Rock Star Gang – Bananas

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Eclectic group brings diverse culture to the Hip-hop game with first anthem ‘Bananas’ 

BAY AREA, CA – For the longest time RichardTheRockStar has had a vision to create a new era of Hip-Hop that represents a diverse culture influenced by the Bay Area sound from which the genre first arose. Though it’s been a long and winding road, the multi-media artist has finally captured his vision in the form of the Rockstar Gang. 

Currently made up of artists Jshxtta, Baked Beka, and Mr. Cooper, the quartet works together to create an eclectic mixture of sounds against the backdrop of Hip-hop for something truly organic and unique. They’ve completed 11 tracks that they’ll be releasing over the course of the year, starting with their first hit “Bananas,” which is currently available across all streaming platforms. The song highlights the positive rebelliousness of the group as they pave a path to something different in an industry that often stifles creativity in favor of a tried-and-true cookie cutter model that is proven to bring in the money. 

“Rockstar Gang has been an underground thing I’ve done with my Hip-hop career for 10 years,” Richard said. “We don’t f*ck around with any of the fake people in the industry. Too many people try to take advantage of you anymore, and I’ve seen some crazy shit over the years. We’re not anti-major-label, but the deals we have with each other are not about taking cuts from each other or double-dealing or anything like that. We come from a real rebellious place against the standard industry norm, and we want to bring a cultured, diverse hip-hop group to the table that represents something different and fresh. This is our first anthem.” 

Richard said the song came together much like the group did – slowly and organically. Richard himself has been an artist operating out of the Bay Area for the better part of a decade. He’s become well known in that part of the country, and has networked with a lot of movers and shakers in entertainment. Along the way he met Beka, who is a social media influencer from the Bay Area who has been a model but also is a survivor of the streets and brings an edge to the gang. The two became friends and for seven years Richard tried to encourage her to jump on a song with him.  

Similarly, Richard ran into Jshxtta while working in the studio one day with well-known producer Mr. Cooper – who is a friend of Tas Prestige, owner of Temple Studios where the group recorded the album. The young Jshxtta had been experimenting with music and trying to decide if a recording career was something he wanted to pursue full-time. When he and Richard met, their shared passion for originality and eclectic energy was immediately apparent, and they haven’t looked back since.  

“From the first time I met him I recognized him as the kind of guy who comes to the studio to just sit there and learn,” Richard said of Jxhxtta. “He’ll just be there because he wants it. I’ve been like that. I love his style he brings from The Bay. With Cooper, he brings that boom-bap that has a good energy. He’s like a hype man, too. He’s fun to be around. And then Beka is someone I’ve been friends with a long time. I’ve always been a fan of her as an influencer and a model – she’s really branded herself as an icon for where we’re from – and I believe in her art and her talent. Ultimately we just want to be known as a group that brings their individual energy and vibe to the table to create something special. It’s not cookie-cutter, it’s unique. It’s like The New Revolution or Snap from the 90s, or The Roots or Black Eyed Peas of today – those groups you see that you want to see more of every person and you love the way they interact together. We bring culture and love and a clear message that we’ll treat you well and make sure you feel valued. You don’t have to do anything opposite of what you want to do in your life.” 

Richard said each of the artists also have individual projects they’re working on that should release later this year. Collectively they’ll be shooting more videos for the singles they want to release throughout the year, starting with the next single “We Getting It,” which is currently available on all streaming platforms, as well. 

To listen to Rockstar Gang’s music, or to follow them on social media, please visit the following links: 

https://youtu.be/H7sgKY6zm08 

https://youtu.be/FgtpG5AoU2A 

Willy Mateo – Alt. Facts

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Willy Matéo encourages others to embrace their individuality with new EP ‘Denim’ 

PITTSBURGH, PA – Like many artists around the world, Willy Matéo turns to music as an outlet for all the things he can’t communicate in his normal, everyday life. His latest EP “Denim” is a perfect example of how this Pop and R&B artist uses music to pour out raw emotion in ways that are intriguing and connecting with fans all over the world. His songs are youthful with a grown and sexy tone, and his natural vibrato will give you chills. It’s impossible not to catch a vibe to his melodic rhythm and ballads, and “Denim” perfectly showcases a variety of flavors that fit many different vibes. 

“Ultimately it’s a project that lets me get out all the things I couldn’t before,” Matéo said. “I’m usually the bigger person in situations and so I normally don’t say how I feel. This EP gives me closure on what happened with relationships in the past – on things I did wrong and others did wrong. And it’s a way to explore how I can make my next relationship better.” 

Across five tracks, Matéo brings a mixture of R&B and Pop alongside a deep, rich voice that pairs perfectly with his witty wordplay. Sometimes he introduces an affected rasp into his music for a more gravelly edge, while other times he lifts his vocals into a higher range for a falcetto feel.  

The stand-out single from the project is a song called “Alt. Facts.” It’s a song about calling someone out on their lies. Matéo said it has a cool and laid-back vibe that feels like it was pulled from the upbeat jazzy atmosphere of the 1960s. But the lyrics on the song are aggressive, and the way he sings is aggressive. He’s letting people know what he thinks and how he feels.  

Ultimately Matéo said he wants to connect with anyone who feels like they’re different or “weird.” His music and art is meant to inspire others and help them embrace their individuality. With a voice and sound that’s unique in and of itself, his music is definitely the kind that connects with people who consider themselves to be on the fringes of society. 

“The message I want to put out there for all is that it’s OK to be different and weird,” he said. “It’s OK to be the person that nobody understands. You’re different for a reason. Just because you think and are different doesn’t make you any less of a person. I’ve had life experiences where I’ve always been the outcast and the loner, and with my music I want to inspire people to dare to be different.” 

Matéo’s music is currently available across all streaming platforms.

To listen to his music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links: 

https://youtube.com/user/WilliamMatthew2010
www.Twitter.com/willyymateo 
www.Instagram.com/willyymateo 
www.Facebook.com/theewillymateo

Mailynn Severson – Movie Love

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New teenage singer Mailynn Severson breaks the mold for Pop genre with intriguing new sound and style 

SAN JOSE, CA – The music from 16-year-old Mailynn Severson might on the surface sound like the innocent teenage girl trying to become the next big Pop star, but upon closer inspection her music doesn’t really fit in with that “cookie-cutter” Pop sound of today’s music industry. With lyrics that have deeper, almost melancholy allusions and a sound that fits more alongside the angst-driven female singers of the 1990s, Severson’s brand of Pop is something a little different. It’s a breath of fresh air in a crowded world of entertainment that’s often displayed with bubblegum packaging for young teenage singers. 

That’s not to say that her style of music isn’t connected to today’s teenage audience. In actuality, her raw emotion and inside look at the thoughts and feelings of a young teenage girl in today’s American society is more closely akin to the real world than a lot of other music out there today. And as such she’s relating with a rapidly expanding wave of new fans all over the U.S. with her latest string of single releases.  

En route to the release of her five-song EP “Circus Mirror,” Severson is dropping each of the singles from the project one month at a time. She started with the title track “Circus Mirror” in early June, and has received praise from listeners all over the world as other teenagers have immediately connected with the song’s messages of insecurity and self-doubt and body issues. She’s followed that up with her latest single, “Movie Love,” which is perhaps her most upbeat song from the forthcoming EP. 

“I was on the phone with my boyfriend while I was writing it and I had this idea to create something that’s like that perfect love you see in the movies,” she said. “I tend to write more deep and sad songs, so this was kind of a step out of my comfort zone. It’s something I’ve been trying to replicate with some of the newer songs I’ve been writing – to lift the mood in some ways. But for the most part ‘Circus Mirror’ is the perfect outlet for girls my age and really gives some insight into teenage girls today, I think.”  

Though Severson admits that her style of music does technically fit into the Pop genre, she’s quick to assert the fact that it’s a different, newer sound that’s more on the acoustic side of things than anything else. As such, it’s difficult to precisely label her style – which suits her fine, as she hopes to be an artist who can be influential across multiple genres. She’s inspired by artists such as Alicia Keys or Tori Amos, and said she aspires to write music that – like the songs of those legends – has a clear message that’s real and genuine. 

To listen to Mailynn Severson’s music, or to follow her on social media, please visit the following links: 

“Move Love” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwyrZtdIYi0 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwyrZtdIYi0 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoJ5I_wc1EE 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5eDbTVf8lS34phzmFRDDx1 

https://www.youtube.com/mailynnseverson 

https://www.instagram.com/mailynnseverson/ 

https://www.facebook.com/mailynnseverson

Marquel – People Who Need People

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Marquel is fearless with debut release Love, Rage & Enlightenment  

WASHINGTON D.C. – A young artist who is learning how to love himself, Marquel is as fearless as they come. This musician is telling his own stories and sharing all of his pain and emotions with the world in a gorgeously authentic light. His debut album Love, Rage & Enlightenment is his own journey into finding who he is, and it is simply amazing.  

Marquel’s journey through finding himself as a musician has been one many many trials. After dropping out of college for the chance to work with a big-name producer, he was hit with a stroke of bad luck rolled over, straight into the COVID-19 pandemic. “I had left school in Philly to move out to LA, but after getting there, he stopped responding to my messages as much, got busy with his own life. When the pandemic hit, my job with the radio station, 96.3 FM, fell apart and things really just weren’t looking good.” It was after really being able to look into himself and understand how he felt that Marquel was able to begin making the music that has since become Love, Rage & Enlightenment.  

“I took the time over the pandemic, and I just really learned about who I was and what I wanted my message to be. A lot of people felt alone, and I realized that I did too. I felt that I needed to prove something to myself, and I realized that what I needed to do was recognize who I was and love myself.” Once Marquel was able to find himself through this, things seemed to just start falling into place. He began connecting with people across the world to put together different parts of the album and truly seemed to find his place in the music industry. “I really started tapping into that community and things just started falling into place.” 

Being able to put the album together in about a month’s time, Marquel was excited to actually get his message out to the people who wanted to hear what he had to say. “When I started Love, Rage & Enlightenment, I thought it was going to be my journey of love and hate, and how I overcame all that but what I found throughout the whole process was that this album was about loving myself and loving the people who are around me, and taking care of us, and the rage was about me being angry with myself for doubting myself for so long, and for needing other people’s validation for so long, and the enlightenment was recognizing that all I needed were the gifts that God had already given me. All I needed to focus on was giving.” The album is truly an honest representation of Marquel’s journey and the emotions he went through while creating the project. 

Love, Rage & Enlightenment is the kind of album that flows together. Built to be the kind of album that allows you to put your headphones in and really focus on the tracks, everything flows together. The themes fit into each other, and everything seems to make sense when you’re listening to this album.  

While this project helped Marquel to find himself, he hopes that his music will help others as well. Much of his goal is to ensure people know that no matter what is going on, they are not alone. “If you feel alone and that you don’t fit into the world, know that there are so many people who are different and within them, we’re not alone. I want people to feel okay with feeling different.” 

Be sure to check out the album and keep an eye out for the series of music videos and D.C./Philly performances that are soon to follow. Marquel is sure to also be releasing several more exciting tracks and projects as he moves forward in his career, so don’t forget to keep up with him as well. 

Check out Marquel’s music and social media via the links listed below.  

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/album/2zBRzQvfCvYryPmN4W2jey?si=Nc53Pi_GT6-puPJV7SI-Aw&dl_branch=1  

Soundcloud – https://soundcloud.com/officialmarquel/sets/love-rage-enlightenment  

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/itsdaniel_marquel/  

Website – https://www.marquelmusic.com/ 

JM Geezus – Downers

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JM Geezus makes music for the black sheeps of the world, offers motivational vibes with debut single ‘Downers’ 

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Giante Lewis – AKA JM Geezus – is one of the hottest stars on the Junkie Muzik label from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Raised on the North East side of the city, JM Geezus is a natural storyteller who has the ability to bring the streets to life with intricate lyricism and an impeccable sense of rhythm. Since emerging with his debut single “Downers,” he has quickly built up a reputation as an innovative artist in a lane all his own. With new releases planned for 2021 and beyond, JM Geezus is well on his way to becoming one of the most vital voices in modern music. 

“Downers” is a song that he said creates a vibe that’s actually opposite of what the name might imply. It’s not a song about drugs or emotional lows, but rather a motivational track that inspires people to embrace the negative experiences of life and use them as lessons to make positive strides for the future. 

“I’m high off the problems in life and I build off of them,” he said. “Whatever problems you’re going through can be a downer, but you can build from it. If it’s relationships with work, or a female, or your best friend, or whatever, you don’t have to look at those downfalls as negativity. Sometimes you have to look at them as positivity.” 

JM Geezus said “Downers” has a chill vibe with a nice up-tempo groove to it that fits right in line with the sound and style for which he wants to become known. He’s an artist who takes pride in crafting lyrics unlike anyone else in the game today, and his voice and flow will immediately stand out to anyone who hears him.  

Music has been a background to his life for as long as he can remember. Whenever he would get in trouble as a child and sent to his room, he would also turn to his boombox and start rapping over anything he could hear on the radio. Eventually this became the first steps toward writing his own music, and by his teenage years he and his friend Remedy – who is also an up-and-coming artist from Philly – were recording in their basement studio.  

Today JM Geezus uses his unique voice and style to bring a whole new positive energy to the hip-hop genre. He said there’s not a negative bone in his body, “and if there is I’ll break it and remake it and make sure it’s all positive,” he said. Ultimately he said he wants to be an artist who represents the “black sheeps” of the world – the ones who don’t have a voice but have deep thoughts, even if they don’t have a way to speak their words. He’ll attempt to give voice to those in the world who identify with that struggle on his new five-song EP “PTSD,” which is slated to come out later this year. 

To listen to JM Geezus’ music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links: 

IG:
http://instagram.com/geez_es 

FB:
http://facebook.com/esgeez 

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/eastsidegeez

YouTube: 
https://youtu.be/Gyo0rOm-gao 

Spotify: 
https://open.spotify.com/album/6vvIejbhDnkIuKdRBEMQ1y?si=w7GjSdnpRI6v813TxL4-gA&dl_branch=1 

Asid – Contigo

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Asid explodes into the scene with debut album ‘Asid Drop Vol 1’ 

SANTURCE, PUERTO RICO – An artist, producer and all around creative, Asid is already an electric musician with so much to say. His debut album, Asid Drop Vol 1 is a showcase of his and his team’s creativity, ingenuity and overall skill as they pulled the project together from scratch. This new album is exciting and fun in a way that allows Asid to truly shine as a musician. It may be his first artistic work, but it is surely a project to beat. 

Growing up in a family of musicians, Asid was constantly surrounded by music. His Puerto Rican roots gave him access to genres and sounds that were crucial to finding his sound and once he found his step, there was no turning back. Asid began as a producer, only 16 years old and sharing his music with a local artist. “The first experience that led me to take this as a professional route was when I was showing some beats in a listening session. This is actually the time that I got my name. I played this artist my music and he told me, ‘The song you’re playing right now is gonna destroy the speakers. It’s gonna melt it like acid.’ That was when I really started to see a future in it.” 

From that point on, Asid has been honing his talents in the studio and working to put together what is now his debut project. The project was put together by just himself and his partner GazWez. They used this album to create something that they could truly call their own. “My music is Latino, Spanish and Hip Hop, and Trap. There are a lot of Dancehall elements. My first language was English and I was raised in Puerto Rico so I have the best of both worlds. It’s led me to try to make something that captivates both of these audiences. Both of these people that I am.” His music truly blends two worlds to create something that is not only unique but speaks to the people on both ends of his own life.  

The entirety of Asid Drop Vol 1 is an artistically driven project. It showcases a complex set of emotions within and between the tracks and layers it all on top of an amazing and intricate set of beats. The musicality brought to this project is a stand out part of the album. It honestly brings a whole other level to the tracks, making them each stand out in their own right. “Our music brings in so many elements from the languages to the music. We are more than just gimmicky artists. You can see how natural our music sounds.” The importance of their heritage and personal identity is obvious and gorgeous in each of these tracks. 

On top of having an amazing debut album overall, Asid and his team have already released two music videos to go along with tracks on the project. They are still working to release another four videos to go alongside their music. Be sure to keep an eye out for these exciting projects and all that Asid has to come in the future, as he is truly an artist who is sure to continue to blow us all away. 

Check out Asid Drop Vol 1 and see what Asid has to say on social media. Links to all of this can be found below.  

Album: Asid Drop Vol 1 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Asidpr  

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/00AWH…  

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/asid/1567333844  

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/asidpr?utm_medi…  

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Asidpr-1101108…  

TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdU965M9/  

Web Page: https://asidpr.com

Nirvana Flux – U, Too (feat. Joseph Anthony and Jungle Leez)

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Chill summer vibe from Nirvana Flux brings people into heightened state of flow 

PHOENIX, AZ – The latest release from highly acclaimed multi-genre artist Nirvana Flux will bring down the house. Known for his soothing and calming style, Nirvana Flux flips the script with his cool summer track “U, Too.” Currently available across all streaming platforms, the song features more of an R&B and neo-soul vibe, with amazing vocals from female UK artist Jungle Leez, and Soul singer Joseph Anthony providing riffs in some of the verses. Nirvana Flux rounds out the song by bringing his signature flow as he raps over the top of the amazingly smooth beat.  

“It’s a song about someone special in your life,” Nirvana Flux said. “It’s a song about someone who means everything to you. It comes from a poem that I wrote a while back, and you could almost consider this song part two of that poem. Essentially it’s written from the point of view of someone talking to their significant other. I put some live instrumentation on this one and put some Soul into it, and I think a good span of age groups and demographics will like it.” 

Originally from Chicago – raised around the urban Soul and hip-hop sounds of the city – Nirvana Flux moved out West to pursue music full-time as a career. Today he makes his home in Phoenix, Arizona, where he works as a professional recording artist and a producer for other artists. He considers himself to be a “traveling man,” and uses the experiences he’s had from other parts of the world as fuel for the music he creates. Those stories and sounds intertwine to create something truly original and unique to today’s music industry. 

“I bring as much authenticity as I can with my music,” he said. “I’m all about the soul in sounds and substance in lyricism. My music is intended for a variety of things, but overall it’s about fearlessness and conscientious therapeutic communication. This track specifically does that by sourcing from many different genres – Soul, Neo-Soul, Spoken Word, Poetry, Rap – and as such I think it has the potential to be massive.” 

Nirvana Flux said he plans to continue releasing singles over the course of the year as he builds this career as a recording artist and expands his audience.

To listen to his music, or to follow him on social media, please visit the following links: 

https://www.facebook.com/NirvanaFlux/
https://www.instagram.com/nirvanaflux/
https://twitter.com/NirvanaFlux
https://soundcloud.com/nirvanaflux/u-too-main 

 

 

 

Baad Bill$ – Pornstar Crazy Strip Club Crazy

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It’s safe to say that Billy Mulenga Mwamba loves living in Los Angeles.  

The Zambian-born music artist, better known as Baad Bill$, is surrounded by strip clubs and porn stars, two of his favorite things.  

“I can literally hang out with them in person,” says Mwamba. “Being in LA is better for my music, too, because this is where the music industry is so I think I made the right move.” 

Mwamba has released two new singles about his firsthand experiences in the city: “My Boy Toy” and “Pornstar Crazy Strip Club Crazy.” The first is a continuation from an earlier release titled “Milf Like Dat.” Mwamba says “the ladies out there” will say that Bad Billy is their boy toy.  

As for the other new track, Mwamba visits strip clubs almost every day.  

“I’m strip club crazy,” he says. “I love porn stars. I Live in LA. They’re all over the place out here so I’m porn star crazy, too. It’s another club banger, hot party, naughty song.” 

The songs are part of a six-track release called Scandalous Shenanigans.  

“All my music comes from personal experiences,” Mwamba says. “I don’t just dream the stuff up. If you listen to the lyrics I say things like, ‘Oh my, oh no, do it like you know.’ I came up with that while I was getting a personal lap dance. All of this is personal experience. The other song, ‘My Boy Toy,’ I’m not going to say the ladies names in public but I am personally a boy toy to a couple ladies.” 

The two new songs were released July 4 and Mwamba calls them the two hottest songs of the summer if not all of 2021. People like his music because it’s party music they can dance to, even if they might think the artist behind it is crazy.  

“Which surprises me actually because I think I’m very normal,” he says. “What I’ve been getting so far is, ‘Billy the new music is hot, it’s crazy.’ It’s what I get a lot.” 

Other tracks from the new project are “Thats My Flava,” “Music Billy,” and “Gone Fishin.” Scandalous Shenanigans is available to download for $10 on his website, baadbills.com.  

Mwamba has overcome hardships to make it this far. He was born in Zambia with sickle cell anemia and spent the first 20 years of his life in and out of hospitals. He suffered a stroke at 14 and had to re-learn how to walk. He didn’t begin writing music until going through a bad break up when he was 18.  

“Overcoming that adversity and still being here, still making music, still having a fanbase, still being captivating to people, it’s like it’s meant to be,” he says. “I try to dedicate everything to the kids in children’s hospitals, kids with medical conditions, just to show them that look at me, I’m just like you but I’ve overcome all the adversity and I’m still here living my dream and growing strong in 2021.” 

“After that you can go hit the website and rock out and jam out to my music,” he says.  

Mwamba also had to overcome the death in 2016 of his best friend Bwalya, who shared in the Baad Bill$ dream but never got to see it become a reality.  

“This is all blessings from heaven and I know it’s because of him,” Mwamba says.  

Mwamba is currently on the search for new management and hopes to start performing live and touring this fall. 

“Give the music a chance, give me a chance,” he says. “Be openminded and you’re going to love me.” 

 

Zay Saint – Perspective

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Zay Saint inspires others to keep grinding with string of motivational new singles

LOUIS, MO – Anyone who’s been awake in the wee hours of the morning knows that the mind mulls over some weird, random things during that time. ForZaySaint, the early morning hours are the perfect time to explore the vibes and messages he wants to share with the world through his unique brand of music. And he captures those vibes in full effect with his six-song EP “3 A.M. Thoughts,” which is currently available across all streaming platforms.  

Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri – where the area code is 314, which also plays into the title of his EP – this young up-and-coming artist has long been a fan of music but has only recently put his full attention to making it a full-time career. With this EP he’s essentially serving up notice to the world that he’s a bona fide recording artist with the chops to make it in the industry. And with lyrics and stories that give people an inside look into what makes him tick as an artist, “3 A.M. Thoughts” is the kind of breakout project that is sure to put him on the map. 

The debut single from the project is a song called “Lately,” featuring female vocals from IAmmTamm, and raps from another St. Louis rapper named NotMixedEnough. It’s a song about being reflective of life’s problems and the choices one makes when trying to get through difficult situations.  

“A lot of St. Louis artists tend to be more into the Chicago Drill type of music, but I’m more of the J.Cole type of artist who speaks on life and the honesty between what we’re going through in life,” Zay said. “I’m not rapping about money, clothes and hos. I’m speaking from the true standpoint of a regular person and how I’m maneuvering through life and enjoying life.” 

Growing up in St. Louis exposed Zay to the hardcore realities of life at an early age. Dubbed the most violent city in the U.S., St. Louis served as a rough school for young Zay, but it also inspired him to rise above his circumstances and find healthy outlets away from the violence and crime. His love for music gave him comfort in the midst of those difficult situations, and eventually he started turning his life experiences into song lyrics. It became therapeutic, and soon the songs he was creating were resonating with others in his area. The hobby became a passion, and even while he traveled with the world for five years serving in the military he still continued to create music that served as a voice for people who shared his life experiences. Inspired by artists like J.Cole – who stand out and create their own lanes in the music industry – Zay plans to do the same.  

“I want to light a spark in the minds of my listeners and leave a lasting impression,” he said. “If people are having a bad day then they can go to my music to pick their spirits up. If they feel like they’re at the bottom of the bottom, they can listen to my music and grind a little harder. More than anything else I want my music to be influential. You might be down right now, but my music will get you in that mode to get you back in the grind.” 

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

https://youtu.be/GPO58X5D2Bw 

Instagram – @Saint1of1 

Twitter – @Saint1of1 

Salazar – Gone (feat. North Star “Da General” & Agony “The Secret Weapon)

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 Poignant new song ‘Gone’ captures sentimentality of pain and loss 

MIAMI, FL – A lot of people have lost loved ones over the past year-and-a-half. Whether through complications with the COVID virus, or through street violence, or police brutality, or any number of other situations – the world has dealt with a lot of loss recently. Cuban-American hip-hop and trap artist Salazar is no different. In 2002 he found his best friend murdered in his own house, and in the years since the feeling of loss and melancholy has been almost overwhelming at times. To help himself and others cope with that pain and mourn in healthy ways, he reached out to fellow artists and longtime friends North Star “Da General” and Agony “The Secret Weapon” to pen the new song “Gone.” Together – with other artists from South Florida – they formed the collective known as Common Ground. With the help of producers Marc French and Dicee of Savoir Faire Entertainment, they created a poignant, almost film-like vibe that is reverberating in powerful ways all around the world. 

“It’s tragic,” Salazar said of the loss so many have experienced this year. “A lot of people I mention in the song are friends we lost – people we played baseball with in little league. The common ground the three of us on this track have is we all lost loved ones and friends to police brutality and street violence. We’ve all known each other for 20 years, and it really hits too close to home when we have fallen soldiers. Unfortunately it’s something people can really relate to right now.” 

Salazar said other credits on the single include Miguel Profile Castro – who has producer credits in the past with super hip-hop duo Mobb Deep – and Steven Fabian Dorce, AKA “Mic Rippa” – a Miami hip-hop pioneer who was signed to an independent label by the name of Rolly Roll Records and was scooped up to work with the Beatnuts in the early 1990s. 

“That’s what makes this song a staple to the Miami hip-hop community,” he said. “These guys were local legends. Miguel would let us in the Miami Dade Community College midi lab, and even if we weren’t matriculated in the school he’d let us be in there working and learning and keeping us out and away from trouble. He’s the reason we met and why we still make music to this day.” 

Born in Miami, Florida to Cuban-American parents, Salazar’s childhood dream was to follow in his father’s footsteps and play professional baseball. In 2016 he began to pursue a solo career, focusing on the surging popularity of trap music – a style that he had perfected in the early 2000s before it became a popular sub-genre of hip-hop. His first song after coming back was a single called “Soy Trapero,” which is a made-up slang term for anyone who loves trap music. To say the single put him on the map is an understatement. It’s a song that created its own movement – from clothes and hats to being the No. 1 artist on ReverbNation for Miami. That movement has expanded over the past three years to encompass two unique brands – Soy Trapero and Chico Mobb, with clothes and apparel in Spanish and English, respectively. 

Salazar has also worked to create amazing visuals for all his music over the past few years. One of the more recent music videos that has gained a lot of traction is for his hit single “Whippin That Work.” Tens of thousands of viewers have already streamed the video, and the reviews that Salazar has been getting have been impressive. A video for “Gone” is slated to drop on July 13, as well, and Salazar said it will offer visuals that will only serve to elevate the poignancy of the song even more. 

“We shot in a cemetery and in a church and by some railroad tracks at sunset – somewhere heavenly with sunlight in the background,” he said. “The images themselves will help you see and feel what we’re trying to bring with this song. We went even to one of the tombstones of one of our homeboys that we’re talking about in the song. They’re amazing visuals that match the song perfectly.” 

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

Gone links:  

Spotify: Gone
Soundcloud: Gone by salazar305
YouTube Official Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExD-QyEHiso  

Youtube Lyric Video: Salazar “El Tabaquero” “Gone” feat North Star “Da General” & Agony “The Secret Weapon” Lyric Video 

SALAZAR SOCIAL MEDIA :  

https://www.reverbnation.com/salazar305 

https://www.soundcloud.com/salazar305 

https://www.youtube.com/salazar305 

https://www.instagram.com/tabaquero305 

https://www.instagram.com/soytrapero 

https://www.instagram.com/chicomobb 

https://www.facebook.com/tabaquero305 

https;//www.twitter.com/salazar305 

https://www.facebook.com/salazar305
Spotify: Salazar El Tabaquero 

NORTH STAR DA GENERAL SOCIAL MEDIA  

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-201853585 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/n_o_r_t_h_305/ 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/N_O_R_T_H_305 

North Star Da General Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5BGFjYyw5ME6e7ZhSas36j 

AGONY THE SECRET WEAPON SOCIAL MEDIA 

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/agony305 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agony305/ 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/agony305 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agony305 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/agony305 

Bandcamp: https://agony305.bandcamp.com 

Agony The Secret Weapon Spotify:  

Agony “The Secret Weapon”