Browsing Tag

Afro Beat Hip Hop

Canadian hip-hop heavyweight YungHarbs is back in the ring with his mixtape, RTL, Vol. 3

Posted on 13 February 2023

After a two-year hiatus, the independent rapper, YungHarbs has shown what the airwaves have been lacking in his absence with the release of his mixtape, RTL, Vol. 3. With bars as sharp, dynamic, and energised as the best of RZA’s work in the opening single, FWM, the mixtape flows from a strong start and never falters through the remaining three singles.

His gritty lo-fi edge encompasses the old-school and the new wave while running through track two, RIGHT AROUND, which throws in Afro Pop and RnB flavour, allowing YungHarbs to stand in a rhythmic league of his own on top of the steady rattle of the 808s.

Track 3, Test Me, brings in the ingenuity of the collaborating artist, T3, the dancehall anthem stands as a testament to the rhythmicality of their bars as the creative chemistry and conviction spill. Before the mixtape ends on WALK, which added a new trajectory to the evolution of gangster hip hop, the viscerally vindictive hit will easily win over any fans of Kanye.

RTL, Vol. 3 is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Jelani Kendall laid his soul bare with sunny indie hip-hop playlist staple, YouSaidLoveAlone

Posted on 8 January 2023

Taken from their tranquilly sublime indie hip-hop album, Bush Tea, the single, YouSaidLoveAlone, is an evocative trip through Jelani Kendall’s creatively introspective mind. After a mellow saturated-in-delay intro, the momentum seamlessly picks up in synergy with the emotion conveyed in frustration through the track that narrates the bitter-sweet ending of a relationship. For anyone experiencing the same, it is a visceral shot of vindication as Kendall pulls new meaning out of common adages.

With Afro Beat textures adding temperate accordance around the US Virgin Islands-hailing artist’s bars and beats, the downtempo standout single instrumentally drips with meditative soul while Kendall lays bare his emotions which run as hot as the sun-soaked timbres intricately weaved together.

YouSaidLoveAlone was released with the LP on December 31st; it is now available on Apple Music and YouTube.

Follow Jenali Kendall on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

PongoFromTheS is flying high in his afrobeat hip hop single, Boeing

Posted on 5 January 2023

Fusing the colourfully galvanizing zeal of Afro Beats with the grit and soul of old-school hip-hop, the French-Canadian artist, PongoFromTheS pumped plenty of energy into the standout single, Boeing, from his 2022 album, AIP (Alone in Public).

The versatile 12-track release is a testament to how far he’s come since launching his debut single in 2015. Along the way, he’s collaborated with internationally renowned artists and producers; on the basis of the party-rocking but lyrically-rounded single, Boeing, it is only a matter of time before he’s as accoladed as the likes of Zaytoven and Denzl. You’d be seriously hard-pressed to find another urban underground artist who pours as much innovation into their layered instrumentals that become an euphorically complex platform for his charisma-driven bars.

Boeing is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Corey Morris takes us to introspective church with his latest single, Can I

Posted on 13 August 2021

Hip Hop and old school soul coalesce in Corey Morris’ latest sun-bleached single, Can I, which conceptually allows the lyrical tone to contrast with the mellow, celestial instrumentals. With choruses repetitively asking, “can I live, can I motherfucking live”, Morris expresses his internal conflict as a result of the external chaos that leaves us all aware of how far we can fall.

While the track sonically encompasses the beauty, compassion and soul that we can find in the world, Morris’ pulls you back down from the dreamy plateau that the instrumentals put you on with his gritty introspection that asks the question that is never too far from any of our minds.

Can I is available on apple music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tom X Wolfe serves a smorgasbord of culture with ‘SUPADUPAFLY’.

Posted on 8 May 2021
Tom X Wolfe

Aural innovator and producer Tom X Wolfe’s 2021 album, ‘RISKY’, is an intoxicating mash of pulsing impassioned culture. It is also an exhibition of the artist’s multi-genre production and arrangement talent that has previously seen Wolfe working alongside Cash Sinatra, Maky Lavender and BGMFK. With over 3 million streams under his belt and plenty of international critical acclaim, Wolfe is set to take the industry by storm in 2021.

With African and Caribbean roots bedding down in the mix along with western notes of glitchy EDM hip hop, the lead track, ‘SUPADUPAFLY’, is the ultimate summer hip hop playlist staple. There is plenty of kick behind the 808s, but the snapping grooves feed into a sun-baked soundscape which throws plenty of jazz-laden haze your way.

Check out Tom X Wolfe on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chima Nice – Drink MF Drink: The Ultimate Summer Hip Hop Mood-Booster.

Posted on 15 April 2021

Nigeria-born, Georgia, US-residing hip hop artist Chima Nice turned to music as a form of expression inspired by American culture upon his relocation at age 15. In 2021, he’s an artist championing individuality and positivity through standout tracks such as, Drink MF Drink.

With this high-vibe by default charisma and bubblingly dominant cadence, it is all too easy to get hooked in by Chima Nice’s mood-boosting sound that may not be mainstream yet, but it has all the potential to be.

If your summer hip hop playlists need a shakeup, make Drink MF Drink a staple.

You can check out Drink MF Drink for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mowille – Number 1 featuring Damola Davis and Genesys

Posted on 18 December 2020

If you pride yourself on having the hottest Hip Hop artists on your playlists, you’ll need to make room for Mowille, especially after the release of their latest culturally-explosive EP ‘Odusty (Omo Durodola Son of the Year)’.

The intro track, ‘Number 1’, sets the perfect tone for the Nigerian-born, London, UK-based artist’s most dynamic release – to date – we have no doubt there will be plenty more to come from Mowille and their transxingly distinctive take on Hip Hop. With tender Indie Tones melding with African Rhythm in the RnB-influenced Rap track, you’d be hard-pressed to find another UK artist bringing such vibrant energy to the airwaves.

You can check out Number 1 for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Medy Lema serves up pure serotonin in their latest high-vibe Hip Hop drop “Say to Me”

Posted on 14 September 2020
https://open.spotify.com/album/52obbYdJdr5Up9wueDDBku

Belgian-born, UK-based Hip Hop artist Medy Lema’s latest single “Say to Me” will have you sharing in the same exuberant energy it was produced with before the first verse has run through.

It’s sexy, it’s vibrant, it’s playful, more importantly, it does exactly what good high-vibe Hip Hop is supposed to, it pulls you away from reality and smothers you in good-vibes. Whatever mood you’re in when you hit play on Say to Me, I can guarantee it will be made better by the unparalleled level of ingenuity and soul. The multicultural rhythmically fire drop incorporates Afro beats around elements of Funk, Disco, House and Hip Hop to serve up pure urban aural alchemy.

You can check out Medy Lema’s fresh new drop for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lo-Ke drops “Henny Nights”

Posted on 29 August 2020
https://soundcloud.com/user-191301175/henny-nights-rough-mix/s-zfPiWwhOtIN

Born in London, raised in France, and schooled in the USA, bi-national musician/rapper/producer Lo-Ke brings the summertime party with this upbeat-but-low-key (pun very much intended) electronic/reggaeton crossover track with producer Shadow Kyd.

Upfront hip-hop vocals meet Latin bachata-style rhythms, sparkling keys, and chilled out, Daddy Yankee-style 125 BPM.

It swings, in a dembow kind of way, under Lo-Ke’s tale of hot summer nights, Hennessy, missed flights, and waking up ‘with a cute girl on my right’, perfectly capturing those living for the moment, fairy-lighted steamy dancehall nights and hot, Latin, grooves.

You can check out Henny Nights via SoundCloud.

Review by Alex Holmes

Mowille – “Sugar Daddy”: tongue-in-cheek summeriness that will stick in your head for days

Posted on 21 August 2020

Mowille is a UK-based Nigerian rapper known for recording in both English and his native Yoruba; for his latest, he’s partnered up with Damola Davis and Uchay to bring us the tongue-in-cheek ‘Sugar Daddy’. The track skirts around the boundaries of Afrobeat, hip-hop, and R&B whilst maintaining something playful and unique, all the while showcasing Mowille’s (occasionally on-the-line) humour.

Yeah, it’s probably not going to win any awards from the PC-brigade, but with a chorus this stormingly catchy, who cares? The lyrics are fun with a great hook, there’s some serious stylistic versatility across Mowille, Davis, and Uchay, and musically the track is bouncy, chilled, and uplifting all at the same time. Watch out for this one, it’s distinctive, frisky, and summery as hell, with a chorus that will stick in your head for days.

Check out Mowille on Spotify.

Review by Alex Holmes