Latest Posts

Eat Greedy G – “Where I’m At”

September 22, 2025

Dallas rapper Eat Greedy G pairs his southern drawl delivery with the throwback 2000s production of Ziggy Made It for a memorable new number from the D. Cash Money brass and Zaytoven piano anchor the beat while G brings you to his world. Rapping on the hook, “Never gotta ask me where I’m at, 9 times out 10 I’m somewhere trying to get a check” G speaks to his grind while also highlighting his extracurriculars. Sometimes it’s mixing substances, other times it’s stealing your girl. Not much you can do about it. It’s a throwback piece of braggadocio that always sounds dope when you have a delivery that G does. Best listened to on a burnt disc. “Where I’m At” is a key single off of Eat Greedy G‘s latest release, I Signed MySelf featuring more southern influence across G’s vocal delivery and through the awesome production work of Ziggy Made[...]

Oliver Munch – “Ciggy Water”

September 18, 2025

Glitches, bloops and off-kilter rhythms form the contents of Aussie producer Oliver Munch’s latest track “Ciggy Water.” I’m not saying that sounds appetizing, but it might quench your thirst. Munch channels these abstract sounds into a track that feels casual and profound. Did I just have the best night of my life, or was it just another night with my friends? Maybe those are the same things. I accidentally just ashed my cigarette into your drink – that’s my bad. Add “Ciggy Water” to your instrumental playlists and decide for yourself what night it’s the soundtrack to. If you’re into Munch’s output, give him a listen on Spotify. For more exciting new artists, check out our Underground and Emerging Hip Hop playlist and find your next favorite track.

Whit. – “potion”

September 18, 2025

St. Louis rapper Whit. is a fan of the double entendre. Firstly, his artist name of course hints at the depth of his lyricism. But the wordplay doesn’t stop with his latest single, “potion,” which features an assist from the baritone vocals of Khiro Kano. The highlight of this track is the infectious chorus, where Whit. bounces on syllables with a rhythm that gets your head noddin.’ Trash can drums create an old school DIY feel on production, matching the stream of conscious delivery steaming from Whit.’s microphone. If you’re into Whit.’s latest, check out his SoundCloud account. He’s also on Spotify, where you can also find him featured on our Underground and Emerging Hip Hop playlist, updated weekly if not daily. whit. · potion w/ Khiro Kano

Austin Martin – “WOLF OF BACKSTREETS”

September 16, 2025

“A new den every week – you know the wolf’s gotta eat.” The leader of the “cowboy beats” pack, Montana singer/rapper/cowpoke Austin Martin‘s got an ear for beats that make you wanna tip your hat, and a refined songwriting pen that makes his singles feel more expertly crafted with each listen. His latest effort, “WOLF OF BACKSTREETS”  lays down line after line of wordplay, barely ever steering away from the song’s subject. You’ll be bought in fully to the wolf lines by the time the chorus hits a second time, curious where else he can take it. Martin and co. leverage an “mmm” vocal sample and picky guitar to add some warm twang to the track, and couple it with trap drums to really ramp up the bang. Bump this one while the summer’s still hanging on. If you like how the howl sounds, give more of Austin a listen[...]

King Royal ft. AZ Chike- “How Deep”

September 8, 2025

Inland Empire native King Royal has a bit of a menace in the delivery of his introduction to his latest single, “How Deep.” There’s no doubt that Royal is the adult in the room when he snarls “This a grown man game” to kick off the winding single, but I’m not sure if he’s got his audience’s best intentions. Warped piano keys meet Royal’s barks, and a booming bass grounds you in the streets he’s reporting from. “It’s a 19 like Raja Bell.” AZ chimes in for the second verse, comfortable conducting business in the chaos of the beat. “How Deep’s” also got a highly memorable call and response beat that take this track over the top. Add this to your driving playlists while the weather permits. If you’re into Royal and AZ Chike’s collaboration, head over to Spotify and give them a follow. While you’re there, check out our[...]

Kibby – “on my self”

September 6, 2025

Columbus up-and-comer Kibby only needs 1:25 to make an impressive first impression with his newest single, “on my self.” Bass knocks right away while Kibby drops venom-laced lyrics, sounding like a Midwest Denzel Curry. The title of the track comes from his self-confidence in acquiring all these damn riches. Big bank take lil bank, better rich than sorry, shit like that. Kibby’s crafted a swagger-filled single that’ll fit in right alongside your other hype rap tracks. The production pairs a booming bottom half with some delightful sprinkles of soulful vocals. Check out more from Kibby on Spotify, and while you’re there give our Emerging Hip Hop playlist a spin.

Stevie Bellard – “motion”

September 6, 2025

Repping his Yeniche roots, independent hip hop artist Stevie Bellard flexes his ear for melodies and knack for sharp lyrics on his latest track, “motion.” “The Gypsy Prince” picks up influences from all over the road, citing acts like Tupac, Chris Stapleton, and Stevie Wonder in the same breath. At the same time, he stays true to his heritage on “motion,” kicking off the track with the line “I’m a traveler.” This line and many others throughout the track have weight, double entendres, and more as Stevie pours heart into his pen. This track has a motivational, radio-ready sound to it and a low melodic hook that comes from the clouds to get caught in your ear. You can listen to more from Stevie Bellard on Spotify and can hear “motion” on our Underground Hip Hop playlist.

american storyteller music

American Storyteller Music – “Livin’ it up in Chi Town”

September 6, 2025

Close your eyes and get transported to the windy shores of Chicago with the latest track from American Storyteller Music, “Livin’ it up in Chi Town.” The ambient study beats track pulls in the sights and sounds of Chicago. The Storyteller pairs fuzzy piano and saxophone with area references, taking us on a tour through neighborhoods and down streets. Lake Michigan looms line by line, and the soulful hook ensures your feet feel grounded in the shoes of a Chicagonite. The artist is heading an ambitious web project, Songs Across America, that identifies songs tied to regions and cities throughout the U.S. You can find “Livin’ it up in Chi Town” on here, and explore other parts of the country and the art that reflects them. You can also find it on our Underground and Emerging Hip Hop playlist on Spotify – updated every single week.

Manwolves + CRASHprez – “keep your focus!”

August 31, 2025

Two risers in the Chicago music scene combine forces for a cheery lil’ banger in the form of this new track “keep your focus!” Together, the “five regular dudes” of contemporary indie rock band Madwolves and effervescent windy city rapper CRASHprez are “CRASHwolves.” Their joint effort, “keep your focus!” takes the best of both sides – Manwolves expertly-crafted groovy guitar strums are the bubbly underbelly for CRASHprez’s town holler pronouncements. The wolves handle some hook work after Presidente’s catchy verses on this track that takes us back to the blog rap era. An indie rock hook with sharp underground rap on the verses fueled mine and many others’ souls for like 3 years in the early 2010s. And on this track, we get a verse from Manwolves too to really take it over the top. Give this a listen and check it out on our underground hip hop playlist, updated[...]

Javy XI ft. Toneyboi – “Shooter McGavin”

August 23, 2025

Orlando emcee Javy XI (ex-I) connects with Buffalo mainstay ToneyBoi for a fluttery new boom bap single that didn’t make the Happy Gilmore sequel, and that’s probably for the best. “Shooter McGavin” has a timeless sound built on brass. Trumpets pace each rapper as they serve bars “from Orlando to Buffalo.” The energy generated from that production fuels Javy and Toney – the veteran rappers match charisma verse for verse. Toney gets a Buffalo namedrop in on his crispy verse on the back half of the song as he enjoys the variety of flows he can test out on this tight beat. “Shooter” is a standout from Javy’s latest release, We’ve Become the OGs…Now What?, boasting a tracklist of more thoughtful wordplay and heavy on the soul sampling – a great pair if you ask me. Listen to more from Javy and Toneyboi on Spotify – while you’re there, check[...]

Ruste Juxx – “Cruisin”

August 22, 2025

Brooklyn rapper Ruste Juxx is the “James Brown of the Underground,” and he’s leading with the darker side of James’ personality. His latest track, “Cruisin” is a reminder of the gangsta mindset that guides Juxx through his day-to-day. Whether he’s talking about his shares of the profit, his henchmen, or why he’s actually out for a joyride (“Talkin’ to the cops like a snitch, [now] you in the trunk!”), street authenticity seeps through every line of pen. The atmosphere Juxx creates with his bars stretches into production too -There’s a really dope panning effect on the hook here that makes you feel like you might be the one stuck in the truck while Juxx and his partners conduct some business around the car. Extra details like this make “Cruisin” a highly memorable single from a veteran of the scene. “Cruisin” kicks off the ONCE UPON A CRIME EP from Juxx where[...]

Nando Smoove and CAV – “Reparations”

August 19, 2025

Brooklyn’s Nando Smoove has his own ideas for reparations: “Fuck a piece, we want the whole world. To be better for these boys and girls.” His macro mindset is reflected in the lyrics of his latest single, “Reparations,” where Smoove and featured artist CAV discuss societal and cultural figures that have impacted the African-American experience. Where can they stack up with their impact? Is all cultural impact positive? Michael Jordan, B.I.G. and even Jerry Stackhouse get brought to the discussion on this highly introspective conscious hip hop track. If you’re into “Reparations,” take a listen to Nando Smoove and CAV on Spotify. You’ll find both of these artists on our Underground and Emerging Hip Hop playlist – updated every single week.

Louis Davis, Jr. – “ROOTIN'”

August 18, 2025

“You know all the answers, you ain’t gotta ask.” This line kicks off Bay Area wordsmith Louis Davis Jr.’s latest track single – an uplifting, motivational, and supportive banger in “ROOTIN.'” Louis’ verses tie back to the title of the track, assure his audience that answers lie within, and sacrifice and commitment are the keys to growth. You can’t expect to reach the top without laying the groundwork, and “ROOTIN'” reminds the audience that the grind starts before the shine starts. The double entendre here is that roots are essential starting points for success, and that Louis is rooting for his friends, enemies, and community to apply the learnings he shares on the track. Warm orchestral strings and heaven-sent keys pace the production here – matching the righteous tone that Louis delivers throughout the track, especially on the spoken word section in the back half of the track. If “ROOTIN'”[...]

Melanchro – “Pain Playground”

August 17, 2025

Up-and-coming cloud/emo rapper Melanchro values a good melody. The earworm chorus of his latest track, “Pain Playground,” rightfully dominates the 1:35 runtime of the track. Melanchro’s earnest and emotional pleas to himself get masked by vocals that expertly tap the catchy snarls of the 2000s emo-pop scene. In spite of its catchiness and in reference to its title, “Pain Playground sees the artist stuck on the merry-go-round of heartbreak, and he’s “pretending nothing’s hurting me, but that lie cuts way too deep.” You’ll be putting this one on repeat to get another taste of that hook. The LED Gengar constellation cover art goes hard as hell, too. Take a listen to this one on Spotify, and catch some more alternative hip hop tracks on our Emerging Hip Hop playlist.

Cerdarious and antonenow. – “GET RIGHT”

August 12, 2025

Compton artist Cerdarious teams up with the balaklava-clad rapper antonenow. for a tight new track, “GET RIGHT.” Clarity, motivation, and optimism pace the pens of each of these artists. Over two rapid-fire verses (with a literally breathtaking verse coming first), Cerdarious and antonenow. encourage friends and listeners to take a beat and trust the process, and stay focused. Life’s too short to get caught up, as referenced with lines like “I hope you live your life to the fullest and don’t regret it.” But a little extra money would help too, and both artists take a line to be realistic about that.  “GET RIGHT’s” beat is a hidden star, boasting a beautiful vocal sample that sounds like someone just put some money in a jukebox. If you’re feeling this track and want to hear more from these alternative hip hop artists, be sure to check out both Cerdarious and antonenow.[...]