Fresh Out Da Week Playlist 2/22

This week’s adaptation of the Fresh Out Da Week playlist is jammed packed with songs that’ll fit perfectly into your personal playlist. The playlist is arranged to send the listener on a journey amongst genres, tones, and lyrical content. This week features hits such as “Wake Up” by Vincii (@byvincii) featuring FranksLastDay, “Empire State of Mind” by SEBii (@sebseb122_), “makeover” by Lil Xelly (@LilXelly) and “ustillmissme” by Dolly (@d0llywood1). The playlist carries an upbeat tone led by producers such as Aboc1 (@aboc1), Vinso for FACE2FACE by Braxton Knight (@BraxtonKnight) featuring Kevin Kazi (@KevinKazi), and Baredex for VOICEMAILS by REI (@reisen9k). This playlist is filled with takeaways and insanely rhythmic features. Music lovers won't want to miss the hidden gems that this week’s submissions have to offer.

Click here to listen to the Fresh Out Da Week playlist on SoundCloud.

Sake by BIGBABYGUCCI

BIGBABYGUCCI is known for making music for the moment. His latest single is a celebration for what’s to come, and the last release before his upcoming album, A Girl Is A Gun. This young and unsigned rapper has many successes to flaunt. Especially his most recent project Send Help, which grossed over a million streams across platforms. “Sake” is produced by Fish and has frequently been described as smooth and tranquil. One can only guess how they found inspiration for the title. BIGBABYGUCCI’s jagged vocals over Fish’s instrumentals are an unbeatable combination.

Click here to listen to “Sake” on SoundCloud.

nocturne EP by avakten

Last year, avakten released a three-song EP titled nocturne. The EP, featuring the late rapper Hella Sketchy, is a high energy project and a solid body of work for its six minutes of run time. The listener is swiftly transported in and out of an atmosphere that resembles another dimension. Every chime or high hat sounds as if it's brand new and made for that specific track. avakten placed exceptional consideration into the mood he was trying to create during production. This EP is sure to stand out throughout his career as a estimate to his fearlessness as a producer and an artist.

Click here to listen to nocturne on SoundCloud.

One And Only By Only Yann

Just a week ago, Milwaukee rapper Only Yann released his first project One And Only. The EP is studded with explosive beats from an array of producers; Hoodrixh, 9TYEIGHT, and RichyBoyDior to name a few. Yann is making a statement with his first project- he’s taking this very seriously. The production and quality are top-notch, no shortcuts or “mumble rap”. His lyrics are fun and meant to heighten the energy no matter the situation. With an introduction to the game as dynamic and likable as this, I’m sure we’ll see much more of Only Yann.

Click here to listen to One And Only on SoundCloud.

LUVMIX VOLUME 1 by LUVGRIP

It can be hard to find music that possesses that unique, certain sound you want. Producer LUVGRIP has put together a mixtape completely curated and produced with his signature, experimental style. Consisting of five songs, each with an explosive artist to pair with some of his best instrumentals to date. The tape kicks off with “Case Closed” featuring Yung A.I. If you thought the project would be just heartbroken songs, he quickly corrects you. “Case Closed” is an instant headbanger and is followed by “Dumb Boy” featuring melodic rapper, Sugarblood. The second song is a more somber track, but the high hats and the use of high pitched ringtones keep it fun. Not only that, but “Sugarblood” meshes seamlessly with the third track “Cardi” featuring 2Shay. LUVGRIP is great at keeping his listeners on their toes, adding in unexpected breaks and shifts in tempo. He selected an amazing group of artists to showcase his skills and their own. “Ice Cold” features G.O Soul who uses a more classic flow over a dynamic, busy beat. Closing out the mixtape is MiNUTE on “Keeping It 50”. He has the most boisterous flow and this track is probably my favorite out of the mixtape. LUVGRIP proves he can produce for any artist, or any flow, cadence and style.

Click here to listen to LUVMIX VOLUME 1 on SoundCloud.

Entr’acte EP by Dutcho

As the weather turns cold, it seems our feelings go along with it. Dutcho embodies that shift through his grunge and forthcoming music, Entr’acte furthers that bond. He speaks to those young people not looking for songs about material things, but rather real and sometimes unpleasant emotions or situations. ”War With Myself” is a helping hand for his supporters that may be dealing with more internal struggles. If you’re looking for a more alternative style or simply a new sound, this is the project for you.

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Click here to listen to Entr’acte on SoundCloud.

Deadly EP by Shao

Smooth and calculated. That’s the best way to describe rapper Shao’s newest body of work. Deadly is a honest telling of life today. Shao is an open book and his flow is as rhythmic as an old school record. Consisting of six tracks, each song is meant to fascinate the listener and show off all of Shao’s skills. Wordplay is nothing to the young MC and his explosive energy is on full display in ”Hunger” featuring GenoPride. Surely, all of the artists’ rage must have been released while recording the dark anthem ”Christ” featuring Surge. The EP, engineered and partially produced by platinum-engineer TylerGENIUS, distances itself from the Trap style of Hip Hop that the younger generation has coined for themselves, and pushes energy, inflection, grimy bars and a crazy beat to drive his point.

Click here to stream the Deadly EP.

Do Not Disturb by HateSonny

Chicago has been at the forefront of Hip Hop for a while now. It’s no surprise that the “Windy City” native delivered that epic and confident energy the city breeds. HateSonny is back, following his GOOD LUCK LP with Do Not Disturb. This EP is HateSonny’s chance to do a bit of storytelling through the track “Way Back”. Despite only having five songs, Do Not Disturb is a hard-hitting project. HateSonny didn’t cut costs when it comes to the project’s production or time when it comes to his lyrics. Do Not Disturb is a well put together body of work that any listener that’s looking for something a bit more genuine can gravitate towards.

Click here to listen to Do Not Disturb on SoundCloud.

The Big Step for Tyler Fontaine

Tyler Fontaine is a gem and a testament to the whiplash-fast speeds of the underground scene. In today’s age of digital stars, it's difficult to weed out the organically grown artists and those that some believe are developed by labels to trick or influence listeners. Artists that went unheard suddenly bubble to the surface and are “instantly” stars. Taz Taylor, CEO of Internet Money, is continuously the suspected culprit, according to online detectives. When he somewhat covertly picked up another artist, Hip Hop & RnB artist Tyler Fontaine on Sunday, again suspicions grew. I wanted to get in front of the roomers and conspiracy theories that are sure to arise in the coming months as they begin business and musical ventures.

Tyler Fontaine is a multitalented artist from Maryland. His discography cross genres. He sounds bounces from Trap, Drill, RnB, even dipping into Reggae. He's diverse and not afraid to experiment with his vocals and musical abilities. A fearlessness such as this is what fits the criteria of each of Taz Taylor’s artists, or a long-standing musician. Every year the industry changes and collects sounds, genres, and new tools to further music, adaptation is to be expected.

Tyler isn't a stranger to hard work. So far on his own, Tyler Fontaine has released half a dozen singles and collaborations on all major streaming platforms. Do Not Disturb 2, the sequel to his mixtape of the same name is his first project on Apple Music. The original, released in 2018, has accumulated over a hundred thousand streams on SoundCloud. His music and following didn't begin with Hollywood recognition. Tyler’s music, like any other underground artist, has been gradually building a following as he’s built up his abilities, confidence, and catalog. Nothing happens overnight.

Click here to listen to Tyler Fontaine on SoundCloud.

Broken by XanMan

It happened.

It finally happened.

Sunday morning, Xanman took to Twitter and announced that his long-awaited album Broken would be released to all streaming services “Tonight”. His Twitter followers were suddenly in a frenzy, myself included. I thought, “If this really drops, the months-long wait is finally over. Sure enough, Broken, the album consisting of fifteen tracks was published. And it took off.

Only twelve hours after Broken’s release, it has entered into iTunes Top 50 Albums chart. Surpassing artists such as Lizzo, Tyler, The Creator, and Megan Thee Stallion. It's in the works to possibly dethrone stars Lil Nas X and Trippie Redd. The suspense he's built up the last few months has surely paid off. The project is pieced together perfectly. From the beginning, Xanman bounces between an R&B style and his hardened trap flow with the songs Broken, Pt. 1 and Not. The pattern continues almost seamlessly.

Xanman shows off a skill that he's been practicing and perfecting for most of the year. Stepping into a melodic, blues-style sound isn't new to him. He's remixed a handful of R&B classics, his cover of Alicia Keys’ No One is one of his most popular renditions. A trend that may have started as a joke proved to be a strength for Xanman, and a favorite for his fans. The young rapper has managed to make a form of Emotional Trap like no other.

Click here to listen to Broken anywhere.

A QUICK CONVERSATION WITH ANT FLOW

Ant Flow is an up-and-coming artist with a talent that’s long in the making. His music captures that calming energy a lot of us are looking for when escaping life’s stresses. He works hard for his craft, but his listeners may not know much about the mind behind the magic. I asked him a couple question about how his beginning in music came about.

What was your first experience with creating music

ANT: My first experience with creating music was when that Drake and Josh movie came out. And I kept watching it over and over. And I remember asking my dad could he teach me how to write a song. And he did lmao. We used the same melody as the song in the movie “make me happy”. Shit was like crazy to me. It’s like my mind was exposed to another realm of creativity. I was just hungry for more.

How has your hometown affected your sound?

ANT: I think it’s the mysteriousness of how lowkey it is. Like Waldorf, Maryland is out the way. Not a whole lot going on but it’s definitely a vibe where we all hungry for something to happen. Like when we throw a show with little to no effort of promo people come out bc it aint shit to do. So when it comes to my sound, I get that chill vibey shit from the emotions that come from all the late night car rides and them moments where it’s just nothing but thirst for that chance to do something memorable for yuh city.

Does musical talent run in your family?

ANT: Yea music is definitely something that runs in the family. Shit my Dad played trumpet in high school, played congos for a gogo band and used to sing. My mom used to be in a church chior. She used to do competitions against Mary J Bladge’s choir back in the day. My lil brothers all play instruments too. And it’s a lot more people in my family that do music too.

Who was your first supporter?

ANT: I would say my first supporter would be my homie Kamal. Like when i first started taking my craft seriously he was the first one pushing me to be better. Like he was there when I dropped my first song and the shit was only playing in the left ear lol. I mean don’t get me wrong I had a lot of people in my corner but this nigga was a fan too. he was passionate bout my shit. so big s/o to Mally Mal.

Do you see yourself venturing into different genres?

ANT: 5. Yea as I continue to grow I tap into different genres bc I’m so open and inspired by different sounds. Like it’s crazy how comfortable I can be listening to something outta my comfort zone and instantly get inspired. And I feel as tho no great musician or artist sticks to one genre they whole career that’s boring lol.

Click here to catch up on Ant Flow’s music and journey.

A QUICK CONVERSATION WITH DON GADY

Don Gady is an artist in every sense of the word. He’s passionate about his form of expression and isn’t afraid to stand alone. His music is his release and a time capsule of his life and its lessons. His genre is energy and it’s ever-changing, Don’s catalogue is sure to resonate with you at some point, keeping his listeners on their toes. I asked him a few questions to learn about where he gets his honest, dedicated demeanor and what manages to keep his interest, all while being a rising artist.

Where are you from?

GADY:  Ok so to answer your first question I was born in Baltimore, Maryland & when my parents had split, I was like two or three, my mom got my dad sent to prison & she took me to live in New Jersey along with this other dude she began seeing & eventually married & had my stepsister a couple years later, it wasn’t until April 2008 (when my mom had gotten a job offer from APS for an administration job) that we moved to Atlanta. (She was working as a teacher for all that time but looking to get promoted but never received it, basically felt cheated on that so she was looking to move). So yaa after I graduated high school at 17 I got kicked out & I ended up meeting my dad & that side of the family like it was the first time forreal forreal in Charleston. & after running the streets for awhile I ended up getting a job stocking shelves & realized that wasn’t for me neither & then I decided to go to SCSU this HBCU in the next town over. It was cool, it was really partying & bullshiting, until I couldn’t pass the mandatory math courses they set out for me to do my sophomore/junior year there & on top of that, I went to quite a few of the parties & when I refused to go to this one, one of the homies had gotten shot dead & it really messed with my head. So I ended up dropping out & moved back to Atlanta with my girlfriend in 2016.

Have you been into creating music since you were a child?

GADY: I wrote my first rap in 2007 when I was like 11 or 12. I was going thru a lot at the time & I didn’t feel like I was being heard. I recorded myself rapping for the first time in high school of 2011 while I was on probation for the first time. My first mixtape “Da Balance” came out in 2012. Mostly because I believed the conspiracies that the world might end & I wanted to leave something beautiful behind lol but it was rushed af & should have never dropped lmao if I knew what I know now I would’ve worked on it way more but I was just into Raw lyricism back then & that’s all that project was.

Your music is vibrant, from the bells, buzzes and other noises in your beats to your cover art looking a bit like an acid trip. What do you think inspires that?

GADY: What inspires that feel I’d have to say that my grandpa John, he exposed me to a lot of older music that was really dope such as Metallica & Jimi Hendrix to name a few to put it in perspective & I never heard anything like that, he had a library of music that he would choose from every night when he’d get home from work & start painting as we smoked weed in the garage or back room or outside or in the car lol - we actually grew our own weed for awhile too lol -I remember the first trip on shrooms with my grandpa John lmao we had took shrooms when my grandma was away for awhile one time (because she didn’t approve of what we did nor did anyone on my moms side really) & he played my favorite Jimi Hendrix album: Are You Experienced? & I slick began to actually see sounds & feel colors!! I believe that really moved me to change up the music I was making to take people on a trip away from the ordinary, I noticeably began to make more conceptual art afterwards definitely.

You’re great at collaborating with other artists online, have you ever had a collaboration go wrong? 

GADY: Yes, I’ve had collaborative projects go wrong before only because people who I was working with wanted the shine on them more then the actual result of the project, if that makes any sense..? Like I’m all about making music & making something dope & original, but a lot of people don’t see it the same, some just want the clout and/or the money that MAY come from the result of making music & don’t actually put in the work on their part to make something great, they just expect it. Feel they are entitled to it or something, when that isn’t & shouldn’t be the case at all, forreal.

What mainstream artists would you want to collaborate with?

GADY: I would love to collaborate with Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Travis Scott and/or Playboi Carti - I have always been a fan of Curren$y & Wiz Khalifa since I began smoking in 2009 I heard that How Fly & knew I wanted to be up with them bwoys in the studio one day! I really would’ve loved to collab with Mac Miller & X before they passed, rip to them legendary young men. I have just now really gotten into Rico Nasty which to me is like Kari Faux & X had a baby & that combination to me is so fucking dope I love her music & her as a person she slick is like my spirit animal hahahaaa so yaa I would definitely love to make like a whole collab album with her or two lmao.

What keeps you inspired?

GADY: What keeps me inspired is everything in life, I am just so grateful to be alive, everyday life inspires me to just go harder than the last. I’m just at that point in my life where it’s like, this is what I want & let’s make it happen, right now, let’s go goddamn. Fuck all that talking about it nighas wanna be doing in groupchats & forums & allat, I’m out here on my own working on it every fucking day. Learning more & more. Leveling up. I won’t rest until I do. That hustle is just within me. Music is my outlet for that drive that I always had. Because I got my outlet thru music I feel alive. Creating new soundscapes / Coming up with new looks & concepts / Performing at shows / Recording in the studio is all such a rush to me!!! I wouldn’t want it any other way! & I have all my supporters to thank for pushing me along the way. Thankyou so much, one love.

Click here to listen to Don Gady on SoundCloud.

BIGBABYGUCCI Beats The Odds

Send Help by BIGBABYGUCCI is one of the hottest releases from an independent artist this summer. Oddly enough, the Charlotte, North Carolina born recording artist’s career was on a much different trajectory this time last year and staying independent was the furthest thing from his target, like most artist. However, his individuality in his sound can only be mimicked by his career path. Major sparks of progress and a star-like momentum occurred for him after snagging and dropping his deal with Ultra that was finalized last year, after weeks of fan speculation online. This begs the questions, what does BIGBABYGUCCI have that a label doesn’t?

Humanity. Send Help is a doorway into the 23-year-old’s mind and heart. He falls into the sub genre of Hip Hop that is emotional and melodic rather than aggressive and boisterous. Online, his passion lives beyond his music and amongst his supporters. His Twitter timeline is filled with Retweets from listeners posting or talking about his music, playing it for their friends and so on. He engages with and appreciates everyone who takes the time to listen to his music. Because of this, his supporters genuinely want to see him succeed, everyday they see how much time he puts in. Through snippets and live-streams on Instagram, they’re always invited along for the journey.

Personality. “BIGBABYGUCCI” is a big personality. From his sometimes taunting lyrics, bold beat selection and a candid online presence, he’s a lot to contain. He doesn’t leave much unsaid. On Twitter, he’ll let you know exactly how he’s feeling and what’s on his mind. A label would surely ask him to delete these sometimes foul, but often humorous and relatable tweets. Corporations don’t understand, these interactions are how his audience gain a bond and familiarity with him. Billboards and posters can’t do the same. He doesn’t follow any basic routine for releasing his music. Snippets can be released at any time, on any platforms. Listeners must stay engaged and up to date on all of his social media. And with this transparent mentality, his supporters push his music simply from engaging with their new favorite artist.

Heart. This kind of piggybacks off of humanity, but when you’re going against the big boss, you’re forced to throw in a double whammy. BIGBABYGUCCI has created his career by himself. He’s built his foundation, dealt with personal matters and sacrificed for his craft, but he’s seen and reached a point that many independent artists dream of —signing with a label. Along the way, his path took an often unredeemable turn after he left Ultra. But that didn’t stop him. He kept his devoted group of supporters engaged and entertained with independent releases and promised to come back with more. Send Help was what they’ve all been waiting for. His first EP as a, let’s say “born again” independent artist, is the biggest step to determine the rest of his career. And he did it on his own.

BIGBABYGUCCI went against the odds and believed in himself over what he may have been expecting from joining a label. He took what he learned from the beginning of his journey and applied it to take the leap necessary to flourish independently. His hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Send Help, his fourth major project, has hit milestones for the artist in the short weeks since it’s release, even breaking 250 thousand streams in the first week. A label couldn’t have produced such an organic buzz and desire to see this young talent succeed.

A QUICK CONVERSATION WITH ACE McCAIN

Ace McCain is a well rounded music mogul in the making. After discovering a love for Hip Hop and getting himself onto a better path, he started to monetize his opportunities and hasn’t stopped since. His work ethic and industry connections have led him up the stairs to stardom, he’s just a few strides away. I took a few minutes to ask him some questions and understand what fuels his drive for success and to create an impact.

What was your very first venture into the music and entertainment industry?

ACE: Honestly I started off battle rapping at young age with some best friends I grew up w/  Chef Trez, Migos and more in the music industry. It’s all love my way they all worked hard for it just like I did they got my respect. 

But back to Cain. I took whatever battles I could, during high school I did talent shows- almost won. They cheated the kid, Central Gwinnett High, y’all lame. I need my fade lol, but later started freestyles, hooks on beats as well versed linked w/ the right ones. They loved my sound had a deal for my music in high school. Some dream right, but man was I exhausted. That was my first lil taste years grew went solo here we got ace McCain aka Cain in the flesh catch a dose.

What gave you the confidence to pursue entertainment as a career?

ACE: I never really wanted to tell my story, but free my brother Chino. At one point I was just trap and kicking doors on the nawf but my brother Chino was the rapper rapper. I always had talent but that was it always loved it but I knew that wasn’t the only way to eat but what I was doing was coming to end quick. I was too hot so I started taking things serious also my best friend clever and my dawg herb who both passed used to be on me heavy they wanted this more than I did one gone from depression and  suicided other from hitting licks and the last things we spoke about was me doing this Cain shit and how far I was gone go. They told me all this was gone happen in high school and my brother Chino caught life. They all gotta live through me. It’s deeper than music. You gotta let your people know it’s real everyday. I love y’all boys, hope you smiling down, mane. Swear never tell a tale.

How were you offered the opportunity at Dash Radio? How has that changed your life and career?

Honestly just by simply how the people embraced me and the Influence I was having from myself, my brands, the underground and the game as whole. I’m a fresh breathe of air people don’t know how to take me or label. Don’t put no label on its straight drop drop Cain no mix raw. But on the real shoutout the NBA Dash Radio family and NBA brand. They seen my potential and we been making it happen. Everything I’ve been doing is a lot of work behind the scenes. For the dash fam some dope curators and more fellow creatives pretty dope come to find out said they been watching me for a year before they gave the proposal that’s why safe to say you never know who’s watching.

What sort of advantage do you think being from Houston gives you?

ACE: Cause RIP Chad Butler RIP Dj Screw Big More Fat Pat Rickett Crickett Bushwick Big Hawk. We’re nothing in Texas without the legends without Screw. That’s the culture you embrace that’s the real Texas way it gives all the advantages being from the south cause at first everybody doubted us, then we end up on top in some type of way.

Charity appears to be important to you, has giving back been a constant goal for you?

It’s very important and I don’t even wanna call it charity. People that go without are human like us so make sure you treat them as such. Whether it’s food, clothes, dollars too, big bag supplies, toiletries. It’s makes a huge difference. Everything count that’s what Cainseason was built from “the help“ the love giving my Agency CwCmf was for opportunity to provide the way and show the way like Moses. We thought putting it all together with my brother CMF brand “tnt“  to make something bigger called “the giveback“. Which we do every month for people in need. We take donations to provide more for the cause other than that all of this out of our own pocket, out of love, just to give back to the people. No publicity stunts, even if it’s filmed. Just tryna bring awareness and get the people and the youth involved more.

How did you kindle a relationship with CMF?

ACE: That’s my brother it’s been CwCmf forever it’s no CwCmf without a CMF. We started this off 2 Ps And 100 lo-fi underground songs, which some we still haven’t released, to where we are. To our own brands and business and we flourishing. CwCmf brand got the merchandise and more, but honestly we linked organically over 8th and convo about life. It’s been on every since, it all make sense. 

Is there a story behind the name of your radio show, ‘The Wolf Club’?

ACE: Definitely, last year was some of the toughest times for my bussiness. And platforms helped a lot artists and creatives with exposure and a lot of those people are very impatient or forgetful when it’s time to show that same love and energy back. Which is cool, but funny acting if you ask me but that’s life, excused of scamming and more, cause a lot people was getting hit by different curators and fake underground brands people be making in a day. Like, no, I put my work in my face card good show me my respect everything I ever said I kept my word or my promises. In some type of way, shape, form or fashion. In this game I played my cards even with a shit hand and made Mona Lisa. So stop playing worked hard for my networking we don’t play like that I have real clients real business going keep that negativity away.

Are there any projects coming up that you’ll have a hand in?

ACE: Honestly everything I can get hands in. From movies to my exclusives singles and projects starting to rollout in October-December, to more special guest on my radio show to my magazine HUE (HOUSTON US EVERYTHING) getting bigger and bigger with dope writers involved. To maybe some collab dropping everywhere it’s finna be a movie just never know what Cain got up his sleeve I’m always working when you sleeping.

Do you have advice for anyone venturing into the game?

ACE: Definitely. Always stay consistent in some type of way in this game. Even if it’s not music all the time. Show your worth, there are millions of people tryna do what you tryna do. What makes you stand out the most? I know what makes Cain- Cain. Also, invest in the most important thing yourself.

What industry or position is your end goal? Do you have one?

ACE: When it’s all said and done I wanna just go down a legend for paving the way and and all my talents. Just want my roses before I’m gone, not while I’m gone.

Anger Management by Rico Nasty x Kenny Beats

Rico Nasty announced Tuesday night that herself and producer partner Kenny Beats will be releasing their long awaited, joint project Anger Management the following night at midnight. The cover resembles an 80’s-90’s rock band and features Rico with a loudmouth on her forehead. The artwork, created by Keith Rankin, crafts and catches her beauty well. He dawns her with the agape mouth while paying homage to her raging, disruptive and passionate femininity that her fans love with subtle new hints and details. Don’t over think this one. There’s only a few hours left for her fans to wait after spending months with little-to-no news about her next move, then the name drops for the features, and now the release date and artwork being announced.

 I think they’re ready for you, Rico.

Click here to listen to the new mixtape.

HEYMANNY2 by YungManny

‘HEYMANNY2’ is the sequel to its predecessor of the same name and the first body of work by rapper Yung Manny. The ‘Moana’ rapper starts off the well awaited mixtape with a track most wouldn’t expect. ‘I’m YungManny’ is a melodic r&b-trap experiment produced by Manny himself. It still holds his unique flow in the middle of the song. He mixes styles- showing his versatility and openness to a new, different sound. We’ve come to learn he’s certainly not afraid of doing the unexpected.

10 Band Lick has become a fan favorite in the few hours since the project’s release. His connection with those who support him is hard to ignore. He navigates social media, staying out of any real drama and sharing his views with his peers. He advocates finishing school and totes his own report cards online. Although only being fifteen, he’s also spoke on the misuse and overuse of marijuana to his followers on Instagram. The young talent explained his belief that marijuana should be used as a reward rather than an activity, if not used medicinally. It’s no secret minors smoke weed. Why not be real about it? He’s a light for the future, if anything.

The mixtape has a few features, each noteworthy in their own right. ‘Billy & Mandy’ feature’s rapper Good Intent, a fellow Maryland rapper. The two work well together and create an energetic dynamic. KJ feature’s Lil Gray, another DMV native. Yung Manny, with this being only his second major project to date, has secured a spot amongst local veterans in the game. His most well received feature is ‘Manny 2x’ with Young Manni of Rich Shootas. The music video, now sitting at over half a million views, hosts a cameo of Q Da Fool, another local rapper who happened to sign to Roc Nation in 2018. 

With the current trajectory of this young man’s career, there’s no telling where we could see him by even next year. The team behind him seems to be genuine and solid... and well versed in marketing. Their strategies haven’t seemed to fail so far. Yung Manny’s energy and appeal is refreshing and could be what gets him national- and even possibly global fame. Right now, it seems it’s all up to him.