New music roundups are a monthly recap dedicated to covering the latest music in a series of short, descriptive reviews. This month’s edition includes new releases from BROCKHAMPTON, JMSN, Lupe Fiasco and more. Armand Hammer - Paraffin For operating within such a niche style of hip-hop, Billy Woods and Elucid (together Armand Hammer) each bring … Continue reading New Music Roundup: September
*Lighter flick* Welcome to Tha Carter V, ladies and gents. Lil Wayne was a pivotal figure in my childhood and that was without me even being his biggest fan. In 2008, Tha Carter III was released to critical acclaim and massive commercial success. At the time, I was 12 years old and just now really … Continue reading Lil Wayne – Tha Carter V
Smooth. That is the first word that comes to mind when I put on Masego’s debut album, Lady Lady. What else would you expect when the Virginia native describes his sound as “TrapHouseJazz”? It's equal parts relaxing, groovy, and catchy. A pairing that I’m surprised no one came up with sooner, because this project proves … Continue reading Masego – Lady Lady
Love letters have always been used to give their recipient a confirmation or affirmation of love after the sender has been absent or faraway. They are sometimes used to save fading relationships. Salvaging what they can through their words before it’s gone forever. Finding what they had lost. 6LACK (pronounced Black) is trying his best … Continue reading 6LACK – East Atlanta Love Letter
Do you forgive and forget or banish them to cancelation hell?
Kadhja Bonet's soul music is in a unique class. It's composed into dense layers of classical instrumentation and rich vocal arrangements, pulled together harmoniously to produce a spacious psychedelic sheen. Her latest album, Childqueen, employs these characteristics to depict a deeply personal journey in which she seeks to detach herself from the unavoidable influences of man's … Continue reading Kadhja Bonet – Childqueen
There’s a question of unwanted visibility and with said visibility, how you choose to use it for yourself and how others might use it against you. Dev Hynes, aka Blood Orange, explores these questions in relation to everything under the sun on his fourth studio album, Negro Swan. And I must say, he does so … Continue reading Blood Orange – Negro Swan
New music roundups are a monthly recap dedicated to covering the latest music in a series of short, descriptive reviews. This month’s edition includes new releases from Aminé, Tony Molina, YG and more. Aminé - ONEPOINTFIVE Talk about one of the more enjoyable surprises of the month. Amine delivers with his sophomore project, almost serving … Continue reading New Music Roundup: August
So Eminem is back...but what’s new? Seriously, what is new? Now before I get angry and go on a rant about this album, let me get this one thing out. This new record is better than Revival, but Em’s tenth studio album (if you count Infinite), Kamikaze, is the all the pent up rage and … Continue reading Eminem – Kamikaze
Here’s the thing, we really don’t care about our female veterans. And no, I don’t mean our actual women who have served in any type of public force, even though veterans overall are treated like shit and we need to work on that. But no, I’m talking about the women in hip-hop who have paved … Continue reading We Don’t Care Enough About Hip-Hop’s Female Vets
In a world of diminishing indie rock icons, Mitski is blossoming into one of the independent scene's most beloved singer-songwriters. The 27-year old Japanese-American musician, widely known for her nomadic lifestyle and endless touring, is much more than a measly indie rocker. She has a subtle knack for giving pop songs an artsy flair, frequently … Continue reading Mitski – Be the Cowboy
Everyone has their own pace in finding who they are. It’s especially true when someone is finding that out in their art. Some hit the ground running with how they want to sound and go with their art. Others require time to figure out who they want to sound like, while simultaneously sounding like themselves. … Continue reading Ariana Grande – Sweetener
Amid J. Cole's ascension into being one of rap's biggest names, it can be forgotten that not only is he an MC, but also a producer - and a good one at that. I am of the belief that J. Cole may actually be better at making beats than he is at rapping. Now, I … Continue reading Top 10 J. Cole Beats
Midwest/East Coast wordsmiths milo and Elucid are at the very heart of the progressive hip-hop movement that has been beaming over the past five years. After a few track collaborations on each other's solo works, they've assembled to form Nostrum Grocers, a tandem that combines milo's off-kilter poetry with Elucid's inventive, New York persona to form … Continue reading Nostrum Grocers – Nostrum Grocers
What happens when the crown is threatened? There are many options but Nicki Minaj took one of the worst possible approaches to the problem. She panicked. After putting out her best album, The Pinkprint, she has come back with her worst record thus far. Nicki has always been painted as this artist to be hated … Continue reading Nicki Minaj – Queen
In the future, when we look back at this decade in music, it will largely be remembered for the dominance of hip-hop. A handful of artists will come to mind when we think of who helped push the genre into such massive commercial relevancy: Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper, Future and many others. At … Continue reading Top 10 J. Cole Songs
Whose favorite rapper is older than 40? Please raise your hand. Alright, if you did, then odds are that you yourself are an elder statesmen in this rap game. Now this isn’t a diss or attack on you for being older. Trust me. Most people want to be able to get where you’re at. But … Continue reading Hot Take: Rap is a Young Man’s Game
The Orlando two-piece is charmingly indie at heart who has recently seen increasing popularity, developing an affectionate fanbase all over the U.S. and beyond.
Miller's greatest hits and jammiest deep cuts coexisted in bluesy matrimony at his show last Saturday night in Los Angeles.
Houston, we have lift-off! I repeat! We have lift-off! The listener has landed on Travis Scott’s third studio album Astroworld. By now, Travis has been known to write and produce hits for all the stars. Eventually, after working with his musical influencer, Kanye West, he became an in-house producer for G.O.O.D. Music. Creating his lane as … Continue reading Travis Scott – Astroworld
“I just need a way out of my head”. When hearing words like this, one can’t help but wonder if the subject of their listening desire is in trouble or not. It’s internalized and not asked immediately because it is being gauged by you, the listener. But after that moment is over, your second question … Continue reading Mac Miller – Swimming
Almost exactly 22 years ago at the legendary 1995 Source Awards, when tensions between east and west coast rap outfits were at an all time high, a young Andre 3000 made a statement that announced Southern hip-hop as a force to be reckoned with. "It's like this, the south got somethin' to say," he proclaimed … Continue reading Denzel Curry – TA13OO
New music round ups are a monthly recap dedicated to covering the latest music in a series of short, descriptive reviews. This month’s edition includes new releases from Florence + the Machine, Gorillaz, SALES and more. Florence + the Machine - High as Hope In approaching their latest release, Florence Welch's band seemed as big … Continue reading New Music Roundup: July
Their music is capable of going different speeds in different directions at the same time. Whichever way it's going and no matter how fast, it always evokes a magical, fully-realized feeling.
What is growth? Like what actually is it? Is it simple as change or is it something more? The internet defines growth as a "process of developing or maturing physically, mentally, or spiritually". In terms of art, we always ask if an artist is growing in some shape, form, or fashion. Almost as a marker … Continue reading Hot Take: Do We Really Like Growth?
The 6 God has come down from his high Toronto tower after being pushed in the dark by villain Pusha T. Like Batman after getting his back broken, the hometown hero had to retreat to lick his wounds and come back to the light to face the enemy that was Twitter timelines and his own … Continue reading Drake – Scorpion
This beef was brewing for around 15 years in a complex web of overlapping friendships and conflicts that were bound to boil over. What even most hip-hop heads failed to realize is that Drake vs. Pusha T is essentially Star Wars.
More than ever, rap has a voice. Here are nine hip-hop releases from this year you should definitely revisit.
Featuring albums from Brothers Osborne, Jackie Cohen, Lauren Ruth Ward and more.
When this time of year rolls around, there’s always the argument for the “song of the summer”. The song that controls radio waves and playlists for the short, scorching three months of excessive traveling, beaches, barbeques, drugs and sex, until we get to our regularly scheduled lives and the leaves start changing color. But with … Continue reading The Internet – Hive Mind
Riffs & Rhymes 