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Jay Z

Nick O charted new horizons with his debut rap track, Be There for Me  

Posted on 27 December 2023

Nick O, Surrey’s latest hip hop sensation, has unleashed a musical tour de force with his debut single, Be There for Me. The vibrant tapestry of sound, woven with the lyrical dexterity reminiscent of George the Poet and infused with a soulful essence, beats to the pulse of East Coast hip-hop while asserting Nick O as an orchestrator of originality.

From the first beat, the track sinks the listener into a  blend of modern storytelling and nostalgic 90’s soul. Nick O’s influences, ranging from the lyrical genius of Kanye West and Andre 3000 to the emotive melodies of Frank Ocean and Sampha, are intricately interlaced. His rhythmically flawless canter dances over the beats, painting vivid pictures of his inner world – a world filled with contrasts, from the peaks of joy to the valleys of introspection.

The ethereal female backing vocals in the track create a hypnotic juxtaposition, a delicate balance that complements Nick O’s robust and confident delivery. This unique combination sets Be There for Me apart, making it one of the most compelling hip-hop debuts of 2023. As we look towards 2024, it’s clear that Nick O is not just a rising star – he’s a force poised to take dominion over the UK hip-hop industry.

Stream Be There for Me on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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

Posted on 15 October 2023

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

Time to Play: Dbn Kai tells haters they will be stomped into submission on In the Way

Posted on 26 June 2023

Inspired since he was young by legends such as Jay-Z and the late great DMX, Dbn Kai has dropped a massive track to stack it all up with as he shines so high that birds frolic in the sky bouncing to his beat on In the Way.

Dbn Kai is a Baltimore-based indie hip-hop artist who slices weak rappers from the earth with his ravenous style to pick up the mood of many who need a new hero to turn up loud.

Bodybuilding his way into our gym-of-life with potent power and self-motivation, Dbn Kai has lifted our mindsets with much might with a hardcore rap song to put on repeat. This is heavy stuff and shall guide us away from the commercial and back into the underground.

In the Way from Baltimore-based indie rapper Dbn Kai is the kind of statement track which will surely move small-minded fools out of our vision forever. Hard and speaker-shaking, this is the kind of 5 am track to play on repeat while getting the grind on.

We find a massively motivated artist who just wants to eat a hearty meal, in a world where so many are looking to pinch anything they can without putting any previous effort in to improve their situation.

If you like rugged rap, you have just found it.

Hear this new single on SoundCloud.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Pee.Tzu redefined escapism music with his hip hop track, Jetplane Getaway

Posted on 29 August 2022

Pee.Tzu allowed his fans to peek behind the curtain of his mentality and music career in his latest single, Jetplane Getaway, which drips with East Coast hip hop luxe glamour in contrast to the raw spilt ink lyricism. It is escapist hip hop like you have never heard it before.

It is safe to say that the up-and-coming artist didn’t just speak for himself when he captured the claustrophobia that our hustle and daily lives can create around us. His wicked use of wordplay almost makes a sense of empathy redundant when you’re listening to Jetplane Getaway. There is no evading the visceral weight of the bars that run under inventive effect, allowing them to synergise with the Rakim-Esque beats.

Jetplane Getaway which features on Pee.Tzu’s 2022 album is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ron A.P. made true love a tangible phenomenon in Real Love Pt. II

Posted on 26 August 2022

Making true love a tangible phenomenon is a feat beyond most artists, not Ron A.P. in his latest music video, Real Love Pt. II. With full awareness that love is the most explored emotion in music, Ron A.P. went all in with this smooth jazzy hip hop track. Shakespeare may not have referred to how much crackheads love to chase the rock, and that may just be where he went wrong in encompassing the visceralism of the emotion.

After hearing The Ex Files from the US rapper, which went hard on retrospective romantic dissonance, we are stoked to hear Ron A.P. back on soulful form. Any fans of Nas, Jay-Z, Kanye and B.B. King will find a playlist staple in Real Love Pt. II.

The official music video for Real Love Pt. II will premiere on August 19th. Check it out on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Hip Hop icon in the making, Na8 has delivered his cinematically colossal debut LP, Past Present Future

Posted on 22 February 2022

The Nigeria-born, Nashville-based hip hop icon in the making, Na8, is fresh from the release of his debut album, Past Present Future, which recounts experience and introspection from the past, meditates on the present and rewrites the rules for the future.

The LP starts with the colossal hip hop anthem, Pisces, which drip feeds all of the glamour of Jay Z and all of the dark and chaotic flare of Saul Williams before Na8 moves with an old school style of noir soul in the following track, All In, which features some of the best earworm hooks on the LP. Track 3, Exotic Love, feeds the Lauryn Hill vibes, but Na8 made the soundscape his own with his massive production style that is quickly becoming his signature.

Track 5, Cash, stands as a testament to Na8’s experimental instrumental style; from harsh-rock guitar licks to orchestral strings to hard-hitting electronica, you will find all that and more in the hard-hitting hustler hip hop track. In track 11, Bond City, Na8 proves how well his panoramically cinematic production style melds with the definitively-luxe Bond film OSTs. It’s not every day we hear radio-ready hip hop. The fact that Na8 delivered it in his debut LP speaks volumes of his talent. Get him on your radar.

Here’s what Na8 had to say about his debut LP:

“My debut looks back on my life in Africa and Europe before I arrived in the USA. I wanted to express my past, present, and what my future could be in music.

The main message is that your past or present doesn’t define you. If you know what you want in life, you can focus and achieve those goals. Stay true to yourself.”

Past Present Future is now available to stream on Spotify.

Connect with Na8 on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Solo Star delivers deity-level hip hop in his single, ‘American God’

Posted on 22 July 2021
Solo Star

Ahead of the release of his highly anticipated 4-track EP, ‘The Ballad of Solo Star’, the up and coming artist has given us a taste of what’s to come by giving us a sneak peek of the lead track, American God.

Under the influence of Nas, Andre 3000, J.Cole, 2Pac and Jay-Z, Solo Star carries the same charismatic vocal magnetism. Instrumentally, he’s ascended to his own level and plateaued above most breaking artists. You can’t help getting hooked into the arrestingly rhythmic grooves in American God.

If you pride yourself on having the hottest names in hip hop on your playlists, you will want to make room for Solo Star.

Check out him out on SoundCloud and his website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

J Roy has released the ultimate power-couple hip hop anthem with ‘Forbes List’, featuring Jai Fears.

Posted on 21 June 2021
J Roy

If you’re looking for the freshest feel-good groves to add to your summer hip hop playlists, look no further than J Roy’s self-titled 2021 album, featuring the lead single, Forbes List, featuring Jai Fears.

There are some fairly obvious nods to Jay-Z’s luxurious sound in the mix, but between Jay Roy and Jai Fears, plenty of authenticity was brought to Forbes List; a single that shows that all that glitters isn’t gold, but it is still beautiful. Forbes List drips with extravagance, but at the centre of the mix is a fiercely romantic sense of soul that makes Forbes List the ultimate power couple anthem.

J Roy’s latest album is now available to stream and download on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Trevino Andre invites hip hop fans to follow his lead with ‘Chasing My Dreams’

Posted on 9 April 2021

Fairfield, CA-hailing hip hop artist Trevino Andre has an arsenal of hard-hitting tracks in his mixtape, ‘You Know That I’. The perfect introduction to his soul-laced sound is his old school jazz-laced track ‘Chasing My Dreams’ that keeps the tones rich and the lyricism raw.

Within that smooth and compelling contrast, you’ll find the magnetism which draws you into the essence of the track that paints a gritty image of the struggles we’re subjected to as part of our optimism-stealing mortal coil, then follows up by letting you know how to find the resilience to overcome them.

You can check out Trevino Andre’s mixtape, You Know That I for yourselves by heading over to ReverbNation.

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