Sins by Lil Spirit

Lil Spirit is one of the best at keeping promises. He stuck to his word and dropped his single “Sins” Friday morning. The blues track, co-produced by mjNichols and Alec Wigdahl, resembles the ‘90s or an early 2000s RnB hit. Lil Spirit is evidently most comfortable with this style of music. His vocal performance is more dynamic in this song than his previous singles. It’s possible that Lil Spirit Boy is gearing up to launch a project with a similar tone as “Sins”. But, it’s 2020, and Internet Money could have anything up their sleeves.

Click here to listen to “Sins” on SoundCloud.

Eternal Atake Is Lil Uzi Vert’s “Best Body of Work”

Late Thursday night, early Friday morning, self-proclaimed rockstar Lil Uzi Vert spoke to his fans in a short burst of tweets about his very long-awaited album Eternal Atake. Fans have been waiting almost two years for this specific project while Lil Uzi teased it during his musical break. Fans once speculated that it would never come out. Towards the middle of 2019, he brought back the hype and promised a 2020 release date.

Uzi tells his fans that Eternal Atake is his best body of work and it’ll bring the good vibes from 2016 back to christen the new decade. The Philadelphia rapper is determined to complete this mission. He’s gone to the lengths to change his famously unpredictable hair into a bright, neon orange dye job. If that doesn’t scream warm feelings and high energy, I don’t know what does.

A QUICK CONVERSATION WITH ROKU

A calming ambience and a hazy room must be the set inside of recording artist Roku’s mind. His music provides this exact aesthetic, it’s ideal for an immersive experience, a friends-only kickback and perfect for a study session. His rhythmic and somber style pairs well with hip hop influences. Roku is skilled at finding the peace in anything. His latest single “MiddleMan”, produced by 2thousan9, pushes these skills to the foreground. He balances his flow’s energy with low tempo instrumentals well. His music may sound sad to the untrained ear, but Roku has found his niche in this balance. All of his supporters know this from experience, whether through music or his social output, he’s one of the chillest personalities out there.

How long have you been making music? Has it always been your passion?

ROKU: I’ve been making music since seventh grade but really taking it seriously since I was about 18/19. I’m 22 now. Music and creativity has always been my passion. I used to want to be a director before I started making music. 

What was your first recording session like? When did you step into your first official studio?

ROKU: My first recording session was really dope cuz it was just me with my computer and a mic and I could experiment and take as much time as I needed. The first professional studio I went to was when I started going to audio engineering school and I got to use the studios there. But I’ve always been my own engineer and recorded myself even to this day. I just keep upgrading all my equipment.

Since you gained knowledge for your musical career from college, do you have advice for artists that are in school/college that may feel dropping out is their best option?

ROKU: Well I’m not gonna lie I actually didn’t go to college either. I took a year long course at a recording studio so it wasn’t like school at all it was like an apprenticeship fr. But as far as kids in school I would just say stay in school until you feel real traction. And then when u really feel like people are listening I would drop out and go head first. People put way too much of a stress on school you don’t need it. But it def helps some people.

Where do you draw your inspiration?

ROKU:  I draw my inspiration from my everyday life and the struggles/successes I go thru. And just being able to say something that connects w people. I also draw inspiration from the people around me, and my inspiration musically comes from my favorite artists and my friends who make music. 

Do you think where you’re from has held you back or pushed you forward?

ROKU: Where I’m from has helped and held me back. It’s held me back just cuz I’m not in LA or NY and that’s where the actual music BUSINESS is. But it’s helped me so much more cuz there’s so many talented artists around me who bring good energy. The scene in the DMV and in Maryland especially has so much goin on rn.

What adversities do you feel you’ve overcome since you’ve started your career?

ROKU: Some adversities I’ve overcome is remembering to be patient w everything, as well as getting out of my own way fr. Every artist is their own worst enemy. 

What critical aspects of your artistry have changed or evolved in the last few years?

ROKU: I stopped trying to write bars w hella metaphors and double entendres and started just speaking from the heart and talking about my everyday life. I also switched up what kind of beats I like to jump on as I’ve grown as a artists.

What can fans expect from you this year? Any project coming in the next couple of momths?

ROKU: 2020 I’m boutta go crazy. I got hella videos coming in the next 2 months plus at least 3 more projects. And I’m always boutta flood my soundcloud with singles. I’m also tryna get sum behind the scenes videos going. Just be on the look out for Roku 2020. Love y’all

Click here to listen to Roku on SoundCloud.

Billie Eilish Performs New James Bond Film’s Title Song

Billie Eilish has had quite a few golden teenage years. Only a couple of weeks into adulthood and herself and her older brother, and musical partner, Finneas have landed themselves the opportunity to produce and perform a song for one of the biggest and longest running franchises in cinematic history- James Bond. Billie Eilish will be the youngest artist to ever write or record a theme song for the Bond franchise. Miss Eilish, knowingly or not, will be introducing these films to thousands of young girls who may not have been interested in them without her involvement. No Time to Die is set to release in April of this year.

Hip Hop Takes Over Pop In The New Decade

Hip Hop has been on the rise of popularity as a genre for the last twenty years. The art form has made monumental strides regarding its sound, social impact and its definition of a Hip Hop artist. The birth of streaming has ushered in a new generation and demographic of rap fans. A genre that was once developed, governed and engineered by minority groups is now enjoyed on every continent. The introduction of platforms such as SoundCloud and Spotify has given hopeful creatives everywhere the opportunity to be the next number-one artist. It seems this shift in Hip Hop and music itself has opened the doors to the next era of pop culture.

This week, global pop star Justin Bieber has been under the foot of this evolution following the debut of his single ”Yummy”. The singer relaunched his musical career this year after a four-year hiatus. Bieber has always claimed to enjoy a challenge and even considers himself as the underdog in most circumstances. He has had a target on his head since 2009. He and his team surely saw success when they put together the plan to release ”Yummy” at the top of the year, while the rest of Hollywood was still on holiday. The only thing they couldn't predict was Hip Hop newcomer Roddy Ricch’s single ”The Box” battling their corporate mega team for the number-one spot.

By January 3rd, the single had been out for a month. No A&R could've predicted the rocket-like trajectory of the song, or Roddy Ricch’s popularity. He quickly became a famous name in Hip Hop loving American homes. To reach Billboard’s top position in five weeks isn't unheard of, but selling out superstar Justin Bieber is quite rare. This isn't the first time in recent history that Hip Hop has bested Pop music for the nation’s heart. Taylor Swift, America’s sweetheart, was blocked from her usual number-one on the charts when another Hip Hop newcomer, Lil Nas X’s ”Old Town Road”, was on its twelfth week on top of Billboard’s Hot 100.

In 2020, Roddy Ricch now holds the title of the first new song to top the charts of the decade. A triumph such as this was unheard of for rap music over twenty years ago. More people listen to Hip Hop now than it's creators could fathom in the late ’70s. This new era of genre-less music may make feats such as this obsolete. Now, artists of any age have infinite possibilities in front of them. An artist that has just kick-started their career can reach the heights of musical veterans. We're learning, it's not always about the money and marketing. It's about what people want.

BIGBABYGUCCI Gives Us Hints For A Girl Is A Gun

Monday night, streaming superstar BIGBABYGUCCI took to his Twitter in order to give his fans a little teaser for his upcoming album. He disclosed that he would be sending out tweets with new lyrics throughout the night. The rapper stayed true to his word and post a handful of tweets only a few hours later.

Fans can speculate what the true themes of this project will be now. The “Droptop Lexus” artist has a great way of vocalizing himself without saying much. At this time, we don’t know the gravity of these lines, but they could be a part of your next favorite BIGBABYGUCCI track.

A Girl Is A Gun debuts Thursday, January 16th.

FH’s Fresh Out Da Week Playlist January 11th

FH is setting the tone for the first quarter of the new year and updated the playlist for the week with the hottest tracks from the underground. This week features songs like “Testimony” by Angelus (Angelus7k) featuring Yurmsauce (@YurmSauce), “Toxic” by 3miles (@hate3m), produced by MaxVon, and “Toasty” by Zion (@ProbablyZion). The producers put some elbow grease into their tracks too in this Fresh Out Da Week playlist, with astounding production by RellyMade (@RellyMade), Luke Almighty (@Luke_Almighty), as well as an appearance by Nick Mira (@NickMira_) and Pharaoh Vice (@PharaohVice). One of the hottest acts in line for “Best New Artist”, singer LilSpirit with track “Back To Life” reveals the true potential this year holds. Tap into the playlist and find all the stars before they get their awards!

Click here to listen to the “Fresh Out Da Week” Playlist on SoundCloud.

Protein by Tommy Ice

Tommy Ice is back on our homepage with an uptempo track to keep you warm all winter long. “Protein”, produced by 1cmBeatz, is a genre-bending, melodic trap song. Tommy puts his classic flare over the beat and delivers a fun-filled performance, a trait that his listeners love. There’s never a dull moment for this rapper and “Protein” is the perfect single to boost your daily playlist.

Click here to listen to ”Protein” on SoundCloud.

I Want Everything by Somedaysoon

For many of us, the new year rang in the decade of adulthood. Children of the ‘90s officially had to wave goodbye to antics of the early 2000s, including puppy love and parties at the roller rink. Artist Somedaysoon brought that energy back in his exciting new single “I Want Everything”. From the fake, or should I say “personality”, glasses to the disco ball dance competition, Music Video Director NightRunner includes all the key nostalgia points. Visually and sonically, the song is upbeat and a lot of fun. It can be a real pick-me-up to add to your playlist.

Click here to watch the “I Want Everything” video.