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I’m a firm believer that honest music will always see the light of the day, but sometimes it’s not just enough to believe that if you’re not making an effort to create that reality. That’s a big reason why I do what I do; When I first started writing back in 2018, my sole mission was to shed a light on the artists who are making undeniably great/honest music. Today, I’m writing a rare Saturday article to keep in line with that mission of highlighting an up and comer who I believe sincerely deserves it. If you keep up with my articles, then you’d know that there are only a select number of artists who get written up twice. It’s commendable to release a great song once, but what’s even more impressive is  following it up with an equally stunning second. Lily Kaplan is a Miami, Florida native who has made it into our pages before but is now making her second appearance for the release of her brand new song called, “Make You Mine”. I fell in love with Lily’s voice about a year ago when I stumbled on her discography. From the moment you hear her unique and …

Representing for Arkansas in our pages today is the duo of Little Rock’s D Mitch and Blytheville’s Bic Fizzle, who has become one of the very biggest artists in the state since signing to Gucci Mane’s The New 1017 more than a year ago. Both Mitch and Fizzle have been remarkably consistent over the past year and change, showing their versatility and desire to take their music further than their neighborhoods and are not scared to invest in themselves. Despite being from opposite parts of the state, Fizzle and Mitch are united by an unmistakable hustler’s chemistry with the humble confidence that comes with being the best at what you do. I hope this is not the last collaboration between D Mitch and Bic Fizzle and certainly look forward to what else is coming soon for each artist respectively.  

The name Dave Coresh may be a new one to some of you rap fans but some might remember Dave’s name as it floated through the hip hop ether a few years back. Through tireless dedication and an obvious evolution in his artistry, Dave Coresh returns with his first body of work in a few years, SMOKENMIRRORS. The newly shared six-song EP is an electrically charged, lyrical clinic surrounded by rabid beats and an unmistakable metal mentality.  Dave Coresh spares no feelings on the EP’s opener, “Nobody Cares,” dealing rhymes out with total offense and a smug tone while electric guitar chords crash and collide like bolts of lightning around him. The project carries along with reckless intent with the equally combative follow-up “TALK2ME,” featuring Mother Wata. The EP’s second track mimics the energy of the project’s opener and builds on it by throwing all caution to the wind. The production is wild and unpredictable and the lyricism, naturally, follows suit as both Coresh and Mother Wata yell, “shut the fuck up when you talk to me!” With no hesitation, SMOKENMIRRORS dives head first into the project’s next song, “pymfb.” The EPs third track continues its noise dive mentality into mania as Coresh …

As Fall turns the corner, many of us are scrambling to assemble the perfect lineup to start our fall rotations and playlists. Though September has already been a month flooded with high-quality releases, none are perhaps more deserving of your attention than rising UK rapper Pretty V who returns with his latest project Forever. Though it’s been a minute since V (FKA Voldy Moyo) released his last project Liberty City in 2020, his past few singles suggest that he hasn’t taken a day off since. Preceded by singles like “Uh uh” and “OBAMA” – Forever is a tightly-woven collection of psychedelic and cloud-rap tracks that showcase a rarely-seen side of England’s cultural canon. From the lurching bass signals of “DROGBA” to the nostalgic soul samples of “There’s Always Something For You To Get Over”, Pretty V uses Forever to not only showcase his unique futuristic sound, but also to showcase a talent and versatility that is just as uncommon as it is understated. With eighteen tracks making up Forever‘s tracklist, fans of V old and new are sure to find something to enjoy across the project’s diverse tracklist. While I’m hoping that V treats fans to some new visuals or tracks before the year ends, ultimately …

Rising from New York City, blckfriend has combined many genres to create a style that is distinctly his own. These elements also shine through in his live performances and experimental filmmaking, which have helped him not only accrue an audience on DSPs but also on socials, where he avidly posts freestyles to keep his fans engaged. Before signing with Babygrande Records, blckfriend had fully immersed himself in his artistry, weaving hip-hop, rock, punk, and grunge into his sound and style.   “It is rare to find an artist with multifaceted talents like blckfriend. When you see an artist live and he raps, sings, and plays the guitar it’s something special,” says Babygrande Founder Chuck Wilson.  This month, the aspiring artist released his official debut single “Robbery” and the supporting visuals. The music video for “Robbery” depicts the same talent and mystery that the track conveys. Directed by Jack Rottier, who is best known for shooting a handful of Yeat’s best performing music videos, the visual takes viewers to an urban landscape where villains and thieves move through the night. His ability to combine clever wordplay with off-kilter harmonies and rhythms, and dissect a beat while also delivering catchy flows. His talent truly shines …

See why Young Crazy claims his title as the Gucci Mane of VA, with his brand new EP that was released just last week. One of my favorite parts about being a music writer is following the careers of those you’ve written about in the past, which is exactly the case with Virginia star Young Crazy. I first wrote about his single “Suburban Kid,” a fiery, catchy track that had both his streaming numbers, and his home state jumping. Recently, he was able to regain 100% of his mastered tracks, allowing him to bless his fanbase with a surprise “greatest hits” LP Who TF is Crazo Damn, which only generated a bigger buzz around his name prior to the release of this latest tape Gucci Mane of VA.  The tape starts with paying homage to Gucci through a beautiful beat by Moye & The Beatman, showcasing Young Crazy’s talent and providing a retro 2000s feel that represents Gucci’s style. “BLIT” and “Suburban Kid” are singles that are already hot in the DMV and add solidified status to the project, and “Bombaclat” is a brand new joint that looks to have the surrounding club scene in its grip. “On the Radar Freestyle” is …

Ever since I first found out about Pardyalone, it is hard for me to imagine a more captivating artist on the rise than him. I get overly excited when I find out that he put out something new, which is weird because his music is often pretty depressive and bleak, but it’s not just sad for the sake of being sad. Pardy isn’t just another musician with face tattoos and a fabricated story. In fact, he is exactly the opposite. If for some reason you judged him on appearance alone and had to predict what kind of music he made, you would be dead wrong, and that’s what I love so much about him. He is different, and I italicize the word because I can’t stress this enough. His dejected narratives might not get you pumped up or dancing, but he shares his experiences in a way that reveals every last bit of his soul, and it connects with listeners on a level much deeper than music alone. No matter what kind of mood I’m in, he forces me to revisit my previous hardships and put them into perspective, helping me learn to be a better person even if these …

I’m so used to underground artists putting out an influx of music while mainstream talents get away with sometimes only dropping something new once in a blue moon. While it makes sense for the up-and-comers to want to get as much music out as possible to increase their chances of success in this industry, I feel like the bigger names are given too much of a break and need to continue to expand on their work ethic as they celebrate their success. Now, I’m not here to lecture or complain, I just love hearing new music, but then again, who doesn’t? Obviously, there are exemptions to my previous statement, and the biggest exception I could ever think of is Icewear Vezzo, a Detroit spitter who makes nothing but hits, and lots of them. While he is certainly no longer an underground emcee, I don’t know if you could classify him as a mainstream rapper either, but with the music he makes, it seems like this is his choice, not anyone else’s. Vezzo just doesn’t appear to ever sleep or even leave the studio, for that matter, because not a week goes by when there isn’t a brand-new song, video, or …

We all know that Lyrical Lemonade is a predominantly hip-hop and rap-related site, and I write for them because these are two aligned genres that I have been in love with for decades. As LL has grown, so has the team, the creative endeavors that we pursue, and the audience we serve. Along with this transformation, we have become a much more well-rounded group of writers that cover a lot more than these two styles of music singularly, and while they still have my heart, I love the diverse submissions that come across my screen. A little while ago, one of my industry homies sent me some music from the Phoenix-based alternative/indie band fearofmakingout, a quartet of unbelievably talented musicians who bring something different but equally impressive to the table in order to truly bring out the best in one another. I can sit here and claim that I regularly listen, but that’s because I really only regularly listen to a handful of my favorite artists on repeat, which is probably more of a problem than something I’m proud of, in all honesty. Regardless, every time I have the chance to experience some new music from FOMO, I seize the …

“I’ve cried tears writing some of the words in this ep and some of these songs have quite literally changed my life. This EP is an accumulation of some of my most vulnerable human experiences and I’m happy to be sharing them with you. I’ve worked incredibly hard these past 2 years to get to this point where I’m comfortable releasing a body of music and I feel like my patience is paying off. I hope that these songs grow to mean as much to you as they mean to me ❤️” Monét Ngo  Following three consecutive single releases, Vietnamese-American schoolteacher and artist Monét Ngo has officially welcomed us into the After School Club. Serving as his debut EP, the project contains eight unique tracks, with each possessing its own respective alt-rock éclat. Filled with voltaic guitars and rockstar production, Ngo’s vocal presence consistently takes command, just as he leads in the classroom. Underneath the heavy-hitting guitars and instrumentation are Monét’s heartfelt, vulnerable and introspective lyrics; many of which depict his real-life experiences. “Strawberry Fields,” for example, reflects on the once difficult living circumstances of Monét’s life, which he ironically now misses to a degree. The source of inspiration for “Ruby …