Imade iN Truth

It’s not a matter of if NOAH will blow up, it’s a matter of when.  The UK singer-songwriter duo comprising childhood friends Rebeka Whittle and Joe Baxter create breathtaking songs steeped in trademark minimalism.  After dropping “Alone” in November, NOAH is ramping up for their spring EP with the single “Fires”.  NOAH’s vocals delicately intertwine over folk driven instrumentation that beautifully transitions from bare to lush and back again.  ”Fires” is a lyrical playground of quote-worthy metaphors (“the touch of your stare”) that unveils the mystery of attraction.  For more NOAH, check out my first introduction to them in their Whitney Houston cover after the jump.  Facebook  Twitter  Youtube  Soundcloud  Website

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Humble Beast sure knows how to create a music roster.  Chicago based Alert312 is the yin to Beautiful Eulogy’s yang.  While Beautiful Eulogy has folksy, theological driven Hip Hop, Alert312 offers stripped, percussion based production with urban tales on moral depravity and God’s perfection.

Alert312’s dark opus, Of Vice & Virtue is the return of a group redefining their sound through an edgy approach to music and ministry.  Boogalu’s conversational flow provides an intimate tour of Chicago’s mean streets to the crisp rhythms of Moral One’s drumming.  Songs like “The Villan Vs. The Virtue” take the road less traveled in casually unveiling the gospel through biographical anecdotes.  

Alert312 truly sets themselves a part when they decide to take a more experimental route.  The dubstep wobble of “Dragon Braggin” and the trunk rattling synths of “Lack Of Achievement” offer a refreshing sound rarely heard in Hip Hop, let alone the Christian HIp Hop genre.

With all its successes, Of Vice & Virtue is not without it’s controversy.  “Damn”, with its shrill synths and percolating rhythms, is a passionate warning to end false teaching that shuns the grace of God.  While some may only look at Boogalu’s PG-13 language, this song forms the crux of the album.  It’s as if Boogalu exchanged his scalpel for a chainsaw. Yes, the tool is different, but the message is the same.  Prideful entitlement leads to an estrangement from God.

Of Vice & Virtue is an album that can evoke different meanings to different people.  It can be an eclectic sonic journey of live experimental Hip Hop or a casual lecture on sin and God’s unwavering love. But for me, the beauty Of Vice & Virtue unfolds with Boogalu’s glowing admiration of his father (“Jaime”), the Afro-Latin percussion of “Life’s Wonderful”, and the reverent worship of “Supreme”.  Of Vice & Virtue exemplifies that its not about where you begin, its where you end.  Free Download  Facebook  Twitter    

When it comes to Inglewood emcee iLL Camille, I am 100% biased.  I want this talented artist to win.  Her latest video, “Lopsided”, had me wanting to run a praise lap around Twitter as soon as I pressed play.  It is just.that.good.  Tay Walker’s smooth vocals over snapping, two-step production was slainworthy on it’s own.  Once iLL Camille’s transparent, stream of consciousness flow comes in, I knew this song was going to be special.  iLL Camille and co-director FURiS did an incredible job selecting scenes that capture the sultry, Quiet Storm mood of “Lopsided”.  iLL Camille got her a Rohan and fulfilled my ultimate black love fantasy of twisting my man’s locs (*swoons*).  You would think “Lopsided” is a carefree love song, but surprisingly, it’s not.  Talented painter Keenan Chapman seems like the man of her dreams, but looks are deceiving.  iLL Camille dissects her boo with a melancholy yearning for more.  Her man may be lacking, but this video is not.  For more of iLL Camille’s heartfelt reflections, check out her album, Illustrated.  Twitter  Facebook

P.SO the Earth Tone King is an artist who has his stuff together.  From the moment I pressed play on his album, Gateway To Greatness, I knew I was listening to an emcee who has the total package.  P.SO has a fresh sound merging organic live instrumentation and electronic music, and a unique futuristic style gleaning from his skills as a graphic novelist.  It’s rare to have an artist so grounded in abstract cool and everyday man charm, but P.SO pulls it off.  

The Buffalo, NY emcee reflects this balance in his Andrew Reid assisted video, “Find Out”.  The multi-textured song with harsh sounding drums and twinkling, almost nursery rhyme piano chords has the visual approach of two worlds becoming one.  P.SO waxes poetically about his fashionable leading lady while she enjoys her day and leaves clues behind.  I love that director aaronisnotcool (I had to do a double take too) rarely shows the face of P.SO’s love interest, which creates an enthralling sense of mystery.  The Brown Sugar-esque “Find Out” has me dreaming of doing a boo scavenger hunt at some of my favorite places like Chick-fil-A and the 99 cent store.  It’s great to see an artist like P.SO keeping love and Hip Hop alive.

For a double dose of P.SO, check out his latest visuals for “Vertebrae”.  Website  Twitter  Facebook    

Last weekend, I had the honor of seeing this generation’s Marvin Gaye up close and personal at LA’s legendary venue, The Troubadour.  To be honest, I thought Cody ChesnuTT, the eccentric singer, songwriter, and musician, would be a little kooky.  I imagined him with his trademark helmet, thick beard, and tousled fro standing on stage giving me all sorts of side eye material.  But in reality, that was the farthest from the truth.  

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You know a song is good when you want to raise an amen hand as soon as you press play.  Green Tea continues her soulful throwback appeal with a new video for “Never Be The Blame” off her Dosage III: Time to B.E. album.  It is pure vocal perfection wrapped up in 90’s Hip Hop soul.  Green Tea’s wispy background harmonies effortlessly glides over the head nodding track.  I would have been completely satisfied with Green Tea’s vocals alone, but the rugged voices of Hip Hop trio Gods’Illa takes the song to another level.  Now visually, the video doesn’t progress as fast as I would like, but I enjoy the resolve to Green Tea’s concert performance.  I’m so glad that Green Tea pushed beyond her fears so the world can witness her amazing talent.  Twitter  Website           

Courtesy of HeatCasters  

Joy Ike is not a name you may have heard but she is a fully polished artist who fills the gulf between Christian contemporary and soulful pop-folk.  As the child of Nigerian immigrants, Joy seemed destined to become a cultural bridge since her days listening to DC Talk and Steven Curtis Chapman as a teenager.  

Joy’s new third album, All Or Nothing, reflects her eclectic background and sincere thoughts of the world around her.  With the help of producer Saul Simon MacWilliams, Joy’s music employs lush, staccato arrangements that pay homage to the overlapping African rhythms of her Nigerian childhood.

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Dawn Richard is by far my favorite female R&B artist right now.  She solidified my choice with her Goldenheart album release. No matter how much I rave about her, it always seems like an understatement.  Dawn is musically fearless.  She boasts an expansive range from gentle vocals wafting over a stripped percussive beat to soaring notes signifying the climax of a sweaty EDM dance session.  Ultimately though, my favorite aspect of Dawn’s new Goldenheart album is her aggressive femininity.  She sings as if she fought the battle of love, and is living to tell the tale.  Dawn’s visuals for “‘86” expresses just that.  

After a dramatic fall and a “Pretty Wicked Things” intro, the opening chords for “‘86” seem to signify a new beginning.  There’s an abstract quality to the video that produces a multiplicity of questions.  Who are the women moving angelically in the woods?  Does Dawn’s Native American clothing represent her at the vulnerable, nascent stage of love?  Is her medieval armor a reflection of Dawn learning to guard her heart?  And can Dawn make a dance DVD? Okay, maybe the last question is irrelevant, but I really enjoy the complexity of Dawn’s art.

In the Behind The Scenes video, Dawn describes her video as taking the negative things of the past “as a catalyst to be inspiring.”  I may not fully understand the video’s concept, but I will always support an artist who fights for what she believes in.  Website  Twitter  Buy Goldenheart on iTunes 

When I watched Les Nubians’ latest video, “Museba BOM BOM BOM”, I experienced a stunning revelation: I need more African pop music with the right mix of classy and rachet.  I was able to find another in the Nigerian dancehall hit, “Gud Gal” by Sound Sultan.  Thanks to notjustOk, I found the perfect trifecta.  There’s a deep voiced brotha with a catchy hook (“Gud gal…you be gud gal o….why you wanna getta bad mahn like me?), whine-able music produced by Jay Sleek, and a leading lady who holds it down for African queens everywhere (and is my inspiration for when I cut my locs off).  

Visually, director Janelle Abraham sprinkled in unique elements with the video’s Brooklyn backdrop and motorcycle crew. But ultimately, “Gud Gal” has the paint by numbers club scene that makes the video not stray too far from the beaten path.  

After releasing a less polished version in August, I’m glad that Sound Sultan & Co put in the extra work to make “Gud Gal” reach its full potential.  I may not agree with the entire song concept (I’m not about that ‘bad mahn’ life), but I absolutely love a sleek video that celebrates African beauty.  Twitter  Facebook                   

After getting an advanced copy of Sho Baraka’s Talented Xth album, I arrived at one important conclusion: Sho Baraka is Hip Hop’s Bill Cosby.  No, not in the cranky old man, frumpy hoodie, why-is-he-wearing-sunglasses-indoors type of way, but something much deeper.  Sho embraces his fatherly role in restoring true manhood.  His boldly discusses society’s void and God’s solution.  Talented Xth is the definition of a true crossover album.  It’s for bastards and church pastors, and everything in between.     

The review is super long, so if you don’t have time to read it, just check out the bold section titles! 

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