Buck City – Beat The Odds Hosted by @DjSmokeMixtapes

Album, Blog, EP, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Mixtapes, Promo, Videos

Buck City Releases His 4th Project “Beat The Odds” Hosted by DJ Smoke

The Midwest artist Buck City is back with sum new slappers for the people on his new project Buck City – Beat The Odds hosted by Dj Smoke!

Tune in, turn it up to the max n vibe out to this! Stream the new single “Execution” on Spinrilla!

Stay connected with Buck City on social media IG: @_buckcity_ | FB: @shatani.buck | SC: @Buckcity74

Follow Buck City on Spotify

JaoT – No Life

ME Blog, Music, Promo

South Texas artist draws from personal life experiences to inspire others through music

SAN ANTONIO, TX – Imagine yourself standing in a painter’s studio, watching a master at work. The blank canvas is unlike any you’ve seen before – a random bit of discarded trash that might have once been a sign. As the artist starts to put brush to paint, he turns on some music and the atmosphere becomes electric.

This is the space in which San Antonio artist JaoT creates. A long-time painter who creates unique pieces of art out of found objects discarded in random places, he brings a different perspective to the idea of creation. This is true of his music, too. And that unique blend of sound, style and artistry is beginning to get noticed by fans all over the country. 

More than anything, JaoT’s artistic creation reflects his love for telling stories. His way of telling stories is relatable to a lot of different types of people from all walks of life. And like true art, those who consume what he has created have a myriad smattering of reactions – from aggression to depression to joy and everything in between.

“I can make music for literally any type of beat or sound,” JaoT said. “I look at instrumentals like an art board. When I paint, I find random objects to paint on and I make the image I see work for the canvas I choose. It’s the same thing for music – no matter what instrumental or beat or sound that’s presented to me, I can fit a part of me onto it. That’s my whole thing when it comes to music. Painting was my first love and I fell in love with it really fast. But music has been equally as fulfilling for me because it’s another form of artistic expression where I can get my emotions out. Now when I find a different item that I come across and start drawing on them with markers or crayons or colored pencils, I usually do that while listening to my own music. I pick a song that I feel like goes with the item I’ve found and make the art go with the music.”

In most cases when JaoT writes new music, he tends to write about things he’s gone through in life. It always starts as an emotional outlet driven by an experience. Inspiration might strike while he’s at the grocery store, or while he’s driving in the car reflecting on his childhood growing up abandoned and left to different families and friends. He starts by putting himself in the moment and remembering the feelings he had at the time, and then writes from that emotion. 

An upcoming single called “Cold Saki” is a perfect example of this process. He said the song was inspired by a dark time in his life earlier this year when he was mourning the loss of a friend who had taken his life by suicide. 

“I immediately turned to drinking … copious amounts,” he said. “It was only when I was drinking that I felt happy – not when I was with my kids or when I was writing or anything. I only felt decent when I was drinking. I was on the verge of coming out of that when I realized it was something other people go through as well, but don’t talk about. There’s a stigma to talking about it. I wrote most of the song while I was still drinking, but I was coming out of it enough to start thinking about the dependency on the alcohol and how good I felt in those moments. I knew it was a problem, but I kept doing it. Alcohol was there for me in a time when I felt lonely. I needed it … even when the Saki got cold, I didn’t care. I was just gonna drink it.”

JaoT said he hopes his music doesn’t just entertain listeners but also helps them through whatever situations they might be facing. “Cold Saki” for instance, is a song that he said can inspire people to talk about their own pain and begin to take the first steps toward healthier lifestyles.

“Healing and help are really what I want my music and my art to be about,” he said. “I want people to hear what I have to say and know that they aren’t the only ones going through a certain situation. That’s what I got out of music growing up. I always tried to relate what other people were talking about in their music and apply it to my life. I want to do that for other people.” 

To listen to JaoT’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://www.facebook.com/jaotmusic/
https://www.instagram.com/cultfam_jaotmusic/
https://twitter.com/MrJaoToReal

$PAID – Pieces

Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music

Rising rapper, $PAID pushes through adversity to bring out new project “Who Is $PAID”

HOUSTON, TX – Abandonment. Homelessness. Rejection. Jeremy Hicks (known by his stage name $PAID) has dealt with a lot during his 20 years. To cope with life’s hardships, $PAID turned to music early on, and it became a way to express what he couldn’t say when there was no one to turn to. On October 24th, $PAID drops his new project, “Who is $PAID” on SoundCloud and YouTube.

Based on $PAID’s emotions over the last couple of years, “Who is $PAID” shows the listener how life is from $PAID’s side of the fence using raw elements to convey the pain and struggle. The 10 track collection follows the tremendous success of “Pieces” which blew up on its own to 2.16 million plays on SoundCloud. Like all of $PAID’s music, “Pieces” is a highly relatable song about the first heartbreak and a love that didn’t last.

The new project includes the track, “Star Feelings” which explores a relationship with a girl who never left even through the pain. The piece expresses that there is some pain a person can do nothing about, like falling in love for the first time.

Last October, $PAID released “Status” as he was finding his way as a solo artist. While “Status” contained many features, $PAID’s new project has more direction, compassion, substance, and perennial relevance. “The difference between Status and Who Is $PAID,” the artist said, “is that Status was just for the time, but Who Is $PAID is timeless.”

$PAID grew up listening to old school music filled with passion, pain and emotion. To help him get through his tribulations, he turned to the music of James Brown, Erykah Badu, Aretha Franklin, Musiq Soulchild and especially Drake. An example who showed that it is OK to be who you are, Drake had a very positive influence on $PAID’s life. $PAID developed into a melodic, rap-singer with a sound that is different from any other artist. $PAID said “I don’t feel like I should be put in a genre. I feel like I can almost touch all genres.”

$PAID started rapping at 19 and formed a group called Upper Echelon with another artist, Rich London. Originally called Dirty Money to compliment Rich London’s name, Jeremy changed to $PAID after going solo. In 2018, $PAID released “Factuals,” leading to an informal agreement with a small Houston label. After the devastating split with the record label, $PAID released a three track tape called “The Sample” which included the wildly popular track, “Pieces.”

A city where many young artists are trying to make it as rappers, Houston can be a tough nut to crack. But, $PAID is excited about his chances in there because “once you get the city behind you, they are behind you all the way!” Houston and beyond can look forward to much more from this hot young artist. Leading up to the release of “Who is $PAID,” $PAID is dropping a new single on SoundCloud and a music video for the track, “Loyalty” on YouTube this Friday.

To listen to $PAID’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://soundcloud.com/user-657483691

https://twitter.com/TheRealSpaid

https://www.instagram.com/therealspaid/

“Factuals”

https://youtu.be/02RvugrMjLs

Kompanion – Redo

Industry Spotlight, Music, Promo

Personal pain and pleasure enlivens new music from alternative Hip Hop artist, Kompanion

DENVER, CO – When Kompanion (also known as James Patrick Sullivan) speaks, there is a lot of pleasure and pain because he has seen both sides of life. Music helped him get through the roughest parts of growing up and helped him express a lot of his emotions. “More than anything,” Kompanion said, “it’s helped me redirect my emotions into something positive that can help other people.” 

Further to the purpose of using his music is to connect with those in need, Kompanion released his single, “Redo” last month. A mixture of old and new age Hip Hop, “Redo” is a song about second chances in anything in life you want to do over again.

Exposed to more hardcore music at a very young age, Kompanion was influenced by the music of Kid Cudi, Mobb Deep, Brotha Lynch Hung and the Dog Town Gangster sound. Kompanion has a style that is unique and hard to classify which is best described as alternative / new age Hip Hop.

On November 30th, Kompanion will drop his new album, “The Kompanion.” The 7 track collection of all new, original material was recorded at his professional home studio, then mixed and mastered by Kentucky-based producer/engineer, Studio 17 llc. The artist’s description of “Motivation,” the album’s first track, is intriguing – “All I was thinking while recording this song was ‘I’m so hungry, both literally and figuratively!’” Kompanion also feels that “Smile” is another track that people will particularly enjoy. Things that built up in his life and came to a head are expressed in this album which gives an amazing inside look at the life of someone who has overcome recidivism, alcoholism and drug addiction.

Moving around and experiencing difficulties at home and in school, Kompanion made some bad choices and ended up in many unfortunate circumstances. In and out of jail over the years, he found himself in a position where he got pushed down. His experience is that everyone at every level wears a mask, whether they are conscious of it or not. Kompanion said “I try to approach people with a tremendous amount of respect because I know that everyone has something going on.” That respect allows him to see the real person, and he is hoping that people see the real him when they hear his music.

Kompanion believes in love for all and hatred for none, and is passionate about helping people from all walks of life. Luckily in 2003, Kompanion found his passion for music which he can attach to other things to help people. He also works with many charitable organizations such as “Be the Match” and “Peace Jam” that help build individuals and communities by addressing power and privilege issues. “I just like to use my platform to try and help somebody because I’ve been in some bad spots,” Kompanion said. “I know that social support is the most important thing when it comes to helping people who are struggling.”

His life experiences allow him to operate from a position which those who are in need can relate to. And Kompanion strongly believes that “Tough times never last, but tough people do.”

To listen to Kompanion’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://kompanion.us/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6CkPNLDxzxok1v2k1SLO2D

https://soundcloud.com/itskompanion

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/1473245707

https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/Kompanion

https://youtube.com/kompaniontv

https://twitter.com/thekompanion

https://Instagram.com/thekompanion

http://facebook.com/kompanionmusic

https://show.co/Dcg4YD

Adam James – Temporarily Blinded

ME Blog, Music, Promo

Introspective lyricist encourages listeners to
consider a different perspective

MIAMI, FL – Adam James wants you to think about things differently … all things from relationships to politics to cultural influences and everything in between. His music is the kind of music intended to give listeners some deeper food for thought, and it’s that content-forward music that is grabbing the attention of new fans all over the South and in larger circles throughout the U.S.

Hailing from Miami, Florida, this introspective lyricist has been making a name for himself in Hip Hop circles around Miami for the better part of the past five years. In 2013, he dropped a mixtape called “Thru My Eyes” that was his announcement to the world. Shortly after that, he started his own independent recording label called House of M Music LLC and in 2018, he recorded his first EP “Temporarily Blinded” which featured singles such as the self-titled track “Temporarily Blinded,” produced by Nate Da Quiet Storm, “Pressure,” produced by Mike Anthem, and “Hollywood Afrikkanz,” produced by Drock. That project continues to making waves and James said he’s eager for an even wider audience to experience his music.

“It’s an EP that’s more lyrical than a lot of the music you hear today,” James said. “I just try to take a different lane and speak a little bit about political values and things that I’ve been through coming up as a man. To me it’s a lyrical project that reflects on things like the ups and downs of relationships or religion and various other things like that.”

The title track is perhaps the best example of the unique style of music James creates. Working off a sample of a speech from Malcolm X, the up-tempo vibe underscores lyrics that observe things through a different lens and looking at life with a different perspective. 

“It’s about seeing the darkness before the light and recognizing it for what it is,” James said. “I’m talking about coming up in the music game and seeing different things and witnessing different artists and seeing how one artist goes one way and then changes and you can tell it’s not them anymore. It’s a song about sticking to a code and not ever changing just to be more popular or make more money. I want to be recognized more for my music than my antics. I’m speaking more for a lot of different artists who are so blind to so many different things and try so hard to get noticed that they lose themselves along the way. It doesn’t have to be that way. We can be ourselves without having to do ridiculous things and losing ourselves. So ultimately, this song is about recognizing those fads for what they are – temporary – and then coming back to our truest selves.”

James said he’s set to follow up that successful EP with another project that is in production right now called “Finally See.” He said it will be “a bit jazzier” than his previous work and will feature more samples and more live instrumentation. 

To listen to Adam James’ music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://www.instagram.com/adam_the_genius/

https://soundcloud.com/user-673405160

thehouseofmmusic.com

M Soto – Throw That Dough

ME Blog, Music, Videos

M Soto uses unique writing abilities to create songs with meaningful storylines

Originally from Brooklyn, NY and raised by his grandparents, M Soto is ready to break barriers in the game. His latest hot new single, “Throw That Dough” on Spotify, iTunes and other platforms, is proving his capabilities with well over 100k streams. “Throw That Dough” gives you a feel and setting of being in a strip club while the dancers work their magic.

From an early age, he started writing poems as an outlet for him to express any sadness he was feeling while growing up. His love for music and poetry developed into an interest in creative songwriting. Recognizing the similarities between song and poem creation, M Soto began to refine his craft. Hearing other artists such as Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G, Nas and 50 Cent influenced him to focus on songwriting.

Capturing the experiences while traveling and hearing some of the music played at venues led to the creation of “Throw That Dough.” Although the song has more of a club feel than the other music he was making at the time, the single has gotten a great response.

Currently residing in Baltimore, MD he recorded the track and a few others in his own built studio. Not satisfied with the work of several engineers, he took upon himself to take classes in an audio production school to get the sound he was looking for. “I just wanted to be satisfied, [for them]to bring out the best out of my music and I didn’t get that.” 

M Soto’s first big break came when a publicist affiliated with Sony heard his music. That connection led to a distribution deal with Sony Records and streaming numbers in the hundreds of thousands for Soto. However, it hasn’t always been easy for the songwriter. As an independent artist, having the budget to do everything Soto wants to do is a challenge. On top of that, he spent a lot of money in areas he didn’t need to early on. Soto believes that one of the greatest challenges for any new artist is the lack of proper knowledge of the business side, and knowing where to allocate funds.

M Soto’s music is full of variations: from the club to a state of mind of realization. He also has a podcast called “NYO Podcast” (Not Your Ordinary), featuring himself, his producer and his director. For the podcast, the men talk about all different topics, and there is no holding back from any of them. 

M Soto and his team are also putting everything together for his next single, “Blessed.” Recorded in April, the music video is complete and the finishing touches are being added to the track. 

To listen to M Soto’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

https://www.instagram.com/therealmsoto/

https://twitter.com/therealmsoto

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbNVzAGh5rD59u54AgtrgWw

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6Xy3YDx4o2ruqYiyaf78BJ

Aj Angels – Check In

Industry Spotlight, Music

AJ Angels inspires others with new introspective EP ‘Iso’

DENVER, CO – Separated…  Alone … Isolated…

That’s how Denver artist AJ Angels has felt at times throughout his life and it’s in those moments that he always turns to music. The power of artistic expression has played out multiple times in his life in a myriad of ways, and it’s that power that he wants to capture and share with the world through his new EP “Iso.”

The project explores what it means to take a moment and check in with yourself. It’s about his mentality during those isolated moments and the motivating factors that happen in life to derail us from our dreams.

“It’s about asking yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing and why you’re chasing whatever it is that you’re chasing,” AJ said. “It’s about looking back and seeing how much progress you’ve made. For myself, I have the pedal down right now and a lot of times I feel like I have to drive this road alone. But that’s OK because I have to chase this dream and I’m focused on that.”

The idea for the project came about while he was checking into a hotel a few months back. He found himself almost in an out-of-body experience, looking down at his life in that moment and wondering what it was that led to him feeling so alone. So as he checked into a hotel, he also checked in on himself and began to reminisce on the progress of his life and the things around him. As he sat in his room, those introspective thoughts became words on a page which eventually turned into the debut single from the album, “Check In.”

“It’s kind of mellow and really echoes a lot of what I’m talking about on this project,” AJ said. “There’s an all-audio track to start the project, then you get ‘Check In’. But by track 3, things are more uplifting and fun and you’re enjoying life. I have some great choreography I want to put with some of those later songs on the EP, and we’re getting ready to film a video for ‘Check In’ later this month.”

The last three songs on the EP are “Witness,” “Little People” and “Arise” – all of which are inspirational and upbeat, with lyrics that demand attention. “Little People” in particular is one of the stronger tracks on the project as it pushes listeners to remember the “little people” in life and acknowledge that all of us are in some way little people, no matter how far we go in life or how much we succeed. 

“And then I end with ‘Arise’ where I’m talking about my view on how I’m seeking something that makes me want to keep going,” AJ said. “I’m always seeking more and with this song, I’m touching on the fact that I’m single again and how I’m focused on my music. It’s about something I’m seeking and how it’s hard for me to put energy into something else. So I’m putting energy into what I think is working.”

Through all of his music, AJ’s unique sound and style reflects influence from the West African heritage that was instilled in him as a child growing up with immigrant parents. His taste in music and his sound has always had a foreign touch, and it’s that subtle blend that AJ thinks sets him apart from others in the industry today.

“At the end of the day, I want my music to be known for being real and inspiring,” he said. “That’s big for me. What I’m talking about a lot is finding self-progress in my music. There are a lot of people around me who don’t think I can have a version of success. But if there’s one thing to pick up from my music it’s that I’m being real and I’m showcasing how anyone can have a journey of success. Don’t worry if what you’re doing is right or wrong – if you love it, go all-in and see how things work out. If you’re 100 percent authentic and real, you can impact an unknown number of people’s lives. There are many times when I’ll never know how much my music impacts someone, but I can always count on being a positive impact on others if I’m being 100 percent real myself.”

To listen to AJ Angel’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:

http://iamajangels.com/

instagram.com/iamajangels

twitter.com/iamajangels

facebook.com/iamajangels

soundcloud.com/ajangels 

“Iso” (EP)

http://soundcloud.com/ajangels/sets/iso

https://open.spotify.com/album/2buz7G9djLQIEmYHNpYDYr

https://music.apple.com/us/album/check-in/1480428104?i=1480428106

New Video/Single: Buck City – Execution | @_BuckCity_ @DjSmokeMixtapes

Album, Blog, EP, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Mixtapes, Music, Promo, Videos

Buck City Is Gearing Up For His Next Release “Beat The Odds” Hosted By Dj Smoke Mixtapes

Buck city is putting it down for the entire Iowa/Quad city area. The mid-west artist is back with a new project for the people! Buck linked up with Dj Smoke Mixtapes again to bring you “Beat The Odds”!

Check out the first single from titled “Execution“. Its a lil something to hold the people until we drop the full project. Other stand-out tracks on this project are “Without Warning”, “Only God Can Judge Me”, “Way To Go” amongst others. Make sure you stream the entire project when it drops on Spinrilla October 2nd and share it if you are feeling it!

Check out his previous projects “Unfamiliar Territory hosted by Dj Duce“, “The Hate Never Paid You hosted by Dj Smoke Mixtapes“, “Versatile hosted by Dj Smoke Mixtapes“; Look out for “Beat The Odds hosted by Dj Smoke Mixtapes” on Spotify and all streaming outlets.

Catch the video shot by @TroyBoyTheBeast below.

Stay connected with Buck City on social media

IG: @_buckcity_

FB: @shatani.buck

SC: @Buckcity74

Follow Buck City on Spinrilla and Spotify.

Shaad Goon – Money ft. YGG Tay

Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music

Shaad Goon Drops The Visual For His Brand New Single ‘Money” Tune-In on YouTube

Va’s own Shaad Goon links up with YGG Tay for the Sauce anthem ‘Money’ produced by Beat Zombie. Visual was directed by @LoveTheCulture.

Shaad Goon’s new single “Money’ is now Available On All Digital Streaming Platforms! Be on the lookout for Shaad Goon’s EP “Home Of The Hustlers” its on the way, coming real soon!

 

Follow Shaad Goon online:

https://twitter.com/ShaadGoon

https://www.instagram.com/Shaad_Goon

https://www.facebook.com/shaad.goon.77

YGG Tay:

https://www.instagram.com/Ygg_Tay