Category: Hip Hop

Album Review: JPEGMAFIA – EXPERIMENTAL RAP

Rating: 6/10

If JPEGMAFIA’s mission was to solidify his status as the torchbearer for Experimental Hip Hop with his new album Experimental Rap, then mission accomplished. In a world where the majority of current Hip Hop is stale and predictable, Peggy champions the idea of being different musically and pushing the envelope, but being six albums in now, his unconventional approach is to be expected, which deems his music predictable. However, that predictability isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because the music market isn’t exactly saturated with people making the same kind of discombobulating noisily radical music he makes, which makes him one of a kind. Peggy is aware of his status as the face of Experimental Hip Hop, and he embraces it, but that embracement is a detriment to this album. These songs sound more caught up in the idea of being experimental and unconventional to the point where much of the interesting instrumental ideas sound unfinished and not fully fleshed out. It’s just a bunch of ideas thrown together to sound as abrasive as possible, and normally that sort of thing sounds incredibly innovative in Peggy’s music, but unfortunately this comes across as a gimmick at this point. A lot of songs have an underwhelming beat switch, Brostep elements that are 15 years too late, and the same rapid-fire flow in damn near every song which gets boring very quickly. Which is a shame because there was a time when every word Peggy spit cut like a knife and you truly felt the aggression, jabs at internet culture, and shots at racist conservatives and performative liberals alike. Those lyrical themes have not left his music, but they unfortunately take a back seat to overly messy directionless instrumentals. JPEGMAFIA is capable of creating some truly inspired and unique music, but when the alternative to predictable music becomes predictable itself, then it’s time to switch things up. 

Written By: Steven Sandoval


Merlyn Wood Shares New Single “S.Y.K.” featuring CONNIE


Being quite possibly the most eccentric member of “BROCKHAMPTON,” Merlyn Wood has had many of us aching for solo material, and now that day has finally arrived. Produced by CONNIE, Wood’s new single “S.Y.K.” is explosive, infectious, and rich in personality. Everything you would expect from MERLYN! You can watch the music video for “S.Y.K.” below:

Backxwash Shares New Song “ROSEMARY’S REVENGE”

Just in time for Halloween, Backxwash has released a new track titled “ROSEMARY’S REVENGE,” so don’t finish your Halloween playlist just yet, because this track is a Nu-Metal-dominated banger that you must include. The track was inspired by the lore of Rosemary, who is a ghost in Zambian folklore, and acts as a soundtrack to her told from the perspective of the men that came across her. You can listen to “ROSEMARY’S REVENGE” below:

https://backxwash.bandcamp.com/track/rosemarys-revenge

Maryze Shares New Music Video for “Squelettes” Featuring Backxwash

It’s Halloween season, which means you can count on Montreal-based Alt-Pop artist Maryze to bless us with something that reflects the delightfully dark and sinister nature of the beloved holiday. This year she has shared a brand new music video for her single “Squelettes” which features an infectiously confrontational verse from Backxwash, who has had a successful year following the release of her masterpiece I Lie Here Buried with My Rings and My Dresses. “Squelettes” was released last year, but still holds up as powerhouse of a track, and now we have a beautifully haunting music video rich in Gothic imagery to accompany it thanks to multidisciplinary artist Méchant Vaporwave. You can watch the music video for “Squelettes” below:

Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar Share New Single “Family Ties”

You’ve probably been seeing all over the internet that the GOAT is back, and who is everyone talking about? Not Kanye, that’s for sure. We’re all talking about Kendrick Lamar. A week after his public statement regarding his final album with “Top Dawg Entertainment,” which has no release date yet, Kendrick Lamar has made a glorious return on Baby Keem’s new single “Family Ties,” and this is the collab we didn’t know we needed. “I been duckin’ the pandemic, I been duckin’ the social gimmicks, I been duckin’ the overnight activists, yeah I’m not a trending topic, I’m a prophet,” Kendrick spits, commenting on the abundance of events in 2020 to now that have rendered everyone divided. Kendrick was relatively quiet last year, but hopefully “Family Ties” is just the beginning of his much needed return. You can watch the music video for “Family Ties” below:

Tyler, The Creator Shares New Single “Lumberjack”


Following his “Side Street” teaser video which was released earlier this week and left many to believe new music was on the horizon, Tyler, The Creator has released a brand new single titled “Lumberjack.” Still no word on whether or not there’s a new album coming, but it is nice to hear new music from Tyler to help us cope with these trying times. You can watch the music video for “Lumberjack” below:

Quick Album Review: Atmosphere – The Day Before Halloween

Artist: Atmosphere

Album: The Day Before Halloween

Genre: Hip Hop/Electronic

Label: Rhymesayers Entertainment

Rating: 8/10

At this point in their career Hip Hop duo “Atmosphere” shouldn’t be sounding this refreshed and inspired with new ideas, but here we are over 20 years after the group’s formation and the two have surprised us all by sonically exploring new territories one with an old worn out cassette copy of Headshots Vol. Se7en would never see as a possibility for a new change in sound. I’ve never heard so many synthesizers on an “Atmosphere” record, let alone synthesizers that evoke the spirit of 80s “Horror.” Producer Anthony Davis drawing influence from “Horror” isn’t completely out of character, considering much of his early work featured samples from classic Horror films such as Night of the Living Dead, Suspiria, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, and The Shining, but this deep dive into dark synth-driven Electro is a massive surprise. As for Slug, he isn’t exactly breaking new ground, but he solidifies his status as the ultimate MC who can unsparingly reveal his vulnerability and rap his ass off at the same time. This is the best “Atmosphere” has sounded in years.

Written By: Steven Sandoval

Maryze Shares New Single “Squelettes” featuring Backxwash

Even though this whole year has been a Horror movie, many of us are still celebrating this October as spooky season is here. To commemorate the favorite holiday of us weirdoes, Montreal-based singer/songwriter Maryze has released a brand new single titled “Squelettes,” and it’s her most ambitious track yet. I know I probably sound like a broken record, because every time Maryze drops something I describe it as “her most ambitious yet,” well, that’s because she continues to reinvent herself and experiment with new sounds, some even outside of her comfort zone, and that’s the mark of a true innovator. Meaning “Skeleton” in French, “Squelettes” is her darkest track yet. With hard-hitting production from Margo, and an explosive verse from Backxwash, the track is hauntingly catchy, but instead of delving into the typical “ghouls and goblins” tropes affiliated with Halloween, Maryze speaks on addiction and mental illness, which is far more disturbing than ghosts and zombies. Many of us have been forced to deal with our demons during this pandemic, and a lot of us have used unhealthy coping methods, and Maryze doesn’t sugarcoat this subject. The shouts of “what the fuck are you doing here?!” from Backxwash is all of us as we deal with that inner voice that tries to sabotage us, even when things are going well. It’s a dark yet inspiring track that dives deep into the darkness to trudge through the mud in order to reach the light at the end of the tunnel. “Squelettes” is a taste of what’s yet to come on Maryze’s debut album which is set to be released next year on “Hot Tramp Records.” You can listen to “Squelettes” below:

S. Reidy Shares New Single “Flowers”

IMG_E7276

At this point it’s clear that S. Reidy doesn’t know how to stop making music, and that’s a good thing because you can always expect quality songwriting from the rapper/producer on every release. Today Reidy has shared a brand new single titled “Flowers,” and it’s a soothingly sentimental track with immense introspection and mindfulness. You can watch the music video for “Flowers” below:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0Ha3ZG3JqRfuUuPThNEFGZ

Gorillaz and ScHoolboy Q Share New Song “PAC-MAN”

IMG_E6485

Gorillaz continue their “Song Machine” series by dropping another banger of a track titled “PAC-MAN” which features “Top Dawg Entertainment’s” ScHoolboy Q. The music video pays homage to the classic video game which just recently celebrated its 40th Anniversary, but the track itself is a funky groove that shifts once ScHoolboy Q comes in with a fiery verse. You can watch the music video for “PAC-MAN” below: