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It seems like the music scene in Detroit had barely gotten its feet off the ground before Icewear Vezzo completely took off, but after hearing a handful of his songs, it’s abundantly clear why he has become so ridiculously successful. His skill set is diverse, his work ethic is unmatched, and he has this personality that you can’t ignore even if rap music isn’t really your thing in general. Whether he’s dropping entire projects, singles, or even being featured on other artists’ songs, he is literally everywhere, and due to the fact that he always works with different emcees with various styles, it shows just how adaptable he is, and he proves that every chance he gets. I know I already mentioned it once, but his work ethic is seriously insane, and even though he isn’t even a month removed from dropping his latest album Rich Off Pints 3, he is back with a brand-new Antt Beatz-produced single entitled “Its All On U” featuring none other than Kodak Black, as well as a Kardiak Films-directed visual that brings out his entire city once again. In this one, prominent horns shape the melody as splintering percussion and pounding drums paint the …

CXR artists Chris Patrick and Erykah Officer team up for a smooth new song titled “Lead Me On.” The track is a love song that will be featured on Patrick’s sophomore album entitled X-Files, which imminently drops on August 10th. One of the many reasons that Chris is such an exciting talent stems from his versatility; namely effortless alterations between rap and R&B. On one record, Patrick’s bag of flows and quick firing of lyrics goes toe to toe with your favorite rapper’s, whereas on another he’ll hold his own alongside an elite soulful singer, such as Erykah Officer. Such adaptability has garnered Chris a well-rounded audience reflective of his music, which is far from one-dimensional. With a catchy hook and heartbreaking lyricism, “Lead Me On” is a fitting mainstream-guided offering that easily could be played on your local radio station. The chemistry displayed between Patrick and Officer is impressive to say the least, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the pair have more collaborations planned in the near-future. Peep the official visualizer below and be sure to pre-save X-Files; the sophomore album from Chris Patrick out everywhere on August 10th!    

“I curated this project to affirm the belonging of hip-hop & electronic music in a single space. Otherwise known as future beats, this project brings together soulful and jazzy boom bap production riddled with soulful rap vocals and electronic sound design. The sub-genre was greatly inspired and developed by the likes of Flying Lotus, Mr. Carmack, and quite a few of the artists featured on this project including Oshi, Lophiile, DECAP, whereisalex, & ROMderful. It was no easy undertaking bringing together these staples of the producer world, but over the past year, I’ve been lucky enough to have everyone place their faith in me. After over two years since the last issue, Good Society Volume 3 is our version of the ultimate genre fluid hip-hop album” – Josh Yamini Colorado producer autumn keys and DMV artist Ayotemi team up for a blissful new track titled “Same Old.” This stunning song is off Good Society’s third volume of their reputable compilation series, which never fails to recruit elite talents representative of the current beat scene. “Same Old” is my favorite track on the project, which is largely credited to the immense musical chemistry displayed between autumn keys and Ayotemi. For starters, …

Canada has grown as a destination for hip-hop music, but there are definitely certain provinces that seem to gain a lot more attention than other areas, but there are some emcees that mean business and want to change this narrative. If we’re looking at the country overall, it isn’t a surprise or shock to say that Toronto has taken the crown as our northern neighbor’s top music city when considering artists like Drake, The Weeknd, NAV, and plenty of others, but this doesn’t mean that people from other regions aren’t deserving of nationwide recognition. Winnipeg, Manitoba is certainly on the rise, and it’s thanks to emcees like YSN Fab, a rapper, singer, and songwriter who has been in the industry since 2018 and making bigger and bigger waves ever since. After gaining additional international attention with his album Made 4 More, he has been on the cover of playlists and was even featured on the official “Beats By Dre” playlist. This led to recognition as one of the top Canadian musicians by Sidedoor Magazine and even one of the top up-and-coming black Canadian artists by Complex. I thoroughly enjoy tapping in with his music as he drops more, and his …

In every city you go to or tap in with, you will understand that there isn’t one singular sound of music. Even in New York City where drill is huge right now, Atlanta where trap became a staple, or Los Angeles where smooth, hyphy music is what listeners expect, there is so much more than just those styles. Sure, these might be the most popular and what the rest of the world knows them for, but that shouldn’t undercut the other artists who are thinking outside of the box and trying something different. As I’ve made abundantly clear before, Chicago is probably the largest melting pot in terms of sounds and different types of music that I can think of, and while drill might’ve been the focal point here for quite some time, it isn’t the only genre that exists. Bandland ZZ is someone who was sent my way the other day, and although I had told the homie who sent a snippet that I was unfamiliar with him, I realized that I actually was aware of his presence after he was featured on the song “10nidwendu” by Valee, so he definitely has been on my radar in the past. …

Although Texas and Michigan are literally on the complete opposite sides of the country, I feel like there are some commonalities between the rap scenes in both states. Not only were these artists heavily slept on for no reason until they grinded their way to the top where they deserved to be, but so many of these emcees seem to place an emphasis on unique flows and curated lyrics that aren’t strictly about guns, money, drugs, or women. Even when these are the focal points of a verse, they figure out a way to talk about them in a way that no one else has managed to accomplish prior, so I have a huge respect for both destinations without a doubt. Maxo Kream is an all-star, as you could tell once again on his album Weight of the World, and when he dropped the deluxe version of the project that featured a song with BabyFace Ray called “Mixin Juices”, I knew this was going to be one of my new favorite songs. Produced by Tez, Sage Skolfield, and Sean Solymar, the fast-paced tempo pushed Maxo to quicken his cadence more than the normally laid-back and velvety style he uses, but …

Growing up in Compton, rising artist Sir Will was heavily influenced by the influx of local talent that surrounded him. First being inspired by a DJ Quik performance at his neighborhood block party, from that moment on, he knew making music was for him. Fast forward to 2022, Sir Will now lives in Arizona, bringing his California flavor to the Grand Canyon state and seeking to establish himself as a defining voice on the west coast. Looking to take another step towards that, he checks into our pages for the first time with his new video for, “Moment of Truth.” Set to the backdrop of the desert, we first find Sir Will and featured artist Judge Da Boss challenging a pair of women to a race in some dune buggies. Immediately following the conversation, the beat then drops and the song, as well as the video, delve into absolute mayhem. Produced by Pandora Nightz, “Moment of Truth” is a highly energetic record that finds Sir Will leaving no stone unturned as he switches through different flows at a fast-paced rate while rhyming about a handful of topics. Touching on the forever relatable topic of persevering through rough times and coming out on the other side better for it, he represents an ability …

According to legend, the Chinese Zodiac calendar was created around 4000 B.c. by Ta Nao, an esteemed minister of Emperor Huang Ti. 6000 years later, I am hereby proposing that we forget this year as the Year of the Tiger – because all signs point to 2022 being the year of the Drelli. At this point, Drelli is far from being a ‘deep cut’ – we’ve seen the Minneapolis rapper featured on the LL pages for years, so what makes his newest single “Seven” any different from “Fancy” with Khary or “Yayaya” with AJRadico? Nothing, it’s another fucking banger from one of hip-hop’s most consistent burgeoning acts, and consistency is a skill many talk about but few possess. If you haven’t listened to “Seven” yet, then allow me to paint you a word picture. Drelli’s rapping is laid-back yet instilled with his signature electric energy that could turn him reading the phone book into a strong SOTY contender for me. The mix is bouncy and 808-laden, colonized equally by delicate string plucks and glitchy instrumentation that easily make “Seven” an instant add to your weekly rotation. If you’re a fan of artists like Mike Dimes, Al-Doms, or JID, Drelli is …

If you’re not familiar with Mr.Oh Really, it’s time to get acquainted. Since 2016, the Freeband rapper has been putting his best foot forward with each release. In just a few years, he has received major co-signs from NBA champion LeBron James, Drake, and Future. On July 29, Doe Boy unleashed his new EP “Catch Me If You Can”. The Cleveland rapper project includes notable producers such as 30Roc, Juicy J, Nick Mira, and Forever Rollin. The ten-track list proves once again why Doe boy continues to shine in the music scene. The EP begins with a compelling intro titled “Off The Porch,” and moves on to some stand-out singles like “Foot On Neck”, “More Than Friend”, and “Scoreboard.” This project not only gives us the hard-hitting Doe Boy that we are used to, but also shows off his emotional side, and allows his fans to enjoy a versatile EP. G-Herbo was the only artist featured on “Catch Me If You Can”. This allowed fans to enjoy a project that was filled with bangers. Earlier this month, Doe Boy posted a video on his Instagram story sharing a snippet from a song he created that samples Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Real” …

Top Dawg Entertainment is one of the most notorious powerhouses in the music business, and their dominance seems like it will never come to an end, which you won’t hear me complaining about whatsoever. I remember when they first started making waves, it was front runners like Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock, a quartet that was also known as Black Hippy when they collaborated on a track together, and these were four of the first artists who really showed me what music was meant to be. They helped form my admiration for many different aptitudes, and as the years went on, TDE’s roster grew stronger and more diverse than ever. One of their most impressive additions is Reason, a Carson, California native who genuinely seems to never drop anything less than a banger, but his skill set is still overlooked by far too many rap fans in my opinion. One of his most recent releases is his record “Barely Miss”, a Mike Hector and Cameron Joseph-produced track that is lengthy, impressive, and diverse considering all of the varying deliveries and flows he alternates through without batting an eye. Although the song is still relatively new, I was …