Browsing Tag

Chicago Hip Hop

Brino blasted ahead of the curve with his vibe-steady alt-hip-hop earworm, ‘Out the Way’

Brino isn’t here to play by anyone else’s rulebook, and Out the Way, the standout single from his latest LP, achievemephobia*, proves exactly that. The Chicago Land-based artist has been honing his craft since 2016, and this latest release is a testament to his refusal to lock into any formula. Going beyond the archetypal rattle of 808s, he delivers a slick fusion of electronica and hip-hop, all while letting his dynamic vocals dictate the flow with a cadence that cuts through with precision.

The earworm is a vibe-steady statement of unflinching resilience, which sees Brino drench the instrumentals with soul through the bars he spits, embodying the luxe style of contemporary RnB while swerving predictable territory.

There’s no forced inspiration here, no preaching, just raw introspection spun into lyrical gold. He waxes lyrical with feverish autonomy like he’s got nothing to lose, as his lyrics narrate just that in an exhibition of what it truly means to blur genre boundaries.

Out the Way is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LZee Walks the Razor’s Edge with Brutal Honesty in ‘3 am on LSD’

At just 16, Chicago-based rapper LZee proves he’s already a lyrical force to be reckoned with on 3 am on LSD. The brutally honest track exhibits the emotional turbulence of living on the edge as a coping mechanism. While many up-and-coming rappers lean on bravado, LZee flips the script with visceral candour, exposing raw vulnerability that resonates far beyond the surface.

The juxtaposition of the warm Latin guitar melody against the hard-hitting rattle of the 808s creates a magnetic dynamic, softening the blow of the heavy-hitting bars while keeping the track grounded in its gritty realism. LZee’s flow is flawless, with every syllable delivered in perfect rhythmic precision, amplifying the weight of his introspection.

Taken from his 2025 LP, Anti3 am on LSD demonstrates a prodigious level of polish in both its beats and lyricism, making it clear that LZee is not just another voice in the crowd. His ability to balance emotional depth with technical chops marks him as a standout in the hip-hop scene.

With his versatility and sharp wordplay, LZee is poised to climb to the heights his talent demands. If the industry has any sense, this single will be the spark that sets LZee’s career ablaze.

3 am on LSD is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Vashaun set the alt-rap scene ablaze with ‘Lit Matches’, ft VHC

Few artists defy genre constraints with as much fire and fervour as Vashaun. At this stage in his career, his unflinchingly expressive discography, which focuses on visualising emotion, exploring phenomena, and welcoming listeners into his worldview and the streets that raised him, almost spans the entirety of the sonic spectrum.

From rock to emo to rap to Afrobeat to acoustic pop, it’s anyone’s guess where he will take his fans next. With his latest single, Lit Matches, the Chicago-born-and-raised artist collaborated with VHC to deliver one of his most expansively affecting singles to date.

Lit matches ignites with the grungy discordance of alt-90s indie before the first verse drifts into an organically melodic acoustic pop verse. But Vashaun doesn’t settle there; in the next progression, fans of Lil Peep and Juice Wrld will be able to get their emo rap fix, but Vashaun makes the style his own with the overdriven guitars, melodic Latin infusions and dualling rap verses that could rival ICP.

It’s a rarity to find a hit that gets better with every listen, but discernibly, we’ve stumbled on sonic gold with Lit Matches. Vashaun is a firebrand that will leave the alt-rap scene ablaze.

Lit Matches was officially released on May 24; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Spotlight Feature: Baby T Reclaimed Hip-Hop’s Roots in His Soulful Renaissance LP, Prodigal Son

Baby T’s sixth hip-hop LP, Prodigal Son, blends deep-rooted soul influences with a hard-hitting lyrical flow that will leave you instantly attuned to his ability to live up to hip-hop heavyweights and alongside them, matching the stride of the giants that many attempt to emulate, but few succeed as well as Baby T. Instead of painting by numbers to replicate an urban portrait, with every brushstroke on the canvas of this LP Baby T embodies their authenticity while revisiting the foundational elements of hip-hop and channelling the raw, emotional energy that has defined his career.

The Flint-born artist ensures that each of the album’s 17 tracks reverberates with a sense of purpose and passion, reviving the luxurious aura of classic hip-hop through modern expressions and candid narratives. The LP is a vivid exploration of Baby T’s personal journey, marked by his philosophical reflections, life’s vexations, and his confrontations with fear. His dual role as both creator and curator allows him to finely tune every element, ensuring that his tracks not only resonate on a sonic level but also connect on a deeply human one.

The single MISUNDERSTOOD, a fresh take on Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, stands out as a powerful testament to Baby T’s ability to connect with listeners through relatable and potent storytelling. Meanwhile, ICON hits with the force of a seasoned lyricist, packed with dynamic energy and undeniable swagger.

As Baby T gears up for a summer tour and rolls out music videos to bring his tracks to visual life, Prodigal Son is already shaping up to be a pivotal release.

Stream the Prodigal Son LP on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cali Ave Lo delivered lyrical wit so sharp you will get whiplash in ‘Way I Feel’ ft. Monie$

The lyrical wit in Cali Ave Lo’s standout rap track, Way I Feel, is sharp enough to tear a hole in the airwaves, even if the blows of the Machiavellian bars are softened by the jazzy and groove-deep old-school instrumentals, which allow the single to drip in luxe magnetism. He wasn’t playing when he warned he is a beast that can’t be tamed.

The single, created in collaboration with Monie$, is just one of the fresh-with-innovation-and-intellect singles found on Cali Ave Lo’s latest album, Untitled. Uncut. 3, which is already going down a storm with the Chicago-hailing artist’s legion of fans which is growing by the day thanks to his commitment to being one of the most thought-provoking artists on the underground. If your playlists are already filled with hits from Kanye, DMX, Lil Wayne and Jay Z, you will want to make room for Cali Ave Lo.

Way I Feel dropped on September 27; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chicago hip-hop duo, It’s a Cool Day, extrapolated ‘The Butterfly Effect’ in their debut

The Chicago duo, It’s a Cool Day put the trip in trip-hop by unveiling their elevated debut single, The Butterfly Effect, which fuses lush RnB melodies and harmonies with smooth rap verses and a pseudo-trap beat that becomes the centre of sonic gravity in the wavy, gravitas-packed single.

Craig Lowe and Derion Scroggins ripped up the urban rulebook and scattered the confetti through the vibe-steady hit, which spills a smorgasbord of soul as it mellowly progresses around the poetically ardent wordplay. Cathartic and convictive in its sense of passion, The Butterfly Effect is all the evidence you need that romance isn’t dead and that It’s a Cool Day has exactly what it takes to reign supreme in the Chicago scene and beyond.

The Butterfly Effect is now available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rapper and producer, JaefKae is razor-sharp in his Reggaeton hip hop single, New Machete

With a danceable versatile flavour like no other, the Chicago-hailing rapper and producer, JaefKae, burst onto our radar with the genre-fluid beats in his latest single, New Machete.

The tropic earworm picks at the roots of hip hop, Caribbean Dancehall, Reggaeton and Soul and plants the seed for a fresh new sound, defined by kaleidoscopically colourful instrumentals and the effortlessly high-vibes in the vocals.

During his career, JaefKae has opened for Nas and Pusha T, taken his high-energy performances across Chicago, and used his platform to represent his Afro-Purto Rican and Japanese descent, be a force of resistance against police oppression and to fight for black liberation.

His moniker comes from JFK because his 200-song discography “will blow your f***ing mind”. Considering that New Machete completely dominates your psyche before flooding it with dance-worthy rhythms and elevated talent, JaefKae had every basis to be that bold when settling on the pseudonym that will ripple across the globe attached to his infectiously upraising tracks.

New Machete is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lamar Creation soulfully hates the player and the game in his RnB pop hit, Feeling Me

Chicago born and raised artist, Lamar Creation, has dropped the ultimate 2022 RnB pop summer anthem with his latest hip hop influenced single, Feeling Me, which gives all the luxe grooves as Jay Z, the fiery passion of Frank Ocean and all of the contemporary funk of Daft Punk.

The sun-bleached electronic textures, which also find enough room to throw in nuances of Afrobeat, create the perfect platform for Lamar and collaborator, RichDaPhatt’s vocals as they seemingly drift through the entire emotional spectrum to lay it all down on the line on a relationship that is as much of a mental mindfuck as spending an hour watching the news.

The old adage may tell us to hate the game and not the player, but Feeling Me stands as a testament to the dissonance that playing games can cause in a way that may (hopefully) make people think twice about dealing with that kind of hand.

We scarcely needed his bio to tell us that Lamar is as much of a poet as he is a lyricist. It is all too perceptible through the jarring lines that keep on delivering the evocative hammering blows.

Feeling Me is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Oberry gets candid on self-sabotage in his trap pop single, don’t fall in line.

From the suburbs of Chicago, the experimental trap pop artist, Oberry, is here with his latest aural offering, don’t fall in line. After a jangly lo-fi interlude, Oberry’s distortedly animatronic vocals appear atop the scratchy and glitchy sun-bleached EDM beats which constantly switch from hard-hitting to fragile; setting the perfect tone for the emotionally rocky release.

don’t fall in line may initially resonate as an eccentric and twee for 2022 track but once the lyrics start to introduce you to the true essence of the single, you’ll find a deep level of respect for Oberry for being so candid on the subject of using self-destructive habits as a rebellious act.

If we are all honest with ourselves, we have all been there. don’t fall in line wasn’t the first single released by Oberry that delivers resonance hand over fist. His previous singles, all my homies hate the world, and parasocial friend have each racked up over 10k streams on Spotify alone – proving we’re not the only ones instantly obsessed with Oberry’s inventive songwriting style.

Oberry isn’t your average trap pop star, but it’s his intimate autonomy that draws you so deep into his experimental tracks. Any artist bold enough to release an album as twee as “I drawed a doggy” is undoubtedly worth following.

don’t fall in line is now available to stream on Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

X-Man speaks for the outliers in his pioneeringly impassioned alt-hip hop single, Can’t Relate

If X-Man goes down in hip hop history as anything less than a pioneer, we haven’t done him enough justice. Immersive may be a word that gets bound around in music reviews, but there are few other ways to allude to the allure of the hooks in his recently released seminal single, Can’t Relate.

X-Man makes it easy for you to instantly find the groove in the smooth canter of the almost spoken-word rap bars that are just as magnetic as Snoop Dogg’s. When it comes to the beats, X-Man cooked up a concoction of hip hop and playfully melodic video-game-style electronica. With the harsh snares snapping against the dreamy beats, there is plenty of texture to sink into as X-Man makes being unrelatable relatable.

You can check out Can’t Relate for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast