Happy Sunday everyone! I hope everyone has had a productive week and a relaxing weekend! The weather is definitely getting colder and gloomier now so it’s the perfect time to bring out the winter vibes playlist. This is the kind of weather I usually listen to even more R&B, slow jams, softer music in general. As always, I’ve created a playlist reflecting this season and will be adding more and more music as the days go on. Here are some of the songs I’ve added to the playlist recently.
Pardison Fontaine – By Myself
This is one of my favourite Pardison Fontaine songs! Before being known as Meg Thee Stallion’s boyfriend, Pardi already established himself as a successful writer and artist. If you haven’t heard his music before, I suggest starting with this song and working your way backwards! He’s very talented.
Yung Bleu Ft. Kehlani – Beautiful Lies
I can never seem to get tired of this song! Such a beautiful combination of voices! Kehlani never misses on features and Yung Bleu just has the perfect voice for songs.
Drake Ft. Lil Durk & Giveon – In the Bible
I feel CLB was one of those albums that you had to sit on. My feelings on the album now to when it first came out have changed dramatically! I really think a lot of the songs on the album have massive replay value, even more so than on his previous album. This particular song is one of my favourites on the album and for me, I liked the range of Drake’s voice on this. You hear rapping Drake, deep sounding Drake and high notes Drake. Durk and Giveon made the perfect pairing on this song however, Durk’s verse was extremely disappointing.
Young Thug Ft. Future & Bslime – Peepin out the Window
Thug and Future always make bangers and this song is no different. Perfect song for the playlist!
Ladipoe Ft. Fireboy DML – Running
Ladipoe is one of my favourite artists at the moment! He has a very unique sound. This song is one of my favourites from the EP.
Kanye West Ft. Jay – Z – Jail
You already know any song featuring Hov will be on one of my playlists. I like the slow-paced feel of this song and how Hov switches his flow to accommodate the laid back theme. It’s also great to hear Kanye and Hov on music again. Hopefully, as Jay Z says, it is the “return of the throne” and we will hear more music from the pair.
Have a listen to the ‘Winter Warmers” playlist below:
Hello everybody, I hope everyone has been keeping well and safe!! It’s been a while…
Firstly I apologise to all the loyal readers as I’ve been away for a while this year. It’s been a busy year and if I’m honest, I’ve lost my love and passion for music recently. It felt like music wasn’t exciting me as much, so didn’t feel right to write about it! However, I’m feeling a bit better and a bit more motivated.
I just wanted to explaon my absence but I have been excited by some music projects in the meantime and I will list some of them in the following posts.
Hello everyone! I know it’s been a bit of time since my last music update but hope you are all doing well! As I mentioned before, I feel like my love for music has taken a bit of a back seat recently. I find it hard to get invested in certain music I used to love at the moment. I don’t know if it is due to the saturation of music nowadays or if it’s just me! Either way, I’m sure it will pass soon and with summer coming (hopefully at this rate), music is the perfect component.
I have however had a few songs on repeat recently so thought I would fill you all in. Check out the tracks below!
iceè tgm – TLC
You probably recognise iceè’s voice from her feature on J Hus’ hit song “Helicopter” from his previous album. Her new single “TLC” highlight her versatility and crazy talented vocals again. With the sweet melodies in this track compounded with her nonchalant rapping style, you can see why she is one to watch. There’s no doubt this song will be embedded in your head after listening and the video is just as creative too. I’m hoping we get a project from her soon! Check out the song below:
Dj Khaled- Khaled Khaled Album
DJ Khaled recently released his star studded album and as usual contained many many hits. I was impressed with the quality of the music as I was not a fan of his previous album. With every listen, I have a new favourite song. These are the 3 songs that have stuck:
DJ Khaled Ft. Bryson Tiller, Roddy Ricch & Lil Baby – BODY IN MOTION– Love this song! The fusion of these 3 singers fits so well. For me Lil Baby smashes this feature, definitely my favourite verse. Bryson does a fantastic job on the hook too!
DJ Khaled Ft. Jay-Z and Nas – SORRY NOT SORRY – The fact DJ Khaled was able to get Hov and Nas on the same track is crazy alone! Everyone was shocked to hear that this was going to be the features on this track. Both artists on this song demonstrate their maturity but also their growth in life. Nas spits on his Coinbase empire while Hov also raps about his equally bulging legacy. Both artists have come a long way from being rivals and it’s amazing to witness 2 greats in the rap scene (especially the NYC rap scene) coming together. The cheeky Beyoncè vocals were great too!
DJ Khaled Ft. Justin Bieber & 21 Savage – LET IT GO – The sentiment and message of this song is quite beautiful and very very true. Justin Bieber and 21 both nail the assignment. This song will be the motto of any stress I have in life!
Dexta Daps Ft. Davido – Scripture
With Dexta being one of my favourite Jamaican artists and Davido being one of my favourite Nigerian artists, this pairing made so much sense to me. I won’t lie, I think both could have made an even better song but nevertheless, it’s a great track. It’s nice to see both embracing each others’ culture while still being authentic.
YG Ft. Blxst & Mozzy – Perfect Timing
I’ve preached enough about my love for Blxst! Blxst and Mozzy together is already a match made in heaven, so this song was guaranteed to be a banger! YG is great at adapting to his featured artists and he did well on this track. This is a perfect summer hit and the production is perfect. I can’t say a bad thing about a song featuring Blxst.
SpotlightFirst Ft. Efosa, Donalee & J Kaz – Handle It
SpotlightFirst are back with another collaboration and this song is gonna be on repeat once you hear it. The Afro-Swing themed song starts off with Efosa’s sweet vocals and then gets even sweeter with the addition of Donalee’s vocals. Her voice for me stands out on the song and I will definitely be checking out her solo music. The third piece to the puzzle J Kaz also hits the nail on the head with his verse! The song has been added to my Summer ’21 playlist and can definitely see it being played at any upcoming day parties.
Chris Brown Ft. Young Thug, Future, Lil Durk and Mulatto – Go Crazy Remix
Following on from the success of the original, Chris and Thug are back with the remix! I really enjoyed this remix! For me, Future and Mulatto stole the show! It would have been nice to have heard Chris spit a verse too though!
Odeal & Marzi – Na You
When I first heard this song, instantly my ears opened up! The song samples the classic Duncan Mighty ‘Obianuju‘ song. Both Marzi and Odeal do an excellent job at modernising the hit and adding their own flavour! Sometimes it’s risky remixing a well known and well-loved song but kudos to them! I really enjoy this song!
Russ – Small Talk
Russ claims he’s on a challenge to release a single every week and I am all here for it! Last week he released this track and yet again he does not miss! Russ is able to display his rapping abilities on this track (the flow is a joy to hear), as well as producing talents! He really is a triple threat!
Hello everyone! Hope you are all well and continuing to keep safe and healthy! I just wanted to make everyone aware that I have released an album review episode of the Music and Life Podcast. The album review is on US artist Rod Wave and his latest album “SoulFly”. The episode is exclusive to Spotify as it features some tracks from the album!
I really enjoyed listening and taking in this album. As mentioned on the episode, I talk about how Rod Wave is great at demonstrating his pain through his music. The album was emotional and raw but highlighted the beauty of expression in music.
Have a listen and let me know what you think! The episode is out now!
I could dedicate a whole blog to Blxst or even Russ. There aren’t many artists out there at the moment that I can say I have liked every single song they have put out. (UK group WSTRN would probably be next in the list). Seeing Blxst and Russ collab was everything I expected it to be. Both of them could easily drop a collab tape!!
Their song “Fck Boys” was released on Friday with Blxst’s 2 song project “Just For Clarity“. The song focuses on Russ and Blxst singing about a woman who has been burnt and hurt by a “Fck boy” in the past and is finding it hard to let other guys in. Both artists are perfect at serenading and singing about women.
My favourite line in the song would have to be from Russ when he sings “Girl, who the fuck is he to fuck you up for life?”. A word!!!!
Hello everyone, in the latest podcast episode I talked about 4 tracks that I’m loving at the moment.
Drake Ft. Rick Ross – Lemon Pepper Freestyle
As mentioned in the podcast, Drake and Rick Ross always have incredible duets! This verse is one of the reasons why Rozay is one of the best rappers we have. For me Rick Ross glided on this song so smoothly. There’s no way you won’t want to replay his verse again!
Yaw Tog Ft. Stormzy & Kwesi Arthur – Sore Remix
Ghanaian artist Yaw Tog’s hit song has been in circulation since last year and this remix is even better. He recruits Kwesi Arthur and UK rapper of Ghanaian heritage Stormzy. It’s a great collaboration and will be the perfect song for the summer!
Big Sean Ft. Nipsey Hussle – Deep Reverence
Big Sean has been on fire recently. The deep meaning and passion that is portrayed through his music as of late has been amazing. This song features no other than the late great Nipsey Hussle. A great song with wonderful meaning. I love the video too!
Jessica Akin – Roots
I came across this song recently and what a pleasure! I really love the tone of Jessica’s voice! The song is a wonderful ode to culture and heritage. I hope this is the beginning of more music from here and potentially a project too.
Check out episode 4 of the Music and Life Podcast which is out now below.
24 years ago on March 9th 1997 we lost one of the greatest rappers, The Notorious B.I.G. I have always mentioned that Biggie will always be one of my favourite rappers of all time! His flow, delivery and energy is still unforgettable. To have music still affect, inspire and entertain people so long after your death is a real privilege. If you were to ask someone what their favourite Biggie song was, I’m sure they will struggle to narrow it down to only 1!! It’s hard to imagine how much further he could have gone if he was given much more time on this earth!
I haven’t checked out the Biggie documentary that is currently out on Netflix but I will give it a try! This week’s #TuneTuesday is one of the many Biggie hits, “Sky’s the Limit” featuring 112. The song is a great song to describe Biggie. Each verse on the song describes and portrays different parts of Biggie’s life. The intro of the track also contains a clip of Biggie’s mother Voletta Wallace.
R.I.P. Biggie!
In other news, March 9th is also Bow Wow’s birthday! Bow Wow was my childhood crush and I am still a huge fan of his previous music! If you haven’t, check out my earlier appreciation post on him:
Hello everyone!!! I’m finally back with another episode!!! In this week’s episode, I talk about my love for Rick Ross, new music I’ve been listening to and why I believe music nowadays doesn’t really have replay value. I hope you enjoy this episode! Links will be below:
I love hearing upcoming Nigerian artists so it was a pleasure to hear this project. The new EP is by Nigerian born British artist K4mo. This EP is a follow up from his 2020 project ‘Spider‘.
You may recognise his voice from the hit song by Mr Eazi and Major Lazer which also featured Nicki Minaj! The song ‘Oh My Gawd‘ feature K4mo’s vocals on the intro and the hook.
The EP starts off with the vibrant track “2 Slugs“. One thing you can always guarantee with afrobeat inspired projects is that the production and beats will always be top tier! You can usually feel the energy trying to be conveyed via the song and this EP is living proof of this argument.
One of my favourite tracks from the EP would be “Lamba” featuring SK. I love the fusion of K4mo’s different tones on the song. SK also adds a bit of spice with his input . This is the perfect track to zone out to.
Another solid track that stood out for me would have to be “Diana“. The song has a Carribean/Dancehall feel to it with a steel pan kind of mood.
‘Chain Reaction‘ is also a stand out track on the EP. With this song we are able to hear K4mo’s rapping ability. His flow on this song is very impressive while still maintaining his melodic sound.
The EP is a great glimpse of the talent of K4mo and possibly a hint at even more to come!
As a follow up to my previous Ghetts Album review, I just wanted to put the links of hus 2 part YouTube documentary. Both videos provide a deeper insight into Ghetts’ mind. Have a watch below!
When you hear the word Ghetts in the UK, you automatically think of “Witty wordplays”, Grime Legend” or even “Storyteller”. All of these phrases are demonstrated to the highest degree on this third album.. If you are not a Grime lover or even aware of Ghetts’ music (Where have you been?) you can listen to this album and understand to a T who Ghetts is, what he stands for and how talented he is. Surprisingly despite his nearly 20-year career and with 3 studio albums, this is his first album released from a major label.
I am a Ghetts fan and have been for a while but I find with Ghetts, so much of his music and bars are overlooked due to the fact his talent is beyond many peoples understanding. In a recent interview, Ghetts stated that he had to learn how to make his music a bit more digestible to those who may not have understood before and it’s clear he put that into practice on this album. The evolution he has shown from a grime MC to a giant in the UK rap scene is incredible to witness.
When it comes to wordplay, Ghetts is without a doubt one of the best storytellers of our time. Every song he releases makes you think and want to know more. This album feels like an autobiography of his life as he reflects on his past, his present and his future. He reflects on his past via some mistakes, his successes and his growth. The maturity on this album is evident and is felt throughout. Here are some of the tracks that stood out to me;
‘Fine Wine’, the intro track of the album is the perfect startup and prep for the album. From the first line “Rudeboy, I’m the certiest“, you hear Ghetts making a mark and inserting his dominance. On this song, Ghetts speaks his truth and talks about the times he has struggled, where he came from and where he plans to be. He also admits that he is the best and a legend in the game. Quite rightly!
This leads perfectly into the next track ‘Mozambique’ featuring Jaykae and South African artist Moonchild Sanelly, where Ghetts samples himself with his previous song ‘Top 3 Selected’. I wasn’t a huge fan of the song when Ghetts released it before the album drop but the strings used on the album version of this song are sensational!!! The transition from the intro track to this song is also top tier. For me, Jaykae steals the show on this song, his verse is so smooth!
‘Fire and Brimstone‘ features a more mellow and calmed down Ghetts while maintaining his greaze. I liked the Dizzee Rascal samples featured too. The song touches on the realities of Ghetts’ life. Despite his success, he still faces regular troubles with the police and is constantly discriminated against due to the fact he is a black man.
If I was asked to play ONE song to explain Ghetts to someone that didn’t know him or his story, “Autobiography” would be the song from this album. Ghetts even slowed down his flow, still keeping it clear and precise. I recently listened in on a Ghetts interview about this album and he stated that with this song, he was trying to find different ways to say things about himself. After the decades Ghetts has been in the game, the fact it’s still interesting to hear someone’s life story is amazing. This is credit to Ghetts incredible storytelling ability.
‘Good Hearts‘ featuring Aida Lae is definitely one of my favourite tracks from the album. I was surprised at the change in pace for this track, being a Ghetts album but I loved how refreshing it felt. This song feels like an old school garage track, the kind of song you would have blazing from speakers in the blazing sun! This track also emphasises the versatility of Ghetts. His flow on this song is as flawless as the slowed paced song previously. I can’t wait for summer to really take advantage of this song! Nice to also point out there is a great message too “A good heart don’t come around often, if you’ve got one, then cherish that organ” FACTS!
The only word I can use to describe ‘Dead To Me‘ is POETIC. On this track Ghetts pours his heart out “Next time I see cupid cock back I’m shooting right back. Dat’s bang bang bang loves dead to me. Bang there’s no love left in me” indicating he’s been hurt in love (Something I’m sure we can all relate to). I love when rappers like Ghetts who are known for their greaze, power and fire provide us with songs that show their vulnerable side. In terms of storytelling, this is why Ghetts is one of the best. The imagery in this song is conveyed so well through Ghetts’ bars. This may be one of my favourite Ghetts songs in a while. I love how the beat also slows down during the verses when Ghetts gets deeper and picks up again for the chorus. It’s almost as if he uses the verses to reminisce and recount and the chorus to pick himself back up.
I was so surprised when I saw the tracklist for this album and saw that ‘10,000 Tears‘ featured Ed Sheeran. I know they have collaborated before on Ed’s No. 5 Collaborations Project but I wouldn’t have originally thought to put Ed on a Ghetts album. Unlike the last song, this track is more mellow and calm but I also want to note that Ghetts is actually singing on this song and it works!!! Yet again, another track on the album that demonstrates Ghetts’ versatility, loved his patois on this song. I really enjoyed Ed’s flow too, it was as if both of them switched up their usual styles and swapped it a bit. It’s also great to hear Ed on a song again! I can imagine this song being a chart hit and really hope they bring out visuals to this song!
‘Sonya’ featuring Emeli Sandé is another beautiful laid back song. The song samples Bone Thugs N-Harmony’s “Foe Tha Love of $” and Brian McKnight’s “Anytime”. On this track, Ghetts reflects on a lady named ‘Sonya’ with who he holds a strong bond as she held him down throughout his struggles. The story ends on a cliffhanger and Ghetts stated that there may possibly be a part 2 to follow the story. Emeli sounds sensational on this track unsurprisingly.
‘No Mercy‘ was already released and features Pa Salieu and Backroad Gee. I already was a fan of the song when it came out. Each featured artist carried their weight which is hard when you are on the song of a legend like Ghetts. The beat production is my favourite part of the song. It’s insanely catchy and a great greaze Ghetts song. Ghetts pointed out that this is one of the songs he created to provide a connection between his audience. The chorus would be great for him to perform at a live show.
‘Crud‘ featuring Giggs doesn’t even need too many words to describe it. All I will say is it is a blessing to hear two pioneers back to back on a track doing what they do best.
‘Little Bo Peep‘ featuring Dave, Hamzaa and Wretch 32 was the perfect track to round off the album. I liked the subdued sound of Ghetts, Hamzaa and Wretch leading into the lessons Dave starts to speak about. The song which is six minutes long serves as an overview of where Ghetts is now in terms of his life and career. The arrangement of the song is even more important as it seems like Dave’s verse is an answer to all of Ghetts’ questions in his verse and throughout the album as a whole. The song gives lullaby vibes while providing a strong ending to a journey of an album. Even with the ending of an album, he still maintains the high quality.
Overall, this album exhibits the growth and maturity of Ghetts. It almost feels like a rebirth of Ghetts and shows he has no desire to slow down anytime soon. For an artist to describe his life with nearly 20 years in music and still make it sound authentic and refreshing is a talent in itself. While some may argue that sometimes there may be a disconnect between his songs and people actually taking it in, this album eradicates all fears. In the words of Ghetts, he will convert all non-believers with this album. Ghetts always provides a new insight with his music and that’s what keeps it exciting and keeps him in the top tier of UK rap. This album is the perfect example of what an album should be.
I have personally had the album on repeat since its release and I truly believe it’s an album that will linger in our minds for a very very long time. The best albums always do.
