“Everything is 2000s-inspired–Everything is inspired by the times when things were golden for us. I think all those pieces and everything that we’ve come out with has been all about nostalgia. I’m about to take you on a whole journey musically.” -Tory Lanez, via Billboard The concept of nostalgia– something that has been a huge conversation as of late. With all the talks about the new Disney Plus streaming service bringing back old shows and movies, this is something that we latch onto and that brings a sort of happiness and excitement. In Tory Lanez perspective, his highly popular Chixtape series has been nothing less than a nostalgic journey through the years of great music. The concept of making an entire project and taking classic R&B records, sampling and flipping them into a modern version seems like something that even Tory himself is “surprised that no one has thought of yet”. Sampling has been dominant in the music industry since it’s inception and without a doubt is one of the most popular production trends in music. Tory may not be the first to sample and reimagine songs, but he may be one of the best yet to make entire projects of the …

Consequence is a hip-hop legend but that’s common knowledge at this point, and Phife Dawg is an icon in music who we’ve missed dearly since his passing, so when I saw that Consequence dropped a new record “No Place Like Home” along with Phife, I had to tune in. These two legends traded magnificent bars back in forth throughout the song, along with a beautiful chorus that was performed by Alex Isley, the trio really did something special here. This was an all-around excellent offering that any hip-hop fan can enjoy, it felt great hearing Phife Dawg’s voice again, especially with how well Consequence + his team put together the song. Do yourself a huge favor and press play below! Produced by Consequence + Mike Cash • additional production elements by Fede Vindver + Rich Keller

Lil Reese is wasting no time after getting out of the hospital a few days ago with the release of a brand-new track called “Come Outside”. For those who didn’t see the news of the Chicago drill legend, Reese was shot last week in a suburb of the city while waiting at an intersection and was put into critical condition for a few days before finally be released from the hospital. He clearly isn’t afraid after this incident considering “Come Outside” beckons whoever the shooter is, I’m assuming, to show their face. The production sounds like a subdued or simplified version of what a typical drill beat might sound like, but it goes hard. It might sound simple, but the haunting piano and straightforward drums help the Chi-town talent drive the point he’s making with his lyrics straight to the core. His almost playful verses are an impressive contrast to the lyrical content itself, considering the threatening nature of his lyrics aren’t meant for anyone to have fun with. With that being said, I’m so glad Lil Reese bounced back and is doing better in the past few days because the city wouldn’t be the same without him. Check out …

Bernard Jabs is a creative out of Georgia who I have been covering/cheering on for the past couple of years since the first time I met him, and today the young talent is back on our website with his latest joint titled “Sosa”. This record finds Bernard really getting in his bag, providing a melodic & addicting hook all while absolutely snapping on his verses, creating one of the best songs you’ll hear this week in the process. The sky is the limit for Bernard Jabs, he still has a ton of time to grow & develop as an artist so he’s only going to continue to improve, but for the time being, get in tune with his latest material below. Produced Etrou & Ryan Bevolo

Denver, Colorado-based talent Old Man Saxon is finding himself back on our website today with his brand new offering titled “On My Bullshit”. I have been keeping up with Old Man Saxon over the past month or so since I first heard him, he has a super interesting aesthetic to him, everything from his music to his cover art + style are awfully unique, which makes him stand out in today’s current landscape. The way that Old Man Saxon flowed over this multi-dimensional production was remarkable to say the bare minimum, and although it’s clearly just a playful track about being on his bullshit, it came out really good + has me excited for more music from him in the future! Stream this brand new track via Soundcloud below! Produced by Woodysproduce

Bria, a member of the Chicago-based music collective DIAL UP, has just released her debut solo mixtape titled ‘Eyes Closed’. While the RnB vocalist and songwriter made appearances on multiple tracks off the group’s compilation mixtape last year, ‘Eyes Closed’ offers the first look at Bria in full effect. Each track emerges in a dreamy, vintage-soul tone that’s informed by Bria’ influences while differentiating themselves through the range of emotions she explores throughout the project. She strikes gold when she’s able to merge her naturally airy vocal quality with classic RnB melodies, an intersection she finds herself at multiple points throughout ‘Eyes Closed’. “Ride” stands out as a track where she executes these soulful riffs and runs especially well, paying melodic homage to early-2000s RnB while adding her own voice to the mix. The project also reaches a level of sonic consistency that’s rare for a debut, benefitting from DIAL UP’s Dave Prime producing the entirety of the project. Bria premiered ‘Eyes Closed’ this past Saturday with a one-of-a-kind listening experience in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. The event presented an all-hands-on-deck scenario for DIAL UP’s creative forces, and they executed Bria’s vision with ‘Eyes Closed’-themed decor, an intimate live performance …