Mickey Woods Jr is a rolling stone on “rockin’ rollin’.” he takes the highs and lows of life head-on but at a pace that’s comfortable to him. It’s a dynamic rap track with some harmonic bones.
hip hop
Why We Like It: Haiku’s “Peace of Mind”
With her heart in her hand, Haiku embraces “Peace of Mind” as she trust falls back into music and reminds us it’s okay to take a step away when we need to find clarity. Her raps are gentle and comforting with a sing-songy musicality in the revelry.
Why We Like It: Your Old Droog & Tha God Fahim’s “WNBA”
These laid-back rhymes find as much ease slipping from coast to coast and beyond as Your Old Droog does circumnavigating the globe himself. An effortlessly chill loop, cooked up by Tha God Fahim, underpins the bars with production that rolls out the extravagance of a red carpet entrance with the subtley of slipping through a side door.
Why We Like It: NanaBcool’s “10 & 2”
On “10 & 2,” NanaBcool uses his vivid rendering of a traffic stop to probe America’s deep racial ills with support from Chicago’s Elton Aura. Their raps move deftly between revolutionary confidence and concern for the lives of family and friends.
Why We Like It: O2worldwide’s “ONLY ONE”
“ONLY ONE” is a song about growing up, but also not growing up. O2worldwide is a 16 person collective of long-time friends rapping their own coming of age franchise out of Oklahoma.
Why We Like It: NOLAN’s “CC”
Detroit rapper Nolan and his creative team blend satire, homage, a throwback, and the new wave seamlessly on their new visual and single “CC.”
Getting Louder with Leslie West
Leslie West, the lead singer of hard rock group Mountain, died in December, and whilst many mightn’t remember the Woodstock alumni, his fingerprints can be found on hundreds of tracks from hip-hop institutions to modern pop classics.
Brittney Carter’s ‘As I Am’: The Evolving Introspection of an Artist
We often take a project for face value without equivalent regard for the development that leads the artist to its creation. In this CentralSauce featured profile, southside Chicago emcee Brittney Carter breaks down the evolving introspection that led her to her independent debut album, ‘As I Am.’
Why We Like It: Dre Wave$’ “Wordsmith” Ft. redveil
“Wordsmith” jumps right into a soul loop like it was spinning long before you pressed play. Dre Wave$ and redveil rap about the value of working with language to create art — value that doesn’t always line up with financial compensation, but the emcees wear “artist” with pride.
Why We Like It: Chukwu’s “Altitude”
A lyrical exercise that doubles as a triumphant return, “Altitude” shows heady Brooklyn emcee Chukwu cutting loose with a swathe of believably braggadocios bars. A crisp jazz loop underpins the track with tones reminiscent of MF DOOM.
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