SEARCH FOR: BEATS

We’re back again with the Lyrical Lemonade: Behind The Track feature. This week I decided to put the spotlight on C-Moski from Memphis, Tennessee. Moski always had an ear for music, however, he didn’t pursue his career as a producer until his thriving football career came to an end. Sometimes, it’s not what you know, but who you know. Thanks to Blac Youngsta and Ju his manager, Moski had the opportunity to become a part of Heavy Camp and produce three records on ‘Fu*k Everybody 2’ in 2018. Moski began to gain more recognition in 2021 after linking up with 1017 hottest artists on the rise, Pooh Shiesty. Moski is the face behind Pooh Shiesty’s smash Hit “Neighbors” featuring BIG30. This song received over 62 million views on Youtube and went on to become RIAA certified gold on May 27, 2021. The following year, “Neighbors” went platinum on January 18, 2022. I had the opportunity to learn more about C-Moski and his growth throughout the years. Check our interview out below. — Lyrical Lemonade: Where did you grow up? North Memphis, Douglass & Raleigh areas.  Lyrical Lemonade: Were you always involved with music growing up? Or was it something you …

Of all the upcoming music scenes in the US, very few are pushing the culture forward like Florida and Atlanta. With artists like Destroy Lonely, Cochise, and 454 paving the way for the next generation of plugg/regalia/cloud rap inspired rappers – the future of hip-hop is looking better than ever. MuddyMya is a perfect example of this, and luckily this week she returns to us with her newest EP EDEN – the follow-up to 2021’s MUDDYWORLD. The last time we saw Mya, we were celebrating the release of her single “i see you!” – a hazy and hypnotic banger packed with futuristic energy so infectious that it was hard not to list her as one of Atlanta’s most promising new artists. EDEN carries this momentum perfectly with a small colelction of 5 tracks that if nothing else, put MuddyMya’s name on 2022. Between her washed-out vocal layers, spacious production, and hard-hitting verses that alternate between melodic (“PEACH SPRITE”) and borderline ambient (“WAIT4U”) at a moment’s notice – MuddyMya’s forward-thinking musical talents have made her an artist that needs to be on your radar this year. Last time I asked if we would see an album from MuddyMya this year, and with an …

Since news broke that IDK and Kaytranada had completed their joint project Simple, fans instantly (and rightly) knew that they were about to be treated to an album of the year contender. In spite of both artists’ earlier works existing at almost opposite ends of the musical spectrum – like Kaytra Todo and I Was Very Bad for example – Kaytranada and IDK’s collaborative record together shines as a true testament to versatility, risk-taking, and the dynamic journey of a true artist. Making waves with a project that stands at only 8 tracks long, Simple is a refreshingly unique and colorful take on the styles and sounds that Kaytranada and IDK have helped popularize in mainstream music. Painstakingly polished and carefully crafted, album cuts like “Zaza Tree” and “Breathe” see IDK flexing his singing skills over Kaytranada’s eclectic hip-hop/house beats. Levels of energy fluctuate at moments’ notice on Simple – and while “Breathe” stands as more on the ambient and spacious side of things, tracks like “The Code” with Mike Dimes or “Dog Food” with Denzel Curry and Karriem Riggins are instilled with a certain level of high-octane energy. Every track blends perfectly into the other to create a nonstop …

“I can make certain calls and tap in with a certain DJ in another part of the world and know what’s being played over there. I can make calls and ask who the hottest new artist or producer is. I don’t think the DJ role will never be obsolete because an algorithm can’t think like a DJ.” -DJ Tay James Since it’s inception, the art of being a DJ has been something that has always been fascinating to watch. Coming from the old days of having to own actual vinyl records, and then transitioning to an all-digital deck, it’s been amazing to see how many DJs actually move along with the times and are able to master a new craft, when their old ways are shifting away. One could argue that the job of a DJ is one of the more important roles in the music business. At a party or event, it’s the DJs job to control the mood and the overall vibes, and listening to the crowd’s visual cues and body language is key. For DJ Tay James, he’s been able to maneuver through many avenues and kept up with the times for many years, and he is …

New Jersey emcee Noah dropped off his first project ever recently entitled ‘Mirrors In A Mausoleum’. This album is everything that’s happened in Noah’s life leading up to this point. Over the course of this 36-minute body of work, Noah isn’t afraid to blend melodic rap flows and records with classic and more traditional-sounding singles. I really appreciate him for trying different sounds and flows on this project. It showcases the willingness to be versatile and wants to try new things. Some of the things I feel like Noah could work on are his beat selection and his execution at times. Sometimes I felt as if a couple of beats or moments were a little bland but had good rapping and flows on the singles. At other times when I’m speaking on how he can execute better, I feel like that will just come with more practice. The ideas are there I just feel as if he can deliver the record, verse, or flow in a more sonically pleasing way. However, this doesn’t take away a solid debut for Noah, yes, there are things he can work on but this is his first real body of work. I expect him …

I have spoken extensively throughout the past few months about how great both TM88 and Pi’erre Bourne are, whether they’re on their own or teamed up together. Clearly, both of these musicians are insanely skilled producers, and they deserve to be credited with pretty much setting the standard for innovation as far as the current generation of hitmakers is concerned, so when they got together for their joint album YO!88 a couple of months ago, there was absolutely zero negative feelings that I had towards the finished product, and it’s still something that I have included in my rotation as the months go on. The only thing that I was a bit disappointed in was the fact that there weren’t more accompanying music videos immediately following the album’s release because I love to see the lifespan of a project continue to grow as time goes on. Well, even after a bit of time has passed, my wish was answered thanks to the release of the Daniel Kelly-directed, fully animated music video for the album’s opening song “OMS”, and although it’s just a cartoon, it definitely filled a void that I felt was present. Thanks to a retro-inspired, computer video game-like …

“Get Refreshed” is a monthly column by Billy Bugara covering all things digital in the music world. Refresh yourself here. On Sidia… and Dolly’s Midas Touch I’d like to introduce everyone to the world’s best A&R. You’ve probably never heard her name before, just hear me out. It’s d0llywood1. Yes, this obscure, unheard-of A&R doesn’t work for a major label, nor is she even working in this little thing called the “music industry” whatsoever. She’s actually just like all of you out there – an admirer of modern underground music; a proponent of the future; a real music listener, if you will. Many of your favorite artists working today were originally discovered by her, and just because you’ve never heard her name before, doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate her for this very fact alone. In all seriousness, Dolly is not just the best damn rapper and all-around performer for her age. She’s truly the best A&R who’s not really an A&R. From Lei, to Kyenn, to pretty much everyone in SillyTeam who wasn’t popping before the collective started, she’s co-signed some of the most talented acts in the grander Internet music landscape before practically anyone else did before. Much like being a “Paul …

In the modern hip-hop industry, it’s not necessarily uncommon to see teenage artists making waves, but it just continues to amaze me the talent that I’m consistently hearing from people who can’t legally have an alcoholic beverage. 19-year-old BINO Uchiha, as an upcomer in Alexandria, Virginia, is one of these artists that caught my attention. His latest track “COOKIN’ UP” just recently released, and has made a splash in his area. Teaming up with fellow Virginian and former high school classmate AnDyKoolKiD, the pair introduced themselves with a catchy, semi-melodic piece that blends genres over a modern techno-synth-rap beat produced by Squirl Beats that allows the two to get creative with their flows and vocal tones. “Flow dirty, bass jumpin’ like it’s double dutch.” Their versatility is prevalent, and I think it’s what gives them an extremely tall ceiling as they continue their rise. Watch out for these two as they look to build off  their momentum with this banger in “COOKIN’ UP,” on Spotify below.

This year at Lyrical Lemonade, I’m starting a feature section titled Behind The Track, specifically to shine a light on producers. A producer oversees all aspects of the creation of a song or album. The choice of song, choice of musicians, instruments, and vocalist(s) and how it all comes together. Your favorite artist makes dope music but without an amazing producer, your favorite song might not be so great after all. In this industry, the artist always receives credit for producing records that the world wants to listen to. However, as you start to learn more about the music business, you begin to understand how important having a dope producer is. Behind the track was created to give acknowledgment to producers that are behind our favorite songs. Whether the song might be big or small, producers deserve just as much credit as an artist. The first producer I had the opportunity to learn more about is Adnan Khan aka Menace from Manchester, England. Menace is the face behind the 2016 mega multi-platinum smash hit ‘Panda’ by Designer. This record sold over 20 million copies and collected over 7 billion + streams and counting. The beat was so popular that artists …

New York City has always been an absolute hub for musical masterminds who have been pushing the boundaries and setting the standard for modern-day music, and that’s something that I don’t think will ever change. While they have always introduced new sounds into the music community, their most recent introduction was a spin on drill music that was fresh, innovative, and all-out individualistic, and if you heard someone a couple of years ago spitting on that trademark rhythm, you probably could guess what city they were from. Drill hasn’t gotten even close to being old yet, but that doesn’t mean other artists have to wait for this movement to die down in order to make their mark on the world, and Fleego is someone who is making an immense splash in the NYC rap scene. Rage beats have grown in popularity over the past couple of years, but New York isn’t really a place where this style of hip-hop is found, but Fleego is here to flip the script on that narrative, and he is doing it as good if not better than any of the other rage beat-users in the current state of music. His most recent release is …