In an area celebrated for its varied terrains, a fresh surge of musical ingenuity is unfolding thanks to Pacific Northwest hip-hop artists and rappers revealing their most recent innovations. Another week of PNW Rising means another week of delving into the freshest releases from the hip-hop domain of the landscape, where each composition narrates a tale, and all rhythms pulsate with the unfiltered vitality of the locale.
For us, unfiltered rhythms signify the zest and spice of an artist. They create truth through music, never holding back their voices or songs. Whether it’s the lyrics, the instruments, the tones, or the vibes, these artists radiate authenticity.
PNW RISING: Unfiltered Rhythms
Lon Gotti “Belly Vibes”
Lon Gotti definitely doesn’t hold back with this track as he hits the ground running with no filter. The confidence in his wordplay is undeniable, and the production is clean with beats that are catchy but simple enough to not overpower Lon Gotti’s delivery. The music video itself shows intimacy with the entire take being just the rapper spitting bars in his studio.
BARZ! “About Me”
BARZ! gives a self-aware storytelling that shows he’s in on the jokes told about him and he uses it as the perfect ammo for his lyrics. The hip-hop beats and record scratches intermingling with laid back electric guitar give the banger an alternative twist that sets the wordsmith’s music apart from the rest in the game. The video also gives such a dope retro MTV vibe that adds to the comedic element to this bop.
LemarDaKid “Talk to Em (Freestyle)”
The piano and slow percussive beats set the tone for this ballad-like freestyle. LemarDaKid tells the story of how far he’s come from where he used to be. A come up story is always something to enjoy as it helps you appreciate the artist’s craft that much more and serves as an inspiration to anyone listening that your dreams are possible despite adversity.
New Track City “Cicadia”
The bounce of this bop is an instant attention grabber. The flow of the verses and hooks amongst each group member is seamless and makes you want to give this song an instant replay. The keyboard harmonies and sound are light and almost playful in a way, which gives levity to the recording.
Aurelio Valdez “Gutter Trife (feat. Rell Be Free)”
The old school sounding organ-type melody gives a bit of lo-fi vibes and is also nostalgic. These elements together give this song a very relaxing and laidback tone that makes the whole production a good choice to relieve stress. These two rappers match the chilled out feel with their words, showcasing their skills and abilities to use their craft to supplement the ambiance.
James Lite “CITY”
James Lite supplies that melodic hip-hop approach that is very dreamy sounding. The xylophone background makes you think a disco ball should be coming down while you lounge back with a baddie and share a blunt. The groove gives a mellow essence that even almost come off comforting in a way.
LocalBoyJojo “Who Gonna”
Clearly, LocalBoyJojo is a huge romantic when he asks his muse who else would love in the ways he does. The majority of the song stays upbeat as the rapper describes his methods of affection. Towards the end, LocalBoyJojo winds it down real slow with the same heartfelt background vocals to help the message resonate.
AMARi & Todd Corleone “Respectable”
One of the more popular tracks in AMARi & Todd Corleone’s collab album, Made For It, “Respectable” is a track about realness. Both artists address starting from the bottom and fighting tooth and nail to make it back to the top. The work they have put in to get to where they are is clear, and despite the success, they remain humble. Undoubtedly, those factors matter to them as they’ve seen others in the craft lose sight of staying grounded and in turn, respected.
Marki$ Apollo “APOLLO’S CREED”
Released on Marki$ Apollo’s YouTube just last month, “APOLLO’S CREED” tells a tale of hardships and overcoming suffering. The female vocals are beautiful and add a softness to an otherwise rugged rap to show contrast. The message is one of raw execution as the hip-hop artist describes conquering the impossible because giving up was not an option.
Lil $teppa “Dynamic Duo (Freestyle) (feat. StoozyKid)”
Shortly after Lil $teppa released STEP 123, he joins forces with StoozyKid to live up to the title of this collaboration. The duo are bold in their lyricism, and their styles are incredibly cohesive. The music video only solidifies just how compatible their personalities are. This makes the tune something that wouldn’t work quite the same if it didn’t have these two working together.
The unfiltered rhythms will keep on coming, so be sure to keep on reading as we supply the freshest and the latest! As always, don’t forget to check out all PNW Rising additions on our official Spotify playlist.
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