Joya Mooi - "I Can Do Better" ft. Pink Oculus
Amsterdam-born artist Joya Mooi has unveiled soulful new single ‘I Can Do Better’, her second release of 2019, viaNine And A Half. The follow-up to her March single ‘Rice In Foil’, the track also comes with a music video shot and directed by award-winning filmmaker Tom Fassaert.
Featuring a verse from fellow Dutch singer-songwriter Pink Oculus, ‘I Can Do Better’ deploys a minimalist beat that ensures Joya’s irresistible vocals come to the fore. The track’s carefree vibe allows it to tackle the complex themes of mental health and self-care in a way that gives hope for the future rather than dwelling too much on the past.
"I often think society looks upon mental issues or working on yourself as a temporary thing, while I’m on a daily basis occupied with keeping myself mentally in check,” Joya explains. “So I am very aware on boundaries for example, to keep my energy in check to temper depressive thoughts. And because I knew that Pink Oculus was also dealing with similar things, I sent her a draft of this song and it immediately triggered her to write her dope verse. So I am very proud of our collaboration.”
Oli Hannaford - "If You Wanna" ft. Only Girl
Since downloading Logic Pro X and self-releasing his debut single, London based singer, songwriter and producer Oli Hannaford has quickly established himself as an exciting addition to the UK's burgeoning Neo-Soul scene. Having been tipped in recent months by the likes of Clash, Complex and even Elton John, Hannaford returns this week with 'If You Wanna', his latest single and the title track of his forthcoming EP for Parisian label Splinter.
Featuring up & coming singer Only Girl, 'If You Wanna' takes funky house, soul and RnB, and gives it an indie DIY twist to provide the perfect backdrop for the two vocalists to spar over, Hannaford's fragile vocals contrasting perfectly with Only Girl's powerful delivery as the track itself twists and turns from nimble fretwork through to a brushing bass line and twisting synth arpeggios.
Following on from recent collaborations with the likes of RnB singer Scarlett Fae, Californian rapper N.O.M.A.D. Luke and most notably Melle Brown on 'Background Noise' that saw the Oli pick up plays from the likes of Toddla T and Rickie, Melvin and Charlie on Radio 1, Trevor Nelson on Radio 2, 1xtra's Mistajam and Jamz Supernova, and Beats 1's Julie Adenuga and Rebecca Judd, 'If You Wanna' is sure to further cement the young Londoner's reputation.
Find Oli Hannaford online at:
www.open.spotify.com/artist/44zNZPEa461Yw6Zz0JBxMM
www.twitter.com/olihannaford
www.instagram.com/olihannaford
www.facebook.com/OliHannaford
Find Only Girl online at:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ZkQAcKkFO60QQybtXDStt
https://twitter.com/onlygirlmusic
https://soundcloud.com/onlygirlmusic
https://www.instagram.com/onlygirlmusic/
Find Splinter online at:
www.splinter.fr
www.open.spotify.com/user/splinterrecords
DEZZY HOLLOW LIVES LIFE TO HIS OWN BEAT IN NEW "IN VEIN" VIDEO, FT. DREAM CATCHERS DANCE ACADEMY
Oceanside, CA's Dezzy Hollow just released his latest video, "In Vein," from his 2019-released project, FIRESIDE, via EMPIRE/MadStrange. The vibrant and upbeat visual matches its bouncy and head-banging beat; and it prominently features popular dance group "The Happy Kids" of the Dream Catchers Dance Academy, a Nigerian dance team comprised of underprivileged children, who've chosen dance and the arts as a means to survive and change their lives.
The dance-heavy video follows Dezzy's "Convinced" visual, which garnered over 200K views within its first month, and "EBT Boi II," which reaches for the same success. The Mexican and Pacific Islander rapper, who's accumulated over 82K subscribers on YouTube, 44K on Spotify and over 51K across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, has performed in multiple sold-out venues, with upwards of 7,000+ fans across Southern California and Mexico; and has collaborated with fellow Mexican rappers Kap G, Akapellah and Aleman, San Diego's Mitchy Slick, plus more.
Born and raised in Oceanside, California, as a Mexican and Pacific Islander, Dezzy Hollow has always been influenced by his environment and music. From a young age, he was inspired by the transformative sounds of G-Funk, hip-hop and West Coast rap. This inspiration would later build his style and the sincerity in his own artistry.
Starting to create music in high school, he quickly generated local buzz with his mixtapes. In 2015, he released the Soul Food Project and followed 2016 with the release of the Beyond Reach LP. In January 2017 he released his most recent project, Stay Current which debuted at No. 4 on the Hot Indie Hip Hop chart on iTunes.
Much of Dezzy's music focuses on his life experiences and the lives of those close to him. Never one to shy away from vulnerability with honesty, he consistently builds up his word play around the sounds that initially influenced his musical career while creating his own authentic sound. His authenticity and ability to draw on the original vibrations of G-Funk and West Coast Rap is responsible for his growing fan base. In 2017, the 26-year-old rapper collaborated with fellow artists, Kap G, Mitchy Slick and traveled internationally to create music with rappers Akapellah and Aleman.
With an inextinguishable work ethic, Dezzy is always driven to give more of himself to his fans and has developed a constant habit of releasing unique and compelling content via YouTube. With more than 16 million total views and over 80,000 subscribers on YouTube and a growing presence on all social platforms, the rapper continuously connects with his fans by creating distinct content and has garnered a worldwide fan-base namely in Europe, South America and North America. Dezzy's newest project FIRESIDE was released on February 22, 2019 through MadStrange/EMPIRE.
Connect with Dezzy Hollow
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Spotify | SoundCloud | YouTube
#LAOnLockExclusive: TeeFLii - "2019" (feat. Flii Stylz) [Prod. by Rey Reel]
TeeFLii links up with Flii Stylz for a new club banger/anthem of the year titled “2019” produced by Rey Reel. To accompany the release is a #2019Challenge for anyone to make their own dance video using the song for a chance to be reposted on our social media. Tune in below!
Trak - "Goodbye"
Trak is a rapper/song writer originally from Egypt, born and raised in Qatar and Japan who now lives in Toronto, Canada. Trak is a true lyricist at heart capitalizing on his love for different music genres and cultures to mesh and fuse between them. Trak is known for utilizing multiple flows with his abrasive honest tone, never allowing for a boring moment.
The Chainsmokers - "Kills You Slowly"
“We wanted to make a song that told a really sort of dark twisted story but the way you felt it and heard it was the complete opposite... the songs production and melodies are very uplifting and vibey yet if you listen to the lyrics it tells the story of all the relationships we have been in that have turned toxic. Love that we become a prisoner of because of fear of leaving the other. Its something we can all relate to and is a terrible anxious feeling but in this song we give it this sort of positivity...”
drug - "moonlight 2.0"
Singer, songwriter, producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, drug is a South Florida artist that seamlessly combines contemporary RnB and alternative rock for an intoxicating experience.
Photo Credit: IG: Nipsey Hussle
Who was Nipsey Hussle?
This question cannot be defined in a short blurb or artist bio, for he was, many things to many people.
Nipsey was a man who enlightened the world through cultural and education.
Music Culture:
Was Nipsey the same artist that you’ll see in your local community selling CDs in the parking lot? Yes, he was. Of Course, he was.
In 2013 Nipsey set up to sell his 8th mixtape but he had a creative twist to it. He created #Proud2Pay campaign and decided to sell the mixtape titled Crenshaw for $100 a tape. In an interview with Forbes, he explained that no one should force people to buy music but different methods should be created to monetize the connection.
Was he the Artist who also sold merchandise and owned a clothing brand? Yep
Merchandise is being pushed among artists these days for some it’s another brand outlet for others it’s a way to hustle up studio coins but in Nipsey’s case, it was the launch of an empire. Nipsey created Marathon apparel and the Marathon store with the ideology to have his own retail aesthetics. His ultimate goal was to sale his own CDs, own clothes in his own stores across the country. This leads me to the entrepreneur/ownership culture.
Entrepreneurial/Ownership Education:
Was he the business owner that valued his product and consumers? Duh
In the season where everyone around you is registering for their LLC’s or leaving their 9-5, Nipsey at the age of 33 was full of business gems. He was all for adding value into his investments and encouraged other artists and entrepreneurs to do the same but most importantly do it for themselves. As we live in our purpose and execute our plans the biggest factor that some of us lack is genuine communication and partnerships. Nipsey and his team practiced this with their ventures which are why they continued to grow on their own terms.
Community Activism:
Activist, Non-Profit Mentors, community leaders we all have them whether in the church or out the church. Nipsey himself was a philanthropist that consistently gave back to his community.
The Marathon family were laying the blueprint to buy back the block and enrich the impoverished. They started with the neighborhood plaza and the Marathon store that employed ex-cons. He shifted the image of his affiliation to be portrayed not only as a product of his environment but a contribution to his community. Aside from buying the block back, co-founder, Vector 90, a STEM center that connected the youth to technology, he strived for unity regardless of background.
His legacy is continued education and culture:
In a world divided yet connected by culture, whether you’re African American, Hispanic, Nigerian, Caucasian or in Nip’s case Eritrean, we as people are a representation of a bigger community. Nip was a representation not just of Crenshaw and the whole west coast but also his other roots, Eritrea, a small East African Country. To them, he was proof that they had a place in America even when they felt invisible.
As a parent, sibling, or spouse we pride our actions on the bases of not only ourselves but the ones we love. Nipsey was a father who stated in an interview that he takes his daughter and surroundings into consideration when taking her to the studio. He was a brother, #Blaccsam was his best friend, business partner, and brother. Over the span of his and Lauren’s relationship, they became more and more public with their actions. They were beyond your typical industry or celeb story. No one wants a perfect love story but a lover, partner, and friend who rides them and supports every step of the marathon.
I say all of this to say. Nipsey was a bridge to many gaps and divisions. He connected cultures and worlds together through knowledge and implementation. So for all the posts that there is a Nipsey in your own backyard those are valid.
Let’s replay his marathon: there was a moment when labels didn’t want to sign him because of his gang affiliations, now marches swarmed in various colors are being held. There was a time when having east coast fans shocked him, now murals and amazing representations of his image are plastered all around the country. As numerous interviews on different platforms flood the social air waves, DTLR Villa gifted him with his first post-interview gift: his favorite cereal Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Nevertheless, we must remember every Victory Lap has a starting point. Nipsey Hussle’s staring point was the man selling CDs on the corner, but his Victory Lap is a Marathon.
TREYFOH - "Bust It"
TREYFOH drops another club banger titled “Bust It”. Tune in below & comment!
TREYFOH - "Amy Winehouse" (feat. Ruez)
TREYFOH released his new single “Amy Winehouse” featuring Ruez. Tune in below & comment!
RYBE - "Freedom Rider"
Freedom Rider's powerful and empowering lyrics explore and address race relations, politics, women's empowerment and social marginalization.This unapologetic hip hop anthem is meant to provoke thought and inspire change, while promoting equality, confidence, self-love and encouragement.
Jon Vinyl, Tash - "Euphemism"
“I came across Tash’s music via Instagram after stumbling on an acoustic video of hers. I was blown away by her voice and decided to follow her and reach out. Surprisingly, she was familiar with me and my music. My team and I decided to take a chance and fly to LA with the purpose of creating some cool music together, Euphemism is the end result of that. Enjoy!”
#LAOnLockExclusive: N3 On The Track - "N3 On The Track, Vol. 1" [Compilation Album]
When N3 first started making beats he was 12 years old. He loved music and he found a way to make his own, and that was the virtual studio program "Fl Studio". He loved how the program worked and with it he made beats and would let his parents hear all the time.
After discovering a way to make his beats, he wanted to start rapping. At first he just made simple freestyles over other artists beats and then he started getting serious and making his own beats and rapping on them. After finding himself, he decided to put more time into producing & engineering music. In his early producing days he started off working with artists from his hometown Lynwood, California, which earned him his first major placement on a song he produced featuring RBX .
In 2012 N3 started to work heavily with Spiffie Luciano, which led to producing & mixing for AD, Quincey White, Pacman da Gunman, Tiu Muzic, Kokane, & LilCadiPGE. After expanding his clientele & coming across so many talented artists throughout Los Angeles, N3 came up with an idea to start his own media platform that kept independent artists in mind first. This is when 'LA On Lock' was born. After securing the LAOnLock.com domain, he wasted no time & began to type up blogs in support of any good music that was submitted. Over the years the brand has grown to curating events, exclusive premieres, a podcast show & more.
N3 released his first compilation album "New Classics" in 2015. Fast forward to 2019 he's just released his second compilation album entitled “N3 On The Track, Vol. 1” along with features from Marty Blaze, D.R.E, Slum Baby, Garrett Douglas, Elijah Banx, Deuce Biggs, Rozo Regal, Karma Laws, Stophe Malone, Macharo, Steve DaMar, Howie Khepri, Rimpau, AD, Radio Base, AhmniMay & more; + collaboration on production from FameBeats, FynessOnDaTrack, Austin James & Deuce Biggs.
"I feel like this is my redemption album. I know people doubt me, & I feel like my choice of production has a lot to do with it. We're breaking down those barriers this year."
Stream/Download Here
Jay Lafond - "Ferraris" (ft. FANFAN)
Trap Soul, Chill & Mellow vibes produced by BabyGotBeatz (rising Canadian production team). This song is about getting away from everyday reality and living young forever. Collaboration with FANFAN adds a special touch to the song.
