Browsing Tag

East Coast Hip Hop

Just Love makes ‘No Promises’

Posted on 17 June 2021
Just Love

Hailing from Long Island, New York, Just Love’s knack for narrative lyrics started out as a penchant for short-story writing; switching that word-craft from prose to song-writing, spinning colourful, evocative verses and catchy little hooks in the style of Drake, The Weeknd, or Jay Z.

‘No Promises’ is Just Love’s debut single, produced by the perennial Lucas Quinn; it’s chilled, pulled-back, JL’s flow sitting tidily atop swelling synth parts and stop-start old-school hi hat beats. There’s an easy confidence about the track, rolling vocal delivery meshing tidily with the backing, the whole thing grooving and grinding in equal measure; ‘No Promises’ might be Just Love’s debut, but despite the title this certainly shows promise for the future.

Check out Just Love here.

Review by Alex Holmes

Savage the Poet leaves us on ‘CLOUD 9’ with his high-vibe lyrical rap track.

Posted on 25 April 2021
Savage the Poet

Brooklyn, NY born and raised rapper Savage the Poet showed just how he came about his moniker with his second EP, ‘Keep Your Head in the Clouds’. The cutting witty bars and meditative spoken-word offerings of wisdom have plenty to offer hip hop fans looking for hope, confidence and a path to perseverance.

His enlivening cadence, fresh take on the 90s-era East Coast sound and playful sense of humility is best appreciated in the lead track ‘CLOUD 9’. With lyrics such as ‘how quickly you find your truth is how quickly you find your power’, CLOUD 9 leaves a lot to contemplate while the beats give you the energy to shake off the weight of adversity.

Savage the Poet’s EP officially released on April 16th; you can check it out for yourselves on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jarred Allstar has unleashed their soulfully animated hip hop single ‘Get Up’ featuring M. Davina Boyd

Posted on 10 March 2021
https://open.spotify.com/track/0rBSqw9hspOitrN5pKbcRJ&si=49de577503c3482

Up and coming rap artist, Jarred Allstar describes himself as ‘born in the hood & raised in the church’, the lead single, ‘Get Up’ from their latest album ‘The Gift and the Calling 2’ allows you to appreciate his gritty gospel-inspired soulful grooves.

To supercharge Get Up with celestial vibes, Jarred Allstar collaborated with M. Davina Boyd who brought a soulful duality to the single. With her old-school soul vocals layering over Jarred’s high-vibe rap bars, the energy which Get Up contains is infectious.

Plenty of rap artists boasts an energetic sound, but with only a dash of hyperbole, the NYC-hailing artist could raise the dead with their animated approach to contemporary hip hop.

Get Up is available to stream on all platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JBadge Ft Nef The Pharaoh x Steez – PAIN MUSIC

Posted on 5 March 2021

JBadge introduces you to his demons and offers olive branches of resilience in his latest single ‘PAIN MUSIC’ featuring Nef the Pharaoh x Steez.

With the world collectively asking themselves the same questions around their waning sanity, tracks like PAIN MUSIC remind us that tormented people aren’t an anomaly, they’re a commonality. It’s more important than ever for artists to relay torrid emotions so we know that we’re not alone; JBadge definitely stepped up to the plate with their unique spin on the old school East Coast sound.

Many hip hop artists layer jazzy tones into their tracks but rarely are the tracks as fresh and modern as this trap mix. With the 80s-pop style sax solos, there’s yet another dynamic to the single which seems to get better with every listen. It’s a goldmine of invaluable introspection.

You can check out PAIN MUSIC for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Datsnell delivers a defiantly inspirational Hip Hop attack with ‘Think U Know’

Posted on 12 February 2021

Breaking Hip Hop artist, Datsnell’s, latest single, Think U Know, takes you over to the East Coast and back in time as you drink in the warm jazzy tones. After an archaically-inspired prelude, Datsnell’s high-energy vocals burst through the accordance which you’ve settled into while the beats start to pull in elements of sonic new wave trap to adrenalizing effect.

There’s potentially nothing more annoying than the people who think they know it all when you can see how they little they know, yet they still maintain some illusion of superior intellect and use that to cast judgement on you. Think U Know is the perfect track to vent that frustration. It’s an emboldening reminder that just because most of the world is too blind to see your worth, that doesn’t reduce your value.

Think U Know is available on all major streaming platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

King J takes us to CALI with their latest single

Posted on 14 January 2021

‘CALI’ was just one of the gritty transfixing tracks dropped by up and coming US Rapper, King J, in 2020, hit play and you’ll see for yourselves that he’s one to watch in 2021.

With the harsh bassline blazoning beneath the light trappy beats which bring a touch of Cali sun to the track, it’s hard not to get immersed within the dominant, complex hit which has become a testament to King J’s trailblazing style and their ability to cook up an infectious vibe within their music.

In 2020, King J started to rise up from the underground, in 2021, he’s set to break plenty of new ground with his game-changing approach to reviving Old School Hip Hop.

You can check out the official video to CALI which dropped on November 10th by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Maryland’s Most Promising Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist MuhTeyOh Delivers on That Promise with Their Latest Single ‘4th Quarter Flows’

Posted on 11 January 2021

Maryland-based Rap artist MuhTeyOh has been on a steady ascension from the underground since the release of their breakthrough track ‘Summers Over’, with the release of their latest single, ‘4th Quarter Flows’, it’s clear that they’re on a mission to dominate the airwaves with their domineeringly indulgent flows.

4th Quarter Flows eclipses the East Coast Hip Hop sound, which will undoubtedly be of appeal to any fans of Jay Z, Kanye and Kendrick Lamar, but with hints of Drill ringing through the trappy hits of the 808s, there’s a dynamism to their accessible-from-the-first-hit-sound.

4th Quarter Flows is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

BosMadeLD takes us to East Coast Hip Hop Heaven via the ‘GraveYard’

Posted on 26 December 2020

Kicking off with a nicely phased solo guitar part before the bass thumps in and the hi-hats and snare join us, BosMadeLD’s latest track is proper old-school hip hop – explicit, in your face, honest, raw, and truthful.

The Mississipi-hailing artist delivered touches of Nas, 2-Pac maybe, that New York East Coast, Mass Appeal Records, Fashawn, Run The Jewels, Boldy James kind of vibe – all nine millimetres and smooth, relaxed flow sitting atop chilled yet urgent beats and a grooving bassline. BosMadeLD’s vocal is nonchalant yet powerful, poetic lyrics mixed with some serious imagery and delivery, and yeah, it’s got thump. This is proper rap, make no mistake, chest-thrusting, strutting, enjoyable, chilled, and tense all at once. Dope.

Check out BosMadeLD’s track GraveYard on YouTube.

Review by Alex Holmes

Ric – Airfare: The Jet Setting Hip Hop Fix We All Undoubtedly Need in 2020

Posted on 25 December 2020

San Diego-based Hip Hop artist, Ric’s rhythmic flow is as fluid as a waterfall in their latest single ‘Airfare’ which dropped on November 12th.

Even though Airfare doesn’t hit a heavy tempo, the passion, energy and soul  projected into the mix through the lyrics is perceptible with every syllable. You’ll be hooked in from the first verse in the culturally-eclectic mix where you’ll hear hints of Eastern rhythm in the transcendently polished production.

Airfare will undoubtedly give plenty of Hip Hop fans the jet setting fix they need after global traversing pretty much came to a halt in 2020. This high-vibe hit is a powerful reminder that our wanderlust cravings will be sated again one day.

You can check out Airfare for yourselves by heading over to Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

London’s ‘Up In The Air’ is the perfect antidote to Covid-Brexit winter blues

Posted on 21 December 2020

‘Up In The Air’ by newcomer London is the perfect antidote to the current wind, rain, Brexit, and Covid-19 doleful torpor gripping the UK, a summery, upbeat, dance-y mix of R&B-inspired hip-hop and mellow, groove-filled soul. There’s a rich, deep and uplifting ascending bassline, a deliciously soulful female backing harmony part, and London’s soft, Smokey Robinson/Marvin Gaye style tuneful vocal, all lilting smoky East Coast DC vibes and summer sunshine.

‘Up in The Air’ is London’s third single, following up ‘Y.D.L.M. (You Don’t Love Me)’ and ‘5 Questions’, and it’s clear that there’s some growth going on here; all that bodes very, very well for London’s future.

Check out ‘Up In The Air’ on Apple Music and Spotify, and follow London on Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes