Song of the Day: Right Way – Fortuno

Acting as a reinforcement of a much-needed mantra, LA based trio, FORTUNO, explores the unequal yet undeniably beautiful path toward success and self-exploration in their single, ‘Right Way.’

Eli, Ellis, and Tobi share a lot. Beyond being bandmates, the trio shares a taste for nostalgic tunes and ambient sounds as well as a passionate and genuine connection to their craft. That said, each of them has their own specific paths both as artists and as humans. That’s where ‘Right Way’ comes in. Simultaneously chilling yet warm, the final single off their EP speaks to the unique path each person must go down for their personal development. Echoing a sentiment that the guys’ hold onto themselves, the single shows that once you figure out that there is no ‘Right Way,’ you end up finding yourself exactly where you’re meant to be.

For Fortuno, the right place is LA. In 2018 on the shoreline of southern Maine, music majors and local cover-band mates Tobi and Ellis joined forces with their former high school classmate and current USC jazz guitar star, Eli. Together they celebrated and struggled, as young adults do, and eventually made their way to Southern California to dive headfirst into a full-blown music career. Not only was this the best decision they collectively made, but it also clearly created inspiration for their music. Their EP is a mosaic of their years of moving and committing to a “make-it-work” mentality, and ‘Right Way’ is both a gift to listeners as well as a gift to themselves. Like a mantra, the lyrics remind Fortuno of the good, the bad, and the ugly, yet the result is a harmoniously haunting hymn fashioned with modern trap elements and a soundscape of comfort.

With Eli and Ellis on production and Tobi on the mic ,the trio has danced throughout the Los Angeles music milieu since their debut and through the speakers of the millions who stream their songs. Playing at The Roxy, The Peppermint Club, and shows with Sofar Sounds, Fortuno cemented their unique sound as one that is here to stay in the So-Cal scene. Their single, ‘Home’ has amassed nearly 1.5 million streams while their previous songs have garnered applause from music industry legends and local fans alike.

This one’s a must listen…check out ‘Right Way’ below…

Rapper S.O. Reconnects With His African Roots With New EP, ‘Larry Ginni Crescent’

Following the success of his last album Augustine’s Legacy, which was dedicated to his late father and his first child and has now accumulated over 16 million streams on Spotify alone, Texas-based international rap artist S.O. releases new EP. ‘Larry Ginni Crescent’, which sees him tracing his footsteps back to his hometown in Nigeria, where he was born and raised. The new project is nostalgically named after the street in Lagos, Nigeria that S.O. lived on as a child called Larry Ginni Crescent.

Written and composed by S.O. and produced by long-time collaborator and Grammy Award nominated producer GP, alongside burgeoning Nigerian producers TBabz (Travis Greene, Faith Child, Aaron Cole) and SteveRawd, the Larry Gini Crescent EP is driven by lead singles ‘Kinda Love’ and the previously released ‘Corner (O Ti De)’ – the former is a summer-ready afropop love song from S.O. dedicated to his wife, where he exudes the virtues of their love, while the latter is an infectious head-bopping track that sees S.O. boasting about who he has in his corner, as he sings “no babalawo in my corner, just God putting things in order”.

Chronologically, the EP opens with the infectious up-tempo ‘Prosper’, which was penned in direct response to S.O. losing his grandmother last December and sees him putting an afrobeats twist to the popular Bible verse “no weapon formed against me shall prosper”. Elsewhere on the EP, S.O. is full of gratitude on the uplifting sing-along number ‘Good To Me’, while the up-tempo dance floor filler ‘That One’ sees S.O. fusing afrobeats, rap and a motivational message together to great effect. The EP then winds down with the sexy R&B driven ‘Want You’ and the afrohouse influenced ‘Wonder’ with its cautionary tale about battling sin and temptation.

Speaking about the inspiration behind his new Larry Ginni Crescent EP, S.O. says: “This is a project that is connected to my African roots – Larry Ginni Crescent is the name of the street I lived on as a child back in Lagos, but it’s also deeply sentimental for me and it is dedicated to my grandmother who passed away from COVID late last year. As a proud Nigerian, I have always loved my heritage, from the food and the language to the music and the culture, and afrobeats is one of the branches on the Nigerian tree that’s rooted in the diaspora.

This project has been something I’ve wanted to do for a while and the lockdown opened the door for that. I got to collaborate with two special Nigerian producers TBabz and SteveRawd, as well as my long-time collaborator GP. Not only am I a Nigerian but I am also a Christian and that comes out in this project. So ‘Larry Ginni Crescent’ can be described as deeply Christian and deeply Nigerian. From the songs about faith, to songs about love, everything connects to this one point – al that we do, all that we experience, can be used for our art. I hope it moves you”.

With over 40 million global streams and sold-out shows across America, Europe and Africa, and having also lived in Lagos, London and now Texas, S.O. is the true definition of an international artist. Since his now classic debut mixtape 5 Solas, S.O. has gone on to chart in the top 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers album chart, in the top 30 on both the Billboard Rap album chart and the Billboard Christian album chart, and in the top 5 on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap album chart across his four albums and two EPs. As his new project Larry Ginni Crescent arrives, S.O. is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Check out the blog’s song recommendations below:

Must Listens: Corner (O Ti De), Good To Me, Kinda Love, Want You

Watch Opium Black’s Video For Track, ‘Head Shot’

Connecticut’s rapper OPIUM BKACK makes a fierce entry on the blog and releases some blazing visuals for track, ‘Head Shot’ featuring Sheek Louch and Carti P. Newton. Check it out below…

Cassie Marin Releases Catchy Single, ‘Busy Body’

Today, Los Angeles-based vocalist, producer and multi-instrumentalist CASSIE MARIN releases her new single, ‘Busy Body,’ where Cassie’s otherworldly vocals float across a sea of indie-electronica beats and melodic synths, delivering sharp-witted lyrics that explore the binary of being both the watcher and the watched in the digital world. In an era dominated by social surveillance, the song invites listeners to reflect on our culture’s technological obsession, where social media likes and follows have become the new markers for petty social politics.

“‘Busy Body’ is about being a loner in a world where cliques never cease to exist,” Cassie says.

Slightly secretive and delicately feminine, every song she releases is a single intricate flower plucked from her consciousness and added to her verdurous display. Constantly exploring new musical and visual dimensions, Cassie has emerged as an avant-garde luminary in the left-of-center pop space.

Have a listen to ‘Busy Body’ below…

Album Interview: Da Street Poet – Natty Boi Zoe

I caught up with New Yorker NATTY BOI ZOE for the second time, to discuss his latest album ‘Da Street Poet’, out now for your pleasure, how he coped during the pandemic and his plans for the rest of 2021. Why not check him out below…

NLM: Hey, thank you for taking part in an interview with NEW LEASE MUSIC. How is 2021 treating you so far?

NBZ: 2021 been crazy in every direction but I’m good mentally and physically, just Learning to adapt to these new changes

NLM: You released your album, ‘Da Street Poet’ back in May. What is the public perception on the project so far?

NBZ: So I got good reviews, nothing negative but their always room for improvement…

NLM: How would you describe the album’s sound to potential fans?

NBZ: It’s more on the Poetic and Hip-Pop side…

NLM: What inspired you to produce the album?

NBZ: Life is my biggest inspiration, I really love music it’s a part of my soul…

NLM: What is/are your favourite single(s) from the album and why?

NBZ: We Litt , Get Right and Winners Circle – that’s the mind frame I’m on right now in every aspect…

NLM: What message would you like the listeners to take away from your album?

NBZ: Acceptance, growth, greatness, self confidence and self worth in ones own abilities…

NLM: If you had to feature one mainstream artist on the album, who would it be and why?

NBZ: Brent Faiyaz my Boi is killing it right now, very talented

NLM: Do you have other project(s) for 2021?

NBZ: Yeah I’m working on my new EP amazing new sound coming up…

NLM: How can potential fans find you?

NBZ: Instagram NattyBoiZoe everything

NLM: Finally, any special shout outs to those involved in the production of ‘Da Street Poet’?

NBZ: Shout out to my producer juice cannon, Dice Cannon, Smitty, Gerald.

Da Street Poet is out now