Outside, Inside by Makai Keyes ft. Foe Snow

The search for love can be treacherous, but Makai Keyes and Foe Snow manage to make the love pains sound whimsical. “Outside, Inside” is a snappy almost-love song. Makai is searching for someone who will let him in, but the journey hasn’t been all sunshine. “I’m on my own so you know I’m alone now, but I done learned a lot of things that I know now.” Foe Snow speaks his peace, adding his own distorted flare to his vocals and the instrumentals. His verse steps into the realm of R&B, making the track all the more dynamic.

Click here to listen to “Outside, Inside” anywhere.

Crash Tonight by Funeral

“Crash Tonight” is the first song I’ve ever heard from North Carolina rapper Funeral, but it definitely won’t be the last. Emotional music has always been a staple in popular music, but now it’s merging into Hip Hop more than ever before. Funeral is a part of a generation of artists that enjoys being vulnerable, and despite the genres' harder history, has a deep connection and talent for Hip Hop. “Crash Tonight” has crass and worn vocals mixed with hyper pop distortion and frankly dark lyrics. Similar to mega artists like Trippie Redd and the late Juice WRLD, Funeral in “Crash Tonight” manages to take a subject matter that would usually be grim and makes it rhythmic and brighter than the assumed emotions and story behind it. Funeral and his SoundCloud listeners would agree, he’s on the verge of a blowup.

Click here to listen to “Crash Tonight” on SoundCloud.

Trapatar by Keko

How is he not famous yet? 

That was my initial thought after listening to the opening track of Trapatar by Keko. The Atlanta rapper’s latest project has all the trappings of any artist you’d see in a Cole Bennett music video or featured on the next Drake single. Keko has a casual and almost childish cadence, one somewhat akin to Lil Yachty’s low but childlike voice. Keko sets himself apart from most with his approach, acting as if each instrumental is an opponent. He wants to have the best flow for each sound or style he’s working with- at least that’s how it sounds. This allows him to rap on the heavy trap and drill beats as well as some of the less conventional styles. Each track on his new EP hits differently, but it’ll only draw you in more.

Click here to listen to Trapatar on SoundCloud 

No Hook by BunnyTheDon

BunnyTheDon keeps a tight grip on her cash and an even tighter grip on the industry. Her new single and visual “No Hook” is sure to lure in more listeners. Similar to the music video, shot by FilmedByTylan, BunnyTheDon is a woman in a predominantly male game. She finds confidence is proving herself. Her lyrics aren’t copied and her drive to be better than the boys at this is genuine. As a Maryland native and a boisterous MC, she’s sure to have fans all across the country in no time.

Click here to watch the “No Hook” music video on YouTube.

Since99 is At The Forefront of A New Wave

No matter how you feel about Since99’s cadence, he has the beats, punchlines and puns to demand his respect as an artist. Layer his lyricism on top of an impressive, bouncy beat and you conjure a majority of his latest work, high energy, but somehow monotone hits. Since99 continues to embrace what makes him stand out from the typical rapper persona. There’s no gimmick. His songs stay true to him and cause the same characteristics that some doubt him for, to be his strong suit. It’s a sort of “nerdy” rap that’s hard to pin down. With Hip Hop in the hot seat of popular music, the genre is bound to be molded and morphed as it evolves. Since 99, however, has solidified himself as a historical figure in the emergence of this newer genre.

Click here to listen Since99 on SoundCloud.

A QUICK CONVERSATION WITH CHLOE RAIN

Chloe Rain wrote her debut album for her, but she also wrote it for you. Each song is an extension of an emotion that we all feel. It’s the sadness of being cheated out of happiness or a glimmering opportunity, Unfair is a heartfelt and selfless display of love and growing pains. Although not perfectly polished, Chloe Rain and her friends of artist make this project a stepping stone for her musical career and what fans can anticipate.  

What encouraged you to make Unfair your debut album instead of a mixtape or EP?

CHLOE: i originally planned on making it another ep, but as the tracks came to be, i knew that myself and the people involved were album material. i also wrote the whole album in four days so i acknowledged how natural it was coming to me and took that as the universes way of saying, this is it. but what really pushed me was once i listened to it front to back for the first time i just knew it was my debut album.


What have you learned about yourself as an artist while creating this album?

CHLOE: i learned that i can do a lot more styles than i think i can, ikyk was the first time i wrote over a beat like that, and the lyrics literally slipped off of my tongue. i also learned that i’d rather put out a big project than a bunch of little ones, i like to tell a story through my art and although i can do it in four minutes, why limit it to that.


COVID-19 has ruined plans for millions. Did you experience any complications due to quarantine during the process?

CHLOE: honestly not really, i’ve been pretty lucky because most of what i do has been online so far the only semi complication, was i thought i had the virus so i couldn’t sing for about a week, but i ended up just having a cold thankfully. but that was the 5th day of working on it so the day after writing all those songs all i wanted to do was record but i knew it would only make recovery longer

Any plans for visuals in the future, this year or next?

CHLOE: i have a video in the works right now, and i plan on doing more in the next year or so, i have a lot of ideas in my head, i just need to work on bringing them to life

Is there a story behind the song “Asshole”?

CHLOE: asshole is just a song that i felt like everyone could relate to. i’ve done wrong like everyone, but i feel like you do one thing and everyone paints you out to be the bad guy. it was kind of my way of beating everyone else to it because i knew the people who this album was about would hit me up or throw shade and i had a song on the album to hit them with what i assumed they were thinking. & a song to the haters. 

Have you felt any pressure to meet or exceed standards while releasing your music?

CHLOE: honestly, no.i’m to a point in my craft where i can bump my own songs and love on them. i knew putting this project out no matter what the numbers said or who loved it, i was confident in my craft. and it was more than good enough.

What can we expect from for the rest of the year?

CHLOE: i have a lot planned, i’d except some singles, and potentially another ep.

Click here to listen to Chloe Rain anywhere.

No Average by Digital Dior ft. Yung Gosse

 

Music label Digital Dior has taken visible steps within the industry to make themselves a household name. Their latest release “No Average”, featuring Yung Gosse and production by Papi and Rich Illuminati is a fierce leap forward. The single holds the essence of UK Drill, popularized in the US by late rapper Pop Smoke. Between Papi and Rich Illuminati, they’ve managed to conger dark energy through heart-thumping bass and adding a more sinister tone via a synth. Lyrically, Digital Dior and Yung Gosse hit it right on the head. The tempo is quick but cold. “No Average” delivers as a complete and mindful body of work with a clear message: we’re coming for you.

Click here to listen “No Average” on YouTube.