Browsing Tag

East Coast Hip Hop

Yvng Marvae walked among hip-hop giants with ‘Born 2 Shine’

Posted on 4 May 2024
https://youtu.be/qsIKnaOHl40?si=e8DDt9TZylgT0Ru9

Hip-hop productions don’t often come much bigger than the package Yvng Marvae signed, sealed and delivered with help from his producer, Ixxander. His latest single “Born 2 Shine” is a massive hit that glistens with East Coast immensity; the Wu-Tang lyrical name check makes it clear where Yvng Marvae gets his flow inspiration from, yet, the sonics of the track are undeniably heavily influenced by Jay Z.

With a larger-than-life persona and beats that don’t get dwarfed under his charisma, “Born 2 Shine” is a manifesto on how to unapologetically and defiantly stand tall, which ensures every lyric serves to pull you into the expansive energy of the cinematic hit that you’ll want to surge through your speakers at max volume.

This track not only spotlights Yvng Marvae’s adept skill at crafting flow and rhythm but also underscores his ability to create an anthem that resonates with the grandeur of hip-hop’s golden era while projecting his own unique modern flair.

The collaboration with Ixxander brings a level of production that elevates the song beyond typical chart-toppers, making it a resonant piece for both new listeners and long-time hip-hop fans. “Born 2 Shine” proves that Yvng Marvae is not just following in the footsteps of giants; he is striding alongside them, ready to cast his own giant shadow on the industry.

Born 2 Shine was officially released on April 5; stream the single on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mythodical Joe penned an Open Letter with his old-school hip-hop & indie RnB mash-up, ft Mika

Posted on 5 November 2023

Old-school hip-hop meets contemporary indie RnB in the seminal single, Open Letter, born through a high-fire collaboration between the East Coast rapper, Mythodical Joe, and the RnB evocateur, Mika.

Open Letter spits out the old-school grit through the rhythmically sharp canter of the rap bars while the romanticism swells in the indie guitar melodies and the RnB harmonies which ignite a fervent flavour of dynamism in the release which touches on the fear that even the strongest emotions can evaporate into ephemeral dust.

It has been almost two years since the drop of Open Letter; Mythodical Joe better have something new in the pipeline, or he’ll have us to answer to. His ability to bring lyrical concepts to panoramic life over his intricate instrumentals which go beyond the usual hip-hop sequencing puts his sound strides above the rest. With enough hits in his arsenal, he will hold dominion over the East Coast – watch this space.

Watch the official music video for Open Letter via YouTube.

Keep up to date with the latest releases from Mythodical Joe via Instagram and Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Grab a Seat: Elevated Focusion embraced the future of fusionism with his alt-electro hit, Tabla Tea Party

Posted on 22 July 2023
https://on.soundcloud.com/KERbZ3gaPJ9vjupF8

The Queens, NY electronica pioneer Elevated Focusion, AKA Johnny Rhythms, caused a solid eight on the Richter scale by dropping his ground-breaking fusionist LP, featuring the standout single, Tabla Tea Party.

The rocksteady release became the ultimate celebration of the vibrant culture in NY by stitching a tapestry of contrasting facets of counterculture against each other to create a galvanic forcefield of friction your rhythmic pulses won’t want to resist.

With East Coast hip-hop and afrobeat bringing the danceable rhythm and the vocal lines breaking the monocultural mould while lavishing the soundscape with rock n roll attitude and soul, every new progression in Tabla Tea Party is a sonic revelation.

By putting mixing and mastering in the hands of Chris Conway, who worked on every LP that inspired the Elevated Focusion project, the East Coast flavour packs a mouth-watering punch; grab your seat at the Tabla Tea Party while the hype is hot.

Stream Tabla Tea Party with the rest of Elevated Focusion’s eponymous LP on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Enrichment put his name on the New Jersey hip-hop map with Play to Win ft Termanology & Chris Rivers

Posted on 26 June 2023
Different by Enrichment

For his latest single, Play to Win, the New Jersey flow king and producer, Enrichment, collaborated with the two trailblazers, Termanology and Chris Rivers, to create the grittiest hip-hop drop of the summer.

Enrichment’s killer cadence flows over the Eastern rhythms in the production that punches with East Coast flavour. Any fans of Blackalicious’ innovative take on contemporary hip hop will want to make a playlist staple of the lyrically sharp hit. The complex and multisyllabic rhymes will leave you on the rap hooks which sink their teeth so that the introspection in this no-mercy exposition of what it takes to strive for greatness is mainlined into your veins.

When Enrichment isn’t crafting his own tracks, he’s in the studio working with Kuniva (D12), Omar Ray, and Nino Man. Competition may be tough in the dog eat dog industry in 2023, but clearly, he’s got the strongest bite.

Play to Win was officially released on June 9th; stream it on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jay Doce lays defencelessly bare in his ethereal rap track, Vulnerable

Posted on 6 February 2023

Up-and-coming Cali hip-hop artist Jay Doce versed poetry into an ethereal atmosphere in his standout single, Vulnerable.

Vulnerability is often something that we’re desperate to hide in our dog-eat-dog world, where weaknesses are exploited, and almost everyone has experienced being ghosted by this point. Jay Doce proved how sweet it can be to open yourself up completely and let the world see your soul exposed.

The melodically downtempo track hits all the right evocative notes instrumentally but the hardest blows come from the songwriter and rapper’s raw expression, which disarms you through the sheer visceral resonance. Any fans of East Coast hip-hop will want to save space for the lyrical luminary on their playlist.

Stream Vulnerable on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nour Rakha exhibits his killer cadence in his perceptively galvanising latest single, Poet Turned Rapper

Posted on 12 October 2022

Nour Rakha (previously Tut the King) set the bar lyrically high with his latest old-school East Coast hip hop single, Poet Turned Rapper, but your jaw will drop just as hard as the mic when it metaphorically hits the floor after every flawlessly insightful line delivered.

The superficiality of modern reality that is stained with false pretences and egos didn’t stand a chance against the Egyptian American rapper and producer whose expressive cadence always submerges you in the depth of his introspection.

While the bars give you a candid view of Rakha’s relatable dim opinion on 21st-century disparity, the smooth summery beats set up by producer Rifado Beats bring a stylish sense of soul, complementing Rakha’s always authentic expositions. We are officially obsessed with Rakha’s new style and sound.

Poet Turned Rapper was officially released on September 27th. Check it out on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pee.Tzu redefined escapism music with his hip hop track, Jetplane Getaway

Posted on 29 August 2022

Pee.Tzu allowed his fans to peek behind the curtain of his mentality and music career in his latest single, Jetplane Getaway, which drips with East Coast hip hop luxe glamour in contrast to the raw spilt ink lyricism. It is escapist hip hop like you have never heard it before.

It is safe to say that the up-and-coming artist didn’t just speak for himself when he captured the claustrophobia that our hustle and daily lives can create around us. His wicked use of wordplay almost makes a sense of empathy redundant when you’re listening to Jetplane Getaway. There is no evading the visceral weight of the bars that run under inventive effect, allowing them to synergise with the Rakim-Esque beats.

Jetplane Getaway which features on Pee.Tzu’s 2022 album is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nlsderrixk*! has released his vindicatingly infectious hip hop track, Aint My Fault

Posted on 24 February 2022

The luminary hip hop artist, Nlsderrixk*!, has exonerated himself in his latest single, Aint My Fault, which fuses the new wave with the old school, creating universal appeal to hip hop fans in the process. With justxrolo at the mixing desk, Aint My Fault is as gritty as it is lush with luxe style.

The jazzy noir effects atop the bassy boom-bap beats create a solid platform for Nlsderrixk*!’s playfully dominant rap bars that carry all of the personality of Jay Z and all of the edge of Ghostface Killah.

It isn’t every day that you come across an up and coming hip hop artist that pours this much energy into their tracks; if you are serious about keeping posted on the hottest talent, save a spot on your radar.

Aint My Fault is now available to stream on Soundcloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Hip Hop icon in the making, Na8 has delivered his cinematically colossal debut LP, Past Present Future

Posted on 22 February 2022

The Nigeria-born, Nashville-based hip hop icon in the making, Na8, is fresh from the release of his debut album, Past Present Future, which recounts experience and introspection from the past, meditates on the present and rewrites the rules for the future.

The LP starts with the colossal hip hop anthem, Pisces, which drip feeds all of the glamour of Jay Z and all of the dark and chaotic flare of Saul Williams before Na8 moves with an old school style of noir soul in the following track, All In, which features some of the best earworm hooks on the LP. Track 3, Exotic Love, feeds the Lauryn Hill vibes, but Na8 made the soundscape his own with his massive production style that is quickly becoming his signature.

Track 5, Cash, stands as a testament to Na8’s experimental instrumental style; from harsh-rock guitar licks to orchestral strings to hard-hitting electronica, you will find all that and more in the hard-hitting hustler hip hop track. In track 11, Bond City, Na8 proves how well his panoramically cinematic production style melds with the definitively-luxe Bond film OSTs. It’s not every day we hear radio-ready hip hop. The fact that Na8 delivered it in his debut LP speaks volumes of his talent. Get him on your radar.

Here’s what Na8 had to say about his debut LP:

“My debut looks back on my life in Africa and Europe before I arrived in the USA. I wanted to express my past, present, and what my future could be in music.

The main message is that your past or present doesn’t define you. If you know what you want in life, you can focus and achieve those goals. Stay true to yourself.”

Past Present Future is now available to stream on Spotify.

Connect with Na8 on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Denver, Colorado’s DD has unleashed his vibey hip hop earworm, Cruisin

Posted on 15 February 2022

The up and coming Denver-based hip hop artist DD (Dionne Taylor Jr) went full throttle in his vibey high-fire latest single, Cruisin, which pulls on his East Coast roots, making it an essential driving playlist staple for any fans of Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, and Method Man.

His MO of creating relatable hip hop that is always grounded in reality shines through in Cruisin, which shares a playful vignette of his life while embedding plenty of vocal hooks that create an earworm out of the urban hit. His zealous style is nothing short of infectious. Paired with the finesse in the production and the wit in the bars, he can officially call himself a triple threat.

The official music video for Cruisin premiered on January 28th; you can check it out for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast