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Najee Thomas is just a kid who loves music and wants people to hear it as much as he does. Najee released his single titled “Set It Off” and he showcases a charismatic fun personality through his lyrics while also giving us a trail-blazing delivery. The auto-tune in the vocals helped curate an infectious melody in the hook we couldn’t get enough of! Najee represents the light-hardheartedness in rap today and we love every bit of it! The vibrancy “Set It off”exudes is just unforgettable and completely memorable! The transitions in the record show off a sense of professionalism in the artistry of Najee. Najee is easily marketable due to his music and sound becoming easily translatable and digestible across the current generation of listeners. “Set it off” is a song that would generate the right audience and create excellent radio airplay for Najee. Najee is no doubt in mind, the next rising star with his colorful music and dope delivery. Listen to "Set It Off" here and get to know more about Najee below! Hey Najee! Mind telling our readers a little bit about where you’re from and your music!? Im 23, im born & raised in New York. I've lived in Washington heights my whole life & its truly been amazing. I started writing music when i was around 12 maybe 13, but i didn't really start recording & putting myself out there until 16. Your record “Set It Off” was a pleasant surprise! What was the main theme behind it? um the theme behind it was pretty simple really, Set it off has to be top 3 for one of my favorite movies so i kinda wanted to use that movie theme in my lyrics which i think i kinda did. What inspired you to write “Set It Off” ? umm honestly i was just in the house thinking about a girl that's always down to ride for her guy no matter what the situation. I think this song validates that. Do you have any inspirations or influences for your sound!? honestly music in general is my inspiration. I've always loved music and wanted to make it, not to sound like anybody else but to actually make my own sound. But i definitely have favorite rappers artist such as lil wayne, j cole, uzi etc. What’s next for you Najee? That's a good question, i guess you gotta wait & find out lol na i have a project I've been working on for a minute that im looking forward to dropping for ya in Mid July, so you just gotta wait until then. #BuzzMusic

Hela is the alternative indie rock band you’ve been waiting for your entire life. All the way from Sydney, Australia, their sound is florid, sophisticated and visceral. Their unique sound draws from their vast scope of various different musical tastes, with notable inspiration from the likes of INXs, Tame Impala, Bon Iver, Frank Ocean, and many more. With their roots ingrained in hard alternative rock, the group seeks to impress with their own individual sound. Hela has been showcasing their talents through Sydney’s music scene. Hela demonstrates a powerful live sound with an exciting and passionate experience. Hela cultivates the mood just right with their well-orchestrated hit single “Black Leather”. “Black Leather” had a highly ethereal vibe that weaved the lines between haziness and pellucid. What was super absorbing for me as a listener was Hela’s alluring and breathtaking resonance from the vocalist. The vocals were enchanting and helped convey the passionate delivery a lot more significant. “Black Leather” was highly ambitious, poetic, and poised with substance. As a listener, you become lost within the augmented production and hauntingly gorgeous transportation Hela gives you. You’re leaping through constant valleys, peaks and dimensions in “Black Leather”. Each corner of the record there’s something new to explore about the song. Hela is a band who knows how to feed off their music, to create the ultimate experience for the listener to endure. “Black Leather” was a nicely melodic arrangement, giving us just enough to feel satisfied. Listen to "Black Leather" here and keep scrolling for our interview with the Hela! Welcome to BuzzMusic! So tell us, how did Hela form as a band? It was around the summer of 2015. Jordan and I had a mutual friend that owned a beautiful house nearby a nature reserve-lots of trees, fresh air, good vibes. He invited us over, and I had always known Jordan from high school but we never really spoke. On that day we jammed together and bonded over a mutual and obsessive appreciation for John Frusciante. There was an undeniable energy present between us that really stemmed from our deep love for music, and so shortly after, Hela was born. What are some challenges you’ve faced so far as a collective and how have you overcome these obstacles? We've pretty much run into every problem in the book. Lineup changes, stolen equipment, having nowhere to rehearse, having no money, having nowhere to play. But that's just being in a band, it's the life we chose and we love every minute of it. We understand that it's a privilege to be able to share music with the world. No matter what happens we never question our existence as a band, ever. We know what we were put on this planet to do and so when you come into contact with the hardships, you take it face on and embrace it for what it is. Tell us about your record “Black Leather” and the meaning behind it? ‘Black Leather’ is an attempt to paint a picture about the inherent confusion that human beings have between love and sex. We've been on this planet for so long and yet it remains to be a core reason for a lot of problems in relationships. I've come to believe it just stems from us constantly trying to chase this perfect balance between hedonism and connecting with what we believe to be good and best for ourselves, and it's just not easy. I think the track talks about how you can understand these two concepts, make up your own mind about what they are and how they interrelate, but at the end of the day, you can't help how you feel. In what ways could you relate to “Black Leather”? I think the mood felt in "Black Leather" is something we can all relate to and something that we all go through. It’s something I saw in myself as well as in the others around me. The song was written during a time where I was partying a bit more and meeting a lot of people going through the same thing. In saying that, when we write it never comes directly from a personal experience or event that happened. We try to tap into something more universal when writing songs, capture something people can understand and have felt themselves. It’s more of a general thing, our own way of connection. ‘Black Leather’ had a really lovely reception back home though, so I think we got what we were going for. What’s next for you Hela? Any exciting upcoming summer performances? You will without a doubt see us touring major festivals in the near future. We have our second single releasing next month and so there will be a release party for that, and we're always playing shows around Sydney. As the year goes on, there will be more tracks, more shows, and of course the release of our debut album. Connect with Hela on social media: www.facebook.com/helabandmusic www.instagram.com/hela.forever www.soundcloud.com/hela-music #BuzzMusic

JJ Lafont is a Cuban hip-hop artist from Portland, Oregon who together with his longtime friend, created vibrant summer songs recorded, and mastered entirely on the iPhone. JJ Lafont released the single titled “Flowers” and we were enticed by this relaxing and soothing record that weaved the lines between lo-fi rap and melodic pop. The organically structured arrangement of the tune is what captured the moment more. It was aesthetically pleasant, vibrant, and all around extravagant. JJ Lafont knows how to master the art of imagery through songwriting. It’s displayed in this beautifully written song. JJ Lafont has what it takes to stand out from the overcrowded hip-hop culture. He shows elements of classic boombox rap while remaining true to the art of lyricism. It’s digestible enough for the vintage rap lovers while translating across the field of contemporary hip-hop. “Flowers” was a peaceful song that had the perfect vibe blooming right before the long-awaited and highly anticipated summer season! Listen to "Flowers" here and get to know more about JJ Lafont in our interview below! Welcome to BuzzMusic JJ Lafont! Tell us about your record “Flowers”. What was the major theme surrounding this? Thanks BuzzMusic I appreciate it. At first there wasn’t really a major theme I was going for. I was looking through beats that my friend and main producer S.I.G. Had sent me and I stumbled onto the beat for Flowers and immediately knew where I wanted to go with it. I knew I wanted a summer vibe that fit the flowery synths S.I.G.  Had thrown on the beat. By the time I finished writing the song I realized I had a pretty cohesive theme all the way throughout. The theme I found in the song was more of a “summers around the corner” one. At the same time in the song, I'm telling the person it’s directed towards that, let's not get too ahead of ourselves and let's just enjoy the moment. It definitely is a love song and I kinda envisioned a picnic theme in the middle of a sunny day type of vibe. Altogether the theme is a love song filled with mostly the excitement of getting to spend sunny days together, mixed with a little bit of anxiety in the final lines of the hook when I say things like “summers coming so please don’t leave me” because it wouldn’t be a JJ Lafont song without a little bit of that. What inspired you to write this song? Living in Portland, Falls and Winters can be pretty cold and rainy which in turn can just be really mentally draining. As soon as the sun starts to show its face its natural for me to get excited and it usually replenishes my energy that was expended throughout the winter. Once spring came around I found myself in a better mood and wanting to write more music, something I hadn’t done much of during the other seasons. At first I was struggling on what to write about but I quickly turned my attention to what was around me and from there started writing Flowers, basically about my girlfriend. A lot of the inspiration was from her, but a lot of it was from looking within myself and my friends and seeing their relationships. It was also pretty easy to write when I have an instrumental like that just handed to me. “Flowers” is a unique sound that differentiate itself from other hip-hop songs! How did you discover your artistry? Thats a good question. The thing about artistry is that it isn’t a tangible thing. Its very fluid and theres no real way to measure its existence or its absence. I feel like I'm in a constant chase with it, always running behind trying to find what it is I want the final product to be. 5 months ago would I have written a song like Flowers? Possibly but probably not. Yet here I am and here it is. It's just as much a product of my environment and surrounding as it is a product of me. I remember a conversation I had with S.I.G about a year ago. I was in the middle of writing a song that sounded nothing like me, just a collection of sounds and raps that I thought other people would like. In between writing we would take breaks to listen to other music and a song which I still can’t remember the name of came on from his playlist. All I remember was it was a beautiful song and we both marvelled at it. “Why don’t we make beautiful music?” he said to me. I had an internal dialogue with myself. Why didn’t we make beautiful music? What even was beautiful music? I spent months trying to find ways to make beautiful songs without actually knowing what the meant. There is no way to measure beauty in music, it just either is or it isn't. Even now I ask myself the same thing and hope I leave that type of impression in my artistry on other people. I think Flowers is a decent start. Do you have any specific lyrical arrangements for “Flowers”? Not anything in specific. As with anything I try to do in music, its all just fluid and according to what I think feels the best. When i wrote it, the hook came first and then the verse came after. I tried to make the verse match the hook without limiting myself to just that. I was going to write a second verse for it before deciding to let the beat run on for the last half minute instead. Letting the chiming synths run their course and showcase a little bit more of S.I.G.’s talent. Shorter is usually better for replay ability, leaving the listener wanting a little more so I settled on one verse, and the hook twice. What’s next for you JJ? I have a project coming out this summer produced by S.I.G. Titled Live from a phone. If you guys liked Flowers you will love the other songs on this project and expect different styles. Everything is constantly changing in life as with music. So stay tuned for new music coming soon! Connect with JJ Lafont on social media: Instagram: www.instagram.com/tribe_called_jj Twitter: www.twitter.com/ItsJJLafont #BuzzMusic

We already know Jordan Hawkins is going to be a huge R&B artist within the music industry. There have been artists that have paved the way for exactly what R&B listeners need to hear. Once hearing Jordans story, you’ll understand how humble of an artist he is. From teaching himself all he has learned up to date in music, Jordan’s fiery passion for curating and producing tracks is blinding. Jordan presents to us a raw aspect of R&B that can’t be easily fabricated—he’s the real deal in our opinion, and we don’t doubt you BuzzMusic readers will think the same. Wow. Heavy Khalid, Daniel Caesar and Frank Ocean vibes from Jordan Hawkins. He truly sounds like a mix of all three incredible artists—his voice glides across your senses like silk. Jordan Hawkins fits exactly what is needed in the market right now. Jordan is an artist that fits right into the R&B category that we all love, cherish, and wish we had more artists apart of that give us that certain tranquil melody upon listening. Jordan captivates the listener—when we put this on, we couldn’t just listen to “Lost” once, we had to keep playing that sound! Jordan isn’t the only artist appearing vocally in this song, as Jordan has a ghost haze feature in the single, and when we tell you BuzzMusic readers that their voices complement each other like no other pair of voices have, we aren’t exaggerating. Their voices blend together like two things that were meant to intertwine. Combined with a catchy underlying beat, we knew “Lost” was a serious hit when listening. A sound that deserves to be up in the charts. We can’t imagine not seeing more of Jordan Hawkins soon. Listen to "Lost" here and get to know more about Jordan Hawkins below! Hey Jordan! Your voice is so pure and angelic, we could listen to it all day! What kind of environment do you want your listeners to be immersed in when they hear your voice? Many of the songs that I write are written and recorded in my bedroom. I think the bedroom would be a fitting place for one to immerse themselves due to the intimacy, privacy and security of the space. There they can experience the music and be vulnerable without worries of the outside world. Second place I would say is the car. Driving around LA I often have a lot on mind and music in general helps me stabilize. As an artist, what is the most important core value you hold true to yourself? Consideration. I think being a good person is important. An important part of this is considering how our actions will impact others. What kind of struggles do you find you face when curating your music? Relationship struggles, Financial struggles, School Struggles, Family Struggles ... a lot of struggles exist and inspire haha. I just continue to persevere. If you could collaborate with another R&B artist in the near future, who would you choose? This is a tough question. I think my preferred R&B collaborate would be with Sabrina Claudio. I'm in love with her voice and her vibe. Do you have any plans to be releasing new music throughout the rest of the year? Yes! I'm dropping a live recording music video in June and will be releasing an EP titled "warm" this summer also! Connect with Jordan Hawkins on social media www.instagram.com/jordanhawkinsmusic www.facebook.com/jordanrhawkinsmusic

Greg Jiritano started playing music at the young age of 8 beginning with learning guitar, then went on to play in a band at 12 and then all the way to New York City at 16 to play in bars. Greg was focused on writing and recording his own music as he first started writing at the age of 18 and thought performing as a live musician was lucrative and exciting, though starting his journey as an artist was what he felt needed to be concentrated on. Lord Sonny The Unifier is focused on capturing a spirit of realness and honoring the greats that came before them, remembering music’s spirit by expressing an original and basic truth that is of the soul and communicates this through a universal language. “The Starman” starts off easing into the melodies with a beautiful chord progression from the piano, followed by the addition of drums, guitar and what sounds like a synth shortly after the beginning of the track. Greg’s vocals are light and airy, yet filled with passion for the music and lyrics which beautifully accompanied by the moving tones of the many instruments. I love the creativity of the music video that has been made to accompany the story that is embedded in the lyrics, and the fact that it is filled with beautiful sights that help pain a clear message in the listeners mind. Part of the way through “The Starman” there is a glorious guitar and synth solo to be found that adds a bit of character to this already vibrant classic rock song that is extremely catchy. It feels as if the message that is trying to be conveyed through “The Starman”, in my opinion with the help of the lyrics and music video, that things are getting tough around here and it tends to be easier to run away to the stars than to deal with it – and I get that vibe with the almost state of cluster that can be represented at the end of the song, which can be easily depicted by the lower tones of the melody and the confusion of the video. Overall, “The Starman” is a phenomenal creation that utilizes many instruments and meaningful lyrics to emphasize a message that could be open to interpretation. Listen to "The Starman" here and get to know more about Lord Sonny The Unifier below! Hey Lord Sonny The Unifier! Fantastic to chat! Can you tell us a bit more about your background? Hey Lord Sonny The Unifier! Fantastic to chat! Can you tell us a bit more about your background?I began playing the guitar at age 8 and played very young in bands throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island playing in bars and clubs where you could play with impunity regardless of your age. I learned early on that the only important thing as a musician was writing good songs and so I cast aside the blinders about flashing my shiny guitar and blow dried hair at smiling woman and dazzling them with speed and chord knowledge because they didn’t give a shit. They gave a shit about being moved by your song and so I began the search….. What was your favourite part of creating the music video for “The Starman”? Working with the Director Ben Pironti is always a thrill. He has a mind that works completely outside the mainstream of conventional thought. We’ve been good friends for many many years and his enthusiasm and relentless drive to succeed at all things he sets out to do is a constant inspiration. We guerrilla shot the entire video just Ben and I, often mounting the camera on a tripod in a van with the door open, turning the camera on while he drove and using a remote screen on the dashboard to film me as I walked. Out of a severe lack of funds we just had to make it all work with just he and I. He’s got a fantastic sensibility and a fearless soul and so we just shot whatever we thought would make the trajectory of the Starman make sense, starting fresh in the barren countryside and in an abandoned town in Pennsylvania and ending up mad in the maelstrom of Times Square. Filming on the side of the road heading into Manhattan was challenging as large speeding trucks came within a few feet of our camera, and thankfully no cops. With all the shots the biggest problem were the cops as they could easily fine you and shut you down for shooting in a public space without a film permit. Ben's camera is not small, so it was more difficult to do discreetly especially in Time Square with all the cops prowling about. But we managed. When he went to edit the footage he realized we hadn’t shot enough (and it needed to be ready for the PR company asap) so we quickly went in and shot the ‘performance’ part in his garage with a technique he devised that ended up looking really nice and stark next to all the external shots. Tell us the meaning behind “The Starman”. Throughout history mysterious people have appeared to come from places beyond the scope and consciousness of this earth or of man’s previous understanding of it They are the prodigies or mystery men and woman of the future or prophets advising people with cautionary tales or directions that need to be sought, paths that need to be taken or redirected towards a higher way. They are the ones bringing new technological or scientific advances that far out shine those before them. They are the prophets and the healers of man with powers seemingly beyond those of their fellow men. People who outshine those around them. Of course there are some who are misunderstood and shunned from society as well as those who come, but their gifts do not reach fruition for various reasons. This is a video of one such Starman who came and was too overwhelmed with mankind to begin to cultivate any changes. He came and he saw the madness around him and left. This is the fate of this Starman. Many have come before him with varying degrees of success, many will follow. We don’t know where they have come from and can only get a feeling or hunch from some who actually might have been here or are here now. They don’t reveal themselves and only try to advance humanity as best they can to those with ears and hearts to accept their offerings. You have a wonderful sound! What inspired you to create such an alluring, unique sound? Thanks you! I cannot say from a conscious point of reference where my inspirations directly spring from besides everywhere and everyone I've ever been inspired by. Of course this ranges from Beethoven to Bob Marley,  Count Basie to Pere Ubu and everyone of my favorite writers, painters, film makers, great thinkers, philosophic, spiritual  or otherwise etc etc. The most important consideration for any artist is to not be concerned with the prevailing winds of the day but to shun them and with relentless pursuit say whatever you feel needs to be said from the center of your own artistic being and if you haven’t found that voice then keep searching until you do (but spare us the release of your  attempts along the way). The great painter Kandinsky said, any art born of  the imitation of another artist will be born stillborn. The greatest compliment anyone can ever give to you is not a check but  that you have done your art without compromise and have done so with your own voice. This can be seen in all the great artists who have  made it into the history books. The choice seems to be for many, is it the road to the bank or to the history books? Sadly we know which road is chosen more often. From an artist’s perspective, how do the melodies in “The Starman” differ from the other songs on your album? I suppose one can say that the melodies from any one song differ from the melodies of any other song (or else you’ll have a lawsuit on your hands). The vocal melody of any song is, 90% of the time, the focal point and consequently the most important part of the song. I do not consider myself a singer in the sense that I've studied under teachers and have had vocal coaches and have cultivated an approach that should be taken seriously like any good singer should, no this is not my fate. (As a result, I cannot sing anyone else's song.) Anything worth screaming about is worth singing about is how I write the lyrics to sing and my approach to the mic is how I think Iggy Pop and Joe Strummer would guide me along, and how I imagine their approach to the microphone, melodically and performance wise would be. Every other aspect of writing a song differs from the vocal melody for me, as the vocal melody is pure inspiration, the other aspects of writing a song take a lot more directive than that. Of course the other factor in the melody is the lyrics which can sometimes impede and hamper the melody you’ve just spat out…and then you’ve got to go back in and make those adjustments, more elements to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. All that to say, and I'm sorry to say, simply, that they differ because the song bed upon which they lay differs. Can we expect to see any new music or upcoming performances from Lord Sonny The Unifier in 2019? The full album, FINAL NOTICE! from which The Starman is on was just released in its' entirety on April 12. We’ve released 4 of the 6 videos and so we’ve got some more video releases to go, but the full album can be found everywhere now. I have just finished the preliminary mix on my next album, as of yet untitled. I’ve still got to make the videos for it and master it and I am hoping to have it released by the fall sometime. As far as performing live, I simply can't afford it. I need a 7 piece band to perform live and do not have the resources to make that happen. Hopefully someday….. Connect with Lord Sonny The Unifier on social media www.instagram.com/lordsonnytheunifier www.facebook.com/lordsonnytheunifier

Alexx Cloud was born in PG County, Maryland, moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and also spent time in actual Mexico. His experience living in different places sparked his interest in music. Alexx released his first ever music project in high school, which gained him some local traction. Unfortunately after this, things went downhill for Alexx and he started experimenting with hard drugs and had some run ins with the law. At the age of 27 Alexx is proud to say that he is completely clean. We’re proud of you Alexx!  Instead of viewing his past as something negative, he uses it to inspire others around him to get up and change their lives. Alexx Cloud provides substance for his listeners. He wants to inspire people to live the best and healthiest lives possible. With this being said, he does not agree with Lil Pump’s message in his song “Drug Addicts” because it gives the impression to young people that drugs are “cool” when they are.. obviously not! To try and make some positive change in the world, Alexx released a Lil Pump Drug Addicts Parody that sends out a message to Lil Pump. In his music video Alexx dresses up as Lil Pump and raps: “Don’t get it twisted though, this ain’t a diss song this is just a message to him, Lil Pump he be doin’ things, he be getting money, he a big influence, I just wish his approach was different” I love the message that Alexx is putting out in his Lil Pump Parody because there are too many influential artists in the industry that are promoting substance abuse when we need to be sending out the total opposite message. In the track Alexx talks about his past with drug abuse and makes it clear that it is not the glamourous life that these rappers make it out to be. Alexx, we love the message that you’re sending out to fans, don’t ever stop doing what you’re doing! Listen to "Drug Addicts" here and get to know more about Alexx Cloud below! Hey Alexx, we love this parody! What made you want to do a this take on “Drug Addicts” by Lil Pump? To be honest. I dont want anyone to get it twisted. I am not a parody rapper. At all. Never will be. It was something that happened last minute. One of those things another label has control over. The title, the direction of the song, all of that. It is sort of an example of what goes on in the industry. Control. I dont like to be controlled but at the end of the day, it is a business and it is what it is. The song still has a special message, I feel like I did my thing, and its here. It was to bring some substance and also prove my case that I can go on any beat. With any style. And any given point. Plus the visuals are really good and well put together. What is the main message that you want people to get from listening to your parody on Lil Pump’s “Drug Addicts”? Obviously. Dont do drugs. Because you could end up like me. I'm not one of those people that is going to disrespect anyone for doing drugs. Then I would be a walking contradiction. But just to bring more awareness. In my eyes, the youth control a good majority of the music industry and are influenced the most by what artists be saying in their songs. So I am just offering a different perspective. I dont label myself as anything. I just rap about my life and the experiences I have gone thru. Good or bad. Thanks for opening up to us about your past. How does your history impact the music that you create today? Kind of like I said before. I dont hide from the fact that I was the definition of a drug abuser. I'm not ashamed of it. I wouldnt change anything about my past. Some of my darkest times are some of my greatest songs. It is almost like I accidentally sacrificed my life to help others. I just want to give back to the community. Witing songs about my experiences, or how I feel in present time, or whatever it is. I just want to be a symbol of hope and continue to make relatable music. What are some of the biggest challenges that you’ve had to face in the music industry? How did you overcome them? Everything. From being controlled by labels. To sacrificing friendships or relationships. It is my dream. And if you dont have a dream you dont really got shit. Whatever it is that you like to do and enjoy doing, then do it. The biggest thing I have had to overcome and still overcoming is the battle with myself. I'm over battling other people. That's them. You are in control of your own destiny, and you have to conquer yourself before you can conquer the dream. Whats next for you Alexx? My sophomore album "And Yet Here We Are" will be releasing this summer, 2019, with some pretty big features on it. So I'm excited. As far as what people should know about me? Three words. I Got Next. Connect with Alexx Cloud on social media www.instagram.com/alexxcloud www.twitter.com/avocadoemojis www.facebook.com/WhoIsAlexCloud

Straight out of Houston, Texas is Tabathia Ashley Jolivet, better known as TAJ. She is a badass singer/songwriter who knows what she’s doing. Her passion lies among hip hop, but she is multitalented and can rock just about any genre! She is a true lyricist, steadily giving fans slick metaphors and a canny play on words. TAJ’s newest single, “ROOTS” is no different. “ROOTS” is aggressive, it comes with full energy and loads of passion, which is what TAJ specializes in. She raps fast and steady leaving me hyped from the start! This track makes it impossible for me to sit still. The beat is so intense and lively, adding to the fierce vibe. This track is so catchy and slick that it is a great representation of TAJ’s personality, confident and witty. TAJ is exactly what hip hop, rap, and R&B needs, a strong and talented woman to dominate multiple genres. TAJ’s music is raw and original, so it makes her a great candidate to make it big in the industry. Check out TAJand all of her tracks today! Listen to "Roots" here and get to know more about Taj below! Can you tell us a little more about yourself and background in music? To begin with I shouldnt even be alive let alone cashing my dreams. So it's amazing to simply be alive with the ability to create anything. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression at the age of 19. A few years later i found myself incarcerated, facing 10 years. After becoming addicted to having money the luxuries it provided. And the envy disguised as respect that came along with it. While in prison I began to write and recite poetry. And even writing letters for other inmates. To their judges and mates. From there I started freestyling. As the years progressed my pen game developed. I would sit in my room at my mothers house. With no A.C, the lights off and my 25 dollar speakers blasting. Some nights I couldn't sleep. Not because I was hot or cold. But because I had this melody and lyrics in my head that wouldnt allow me to rest. Recently I found an old phone in my closet in that same room. It has 93 songs saved in the memo pad. That I wrote in 2015. I set there like how the he'll did I come up with some of this shit. Then I said to myself being crazy ain't aint so bad after all TAJ! What is the meaning behind your dope track “ROOTS”? The basic meaning behind my single ROOTS is easiest explained within the Hook. I know myself personally i have done things I'm not proud of to make money. Ive lost my freedom, ive lost time, ive lost the ability to secure a decent job in todaya society. I see homeless people everyday stripped of their pride and moral compasses. To obtain money to fuel there habits. Provided by dealers with little to no disregard to the effects of there dealings. In the hopes of providing a better life for themselves and their family. Everytime I turn on the news, people are stealing, killing, extorting, selling there bodies and then some. And when you get down to the root of things. That which they seek will never provide them with what they need. Why did you choose to title the song “ROOTS”? Is there a hidden meaning behind it? Why did I choose the title ROOTS for my debut single? After wondering through my youngest years of life lost in the sauce. As some old heads around my way would say. I began a personal journey. I developed a deeper understanding and appreciation for life and evertything within it. To do so I had to strip myself down to my bare roots. And sprout into my true self. Ive come to realize that what I seek is wealth not riches. Give a man a million dollars with no knowledge. He'll be broke in one year. Give a man a 100 dollars with knowledge he'll be a millionaire in a few years. Who are your biggest musical influences? My biggest musical influences would have to be. Tupac, Lauren Hill, Marvin Gaye, J. Cole, Kirk Franklin, and Babyface. What’s next for you TAJ? What's next for me? I wish I knew! Connect with Taj on social media www.instagram.com/tajthesongwriter

JoeThePoet is a talented rap artist from Bronx, New York. His extensive background in music can be credited to his unique childhood experience. Growing up with immigrant parents from Guatemala, JoeThePoet had a difficult time finding guidance as a youngster. He eventually built a relationship with God ad music and hasn’t looked back. JoeThePoet states that he’d be dead or in jail without music today. He uses music as a platform to help him shape his life for the best. JoeThePoet’s rap style is original and raw and strives to connect with the listener. JoeThePoet has performed at numerous venues starting in November of 2015. Outside of New York City, he has been seen performing in different venues in Los Angeles, Oakland, Miami, Boston, Washington D.C, and Texas to name a few. JoeThePoet released “Ridin’” in 2018 and we can’t believe we’re just hearing it now. With a smooth and flowing R&B backbeat fused with an old school hip-hop beat, JoeThePoet spits modern and effortless bars. The subtle synths throughout “Ridin’” give it a more upbeat and edgy vibe. JoeThePoet’s sound and tone remind me of a more raw Busta Rhymes with the similarities being the raspy voice and the upbeat rap style that comes naturally to JoeThePoet. “Ridin’” is a dope track about the hustle to get where JoeThePoet is today. He got there by working hard and proving he’s the best through his prolific rhymes and independent grind. “Ridin’” is definitive proof that JoeThePoet has earned his stripes and confidence. “Breathing out music” is my favorite lyric, for JoeThePoet making music comes so naturally it’s like breathing. I recommend you check out “Ridin’” and keep up with JoeThePoet to see what he delivers next! Listen to “Ridin’” here. Read more below in our exclusive interview. How did you come up with your stage name? When I realized I wanted to pursue music as a career i knew the importance of having a universal name but more importantly a name that fits who I am. I started writing poetry before becoming a rap artist so as I was researching names on iTunes I realized there wasn’t any JoethePoet that was spelt as a compound word so I ran with it Can you tell us more about the meaning of your track “Ridin’”? What inspired your writing process? Ridin’ is probably by the far the most important track because the majority of my thoughts in life comes when I’m in my car driving somewhere. The same thing happened for this record. As I was moving to Los Angeles from New York driving with my belongings it didn’t dawn to me I was heading towards Los Angeles until I hit Colorado. I remember listening to the radio and it was the Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors game 1 in the NBA Finals driving through the end of Kansas by myself and saying to myself “Yo I’m really making this happen, I really drove from New York by myself for 2 whole days now through Kansas having a total of 4-5 hours of sleep up to this point”. I get through Colorado and the excitement of getting closer to California was when the thought process began. I stopped by a local Subway store to get something to eat and started writing the hook to the song “Ridin’ in my car 90 on the meter/ chasing this dream, ain’t about it being greener / breathing out music something you can’t confuse it/ I’m built to do this I’m not in it to lose it” so the meaning behind it is to chase your dreams no matter how far you got to go to make it happen. I don’t do it for the money I love music. It’s therapeutic for me. How does the music you make now compare to music you made when you first started out? When I first started I didn’t have any substance. I didn’t have a flow. I didn’t care what I was putting out to the world when I first started. Whereas today I have substance, I have a flow, and I care about the things I write about. Music is more personal for me. It’s my greatest strength and gift that god has given me. It changed my life as I continued to get older. I realized I’m able to help others speak just through my experiences that I write about on records. It’s an amazing feeling to know I have the ability to help others as well as having others understand my journey Who are you top three musical influences? Why? This is very hard. I feel like as I got older my ears have changed along the way. So within the last 3 years I find myself listening to these artists more than anyone else in the game. Kendrick Lamar - Versatility he presents Joyner Lucas- his creativity with his visuals, determined to stay himself lyrically, and independent Nipsey Hussle- Knowing the business and knowing your worth What would be your dream venue to perform? I’ve never been asked this question before so I haven’t put any thought to it. I’m grateful to get opportunities to touch any stage to perform. If I had to chose one though I would say Coachella Connect with JoeThePoet on social media www.instagram.com/musicbythepoet www.twitter.com/musicbythepoet www.facebook.com/musicbythepoet

Kiid Gaara is a unique melodic rap artist from Gilbert, Arizona. At only 19 years old, Kiid Gaara writes music about sensitive subjects to process his thoughts and feelings. He boasts his artistry through raw expression and modern hip-hop melodies. New to the music industry, Kiid Gaara is skilled beyond his experience and years. “Life Of A Diabetic” by Kiid Gaara takes us on an inside journey of his thoughts and feelings. He goes into details about how his body feels and it sparks an empathetic feeling from the listener. The hard backbeats and flawless flow are addicting. Kiid Gaara has a unique tone to his rap style that’s alluring. I would never guess that he’s only 19 because of his skilled lyricism and effortless delivery of every bar. The “Life Of A Diabetic” has a meaningful message beneath the hard rap sound arrangements. Kiid Gaara is openly vulnerable about his struggle with being a Type 1 Diabetic. He mentions how horrible he physically feels everyday and goes into detail about being bullied as a child with an illness. “Started not to give a f*ck” is my favorite lyric because I chose to interpret it in a positive light. Kiid Gaara is done caring about how anyone else feels about his condition and is living life for himself. Up and comer on the rise, we can’t wait to see what Kiid Gaara drops next! Listen to "Life Of A Diabetic" here and get to know more about Kiid Gaara below! Hey! Can you start by telling us about yourself and how you created your stage name Kiid Gaara? Im a 19 yr old melodic rapper/ Song Writter from Arizona, Born and raised. Im a Type 1 diabetic and ive been since the age of 8, i grew up with an abusive/alcoholic father but now i just live with my mom, lil brother and sister. I look up to her a lot because shes played both roles in my family shes very hardworking and has taught me to never give up and always be myself. How i got my stage name??? First off Ima huge naruto fan and came up with the name because i felt like ive always related to Gaara the most. I say that because in the show Gaara as a child was treated wrongly and viewed as a monster cuz he was "different" from the other kids. Just like me i was picked on and pushed away from others because i was a diabetic and viewed "differently" cuz the other kids thought they would get sick if they fucked with me. Secondly growing up ive always felt like no one loved me, thanks to my father, so i learned to love myself and thats where the name Gaara comes from. The name Gaara in Japanese means a demon loving himself or a self loving demon, so therefore that is another reason why i chose the name. Lastly for the "Kiid" part i came up with that because one everyone else is "lil" sumn and no one spells it like i do and two ive felt like its different from everyone else Who are your musical influences? Why? If had to choose my top 3 it be Migos, Thugger, and Trippie Redd. Ive been a migos fan since they dropped there single "Bando". Just the way they rap, how they flow, how they say things and how they make there music is crazy to me. its different and not only did they start a whole new way of making trap music, they each play a role in there group and dont get enough credit for it. Personally this new generation sounds like the migos and they are best group in the game right now. Also there fashion is CRAZY tooThugger to me is like a father i wish i had in my life. The mans does not give 2 fucks about what people think about him. Just like the migos he started this new wave of music to where you have to read the lyrics to know hes saying and just the way he sounds too ive noticed that people sometimes find annoying but i LOVE IT. not only is he a inspiration to me through music but hes also a HUGE fashion icon to me and i wish i had his drip, his style is unmatched and thats where i get most of my style from.Trippie Redd is sumn else when it comes to music. The way he makes his music and how puts is his emotions into his music and how he sounds just relieves my anxiety. ive never connected and felt someones emotions more when it comes to music and it inspires me to make music like that so people can relate and feel the same way as i do. Ever since he was "lil 14" ive wanted to develop a sound so unique like trippie and thats where i get my inspiration from when it comes to singing and yelling in my music. That being said if you listen carefully to my music and how i do things i would say i get my flow and structure of my music from The Migos and my melodic style, sound and style from Thugger and Trippie. So if you would take all those arist and you put em into one, you would get Kiid Gaara. In your track “Life Of A Diabetic”, you talk about some personal and heavy stuff, will this be the theme of most of your future tracks? Mainly yes, i say this because i gotta story to tell and to let these people know they can relate to me and that there not the only ones out there. I also like to be versatile with my music so you can expect anything from Kiid Gaara What’s the Rap/Hip-hop scene like in Gilbert, Arizona? SLEPT ON and i mean it, we have so much talent out here and its crazy i respect every artist out here cuz we ALL want this shit, the grind is crazy and im telling you once you give us the chance AZ gon pop off just like florida did. What can we expect from Kiid Gaara next? Like i said befroe anything, you could get a love song, heartbreak song, a song about my past or maybe even a swag rap song. But im tryin hard to get music videos made, putting more music out and then eventually get on Connect with Kiid Gaara on social media www.instagram.com/kiidgaara www.twitter.com/kiidgaara

Back again and fresh off the release of her second EP, “Higher”, Amy Lerie has big things in store. The French singer/songwriter is no stranger to success, her first EP “Torn” was released back in 2015 and was a huge hit with her fans. Amy Lerie’s new EP “Higher” has a theme of acceptance of feelings, situations, and forgiveness. After spending some time in Nashville, Amy met Nick Evans, a fellow songwriter, who also produced 4 out of 5 songs on her EP. Residing in PAris, Amy is now taking time for an upcoming musical in November 2019 and has been performing acoustic sets at various venues. “A Gift From God” is an uplifting and inspiring track off of Amy Lerie’s EP “Higher”. The light pop hit is all about empowering woman. Amy could not have picked a more relevant time to release this brilliant song. “A Gift From God” praises women for who they are and encourages them to accept themselves and their choices. The pressure from society for women in their 30’s can be overwhelming in regards to marriage, buying a house, having children, all while maintaining a career and being poised and beautiful. “A Gift From God” spreads the meaningful message of acceptance and recognition for the beauty within. “Take a chance on your future, you’re a Gift From God” is favorite lyric within the chorus. Amy’s vocals fuse perfectly with the upbeat melody of “Gift From God”. Her tone and overall energy throughout the entire track is contagious and alluring. We’re already addicting to “Gift From God” and the entire EP titled “Higher”. Bravo, Amy Lerie! Stay on the lookout for what this eclectic artist delivers next. Check out “Gift From God” here. Scroll down for an interview with Amy Lerie. Welcome back to BuzzMusic Amy! Can you go into more detail about the meaning of “Gift From God”? Hey! I'm so happy to be there and talk to you again So.. 'A gift from God' is a song about empowerment and the strength of being a woman today. We are asked more and more when you get in your 30's: when will you get married? When will you have a kid? do you have a mortgage at least? etc We are defined in the society by things you have or don't and I wanted to say that no matter what, you will be where you need to be when you need to be. As a woman and an artist, I'm trying not to follow this scheme that people force you to be in. What inspired you to write about such a relevant and important topic? My own life. I've had so many lives. I was a teacher (still officially am), I've been working in Human Resources in a law firm, I'm a singer-songwriter. So, you can see that I don't follow a plan. I'm 32, single, going back and forth to Nashville, doing my own things (promoting my EP, concerts, musical) and I can't see myself in one category. I hope i'll find my person but I'm not gonna be sad or desperate if in the next 10 years I don't find him. I have friends who found their person in their 20's, 30's and even 40's. So, again...no scheme. What lyric do you connect with the most in “Gift From God”? Why? I actually wrote that song with this expression in mind: 'You're a light to the world'.I remember someone saying that to me..and I was so emotional and surprised by it that people could feel that about me.Then I realize that I like making people laugh, or telling my stories and singing them. I even had a couple of people that told me that I inspired them..so I guess they were right..but i don't want to say it much out loud and sound cocky ahah Who are your top three musical influences? Hmm...that's a tricky question.Because a lot of my influences are artists I hear in TV Shows - the fact that a music accompanies a scene is the best way for me to connect with the lyrics.But if I had to pick, I would say:Sara BareillesTaylor SwiftShania Twain What are a few things you want our readers to know about you? I've been writing songs with French producers that are totally different from my universe (kind of Kygo sound like)I'm French and I can't write songs in FrenchThe song 'Higher' is inspired by people close to me 'Nothing to forgive' is a letter to my Dad.I'm playing in a French musical at the end of the year Connect with Amy Lerie on social media www.instagram.com/amy_lerie www.twitter.com/valraza2twitter.com/valraza2 www.facebook.com/RealAmyLerie