“Purple Wall Street” might be the coolest name for a hip hop duo I’ve heard in a while. Despite few releases and being fairly new to the scene (under that name anyway,) the artists definitely have the flow and skills of seasoned veterans. Clearly they have a lot of experience and know what they’re doing music wise. This project has a good chance for success. “Whateva” is a good crisp and clear rap song. The rhymes are delivered potently and distinctly. The track is also very well mixed, with the vocals out front where they should be and the backing music providing some epic atmosphere.

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/purplewallstreet/

Check out their Youtube and Soundcloud for more info and solid jams.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWH9qfSFS4LL79lTd0Y02RQ

Florida based rapper Wifi Savage has a new track out, released in may titled “Put Her On.” It comes across as a pretty straightforward, hip hop club jam, featuring lyrics about lifestyle and parties. There are relationship undertones to the woman being discussed, indicating she’s a hustler and can’t be trusted. The song itself is actually very catchy and would have some potential in pop circles. I’m not a big fan of vocal processing effects, but they have become fairly standard in this genre and in this case the voice acts as another instrument, which complements the song rather well. “Put Her On” is a solid effort by Wifi Savage, one that is worth checking out. It’s one of those songs that would be an easy hit if it had the backing of major labels. It doesn’t though, so Savage will have to work his way up the hard way.

Listen to Wifi Savage on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/track/2swYGmHJFN64NEBuYFZTXh

On Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llu8xP1Pq6E

ANDI’s debut single, “Lonely Child” reached top 5 on the popular Taiwanese OMusic charts last year. The artist believes that he needs to fully liberate his soul in order to be a true artist that he is. He has stripped down to show his body for promoting his new single.

ANDI’s music is a mix of piano, acoustic, folk and pop. His songs are notable for their raw emotion. He belts out these tracks with a passionate tone, his vocal presence carrying the song over the chill and brooding piano melodies in the background. His new single is sure to be a success.

http://www.andiyoung.com

Bronx based, underground hip hop artist John J has released a new album, “Pain to Power.” Being more of a fan of old school hip hop than most contemporary styles, it was a pleasant surprise to discover that John J’s music has a very 90’s vibe, especially in his delivery…which is at faster moments is sometimes reminiscent of Bone Thugs. He also doesn’t make the mistake that modern rappers make by overdoing the effects and processing. This album has some potential. The songs are very dynamic and have a lot of coordinate elements. You can tell this wasn’t just thrown together.

On Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/1x0qitQC8Tx5ub1IxrREC9
http://www.johnj.win/
http://soundcloud.com/johnj506

New Orleans based artist 1stDegree’s has a new EP titled “DDay” out. He has one of those delivery styles that is laid back and unassuming, yet you can tell he means business. There are some memorably classic lines like “y’all stick to that JNCO.” What I like about these tracks is the backing music, which has a delightful chimy tone to it. They are very smooth and retains just the right amount of analog tape hiss to give the album a bit of an old school flavor. These mixes are extremely well put together, and 1stDegree has a professional and distinctive style that will have appeal with a wide variety of listeners.

http://www.datpiff.com/1stDegree-D-day-mixtape.859594.html

New single/video out from artist Andrea Chiapparo, featuring Max Kleinz and produced by Cosmophonix. Video quality is very impressive and professional, with actors helping to convey the mood of the song through brief romantic interludes. It also incorporates some incredible sky views and ocean scenery. The song has a light and poppy, 90’s style dance beat and an overall bright tone to it. It’s a pretty cool summertime dance track.

Hussy, an alternative rock artist from Boston and signed to Pace Recordz, has a new single out titled, “Karen.” In the song Hussy refers to Karen as an “old friend,” but it seems clear from the lyrics that they were more than just pals. The music has a very 90’s alternative feel to it and would not have been out of place on a Party of Five or Melrose Place soundtrack. Hussy’s vocals do an excellent job of carrying the song, which is very minimalist. The tone is sometimes reminiscent of groups like Sebadoh or Modest Mouse. This is a terrific track and certainly not what I was expecting from an artist that goes by the name “Hussy.”

http://www.pacerecordz.com/

JP.Kazadi’s debut single is a surprisingly positive and uplifting song that instructs you to “Keep pushing on” through adversity. The video utilizes a lot of bleak and depressing everyday imagery, the kind we can all relate to when we just don’t know if it’s worth it to get out of bed and leave the house. It is very subtle though. The combination of the slow pacing of the song and upbeat message is highly effective. There’s no phony cheerfulness and fake smiles here, just a guy going through the daily grind and continuing to pursue his dreams. JP is a good singer and brings with him an authenticity that’s rare to see in these times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXyIUQ0Ea9I

https://soundcloud.com/jp-kazadi

Hip hop artist NatStar’s new track “GIMME” is a fast paced ride all the way through. The video for this song was “shot directed and edited by EE Clark.”  NatStar’s jams have gotten him a rather large following on youtube for an indie artist.  Stylistically, “GIMME” is mostly just straightforward contemporary hip hop, although it has elements of soul and a pretty sweet electronic backing. NatStar’s quick delivery and larger than life personality helps to drive the song where he wants it to go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CUkqUU7YjE

Artists like Zehero and his co-collaborators are helping to keep the Flint, Michigan hip hop scene thriving.  One of their latest tracks is “Whoa,” which has some rather memorable opening lines to say the least. This is a good clean recording and stylistically it is crisp but chill.  The rapping in some parts has a very organic quality to it, almost like they were recording freestyle. Also notable is that they do a good job matching the tone of the delivery with the “spacey” backing music. This is apparently all part of Zehero’s aptly titled mixtape “Spaced Out 2,” (the sequel to Spaced Out.) These jams are sure to keep you entertained.

https://soundcloud.com/zehero-1/zehero-whoa-prod-penacho