WHo I'M LISTENING TO
a few favorites, updated sporadically. introductions if you never knew, reminders if you forgot.
Body is London singer Sinéad Harnett’s first release of 2018 since her Chapter One mixtape last year. She stated the song was “inspired by finding myself in a situation I wasn’t ready to leave, but that had to end.
With writing credits from Chris Brown to John Legend, the Cincinnati native has definitely been able to observe and absorb a lot from the industry and artists around him, and put that knowledge and energy into his debut album Platinum Fire.
Pronounced “neigh-oh,” the former backup singer became one of the exciting singers to come out of London as she made her way on the scene a full 2 years ago with her 2016 debut studio album For All We Know.
This is probably my favorite Smino song to date, and it comes compliments of Sango Beats and his new album In the Comfort Of. The St. Louis rapper and Seattle producer are a match made in heaven.
The young artist from Kingston has been recording music since he was 18, and has recently been steadily seeing success with the assistance of breakout hits like No Worries.
Houston’s own Megan thee Stallion popped up repeatedly on my timeline with her viral Stalli Freestyle video, but I clicked and re-watched it every single time. Her confident delivery, provocative lyrics and effortless flow gave off an energy that was infectious.
Skooly is an Atlanta-based rapper and one of the founding members of Rich Kidz. He branced out to pursue a solo career, with releases such as Blacc Jon Gotti, BAcCWArdFeELiNgS and now Don’t You Ever Forget Me 2.
Young Thug protégé Gunna’s first release of 2018, Drip Season 3, is full of big name features and production as the Atlanta rapper continues to ride the wave of the Drip series.
The British-Nigerian artist has come into his own throughout the years as he explored and found his sound, starting off as a Christian rapper who now is making music that embraces his heritage as he adds to the beautiful diverse world of Afropop.
Rocky B is an up-and-coming rapper from my hometown, Detroit, and has had a spike in attention since dropping her Molly Brazy diss Vindictive, a song that displayed just how raw and talented she really is.
Sonny is clearly multitalented and seems to actually enjoy rapping, so I would love to see a full project in the near future to hear even more since I’ve had this song in rotation for a minute now.
Singer/songwriter April and producer mattVISTA make up this experimental R&B dynamic duo. Their balancing use of futuristic soundscapes with April’s sonically piercing, yet soothing vocals make for a magical listening experience.
Summer Camp is a beautiful coming-of-age project that nudges you to be just as honest with yourself as he is through the 11-track mixtape filled with sonic exploration and emotional introspection.
Her vocals are haunting in the most beautiful way, and I personally felt that the most on Fool For You, possibly because of the vulnerability in the lyrics paired with her soulful unfiltered tone.
Catching Villains is actually from the Cartoon Network show Teen Titans Go!, “performed” by Beast Boy. The song gained so much attention and popularity online that he decided to release it as a single under his own name.
Ibeyi, French-Cuban twins Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Díaz, use their confidently angelic voices to reflect, pray, meditate and resist all while honoring their Yoruba culture as they seamlessly merge those sounds with a handful of other genres.
The 20-year-old seems to have a personality just as laid back as her soothing vocals that are influenced from everything from jazz to classical, and makes it a point to never rush for anything.
Premo Rice hails from PG County Maryland and has embraced a style and sound that subtly incorporates cues from the Blaxploitation pimp era in his music.
The newest release from the Spillage Village collective members, and is another example of their ability to bring a light-hearted fun energy to their art while always pushing boundaries way outside of the box.
The essence of Tiffany is so powerful because she is responsible for every element of the music she pours herself into...
Big Fish Theory explores how “rappers are perceived and perceive themselves,” and does so with a lot of energy and a lot of bass...
Goldlink, Brent Faiyaz and Shy Glizzy provide a fun and energetic song that in my eyes will forever be a bop...
This Nigerian born England resident has one of the most powerful voices I have heard in a long time...
Masego flawlessly blends jazz, trap and house music like you could have never imagined...
Her whimsical catalogue takes you along her journey of discovery through life as a self-proclaimed citizen of the world whose art is driven by cultural curiosity.
Sonder, the perfectly composed trio consisting of vocalist Brent Faiyaz and producers Dpat and Atu, sonically deliver the feelings of floating throughout their 7-track debut EP, titled Intro...
Compton’s Boogie's powerful visuals for Nigga Needs, a track off his Thirst 48 Pt. II project...
Everyone loves the radio hit First Day Out, but Tee Grizzley's debut mixtape My Moment if filled with motivational anthems, in true Detroit fashion...
AD and JayNine perfectly encompasses that unique West Coast essence throughout the project in a way that feels familiar, but not recycled...
While Run Me My Money was one of the first tracks to get people’s attention, her newest song, For Everybody, is her biggest one to date...
The Compton rapper is signed to Pharrell’s i am OTHER label and while he has had solid and consistent features, he is preparing for his debut project early 2017...
6lack got his big push after he debut single PRBLMS was premiered on Beats 1 by Zane Lowe after numerous placements on Apple Music playlists, all leading up to...
This track Zonin is off of his latest project, Tomorrow, a collaborative effort with Soulection producer Sango. The two managed to create harmonic project that...
Permission was his debut single after singing to RCA Records. It samples Willie Hutch’s “Brother’s Gonna Work It Out,” which might sound familiar seeing...
I first heard her when she was featured on Drake & YG’s single Why You Always Hatin? Not too long after that, she released her debut mixtape, A Good Night In the Ghetto...
I’ve watched Jevon progress as an artist since I first met him over a year ago. Hailing from Houston, TX, he is really bringing a different sound from his region and to the game. His upcoming project...
Darnell has been staying pretty low for the most part, but things switched up and he received a lot of attention when he dropped the self-directed visual for...
I love JMSN & Elhae, so hearing them together on a Gravez track was great. The Atlanta producer consistently gives us both amazing remixes and original songs that reflect his eclectic style. They explain...
When you hang around a lot of people from New Orleans, you’re going to listen to a lot of classic NOLA Bounce music, but also get put on some the new gems coming out of the city before the masses on....
Atlanta’s Elhae is all about the vibes, just how I like it. Halfway Love, the Rascal produced single from his AURA EP, begins with a sample from Michael Jackson’s Rock With You and quickly switches up the beat and leads...
Belly is in no way new to the game. After an almost five-year hiatus, he made his re-introduction to the industry with his mixtape, Up For Days. From The Weeknd giving an infectious hook on Might Not to...
So I don’t know too much about SAFE. The Toronto native only has 2 songs up on his Souncloud, but I love this track, especially the Sade sample in the beginning. Hopefully there is more to come.
After two years passing since his successful XVII EP release, Orlando native Marco released his debut mixtape, Studio Nights. The 17-year old compiled a tracklist that includes a few previously released singles, as well as some new tracks exclusive to this project. Dawn is a personal favorite. It feels like a really good summer night.
It seems like Canadian artists are really shining lately. The 18-year-old Def Jam singer Alessia Cara made her debut with her single “Here,” which she describes as “a song for all the antisocial, awkward, and miserable party-goers of the world.”
Bryson was my first music feature, and honestly the only reason I decided to add this section to the site. SO, I’m not going to re-introduce him, I just wanted to put the spotlight back on for a second. People are finally starting to pay attention, and you should too. Be on the look out. Trap Soul coming soon.
Camille Safiya’s album 24k, which she describes as her “treasure chest of gold that she has to give to the world” is straight vibe music. She takes you on a journey with her strong, unique and piercing vocals, combined with thoughtful songwriting and solid production.
While Johnny Rain might not be on everyone’s radar yet, I’m hoping and thinking that will change soon with his debut album, 11. It is entirely self-produced, and the young singer’s ability to uniquely carve out his own sound in this alternative R&B space everyone seems to love these days, really shines through.
YB The Singer is an upcoming R&B artist out of Mississippi, and this track Why Love, which was co-produced by WondaGurl, is one of the songs that created a significant buzz for the 20-year-old.
Electro pop duo Denitia and Sene always deliver with soulful vibes, and It’s Your Fault is no different. This was the song I heard from them about a year ago that first caught my interest. I suggest checking their stuff out, the old and the new.
A follow up to his single MAjik, Cassow slowed it down with Ride, part of his GODTOBER series of releases. He’s a rising emcee from Portland, Oregon and definitely worth giving a listen to.
While many people might not know much about 21 Savage, the Atlanta rapper definitely has one with his single Picky. Check it out.
The young rapper Key! from Atlanta has been on the come up for a while now, and his buzz has picked up even more after his features on “Look at Wrist” with...
Early October, he dropped his latest mixtape “Lost Cause” after a series of weekly leaks in his Fargo Friday series. The Godfather was one of those leaks, and is...
Bridge has been kind of off the scene for a little bit, but the LA singer/rapper recently came back with this track Roll My Weed featuring Schoolboy Q, mixed by fellow TDE affiliate Ali. It’s...
The Neighbourhood classifies themselves as a Rock band, but their sound is very experimental/RnB/Hip-Hop/Indie-rock...I don’t know, but it’s dope. They released their mixtape (not a term you usually ...
I will admit, I’m a fairly new fan of these two. About a month ago, an artist I was working had a studio session with a fellow Detroit native JMSM...
Lately there have been a good amount of people popping up on the scene following the hip-hop/RnB mash-up trend, but...
The duo have developed as artists and grown into their own as young women, which is evident in the evolution in their sound and overall artistic direction.