Five for Friday: 31st August 2018
Justin Stone - Mama Called (Ft. Alexi Blue)
Salt Lake City-based rapper Justin Stone has been hustling. This year alone, he has released an 18-track deluxe album, a four track EP, nine singles and is currently releasing a new single every Wednesday. "Mama Called" which he released last week is a fantastic pop / hip hop tune about working hard on your craft making momma proud and also making time to call her. The track features the wonderful vocals of LA-based singer Alexi Blue in the chorus.
Chris Yonge - Shine
"Shine" is the first track off Toronto-based rapper Chris Yonge's upcoming self-produced LP "intro". The track has a great laidback feel and catchy hook. Chris said of the album: "I'm super pumped to share this project with everyone, it's by far my best work yet. Big shout out to all the friends and fans that supported me during the process."
Huey Mack - Bigger Picture
"Started all this in a small town / We been all round the globe now, somehow" begins the latest track from West Virginian rapper Huey Mack talking of how he transformed from writing music as a "joke" at 14 to pass the time at high school to hitting the number 3 spot on the iTunes rap/hip hop charts with his free mixtape "A Boy Named Hue" in 2012 and starting to take music seriously. The track has a great flow and attitude.
C-Trox - Last Call (feat. John Wolf)
With an intoxicating and dancey R&B / hip hop beat, rappers C-Trox and John Wolf have teamed up to release their new single "Last Call". C-Trox has been involved in music from a young age and released his first song during his junior year of high school. He then linked up with Nicco Cattalano, the owner of Neek Attack Studios and released a couple of projects before moving to Los Angeles last year to pursue music as a full-time artist and release his debut album "Slightly Intoxicated".
Stickybuds - Lovin' Easy Feat. BridgeHill + Sacha Vee
After touring Australia and New Zealand earlier this year, DJ/producer Stickybuds has been hard at work in the studio and last month released his new album "Take A Stand" on Westwood Recordings, featuring a funky, chill hop tune called "Lovin' Easy" in collaboration with Canadian band BridgeHill and Kiwi vocalist Sacha Vee.
Talking about the album and track Stickybuds said: "I think the overall theme with Take a Stand is addressing the problems going on in the world now, mostly corruption and inequality. I've been passionately learning about these topics for years, and wanted to make some music about that instead of just talking or posting about it.
"Lovin' Easy" is a love song, and I wanted to end the album with that because love conquers all and is so important. There is a lot of hardships going on in the world, but we can all find and embrace love to help us balance and thrive in these times of challenges. Sacha really brought this to life, and with the help of Bridgehill we made some beautiful music to finish it all off... [BridgeHill] played the horns on pretty much every track and did the piano on "Lovin Easy"... I would send them ideas for horns on different tracks and they would play them for me, and always elaborate on them and send me these amazing solos. Super talented guys!"
Read more in this interview by Stereofox.