In a time where R&B music is starting to dwindle away , Detroit based artist TrellOnDaTrak says
he is exactly what the game has been missing. The artist/producer recently dropped a single
entitled “Drop a Bag” featuring Richie Rasta.
The track is a smooth ballad explaining heartbreak after giving your all to another. Very relatable
track for both sexes.
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 bemore 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,” whichwas 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:
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.
Chicago Rapper and ‘Street Teacher’ Z-Gang Brings New Flavors on Home Cooking 2
(Chicago) “It’s real. Take it serious. I’m teaching the youth. This ain’t just boppity bop music. You’ll hear my words clearly,” says Chicago rapper Z-Gang. Drawing on a wealth of backstory from being an acrobat as a child with the Jesse White Tumblers to helping to keep peace in the streets to recovering from a severe car accident, this rapper has no shortage of perspective to offer. He brings those viewpoints—as well as his own stories—to Home Cooking 2, his second EP, due out May 28.
Coming on the heels of Home Cooking 1, dropped at Thanksgiving 2020, the new EP continues to introduce the artist, with the help of impressive guest-stars Katiegotbandz and Matisse Love. He feels blessed to have surrounded himself with such a strong and supportive team. It is a bit like cooking a meal with people you like and how much better the food tastes.
Like home cooking. Smiling audibly as he explains the title, Z-Gang says “It’s like home cooking. It’s the best of everything. It’s seasoned well. There’s nothing like it.” The artist has been around long enough to see trends come and go and therefore to be confident he offers listeners something new. One song on the EP, “New Shxt,” celebrates that power of innovation and growth.
Yet, the rapper himself nearly wasn’t here to make the song at all. “People don’t know I died in a car accident in 2019. I couldn’t walk. Everything felt like it was over. I couldn’t stay sitting still. I had to get back to me. I was working two jobs. I had to stop working ’cause I couldn’t stand long. I got back up, and I ain’t sitting down,” he promises. In that spirit, he’s already formed his own label where he is the manager, producer, artist, and everything else.
Another standout track is the party song “Left Right,” a challenge song featuring Queen of Drill Katiegotbandz.
But the artist has a more sensual side too, one on display in “You,” a song he says is for the ladies. “It’s summertime in the islands, you’re with your significant other,” he says, trailing off to imply where the songs leads. “It’s a hip hop song and an R&B song,” Z-Gangs says.
Despite the versatility he displays on the new project, there’s one thing you’ll never hear him do, and that’s glamourize the gang lifestyle. “I don’t condone that gang-banging stuff. I’m Z-Gang, but that’s Zillionaire Gang because we’re about earning and growth. Not hanging out on the street,” he explains. He’s even acquired the well-earned nickname “the Street Teacher” for his peacekeeping efforts. “I’ve stopped shootouts from happening. I’ve done a lot in my community. I actually teach the street kids to stop doing what they’re doing, even though they ain’t gonna listen. At my studio, two oppositions were there, and I made them work together and shoot a video together. Nobody went to jail and nobody got shot,” he says.
Z-Gang’s second EP, Home Cooking 2, will be out everywhere May 28.
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:
Sonic Explosion announces the release of the remastered 1976 record, “We Belong Together.” The soulful arrangement of “We Belong Together” epitomizes the first stirrings of love and garnered huge success for the group internationally. Following hospitalization and near-death encounter with Coronavirus, Jameel McKanstry (A&R and lead songwriter for Music Unlimited) decided to focus on what could be a uniting factor between him and his father, Hayward Rashaad (one of the founders of the popular soul group Sonic Explosion) – music.
Between differences in religious ideologies and the abusive relationship that Rashaad had with his wife, the relationship between father and son was non-existent. Now, as Rashaad battles the onset of dementia, the two men have reconnected and are working together to re-introduce this song and band to the world. “We Belong Together” is now available on all digital platforms and everywhere music is sold. # # #
About Sonic Explosion American soul band Sonic Explosion was formed in the late 1960s in Tuscaloosa, AL. riding the wave of Soul, Blues, and R&B. Members Hayward Rashaad (saxophone), Marvin Oliver (trombone), Thomas “TJ” Jefferson (bass), Gary Browmlee (drummer), Eugene Patton (lead guitar), Reginald Parker (trumpet), and Dwight Hines (keyboard, vocals) wrote, arranged and
performed their music that would continue to be influential for decades to come. The group, best known as the performers of the rare record “We Belong Together”, headlined international tours
and opened for notable artists such as Junior Walker and the All Stars, Bobby Bland, and Albert King. They also performed at the Howlin Wolf Festival, the King Biscuit Blues Festival, andthe
WC Handy Festival of Muscle Shoals.
Jameel McKanstry is a singer/songwriter, teacher, and author. Hailing from Tuscaloosa, AL, McKanstry earned his Bachelor’s of Music Education with a specialization
in Choral Music from Florida State University. McKanstry relocated to New York City and earned his Master’s Degree in Educational Theatre at New York University. Currently, McKanstry teaches in the New York City public school system. Additionally, McKanstry is the A&R and Songwriting Lead for Music Unlimited Entertainment, a full service music company.
Industry Exec Big Heff recruits 55Bagz and YSN Marlo to talk about the struggle coming out of the trenches with Black Forces.
At this year’s Sothern Entertainment Awards Big Heff will be receiving the “Lifetime Achievement” Award.
Big Heff is VP of the Nerve Djs, a Midwest based DJ Coalition
that includes 2500 DJs, A DJ Conference Call, MP3 Pool, Nerve DJs Mixtapes , and yearly events at SXSW, A3C, & BET Awards.
In 2015 he created the Big Heff Radio Show which is now syndicated on 9 Different Stations in Atlanta GA,Cleveland OH,Columbus OH, Rockford IL, Kokomo IN, and Charlotte NC. In addition, he created a partnership for the Midwest Connext TV Show, a video countdown music program which highlights midwest music. In the same year, Quincy joined forces with Altavoz Distribution to create City Music Deal to create money streams for independent artist. Big Heff also joined forces with Sonic Bids and Online Crates for the Streets Most Wanted Tour.
In 2016 Big Heff also started working with 300 Ent, and developed the Streets Most Wanted Tour and has featured Lil Baby, Tee Grizzley, TK Kravitz, Megan Thee Stallion, YK Osiris, YFL Kelvin, Doughboyz Cashout, Trouble, 55 Bagz & More
In 2019 he announced a partnership with Equity Distribution, Rocnation’s distribution
platform.
In 2020, Quincy started Capital Structure Ent and signed DJ Ryan Wolf of Radio One and the Cleveland Browns. He also signed Ty Bri and did a joint venture with District 18 Ent & RCA Records.
The song produced by Cleveland trailblazer Philly Ferrari Beatz creates a hypnotic ode to the black Air Force Ones.
The latest release will be featured on the upcoming compilation from Heff’s Capital Structure Label entitled “In Us We Trust” due this summer.
“Coming from the midwest, the SEA awards were one of the first award shows I went to outside of my region so to come back 10 years later as a “Lifetime Achievement” award winner, I’m honored.” -Big Heff
The awards will be held in Nashville, TN May 28th-30th.
Jazz, Funk and Blues adopt modern-day twist on sophomore album from hit-maker Little Moses Jones
DENVER, CO – Little Moses Jones has always been an overachiever when it comes to music. At 5 years old he answered music’s calling before his feet could even touch the floor when sitting at a piano bench, and for the next 30 years he continued his devotion to learning and perfecting as many facets of the art and industry as possible. Today he’s become known as one of the most expressive musicians in the Jazz, R&B, Funk and Blues genres, and his latest album “The Rain Came Falling Down” is a blast of amazing sounds and vibes that feature award-winning artists from Gladys Knight, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Dotsero.
Overachiever? Indeed. But if this new project shows anything it’s that Little Moses isn’t resting on his laurels. This second funk and blues-oriented project is a powerful expression of big band music perfect for the atmosphere and environment of today’s music industry. Not only does it indicate that there are many more good things to come from Little Moses over the next decades, but it also shows the world an artist at the top of his game presenting a mastery of his art.
The debut single from the project is the perfect example of how Little Moses is tapped in at the height of his game. Taking its name from the project, the single “The Rain Came Falling Down” features artists Tim Huston, Jazzie J, and Tony Exum Jr. The song originated with Huston, who at the time had been writing a song for the legendary Anita Baker. He’d been wanting to work with Little Moses for a while, and when the latter provided some music for Huston to listen to, things just clicked.
“He put his lyrics with my music and when they came together it just turned out nice,” Little Moses said. “It has a nice soul, funk, contemporary sound, with lyrics that talk about relationships and splitting ways and moving on. I’ve always been a big band guy with that old-school, big type of sound. I like to play with the funk and old-school sounds, but then add in new elements to create a fresh vibe. You can hear a lot of influences, like Earth Wind & Fire, Kool and the Gang, and Bruno Mars. I just like good old music – the kind of music that used to mean something. Nowadays I feel like a lot of music doesn’t have a lot of meaning, and I want to get back to that true essence. I’m providing great music for people to listen to and enjoy.”
If his accolades are any indication, fans all over the world are loving the music that he’s bringing. Through his career he’s mastered multiple instruments – all of the various saxophones, piano, tuba, drums and other percussion instruments, and more – and he’s built and directed dozens of highly successful dance and party bands. He’s performed more than 1,500 live concerts, and managed and assisted many other artists toward successful careers. His previous album “Legendary” hit No. 1 on the Latin Jazz R&B Funk & Blues charts, and his radio show LMSS Radio has thousands of regular listeners from all over the world.
Following the release of “The Rain Came Falling Down,” Little Moses said he plans on releasing a couple more singles later this year – “Making Crazy” and “Perfect For Me.” To listen to his music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links:
Detroit duo Jobbaloon welcomes fans into otherworldly experience with debut album ‘The Invitation’
DETROIT, MI – It’s difficult to describe the music of Jobbaloon. It’s psychedelic, but catchy. It’s spiritual, but poppy. It’s thoughtful and serious but contains elements of dark humor, satire and straight-up silliness (as the duo humorously puts it in their bio, “Their commitment to never sell out is unwavering…except for the purpose of professional success, in which case there is no limit to the level that they would compromise their principles.”) It doesn’t fit into just one specific genre, yet it remains universally appealing enough to be enjoyed by any type of music fan. It could almost be considered singer-songwriter (with acoustic guitar, piano, and lilting, emotional vocal melodies) but has electronic elements that you might hear in a modern-day pop beat. It seems no musical instrument is off-limits – from strings and horns, to synth sounds and trap high hats, reminiscent of the experimental aspects of the baroque pop of the 1960s.
That said, Jobbaloon’s premier album, “The Invitation” is just plain good music, with a plethora of very positive reviews to back up that claim. It’s an album meant to be listened to from beginning to end, in one sitting, as if being guided on a mystical, musical journey. Similar to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”or The Beatles’ “Sergeant Pepper,” it’s a cohesive piece of art. It begins and ends with spoken-word by a Jamaican Zen Master, book-ending six single-worthy tracks, including the upbeat and undeniably catchy “Days,” whose music video is a reimagining of the famous “Singin’ in the Rain” scene.
Hailing from Detroit, Jobbaloon is doing something very unusual as it pertains to their current local music scene. With Jack White-influenced garage-rock being a staple sound in the city, a Jobbaloon show is less like seeing a band, and more like a psychedelic experience, complete with abstract video projection, an atmospheric light show, smoke, confetti, and more – all sitting atop electronic music and live singing. Their new live show format, known as Jobbaloon 2.0, is sure to give audiences a truly unique experience, when it debuts later this year.
If that all sounds too serious, please be directed to their satirical web series, “Pastor Roy” – a fictional Westboro Baptist Pastor (in the vein of Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat) who condemns everything from pop icons and democrats in his online sermons, to everyday people he interviews in his man-on-the-street segments. Its dark, offensive humor will have you simultaneously laughing out loud and cringing, much like the antics of Tim and Eric, Eric Andre, or the work of the late Andy Kaufman. The resulting online controversy, and that confusion that the majority of audiences experience when they can’t tell if it’s real or satire, is enjoyed by its creators.
The best way to learn about Jobbaloon is to experience the project for yourself by visiting the links below.
