Browsing Tag

Alt Hip Hop

The Future of Hip Hop is Here: Chekmayte – What U Thought?

Posted on 26 March 2023

Avant-Garde hip-hop originalist, Chekmayte, created a subversive masterpiece with his glitchy hit, What U Thought? Filled with harsh truths, strobing synths, futuristic electronica motifs and a darkly atmospheric feel, nothing on your radar will hit the same way as this convictive hair-raising production, which exhibits the heights of the Washington DC artist’s razor-sharp lyrical prowess.

After overcoming life on the streets through sheer grit and persevering endurance, Chekmayte thrives through his music as an artist backed by Goodfellas Records. While many artists keep their influence to a singular coast, Chekmayte’s experience travelling through New York, The Bay Area, and Philly has expanded his urban palette to a scintillatingly distinctive effect. Fans of Scarface, Devin and Jadakiss will want to save space on their radar.

What U Thought? is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ride the funk-soaked tilt-a-whirl that is November Criminal’s latest alt-hip-hop single, Bouncing Back

Posted on 19 March 2023

Psych Rock and Hip-Hop rendezvoused around monocultural mould-smashing funk flavours and orchestral motifs in the latest standout feat of elevated experimentalism from the alternative multi-instrumentalist and producer November Criminal.

His latest album, Scrambled Eggs Vol. III, puts the assumption that out-there innovation always has to smack with pretension to bed and tucked it up tight in the groove pockets in the lead single, Bouncing Back.

Depicting it through words alone could never do the exhilarating aura justice; from the first progression, you will feel your mood rise with the ever-ascending notes that reach the pinnacle of high-vibe hip hop. In my book, not all too many experimental artists can stand against the creative tenacity of Mike Patton; November Criminal is enough to make even his most Avant-Garde creations resonate as pedestrian. Frankly, I’m obsessed and entirely convinced anyone with a functional soul will be too.

Check out the latest album from November Criminal via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Find catharsis in the candour of Yen Won’s dreamy alt-rap hit, Never Fade Away

Posted on 14 March 2023

The Cali born and raised 23-year-old Korean-Japanese rapper Yen Won’s latest new wave hit, Never Fade Away, is an ethereal technicolour dream. While the strong and steady backbeat brings the energy in line with the fervidly delivered rap bars, there was plenty of room in the short and sweet mix for lush reverb and the transcendentally ascending electronica motifs which enabled Yen Won to effortlessly establish his distinction in the semi-lucid soundscape.

Beyond dying alone, the fear of fading away weighs heavy on the psyche for many, but only artists as vulnerably bold as Yen Won would ever care to admit it. By doing so, he exhibited the commonality and tore through the stigma. It comes as no surprise that thousands of listeners find solace and catharsis in his candour.

Never Fade Away is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK Alt-Rap duo, xKNGS, started a wildfire from the sparks that fly in their latest single, Gold Plastic

Posted on 12 March 2023

Few UK rap acts hold a candle to Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip in my book, but the alt hip-hop duo, xKNGS, started a wildfire with the adrenalizing sparks that fly from their latest single, Gold Plastic.

While the solid backbeat arrests your rhythmic pulses, the dirty and distorted electric guitars fuse Rockstar energy into the creatively innovated feat of originated progressive hip hop, which borrows a few EDM elements for futuristic flair and pop for the undeniably sharp hooks.

Any fans of Kid Kapichi and Bob Vylan won’t want to miss out on the trailblazing duo, which singlehandedly bosses everything down to the recording and production. It isn’t every day I hear a single and feel the compulsion to every hit in their discography, but evidently, xKNGS are a fresh cut above the rest.

The official music video, which has now garnered over 17k streams, is available to stream via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Grab a hyper 8-bit of American drill with Slaywitme’s latest single, good guys

Posted on 27 February 2023

‘good guys’ is the latest feat of hyper 8-bit hip hop from the alt-rap artist, Slaywitme, who has had multiple viral hits since making his debut in 2020. His first single, morrigan, has racked up over three million streams on Spotify alone, and his latest collaborative hit with Dom Corleo is just as hype-worthy. Don’t take our word for it; delve into the galvanizingly polyphonic panache of the high-vibe earworm from the New York-born, American drill icon.

With the manga-esque motifs draped over the reverberatingly heavy bass lines and Slaywitme’s unfuckwithably playful bars, there’s no resisting the infectiously exhilarating propensities in this new wave trap anthem that is sure to splice even more accolades into the career of the luminary rapper.

Check out good guys on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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

 

EB seeks sanctuary in his mindfully melodic alt-hip-hop earworm, SECRET GARDEN

Posted on 12 February 2023

American rapper and producer, EB, is disrupting the hip-hop hegemony with his charismatically quirky sonic signature. The Virginia-based artist’s latest single, SECRET GARDEN, is the perfect introduction to his sunny disposition and wholesome bars, which throw away the allusion that every rap track needs to be charged with conviction.

The playful polyphonic Nujabes-ESQUE prelude draws in fans of 8-Bit-adjacent music before veering into a feat of cinematic East Coast hip-hop in the same vein as Jay Z and Nas. In the short and sweet space of 1:39 minutes, EB made sure his audience got their dopamine fix and brought mindful compassion into trend.

“This song is a collaboration with Dale Richman, and within the lyrics, we paint the dynamics of the pain of one-sided relationships, a common theme throughout the project. I produced, mixed and mastered this song to my own standard of perfection.”

SECRET GARDEN is the first track to drop from EB’s upcoming project, Sorta Flying…REMADE~!!!, which is due for official release on February 23rd.

SECRET GARDEN hit the airwaves on February 3rd. Hear it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Cuttaman 100gran rides his own new wave in his vindicating rap hit, Bump My Music

Posted on 3 February 2023
Cuttaman 100gran

After opening for Pastor Troy in South Carolina, recording records for Dr Dre and performing in front of 8,000 people at a concert in Rockingham, NC, the Charlotte, NC-hailing luminary rapper, Cuttaman 100gran, is here with his latest single, Bump My Music.

Slick with style and vibing with an infectious attitude, Bump My Music is the ultimate middle finger to the people in your life that stay on the sidelines instead of getting behind you. Paying homage to his muses, Cuttaman 100gran rides his own wave while staying in the fast lane with his sharply steady rap bars and beats that break the hip-hop mould.

Any fans of Kevin Gates, Roddy Ricch and Rod Wave will be addicted once they get a taste of the grinding urban aesthetic that balances hard-hitting percussion with wavy reverb production – engineered by the legendary sound designer, Bungies.

“When you have women in your life that are inspired by your stories, telling them becomes a lifestyle. Them being around me on a day-to-day basis makes every lyric that much more surreal. Their enthusiasm inspired the track.”

Stream Bump My Music on Spotify and Apple Music. Follow Cuttaman 100gran on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Decuma unleashed their rogue existentialism in the spoken word viscerally experimental hip-hop track, basketball. ft. yska

Posted on 12 January 2023

Blurring the lines between poetry and hip hop, the atmospherically magnetic first single, basketball., taken from the Detroit rapper and musician, Decuma’s album, let’s play pretend, reaches the pinnacle of gritty dynamism.

Switching up the vocal tone to match the sentiments in each verse as they stay true to their brand of rogue existentialism, basketball. ft. yska is a defiantly disarming window into the mind of an artist committed to holding the world accountable for its prolific sins.

The instrumentals that seamlessly drift through cutting orchestral layers to dark and distorted bit-tune-ESQUE beats to nostalgic jazz hip-hop samples always fall in line with the provoking lyricism that makes no bones about reaching vindication by rehashing injustice.

There is little to tie each blister of candour together. When they are put together collectively, you hear a true account of how generational, romantic and institutional trauma can amount to breaking points for even the most tensile who walk amongst us. Decuma did Nietzsche proud.

Check out the official 360 Video that premiered on January 3rd on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Take a psychonautic trip with Dirt Cookie’s spacey synthwave rap hit, Word Vomit

Posted on 2 January 2023

After the success of his 2022 sophomore album, Peace in the Valley, the up-and-coming alt-hip-hop originator, Dirt Cookie, pulled a fresh antagonistically infectious earworm out of the oven with his latest single, Word Vomit. 

After confessing that he doesn’t want to write about sex anymore over spacey synths and purposefully scratchy beats, the psychotropic feat of synthwave rap kicks into a melodic flow, led by his snappy rap verses that throw lyrical curveball after curveball. 

There’s no anticipating the direction Dirt Cookie will take while he’s rapping through the droning synthesisers and 8-Bit style instrumentals, and that’s a major part of the experimental success of Word Vomit. The clue is kinda in the title.

As we have no idea what to expect from his next release, especially based on the indie folk hits in his sophomore album, we’re already stoked to hear it. He’s the GOAT of hip hop wildcards. 

Word Vomit is now available to stream on Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast