I like to stay inside for safety reasons. I don’t like being around a large group of people unless I can control who’s there, which is damn near impossible. So on a day like today, we don’t break our habits, we stay inside. Outside is hectic. There are the people I don’t want to interact with, music I hate to hear and now a sense of is someone going to randomly shoot up wherever we are. No color or creed is off-limits when it comes to this violence and to be perfectly honest this shit is terrifying.
I’m 30 now and it’s wildly surprising that I’m still here. Not from a super dark standpoint, but I feel like I’ve lived so many different lives so far. Though none of those times felt as heavy as this one. Maybe I just wasn’t aware of it, but now there isn’t a whole lot of joy running rampant through these days. We try to be sane and stay positive, but man this shit is difficult. I guess that’s why art is as important as ever. People genuinely need that escape from their daily lives, they need to feel that emotion. Art is our last hope to spark some sort of change, but who am I anyway.
Devin Burgess – Contemporaries
Devin is getting some great shine as a producer right now with his recent work with Siifu and Valee. But let this not be a distraction from the fact that “Contemporaries” one of the hardest cuts off his project now has a video to it. This was teased a minute ago, but I’m stoked Devin decided to unleash it from the vault. Essentially you could call this one of the lead singles off That’s Unfortunate, which dropped in the fall of last year, but better late than never when it’s really that good. Do yourself a favor and tap into all of the above.
Grand Ace – Orbit City
Grand Ace is a vastly overlook artist from Cincinnati, and I believe it’s because of how unique the wave is. On his new EP Orbit City, we hear 6 cuts that bask in Ace‘s gentle, yet genius bag. “Lowtides” might be the favorite of the bunch, but “Diamond Life” does a wondrous job of rounding this opus out. The theme of this per usual is to lose the stress and enjoy the bops. Unconventional stylings of percussion with bright emotions. Grand Ace is one to watch, tap in wenches.
Nöel – Say Things
Nöel‘s pen is lethal. His tone is lush and soon this young man will be on the world’s radar. “Say Things” might be a loose release for the bro, but it possesses sheer replay value. Yes, the cut is a minute-and-seven-seconds long, but that only motivates you to continuously run it back until that itch is scratched. Nöel is already one of those ones, peep his game above.
Fatboyshaun And Ricky Mapes – Evil Twin
Fatboyshaun and Ricky Mapes are back on our pages with some gas of epic proportions. This EP is called Evil Twin and it basks in a golden-era-themed glory. “Grimm Carrey” is the favorite of the bunch partly because of the wondrous percussion from GRIMM Doza. “$5 Advil” is not to be slept on either, but truly none of these cuts lack behind the others. If you’re looking for some good old-fashioned fundamentals melded with rugged talent, this is the project for you.
Anthony Steed – E-Hex
This one was sent to me by a good bro, and it’s a bit more pop-leaning than we’re traditionally known for. Though Anthony Steed does a great job of commanding our attention from start to finish. Subtle tones and imperfections win the ear over and showcase an authentic piece of who Steed truly is. “E-Hex” might be what the kids are prone to cook up and if that’s the case then I guess we’ll be alright.
Khadi Lee – FriendZone
Nothing like some good old sensual R&B to win us over. But on this one, we run into the enemy of the state, the dreaded “Friendzone”. With our antagonist Khadi Lee at the helm of the ship, we see this man convince the lady of his dreams that he’s more than just a friend. Khadi‘s voice is soothing and sounds good convincing his potential love interests. The visuals are clean and overall this end product is something to remember. Get hip to the name Khadi Lee today.
