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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Earlier this week Kansas City rapper and Strange Music frontman Tech N9ne visited New York City to promote his upcoming album, Something Else, which hits the shelves next Tuesday, July 30th. Taking place at the legendary SOBs, the event was a modest affair: security was minimal, the music was fairly audible and the bar was [temporarily] open. After Tech arrived, he ascended the stage, briefly thanked everyone for attending,  then quickly made his way to the floor to mingle with the crowd. The brief introduction was a humbling gesture with a clear message: the night was simply about sharing the music.

Accordingly, the album began playing immediately. The first song, aptly named, “Straight Out the Gate,” features Krizz Kaliko and Serj Tankian of System of a Down and sets the precedent for an album overflowing with features. In fact there are so many features – and many of them are high-profile – that RESPECT. had to ask Tech how he could afford them when he is merely an independent artist.

Barely concealing his own lingering shock, he informed us that with the exception of the instrumentals and his collaboration with The Doors, all of the features were done without cost, “out of respect” for him. There’s no telling what he will have to give these various artists in return, but the fact that they contributed these verses for free is simply amazing. Tech himself shared our amazement, saying, “How do you think it makes me feel?” Hip-hop has been a house of horrors when it comes to navigating that treacherous line between business relationships and artistic collaboration, so RESPECT.‘s guess is that Tech feels pretty damn good. The songs make this apparent. Despite the abundance of collaborations, a clear voice, his voice, manages to float above each song, ensuring that the reins remain in the hands of the creator.

It’s difficult to dive into the nuances of the album after only one listen, especially a listen that occurred via the questionable acoustics of a nightclub, so until there is an opportunity to properly review the album, here a few notes from the party:

• The album features a noticeable amount of live instrumentation.
• Tech told RESPECT. that he couldn’t pick a favorite song because of the album’s tripartite division into Fire, Water and Earth, which all mean something different to him, but after the full album finished and he began playing individual tracks, Tech demanded that the DJ play “Fragile.” (so it’s probably one of his favorite songs.)
• On “Priorities” Tech trades bars with Angel Davenport and Game. It’s a short track (1:43), but that song structure – 3 emcees continuously going back and forth – is something that deserves to be explored some more by Tech as well as other rappers
• Rittz, who was signed to Strange Music last year, absolutely fits in with the Strange Crew, as indicated by “Colorado.”
• The album is kind of long with all of the bonus tracks.
• Danny Brown and Tech would be a crazy rap duo.
• The album as a whole is very vulnerable, but in a way that differs from the vulnerability of Take Care.
• Tech N9ne seems to genuinely make the music that he wants, sans market pressures. He and Mac Miller should high-five.
• On one song, someone says, “Fuck your litigation.” That’s the history of rap in a nutshell, is it not?

The post RECAP: Tech N9ne’s Humble Listening Party appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

In a music industry dominated by gargantuan record labels with a mob mentality, it’s with a miraculous stroke of luck that independent artists are able to force their way onto the public playlists. Natalie Edell, a rising junior at Northwestern University, hopes to change this. Via the Internet, Natalie aims to change the way independent artists interact with the music business, music listeners, and record labels with her new start-up, 18LoveMusic. 18LoveMusic focuses on the independent artist by creating an online competition for musicians. Each week, artists can upload their best song while the public votes to “love it” or “leave it.” The top five tracks in each genre will earn an 18loveMusic profile and the winning artist will be flown to Hollywood, California to have their song produced in a top recording studio along with a music video.

Natalie’s trying to raise $40,000 to get the site going. To find out more and donate, head over to Indiegogo now.

The post 18LoveMusic Aims to Change the Game for Independent Artists appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.