Browsing Tag

Chicago Hip Hop

Vashaun set the alt-rap scene ablaze with ‘Lit Matches’, ft VHC

Posted on 4 June 2024

Few artists defy genre constraints with as much fire and fervour as Vashaun. At this stage in his career, his unflinchingly expressive discography, which focuses on visualising emotion, exploring phenomena, and welcoming listeners into his worldview and the streets that raised him, almost spans the entirety of the sonic spectrum.

From rock to emo to rap to Afrobeat to acoustic pop, it’s anyone’s guess where he will take his fans next. With his latest single, Lit Matches, the Chicago-born-and-raised artist collaborated with VHC to deliver one of his most expansively affecting singles to date.

Lit matches ignites with the grungy discordance of alt-90s indie before the first verse drifts into an organically melodic acoustic pop verse. But Vashaun doesn’t settle there; in the next progression, fans of Lil Peep and Juice Wrld will be able to get their emo rap fix, but Vashaun makes the style his own with the overdriven guitars, melodic Latin infusions and dualling rap verses that could rival ICP.

It’s a rarity to find a hit that gets better with every listen, but discernibly, we’ve stumbled on sonic gold with Lit Matches. Vashaun is a firebrand that will leave the alt-rap scene ablaze.

Lit Matches was officially released on May 24; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Spotlight Feature: Baby T Reclaimed Hip-Hop’s Roots in His Soulful Renaissance LP, Prodigal Son

Posted on 9 May 2024

Baby T’s sixth hip-hop LP, Prodigal Son, blends deep-rooted soul influences with a hard-hitting lyrical flow that will leave you instantly attuned to his ability to live up to hip-hop heavyweights and alongside them, matching the stride of the giants that many attempt to emulate, but few succeed as well as Baby T. Instead of painting by numbers to replicate an urban portrait, with every brushstroke on the canvas of this LP Baby T embodies their authenticity while revisiting the foundational elements of hip-hop and channelling the raw, emotional energy that has defined his career.

The Flint-born artist ensures that each of the album’s 17 tracks reverberates with a sense of purpose and passion, reviving the luxurious aura of classic hip-hop through modern expressions and candid narratives. The LP is a vivid exploration of Baby T’s personal journey, marked by his philosophical reflections, life’s vexations, and his confrontations with fear. His dual role as both creator and curator allows him to finely tune every element, ensuring that his tracks not only resonate on a sonic level but also connect on a deeply human one.

The single MISUNDERSTOOD, a fresh take on Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, stands out as a powerful testament to Baby T’s ability to connect with listeners through relatable and potent storytelling. Meanwhile, ICON hits with the force of a seasoned lyricist, packed with dynamic energy and undeniable swagger.

As Baby T gears up for a summer tour and rolls out music videos to bring his tracks to visual life, Prodigal Son is already shaping up to be a pivotal release.

Stream the Prodigal Son LP on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cali Ave Lo delivered lyrical wit so sharp you will get whiplash in ‘Way I Feel’ ft. Monie$

Posted on 15 October 2023

The lyrical wit in Cali Ave Lo’s standout rap track, Way I Feel, is sharp enough to tear a hole in the airwaves, even if the blows of the Machiavellian bars are softened by the jazzy and groove-deep old-school instrumentals, which allow the single to drip in luxe magnetism. He wasn’t playing when he warned he is a beast that can’t be tamed.

The single, created in collaboration with Monie$, is just one of the fresh-with-innovation-and-intellect singles found on Cali Ave Lo’s latest album, Untitled. Uncut. 3, which is already going down a storm with the Chicago-hailing artist’s legion of fans which is growing by the day thanks to his commitment to being one of the most thought-provoking artists on the underground. If your playlists are already filled with hits from Kanye, DMX, Lil Wayne and Jay Z, you will want to make room for Cali Ave Lo.

Way I Feel dropped on September 27; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chicago hip-hop duo, It’s a Cool Day, extrapolated ‘The Butterfly Effect’ in their debut

Posted on 27 June 2023

The Chicago duo, It’s a Cool Day put the trip in trip-hop by unveiling their elevated debut single, The Butterfly Effect, which fuses lush RnB melodies and harmonies with smooth rap verses and a pseudo-trap beat that becomes the centre of sonic gravity in the wavy, gravitas-packed single.

Craig Lowe and Derion Scroggins ripped up the urban rulebook and scattered the confetti through the vibe-steady hit, which spills a smorgasbord of soul as it mellowly progresses around the poetically ardent wordplay. Cathartic and convictive in its sense of passion, The Butterfly Effect is all the evidence you need that romance isn’t dead and that It’s a Cool Day has exactly what it takes to reign supreme in the Chicago scene and beyond.

The Butterfly Effect is now available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rapper and producer, JaefKae is razor-sharp in his Reggaeton hip hop single, New Machete

Posted on 25 November 2022

With a danceable versatile flavour like no other, the Chicago-hailing rapper and producer, JaefKae, burst onto our radar with the genre-fluid beats in his latest single, New Machete.

The tropic earworm picks at the roots of hip hop, Caribbean Dancehall, Reggaeton and Soul and plants the seed for a fresh new sound, defined by kaleidoscopically colourful instrumentals and the effortlessly high-vibes in the vocals.

During his career, JaefKae has opened for Nas and Pusha T, taken his high-energy performances across Chicago, and used his platform to represent his Afro-Purto Rican and Japanese descent, be a force of resistance against police oppression and to fight for black liberation.

His moniker comes from JFK because his 200-song discography “will blow your f***ing mind”. Considering that New Machete completely dominates your psyche before flooding it with dance-worthy rhythms and elevated talent, JaefKae had every basis to be that bold when settling on the pseudonym that will ripple across the globe attached to his infectiously upraising tracks.

New Machete is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lamar Creation soulfully hates the player and the game in his RnB pop hit, Feeling Me

Posted on 30 May 2022

Chicago born and raised artist, Lamar Creation, has dropped the ultimate 2022 RnB pop summer anthem with his latest hip hop influenced single, Feeling Me, which gives all the luxe grooves as Jay Z, the fiery passion of Frank Ocean and all of the contemporary funk of Daft Punk.

The sun-bleached electronic textures, which also find enough room to throw in nuances of Afrobeat, create the perfect platform for Lamar and collaborator, RichDaPhatt’s vocals as they seemingly drift through the entire emotional spectrum to lay it all down on the line on a relationship that is as much of a mental mindfuck as spending an hour watching the news.

The old adage may tell us to hate the game and not the player, but Feeling Me stands as a testament to the dissonance that playing games can cause in a way that may (hopefully) make people think twice about dealing with that kind of hand.

We scarcely needed his bio to tell us that Lamar is as much of a poet as he is a lyricist. It is all too perceptible through the jarring lines that keep on delivering the evocative hammering blows.

Feeling Me is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Oberry gets candid on self-sabotage in his trap pop single, don’t fall in line.

Posted on 28 February 2022

From the suburbs of Chicago, the experimental trap pop artist, Oberry, is here with his latest aural offering, don’t fall in line. After a jangly lo-fi interlude, Oberry’s distortedly animatronic vocals appear atop the scratchy and glitchy sun-bleached EDM beats which constantly switch from hard-hitting to fragile; setting the perfect tone for the emotionally rocky release.

don’t fall in line may initially resonate as an eccentric and twee for 2022 track but once the lyrics start to introduce you to the true essence of the single, you’ll find a deep level of respect for Oberry for being so candid on the subject of using self-destructive habits as a rebellious act.

If we are all honest with ourselves, we have all been there. don’t fall in line wasn’t the first single released by Oberry that delivers resonance hand over fist. His previous singles, all my homies hate the world, and parasocial friend have each racked up over 10k streams on Spotify alone – proving we’re not the only ones instantly obsessed with Oberry’s inventive songwriting style.

Oberry isn’t your average trap pop star, but it’s his intimate autonomy that draws you so deep into his experimental tracks. Any artist bold enough to release an album as twee as “I drawed a doggy” is undoubtedly worth following.

don’t fall in line is now available to stream on Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

X-Man speaks for the outliers in his pioneeringly impassioned alt-hip hop single, Can’t Relate

Posted on 5 February 2022

If X-Man goes down in hip hop history as anything less than a pioneer, we haven’t done him enough justice. Immersive may be a word that gets bound around in music reviews, but there are few other ways to allude to the allure of the hooks in his recently released seminal single, Can’t Relate.

X-Man makes it easy for you to instantly find the groove in the smooth canter of the almost spoken-word rap bars that are just as magnetic as Snoop Dogg’s. When it comes to the beats, X-Man cooked up a concoction of hip hop and playfully melodic video-game-style electronica. With the harsh snares snapping against the dreamy beats, there is plenty of texture to sink into as X-Man makes being unrelatable relatable.

You can check out Can’t Relate for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lolo GB is On Flex in his latest alt-hip hop single.

Posted on 4 November 2021
https://youtu.be/m1zMQ-tPUi4

Southside Chicago rap artist, Lolo GB, dropped his atmospheric drill track, On Flex, on October 23rd; prepare your vibe-out playlists for an immersively arresting addition.

The short and trippy track grooves through an ambiently wavy production through the bass-heavy 808 hits and reverb-drenched notes under Lolo GB’s deadpan yet dynamic rap bars. The production may not be the cleanest or the most robust, but that works in Lolo GB’s favour with the catharsis that this firecracker of an alt-hip hop can deliver as it works through its spacey lo-fi grooves.

On Flex is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Groove with the slow-burning melodies in Blac Samurai’s chillwave hip hop single, Match (All Black) ’21

Posted on 3 October 2021

With his poetic mind and the smooth, trippy flow to his tracks, it has become impossible to ignore Blac Samurai on his ascent from the underground. Soul Glitch is the second album to drop from the Southside Chicago-hailing urban alchemist; the standout single, Match (All Black) ’21, is a serenely sweet introduction to his dreamy sonic palette.

The trippy feat of chillwave delves into the future while keeping grounded and soulful through the intrinsically humanistic rap bars and slow-burning melodies. Unlike many artists taking influences from the OG rappers, Blac Samurai manages to pull something completely fresh. We can’t wait to hear what he muses next.

Match (All Black) ’21 is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast