Justin Henry's Tales Of A Rebel! is an outpour of strong-willed lyricism and versatile flows. The project truly confirms the many talents and unwavering focus he possesses.
CARRO and Kizzy Cobain's new single embodies the more vulnerable side of love. Smooth cruising on the breezy afrobeat, the two singers try to work out their differences. The woman in question seems to be pulling away, but CARRO lets it be known that he needs her close.
Uplifting all achievers to trust the process, KS The Kid's WE CAN BOTH FLY is a 10-track album that's lyrically equipped with personal chronicles of how his hard work paid off. In like manner, the records on this project are relatable by nature because it reveals moments when he faced tough challenges. Despite this, WE CAN BOTH FLY shows that you can do anything you set your mind to.
The themes in Stuck in Paradise can be echoed by those stuck between a rock and a hard place. Juggling between moving on or staying the course, Mannikin speaks about what's really in his heart.
Only Yours by Young Bail is powerfully influential in its own right. The 12-track LP details hazardous get-rich quick-schemes, clout-chasing, and the dangers of street life, featuring a series of hard-hitting bars that explore social issues and his transcendence.
QUEES' They All Have Wolves In Them is the perfect blend of cinematic soundscapes rooted in trap and other alternative-based genres. Some might even say that the beat selection in "He Was Gone By December" has a Ye style. Commanding the charts with only eight tracks, They All Have Wolves In Them, see QUEES and his features taking pride in their success. Other tracks on the aforementioned EP are about silencing the opps, his charm, and, ultimately, living life without any regrets.
St. Wallace invites listeners into his world via THINGS I NEVER SAID. Throughout the project, he remains an open book, giving insight into each chapter of his life. Moreover, the versatile musician has channeled his pain to craft powerfully written verses.
Qui the Last Word fosters both personal and artistic growth in his music. At the core of his lyricism, he speaks about his unwavering work ethic, all while pushing others to elevate. Moreover, Qui the Last Word speaks on his progression and upbringing. Like one of his songs suggests, he’s on the go. Qui the Last Word is not stopping for anything or anyone. His primary focus is on getting a bag.
Nac's album attests to the saying all that glitters is not gold. His 13-track LP, titled The Midnight Album, is sonically appealing. Comprising highly energetic flows and experimental hip-hop beats, Nac's album is a welcome sign of his authentic musical style.
California-based producer/musician Maxim Adams has officially dropped his highly-anticipated EP, Amora. The 3-track project is an excellent blend of atmospheric elements that are rooted in House. Likewise, the transitions seemingly go well with the song's overall theme. Overall, each record takes one to another realm, inviting listeners alike to explore the unknown.
ORG Prophecy recently dropped his first-ever project titled Can't Sleep Sober. He describes it as an "examination of existentialism during an eye-awakening night." The project follows the release of his song "Y.K.T.V" last year, which garnered nearly 15,000 streams on Spotify.
Everyone has a favorite, and for a good reason, they have powers that allow them to do things that we can't do and are strong and willing to fight for what they believe in until the end.
Lucky Iris, comprised of Maeve Florsheim and Jasper Exley, provides an open space for listeners to freely express their inner thoughts in Turns Out We Should Have Stayed at Home, an electrifying project the band debuted a few months back.
Many hip hop artists these days are all following the same formula for success. Leaning on trap beats with booming 808s as the foundation for their next hit song. However, it becomes clearer every day that Jersey artists are distinguishing themselves as the exception. Stephen Xavier’s new album Verano a prime example of the unique creative expression grown from the garden state.
Real Talk (The Metaphor Messiah) is a lyricist who draws from the golden era of hip-hop. His musical styling carries that oomph from the ‘90s that rap enthusiasts have been looking for. Real Talk (The Metaphor Messiah) is currently readying for his album tomorrow titled My Dreams and Nightmares. The hip-hop effort is said to bring together new-age beats and old school cadences. Having already prepped for the album’s release months ago, Real Talk (The Metaphor Messiah) adds,
Due to the large amount of time that we’ve spent inside during quarantine many people have been coming face to face with the clutter in their environments. This includes both our inner and outer environments and these realizations have led to us purging things that no longer serve us. Many artists are going through the same thing and purging their vaults of music that they’ve had stored for a while. This is essentially how GuessMuzik’s new EP, The Purge came about. It almost makes you thankful for quarantine because without it who knows when these dope tracks would’ve come out.
CALIBER - Shut Up
2020 has been an exciting year, to say the least. So far, for the first half, the whole world has been fighting a pandemic. This process has brought us face to face with many difficult topics such as mortality, knowledge of self, and the integrity of our governments. Now yet another player has entered the ring demanding to be recognized, and that is police brutality and the value of black lives.
Since COVID-19 has come and disrupted the status quo for the majority of Americans, most are trying to fight boredom and stay entertained. However, artists are thriving during this time and helping to provide people with entertainment they so desire. New Jersey’s artists are some of the most creative out there and are continually dropping content that is drawing attention to how dope we are. One artist who is expertly doing his part to put Jersey on the map is Najir with his debut E.P, Commuter. Najir likes to describe himself as an individual who marches to the sound of his own drum. “I am what I am, and I don’t like to do what everyone else is doing. I do what feels right,” said Najir.
If you’re in the mood for infectious melodies and thought-provoking existential music, The Jahz is the next artist you need to check out. This up and coming artist from Englewood, NJ, uses his platform not only to vibe out but also to educate and uplift his audience. You can tell that he’s more than you average artist just by his name. “Jah is my initials, and it means God-like Jehova or Yahweh, and funny enough the Z stands for zebra, and represents polarity, and is a tribute to my African heritage.”
Hip hop today has become oversaturated with people who create music idolizing different vices such as drugs, money, and women. So it’s always refreshing when a new artist hits the scene, deciding to tackle topics of substance. Sye, formerly known as Rightful Disciple, is thankfully one of the artist’s choosing to pour his raw emotions into his art. And these emotions helped to create his new E.P., Everything in Between.
If you’re a fan of hip hop, you’ve got to love bangers. Bangers are those songs that hit as soon as you turn them on and get you in the mood to do anything and everything. Lucky for us, 8aint Jame8 (Saint James) just dropped a four-track EP of straight bangers for our listening enjoyment. Clips Vol. IV may be short, but James’ modern east coast style drives all listeners to grind and get to the bag, despite what is going on in your life. “I try to talk about being successful [and] being larger than life,” said James. “Not saying we don’t get through our ills. Just be self-aware of everything we’re going through and stay dedicated to the main goal."
These days, New Jersey based rapper Irate Specialist is all-smiles. The science behind his happy-go-lucky attitude stems from being positive and speaking his truth. On average most rappers speak on material goods and degrade women. Specialist, however, puts the pen to pad so he can gain traction from crowds worldwide. Because of this, Specialist overexceeds in creating relatable content. He’s simply connecting people by telling his story. His album Understand M.E vouches for this. Describing his genre as positive turn up shit, the 12-tracked project Understand M.E is just that. The project comes with different vibes that caters to different people while still showing others who he is and whats made or broke him. His first album on SoundCloud is titled Don’t Sleep on M.E. For this new project, Specialist wanted it to be personal so people could actually understand him and know who he is. Specialist describes the process for…
October is here. Spooky szn has officially arrived. If you’re looking for music to match the season This Really Ain’t It, by Ali The Guru is the perfect place to start. Even though the cover art is IT themed. Ali’s not clowning around when it comes to the bars on this EP. He packs the EP with bumping beats and clever bars to grow hype for his upcoming album. This Ain’t It the project preceding this one was a substitute for the album’s original release date “I was supposed to drop my album on my birthday, but I didn’t cause of technical difficulties,” Ali says “Then I dropped the second part of This Really Ain’t It cause it still isn’t my album.” Despite all the technical difficulties the album is coming soon and these EPs serve as a great preview to what I’m sure will be an awesome project.