Hype #2

Rap/hip-hop music is one of the most popular genres in the world at the moment, and for good reason! The style has changed rapidly over the past couple of decades, with many different sub-genres now emerging. As such, I decided to reinstate my round-up review series based on rap/hip-hop – all the artists here have their own sound, so if you’re into the style, you should find something to love.

Review by Jane Howkins

Photo by Jean~Baptiste

Jean~Baptiste – PART2

I’m not sure if there’s a first part to Jean~Baptiste’s track PART2, but if there is, I definitely want to hear it! It’s a banging tune showing this artist has an immense flow, fitting the beat of the tune well. The bass ebbs away in the background, with its low sound adding a suitable atmosphere to this track. The backing vocals are immense, swirling away against the rest of the music in the back of the tune. The vocals are the most impressive part of this track, drawing you in instantly and making you long for more.

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Missingno. – You_Know.

Ohio artist Missingno. has really produced something of wonder on new release, You_Know. The music is simply gorgeous here, as Missingno. uses a selection of pretty synths and piano movements to add a gorgeous backing to this track. The percussion is fast and busy, adding a cool texture to the piece that works well with the synths. The vocals are a little distant sounding, but they help to increase the ambience of the piece further. It’s quite experimental at times, but it really works well as a whole!

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Tahjae – Rules

Tahjae is a Texas-based hip-hop artist, with Rules being his latest track to be unleashed upon the world. Opening with a quirky piano melody that continues throughout the track, the song soon descends into hip-hop territory as the drums kick in. Tahjae has a fantastic flow and feel to his vocals, seeing him rap in a fast manner over the music. The music itself is quite minimal at times, putting most of the focus on the lyrics itself. The piano adds something a little special to this tune, making it sound very different from the other tunes on this list.

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Leif Riggs – Phantom

Phantom has quite an eerie vibe, particularly with the way the main piano melody progresses through the tune. It’s a simple motif but it really works well to create a creepy atmosphere within Leif Riggs’ latest tune. Leif’s vocals run nicely alongside the rhythm section and the piano, as some otherworldly backing vocals ebb away in the background of the tune. Leif’s lyrics are awesome as he spits rhymes out over the music, with the backing vocals sounding like a beautiful choir. It’s quite a short track, but the timing is perfect for what Leif is trying to convey here.

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Brendan Lane – One Life (feat. Quesmark)

Rock and roller Brendan Lane teams up with Quesmark on One Life to make something that mixes several genres together. The guitars and bass add quite a funky feel to this tune, which also includes elements of rock and hip-hop. The vocals change rapidly throughout the tune, with both rapping and singing present to make things more interesting. Brendan has a particularly emotive sound to his vocals, drawing you into the track as it progresses. One Life is a little different to the other songs here, but it really works wonders!

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Will Lisil – Lula Ladrão

Will Lisil is an artist that we’ve featured fairly recently, with new release Lula Ladrão being another banging track from this amazing musician. The beat is fast, getting under your skin immediately. The track contains a lot of singing, adding a slightly different vibe to this list. It also features Brazil Was Stolen, and the collaboration really works! Numerous vocal lines appear as the song progresses, adding a cool sense of attitude to the piece. The instrumentation weaves well with the beat and vocals, making for a track that will surely have you coming back for more!

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Ceyeo – Lost

Chicago-based artist Ceyeo has only been releasing music since 2022, but already he’s descending into musical stardom. Lost starts out sounding quite minimal, as Ceyeo’s lyrics flow against the beat. However, more instrumentation is added as the track continues – the synthy elements in the background add a nice dreamy feel to the music. The piano trickles along in a lovely fashion, before the backing female vocals appear – the singing creates a nice divergence against the rapping, changing things up nicely.

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Red Skies Mourning – A Beautiful Mess

A Beautiful Mess is a little different to the other songs here, as it also features elements of rock and pop. It’s quite dreamy at times, seeing Maryland-based artist Red Skies Mourning mixing genres together in a wonderful manner. The percussion has that typical hip-hop sound we’ve all come to know and love from the genre, as a gorgeous set of strings performs in the background. The arpeggio style guitars are lovely to behold, drifting through the track in a wonderful way. The vocals are luscious too, making for one awesome package!

Social media: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Youtube, Instagram, Songkick, TikTok