Over the last 15 years, the increasingly beloved genre of hip-hop has evolved in rapid fashion.

From the advent of Kanye West’s genre-bending 2008 emo-pop record 808s & Heartbreak, which made it “chic” to explore the concepts of vulnerability and the dark side of fame.

To the odd, idiosyncratic inflections of Young Thug’s seminal debut single “Lifestyle,” hip-hop has shifted on a myriad of occasions throughout the last two decades.

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Today’s rappers or not yesterday’s rappers

By virtue of this pattern, the traditional, one-dimensional archetype of the “hip-hop artist” has diminished in scale from act to act. Today’s concept of what a hip-hop artist can look and feel like is constantly placed into question and in an active process of redefinition.

With the expansive birth of so many subsections, it has opened the door for a vast range of fresh, unique artists to hop on the scene, willing and able to embrace themselves, embellished with quirks and all.

But perhaps, most importantly, to thrive like never before with Juice WRLD, Travis Scott, Drake, Aminé, NBA Young Boy, Lil’Baby, Gunna, Lil’ Uzi Vert, Kid Cudi to name a few.

R&B/hip-hop is now the country's most popular music genre, according to Nielsen https://t.co/S0BdbXYGeG pic.twitter.com/9PvoZs27DV

— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 19, 2017

While these changes, by and large, have expanded the genre’s appeal to exorbitant heights with hip-hop being labeled the “most popular” music genre in 2018, according to a report from Nielsen, another subtle, more insidious conundrum has spawned out of such radical change.

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Young Thug vs. André 3000

During an interview with Southern rapper T.I. on his podcast: Expeditiously, Young Thug was asked about his thoughts on André 3000, who is a cultural icon in his own right and a leading pioneer in the Southern hip-hop movement of the ‘90s.

In lieu of glee and excitement to discuss one of the founding forefathers of “unconventional” rap, Young Thug uttered what avid fans of “traditional” hip-hop would find to be unthinkable: “I can’t rap you two André 3000 songs. I ain’t never paid attention to him, never in my life,” Thug said. 

Following his awe-provoking statement, T.I. attempted to support Mr. 3000, delineating that he is in fact not an enemy and how they are, in essence, allies on the same team. 

“He’s who ally? Yeah fuckin’ right. Why you don’t rap like him? You don’t like him, dress like him, look like him. You ain’t trying to portray none of that.”

Young Thug on the Expeditiously podcast

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Where does the disrespect come from?

This situation is not only emblematic of a cold, “spit-in-the-face” antipathy towards an almost indisputable “living legend” that is André 3000 but more so of a major dilemma within today’s hip-hop milieu: There is a lingering lack of veneration for the proverbial leaders of hip-hop.

By virtue of this phenomenon, it provoked a major schism between old rappers and members of the new-aged class of rappers. 

“I think generational chasms are present in every genre of music and in every art form.” 

Keyaira N. Boone, Senior Entertainment Reporter at Insider

Lil Pump vs. J. Cole

In another instance of generational acrimony, J. Cole cultivated a diss track entitled “1985” on his fifth studio record KOD in 2018. The scathing verbal epithet was specifically pointed at prominent SoundCloud rapper Lil’ Pump, who created a track called “F**k J. Cole” in 2017. 

During an interview with Paul Cantor of Vulture, Cole explained his rationale behind the creation of “1985” saying,

“If you exclude the top three rappers in the game, the most popping rappers are all exaggerated versions of Black stereotypes. Extremely tatted up, colorful hair, flamboyant. It’s caricatures.” 

J. Cole, Vulture

With such a massive divide between generations in hip-hop, it warrants the question: Are there any viable solutions that can be made? 

“I think it takes younger artists also embracing and gaining knowledge of where their music comes from. They should seek to know where exactly R&B stems from and how Hip-Hop culture came to be as it is today”

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The hip-hop outliers

Between both generations, there are some outliers who openly show love and respect regardless of the time they entered the rap game. Two prominent artists from two separate eras that come to mind are Cordae and Snoop Dogg. 

“I feel like Snoop Dogg is a really good example. He is always able to stay relevant because he is able to adapt to what’s hot right now. He’s not one of those artists that’ll be like “oh, that mumble rap yeah that s**t sucks.” 

Catrise Johnson, Business Development Manager at Billboard

In another vein, Cordae finds delight in embracing his predecessors in rap. Through the nostalgic nature of his flow and his affinity for teaming up with hip-hop legends like Q-Tip (More Life) and Common (What’s Life), the reverence is most certainly present. 

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Is it becoming cool to bash the old heads?

Another potential reason why the younger generation might feel less inclined to pay reverence to the ones that came before they are because such a move may or may not be beneficial to their bottom line and how their fans perceive them. 

“It’s less advantageous for a person to say ‘Here are the people who are my contemporaries or the people that came before me that made me into the person I am today especially if those people are still competing in that arena.’

A.D. Carson, Associate professor of Hip-Hop at the University of Virginia

Irrespective of either generation, the media does play a tangible role in how riffs between artists are portrayed to the general public, sometimes exacerbating the situation altogether. 

“Because many old school rappers are executives, agents, producers, etc, I believe there are more collaborations than strife between generations. But the strife will always draw more attention, get more coverage, and instigate more conversation.” 

Patrick Rivers, Associate professor of Music at The University of New Haven

While quarrels do tend to manifest between artists in hip-hop, some feel that it is more of a constructive endeavor to mediate the “beef” rather than perpetuate it.

“I don’t know that the onus is on rappers or rappers alone,” said Professor Carson. “The people who see themselves as stewards of the culture, whether it be writers, executives, artists, teachers, it falls down to all of us to do that engaged kind of work.” 

A.D. Carson, Associate professor of Hip-Hop at the University of Virginia

At the end of the day, even if rappers said they wanted to do it, they still wouldn’t be able to do it alone. It would take a village and there’s simply no escaping that portion of the matter. 

New York artist and producer Mafia B has had a busy 2021 so far.

After releasing his 5-track EP ‘What The F**K‘ in May, he’s following up by dropping the visuals for his single ‘What You Came For’ with help from On Smash.

The up-tempo banger is a new sound for Mafia B, who started out as a techno and house producer and shows his range for creating and collaborating across different genres.

We had the chance to speak to Mafia B a couple of months ago and asked him about how he linked up with On Smash. He said:

“WHAT YOU CAME FOR, FEATURING ON SMASH, WAS 100% SPONTANEOUS. I JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE IN THE STUDIO HANGING OUT WITH J.LEON, WHO IS AN ENGINEER BASED IN NYC, AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW, ON SMASH STOPPED BY TO HANG. I SHOWED HIM A FEW OF MY TRACKS TO SEE IF HE WANTED TO TAKE A SHOT AT FREESTYLING. HE LIKED THE INSTRUMENTALS OF ONE OF THE TRACKS, WE HAD J.LOEN RECORD HIM, THEN I TOOK THE VOCALS HOME TO PROCESS THEM. THE REST WAS HISTORY. SOMETIMES THE THINGS THAT ARE UNPLANNED HAVE THE BEST OUTCOME.”

– Mafia B

As for the music video directed by Andy-Lincoln Estonia, the vibes are reminiscent of Mafia B’s underground music background as the intensity from On Smash brings the track to life.

Check out the video and stream Mafia B’s full EP ‘What The F**K’ here.

Political music has always helped us get to the polls and vote!

Many songs serve as emotion for the listener. It tends to give us purpose or help us understand our circumstances. Music of all kinds is infectious nonetheless.

Hip Hop formed purely from the aspirations of inner-city youth who saw more than what they were given, by the government and politics in which we play a role.

Rap music is a rebellious sport that knows no bounds at times and rejects ideals set forth by white oppressors.

A historical sentiment, but hip hop music has always challenged why things are the way they are and fought with words to structure thinking around the issues.

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Hip-hop is a presidential genre and serves as a reminder to get to the polls

Making it clear, hip-hop has consistently stated that the government doesn’t care for and want to see black, as well as brown people, thrive.

That type of oppression has led to rappers owning a lot more than their masters. They have created a life and an idea that the kid on the corner can grow into a positive change-maker. 

Whether thinking about your community and how to make it better or how foul the system has been to you, hip-hop music has been the outlet to get the inner-city, urban voices heard and echoed throughout society and politics.

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Rap and hip-hop have always served as a journalistic and artistic first look into the “politics of the hood.”

Trust they are listening, and every time they make mention to the hip-hop culture in politics, they acknowledge our voices. Our voices have power, and our vote has the ultimate power. That’s why we need to get to the polls.

Political bars often will cut through mainstream media and harm the oppressive plan of “Whitening America.”

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1.“Fight the Power” – Public Enemy

Chuck D and Flavor Flav came out with this song back in 1989 and was aimed directly at the government, but designed to uplift the people. This song spoke of reinvigorating the civil rights movement of the 60s into the 20th century at the time.

Chuck D recites the song lyrics; “To revolutionize make a change nothing’s strange. […]people we are the same. […] What we need is awareness, we can’t get careless[…] To make everybody see, in order to fight the powers that be.”

Make sure to do your part in the revolution, get to the polls, and vote.

2.“Changes” – Tupac

Tupac describes what he sees in his neighborhood and other neighborhoods alike. The oppression seeps from the corners of this song as Pac repeatedly claims to “see ‘NO’ changes” as it pertains to the betterment of his community and others like it.

He vividly states police brutality as a deterrent and suppressive behavior. Clearly stating, “Cop kills a ‘Nigga’ [then] he’s a ‘hero’.” Lines like this still resonate today after 22 years of spinning.

He also Makaveli’d us, predicting a “Tupacolyptic” event in that society isn’t, or wasn’t ready “to see a Black President.” 

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3.“Justify My Thug” – JayZ

I will let these bars from Jay-Z explain the dynamic of growing up disenfranchised in America. The lyrics serve as a reminder of why it’s important for us to get to the polls and vote,

“When you play the game of life and the win ain’t in the bag

When your options is none and the pen is all you have

Or the block, niggas standin tight as lemons on the ave

Tryin to cop a shop call theyself cleansin in the cash

But can’t put they name on paper cause, then you on blast

Mr. President, there’s drugs in our residence

Tell me what you want me to do, come break bread with us

Mr. Governor, I swear there’s a cover up

Every other corner there’s a liquor store, fuck is up?”

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4.“My President” – Jeezy

This song was [Young] Jeezy’s celebration of the inauguration of first hip-hop President, Barack Husein Obama.

Jeezy dedicated this song to the new president in hopes that change will be something more evident in society and communities around the United States.

Jeezy likens the President being Black to some of the material things like his blue Lamborghini with blue rims to match, light green money, and light-grey Jordan’s made Jeezy’s cipher complete on this track.

With those songs now humming in your memory, do remember the battle will be fought at the voting polls.

Any feeling you may have toward the government can be remedied by voting out those who don’t represent your ideals of living and respect you as a citizen and human being.

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So, get to the polls and go vote this Tuesday, November 3. Blessed you below with some hype political music too.

Look out for this article on PAGE magazine.

Queens, New York-based musician, Michael Kraun, considers himself an alternative hip-hop artist with visions of using music and art, entrepreneurship, and community-building initiatives to empower mental health among the masses.

By taking a vulnerable, uplifting approach to the pen and pad, Kraun makes one person feel at ease when it comes to the war that’s going on inside their head.

“I believe mental health is the key to bringing us closer as a society, and so I strive to accomplish that by using the tools I was born with and the things I’m passionate about.”

He continues, “Sometimes, I’m super productive, and I feel at peace, knowing I’ve contributed something positive to the world at large. Then there are days where I’m just in my head, wandering alone in the city, with my girl, or staying at home, trying to figure out this puzzle we call life.”

Still, Kraun’s music carries a broad spectrum of messages. Sometimes you’ll hear Kraun paying homage to Queens, unveiling a bit about his past, admitting to his wrongs, or encouraging others to keep the faith alive.

Most times, Kraun lays out rhymes of awareness so the human race can see society for what it is. Production-wise, Kraun uses jazzy, lo-fi, or boom-bap arrangements to tell stories about what he’s witnessed or seen.

 

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Y’all know Flushing, Queens is the hometown and the soul. Had to bring it back to the essence to close out this instrumental series. Main St., I’ll be back soon ☁️ . 🎥: @brownbearvisuals • 🎵: Instrumental to “Get The Money” by Michael Kraun produced by @djpain1 • . #queens #qgtm #flushing #flushingqueens #mainstreet #mainst #hiphop #nychiphop

A post shared by Michael Kraun (@mkraun) on May 17, 2020 at 2:08pm PDT

“Queens, being such a diverse area, really affected my music because Queens will make you feel connected to the world. You’ve got all these intricate parts of Queens with different cultures and communities, and so when you work on your craft, you’re thinking beyond your own neighborhood,” he adds.

Michael Kraun’s moniker derives from his first name, Michael, and alteration of his last name, Krau. When you add an “n” to his last name, “Krau,” sounds like the word “crown.”

“Doing that to my last name, I think, gave me a sense of confidence and determination.”

This modification falls as a symbol that represents greatness. He concludes that evolving into something “great” would be something he’d pursue even during the days when he didn’t feel so driven.

 

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Searching ☁️ . . #photography #clouds #sky #thinking #shadows

A post shared by Michael Kraun (@mkraun) on Feb 5, 2020 at 9:19am PST

Before rapping, Kraun noticed his pen game at 11-years-old when writing fiction. He adds, “Many of the stories and poems I read back then as a kid incorporated rhymes. Regular writing felt like work. Writing in rhymes felt like drawing. It appeared as multi-layered puzzles in my mind that said things that a proper sentence couldn’t.”

Kraun continued, “I took all of that and transitioned it into rapping once Nas and Eminem’s music started permeating through school and connecting with me.” Fast forward, and Kraun recorded his first song at 15-years-old.

During this time, Kraun was working at a local movie theater called Main Street Cinemas. As he clocked day in and out, Kraun longed for an in house recording setup, so he saved every penny.

Eventually, he ended up buying one from a friend’s cousin, who was also a rapper. He recalls recording his first song in his room, saying there was a sock over the microphone. He also remembers his parents yelling in Hebrew to stop cursing so much. Kraun lists Nas, Eminem, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Drake, J.Cole, and Kendrick Lamar as inspirations.

His project series, Downtime, Downtime Pt.2, and Downtime Pt. 3, embody the same drive that Kraun has carried from his youth. After his project, aNY minute, Kraun rummaged through beats, hoping to be inspired.

Amid his research, the lyricist found four beats from a producer from Toronto named Omito Beats. According to Kraun, the beats created a vision of being in a chaotic city and trying to find a sense of stillness.

“They had this soundscape I’ve been trying to capture ever since Kanye’s Graduation: soulful, big, optimistic, and hard-hitting. It felt both innovative and nostalgic at the same time—lyricism with triumphant hooks,” he said.

 

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The longest of nights 🌃 . . 🎥: @visualdon • 🎵: Instrumental to “Long Nights” by Michael Kraun featuring @monothemaker and produced by @omitobeats • . #chill #night #hiphop #instrumental #motiongraphics #lofi #lofiedits #dream #sunset #vaporwave #vapor

A post shared by Michael Kraun (@mkraun) on May 7, 2020 at 7:20pm PDT

To create in the booth, Kraun needs to be at Brewery Recording fully rested. He also lists water and his best friend and manager Mike Epstein as a necessity, saying that he incorporates Mike’s vision, feedback, and support in every artistic and strategic move.

The Downtime trilogy digs deep into Kraun’s past, motivation, optimism, grind, societal issues, battling demons, and overall maturity. Standout tracks on the albums include “What You Want,” “Cloud 9,” and “Get The Money,” to name a few. The other songs on each tape deserve some spins as well!

Downtime‘s first track, “Cloud 9,” carries a somber R&B beat with bright piano riffs, hi-hats, and snares. The song sees Kraun encouraging others to be themselves instead of falling victim to a clout induced society.

In the first verse, he raps, “All this madness I can’t handle, it’s like this planet forgot/Human race turned into animals, now this planet will rot.” He also speaks on the world’s trickery when it comes to fitting in and even addresses how “characters make you [someone] lose it all for one tweet.”

Instead of focusing on the next trend, he adds that it’s better to focus on your goals, your dreams. At the end of “Cloud 9,” he leaves listeners with some positive affirmations.

“Clarity” delves into Kraun’s ups and downs with alcohol and how music saved him from it all. Over a jazzy soundscape full of beating drums, he acknowledges the battles he’s fought through thus far.

Still, Kraun never let go of his dream to make an impact with rhymes. Instead, the musician pushed forward and followed his intuition. In the second verse, he unveils how his mind lingers on past failures and fallouts every so often. But once Kraun hops in the booth, the worry fades away.

One notable line goes, “I always had it in my hands/To become the man I always planned to be/My only plan to see what the world’s planned for me.” Ultimately, Kraun seeks answers in terms of his future.

He almost feels blindsided. Kraun says this record is one of his many favorites because it captures the consistent ambiguity and uncertainty of life.

Downtime‘s latter, Downtime Pt. 2, begins with “Old Me,” a song that digs deep into Kraun’s old ways. Over a Kehlani-type beat, the “Clarity” lyricist opens up about past actions and how one situation made him realize that he needed to do better.

With self-awareness, Kraun was able to break bad habits. Previously, Kraun swore not to trust a soul. But now, he’s ready to open up a bit more. Likewise, Kraun went from losing the love of his life to making her a soon-to-be wife. As for the other things he did in the past, well, he hopes to be forgiven for them someday.

The second song, “Long Nights,” explores Kraun’s drive. On the song, he admits to procrastinating and then staying up until the early hours to get a task done. At one point,

Kraun asks, “Can the kid from Queens do it big like the kid from Bedstuy?” He also raps about not reaching all of his goals yet but working hard to do so. As the song continues, Kraun reveals that materialistic things sounded good at one point, but as he matured, he realized that family is way more important.

Amid making it, Kraun wants to help his mother, positively impact the youth, and make his Ms. into a Mrs. Another standout piece of the song shows when Kraun calls out rappers who blow racks on jewelry statements. In an entendre fashion, Kraun raps, “Kids got gold grills but no words of wisdom.”

Lastly, Kraun’s Downtime Pt. 3 starts with “Get The Money.” On “Get The Money,” the pen master details the power that cash holds over a jazzy, lo-fi beat with bright piano riffs, open hi-hats, and electro-synths.

At first, Kraun reminisces on visions he’d have as a teen. Growing up, Kraun wasn’t the wealthiest, so “the dollar was deceiving.” Deeper into the song, he speaks on a time when he felt like no one understood him.

Until this day, Kraun feels sadness creeping in, yet he refuses to let capitalism crush him. Towards the minute mark, he uses a fast cadence to talk about the workforce’s corrupt ways with labor.

No matter how hard you work for others, it won’t be enough. In the chorus, Kraun says, “Queens get the money, it was written, I’ma prove it,” which references Wutang’s chorus in “C.R.E.A.M.”

All-in-all, Kraun plans on honing into his craft until the Benjamins appear. Aside from his lyricism, Kraun displays a significant number of entendres like “Thinkin, why be the goat? When lyin’ gets you the throne.”

This song is the first time that Kraun was able to communicate on a song about what it’s like for him to have the privilege of experiencing a different economic class than his parents.

“I’m proud I was able to communicate those feelings in the song and simultaneously embody what Queens is about.”

Following after, the piano-led single “What You Want” encourages those in the dumps to keep their head up. The song also motivates individuals who are losing hope. Over an upbeat boom-bap soundscape with faint guitar riffs, open hi-hats, and snares, Kraun reveals his success story.

Between lyrics, he raps about sleeping on “benches in Central Park to garnering enough support to benchpress Central Park.” He also details how he pushed through. Later into the song, Kraun calls out the human race for being friendlier to strangers than neighbors.

However, a message from a fan in London made Kraun conclude that not all people are ill-willed. At first, Kraun thought success was a long way coming. Then, alas, it came right around the corner.

Kraun says he relates with these bars, “We all corrupted/We all dealing with something/We all stuck with/The demons that we grew up with.” He feels like these lines speak to others about the correlation between our current mental health, childhood, and upbringing.

You can rest assure that Long Island-based artist Maui ARN is making his own waves, preferably jumping into ear-streams worldwide. Given his authenticity and the borough he’s surrounded by, Maui Arn makes sure to deliver this key element into his sound.

Without delay, the artist can tap into his melodic flow to smooth-cruise over an R&B-inspired beat or bounce vigorously over heavy-hitting hip-hop ones. However, every technicality is depicted by his headspace, beat deliverance, and energy.

 

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A post shared by NYC/LI PHOTOGRAPHER📸 (@rarejordn) on Jul 3, 2018 at 3:56pm PDT

Adding on, ARN says “I like to create fun music. Whether I’m rapping, singing or exploring world sounds like Afrobeat, it’s a vibe for everyone.”

Though ARN has bounced from coast-to-coast and picked up foreign threads and whips along the way, he makes sure to familiarize himself with how he feels, and this often transfers into his lyrics.  Thus making music his sole outlet.

Between the lines, ARN speaks about love, Kodak moments, flex-worthy instances, his strong character, ignorance and being an individual who loves hard. ARN also remains true to himself all the while telling others to do the same,

“I want to inspire people to fulfill their potential, and pursue the things that make them happy.”

No matter the occasion, ARN’s music is always a vibe. It’s the kind that makes you feel good about any topic at hand.

ARN’s music journey began back when MP3s and PSPs launched. Roughly, he was 8-years-old. During that time, his family would travel overseas almost every summer and winter.

 

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A post shared by Maui ARN ⚡️ (@mauiarn) on Apr 23, 2014 at 8:55pm PDT

While ARN was on these trips he’d constantly get into trouble for having his headphones in, staying up all night or playing music from those countries or the same track over and over again.

Then high school came, and ARN found himself recording tracks.

His moniker derives from Maui Nation, with friends OTHERPRO (producer), Dapperdon E (rapper), Flee Capo (rapper), and S-Clive (rapper), and other artists, producers, and creatives.

“ARN” is short for Aaron. According to the musician, he used to be heavy set and ended up losing weight. His siblings often told him that he looked more like an Aaron. And so, he ran with it.

When creating music, ARN locks in. He added,

“Most of the time I’m writing music in complete solitude. I have a strong work ethic, so I’m constantly hitting the studio to record vocals of everything I jot down.”

Music essentially serves as his therapy and he commends how raw his music is. Regardless of what he’s speaking about or the song’s beat, ARN’s sound can fit any setting.

For the most part, ARN is influenced by the music and culture of hip-hop. He admires the innovation of artists like Young Thug, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Future, Johnny Cinco and Travis Scott.

Case in point, ARN would collaborate with A Boogie With The Hoodie, if given the chance. To date, ARN enjoyed performing at SXSW solely because he was in a mansion party and he had the place going crazy.

To summarize, the vibes made him want to keep doing music. However, this isn’t ARN’s only exhilarating time on stage. He’s also opened concerts for national rap artists such as Young M.A, Trae The Truth, and PNB Rock.

Further explaining his artistry, ARN’s “Dom Perignon (Golden State)” uses a xylophone riff to lead its playful backdrop. Over a thriving 808, ARN uses a melodic, bouncy flow to speak about how he’s only going up from here.

ARN even says in the chorus,  “got bands stacking up to my knees, so I’m really thinking how much do you mean to me? My energies out of your reach.” If we’re being honest he’s all about more commas and fewer friends.

Additionally, ARN reflects briefly on a time when finances weren’t adding up. Given that the love for money is the root of all evil, ARN drops a gem for everyone, “Now the lick will get you split.”

Some will switch up on you all because they want a dollar for their dream. As the track moves forward, ARN speaks about keeping his eye on the prize. Since he’s an individual who does things with great love, the artist makes sure that his loved ones are also taken care of.

This line says, “She said Maui don’t treat me like I’m a thot/I just do this for you cause you mean a lot.” Another notable line from “Dom Perignon (Golden State)”  is “before checks, I was feeling the Nike box,” which essentially shows that ARN makes rational investments.

Moreso, he’s wiser and focused than ever. Towards the end, “Dom Perignon (Golden State)” dies down and the xylophone, effortlessly, gets stuck into the cerebral cortex. To create the song all he had to do was relive unforgettable nights and experiences.

 

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A post shared by Maui ARN ⚡️ (@mauiarn) on Apr 7, 2016 at 8:50pm PDT

Behind the flashing lights, ARN makes a smooth, melodic delivery in “Feelings Attached” to say that he’ll ride for you at all costs. After all, ARN is a firm believer in passing love forward.

Matching the energy of ARN and the faint 808’s, both ARN and Dapperdon put their all into the lyrics and chasing a bag. Off the bat, one line gives proof as to why, “with me, she transforms like Voltron” and although she envisions a future together, the artists do not.

Honestly, they’re concerned with building an empire so everyone they care for can eat. Besides this, “Feelings Attached” contains witty punchlines and a fast, bouncy flow amid speaking about how money just won’t win this queen over.

In a singsong approach, they say “you gon’ need more than racks cause mama got feelings attached.” It’s safe to say that “Feelings Attached” is, as ARN said, a true story you’ll hear or see eventually.

If the man she’s with just won’t do right, they will. Then she’ll be left with feelings of admiration and yearning. “Feelings Attached” comes heavy with a nostalgic feel and spacey synths.

His recent song, “Fashion Nova EDM Infusion (Remix)” carries a pleasant minimalistic feeling that keeps the energy soaring. Listening in, you’ll find that the minute mark closely resembles Vince Staple’s “Big Fish.”

Aside from this, “Fashion Nova EDM Infusion (Remix)” carries beautiful percussions, different flips on the soundscape, and melodic hooks that fit well with the song’s build-up. Some might also appreciate the baseline because it helps “Fashion Nova EDM Infusion (Remix)” with its tropical-like approach.

In terms of the song, Maui ARN says “When I thought of creating “Fashion Nova EDM Infusion (Remix)” I wanted to encourage ladies to rock their Fashion Nova pieces as if they were on a Fashion Nova runway. I think I accomplished that pretty well with the help of King Sin. He amped the production and gave it more of that vibe.”

I assure you by the time this song is finished you’ll have it stuck in your head for hours on end. Maui ARN’s favorite line from the song just so happens to be this: “Had a few in my day, who thought my closet was they sh*t”.

He adds, “I had so much drip leave my house, they know exactly who they are too. I ain’t mad though, cause I know what’s fly. I know how to put fits together.”

Ultimately, “Fashion Nova EDM Infusion (Remix)” is ARN expressing his love and admiration towards fashion. Maui ARN says “I believe Fashion Nova has made their mark on this generation.”

 

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A post shared by Maui ARN ⚡️ (@mauiarn) on Dec 18, 2019 at 2:38pm PST

Parallel to the borough of Queens, these seven rappers know how to secure the bag. Around the clock, they’ve hustled and have gained huge success because of it.

Still, their sense of community has helped them get ahead From Kyah Baby’s unbothered floetry in her iconic Funkmaster Flex freestyle to MID’s latest chill-wave track, “Sea” they’re all as real as it gets.

Here’s a rundown of those who are collecting their coins.

1. MID (aka Music is Drugs)  – Astoria

Apart from RRRSEASON, a group that lyrically resembles New York’s old school sound, MID is “a man with a complex.” Beneath the surface, MID’s ambiance meshes well with his lo-fi beats.

Ultimately he’s calm, cool and collected but when he speaks on the mic, he doesn’t hold anything back. Sometimes, he gets deep and allows the listener into all aspects of his life (including mixed feelings in a relationship.)

Other times MID speaks about sippin’ on the Henny and his glo-up. Either way, you can’t help to turn him up in your headphones. MID won’t let anyone mess with his element. Even in his song “Form,” MID pays homage to his home state, New York. The Big Apple has helped him grow.

“Out the country somewhere foreign, but I’ll always miss New York// That’s my home // Reason why I write these poems // Reason why I love these songs.”

Check out more of his music via SoundCloud.

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2. REMY BANKS – Forest Hills

Known as “your neighborhood-friendly smoking cool cat,” Remy Banks lives by his name. In the “Function” featuring DRAM and World’s Fair, the blazer even says,

“Somebody pass me a lighter // I’m about to set fire to this joint // I wrote this filled with purple dope // I need my green on this C Note like a piano.”

Nevertheless, it’s a given that no one has ever heard anyone roll out rhymes like him. Originally from Forest Hills, Queens, Remy Banks began rapping in high school. After he dropped out of college as a fashion design major, Banks decided to do music full-time. Yet, this wasn’t his only forte.

In his youth, Banks was also a skater who vibed with Odd Future during the MySpace days. Still, you’ll see him rocking a New York fitted cap no matter what. Remy Banks’ rap style shows nothing but love to his home state.

He raps about what he experiences, everyday life, staying focused, diversity and inspiring others. Asides from doing solo work, he’s also apart of two groups: World’s Fair which is signed to Fool Gold’s Records and Children of the Night.

Check out more of his music via SoundCloud.

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3. LANSKY JONES – Roosevelt Island

“The Jack of All Trades, Master of None” who is best known as rapper Lansky Jones, can make anything a thing. Whether he’s going on or off-beat, Lansky Jones forces those listening to stay woke.

One who’s very aware, it’s safe to say that he’s a political advocate who demands change. Due to his tri-racial background of Russian, Hungarian, and African-American, Lansky Jones has a unique perspective.

Aside from this, Jones speaks about the perfect woman and how he’s a “rollin, rolling stone” in “The Return of Danny Jones.” Based out of Queens, New York by Roosevelt Island, he takes pride in being from the Empire State.

On the whole, Lansky Jones gives it to the people in black and white. He tells others what they need to hear, instead of what they want to hear.

Check out more of his music via SoundCloud.

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4. KYAH BABY – Jamaica

Revealing fierce, well-put-together bars and double entendres to the world about her upbringing, femininity, and hustle, KYAH BABY’s style reigns as legendary.

One who refuses to be stigmatized because of her approach in the hip-hop game, she caught her big break last year after killing it in the classic “Flava in Your Ear” instrumental on Funkmaster Flex’s series.

Even when others see her prominence in the rap game already, Kyah still remains hungry. Ultimately, she believes her dreams haven’t been reached yet but she’s working on making it happen. Her aura proves that she’s not someone to f-ck with. She’s “Queen’s finest.”

Check out more of her music via SoundCloud.

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5. DEEM SPENCER – Jamaica

Thoughtful and weighty, Deem Spencer tends to wear his heart on his sleeves when fluctuating between singing and rapping. As he flows smoothly over somber beats, Spencer free-falls with the youth’s deepest fears in growing up but he still remains free-spirited.

According to Spencer, most of his work is based on him discovering things that he’d like to do, say or even look like which is why one can’t help but stay interested. He just seems to get it.

Though he is from Jamaica, Queens he isn’t swerving in a lane to sound like he’s from the state. He’s concerned with being more expressive than impressive.

Check out more of his music via SoundCloud.

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6. JOHN TR3 PRITCHETT – East Elmhurst

Labeling himself as a product of lyrics and content that needs to be heard and reflected on, TR3’s rhymes flow out like poetry. At most, TR3 has studied the game. Not only does he have the boom-bap feel from his state down pact but TR3 creates a learning space for other MC’s through his articulate philosophical views toward the world.

Hailing from East Elmhurst, Queens, TR3 lounges like a king. He began rapping at the age of 10 with glorious poetry but his prominence rose from his freestyle on Biggie’s song “Party and Bullsh-t” which garnered 100K views.

Since then he’s released songs like “7 Line” that’s a melody for the ladies soul. In his words, TR3 says “I always view raps as just another way of art to convey how you feel.”

Check out more of his music via SoundCloud.

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7. ANIK KHAN – Astoria

This rapper knows how to get down into his roots. When he isn’t using his culture to drive his musical style, he’s boasting it proudly to the world. Born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Khan moved to Astoria, Queens with little hope.

At one point he even found himself in an identity crisis but regained himself after traveling to New York for a West Indian party. Shortly after, Khan decided to venture into Caribbean, Calypso, Reggae, and Dancehall.

Since then Khan has interviewed with Hot 97’s Ebro, Pigeons and Planes, and Complex. He also released his latest project “Kites” in 2017. Even though he was signed to Def Jam at a certain point, the rapper decided that it was not for him and decided to go independent.

Check out more of his music via SoundCloud.

Back when Oprah was the queen of daytime television, there used to be a saying about her that went: “when Oprah talks, everybody listens.”

Jay-Z is no talk show host but when it comes to music similar rules apply — Jay’s voice is highly regarded. With there being less than three weeks less in 2018 Jay-Z decided to lend his voice again, this time sharing favorite songs.

In a playlist called “JAY-Z’s Year-End Picks,” the Brooklyn icon made 20 songs available on TIDAL this week (Dec. 10), giving a peek into what he’s been nodding to this year.

Among the picks were some you’d expect, like Sheck Wes’ “Mo Bamba” and “Drip Too Hard” by Lil Baby & Gunna. Then you had some eye-poppers like Kids See Ghost’s “Freee” and Kodak’s “ZeZe.”

https://tidal.com/playlist/774bc755-fd70-43a1-9592-44e37aaab086

It could be his 13 number one albums or 21 Grammy’s and counting but Jay-Z’s opinion is thought of as a nod.

Last year after being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame he went on a rare Twitter spree, shouting out influences and artists that he enjoyed. Of those, he thanked Nas, J. Cole, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper, Lauryn Hill, Nicki Minaj, De La Soul, Eminem and plenty more.

The late Mac Miller, who was also mentioned in the almost hour-long Twitter rant, even got had the tweet framed on his wall.

While Jay’s list and opinions are his own and the list ultimately subjective, it’s still interesting to see what tickles his fancy, and more importantly, what he missed!

Granted, while it’s probably impossible for Jay to listen to everything under the sun, there are some cant-misses that his 20 did not touch.

Here are some that we think should have made his cut and which songs they should replace.

Phonte — “Pastor Tiagallo”

https://tidal.com/browse/track/85225565

Phonte Coleman’s second solo album No News Is Good News, in general, was one of this year’s best efforts. The North Carolina native, who first saw national acclaim as a member of Little Brother, put together a complete project, reflecting on his recently deceased father.

“Pastor Tigallo” is Phonte at his best. His storytelling paired with wordplay makes it a standout and one that Jay definitely needs on his playlist.

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Saba — “Calligraphy”

https://tidal.com/browse/track/86695191

Following his debut studio album, Care For Me was one of the most refreshing listens in 2018.

The Chicago product takes us on the journey of his healing as he mourns the passing of his cousin and what comes of it is beautiful poetry. “Calligraphy” is the album’s centerpiece.

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Mick Jenkins — “Plain Clothes”

https://tidal.com/browse/track/96318963

When it comes to songs, none gets better than Mick Jenkin’s “Plain Clothes.”

Hailing of his sophomore album, Pieces of a Man, “Plain Clothes” has every element you’d want in a rap song. Clean instrumentation, tasteful melodies, warm vocals and vibes you can get lost in.

If Jay hasn’t heard this one yet, he should.

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Juice WRLD & Future — “WRLD on Drugs”

https://tidal.com/browse/track/96861372

Juice WRLD and Future shocked everyone with their collaborative project, WRLD On Drugs, this year and managed to make it a good one.

From top to bottom the tape has slappers but they managed to really tap into something on the track “WRLD On Drugs,” encapsulating this generations’ ills in an up-tempo bop.

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Teyana Taylor — “3Way”

https://tidal.com/browse/track/90894836

Teyana’s track “3Way” off her second studio album K.T.S.E was a moment when it came out.

She has a very public relationship with Sacremento Kings forward Iman Shumpert so the fact that she’s belting intimate details about bringing another woman in the bedroom throughout the track made for great summer night tune. No doubt that’s right up Jay ally.

At the end of the day, we’re all going to like what we like, but there’s no way these five tracks couldn’t get some shine, Jay!

Hip-hop sound and culture have long been sealed since the days of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Big L, and DJ Kool Herc.

With his new album, The Pain Collector, Vinnie Paz pushes us to look deeper than sound and culture. This album greatly chronicles and reflects the malevolence of contemporary society. The depths of this work will bring analysis of music & aesthetic perception to a new level. In a quote in The Hip-Hop Wars by Rose Tricia:

“Hip-hop is not dead, but it is gravely ill. The beauty and life force of hip-hop have been squeezed out, wrung nearly dry by the compounding factors of commercialism, distorted racial and sexual fantasy, oppression, and alienation. It has been a sad thing to witness. I am not prone to nostalgia but will admit, with self-conscious wistfulness, that I remember when hip-hop was a locally inspired explosion of exuberance and political energy tethered to the idea of rehabilitating community.”

The rhythm of the album is up and down, fast and slow, malevolent and benevolent, inspiring and candid, mimicking the life of an average person in America. Far from the headlines are the wrongdoings of the government brought by sinister political reigns.

 

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available everywhere.

A post shared by Vinnie Paz (@boxcutterpazzy) on Sep 29, 2018 at 5:16pm PDT

From travel bans, racial & religious discrimination, to walls being built to divide us & children being separated from their families, we all feel the exacerbating tight grip.

From The Pain Collector:

“One of the things we might learn from history is that the government’s interest are not necessarily the same as ours, in fact are rarely the same as ours. Because if you think that government’s interests are the same as yours then you think,’well if something’s going wrong it must be that they made a mistake because they really care about us.’ They don’t care about us.”

Setting a steady theme of corruption in the song “Tongan Death Grip” the Pazmanian Damian warns, “Everything’s dirty money, even the soap.”

Warfare is another steady theme of this album. However, bringing focus to things we’d rather turn our heads to is nothing new for this hip-hop veteran. From his “Sundae Bloody Sundae” to “A Power Governments Cannot Suppress” the Philadelphia native chronicles warfare on both a large and small scale.

 

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#blessed photo by @sediztikk

A post shared by Vinnie Paz (@boxcutterpazzy) on Sep 30, 2018 at 6:14pm PDT

Unrelenting quotes such as, “It doesn’t matter the party, homie, they’re all devils,” and unforgiving statements like “wartime presidents can suck my dick” Vinnie Paz gives a voice to our frustrations, making us feel connected to him individually.

“The truth is, we’re faced with evil.”

Much like Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s The Cry of the Children, and The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point, Vinnie Paz’s The Pain Collector gives future generations an intricate look into our volatile, destructive society on an emotional & individual level.

And much like classic literature, it will be analyzed, quoted, duplicated, plagiarized, romanticized, and put into the history books.

Stream The Pain Collector here:

The climate of the rap game seems to change every year. But if one thing has remained constant, it’s that in hip-hop, the underground has always respected an artist for their authenticity, originality, and creativity. Of course, nowadays, it seems as if having the most the clout determines who is hot or is trash in the rap game.

When 21 Savage broke onto the scene, we saw his image quickly duplicated by 22 Savage and more. We’ve seen the antics of 6ix9ine stirring up controversy to sell records. Lil Pump’s “F*ck J. Cole” movement even boosted his rap career to new heights.

For independent artists, nowadays it seems like the only to break onto the scene is to follow trends or have a gimmick to sell records. However, there are still emcees coming up who just want to be respected for their skillset. For Angelo Sirianni, who is better known as Zer0, he’s been in the lab creating a wave of new vibes for the whole world to bump to.

Music has always run deep in Zer0’s veins. As an adolescent, you would find him buried deep in his notebook sharpening his pen game or freestyling with his fingers on black and white keys. In an interview with Kulture Hub he told me,

“I’ve always had an ear for music. I started with you know writing poetry and then I went from writing poetry to learning to play piano by ear and turning those into songs. Then I found out that garage band you can take Youtube beats and sing over them and then it just all kind of built up from there.”

Being born and raised in a small town in West Virginia, Zer0 was known throughout his tight-knit community for basketball. Nevertheless, school and work would never get in the way of his true passion. He said,

“I would get off work and use garage band in my car with a little blue snowball microphone and record at night.”

Realizing that his potential is limitless with the music, Zer0 decided to leave West Virginia State University where he was attending school and hooping, his family, and his friends. He was off to Orlando, Florida to turn his dream into reality.

“I wanted to use my other talents in life and I went with music. I wanted to get out at 21 and experience as much as I could at least.  I knew the first step had to be expanding my location.”

June of 2017 marked a new beginning for Zer0. With a fresh plan and new scenery, Zer0 was off to a busy summer ready to set the music industry on fire.

Shortly after the move, he dropped his first project Day Zer0 and was finally able to flex his rapping abilities to the world. Unbeknownst to the emcee, his work caught the attention of King Los who would later jump on Zer0’s first single of 2018, “Rari.”

Even though his album was receiving a great reception from his audience, it was not sitting well with his girlfriend. Zer0 explained,

“My girlfriend… she loves music. She cares about it and she cares about me. She said to me one day, she sat me down and asked me ‘what are you really talking about? I love your voice. I love how talented you are. I love how you create it, but it’s hard for me to picture the person that I see everyday versus the person I hear everyday when you make this stuff.’”

Her words were a gut check for the young artist. He continued on telling me,

“It was a hard life lesson you know? A few tears were shed honestly, but they weren’t angry tears they were… it was just a reality honestly. It hit home and I appreciated it so much.”

Following the heart to heart with his queen, Angelo took some time to reflect on his music career thus far. Not even being in Florida for a year yet, he learned a valuable lesson. He said,

“I think I got a little carried away with the image and the industry and tried to you know to create that trap sound with also trying to match that image and with my lyrics and not really pay attention. It was a definite soul search.”

Now that Zer0 is making music aligned with what’s true to him and what he wants out of life. He feels very strongly about that.

“There’s a lot of negativity in the industry right now. There’s a lot of fame associated with negativity and crime and I’m not about any of that at all. I try to create positivity with my music and with who I am. That kind of goes back to reality check that I was given about.. you know like what are you really rapping about? I want the world to see who I really am.”

Recently, Zer0 dropped his newest single “New To This,” showing the world just how transparent his future projects will be going forward.

As an independent artist navigating his way through the industry, he’s quickly learned that patience is his best friend.

“Everything is not what it seems. Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear. If you have the option to go indie, it’s work but I think it’s a better route. You don’t have to deal with a bunch of sketchy and scammy situations. You never know when someone is doing a live music review or submissions send them to this email. You don’t know if they’re listening in the studio trying to bite your style. You don’t know anything.”

His newfound wisdom is continuing to set himself up for success. He by finished telling me,

“I know everybody wants a check. I know everybody wants that label to hear their music. I know everybody wants to do the next thing that is going to take them to the next level. But if you just learn and sit back, you’ll be fine.”

Music is the universal language we live by. For Zer0, it’s using his God-given abilities of rapping, producing and engineering to provide for his family.

Now that he has found his sound, look for Zer0 to really take off in the years to come.

Listen to Zer0’s debut project Day Zer0 here: