT The Real, The Beatnuts, Noreaga, Curren$y, The LOX, Gunplay, Torch, Ty Dolla $ign, Torae, Chevy Woods, Termanology, Chris Rivers and more.
‘Fan BLades’ follows his track, ‘Done With It’, featuring OT The Real. Check out the video below…
UK artist JOKER STARR is very much inspired by London’s vast sub genres of music cultures, particularly hip-hop and dancehall.
He teams up with producer Dirty Feet and goes beyond the confines of rap and hi- hop in order to explore the vibrations of the deepest dub, and serve up the sweetest infusion in true reggae dancehall fashion. His latest single ‘Balance’ featuring AnyWay Tha God, is a reflection of carefree times growing up in the 90s. Check out the Honey JD – produced video for the slamming track below…
New Jersey’s self-proclaimed misfit REG MASON, invites us in for a worshipful exploration centered around themes of slow growth and opposition to instant gratification with his debut album, ‘TESTDRIVE’.
Throughout the ten-track journey, we will gain a deep understanding of the 24-year-old rapper’s battles and what life’s test drive has looked like thus far. Drawing strength from not only within, but the roots of his family tree, Mason triumphantly diminishes the intrusive thoughts that try to lead him astray from fully stepping into his calling as an artist. The innovative hip-hop production by fellow New Jersey native CURT captures an essence of nostalgia, inspired by the soundtrack of Mason’s early teenage years which consisted of countless hours spent submerging himself into the underground east coast/Midwest hip hop scene, from EL-P, Das Racist, Danny Brown and Freddie Gibbs.
“TESTDRIVE’ is a spiritual callback to my early years, while also focusing on how much I’ve changed,” Mason explains. “It’s about learning to appreciate the slower road because heaven knows this is not for the charts. TESTDRIVE’ is a Delorean with a V12 engine under the hood. She might look old and dusty but, once you sit inside, it’s a weighted experience.”
‘TESTDRIVE’ is made of two parts, Side-A (CHECKERBOARD!) and Side-B (CHESSBOARD’), reflective of the idea that checkers and chess share the same board, yet require different strategies and approaches.
Side-A opens with ‘marah’,’ a spitfire offering that was the catalyst to the album’s creation. The charismatic “CHECKERBOARD!” follows, leaning into the coming-of-age theme as it feeds into Mason’s desire to continuously evolve. “pa’ (interlude)” is an old-school hip-hop inspired track featuring Mason’s father, who urges him to “let his confidence ooze off his spirit,” a motif throughout the album. Following is ‘VAUXHALL’, a call out to the neighborhood in Union, NJ where he grew up, a place that historically was home to black residents prior to integration. Fan-favorite ‘STÉ’ feat. JTT concludes Side-A, which sees the proud New Jerseyans’ unbridled flow answer his own question, “am I willing to sacrifice my artist dream for a lover who doesn’t support my vision?”
Side-B shows the complexity of the album with more personal subject matter and sample-blending, introducing a more nuanced view of Mason. Kicking off with ‘CHESSBOARD’, over soulful instrumentation, Mason croons, “Remember underground apartments with my Mom, dog, that’s low living.” “fearful’ / MA’,” the album’s focus track, sees him battle his intrusive thoughts, with questions like “Will my dad be around when I finally make it?” His highly praised single “HANDSHAKES’,” featuring fellow New Jersey native GINI, serves as a nostalgic walk down memory lane. Following is the title track ‘TESTDRIVE!,’ which proves Reg’s prowess as an innovator, as he effortlessly raps over a psychedelic beat. The album concludes with ‘SEQUEL’, encapsulating the overall coming-of-age theme, and ultimately accepting the unknown.
A proven visceral storyteller by nature, ‘TESTDRIVE’ is a testament to Mason’s ability to craft a sonic world uniquely his own, solidifying himself as one to watch with his debut full-length offering of self-reflective, experimental hip-hop. Check out his epic offering below…
JUNO Award-nominated artist SOLITAIR‘s single ‘Right Here’, featuring world renowned DJ Grouch, is the perfect tribute to the 50th Anniversary of hip-hop – it boasts his unique production style combined with gritty urban soundscapes. The high energy track also features a music video directed by London Rich.
“When was the last time you felt REFRESHED and INSPIRED by some new Hip Hop energy? That’s the FEELING I intend to inject back into the music culture of the city, country, and worldwide, beginning with the release of Right Here,” says the prolific producer and songwriter whose first taste of commercial notoriety came as a result of producing four tracks on JUNO-winning rapper Choclair’s gold-selling Ice Cold debut album, while being featured on a few other tracks. “Just as Batman reacts to the bat signal, my new single is a nod to all my hardcore fans to remind them that not only do I have a lot left in the creative tank, but I am ready to showcase new music to an even broader audience with this new project.” He adds: “I also wanted to highlight more of my producer and songwriter side, along with my obvious hip hop lyrical prowess!”
In the early aughts, Solitair toured the world with Choclair and Kardinal Offishall and spent five years moving between New York and Toronto while working with notable American and international artists including Nina Sky, Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, Busta Rhymes, Estelle, Rick Ross, Elephant Man, and Jim Jones. Back home in Toronto, Solitair had also established an impressive track record of producing and co-producing songs for a laundry list of iconic award-winning Canadian rap and R&B icons including Jully Black, Melanie Fiona, Glenn Lewis, k-os, and The Rascalz. Likewise, in 2010, Solitair had already carved out his musical unicorn status by crafting the pop-influenced, alternative smash ‘Come True’ featuring Kardinal Offishall, that was nominated for a Juno Award for Best R&B/Soul recording of the year, an accomplishment that placed him in the rare company of artists who’ve been nominated for Juno Awards in more than one music genre.
‘Right Here’ is taken from his highly anticipated forthcoming album Dangerous Art. Check out the video for the single below…
To enter the mind of Bristolian alt-rapper OLOFF, you definitely have to withstand the most hellraising rollercoaster ride you can imagine.
His latest EP, ‘Free’ is, at large, a full-on mish-mash concoction of chaotic dnb-esque bass, aggressive guitar riffs, which collides with Oloff’s infamous wayward delivery. Further down the line, the eight-piece set goes go into a place of some serenity. To create some familiarity of peace and security, Oloff samples from well-loved hits – Roxy Music’s 80’s single Avalon (Listen to ‘Photons’) and The Righteous Brothers’ classic ‘Unchained Melody’ (listen to ‘Slowly’). Both samples were accompanied by heavily echoic guitar plucks piercing through the glitchy presence of feathery soundscapes.
It could be argued that ‘Free’ is a soundtrack to the ebbs and flows of life; the chaos sets in when we lose control of a situation before it soothes out, returning back to a place of security. Have a listen to ‘Free’ EP below…
Must Listens: What Does It Matter, Photons, Slowly
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