Browsing Tag

Inspirational Hip Hop

Money and Image blazed across the Texas hip-hop scene with their infectious track, No Smoke

Escape into the urban aesthetic of the latest single and music video, No Smoke, by the two Texan rap legends in their own right, Money and Image, and lose yourself within the infectiously feel-good lyricality of the track that definitively proves conviction doesn’t always need to be a by-product of the aggression.

While the instrumentals find the sonic middle ground between jazzy old-school hip-hop grooves and wavy RnB pop trap, the vocals constantly shift in tone and pace to create a fully rounded hit that is all too easy to melodically roll with as you drink in the charismatically prophetic message which advocates pacifism.

The official music video for No Smoke premiered on October 21; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

C.h.a.m.p brought the high vibes in his dynamic rap bars with ‘Baby Dedo’, featuring Eta Phi Nupes.

This summer, the up and coming American rap artist, C.h.a.m.p, went viral shortly after the release of his single, Baby Dedo, featuring Eta Phi Nupes. The jazzy, trappy, high-vibe track melds the old school with the new wave of hip hop and comes alive through the passion that the dynamically talented artist poured into the mix.

After a near-death experience when a bullet pierced his skull in 2019, C.h.a.m.p (Change Happens at My Pace) found purpose in music. It might sound corny to call it his calling but given his ability to mould clever wordplay into unique rhyme schemes and that he’s only just getting started, his rap career holds plenty of promise and commercial potential. If you could imagine what it would sound like if Busta Rhymes took on Snoop Dogg’s attitude, you’ll get an idea of the magnetism in Baby Dedo.

The official music video for Baby Dedo is available to stream on YouTube. Or the high fire single can find its way onto your playlists via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Transcend limitation with Henry Franck’s debut single, Focus, featuring Da Skorpion

Haitian American U.S. Army vet, Henry Franck, has dropped his debut single, Focus, featuring Da Sckorpion. The market for trippy inspirational hip hop may be niche, but Franck has what it takes to dominate it with his colourful indie hip hop melodies and introspectively deep lyrics.

The Floridian artist has been producing music around his role as a financial analyst since 200; his debut release tells you how well invested his time was in his production talent.
With the complex instrumental layers that echo with plenty of old school tapedeck delay in the high-quality production, Franck easily stayed clear of assimilation and allowed his authenticity to blossom in the transcendently sweet soundscape.

Focus is exactly the kind of track that you would turn to in search of aural compassion and a sign that you are on the right path, no matter how stagnant things feel in the moment.

Focus is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

C.Priest proves that wit and soul go hand in hand in his latest societal exposition, Tinted Windows.

Cuttingly sharp wit and inspirational soul converge in the latest single, Tinted Windows, by RnB hip hop artist. C.Priest. With lyrics as provoking as ‘hate who I’ve become, but you’re the same ones who made me’ and ‘they respect me for the trigger, but they hate me when I pull it’, Tinted Windows is a sobering exposition on society and the pitfalls that narrow perceptions can open up beneath innocent people’s feet.

Between C.Priest’s old-school sonic style and mindfulness that allows his words to resonate as an affirmation that he is a lyrical pioneer, he has exactly what it takes to break onto the mainstream. Don’t just watch this space; jump on the hype before it goes viral.

Tinted Windows officially released on August 27th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MidLskooL shares his posthumous requests in his hip hop anthem, ‘AfterParty’, featuring Miss Toto.

With reminiscence to the likes of Fatman Scoop, Snoop Dog, Timbaland and Missy Elliot, MidLskooL’s latest single, AfterParty, offers all of the infectious energy that you’d expect to find in a high-vibe hip hop anthem.

With MidLskooL bringing 00s hip hop vibes with his dominant rap bars and featuring artist Miss Toto bringing the soul with her RnB hip hop vocals, AfterParty is as dynamic as it is galvanising. It might feel strange at first to hear MidLskooL run through his funeral preferences, but if you look between the lines, you will find that AfterParty is a subversively convincing way of telling you that the concept of death doesn’t have to be synonymous with grief. As sombre as it may be, death provides an opportunity for celebration, and we’re notorious for not knowing what we have until it is gone.

AfterParty is available to stream and purchase via apple music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tune into KiDD RicH’s new hip hop track, ‘T.V.’

With his motto of, “Being at the bottom for so long teaches you there’s only one place left to go”, fans of inspirational hip hop won’t want to look past KiDD RicH’s 2021 sophomore album for invaluable introspection.

The standout track on the Brooklyn-born and raised artist’s album, ‘T.V.’ is a mash of urban culture with everything from RnB to Reggae to Pop to Trap written into the contemporary mix. After an atmospheric and melodic intro, the track kicks into full gear to run through as a grooving sun-kissed mix which will freshen your summer hip hop playlists.

With his organic, minimally-produced vocals, the ease of the grind, and the sticky-sweet lyricism, you’d struggle to find high-vibe hip hop that will take you higher.

The Statement, Vol 2 is now available to stream in full via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sharpshooter (S.S) proves to be a lyrical force to be reckoned with in their single, ‘Legendary’

Pennsylvania hip hop artist Sharpshooter (S.S) has been creating hip hop for 15 years, always staying on-trend and in tune with current issues around injustice, as his 2020 album, ‘This Ain’t Nothin’ 4’ proves.

The standout single, ‘Legendary’, allows Sharpshooter (S.S) to exercise their lyrical wit and shine an all-baring light on the conflicting duality in our lived experiences.

With a nod to the struggles of introverts who want to succeed, the increasing toxicity of our digital world and music fans tendencies to not heed the wisdom in lyricism, Sharpshooter (S.S) has plenty to say and all of the talent and precision to ensure that his lyricism hits hard. With his convictive poetic precision, he is definitely worthy of his moniker. But under all that talent, there’s a magnetic charisma and soul which makes it all too easy for their razor-sharp analogies to blow your mind.

Check out Sharpshooter (S.S)’s album This Ain’t Nothin’ 4 via Spotify. Ironically, it is everything a die-hard hip hop fan could ask for.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Razor-sharp wit cuts through OvaDos’ high-vibe Hip Hop hit ‘Don’t Miss’

The multi-talented rapper, writer, producer, YouTuber and engineer OvaDos has graced the airwaves once more with her fiery new drop ‘Don’t Miss’, her mission to change the perception of Millennial Rap artists and bring good vibes to the realm of contemporary Hip Hop is evidently triumphant.

Sure, there may be plenty of piteous and egotistical Millennial Hip Hop floating around on SoundCloud, but OvaDos’ monumental mix is the ultimate game-changer. If you’re looking for a Hip Hop anthem to get hyped by, just hit play on Don’t Miss and experience the playful determination exhibited alongside her razor-sharp wit. OvaDos is discernibly the Missy Elliot of her generation.

If she’s not yet on your radar, you might want to think about making some room. Life is too short not to have luminary artists on your playlists.

You can check out Don’t Miss for yourselves via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Toks – Braving the Storm featuring FK Osha: Soulfully Inspiring RnB Hip Hop

Breaking Hip Hop artist Toks has recently released their second EP “5 Designs” featuring 5 stylishly sun-kissed hits which wouldn’t be out of place on your summer Hip Hop playlists.

The perfect introduction to their smooth and soulful sound is the standout single “Braving the Storm” featuring FK Osha. The radio-ready hit kicks off with a mesmerizingly teasing start. From out of the lush reverb, Toks high-vibe vocals kick in and project plenty of high-vibe energy into the soundscape.

Braving the Storm improves with every listen to thanks to the intellectual and inspiring lyricism which Toks weaved into the mix. Each time you hit play, you’ll connect to a different part of Toks’ uplifting introspection.

Given that we’ve all just been through a global pandemic together, I can imagine plenty of people will find resonance in Braving the Storm. The track just keeps on giving.

You can check out Toks’ EP 5 Designs for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Zenith777 – Carpe Diem: Lyrically Transfixing Ambient Jazz-Laden Hip Hop

Off the heels of their successful 2020 Hip Hop debut, Zenith777 followed-up with a lyrically transfixing feat of Ambient Jazz-laden Hip Hop with the single “Carpe Diem”.

Lockdown may not have been the time to seize the day, but now that it’s coming to an end, Carpe Diem drops resolving reminders to pick your passion back up, dodge the drama and brush off the apathy. 2020 may be messed up. But that’s no reason to put optimism and motivation to one side.

With the contemporary Indie vibe behind Carpe Diem, it’s all too easy to sink into the soundscape and drink in the lyrical wisdom which Zenith777 soulfully offers.

Finding Hip Hop artists who you can easily connect with is often harder than finding a needle in a haystack. After you hit play on Carpe Diem, you’ll see that’s just one of the reasons to put Zenith777 on your radar.

You can check out Zenith777’s track Carpe Diem along with their debut single by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast