With a brilliant blend of melodic R&B and hardcore trap comes North Carolinian artist, Benjamin Ken. Loaded with fourteen, versatile tracks, is his recent, astronomical endeavor, “BEN 2 REAL”. When it comes down to it, there is a distinct dichotomy that spans the entirety of the project. On one hand lies the gentle, melodious side of the Atlanta-based artist, that bleeds out on records such as “INTRO (HERE FOR YOU)”, “PRETTY GIRL VIBES”, “REAL ONE (ft. Lea Robinson)”, “DRUNK TEXT”, and “LIFELINE”, among others. In the shadow of that hand, lies Ken’s darker half, molded by those Southern streets. That treacherous, trunk-thumping sound can be found in cuts such as “ROOFTOPS”, “2 Real”, “GUCCI (ft. Walt)”, “CELEBRATION” and “CRAZZI”.


What Ken demonstrates through this duality, is the powerful dexterity of his songwriting. He proves proficient in crafting slow-burning, alt-R&B records for the ladies; while, likewise, giving fellas a list of bangers to ride to. The only other we’ve ever known as skilled with this separation of sound, hails from Toronto, and has been dominating the charts for the past ten years, hit after hit. The moment “BEN 2 REAL”, in all of its impressive versatility, hits the mainstream, Benjamin Ken could be following in those same, exact footsteps. Click the link, and see for yourself.



“Ben 2 Real” 
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Dynamic duo, Ron Oneal & SV Skee (otherwise known as OandS4ever) strike as new-age progenitors of cocaine rap. They have a repertoire consisting of thumping, drug-induced bangers; and that rep is only magnified with the release of the latest single, “Kilo”. “Kilo” is an ode to hustling; complete with an addictive chorus and narcotic instrumental. 808s slide smoothly across the bassline of this record, surrounded by hats, claps, and a menacing synth-key arrangement. SV Skee, through a syrupy surge of autotune, raps within the hook “They just want the money from the Kilo”, letting you know exactly where his and his brethren’s priorities lie: getting rich. And the only thing more guttural than the ambition for winning, is their delivery on each of their verses. Both emcees attack the beat in a blend of aggressive snarls, and ravenous rapping, showing that this song can not only be felt in the club, but likewise on every block in the country. Especially the Lower East Side, Manhattan ones they hail from. With the way “Kilo” is blowing up thus far, thanks as well to the visual they recently released, these brother New Yorkers are about to find themselves pleasing an entirely different clientele.



“KILO”



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There’s a ghostly echo that slithers across the beginning of this single, “Obsessed”, and it will immediately put you in a particular mindset. Reminiscent of many autotuned anthems before it, you will start anticipating a modern-trap, party record. Yet, just as you are awaiting the impact of an infectious, melodic chorus, Canadian rapper, JSTN DMND, comes from left-field in a flurry of bars. That’s not to say “Obsessed” isn’t fit for the club scene or radio play. On the contrary, a vibrant hook, bathed in melodious autotune, does grace the mix later; backed by the sprint of trap violins, hihats, snares, and a pounding kick-808 combination. This record would have no problem exciting a crowd. It’s simply that those elements aren’t the primary focus for our Ontario artist. What JSTN DMND proves to place more value in is his lyricism and delivery; rapping some honest, yet incinerating bars, at speeds that will scorch you as they pass. There’s a fire in his lungs, spawning from the passion and dedication he has to his children. He makes it a point to let us know throughout the record that his daughter and son are the only reasons he can even bless the booth with his talents, and deliver such an astounding trap smash. JSTN DMND shows a remarkable duality on this track; proving to be lethal with bars, and lovable with his melodies. This is an invaluable combination in the current climate of Hip-Hop, and if he continues proving just how “Obsessed” he is with his family and craft, Canada will be crowning another king of the charts very, very soon.



“OBSESSED”



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A horror movie-esque piano, complimented by an undulating, sub-bass and pad, opens Michigan artist, BRVDFXRD’s, latest offering, “Swurve”. Just as a distorted 808 makes impact, the Detroit emcee launches into a tirade of bars. “Six feet tall, who?” he questions, surfing a smooth, poised flow across waves of hihats and claps. Adlibs lunge up from the depths of the track, adding newfound, crowd-ready energy to the entire record. Albeit, this Midwest spitter’s release makes the most titanic impression in your car, rocking its speakers; it will go equally as crazy during a packed event. Because BRVDFXRD harbors an amazing command of energy. As subtle as he comes across, tossing bars to and fro along this malevolent, trap production, he still manages to create a raging, contagious banger. Detroit has been blazing hot this summer; and “Swurve” kicks the temperature up even further.



“SWURVE”


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On August 16th, back in 2016, a Louisiana singer-songwriter had a brush with death. New Orleans’ own, Mansa Obi’s, story almost ended with a horrific fall from a thirty-five foot height. Yet, as the saying goes, the only thing that can circumvent death is new life; and our creative crooner embellished every ounce of that notion with his latest work of unignorable vitality. Titled “What Matters”, Obi’s latest drop is a four-track reunion with the life he almost lost; and genesis of a new chapter in his artistic parable. 

In every way, “What Matters” is Obi’s heart in audio form. Just as his own refused to quit pumping on the eve of that fateful day, the project pulsates with a consistent tempo of “New Orleans Bounce”. This groove slithers through every beat on the singer’s album, undulating underneath some of the most breathtaking R&B ballads you’ll hear all year. Your soul will be opened by his initial track, “You Remind Me”, which features Obi’s vivacious vocals and disemboweled adlibs flowing freely across a violin-tinged melody. On the record, the Louisianian smolders with infatuation over a particular love interest; letting them know who they remind him of, and exactly what he wants to accomplish for the night. Tracks “Cinderella” and “Now” trail close behind, with the latter being a personal favorite next to the album’s opener. It is a softer record in comparison to its predecessors, featuring Obi singing in a falsetto that will reach deep into that very soul of your’s he opened not too long ago. “Lust” is the final track on the project; and here, he’ll ultimately melt your spirit away; burning with such sultry, and soulful inflection. There are synth stabs and xylophone melodies that season the instrumental, spicing up the man’s vocals even further. Next to his vocals, the sparse production on this album is one of its greatest assets, due to how well it allows Obi’s performance to shine; and showcase his undeniable star power. In 2016, this talented musician took a life-threatening fall. In 2018, he’s landed on the top of underground R&B.



“WHAT MATTERS”


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Texan rapper, Kokaine Karter, wants all of us to “HOLL UP” with his latest, enchanting single. Having been born and raised in two separate Lonestar cities, Karter combines the leaned-out, autotune swag of Houston with the grittiness of Dallas, and jumps out that cauldron blazing hot with rhythm and flow.

Featuring guest artist T2, the record is incredibly suited for the club. Its ominous melody, matched with the groove of well-placed kicks and 808s, creates an atmosphere that will have you itching to escape your seat. If that’s not enough, however, his lyrics and flow certainly will be. In smooth breezes of melody and autotune, both artists bless the beat with addictive cadences and street parables. As much as they have indeed crafted a party record, suitable for setting any nightly event on fire, they never abandon their lifestyles. The grittiness of their attitudes and surroundings are matched with the lavishness of their desires, which fuse in a sea of melody and trap verses, to create one, irrefutable banger. “HOLL UP” is an excellent, club-ready release from Kokaine Karter. Makes it impossible to overlook him among the list of Texas’s talented. 


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When you forego conformity, and pursue your own, distinct artistry; the product you produce will be that much more powerful. It will breathe an idiosyncratic life of its own, and that life will bless you with prestige unlike any given to those around you. Coming from me, you can take that with a grain salt. Coming from Bay Area duo, Off Kilter, and their brand new EP, “No Filter”, this truth becomes harder to resist. Because they, over the course of six tracks, go completely against the status quo, and that makes their music all the more fascinating. 


The first thing that will captivate you about rappers, TLick and Burny, are their brisk and breathless flows. They deliver some of the most lax, yet rapid-fire raps; and that unique blend of tone and cadence extremely compliments their production, creating a completely avant-garde sound. Their flows aren’t the end all be all either. Riding the rapid-fire wave of their cadences are shots of lyricism and vocal acrobatics. They will bend their voice into different bellies of the beat, all the while giving you metaphors, imagery and similes that will spin your mind. When dealing with such sporadic spitting, you would expect the instrumental to be made at a tempo that can keep up. That is not the case with this duo. Their self-produced beats facilitate a slow head nod at best; being hypnotic and chill. Some of my favorite tracks on this project (“I Make It Rain In The Desert” , “Unfuckwittable” , and “Nuthin To Me”) feature this matchless harmony between fast and slow. It is that matchless harmony that breathes this originality into Offkilter’s music. That originality, in due time, is going to earn them a powerful fanbase and peerless longevity in the world of rap.


“NO FILTER”

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Florida spitter, Yung Booz, opens single with the mention that “An OG once told me ‘Boy, you hot in these streets when you touch that microphone.’” Four minutes later, it’s crystal clear that the man wasn’t lying. Not one bit.



“All Or Nothing”, Booz’s latest, Stackz Up Michael-produced drop is a quintessential, Southern trap smash, featuring a chantable chorus, and booth-burning bars. On the record, our Sanford soldier details just how dedicated he is to prospering; telling each and every way he’s willing to get that almighty dollar. The hook comes overflowing with that infamous, addictive, and melodically-pleasing Southern deliverance we all know and love. It’s pure, and poised to excite any crowd he may perform for. When it comes to his verses, that very same crowd just might fly into a riot. Booz brings an infectious energy and aggression to his raps. You won’t simply listen to his lyrics. You will feel every syllable he shouts, because each and every last one of them clearly come from his spirit. His unyielding spirit, the very same spirit that keeps him devoted to succeeding, gives every word its own powerful punch. If he holds on to that spirit, pushing this record with everything he’s got, “All Or Nothing” will be flying up the charts.




“ALL OR NOTHING” 


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Soaring on a melodic cloud of vocalism and versatility, is New Jersey upcomer, Rich Ab. Representing Sicklerville specifically, the artist shows not only is he a force to be reckon with in the studio, but that he has also been gifted with the ability to create something for everybody, through his latest album, “E.W.R.”. 




 “E.W.R” comes ten tracks in length; and by the end of a single listen, there shouldn’t be an audience in the world he hasn’t captivated. In the short span of 35 minutes, Rich Ab dives from his cloud of bars and melody, into nearly every urban genre imaginable. If you fiend for trap smashes, his intro “5 Freestyle” and third track, “Too Much” will throttle your speakers and turn up any function you find yourself in. Nostalgic about the early 2000s? His record, “Body” comes with an undeniable East Coast bounce, that would’ve set any club in the country on fire. In the mood for the softer, more melodic takes of modern hip-hop? “Nights Like This”, “White Girl”, “Ghost”, “Alive” and “Dance With Me” are soaking in autotune and emotion; perfect for those smooth, nighttime rides through your area. He even freaks a dancehall record through the stellar track “On It”, and a remix of Young Thug’s “Killed Before”, through the ninth track, “No Love Left”. All in all, this album is undisputed proof that, in being blessed with such well-rounded range and versatility, Rich Ab has all the makings of a superstar. The moment mainstream radio gets a hold of any one of these records, he will be unstoppable.





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 Soothing and serene is the vibe on the new track "80HD". 2 Lansing, Michigan beatmakers, Mort Vivant and Offishal Fish, come together to form beatmaker team B.A.E. Together they specialize in creating ultra trippy groovy soundscapes for listeners to enjoy. "80HD" is a standout single from their 12-track self-titled album "B.A.E Beat Tape Vol 1". Join the growing movement by downloading the full tape on Bandcamp today!

The D in GOOD Music
A Midwest Mindset by @OmegaMcBride

“Collecting everything overdue, for all the work that I overdid, D -Town but Chi-Town they love me like I’m Oprah kid. 

Tryna make it to the top so I can let my dogs know it exist ‘Cause when you come from the bottom man it’s so hard to just get a glimpse”

 -Big Sean (Higher)

Had a hunch, a few months back. Something was coming. There’d be a bit of a rumble in the industry or something. A Tupac sighting would pan out to be legit and he’d drop the most fire mixtape, ever, with zero features but a bonus track with Eminem would appear and the world would go nuts! Not really exactly sure what was expected to act as inspiration to be compelling and write but the initial intention was to cover an artist from the Midwest whose impact has been notable, someone the people would want to read about, gain a clear insight on what’s being said about a dope artist here on USA Music Review, in 2018.



Big Sean - Detroit

Looking at the time past, as Spring has transitioned its way into what we hope will blossom into a beautiful Summer for us all, this article was at first hoped to have been written, edited and shared with readers months ago. However, as fate would have it, we meet again at this precisely appointed time in history, Hip Hop and GOOD music culture for GOOD reason. However, with all due respect to the powers that be, it’s not about what’s occurring in the music industry right now for example: the 7 song Classic - laced albums being released in the month of June produced by GOOD Music imprint Founder Kanye West (35 tracks, 5 artists - Teyona Taylor, Nas, Pusha T, Kid Cudi & Mr. West himself), that really jumps out or raises eyebrows of amazement but rather more so what and who isn’t in music news, yet plays an intricate part in the make-up of this legendary Empire of a collective that is GOOD Music. That what and who specifically refers to the once in a lifetime wordsmith of a gift that is most definitely The D in GOOD Music, Big Sean.




photo by Rebloggy

With the recent successes of his label mates & GOOD Music associates, to dismiss or take for granted the most recent major music accomplishments of Detroit’s Mr. Sean Michael Leonard Anderson would be a super disrespectful. Yes, indeed, it’s forever dope to be alive to see Nasty Nasir actually have his album done/out, or half done (7 songs, lol), while witnessing the iconic Kid Cudi who met Kanye by no coincidence in a record store actually come back to join forces with the idol or mentor he left to pursue his own path. Nevertheless, it’s also extremely difficult to ignore The D’s Flagship – Key to the City holding QB who has held it down for the GOOD Music imprint, his City & Hip Hop during a time where not only Hip hop but music in general has been in a very transitional space. In the midst of mass conformity, monotone creativity & more cuts than usual selling us similar subject references, Big Sean somehow found a way to strengthen his strategy, spitting real shit while not losing his audience in the method or message of his delivery. Genius?


In 2015 and 2017, Big Sean “kept it a hunid and never changed”, releasing back to back Number 1 Platinum selling albums Dark Sky Paradise and I Decided, respectively. To have accomplished this in a streaming age where album sells are said to be steadily declining along with active creative inspiration in Hip Hop Music, one might be pretty intrigued to realize that Big Sean has been able to stay ferociously relevant 10 years in. The fact is, once Finally Famous, the “Blessed” artist told us almost immediately afterward that his Hall of Fame induction to be one of the best “wasn’t luck, it was destined”. Having already shown extreme excellence in character as well as his craft early on, Sean has always seemed to have had his sights on building something bigger, being someone greater than simply Number 1 on the Charts, since walking while freestyling for Mr. West at a popular radio station in The D.


Conversely, back in Big Sean’s hometown, the City of Detroit has been categorized by consensus as between Number 1 & 3 on the list of Top 10 Cities in violence & murders. Helping to combat this with maintaining more options in the city, Big Sean’s Charity “The Sean Anderson Foundation” has begun to host an Annual event called “Detroit’s On Now”. As the City begins to reestablish itself and grow, this year’s events put on by the Sean Anderson Foundation were to raise proceeds that would help the Hitsville Motown Museum expand along with City and not be forgotten overtime, having been the launching pad for so many artists whom influenced Big Sean such as: Marvin Gaye. The Temptations. Big Sean is also serving on the board amongst the Motown Museum's National Legacy council.
Photo by wikiwand

Salute to Big Sean. Shoot him a tweet with an encouraging word. Hit him on IG with an emoji. Quote a lyric or few lines of his on Facebook. He’s one of the best doing it, on and off the court, i.e. in and out of the booth. After battling with a semi severe case of personal anxiety and depression, Big Sean has been quoted as saying that he canceled his latest Tour back in February as a way to get away, taking to care of himself. Although no official music titles nor cover art has surface, he is currently working on the “best sounding music of his career” he said in a recent interview with FOX News, will record portions of it at Motown Studios and is also making a lot of positive noise back home, in The D.


With GOOD Music’s First Lady Teyana Taylor grabbing hearts and ears around the world with her 7 – song KTSE album release to end out the month of June, appreciating the moment these brilliant minds are creating for the music game, this year, is a must. At the same time, its dope to know that although pretty quiet right now while his GOOD Music family unites to take the Industry by storm as he did last year, a multi-platinum artist is somewhere patiently stirring up the pot and is next to drop. We’re ready when you are, sir. Take your time, though. You’ve earned it.


@Omega McBride

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