Something Different – Leekyxiv and Generic tha Character
For Colossus readers, this isn’t the first time we have covered the upstate NY scene. We first covered Generic this past fall with his project Escape Tha City. Generic, or Eric Armitage, has not only built a name for himself in the Upstate scene but has blossomed a culture. His production company, Tha Bakery LLC, which he runs with his friend Jack Redmond, has quickly … Continue reading Something Different – Leekyxiv and Generic tha Character
Bandana – Freddie Gibbs and Madlib
Gansta Gibbs and Madlib are back. Five years removed from their instant classic Piñata, Gary, IN rapper Freddie Gibbs and legendary hip-hop beat producer Madlib reunited to give the listeners Bandana. My brother’s roommate (shoutout Dan) put me on to their last collaborative album so when I heard the rumors then listened to the singles that dropped, I knew it would need a full review. … Continue reading Bandana – Freddie Gibbs and Madlib
Sit Down Series: Phay
Atlanta has become one of the go-to cities when people think of hip-hop. It seems everyday there is someone new. Faris Mousa, or Phay, is quickly getting more and more attention in the Atlanta scene. Being a first-generation Arab-American, Phay uses his flowy verses and smooth choruses to tell his story of trial, triumph, and racism. Recently, he found time to join the Sit Down … Continue reading Sit Down Series: Phay
Sit Down Series: HappyBirthdayCalvin
“30 by my side, it might leave where you stand I ain’t got no friends, I’m too focused on the bands” HappyBirthdayCalvin, the 17-year-old rapper out of the West Side of Chicago, has hit the hip-hop scene hard. Really really hard. His streaming numbers are shooting up, a song of his was just featured on a Netflix original, and he has a new project on … Continue reading Sit Down Series: HappyBirthdayCalvin
10 Day – Chance the Rapper
Chance the Rapper’s tweet announcing re-releases of his original two mixtapes sparked two reactions in me: nostalgia for a huge part of my growing up and the need to review the Chicago rapper’s whole catalog, starting with 10 Day. This mixtape always brings back memories. I heard Chance before I heard 10 Day, so I’ll try to restrain from the fangirl review, stay fair to … Continue reading 10 Day – Chance the Rapper
7 EP – Lil Nas X
We’ve all heard this story before. Young artist makes a song and using the power of social media, it becomes the biggest track yet. Sheck Wes’s “Mo Bamba”, Cali District’s “Teach Me How To Dougie”, Shop Boyz’s “Party Like A Rock Star”, I could go on and on but the idea of a “One Hit Wonder” crosses genres and eras. This spring, “Old Town Road” … Continue reading 7 EP – Lil Nas X
PTSD – Rod Wave
So far, there hasn’t been too many artists I’ve found in 2019 that I have thought to myself, “oh shit, they’re next”. I have found tons of artists with crazy good potential (hopefully interviewing and reviewing many of them soon) but no one like Rod Wave. This 19-year-old out of St. Petersburg is exactly that though. High skill and high potential. He has two other … Continue reading PTSD – Rod Wave
Sit Down Series: Elijah Bank$y
Forming a solid group of friends in high school is vital to pretty much everyone. For Elijah Bank$y, a rapper out of Orange County, NY, that made all the difference for his artistic career. By joining a group of young artists and creatives, he honed his skills and slowly began gaining more popularity. In the past five years, he has grown tremendously from his first … Continue reading Sit Down Series: Elijah Bank$y
Yesterday’s Gone – Loyle Carner
If you have ever played any of the FIFA games, you know their soundtrack is one of the best as far as sports video games go. It has artists from all over the world and can be anything from alternative to hip hop. It’s always just fun, cool music. This is how I stumbled across Loyle Carner. Featured on a Tom Misch song in FIFA … Continue reading Yesterday’s Gone – Loyle Carner
Sit Down Series: Blake Fades
Colossus has been sure to keep its finger on the pulse when it comes to new rappers getting attention. One that we have been watching grow over the past few years has been Blake Fades. Formerly Young Fades, the rapper out of Ardmore, Oklahoma is making waves in the industry, getting attention off his freestyles, and building a solid fan base. His music is raunchy, … Continue reading Sit Down Series: Blake Fades