TinyGun – Rozay Muzik

Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Promo, Videos

TinyGun rides in the pocket of perfection with new EP ‘Shooterz Touch’

LOS ANGELES, CA – Anybody who watches Stephon Curry play basketball knows that the NBA superstar of the Golden State Warrior’s has one of the sweetest shots in the game. He has, as they say, a shooter’s touch. In a very similar way, Markell “TinyGun” Jones has the shooter’s touch when it comes to making music. He rides in the pocket, making hit after hit and establishing a career as one of the fastest rising young talents on the West Coast. He puts that skill on display with his latest EP “Shooterz Touch,” which is currently available across all streaming platforms.

Playing with multiple sports metaphors – including cover art that immolates ESPN’s SportsCenter set – the 11-song project is an impressive display of the raw talent and honed-in signature style that TinyGun exhibits. With standout singles like “Rozay Muzic,” it’s a tour-du-force of lyrical bars and catchy hooks.

“When you’ve got the shooter’s touch, you can make damn near anything,” TinyGun said. “If I keep pushing, I’m gonna make everything I shoot, too. The way I put my bars together is what makes me stand out more than anything else. My bar structure is kind of unorthodox. I’m taking my shots like Stephon Curry, but my bars are more like (NBA power forward) Draymond Green. He’s a little more aggressive and a little more rough. I come from that little bit of a dirty background – I’m still professional, but I still got it in me – and that shines through my music.”

With “Rozay Muzic,” TinyGun shows an impressive versatility as an artist while perfectly showcasing the concept of the entire EP. He samples “Magnificent” from Rick Ross and John Legend, and pairs that with an aggressive beat from producer DoneByBolt. He calls it a song where he’s just ranting, telling his listeners what he’s going through and been through and looking forward to in the future. It’s a song with a cool vibe and catchy beat that fans are already enjoying.

But more than anything, TinyGun creates music that’s laden with truth. In the midst of an industry that celebrates rappers who delivers lyrics about cars and clothes and money, TinyGun brings stories of real life that come from his experiences digging his way out of the struggle. He creates a roadmap, of sorts, to help people get out of the system and to break free from the negative cycle of street life.

All of TinyGun’s music is delivered under his label RiskTakerz. He plans to release a deluxe version of “Shooterz Touch” later this year, which he said will feature five or six more songs. He also is developing another EP with fellow LA artist DaiyDaiy, that he said could drop by the end of the summer.

To listen to TinyGun’s music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links:
https://www.instagram.com/_tinygun_/
https://m.facebook.com/home.php
https://mobile.twitter.com/_tinygun_/
https://youtube.com/channel/UCY4ThedFfP6x1tTSRCJCzvA
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/iHNSVwRPGzgVjZgf8



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

YBG RT – Dear Mama

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Young rapper YBG RT brings good vibes and positivity on sentimental single ‘Dear Mama’

ATLANTA, GA – A sentimental single that was released for Mother’s Day is continuing to gain waves of fans all across the U.S. in the week’s following the national holiday. “Dear Mama” is the latest track from Atlanta-based artist YBG RT. As the title would indicate, it’s a song written for his mother after she requested that he create something special for her on Mother’s Day. Essentially serving as a letter to his mom, it’s a song that tells the story of his deep relationship with her while giving listeners something extremely relatable with which to cling. It’s so relatable, in fact, that nearly everyone who hears it is having an emotional reaction to it, and then sharing it with their friends and family members. The song has taken off like wildfire and is only going to continue to grow in popularity and more and more people hear it.

Produced by DAK and mastered by Bentley Records, the single is just the latest from this 19-year-old rapper who has been making a name for himself in the music industry over the past couple of years. He and his close friends created a collective label called YBG Productions (Young Bread Goon), and have been working to create high-quality music since 2018. They’ve produced numerous singles and projects, and at the beginning of 2021 RT signed a one-year demo deal with Bentley Records. He has since released the singles “Mental” and “Dear Mama,” with multiple other projects in development and set to release later this year and early 2022.

“This is the main start of my recording career,” he said. “We’re trying to bring a whole different energy to the game that’s all about good vibes and positivity. Typically rap is more negative and all about money or girls or game, and it often skips the importance of life and keeping good mental health. We’re trying to push things that promote good mental health and keeping your vibes good. We’re pushing good thoughts out there to people’s minds so they can reflect on it, feel it, and choose those good things for themselves.”

Inspired by artists like Yung Pinch and J. Cole, YBG RT has a distinct sound and style that puts lyrics together into a perfect pattern. As a lover of lyrical flows, he does his best to bring that style to the game while also telling meaningful stories that both entertain and encourage listeners to think more deeply and from different perspectives. His aim is to create something that sounds good, but which also has depth and focuses on more profound truths.

“I really want people to think of it as a reflection,” he said. “it’s something they can go to and see how somebody else goes through life. I’m not different than them. I relate to them as a normal human. In a lot of ways I want the message of my music to be about equality. We’re all the same on this earth. We go through the same types of things and feel the same emotions. There’s no difference between us. It’s just how we live our lives and choose to live our lives that takes us on different paths.”

To listen to YBG RT’s music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links:
https://music.apple.com/gb/album/dear-mama/1566112632?i=1566112634
https://open.spotify.com/album/5lvPrR8mY2gX4LDlS2pqgY?si=KlZGEGioS8qCMcIXpgB_AQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNVQeZ1_lYM
https://soundcloud.com/ybgrt/dear-mama-prod-dak
https://www.instagram.com/ybg.rt/
https://twitter.com/ybg_rt

The Centaurettes – Spider On The Wall

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St. Louis Trio The Centaurettes Go Pastel Punk on New EP ‘Cute to be Mean’ 

LOUIS, MO – When St. Louis indie punk band TheCentaurettesdecided to make their second EP, Cute to be Mean” – a project they consider to be more professionally produced than their DIY debut “Please Give Me Space” – they were surprised to hear how much their musicianship and songwriting had grown. Core members Derek Hibbard and Bionca Maldonado – guitar and bass, respectively – added drummer Daniel L. Jackson to their roster first. All three of them are vocalists for the band and represent a diversity seldom seen in rock music today. Two-thirds of them are Queer and People Of Color. That diversity helps create something truly original on “Cute to be Mean,” which was recorded almost entirely live. While the songs still ooze sass and irreverence, the artists also found some soft moments, causing them to rebrand themselves as “pastel punk.” 

In general, there’s a heaviness to the subject matter here. Lyrics confront topics like depression and addiction. Ultimately, Maldonado sees the dominant theme as growth, saying “Growth and adaptation are enormous to everyone right now.” In one standout song, “Spider on the Wall,” vocalist Derek Hibbard explores all aspects of addiction. Yet, the music stays phenomenally groovy, and the song ends with a recording of people laughing. 

Hibbard credits Jackson with helping widen the band’s sound, saying, “Danny started out as just a drummer. But in the recording of this he started doing backing vocals, he added keys, he added guitars. He actually has his own song on the record that he plays and sings, ‘Birds and Bees.’ “We’ve kind of got a punk rock Beatles thing going on where you never know who’s going to be singing.” 

It was Jackson who suggested re-recording “The Barge,” a song on the band’s first EP, wanting to do his own take on the song. Having done multiple recordings, Maldonado was keen to try one more time and give the song a “final resting place.” The band was shocked when they heard how much better the new version was. “Miles and miles above where it started in 2017,” says Hibbard. “Night and day.” Maldonado adds that it’s a treat for their longtime listeners, saying “It’s a way to share an old song that all of our fans knows and show them how good it is now.” Much as Green Day fans enjoy both an older and newer version of “Welcome to Paradise,” “The Barge” now lives in two iterations. A video is forthcoming.  

On “Cute to be Mean,” the St. Louis trio shows their own growth. Not just in their music and songwriting, but in their openness to explore new genres, revisit their past, and make the very best of a change in the band’s lineup.  But they’re keeping the sass.  

“Cute to be Mean” was recorded by The Centaurettes at Lighthouse Sounds in Alton, IL and produced by Alex St. Cin.  

The EP is currently available across all streaming platforms. To listen to their music, or to follow them on social media, please visit the following links: 

Instagram:  

https://instagram.com/thecentaurettes?utm_medium=copy_link 

Album on Spotify:  

https://open.spotify.com/album/64TDQN4FkYe6fccsZU564m?si=pFv83l9SSv6rlw3vOMM_Tw 

Apple Music album link: 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/cute-to-be-mean-ep/1563203845 

Stand-In – Burn It Down

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Former dancer for P!NK taps into magic combination of pop/punk and lo-fi ambience on new EP 

LOS ANGELES, CA – After years as a professional dancer, touring the world with P!NK’s “Beautiful Trauma World Tour,” West Coast multi-faceted artist Anthony “STAND-IN” Westlake has launched a new career as a recording artist. His debut EP “This One’s For The Skinny Jeans In High School” is an alt-rock, pop punk, heavy guitar-driven angst-fest of heart-felt sounds and vibes that serves as a great introduction to the originality of this young up-and-coming musician.  

“This EP is all of the shit I would have liked to say if I had the balls to when I was in high school, and how I would have liked to say it,” he said. “I had a relationship with a songwriter, and when it went south, I realized I had fallen out of love with her and into love with the thing she loved (songwriting). I was in a weird head space, and though I had never been one to write down what I was feeling, I decided to try songwriting. While on tour In Europe, I bought a small audio interface, grabbed a guitar and I still remember on June 13, 2019, while we were in Amsterdam, I loaded up Logic for the first time and tried to put the thoughts I’d written down into a song. I did that for the next three months while in Europe when I had the freedom to, and when we came back to LA I built a home studio and dove into it. I don’t know when it became serious, but I feel like it’s always been a part of me. The more I do it, the more I realize how important music really has been to me.” 

STAND-IN went on to say that his first inclination when approaching songwriting was to explore sounds within the lo-fi, R&B world. He was writing about love, relationships and breakups. He said it felt natural to incorporate sounds from those genres to go with his lyrics. After a year of producing and writing every day, he hit a point where he was uninspired and almost burnt out on the music he was making. He started searching for new sounds and took a deep dive into some of his old playlists from high school – the type of music he listened to when his jeans were too tight and his hair had too much gel in it, including artists such as Fall Out Boy, All Time Low, and Blink-182, among others. The alt-rock, pop-punk sound started to evoke memories, and he remembered how much that kind of music impacted him. Soon after, he realized there’s a new wave of that sound emerging in the industry. As he started creating and emulating some of what he’d been listening to, songs just started flowing out of him. 

The stand-out track on the project is a great example of the magic that came from that process. “Burn It Down” is a narrative that he said a lot of people will be able to relate to. It’s about a relationship that you know is going nowhere, yet you try to convince yourself that you can make it through.  

“You know it’s doomed, but you wanna stay in it because it still feels good,” STAND-IN said. “It’s those last fleeting moments leading up to when it breaks you. When I finished ‘Burn It Down,’ it was the first time I felt like I was making music that came from a real place. It’s a little scary because it feels like a piece of me. I definitely still incorporate a lot of lo-fi and R&B elements into my music, but ‘Burn It Down’ was really my first step into the pop/punk world which, at least for now, is the type of music I want to be making.” 

More music is definitely coming, STAND-IN said. But first he’s eager for new listeners to check out his debut EP. “This One’s For The Skinny Jeans In High School” goes live on all streaming platforms May 28.

To listen to STAND-IN’s music, or to find him on social media, please visit the following links: 

This One’s For The Skinny Jeans In High School! EP on Soundcloud  

@canyoustandin Instagram 

STAND-IN EPK 

STAND-IN WEBSITE 

STAND-IN PRESS PHOTOS

Donn P – Datz My Bih

Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Videos

Donn P continues tradition of great Brooklyn rappers with bumpin new summer hit ‘Datz My Bih’ 

BROOKLYN, NY – A new street anthem from Brooklyn-based rapper Donn P is hitting the airwaves and drawing in an ever-widening pool of fans. “Datz My Bih” is an upbeat, energetic club-ready hit that’s just in time for the summer. Told from the perspective of a guy picking up his lady, it’s a song with a catchy hook and clever bars that will surely have listeners singing along no matter where they’re at.  

Hailing from the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, Donn P is an artist and co-founder of the independent label Str8DropEmpire. He’s the youngest of seven children raised by a single mother, though four of his brothers have died over the years. He was closest to his older brother, who had assumed the role of father figure and was instrumental in teaching him how to hustle and to take nothing for granted in life. When Donn P lost his older brother to street violence, he knew he had to be intentional about choosing a different path. Music was the way to go. 

“My mother had been through a lot with her sons and she worried about me hustling to survive,” he said. “I wanted to make her happy and not worry about me, so I knew I had to do something different. The hip-hop scene in New York is a little faded, but a few rappers are bringing it back to life. So I’m working for my time and I’m happy things are coming back around. What you get with my music is all me – my ups, my downs, my wins, my losses, my pain … my music is my therapy. I’m focused on making good music that I hope people can appreciate and find relatable. I want people to listen to my music because it comes from the heart.” 

Donn P said his style can be considered witty street-centered vibes, with lyrics that are gritty yet unorthodox. He credits his influences and inspirations to artists like The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Young Jeezy, Future, Young Thug, Bobby Schmurda, and Pierre “Pee” Thomas, who is the CEO of the label. 

Over the past five years, Donn P has seen his notoriety in the industry steadily grow as he’s had success after success with his music. In 2016, the driven rapper took part in Lil Durk’s 2Xs tour. He then released his first mixtape, “Plug and a Plan” shortly after the tour, which earned many positive reviews. Standout tracks like “Trap House Bumping,” “Catch Me Out” and “Drippin’ Aura” have been featured in various ways, including on sites such as MTV.com, Thisis50, Itsbizkit, Youheardthatnew, and more. 

“My music is a reflection of who I am, what I’ve been through,, and my growth from hustler to business entrepreneur,” he said. “I hope people can see my story and know that it can motivate them to help them through anything. You can come from nothing and make something for yourself. That’s the type of message I’m bringing through my music. When you feel like you need to be pumped up, my music can motivate you in your day.” 

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To listen to Donn P’s music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links: 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/yktv-x-ykmb/1449214067?i=1449214068

“Datz My Bih”  

https://youtu.be/7PzP9SRzNes 

https://soundcloud.com/don_pr/datz-my-bih 

https://open.spotify.com/album/19ePutx8pXBwb5YkHeXVGP 

https://www.instagram.com/the_holyhustler/

Lord Divine – Whatcha Gon Do?

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Rapper Lord Divine offers aggressive street anthem with new single ‘Watcha Gon Do’ 

ATLANTA, GA – A new street anthem from Atlanta-based rapper Lord Divine is here to put snitches on notice that they better watch their backs. “Watcha Gon Do” is an upbeat jam that will get people hyped, whether they’re in the clubs or just hanging with friends. It’s aggressive and filled with energy that’s sure to get people turnt, which is exactly what Lord Divine was going for when he created the hit single. 

“It’s a song that says, ‘You better watch your mouth when you talk to me,’” Lord Divine said. “I’m on another level that you can’t see. We don’t f*ck around! I will tie you up and lay you down if you don’t watch yourself. So whatcha gon do?” 

Originally from New York, this fast-rising rapper has a distinct accent and attitude that comes with his years growing up in The Bronx. Though he still reps New York, he’s been pursuing his career as a recording artist full-time in Atlanta for the past few years. And it’s in Atlanta that he’s discovered his signature sound and style. 

“I’m talking about real-life situations in my music,” he said. “I’m dropping real bars with real situations. I’m in your face. A lot of people compare me to 50 Cent or DMX. I bring storytelling that’s honest and brash and has that aggressive vibe. But the ladies also like what I bring. I’m keeping it street, but I’m making it accessible to anybody.” 

Lord Divine said he first started writing rhymes while he was serving time in prison. He was charged with 15-years-to-life on a drug charge, and during his time inside he became known as the guy who could write really good letters. The other inmates would come to him asking for letters to their wives or lovers, with clever poems or thoughtful quips to help their relationships along, or even entice those women to make regular visits.  

“My penmanship was really good, and one of the dudes saw the rhymes in my letters and was like, ‘This is hot right here! You should be a rapper,’” Lord Divine said. “I didn’t think much of it at first, but then I had one of my little homies show me how to count bars and when I got that down pat, I had 8 million stories to tell. It was non-stop from there. That’s the biggest thing people can expect from me as an artist – stories. Some will make you laugh. Some will make you cry. It’s a roller-coaster with me. But I have a lot of things to talk about, and I know I’m gonna be an icon in the game because of what I’m bringing. My sound is totally different than what’s in the industry right now. I just feel like I’m the bridge between the old and the young. I’m that voice to bring everything together, and I definitely will be one of the greats.” 

To listen to Lord Divine’s music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links: 

https://youtu.be/kl53oaObNYg 

https://youtu.be/q19MpI7OZlo 

All social media: @lorddivine100

Traakoo – Bout Time

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Traakoo ‘The Famous Gasser’ puts turnt up sound to the test with new single ‘Bout Time’ 

LOS ANGELES, CA – Traakoo (pronounced “TRAY-Ko”), born Tyshawn Tray-vion Edwards, is not your typical artist. Born and raised in several different parts of Los Angeles County throughout his younger years, the 20-year-old emcee has developed a level of talent that far surpasses his age. His West Coast roots developed a deep appreciation for the LA culture, and growing up he bumped artists such as Snoop Dogg, E-40, and The Game. But his knowledge of the hip-hop industry also gave him a deep appreciation of East Coast rappers such as Jay-Z and 50 Cent. It helps that his uncles provided strong figures in his musical life and upbringing, introducing a young Traakoo to these artists’ music as well as sharing their own raps with him. This jump-started Traakoo’s passion, and at just 6 years old he began picking up a mic and reciting lyrics that were written for him. He hasn’t looked back since, leading him to partner with his uncle to form STACK Entertainment Group, where he released his first EP “The Famous Gasser EP.” Releasing music professionally over the past six years has led to Traakoo branching off with his own Label called GASSER Entertainment, as well as his own clothing merch store. 

But even with that rich background and business progression, Traakoo feels like he hasn’t gotten the respect he deserves. At such a young age he’s still a veteran of the industry and has the kind of high-quality sound that should stand out from a crowd. And so with his latest single released on his new label, “Bout Time,” he’s sending a message to the world that he’s an artist and boss who demands attention. 

“I’ve been rapping since I was 9 and I’ve been good at it for a long time,” Traakoo said. “I’ve been building a brand and a name, but people have been throwing dirt on my name. So this song is basically about my respect. I’ve been doing this for a long time and you need to give me respect.” 

More than anything, Traakoo said he labels himself as a Gasser – “The Famous Gasser,” to be more precise. Any song he lays vocals on, he gasses it. One of the sayings he’s become known for, and shows up in all of his songs, is “I’m Finna’ Gas This Bitch, Aye!” He’s an artist who owns this unique niche within the hip-hop genre that is all about gassin’. Essentially, he’s created a sound and style that no one else is doing the way he does it. He’s even gone so far as to make the gas emoji the official symbol of his brand, and you can see that symbol in almost all of his music videos and featured on a lot of the clothes and jewelry he wears on a daily basis. 

“I make turnt up music,” he said. “I make aggressive music. I’m gassin’. When you turn me on you’ll know I’m that famous gasser who is gonna get you pumped up and get you lit. If you’re at a party and it’s boring, put my music on and it’s gonna get you jumpin.” 

To further showcase this style, Traakoo says he plans to release another single called “Gas A Lot” within the next month to serve as the perfect summer song. With diverse styles, Traakoo has also had success with singles like “Dollar $ign” and “AirBNB.” He’s also working on an EP set to drop later this year called “Something for the Ladies.” Traakoo is definitely someone you want to keep your eyes and ears on. 

To listen to Traakoo’s music, check out his merch, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links: 

https://www.traakoo.com 

https://www.instagram.com/traakoo 

https://twitter.com/traakoo 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJESB6M6hpOhh24CSANArQw 

https://soundcloud.com/traakoo 

 

“Bout Time” 

https://soundcloud.com/traakoo/bout-time 

https://youtu.be/rHqWrBZctrA 

https://open.spotify.com/track/6m9Us9gQ1p1C9KbwugVjg9?si=423746fd0df1463d 

BabyChuckii – Family

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Baby Chuckii inspires others through transparent truth on hot new single ‘Family’ 

ATLANTA, GA – Claudel Fabien has never had the kind of family life that most would call ideal. At age 13 his mother passed away, and on the day of her funeral his dad kicked him out of the house. He remained homeless for a little more than a year before his best friend took him in. He has two sisters and a brother who don’t talk to him, and on the random times he would interact with his father in his teenager years it was contentious, at best. Essentially, he grew up without a family and had to learn to fend for himself and do whatever he had to do to survive.  

That’s the story he weaves with clever-but-aggressive wordplay on his latest single “Family,” which is currently available across all streaming platforms. Operating under the stage name Baby Chuckii – a name given to him in elementary school when he was dared by another student to stab someone with a pencil … and he did – this up-and-coming Southern rapper has a pocket full of stories and a determination to succeed in the industry. With those two things combined, he’s on a mission to make music that inspires other people to push through any hardship to achieve the dreams they have for themselves. 

“Everybody has a story,” Baby Chuckii said. “Everybody came from somewhere and has their story to tell. What sets me apart is that I can’t rap about nothing else but that. Other rappers usually tell their stories and then drift off into other realms of rap. I can’t do that because there’s just too much of a story to tell. This first song, ‘Family,’ is just the tip of the iceberg for me. It’s the beginning of what happened with me in life, and it’s all truth.” 

Inspired by artists like Lil Baby, Rod Wave, and NBA YoungBoy, Baby Chuckii has developed a sound and style that is all his own. He has a distinct cadence, and the raw edge of his delivery definitely captures the tension that permeates his life while also building energy from which listeners all over the world can draw. But more than anything, he makes music that shares raw, unaltered truth. 

“I really want people to hear it and know that the struggle is not everlasting,” he said. “That’s why my label is called Mind Over Matter. I came from the deepest part of hell and I made it out. I want everyone to know that no matter what the issue is or problem is, it’s not forever. The storm comes and then the sun comes back out. At one point in my life I thought it was over. People thought I would die before I turned 21, or end up in prison. Thank God those things didn’t happen to me. And I want people to see my story and to know that no matter the odds that are stacked up against you, there’s nothing out of your control to change your circumstances.” 

In addition to “Family,” Baby Chuckii said he has another single called “On My Block” that should drop later this summer. To listen to his music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links: 

https://unitedmasters.com/m/607e927699d5e66243c9fc38
https://www.instagram.com/babychuckii
https://twitter.com/chuckies_seed 

https://youtu.be/doxbOC0Wbo8  

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/KGJZU6mz7CiUeVHEA 

Big Joko – Blicky Blicky

Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Promo, Videos

Midwest rapper Big Joko drops fun new single ‘Blicky Blicky’ 

CHICAGO, IL – A fun, catchy song with a nice little bap to it is making its rounds through the Midwest on its way to international notoriety. “Blicky Blicky” is the latest hit single from Chicago-based artist Big Joko. But unlike most of the Drill music coming out of Chicago, Big Joko’s sound is completely different than every other rapper from that town. In fact, he tries to stay as far away from that music scene as possible so that he can stand out from the crowd. His main goal is to create songs that with catchy hooks that will get stuck in listeners’ heads – and that’s exactly what he’s accomplished with “Blicky Blicky.” 

“It’s such a catchy song that it made it to radio here in Chicago without any kind of promotion or anything,” he said. “Now it’s made its way down to Atlanta and North Carolina and all over the South. The YouTube video is climbing closer to 100,000 views. People are loving it!” 

Big Joko said the term “Blicky Blicky” is new street lingo used to refer to a weapon, and he’s using the song to draw attention to the violence and problem with guns throughout Chicago. While the song is a fun and upbeat vibe, he’s using it as a way to draw attention to a problem that he said needs to be fixed. And like his favorite artists Lil Wayne and Cassidy, he wants to use great music to inspire and motivate the masses. 

“I want to be respected as a great artist,” he said. “I’m very creative. When people hear my shit I’m looking for a certain reaction – a smile or a head nod or an ‘Oooh!’ When you talk about great rappers and artists with bars who could make any type of hit or get on anybody’s song and kill it and deliver it, I hope they talk about me in that same breath.” 

Big Joko said he first started rapping when he was 8 years old after hearing Lil BowWow for the first time. He said he was impressed that someone who was only 11 years old could make a song that became so popular, and it convinced him that he, too, could make good music even at a young age. He went home and wrote his first rap, and it has only elevated from there over the past decade-plus of making music. With help from his cousin – who was a member of the notorious Chicago group 3Piece – he learned the ins-and-outs of the industry and worked hard to develop his unique sound and style. Today he’s become known as a hit-maker, and his music is spreading beyond just the Midwest into all parts of the globe. 

Following “Blicky Blicky,” Big Joko said he’s developing a full project that he hopes to release later this year. He also has a new single called “Cha Cha” that taps into a Reggae vibe that should drop in July. 

To listen to Big Joko’s music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links: 

https://youtu.be/UPlzxFTVfw0
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS 
www.instagram.com › b.i.gjokoWeb resultsMR.BLICKY  BLICKY (@b.i.gjoko) • Instagram photos and videos
twitter.com › jokodabig1Web resultsIG: B.i.Gjoko (@jokodabig1) | Twitter
m.facebook.com › joko.thebigone.1Web resultsJoko TheBigone | Facebook
m.youtube.com › channelBIG Joko – YouTube 

The Artist 9 – Smile

Blog, Industry Spotlight, ME Blog, Music, Promo, Videos

 The Artist 9 Lifts Our Collective Spirit With New Single “Smile” 

With his bright, upbeat new single, The Artist 9 makes us all “Smile.” The song’s smooth percussion helps ring in the spring season. As COVID restrictions come down, “Smile” serves as a welcome transition back to the outside world. “And I said hey,” sings the Artist 9. “Them problems gon go away/I promise girl it’s okay/I wanna see you smile.”  

But The Artist 9 has many more cards in his hands. He expressed pride in another new track, “My Boo.” “That was really catchy,” said The Artist 9. “It’s got a fast-paced beat to it, and it has a different sound to it. It’s a good song for people to drive and listen to. All good energy.”  

The Artist 9’s manager and business partner, Lavale Byrd, emphasized his passion for “My Boo.” “That track is hot,” said Lavale. “It’s gonna be a banger. The sound is pure originality. There’s no Autotune on it or anything like that. ‘Smile’ is the music that a lot of audiences are looking for.”  

The Artist 9 refuses to be classified or have his craft isolated within a single genre. “The Artist 9 doesn’t make trap music because he’s not a trap guy,” Lavale explained. “He’s a college kid. We don’t have time for flashy. We’re trying to open up an avenue for people. Whether there’s somebody that’s 65 or 15, we want them to hear it and understand it.”  

Another important element of The Artist 9’s music is his willingness to look closely at tragedy. 9’s song “See Me Blow” mourns the loss of a dear friend who passed too early. “His name was Derek,” remembered The Artist 9. “He was killed in a motorcycle accident a couple of years back. It didn’t just affect me. It affected everyone around me.” “See Me Blow” finds The Artist 9 reflecting on the fragility of life. “I stay alert,” he explained. “I stay watching around.”  

Fans of The Artist 9’s work should pay attention. He gave some details of his upcoming album release. “My World will be the name of the next project to drop,” said The Artist 9. “It’s just gonna be me giving you all these different sides, or places that I’m in when I made these songs. That’s what I want to go for as an artist.”  

Committed to diversifying his sound, The Artist 9 assured fans that they should never expect him to be comfortable with a single musical style. “You’re never going to get one type of music from me,” vowed The Artist 9. “Because I feel like I’m not one type of person. I feel like everybody has moments where they want to open up. Moments when they want to be hype. So I speak for the unspoken.”   

The Artist 9’s music comes courtesy of Lavale Byrd and Kloud 9 Records, an independent record label located in northern Alabama. “The Artist 9 will be the first mainstream artist to come out of this area,” proclaimed Lavale. “We stay humble, we stay focused. And we make dreams a reality.”  

Stream the Artist 9’s music, and follow him on all social media channels, via the links below.  

Instagram : @_kloud9records / @theartist9_ 

Twitter: @_Kloud9Records / @theartist9_ 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/_ZJbcMuolSk 

https://youtu.be/i8kqoAD0NCY 

TikTok: @TheArtist9_ 

https://kloud9records.com/