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Yxng JD is an artist from Baton Rouge, LA who has always been interested in music but never appreciated it enough to start making music on his own until he entered high-school. He began making beats and posting them on his soundcloud in 2017 but then took a break from music to work on his rapping and singing voice until last June where he released his first three actual songs. Since then, Yxng JD has been on the go with two album releases on his soundcloud and his latest song, “SQUAD” will be included on his EP that will be released on all platforms. We listened to “SQUAD” by Yxng JD and it had a beat we couldn’t help but love. The bass was so grimy that it slapped hard on our stereos! Listening to this record instantly had me head-banging and vibing along with the song. The cool auto-tune creates a wavy appeal to the vocals, delivering a stylistic flare. Despite the auto-tune, Yxng JD still projected raw talent through his witted song-writing. The delivery of the lyrics curated a fun atmosphere for the listener, thanks to the delightful production. The energy from the production of the song created a colorful, and vibrant vibration through the listener’s body. I believe this song is perfect for the upcoming summer cause of this light-hearted energy. Summertime is all about fun and who doesn’t love a great bop to get us through these days? Yxng JD fits right in the plethora of rappers who’s killing the game currently. From his trendsetting sound and hit making music, Yxng JD is undoubtedly the next big thing in the industry! Listen to "SQUAD" here and get to know more about Yxng JD below! Between production and recording, which do you personally prefer and why!? Definitely recording, but I’m really interested in production as well. I haven’t produced a song of my own yet, but I’m planning on doing that in the future. The thing I love most about making music is the songwriting aspect. I really like playing around with my verses and seeing if it sounds better when I sing them versus when I rap them. Also, with regards to production, being able to mix beats correctly is something that’s been a struggle for me so I just feel like the process of recording is easier than the process of producing. Tell us about the record “SQUAD” and the major theme behind it? Wow this question is actually a lot harder to answer than I thought. I think I’ve made songs in the past that are a lot deeper than this one, but this song is kind of a combination of things. On one hand it’s about going after a luxurious life when I mention things like expensive watches and designer clothes, but it’s also about going after a girl and the way she is sending mixed signals. I think it’s cool how in hip hop you can include multiple themes in one song like that. How does “SQUAD” differentiate itself from your previous releases? I think SQUAD differentiates itself in a few ways. First, it’s one of the few songs where I both sing and rap (I usually just do one or the other). The first verse is all singing, but the second verse is a mixture, which wasn’t planned initially but it turned out better that way. Also, I think this song is different because I didn’t originally write it to this beat. A few weeks back when I wrote the chorus, I was planning on using another beat, but when I tried to record it didn’t sound right. I’m happy I changed it up because otherwise I probably wouldn’t have wanted to post it at all. What were some challenges you’ve faced in creating this record? The biggest challenge I faced was trying to make sure the song wasn’t too generic. I know the theme might have been a little generic, but I didn’t want to use lyrics that were too similar to my other songs or other songs that are popular currently. That’s always really difficult because when you make a number of songs that are of a similar subject matter, you start to limit yourself with the lyrics you can use, but I still always try to make sure that I don’t be too repetitive lyrically. What’s next for you this summer? I actually have a lot planned this summer for my music. First of all, I’m planning on dropping an EP in the near future that will be on all streaming platforms, which SQUAD will be included on. I plan on doing this before my next concert, which will be at the end of the month, but I’m not 100% sure if all the songs will be ready in time. My other big announcement which I haven’t made yet on social media is that I will be shooting a music video for SQUAD sometime during the summer. This will be my first music video, and I’m excited because I think I’m going to come up with some good ideas for it. Overall, I think my main goals music-wise for this summer are to continue building up my fan base, which is pretty small right now, and continue creating and collaborating on projects that I know people will enjoy listening to. Connect and stay up to date with Yxng JD on the artists Instagram! #BuzzMusic

BelleGrave is simply a band of 5 20 year olds who strive to create an ultimate sound of multiple influences and subgenres of rock and metal ranging from classic and modern bands. BelleGrave debuted their single “Attack” which is just a snippet of what’s to come with this band. “Attack” begins with a climaxing, badass introduction before the fused together electricity comes and attacks you at once. The dark rock that’s presented in the music shows elements of Metal and Classic Rock just as they intended. What was super neat about this record was instead of beginning with the standardized initiating vocals and verse, they give their listener one minute and forty seconds of pure rocking instrumenting before the iconic vocals transitions in, surprising its listener. The melodies were super dope but it didn’t prepare me for what was to come! The hook was a repeated line that sings” Attack” dynamically becoming more louder and powerful with augmented measures before the song reaches a break after the last attack. This break in measure lead to a rapid-pace, headbanging, and chaotic instrumental ending until the song finishes off. Taking its listener on an adrenaline-rushed journey, “Attack” was a nice offering from a promising band who has a lot in store for themselves and their future in the music industry. Listen to Attack here and get to know more about BelleGrave below! Who are some classic and contemporary bands you’re influenced by and why? Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Judas Priest and more modern bands would be Avenged Sevenfold, Jinjer, Architects, Wage War. Tell us about the theme behind “Attack” ? "Attack" was a concept thought up by our drummer Matt Lusk meant to be an anime of two subhuman civilizations having war in the under earth. How does the title of the song reflect the meaning behind it? "Attack" is just one civilization attacking the other, trying to take the technology needed to get above ground. What were some challenges you’ve faced in creating “Attack” and how were you able to overcome these obstacles? How can we build this emotion? How can we give the song the imagery we are trying to depict through the lyrics and the sound. And building the tension to the climax of the song. When can we expect an enticing live show from you BelleGrave? We pride ourselves on delivering a tight and heavy live show, we take our listeners by surprise song by song. Just when you think you know what our sound is about we hit you with another jam you wont expect. Connect with BelleGrave on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/bellegraveband Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bellegrave

Broken Pen is a Montclair, New Jersey based artist signed to Katchikali records whose music typically flows in a Sinister, sharp-witted direction and it’s what makes him so unique. His latest release, “Road To Hell” is a testament to this signature style. We took a listen to Broken Pen’s record “Road To Hell” that had this dark, chiling, and haunting aura surrounding the vibe. Complementing the idea of “Hell” the record has this tenacious, light-hearted evil production to the song that gave me the imagery of heat and fire. (I mean just like his flow!) Broken Pen is a lyrically poetic genius! With unique metaphors and sync breath control, Broken Pen displays a unique caliber of songwriting in “Road to Hell”. What I really enjoyed about this record was how the production transported into multiple different adjustments. The longer you listen to the record, the more surprises you receive. Beginning in an up-beat, highly energetic delivery with high-intense electricity, Road to hell continues the path and transitions into a more lyrical, old-school rap style. Then, “Road to hell” production creates an interesting spin on “Lo-fi” rap. Broken Pen even begins rapping in spanish, showing off more versatility to his artistry. “Road To Hell” is one of those songs where you must expect the unexpected due to how everything transitions with one another. You never know what the next direction Broken Pen is shooting for and that’s highly special about the song. Listen to "Road To Hell" here and get to know more about Broken Pen below! “Broken Pen” is a super cool stage name. What’s the inspiration behind it and how did you come up with it? It came from this jet li movie I saw called "hero" which had a character by the name of broken sword. After the scene where he catches an arrow with his hands, snaps it in half and used it to write calligraphy, plus the saying "the pen is mightier than the sword, it came together and it stuck. That, and broken sword also fought opponents with an actual broken sword. I used to battle rap a lot and I would use that as my inspiration like "if you can't defeat someone who's already broken, then rap thing might not be for you..." Seems to have worked out for the most part. Tell us about some of the most challenging aspects you had to face in your career so far? Paying dues is easy, but Dealing with rapidly advancing technology in order to have the chance to be heard is the tricky part. “Road To Hell” has many transitions to the production. What were some of your inspirations and direct influences for this? Musically, Progressive rock from the 1970's. Rap is cool, but I find a lot of rap is tragically formulaic and discourages different song structures. I wanted to make something that made the listener feel as if they're being taken on a journey through hell which explains the multiple parts in the song. So each part in the song is a stage you go through on your way to hell. What was the major theme behind this record? The constant cycle of escaping and approaching and how it translates to everyday life. Some tracks talk about escaping certain situations and approaching new situations. Since this album is the last project I made in new jersey, I wanted to have it reflect various things I seen in nj during the transition period. Any exciting upcoming performances we can expect to see from Broken Pen? I have a few surprises planned for the next few quarters, but I feel as an artist you gotta sit back and let the art speak for itself and let the people Connect with Broken Pen on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/kingkatchikali Facebook: www.facebook.com/katchikalirecordings

Mauve is an up and coming artist from Toronto, Canada. She has a playful sound with influences from genres like RnB, tropical house and EDM. She began writing her own songs from the young age of 14, inspired by theatrical performances. Her songs boast over 350,000 streams on Spotify, and she is well known for her engaging and passionate live shows. In 2018 alone, Mauve performed over 30 shows across Ontario, one of which was a headlining performance at Toronto Pearson International Airport for YYZ Live. Mauve has also been nominated for “Best New Artist” at the 2018 Niagara Music Awards. She has been featured on a number of radio stations such as KCRW 89.9FM, CHUO FM, KSSU and KEXP FM. 2019 is not slowing down for Mauve with several performances scheduled just about every weekend from May to September, delivering her sound to thousands of fans across Ontario, Canada. Mauve gives credit to her hometown of Toronto for providing many outlets and opportunities to explore different styles of music through the vibrancy and diversity of the people who live there. “Come Around” is the latest single by Mauve. This song is immediately catchy and provides everything you would want from a good pop song. The production value is high and everything is polished to a very professional degree, with the beat providing the perfect backdrop for Mauve’s singing abilities. The vocals themselves are beautiful, with harmonies and background vocals providing great additional flavor throughout the song. The arrangement is second to none, with the beat dropping out at certain integral moments allowing the vocals to shine through. It isn’t all pop though, with some electric guitars shining through in brief moments. The synths definitely do not sound like your garden variety samples and this provides a welcome funky vibe that you don’t find in your everyday pop singer. Mauve has managed to create something special here, and we can pretty much guarantee you’ll want to get up and dance once you put this song on the stereo. You should check out “Come Around” today and experience the magic! Listen to "Come Around here and get to know more about Mauve below! Hey, thanks for chatting with us! Can you give us a bit of insight into your background and how you and music first crossed paths? I have always been a lover of all forms of art, because to me, there is no limit for what can move and inspire somebody. Of course the musical form of art is what stuck with me the most, and was constantly inspired by theatrical performances and musical growing up. I love the combination of various forms of art such as design and dance, and consider how these different forms will work into a piece of music I’m composing. From the age of 14, I started writing my own song and taught myself how to play the piano and guitar. I gradually started to make my own demos and posted them online to share them with people, and it was so rewarding getting feedback for what I was making on my own, which led me to start networking with other artists. You credit your hometown of Toronto for helping to shape you as an artist. Can you tell us what it is about Toronto that you love, musical or otherwise? There is so much creativity packed into this city, whether it's in music, visual arts, dance or other forms of media. I love being able to perform at artist showcases in the city because everyone is very supportive of each other and we are proud of our own distinct styles. There's no limit or judgement for what type of music you are creating, because there is a great appreciation for the diverse genres out there. It helped me to have more confidence in the blend of styles I wanted to create. Sometimes the mind can get in the way of creativity, so the energy of this city has helped me in trusting the process and dedicating the time towards making something even if you haven’t planned it out completely yet. Who would you say your biggest artistic influences are? For over a decade I have been a fan of 90s R&B music, especially the positive messages and smooth vocal harmonies delivered from TLC. The deep and emotional vocals of Amy Winehouse have played a huge influence on how I sing music. A Canadian singer named Amanda Marshall is also a big inspiration of mine because her vocals are so raw and strong and I think its so profound for artists to not hold back when they are sharing their music with others. She is similar to Sia who is also a powerhouse vocalist and puts so much heart and vulnerability into her lyrics. Can you walk us through your writing process? How do your songs get made? For me, it happens very organically because it has to first begins with something I am going through or inspired by, be it a positive or more tricky circumstance. I can’t really force myself to create a song without being driven by anything, so whenever a spark of inspiration comes by, I make sure to work on it to shape it into something tangible! Sometimes if a catchy melody or idea pops into my head at the most random moment, I record a bit of it on my phone so that I can go back to it later without losing it. Once that main structure of the song is complete, I use my software program and MIDI keyboard at home to lay out its components, and then send the demo to the producer I’m collaborating with to professionally record it. It’s so awesome hearing all the parts gradually come together. When creating a song, it is like you are an artist with a paintbrush, combining different colours together and layering them to set a scene for someone else to imagine. It’s like you are painting but with sounds. What can we hope to see from you in the future? I am working on an EP right now, and I will also release a new music video along with those new songs. This upcoming summer I am also performing at various outdoor festivals around Southern Ontario with my band. The whole environment has a strong positive energy and I have the best time performing live. Connect with Mauve on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/mauve.music Twitter: www.twitter.com/MusicbyMauve Facebook: www.facebook.com/musicbymauve

Born in Oregon to musical parents, Haley Johnsen is a singer-songwriter whose refreshingly ambient sound coupled with her unique and heartfelt lyricism is steadily making her a modern- day Bonnie Raitt. Haley first gained national recognition after a strong run on American Idol ,which spawned numerous exciting opportunities for her including opening for Sawyer Fredericks (2015 winner, The Voice) and headlining her first tour in Europe earlier this year. She has self-released two EPs namely, Through the Blue and When You Lit the Sky as well as a reputable catalogue of songs that showcase her multifaceted artistic persona. She recently released the first single and video for "Everything Comes Back Again", which is the lead single from her upcoming first full studio album and LP entitled Golden Days. The irrefutable talent of this diamond in a sea of rhinestones is evidenced in her moving ballad “Keep It Together”, which paints a message that is pleasantly reminiscent of the R.E.M. hit “Everybody Hurts”. The truth is when life gives us lemons, not all of us immediately make lemonade. The majority of us break down; we go through it, and the message that Haley so powerfully conveys is that we are not alone. We are all , in our own way, doing the best we can to “keep it together”. As humans , we are predisposed to second guess our worth and our purpose. Struggle is relative as is seen in how skillfully Haley illustrates different examples of different people trying to “piece it together” - the ingenious gist of it all being her subtle yet amazing ability to present varying struggles not as a way to segregate us but to bring us together.  The lush instrumentation and ethereal harmonies , the uplifting lesson and the vocal fluorescence of this mature soul make for a relaxed but potent track. Listen to "Keep It Together" here and get to know more about Haley Johnsen below! Hello Haley, lovely talking to you.  If you could use three words to describe Haley Johnsen the artist, what would they be and why? Hello! So great getting to chat with you! Three words that describe me would be: Determined- almost every song I write speaks of overcoming obstacles and coming out of something even stronger. Dynamic- I sing with emotion, paying attention to how each word should be sung, going from soft to powerful, doing my best to pull people into the feeling. Genuine- What you see is what you get. I don't feel the need to hide behind any smoke and mirrors and want people to feel seen and heard as I express my truest self. I want them to know that they are not alone in their struggles. “Keep It Together” is truly a beautiful song, borderline transcendent! What frame of mind were you in when you wrote this song? What inspired it? Thank you so much! I was sitting at my kitchen table the morning I wrote this song. I had recently woken up, later than I had hoped. Im' always so hard on myself when it comes to "doing enough" each day. I supposed the initial theme of the song was inspired by that. How we're all just trying to do our best, but we always have our shortcomings. Life is hard, arduous, complicated, and we are all just trying to keep ourselves, our bodies, minds, relationships together through it all. You have toured with Sawyer Fredericks, The Wind and The Wave and you’re about to tour with the band Joseph, how do you get in the frame of mind to perform in front of all the eager fans? What are some of your pre-show rituals? There is no real knowing how it is going to feel when you walk onto that stage. Every night, city, venue, audience is so different. I try not to get too in my head about how the energy will be, but I always try to make sure mine is calm. I like to have at least 10 minutes before a show to be alone and briefly run through my set with my guitar, noting transitions and when I want to say something. I breathe, I drink lots of water. No alcohol. And then, I just have to make the bold step to stand up there and make people feel something. NO PRESSURE! haha Which artist or producer would you be super excited to collaborate with and why? Brandi Carlile!! She is just...a boss. She's an artist AND producer, and has been one of my biggest inspirations since diving into music. She is just the real deal through and through and is 100% her authentic self. No BS. No trying to be something she's not. I just love her. Besides touring with the band Joseph, what’s next for Haley Johnsen? I will be releasing my debut full length LP titled Golden Days on May 24th! This Summer I am playing lots of shows of my own as well as some electronic festivals playing bass and backup vocals for a DJ named Big Wild! I love being able to play music even if it's something that challenges me in a different way. I have a lot of other exciting things coming up for my project, but I have to keep it a secret for now! ;) Connect with Haley Johnsen on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/haleyjohnsenmus Twitter: www.twitter.com/haleyjohnsenmus Facebook: www.facebook.com/haleyjohnsenmus

Lesedi Lofi is a musician based out of Hollywood, California. He draws influence from artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana and Eric Clapton. Throughout his youth, Ledesi took music classes and began to form his musical ideas. At the age of 18, Ledesi met producer Greg Townley by chance whilst busking in Hollywood. Following this meeting, Ledesi received an opportunity to record his first album, “Street Faces”. Townley set Ledesi up to record at the world famous East West Studios in Hollywood, and they successfully raised $15,000 on kickstarter to fund this project. Currently, Lesedi is working on a new EP which showcases his growth into his own unique style. “Break” is the latest single by Lesedi Lofi. This song is super catchy; the first thing you’ll notice is how great and natural sounding the groove is from the get go. The beat is punchy, the bass is nice and grounded, and the guitars are lush and rhythmic. All of this is the perfectly produced backdrop for Lesedi Lofi’s sincere and heartfelt vocals and lyrics. The overall energy of the song seems quite positive and sincere. The guitar solo is used to great effect, dividing up the song in the middle very nicely. The solo itself is simple, tasteful, and so effective. The arrangement of the song itself is nicely paced also, with some synth-like elements appearing towards the second half. The chorus then drops to a whisper and then builds up to the final chorus which acts as the climax to the song. Lesedi Lofi uses simplicity to his advantage here and has managed to create a song that is quite uplifting. We recommend you give “Break” a listen, as well as the rest of Lesedi Lofi’s EP! Listen to "Break" here and get to know more about Lesedi Lofi below! Thank you for answering a few of our questions! So to start off here, can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you took your first few steps into the musical world? My musical background is rooted in family and the church. My grandfather is a pastor and was actually a recording artist waaaayyyy back when. He taught my mother to sing who in turn taught me. As long as i or anyone else can remember i wanted to play guitar and sing. I got my first guitar at 13 and have been writing and performing original music since. I met Greg at 19 and recorded my first album at east west studios. After that ive been working closely with live ice house records to continue developing and releasing music and videos through their outlets. I had the honor to meet jared leto and work with 30 seconds to mars on their "city of angles". Can you talk a little bit about your writing process? How do you take your ideas and end up with a finished product? My writing process is largely a product of 2 things; meditation and raw emotion. Not exactly the Buddhist type: but moreso those moments of clarity in between chaos. Conversely, raw emotion and unbridled feelings usually spark the first lyrics or melody and gives me substance to reflect upon and refine. My writing process is relatable to a marble slab being chiseled. Here’s an interesting one for you. You’re on a desert island, and you can only listen to three artists for the rest of your life. Who are they and why? 3 artists forever? Fela kuti, queen, and stereolab just to keep it interesting. Fela kuti for the mornings, he was a great composer and a big influence to keep a nice rhythm in my music. Queen because...well.... QUEEN! Lol those guys won. Period. Case over, there will never be another band even close, queen rules the day. Lastly, the french- british funk jazx experimental band stereolab. Not a lot of people know of them and thats cool. However no-one is as unique, original, and badassas these cats. I love listening to then to be in a good mood before bed. Id have that island lit asf Your new single, “Break”, seems to have a very positive energy. Is this something you had worked out before, or does that mood just come naturally to your music? My music is melancholy, deceptively so. "Break" is actually a dark ass suicide ridden song lyrically. I tried to balance such a heavy load by writing overly poppy chord progressions, its a motif throughout the first album. Its like," yeah this really sucks, lets sing about it" lol. So i definitely think alot of the happy feeling waa planned. When i met with the producer Greg Townley, he caught that pretty quick and amplified it. The result is like chocolate covered chili pepper. It looks sweet until uou bite into it and taste the fire. What can we hope to see from Lesedi Lofi in 2019 and beyond? So 2k19 is my year. I got a whole new e.p. recorded being mastered and some really cool visuals. Between "BREAK" and now, I've had the pleasure of working with live ice house records for my A&R needs over the last few years. Using the resources and work ethic from their has shaped lesedi lofi into a legitimate force! Im excited to get all this awesome music out and hopefully tour. Connect with Lesedi Lofi on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/@lesedi_lofi Facebook: www.facebook.com/lesedilofi Twitter: www.twitter.com/lesedilofi

The next band we’re about to introduce is a two-piece rock band with a twist on your usual rock n’ roll style. Simplistic yet intricate is the word I would use to describe “This City Awaits". They faintly remind me of the rock scene we were exposed to in the early 2000’s—of course with the bands unique twist on the genre of alternative rock. This City Awaits is gaining some serious traction lately, and they’re not letting up any time soon. Ready to rock n’ roll with This City Awaits? We’re doing exactly that with their new single “Here Again”—a refreshing addition to the rock n’ roll genre we have today. The single starts off with an eclectic melody, but soon introduces the blaring guitar riffs and consistent, hard hitting bass. We’ve kept track of the band for a little bit, and their evolving sound is phenomenal. “Here Again” encompasses some pretty hard hitting guitar riffs as mentioned, which complements the lyricism introduced throughout the song. The song also maintains an underlying beat that pierces listeners ears (in a way where it’s the best way possible). This particular song has really resonated with me, as a rock n’ roll lover I couldn’t help but notice the modern day melodies This City Awaits blended with the typical sounds we hear from a good quality rock n’ roll track—a risky element to add I must say, however the band executes in perfectly. The originality in this new single isn’t lacking one bit. Listen to "Here Again" here and get to know more about This City Awaits below! Hi guys! Briefly introduce yourselves to our readers! Hey! We are This City Awaits from Dallas, TX. We like to play Rock&Roll and have fun on stage. Tell us how the two of you came together to create “This City Awaits”! Phillip: Darah started helping me on some of my acoustic music. If I remember correctly we played 2-3 shows together and then decided to start the band. Do you find song writing difficult in a duo? How do you two overcome challenges and contrasting ideas? Darah: I find song writing as a duo to be really helpful. The majority of the time i write lyrics and music for a song, demo it out and then show it to Phillip to see what his thoughts are. Some times nothing changes and some times there are some tweaks. There have also been times where i have music all lined up but can’t come up with lyrics so i will send it to Phillip and let him work his magic. It’s nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of. We tend to end up on the same page about everything. P: Working with Darah has become something I truly enjoy doing together. Challenges in the beginning were just keeping an open mind. I used to be quite possessive over an idea or lyrics. Learning to be open to changes have lead us to create something better than the original demo. It’s kind of become something I rely on now. She usually hears about an idea long before the demo is even put together. What is your vision for “This City Awaits” long-term? P: long term goals are to grow locally. I want to be able to play in Dallas and not only put on a great show but have a good draw. D: I just want to keep making music in whatever ways can. I would love for it to be something I could dedicate to full time because it is something I love and a big part of who i am. If you could feature one artist on your next single, who would it be? P: I love the band Thrice. To get to write a song or sing along with Dustin Kensrue from Thrice would be incredible and an honor. D: I am such a huge fan of The Veronicas. I love how they dabble in a lot of different genres and styles. I would personally be over then moon to work with them in any way. What's next for you? D: We are just going to be putting out as much music as soon possible. We want to keep momentum going. P: I’ve recently started working on an EP that I want us to release by the end of summer if everything goes according to plan. Im considering the idea of making it more like a concept where all the songs tell a story together. I’m not sure yet, but we’ll see what happens. Connect with This City Awaits on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/thiscityawaits Facebook: www.facebook.com/thiscityawaits

Chainge Picasso has already made groundbreaking moves with his camera work but they call him Picasso for being a creator. He’s been involved in music since he was the tender grade of 6, playing the saxophone. Born to a hardworking single mother, he always had to work to prove himself. Whether it was DJing, Photography, or music production, Chainge Picasso flourishes in simply creating art. Chainge Picasso released his single titled called “Chainge”, the background beat has a melodic and story-like vibe that reminded me of beats from major lyricists like Jcole, Kendrick, Chance The Rapper, etc. Chainge’s vocals and bars are poetically inversive which makes him a lyrical MC instead of delivering an energetic, trap song. “Chainge” will be categorized in the plethora of consciously woke rap music with substantial rap lyrics. However, the record still presents the hype energy needed to make the song a bop. “Chainge” is an inevitable hit in my eyes and it’s bringing back a missing factor in today’s rap! In my opinion, rap music is at its peak right now with a clouded mix of multiple genres, genders, and styles. However, the lyrical geniuses and meaningful hip-hop records are essentially at its low and there’s room for artists like Chainge Picasso who can find the perfect blend between the two. Chainge Picasso knows how to songwrite due to his background in creating art. He has the ear for music and it’s reflected in his record “Chainge”. This is a great song to add to your vibe playlists from a masterful lyricist who knows how to make his sound presentable and digestible to all ends of the rap spectrum! Listen to "Chainge" here. Chainge Picasso! It's great to chat with you! Can you tell us a bit about yourself? ​I would take up the whole interview talking about myself lol. The crazy part is most people in the world rather you hate yourself than to love yourself. I didn't learn that until a few years ago. But I'm just guy thats been proving people wrong my whole life. The Dr even told my mother she couldn't have kids so I've basically been proving people wrong since the day i was born. I grew up on the coastal area of NC. I got in to music through school and the middle school band and that evolved into what we have today. I've been a music artist since 13 years old, a DJ since 16 years old, and a photographer/cinematographer since i was 21 years old. I'm 30 now so yea its been a very long grind to get to this level. How has your upbringing with musical instruments benefit your style and sound today? Well honestly by getting into band in the 6th grade by the time i was seriously rapping i had already skipped a few "classes" such as finding a flow/cadence, or know how to count a beat or understand bpm's. Band was advance placement calculus when you think about it lol. I'm a nerd too, sorry not sorry! Who are some of your musical influences that have helped shape your career in music and whereyou are today? Well that depends on the layer of it. Looking back now i could say my older cousin who was like a brother to me started my interest because he introduced me to music in general. The first time i heard of the word "freestyle" was him telling my mom he could "freestyle about anything" and started rhyming about the orange he saw on the table. I was immediately fascinated. You see, back then i was still young, like around 6 or 7 so my mom was NOT letting me listen to rap or r&b. She was heavy in church and she had me right along with her lol. But if you're talking about industry wise then i would definitely have to give it to Lil Wayne. Wayne changed my life and made start the journey of getting into the industry. It was the way he could play off of words and rhyme words you didn't even know could rhyme. He show the limitless possibilities to the art of rhythm and flow. I remember after the Carter 1 came out everyone grew dreads and became gang members and even got all the tats like he would have. I was big Wayne fan you could not tell me nothing different. Still to this day too lol the Carter 5 is still on the playlist. Love your new track! Can you tell us about the creation process of "Chainge"? Yes well for the first decade of my music career I was performing and DJ'ing under the moniker G$Money Da General. I mean it was fun while it while it was fun but it just didn't fit to who I became in my adult life. By the time was 26 I had a kid and a girlfriend that I expect to spend my whole life with so the music that I was known for I couldn't let my daughter listen and honestly it just wasn't in my heart and started to be against my moral. I took 2 years off from music, not completely because i wrote music everyday, but publicly. I stopped DJ'ing for people (I only spin in my private loud room at home) and i went on a self-discovering journey through life. On that journey I realized that people are influenced, or for sake of people's feelings, inspired (staying politically correct) by my ambition, my work ethic, and my perseverance. They would either "start rapping" or they would finally go after the dream they been having their whole life but never had their will spark. Another thing i found was that my music subject began to change. The music became more personable to who i became. I was a work horse and i learn that you can achieve anything you set your eyes on if you go do it. The music i made started to manifest in my life; change! I simply put the letter "i" in the middle of the word partly inspired by the Strainge family. Their story was one that i studied in my upbringing in hip-hop and if you don't who they are then you should do your homework but the father has been behind artist from drake to maroon 5 so yeah. But the main reason was that I put the "i" in change. Whether its through inspiration or manifestation I truly believe I bring "Change" hence the name of my brand and song "Chainge". Picasso is just because I have such a wide body of artistic ability. What’s next for you through 2019? What's next? Man honestly just never stopping. The thing that held me back the most is being unsure of myself and if it really counted at what i was doing. Instead i just go balls to the wall so-to-speak. Nothing can stop me now and nothing will. Life is full of ups and downs but you have to keep marching. So again, what's next? Bigger and better everything. I'm going until I can't go any more!​ Connect with Chainge Picasso on social media Instagram: www.instagram.com/chaingepicasso Twitter: www.twitter.com/chaingepicasso www.youtube.com/channel/UCnyNiGLIGJDVxgjW71Ptq3w

TJ Taylor, more popularly known as ABC Young’N, is a Southern State rapper who is steadily making a name for himself in the Hardcore Rap genre by unabashedly vocalizing his truth. Born and raised in the treacherous streets of Prichard, Alabama, Young’N found solace from his violent upbringing by opening his heart to music. At age seven, he began putting pen to paper and eventually went on to record a slew of hard-hitting, catchy songs. Young’N’s “Spinning Blocks” is an unapologetically gritty look at the urban experience in dangerous communities and solid reminder of how crucial it is to stay alert at all times when “in the hood”. It is an in depth analysis of gang culture - a dangerously delicious exposé on the seismically active -yet often ignored-violence in many inner-city communities. The song’s instrumentation demands our attention, but it is the cleverly-constructed lyrics that relentlessly challenges our consciousness. Young’N’s vocal and lyrical delivery allow us to delve into the perspective of a young hustler who is trying to make it despite all the naysayers around him. We are ,in fact, almost compelled to sympathize with the song’s persona rather than condemn him for his vehemently violent intentions. This song epitomizes the notion of staying alive by any means necessary in a society where only a select few make it out unscathed. “Spinning Blocks” is not a track about killing for clout ; it is an inadvertent social commentary on the rationale behind the actions of young men growing up in harsh realities. This entrancing and funky tune absolutely has that Japanese culture feel to it. With so many different layers scattered throughout this song, it gives real depth to the track and helps with the emphasis ABC Young’N puts on the lyrics. He is able to emulate his emotions extremely well through each lyric, and has a very unique style to the tone of this vocals. With lines like “You don’t need a parachute, let my love carry you home” you can really feel that this is almost a sort of love song, describing how he would support his partner and love them. It really is touching to hear the different ways that love can be presented through music and this track has a certain finesse that makes it unlike any other ballad you would hear. I personally enjoyed the flow of beats in the track and how each different sound blends so seamlessly together to create such a lively song. If you are looking for an out there song that is bringing in a new style to modern music that is hauntingly good, then look no further because ABC Young’N has you covered. Give a listen to Spinning Blocks here, and scroll below for ABC Young’N exclusive interview! ABC Young’N, thank you for speaking with us! Tell me a bit about yourself. How did you come by the name ABC Young’N? My name is Tj, I’m only 16, I got the name abc Young’N from Scarface-- in the movie everything was about money, it feel like life is all about money. If you don’t have money, you can’t do nothing, if you don’t have money you not important, ain’t nothing free in life and if it is it still come with a cost so I feel like life all bout cash so that’s what I based my name off of. It is no secret what spinning blocks means in popular culture. What was the inspiration behind the lyrics of this song? Spinning blocks was just a song I did in like a day cause I had a show in New Orleans but the meaning behind the lyrics is I’m really out here living what I Rap I had some problems and people was dissing and talking about me so I took all the anger I had and put it in spinning blocks to let people know I really do this I ain’t scared of nothing and I won’t back down from nobody and I spoke on a small situation in the song basically the meaning behind it is if you play me like I’m scary then that’s something ima handle . How has your upbringing impacted your artistic vision? I been thru a lot in life my sister died , both of my brothers got killed , I watched   my loved ones do drugs, family steal from me, I done been robbed , shot at , my momma lost me at a young age to drugs and my daddy in prison I live with a adopted family  like I really had to get it from nothing so I just started putting all my pain in words on paper and then when I was 7 I tired to rap in the studio and after that I felt like I can really do this so I just kept with it and I’m not stopping I got a baby to take care of I can’t give up I’m doing everything I can to take care of him and live for him. You said NBA Youngboy & Jaydayoungan are two of your idols. Why is that? How has their artistic delivery helped you to hone your craft? Ima start of with NBA Youngboy , Youngboy is the one I really look up too. Songs like “Life” and  “alotta miles” and “For it” are some of the songs I can relate too. He make me feel like I can really make it with this rapping. And when he speak on what he going thru I relate so much it’s crazy , I’m not saying we had the same life growing up but most of the stuff he went thru I did and it’s crazy that’s why I listen to him so much. And he blew up big at 16 he one of the most hardest rappers out right now so I look up to him . With jaydayoungan I just like how he jump on the beat and ride it like that man so hard so I hone my craft from them cause the delivery jaydayoungan And youngboy bring to the best is crazy everybody say “They never make a bad song “ I want people to say the same thing g bout me so I respect them for what they doing. What can we hope to see from ABC Young’N in the future? I’m working On A Mixtape Called “Vision Of A Menace” And I Got Some singles on the way soon hopefully I can blow up soon cause I’m grinding so hard and I’m ready for everything to pay off Catch up with ABC Young’N via the artists socials: Instagram Twitter

Tess Dunn, known as T3TRA, is a 24 year-old female artist who is currently making an impact in the pop/electro genre. Although young, T3TRA has spent countless hours on the execution of her music style, as well as notable time on curating songs. This artist definitely isn’t new to the game—T3TRA has recorded and toured her music since her early teenage years, being quite the novice in the independent artist game. If I had to compare T3TRA’s unique style to any other artist, I would have to say I definitely pick up some of Halsey’s independent music vibes (the melody and voice are crazy alike). T3TRA’s most recent album “Lightswitch” is a fresh take on the electro sound we all love to hear, especially  right around the time of summer. T3TRA’s most recent single “Angels Wings” is a refreshing take on modern electro-pop genre. T3TRA contributes to the fairly more prominent category we’re seeing in music nowadays in the most complementing way. This track catches your attention with underlying upbeat tempo present throughout. T3TRA then adds her skillful lyricism shortly after the track begins, and kills the execution. In my opinion, “Angels Wings” also explores an underlying theme of lust—it makes you feel sultry, yet jubilant. Electro-pop songs always make me want to dance along, and T3TRA’s single wasn’t any different, it definitely had me moving along to it. The best songs are those that immediately compel you to move along with the beat—T3TRA definitely captured this aspect perfectly in “Angels Wings”. A catchy song no doubt, and for sure a single I’m adding to my 2019 summer playlist! Add “Angels Wings” to your playlist here, and scroll below for T3TRA’s personalized interview! Hey T3TRA! How’ve you been since your single release? Hey there! I’ve been busy and good. Angel’s Wings is racking up streams on Spotify, which is super exciting. And I’m proud of the music video, though I’ve been so busy that I haven’t totally promoted it, which is kind of embarrassing to admit. But once I get on that, I’m excited to see how it’s received! Tell us about the process of writing “Angels Wings”. Was your vision for the song clear throughout the process? I wrote the first version of Angel’s Wings two years ago on ukulele  It had an extra verse and an extra chorus, and the melody for the verses was different. I left it for awhile and then rewrote it six months later, and I immediately knew it had to be released somehow. I sent it over to my producer, Jake Ward, and basically said “do what you want with it as long as it has this vibe, send it to me, and I’ll tell you what I think.” He killed it on the first try. It wasn’t originally on the EP, actually. It was added at the very last minute. “Angels Wings” is an incredibly catchy song! What made you drawn towards the electro-pop genre? Thank you! Well, I started listening to more Halsey, Tove Lo, Lana Del Rey’s “Born to Die,” Robyn, and I was super drawn to it. It made me want to dance and sing my heart out. I had been going by my actual name for seven years and had been doing pop rock, and it just wasn’t inspiring me or making me happy anymore. So I decided to switch to what was really making me happy, and it’s been incredible. I love this genre so much. If you could reproduce version of “Angels Wings” featuring one artist who would it be? Oh man. Halsey. For sure. I think her vocals would fit perfectly. She’s been a HUGE inspiration to me. Are you planning on releasing more music this year? Yes! I’m releasing music videos for the final two songs on the EP first. But I’ve got a LOT of new music coming out this year. I have about 10 songs backlogged, and I am so ready to get it out there and hear what people think! I’m proud of this work. I’m in a really good place right now, doing my best to take over the world. Connect and stay updated with T3TRA via the artists website and socials: Instagram Twitter