This year I’m bringing it back to the basics; I realized I wasn’t highlighting as many underground musicians by the end of the year. So this year, it’s the most uncompromising artists making their mark and pushing to the mainstream will be covered each Friday.
Juice by Jiles
Van Buren’s Jiles has stuck out from the beginning. He is easily a unique voice in Hip-Hop with a unique cadence and vocal delivery. “Juice” is an ode to gaining power and leverage, becoming the one who calls all of the shots. I love the laid-back production on the record; it allows his voice to take center stage. With charismatic and witty bars, Jiles is definitely on course to have a significant 2022.
Dye by Brevin Kim
Brevin Kim has been on the road to success for the past few years. “Dye” is just another step to alternative music stardom. This record shows significant growth, and, honestly, it may be one of my favorite BK songs to date. This duo stands out to me because of the pairing of instrumentation and vocality in their music. They always seem to work in perfect tandem with the production, making for a quality listening experience. This is a track I highly recommend!
No One Gets Me by Johan Lenox (ft RMR)
The multi-talented Johan Lenox is back with “No One Gets Me”. This record captures being in a crowded room but somehow feeling lonelier than ever. It’s often hard to encapsulate such a specific feeling on a record, but Johan manages to find the perfect combination. RMR is featured on the song and gives the listener a nice change of pace. Lastly, the visual comment is immaculate, and I find it to be a video that I will revisit frequently.
No Peakin by Chase Murphy (ft Mick Jenkins)
Chase Murphy and Chicago’s own Mick Jenkins coming together for a record, how couldn’t I be interested. “No Peakin” is a SLAPPER, and there is no doubt in my mind that these two need to collaborate more. The chemistry on the song is excellent, and their styles play off each other so well! This is a statement from Chase that 2022 is his year!
Thousand Eyes Restrict by G.King
BARS, BARS, and BARS. G. King is a maniac when it comes to putting pen to paper. “Thousand Eyes Restrict” is the antithesis of this and shows that if you want some smooth flows and true lyricism, he’s the guy. This record is in collaboration with Blank Face Villain handling the production. This is the rapper and producer duo that we all needed!
AKA by Wahid
Wahid of the rap conglomerate seeyousoon has recently dropped an EP, What’s In A Name? On this record, we get two new songs and the instrumentals of each of them as well. That being the case, the record “AKA” really stood out to me, and I enjoyed that song to the point of overplaying it. I love the sample laced production with the heavy-hitting elements. This is what Yeezus would sound like if it had dropped in 2022, which had a major influence in glitch-hop. This is one for the books and should be on your radar!