Review: "Winterlude" EP by Weapon

Boston based rap duo Weapon (Fantasy & DFizz45) proves to have an incredible range on the powerful and soulful flows of their new EP “Winterlude”. The songs run the gamut from stripped-down bare bones minimalism to careening groove full of such confidence. Their vocals have a great strength to them with lyrics that opt for the poetic and there is a realism to each verse, giving the whole of the audio trip a majestic sense of grandeur. The production here has a flawless quality to them for each track has a polished perfection to it with grooves that hit hard. Emotionally Weapon runs the range from pure swagger to confessional odes.

References abound throughout the whole of the collection. The dreamy jazz-like hit of the grooves reflect upon the similar vulnerability of Tyler, The Creator’s most recent works. With the flipside, there is a sense of the thoughtfulness of Kendrick Lamar in terms of how confessional the verses become, as they are offered completely unvarnished.

Production at times draws a bit from Mac Demarco’s woozy, warped rhythms. On the yearning side of things, the tracks where everything is washed in a fine yellowed yearning nostalgic glow, Weapon brings out elements of Boards of Canada’s experiments with hip-hop.

“Fire” introduces the collection and lives up to its name. Featuring some outright splendid hard-hitting basslines, the track spirals out wildly in a way that feels quite magnificent. A completely different tact emerges on the spaciousness of “Slow Down” where Weapon explores a nighttime noir atmosphere. Elegance radiates throughout the entirety of “2Hr Drive” which features some impeccable grooves that have a soulful, jazzy cadence.

Pure intensity rushes through on the energetic flows of “Who to Blame”. Such clear-eyed focus emerges throughout the piece as the delivery has a wild, freewheeling presence to it. Easily the highlight of the EP comes from the powerful closer of “No Love”. Warped guitar work comes alongside delicate keyboard melodies, as Weapon’s deliveries have a starkness to it, with the words hitting with a profound quality.

Lives lived to the absolute fullest and explored in vivid detail, Weapon’s Fantasy and DFizz45 go straight for the heart on the tenderness of the “Winterlude” EP.

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Interview: Detroit YB Discusses the Visual For "I Get Around", Off His "Beauty In The Struggle" Album

“I don’t rap unless I’m motivated or at least went out and lived life so I have something authentic to talk about. ”

— Detroit YB

Salute to you on the release of your new music video for "I Get Around"; of the Beauty In The Struggle's 16 songs, why did you choose this one to create a video for?

I appreciate that. “I Get Around” is one of my favorites, not only that, but it's also one of them joints that you need to focus mainly on the lyrics or you might get carried away with the message. Listen as I narrate my past life in the streets but showing you how to use the streets to your advantage and making something better for yourself.

It also describes how I can't just sit down, my hustle requires me to "Get Around", so I felt that this track needed visuals to stand out a bit more.

With "Beauty In The Struggle" being your debut album, what are you most proud of with this project?

The one thing that makes me proud about this project is that I stepped a little outside my comfort zone and expressed my true feelings on every song to be more relatable to every single person listening to it. It brought me success early because I let a few of my homies hear it before it was released and it changed their lives for the better. Some even broke down because of how transparent the music was to them, so in my mind I already succeeded with this album; just need to get it to the masses.

Being from Detroit and now based in Atlanta, how would you compare/contrast the music scenes for emerging artists?

Well when I was still living in Detroit which was around the beginning of 2015, the music scene wasn't popping out there like it is now. Detroit now is definitely on the map as far as Hip hop.

Atlanta has become the mecca for the music scene but from what I hear and see, Detroit ain’t too far behind and in my opinion, we never was, we just never got the acknowledgement from the industry or the masses. We finally catching our break because in my opinion we got top of the line talent in Detroit, so I would say Atlanta is not much different in the music scene. But Atlanta has more resources and opportunities. I call it Black Hollywood.

When you are developing new music, what do you look for in the beats that you choose to write to?

It's not what I look for, it's what moves me. Back then I used to be able to rap about anything and I would look for certain beats to match what I wanted to rap about but now I do things totally different. I don't rap unless I'm motivated or at least went out and lived life so I have something authentic to talk about.

And as far as beats, the instruments would have to move me. I feel like soul beats are an inspiration to me but in all honesty it really doesn’t matter what kind of beat it is. As long as it's speaking to me I can write a record to it. Everything i put out from here on out has to have substance and meaning, if not then I can’t and won’t write the record.

With "Beauty In The Struggle" now released, what are some of your goals musically for this upcoming spring/summer?

My goal for my first debut album is to slowly push it to the masses. I don't have a time limit for that, I just want the world to gravitate to it when it's time. Of course I'm doing a lot of promotion and marketing for it but as of right now we are shooting videos to like half of the track list, so this upcoming summer you will see more visuals from me as I'm writing my next album also.

There's an idea of a book that I just started writing as well that stems from the album, so I'm in the works with that and in hopes that it can be released this summer as well.

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Connect with Detroit YB: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Review: "Endangerment" Album by T.E.E

Rather than braggadocio or descriptions of drip that have been overwhelming rap, Goldsboro, North Carolina based artist T.E.E is here to bring us a more relatable album for the everyman, while still pushing us to do better. A lot of us have found ourselves in a pandemic-related slump, and this motivational, ambition-peddling work entitled “Endangerment”, is exactly what we need to hear.

The first track “Get It” is a cold and ruthless reminder to get back on that hustle. The beat is delightfully minimal but hard-hitting, reminiscent of a drill beat. This rapper’s unique delivery and vocal timbre piqued our interest. Whether this is a reminder for you to get up and get to it or the soundtrack to your workout, this track is versatile and has a timeless feel.

T.E.E references his inspirations as Meek Mill and Rick Ross, and while that’s immediately evident from his songs, it doesn’t feel overly derivative. His tracks are aspirational, also dedicated to his thoughts and surroundings. There’s a sense of self-awareness that intrigues us.

“Worth” is another standout that starts with a brightly tinkling piano. “Worth” showcases T.E.E’s lyrical talents, as he reminds his competition that his lyrical lessons don’t come for free: “Show ‘em how to do verses well, but I have to tax ‘em.” Still, he’s not above sharing his mental health struggles, which we’ve all inevitably dealt with recently, “My depression got me stressin’, existential drip.”

“Self Made” ups the tempo and pushes the competition to the side with the help of artists GenWorld and Jhony Allen West the Sketch. With energy, the chorus delivers: “Get out my face/get out my way/get off my case/or run this fade/y’all n*ggas made that I’m self made.” Targeting sellouts and those who climb the networking ladder, T.E.E is clearly focused on his own journey, and getting there on his own terms.

“Music Junkies” on the other hand is an homage to the artist’s authentic and genuine passion for music over clout. T.E.E also produces beats along with his raps, and for him, music always comes first. With “I’m a music junkie/I don’t f*ck with y’all/with the tools on me/I be dropping these bombs,” he flexes his production and the behind-the-scene process that many rappers aren’t a part of.

T.E.E is about the anatomy of a song, not just getting the glory for delivering it.

“We’ll Be Right Back” featuring 2FLY KING departs from the Meek-style delivery and slows it down to a lazy, old school (and beautifully mixed) beat, giving us a chance to catch up with this fiery artist. This fluid track goes down like honey and is definitely a DCWS favorite.

Authenticity is something the industry has been lacking for a while, and it’s soul-fulfilling to see that independent rappers like T.E.E are still pushing the envelope, and hungry for their next chapter.

Stream and Share “Endangerment” on: Bandcamp | Spotify

Interview: Boston Based Rap Duo Weapon Talk About Their New EP "Winterlude"

“2020 went from the start of a new year full of promise and quickly turned into a loveless and lonely feeling year. Our personal life mixed in with the vibe of the year itself created the atmosphere for the “Winterlude”. ”

— Weapon

Congratulations on the completion and release of your incredible EP "Winterlude"; describe your creative process for the EP's five songs and who provided the production.

Thank you for that; we really appreciate the love, but to answer your question, the creative process was a sort of complex one. It was two fold, for one, we started the creation of the EP around the start of 2020. During this period, both Fantasy and Dfizz were going through a break up from two women they were serious with, so if you notice, the EP starts with a happy song called “Fire” and it gradually gets darker and darker and the energy drops as the EP continues.

The year 2020 really influenced the EP as well. 2020 went from the start of a new year full of promise and quickly turned into a loveless and lonely feeling year. Our personal life mixed in with the vibe of the year itself created the atmosphere for the “Winterlude”.

We got all our beats from YouTube believe it or not and we had our production and mixing done at CyberSound studio in Boston.

How did you two initially connect as a duo and what does the name "Weapon" represent?

We initially meet as hoopers in the city. We played basketball often and we also played a lot of 2K growing up but as we aged and our friendship evolved we learned each other’s love for music and realize we were both as passionate about music as the other so we decided to make it.

The idea of Weapon is pretty abstract. We are weapons, our music is a weapon, our minds are weapons; simply put, it’s an abstract way for us to basically describe we want to be legendary.

Can we expect music videos for any of the five tracks on the EP? If so, which one(s) should we be on the lookout for?

Yes, yes you can. We actually have a music video scheduled to premiere on Valentine’s Day. We should be producing videos for the songs “Fire” and “2Hr Drive” real soon, so stay tuned!

How would you describe the rap music scene in Boston in 2021? If you could change anything about the environment for artists there, what would it be?

We will say in all honesty it’s not our sound as most artist in the city seem to sound like other regions but even more so it’s very divided and isolated, so what we would like to affect in the city is unity. There’s some talent in the city but it’s a small market so naturally people are fighting for real estate rather than helping each other up. So we are gunna blow up and change the city.

With the EP now released, what are some of your goals musically for the remainder of 2021?

Our goal is to grow our audience globally and show people who we are. We are very serious with our art and would love to share it with everyone we can.

We are also preparing new music to drop in the summer so stay tuned for that!

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Connect with Weapon: Website | Instagram

London Punk Rock Band Drones Release Their New Album "Our Hell Is Right Here"

Since their inception, Drones have been building a name for themselves with their powerfully energetic live shows and unique punk-fueled post-hardcore stylings. Their highly-conceptual debut album ‘Exiled’ was released in 2018 and packed a punch.

With a strong emphasis on personal growth, Drones’ new album ‘Our Hell Is Right Here’, is out now via Thousand Islands Records (North America) Lockjaw Records (UK).

Crammed with high-octane, yet deeply personal, punk cuts, the album also documents a traumatic period for McDougall. “It’s been a pretty rough ride for the past couple of years,” she says when looking back on the journey the band have been on to get to this point. “But I struggle with claiming my problems and sadness as valid because they are disproportionate to the danger and loss that many face every day. It got to the point where I was almost ashamed to write songs about my own life. However, I’m learning that personal care and self-worth is not something to be diminished. There are songs on this album that I had to write for my own therapy. Whilst writing this record, I went through a divorce, lost a family member and was battling with my own mental health. At the same time, it felt like the world was falling apart. ‘Our Hell Is Right Here’ is the product of my experiences over the past few months. There’s a lot of sadness on this record, but I can now look back and celebrate who I have become in spite of it all.”

Listen to ‘Our Hell Is Right Here’ now, stream it on your preferred music service and connect with Drones on their social media.

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Connect with Drones: Twitter | Instagram

Interview: T.E.E Discusses His Brand New Album "Endangerment"

“I’m mowing through the game and the competition like Juggernaut. It’s also what the letters in my name stand for. T for Tenacious and E for Endangerment the last E stands for Everything. I’m a Tenacious Endangerment to Everything.”

— T.E.E

Congratulations on the completion and release of your new album "Endangerment"; it's very dope. Tell us about your creative process for the development of the album's ten songs and how you decided which artists would appear on what song.

Thank you! I really appreciate that. The process was a bit of a long one to be honest. I wanted to take a different approach with “Endangerment “and took my time making it.

I wanted to improve my sound and would learn new mixing and mastering techniques and that would often have me go back and make a few tweaks. A lot of life happened between “Tenacious” and “Endangerment” so It's more personal this time around.

As far as the artists I have featured, I was listening to their songs/projects and wanted to make something dope and some of them I've worked with before.

How did you go about picking the beats that are featured on the album? Also, which songs did you produce?

Whenever I work on a song I write to a beat and the beat has to speak to me. When the beat plays I hum a melody to see if I can come up with a hook and if I really like it I will write the verses even when I'm using one of my own beats.

The songs I produced on the album are “Get It”, “Worth”, “Self Made” and “Real Talk Pt.3”.

Would you say that there's an overall theme or concept to the album? If so, describe it for us?

Absolutely. I would say the theme is rappers are in danger. “Tenacious” was about being an unyielding and unstoppable force while “Endangerment” is letting people know that that force is coming towards you and there's nothing you can do about it.

I'm mowing through the game and the competition like Juggernaut. It's also what the letters in my name stand for. T for Tenacious and E for Endangerment the last E stands for Everything. I'm a Tenacious Endangerment to Everything.

Were there songs that you recorded that did not make it on the final track list? If so, why did they not?

Oh yes for sure. Some songs weren't finished, some songs I was unable to get the feature that I wanted to for them And there were some mad just didn't fit the vibe of the album.

“God Complex” almost didn't make it on there either but it turns out to be some people's favorite song. I personally wasn't expecting that.

With the album now released, what's next for you musically?

To get more involved in the music scene. Doing shows, making more music and networking with more people as well as more music videos. I've been looking into getting merch set up as well so it's going to be a busy year for me. I'm really looking forward to it.

Stream and Share “Endangerment” on: Bandcamp | Spotify

Connect with T.E.E: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Review: "Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)" Album by Ultra_eko

Ultra_eko goes into a wonderful, woozy approach on the lush arrangements of “Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)”. Within this singular album of Subsequel remixes, Ultra_eko takes a different tact, for the stylistic variation results in some wonderful left field experiments.

Hip-hop still remains the main attraction, but Ultra_eko’s usage of downtempo, jazz, trap, tech house, and more offers a rather creative take on the originals. His vocals still rest prominently in the center of each track yet the way that the pieces unfurl has a lot more unexpected elements about it, for the fantastic twists and turns add to the emotional resonance of the collection.

There is a multi-hybrid quality to the pieces, at times touching upon the polyphonic glee of Underworld’s early output. Akin to their early stuff, Ultra_eko is not afraid to lean into some rather unusual takes with hip-hop’s roots, resulting in moments that are true bliss to observe. Beyond this, Ultra_eko also fits in with a wide array of his contemporaries who refuse to make something simple, as they fuse up elements of jazz, funk, and rap in ways perhaps best observed on labels like Stones Throw and Brainfeeder Records.

Clever glitch aesthetics rest at the very heart of “The Second Chapter” where Subsequel has fun messing with the groove in elastic, ecstatic ways. Tempos are stretched into a low-slung roll with “Keep Busy”. Pieces of dance rock filter into the fray on the swagger of “Cash Money Moolah”. Elements of Neon Indian’s fondness for 80s synth pop comes to the forefront on the lush chords of “Pingu”.

Giddy energy bursts forth on the sly funk of “Girl From Round The Way”, as the song gets sped up in a joyful way. Dub effects add to the heavy cadence of “Yellow” while the song has a kaleidoscopic spirit where the focus keeps changing up. Pure togetherness races forward on the celebratory “Where You At?”. Ending things on a classy, classic hit is the drum n’bass hyperactivity of “Ashes To Ashes”.

The “Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)” album proves Ultra_eko to be an exceptional explorer of sound sculpting, with stories that linger in the mind.

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Get to Know Eclectic Irish Rapper Denise Chaila

A lot of people complain that female rap is manufactured to fit the male gaze. It’s true: mainstream success of many women in hip hop is based off how well they dance and their general appearance over subversive content and uniqueness. But with players like Princess Nokia, Chika, and other rappers carving out new niches of identity in rap, other rap queens are finding their voice and reveling in their differences, rather than trying to squeeze themselves into that box.

Denise Chaila is leading that charge in Ireland, and she’s hard to pinpoint even when giving a description. A quote from her interview with The FADER sums it up: “I'm always looking for the common denominator between Tolkien, Tupac and mo teaghlach - my home.” This Irish talent blends fantasy, gangster rap, and Irish culture in her tracks, making for a rich tapestry to write her songs on.

Denise recently released her 2020 album “Go Bravely” which is what put her on our radar. In her single “Anseo” she images herself as the “Black James Bond” with an Azealia Banks or Flo Milli style lilt and a melodic instrumental backbeat that even draws in classical music. Chaila’s other tracks feature minimalist but exotic sounding production as indicated in her title track “Go Bravely”. Her beats sometimes feel like ASMR in process- weird, unusual, and satisfying sounds bubble together with her addictive accent.

Her wild inspirations aren’t just a ploy for attention - they genuinely represent who she is, even though the combination stands out on paper. Along with dexterous lyrics and undeniable charisma, she finds a way to weave in themes of culture, racism, gender, and finding your place when you don’t fit into one easily. From panic attacks and depression, to frustration with misogyny in rap, Chaila raps about things that are both pressing and relatable to audiences.

In “Move” she tells us against a jazzy background, “I've been feeling different…/Need the serotonin quicker.” This debut album kind of feels like a coming of age process for Denise, a leader of new traditions reaching new heights. She puts it best herself on the track “Down”, where she “dances on the grave of dead traditions.”

For young Irish Black girls, Denise Chaila is a necessary role model for an underrepresented group. She admitted in an interview with The Independent that this lack of representation affected her self-esteem growing up, as well as pre-conceived notions of what she could achieve: “I think that the truth is, being a woman, and being Black, in a country where I didn't always see reflections of myself, impacted a lot on my confidence, and my expectations of what success meant.”

In 2021, it’s safe to say that Denise has gone a long way in finding herself. She's called confidence a “political statement” and in a world where artists are taught to seek validation, we think that’s pretty powerful. She’s bringing light and levity to a time when things are dark - a reminder that second chances are possible.

Connect with Denise Chaila: Instagram | Twitter

Boston Rap Duo Weapon Drop Their DOPE New EP "Winterlude"

We would like to introduce you to Weapon, a Boston based rap duo comprised of Fantasy and DFizz45, who recently dropped their five track EP entitled “Winterlude”.

Speaking about their music and their artistic goals, Fantasy and DFizz45 state “We together as the rap duo Weapon, try to make soundtracks to real everyday lives, formulating bars while still giving melodies and vibes to enjoy. We want to create art that shapes the world. We want to go down as one of the greats in this rap game it has given so much to us, so it's time for us to give back”.

After listening to the “Winterlude” EP, we’d have to say Mission Accomplished" as this project will surely put them on the map for a lot of rap fans (at least those who appreciate DOPE shit). We won’t give too much away because our review is coming soon, but we guarantee that you won’t be disappointed once you click play.

Before you do that, here’s some more thematic information about the EP provided by Weapon -

This EP Tells a story of Light and Dark ; Love and Despair

The Music introduces you to….

Protagonist, a young male maneuvering through the cold world with an unwavering ego until he meets what he believes is the woman of his dreams. It was Love at first sight for them both as they locked eyes, burning desire for one another like fire, there souls intertwined and it felt divine. Sexual healing was what they were for each other, but things take a turn for the worse… rainy days and cold nights lead to a fractured connection, but who was to blame? Was this Love? As things hit rock bottom and the dark energy increased, the story can’t end without hearing from the girl of his dreams one last time. There was… No Love. In fact, it was Love without Love.

Listen to “Winterlude” right now, stream it on your preferred music service, connect with Fantasy and DFizz45 on their website and IG, and hang close to DCWS because our in-depth review of the EP and our interview with them is coming very soon.

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Connect with Weapon: Website | Instagram

Stream "Endangerment", the New Album by Goldsboro, NC Rap Artist/Producer T.E.E.

T.E.E. (Tenacious Endangerment to Everything) is a Goldsboro, NC based rap artist, producer and audio engineer whose music addresses topics mainly influenced by his thoughts and surroundings, and reflects his diversity in thought. With his skills in music, production and engineering as well as his knowledge in marketing/promotion, T.E.E has proven himself to be a man that wears many hats, in not just music, but the music business.

T.E.E. recently released his album entitled “Endangerment”, which is a follow-up to his project, “Tenacious”, that he dropped in 2018. “Endangerment” is comprised of ten tracks and features artists GenWorld, Jhony Allen West, Matrixx, T-Quail, & 2FLY KNG. Production on the album is provided by Teelonias Monk, Curtiss King, Epik The Dawn, DanMilesDidItRight, Jvst X & Raisi K.

We’re excited to share this DOPE new album with you now and will be dropping our in-depth review and interview with T.E.E. very soon. In the meantime, enjoy the “Endanderment” album below, stream it on Bandcamp and connect with T.E.E. on his website and social media.

Stream and Share “Endangerment” on Bandcamp

Connect with T.E.E: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Why DaniLeigh's "Yellowbone" is Controversial, and More on Colorism in Music

Recently, Dominican-American singer DaniLeigh released a snippet of her song “Yellowbone” which celebrated light skinned women. A prominent lyrics in the song goes: “Yellow bone that’s what he wants” discussing her man’s preference for light-skinned women.

The song itself wasn’t very good, especially compared to the artist’s usually very catchy tracks. And underneath, the sentiment wasn’t just about a sexual preference - it’s a dangerous and racist colorist anthem that needs to stop being perpetuated in 2021.

The oblivious way that Dani dealt with the fallout made it even worse. She cried out on social media, “Why I can't make a song for my light skin baddies?? Why y'all think I'm hating on other colors when there are millions of songs speaking on all types... Why y'all so sensitive & take it personal... Gahhhh damn,” That smells like an All Lives Matter style argument to us, Dani. Not cool.

While the singer thought she felt every right to come out with this song since "I’m Dominican... I’m Spanish, I’m black I’m white,” her Blackness or lack thereof has nothing to do with why the song is so problematic. Rather, the promoting of this terminology is what’s damaging, especially since so many people look up to her as a role model and musical icon. Additionally, DaniLeigh has never discussed how she identifies as Black or Afro-Latinx, so this feels like a shoddy excuse.

While she felt like she needed to make an anthem for girls that look like her, it’s not exactly like the space is lacking. We already have white supremacy to celebrate light skinned individuals over those with dark skin. The word yellowbone itself has been used to favor and compliment light skinned Black people since the 19th century. Colorism has been pitting Black people against each other since this time, and has ingrained a deep feeling of self-hatred in the dark-skinned community, as well as a sense of alienation.

The word yellowbone is a way to quantify beauty in relation to whiteness. It’s another way of perpetuating narrow, European beauty standards that are derived from slavery and colonialism.

So while she might think it’s an anthem to uplift her community, it’s actually a song that stomps down on an already downtrodden and disenfranchised one. While we’ve come to expect ignorant white dudes using these terms, it’s unfortunate that a prioritizing of light skinned women is seen not just in Danileigh’s track, but by rappers as well.

Anti-Blackness is not poetic. It’s ignorant. We want more Kendricks. We want more “Brown Skin Girl” tracks and take downs of colorism. We want awareness raised on colorism, a threatening but often under discussed aspect of racism that prevents true solidarity.

DaniLeigh is probably out there scratching her head, wondering why her male competition isn’t being held to the same standard. But as a woman in the industry, she should have been aware of that uneven playing field off the bat, and how a song like this helps feed into the system. Instead, she should have used her platform to be a little more politically conscious, and a little less tone-deaf. Hopefully, other light-skinned artists on the scene will use their privilege to end colorism’s legacy, rather than perpetuating it in an already problematic industry.

Review: "Crazy Child" Album by Jordan Ziskin

An emotionally raw piece of work, Brooklyn based Jordan Ziskin is a deft singer-songwriter on the captivating “Crazy Child” album. Proving to be an exceptional storyteller, these narratives unfurl with a true undeniable sense of life.

The usage of rock, folk, and chamber pop within the sound further lends it a fully-fleshed out quality. Jordan lets these tracks build, grow, and burst forth in tremendous blooms of color. Melodically rich, it is easy to get lost in the multi-layered, multi-faceted approach. Volume is a must, for the way it washes over the listener has a patient cadence to it. Such a wide range of instruments adds to the beauty of the album tying it together into a cohesive whole.

The way Jordan lets the sound get drenched in sun gives it a golden, AM pop playfulness to it. With a classic cadence to it, it recalls a bit of the Fleet Foxes’ clever, creative arrangements. A honeyed spirit defines the work as there is an optimism to the whole of the album, and the way the tracks interact adds to the compelling calming effect. In this way, the way he captures these small moments recalls the love of one’s surroundings that the Kinks did so perfectly.

“Don’t Let Me Down” sets the tone for what follows, as a big-hearted ethos enters into the fray featuring some fantastic guitar work. Giddy energy drives the tender touch of “Mexico”. By far the highlight of the album comes from the passionate performance of “Three Dimensions”. Aptly named, how Jordan lets the track evolve feels masterful.

Stripped to the essentials is the spirited yearning of “Think Of Me”. The fluttering piano work of “I’ll Be Waiting” gives the song an urbane sophisticated. Sly guitar work weaves itself into the fantastic, easy-going grooves of “Broadway”. Gentle delicate gestures grace the fragile “Crazy Child” with an intimacy that has a compelling cadence to it. A reflective presence takes shape on the thought-provoking bliss of “Sunsets” that closes out the album.

The “Crazy Child” album shows off the incredible skill of Jordan Ziskin in crafting a world that feels so warm, welcoming, and reassuring.

Connect with Jordan Ziskin: Website | Instagram | Facebook

South London Rapper Ultra_eko Releases His New Album "Into the Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)"

The recent partial rebuilt of the AI, ‘Subsequel’, previously thought destroyed decades ago at the ‘Croydon Space Centre’ , has led to a rekindling of the long standing friendship between himself and Ultra_eko. The result is ‘Into the Multiverse’, a twelve track remix album. Ten of the tracks feature on the recent ‘Alternate Realities’ album, the remaining two being Ultra_eko favourites ‘Broken Glass’ and ‘Yellow’.

Introducing Subsequel - a brief history

There is little dispute amongst space flight historians as to the importance of Subsequel to the doomed ‘Croydon Space Exploration’ project. The roles of both he and Ultra_eko complimented each other perfectly. Eko was the face and the brand, the charismatic spokesperson and emissary, who would carry forth the spirit of the human race, one of peaceful commerce, to the furthest reaches of the Galaxy. None of this would have been possible however, without Subsequel,the technological anomaly who made the entire operation feasible; the engine room and the ‘water carrier’, capable of accessing and manipulating the quantum realm so as to make travel across such vast distances a reality. Subsequel was a feat of technology and AI so far in advance of its time, of any time, that he stood out immediately as something quite alien. His origins have captivated with their mystery and elusiveness in the decades following the projects’ collapse.

There are theories too numerous to list here as to where Subsequel originated; without new information it is doubtful this will ever be know. Many consider him the brainchild of Einstein and Tesla; a piece of AI that operated within the quantum and spiritual realms, and whose exact workings was only ever known to those two men. Others suggest that type of technology could only ever have arrived via either extraterrestrial intervention, or technology salvaged from a crash site. Other still suggest Subsequel was a time traveller from the future, travelling back to the past so as to direct the human race along a certain desired path. More outlandish theories include the idea that he is a manifestation of the second coming, prophet and son of God made in stainless steel. Or that he was the creation and invention of Nazi scientists gathered from South American at the end of WW2 - many of whom would work on the Manhattan project.

Whatever the truth of his origins are; what we do know was that his destruction was the result of a bombing campaign orchestrated by rival borough Lewisham, who were attempting their own space project. Subsequel was unfortunately caught in one of these blasts, which ultimately destroyed perhaps the greatest artefact ever known upon this planet, all for the sake of some regional pride.

It seems however that some components of Subsequel’s processing units were salvaged from the wreckage by none other than Ultra_eko himself. Over the past year he has managed to piece something of the original Subsequel back together, and though he has managed to capture elements and flavours of his personality, he operates at a vastly reduced capacity. Running off the electrical output in the home loft of Ultra_eko, Subsequel no longer able to twist and manipulate time and space, has taken up the curious hobby of remixing musical beats and rhymes. The Pingu remix, and the other 11 remixed tracks, which will form an upcoming Ultra_eko album, are all the work of Subsequel remixes. In some ways tragic, it also remains an endearing testament to the lifelong friendship and bond between Ultra_eko and Subsequel; that they continue to work together, decades after the collapse of the infamous ‘Croydon Space Exploration’ project, albeit at a vastly reduced scale.

Listen to Ultra_eko’s brand new remix album “Into the Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)" now and connect with him on social media. Also, be on the lookout for our in-depth review of the album coming this week.

Connect with Ultra_eko: Twitter | Instagram

Why Do Female Rappers Always Perform Better on Freestyles Vs Albums?

Rappers like Trina and Remy Ma don’t exactly come a dime a dozen nowadays. Instead, Insta-models and girlfriends or wives of rappers are being given the spotlight (no shade, Jerrika Karlae, but we’re looking at you) making success increasingly more difficult for actual female rappers spitting real talent.

An album is totally different from a freestyle. You get less creative liberties, and it’s not so much an indication of skill as it is an attempt to sound “catchy” or get radio play.

As a diehard feminist, I’ll never cast any judgement on rappers that rap about their bodies or their bedroom skills. All I’m saying is that there seems to be a disproportionate amount of rappers that focus on that subject matter vs other topics. We don’t get too many mainstream women rappers talking on their street cred, the community, and profound life experiences.

While queens like Saweetie and Meg Thee Stallion got famous off catchy bangers, it’s undeniable when you hear their freestyles that the album content pales in comparison. These women have breath control, lyricism, speed, and are dripping swag along with all that. From cyphers to freestyles, they consistently stand taller than their male counterparts, who still manage to reach fame quite easily.

It’s obvious that the quest for success is way harder for the women out there, who face a double standard within the industry. They’re harped on for only boasting about their sexuality in tracks, but there isn’t much of a market to make millions in more authentic content. Rappers with equally fire album tracks and freestyles such as Young M.A don’t come along frequently, though we wish more rappers would follow suit in her strong, complex identity.

Icy girl Saweetie is our favorite anomaly who rides the line between between mainstream popularity and being a genuine artist in both freestyles and albums. Her sidesplitting TikTok and IG videos show her sense of humor and make her more relatable than others that let fame and snobbery get the best of them. As one Youtube commenter of her page puts it “Saweetie gives me popular girl who’s actually nice to you vibes.”

In her “Pretty Bitch Freestyle” she’s wearing a hoodie, loose jeans and band tee, and her controversial red nails that earned many haters online, sending out a message that she doesn’t have to appeal to you to keep thriving.

Still, she recently released “Best Friends”, a non-freestyle single with Doja Cat with a fresh theme of female friendship and empowerment. The lyrics, video, and chemistry between these two hypewomen came in at 10/10. We were pretty excited about this track and can’t wait to see more unique work like this by women in the game.

Megan Thee Stallion, on the other hand, proves that she’s the reigning champ of the industry in her freestyles, while her albums (although commercially successful) seem to be more like a pop-infused ploy to skyrocket in the industry, charts, and on the radio. There’s an unbridgeable gap between some of her freestyles and her post-fame albums. When she dropped her Megan Monday Freestyle, our jaws were on the floor. Still, there was no follow up, leaving fans wanting more. We’d love a full album of Stallion freestyles, but can’t see that happening anytime soon. She’s on the money-making, Beyonce trajectory to reach #1, and you can’t blame her for it.

The music industry needs to create more space for a diverse range of female rappers to be on the scene. Lord knows we have enough Desiigners, Bluefaces, and Tekashi 6ix9ines over-crowding it.

Check out some of our favorite rap queens to put on your radar ASAP.

Interview: Toronto Based Artist TRULY NXSH Talks About His Debut Single "On My Way"

“I like to make songs that are reflective of my real life and situations that I’ve been through. I try to keep things accurate and mostly positive.”

— TRULY NXSH

Salute to you on the release of your debut single "On My Way"; how did you connect with the producer OK! Taylor and what was your creative process for the song's development?

OK! Taylor and I met at Battle Of The Beat Makers back in 2018. We were both competing in the competition and we ended up exchanging information. After about a year of following each other on Instagram and talking back and forth we finally got into the studio mid 2019. The chemistry was there off the rip. Taylor is a solid guy and one of the best producers out right now in my opinion.

Tell us about your journey as an artist who is originally from Swaziland, and now based in Toronto. Would you say that the music you create now has any cultural influences from Southern Africa?

I would definitely say my background has influenced the music I make. In Eswatini and South Africa, which I both consider my home, there’s a popping party scene and there’s none of that ‘’I’m too cool to dance’ or have fun.

Our local music is very rhythmical and always has that groove, and makes you want to move. People let loose and have fun and I take that same approach into the music I make. I want to always have fun, I take music very seriously but at the same time I have to keep it fun and playful. I feel like keeping things playful allows me to never get tired of making music, and it helps me stay in love with creating. I’ll always have love for my home country and I can not wait to one day perform out there.

When I started making music I was just trying to get it however I could. I remember installing FL studio on everyone in the families laptop and the home computer as I didn’t have my own at the time. For the most part I just had to figure things out on my own and make the most with what I had around me. That hustler mentality of trying to get it however I can has stayed with me till this day and I’d attribute that to where I’m from.

What are some things/people/places that inspire your creativity when you are working on new music?

Most of my inspiration comes from people/artists I know in real life, and I always try to let them know that. I started making beats because one of friends Lihle ‘’Lo Soundz’’ Dlamini came to me one day while we were in high school and played me some of the beats he had started making at home on a computer. This was around 2009 and I was mind blown. I had no real idea about how beats were made or what a DAW was so I have to give him credit for that initial spark because he showed me it’s possible. Soon after that I began working on my own music. From around that time I knew that this is what I was gonna do. I always wanted to be an artist from when I was a kid but I didn’t know how tangible it was until around that time.

I like to make songs that are reflective of my real life and situations that I’ve been through. I try to keep things accurate and mostly positive. I don’t want to make any music containing violence or or any type of hatred. I think being an artist comes with a lot of responsibility and I’m very conscious of who could be listening to my music. I want to make my family, friends and fans proud and to represent a good cause. I try to keep myself in check and stay true to myself and stay grounded and down to earth. I feel like there are a lot of things that are wrong in the world. I think music is a powerful tool and I want to make music people can enjoy and hopefully relate to which could help elevate their mood.

Tell us about the record label you are releasing music under, SEE THINGS VIVID. What about this label puts you in the position to be successful?

SEE THINGS VIVID is founded by LOST KID GAMBIT, TEJ and myself. The idea to make a record label came about due to all of us having the same goals and also each of us willing to put in the work to make those goals and dreams possible.

Although there are only three artists on the roster so far, there are many other people that are part of our community and we are all working to get this thing off the ground. It’s not really about what the label can do for me since I’m a part owner, but rather how far can we push our music under the umbrella. We have many plans for SEE THINGS VIVID as a company, and we are looking forward to sharing those as time goes on.

With your debut single now released, what are some of your goals musically for this year?

One of my short goals is to get my music on the radio within the first half of the year. I think it's possible and I'm working towards it. Honestly I'm just doing everything I can to pop in this industry and put Swaziland and South Africa on the map.

I take this seriously and I don’t care about doing stunts/gimmicks to get my name out there. I just want to make it off the strength of having a good product and hustling my music to get it in front of as many people as possible. To me making it is making a living off music. If I was a lowkey artist not many people knew about but I still had a strong fan base and was able to live off that, I'd be happy. At the same time I'm not shying away from potentially being a star and making it big in this industry. I’d be happy with both situations. It's just a matter of how things play out and how far we’re able to push the things my team and I are working on.

Stream and Share “On My Way”

Connect with TRULY NXSH: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

How Artists Can Engage Their Fan Base With Social Media

It’s no secret that 2020 wasn’t the greatest year for many of us. Last year we saw racial injustice reach new levels, presidential controversies, ridiculous celebrity drama and of course the biggest change that none of us saw coming – the COVID-19 pandemic.

With no parties, restaurants, bars, travel or shows/concerts, many of us have been feeling the effects of social isolation. The bad news is that we may have to deal with this pandemic a bit longer than we originally thought as health experts continue to develop solutions. The good news is that we as a global community are more connected now than ever.

Thanks to social media and not many outdoor options for entertainment, we’ve all pushed our noses a bit deeper into our phones. With curfews and other restrictions put in place for our safety (depending on where you live) we are spending more time inside making websites and apps our main form of entertainment. If you’re an artist of any kind, this is a truly amazing time for you to shine. Here are some ways to capitalize on this new shift in culture.

Virtual Shows

Performing artists and creatives of all kind really felt the effects of the pandemic as social distancing rules effected concerts, plays, film productions, theatre shows, and live performances of any kind. This led to us all turning to social media to feel connected and a sense of community.

We’ve all seen the craze that celebrity versus battles have caused and are getting to know some of our favorite artists on more of an intimate and personal level, so why not do the same for yourself? Even if you can’t get to a recording studio to work on new material, can’t take new photos, can’t film, or can’t do a traditional in-person show, you have many options to reach, connect to and increase your fan base.

If you’re a performing artist like a vocalist, rapper, producer, comedian, poet or an author, you can host a virtual show. You can use platforms like Twitch where you can eventually get paid to stream to your followers, and Pro Twitch Streamers can make between $3000-$5000 per month playing 40 hours a week.

If you’re not someone who sees themselves dedicating that much time to live streaming, then apps like Instagram or TikTok could be more up your alley. Do note that you must have 1000+ followers to be able to use the live feature on TikTok. You can also use Instagram’s live feature to perform new material or to have themed events.

Podcasts

Some artists have taken up podcasting and may do a live episode or interviews on their Instagram. Keep in mind that if you choose this option it cannot exceed more than one hour. One of the most epic Instagram live podcasts was Tory Lane’s Quarantine Radio which brought in a record breaking 360,000 viewers during one of the episodes. His show was popular due to the elements of unpredictability and wild competitions. We can’t all have twerking contests like Tory, but we can cross promote with other emerging artists in our cities to create content.

If you’re not into video, you can upload your audio podcast to Spotify or Apple Music. Many podcasts have picked up steam from those platforms and yours could be next. To get onto all the platforms you’ll have to use a distributor like Buzzsprout or you can upload directly to Spotify.

Do keep in mind that your podcast will take a few days to appear. You’ll have to do some planning in advance to have your episode out for the correct release date or you can upload instantly to a platform like Soundcloud.

Shorts

If you want to mix up your content you can create short videos to not only show off your talent, but also to let your audience know more about you. TikTok allows creators to create short videos up to one minute. Videos range from humour, behind the scenes, motivation and any sort of other posts really.

Dance trends are all the rage but don’t be intimidated if that’s not your thing. Glow up videos, reactions, duets and more can all go viral on TikTok. Instagram has a similar feature called reels. Much like TikTok, you can add popular songs or your own songs to your videos to give them an extra layer of creativity.

If you’re able to increase your usage of at least two of these options, you will definitely see increased engagement with your content. Of course, with any real change you’ll have to keep consistent. Start by committing to an amount you know you can maintain.

For something a little longer form like a podcast or live performance once a week is ideal. For short content like TikTok or Instagram reels, start with two a week. There are influencers out there who believe posting a few times a day is the key to growth, but please keep in mind that the this should be a fun change, not another exhausting thing to commit to.

Your audience will always be able to identify genuine, well thought out content over something that is rushed. You will still have to regularly post to social media with photo updates of yourself or in your element working on your art. Try to find a happy medium where you are creating more but still able to balance all of your other responsibilities.