Prince of Pimp Hop Jr. Mack brings signature sound with new club hit ‘Git Dat Money’ 

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Southern rapper Jr. Mack has always been a fan of a good club song. So it should come as no surprise that while visiting the famous Club Allure in Atlanta, he was inspired by the overall vibe of the club and immediately went home to start creating his next big hit. The result is “Git Dat Money,” which is slated to drop across all streaming platforms on Feb. 5.  

Self-dubbed as the ultimate strip club song, “Git Dat Money” is an anthem for the ladies. It features an upbeat and energetic vibe that will encourage anyone who hears it to get up on their feet and move with the music. But more than that, it’s a song that Jr. Mack said he hopes will inspire women to keep working hard for the things they want.  

“When I was in Club Allure, I was impressed by the atmosphere and the way they tip in the club,” Jr. Mack said. “There was like $100K on the floor. I couldn’t get it out of my head, and that’s what really inspired me to write this song. It’s almost a multilateral thing in terms of the vibe, but it’s mainly for the ladies. A lot of women out there are hustling and trying to get ahead. They’re independent ladies, and this is an anthem for them.” 

Jr. Mack isn’t a newcomer to the music scene. For years, he’s been making music in New Orleans, and he’s relatively well known throughout the South. He’s performed in almost every club, bar and venue in that region, and he’s recorded songs that have made the rounds among fans far and wide. He’s worked with artists such as Too $hort and Jazze Pha, who took an interest in putting out a project with him after hearing his one-of-a-kind sound. He even caught the attention of executives with Death Row, though they didn’t ultimately end up working together. Along the way, Jr. Mack has developed a signature style that he calls Pimp Hop.  

“I’m the prince of Pimp Hop,” he said. “That’s what I call my genre. I have Pimp Raps. I spit something here or there and I’ve gotten to be known for that. Like playing football, it’s a position I’m pretty good at – I’ve flourished at it. I have my own lane. The music and the sound of the production are different than anything else out there. I also have a DJ named IceMike1200 who knows my sound and is just freaking awesome. Him and I together are like DJ Quick and Sugar Free. And at the end of the day, I hope people know me for Pimp Hop. It’s almost like Godzilla – that’s how I look at Jr. Mack. He’s a necessary evil. Ain’t nobody on this pimp shit like me. I’m like a dinosaur, the last of my kind – a tetra dactyl, cuz I’m fly!” 

Jr. Mack said he has enough material to fill two albums with his music, and plans to drop a single per month over the course of 2021 as he builds momentum toward a bigger project. His next few singles will be “Do You Think I’m Sexy,” “Smoke Good,” “Jr. Want It” and “The Prince of Pimp Hop.” 

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

https://www.instagram.com/thejrmack/ 

https://twitter.com/TheJrMack 

https://www.facebook.com/princeofpimphop 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0wNQpKfIKzPynscvSaHMpA 

Hollywood actor parlays success into music career with new single ‘Merica’ 

NEW YORK, NY – Mustafa Shakir has made a name for himself in Hollywood as one of the best character actors in the business. Many fans would recognize him as the super villain and crime boss John McIver – AKA Bushmaster – from the second season of “Marvel’s Luke Cage.” Others might recognize him as Big Mike from HBO’s drama “The Deuce” or as Victor from the Emmy Nominated series “The Night Of.” He’s currently shooting scenes in New Zealand for the upcoming hit Netflix series “Cowboy Bebop,” which is slated to be released at the end of the summer.  

But long before he became one of Hollywood’s go-to actors, Shakir was pursuing his first love: music. For as long as he can remember, music has been a cathartic outlet for him, and over the years, he’s written and released singles that have entertained a small but loyal audience as well as a mixtape called “Masterpiece Theater,” which are streaming on all digital platforms. He hopes to expand that audience with his latest single “Merica” – the first off a new album called “Magia Negra,” which is due to go wide in distribution later this year. 

“Merica” is a tongue-in-cheek satirical take on the culture that permeates most of the country today. Shakir calls it an “anthropomorphic take on America” in that the song is talking to America as if it was a person.  

“It’s basically like America is a Karen,” he said. “I’m talking to the myth of America – reading her her rights according to what’s going on currently. There’s specificity but also general themes I’m speaking about. It’s spoofy – kind of in the spirit of Eminem’s ‘Slim Shady.’”  

The mid-tempo song has a funky swag that serves as a perfect platform for Shakir’s soulful flow. It has a sound that would fit perfectly as a track for one of the shows or films he’d be featured on. And the lyrical content is equal parts challenging and entertaining. It feels like Lauryn Hill-meets-Jay-Z. It’s easy to see how a wide range of influences – from The Roots’ Black Thought, to Common, to a Tribe Called Quest – have made an impact on his style. But at the end of the day, the swag of his sound is 100 percent Shakir. 

“I feel like I’m a lyricist, first and foremost,” he said. “There’s simplicity but also a lot of complexity to it. If you study the lyrics, you can tell I’ve read quite a bit. There’s some intelligence behind it all. I want to be known for flexibility. I’m a chameleon – you can see that as an actor when I’m switching in and out of characters. But that’s also true of the different flows I bring. There’s variety with my music, but not so much that I don’t come hard with it. I want to be able to give people different flavors but without losing my individuality. So you’ll get a lot of different energies, but the core will be the same. There’s thoughtfulness, fun, and most of all creativity. That’s a big word for my music. I want to bring the art back into Hip Hop. I’m not doing it for the dollar – this is an expression of who I am.” 

Shakir said “Merica” is just the first of what he has planned for 2021. He plans to release a couple more singles between now and the summer, and then would like to drop the full album “Magia Negra” by July or August. He’s proud of the project and the people he was able to collaborate with. One song features India Arie – making him the first rapper she’s ever collaborated with – while another features Heather Victoria. He also worked with producers James Goldfingz Wheeler, Langston Masingale, and Voli Martung (who is the producing partner of Young Guru).  

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

https://www.instagram.com/_mustafashakir_/ 

https://twitter.com/_mustafashakir_ 

https://www.facebook.com/thaeffortless1 

TikTok  @_mustafashakir_ 

ArchieIAM thrives on the duality of good and evil in new single “Bipolar” 

ArchieIAM knows that the world isn’t divided between good people and bad people. That’s a lie.  Good and bad aren’t simply ideas out there in the world. They’re not just topics for conversation. Good and bad are real and they’re a lot closer to us than we’d like to believe. “I’m a benevolent spirit, I’m chill,” said ArchieIAM. “I run with good vibes, but certain events in my life led me to know that you cannot damper your anger all the time.” 

The lyricist and wordsmith explore his personal struggle on his new track “Bipolar.” The music video features ArchieIAM coming to terms with the darkness and light in his own soul. “It’s just life,” he explained. “Just as life gives, life kills and takes away. I have a good side and an angry side. Bipolar means two sides.” 

ArchieIAM’s chaotic creativity gave him the vision for the “Bipolar” music video on a whim. “I put that video together in one day,” he noted. “It was me and my camera man, it just came. It wasn’t planned.” To further explore the song’s motif of good and evil, ArchieIAM recruited a special guest star for the music video. “Chucky,” laughed ArchieIAM. “He’s a ‘Good Guy’ but when certain things happen, people encounter his dark side. It’s me acknowledging that I do have a dark side.” 

“Bipolar,” along with other tracks like “Straight Drop” and “Playa Flow,” will appear on ArchieIAM’s upcoming EP projects. The two separate EPs are entitled Dark Side and Illuminated. “Everyday battles and everyday struggles are part of who I am,” admitted ArchieIAM. “I was confused before, that’s where all this comes from. In actuality, it all correlates with oneness. Songwriting is essentially a positive act. At a young age, I’ve been through a lot. And now I’m turning it into a story.”  

To ArchieIAM’s thinking, his producer and engineer Tommy Stoner is fundamental to his success. “I was introduced to him by Lil Freaky,” he remembered. “And it was automatic. I’d lost faith in my music. I tried to give up. He’d let me know, ‘you’re a constant battle, a constant pull.’ Me and Tommy, we have a different vibe.”  

ArchieIAM has embraced both good and evil, dark and light, yin and yang. He realizes that they are one and the same. For him, it isn’t either/or. It’s both — both sides of his soul work together to propel him forward. “I run on will, faith, and strength. I have experience. I’ve been through some things and seen some things, but that’s why I put it all in my music. I have a light side and a dark side. I determine my destiny, no one else.”  

https://www.instagram.com/archie__iam/ 

https://mobile.twitter.com/Archie__iam

Money Tut reps loyalty and authenticity on new single “Believe It” 

Character, they say, is who you are when no one else is looking. When not a single eye is on you, the lights go out, the party ends, the crowds have gone, the high has worn off. In those moments, that’s when we get to know our true selves. In those moments, we’re alone, transparent, and vulnerable. Money Tut, a recording artist from San Francisco, is comfortable in those lonely moments. He wears his key attribute, authenticity, on his sleeve.  

“I want them to know that I’m real,” said Tut. “I’m from the bottom, you know, the projects. But I’m doing good, doing well.” Tut’s authenticity extends beyond his music. The people closest to him, some of whom have passed away, remain constant in his life. Tut’s new track “Believe It” features Yung Lott, a friend Tut has known since childhood. “We go way back,” said Tut, “we were just 8 or 9 when we got into music. We started recording our own music at the age of 12.” 

Tut holds his youth close to his chest, especially regarding his neighborhood. Born in 1983, Tut grew up in Hunter’s Point. Friendships he formed there endure within his music, although remembering them can be painful. The lyrics to Tut’s “Believe It” refer to his deceased friend Mike. “Michael was my brother. He was a good man, a good brother. Someone you couldn’t see me without. I don’t ever want to forget him. He was the one that kept me strong and believing in the music. I like to bring his name up. I believe he is still here in spirit.” 

Tut’s “Believe It” offers another eulogy to the late Dominick Newton, known among fans as The Jacka. The Jacka was a member of the Bay Area rap group Mob Figaz. On February 2, 2015, Newton was gunned down in Oakland, California. His murder is still unsolved. “He was a legend,” Tut reminisced, “someone we looked up to, a good friend. He passed on, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You don’t get too many people that are loyal to the soil.”  

Like The Jacka, Tut values loyalty. Chief among Tut’s motivations for pursuing a career in music is his son, Assad Gibson. “Back when people used to put up posters for music,” Tut recalled, “my son used to go into the stores and see my posters. He’d say, ‘Money Tut, that’s my Dad.’ So I can’t quit doing music. I do it for my son. He passed away at age 7.”  

In spite of tragedy, Tut wants to use music as a vehicle to inspire grit and determination among listeners. One of his current projects, the group 83, includes fellow rapper Yung Lott and Keidra On Stage. “It’s about empowerment, where we come from, it was a lot of positive stuff,” said Tut. “I want people to understand that life is what you make it. Never stand back waiting for someone else to do something for you. If you want it go out there and get it.”  

Whether by himself or with other people, Money Tut is the same. With Tut, what you see is exactly what you get. Believe it.  

To listen to Money Tut, or to follow him on social media, see the links below.  

https://twitter.com/MoneyTut 

https://www.instagram.com/iam__kingtut/

Northwest Alt-Rock band challenges social norms with new album just in time for Valentine’s Day 

SEATTLE, WA – It would be easy to see a band called Always Naked launching a new album called “Sex Sells” on Valentine’s Day and think that the songs would be sensual and sultry, but nothing could be farther from the truth. This Seattle-based Alt-Rock group is presenting a project that is challenging the over-sexualization of today’s American culture. With catchy Rock riffs and engaging guitar licks, they’re offering a different perspective on the idea that passion and physical attraction are the be-all, end-all of good relationships.  

“It’s a project that was born from the upspring of ‘Only Fans’ and the idea that you have to be sexualized to get anywhere in life,” said front-woman Skylar Steffy. “There’s this idea in our culture that you have to utilize your body and have the nice hair and the makeup to get ahead in life. With this album, and especially with the title track, I’m expressing the frustration I feel about being a girl who’s a rocker and who wants to dress like the boys. But so often, people are trying to do things to make me more feminine than I want to be. Women all over the world feel that sense of being sexualized.” 

Though Steffy is the lone woman in the band, she’s the main songwriter and as such most of the songs explore what it’s like to live in today’s world as a woman. The band formed in Seattle as Steffy began looking for musicians who could partner with her to realize a new sound she’s been exploring. She connected with Rahul, the band’s drummer. Then the two of them used their mutual knowledge of the music scene along the West Coast to connect with Pword on bass guitar and Knuckles on rhythm guitar. Steffy said once they started playing, it came together almost effortlessly, and in no time they were writing raw, rhythmic, epic-style, girl-power Alt Rock. And with their unique style and sound, it almost seemed like a no-brainer to call themselves Always Naked. 

“It’s a name that, for me, reflects how raw and open I am,” Steffy said. “I’m a private person in my day-to-day but when I’m on stage, I expose my entire life and soul. And at the end of the day, I hope people listen to our music and are inspired. I want people to know that our music is meaningful and deep, but it’s also still playful. We have fun jamming. If you come to one of our shows, I’m gonna be running around and jumping with the crowd and talking to people and interacting. That’s my favorite part of doing shows. People can dance and get involved with the music, and we have so much fun doing it. And then when they leave and go home, I hope they reflect on the music and realize that we were talking about some real shit.” 

“Sex Sells” is slated to drop across all streaming platforms on Feb. 14.  

To listen to Always Naked’s music or to follow them on social media, please visit: 

https://www.facebook.com/alwaysnaked 

https://www.instagram.com/alwaysnakedband/ 

https://twitter.com/Always__Naked 

https://www.youtube.com/alwaysnaked 

Open in Sex Sells (soundcloud.com)

 Australian artist $uicidal $hadow explores dark side of life with new ‘underground’ sound 

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – Fans of artists such as $uicideboy$, Pop Smoke City Morgue, and Ghostemane will be ecstatic to learn of a new artist out of Australia who is bringing a new wave of excellence to the Dark Rap genre. $uicidal $hadow is a young 21-year-old artist from Adelaide who has been producing EDM music for the past two years, and over the course of the past few months has evolved into a more dark, underground Rap sound. It’s a style that is showcased on his new single, “This Song is Over Fast,” which is currently available across all streaming platforms.  

As the title indicates, the song is short in length – only slightly more than one minute – but it packs a punch in that little amount of time. $uicidal $hadow hits listeners with some dark lyrics that touch on murder, death and drugs, all within 60 seconds. Though it’s a quick hit of his new style, it serves as an introduction to the new kind of music he’s making and paves the way for the singles he wants to release this year.  

“I’m constantly making music and will be releasing a single every week this year,” he said. “My inspiration is that underground, alternative type of stuff but with a bit of humor. I like the style and the beats. It’s real catchy for me, and I know it is for a lot of others, too. What I bring that others don’t is that my beats can change up quite easily. Also, I have dark lyric but I can make my voice more light-sounding. I can move from that lighter to darker side quite easily.” 

Though his music is dark, his personality is anything but. In fact, most people who know him would say he’s not really a serious kind of person and prefers to be more laid back and have fun with life. He likes to make jokes and often helps others see the humorous side of life. But when he gets in the studio, he’s a dark rapper.  

“I just like to explore the darker side of the world through my music,” he said. “I know it’s not the happiest stuff, but bad things happen in this world and this is the personality I’ve developed over the years due to various circumstances – like losing jobs and depression and stuff like that. I know that as life moves on, I’ll probably switch up my style a little and mix it around to see what does best for me. But this is the sound I’m going for right now and I think people who like that kind of music will really love it.” 

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

https://www.instagram.com/666suicidalshadow/ 

https://twitter.com/UicidalHadow 

“This Song Is Over Fast” 

https://soundcloud.com/triple54787/this-song-is-over-fast-1