Gearing up for yet another landmark season, GRAMMY® Award-nominated RIAA diamond-certified Dallas, TX artist Post Malone has just dropped the video for his new single “Cooped Up” [with Roddy Ricch] via Mercury Records/Republic Records.
It heralds the arrival of his fourth full-length offering and the summer’s most-anticipated record, Twelve Carat Toothache, on June 3, 2022. Pre-order/pre-save Twelve Carat Toothache. It stands out as his first full-length in three years since the triple-platinum Hollywood’s Bleeding crashed the Billboard Top 200 at #1.
To kick off the album campaign, Post performed on Saturday Night Live at the weekend, the artists first appearance on the celebrated show.
Technology, where would we be without it in a pandemic-riddled world? Especially with the music industry taking a lot of the heat and live performances ever-so-slowly picking up in the last few months after a 2-year gap and decline. Producers have managed to keep the fire burning with software and music tech from names like iZotope and Native Instruments.
These two uniquely built music technology systems joined together last year and now have created a parent company called Soundwide, which will host these brands along with other names like Plugin Alliance, Brainworx, and the newly launched Sound Stacks.
Sound Stacks was engineered by the minds of Cesare Ferrari and Julian Store, and acts as a framework application for all these brands to work efficiently together. Definitely an exciting launch and a new way of working alone and collaborating from afar with minimal distributions.
Ready for another scorching season, multi-award-winning Billboard chart topper Sean Paul returns with a brand new single and music video entitled “How We Do It” featuring multi-platinum artist Pia Mia via Island Records. Listen to it HERE. Watch the music video HERE.
Of the release, Sean shared “This new single “How We Do It” is our way to show the listeners, how we dance, how we enjoy life, and how we stay fresh. Big up to Pia Mia, when we started recording this track we knew right away we wanted her on this single and she hit it out the park.”
The track pops off as an international anthem. Its energy dips in and out of island-inflected dancehall beats, slick R&B, and swaggering pop. Sean Paul leans into the production with a smooth and slick flow before multiplatinum artist, actress, and presence Pia Mia counters with an instantly unforgettable chorus. The accompanying visual, directed by Briana Gonzales, seamlessly translates this vibe to the screen as their chemistry instantly sizzles. Bathed in colorful spotlights, a gang of dancers surrounds Sean Paul and Pia Mia in a shallow pool. As water splashes, one showstopping dance routine after another transfixes. It notably serves as a reunion since Sean Paul appeared on the remix of Pia Mia’s “Hot” two years ago. Once again, he has ignited a genre-breaking global banger of epic proportions.
Most importantly, it sets the stage for more music and surprises from Sean Paul in 2022. For now, rock to “How We Do It!”
Meanwhile, his single “Dynamite” ft. Sia has eclipsed 26.8 million Spotify streams and 6 million YouTube views on the futuristic music video. “Dynamite” marked a highly anticipated follow-up collaboration between the genre-bending artists since their smash hit “Cheap Thrills,” also produced by Greg Kurstin, which has generated over 1.6 billion YouTube views since its 2016 release.
Sean recently earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Reggae Album for his 7th studio album Live N Livin, which was released earlier this year. The album is a collaborative celebration of his Jamaican heritage and dancehall roots in which Sean trades the mic with Buju Banton and Damian Marley. Dancehall can be stereotyped as a competitive, macho space where sound clashes are king, but Live N Livin set out to emphasize what’s possible when unity is the goal. “We don’t need to divide our fans to attain the rotations on the airwaves or streams,” Sean says. “I hold this album very dear to my heart because it shows the effort of collaboration over confrontation.”
Last week, Sean announced 2022 U.S. Scorcha tour dates that will include features from his 8th studio album set to release later in the year. Returning to the stage following two years since touring due to the pandemic, he is eager and excited to reconnect with his fans live and in person. See full tour routing below.
Throughout his career, the international superstar has carved a home for himself while championing dancehall, as being an artist with a unique sound, look and passion. His ability to show the power and unity in music through various collaborations, across many genres has catapulted his career over the years on various charts, awards and with an enormous fanbase. Effectively Sean has brought that same concept back to his own genre and collaborated with some of his colleagues in reggae and dancehall, highlighting that together we can also make great music.
Sean Paul U.S. Dates:
05/14/22 Las Vegas NV – Lovers & Friends
05/15/22 Las Vegas NV – Lovers & Friends
05/27/22 Los Angeles California – The Novo
05/29/22 Monterey California – Monterey Fairgrounds
Apex God emerges with hard-hitting bars and a variety of beats in new single ‘Sugar Ray’. Having started rapping in 2017, Apex God dropped freestyles on YouTube, and now has music across all platforms. Taking the town of Missoula by storm, Apex God founded a record label with other local talents. Their record label has amassed over 500,000 streams and embraces an old-school, ugly style of rap that always leaves the listener wanting more.
Speaking about the new release, Apex God shares, “Feeling like you are the GOAT. It talks about combining defensive masterminds like Sugar Ray, Ali, and Mayweather, With offensive powerhouses like Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson. That’s how I rap, light on my feet yet a heavy hitter. It goes hand in hand with the mixtape I’m dropping next month.”
“Sugar Ray”is a fierce, hip-hop number that comes across as adventurous and hard-hitting. Adding to how the track was created, Apex God shares, “I was making beats and I liked this one, I knew I wanted to do a mixtape with a boxing theme so I decided to write about some of my favorite boxers to get started.”
The most successful female rapper of all time, diamond-selling hip-hop icon Nicki Minaj returns with her mega-anticipated new single and music video “Do We Have a Problem?” [feat. Lil Baby].
Directed by Benny Boom, the cinematic video sees Joseph Sikora and Cory Hardrict co-star alongside Minaj and Lil Baby. The clip centers around a high-octane bank heist with big screen-worthy production.
In celebration of the release, Nicki took over the Clipper’s game at Crypto.com Arena, painting it pink and giving unsuspecting fans a first listen of the new single. The Clippers Spirit welcomed the icon with a performance to her RIAA certified diamond selling single “Super Bass” and bestowed her with her own personalized jersey. Continuing her cultural infiltration, she also stopped by The Late Late Show with James Corden.
“Do We Have a Problem?” only hints at a whole lot more to come.
Nicki Minaj is back, and it’s the best kind of problem…
Wax Tailor, Mick Jenkins, Nightmares on Wax, DJ Shadow, RJD2 and Avalanches
Award winning artist Wax Tailor’s latest single ‘No More Magical’ via Lab’oratoire featuring Mick Jenkins is set to be a hit, from Mick Jenkins’ head bobbing flow to Wax Tailor’s beat which seems to have a reggae taste to it, the track grips attention and enables relaxation. It has been a year since Wax Tailor released his album The Shadow Of Their Suns (catch our break down on the LP here) the single ‘No More Magical’ is just the beginning as Wax Tailor is working a new project set for 2022 release, with the code name: Fishing for Accidents.
“I started this track with almost everything in mind music-wise, I had a bittersweet mood, then I added this chorus gimmick “Its No More Magical”. Afterwards, I suggested to Mick Jenkins that we collaborate. I wanted this counterweight with a lighter chorus and I knew his writing and deep flow would hit the spot.” –WaxTailor
Mick Jenkins has been in the rap scene for the past 10 years and over time has worked with some great artists such as Kaytranada, GhostfaceKillah, Disclosure and Chance The Rapper amongst others. Mick Jenkins shows why he’s been making waves in the industry for the past ten years with the way he lays out his verse on Wax Tailor’s latest single. It could be due to the way he’s able to project images with his words and his ability to let the words just flow with the beat. Mick Jenkins is signed to distinguished label Cinematic. During his carrer Mick Jenkins has earned support from the likes of Medium, NPR, Rolling Stone, NME, to name a few. In total, Mick Jenkins has collected over 250million plays across platforms.
‘No More Magical ft. Mick Jenkins’ features on the Spotify playlist AFRO_GROUND
Flyght Club is the contemporary musical project of Indian artist Shauvik Sharan. Having moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music career, Flyght Club’s music demonstrates his extreme versatility, exploring a multitude of genres and themes, with every song being made to cater to different moods and emotions, essentially leaving him unchained from the boundaries of musical genres.
Originally from Pune, India, Sharan grew up on classic rock artists such as Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and Pink Floyd, all of which contributed to his strong foundation in music and inspired him to pick up and master the guitar. His time spent in Los Angeles allowed him to master the art of production and engineering, as well as singing and songwriting, shaping him as the artist he is today.
His latest single “Quaalude” narrates succumbing to a moment of weakness and regrettably ending up hurting someone who you love dearly. The accompanying music video further portrays this story, with Sharan confiding, “I came up with a story where a guy is left to himself as his girlfriend goes on a work trip. Seeing this as an off day, he agrees to meet up with his college buddy and go partying. Before hitting the club, they decide to take quaaludes. The guy ends up meeting a girl and going over to her place before blacking out. The guy wakes up the next day with no memory of the previous night and feeling guilty about having cheated on his girlfriend. He finds himself tied to a bed. The girl from the night before turns out to be a satanist and plans to sacrifice the guy for a ritual. I found this situation so interesting to write about as it also brought in instant karma and crazy repercussions to cheating.”
This lapse of judgment is conveyed through sensual instrumentation reminiscent of The Weeknd. Featuring vocals from fellow artist Brandt,“Quaalude” emits a laid back, sluggish vibe. A slightly off-beat ticking sound that plays throughout the track represents being under the influence of a slow sedative drug such as a Quaalude, where time flows slower and switches pulses, leading to a false sensation of two separate streams of time flowing simultaneously.
With an ever-growing fanbase, Flyght Club has performed at prestigious venues across Los Angeles and continues to forge ahead with a slew of releases set to drop next year.
Featuring an animated Juicy J, the music video for Keys N Krates latest album track ‘Original Classic’ is nothing short of entertaining with its wonderfully absurd plot. Also added into this animated storyline is the actual band as well as other featured acts on this track: Chip and Marbl. The Original Classic album was released via Last Gang Records last year and since then the band has been receiving much-deserved appreciation for their out-of-the-box sound. If you can’t get enough of Keys N Krates latest sound fusions, then find out more about their current tour dates here.
The concept was visualized by quirky animator BirdPeterson who had the idea of an old-fashioned animation calling to mind early ‘60s breakfast commercials. Using the concept of a sugar-driven youth, Keys N Krates go on an adventure sharing their music with their peers in Canada. The video concludes with the band getting arrested by authorities for poisoning young minds with their “distracting” music.
WATCH:
Overall the video is just good old fun, the band shared they burst with amusement and delight when Bird pitched the concept to them. A band that can show a more adventurous side production-wise and can still maintain a sense of humour is one that has more great ideas brewing.
‘Original Classic’ features on the Spotify playlist AFRO_GROUND
Bulgarian r&b artist Leena has released her latest single ‘Vertigo’ as a precursor to her upcoming album. Labyrinth of the Subconscious has been a few years in the making. The ten-track offering explores unknown corners of her mind, various emotions, and both the colourful & darker aspects of what happens inside our heads.
Leena has already garnered traction from the likes of TIDAL Global, Sofar Sounds Global, and curators like Sidekick Music, CloudKid, afterhours., Topsify, etc. Her upward trajectory in the Bulgarian R&B scene has seen her featured on the new albums of renowned Sofia-based rapper Grigovor & producer Gena from So Called Crew.
‘Vertigo’ is an upbeat track, with smooth, rolling beats reminiscent of summer. Sitting atop the vibey soundscape, Leena’s voice takes centre-stage, beautifully showcasing her honeyed vocals.
The album looks set to be a diverse offering, recorded and mixed by Gena in So Called Crew’s studio and mastered by Hristo Rachev from the eminent Sound Ninja Music Academy. Traversing the territories of contemporary R&B, soul and indietronica, Labyrinth of the Subconscious will drop early next year.
Tea Sea is an American rapper and poet. He has garnered over 230 000 streams and is continuing his upward trajectory with the release of his new single ‘Vanish.’
He is fast becoming known for his ability to create mood with his music. Based in Virginia, he creates melodic trap with cleverly considered lyrics. On ‘Vanish’ he introduces a dark concept, and although the track is intense, it still retains a feeling of hopefulness.
Tea Sea shares, “This song is born from loneliness and the feeling of being constantly misunderstood. It’s about seeking refuge in something that threatens to utterly destroy you, whatever that vice may be. The bright colors from childhood begin to fade into the background as you grow older and start to see the world for what it really is. We’re all animals at the end of the day and this is why our purer instincts tend to scare us — we like to think of ourselves as better than nature. The darkness in humanity is almost like some kind of foreign monster in and of itself that most people would rather do away with completely. Unfortunately, we’d lose the very thing that keeps us alive in the process.”
After years of producing music, Tea Sea has honed his creative skills, and it seems as though he’s hit on a formula for success. He gives some insight into his process:
“I wrote ‘Vanish’ near the very end of June 2021 at 10:19 PM (I like to date my lyrics when completed). It usually only takes me 2-4 hours at the most to write a solid record nowadays because I’ve been writing songs for over a decade. I always come up with the melody first unless the hook is just absolutely explosive. I pretty much only use Airbit for beats since they have a wide variety of different instrumental styles for the type of mood you want to convey in your music. My last seven records, including this one, have all been recorded at Aesthete Recording Studio; V is fantastic at his job (he’s the Head Engineer who mixes and masters my latest records).”
