SEARCH FOR: MAC MILLER

Cris Dinero is an artist that might be on the come up still, but after the unbelievable moves that he has made already in his flourishing career, I think it’s pretty insane that he doesn’t get way more love because he seriously deserves it. Even if his name doesn’t quite ring a bell in an instant, he is responsible for the production behind some of your favorite songs whether you realized it or not. Working with artists including XXXTENTACION, Robb Bank$, wifisfuneral, Lil Skies, Smokepurpp, Lil Pump, and more, Cris has provided the landscape for these talents to prove why they’re some of the most prominent names in the game, but his skill set doesn’t simply begin and end behind the decks. In fact, he is in a similar position as modern greats like the late Mac Miller and Pi’erre Bourne because he raps as well, and I think having the diverse skill set and extensive knowledge of the creative musical process on all fronts truly brings out the best in his bars as well. Most recently, Cris dropped his song “No Way” which actually serves as the lead single for his upcoming project Requiem For A Dream, and while …

It’s obviously no secret that the Florida rap scene has been booming for quite some time, but it seems like only recently has the rest of the country began to take notice. Most recently, I was put onto Tampa native OA MARQ, an insanely talented spitter who is still early on in his career, but he’s getting looks left and right, and rightfully so. Not too long ago, he decided to drop off a brand-new visual for his song “Therapeutic”, and the results completely speak for themselves. The song itself uses a very intimate, serious guitar melody combined with consistently tapping percussion and pungent 808s that add up to form an incredible instrumental that is absolutely perfect for MARQ to showcase his abundance of skills. At first, it’s hard to tell whether he’s going to rap or sing, but he ends up doing somewhat of a mixture of both that is unlike anything I have honestly experienced before. It doesn’t seem like he’s fully singing with all of his power but he’s also swinging his voice much more than the typical rapper would, so the mixture of the two talents at once is truly captivating and impressive, to say the …

Over the past few weeks, I’ve become fairly familiar with the Los Angeles native (by way of Milwaukee) DC The Don. He has been making waves for quite some time at this point, and after doing a bit of research, it turns out that his first-ever song was used in the Ball family’s first-ever Big Baller Brand commercial considering DC and the 3 basketball superstars played together in high school. While I’m not overly familiar with his entire catalog of work, I’m thoroughly impressed with what I’ve heard so far, and there’s a reason he continues to blow up more and more daily. Most recently, the homie hit me up and told me that DC had just released another hit entitled “Rag3 Kidd”, and I didn’t have a choice but to listen up. It seems as if DC keeps his circle relatively small because he teamed up with his friend and frequent collaborator Trademark to produce this hit. Throughout the production, you can hear some soothing but also Punk inspired acoustic guitar licks, powerful drums, and chattering percussion that is just a perfect foundation for DC. As he goes in for the chorus, there is an overtone of Pop-Punk influences …

As you all know, it brings me immense joy getting to write about artists who hail from the same home state as me. Today’s latest talent from the great state of Virginia goes by the name of Zekey and he’s dropping impressive music in hopes that you don’t forget it. The 21-year-old from Williamsburg, Virginia is currently attending James Madison University as a full-time student while effectively maintaining his full-time artist project at the same time. To be able to balance both of these time consuming responsibilities is nothing but a testament to Zekey’s drive and determination. Just recently, the young up and comer released a new song called, “If Only” that has been receiving positive reviews and feedback from a plethora of industry tastemakers. Drawing influence from artists like, Jeremy Zucker, Chelsea Cutler, Mac Miller, Jack Harlow, and Mike Stud, Zekey aims to pave a lane for himself while paying homage to the amazing acts that have gone before him. Since its release, “If Only” has been streaming well with some immediate support from tik-tok. According to Zekey, this song was a special one as he explains: “This song means a lot to me, it was the first song that …

After releasing three respective singles, (“DON’T WANT,” “DON’T HIDE,” & “DON’T NEED,”) Frank Leone’s debut album DON’T is finally here. Entirely written, produced, and performed by Leone himself, the project arrives after he shared the album’s mission statement through his Instagram last week. Recorded in 2019, DON’T was crafted during Leon’s intense period of emotional purgatory. The project is titled “DON’T” because he holds no particular fondness nor attachment to the time that he created the project, since it was crafted out of grief. The silver lining, however, is the masterful work of experimentation that became Frank Leone’s debut, despite the artist having made music for 9+ years prior to date. What makes the album so special is that there is no level of sameness; each and every song sounds completely different, yet the project somehow maintains its cohesiveness from start to finish. My favorite tracks off the release are undoubtedly “DON’T WANT,” “DON’T” FALL,” and “DON’T DON’T, which perfectly fit the aforementioned allusion to the album’s versatility. Whether it be a chopped and screwed banger, smooth jazzy joint, or a pure lyrical hip-hop flare, Frank Leone has an offering suitable for any listener’s taste(s). For Leone, this is no surprise, …

Chicago native Frank Leone returns to Lyrical Lemonade with another single titled “DON’T WANT.” Leone recently announced his debut album DON’T, which will be out on all platforms September 1st. Entirely written, produced, and performed by Frank Leone himself, the album includes his previously-released single “DON’T NEED,” along with this new offering. Self-proclaiming the record as the hardest song he’s ever dropped, “DON’T WANT” showcases the dual rapper and singer’s immense versatility. Leone’s signature chopped and screwed flow matches the bass heavy and hard-hitting production throughout, reminiscent of a Mac Miller-esque banger. Excitingly, the album’s announcement was met with more news that Leone is developing a secret visual project involving acclaimed actor Lakeith Stanfield, prominent director Hiro Murai, and TV channel FX that will complement his forthcoming musical releases. More details about this project will be revealed at a later date. In the meantime, enjoy the fantastic new track from Frank Leone below!

Producers/beatmakers are often unfairly overlooked because of artists. Truth be told, producers are artists themselves, as every instrumental requires its own unique form of craftsmanship, and a precise vision to execute the idea. Without producers, your favorite hit single would simply not sound the same, yet alone exist! Comparable to the clientele work of an artisan or sculptor, when producers craft beats for artists, they must put themselves in another’s shoes to innovate. However, the music of production pioneers Nujabes and J. Dilla demonstrates that instrumentals are entirely separate and complete bodies of work. Applied rapping or vocals are not complements to production, but instead honorary elements that create an alternative version. Therefore, to an extent, the artist serves as a guest feature over the producer’s original creation. To effectively shed greater light to the creative brilliance of producers, I’ve chosen to start a monthly series titled “Five Excellent Beat Projects,” which will highlight five instrumental works that I consider exceptional. This is the third installment of the series. Cookin’ Soul – Carribean Bites – Despite being a Grammy award winning group, the Valencia, Spain based production duo (Big Size & DJ Zock) still somehow seem underrated. With production credits …

The latest “Behind The Video” segment is about the “Learn How To Watch” visual by Carnage, Mac Miller + Madeintyo, enjoy!

A reoccurring theme here on Lyrical Lemonade, is speaking in regards to the importance of producers and songwriters. They are some of the individuals that will never not get the respect as some of the most important individuals in the music industry. Songwriters specifically, are amongst the many individuals in the music industry that are almost always in the shadows. Sometimes by design, other times by choice. For Grammy-Nominated songwriter and producer Sevn Thomas, he has the talent level and the resume to prove that he is one of the most diverse and versatile producers in the game–and his songwriting pen is even stronger. Hailing out of Toronto Canada, Sevn Thomas would spend his earlier days in life inside of various recording studios–navigating his way though them all to find his craft and master it. After many trials and tribulations in his life, the singer turned producer’s efforts eventually lead him to linking up with the legendary producer Boi-1da–most known for his contributions all throughout Drake’s career. Sevn’s musical abilities afforded him the luxury of producing and/or writing for a wide-ranging pool of musical acts such as Mac Miller, Travis Scott, Kehlani, Nicki Minaj, and even Drake himself. He is …

One thing that has been abundantly clear in Canada, its that hip hop is no longer a Toronto exclusive when it comes to exporting artists ready to compete on a global level. At the top of the charts currently, you can find some of the most talented Canucks to ever come out of the Great White North and there is no clear sign that our musical exports will stop dominating American airwaves any time soon. While a majority of Canada’s biggest star’shave emerged from the country’s cultural capital, there has been a crazy emergence of talent coming from cities that don’t have Drake as a resident. We have begun to see artists emerge from all over Canada, but none seems more poised for global domination than Vancouver’s Boslen. At the intersection of talent and hard work, you can find Boslen and his team plotting their next moves to continue to grow his brash, energetic brand of music. Boslen began to turn heads with the release of his debut EP BLACK LOTUS last year, the 7-track project served as a strong introduction to what he is capable of sonically. Since then his passion and drive have been turned up a level to …