SEARCH FOR: BEST DRAKE SONGS

Photo Credit: Le3ay Studio As we’ve progressed through music, we have grown to see the many mediums that artists are using now to take their careers to the next level. We’ve seen artists get popular from Myspace and older social media platforms. Current social sites such as Instagram and TikTok play a huge factor in emerging artists as well. By far one of the most memorable moments in rap would be the rise of Soundcloud rap and the amazing talent that stemmed from it. Being able to watch artists like XXXTENTACION, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Trippie Redd and Lil Yacthy take that platform and completely skyrocket into fame was such an amazing sight to see. While each of these artists has their own respective art and their own craft, they all share one thing in common being the OG’s of the Soundcloud rap community. Here we are in 2022, and we are witnessing the new generation of artists who catch their big break from Soundcloud and take their career to the next level. Some of those names are SSG Kobe, Yeat, Ken Carson, and none other than SoFaygo. First blowing up in 2019 with his breakout single “Knock Knock”, …

As is the case with most music fans, I listen to certain artists in waves. I just feel like ever since I can remember, I have gone through phases where I only listen to specific artists for a set period of time, but then something new comes out and my admiration begins to tilt in a different direction. I can even tell you what point I was at in my own life based on who I was listening to. Whether it was my Kendrick phase, Kanye phase, straight underground SoundCloud phase, or any of the others, I have been able to appreciate specific artists or styles individually for an exact amount of time before coming across something else. One person that I don’t think I ever outgrew or moved on from is Fat Nick, a Florida phenom who has been lighting the underground scene on fire for years and years, but he has never let up or given me a reason to find something else. Sure, I listen to a whole slew of other emcees as well currently, but whenever Nick drops something, I do my best to tap in because I know it’s not going to be something I …

Cover Photo by @135alistair After introducing the new FREE SOUNDs column two weeks ago, we’re back today with round 2. From NY to Atlanta, Toronto, London, NOLA, and the Carolinas, here’s another batch of interesting and true-to-self things that have been in rotation as of late. Check out Volume 2 below and if you haven’t already, peep FREE SOUNDs Volume 1 here. – – – DEXTER I’ve been a fan of London artist dexter for some time now, and “Pressure” might just be my favorite release of hers thus far. The energy on the song is infectious, the production urges for movement, and dexter’s hook has found itself etched into my brain ever since it came out. Adding additional excitement to “Pressure” is the fact that dexter is also wearing a Corteiz tracksuit in the video, having released the song with Corteiz’s RULESTHEWORLD Records. The UK’s busiest streetwear brand can’t seem to miss, and signing an artist like dexter only enriches the existing connection between London’s fashion and music scenes. “Pressure” checks off every box, leaving me me just as excited as a fan of dexter as it does as a fan of Corteiz. Check this one out below: MEL GLIZZY …

The year is 2019 – Baby Keem walks onstage in front of a packed audience in Los Angeles, California. This is one of his first performances ever, the last of six shows that comprised the highly-anticipated ‘Die For My Bitch Tour’. The air is nothing if not rarified – Drake is somewhere in the building, fans murmur about celebrity sightings like Taco and Cuco, and the excitement is so palpable that you can practically see the energy erupting from Keem’s earliest diehard fans. As you could expect, the show was an enormous success, and since then I have been actively trying to fill the Keem-shaped hole in my heart in an attempt to re-experience that kind of feeling again. Last Thursday, I was finally successful. On May 12 I had the pleasure of attending the final LA show of Yeat’s sold-out ‘2 Alivë’ tour at The Fonda Theater. After Yeat’s performance at the Roxy got shut down earlier this year, I knew that nothing on this fucking planet was going to prevent me from being at this event. Upon arrival, I took quick note of my surroundings: insane line (which is usually a good sign), appropriately priced merchandise for fans …

“Get Refreshed” is a monthly column by Billy Bugara covering all things digital in the music world. Refresh yourself here. I Don’t Have The Stamina For This Blogging Shit Billy Bugara Hi. I’m back, and this time I brought my friends. So… I feel like this column could use a lot less Me every once in a while. I don’t treat blogging like a sport; I barely even blog at all. But even still, I know damn well that blogging isn’t really where I strive compared to others, and that’s okay! I have to write research papers every day… we are simply not the same. In all seriousness, I do want to explain what’s going on here before we jump into things. I am a person of platforming, a platforming person, if you will (it is my job for SoundCloud, after all). I just really enjoy turning the spotlight towards those who deserve it most. Most of the time – all of the time, really – I’m featuring musicians. But what about turning this spotlight towards other people who like to… spotlight musicians as well? Is this really ever done? Not often! Can it be done? Should it be done? Yes and yes! …

I love to shed light on women in the music industry who are on the come up. Especially females who came from nothing, but their work ethics are slowly leading them to stardom. Cincinnati rapper Sade Johnson, better known as “Skylar Blatt” is one of my favorite female up-and-coming artists. Her story is so raw and genuine, that it’s not hard not to fall in love with her aura. Growing up was not easy coming from Downtown Cincinnati. When your environment does not reflect the person you hope to become, it’s difficult to find the strength to motivate you every day. However, music saves Skylar’s life and allowed her to become an inspiration for others. Skylar rose to stardom after countless freestyles on Facebook live with her friends. After the release of her second mixtape “XXL”, her career began to take off with multiple offers from labels. After getting co-signed by Meek Mill, she decided to work with Dream Chaser. However, that partnership was short-lived after Skylar did not believe that was the right home for her. After taking some time to rebrand herself, Skylar returned to the scene with her singles “John Wick”, “Urgent Care”, “Mystique”, and “Milli Us”. …

“Get Refreshed” is a monthly column by Billy Bugara covering all things digital in the music world. Refresh yourself here.  Please Let Me Explain  Hi. It’s been quite a minute, huh? Whether you realized it or not, I haven’t published this column since the summer of 2021. That’s a long-ass time; it’s even longer if we’re talking in terms of the Internet. 6 months ago feels more like 6 years ago when you really break it down. So… yeah. It’s been a MINUTE. But I have excuses, I promise. Besides my chaotic school life, my work for other places, and everything else I was doing last time I wrote for Lyrical, I kinda picked up something new within that time period. It’s not as simple as just being something new, though – it was something of astronomical proportions. It’s actually not that serious, I don’t know why I’m going on about it like that. Basically, I co-founded a Sick and Cool label called deadAir with my bff Jesse, and it’s been taking up all the extra time I was originally dedicating to this weekly column. Nonetheless, I feel it’s only right that, after discovering some semblance of balance in my …

If you have been watching Lady London over the years, you know her craftmanship is finally receiving the recognition she deserves. As a poet since 2018, London grew to fame on social media by flipping and remixing a few of Hip Hop’s most revered tracks from artists like Foxy Brown, and Busta Rhymes. Hip-Hip icon Cardi B praised her bars in “Money Over,” and expressed that London is “the most slept on.” The song has accumulated over 500k views on Youtube thus far. As an artist, London’s versatility sets her apart from her peers. Being an artist is only one part of her puzzle. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine from Howard University and a Master of Science in Global Medicine from the University of Southern California. Her knowledge and hustle mentality help to develop her into the artist she is today. “There are multiple levels to me,” she explains. “I’m not one-dimensional. I really take my craft seriously. I consider rap to be an artform—not a trend. I’ve studied cadences, timing, breath control, double and triple entendres, and syllables. It almost breaks down to an exact science. I pay attention to verbiage, semantics, and diction. I’m …

Last month, I had the pleasure of launching a brand new long-form series on Lyrical Lemonade that I’m more than excited to expound upon. If you’ve had the chance to read my articles, then you’d know that my musical taste is all over the place in the best ways possible. I’m never listening to the same genre consistently, which has allowed me to discover and appreciate a wide range of artists. With that being said, the goal of this series is to share my taste and give you all a concise list of my favorite released tracks from each month. October was filled with some great music, so keep scrolling down below to check out some songs and projects that have been on repeat for the last 30 days; IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER — 1. argyle-[brakence] One of my favorite artists out right now is none other than the pure genius that is brakence. Ever since first stumbling on him in 2019, I have been utterly hooked on just about every song that he’s put out. Once 2020 hit, it felt like everyone in the music community instantly became aware of how talented and trailblazing he actually was. With songs …

Creative Direction: @shotbycones We are a couple of weeks removed from our annual Summer Smash festival, and we are all still having major withdrawals from such a great weekend. After the past year that we had of quarantining, social distancing, and avoiding large events, it felt amazing to be able to come outside and enjoy our festival once again. With over 75 artists on our lineup ranging from the up-and-coming rappers to superstars and legends, it was truly a weekend to remember, and a special moment for not only Lyrical Lemonade but Chicago as a whole. I had the opportunity to work as a lead for the Summer Smash Media Team—a squad full of some of the best photographers and videographers in the game put together by our guy Cones. All weekend long, they captured tons of videos, photos, and clips of the entire run of show. While our full recap of the entire Summer Smash weekend is dropping very soon, I felt it would be a great idea to give my perspective on some of the best moments that happened during Summer Smash. At last, here are some of the best moments of Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash 2021!   …