SEARCH FOR: QUEENS

Young and hungry, up and coming Queens rapper Verndolla$ snaps on his recently released offering, “Polo Bag.” For as long as he can remember, his favorite brand has been Polo by Ralph Lauren. In short, the song is written for those that love rocking what they wear and to give confidence to those that are ridiculed for how they dress. Now that the young emcee has gotten his paper up, he walks around with “Everything in the Polo Bag.” Co-produced by WestEnd and SMOKHIX, the song is an absolute slapper. If you have not heard, ‘Polo Bag,’ make sure to listen here:

Queens, New York crooner Hadji Gaviota returns to the Lyrical Lemonade pages today with the release of his new single, “CHieftAiN.” Hadji is a great blend of the worlds of pop, hip-hop, rock, and others. The name of the song itself, “CHieftAiN,” is a meaning for “that ain’t it, chief,” which Hadji uses as a theme to narrate a story of a couple that doesn’t necessarily fit together. The couple goes through relationship obstacles ranging from jealousy, anxiety, and distance from each other. Producer Mike Mroz worked his magic and crafted a soothing beachy guitar sounds with jazzy chords and eclectic synths that pair well with Hadji’s melodies. This serves as a great single to get us ready for Hadji’s forthcoming project ‘ANCHORS’ that is due out this summer. I got the chance to hear some of the records early on his new project and can say that fans will be in for a treat when they are made public. Stream Hadji Gaviota’s new single “CHieftAiN” below:

Fresh off of the release of his well-received album Slim’erre in collaboration with Atlanta native Young Nudy, it’s safe to say that Pi’erre Bourne is one of the most inventive and influential producers in music right now. As a producer and an artist, his legacy only grows by the day, but even so, Bourne has made it a point to stay tapped into emerging talent with his Soss House Records collective — an imprint of his own creation. Today, Soss House introduces the latest of the bunch: Queens, NY native Sharc with his brand new offering, “10 Pacc.” Being that Bourne was raised in Queens, it’s worthy of mention that Sharc is the collective’s first New York artist, representing a meaningful cosign that directly represents the belief that Soss House possesses in Sharc. Needless to say, this cosign isn’t for no reason, as the Bourne-produced song “10 Pacc” clearly shows why Sharc is such an exciting young artist to pay attention to. Energetic, rowdy, and outright enthralling, Sharc’s off-the-wall deliveries and quotable lyrics make him an easily-identifiable act in a world filled with look-alikes. The intensity of Bourne’s towering, out-of-this-world production matches up perfectly with Sharc’s tenacious character, and the fast-moving pace of …

N.O.R.E. is a hip-hop legend and one of the best interviewers in the game if you ask me, and he just linked up with another interview legend, Nardwuar, for an amazing new interview! You will find these two chopping it up about plenty of things such as being from Queens, living in Miami, Grand Daddy I.U., his old apartment, NY rapper Sweet Tee, Biggie and Jay-Z taking his friends girl back in the day, the Uptown Comedy Club where his first show was held, Pamela Anderson, Big L saying he changed the game, Lyor giving him 100K for his wedding, doing lean twice, meeting Oprah in Hawaii, The Drink Champs, his close homie EFN, KRS-1, his encounter with OJ, not be able to afford a Nas verse at one point, running into Kodak Black recently, C-Murder having machine guns at The Source Awards, attempting to be a pimp, Vinnys pizzeria, Stop One Deli, trying to be vegan using the term “slime” before anyone in hip-hop, the respect he has for Nardwuar, Hot Ones and more. Watch this dope new conversation below.

Hip-hop is a big tent, with room for all kinds of voices, vibes, looks and personalities, right? Or at least, it ought to be. Too often though, as in other genres, one success story spawns scores of imitators, and A&R reps, managers and promoters—not generally known for seeking out the most unique and unconventional voices out there—scramble to find the next version of that person who blew up a few months back. Duplication is rewarded, and deviation from the commercially proven is viewed as suspect. Likewise, in a crowded landscape marked by a perpetual jockeying for attention on IG and Twitter, it’s often the loudest voices, the most colorful characters and outsize personalities that win the day and, of course, grab that money. Sometimes they’re little more than personality, but they know how to get noticed. So where does that leave a rapper with a subtler, less flashy, more low-key approach? Ask Deem Spencer. A product of south side Jamaica, Queens—a stone’s throw from JFK Airport—Spencer is a far cry from the noisy jets that populate his neighborhood, and not exactly a sonic descendant of Jamaica’s most celebrated musical idols, 50 Cent and G-Unit, though he’s a lifelong fan. With …

Queens product Tommy Revenge makes his Lyrical Lemonade debut with a gritty, visually-assisted offering  in “Prada.” Though “Prada” shares a similar title to his last release, “Dior,” the two share little else, with Revenge showcasing a different approach on this self-produced effort. Here, Tommy gets a little grungier, creating an off-kilter, booming beat that absolutely knocks even with a minimalist feel to it. He matches the grimy production with growling vocals and a staggered flow as he spits bars dedicated to the finer things in life. Visually, Reilly Patton ties it all together with some engaging, frenetic shots that capture the essence of the murky offering. This might not be what comes to mind when you think of the Prada brand but nonetheless, Tommy really makes it work, resulting in a really dope effort loaded with personality and attitude.

Currently coasting off of the success of his stellar new project, Pretty Face, it feels as though all eyes are on Deem Spencer — and apparently so, the Queens native is more than ready to perform under pressure. Today, Spencer revisits the project with a set of accompanying visuals for one of my personal favorite cuts, “But.” Infused with jazzy instrumentation and a nonchalant, yet deeply soulful tint, “But” works well in the way that Spencer seamlessly marries his vocals to the production. In doing so, he intertwines the sonic elements of the track under one, ever-so-smooth umbrella, and the result is a magical sense of energy that comes across just as unique as it does organic. Beyond the song, however, the newly-arrived visuals speak to these very same points, using a day in the life storyline to show listeners the worlds of diverse people, places, and surroundings that act as a backdrop to Spencer’s artistry. That said, while Pretty Face certainly had a lot to say in and of itself, I would argue that this music video is an essential subsequent release to understanding the full story, as both the imagery and effects showcased here give us an even rounder picture …

Dreamville’s own, Bas releases his latest visual for his song, “Purge.” The Queens born MC runs lyrical laps around you as he talks directly to the camera unloading his mental distaste for the past. Chronicling his experience and credentials in the game, Bas makes it blatantly known that he favors himself over any of the newer rappers daring to enter the game. The overall production of the video is minimalistic in nature allowing for Bas and his wordplay to be the center of attention. The new video is complementary in nature creating a neon atmosphere for Bas to outshine even the brightest of lights. This is the third music video release from Bas’ previously released album, Milky Way, shared in late August of 2018. Make sure to put your friends on by sharing Bas’ new video and show the New York native some love by following him on Twitter and Instagram.  

Queens’ own, Flee, has been known to make bangers with machine-like consistency, and today, he’s back in the spotlight to display these hitmaking skills with a brand new single entitled “Rugbys & ACGs”. Produced by @sadbalmain and Ginseng, this otherworldly offering allows Flee to seemingly slip into his own world. His verses find their fuel from Flee’s lullaby-esque cadences, and the bright-eyed sound of the melodic instrumental fits right in as a worthy complement. “Rugys & ACGs,” as the title denotes, is effortlessly fly, and if not anything else, it should remind us that Flee is still one of the brightest up-and-comers in New York City’s rising scene. Stream the new song below and let us know what you think in the comments! Produced by @sadbalmain & Ginseng

Def Jam Records is in something of a youth revolution. The most iconic label in hip-hop history may be turning 35 this year, but it has its eyes newly fixed on the future, with some seventeen newly signed artists set to showcase on next month’s release of Undisputed, a compilation recorded over several days last November in Los Angeles. Front and center among the Undisputed lineup is Harlem, New York’s latest ambassador to the music world, 18 year old TJ Porter, who in only a couple of years in the game has begun to serve notice of his intention to follow in the formidable footsteps of the greats that put his neighborhood on the rap map, including Mase, Dipset and ASAP Mob. The young MC has versatility on his side: early singles, like 2017’s “Trust Issues”, “Quiet Storm” and “Can’t Wait” offered bar spitting life lessons; last fall’s Pregame, his release first with Def Jam, found TJ in melodic mode – celebratory on the breakout “Glowin’ Up” and boastful on “Tricky”; while his most recent EP, No Disturbance­, released only two weeks ago, goes dark on “The Don”, admits to relationship infidelity in “Cheated”, and claps back at doubters on …