Browsing Tag

Conscious Hip Hop

Anthony Levone speaks for the pacifists in his latest lyrically driven hip hop track, Peacekeepers

Posted on 3 May 2022

Anthony Levone’s latest single, Peacekeepers, featuring Fooly23, is for everyone that has been cognitively wrapped up in the senseless brutality of our contemporary existence a little too much lately. And when I say everyone, that is especially in reference to genre preference. The articulate nature of Levone’s lyricism means that the smooth sonic old school and sun-bleached hip hop instrumentals fall by the wayside as his bars pull parables from religious icons to prove that we’ve scarcely moved on in terms of civility.

The West Palm Beach-hailing artist has been releasing music since 2019, in that time, he’s developed a staunch fan base with his J.Cole, Nas & Common reminiscences. He’s also been in heavy rotation on international radio stations and landed a plethora of coveted playlist placements. Yet, judging by the socially-minded tenacity in Peacekeepers, it is safe to say that none of his philosophical work will ever be over-amplified.

The lyric video for Peacekeepers premiered on April 22nd; it is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Blank666 exposes the dark side of hedonism with ‘Wasted’ featuring Nikki Vale.

Posted on 10 May 2021

Blank666’s standout single, ‘Wasted’, poignantly exposes the darker side of the hedonist lifestyle that many rap artists are quick to glamourise. But not many lyrics hit as hard as the deeply introspective ones you will find here that wistfully regret choosing escapism over affection.

To give you an idea of just how heartfelt a track Wasted is, if Simple Plan switched from alt-rock to rap, their sound would carry plenty of reminiscences. The lo-fi indie feel to the simple yet poignant offering of alt hip hop amplifies the intimacy but Wasted is so much more than your average emo melancholy-fest thanks to the grooves and four to the floor beats that allows energy to echo through the mix.

You can check out the official video to Wasted by heading over to YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Savage the Poet leaves us on ‘CLOUD 9’ with his high-vibe lyrical rap track.

Posted on 25 April 2021
Savage the Poet

Brooklyn, NY born and raised rapper Savage the Poet showed just how he came about his moniker with his second EP, ‘Keep Your Head in the Clouds’. The cutting witty bars and meditative spoken-word offerings of wisdom have plenty to offer hip hop fans looking for hope, confidence and a path to perseverance.

His enlivening cadence, fresh take on the 90s-era East Coast sound and playful sense of humility is best appreciated in the lead track ‘CLOUD 9’. With lyrics such as ‘how quickly you find your truth is how quickly you find your power’, CLOUD 9 leaves a lot to contemplate while the beats give you the energy to shake off the weight of adversity.

Savage the Poet’s EP officially released on April 16th; you can check it out for yourselves on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Zenodro lays out the roadmap to resilience in his rap track, ‘On a Roll’.

Posted on 21 April 2021

‘On a Roll’ is just one of the lead tracks from Columbian-American rap artist Zenodro’s debut album, ‘Identity Crisis: Part I’, through which the artist extended the conversation around mental health by offering an intimate view into his psyche and laying out the roadmap to resilience.

Their playful cadence brings plenty of energy to the atmospheric mix that reflects the dystopic atmosphere of our society. The high-vibe alchemist sets the perfect example by showing you that you can laugh in the face of darkness and thrive in spite of everything that is telling you to quit. With enlightening tracks such as On a Roll on your playlists, your apathy won’t have much of a choice about leaving.

Zenodro’s album Identity Crisis: Part I is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hey-Zooz dresses down gold-digger culture with ‘Fancy Cars’

Posted on 18 April 2021

‘Fancy Cars’ is just one of the tracks to feature on Hey-Zooz’s debut album ‘Welcome to Life’ that offers plenty of opportunities to see the world less blindly.

The Atlanta-based hip hop artist always focuses on reflection and growth with his tracks that run through without any hint of sanctimonious superiority. It’s palpable that Hey-Zooz creates music to make the process of navigating the world a little easier for his listeners.

Fancy Cars poignantly dresses down gold-digger culture, for all too long, for hip hop artists ‘showing ‘em what you’ve got’ revolved around showcasing capitalist pursuits. Switching the narrative, Hey-Zooz offers his wisdom on the subject and points out the obvious flaws in attempting to buy affection. The indie vibe to the melodic contemporary rap track makes it all too easy to pay attention.

Fancy Cars is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

2Deep the Southern President wraps up 2020 in his latest life-affirming track.

Posted on 12 April 2021

Memphis-hailing hip hop artist 2Deep the Southern President paved the way to mental resilience with his latest single, ‘2020’, that dropped on March 20th.

By utilising his talent for storytelling and lyrical wordplay, he was able to summarise the atrocities of 2020 and create a time capsule that we’ll be able to throwback to in years to come and hopefully see how pivotal it was to spark social change.

With lyrics such as “it took a pandemic for white folks to notice their knee on our neck, it has been there for a hundred years, can we finally get some respect”, it’s a sobering track that unapologetically asks the listener to see past the media spins, look into the root of societal sickness and do something about it.

It’s a stellar feat of old school hip hop, born from 2Deep the Southern President’s affinity for artists just as Jay Z, UGK, Outkast, 88 Ball and MJG. His sound already packs the same punch. For your sanity’s sake, get him on your radar.

The official video to 2020 is now available to stream via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dan Nicholson demonstrates their inspiring resilience with ‘Lord Knows’

Posted on 24 December 2020

‘Lord Knows’ is the standout track from Arizona born and raised Rap artist, Dan Nicholson’s, second album ‘What Came Next’. Hip Hop doesn’t get much more visceral than the commanding hit which pays ode to the artist’s influences Nas, Slick Rick and the Notorious B.I.G., yet, there’s no room to question whether Lord Knows came directly from Dan Nicholson’s frustrated yet determined soul.

If you need some motivation to stay on track, you’ll find it in Lord Knows as Dan Nicholson demonstrates their inspiring resilience.

From the first verse, you’re assured that Dan Nicholson is an artist with invaluable introspection. The standout single becomes so much more than an aural experience as you become transfixed by the succinct rhythms in the Old School Hip Hop hit and left hanging off every perfectly metered word in this fiery yet meditatively intellectual single.

You can check out Dan Nicholson’s emotive album What Came Next by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sink into USUALLY MODEST’s poetically melodic Indie Hip Hop single ‘DESPERATE’

Posted on 19 December 2020

USUALLY MODEST has dropped their pioneeringly candid album ‘DREAMS OF LOS ANGELES’ which tightens the bond between Indie, Pop, Trap, RnB and Hip Hop and exhibits the artist’s ability to spin a compelling poetic narrative.

The perfect introduction to the 19-year-old artist’s style is DESPERATE. Most people would do anything not to appear desperate, but assuredly, USUALLY MODEST lays down those raw emotions without any hint of shame. Naturally, we found an overwhelming amount of respect for the artist relaying the emotions which most people only hear when they run through their heads in the early hours.

The soundscape is as stunning as the sentiment itself, the melodies and stunning cinematic infusions set the perfect tone for the poetic lyrics which will consume you from the first verse.

You can check out DESPERATE along with the rest of USUALLY MODEST’s album via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

E-the Prophet x Brandon Sky have dropped their commandingly upraising Rap track ‘Mop’

Posted on 18 December 2020

E-the Prophet has been honing-in on their distinctive sound since 2004, they’ve been rubbing shoulders with the likes of Mac Miller, Tech Nine, Boosie and Dom Kennedy, most notably, they’ve dropped their commandingly unique album ‘Picasso’.

The best introduction to the artist’s soulful yet scathingly dominant style is ‘Mop’ featuring Brandon Sky. With the dualling convictive rap bars running through the gritty yet upraising track, you’d have to be clinically dead not to feel the rhythm and get hooked into the grind.

You can check out E-the Prophet’s album Picasso out for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Let Neza take you to school with his authoritatively adrenalizing Hip Hop track ‘Class-N-Session’

Posted on 16 December 2020

‘Genius’ isn’t a word I like to bound around a lot, but there is no adjective more apt when it comes to describing US Rap artist Neza and their explosive, witty and effortlessly charismatic sound.

Their latest album ‘My Imaginary Reality’ is a solid offering of meta urban alchemy which not-so-gently disturbs the complacency of your psyche by reminding you that none of your memories are real and your experience in life is entirely subjective.

The standout track, Class-N-Session, is the perfect introduction to Neza’s mischievously adrenalizing approach to Hip Hop. With a rap flow which could rival Butah Rhymes and their expansive multi-layered instrumentals which make it clear that there are very few constraints on Neza’s expression, it’s hard not to get excited about this artist’s potential. Hitting play on Class-N-Session instantly pays off, you’d be hard-pressed to find another contemporary artist who throws themselves into their mixes as viscerally as Neza.

You can check out Class-N-Session for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast