We all have our own ways of coping with the quarantine that our world is currently facing. For some people, it’s working out on a daily basis, it may be comfort cooking or trying a new hobby such as quilting. Others have turned to the latest dance craze on Tik Tok or finally putting together that business idea that’s been waiting in the wings.

For the creatives of the world, this has become an unprecedented time to work on their craft. Normally, we’d be deep into social events, album releases, day parties, studio sessions, filming, editing processes and so on but as of now, everything is on pause. Using this time to foster those creative ambitions for a new flow or to connect with other artists to work on features while getting the business side of things handled can all be taken care of now that everyone has the time.

To be more specific all of those things hold true for a bright young star that goes by the name TheHxliday. Born in PerryHall, Maryland, the Hip Hop crooner has garnered over 10 million streams following his latest release ‘Broken Halls’ and has worked with producers Twice As Nice, Danny Wolf, Internet Money, Sledgren and Young Kio.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fZhyzlK40/

Currently quarantining in Chicago, I was able to catch up with him on “The Alternative Road Podcast” and discuss a swarm of topics starting off with his quarantine and what he’s been doing during this time:

Really I’ve just been listening to all my music…it’s just been a lot of music tho, I’m not even gonna lie to you it’s about like 500 songs in the vault I’ve been listening to.

Aside from listening to his 2pac vault level of music he’s been staying on top of keeping the essentials needed to last him the oncoming weeks inside:

I’m set (with Ramen Noodles) for the next couple of months…I’ve got some chiken, some chili, and some shrimp.

With enough Ramen to last him the entirety of quarantine, it seems TheHxliday’s fans may be in for a treat if and when he decides to release more songs from his vault. A song most of his fans may be familiar with now “Save Me”, had its own video snippet appear on his Instagram page not too long ago.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9m041wFa25/

The question was posed and TheHxliday was pretty tight-lipped as to not give away any of the details. Yet, we were able to pull from him a couple of things that pinpointed the inspiration behind the song, the same ex-girlfriend from his viral hit “Enemy”:

That was actually around the same time (as “Enemy”). Look, I promise you half the songs you’ll ever hear from is about the stories from us. I have about 3 main exes that I talk about in my music but she is most of them. Almost all of them. And “Save Me” was around that time where I felt like, I didn’t want to talk to anybody or trust anybody or anything. It just had me really isolated. So at that time I made that song I was sitting in my room and I was just in the moment. I wasn’t expecting it to be such a pop sounding song though which is crazy.

When pushed a tad more, I was able to get a time frame for when this video will be released:

Not a certain date yet but certainly in the next week, week in a half. Or possibly two, two because I have a Lyrical Lemonade interview coming out right before. Once that interview comes out, it’ll be right around the corner.

Again this quarantine time is ripe for artists to be able to connect with fans and specifically other artists to make collaborations that may have been impossible due to their busy schedules. In speaking about a few features he’ll release for his fans during 2020, TheHxliday had this to say about future collabs he has Cowboy and Lil Baby:

It’s definitely going to be for the summer. I promose you that. It’s gonna heat up the summer.

While it may seem as if TheHxliday has already given so much, and has even more stored away in his vault, he also touched upon ideas on a ‘Dead Life’ album that he’ll chip away at:

It’s funny in how I just explained, you know the problems of my ex I told you about and eveyrhting and this first album is gonna be like, that whole story and summing it up so that I can move on and talk about the next siuation. This album is like a story all together. I’m calling it ‘Dead Life’ it’s like a play on words…it’s funny because I dyed my hair specifically for the meaning behind it. I had like green and red dreads. I have one green dread and one red dread and the green dread symolizes life and the red dread symbolozies death and everything. What that means is a part inside of me is kinda dead and green symblizses a part of life coming back inside of me. I feel like I’m finally moving on and coming out of that situaion. But it’s going to be that one bit of memory and everything. So that’s what I’m feeling right now. I’m putting a lot of thought into it and I don’t really have a release date or anything for it. It’s funny because a lot of fans and eveyrhting they catch onto that without me even telling them, it’s crazy.

The Alternative Road Podcast

Make sure to keep checking back to RESPECT.Mag for more TheHxliday and #TheAltWithMel news!

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The post #TheAltWithMel: TheHxliday Talks “Save Me” Video, Dead Life Album, songs with Lil Baby & more! appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

It’s an understatement to say Lyfe Harris is a talented artist. As DATA-X states “he is one of the pioneers of that 2014/2015 Future R&B Wave”. Lyfe dominated the Future R&B lane along with artists like Roy Woods, TYuS and Bryson Tiller at the time. Fast forward to 2020 and he brings his seasoned and ultra well-rounded mastery of the genre with him as he sets the tone for what his fans can expect from him this year. He is gearing up to release his EP at the end of April with another video dropping soon but until then his latest music should keep the viewers on their toes.

Lyfe Harris starts the years off right with torrid, ultra slap-worthy new music. Following up on his first release of 2020 “Don’t Panic” with a new song titled “Decisions”. The BatmanOnTheBeatz and Sledgren-produced track receives a video treatment to compliment the hard-hitting song. Shot by Stop Sign Production and directed by Woozie World. The video brings Lyfe Harris’ obvious decisions to life. The clip is set in the night time with plenty of lights to illuminate the motel in the back drop as Lyfe confidently performs the song. He’s very upfront about his sound in conversation with RESPECT:

“My sound is airy, R&B with dark undertones and textures. I like anything with a melody I can convey and be more creative that way.”

Lyfe Harris’ reverence in contemporary conversations of trap soul authenticates through “Decisions” which boasts a lux lifestyle with lines like “you look way too good to be dining in, i got you out in the latest Mercedes Benz” – the song in its obvious frame is for sophisticated women who enjoy a certain design attention to their daily persona. 2020 should be a lot of fun if it’s gonna sound like this.

Watch the video below.

Follow Lyfe on instagram to keep up with his latest releases.

The post Lyfe Harris Brings Booming Sultry Vibes With ‘Decisions’ Music Video appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

What a duo! Indian-American identical twins, Akash and Krish, are killing it. Known collectively as THEMXXNLIGHT, the two stand out by intertwining their upscale, R&B styles together to form a fan-favorite sound.

Fresh to our pages, the 22-year-old singers/songwriters are directly affiliated with Taylor Gang but managed by Will Dzombak. As of late, the two released a new single titled, “Need Your Love“. Produced by Sledgren and Sap, you can find it linked below. 

Born and raised in the Bay Area, California, THEMXXNLIGHT has multiple projects in the works including songs with TM88, Megan Thee Stallion, Roy Woods, and more. Stay tuned in. 

The post Bay Area Duo, THEMXXNLIGHT, “Need Your Love” in New Single appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Larry highlights his return on each track, delivering some ear-catching melodies packed with a ton of witty wordplay. The project includes features from Sledgren, Sean House, Julian Avila, among others. Larry is set to have a massive year in 2019 and we look forward to hearing more music from him with each new release. But until then, stream the project below and get keen to the movement.

The post Larry June Delivers Dynamic New Project ‘The Port of San Francisco’ appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo Credits: THEMXXNLIGHT

The identical twin R&B duo continue to maintain their momentum after their three major breakout placements with “Mr. Williams” ft. Currensy, “All of a Sudden”, and “Homework” on Wiz Khalifa’s sequel to his major debut album, Rolling Papers 2 released last month.

THEMXXNLIGHT takes pride in proving that their work ethic will go unmatched while they continue to established their sound and steady rising fanbase while staying true to their Indian based culture.

Their Sledgren produced single “Hold Up” will be the leading single to their upcoming album, MOOD dropping later this fall.

Listen to “Hold Up” prod. Sledgren below and tell us what you think.

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The post THEMXXNLIGHT Drop Their Latest Sledgren-Produced Single, “Hold Up” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Success doesn’t happen overnight but the process for it could happen while making preparations.  THEMXXNLIGHT is a mysterious and unique out-of-this-world R&B duo from The Bay Area, California.

The identical twins seamlessly weave their melodious,ethnic vibrations in to their exotic masterpieces. The duo has garnered a huge following on SoundCloud & Spotify before they got together with Wiz Khalifa on his Rolling Papers 2 album. The 3 tracks that they featured on garnered 3 Million+ streams since it’s release on July 13th.

Their first inspiration to create music actually came from The Weeknd. The twins heard The Weeknd’s first ever mixtape titled “House of Balloons” and were immediately inspired by his airy vocals. They sang the songs around school and after gaining local attention for their covers of The Weeknd, they started THEMXXNLIGHT together and are now revolutionizing R&B with their pure and refreshing, yet familiar sound, which is exactly what the music industry needs. The duo focuses their creative energy on sounds that truly connect with listeners to give them something they have never heard or felt before.

RESPECT.: How does life feel at this particular moment with a beginning career and the first breakthrough into stardom with three major song placements on the sequel to Wiz Khalifa’s debut album w/ Rolling Papers 2?

THEMXXNLIGHT: It feels pretty surreal and to be honest it hasn’t really hit us yet. It’s just amazing that our hard work in our passion and hobby of making music was placed at such a prestigious level.

RESPECT.: Where are ya’ll from and how did THEMXXNLIGHT begin?

THEMXXNLIGHT: We are from the Bay Area, California. Long story short, we picked up our passion for music after we decided to quit our college basketball team. Our family has always shared a passion for all kinds of music, mainly R&B, rap, and Bollywood hits. This allowed us to develop a unique and cultured sound that is new to the ear.

RESPECT.: What were some early signs that you both should begin creating music together in R&B and as a group?

THEMXXNLIGHT: As twins, we’ve done everything together. This includes classes, instrument lessons, karate, sports, etc. We’ve always been artistic and creative so it was only natural that we found a shared passion for the art of music.

RESPECT.: What are a few of your musical influences?

THEMXXNLIGHT: Growing up, our parents used to play us a lot of Bollywood songs as well as artists such as Sade, The Beatles, ABBA, etc. Our current sound has hints of these influences along with a strong influence from many Toronto artists such as The Weeknd, Majid Jordan, PartyNextDoor, and Roy Woods.

RESPECT.: Looking how fast a life-changing experience or opportunity could come to you, do you think opportunities come with more of preparation or the courage to pursue them?

THEMXXNLIGHT: It’s a mix of both. You must always be prepared to prove yourself. We are always thinking ahead and planning the next move. However, you can be prepared all you want, but if you don’t have the courage to pursue those opportunities, that preparation won’t do much for you.

https://tidal.com/track/91638954

RESPECT.: With you both being identical twins, do y’all ever get intuitions or can feel each other vibes from afar?

THEMXXNLIGHT: All the time. We basically finish each other sentences when in conversation with others. Sometimes we even cough or sneeze at the exact same time. It would an interesting scientific study for sure.

RESPECT.: I read the write-up by Genius, what is the responsibility that comes with being Indian American songwriters and gaining prominence in the music industry?

THEMXXNLIGHT: First of all, thank you for reading the Genius article as it does have some key information about our story. Our main goal is to show that Indian Americans, or any minority, can feel comfortable pursuing their creative passions outside of academics. We want to prove to the world that South Asians can really be a force in the artistic world. Being Indian, we are very cultured, but we just need to be given the opportunity to display our talents internationally. We wish to inspire the younger generation, especially in the Bay Area, since it’s very technologically oriented.

RESPECT.: Summer 18’ is halfway over, how do you want to continue building your music catalog, network, and portfolios?

THEMXXNLIGHT: We have a catalog of 20 quality songs that we will choose from to release on our upcoming album titled, MOOD. We build our network everyday as we stay in contact with fans, record label A&Rs, and fellow artists and producers.

RESPECT.: Any upcoming projects/releases?

THEMXXNLIGHT: Our album MOOD will be releasing sometime this fall. It is executive produced by Sledgren of Taylor Gang with Co production from fellow Taylor Gang affiliated producers as well. Our next release, Hold Up (Prod. Sledgren), is dropping in the coming weeks.

RESPECT.: What does RESPECT. mean to you?

THEMXXNLIGHT: Respect is everything in this world and if you lack it, you won’t go very far. You need to have respect for your elders, parents, fellow artists, fans, or anyone that you come across. We always believed that you must treat others the way you want to be treated. We’ve stuck by this rule for our whole lives.

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The post RESPECT. Interview: R&B Twin-Duo THEMXXNLIGHT Share Their Experiences With Rolling Papers 2, Bollywood Music, Aspirations, and Building Indian American Culture appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Curren$y starts off 2017 the right way with The Jetlanta EP.  During a recent trip to Atlanta with some friends, he announced a new project featuring his newly signed Jet Life artists Cornerboy P and T. Y. The EP’s production mostly consists of veteran Atlanta producer Don Cannon with help from Purpz of 808 mafia and Sledgren. Last year, Curren$y released 12 projects-one for each month of the year). I wonder if this will be the start to another 12 project run that will feature his album. If that’s the case, let’s hope every project will be as good as this one. All around, The Jetlanta EP is dope and I highly recommend this album to any new and old Curren$y listeners. Look out later this year around April for Curren$y’s full album. I’m excited to hear and see what the whole Jet Lift crew has planned for all of us in 2017.

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The post Curren$y drops ‘The Jetlanta EP’ appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.