Browsing Tag

High Vibe Hip Hop

Constant Flow make the bass thump with ‘Pac Lyfe’

Posted on 26 April 2021

It’s been a bad few weeks for rap and hip hop, with the recent tragic deaths of both DMX and Double K, but it’s just possible there’s the slightest little glimmer of light in that darkness with ‘Pac Lyfe’, the new single from Floridian crew Constant Flow. Taken from new album ‘Unexpected – The Mixtape’, ‘Pac Lyfe’ grooves and grinds like proper old school dirty, gritty hip hop should, all deep bass, 808 beats, and smooth, lyrical flow.

It’s grimy, it’s sexy, and at times it’s downright despicable, all thump and punch, hard-hitting bass beats sitting behind that repetitive ‘…I can make the bass thump…’ vocal stamp; and yes. Yes, they absolutely can. You should check it out, right now, before the foundations crumble.

Hear ‘Pac Lyfe’, and the rest of ‘Unexpected – the Mixtape’, on Spotify; check out Constant Flow on Facebook.

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

Nashbi brings empathy to the airwaves with his high vibe hip hop hit, ‘After All’.

Posted on 15 April 2021

‘After All’ is just one of the dopamine-boosting tracks on Nashbi’s 2021 EP, GOD GIVEN, that teaches the listener how to smile through the pain; with the high energy beats that eclipse NYC Hip Hop, there won’t be much of a learning curve.

His standout track, After All, is so much more than a collection of witty lyrical observations; it exhibits an unparalleled level of empathy. You’ll find most rap artists turning their lyricism into naval-gazing introspection; Nashbi penned the lyrics to After All in a way that allows the listener to apply the wisdom to their situation and let the empathy to resonate on a personal level.

The Atlantan artist is just one of the MCs adding his flow to the stream of conscious hip hop 2021, yet, with his dynamic presence, perception-shifting optimism, and vibrant beats, if anyone can make a positive impact, it is Nashbi.

After All is available to stream along with Nashbi’s 2021 EP, GOD GIVEN, via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shota J raises the temperature with their fiery rap track, ‘Tiempo’

Posted on 15 April 2021

Virginia-based hip hop artist Shota J has garnered plenty of hype with his latest bilingual rap track, ‘Tiempo’ which switches between Spanish and English and feeds both cultures in the sun-bleached beats which vibe with the same convictive soul as the likes of Nas and the Notorious B.I.G.

Whichever language their lyrical flex is wrapping around, you’re going to feel the energy that this fiery feat of hip hop contains. In a time when it’s hard to amass any amount of motivation or resilience, tracks such as Tiempo should be considered as playlist staples. Their energy is more infectious than COVID-19.

Tiempo is now available to stream via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Wordplay turns into a lyrical riot in Zay Gatsby’s standout single, ‘Ain’t Finished’.

Posted on 5 April 2021

A year on from his debut release, hip hop artist Zay Gatsby is here to remind us that he ‘Ain’t Finished’, with the standout single from their latest album, ‘New Reign’.

His experimentation with wordplay practically ends up as a literary riot as he playfully, domineeringly lays down metaphors left right and centre in the upraising track that pulls from a myriad of hip hop, electronica and soul styles.

With old school urban grit, trippy trap textures and glitchy beats, Ain’t Finished offers a vibe that you’ll definitely want to introduce to your playlists.

New Reign is now available to stream and purchase via Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get on the grind of Swim’s high-vibe hustler hip hop track, ‘90s Baby’.

Posted on 4 April 2021

Up and coming artist Swim has been making waves in the New York hip hop scene with their organically high vibe tracks; after dropping his official debut single, ‘90s Baby, he is set to stake a permeant claim.

The energy brought to ‘90s Baby is instantly infectious; you’ll be hooked right into the gritty hustler hip hop track where Swim wasn’t afraid to let his true colours shine through in the kaleidoscopically bright production. The trippy grinding mix almost lulls you into a hypnotic state as you start to appreciate the ease of the flow, the playful wit in the lyrics and the magnetism in Swim’s effortless charisma

‘90s Baby is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

[VIDEO REVIEW] FONZO sets an aspirational example with ‘POWER OF YOUR MIND’.

Posted on 26 March 2021

There has been plenty of anticipation for activist and hip hop artist FONZO’s sophomore single after his debut single, ‘For the Kids’, dropped in 2020 as part of his ‘No More Kids in Cages’ campaign.

He hasn’t forgotten his social responsibility in his latest single, POWER OF YOUR MIND – quite the opposite. This time, he’s offering the listener the power to free themselves through a mix of lyricism grounded in reality and galvanising hip hop beats, produced by Yung Ricc, that throwback to the roots of old school hip hop while injecting a fair amount of adrenaline into them. The artist’s love of old school funk found its way into the affably fiery release, yet, POWER OF YOUR MIND lacks none of the conviction of hard-hitting hustler hip hop.

From sending warnings about fake friends to finding clever ways to reminding the listener that progress is made one step at a time, you’ll quickly recognise that FONZO is an artist worth listening to.

The official video encapsulates everything that FONZO is about, it hammers home the importance of community and mentorship; there’s little in use of self-improvement if you’re not prepared to share your wisdom and positive energy; once you start sharing it, you’ll see how infectious it is.

POWER OF YOUR MIND is the second single released from FONZO’s debut album High Gravity; keep him on your radar for when it drops via Facebook.

The official video for POWER OF YOUR MIND released on March 26th. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Connect with FONZO via Facebook and Instagram

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Riese Kendrick delivers sun and optimism-soaked beats in their latest release, ‘Celebrate’

Posted on 18 March 2021

Reasons to celebrate may be few and far between these days, but Riese Kendrick’s sophomore single, ‘Celebrate’, will allow you to believe otherwise.

Celebrate follows on from the success of the up and coming hip hop artist’s 2020 debut single; it’s yet another testament to their ability when it comes to creating a vibe with their enlivening sun and optimism-soaked beats. While the smooth and stylistic melodies drip-feed dopamine, the lyrics remind you of the power of perception; you can either get into bed with apathy or follow Riese Kendrick’s enigmatic example.

Celebrate is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Junior shows us his hand in the high-vibe EDM hip hop track ‘The Cards I Was Dealt’

Posted on 5 March 2021

Rap artist and producer, Junior, has hit the airwaves once again with their galvanizingly dominant single ‘The Cards I Was Dealt’.

With a nod to UK grime in their melodic rap bars, 90s RnB-style charisma and electrifying EDM beats which pay ode to Slim Shady, The Cards I Was Dealt is an infectiously high-vibe hit. Any fans of Pharrell and Dizzee Rascal will definitely want to pay attention.

You can check out The Cards I Was Dealt via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Menice – Walking Lick featuring Jamie Ray

Posted on 28 February 2021

Hip Hop luminary, Menice, teamed up with fellow-trailblazer, Jamie Ray, to kick 2021 off to a blazing start with their latest high-fire drop ‘Walking Lick’.

With clever meta lyrics, beats which hook you in right from the intro and atmospherically entrancing effects weaving through the 808 snares, Walking Lick is complex hit which doesn’t fail to captivate.

If your high-vibe hip hop playlists are sounding a little lacklustre, Walking Lick and the charismatic energy it delivers will undoubtedly enliven them. But the true value in the track lies within the inspiringly resilient lyricism which disrupts the depressing narratives which we’re sold on a daily basis. Positivity may be hard to find on mainstream media and social media, but you can always count on hip hop to deliver the motivation for positive proactive change.

You can check out Walking Lick for yourselves via Spotify or apple music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast