Slide Down By Lil Xelly Music Video

Lil Xelly has teamed up with one of his most loyal and iconic collaborators MOSHPIT, for his “Slide Down” music video. The Maryland rapper has his usual outgoing and careless demeanor as he pilots a Mercedes from outside the driver’s window. MOSHPIT disclaims that the entire video was created with just one scene worth of raw footage. This doesn’t hurt his creativity. He may work the best with the most simple of conditions. He depicts winding roads on top of mountains, fighter jets and Lil Xelly in the eye of the storm. Thanks to Xelly and producer ChinaTown, “Slide Down” has that essential upbeat energy to get you through your day, even if it isn’t going the best. 

Click here to watch “Slide Down” on YouTube.

A QUICK CONVERSATION WITH LOGAN WRITE

The focus on lyricism isn’t dead, and SoundCloud is not a platform of the past. Everything has its peaks and valleys, everything that rises must fall. Hip Hop artist Logan Write lives by this. His music is an infusion of classic rap flows with a shift in experimental writing and instrumentals. His bars run on like train tracks. You wouldn’t believe, once you get to the end, where you started from. He’s studied and nearly mastered his lyricism and boom-bap style. Now, he’s taken that knowledge and created a thoughtful and exciting EP, Late Night. I took the time to ask him about his affinity for music, commitment to staying true to his roots and what’s next for him, as soon as we are all allowed to leave the house.

How has growing up in the Midwest shaped your style of hip hop? You’ve stayed true to a more boom-bap style flow.

LOGAN: Livin on the east side of indy during my childhood it put me in a community where rap and hip-hop was more prevelant. There was a lot of old heads and I think that led me to perfer boom bap styles. But I try to put a spin on it.


You only have two projects and a handful of singles on SoundCloud, yet your music sounds professionally crafted. How long have you been creating music and what drove you to pursue such a career?

LOGAN: Im very self conscious about my music so Im always looking to improve production, creativity, and sound quality. I’ve been makin music for about a year and a half now, still a long way to go. Ive always loved freestylin and I wanted to transition to songs and after I had fully finished my first song I was hooked.


You pledged to remain true to roots in “Still the Same”. What keeps you sane and grounded while developing a name for yourself?

LOGAN: Id say the constant concept of who I want to be as a person and as an artist, Ill obviously change little by little as I grow but I want to stay goin in the same direction always.


How did your collaboration with 9Livez for “Alone” come about?

LOGAN: I was workin on Alone and decided that I was goin to put a feature on it and the first artist to come to mind was 9Livez. Man is amazing and he agreed he actually came through to my studio and recorded the verse right there.


Have you had your first live performance yet? If not, do you have plans in the near future?

LOGAN: I have! I opened for Ugly God in 2019. And I plan to as many more as I can!


What step in the process of creating a song do you find to be the easiest? Whether is the concept, recording, or finding the right beat.

LOGAN: I feel like none of the process is easy for me, I put a lot of time into makin all my material. Finding the right beat would be probably the hardest though.


Your music surely speaks for itself, but what do you feel sets you apart from other artist?

LOGAN: Im always comin out with different styles of music and the music im working on now is unlike what people makin today.

Click here to listen to Logan Write on SoundCloud.

Let It Go by Makai Keyes ft. Moses B

Makai Keyes’ music video for “Let It Go” doesn’t cut corners. Instead, it completely removes them and gives you a closeup and blunt perspective of Makai’s thoughts and views. It’s minimalistic, to say the least. Whether those views are being held upside down from outside of a window by two masked (white) thugs or sitting on a bench atop of a grassy valley. Visually, “Let It Go” is as warm and inviting as Makai’s vocal performance. His rapping is well-paced and versed with soft vocals from Moses B that slide the track from catchy to award-worthy. The two have managed to capture the essence of moving on, the frustration- and freedom.

Click here to watch “Let It Go” on YouTube.

Apply That Pressure EP by G.Soulow

Over the last few years, R&B has been pushed out of the musical spotlight by trap and drill music. North Alabama artist G. Soulow has made it his mission to rejuvenate R&B’s presence in pop music, and marry it with trap elements. His EP Apply That Pressure has a healthy and organic mix of rhythmic vocals and trap lyrics and instrumentals. “Gotta get a bag. Can’t go nowhere. Gotta stay focused. My music my biggest effect.” z

This project doesn’t have a single song that isn’t worth playing all of the way through. As a young artist, his talent lies in his vision and storytelling. G. Soulow is capable of depicting exactly how he feels or the message he wants to convey through his writing and musical arrangement. “Bestfriend” has a classic rhythm and blues tone while still creating that new school energy with its hook. G. Soulow has certainly spent ample time perfecting this project to not only be a solid and enjoyable body of work, but to also make it a valuable artifact in his discography. Apply That Pressure will remain timeless because of his attention to detail and believing that it’s quality not quantity.

Click here to listen to Apply That Pressure on SoundCloud.

A QUICK CONVERSATION WITH LIL SAD BOI

Lil Sad Boi lets his emotions flow, and puts all of that energy into his music. He takes situations and circumstances that leave many numb and allows them to channel into his art. His latest single “Naruto” mellows the storm of anxiety that many across globe feel each day. His goals seem set and his focus on simply creating music for those similar to himself have already carried him far. In this interview, I sought to understand what brings him the confidence to be emotional, vulnerable and honest while still maintaining balance and privacy.

Has music always been your passion?

SAD: No, basketball was my passion for the longest time from like 5/6th grade even thru high school. But everything changed my sophomore year when my cousins asked me if I wanted to make a song. I was like what you mean and they had a little studio setup in their room. We made a freestyle and after that day I wanted to keep making music. It was like my calling. So my cousin was friends with an artists named teammate markus from my hometown and I met him. I recorded my first tape at his house a couple months after making that freestyle.

As you’ve grown up, how have you and your style changed?

SAD: I’ve changed a lot. When I was first making music I was just rapping. I was listening too a lot of g Eazy at the time and I wanted to be just like him. Then as my music taste started to branch out, my style changed. I was always a big drake fan and I noticed how he’s like the best and why is that. Well he doesn’t just rap he sings too. Once I could see that that’s when my style changed. 


Is there a story behind “Lil Sad Boi” and why you chose it?

SAD: Well my first name was cole train and my cousins gave that too me. Then when I was starting to get more serious I changed it to 9 9wl (nine owl). I just wanted to be different and my name was inspired by 6 dogs. The music I was making wasn’t really fitting my name and I started to get inspired by peep a lot. And i want to make a big impact just like him. I was also very sad at the time and I was thinking of changing my name to lil anyways so I was like why not just change it to lil sad boi. 


How important is it, to you, to have support from your hometown?

SAD: It’s very important. It’s where I’m from. It means a lot. They’ve known and seen my grown since day one.


What do you want people to take away from your music?

SAD: What I want people to take away is that there not alone. I want to help them thru my music. Depression and anxiety or whatever problems you are dealing with, I want my music to help them thru those rough times. Although my music can be sad and dark sometimes I still want to spread good energy and love to my fans and the Haters. 

Can you share any details about your upcoming projects?

SAD: Right now I’m working on something. I’m making a lot of music with my bro gvrci. We’ve got a lot of music together so we might drop a collab tape. But I’m Working on a project tbh I’m just creating and creating tons of songs at the moment. 


What sub-genre of hip hop do you believe will be the next big thing and why?

SAD: Emo rap. It kind of already is the next big thing but what peep did was so impactful. Then juice came along and had a huge impactful as well. And I think the next big artist to do the same will be iann dior. I feel like I’m apart of the emo rap genre and it’s just so impactful to the people who listen. I love making music for myself because it’s my passion but I love making it for others.

Click here to listen to Lil Sad Boi on SoundCloud.

Dinero Date by ChukyBuck

There are few artists that can conquer a mariachi-infused hip hop beat, ChukyBuck proves that it’s all in the sauce. With a fiery and flow friendly beat by 2300 Beats, ChukyBuck wastes no time sending out his first shot. The self-proclaimed “best rapper on the island” sticks to his guns in this lighthearted single “Dinero Date”. “No face, no case with the bape on. Hoodie all zipped up. Make him lose in a clutch. Got a two twin glock with your face on it.” ChukyBuck fires out puns and quirky punchlines like this is the moment he’s been waiting for. His inflection and rolling R’s add to the ensemble's flavor. If you haven’t given him a chance before, this is your best opportunity.

Click here to listen to “Dinero Date” on SoundCloud.

Naruto by lil sad boi

Earth can be stressful, lil sad boi takes you into the clouds with his new song “Naruto”. Produced by xCephasx, the beat has a dreamy and uplifting tone. From here, lil sad boi sets the stage. “Running through the forest like Naruto. Tripping on shrooms. I think I’m on Pluto. I’m high, I’m high, like a satellite.” His lyrics are just as free and lighthearted as his dreams. “Naruto” is a great pick-me-up, the instrumental itself is very calming, like a breath of fresh air. This song is the perfect addition to your “Lazy Day” playlist. 

Click here to listen to “Naruto” on SoundCloud.