Having grown up in Jersey City, Juan Marcos Nieves – known to the scene as ROCKY – notes an eclectic background, immersed in music since just twelve years old. His passions for dancing and rapping alike led him towards an artistic identity that’s unquestionable, and as such, his original music reaches tens of thousands of listeners every month.
Rap
Self-described as ‘another unstable depressed artist’, the songwriting and voice of Afro Dope in topic and tone rings loudly as authentic and impassioned. The performance style is playful but also grounded by its own emotional integrity, and this stand tall throughout his colourful, unpredictable, and fast-growing indie catalogue.
While the music is easy and evocative to lose yourself within, there’s also plenty to unpack lyrically throughout 2007. Consider Darkest Patches, a catchy jam that seems to understand and connect with you as you navigate the darkness of modern life, but the closer you look, the more insight, the sharper the wordplay, and the more revealing the sentiments. Noah $tout does this with every track, an easy listen on the surface, but so much more depth and detail as you revisit, and that’s the gift and realness of the sound.
The quality and skill is undeniable, and the songwriting is superb – something often missing from much of independent rap. It’s a voice of value, respect, and self-belief, and this inspires as you listen through an eclectic and memorable catalogue of music.
Fallout is ideal as a starting point, a trap rhythm and dreamy keys and synths laying down a haunting, thoughtful aura, as the beat follows a mellow stop-and-start arrangement that naturally gets the mind wandering. The style is cinematic, finely built, with central melodies that feel fresh, and a kind of impending intensity that always lingers amidst these panned, sweeping sounds and effects.
New music for days and a constant flow of listeners have seen Meet Boooshman build up an impressive audience in recent months. His latest EP Don’t Get Boomed: Lady Boomers was conceptually unique, and vastly well-received.
Anthemic sports-ready hip hop tracks with slick production, heavy and distinct beats, and crisp, confident vocal hooks. RuleOne Studios break through the noise of the modern scene, with the high-vibrancy and charm of Smoke No Fear.
Having created two new albums and a multitude of tracks in recent months, the work ethic and energy of luv as an artist and producer is taking the indie space by storm. We caught an interview with luv, to coincide with the released of his latest album Feng Shui. We talk artistic evolution, influences, live performance, and maintaining integrity as his audience grows.
Talking sacrifice and self preservation, Faith and prospects in the face of struggle and disappointment in friendships and life, Dead Wrong is incredibly catchy, and achieves a likeable fusion of rap and pop akin to the breakthrough hits from acts like Black Eyed Peas. The FarGoneWorld sound has its own truthful core though, and the music feels timeless in this setting, honest and unaffected by the expectations of the current scene, and this integrity stands tall.
Following on from his single Play It Again, Darnell recovers from the fall out of post-Big Brother life, and leans into the world music festival energy of the moment, with the catchy hook and high-octane production value of Follow.
COOL REBEL TUESDAY continues, another epic indie hit from the American rap force SC4REAL. The Interview brings a quirky old-school bassline and hi-hat combination, with tripped rhythms and that clean-cut vocal depth again drawing you in to the centre of a creative free-flow that’s grounded but playful.
Emotional rap with depth of concept and style, the cinematic greatness of old school hip hop production, with equally bold, dramatic vocals adding passion and story throughout. That Kid J The Don leads with a unique flow and storytelling style, for the atmospheric and distinct Crash Out.