Drake put the social media world in a frenzy when he announced the coming of his seventh studio album Honestly, Nevermind.

People anticipated a typical Drake album. You know the emotional records that puts us in our feels. Or the rap heavy tracks with the caption ready lyrics. Well when Drizzy surprisingly dropped Honestly, Nevermind, he surprised fans with exotic sound on the album. Clearly from the social media responses, fans were not expecting to hear this.

Despite what fans thought, Honestly, Nevermind is still a vibe. Fans were in shock when they heard a full-blown Dance Hall/Afro-Beat album, but this isn’t anything new from Drake. Drake, a Toronto native, has been dabbling in house music and we been loving it. From “One Dance,” to “Controlla,” Drake has been in this type of bag.

Now that fans are finally free to go back outside, Honestly, Nevermind is music fans can have fun to, vibe to, and feel free to be themselves. He said it himself, “We’re here for a good time not a long time,” and this is definitely a feel good album. Honestly, Nevermind is an album that takes your mind on vacation and away from the world’s harsh reality.

READ MORE: J. Cole on Drake’s ‘Honestly, Nevermind’: “This Album is Phenomenal”

If you watched the visual to the first video he released, “Falling Back,” in the intro, he tells NBA star Tristan Thompson, a fellow Canadian, how he’s feeling. “This is a good time for me,” he said. Then he proceeds to marry 20 plus women, displaying the true definition of his “Motto,” yolo, (You only live once).

Drake’s producer, Noah “40” Shebib teamed up with legendary South African house producers Black Coffee and Gordo FKA Carnage to deliver 14 up beat tracks that’s made for you to move your body.

Don’t be misconstrued, this is still Drake we’re talking about. So ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ what fans said about the album, give it a listen for yourself. Songs like “Text Go Green” provides a familiar OVO sound that fans should be used to. Over the afro production, Drake returns with his smooth melodic cadence and he’s being transparent about his emotions. On the course he sings:

“Texts go green, it hits a little different, don’t it?
Know you missed the days when I was grippin’ on it. Know you’re in a house tonight just thinkin’ on it. I moved on so long ago”

On “Massive,” Drake really showed his versatility as an artists. Although he’s still singing softly, and the track is upbeat, it’s not much afro centric. The electric production drives this track. Drake sings minimally on “Massive” and he lets the beat take your mind and your mood to another world. It’s EDM vibes for certian.

Drake dropped a multi-genre album that’s propelling Hip-Hop into a non-categorical space in music. Drake covered everything on this album and he didn’t forget his ties to the hood.

On the last track of the album, Drake teamed up with 21 Savage and went all in on the rap side. He dedicated the song to the late YSL rapper Lil Keed and went in with 21.

Honestly, Nevermind received huge backlash from fans, but it didn’t bother the 6 God one bit. He responded by saying “It’s all good if you don’t get it yet. It’s all good,” he said in an Instagram video. “That’s what we do. We wait for you to catch up. We’re in here, though. We’re caught up already. On to the next. My goodness.”

While many fans didn’t appreciate Honestly, Nevermind, many did. After an hour of it’s release, Drake broke an Apple Music streaming record. Honestly, Nevermind, debuted on streaming services Friday (June 17), and it became Apple Music’s biggest dance album in history for first-day streams worldwide.

Drake also held Apple Music’s previous record for for first-day streams worldwide with the release of his last album Certified Lover Boy. He also holds the third place record as well with Scorpion, and the record for for the biggest song in Apple Music history by first-day streams worldwide, with “Girls Want Girls.”

Share your thoughts with us on social media. 

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A strong follow-up to his original single “Die Iconic”, Tamil-Canadian Hip Hop artist Shan Vincent de Paul drops a raw and captivating new hit “Die Iconic II” on all streaming platforms. Paired with a stunning visual to capture Shan’s energy and true essence, “Die Iconic II” carries the same “by any means necessary” sentiment but showcases Shan as a more experienced artist. The original “Die Iconic” is how most of Shan’s fan base originally discovered his art. Making the sequel the final song on his latest album “Made in Jaffna” was a conscious choice – a little something for the fans to take with them as a ‘thank you’ for their many years of genuine support. Channeling the competitive aspect of rap, the new track proves compelling as Shan continues to push the boundaries of what’s to be expected. And the visual is stunning; a solid mix of classic and futuristic aesthetics, viewers are easily transported into a new and unexpected dimension well-suited for the vibe of his new track.

The post Tamil-Canadian Artist Shan Vincent de Paul Releases New Hit Record “Die Iconic II” appeared first on The Source.

Words by Brittany Burton

Last week, R&B’s latest golden child, Giveon, blessed the general public with a new offering in the form of his When It’s All Said and Done…Take Time album. The project was a fusion between his debut When It’s All Said & Done and Take Time EPs, the latter of which earned the singer a nomination for Best R&B Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards.

Giveon first rose to prominent status after being featured on Drake’s 2020 “Chicago Freestyle” track. The cut eventually peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Since then, Giveon has been on an unwavering ascent and with the arrival of his newest album, he paid homage to the journey thus far by revisitng the past.

What makes this release extra special is the fact that it comes, by no coincidence, a year after Giveon’s Take Time first arrived. As entertainers work very hard, it is a well-deserved gift to self for such a fruitful year. Within 13 tracks, Giveon takes us right down the path that has brought him to this point, refreshing our familiarity with an already classic repertoire.

It’s not a foreign concept. Similarly, Lucky Daye accomplished the same feat by dividng his debut album into three parts, gifiting fans with smaller EPs before fusing them for the larger body of work. It’s been an effetive strategy for Giveon as listeners got acquainted with him through the pandemic, consuming his catalog in palatable pieces, leaving room for us to get to know the Long Beach native through his tales of heartache, offering growth with each new cut.

You’ll find the greatest difference between Giveon’s Take Time and When It’s All Said and Done, respectively, is evidence of a matured sound. While his unmistakably rich baritone remains the constant attraction, his storytelling truly comes to life on the later project. By bridging the two projects, he takes a leap into piecing together that growth before culminating his efforts with a new track via “All To Me.”

Giveon is yet another voice who offers R&B enthusiasts more reason to enjoy the direction that the genre has taken as of late, serenading us with all too relatable tracks that boast immense replay value. Simply put, it’s the kind of music that your children will likely have to hear as they clean the house on a Saturday morning.

Already cemented in longevity, Giveon still has a way to go and we’re better for it.

The post On ‘When It’s All Said And Done…Take Time,’ Giveon Issues a Reminder of Longevity appeared first on The Source.

“Anytime I record, I go to L.A., I go somewhere else and I kind of run away,” Rico Nasty most recently revealed of her creative process. This time around, however, the onset of a pandemic forced the DMV native to stay put in Maryland, having to record her debut Nightmare Vacation album on the homefront.

In hindsight, the setting props up a stage on which Rico, born Maria-Cecilia Kelly, is her truest self to date. It’s apparent that the emotive rapper meticulously constructed her latest platform with resolve. This much is evidenced in her ability to maintain a cohesive sound despite recruiting a total of 16 different producers across the 16-track effort. The sound that listeners first took to via her breakout “Smack A Bitch” was wondrously half-baked with Rico hopping over a beat that Kenny Beats hadn’t even finished. Yet, the 23-year-old has found a way to pinpoint potent iterations cut of the same punk rap cloth.

On Nightmare Vacation, Rico Nasty masters an artful balance between comfortable and unfamiliar. On “Candy,” “Let It Out,” and “OHFR” alike, Trap Lavigne houses the agitated energy that formulated her “Smack A Bitch” success and allows such cuts to anchor the project’s cohesion.

All the while, she flirts with new boundaries. While “IPHONE” finds itself in the same vein as these tracks, pitched up and computerized vocals set it apart in a few ways as Rico reflects on her indifference in a relationship. Such sentiments are accompanied in construction and content as she straps on more melodic boots for the Don Toliver and Gucci Mane-assisted “Don’t Like Me” and the Aminé-assisted “Back & Forth.”

While holding fast to the gravelly elements that characterize her signature catalog, she offers more tender variations with tracks like “No Debate,” “Own It,” and “Loser,” featuring Trippie Redd. On these offerings, Rico leans more into her Pop aspirations, making a case for commercial outlets for the casual listener.

It all comes together to cooperatively weave a path that literally leads back to “Smack A Bitch,” as Rico repackages the piece in a posse cut featuring Sukihana, Rubi Rose, and ppcocaine. As the track actualizes, her collaborators all pay some form of homage to Rico’s own belligerence. While it could’ve easily birthed some clinically forced performance, it instead marks an effective conclusion to the housewarming found in Nightmare Vacation, solidifying Rico’s presence in her own estate. It also lays the groundwork for a genuine journey via Nightmare Vacay as Rico most recently followed up the physical album with a comic book. The book’s plot is around Rico’s spaceship crash landing on Earth while recording her album in space.

As the fictional tale finds her enlisting her musical alter egos to survive, it’s a pointed parallel to the navigation that Rico has undergone in recent years. Unexpectedly, she’s cultivated a niche for herself that continues to inch her closer to mainstream ears–whether she wants it to or not.

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Oh, the nostalgia! For true fans of the culture, Lil Wayne has finally dropped his highly-anticipated project, No Ceilings 3, hosted by DJ Khaled. 

The New Orleans legend gave us a solid, 20 track project that clocks in at a little over an hour and takes us back down a road so many of us remember extremely well. Starting with small teasers from DJ Khaled on Instagram. 

“The mixtape game seemed to be a dying art and since I’m one of the pioneers of the craft, and it played such a big part in my career, I felt it was only right to resurrect it,” Lil Wayne told Complex “Also, it’s a lot of songs out here I wanted to kill my way!”

The project gives fans a few interesting features and guest appearances from top tier artists like Drake on “BB King Freestyle” and Atlanta’s Young Thug on “Out West.” He also brings on board, newcomers Hoodbaby and Euro. Wayne also enlists Young Money family Gudda Gudda and Cory Gunz. In a proud dad move, Wayne taps in his sons Young Kam Carter, Lil Tune, and Young Carter on “Kam,” “FL4M3$” and “Hollywood” respectively. And the youth don’t disappoint. Easy to tell they’ve been groomed by one of the greatest to ever do it. 

Lil Wayne continues the tradition of rapping over popular previously “used” beats and follows its two predecessors from 2015 and 2009. For this installment of the series, we hear the New Orleans rapper jumping on cuts like the late Pop Smokes “Dior,” “Shake the Room” and “For the Night,” Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” and Travis Scott’s “SICKO MODE” to name a few.

Wayne initially announced the project in August 2016, by confirming that both No Ceilings 3 and Tha Carter VI were on the way. There are also rumors buzzing of other projects on the horizon, including a new Nicki Minaj album, The collaboration “I Can’t Feel My Face 2” with Juelz Santana, and even a follow up to Collegrove 2 with 2 Chainz. 

Last week, Wayne was hit with felony weapons charges that stem from a discovery on his private plane in 2019, which could land him jail for 10 years if he’s convicted. 

Only a couple of months ago, Lil Wayne was under fire for his seemingly strong allegiance to President Donald Trump. And if nothing else, he added a little fuel to the fire with the lyrics, “Workin’ on my demons, that’s beautiful Bae off that Reisling, she’s super loose I’m smoking, she says pass it, she’s doing to much Haven’t done my taxes, f—ing with Trump”

No Ceilings 3- Track list 

1. “V8”
2. “B.B. King Freestyle” featuring Drake
3. “Lamar”
4. “For the Night”
5. “Something Different”
6. “Life Is Good”
7. “Peggy Bundy”
8. “Out West” featuring Young Thug
9. “Church” featuring Hoodbaby, Euro and Gudda Gudda
10. “Comme De Garcon”
11. “Deep End”
12. “Drag ‘Em” featuring Gudda Gudda
13. “Drive Bys” featuring Vice Versa
14. “FL4M3$” featuring Lil Tune
15. “Three-Headed Goat” featuring Cory Gunz and YD
16. “Hollywood” featuring Young Carter
17. “Kam” featuring Young Kam Carter
18. “Kamilla” featuring Jay Jones
19. “2Diamonds”
20. “Afro”

The post ‘No Ceilings 3’ Hinges on Nostalgia from the Mixtape Weezy Era appeared first on The Source.

As Cordae preps for his forthcoming sophomore output, the North Carolina-born emcee has been going through changes. Undergoing a metamorphosis that has seen the former YBN frontrunner transform into a star on his own right, Cordae has steadily secured his place as one of the more prolific artists of his rising class.

In a classic case of irony, the 23-year-old has gone from beefing with J. Cole to assuming a position as a viable successor, and such is evidenced on his latest “The Parables” output. On the newest track, Cordae puts his storytelling to the test. He forces his pen to bleed out an emotional narrative, serving up his transgressions via a series of short stories to compose the cut.

“I can tell you ’bout the time I signed a deal for twenty bands/And used that shit to get my brother out the can, lemme tell you,” he repeats on the hook.

Producers Nami and Cardiak work together to craft the dark backdrop that scores Cordae’s latest display of growth. It’s growth that extends far beyond his lyrical content. At the outset, Cordae puts on a show of technique that should be appreciated across generations as he packages his tales with the cadence of a vet:

“Swerve, born from the trenches, you from the ‘burbs, n—a/Fuck the early bird, nigga/I’ma get this motherfuckin’ chicken/And if a n—a ever got a problem, n—a/We can fuckin’ solve it, on my mama, n—a/I just been itchin’/ To prove myself.”

On “The Parables,” Cordae exercises undeniable depth and he does so with relevant finesse, carving a promising path toward longevity.

The post Cordae Reaches A New Pinnacle On “The Parables” appeared first on The Source.

As the country preps for lockdown over the next month or so, music fans are hungrier than ever for new content.  And finally, Future and Lil Uzi Vert have dropped their new collaborative album Pluto x Baby Pluto.

The two cultural favorites have been teasing the project for a while now and fans were becoming restless after watching the pair short previews of music back in September. Fans were ecstatic back in July when the pair released “Over Your Head” and “Patek.”

Both artists released their own albums earlier in the year. . Uzi dropped the long-awaited, and latest full-length release Eternal Atake in March. Most media and fans both enjoyed the project. Also this year, Future dropped his eighth studio album High Off Life in May, which featured the massive hit “Life Is Good” featuring Drake.

The new 16-track collection was executive produced by DJ Esco and comes alongside a Hype Williams-directed video for the track “That’s It.”

As expected, both Uzi and Future draw inspiration and lyrics from past relationships with their exes. On “I Don’t Wanna Break Up,” Future goes in right after Uzi goes full pop-punk on the chorus. “Tryna make better decisions, tryna be more consistent, yeah,” Future dreamily sings. “I’m going through hell just to get to you again.”

There is definitely undeniable chemistry on Pluto x Baby Pluto. However, Future and Uzi’s best rapping comes when they’re alone on individual tracks lost in their own thoughts. Future details betrayal over the keys and strings of “Rockstar Chainz.” Uzi feels like he’s thinking and rapping on the fly on  “Lullaby,” not losing a single clever thought. Uzi raps, “I try my best just to hug her with my fingers crossed, cause I know deep down inside, I am really doing wrong,” a very painful and heartfelt bar. 

While taking a sonic journey through Pluto x Baby Pluto, it’s hard to escape the feeling that Future is playing catch-up with Uzi. This has become a reality in recent collaborations between the two. It’s easy to see Uzi’s growth as an artist. And even more interesting to see a legend like Future seemingly take a backseat to a younger artist. 

Regardless of who’s your favorite of the two, it’s exciting seeing how they’ve learned to play off of each other’s energy. Neither of the two took the easy approach of emailing in versus and punching in bars. But the chemistry delivered on this project makes fans eager for more. Both from each individual and on the collaboration front.

The post Future and Lil Uzi Vert Take Fans On a Ride Through the Cosmos On ‘Pluto x Baby Pluto’ appeared first on The Source.

Compton-bred rapper YG — “Keenon Daequan Ray muthafuckin’ Jackson” as his mom eloquently refers to him on the intro to the album we’re about to talk about — is one of the leaders in today’s roster of young Hip-Hop kings, right there along with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Meek Mill and the immensely-missed Mac Miller. While Cole is a representative of the south by way of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Meek a proud representation of Philly through and through, Mac giving Pittsburgh its well-deserved props and K. Dot telling the story of living in Compton from a deeply introspective and oftentimes poetic point of view, YG found a way to rep the West Coast from its original G-funk gangsta rap roots from the very beginning of his career.

His platinum-selling debut album, My Krazy Life, turns five years old today (March 18), and is officially available as a 2LP black vinyl by way of Urban Legends. It’s one of those records that will look good plastered on your wall of other preserved rap records, or for a few good spins if you actually own a player to scratch it on. Either way, there’s no arguing that My Krazy Life is a modern day classic. Let us break down why real quick.

Before you go cop the record and add it to your collection, read on to see why YG’s My Krazy Life was so important to the climate of Hip-Hop in 2014 and how it’s shaped the rap game up to this day:

The Album Topped Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums & Rap Albums Charts, While Also Debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200

The week of April 5, 2014, My Krazy Life was held out from the top spot by one astronomical album: the soundtrack for Disney’s Frozen. Granted, nobody was stopping the Frozen train, so we definitely give YG cred where it’s due. However, he was able to top the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and the Top Rap Albums, the latter where it finished at #9 on the year-end list. Overall, it was one of the most successful rap releases of 2014.

The Guest Features Were Phenomenal

Not only was he able to get rap vet Jeezy on the hit lead single, as well as Lil Wayne on the remix, YG also found a way to use My Krazy Life as an opportunity to prove that there was definitely a unity within his rap class. ScHoolboy Q and Jay Rock on “I Just Wanna Party,” Tory Lanez on “Me & My Bitch,” Nicki Minaj on the aforementioned lead single remix as well, Drake on “Who Do You Love?” and Kendrick Lamar on the classic deep cut “Really Be (Smokin N Drinkin)” were all examples of that. While friendly competition is always in the atmosphere, these MCs supported and rocked with each other heavy.

The Album Helped Put DJ Mustard on the Map

Granted, DJ Mustard had been producing hits as far back as 2011 with Tyga’s top 10 banger “Rack City,” but his working relationship with YG can’t be compared to any rap/producer duo in the game. While they went through a brief beef that has thankfully been squashed, there’s no denying the classic songs they were able to create as a unit on My Krazy Life. We saw them recreate the magic recently on “Big Bank” off last year’s Stay Dangerous, proving that the YG/Mustard union is a much-needed force in Hip-Hop for the majority of us that love a good G-Funk-laced club banger.

My Krazy Life Proved YG Could Represent the West Coast As a Solo Force

Having a tight rap crew to fall back on definitely helps elevate you up the ranks in Hip-Hop, which is why we give YG even more cred for being able to navigate up the charts dolo. While his contemporaries had groups that range from TDE and A$AP Mob to Dreamville and even Young Money, YG held things down on his own under his 4Hunnid imprint, which operates as a record label and fashion brand alike. The leader of his own pack, for sure.

The Universal Praise of “My Nigga”

As controversial as the title is, nobody can deny the takeover of the rap game that “My Nigga” had on Hip-Hop and music in general. A certified quadruple platinum hit, the song also referred to as “My Hitta” made it to the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 (#19 peak position) and garnered YG two BET Hip Hop Awards, including “Best Collabo, Duo or Group” alongside Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan plus recognition for the coveted “Track of the Year” that was awarded to DJ Mustard for production. Even today, drop that track and watch the room go crazy.

Happy five years to My Krazy Life by YG! Shop the new 2LP vinyl release right now over on Urban Legends, and let us know your favorite tracks off the project over on our Facebook and Twitter.

The post 5 Years Later: How ‘My Krazy Life’ Solidified YG as a New Age West Coast Rap Pioneer appeared first on The Source.

Tomorrow [April 5, 2018] 20 year old Atlanta based rapper/songwriter Zaia is set to release his debut EP, Drive. Zaia says it’s his first EP, but by the sound of it, you’d think he was a music industry vet already.

Zaia is set apart by his unique voice, on top of his smooth and mellow, but very musical beats. He has released his singles from his EP Drive entitled “Insensitive” and “Barriers” that has garnered over 40,000 views across platforms. He says , “I wrote Drive in a time of my life where I had a lot of limitations and problems in my way. It’s a song for overcoming obstacles, just to let people know “Hey! We all go through these things, but you can’t let them hold you back, you know?”. To further the effect of his real life obstacles, Zaia expresses his creativity through rocking things like dirty vans in the cover art for “Barriers”.

Zaia has been working with in house producers TrenzMusic and Blumajic and has recently teamed up with Grammy nominated producer Maths Time Joy for his track “Count on Me” which was featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist and amassed over 2.4 million streams.

With 300,000+ streams on Soundcloud, and a big buzz surrounding him on the blogosphere, Zaia is set to make his mark in 2018 so keep your eyes and ears peeled for more to come! Do you follow Zaia already? Make sure you follow him on all social media and add his debut EP, Drive to all of your music platforms! If you are a Spotify user, click here to listen to Drive!

Connect with Zaia

Instagram

The post Zaia’s Debut EP “Drive” Set to Release Tomorrow appeared first on The Source.

The Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon dropped the widely-regarded hip-hop classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… in the summer of 1995 and it spawned several seminal tracks such as “Ice Cream,” “Rainy Dayz” and “Incarcerated Scarfaces.” But it was the smooth, yet haunting sound displayed on “Heaven & Hell” that stood out from the rest. “Heaven & Hell” was Raekwon’s debut single for Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… and was also featured on the Fresh movie soundtrack that was released in the summer of 1994. Fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah parlayed the track into a stellar back and forth between he and Raekwon, in which they plotted on and eventually killed a high-roller from around the way. The two’s dynamic on the song is evident, as they flow off of each other seamlessly.

But RZA’s slow, but melancholy production steals the show. Based on the sample of Syl Johnson’s “Could I Be Falling In Love,” RZA kept the melody from the track sampled, but added a lethal bassline that permeated throughout “Heaven & Hell.”

As Raekwon and Ghostface traded bars over RZA’s production, the combination of the three helped curate an underrated hip-hop classic.

The post Throwback Hip Hop Track Of The Week: Raekwon’s “Heaven & Hell” appeared first on The Source.

When Future dropped 56 Nights on March 21, 2015, it ended his five-month tour de force of three mixtape releases. The releases were self-commissioned after the negative reaction via fans of his sophomore album, Honest. While the first two of the three releases chronicled Future returning to the music that got him accepted (Monster, Beast Mode), it was 56 Nights that completely changed the narrative for his career. The title for 56 Nights was inspired by Future’s DJ and producer DJ Esco spending 56 nights in a Dubai jail for carrying 15 ounces of marijuana. When Esco was released, the two got to work on the ten-track project

After the release of the project, he went from street rapper to critical darling. Tracks such as “Trap N****s,” “Diamonds From Africa,” and the politically charged anthem “March Madness” would rule the spring and summer of 2015. Future would then parlay the success into his biggest album to date, DS2 in July of 2015.

Click here to relive 56 Nights as if it was 2015 again.

The post Future’s “56 Nights” Was Released Three Years Ago Today appeared first on The Source.

Life After Death is the Notorious B.I.G.’s Bad; it’s considered a classic but sometimes can’t escape the shadows of its predecessor Ready to Die (Michael Jackson’s Bad couldn’t escape Thriller’s shadow.) Generally, Biggie’s debut album, Ready To Die gets the praise for his best work. But since the 21 years of his death on March 9th, 1997, Biggie’s legacy has rested on Life After Death, the two-disc opus that shined a light on his talent as a rapper.

He conquered flow and lyrics on “Kick In The Door.” A gangster tale appeared cinematic on “Somebody’s Got To Die,” while “Long Kiss Goodnight” would become an underrated diss track filled with vicious bars. And we can never forget the drug dealer/street anthem “Ten Crack Commandments,” in which Biggie spoke on the rules of the drug game as if he was a veteran human on earth.

But while the project had its grimier offerings, it shined brightest on the more marketable tracks. “I Got a Story To Tell” spoke to the players who moved so savagely they almost got caught. “Mo Money, Mo Problems” could be seen as Biggie’s catchiest track, while “F**kin You Tonight” is one of the few rap tracks that can be put on a slow jam playlist.

But it was “Hypnotize,” the lead single for Life After Death that helped define the album and Biggie’s legacy. As Stereogum pointed out here, he put the lyrics (“I put hoes in NY onto DKNY. Miami, D.C. prefer Versace”) and (“squeeze first, ask questions last,”) each into a record that would be his first No. 1 single.

Recorded at the age of 24, The Notorious B.I.G. unknowingly gave his final sendoff before he was killed 21 years old today. But in that process, he also showed that as a rapper he was ahead of his time. No rapper at the time could successfully blend street tales with catchy songwriting. The blueprint was laid out on Ready To Die. But tragically, we watched Biggie master it on Life After Death. 

The post Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘Life After Death’ Is Still The Ultimate Rap Album appeared first on The Source.

Jonny Vulgar is an emerging artist from Long Island, who originally gained attention as 1/2 of the rap group BFAM ( Brotha From Another Motha).

Now pushing his solo career, he’s focused putting L.I back on the map and carrying on the tradition of great Puerto Rican rappers. With versatile flows/styles Vulgar delivers the brutal truth with clever wordplay, covers topics from street life to politics.

Check out his latest project on soundcloud

The post On The Rise: Jonny Vulgar Newest EP Titled “Vulgar Season Vol. 1” appeared first on The Source.

Harlem is the territory of Dave East — enduring struggle and pinpointing inspiration/motivation, all at once. “Only motivation I ever needed was section 8,” East rapped on Nipsey Hussle’s “Clarity.” Applying his words as a paintbrush and the studio utilized as his canvas, East’s success thrives off of real life and vivid memory. From Change of Plans to his recent body of work Kairi Chanel, it’s been a steady climb of unforced movement. Manager Wayno and East’s tactics haven’t been used with force; if the situation isn’t right, patience becomes key. There’s a nostalgic feeling within this latest release – that many “hip-hop heads” wanted badly — specifically from a New York artist. Although it’s not his debut album, a lot of inaugural listeners tuned in for this project.

KAIRI CHANEL IS NOT MY ALBUM. ITS NUMBER 1 ON iTUNES RIGHT NOW. MY DEBUT ALBUM WILL BE EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY @Nas

— Dave East (@DaveEast) October 3, 2016

In March of this year, East and long-time girlfriend welcomed their daughter Kairi Chanel, into the world. Kairi became the inspiration behind the title of the project. East told Billboard, “I feel it’s my best work to date. I named it after my daughter, because she’s the greatest and most defining moment of my life.” He continued on with, “everything I’ve done up until now has led me to her, so I translated that into music.”

Life most certainly isn’t the same for the Def Jam-signee. What was once rain-filled days, has turned into sunshine. We’re passed the hype of the Nas cosign. We know East can spit, and we’re just interested about what his next line will be in a song — circling into his next move. Although Nas isn’t featured on the album, the intro track “It Was Written” was inspiration enough for East. His favorite album from Nas is “It Was Written,” writing his destiny that’s inherited from what he’s seen and learned. “Everybody keep telling me make a club record/ ‘you ain’t trapping no more, stop making drug records’/ you got a daughter bout to come, stop making thug records.” It’s the opening lines that was used during his XXL Freshman freestyle. From spending majority of his time working on his jump shot, to working on his next hook, East didn’t always see the path of music coming; basketball was his way out. After a six-month stint in jail, East returned to make music and let the hoop dreams go. “It took a lot to get this Rollie,” East began on the track “It Was Written.” Most certainly it did take a lot for him to get to this point.

On the album, we’re offered a little bit of everything.  East is able to have a certain raw attitude to his sound, yet keep it modern for more listeners to be lured to.  On “Type of Time” produced by Cardo, East displays this to the upmost of his ability. Utilizing a flow that has become revived, he shows no issue with mixing in truth with a likable cadence.

East demands attention and his tone is something you Can’t Ignore; no ignoring the hunger in his voice on the 2 Chainz-assisted track. Chainz asked East to “send him something he can really rap on, leading to the strong verses the two artist delivered – from Harlem to Atlanta. “Again” provides a similar attention-grabbing system, located from East’s beast-like delivery. But let’s keep in mind; East’s primary objective is now to get this sound out beyond Harlem, Ravenswood housing, and New York in general.

Focused in on getting his sound heard more, East inked a deal with Def Jam. “It’s at a time now where I really need a machine,” East told The Breakfast Club. “I’m not gonna say need, but it really helps what I’m trying to do, especially being from New York and not trying to stay in New York. As I told ya’ll before, I’m not trying to be underground or classified as a certain type of dude.” Some who listened to East’s music prior to signing the deal, say he has changed and they liked his music before. East responded saying “N***as Sign A New Deal And N***as Couldn’t Wait To Say “I Liked His Mixtapes And Music Before The Deal” Fucc Outta Here Ain’t S**t Changed!!!” Barely arguable, East does just that, maintaining the essence and roots that got him to this point, but taking it a step further with lyrics and production.

The first single released from the album was “Keisha,” the tell-all story of a Jamaica, Queens-native who ended up sleeping with East, before robbing him of jewelry, money, and even his phone. Story-driven to the max, East remains so clean and evocative with his lyrics – you feel like you’re in his shoes and you escape yourself for a little over four minutes. The track draws comparisons to Mobb Deep, Mos Def, and at times Lloyd Banks – if we’re speaking on narration.

Just when you thought the story-telling tracks couldn’t get any better, East delivers “Don’t Shoot.” We’re damn-near in crisis-type times in America, and artists are sharing their thoughts through different avenues. On “Don’t Shoot,” East takes us through the mind of a young boy in the neighborhood to a grown man who still faces obstacles with the law. Capturing the emotions numerous African-Americans deal with, he cleverly auto-tunes his voice for the adolescent portion of the song. Without a beat, this song will still hold weight and the message is timeless. 

Ain’t no more weed in the car sir, the blunt gone
I got my hands ups, officer what’s the problem?
Please don’t shoot me sir, I just had a daughter
Look here go a *gun shots sound off*

Collaboration wise, East connected with Fabolous, Beanie Sigel, The Game, 2 Chainz, Sevyn Streeter, and Jazzy Amra, and Harlem native Cam’ron. Production is grabbed from various producers, including Buda & Grandz, Triple A, Cardo, Mr. Authentic, Phonix Beats, Cashflo, Jerm, Money Montage, and Rich Icy. East captures the essence of New York, while creating his own essence of New York.

If older rappers and Hip-Hop heads wanted to voice their opinion on new rappers not embracing the culture properly – as it once was before, now is not the time. East embodies himself a true modern day emcee. This a project you can’t ignore.

I talked my way right up out the projects n***a
Put your mind to it, anything is possible haha

The post Dave East’s ‘Kairi Chanel’ Depicts Various Inspirational Factors and Hard work appeared first on The Source.

By now, if you live in, or have been to New Orleans, and haven’t attended a Larry Morrow event, you’re slacking. Ask DJ Envy and Angela Ye, or Fabolous, maybe Drake or Diddy, all people who have gotten the Larry Morrow nightlife experience. This latest event was something a little different. It was one of those, “It really feels good to be here” events. Flood The Love, a benefit concert for Louisiana’s flood victims had a big turnout. Cool kids, hipsters, creatives, other musicians, even a few local politicians, plus so many more made it feel like we were in a who’s who of New Orleans family reunion.

Who is Larry Morrow?

After interviewing him backstage at Flood the Love, aggressive, business minded, focused, relevant are just a few words used to describe Morrow. From growing up, looking up to Diddy, to throwing a party with him during Essence Festival weekend, this describes how Morrow most accurately views his career.

“An eye opening experience for me was when I was 20 years old, and King Los had just signed to Bad Boy, and he asked me to fly out to LA for a private party at Diddy’s house,” Morrow said. “I was having dinner with my sister and mom at the time, but I quickly picked up and hopped on a flight. Growing up I always looked at Diddy’s moves, and to be at his crib, feeling like I was overlooking the entire world, was truly eye opening.”

That wasn’t the only gem Morrow dropped during our conversation.

Who is Larry as a business man?

“I went from gambling my money at the casino, to working with the casino to make money,” he said.

From talking to him, it’s clear to see that he’s gotten everything out of the mud.

Morrow also hinted at a book he’s working on. He didn’t offer up a title, or too many details, but he say it was a self help book, and he gave us one major highlight from it.

“One of my biggest tips in business is to be a man of your word,” he explained. “It’s something I’ve always practiced, and it’s help me create, and sustain relationships with a lot of people in the industry.”

Flood The Love is a New Orleans family reunion

When Spitta headlines a show in New Orleans, expect any and everyone to pull up. Of course, the hipsters are going to be out in droves, but really expect to see everyone. Spitta ran thru a quick set so that he could swiftly transition over to Jet Lounge, an event that he hosts every Wednesday night at the House of Blues. Everyone was tuned in once Spitta hit the stage, whether white, black, politician, smoker, everyone wanted to hear what New Orleans’ most loyal mainstreamer had to say.

Curren$y opened the show by addressing a young man in the crowd who was yelling out song requests. He said, “You trying to request a song right now? This ain’t about us right now. This is about the 225 (Baton Rouge).” Spitta was joking, of course, but he did take every opportunity he could to remind everyone why we were there. Besides that, he put on an amazing show as usual. Hit after hit, the crowd knew every word, and I’m sure his energy attracted some new people to Jet Lounge. Morrow spoke with me about how he views Curren$y and talked about how he has the highest respect for him because of his solid connection to the city. Doing an event like Flood The Love on such short notice was really a blessing and the city surely appreciated it.

Opening up the show was Daniel Heartless, who has been like New Orleans’ golden child for a minute now. But now, with nods from K Camp, Keenan Lewis, and Juvenile, Heartless is taking everything to the next level. Rocking the show with Heartless Gang in the building, Heartless put on a show despite the fluctuating crowd during the time of his performance. This is an art within itself, and a challenge of staying focused on the task at hand. Mission accomplished.

Next up was Kourtney Heart. She dazzled, of course. She was able to bring the majority of the crowd’s attention directly to her, and once she had it, she blew the roof off of the place. With her combination of high energy dance records, and thought provoking love songs, Kourtney Heart captivated the audience, and left a lasting impression. She was perfect for a benefit concert, and 100 percent delivered.

Ambre’ Perkins is a superstar. Running with Kehlani, and Tsunami for sometime now, Perkins hasn’t allowed that to box her in. She’s carved a lane of her own, stuck to her guns with her own sound, and has put out two amazing projects, Wanderlust and 2090’s. Last night, she went completely Perkins up there. Finishing off the show with a beautifully painful song dedicated to the flood victims that left her with a rousing round of applause from the audience.

We were able to sit down with Perkins to talk about a few things, and she gave us the story on how she met Kehlani, saying, “That’s like big sis, I made a song about her once on SoundCloud and after putting it out, I was checking the SoundCloud and saw that she was the first person to listen to it. Not too long after, she hit me like I’m really feeling this. I later found out she was going on tour with G Eazy, and I told her I would come. From there, we built our relationship, which is now a sisterhood. She gives me advice, we look out for each other, you know, like real sisters”

Last but not least, PJ Morton brought the house down with his high energy. Performing his hit song, “New Orleans Girl,” Morton really had the crowd engaged and upbeat. The sound that he delivered on stage was a breath of fresh air and something the game desperately needs. It won’t be long before the entire world hears what he possesses, and he’s going to be on a level I don’t even know if he ever even imagined.

Let’s continue to help the victims of the flood in Louisiana. And if you’re from New Orleans, and you’re reading this, let’s remember we were here before, and our neighbors helped us. 

The post Curren$y headlines benefit concert for Louisiana flood victims appeared first on The Source.

In a year in which we’ve seen both formidable and lackluster bodies of work from both veterans and neophytes alike, ScHoolboy Q stakes a viable claim for album of the year with his sophomore major label release, Blank Face LP.

Coming off his highly-praised major label debut, 2014’s Oxymoron, the masses have been anticipating ScHoolBoy Q’s next up-at-bat. Blank Face LP finds him at his most skeptical and introspective, and while that’s not out of the ordinary for the 29-year-old Compton native, he delves deeper than we’ve seen previously with this new project.

The 17-track opus opens with “TorcH”—a five minute, 35 second track—which cracks open the window of nostalgia through which the LP takes place, while setting its dark, foreboding tone with help from multi-faceted Hip Hop/R&B crooner, Anderson .Paak. The intro is followed up by “Lord Have Mercy” featuring Swizz Beatz, a shorter, interlude-like track, that is a good breather following the five minute opening, which then leads into the album’s well-received two singles “THat Part” and “Groovy Tony/ Eddie Kane”. This speaks to Q’s skillful album sequencing and pacing, which has been a cut-above-average since his first album Setbacks, back in 2011, and has only seen refinement over his past five years of activity.

That’s the thing about Q, self-awareness is the fulcrum of his content and his career. He knows what he gets right and what he gets wrong, and at every outing instead of fleeing from the things he got “wrong,” he instead perfects them. Take for instance, “Big Body,” a track assisted by Tha Dogg Pound and produced by Tyler The Creator, serves as a more uptempo and fun track compared to the rest of the album. “Big Body” is a seamless, enjoyable gear-switch, whereas, on the Setbacks track “Rolling Stone,” one of the first entries by Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock and Q as Black Hippy, went a similar route but to more of a detriment to the overall sound of the album, which was largely disjointed, albeit enjoyable. With each project Q improves at curating the sonic textures of his album and Blank Face LP is a testament to that.

While the “gangster rap” genre—which he falls in by default—has had an identifiable sound in years past, Q experiments with the musical landscape of his projects, without it ever coming off as a reach. “Kno Ya Wrong,” for example, a two-part track featuring what was accurately described by Genius as Q’s “rendition of a bluesy/ODB-esque freeform flow,” is one of the more experimental tracks on the album. “Overtime” which features libidinous crooning by Miguel and Justine Skye comes toward the end, lulling listeners into the songs outro. “Groovy Tony/Eddie Kane,” an extension of Q’s first single for album, adds a gravelly Jadakiss verse to the mix, over brooding base-heavy production before switching to the song’s percussion-driven, eclectic second half. ScHoolBoy Q is one of few rappers whose projects can see these three different textures co-exist, without losing its cohesion.

BFLP boasts a weighty slew of features such as Kanye West on the album’s second single “THat Part,”  as well as T.D.E.’s newest signee Lance Skiiwalker. Additional features include Long Beach stalwart Vince Staples, T.D.E. songstress SZA, E-40, Miguel, Justine Skye, and Candice Pillay. Newcomers Traffic and TF also appear on the album’s outro “Tookie Knows II” as well as star in the album’s accompanying short film series.

The absence of fellow Black Hippy members is glaring, although Kendrick does have background vocals on “By Any Means,” “Black THougHts” and “Overtime.” It’s worth noting, however, that they do appear together on a one-off remix of “THat Part” that, while not on the album, dropped on the same day.

In a recent interview with Real 92.3 he explains why we rarely hear Black Hippy as a collective in recent years. “We don’t like rapping with each other no mo’ like that,” he explained. “Like that’s pretty old now for us.” He went on to reveal that the “THat Part” remix was the manifestation of lobbying by T.D.E.’s commander in chief, Top Dawg. 

Blank Face portrays not only the ills of life growing up in the gang-infested streets of Compton, but Q’s many personal missteps as well. His narrative is received as less of a glorification of gang banging and criminal activity, but more of an attempt to edify his listeners. On “Black THougHts” Q spits:

Ain’t nothin’ changed but the change
Let’s put our brains away from gangs
Crips and Bloods the old and new slaves
Sh*t we even changed our names

On “John Muir,” Q puts the listener into the shoes of his younger self, presenting an unvarnished reality of his formative years, and the pragmatic choices he made. He raps, “I was thirteen with my mothaf*ckin’ heat, y’all./N*gga caught cases tryna take your f*ckin’ screen off.” Though his delivery at times can come off boastful, in reality it’s more like Q giving his younger self a smack to the back of the head. “Str8 Ballin” furthers the narrative depicting when Q finally progressed from the impetuous South Central lifestyle and finally took his life by the reigns:

Hiding from the reaper tryna’ dodge the cage
This sh*t I’ve done to rhyme on this stage
I went from king of the the corner
To breaking down weed on my diploma
Straight ballin’ like a b*tch

Blank Face LP expounds on everything enjoyable about Oxymoron, and tweaks the faults of that album making for the best body work we’ve seen from ScHoolBoy Q yet. The personal nature of the album creates a bond between the listener and Q, which is a rarity in an age where polished “rap persona” archetypes are ever-present. Blank Face LP will be adored by avid ScHoolBoy Q fans, and will also be exactly what those waiting for him to prove himself have been waiting for.

The post Review: ScHoolBoy Q Makes A Strong Bid for “Album of The Year” With ‘Blank Face LP’ appeared first on The Source.

Snow Tha Product has electrified her devoted fan base for the last few years. Rocking packed out venues, appearing on sizzling ciphers and killing collabs, Snow is ready for her next step in the game.

Atlantic Records has just released her latest EP, Half Way There Part 1. The project reaches outside of the sound of Snow’s niche demographic, bringing out new qualities in the rapper that leave an anticipation for what’s to come next. While it’s only six tracks and two interludes, the project is surprisingly balanced. The artist keeps her fiery essence throughout, killing syllabic rhyme patterns while experimenting with new styles of music.

Songs like the intro, “No Cut” and “Get Down” offer long time fans the feisty Latina Snow has come to be known as. But songs like her latest single “Nights” explore a more refined Top 40 sound. Sung entirely in Spanish, “Nuestra Cancion” has the most crossover appeal of any song on the project. The reggaeton flavored song has a dancehall type energy, with driving percussion speed that should deliver well to the dance floors of the Latin music world.

Much like her shows and many of her songs, she finishes the project strong with the song “Not Tonight.” A club banger, with a crazy electronic lead, the song shows Snow can also have appeal in the EDM and Trap scenes.

Overall the project highlights the many different styles of Snow’s abilities on bigger records. Snow give the audience a peek at her mass appeal by stepping out of her comfort zone and proving she has more than just hard, fast rhyme styles.

The post Review: Snow Tha Product Ventures Into New Lanes With Latest EP appeared first on The Source.

Last year was a big year for Hip Hop in Australia with a stack of quality releases. Here’s a quick Top 5 list from 2015 to familiarize yourself with rap’s leading names down under.

Golden Era Records Mixtape 2015

Featuring all artists on Australia’s biggest Hip Hop label (A. B. Original, Adfu, Briggs, Hilltop Hoods, K21, The Funkoars, Vents), the Golden Era Records Mixtape 2015 is the fifth installment in this yearly mixtape series from Golden Era Records since 2011. A full roster plus more including Jayteehazard of Elefant Traks and Maundz, the release is a great taste of Hip Hop from Australia. The mixtape shows the diverse sides contained within the Golden Era Records camp and the yearly cypher is now a staple in the Hip Hop calendar in Australia.

Hau – The No End Theory LP

Marking Hau’s long awaited return to releasing music after his most recent album The ‘Umu with his group Koolism, The No End Theory does not disappoint. With guests appearances from Oddisee, NZ super producer and DJ P-Money and Che Fu among others, the release is excellent from front to back and a very worthwhile addition to the legacy of Hau, placing him front and center in the history books of Hip Hop in Australia.

Kings Konekted – Corrupted Citizens LP

Kings Konekted’s long awaited debut album on Unkut Recordings not only lived up to expectations but preceded them. With features from Australian legends including Trem One, DJ 2Buck and Prowla among others, this is Kings Konekted’s most polished release to date and raises the bar for rap albums in Australia. Intricate wordplay, complex rhyme patterns and a perfectly created soundtrack to the raps gives Corrupted Citizens high playback value.

Mantra – Scenefour EP

Short in nature but high in quality sums up Mantra’s Scenefour EP. Designed to keep fans in the loop before his new album drops, Scenefour features the banging single “Nowhere To Go” featuring E-Swift and J-Ro of Tha Alkaholiks. The b-side “Rapper’s Duality” is also a favourite and sets the stage well for the upcoming album.

Maundz – Nobody’s Business LP

Following the success of his previous release Zero, Melbourne emcee Maundz is back once again with his highly anticipated and well-received LP on Crate Cartel / Golden Era Records. Maundz goes from strength to strength with each release and looks set to break into the upper echelons of Hip Hop in Australia, steadily gaining news fans through his furious lyrical style. An excellent release from Maundz and big things to come.

Honourable Mention

1200 Techniques ft. Ghostface Killah ‘Flow is Trouble’ 7-inch

Following up 1200 Techniques’ long awaited return with The Time Has Come EP earlier in 2015, they released the stand alone 7-inch featuring Ghostface Killah of the Wu-Tang Clan. The track is a signature DJ Peril classic funk with a booming sound and Nfa and Ghostface combine like a seasoned duo. The b-side remix is arguably as good as the original and definitely a polished product not to be slept on.

The post Are These Australia’s Top 5 Hip Hop Releases From 2015? appeared first on The Source.

The internet lit up late last week with a flurry of hashtags that have echoed persistently for years. Two simple words strung adjacent — #FreeGucci — created a unified call for one of Hip Hop’s most enigmatic and influential figures to find his way out of prison and back into the adoring grasp of his fans.

For the perpetually prolific “Guwop,” legally known as Radric Davis, trouble with the law was not an entirely new issue, but 2013 escalated quickly with an inundation of parole violations, assault charges and eventually, two counts of firearm possession, ultimately resulting in a guilty plea. The plea, while carrying mandatory jail time, helped to offset the Federal Court’s potential charge, with what could have been a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Gucci’s criminal record can actually be traced back to as early as 2001, which made it all that much more cathartic when last week he was released several months early from an initial September release date after a motion to expedite his sentence was approved.

It’s important to remember not all those sentenced to a stint behind bars see their way to an abbreviated sentence in any respect. Just see the recent conviction of a member of Bobby Shmurda’s GS9 crew for an example of a 98 year-plus sentence; essentially a life sentence delivered under a different moniker. For Guwop, his firearm possession charges catalyzed a prison sentence of only a few years, but for the rap community at large, the void was evident and could only be filled by frequenting an onslaught of mixtapes while reciting the practically religious call of “It’s Gucci!” out of sheer respect. Of course, the #FreeGucci slogan also helped us through some pretty tough times.

Then, on May 26, the Hip Hop community rejoiced when the Atlanta rapper was suddenly released from prison. We could all breathe a sigh of collective relief, knowing that Gucci was finally free. But perhaps the most amazing part of the saga is that despite substantial prison time, Gucci Mane was able to muster an incredibly expansive catalog even from behind bars.

As comprehensively detailed by Pigeons & Planes, Gucci managed to curate an ongoing stream of proper mixtape and album releases during his prison stay by developing an ongoing dialogue with his engineer and trusted confidant Sean Paine. Together, they communicated as frequently as possible to ensure that the legacy didn’t lose any momentum. And if anything, they coaxed both the myth and the music to grow even further. They went from daily phone calls, to weekly calls and finally correspondence online via “Corrlinks,” a communication network designed to help incarcerated individuals connect with their families and loved ones, in order to curate and schedule the continual release of new music. This communication proved key to keeping the #FreeGuci ethos not just alive, but thriving during the intensive prison bid.

Gucci was able to release King Gucci, alongside a comprehensive multi-part project: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert, and Trap House 5, as well as a dizzying cascade of additional releases, cementing his image as a relentlessly prolific artist that couldn’t be stopped even from the oppressive confines of his prison cell. Even a glimpse at Gucci’s comprehensive discography as published from prison is a bit puzzling, as it displays a man that’s ultimately published more music from behind prison bars than most artists manage to output under creatively-conducive circumstances.

Again, Gucci’s intimate working relationship with Sean Paine is what truly allowed for this level of fortitude and working perseverance to continue in any capacity. When interviewed in 2015, Paine went on to detail how they were able to facilitate their releases:

“I talk to Gucci every day, all the time. We communicate via email. At first, he could call me. So I would be playing the songs for him. He’d call me, and I’d be wired to my hard drive at my house, and I’d play his songs for him. And he’d be like, “Yeah pick that one. Keep going, keep going.” He’ll pick what he wants for his CDs. And then he got to the point where he couldn’t call no more. So he just kinda trusted me to do it.”

And while plenty of music critics might actually admonish this type of release style (we’re talking about a catalog that might make Lil B look timid about music releases) this approach proved to be an incredibly adept strategy for staying relevant even while out of sight. Sure, there were tiny missteps along the way. Many of the released songs don’t hold much pop appeal, and yes, Gucci did wind up making an actual LinkedIn account to vicariously network within the film industry, but who’s to say that Gucci’s not a 21^st Century trailblazer, blurring the lines between the physical and digital realms with an almost ingenious effectiveness? And true to form, Gucci is already back at it, having just released the Mike Will Made It produced “First Day Out Tha Feds,” since being released. The song has now accrued over two million streams online.

While a vast majority of the songs released while Gucci was incarcerated seemed to have been backlogged and re-released from the dusty inner-workings of old hard drives, the fact that listeners continued to receive new content over the course of a significant incarceration speaks to the intensively resilient dedication of both Gucci and Sean Paine. Of course, none of it would be possible without a diehard listenership that remained loyal no matter what. Which is made all that much easier now that the “Free Gucci” slogan can finally be read in reverse: Gucci’s Free.

Original Illustration by oli Hb

Visuals by Richie Williamson

The post How The Phrase #FreeGucci Became Much More Than A Hashtag appeared first on The Source.

Compton rapper The Game has released a new song titled “Mama” featuring vocalist Sonyae Elise in memory of Afeni Shakur and as a shout out to his own mother, just in time for Mother’s Day.

With the unexpected passing of Tupac Shakur‘s mother Afeni earlier this week, it was only right for The Game to drop a song in remembrance of the two. Tupac is a heavy influence on The Game and the L.A music scene period.

The Game did a great job of serenading his mother and all mothers around the world. Take a listen below.

The post The Game Releases “Mama” In Memory Of Afeni Shakur appeared first on The Source.

While many rap shows notoriously never start on time, last night’s concert [Thursday, February 4] at Kaufman Music Centers’s Merkin Concert Hall wasn’t your average Hip Hop experience.

Promptly at 7:30pm, members of the 17-piece PitchBlak brass band took to the stage for a special performance with Pharoahe Monch as the evening’s ecstatic bandleader.

In conjunction with the Ecstatic Music Festival, the performance was a collaboration between the two acts, featuring original lyrics from Monch’s fourth studio album, PTSD, set to arrangements crafted by several members of the brass band.

From strings to brass to vocals, all ingredients were present to make an eclectic, spectacular rendition of  Monch’s music, and as master of ceremonies for the night, Monch’s performance was captivating and very heartfelt. All 18 people on stage gave one thousand percent for the event, making for an enjoyable night showcasing extremely high musicianship from talented performers doubling as fans of quality Hip Hop looking to have a great time.

“I had always been looking to do something like this,” Monch said in the Guardian during an interview prior to the event.  “But for this project especially … I always wanted a more dramatic situation, live – and also to add some actors onstage, which I’ll be trying to do here, as well. The guy who is in charge [of the Ecstatic Music Festival] just presented to me how different the setting is – and the venue – from what’s normal with Hip Hop. So I was like: cool.”

The performance of the album as backed by the brass band was simply epic, being broken up into two parts with an intermission, which Monch said was more for him than anyone else joking that he sweats a lot. The sound was incredible and hearing songs such as “D.R.E.A.M.,” “Still Standing,” “Losing My Mind,” “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” and Monch’s smash single from his debut back in 1999, “Simon Says,” had the audience standing up from their cushioned theatre seats clapping and dancing along.

The PitchBlak brass band incorporates tubas, trombones, saxophones and other instruments traditionally not seen in Hip Hop in the spirit of The Roots and other reputed live acts, and often collaborate with a variety of emcees to recreate hip-hop albums in a unique, energetic way that offers a new, creative dimension to the live show. Absolutely incredible.

Get the fuck up! Such an amazing night that we will never forget. The vibe was right the music was tight. Yoooooo! More to say tmrw, big ups the amazing Pharoahe Monch! @warmonkey @ecstaticmusic @merkinconcert

A video posted by PitchBlak Brass Band (@pitchblakbrass) on Feb 4, 2016 at 8:35pm PST

Image via Instagram courtesy PitchBlak brass band

The post Event Recap: Pharoahe Monch Gets Live With PitchBlak Brass Band appeared first on The Source.

A month into an extensive tour run, G-Eazy and A$AP Ferg are collectively experiencing what every artist dreams of: selling out a New York City venue. Except, much like G-Eazy humbly recalled on stage last night [Monday, January 25], this is a little bit different than selling out the downstairs of Webster Hall.

While G-Eazy expressed gratitude for that career milestone he hit a couple years ago, being so happy to be able to tell his friends and family back home in California he sold out a show in New York, he took a minute to exclaim the magnitude of emotion he was feeling that this is Terminal 5, and how a performance originally slated for one night grew into three.

G-Eazy recruited A$AP Ferg, Marc E. Bassy and Nef the Pharaoh to join his headlining tour celebrating the release of his album, When It’s Dark Out, which dropped on December 4, 2015 and debuted at number one on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop chart. 2016 will have G-Eazy seeing a lot of the road, with a two-month-long U.S. run, followed by dates in Australia and Europe into the summer.

Just a week after previously gracing the stage for Yams Day, a tribute for A$AP Yams, who tragically lost his life a year prior to the date on January 18, 2015, Ferg was back on Terminal 5’s stage again with Yams in spirit. Yams kept a watchful eye on the performance, as visuals were projected on a giant screen behind Ferg, as Yams recorded voice blared over sound system, introducing Ferg’s track, “Let It Go.”

From the jump, Ferg had command of the audience, saying, “Can we turn this sh*t all the way up to 1000?” as he rapped joints off his debut album, 2013’s Trap Lord and from A$AP Mob’s catalog.

In addition to crowd favorite party anthems, such as “F*ck Yo B*tch”, “Shabba,” and “F*ck Out My Face,”  Ferg switched things up a bit throughout his set, bringing out his protégé Marty Baller to perform their track, “Big Timers,” and Ferg collaborator Crystal Caines also blessing the mic with some fierce bars.

Ferg took a minute to dedicate his track “Tatted Angel,” saying, “This one’s for a real one. This is some real sh*t I wrote,” putting the spotlight back on Yams and calling for fans to put their lights or their cell phones in the air. The track is foreshadowing to a more personal side of Ferg, which fans will see a lot more of in his sophomore album, Always Strive and Prosper, with an official release date yet to be announced.

Ferg also performed his new single with Future, “New Level,” keeping the energy high, as he rocked the stage in a long black leather coat shouting out his family in the building and closing his set with the sign off, “Love, Peace and A$AP.”

In between performances, a stage crew broke down the giant screen backdrop and built a theatrical set for G-Eazy, which featured storefronts from a gritty, downtown city scene, and a character playing homeless resting on a graffiti-covered park bench before G-Eazy came out. The backdrop was well-produced, fitting the hip, rock-n-roll vibe G-Eazy goes for, with flashing signs reading “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “The Saint,” and “Motel.”

Performing songs off of his sophomore album, When It’s Dark Out, it was clear the audience was here for—and turning up for—G-Eazy. While Sunday night’s show saw Joey Bada$$ as a special guest, G-Eazy leveled up for night two’s run, bringing out the legendary DMX halfway through his set. As fans flipped out to the surprise guest, this was a moment in Hip Hop solidifying G-Eazy’s career in rap, as DMX gave the ultimate praise saying, “This is that underground sh*t! I see you out here doing your sh*t!” Following a brief-but-epic rendition of the classic “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” G-Eazy hyped up the audience trying to get him to do one more with DMX declining, saying, “Do your motherf***ing thing, tho!”

While one could assume the night was over when DMX left the stage, G-Eazy took another 45 minutes or so to go through his catalog, shouting out his day one fans and reflecting on his experience earlier in the night filming for an appearance on Jimmy Fallon.

“Can I take a picture to remember this night forever?” G-Eazy asked a sea of 3,000 people. “Remind me how lit tonight was a hundred years from now.”

This one was one for the memory books for G-Eazy and fans alike, with G-Eazy today posting it was hands down the best night of his life. Not too shabby for a Monday night, New York City.

Can’t put last night into words… From Fallon to the second night at T5, truly feel blessed. Best day of my life hands down ? @dkessler A photo posted by G-Eazy (@g_eazy) on Jan 26, 2016 at 10:13am PST

Image courtesy The Bnjmns

The post [Recap] G-Eazy And A$AP Ferg Rock A Sold-Out Crowd In New York City appeared first on The Source.

Chris Brown’s highly anticipated album Royalty is clearly a parallel to his life thus far.

Released today [December 18] Royalty showcases Brown’s transformation from bad boy to a man who embraces his flaws and makes clear his desires.

With lyrics ranging from overtly sexual to intimately heartfelt, Chris is very transparent in his feelings about his encounters with love both fleeting and heartbreaking. “KAE” seems to be a very obvious reflection of his tumultuous relationship with Karrueche Tran, with him expressing both sadness and anger over the state of their relationship. “Blow in the Wind” highlights his shift in focus from love and relationships to work, deciding to be nonchalant when it comes to women and haters.

As always, Chris makes sure to pay homage to the R&B greats that inspired him throughout his career. Especially with the sexually explicit ballad “Who’s Gonna (Nobody)”, a reference and play on Keith Sweat’s classic “Nobody.” Another track, “Picture Me Rollin’”, is a clear nod to 2Pac’s record of the same name, offering the classic West Coast sound ‘Pac was known for.

Other tracks such as “Back to Sleep,” “Make Love,” and “Liquor” reiterate Chris’ sexual hunger, highlighting his strong vocals and range that goes the distance.

Musically, the album embodies EDM, trap soul, pop, 90s bass and classic R&B. These are all genres from which we’ve heard Chris style his music after before, but you can tell with this record his production team was intent in creating music that not only would be accepted commercially, but drove the emotion of the album forward. “Anyway,” “Proof,” and “Fine By Me” are reminiscent sounds we’ve heard from Chris before (think “Forever,” “New Flame,” “Yeah X 3”).

With the album titled Royalty after his daughter (who up until a few months old was a secret) not much of it is dedicated to talking about that experience aside from highlight track “Little More (Royalty).” The music video he released for the track today may be all we need—and all we’re going to get on the personal matter.

Royalty is sure to be a hit with Team Breezy. Chris continues to reign as a maker of music that challenges musical convention and speaks his personal truth.

The post Album Review: Chris Brown’s ‘Royalty’ Is A Parallel to Life appeared first on The Source.

The Doppelgangaz take a couple things in life very seriously, namely in this instance: beats and brothels. In an instrumental series the duo credits to inspiration from visiting brothels around the world, Beats For Brothels Vol. 3 helps level up The ‘Gangaz growing catalog of independent Hip Hop releases.

BFBV3 was produced in-house by The Doppelgangaz, the partnership of Matter ov Fact and EP, and features guest production on two tracks, out of the LP’s twelve, from Thonio. Taking control of their own creative direction has been a focal point, crucial to the world The Doppelgangaz have worked to create, from donning black cloaks during performances to shooting music videos in industrial wastelands to handling their own production and song-writing, their music matches their seemingly mysterious lifestyles with charm.

For the third installment of their series, BFBV3 is the most forward-thinking of the series, breaking away from strictly being an instrumental release. Gritty is the first word that comes to mind when describing their sound on this project, but their music isn’t isolating. Their dark and cryptic nature is intriguing and their uniqueness is captured wonderfully in this release.

The series champions a make-something-from-nothing vibe; the kind that amps you up and inspires you to do your own thing, and change the path you’re on to wander into the unknown. If you need that extra push a special kind of soundtrack can provide to do something different, The ‘Gangaz have you covered.

BFBV3 is available today [December 18] via iTunes.

The post The Doppelgangaz Continue “Beats For Brothels” Series With Third Edition appeared first on The Source.

Ten minutes before Mac Miller was due on stage last night [Wednesday, December 17] at Terminal 5, cheers of “We want Mac” from the sold-out crowd echoed throughout the building’s multiple balconies and jam-packed showroom. For a rainy Wednesday night, New York City was awake and hungry.

The warning signs at the ticketing booth alerting those in attendance that “strobe lights will be used during the performance” weren’t misguiding, as Mac appeared on stage in a fury of flashing, blinding light. The stage set-up was simple, with two pyramids that each had Mac’s face from his GO:OD AM album cover and a slew of LED’s, with DJ Clockwork’s turntable set-up sandwiched in between, with flashing letters “GO:OD AM,” written in the digital clock promptly displayed.

Donning a Mighty Ducks jersey, Mac set the tone for the night diving right into “Loud” off of 2011’s Blue Slide Park. Introducing himself to the audience, alongside setting the intention of the night, his words were simple: “I’m here to rap.”

“I have two single ass rules to my shows,” Mac told the audience. “If at any point in the night I say, ‘One band,’ you say ‘one sound.’ If at any point in the night I say, ‘I changed,’ you say ‘a lot.’ That’s it. It’s going to be a good f*cking night.” He went on to thank everyone that blessed the stage before him—Cousin Stizz, The Come Up Boys, Michael Christmas and EarthGang—who all helped set the energy high for a crowd with tunnel vision on seeing Mac perform.

The ‘I changed, a lot’ element to Mac as a performer truly says it all. The 23-year-old rapper was often deemed ‘frat house rap’ in the beginning of his career, but with his GO:OD AM debut on Warner Music (released September 18 this year), Mac has shown growth as an artist tremendously—most notably talking about sobering up changing his perspective on life and approach to music. With personal lyrics such as, “Ain’t saying that I’m sober, I’m just in a better place,” the performer keeps it real and has attracted new listeners by doing so, with the help of being signed to a major not hurting either.

The bittersweet component to last night’s performance was that at times, the thunderous bass or Mac’s new hypeman, InnerViewQ, drowned out Mac’s voice. The a capella moments where Mac was alone in the spotlight were some of the more favorable ones, with his voice booming and commanding the attention of the crowd. A common theme throughout the night was the audience filling in vocally, universally singing along with excitement as the DJ cut the music out.

The energy Mac has as a performer is incredible, especially considering last night was one of the last stops on his 55-show tour run promoting his latest album. For just over an hour, Mac went hard and made it seem easy, performing a generous chunk off of GO:OD AM, including “Doors,” “100 Grandkids,” “ROS,” “Weekend,” “Clubhouse” and “Break The Law,” as well as dedicating a track from earlier in his career, “Nikes On My Feet,” to his “day one’s.” Performance wise, Mac is a beast, taking a mere 10-second break to ask for another Jameson and giving the audience song after song, without skipping a beat or tripping over a single word.

Mac also had to take a moment to remind the crowd, “I will not be voting for Donald Trump this year,” just a day after going in on Twitter, causing a viral reaction to his comments regarding the scary possibility Trump could be president. Mac also brought up his 2011 song named after Trump, saying next time he’s naming a song after his DJ, hoping Clockwork will run for president as a result.

Just while things were relatively normal for a Mac Miller show, with nothing crazy or out of the norm save for a fog machine gun, Mac concluded his set like a rap veteran, thanking the crowd and running off stage. Moments later, Miller reappeared for a highly-demanded encore, but this time with special guest Ja Rule. Ja played his timeless classic “Living It Up” much to the delight of fans, with Mac reading the audience’s minds saying, “If you had told 15-year-old me, that this was going to happen, I would have sh*t my pants.”

All photos by Fabian Pacheco. 

The post Recap: Mac Miller Returns To New York For High Energy Performance appeared first on The Source.

Opening up with a quick sound bite of “ready when you are” is testament New York City-based rapper, Mean Joe Scheme, has been waiting to share his talents for years, much like a boxer waiting for his first round in the corner of the ring.

Slightly sweating, feet shuffling and replacing any subtle nervousness with outward confidence: that’s Mean Joe Scheme. With the release of his debut You Gotta Watch, he’s introducing and proving himself at the same time to the world of underground, independent Hip Hop.

With ferocious production, the greater part by Optiks, the beats match Mean Joe’s vocal approach; on some tracks one can almost visualize him spitting into the mic with passion and conviction. The album has a life or death feel to it and there’s a lot on the line from Mean Joe’s perspective.

Lyrically, Mean Joe is as fierce as his name suggests. He has a gritty snarl to his rapping, but with pleasant surprises of sensitivity and motivational moments throughout the 12-track LP. The variety in each track showcases his varied taste in music while also rounding out his sound with thematic, jazzy elements sprinkled throughout. The album achieves success in its creativity and ambition, especially for Mean Joe’s first official time up at bat.

Much like the theme of the title “You Gotta Watch,” a name Mean Joe credits to a mantra bestowed upon him by his father, the album features production and guest vocals from a tribe that, like Scheme, have been refining their craft for years and are grinding to give people a reason to keep “watch.” His hometeam is a powerful group of like-minded musicians, and their music reflects their strength in building each other up. With production credits going to Optiks, J57, Mean Joe himself, Noam The Drummer, Brett Cimbalik, and IMAKEMADBEATS, and guest features from Mike Two, Noah Dreiblatt, Rob Murat, Jemyle Jones, Koncept and the PitchBlak Brass Band, the album covers a lot of ground, with each track offering a different dynamism, helping to refine Mean Joe’s sound and show that there’s a multifaceted artistry behind his bars. Simply put, Mean Joe Scheme is as nice as he is mean.

Stand out tracks include “G-Dep,” “Champagne,” “It Was Written,”5120,” “Everybody/Nobody” and “Realize.” It’s interesting how he decided to wrap up the album with the title track, “You Gotta Watch,” which features whispery storytelling-style lyrics over a downtempo beat, acting as an outro to an impressive curation of heavy-hitting tracks.

As the first official release from Brown Bag AllStar’s J57 new label, Five Seven Music, “You Gotta Watch” sets the precedence for being the first of many consistently heartfelt recordings.

Album artwork by Lou Pimental.

The post Review: Mean Joe Scheme Makes Strong Debut With “You Gotta Watch” LP appeared first on The Source.

Performing the first of three concerts in his surprise Royalty mini-tour, Chris Brown was received as royalty—no pun intended—last night (Sunday, December 13) in Chicago. Breezing through the Windy City, Brown serenaded concert goers with intimacy and his showmanship in tact.

“We want Chris! We want Chris!” demanded the audience of shrieking fans, mostly females ranging from their late teens to 20s. Die hard fans stood salivating the arrival of the superstar as they were SnapChatting and Instagramming the evening away. Michael Jackson hits kept the concert goers company as bright red lights drowned the stage, warming it in anticipation for the Virginia native’s entrance.

Unseasonably warm temperatures and scattered showers didn’t stop Breezy fans from flooding the Aragon Ballroom, the vintage standing room only venue, which once held secret tunnels leading to the basement for crime boss Al Capone (according to legend). Although one hour late, there was no love lost from #TeamBreezy.

The 53 minute-long set was a non-stop party; an electric mix of uptempo hip-pop hits to snippets of his hit-making hooks and features, like DJ Khaled‘s “How Many Times” to triple X-rated bedroom tracks where he had his way with fans like putty as a master seducer. From “2012” to the wildly sexy track “Wet The Bed,” Brown teased fans with welcomed peeks at his tattooed pecks, flirting with on-lookers with pelvic thrusts as the women fell victim to his alluring charm.

Despite an impressive live band on deck, Chris’s vocals weren’t the star of the night, as the Grammy Award winner relied heavily on vocal tracks. His choreography, along with four B-boys who mocked his every move, stole the show. With a mind seemingly of its own, Brown’s fluid body movements and choreography carried the set with force. Gyrating, nay-naying and swaying from one side to the next, the “Liquor” singer, with the occasional jump into the pit as fans feined for a touch, effortlessly entertained.

Previewing tracks off his seventh studio album Royalty, due in stores December 18, such as “Fine by Me,” “Zero,” and “Sex You Back to Sleep,” Brown kept the audience captivated. Much like a roller coaster ride, viewers were catapulted on a musical joy ride through his arsenal of hits, sans seat belt. From the sugary-sweet “Yo (Excuse me Miss)” (2005) when we were first introduced to the squeaky-clean, charming, dimpled teenager, to the lustful “Take You Down” (2007) and other panty droppers where only a microphone stand and a swarm of red-hot lights accompanied him, all eyes was on Brown.

Juxtaposing new and old, the transition from boy to man was even more evident as Brown juggled ballads to dance-pop tracks, from raw and ruthless to seductively gentle. Sending women in a frenzy, who literally fought over his army-fatigue designed T-shirt and white cap after launching them into a sea of gawking fans, Brown solidified his reputation as an adored dance machine.

San Francisco, you got next.

Photo credit: Daniel Boczarski

The post Chris Brown Lights Up Chicago On ‘Royalty’ Mini Tour Kickoff appeared first on The Source.

Jeremih was in hot demand this weekend in the Tri-State area. After performing at the Hot for The Holidays concert at the Prudential Center on Saturday night, he serenaded fans at the world famous SOB’s; where legends are made in NYC.

Fans crowded the front of the SOB’s stage to get a glimpse of the artist as he performed songs off his highly anticipated, recently released project, Late Nights: The Album. He surprised the crowd with special guest 50 Cent. The two performed their 2010 hit track, “Down on Me”.

Despite the setbacks, Jeremih’s album is just what fans were expecting and more. With hit tracks “Planez” ft. J. Cole and “Don’t Tell ‘Em” ft. YG, this album is sure to be one of Jeremih’s best yet.

-Natalee J. Langley

The post Event Review: Jeremih SOB’s Show appeared first on The Source.

After a twenty-plus year tenure in Hip-Hop, not many artists have the individual star power as well as strong relationships, countless hits and more to put on a celebrity-studded show like Busta Rhymes.

“The Dragon” along with his Conglomerate crew and an endless list of power players took over Newark’s Prudential Center, selling out its 18,000 capacity. Buss-A-Bus made sure the Tri-State Area rounded out the year with a live show that most in attendance rated better than event sponsor Hot 97’s annual Summer Jam.

As people were still rushing in the doors, DJ Funkmaster Flex opened up the show with a fiery set preparing for Busta’s arrival. In his regular yet always regal form, Buss emerged from behind the stage with a theatrical replica of the Coming To America wedding, complete with the outfits, dancers and “Put Your Hands (Where My Eyes Can See)” theme music. He immediately warmed up the crowd with a few remixes, bringing out M.O.P. to the “Ante Up” remix and his long-time Brooklyn hypeman Spliff Star, along with reggae sensation Sean Paul for his “Make It Clap” remix. A medley of Busta’s close friends then touched the stage, including Junior Reid (“One Blood”), The Flip Squad, Capone N Noreaga, French Montana and Mariah Carey. At this point of the show, the momentum was just beginning to build.

OT Genasis, the breakout star from Busta’s Conglomerate Records label, came out to perform his debut smash “Coco,” followed up by the Wu Tang Clan‘s Method Man and Raekwon, who pulled out “C.R.E.A.M.” for their fans. Meth brought out his atomic twin from Newark, Redman, and the dynamic duo definitely put on, performing a host of their hits together. Redman broke off into his single “Tonight’s The Night” and by the time Meth reached his premier track “Method Man,” the house was lit. If it could get anymore crazy, Mary J. Blige came out with Meth to rock their Grammy-winning smash “All I Need.” Mary then went into one of the hits from her My Life album, “I Can Love You,” bringing her partner in crime Lil Kim out for her flaming sixteen on that classic.

Once the pandemonium settled, the man of the hour felt it necessary to make an announcement best suitable for the moment. “This is a proud moment for me! I’m happy, ni*ga!” Busta screamed happily to the crowd. “All of these rappers running around here like they’re mad at the f*cking world, but I’m happy right now!”

After Busta took a ‘hood consensus of who was in the building, Naughty By Nature popped in to rep for their hometown with “Uptown Anthem” and “Hip Hop Hooray,” followed up by Paterson’s own Fetty Wap who took control of the crowd seated in a throne. At this point, it was becoming more of a case of who wasn’t there. Rick Ross hit the stage to rep MMG with “I’m A Boss,” followed Lil’ Wayne who rocked with Buss until Diddy hit the stage and tore the house down. A surprise appearance by Busta’s long-time cohorts A Tribe Called Quest closed the show on an absolute high, unapologetic about classic New York Hip-Hop and unapologetic about the 90s era they helped build.

The most important aspect of the night is that it ended in peace without one single incident, something some might have found highly unexpected in the crime-ridden city of Newark. The show, dubbed “Hot 4 The Holidays,” is a very welcome addition to Hip-Hop’s already busy calendar of events.

The post Event Review: Busta Rhymes And Friends Make History In New Jersey appeared first on The Source.

“There’s a lot of 40-year-olds in the building tonight!” hosts Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds teased into the mic, as the audience at B.B. King’s Blues Club erupted into laughter.

They weren’t necessarily wrong either, as the crowd gathered last night [December 3] were there to honor and celebrate 20 years of rocking with Duck Down Music, rap’s undisputed number one indie label.

Having Rosenberg and Ciph (host of the long-running, acclaimed Juan Epstein podcast) narrate the occasion was as fitting as it was hosting the event at B.B. King’s. The venue holds the precarious balance of being able to accommodate a large crowd without losing the quality of intimacy, perfect for Duck Down’s vibe, with performances from Boot Camp Clik and more, as well as the night doubling as a special live edition of Juan Ep.

With a couch, desk and turntable set-up occupying the stage—sandwiched in between two huge projectors showcasing music videos from Duck Down’s impressive catalog over the years—this event wasn’t your average rap show. Fittingly, contrast to the norm for Hip-Hop events never running on time, Duck Down had a packed house at 9pm for this tremendous celebration.

“Y’all feeling distinguished ’n sh*t, sitting down at your tables,” Rosenberg and Ciph joked, “with your ladies, and your drinks by candlelight.”

Label co-founder Drew “Dru Ha” Friedman was the first to bless the mic and kick off the evening, diving right into the history of Duck Down.

“These were people that were putting other artists on,” Dru Ha said, reflecting on labels such as Bad Boy, No Limit and Loud Records, and what they were doing during the era of the beginning of the Duck Down legacy. “These labels were developing artists and we kind of looked at it like the same way, and said, you know what if we develop something, we can control it. And we can make it our own movement and that’s what we did.”

With Black Moon taking to the stage first, performing classics such as “Buck ‘Em Down,” and “How Many MCs,” the crowd started to loosen up and as the evening went on, it began to feel more and more like the Hip-Hop family affair the Duck Down label is renowned for cultivating.

“If it wasn’t for Hank Shocklee, we wouldn’t be up on this stage,” Buckshot reflected after performing. “One day, we got the opportunity to shop our demo to Shocklee, so we hurried up over to MCA and we went to give him our demo, and he was like, ‘I can’t check your demo right now. I can’t listen to it, but come back later and I’ll check it out.’ On our way out, there was a door open, so I walked inside the room and I sat down. I said, ‘Hey, how you doin’, I’m here for the job.’ And she looked at me like, ‘what are you talking about?’ She goes, ‘We’re not hiring. Do you mean the internship.’ So I was like, ‘yeah, yeah!’ She goes, ‘Our internships are only on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s, are you available Thursday?’ I walked out of there like ‘Oh my God, did that just happen?!’ So Hank Shocklee let me intern for him for about a year and after that we started putting our stuff out.’”

The rest of the evening followed the same formula, with Q&A’s following each performance from the Duck Down roster, in-depth interviews covering the history of the label and sharing the good times. Dru Ha shared about teaching Buckshot how to drive in exchange for being taught how to “rap better” (the label founder’s original interest) and payed homage and tribute to the late, great Sean Price.

Tried and true throughout the years, Duck Down is a collective where “The next group is just as good as the last group,” and with that introduction from Ciph and Rosenberg, Smif-N-Wessun were up to bat next.

Smif-N-Wessun absolutely had the best time commanding the mics, performing tracks like “I Love You” and “Let’s Get It On.” Following their performance, they joined in on the nostalgia kick, getting called out for leaving out key details of a story, with Tek and Steele defending themselves saying, “Rappers are good writers, not the best storytellers!”

The pair reflected on how they chose their name, and how they wanted to come up with someone that when you saw one member, you instantly thought of the next, and landed on Smif-N-Wessun to describe them both. The conversation then took a silly turn when Rosenberg and Tek shared an hilarious and semi-hostile moment backstage, where Rosenberg complimented Tek’s sweater. Tek’s response? “A grown man don’t tell another grown man he likes his sweater with the shoulder patches! Sh*t’s not hard!”

The stories told throughout the night were as charming and fun as the performers themselves. It’s clear with Duck Down it’s a family effort, and one built on bond and not talent at the forefront.

“When I first started out, I didn’t picture a 20-year plan. I didn’t even have a five-year plan!” Dru Ha said, getting back into the history of the record label. “Right now, we’re celebrating Duck Down 20, but we went back really 22-23 years with Black Moon and Smif-N-Wessun. That was just Duck Down management. The Fab 5 on this stage, minus Sean P, rest in peace, forever Fab 5, that was the first Duck Down Enterprises groups that we put out.”

“Right off the bat we definitely understood what Sean Price brought to the table,” Dru Ha continued. “Internally, we had no doubteach one of these MC’s had their own set of skills and we appreciated and respected all of them. But we had no doubts about Sean Price.”

The celebration of Duck Down’s 20th would not have been complete with shining a light on the career accomplishments and sharing stories of Sean Price, who tragically passed this August. With P! shirts scattered throughout the audience, and some in attendance putting their lighters in the air, the love for Sean Price was heavily felt throughout the building. The Duck Down camp also shared an emotional compilation video and highlight reel, capturing a small part of Price’s legacy and essence, soundtracked to his track “Mess U Made.”

“What you see is what you get,” Sean P said, in the footage. “I’m a rapper to everybody else, but in here, I’m a dad. I’m a father. A husband. I leave that rap shit outside!”

Bernadette Price held it down for the P family, thanking everyone for their support and love in recent months and shared about how they met in Brownsville, back at age 13.

When Rosenberg asked Bernadette if she was always aware of the impact Sean would have, she responded, “Yes, I always aware. He was aware too. He knew what it was.”

“Sean was bigger than anybody would believe,” Bernadette continued. “Now that he’s gone, everyone is starting to figure it out. He been nice. He ain’t just get nice when he passed away. He said, ‘when I’m gone everybody gonna love me. He wanted to do so much music.” He wanted to make sure he had a legacy like Tupac. He made that quota. He sees, he’s looking down, he’s great. He did music to please the people. He did it for the love, he didn’t do it for the money. He got more music coming soon and I hope y’all gonna buy it!” Bernadette said, with a proud smile on her face.

The tribute continued with Illa Ghee and Your Old Droog rocking the mic next, with Droog saying, “Sean P used to call me classic, man. He really showed love. They say never meet your idols but if you meet Sean P, you won’t be disappointed.” The pair performed Sean Price’s “Bar-Barian” both with passion and with everyone in the crowd rapping along.

As the tribute went on, the special guests continued pouring in, with performances and appearances by Rock of Heltah Skeletah, Pharoahe Monch, 9th Wonder, Skyzoo, Torae, Marco Polo, Ruste Juxx, Chelsea Reject, Raz Fresco, and last but not least, a special blessing to the stage of epic proportions, KRS-One and DJ Kool Herc.

With everyone piled on stage, the amount of talent in the room was overwhelming to digest, but that’s Hip-Hop—the Duck Down way. Spotting several 20th anniversary posters (designed by Tanboys) being carefully carried home on the N-Train as I made my way home to end the night, the words “Real Hip-Hop” and whatever they may mean couldn’t leave my mind. As Rosenberg and Ciph said, Duck Down has been the pinnacle of real Hip-Hop since its inception and during the 20 year celebration, that was felt universally.

The post Duck Down Music Celebrates 20 Years of Independence appeared first on The Source.

With Diamond Mind, the ambitious debut EP of newcomer Pearl Gates, the rapper succeeds in introducing his well-rounded nature as a taste-making musician. He also surrounds himself with the best company, including guest appearances from acts like Masta Ace, Wordsworth and Khrysis of Justus League (9th Wonder).

Hailing from Washington Heights, Gates released his first mixtape A Star In A Broken Sky in 2014, representing hard for New York City and for underground Hip-Hop heroes alike. Shortly following the release, Gates appeared alongside eMC (Masta Ace, Wordsworth and Stricklin) on “Fly Thoughts,” the first single from their album The Tonight Show.

With a balance of forward-thinking experimentation and vocally and gritty boom bap production, the 8-track EP is a strong showcase of variety. Diamond Mind has a “came from nothing” vibe, with Gates sharing his perspectives in an honest way. He’s genuinely invested in his craft and this charm helps capture independent Hip-Hop’s most favorable qualities in one release.

Lyrically, Gates is a wise writer, with smart storytelling and subtle philosophies from his direct experiences etched into each track. His laid back demeanor isn’t one to be interpreted as lazy or passive; as an MC, he tells it like it is, with a confident lean in his posture and a watchful eye on his future. Focusing on the power of thought, Pearl Gates expresses his frustration with economic and contemporary hardships, as well as detailing the ways in which he feels like both an outsider and a leader.

With a careful selection of beats that best display the artist’s lyrical talent, the EP features production from Khrysis of Justus League, Kic Beats, iRobot Scott (for Matrax Productions), Sirplus, Jay Notez and M. Stacks. Featured artists include Masta Ace, Wordsworth, Boldy James and Stricklin. Given the large amount of features, Gates’s role isn’t overshadowed but strengthened.

Diamond Mind is a well-executed first project from a promising artist. Standout tracks include the title track, “Diamond Mind,” “The Ritual” featuring Masta Ace, “Countdown” and “Winning (Whip It).”

The post Review: “Diamond Mind” EP By Pearl Gates appeared first on The Source.

Much like all great timeless pieces of art, The Fuel EP has been a lesson in trusting the process for MC/producer duo Koncept and J57.

Recorded over a year ago at Red Bull Studios in LA, The Fuel EP is the precursor to the New York-based group’s debut LP, Flight, currently slated to drop in 2016. All too often, musicians are faced with industry pressure to release their new music as soon as it’s mastered, as opposed to releasing it when it makes sense for the artist and audiences alike. This is part of why it’s been so refreshing to watch Koncept and J57 build their fanbase organically, as well as take control of their own creative direction by releasing their music on their own terms under Kon57.

The Fuel EP is an underground soundtrack for warriors. Koncept’s perseverance shines through strong in his vocal delivery, with a storytelling element that appeals to both diehard fans of independent Hip-Hop and new listeners. J57’s top notch big stadium production and Koncept’s deeply personal lyrics makes The Fuel feel-good music for the people who always root for the underdog. 

The 8-track EP is made up of carefully constructed music that doesn’t lose its sincerity or rawness along the way. Each track is as dynamic as its creators, and features guests such as the 12-year-old talent Nevaeh, Akie Bermiss, Hollis and Dice Raw, to name a few.

From being immersed in Hip-Hop as individuals to joining forces by way of working at the staple-but-now-defunct record store Fat Beats, to creating records as part of Brown Bag All Stars and working with countless collaborators over the years, the duo’s collective resumes run as deep as their passion does for making heartfelt music.

As an introduction to their ambitious and prolific sound, Koncept and J57 set their own bar exceptionally high with The Fuel EP. Check out the stream below and via iTunes.

Album art by Chris B. Murray. 

The post Review: Koncept and J57 Release “The Fuel EP” appeared first on The Source.

Independent New York rapper Mysonne is embracing his (growing) voice as a representative of the Hip Hop community’s fight against social injustice.

The Bronx-born artist has released “T.H.U.G.S.”, a new track expressing his frustrations at how wider society views young Black men across the nation.

Rocking a “Police Murder People” statement t-shirt, Mysonne juxtaposes his angst (“Pastors pray for us / Caskets wait for us / Our elders failed us /Now they got hate for us”) with images of those who’ve tragically lost their lives to police brutality and powerful statistics detailing the extensive inequalities people of color in America suffer.

Watch his stirring “Justice Or Else” speech at last month’s 20th anniversary event for the Million Man March:

The post Mysonne Releases Powerful New Track, “T.H.U.G.S.” appeared first on The Source.

Before you take a ride in Appleby’s “Glossy Ride” it’s imperative that you don’t try to place the song in one particular genre. The mysterious Chicago crooner blends sounds and genres in a way that very few can. “Glossy Ride” is backed by a JMSN-sampled R E T R O 1 beat that’ll pierce through your ear to the depths of your soul.

Just when it sounds like Appleby is taking his “Glossy Ride” down the smooth R&B lane, some screwed vocals creep onto the track to give it a dark feel.  “I don’t floss in a glossy ride,” Appleby croons on the first verse, but even if you did catch Appleby in his coupe on the north side of town you wouldn’t know it was him. Appleby is an artist who wants his music to speak for itself, which is why most don’t even know what he looks like. Some of his closest friends and family don’t even know that he moonlights as an internet phenomenon.

“Glossy Ride” is a unique cut that comes just in time for the winter. It’s a refreshing reminder that there are still artists who take pride in the intrinsic value of music rather than the flashy whips. Stream the track below and let us know what you think.

– C.J. Rucker (@Ruckmatic)

The post Take a Ride in Appleby’s “Glossy Ride” On His Latest Single. appeared first on The Source.

Alexander Hamilton founded the Federalist Party; he wrote over half of The Federalist Papers; he was a chief aide to George Washington during the Revolutionary War; he established a national bank; he had an extramarital affair; he was killed in a duel by Alexander Burr.

That’s a rough history of Alexander Hamilton. Not a complete history by any means, but a few of the major points to be found in any history book worth its salt. Far too often, history is reduced to no more than mere words on a page, a simple recounting of events. But history is much more than that — it’s a narrative. And, as any good writer of fiction will tell you, narratives are driven by characters.

Somewhat paradoxically, the more written about the great figures of history, the more mythic they’re made. They become figures, representations of nations, ideals, and attitudes of the times. But what is often forgotten about these figures is that they were, in fact, people. People with lives, experiences, emotions, and stories, yet they live in our minds only as statues, lifeless and stoic. They cease to be real people, real characters.

Lin-Manuel Miranda has set the new standard for how to tell an historical narrative. His newest musical, Hamilton, is an unqualified achievement, rich with interpersonal and political drama. It brings humanity to the lives of its subjects, which, over the course of over two hundred years, have become a matter of fact. Miranda has taken the history and done it the justice it deserves: He’s made it a living, breathing story.

Like his previous musical, the wonderful In the Heights, Hamilton has strong roots in hip-hop. While other genres and musical styles are present, hip-hop is the undeniable lifeblood of Miranda’s score. The mish-mash of hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and pop (in varying degrees) makes for a piece of musical theatre unlike anything else.

For those who don’t consider themselves fans, musical theatre conjures up certain… feelings. Primarily of contempt and disdain. Those people can hardly be dragged into a production of West Side Story, let alone listen to the soundtrack. However, if you were just to hear certain tracks from Hamilton in passing or out of context, you’d be excused for thinking it’s a cut from a straight hip-hop album.

Good music is good music, and while much good music has been written for the stage, many musicals don’t successfully survive the transition from the boards to vinyl or MP3 (I’m not forgetting CDs; it’s the rest of the world that has). Hamilton, however, effectively works as an extended concept album, reminiscent of many current and classic hip hop artists. (That’s not to say, however, that it’s derivative; just the opposite, in fact.)

As an album, Hamilton is expertly paced. The flow of the music rides a comfortable wave, never letting the high-energy, fast-paced numbers wear the listener before switching to slower, more contemplative fare. The mood of each track does an admirable job of reflecting and complimenting the action of the narrative.

It’s arguable that the life of Alexander Hamilton is an odd choice as the subject of a musical; it’s also arguable that telling that story through hip-hop is an even stranger pairing. Some belonging to the snooty highbrow crowd might be aghast at the notion of Alexander Hamilton spitting dope fire verses, that to depict such a thing would be a bastardization and debasement of its esteemed subject. But Miranda’s choice of musical styles brings the story into the realm of the contemporary. It feels present and immediate, connected to modern times and modern audiences. More than that, it shows just how universal the themes of the narrative and the struggles of the characters are. Aside from specific historical events (hello, American Revolution), Hamilton could be an autobiographical album of anyone living today. The music brings to light fundamental societal issues of class, government, and discrimination that are just as vital and in need of evaluation today as they were in the late 1700s. It shows that these struggles, unfortunately, remain timeless.

Hip-hop was born out of struggle. Like the blues music from which it grew, rap documents living in the face of intolerable cruelties and injustices that pervade the United States. And that’s what all art really is — it’s a document, a snapshot of the world as it stands and how, perhaps, it should be. Hamilton is part of this tradition. It shows that artists are just as essential in continuing to shape the story of this nation as the founders were in starting it.

The track list is as follows:

Disc I
1. “Alexander Hamilton”
2. “Aaron Burr, Sir”
3. “My Shot”
4. “The Story Of Tonight”
5. “The Schuyler Sisters”
6. “Farmer Refuted”
7. “You’ll Be Back”
8. “Right Hand Man”
9. “A Winter’s Ball”
10. “Helpless”
11. “Satisfied”
12. “The Story of Tonight (Reprise)”
13. “Wait For It”
14. “Stay Alive”
15. “Ten Duel Commandments”
16. “Meet Me Inside”
17. “That Would Be Enough”
18. “Guns and Ships”
19. “History Has Its Eyes On You”
20. “Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)”
21. “What Comes Next”
22. “Dear Theodosia”
23. “Non-Stop”

Disc 2
1. “What’d I Miss”
2. “Cabinet Battle #1”
3. “Take A Break”
4. “Say No To This”
5. “The Room Where It Happens”
6. “Schuyler Defeated”
7. “Cabinet Battle #2”
8. “Washington On Your Side”
9. “One Last Time”
10. “I Know Him”
11. “The Adams Administration”
12. “We Know”
13. “Hurricane”
14. “The Reynolds Pamphlet”
15. “Burn”
16. “Blow Us All Away”
17. “Stay Alive (Reprise)”
18. “It’s Quiet Uptown”
19. “Election of 1800”
20. “Your Obedient Servant”
21. “Best of Wives and Best of Women”
22. “The World Was Wide Enough”
23. “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story”

-Stephen Jones

The post Album Review: ‘Hamilton’ Original Broadway Cast Recording appeared first on The Source.

The Game
The Documentary 2
Blood Money/eOne
Features: Kendrick Lamar, Dej Loaf, Sha Sha, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, will.i.am, Diddy, Ab-Soul, Marcus Black, Jelly Roll, Q-Tip, Eric Bellinger, Future, Sonyae, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg,
Production: The Mekanicks, Bongo, will.i.am, Jahlil Beats, Cool & Dre, Mike Will Made It, Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, Cardo, Boi-1da

Before the The Game made his debut in 2005, the future of West Coast hip hop hung in the balance. 50 Cent had just released his groundbreaking debut Get Rich or Die Trying in 2003, the world was brushing the dirt off its shoulders to Jay Z’s Black Album, Kanye West made his debut as an MC on College Dropout and Eminem, T.I. and Ludacris were all buzzing. Not to mention Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz were taking over the airwaves after their Crunk Juice album went double-platinum in less than two weeks. Meanwhile the only thing the west coast had going for it was Xzibit’s lackluster Weapons of Mass Destruction.The best west coast hip hop project in 2004 was Tupac’s posthumous soundtrack to his Resurrection documentary. How fitting that a year later, The Game answered the west’s call with his own Documentary.

The West needed someone to put it back on the map and Jayceon Terrell Taylor did just that with The Documentary LP. The album bled the aggression and rawness of a Compton rapper who had been held hostage by the industry for years. A decade later, The Game is back on The Documentary 2, the highly anticipated followup to his left coast classic. The sequel to his debut could not come at a better time for west coast hip hop. 2015 saw Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly achieve instant classic status while N.W.A.’s genre-defining story was brought back to life in the box office hit Straight Outta Compton. The Documentary 2 will be yet another success on the west coast’s 2015 hip hop resume.

The Game struggled to find a sound that worked for him after his sophomore LP, The Doctor’s Advocate. His scrappy persona catapulted him into countless beefs, Worldstar fights and even a reality television show. His focus on music seemed to take a backseat to the outside influences on his life. On The Documentary 2 we find The Game matured and more focused than he’s ever been. The gritty bars that blared through our speakers ten years ago are there, only this time, his seventh studio album possesses a regionless sound that has led him to his best work in a decade.

The hip hop purists of the world will cringe at a tracklist with 19 songs that contains a feature on almost every one. They’ll go into cardiac arrest once they see the names of hip hop legends Dr. Dre., Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg juxtaposed with the likes of Drake, Future and Dej Loaf. “I grew up to N.W.A. nigga,” Game contends on “Don’t Trip” before his idols Ice Cube and Dre arrive on scene to prove that they haven’t missed a step. The majority of the features help The Game adapt to hip hop’s sonically evolving landscape while taking the listener back to the times that shaped his sound.

The opener “On Me” samples Erykah Badu’s “On and On” and features Kendrick Lamar. The track exudes a natural feel because of the chemistry K Dot and Badu have while The Game sets the tone for the rest of the album by not allowing the TDE frontrunner to outshine him as he paints a vivid picture of the streets he grew up on. The song transitions into the Dej Loaf and Sha Sha featured cut “Step Up” which samples a Pete Rock and InI track that shares the same title. Tupac also sampled the same song on “I Get Around” which is why the track gives off a west coast vibe. The Game’s infatuation with samples make for a unique listening experience because you don’t know what familiar sound you might hear over the course of the 19-track project.

“West side ni**a, never had a problem banging Big,” The Game says on the 12th track “Summertime”. Now we understand why The Game has no problem borrowing Biggie’s “Kick in the Door” and “Things Done Changed” cuts on the fifth track “Standing on Ferraris”. The track even turns Diddy into an honorary Compton Bad Boy — inviting Puffy to kick in the door with his signature ad-libs and a head-scratching but comical monologue. By the end of the track you’ll think that The Game might be Notorious B.I.G.’s accomplice on “Gimme the Loot”. On the seventh track “Made in America” featuring Marcus Black, The Game spits in a cadence similar to Nas in his heyday. He even shouts him out on the soulful track before acknowledging the mistakes he made coming up in the game — “We all make mistakes look what happened to me and 50.” The east coast influence on The Documentary 2 gives the album a regionless sound but it pays off, even for an artist who’s been synonymous with west coast gangster rap his whole career.

It’s no secret that The Game has had his fair share of baby mama problems. He lets us into the harsh realities of his damaged domestic life on The Documentary 2. “Circles” is a chilling track that builds on the ‘late nights spent at the studio’ problem that rappers in relationships often face. “I know you saying you workin, but baby boy this feeling ain’t right,” Sha Sha croons from the perspective of The Game’s spouse. “You ain’t complain when I bought that Maybach/ Put you in Chanel, your friend Chanelle can’t even say that,” The Game counters. The back half of the song dives deeper into The Game’s pained relationship when Sha Sha lets him know that he’s not as irreplaceable as he thinks — “I guess you thought they stopped making real ni**as when they made you.” Future joins the baby mama drama party on the 11th track “Dedicated” which enlists Sonyae to play the role of the women in the two rapper’s lives. The track tackles the volatile situation of having another man around your kids. “Now a nigga feeling like Future, we both dealing with a new nigga around our kids and we ain’t kill ‘em yet/ Nig*a I salute you,” The Game’s personal tracks give The Documentary 2 the same feeling The Documentary gave fans with songs like “Start From Scratch”.

The Documentary 2 starts to feel like an actual Documentary, clocking in at 73 minutes. The length of the album makes it hard to digest and some of the songs don’t quite hit the mark. A slight trim to the album’s 19 songs might give it the classic feeling that The Game’s debut album had. The 12th track “Bitch You Ain’t Sh*t” is a shockingly misogynistic track that doesn’t move the album along. “Hashtag” is a near miss because of Jelly Roll’s raspy cackling but The Game cleans up the track despite Jelly’s incessant ad-libs that dare your thumbs to hit the skip button.

When you look at what The Game has accomplished on The Documentary 2 the album becomes even more impressive. He proved that he refuses to get categorized as a rapper who failed to adapt to hip hop’s changing sound with the lead single “100” featuring Drake. He was still able to stay true to his roots on “Dollar and a Dream” even though he was lyrically tested by Ab-Soul. The production helps The Game create one of the most musically dense albums of his career. Mike WiLL Made It’s “Summertime” is driven by smooth piano keys that complement The Game’s gritty bars. On the title track, The Game simply raps his ass off over some exhilarating piano keys courtesy of DJ Premier and Dr. Dre. The Documentary 2 is The Game’s strongest most focused work since his debut album 10 years ago. Are you ready for The Documentary 2.5?

C.J. Rucker is a freelance journalist from Los Angeles. You can follow him on twitter  @Ruckmatic

The post Review: The Game’s ‘Documentary 2’ is His Best Album Since His Debut appeared first on The Source.

Drake & Future
What A Time To Be Alive
Cash Money/ Epic Records
Production: Metro Boomin, Boi-1da, Southside, Allen Ritter, Noah “40” Shebib

“Sh*t is purely for sport, I need a 30 for 30,” Drake claims on the closing track of What A Time To Be Alive. Both Future and Drake are at a point in their career where it seems like they are in fact just rapping for sport. Two of the hottest artists in the game linked up to release an 11-track, $10 “mixtape” in celebration of the W’s they’ve accumulated this year — particularly this summer. They’re on a win streak that’s fueled by competition. While one is competing against 140-character Twitter tantrums the other is battling the pains of mixing a withering relationship with new-found success. What A Time To Be Alive is the fifth full-length project Future has released this year and Drake’s second. The two have reached the stage in their career where they can virtually do no wrong. There aren’t many rappers in the game that can silence ghostwriting accusations all summer only to namedrop their accused co-author on an opening track like Drizzy did on “Digital Dash”.

What a Time To Be Alive oozes the confidence, and chemistry you’d expect from two artists who are at the top of their game. The only problem is that one of these artists is Future and the other is the 22-year-old super producer Metro Boomin, not Drizzy. Metro is responsible for a plethora of hits this year including a majority of the one’s on Future’s DS2 album. He recalculated his successful formula on What a Time To Be Alive to give both Drake and Future a chance to shine but Drake takes a few tracks to settle in.

Future and Metro pick up where they left off on DS2 leaving the 6 God waiting outside the party on the first three songs: “Digital Dash”, “Big Rings” and “Live from the Gutter”. “Digital Dash” is driven by a polished Metro Boomin/Southside beat that Future sounds more than comfortable on. The same goes for “Big Rings” before Drizzy leaps on Metro’s pulsating banger sounding a little out of his element, exuding the type of aggression you’d expect from one of his Somali hitmen. It’s the type of attitude that stems from making a mockery of a street rapper from South Philly. Future and Drake’s clashing styles are felt less on “Live from the Gutter”, giving Drizzy a chance to breathe on a beat co-produced by someone he’s more familiar with — Boi-1da.

Drake’s arrival to the ATLien-themed party doesn’t take long and once he shows up, it’s well worth the wait. The highlight of the project comes on the fourth track, “Diamonds Dancing” where Drizzy makes his presence felt in the most mellow yet impressive way possible. Future and him trade verses on a slow-cooking instrumental before Drake drops your heart into his bottomless pit of dejection on the outro. When Aubrey’s voice fades into the abyss as he croons  “how can you live with yourself… ungrateful,” it’s clear that Drake and Future have found a middle ground that works for both of them. Their chemistry is at its peak on the late night ode to the strippers, “Plastic Bag” and the reflective “Scholarships”. We find the two of them in tune both lyrically and sonically on “Scholarships” with Future claiming “For me to move on and succeed — jealousy, envy and greed/ too much of this shi*t, I don’t need it,” before Drizzy vulnerably starts his verse with “I need acknowledgment, if I got it then tell me I got it then.”

What A Time To Be Alive transitions into a well-rounded project once Drake shows up to the party. All he had to was “find his tempo” like he did on the Metro Boomin-produced dab anthem “Jumpman” which sounds like the album’s sole radio goldmine. Future’s versatility permeates throughout most of the record until we get to Drake’s aforementioned “30 for 30 freestyle” solo produced by OVO’s Noah “40” Shebib. The track is a 4-minute lyrical assault on all of those who might doubt Drake’s pen skills. The album is a snapshot of two artists at the top of their game. Future tackles songs like “Jersey” just as easily as “Scholarships” showing just how far he’s come as an artist. Drake’s unmatched ear for melody on “Diamonds Dancing” and “Change Locations” are nice appetizers for his upcoming Views from the Six album. Although it fails to live up to the internet created hype, its highs outweigh its lows making it an impressive body of work especially if it was made in just six days.

The post Review: Future and Metro Boomin Threw A Party On What a Time to Be Alive and Drake Showed Up Late appeared first on The Source.

Mac Miller
GO:OD AM
Warner Brother Records
Features: Ab-Soul, Lil B, Miguel, Chief Keef, Little Dragon
Production: Tyler, the Creator, I.D. Labs, Vinylz

“To everyone who sell me drugs/ don’t mix it with that bullshit, I’m hoping not to join the 27 club,” Mac Miller says on “Brand Name”, the second track on his third LP, GO:OD AM. It’s a morbid line that captures Mac’s mindset up to this point in his career. His last full length project came in the form of a 24-track mixtape titled Faces — a tape laced with some less than subtle death rhymes. By the end of the tape you couldn’t help but think that Mac might actually join the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse in the infamous 27 club. He was heading down a dark path of self-destruction that looked like it had no light anywhere in sight. When you finally get to the last track on Faces you’ll find Mac on “Grand Finale” pondering his own death by way of overdose. When he nonchalantly notes “I’m a bit surprised that I’m even still alive/ Mixin uppers and downers, practically suicide” on the last verse of “Grand Finale” you can almost make out the classic story of an artist’s demise after using drugs and alcohol to cope with the life that comes with the industry.

On Mac Miller’s major label debut, GO:OD AM he wakes up to find the once dim light at the end of the tunnel. Although he seemingly overcame his substance abuse problem, on the opening track “Doors” he makes sure we know that he isn’t exactly as straight-edge as his friend Tyler, the Creator who produced the track. “Ain’t sayin that I’m a sober, I’m just in a better place.” Mac cruises through the 17-track album showcasing his ability to make complete, well-structured songs.

The outdated, happy-go-lucky, frat raps have been replaced with gritty bars on self-awareness, love and everything else that comes with signing a $10 million-dollar-deal with Warner Brother Records. On “In the Bag” we find an elevated Mac who’s left the feel good raps behind, “this the music that make white people mad” he claims on the hook before ravaging through the second verse. When we get to “Ros” he breaks into a touching love ballad dedicated to his girlfriend. On “Time Flies” Mac flexes his lyrical prowess while Lil B provides some classic based scripture in the background. It’s on this track that Mac reflects on some of the decisions he made while life zoomed by, “All the times that I’ve been reckless, with an ego big as Texas, thinkin’ “I’m the man.”

The album boasts five features (not counting some comical dialogue from Domo Genesis and Schoolboy Q) that all fit the story Mac is trying to tell. One of the best songs on the album is “Weekend” which features some assistance from Miguel on the hook before he steals the show on the outro. TDE’s Ab-Soul fired off an MVP verse on the fourth track “Two Matches” but Mac held his own like he did on the prequel that was on his last album Watching Movies with the Sound Off. For years Mac has taken a backseat to some of the seasoned lyricists but on GO:OD AM he makes a strong case for why he should be considered as one of the most gifted MC’s in the game. On the previously released single “Break the Law” he flashes a breathless flow to complement an impressive rhyme scheme, “No pressure, dope seller, smarter than your professor/ Hoes, I don’t stress her, put a bitch down like Old Yeller/ The flow’s stellar, stella ella ola, have you ever been.” The most surprising feature comes from Chief Keef on the gaudy track “Cut the Check”. Sosa and Mac channel the same chemistry they had on Keef’s Bang 3 album (I Just Wana).

Production on GO:OD AM is handled by ID Labs, DJ Dahi, Frank Dukes Vinylz and the aforementioned Odd Future leader, Tyler the Creator. All of the beats on GO:OD AM provide Mac with a canvas to paint the picture of his battle with drugs, love and success. On the first half of the two-part tack “Perfect Circle/ God Speed” Mac tackles the temptations he once faced and their effects on his loved ones. The sinister sounding piano keys paired with a chilling choir that sounds like it’s made up of kids from the Adam’s Family create a gloomy, drug heavy scene. When the track transitions to the second part by way of a phone call from Mac’s brother, the tone has been more than set. Mac reflects on his failure to defeat his vices on the soulful track that’ll have even his most casual fans in shambles.

GO:OD AM is the best work of Mac Miller’s career. It’s a refreshing reminder that artists still have the ability to grow on their own terms — even in an industry that might expedite their maturation process. Mac was once a kid from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who signed a record deal, bought a big house in Los Angeles and threw crazy parties with his friends. He did what any normal kid would do after earning that type of money, “Got a bigger crib, always use the extra space/ Shit was so different in 2008/ Growing pains, fill the open veins with Novocain/ Relapse, I eat that, I don’t complain” he raps on “Rush Hour”. GO:OD AM is the most transparent music Mac Miller has ever made and in doing so he has created a sonically cohesive and impressive album.

The post Album Review: Mac Miller’s transparency on GO:OD AM leads him to the best album of his career. appeared first on The Source.

R&B has turned from strictly baby making odes, to unrequited love, into the complete 180 degree turn of the anti-love song. However, contemporarily, the genre has become a musical blank canvas where artists can blend their influences and experiment with sounds and subject matter. With his latest release, Backseat Memories, Harlem based crooner LoVel capitalizes on the current climate of R&B.

LoVel uses his sultry falsetto as a vehicle to transcend listeners from the no-strings-attached attitude of summertime into the first rounds of cuffing season. And the stand-out anthem of this season is the seductive “Me Too”, which serenades his shorty’s mind as well as her curves.  “The Calling” is a another refreshing glimpse into LoVel’s sound. The uptempo track–with it’s echoing production–doesn’t play like anything else in heavy rotation yet, immediately makes the listener feel as though it should be the recipient of heavy spins.

Within the roster of other R&B artists, consider LoVel somewhere between the guy all too thirsty for multiple dances after buying you a single drink and that other guy, who spent the night reminding you that “these hoes ain’t loyal.”  Throughout Backseat Memories, the theme of youth’s reckless abandon over trance-y beats with sexy baselines, connects the listener to the signature sound of LoVel; this paired with the fact that there are only two features on it’s entirety, allows fans to familiarize with the artist, in a really organic way.

For more, be sure to check out his Soundcloud.

The post #CruiseControl: Stream Lovel’s Latest EP “Backseat Memories” appeared first on The Source.

If the mesmerizing eyes of vocalist and musician, House of Cry, catch your attention, then her talent and five-octave vocal range will keep it. Yep, we’re talking Mariah numbers, vocally, and on top of playing the majority of the instruments you’ll hear on the varied seven-track EP, Sincerely Cry, her writing is surprisingly refreshing.   Once I began listening, I was completely fixed on it.

On the Salaam Remi assisted project, Cry falsettos about her uncertainty of womanhood on “How to Be” and demonstrates her prowess on the strings over her unwillingness to domesticate on “I Don’t Wanna”, declaring, “I Know that you want a family too/ but, baby I’m a rolling stone that’s why I can’t be with you.” Although, the Chicago artist isn’t afraid to speak frankly about sexuality on “Toes Curl” (reminiscent of Miss Jackson’s “Any Time, Any Place”) or make nods to that inevitable Remi Hip-Hop influence with “URAENO”, it’s when she gets back to a more classic soul sound that her impressive vocal range breaks through. Don’t let the melodic vibes confuse you, she definitely has some gangsta to her; pay close attention and you’ll catch it.

“Mindful” is the standout of the EP, showing House of Cry conjuring the ranges of Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey, while still maintaining her own unique vocal athleticism equipped with key changes, staccatos, belting and whistle ranges.  “Sorry” is that one record that will legitamitely have you sitting around in your feelings, due to the heart breaking poetics combined with such haunting cadence.  Requests for back-to-basics R&B singers have been at an all-time high, however all those soul singer powerhouses didn’t do much of their own writing—and the listening public demands bona-fide, original music!

Sincerely, Cry may just be the answer to this quandary. I give it a major co-sign, (which doesn’t happen too often from me) so I recomend you click the headphones above, definitely take a listen and give us your thoughts.

The post EP Review: House of Cry is About to Change the World With Her Latest EP “Sincerely, Cry” appeared first on The Source.

Well if MTV picked Miley Cyrus to host the VMAs for ratings, they got exactly what they wanted. According to the LA Times, the awards show, hosted by oft-controversial pop star Cyrus, was the most tweeted about non-sports program in Nielsen social history (which is to say, since October 2011).

This really shouldn’t come as a surprise, especially considering the events that took place, including the real/fake beef between Cyrus and superstar Nicki Minaj, the 12-minute acceptance/presidential speech given by Kanye West, and of course Taylor Swift was there.

In the United States alone, 21.4 million tweets were sent about the ceremony by 2.2 million individuals. In turn, 11.8 million people received those tweets, which resulted in the VMA tweets themselves potentially being seen 676 million times. This is a significant increase over last year’s social media effect, when just 12.6 million tweets were sent.

All this means is that Kanye might just get the votes for his presidential nomination.

King Jut (@KingJut92)

The post VMA’s Breaks Nielsen Twitter Record appeared first on The Source.

Baltimore artist Wana is live and in direct effect with his latest project,titled Beach Party.

Hosted by DC-based DJ Speechless, Wana describes Beach Party as an alternative r&b mixtape that really brings folks back to the 80s and 90s era where melodies were everything. “I think the different styles and just staying true really not afraid of being different,” he said.

“I really am really excited I feel like this may be the the one where I really found my sound.”

While you’re at it, check out a visual from Wana’s latest project.

The post Wana and DJ Speechless Drop Beach Party Mixtape appeared first on The Source.

The American dream seems elusive in the city that never sleeps.   Welcome to Liberty City Storiez.

Shabir Karim, best known as Karim, is an Afghan-American artist from the “Middle East Side” of Queens, NY.  He first rapped his way into the scene in 2013, with a cleverly titled mixtape, Metropolitics, produced solely by his brother Yaser.

Now, two years later–more mature, more evolved, and with a sound that’s ready to bring the city back–the emcee is dropping his second project, Liberty City Storiez, an 8-track EP.  The EP features a wide range of exotic production from other upstarts such as Yaser, Offy, and K. Rich.  Unlike many of his peers, who put out feature-laden project after feature-laden project, Karim pulls the project off on his own, with a solid performance the whole way through.  He does opt for two well-placed features:  a robust verse from Philly rapper WalkerAMEN on the climactic “Grunge,” and a smooth, soulful hook courtesy of London’s Ella Mai on “Like That.”

Karim’s ability to ride the beat–to ebb as much as he flows–is paramount to his sound.  His lyrics, occasionally infused with an Arabic word or two, turn the typical stereotypes about Middle Easterners into quick-witted punchlines: “Sneak an AK in my camel, yo, I cock it and spray; So many akhis (brothers), Queens looking like Guantanamo Bay.”

The EP opens with the title track, “Liberty City,” which features Karim’s gritty raps over a dark, ominous soundscape, setting the tone for the rest of the project, which follows the lead of “Liberty City,” making for a cohesive listening experience.  Karim picks up speed on the radio ready “Caviar Thoughts,” a more up-tempo track.  On “Vice City,” a darkly seductive intro leads into Karim’s raw, candid rhymes.  The sometimes sordid lyrics, delivered with a casual nonchalance, seem to be slightly at odds with the track’s dramatic, exquisitely beautiful production.  But juxtaposition is the underlying theme of Liberty City Storiez, and Karim pulls it together nicely for the grand finale, “All Me,” where he raps about being caught between two different worlds:  one that isn’t of this world, where he’s on sirat al-mustaqim–the straight path–or the dunya, the physical world, where he’s caught up with the pursuit of worldly pleasures.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. 
— Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence

Freedom has never been free; it’s actually rather expensive, and every man has his price.  The American dream seems elusive in the city that never sleeps.  Welcome to Liberty City Storiez.

The post Must Hear Mixtape: Karim’s ‘Liberty City Storiez’ appeared first on The Source.

Newcomer Josh McFadden, who has a sound slightly reminiscent of Andre 3000, drops his debut mixtape Project Genesis, and proves that his career as an emcee is just getting started.  

When hip hop originated in the 1960’s, the term “emcee”–which generally referred to an event announcer–took on a new meaning.  Early hip hop performers were dubbed MCs, for their ability to move the crowd.

Many who grew up at the height of hip hop’s golden era say that hip hop today is dead, but that’s because they haven’t heard the new blood in the game, like Josh McFadden.  McFadden has artfully mastered hip hop’s tenets of storytelling and kicking knowledge, presenting deep thoughts in an entertaining way, with a style sometimes reminiscent of Outkast’s Andre 3000.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Josh McFadden was adopted, and later raised in sunny Daytona Beach.  Rather than rap with the typical braggadocio about a rented lifestyle–rented cars, video vixens, houses–Josh seeks to bring back the intellect that hip hop was once rich with, before label executives figured out hip hop was a goldmine and attempted to hijack our hip hop.  His latest mixtape, Project Genesis, is a thirteen-track project infused with artistic genius, guaranteed to be aesthetically pleasing to both the hip hop purists and the hip hop progressives.

From the moment you hit play, the intro provides an ambient soundscape, setting McFadden up to come through with the kill, and he swiftly delivers, from beginning to end, putting out a cohesive, solid project that’s unique in that it’s as thought-provoking and socially conscious as it is entertaining.

Standout cuts include “Bucks of America,” a track that pays tribute to Eric Garner and #BlackLivesMatter, “I Love You, Melanin,”  “EveryTyme Eye,” and “AS ABOVE, so below.”

Track 11, “Meditate Never H8″ is particularly distinct, as rather than bars and a beat, it features binaural beats which are auditory tones believed to help induce certain brainwaves that help induce relaxation, meditation, creativity, and other beneficial mental states.

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The post Listen Now: Josh McFadden’s ‘Project Genesis’ is Modern Day Art appeared first on The Source.

They get it in in the kitchen and in the studio.  Meet some young brothers from New Orleans on the grind.  

HOGDAILY, or House of God Daily, a full-service urban wellness/lifestyle brand that sells alkaline water, healthy eats, and personal training services, started out as four young brothers who lived in a 250 square foot concrete building.  Their sleeping quarters consisted of a couch, a futon, and a queen bed, with the kitchen, basically a $40 dual burner plug-in stove, literally just a step away from the couch.  The first year in business, as is the case with many businesses, they made little to no money.

But they persevered, largely in part due to their leader’s hip hop roots.

Shemesh, the founder of HOGDAILY, became a student of hip hop in 9th grade.  The son of a nurse and a preacher, he was always surrounded by music with substance; his upbringing would later play a huge role in his own mission to put out music with substance.  Once he picked up the mic, the New Orleans born rapper was unstoppable in the community; he performed a lot in his teen years, with one of his biggest performances being a pre-Essence show alongside American Idol New Orleans finalist David Brown.

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, Shemesh set aside his musical aspirations to focus on other things; namely, heart-centered entrepreneurship.  He set out for a career in financial services.  While his college studies didn’t last–he dropped out of college a semester after Hurricane Katrina–his studiousness did.  He honed his business acumen through a street-savy combination of self-education and job experience, studying figures like Jay Z, while finding ways to integrate all of the gems he learned in his six years in the financial industry.

In the meantime, he picked up the mic whenever he could, just to keep his rhymes–and his mind–sharp.

Today, thanks to Shemesh’s studious leadership, the HOGDAILY team has grown from nothing to something.  The collective consists of Shemesh, his brother Sanne, the personal trainer; his cousin Pey, the cook; his cousin Baba, who does landscaping and maintenance, and serves as the crew’s cameraman; and lifelong friend RazWise, a talented producer and deliveryman.

FROM L to R: RazWise, Sanne, Shemesh, Pey, and Baba

Accompanied by RazWise’s production, Shemesh has taken his sound to new heights, perfecting a radio-ready commercialized sound that carries with it a socially responsible and heartfelt, conscious message.

Check out the first single, “Money Buys Time” below.

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The post Meet HOGDAILY, the Group Serving Up Heat in the Kitchen and in the Studio appeared first on The Source.

Taylor Swift leads the pack with nine nominations followed by Ed Sheeran with six.  Beyonce and Mark Ronson both have five nominations and Kendrick Lamar has four.

The category for Best Hip-Hop Video is fiercely competitive this year, Kendrick Lamar‘s “Alright,”  Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen,” Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda,” Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” featuring Charlie Puth, and Big Sean’s “IDFWU” featuring E-40 are all worthy of the nomination. It will definitely be interesting to see who take home this award. Check out the rest of the nominees below:

2015 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé – “7/11″
Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud”
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood”
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”

BEST MALE VIDEO
Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud”
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
The Weeknd – “Earned It”
Nick Jonas – “Chains”

BEST FEMALE VIDEO
Beyoncé – “7/11″
Taylor Swift – “Blank Space”
Nicki Minaj – “Anaconda”
Sia – “Elastic Heart”
Ellie Goulding – “Love Me Like You Do”

BEST HIP HOP VIDEO
Fetty Wap – “Trap Queen”
Nicki Minaj – “Anaconda”
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth – “See You Again”
Big Sean ft. E-40 – “IDFWU”

BEST POP VIDEO
Beyoncé – “7/11”
Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud”
Taylor Swift – “Blank Space”
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
Maroon 5 – “Sugar”

BEST ROCK VIDEO
Hozier – “Take Me To Church”
Fall Out Boy – “Uma Thurman”
Florence + the Machine – “Ship To Wreck”
Walk the Moon – “Shut Up and Dance”
Arctic Monkeys – “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?”

ARTIST TO WATCH PRESENTED BY TACO BELL®
Fetty Wap – “Trap Queen”
Vance Joy – “Riptide”
George Ezra – “Budapest”
James Bay – “Hold Back The River”
FKA Twigs – “Pendulum”

BEST COLLABORATION
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood”
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth – “See You Again”
Ariana Grande & The Weeknd – “Love Me Harder”
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj – “Bang Bang”

VIDEO WITH A SOCIAL MESSAGE
Jennifer Hudson – “I Still Love You”
Colbie Caillat – “Try”
Big Sean ft. Kanye West and John Legend – “One Man Can Change the World”
Rihanna – “American Oxygen”
Wale – “The White Shoes”

BEST ART DIRECTION
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood” (Charles Infante)
Snoop Dogg – “So Many Pros” (Jason Fijal)
Jack White – “Would You Fight For My Love” (Jeff Peterson)
The Chemical Brothers – “Go” (Michel Gondry)
Skrillex & Diplo – “Where Are U Now” with Justin Bieber (Brewer)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Beyoncé – “7/11” (Beyoncé, Chris Grant, Additional choreography: Gabriel Valenciano)
OK Go – “I Won’t Let You Down” (OK Go, air:man and Mori Harano)
Chet Faker – “Gold” (Ryan Heffington)
Ed Sheeran – “Don’t” (Nappy Tabs)
Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Never Catch Me” (Keone and Mari Madrid)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Flying Lotus ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Never Catch Me” (Larkin Sieple)
Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud” (Daniel Pearl)
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood” (Christopher Probst)
FKA Twigs – “Two Weeks” (Justin Brown)
Alt-J – “Left Hand Free” (Mike Simpson)

BEST DIRECTION
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood” (Joseph Kahn)
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk” (Bruno Mars & Cameron Duddy)
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright” (Colin Tilley & The Little Homies)
Hozier – “Take Me To Church” (Brendan Canty and Conal Thomson of Feel Good Lost)
Childish Gambino – “Sober” (Hiro Murai)

BEST EDITING
Beyoncé – “7/11” (Beyoncé, Ed Burke, Jonathan Wing)
Ed Sheeran – “Don’t” (Jacquelyn London)
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood” (Chancler Haynes at Cosmo Street)
A$AP Rocky – “L$D” (Dexter Navy)
Skrillex & Diplo – “Where Are U Now” with Justin Bieber (Brewer)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood” (Ingenuity Studios)
FKA Twigs – “Two Weeks” (Gloria FX, Tomash Kuzmytskyi, and Max Chyzhevskyy)
Childish Gambino – “Telegraph Ave.” (Gloria FX)
Skrillex & Diplo – “Where Are U Now” with Justin Bieber (Brewer)
Tyler, The Creator – “F****** Young/Death Camp” (Gloria FX)

The VMAs will be hosted by Miley Cyrus and will air Sunday, August 30, 2015

You can vote for your favorite artist here MTV

The post The Nominees for The 2015 MTV Video Music Awards are… appeared first on The Source.

Atlanta’s Podgy Smith released ,”This Wave,” the fourth single from his forthcoming Moments album.

The AndeOnBeat track also features Kymyra. Stay tuned for his Moments album which is scheduled for release in August.

The post New Music: Podgy Smith’s This Wave appeared first on The Source.

Somebody’s gotta say it, and we don’t think it could have been said, or delivered, better.  

Rapper Big Piph took to the track to say what somebody’s gotta say.  On “Dear White People,” an introspective anthem with a feel-good beat and some well-timed, well-meaning, funny but not so funny samples, Big Piph (short for an Epiphany) delivers a sermon on the mount style manifesto on behalf of all the darker-hued people everywhere to #notallwhitepeople, but those white people.

You know…the people who think Kylie Jenner made full lips trendy, the people that think she made the dress-over-pants look “a thing,”  the George Zimmerman and killer cop apologists,  the people who think Miley Cyrus invented twerking, the people who think Elvis invented rock and roll, the people who defend their racist remarks by saying they aren’t racist because they have black friends, the people who are perfectly happy appropriating Black culture (with no credit to the Black culture, of course), the people who are happy to listen to hip hop, but refuse to listen to the black narratives behind the music, and everyone in between.  This is a song for y’all, but it’s really a song for everybody.

The song delivers a dose of truth serum with a touch of sarcasm and satire (you know, that thing people always use to justify it when they mock oppressed and marginalized people–it’s not prejudice or racism at play, it’s satire, hello!), packaged in paradoxical happy-go-lucky, sing-song manner, while eloquently touching on some of the darker topics in race relations.

The rapper’s Soundcloud page says this of the record:

“Dear White People: I’m sincerely happy that race relations are perfect in America. Given some of the blatant atrocities as of late that have placed black people at the butt of every cruel joke, I am warmed by your loving responses and happy that your belly chuckle is as hearty as ever.  When valid complaints, inquiries, injuries, and anger are brought to the surface by darker hued crews in a non-appeasing manner, the excuses, wrath, diversions, and stupidity that ya’ll offer warm my spirit. (More pride and less listening has always been my code too.)  Well, this song was birthed from that feeling.  In ‘Dear White People’ (and by “white people” I of course don’t mean ALL white people, but THEM white people) I’m giving you a lilac-hued butterfly with wingtips kissed by unicorn sprinkles fluttering in a Maui spring breeze over a volcano. The joy of such awesomeness cannot be easily absorbed by the medulla, but luckily you will still catch it in the form of a feel good, sing-along hip-hop song, so everybody can continue to feel great while some issues are presented. We are black. We aren’t happy. Well…some junk pretty much sucks, but it is much more important that we cater to your contentment, so here you go. Oh, and please don’t get rattled by the “twist” in the 3rd verse. Hope you enjoy.  Yay.”

We have nothing left to say about this record, except “NAILED IT.”

Check it out below.

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The post Race Relations in America: Big Piph NAILS IT on “Dear White People” appeared first on The Source.

Summer is in full effect, and what better way to soak up the sun then to vibe out to some dope summer jams. Venturing into the indie music scene, I’ve gathered a list of  “5 Indie Projects You Should Be Streaming This Summer.” Whether you’re poolside at the SLS Hotel or road-tripping from SoCal to Mexico, check out what’s bumping through my aux chord right now!

5. Tory Lanez – Cruel Intentions

R&B crooner, Tory Lanez has been on the scene for a minute now. Often compared to the likes of PARTYNEXTDOOR and The Weeknd, the Toronto native proves he’s in his own lane with the release of his latest EP, Cruel Intentions. Experimenting with eclectic combinations of live instrumentation and syrupy synth lines, Tory Lanez creates a unique sound that varies from others in the electronic R&B realm. The soft and sensual inflections of his falsetto tones make Cruel Intentions an enjoyable and effortless listen. My favorite tracks from the project include “N.I.N.A.” and “Honda Civic,” two female odes that ladies won’t mind reverberating through their speaker pill.

4. Feroz – Rose Water

Feroz is a mysterious find out of New Jersey. Little is known about the up-and-comer, but after stumbling upon his 3-track EP Rose Water, I was sold. The production is heterogeneous and hip with the frequent use of synthesizers and digitized sounds. The project, when streamed straight through, sounds like the soundtrack for the coolest video game ever. A standout from the project is “East of Eden,” a lyrically intense cut that experiments with a beat-tempo switch midway through.

3. Janine And The Mixtape – XX EP

Thanks to an Uber ride and a driver who could double as a music aficionado, I was put on game to New Zealand artist Janine And The Mixtape. The R&B songstress crafts an immaculate 6-track EP titled XX, full of memorable melodies and likeable love jams.  Her approach differs from her R&B counterparts, as she dabbles with shifty synth lines, and pop genre sorts of runs and ad-libs that many R&B songsters may tend to shy away from (as seen on her tracks like “When I’m Broken” and “This Moment”).

2. BNCKDR – THENINETOFIVE

BNCKDR (Bren Creek Drive) is the Indianapolis native who started gathering Internet buzz a month ago after dropping his track “Canon,” prompted an immediate co-sign from rapper Royce Rizzy. BNCKDR is a 21-year-old singer, songwriter, producer with an innate music ability as displayed in his newest work THENINETOFIVE. The 11-track mixtape is inspired by intoxicated thoughts about women, fame, and money. And while the project may be a fictional painting, the sounds of “Boat House” and “Pull Up” sit well as summer in-your-feelings anthems.

1. Prez P – The Preztige

Miami based emcee, Prez  P links with producer The Pyrvmids to deliver an 8-track EP titled The Preztige which features fellow Miami rhyme slayers Rell Burgundy, Ransooo Rockchild, Lil Champ Fway, and Philo B. The rapper has been stirring up buzz in the Miami scene and his performance on this body of work shows the up-and-comer’s clear and apparent stamp in the hip-hop game. The project is a catalyst of self-reflection as he spits about weeding through haters, staying afloat, and his transition into eminence.  Some standouts include “Last Night” and “Holding It Down.”

– Savannah Britt (@Sav_Britt)

The post 5 Indie Projects You Should Be Streaming This Summer appeared first on The Source.