38
HIP HOP & RNB
ISSUE 88 / 2016
TRACK OF THE MONTH:
DMX FEAT. STYLES P - STILL
SCRATCHING
The reformed hellraiser has
released some new music in the
wake of his recent comeback
DMX has just released a new track called ‘Still
Scratching’ featuring Styles P. it’s classic DMX with
an old school beat with bell rings and gangsta piano
lines and of course no track would be complete
without the signature barks throughout. Announcing
a new album with longtime collaborator Swiss Beatz
we hope this is a new beginning for the reformed
superstar and we are eagerly awaiting the follow up.
ONE TO WATCH:
MAKA
Nigerian soul singer, songwriter
and musician Maka has been
hailed as one of Africa’s best kept
musical secrets
Off the back of critically acclaimed introductory
singles last year ‘Ife (Love)’ and ‘Mu Na Gi (You And
I)’, The Truth EP is a rich, resounding and assured
debut EP offering from the Nigerian native. Backed
by glorious hip hop and soul musical backdrops,
provided by hip hop DJ/producer Teck-Zilla, Maka
bares her heart on love, life and everything in
between in a uniquely sincere and relatable fashion,
all underpinned by her signature Afrocentric and
soulful style.
From the opening track ‘Forever’, which samples
Chaka Khan’s ‘Stronger Than Pride’ to glorious
effect, and her soulful hip-hop ode to her hometown
‘Lagos’, to the triumphant and life-affirming ‘FMH
(Feeling My High)’ and the already well-received ‘Mu
Na Gi’, every song on this EP contributes to what
makes for a captivating listening experience and an
exceptional body of work from Maka.
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: CHENEY
21-year old singer, songwriter and musician Cheney is one of the most exciting
young voices capturing the hearts and minds of music lovers in 2016.
With an exciting sound that has been
described as a cross between The
Weeknd and Lana Del Rey, over half a
million streams on Soundcloud already
under her belt, early support from the
likes of BBC 1Xtra, Hype Machine and
iHeart Radio, and collaborations with
Obeson, Blinkie and Kasbo, Cheney
looks set to make 2016 her year!
Presented by exciting new Londonbased independent label The Good
Vibe, London native Cheney is proud
to announce her debut EPThe Coming,
which is due for release on June 17.
Already buoyed by previously released
offering ‘All About You’, The Coming EP
also boasts the brand new single titled
‘Astronomy’, produced by emerging
London musician and producer Sound
Of Fractures (Ritual,RAYE, Jay Prince,
Aiden Grimshaw).
Led by a gloriously ethereal and
gripping musical backdrop of dense
basslines, tinkering drum patterns and
brooding vocal melodies, ‘Astronomy’
sees Cheney bemoaning her ex-lover
and all of his ‘drama’ in [the most] fiery
and relatable fashion, as she sings, “I
don’t want another f**kboi […] I need
myself a man”. Underpinning the
captivating music and her relatable
lyrics, Cheney’s soothing tone and
beautiful vocals come to the fore, to
excellent effect.
Speaking about ‘Astronomy’ and
its inspiration, Cheney said, “I wrote
‘Astronomy’ for the ladies. Reminiscing
over the boy-drama I’ve had, and how
over it I was, I was thinking about how
a lot of girls let boys determine their
worth, when that isn’t how it should
be. I wanted to write a song for girls to
realise that they determine their self
worth, and nobody else. I want them to
know it and own it”.
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