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Considering hyperpop is a newer genre in the grand scheme of the music industry, it seems like even though some artists feel like veterans due to the mass amounts of amazing music they drop, there aren’t really any talents who have been seriously making music for more than a handful of years, at least on a more professional level. I say this with the one exception of 100 gecs, because this dynamic duo seems to serve as some of the only vets in the subgenre, and I don’t think it’s outrageous to credit them with pretty much originating this sound that has influenced so many others. Sure, they’ve been at it for years, and while their fanbase has always been strong and sturdy, it seems like they have completely blown up over the somewhat recent past, and I am beyond excited for them. I mean, getting a spot high up on the Lollapalooza lineup as well as countless other accomplishments shouldn’t be taken lightly, so I’m not going to risk missing any new releases whenever I see them come across my radar. With that being said, you already know I couldn’t resist writing about their most recent drop “Doritos & …

Over the past eighteen months, it seems like Johan Lenox has done two things: drop bangers and delay his album – but this week fans are treated to the musical mastermind’s long-awaited debut record, What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up (or WDYWTBWYGU for short). Whether you know Johan from his work with artists like Kanye West and Travis Scott, or the numerous high-caliber tracks he dropped the past year like “Phases” with Cousin Stizz or “You Up?” with Ant Clemons – fans old and new are sure to rejoice with 15 new tracks of perfectly-polished mayhem from one of music’s most talented upcoming stars. Exploring the relationship between the expectations and reality of growing up, Johan Lenox’s debut LP sees the man behind today’s hits at his most concentrated and fine-tuned.  In addition to all the songs featuring live strings and woodwind arrangements from the man himself, the record also sports a hefty roster of guests like 070 Shake, RMR, Lancey Foux, Thouxanbanfauni, KayCyy, and more. Since WDYWTBWYGU has a special focus on growing up and existential disillusionment – it felt only right that I sit down with Johan and ask him to rate some of …

It’s 9:40 PM in Chicago Illinois – May 6th, 2022   I am in the living room of the Lyrical Lemonade office with Ausar, OG Stevo, Chris Patrick, and Justin Alvarez. I just got back from two weeks of touring with femdot on the ‘Back Home’ tour, and one question that arose in the green room multiple times was: What’s the best cookie of all time? We had plenty of passionate and spirited debates about this on the road: Frsh Waters loves butter cookies, femdot is a fan of snickerdoodle, and Amindi is a fan of the frosted animal crackers. After many days of thinking about this in my head, I bought this question up to Ausar, OG Stevo, and Chris Patrick. So here we are – now 9:50 on a Friday night at the Lyrical Lemonade office, ranking our top 5 cookies. _____   First things first – Chris Patrick is the WILDCARD of this debate. For starters, he started his list from 5 to 1, which I think we can all agree is weird. He was extremely passionate about these things called Vienna cookies, must be a New Jersey thing because none of us from the midwest has …

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 think it is a pretty well-known fact at this point that A$AP Rocky is one of the biggest celebrities on the planet, and while I often notice so many people take their eye off of what got them there in the first place once they start to receive so much shine, I am extremely grateful that Rocky still puts so much thought, time, and effort into his music. I mean, considering he is not only dating Rihanna, but the couple is also about to welcome a child together into this world has news and media outlets raving about them any chance they get. No matter what happens, it seems like Rocky has his focus on his career and his relationship with RiRi, and as long as he continues to release insanely good music like his brand-new song “D.M.B.”, I couldn’t ask for anything else. With production from Rocky, Skepta, Hector Delgado, Kelvin Krash, and Shlohmo as well as some background vocals from A$AP Ferg, this song is as tranquil, trippy, and compelling as I could have hoped. As far as the Self-directed music video for Rocky’s AWGE collective, this is maybe the first time ever that I have seen …

It’s always an exciting time to be an IDK fan, and 2022 is no exception. If you’ve been a bit out of the loop – earlier this week fans were treated to two pieces of news regarding the DMV rapper’s upcoming LP Simple. Though it’s been less than a year since IDK’s last record USEE4YOURSELF – IDK’s latest project is set to release next Friday (May 6), and be comprised of songs featuring production from Kaytranada himself. Though it’s safe to assume that the previously-released single “Taco” will make the final tracklist, our newest taste of the record comes today in the form of “Dog Food” featuring Denzel Curry. There are no words to describe hearing two of the best modern rappers in their prime flow effortlessly over a mix from Kaytranada – and yet I type. The production is jazzy and energetic, and though I’m currently sitting on my couch I feel oddly compelled to leap from my seat and do a lil jig across the room. IDK and Denzel trade verses laced with insatiably electric energy, and IDK’s brief moments of singing add an eerily cinematic feeling to a track that I’m certain will stay in my rotation all …

There has been a moment in time recently where I felt like something was missing in my personal world of music, but I just wasn’t quite sure what it was. I was listening to different artists, exploring some possible promising rising talents, and revisiting a ton of music that I can’t get enough of, but it just felt like there was this void that was looming, and I now realize why this was the case… it was because of SEBii! I think because there hasn’t been an influx of new music from the insanely creative musician this year, I was missing my daily dose of SEB, but this wasn’t totally obvious to me considering I still shuffle through his discography almost every day, so I wasn’t missing the artist himself, I was just missing new music from him. Well, I couldn’t be happier now that the next installment of his VV mixtapes VVYELLOW is upon us, and after listening, I am even more excited about it. At the same time, this project comes with some sad news considering he announced that this is the end of an era due to the fact that his primary colors trilogy is complete, but …

Confucius once said that real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance. Unfortunately for him, self-reflection doesn’t seem to be a particular strength for our species these days – many of us are prone to ignoring hard truths, content with living in our bubble away from the news and reality we’re captive to. Does salvation really exist alongside our suffering? Or does knowledge simply bring a painful consciousness regarding things we cannot change? On his long-awaited LP Melt My Eyez, See Your Future, Denzel Curry makes a strong case in favor of intense introspection, presenting listeners with a story of rapturous deliverance following years of meditative habits and inevitably facing himself. The album’s title is a direct reference to this – “Melt My Eyez” representing our own avoidant behaviors that ultimately harm us. “See Your Future” representing our shared humanity, the benefits of self-reflection, and the knowledge that we all have the power to better not only ourselves but the world around us. Inspired by “a combination of what’s going on right now in the world and Akira Kurosawa films with Toshiro Mifune”, Denzel Curry’s newest LP is his strongest yet, combining both classic and forward-thinking elements of …

I remember when hyperpop first became a thing, people had a hard time grasping it for all of its uniqueness and creativity because it was just so wild, energetic, diverse, and different. These were the things I enjoyed about the subgenre, though, because it was literally not anything like anything I was bumping at the time, and it opened my mind up once again to an entirely new world of sounds, artists, and innovation. I don’t think the mainstream was or is currently ready for it, and I honestly don’t know if it ever will be, but I guess time will tell. I only say all of this because WHOKILLEEDXIX seems to be the new hyperpop of the hyperpop world, if that makes any sense. They just make some of the wildest, obscure, and unique styles in the entire genre, and although this is what I love about their music, it just seems like it’s going to take some time before the average hyperpop fan can firmly grasp exactly what kind of artistry they’re bringing to the table. Nonetheless, they’re constantly amassing fans and seeing numbers on songs skyrocket into the millions within days, so I don’t think any sort …

Rap has always been so captivating to me because of the stories that emcees share, whether it is from their experiences in the trenches or the flexes they boast after making it big and having countless money to spend on whatever they want. While this is interesting and all, it can get old very quickly if there isn’t any sort of diversity, so when an artist decides to share a narrative about their personal life that is totally outside of the box and different, I am totally here for it. Unfortunately, for Memphis icon NLE Choppa, the message that he shared was some of the worst news I think anyone could ever receive, and although I’m sure making his SethInTheKitchen-produced track “The Gender Reveal Song” wasn’t easy for even a second, I give him so many props for sharing such a tough topic with his gift. The news I’m talking about is the fact that his unborn son Seven passed away before his birth, and that’s something that no one can prepare for, so even though it had to be the toughest song he has ever made, it shows his strength tenfold. This record just shows how mature he has …