GRUNGECAKE

Category: Music Reviews

  • English-Cypriot artist A!MS links up with ArrDee on Summer smash ‘Need Somebody’: Listen

    English-Cypriot artist A!MS is back with another Summer heater, teaming up with UK Rap star ArrDee on his new single ‘Need Somebody’, out now. Melodic, catchy, and dripping with Afrobeats flair, the track delivers an uplifting message about escape, safety, and finding your tribe—anchored by A!MS’ signature “Global Street” sound.

     

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    Produced by Colombia’s Golden Boy with writing contributions from Stige, ‘Need Somebody’ is a vibrant preview of A!MS’ upcoming album, ‘Peak Season. The record follows the success of Light & Love featuring Julian Marley, which racked up over five million streams and is currently under GRAMMY consideration for Best Global Music Performance. That track also earned praise from Billboard, BBC 1Xtra, BET, and the Bob Marley Estate, cementing A!MS as a boundary-breaking global artist.

    Beyond the music, A!MS is turning up the heat with his Wave Fest party series at Ayia Napa’s WaterWorld WaterPark. This Summer’s stacked lineup includes ArrDee, Dappy, B Young, Oxlade, Wiley, ZieZie, and of course, A!MS himself.

    ‘Peak Season’ is on the way, and A!MS is making sure the world knows it.

  • ‘Sit Down’ (Remix) breaks borders with Afro B, Rafa Pabön, Snik, and Lalo Ebratt

    Lahrel is not playing it safe this Summer. The British-Jamaican newcomer raises the stakes with the ‘Sit Down’ (Remix), a genre-bending anthem that fuses Afrobeats, Urbano Latino, Dancehall, and UK Rap into one explosive track.

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    Out now, the remix is a high-energy rework of her fan-favourite single, which already pulled in over 225,000 streams.

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    What makes this remix stand out is its global cast. Afro B brings his Afro-swing magic from the United Kingdom. Rafa Pabön slides in smooth from Puerto Rico with Latin urban flair. Greek star Snik adds grit and edge. And Colombia’s Lalo Ebratt keeps the energy wild with his unmistakable charisma. Each artist owns their verse, offering a unique twist on Lahrel’s addictive hook that ties the whole track together.

    The track comes with a visual-first campaign designed to catch fire across TikTok, Reels, and Shorts.

    Lahrel might be new to the scene, but she is building with intention. The ‘Sit Down’ (Remix) is a confident step onto the global stage, and with heavyweight collaborators from four continents, she’s making it clear, she’s ready for movement.

  • 5@5: A morning playlist featuring ThaFirst and KWESI

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    A mix of smooth and non-interruptive music shines on this morning playlist featuring Bat Zoom, OKARO, ThaFirst, KWESI, and Fletcher Tucker. Therefore, we believe these records are the best of the week. Check them out below.

    Bat Zoom – Lemon (Submission)

    Bat Zoo showcases enchanting power through a new track called ‘Lemon’. We get to see men cry on-screen, weep in real life or sing proudly about the lows of their relationships. One could argue that the chaotic sound, which enters at the ten-second mark, is an interruptive (based on ear sensitivity or personal music taste) composition, mellowing out soon after, making it the sort of jam to ease into your mornings.

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOLos-xD7vY&h=315]

    OKARO – Like That (Submission)

    Swedish-Assyrian musician—OKARO—real name Delia Okaro has shared what her team seems to think of as a “sleeper hit” or a “slow burner”. Her latest song ‘Like That’ is doused with heavy Hip-Hop drums and distorted bass, telling the unfortunate story about lusting after an individual who “has it like that” and seemingly embodies what she wanted in an intimate partner.

    It’s said that the producer-songwriter plans to take the stage at Sweden’s PLX Tjärö 2025 Festival in mid-August! We would be on the other side of the planet, but we hope to see clips of a stunning live performance on one of her pages.

    ThaFirst – Ran Outta Luck (Submission)

    Last month, the son of Boy Better Know Grimes artist Frisco, North London rapper ThaFirst returned with the official music video to his new track ‘Ran Outta Luck’. Celebrating the city of London in the backdrop, the official shows off “the ends”, the spread-out skyline, and its iconic double-decker buses. When he’s not making music, he graced the runway in shows like fellow Londoner Skepta’s MAINS show and what it takes to earn hefty co-signs from fellow artists like Wretch32, Knucks and Pozer, according to the information received. We cannot wait until his streams match his outstanding profile. To help him achieve that, check out the music video below.

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWvbySZ_rzc&h=315]

    And if you’re into the “going to Mars” thing, you and the rising artist fancy the same things.

    KWESI – NEWPHONEWHOTHIS? (Submission)

    Have you enjoyed the inevitable multiple evolutions of Hip-Hop music over the years? I have, and one of my favourites is the dark, rage-infused sounds that have encouraged more new-age artists to sing-rap for over a decade.

    If you ask me, it’s a favourable nod to the distinctive styles with F1LTHY and KP Beatzs at the intersection.

    If you like Lil Uzi Vert and Playboy Carti and anything coming out through his Opium (00pium) label, there’s a high probability you may be into Cincy artist KWESI’s ‘NEWPHONEWHOTHIS?’ It’s the fifth track on his new extended play ‘SHEESH!’. After you listen to this one, it will be difficult to close your eyes again.

    Fletcher Tucker – To Light a Fire featuring Phil Elverum (Submission)

    If you want to head back to sleep (because you woke up too early), we think this track by the self-described “Freak Folk” artist Fletcher Tucker’s ‘To Light a Fire’ may do the trick! It is a ten-minute [plus] work, featuring Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie) on percussion, inspired by surviving “a white-out blizzard in the Sierras and the hypnotics of Hildegard von Bingen”. Stream the song and see if it doesn’t put you in a tranquil state.

  • Hear Syd’s latest track ‘Die For This’

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    As she gears up to hit the road with Billie Eilish this Summer, Syd lets us peek behind the curtain of her creative process—and unsurprisingly, it’s both effortless and boundary-pushing. On her new single ‘Die For This’, she doesn’t just play with tempo—she bends it to her will. With lush production and vulnerability laced through every lyric, Syd reminds us why her fingerprint on modern R&B is so singular, so studied, yet so nonchalant. You hear her influence in what others try to do—but Syd lives in a lane that’s been hers from the jump. And whilst others may imitate, they can’t recreate the intent or finesse. She’s flattered, not phased.

    Since blessing us with her 2017 solo debut ‘Fin’, Syd has operated as a cultural engine. From helming Hive Mind with her GRAMMY-nominated crew The Internet to co-writing ‘Plastic Off the Sofa’ on Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ (yes, that track) and building her own studio in Los Angeles—she’s built a blueprint in real-time. Collaborations with Zayn, Lil Uzi Vert, Kehlani, Disclosure, and Kelly Rowland? Check. Fronting campaigns for Valentino, Louis Vuitton, and Adidas? Also csydheck.

    Ten years after Ego Death cracked the atmosphere and reset expectations, Syd’s presence is just as powerful—if not more nuanced. ‘Die For This’ isn’t just a Summer song—it’s a statement. She crushes, she flexes, she floats. And this tour with Billie? It’s just another page in a book we’re all lucky to read in real-time.

  • Listen to global music icon Kesha’s new single ‘The One’ from her forthcoming album

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    Today, global music icon Kesha released her new single called ‘The One’ ahead of her forthcoming album entitled ‘.(Period)’ on July 4 through her record label. On the track produced by Zhone and Kesha, the Los Angeles-born artist reflects on the transformative realisation that self-love holds greater significance than seeking validation or affection from others. The song captures a personal journey of empowerment, emphasising the importance of inner strength and self-worth. It follows up her last single ‘Attention’ featuring Pop music disruptor Slayyyter and rising English singer-songwriter, Rose Gray—both joining the larger-than-life singer-songwriter on tour. Her upcoming tour, ‘The Tits Out’, starts next week—on July 1 in West Valley City, Utah. Kesha’s show dates in New York City’s Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles’ Kia Forum are sold out. Check out the tour dates below.

    Kesha & Scissor Sisters: The Tits Out Tour
    North America 2025

     

    July

    1 – West Valley City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre ^
    3 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre ^
    5 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum ^ (SOLD OUT)
    6 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre ^
    8 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion ^
    10 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion ^
    12 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre ^
    13 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre ^
    15 – Nashville, TN – Riverfront Park – Ascend Amphitheater ^
    16 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center ^
    18 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center ^
    19 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre #
    21 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage #
    23 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden * (SOLD OUT)
    24 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center #
    26 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake #
    28 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center #
    29 – Philadelphia, PA – Mann Center for the Performing Arts #
    31 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater #
     

    August

    2 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater #
    3 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek #
    5 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion #
    7 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre #
    9 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre #
    10 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre #

    September

    28 – Columbia, MD – All Things Go †
     
    ^ w/ Slayyyter
    # w/ Rose Gray
    * w/ Vengaboys
    † Festival Appearance

    Kesha: The Tits Out Tour
    EU/UK 2026

    March 2026

    4 – Berlin, DE – Uber Eats Music Hall (SOLD OUT)
    6 – Paris, FR – Zénith Paris
    7 – Amsterdam, NL – AFAS Live
    9 – Antwerp, BE – Lotto Arena
    11 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
    13 – Manchester, UK – Aviva Studios
    14 – Manchester, UK – Aviva Studios
    16 – London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton
    17 – London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton
    19 – Wolverhampton, UK – The Civic Hall
    21 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena

    Her 5X RIAA platinum classic, ‘Your Love Is My Drug’, experiencing viral renaissance with over one million TikTok videos created and one billion views in the past month, more than fifteen years after its original release.

  • Gifted Ohio rapper Hodgie shares new track about fatherhood ‘There For You’

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    As God would have it, Ohio native artist Hodgie recently fathered twin daughters and dedicated this new song to the new experience. The piano-laden production is called ‘There For You’, produced by A&R/producer Sahil Datta and it mentions God rocking his world and doubling his load, the need to be their protector, working late to provide for them, poking fun at himself because he can’t dance well, and anticipating the moments he can tell them about their grandfather and ancestors. Check it out below and get emotional if you need to… We’d prefer it that way alongside your support with replays.

  • Bronx rising rapper ScarLip’s debut EP ‘Scarred B4 Fame’ feels incomplete (Review)

    I believe she can do better.

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    Less than a week ago, Bronx-bred rapper ScarLip, who rose to fame quickly through social media due to a controversial live video where her boyfriend said she was pretty “sometimes” and several complaints about her promotional antics, particularly involving her music video ‘She’s Hot’ and ‘Peggy’, has finally released her debut effort ‘Scarred B4 Fame’ after being signed to a major label for two years. Aside from viewing her incredible even-toned chocolate-like skin tone and hearing her unique voice here and there as I scrolled on my phone, her music wasn’t the focus. Instead, she became a poster girl attached to sensationalism. Wanting to give her a fair chance and come to my conclusions about her as an artist, I opened Epic Records’ email promoting her latest project. The email prettily gave the reader a summary of who she is, listing her famous mentor, Swizz Beatz (linked to hardcore rapper-turned glossy star, Eve), and legendary New York-born supporters like Cardi B and Busta Rhymes, the private industry event in anticipation of this project, and her recent interview with ABC News journalist, Juju Chang.

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WMSsdPm_zE&h=315]

    The seven-song EP includes features from Hip-Hop titan Lil Wayne, GRAMMY winner Anthony Hamilton, and ScarLip’s take on Mary J Blige’s hook from Ludacris’ 2006 hit, ‘Runaway Love’.

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0M_pgAcpb8&h=315]

    As for how I feel about the project—aside from the smart title—it didn’t carry the same energy or excitement as earlier tracks like ‘Glizzy Gobbler’ and ‘This Is New York’. It was an underwhelming experience, in comparison.

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZPD1LwgQkY&h=315]

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldx29DRx-XY&h=315]

    I was hoping for bigger moments—like hard-hitting radio anthems that speak to her core fans and skits that connect the songs to her story. That kind of detail could’ve pulled us in even more, the same way she does in her interviews and on her deeper pieces like ‘Therapy’, ‘Foster Care’ and ‘Suicide Awareness’.

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ALeGoFfzJY&h=315]

    Music critics understand the desire for artists and their labels to showcase different sides of an artist, but in this instance, I think the timing and execution were off. With her current buzz, it would have been smarter to play into the controversy and feed her loyal fans first with context, presented creatively.

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    ‘Scarred B4 Fame’ runs just over twenty minutes. To me, it feels languid (or slow) and emotionally distant—something late artists like Lil Peep, Juice WRLD, XXXTentacion, the promising rapping model Chynna, and even DMX knew how to deliver, building huge fanbases and mainstream success. ScarLip has the look, the voice, and the support. But the real question is: Can she tap into that same depth? I’ll stay patient and wait for her debut album before forming more opinions. Hopefully, by then, she’s fully tapped into her voice—as other Emo-Rap stars have. She’s got a clear lane, industry support, and one of the best labels behind her.

  • Raq Baby, the Atlanta-based Chicago-born rising star, shares new track ‘Mental Breakdown’

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    After wrapping his run with SahBabii on his Resurrection Tour, Atlanta-based rapper Raq Baby unleashes his brand new track called ‘Mental Breakdown’. On the track, he talks about making it out of the hood or his previous circumstances, the essential need to never get caught slipping without a strap, drilling and the reality of a rival using his name for clout. If you are an international reader, it might be your first time reading his name, but he’s achieved feats like earning #8 on Apple Music’s All Genre Albums Chart and #3 on the Hip-Hop/Rap Chart.

    Before the month is over, Raq Baby will embark on another headline show in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 27, which sold out in less than forty-eight hours. In addition, the Chicago-born artist recently sold out his first headline shows in Chicago and Atlanta and is set to play Flex Fest next month in Denver, Colorado, alongside Quavo.

    According to the comms, there may be an official music video underway. In the meantime, let’s stream the official audio below to catch his vibe.

    Editor’s Note (June 25, 2025, 11:00 PM EST): At the time of writing this article, the music video wasn’t available. Now, it is! You can watch the rising star perform his latest track in a multi-car garage.

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K45ZjGMXi4&h=315]

  • Watch Death Row’s 5X Emmy Award winner Jane Handcock’s mirrored visual for ‘Can’t Let Go’

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    If you were around in the nineties, you probably couldn’t conceive a move like this. What am I talking about? Snoop Dogg purchased his former record label, Death Row Records, for fifty million million, according to Parade, in 2022. On Friday, Jane Handcock, dubbed the “First Lady of Music” at Death Row Records, released a new record titled, ‘Can’t Let Go’. The five-time Emmy Award winner’s track captures the inevitable heartbreak of doing something you know you have no business doing. As expressed by her team, the song “captures the emotional tug-of-war between desire and self-control, wrapped in sultry vocals and immersive, late-night production.” 

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5aWekRUin0&h=315]

    Handcock’s previous release, ‘Stingy’, entered Billboard’s Adult R&B Chart at #29, marking her first charting song to date. Before this exciting milestone, the gifted and talented songwriter was cultivated by musical legends like Raphael Saadiq, and worked closely with Snoop Dogg, Kelly Rowland, Teddy Riley, and many others — paving the way for her to earn GRAMMY and Emmy nominations!

  • Nigerian Afropop star Yemi Alade shares new track about close friendships ‘My Padi’ (Listen)

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    Last week, Nigeria’s legendary Afropop star Yemi Alade released a new song called ‘My Padi’, which celebrates close friendships and supporting your friends. The bouncy, uptempo record promises her pal that she will be their cardigan when it’s cold and be her umbrella when she doesn’t have “cheddar”). The track marks the third release of the year for the Beyoncé collaborator (See: ‘My Power’ featuring Nija, Busiswa, Tierra Whack, Moonchild Sanelly, DJ Lag from ‘The Lion King: The Gift’), who recently performed in Rabat, Morroco at the annual eight-day extravaganza, Mawazine Festival. Without further ado, stream the track down below or on YouTube.

    [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19nrg0DbtSM&h=315]