“Kickin’ Shit”(ft. CityBoyNarley and Produced by AdamOnTheTrack) is the opening track off CityBoySizzle’s EP, Just a City Boy. It’s a very creative and esoteric jam that begins as a kind of sample collage and then slowly transforms into a more straightforward hip hop song. The backing beat has a hypnotic chime to it. CityBoySizzle has a great sense of timing, and the interplay with the backing vocals is well done, giving the song another dimension of complexity. “Kickin Shit” is laid back, mellow and pleasant to listen to. It still has enough of a kick that you can dance to it.

For more info:
http://www.cityboysizzle.com/
twitter: @whoissizzle
instagram: @whoissizzle
facebook: cityboysizzle
snapchat: @whoissizzle

Hailing from Port Arthur, TX, hip hop artist Earl the Monarch released his first album in February of 2017 titled, Pain On the Rocks. He is slated to release a new album, This Will All Be a Memory, and one of the jams set to appear on it is “Hold Ya Head” (featuring Elan Noelle.) Producer LWilliams gives the track a clean, pro sound. Everything in the mix is right where it should be.

Earl the Monarch has a laid back, conversational delivery style and relatable persona. His lyrics are substantive and tell a story rather than relying on flash, ego and gimmickry. The video for Hold Ya Head (shot by Team Rich Visuals) provides context. The interesting thing about Hold Ya Head is it features Earl the Monarch confidently giving words of encouragement and helpful romantic advice to a depressed female over the telephone. At the end of the song though, he arrives outside her apartment only to find that she is opening the door for another man who has brought her flowers. He puts his head down briefly, and we realize that he too is going through a struggle and must hold his head up.

Earl the Monarch wisely defies a lot of hip hop stereotypes and cliches and in the process manages to make a genuine connection with the listener.

For more info:
https://soundcloud.com/earl_themonarch

Hip hop artist “Maid” has an assertive new track out titled, Straight Action. It has a full sound, and Maid’s delivery maintains it’s intensity throughout. Like the title suggests, the song’s protagonist sticks to handlin biz and has no patience for any nonsense or chumps. He “feels like it’s his last night” and lives as though it should be action packed. Maid has some solid rap skills and gives a charismatic performance. This is not a jam for laid back chillin or the sentimental but for the focused and determined individual with a take no prisoners attitude toward living life.

Available on iTunes:
https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/dronicle/1232794346?mt=1&app=music

The Band of the Hawk and Houey Freeman, (a Hip Hop producer formerly known as Ash Ra,) have released a debut single Dirty Dollars (Reloaded.) It’s a collaborative effort which features several artists: Breeze, Yeaux Majesty, Noah Archangel and J Hope. This single is set to appear on an upcoming LP titled Godbody Jones.

The synth backing on Dirty Dollars (Reloaded.) gives it a kind of dreamy cerebral quality. The rappers on this track are stellar, with on point timing and a flow that never seems awkward. Even with multiple voices and personalities, the song stays the course and doesn’t go all schizophrenic. There are also some memorable choice lines such as “Like my whip clean when I’m riding dirty.” This song is more proof of the budding new hip hop scene that is rising out of these young collective efforts.

For more info:

http://www.bandofthehawk.com/
http://facebook.com/noahofhtx

http://www.youtube.com/BandoftheHawkTV

Twitter & IG: @noahofhtx @houeyfreeman @mickeybreeze83 @kingofhtx

Jo Oliver is a one man band in the most literal sense. A veteran musician, he sings and plays all the instruments on his latest single, Shine On (You) and he does it with a great deal of enthusiasm. The energy he displays in his performance is infectious, and it’s almost impossible not to like this guy. Jo Oliver hams it up for the camera and has a ball, all while managing to play all his instruments very well. Shine On (You) is a little bit of rock, mixed with funk and soul. He certainly puts his soul into making these recordings and it shows.

For more info:

https://www.jooliver.net/english/media/1-single-shine-on/

https://www.jooliver.net/