Browsing Tag

Summer Hip Hop

Floridian rapper CHDDR kept us in ‘Check’ with his debut

Posted on 1 August 2022
https://soundcloud.com/theycallmecheddar/check

Floridian hip-hop artist, CHDDR, has dropped one of the hottest rap debuts of the year with his single, Check, produced by Hvstle. The mellow, colourful indie instrumentals flirt with cultures of far-flung lands; atop the woody organic flutes and the rhythmic grooves of the 808s, CHDDR takes the opportunity to establish himself as a unique voice in the genre, with the ability to verse beyond tropes and cliches.

Every line serves to testify to his playful persona that amplifies the sticky-sweet appeal of the short yet unforgettable debut, which has already racked up over 20k streams on SoundCloud alone. Undoubtedly, he is one to watch.

Check is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Los Alva bares his introspective soul in the poetry and vibe-driven alt-hip hop single, SLDN

Posted on 27 July 2022

So far in his career, every release has been an emotionally complex blend of heavy lyrics and upbeat instrumentals to take some of the weight of the introspection away. Los Alva’s latest single, SLDN, which reached the airwaves in June 2022, is another blister of balanced resonance.

With his modernistic RnB vocals riding on the bass of the Afrobeat-inspired hip hop beats, SLDN stirs the soul as much as it speaks to it with the lyricism that does more than border on poetry. It climbs right into bed with it to tear away the boundary between rap and poetry.

While some lyricists let their ego and determination to write hits allow the pen to hit paper, Los Alva is evidently perpetually soulfully inspired.

SLDN is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MARC.MADE is good for it in his subversively seductive rap track, CA$hAPP

Posted on 30 June 2022

After his discography racked up over 700k streams, the Detroit-born, Atlanta-raised indie rapper, MARC.MADE is here with his subversively seductive summer track CA$hAPP.

By running his funk-grooved prelude through plenty of warm tape delay, you instantly feel the heat in the expressively dynamic track that allows digital transactions to resonate as affectionate proclamations. If that isn’t a striking mark of ingenuity, I don’t know what is.

The surprises when it comes to MARC.MADE don’t end there either. The full-time scientist, entrepreneur and crypto investor has also co-starred on VH1’s Dating Naked S1-E5 & S1-Wedding Special & CBS’ Face the Truth S1-E12.

Although, the visceral chemistry that breeds between his charisma-dripped bars and the female vocals in CA$hAPP starts to make infinitely more sense with his profession in context.

CA$hAPP is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Prepare your summer hip hop playlists for the larger than life flow in WavyK’s single, HEAT SEEKER feat. Case

Posted on 11 June 2022

After spending four years smoothing his wavey rap flow and amplifying the energy in his subtle but galvanising beats, the independent Jacksonville, Florida-based hip hop artist, WavyK, was ready to drop his era-defining album, MENTALITY, featuring the standout single, HEAT SEEKER, feat. Case.

Toeing the delicate line between nerdy and deadpan, HEAT SEEKER is a summer hip hop drop like no other. If you’re looking for some urban escapism, few tracks serve it with quite as much flavour as this playfully upvibe earworm.

WavyK’s album, MENTALITY, will officially release on June 11th. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

iluvmali, Philly? & Michael Liriano get luxe in their collab, Saks Fifth

Posted on 10 June 2022

Let your speakers feel the heat in the sun-soaked summer hip hop single from the collaboration between the rap luminaries iluvmali, Philly? & Michael Liriano.

Saks Fifth melds pockets of deep reggae groove with indie vibes and, for instant arrestive appeal, the snaking sonics of Eastern rhythms. The shimmering instrumentals almost pour as much dopamine into the mix as the optimism breathing rap bars, which deliver hook-y lines on a very 2022 brand of luxe romance.

If iluvmali, Philly? & Michael Liriano stay on the underground after this infectious hit; there is something decidedly wrong with the industry. The sheer satisfaction from the first hit of Saks Fith is beyond words.

Saks Fifth is now available to stream on all platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Surfs up in Wave Lord’s seminal new wave hip hop single, No Durag

Posted on 6 June 2022

You haven’t experienced new wave hip hop until you’ve surfed the cruxes on the grooves in Wave Lord’s seminal album, Life of a Rap Star. The lead single, No Durag, is a blazing yet mellow window into the US artist’s determined mentality and his aptitude for soft and hazy instrumental hooks.

The Bahamas-born, Canada-residing artist brings every ounce of his motivation and passion into his wavey mixes which may lull you into a state of catharsis, but no matter how down the tempo, his distinctively rhythmic rap style always brings the energy.

No Durag is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

JoeJas unveiled the hottest hip hop single of the summer with ‘Sally’s Last Dance’

Posted on 4 June 2022

It’s all in the vibe in the London, UK-hailing rapper and producer, JoeJas’ latest single Sally’s Last Dance. His charisma has always been unapologetically his own, but the endearingness of it knew no bounds in this cute and nerdy music video, which sells exactly what sets JoeJas apart, his infectious glass-half-full attitude that is contagious enough to start a new pandemic of optimism

If Andre 3000 and Daft Punk hit the spot for you, JoeJas will hit it even harder with his colourfully urban art-conscious instrumentals and honeyed RnB hip hop vox.

The official music video for Sally’s Last Dance officially premiered on the 30th of May. You can check it out for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ace Da King featuring Xavier Thomas – Bentley Truck; prepare your summer trap playlists.

Posted on 1 April 2022

For his latest fiery yet smooth single and music video, Bentley Truck, the hip hop trailblazer, Ace Da King collaborated with the featuring artist Xavier Thomas. If you like hip hop that speaks as much to the soul and your rhythmic pulses as it speaks about late-stage capitalist gains, the vibey and downtempo new wave trap track has all the makings of a playlist staple.

Ace Da King defiantly stamped down his mellow sonic signature in the track that allows you to lose yourself in the shimmering reverb and the light and bright texture of the keys that amplify the high vibes under Ace Da King’s envelope-pushing lyrical wit.

Since the official music video premiered on March 24th, it has already racked up in excess of 24k streams. You can check it out for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dinje x Mason Dane bring in the tropic heat with their confessionally candid indie-pop hip hop track, Wish I Knew

Posted on 28 March 2022

For his latest single, Dinje handed the Sydney hip hop pop veteran Mason Dane the production reigns and created the ultimate urban earworm from the remix of Wish I Knew.

For anyone sick of the insinuation that summer vibes always help us fall head over heels in an idyllic relationship, the raw honesty against the exotic indie hip hop instrumentals will be more refreshing than your preferred summer poison. The Spanish guitars around the cleverly glitchy distortions in the mix that reflect the visceral nature of our innate frustration in the absence of clarity is infectious from the first hit. On the basis of Wish I Knew, both of their futures in the industry are set to be luminary. We can’t wait to hear what else is in the pipeline.

Wish I Knew will officially release on March 25th; you can check it out for yourselves on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

MTV Mozey is blazing in his sun-soaked trap track, Designer

Posted on 27 February 2022

Instead of making you wait until summer for a sun-soaked trap drop, the luminary hip hop newcomer, MTV Mozey dropped his high-fire earworm, Designer, while the bitter months were still biting to deliver a much-needed potent dose of aural dopamine.

At 19-years-old, MTV Mozey is already proving to be a force to be reckoned with in the Connecticut hip hop circuit and far beyond. Designer is a riotously infectious track that uses xylophones to deliver the shimmering melodies that arrest the rhythmic pulses as they pop against the trap beats and create a vibrant platform for Mozey’s mellifluous mumble rap bars. He is more than worth the room on any hip hop fan’s radar.

Introduce yourselves to the luxe high vibes in Mozey’s latest single, Designer, by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast