Word Around the Sound is… LROC just dropped his most recent album, Juug God Larry. Following up his romantic Valentine’s Day offering, Love Addiction, which was more so for the ladies, this new project definitely lends itself to more of a hustler’s mindset. The hard-hitting lyrics and larger than life beats are best suited late at night when the world sleeps and the Juug God’s keep on trappin’.
Right out the gate, LROC lets us know that he truly does not like wack bitches touching him. As he’s been rolling out the album, LROC has been giving us insight into the tracks, posting clips to his Instagram of him discussing each song. Stand out tracks like “Murda Me”, “Another One”, “Juug God”, and “I do What I Want”, showcase the best parts of LROC’s tone and delivery. He’s one of those artists who truly knows his sound but also pushes it to limits you might not expect his vocals to go to.
With two album releases already under his belt this year, Love Addiction, and Juug God Larry, it truly seems like it’s going to be difficult to not mention LROC when speaking on who’s poppin’ off right now.
Stream LROC Juug God Larry
UGLYFRANK “Rob Lowe” Music Video
Back in December 2022, UGLYFRANK and SWANKS released their joint album GET A JOB. Off that project, the track “Rob Lowe” just got the cinematic treatment with a music video shot by Thomas Dierikx.
The story was as follows, “Working the late shift, Frank was mistakenly left unsupervised at work. He told me he was alone with multiple sets and costumes… so, we decided to shoot a music video.” This is truly everything and more that I want from a music video, an obvious must-watch, in my opinion.
Credits:
Directed, Shot and Edited by Thomas Dierikx
1st AC and Photography by Morgan Westerholt
Styling by Peyton Brown
VHS by Aaron Weight
Music by UGLYFRANK
Produced by Trussone
Mixed and Mastered by Sam Merner
dsrt flwr “Of discernment” Music Video
Every time I listen to “Of discernment” by dsrt flwr my soul leaves my body. It’s such a cathartic experience to sing along as loudly as I can. The music video was just released, and it truly captures the song and gives us poetry in motion.
Credits:
Direction: Deborah Keme
Cinematography: Jama Abdirahman
Styling: Ruby Meza and Jess Garcia Campos Cendejas
Assisting: Sagal Muhummed
Editing: Kamyar Mohsenin, Hanan Hassan, Deborah Keme
Charles Zaid “Waitin’ A Lifetime”
It seems like I’ve been “Waitin’ A Lifetime” for Charles Zaid to drop some new music and the time has finally come! The freshest of the fresh, Zaid gives a funky little R&B bop that hopefully alludes to the vibe we’ll be seeing with any upcoming releases he may have. His smooth vocals pack a sassy punch over the Grimeshine production that matches the same tone.
La and Jester “Fidelio”
“Fidelio” from La and Jester is a straight uppercut to the jaw. La is here to remind you that there’s absolutely nothing corny about him, he’s really with this shit. He can out-rap you, your favorite rapper, and your favorite rapper’s rapper. This is the kind of track that takes multiple listens to catch every bar because La puts together some of the most unique rhymes you’ve never heard before.
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Draze “Mazvita” Music Video
Draze is one of those people that can invoke a sense of pride in even the humblest of individuals. The way he champions for himself, his family and friends, and his communities in both Africa and America is remarkable. His newest music video, “Mazvita”, highlights that. “Mazvita, which means thank you in the Shona language of Zimbabwe, is a song that bridges cultures,” says Draze.
“The song transports listeners from a typical hood in America to a typical city or village in Zimbabwe and is a personal “thank you” to my mother, father, grandparents and the communities who raised me in both Africa and America.” Draze continues, “From the Lyricism to the storytelling, to the cultural vibes and raw 808 drums, this track is the purest form of Ancestral Art.”
MUSIC CREDITS:
Written and Co-Produced by Dumisani Maraire Jr.
Co-Produced and Mixed by Vitamin D
Mastered By Justin Weis (Trakworx)
SINGERS:
Lora Lue Sukutai Chiorah
Danai Maraire
VIDEO PRODUCTION CREDITS:
Directed by Atuanya Priester (A Real Grip)
Edited By DEADEYEZ
VIDEO LOCATIONS:
Fats Chicken and Waffles
Clatter & Din Studios
WARDROBE:
Kutala
Nansare Barcelos – African Print Takeover
SPECIAL THANKS:
Erika White
DJ Top Spin
Timmie Foster (Lady Taz)
Chanarah Caupain
Alvin & Trina Snow
Topp “On My Life” featuring Abhi the Nomad and TheBoyBeerus
This year, it’s evident that Topp is steadily climbing his way to the… well, top. Already, he’s shown us a range of talent from his previous releases, “Hills” and “Pops & Momma”, and now on his most recent song, “On My Life” featuring Abhi the Nomad and TheBoyBeerus. The brassy beat composed by Topp and Shanedoe provides a bright platform for all three of these artists to shine in their own right. The music video for this track will be dropping on April 4, you can set a reminder on YouTube for that right now, I’ll wait.
Vitamin D Ultimate Broken Beats
Vitamin D has an ear for music that is unmatched. The nuances that he can accentuate throughout a production is something aspiring beatmakers should strive for. His Bandcamp is a treasure trove of dope flips that he’s done, and his latest release is another gem in the pile. Ultimate Broken Beats is an ode to the pioneers of the Breakbeat, Breakbeat Lou and Breakbeat Lenny. These two icons made most, if not all of the foundational breaks within hip-hop. This year, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the culture and with that, Vita decided to flip some of those breaks and turn them into a retro-futuristic breakbeat album.
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Upcoming Events Around Seattle
The Residency Raise the Bar Fundraiser
In 2015, the Residency was formed through a collective including the Museum of Pop Culture, Arts Corps, and Grammy award winning artists Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Their goal being to help inspire the youth around Seattle to succeed in the music industry. A team of artists and educators have created a platform for creative expression and leadership development in a safe and welcoming environment.
The Raise the Bar Fundraiser is a reach out to the community to help support the next generation of artists and entertainers to make a lasting mark within our city. Party with a purpose alongside The Residency at Fremont Studios on May 19th. Residency participants will perform throughout the night with a special performance from Macklemore. There are a few tiers to choose from for tickets, and each one doubles as a charitable donation to the organization.
Wednesday, April 12 at Barboza: Taylar Elizza Beth and Ex-Florist will be taking over Barboza with special guest DJ Reverend Dollars. The show is 21+ with doors opening at 7pm and tickets running $16 in advance.
Thursday, April 13 at Neumos: La Fonda is celebrating the release of their album, We Are Infinite. Joining them on stage will be Lisa Prank, Chinese American Bear, and Cujo Boogie. Doors will open at 7pm for those over 21 years of age, and the tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
