NUMBER 1
Kubota & Kingsford - Thank You
Inglewood, USA
Let's begin this edition of our weekly Hip Hop essentials with the meaningful, solemn-flowing 'Thank You' by Inglewood rapper, Kubota and Kingsford. This track is titled perfectly, Kubota spends the duration of the track thanking influential figures from his past for the role they have played in his life, and qualities which each have respectively contributed to enhancing.
It has such a calming Lo-fi vibe to it, I currently have it on repeat. Not only is it easy on the ear, but it is an especially relatable inclusion to this week's list. I highly suggest you give it a try.
http://www.kubotamusic.com/
NUMBER 2
Carlo Errin - fuckin up da function
Los Angeles, USA
Another calming vibe precedes at number 2 this week with LA rapper, Carlo Errin and his single, 'fuckin up da function'. I'm getting some Travis Scott energy from this one, for sure. It gives that disorientated, unsettling type of rhythm, and the production of the vocals adds to the mystery embedded within the instrumental.
Definitely one that will be on repeat in your head once you give it a listen, great work.
NUMBER 3
OH.Tae - Show Off
San Antonio, USA
San Antonio rapper, OH.Tae dropped her latest release, 'Show Off' today and did not leave us disappointed. The bouncing rhythm here is accompanied with some elements of the EDM genre, adding to the track's diversity. OH.Tae maintains an unpredictable flow and incorporated a subtle off-script conversation into the intro to add even more versatility to what is already a very professional piece of work.
Give it a listen below!
NUMBER 4
99Drizzy - Rich & Famous
Lagos, Nigeria
A song that needs little introduction, boasting just over 32,500 streams on Spotify alone, 99Drizzy enters this week's top 10 with his single, 'Rich & Famous'. The talented Lagos artist carries a melodic flow throughout the song, which is very relevant to some of the most renowned rap songs in the charts today. There is not much discrepancy between this drop by 99Drizzy and the tracks we hear on the charts that receive even more coverage.
He talks about real life topics as well, not to mention, including something that he is clearly deeply passionate about: bringing his people up with him. A great release all-round.
NUMBER 5
Kellan. - Misery Loves Company
Seattle, USA
This is arguably the most dynamic track I've heard this week, underground or not. The vocal performance by Kellan is flawless, given the type of track it is. It gives off a retro type of aura, blending in singing with a clever rap rhyme-scheme towards the end. I felt like I had heard the song before once I played it for the first time, it is quite comforting.
It will certainly not be the last time I hear it, regardless (Very innovative title, by the way).
NUMBER 6
Dioneesus - The Illuminati Chessboard
Pittsburgh, USA
I've included this track in the weekly top 10 as, right off the bat, I found it particularly reminiscent of one of my favourite bands, Bring Me The Horizon. The artists on this song, Dioneesus and Nynja bring their own unique twist, but a song of this nature was never going to slip by me. I listened to more content from their extensive catalogue, and it is clear to see this is a vibe they feel comfortable with, and may I say they are doing a superb job at it, because this is far from an easy bracket of music to fit into.
I look forward to seeing what these two talents have in store for us next.
NUMBER 7
BoyBoy - Certified Lover Boy
Perth, Australia
Stemming from the inspiration of Drake's most recent project, 'Certified Lover Boy' (CLB), Perth artist, BoyBoy coincides with Drake's vibe and brings some classic lover-boy energy to this release titled after the project.
The piano is such a necessary touch on this majestic instrumental, accompanied by BoyBoy's melodic flow and wonderfully-pitched vocals to match the aura he is attempting to get across. If you liked CLB, you'll love this.
NUMBER 8
Lil' Rubio - Ride
Vienna, Austria
Branching over to Central Europeat number 8, we find Austria artist Lil' Rubio and his brand new release, 'Ride'. Rubio quite evidently possesses a singing background, and puts it on display here with a song that is perfect to play with the windows and top down, cruising down an empty road. His beatmaker, Brainwave, has also worked wonders here, providing him with the perfect ambience required to illustrate the theme of the track.
NUMBER 9
Addezine - Shade of Blue
Cheltenham, UK
A first UK inclusion for the week comes in with 'Shade of Blue' by Cheltenham artist, Addezine. This is a unique track, and it is clear to see it holds a certain degree of personal context to experiences he has endured throughout his life.
Lyrics such as "You're breaking me down when you play your games" lead his audience to imagine the pain he has gone through, and that is definitively conveyed in this release. He maintains a soft, yet appropriately-paced monotone for the majority of this gloomy instrumental. I'm a big fan of this one.
NUMBER 10
IV Collin - Mr.Morale
San Jose, USA
To conclude this week's list, we induct Iv_collin and his latest single, 'Mr.Morale'. This is another one that acquired inspiration from one of the greats, which is of course Kendrick Lamar and his recent drop, 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers'.
Collin pours thoughts and profound details about his upbringing throughout the track, he keeps it authentic throughout, not to mention he also rides the wave of the beat perfectly. It's a truly great quality release by the artist based out of San Jose, and one that adds promise for the future of his career in the music industry.