Buttah Niia

IG- @official_buttah

Buttah Niia is a rapper born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Brownsville… and she sounds like it! Between her distinctive voice, hard-hitting NY flow, and soulful samples, Niia could be the female rapper we’ve been waiting for. She’s performed at NY’s famous SOBs twice, at “Faces in the Crowd” and the “Major Stage” show. Her single “Gotta” was also featured on the Hot 97 Take It to The Street Vol. 2 mixtape. Her latest project Set it Off: Stony Edition is the follow up to her debut mixtape, Set it Off: Frankie Story. The project features, “Eastside Girl,” a bar-filled female anthem for ladies that live on the right side of the map. Also off the project, the track “Timeline” gives a more introspective look at her story over a soulful piano beat.’

Buttah’s timeless bars and classic feel are a refreshing departure from the current sound, and continues to captivate listeners. Definitely excited to see what’s coming from Buttah Niia and her buttah smooth flow. Make sure you grab her new project, Set it Off: Stony Edition to hear her set it off.

Cedric Brazle  

IG – @cedricbrazle

Cedric Brazle (pronounced Brazil) is a Miami-based singer-songwriter using music to express his life, thoughts, and past experiences. Super strong vocals, a classic R&B feel, and modern 808 production gives Cedric an interesting, “young Usher-in-2020” vibe. His single “Body Heat” is a sultry uptempo vibe narrating a night of ignoring exes, hitting clubs, and finding the company of someone new. With three strong introductory singles out, Cedric is gearing up to release his first project. Be on the lookout for a Cedric Brazle EP this summer – it’s been a while since you’ve heard an R&B record like this!

C-4

IG – @theofficialc4

Carl Taylor, professionally known as C-4, is an exciting new artist out of Jersey. A natural entertainer and gifted athlete, C-4 was born for the spotlight. In February of this year, C-4 came out of the gate hot with his first official single, “Takeoff.” “Takeoff” is a fun, upbeat anthem announcing his arrival on the scene – and listeners can’t help but sing along. He follows it up with high quality, Donjai-directed visuals and a stream of well-received, catchy singles including “Birdbox” and “I Might.” Coming up, C has a collab dropping with the next-hot-thing out of Queensbridge, artist Rover, followed by his debut project. Stay tuned for details. One thing’s for sure, you don’t want to miss what’s coming next from C-4 and the Its So Simple Entertainment camp.

Astro Kyi 

IG – @muvaastronaut

Astro Kyi is a rapper and songwriter from PG County, Maryland. Her unforgettable flow is as aggressive as it is smooth and melodic. A true girl’s girl, Kyi has no trouble mixing classy and savage – with the look to match! Heavily influenced by 90’s hip hop, Kyi is bringing golden era bars with a modern, feminine feel. Her latest single “Pint Size” is a hard-hitting, bassy record – and a reminder that she is not to be played with. She may come in a small package, but these bars and flow switches definitely do not. Be on the lookout for new singles dropping monthly, as well as new visuals from your favorite astronaut.

Alondra Marie 

IG – @alondramariemusic

Originally from Puerto Rico and later Texas, Alondra Marie is a talented and soulful singer. Not only is she a beautiful and talented artist, she’s been an active duty service member since 2014. Alondra is currently finishing her last few months stationed in Japan – and we’re all thankful for her service! Amazingly, in 2019 during her deployment, she managed to drop a beautifully crafted 4-track R&B Ep titled Fruit. A departure from earlier work and in stark contrast with her dayjob, Fruit highlights her softer, sensual side. Alondra brings to the table sultry vocals, crisp production, and soulful vibes that feel both familiar and refreshing. Later this year, you can expect to see her follow up EP, fully written and produced by Alonda Marie herself.

Dyson Alexander  

IG – @dysonalexander

From Woodbridge, VA, artist Dyson Alexander is kicking it up in 2020. With a steady stream of singles, Dyson is giving listeners their daily dose of soulful, autotune flow. After dropping the double single, Omerta, in December, he follows it up with “Purple Rayne” and Shining, featuring the track “Confused.” Recently, one of Dyson’s tracks was featured in the Showtime Documentary “Basketball County: In the Water.” Released on May 15, and executive produced by Kevin Durant, the doc explores basketball culture in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Currently, Dyson is looking to follow up his recent success with his first full-length studio album. Also working on the album, esteemed producer Rockstar Reid, DJ Money (Wale), and Dyson’s right hand man, producer Shemon Luster.

Eli Groves

IG – @eligrovesmusic

Eli Groves is a singer, songwriter, and producer from Far Rockaway, Queens with a big voice. His sound gives off an upbeat, eclectic pop feel – think Usher meets Jason Derulo meets 2015 Justin Bieber. Groves’ single ‘Get To You’ recently debuted on Vibe on March 23rd, and was well-received by media outlets and DJs across the world. An extremely timely track, it highlights the struggle of being separated from loved ones – a familiar feeling during these times. Going forward, Eli plans to continue to drop high quality singles and visuals that inspire his listeners.

ReachingNOVA  

IG – @reachingnova

ReachingNOVA is a rapper, producer, songwriter, and entrepreneur from the Bronx, New York. His name comes from an acronym for his personal philosophy and reminder to himself that “No One’s Victorious Alone.” ReachingNOVA‘s catalogue consists of 2 joint mixtapes, 23 singles, 2 solo albums, 1 joint album, and countless features and music videos. Recently, ReachingNOVA released a single inspired by the current times, appropriately titled, “In These Times.” The track touches on current events and encourages listeners to think more deeply about the content they consume. Going forward, expect to see a solo album from ReachingNOVA in September 2020.

Lil Drilla  

IG – @_lildrilla_

Andrello Jagger LaFond, better known as Lil Drilla, is a young Haitian-American out of Philadelphia. In 2019, Drilla dropped his freshman mixtape Eros, which showcased a diverse range of melodic flows and interesting production. His biggest track to date is, “Wet Da Block” prod. By RG Tha Renegade. This month, Lil Drilla is back with “Say Bae” featuring Drizzy P & Tidge – a fun autotune bop for summer 2020. Unfortunately, due to the current circumstances, summer show dates have been cancelled. Fortunately, Lil Drilla has a new drop in store, hitting fans with Eros Reloaded: Deluxe on his birthday, June 9th.

Stone Cold Alston 

IG – @stonecoldalston

Ronnie Christopher Alston, better known as Stone Cold Alston is an artist and songwriter from Jersey City, NJ. After enduring a trying childhood, Alston decided to take control by turning his pain into profit in the form of music. Originally under the name Chris $tyles, he released a project titled Day One. After a break from music, Stone Cold Alston is back with a new name and new project, Call the Plumber There’s a Leak. This year, he’s planning on two more releases – the first coming at the end of May. Be on the lookout for new music, new projects, and new visuals from Stone Cold Alston.

China Man

IG – @cm.ny

Rapper, CHINA MAN out of Brooklyn New York released his first project last month. His debut 8-track mixtape, titled Special Delivery features his signature understated melodic flow over chill synth beats. With tracks like “Trenches,” “Cruising,” and “T’d Up,” CHINA MAN introduces listeners to his unique delivery (no pun intended). Featured here, the track “Time of Day” serves as a reminder to keep working hard “no matter the time of day.” Going forward, look out for more visuals to accompany Special Delivery – and more content from the CHINA MAN camp.

Travdidthat

IG – @travdidthat

Hailing from the Bronx, NY Travdidthat is a rapper, musician, and producer with a unique sound. In addition to rapping, Trav is a talented producer and guitar player – using this talent to produce interesting melodies and compositions. We hear this on the self produced track, “Masterpiece,” where a powerful guitar riff perfectly compliments that heavy bass beat. The purpose of the song is to remind listeners to always strive to make their ‘masterpiece,’ no matter the conditions. Lastly, make sure you find “Masterpiece” on Trav’s upcoming project From the Ground 2.

Oochie Spliff

IG – @the_oochie_way

Oochie Spiff born as Seiko Dotson is an aspiring rapper from Brooklyn, New York whose known for his extraordinary talents and high energy on stage.  His latest project “ The Oochie Way “ features his song “Work Out” which is the next single off the project. The up beat tempo gives the song a vibe everyone can have fun with. Not only is Oochie working on “The Oochie Way pt2” but the project is set to release this summer with some special features.

Famille Forever

IG – @familleforever

Born into a musical background, from College Park, GA, two brothers formed Famille Forever. Dynamite who played on drums and Bones on the bass guitar started the duo in 2005. Later in their career they’ve released the singles “Own It”, “How I Wanna Live” and their current single “Legalize It”.  The idea behind the ‘Legalize it’ was to add momentum in the legalization of marijuana in the state of Georgia. Being from Atlanta they felt it was the perfect time to celebrate the law being passed for Cbd and the decriminalization of weed. The group is currently working on new projects to be released in 2021.

Young Scrapz

IG – @youngscrapzmusic

Young Scrapz is an aspring rapper born and raised out of far Rockaway, Queens. Scrapz dominates his unique style of melodic yet street-felt music with every single. The idea behind his song “so cold” is to bring awareness on the danger of the streets. He goes on to say “I want my generation to know, the streets don’t love you”. Nevertheless, Scrapz says he is continuously learning in the music industry and plans to grow as an artist. 

WrittenInRome

IG – @writteninrome

WrittenInRome is the self proclaimed star from Newburgh Ny. He fell in love with music at the age of 15 and often found himself apart of freestyle cyphers that him and his friends would host in highschool. The now 22 year old star is on the rise with a captivating sound that blends both modern day melodic rap and the old school art of storytelling.

In his single ‘Boss Up’ WrittenInRome reflects on his darkest nights whereas he struggled with a 9-5 while close friends looked downed on him. Not to mention, the title “Boss Up” is a feeling he’s sure everyone can relate to. However, in ‘Remember Me’ he introduces us to the confident side of WrittenInRome while showing love to his city.  Despite his braggadocious side Rome shows a heart-felt yet heartbroken emotion on ‘Love Gone’. With lyrics like “can you tell me where the love went … how am I suppose to go on if I’m not next to you”. “Love Gone” is one of those songs sure to put you in your feelings.

Rome spent much of 2019 doing shows all around NYC & showcasing his talent as a featured artist on other artists songs. He’s already gifted fans with 6 new singles to kick off 2020 and now is gearing up to release his long awaited debut project.

DeMeir

IG – @demeir.wav

DeMeir from Paterson, NJ is a R&B artist whose genuine through each song. With a slow and rhythmic flow DeMeir, exhibits this on his single ‘weekend’. The idea behind the single came from a lit weekend with a girl he met out of town. She was a vibe and he put it into words the best way he could. In short, Demeir, is going to continue to release music that speaks to him. 

LMR Tarro

IG – @lmr_tarro

From the slums of the New Jersey music scene, artist, LMR Tarro still displays a smooth sailing, soft and distressing voice while stating the hardships. Tarro is an artist focused on his craft and has an undeniable level of skill. It becomes overtly apparent in his track (“FaceTime”), where he carefully articulates his emotions, and insecurities, directly at the woman he desires. Tarro just released his latest project ‘Alternate Realities’ and is currently in the process of releasing new visuals.

Hoodz9

IG – @hoodz9official

After moving from Eritrea to Kenya to Canada in 2011, Toronto artist, Hoodz9, taught himself English as a child by listening to music. He quickly become well versed in melodies and songwriting and developed an interest in pursuing music as a career. While on house arrest in 2018, Hoodz9 decided to turn his life around and finally pursue his dream. Within a month of making the decision he had completed over 90 songs. Since then his infectious melodies and raw street tales have garnered hundreds of thousands of streams and YouTube views. He’s also collaborated with Toronto artists Why G, Yung Tory, Ot9, Houdini and most recently Tory Lanez on his latest track Adore more. As a result he’s been grinding and recording like crazy since the beginning of quarantine and is prepared to reemerge as one of Toronto’s most promising new stars when quarantine is over.

M Flizz

IG – @m_flizz112

Rapper, M flizz was born and raised in East Harlem as Marc Brooks. The 18 year old rapper mixes his subtle, rhythmic and melodic flows behind each song. On his single ‘gifted’ Flizz highlights the fact that nobody believed in him until he believed in himself. He says “I know it’s a lot of people who doubted but I gotta shine… you say you down you gotta show me now”. All in all, Flizz recognizes his potential as an artist. He says his next step is a record deal so he can show his full potential.

Jimmy Yitty

IG – @jimmy.yitty

East York, Toronto artist Jimmy Yitty hits twice in the month of May with his new release “Cheddar Bob” produced by the Kount which gives a frantic yet savage like feel. Rapper, Jimmy, says it’s been 5 years since Yitty has released his debut project (also produced by The Kount) and it is their first collab ever since. The recent killing of Jimmys best friend was the inspiration behind Cheddar Bob. Jimmy has plans to release a music video next month produced by Bijan Amir. Yitty claims it to be the most creative video the city of Toronto has seen.

Heres the link to our ‘UP NEXT’ playlist:

Apple

Spotify

Written by: Alaisha L

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‘In Gauged’ Is Bringing His Melodic and

Lyrical Style to the Masses

(CHICAGO, IL) October 17, 2018 – Rising rapper Doobie Dalil from Chicago’s South Side just released his debut album In Gauged.  This body of work has a smooth narrative covering the highs and lows of street life with crisp production, and Doobie’s trademark precise-but-melodic flow. Doobie Dalil has already been making a name for himself with dense lyricism and strong performances opening for the likes of Lil’ Durk and the one-and-only Drake, but with this first full-length project he’s staking his claim for the title of Chicago’s finest.

In Gauged starts off strong with “Bust Down,” a wavy cut produced by Kajun that showcases the articulate flow many have compared to another Chicago native, speed-rap legend Twista. The album continues with a light-hearted vibe on “Thats For Fun” (also produced by Kajun) until things get serious on the Velli-produced track “Mary Jay.” Doobie Dalil shares his vulnerability on “Mary Jay” as he reflects on those he’s lost to the streets: I can’t see ‘em comin down my eyes / So I gotta make this song cry / Make this song cry / Cuz I’m not gon cry / I’m not that type / I’m not gon shed no tears / All your ops gon die / These shots gon fly / I’m not gon shed no tears.

As the project progresses, producer J. Fields delivers on the gritty “Meego” featuring LA’s King Lil G and Eastwood, and “My Blood,” an up-tempo anthem Dalil wrote for the day-ones who’ve been around so long they may as well be blood.  To top it off, Doobie Dalil delivers a sexy, seductive track “All In That” featuring John Blu that takes the ladies for an intimate ride to which this track is skillfully produced by west coast multi-platinum producer Fingazz.  With In Gauged’s 16 solid songs highlighting Doobie Dalil’s creativity and flawless execution, there’s no doubt Chi-town is being elevated with this release. Keep up with Dalil here @doobiedalil and use the code below to embed In Gauged (Spotify).

Listen to In Gaugedfrom Doobie Dalil on Spotify Here

Listen to In Gaugedfrom Doobie Dalil on Apple Music Here

Listen to In Gaugedfrom Doobie Dalil on Amazon Here

Listen to In Gaugedfrom Doobie Dalil on Google Play Here

The post Chi-Town Native Doobie Dalil Debuts Album ‘In Gauged’ appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The post New Music: Future – “Fly Sh*t Only” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo via Instagram

MAJOR CLOTH ALERT!

This Friday, Dj Khaled premieres his radio show, We The Best Radio, on Beats 1 via Apple Music.The first sleeve up his trick? —  An exclusive debut of Future’s new album. Khaled appeared with Future, making the announcement via Snapchat. It’s lit!

new future album on friday on khaled's apple music radio show????? https://t.co/IdfXBm2NcB

— trey (@TreyfromNY) February 1, 2016

Beats 1 DJ Zane Lowe took to Twitter to confirm the news. Future’s new project will follow up last month’s Purple Reign tape.

We the Best Radio airs at 8 PM EST.

The post DJ Khaled Premiering New Future Album On Beats 1 Friday appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

While Drake has been adamant about remaining mum regarding an official release date for his highly anticipated album, Views From The 6, fans may gain some clues as Drizzy is set to host his bi-weekly Apple Music radio show, OVO Sound Radio, this Saturday, January 30th. Drake made the announcement via Instagram that he and Oliver El-Khatib will be taking over the show for a brand new episode, with a contribution from fellow OVO-vian (yes, I made up that word) Majid Jordan, who is set to drop his self-titled album February 5th.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBDy3oJDQGw/?taken-by=champagnepapi

The last episode Drake hosted on the program, the rapper shut the internet down when he surprised listeners with an exclusive release of his collaborative project with Future, What A Time To Be Alive. Also known for dropping exclusive tracks through the radio show, it’s understandable why fans are so eager. Many respected industry insiders and media outlets speculate the number of Views-esque Instagram posts, suggesting the album is close to being complete (if not already). And, the rumors that Papi is allegedly competing with Kanye West’s February 11th release date for his long-awaited project WAVES (the album formerly known as SWISH), is the icing on the cake. Whatever the case, Drake has confirmed his appearance, so we will be expecting something.

Tune in to Episode 14 of OVO Sound Radio January 30th 3:00 pm PST/ 6:00 pm EST via Apple Music.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BA06NayjQBW/?taken-by=champagnepapi

The post Drake to Host OVO Sound Radio; Album Coming? appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

After collaborating on tracks like “What’s My Name” and “Take Care”, it’s safe to say that whenever Rihanna and Drake linkup, dope tracks are made.

While we’re still awaiting her 8th studio album, Anti, Rihanna has dropped “Work”.  This morning, The Bajan singer premiered the Boi 1da produced track on BBC Radio 1.  

The reggae inspired track, “Work” is available for streaming on Tidal and Apple Music, but (of course) hasn’t hit Spotify just yet.

Luckily for you, we’ve got you covered over here. You can kick off your morning with Rihanna’s latest track, “Work” below:

The post Rihanna and Drake Link Up Again for “Work” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

 DJ Khaled has been giving us an excess of epic moments as of late. On the heels of his latest album release I Changed a Lot, the We the Best DJ domineered the OVO Sound Radio airwaves to motivate listeners while looking back at his earlier days. Curating an inspirational mix, Khaled gives listeners a look into his journey to becoming the WAR READY artist of special cloth he is today.

Listen to DJ Khaled’s OVO Sound Radio mix here.

The post Special Cloth Alert: Listen to DJ Khaled’s OVO Sound Radio Mix appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.