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Rap

Teck-Zilla, JXXIII, Quinja, Sentence, Yada and Reespect ignited a sonic revolution of empowerment in their collaborative hit, Naija Women

Posted on 2 October 2024
Naija Women by JXXIII, Quinja, Sentence, Yada, Reespect

Teck-Zilla’s latest hit, Naija Women, is an explosive celebration of culture and empowerment that carves out space for female strength in a rap landscape often skewed against it.

Produced by Nigerian-born, UK-based Teck-Zilla, the track brings together five Nigerian rappers—JXXIII, Quinja, Sentence, Yada, and Reespect—each brings their own mesmeric energy to the mic as the beat cuts like a razor through the lush, atmospheric production, making way for the quintet’s undeniable talent to shine through.

The dynamic interplay between the artists results in a juxtaposition of soul and fiery passion, making it impossible to settle on a single emotion; instead, you’re left in awe of how these women hold their own, spitting bars with confidence and unapologetic resilience.

For every woman who has ever fought hard just to be heard, Naija Women is a powerful reminder to never stop trying to reshape oppressive narratives.

Naija Women was officially released on September 9th and is now available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Skinny Blacks fired up a new wave of hip-hop with his hypersonically hot track, Getaway Bae

Posted on 20 September 2024

With roots stretching from South London to St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, Skinny Blacks delivered a pulsating summer anthem with Getaway Bae. If you’re searching for a track that hits harder than a heatwave in July, this high-octane single offers everything you’d expect from an artist fusing his Jamaican heritage with trap-heavy beats.

In an era where so much hip-hop sounds formulaic, Skinny Blacks smashes through the monotony with energy levels that could power a city. The track comes with the unrelenting force of a tropical storm, combining rhythmic precision with an edge that demands a replay.

By blending melodic rap with bold trap production, Skinny Blacks crafted an adrenalised hit for the wanderlust generation. Lyrically, it’s an unapologetic testament to being in control of your destiny, and musically, it’s a blueprint for the new direction UK rap is taking. It’s clear Skinny Blacks isn’t just riding the wave – he’s creating his own tsunami in the scene.

Getaway Bae was officially released on September 1st; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tony C sonically visualised the kidcore aesthetic in his hip-hop hit, Peter Pan Man

Posted on 12 September 2024

Tony C’s latest single Peter Pan Man is a defiant, high-octane triumph of playfully devil-may-care rebellion. The Californian emcee, known for his feverish flows and razor-sharp lyrical precision, takes listeners on a journey through a kidcore aesthetic with polyphonic beats that bounce and crackle under his infectiously insolent high-vibe lyrics. Flexing against the pressures to conform and grow up, Tony C proves that being forever young isn’t just a fantasy, it’s a lifestyle.

As gripping as his visual narrative is, it’s the rhythmic precision in Tony C’s bars that truly pulls you in; it really wouldn’t matter if he was waxing lyrical from the periodic table. His animated flows are impossible to resist, hooking you with every beat. The track leaves you craving more, not just from the song itself but from his entire discography, which is as diverse and dynamic as Peter Pan Man suggests.

Tony C’s origin story took place in Roseville, California, where he initially channelled his creativity into poetry before turning to music in high school. After making waves with a 10-song album produced by Zak Diebels (Z-Rokk), Tony’s debut release, Invincible, caught major attention. With tracks appearing on E!’s Khloe and Lamar and VH1’s Black Ink Crew, the iTunes editors were quick to praise his lush hooks and hyper-enunciated verses, comparing him to heavyweights like Slug, Eminem, and Mac Miller.

With Peter Pan Man, Tony C further cements his status as a rising force in hip-hop, refusing to grow up or slow down.

Peter Pan Man is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mike37 transcended with the soul in his alt-hip-hop debut  LP, HOT AIR BALLOON

Posted on 7 September 2024

On September 6th, Mike37 made titanic waves by dropping his debut album, HOT AIR BALLOON. At the tender age of 17, the independent Milan-residing DJ, producer, vocalist and hip-hop & soul fusionist already has the chops to slice through genres and moods with the cultivated command of a veteran, which is affectingly exhibited in the vibe-driven 12-track LP.

The LP is a bold blend of soul and sharp-edged rap, straddling a dozen tracks that venture from intimate soul outpourings to spitfire spoken word, all dipped in the hallucinogenic haze of dreamy trap. Using hip-hop’s sonic playground for the foundation of the album didn’t get in the way of Mike37 casting the genre net wider into the domain of pop to implant pop hooks into his wavy hits which resound with seraphic semi-lucid euphonic euphoria.

To juxtapose the soul in the former and subsequent singles, the standout track, PUT YOUR CAMERA DOWN, throbs with aggressive synths and heavy 808s, setting the stage for Mike37’s incisive lyrics that slice through the superficial sheen of social media facades. Mike37 may have been a beat maker first, but this track is evidence of his command over metrically kinetic bars and his ability to lay bare a narrative that’s both raw and refined.

The album’s diversity is kicked up a notch with contributions from a variety of artists like Skyler, Uno Hype, Tiffany Evans, and Amy Fitz Doyley, each adding a distinct flavour to the mix without overshadowing Mike37’s own stylistic imprint.

Crafted in Italy’s Fiery Water Recordings Studio and given the final polish at Abbey Road by Alex Gordon, the technical execution of this album is nothing short of stellar. Every beat and note was engineered and destined to resonate.

Stream HOT AIR BALLOON on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Keep up to date with Mike37’s latest releases and news via Instagram and Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

PTM WOK’s ‘ALL OVER’: A Seamless Fusion of 80s RnB and Contemporary Hip-Hop Swagger

Posted on 7 September 2024

With his latest release, ‘ALL OVER,’ the independent rapper, PTM WOK, effortlessly bridged the gap between nostalgic 80s RnB vibes and the sharp pulse of modern hip-hop. The Dominican artist, who was born and raised in New York City and now resides in Tampa, Florida, draws on his rich Latino heritage and urban experiences to deliver a track that is as rhythmically tight as it is atmospherically lush.

The smooth low timbre of PTM WOK’s rap bars glides over the track, syncing perfectly with the solid rattle of the 808s, which demand your attention and pull you right into the core of the rhythm. Every beat is touched with salacious soul as he waxes lyrical, effortlessly weaving his wordplay around a honed yet natural cadence.

The free flow of ‘ALL OVER’ gives it an unfiltered, almost stream-of-consciousness edge, yet the profound imagery woven throughout the track attests to PTM WOK’s elevated lyricality.

As the creator and driving force behind the artistic collective Plot Twist Mafia, he’s steadily becoming one of the most unreckonable forces in the Floridian underground hip-hop scene.

PTM WOK’s latest work is undeniably one to pay attention to, particularly for those who appreciate a seamless blend of lyrical depth and rhythmic precision.

Stream the official music video for ALL OVER which dropped on August 14th on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Aco Draco fires off in his stormer of a rap track, Ray Gun

Posted on 3 September 2024

Departing from sonic mundanity, Aco Draco’s latest single, Ray Gun, burst onto the scene with artillery that’s anything but ordinary. Opening with a faux news report, the track cleverly sets the stage for Draco’s irreverent entry, blending tongue-in-cheek humour with a punchy introduction that hooks listeners from the get-go.

Ray Gun”marries cinematic orchestral strings with classic boom-bap beats, creating a soundscape as expansive as it is epic. Draco’s raspy, convicting rap bars slice through the backdrop, proving that his command of the mic is as formidable as his creative vision.

This up-and-coming Colorado native, who carries influences from Lil Wayne to Metallica, showcases a dynamic fusion of sharp lyricism and high-energy beats that will rattle the hip-hop scene to its core.

From his humble beginnings recording in a closet with an Xbox headset to charting his own course in the rap industry, Draco’s journey is one of relentless pursuit and undeniable growth. His unique style, marked by raw authenticity and emotional depth, is capable of turning heads, bending ears and making waves with its charismatic wordplay and bold execution.

Ray Gun was officially released on the 29th of August; stream the single on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Regal Club’s rap track, Electro, is a livewire to the senses

Posted on 27 August 2024

Dark ominous electronic beats meet the transcendence of enlightenment in the latest drop from Regal Club. With their new single and music video, the St Louis duo comprising Alvo and J. Cruz wrote a new chapter in their legacy which any hip-hop fan should revere as gospel. 

Electro, which features on the duo’s ambitious sophomore LP synthesises lyrical conviction with kinetic rhythm to break away from conventional hip-hop beats and breaks and to embrace a fusion where contrasts of light and dark play over a bass-heavy production. The instrumentals buzz with energy, sharpening the rap verses that effortlessly sync with the dynamic beats, creating a charged atmosphere which oscillates with intensity.

The duo’s authentic style possesses a visceral grip on the psyche, as Alvo and J. Cruz hold their own against Run the Jewels’ dualism. If you couldn’t get enough of the raw edge in Oddisee’s earlier records, Electro will resonate on a whole new level.

The official music video for Electro is available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK rapper, Tom Penny extracted spoken word poetry from idiosyncrasy in his standout single, Spiral of Fumes

Posted on 26 August 2024

 If Tom Penny’s third LP, Both Sides of the Coin doesn’t feature on every rap publication’s album of the year list, we riot. The album pulls back the façade to narrate the UK rapper’s struggles and subsequent growth, drawing from his early freestyling days and his evolving passion for hip-hop influenced by lyrical legends such as Kendrick Lamar, Loyle Carner, and J Cole.

One of the standout tracks, Spiral of Fumes, kicks off with an extended, wavy prelude imbued with etherealism, setting a reflective mood before the beat drops, establishing a magnetic rhythm beneath Penny’s melodiously smooth spoken-word cadence.

You won’t just hang off every word in his bars, you’ll be engrossed in every syllable as Penny establishes himself as one of the most eloquent wordsmiths in the UK hip-hop scene, with emotionally bruising bars reminiscent of Kae Tempest and George the Poet.

By the outro, Spiral of Fumes fully reveals the kind of artist Tom Penny is—one who extracts relatable poetry from idiosyncrasy, stripping bare while simultaneously reflecting the listener’s mental state.

With his surging streaming stats testifying to his growing renown, it’s only a matter of time before he rises through the ranks and holds dominion over the UK scene.

Spiral of Fumes is now available to stream with the LP Both Sides of the Coin on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: MIKE37 morphed pain into power in his soul-driven summer hip-hop anthem, PAGE OF THE DIARY

Posted on 9 August 2024

In contemporary hip hop, few releases capture the raw, dualistic essence of the emotional experience as viscerally as MIKE37’s latest single, PAGE OF THE DIARY. The narrative arc is powerfully constructed by an artist who simultaneously stands as a soul conduit and visionary beatmaker.

PAGE OF THE DIARY is an affecting aural reflection of the darkest hours before dawn, rendered into sound by MIKE37’s innovative spirit. The track ensues from a vivid vignette of melancholy before the beats morph—almost imperceptibly at first—into a high-energy, euphoric celebration of resilience.

MIKE37’s ability to straddle the emotional spectrum is on full display, encapsulating the listener in a journey from introspective sorrow to a triumphant, beat-driven high. The nostalgia-infused hip-hop beats lay a solid foundation, while MIKE37’s soul-enriched harmonies and sharp lyrical delivery cut through the mix, making each verse a testament to his creative charisma and his capacity to connect.

After the self-produced single was mastered by Alex Gordon at Abbey Road Studios, the quality of the sound engineering is palpable. Each sonic element is meticulously crafted, allowing MIKE37’s introspective yet bold lyrical thematics to shine against the sun-bleached melodies and dynamically shifting beats.

Fans of Tyler, The Creator, Kendrick Lamar, and BADBADNOTGOOD will find familiar comfort in MIKE37’s discography, yet there’s an undeniably unique twist to his music that sets it apart.

PAGE OF THE DIARY is as much of a visceral feel-good fix as it is a fundamental lesson in expression. MIKE37’s chameleonic creativity is on full display in the quintessential hip-hop anthem of the summer. Cancel the self-pity party for one and play it on repeat.

MIKE37 Said

“PAGE OF THE DIARY initiates as an introspective narrative of a dark chapter; it transplants the listener into the story to share the relatable emotions before the beat switches through a flux of energy and euphoria.”

PAGE OF THE DIARY will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify and SoundCloud, from August 9th.

Stay up to date with the latest releases from MIKE37 as he gears up for the launch of his debut LP on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

David Rey Will Reign Over the Manchester Music Scene with His Grime Hit, Call Me King, ft Abnormal Sleepz

Posted on 9 August 2024

David Rey gave Manchester a place on the grime map with his latest single, Call Me King, featuring Abnormal Sleepz. Think of the Manchester music scene; The Smiths, Oasis and Stone Roses will immediately spring to mind, but if any artist can steal the psyche away from those luminaries, it’s Rey with this raw, cultivated track which pairs his hypnotically smooth flows with dark alt-electronic trip-hop-tinted beats which syncopate to the rhythm of the artist’s creative volition.

David Rey, originally hailing from Bermondsey and now a product of Manchester’s vibrant culture, has crafted his identity around the influences of UK grime legends like Ghetts and the resonant beats of American artists like Nipsey Hussle. His globe-spanning inspirations are evident in his music, which combines poignant introspection with visceral vitality.

Having graced the stages of over 35 venues domestically and abroad, Rey’s commanding presence is well-documented and celebrated, from performances that resonate with authenticity to airplay on platforms like BBC Radio 6 and Capital Xtra. His debut EP, Before I Begin, garnered notable praise for its lyrical depth and rhythmic sophistication, traits that continue to thrive in Call Me King.

The single itself is a study in contrasts: dark yet soulful, it delivers a mind-bending lush backdrop for Rey’s sharp, melodic flows. The track dives deep into the core of human connection and desire, rejecting the commonplace narratives of fleeting pleasures to focus on what truly resonates with the listener. George the Poet couldn’t have versed it better.

Call Me King will hit all major streaming platforms, including SoundCloud, on August 9th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast