Showing her playful side, the 23-year old rapper, Chika came to the Tiny Desk chock-full of jokes and lots of flair, even bringing her sister in-tow to celebrate the occasion as a family affair. Chika was also the first hip-hop act to anchor her set with just a Peruvian cajón instead of a full, hard-hitting kit. The surprisingly stripped-down performance allowed her lyrics, with all their nuance, to take center stage — and the result was remarkable. You’re right Diddy; Chika is the best of the new school.
Rock-n-roll band Radiofix hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, is made up of 3 members: Daniel Martin (vocals/guitar), Benjamin Thurston (bass), and Jorge Gutierrez Jr. (drums). The band just released their latest single titled “All Night Long” which will leave you wanting more rock-n-roll. Reminiscent of some of our favorite rock bands of the 90’s grunge era like (Pearl Jam, Nirvana etc,) Radiofix manages to bring a fresh, modern twist to a classic sound. With accessible songwriting and impressive instrumentation, the band really has it all. After seven years together, Radiofix is still creating some of their most inspired music yet. If you miss rock-n-roll like we do, Radiofix is a rock band you should add to your watchlist today. Radiofix.net/
Marquette King is a self-proclaimed “pop-hop” artist hailing from Phoenix, AZ. He always had a passion for making music, but it stopped when his sports career started to take off in a big way. King started his professional career as an NFL punter, playing for both the Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos. During time off due to injury, King has been working hard on his music again. After regularly releasing fire tracks in 2019, he is starting off the new year right with the release of “This Side” and the upcoming release of “Past You.” Definitely check out the “This Side” featured below and it’s also available on Apple Music. You can stay up with Marquette on Twitter @MarquetteKing He’s entertaining as hell.
This Freddie Gibbs and Madlib Tiny Desk performance was a year in the making, largely because Madlib insisted on playing with El Michels Affair, a vintage funk and soul band based out of New York. But it was worth the wait. When pianist Marco Benevento opened with a delicate, almost jazzy run, it created the perfect opening — and juxtaposition — for hard-hitting emcee, Gibbs to jump in and ride the hell out of that beat.
Birdd Luciano is a new voice emerging out of Chicago that is changing the energy within the city. After releasing his latest visual “Thoughts In My Head,” Birdd categorizes himself in an honorable class of rappers with his visuals totaling over 1 million combined views. Ghetto Blessings, sums up Birdd’s unique sound and diverse content, ranging from his hit single “Toxic Love,” Produced by Xcel, Thoughts In My Head to Top Shottas (Remix ft. HoodBrat) and more. Toxic Love is a catalyst track addressing relationship issues from the male perspective while Top Shottas shows a diverse flavor of Birdd’s versatility. Ghetto Blessings is an eclectic combination of producers Nate, Nefti, Xcel and Baron Galindo of story-telling fused with street music. Check out the album on Spotify, and look out for Birdd’s performance alongside LAHH HoodBrat on at Hip Hop massive Rolling Loud Festival on May 8th.
When we first saw that Roc Nations’s Rapsody and Rhymesayers Entertainment’s much talked about signee Sa-Roc were going on a US run together for Rap’s A Black Woman Created This tour, we were hype. Both artists have earned critical acclaim and respect from fans and piers alike, and it’s dope to see them join forces. We caught the Portland stop of the northwest leg of the tour at the charming Star Theater in the heart of the city.
Marvin Mayo is an Athabascan/Inupiaq artist hailing from Fairbanks, Alaska. He just released an album inspired by Breaking Bad! It’s titled “Are No Stars After All” and is a concept album about a city, people and irresponsibility. With sarcastic lyrics inspired by Jimi Hendrix (and many more), somewhat of a lofi hiphop influence of production, and a little less sunlight everyday, this is the first album produced, mixed and mastered by Marvin Mayo. You can hear some of his musical influences such as Andre 3000, J.Cole, and MF Doom reflected in Marvin’s music. Check out the entire album here and stay up with Marvin on Twitter @GoodVillainLLC
Ro$ewood Renegade, hailing from Austin, Texas is relying on his himself to get the next level. “Knockin” is a song about that exactly, as Renegade raps about Knocking on the music industries door. Previously Renegade and his brother Deezle started their own rap duo called ‘Double or Nuttin’, becoming local celebrities at school and in their neighborhood. He’s been working hard ever since that to grow as a solo artist and is taking hold of this moment to step into the spotlight. The only place to get Ro$ewood Renegade’s new mixtape “In My Own Lane” is by going to his website.
Violinist, Asher Laub, has released a new music video cover to Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You.” The music video follows the release of his newest original hit, “On The Road.”
Singer-songwriter Kathy Ingraham is having a massive year. An experienced vocalist who has sung on TV and radio commercials for organizations such as McDonald’s, Chrysler, ABC Network, Coke, Pepsi, and many more, Kathy hit her stride as a bonafide indie recording artist in 2014 and has since released several solo projects and singles, working with an impressive roster of artists and composers. She has recently added another soundtrack to her credits with her 60s retro pop rock song “Little Things” being featured in the new Johnny Depp movie, “The Professor.” Her latest release is called “Cherish” and features “Reelin In The Years” guitarist Elliott Randall and jazz icon Pete Levin along with Joel Rosenblatt from Spyro Gyra on drums. You can listen to “Cherish” on SoundCloud and check out her website at www.kathyingraham.com.
Lil Dream is a Washington, D.C. based rapper who is starting to make waves in the industry with his music. On top of being a skilled rapper, he also produces some of his own records and has recorded and mastered the entirety of his latest project, “86 Nights.” Lil Dream has gained both local and national attention for his music and has even gotten the support of Grammy-nominated rapper GoldLink. Lil Dream also just released an album titled Sink or Swipe. The album is a cohesive group of melodic rap songs that can be compared to the likes of Future or Drake, where Lil Dream both sings and raps. Stream the full album below and remember you heard it here first. Enjoy!
The rap group night $hift, hailing from Albany,NY is on the rise. The group is is composed of three rappers/producers; $suspenseful,ando ,and John Mercury. The music is feel good hip hop with very chill smoker vibes. Check out their latest record below, enjoy!
“The Hawthorne Effect” is up and coming rock group hailing from Chicago. Their music has been compared to the likes of Wilco, Radiohead, and sometimes, White Stripes meets AC/DC. The name “The Hawthorne Effect” is the phenomenon by which knowing one is being observed affects one’s behavior. Perhaps to elude to something deeper, as their key member John Jauch is not only a musician, but a psychotherapist that uses art to reach, educate, relate and others. Below you can stream three of our favorite songs from the The Hawthorne Effect; The Edge, I Will Go On, and Dead Girls. You can also give them a follow here: @the_hawthorne_effect_music Enjoy!
Daniel Coyne a Montreal, Canada nomad crafts an project detailing his experiences and intimate thoughts he comes to pontificate on his newest project titled “Cloud Nomad”. Accompanied with a variety of instrumentation ranging from muddy synths, trap drums, icy atmospheric soundscapes, lush pads to fresh warmth sounding production, he’s a very versatile artist who has a lot to offer to the hip hop scene. He is making waves in Canada, and it won’t be long until we’re telling you’ll “…you heard it here first”. Stream “Cloud Nomad” below and go support this man by giving him a follow @dcgalaxy
Today we want to bring you the hottest new artist coming out of Louisville, Kentucky; Philly Blocks! aka The Team 563 Boss. “Philly Blocks” is back at it making moves and giving his fans that heat, especially with this new visual installment packed with back to back bars about the ups & downs of hood life in Louisville affectionately titled the “Day’s Of Our Lives”.
Horizon Wireless is the collaborative effort of accomplished multitalented producers Harrison Waxenberg and Daniel Scott Lyons, who have officially joined forces to create their debut album, Welcome to the Network, available now on all major streaming services. With complex rhythms and intricate textures masterfully mixed by Jesse Miller of Lotus fame, Welcome to the Network is an interplanetary journey through space and sound. Well placed vocal samples and snippets create a captivating cinematic effect and cohesive presence that ties each track together. Featuring a futuristic, funky, house vibe that fuses elements from several genres Welcome to the Network is unlike any other album before it.
North Carolina’s own duo of MC’s Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh, better known collectively as Little Brother, have built a cult following over the last 15 years and have achieved underground legend status in the process. They just might be your favorite rapper’s favorite rappers…literally, if you don’t believe me, just ask Drake. They’ve been on somewhat of a hiatus since their split with famed producer 9th Wonder, but this fall they returned with a bangin’ full length album May The Lord Watch, and they’ve been on the road for the last few months promoting it. We were lucky enough to catch their stop at the intimate Peter’s Room, directly underneath the famous Roseland Theater in Portland.
King Femi is a Hip-Hop/Rap artist hailing from Atlanta, GA. His latest release is “Young Queens,” a single that takes a new direction after the drop of the more energetic “Rolex.” The song is a more slowed-down trap song with a smooth flow. “Young Queens” was released by Royal Family Productions, LLC and is available on Soundcloud and Spotify. Check it out here first, listen below.
Maxime Boublil was born in Paris, France, into a musical theater family. His father wrote Les Miserables and Miss Saigon, his mother was the first Cosette in Les Miserables in France. As a child, he played cello for eleven years but knew he never wanted to follow in his parents’ footsteps. Maxime studied photography at the Academy of Arts University in San Francisco and after a year realized that it wasn’t for him. He soon found what he was looking for when he walked into a friend’s dorm room one day and picked up their guitar. Soon after, he switched his major to Music in Visual Media and started composing. Maxime eventually pursued a career as an engineer at “Furstock Studios” with three-time aria award-winning engineer Doug Brady, all the while writing his own songs on the side. Realizing he needed to do something with the over fifty songs he had written, he began to produce and record his own music. Listen to Maxime on Spotify and SoundCloud. Follow Maxime on Instagram for news and updates.
Famed West Coast Rapper and Oakland’s very own, Kamaiyah joined forces with Producer Link Up and Director WeThePartySean to release a reimagined version of the classic Warren G. & Michael McDonald anthem “Regulate/ Keep Forgettin” recorded, filmed, and released in 24 hours. With effortless swag and a unique style it’s easy to see why Kamaiyah is one of our top artists to watch in 2019 and 2020. Check out the video for “Back to Basics” and look out for more from the promising young artist!
