WHO YOU LISTENING TO? I always get the question. What new artist am I listening to? To be honest this is usually a hard question because it can come down to a matter of what mood I'm in. Sometimes I want to hear conscious rap. sometimes I want to hear trap rap. But if you would ask me as of recently, I think the answer would be an artist I recently discovered by the name of, Chip Kip. His video "Legit". Was a fresh sound and his ability to switch up flows proved that he had been perfecting his craft. Just looking at his discography most notably his recent album titled "Best in the World" was a bold statement. I think that bravado is what makes his music really good. The album showed a boldness and a successful formula that has helped his music continue to evolve and get better. His latest song "Pound Man" is another evolution in the artist Chip Kip!
Hit em with the sauce,
What strikes you first about the track is definitely the production. The production has a bounce that reminds you of Detroit drill music that evolved from the Chicago drill scene. The ingredients are all there. The snares and the tempo of the track create that bounce that the 808 drum comes in and punctuates. The howling Spanglish singer adds a soft layer for Chip Kip to fit his complex trap lyrics into which creates tightly packaged bars that are all perfectly to scale. Chip Kip has a distinctive vocal inflection when he raps which gives his bars more emotion. At times it's as if he's just having fun. And other times it's as if he's spittin' commandments that he lives by and will let no one disrespect. It can't be overstated how much Chip Kip has quotable bars. Some of the lines are like the perfect comeback for anybody thinkin they can talk shit. And it’s also clear that Chip Kip can talk that shit. He’s the Pound Man!
Checkout Chip Kip's new single "Pound Man" below:
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 The top is always lonely. Steph Stove tells just how lonely it is with the release of his single "Lonely At The Top". The swank track is like a 1st person view from an artist that has weathered the storm. Which he is in an actual storm, in the video it shows Steph Stove walking around a snowy downtown Tulsa in his Jordan Retro 3's. Some sneakerheads may be thinking the audacity of him to rock his J’s in the snow. But that’s exactly the type of confidence that’s needed to be at the top. That includes not caring what people think and most importantly doing things the way you want. If you listen close you can tell that this confidence has carried into his lyrics, even his tone and his delivery convey an artist that knows his path and could care less what you think about it or as he says, “I knew that the top was lonely yet, I didn’t give a fuck!”. Steph Stove’s bars come at you quickly like jabs from DJ Khaled. Just when you think you heard the last bar there comes. Another one! Also interesting about this track is his presence. His voice creates a cadence dices through the track’s hard hitting bass and keeps the listener's ears occupied while waiting for the next bass drop. This is definitely him at his best. Sometimes artists make songs to show off their song writing abilities, I think this is that song that for Steph Stove. No chorus. No auto-tune. Just a beat and 2 minutes to show why your at the top. Is he at the top? Only time can tell. But as the beat ends you see one name . Steph Stove. Watch me give this nigga 16, Checkout Steph Stove's video "Lonely At The Top" below: Go follow Steph Stove on social media: Instagram: @stephstove Twitter: @stephstove YouTube: Stephon Stoven 
2021. We're all hoping that the new year brings new things and that we can leave the past in the past. But, everything that happened last year can't be bad. Some good did come out of 2020. One thing that was undeniable was the fact that there was a lot of good music coming out of Tulsa. It was a good year for the town. I should know. I had listened to all of it. Or at least I thought I did until I came across an artist by the name of Devon $.U.A.V.E. who dropped his project "Honey & Ginseng" at the very tail end of December. It was something different about this artist that made me press play.
Brands and Business is the 5th single on the EP titled "Honey & Ginseng". The track is a celebration of the G-Funk era of hip-hop that borrowed from the Tulsa sound made popular by The Gap Band and uncle Charlie Wilson. The track has so much old school flavor in it that even Charlie Wilson would be saying "What you know about that youngster?". His unique flow reminds me of the old school players that know the game and play it well. His luxurious raps paint a story of a player that dresses in fine linen and is unapologetic about the game and how it goes. While at the same time recognizing that this is a business and money is the name of the game. Here's one of the quotable lines off the track. Ima brand, Ima businessman,
Devon $.U.A.V.E. raps show that rawness that proves that he has a gift. As he continues to grow as an artist and invest more in his music I think he can only get better. Most importantly he’s taking steps in the right direction which includes his marketing of the “Honey & Ginseng” project. So check out the single “Brands and Business” below and give it a listen.
Make sure you follow Devon $.U.A.V.E. on social media:
Instagram: @_who_tf_ Twitter: @WhoTFisDEVON Spotify: Devon $.U.A.V.E.  Like a blind man drivin, I wreck. It's all about the Benjamins. Who could forget such a classic Ice Cube film that put Mike Epps on Hollywood’s radar as the next rising star. The scene that sticks out the most is the classic convenience store dialogue where Mike Epps shined. Nobody could do this scene better than Mike right? One Tulsa artist is looking to prove that not only can he play the same character, but he can add a little bit of Oklahoma style to it. The cowboy boot wearing desperado happens to be the artist named J. Friday in his new video "Roll Up". For anyone that has never heard a J. Friday song then this would be the perfect representation. He’s one of the most versatile artists around. From the beginning, you hear his melodic voice on the hook drawing you in. It’s at this moment that you realize that he also is a lyricist in the way he switches flows and his ability to contort words to fit a rhyming scheme created in a previous bar. The beat’s hypnotic sway is captured perfectly in the video as you can see J. Friday strolling thru a purple drank city that seems to insinuate that he’s been sippin that Texas Tea. One of J. Friday’s characteristics are his ability to let other people shine on a record also. And that’s exactly what J.A.Y. Pilotlife did. He’s able to match J. Friday’s energy as his verse slowly builds until it ends with a barrage of syllables that leave you thinking damn. He can really rap. You can tell his mastery and penmanship by the way he seems to always be in control of the track no matter how fast or slow he raps. Every word seems planned out and precise. My diamonds forever remind you of Hova, Checkout J. Friday's video "Roll Up" ft J.A.Y. Pilot below: Go follow J. Friday and J.A.Y. Pilotlife on their Instagram's:
J. Friday Instagram: @jfridaymusic J.A.Y. Pilotlife Instagram: @jay.pilotlife 
Few people have been as active as the rapper they call Yung Trunkz. The Tulsa artist has ramped up his musical output during a pandemic that left many artists on hold hoping for next year to be better. Yung Trunkz has went against this idea and has seen 2020 as an opportunity to do more. This past year alone he has been on a tear, releasing a collection of music ranging from singles, EPs, and albums. Not to mention the featured verses he’s been selected for where he has proven to hold his own. So when it comes to the last month of the year when the music industry is shutting down for the holidays, Yung Trunkz drops off a holiday treat. The single Trap Trunkz.
I been living in the future keep a mask on.
The countdown to self-destruction starts the track and leads into a car crash of high hats and 808 drums. The actual track plays out like a Three 6 Mafia influenced production that whose maniacal sound was the groundwork for psychopathic murderer influenced rhymes. This track’s production shows the evolution of trap music as the incorporated guitar symbolizes a hint of rock and roll ingredient. Yung Trunkz’s flow comes off as very macho and also braggadocios. But not too self-indulged to shouts out artist YungxHalloween in the track, "Yea my boy Halloween spittin fire like a drummer". Usually known for his use of autotune, it seems intentional that he raps without it. He wants you to hear every word and feel each bar, even the ones that sting. He seems to leave the chorus for his signature autotune use. The chorus becomes a chant that reflects just how far the genre has grown and is the moments’ breath from his fast paced lyrical assault. Yung Trunkz from the trap. In the second verse, he echoes the point about rappers copying his flow which he's stated on multiple occasions that artists like Lil Uzi Vert have been stealing his flows. But they can’t copy the Yung Trunkz from the TRAP!
Checkout Yung Trunkz new single "Trap Trunkz below: Make sure you follow Yung Trunkz social media: Instagram: @yungtrunkz_ Twitter: @yungtrunkz_ Spotify: Yung Trunkz 
Freestyle. The general consensus of a freestyle is that it is an improvised, unwritten, display of flow, and lyricism that occurs in one attempt. A song is generally more structured as opposed to a freestyle which can be seen as more of a stream of thought. But as time and rap have evolved the term freestyle itself has become more blurry. The freestyle track is now more of an unstructured song that has no chorus and a particular topic that it has to stick to. The freestyle track is still intended to let artist show off their skill as a stream of thought but if you need more than one take, that’s allowed now. If you need an example of this look no further than Parris Chariz's track called "Can't Hold Back Freestyle”.
When you're eatin raman,
The track appears on his latest album 2045 Deluxe: Airwavs which is the second helping to the 2045 saga. The track’s somber feel sets the stage for Parris Chariz to answer the question "Are you here?" He answers by giving the old hip hop heads what they want. Lyricism and bars centered around the classic boom-bap percussion. The track is jam-packed with quotable lines that make you double-take. His talent extends beyond the box that most gatekeepers try to put him in. Bar after bar come at the listener like a game of Guitar Hero, where the slightest break is given right before a string of back to back lines that grab your ear as your brain tries to decode and process before the next bar comes. Parris Chariz ain’t here to play. He repeats the last line. "I CAN'T HOLD BACK!"
Remeber when shorty said I'm her man, I played the zone.
Checkout Parris Chariz's single "Can't Hold Back Freestyle” below.
Go follow Parris Chariz on his social media below: Instagram: @parrischariz Twitter: @parrischariz Spotify: Parris Chariz 
Hustle Sold Separately two Oklahoma artists deciding to team up and drop a joint project. Which is not easy and is rarely executed well. Overall it has to fit musically. So when artists K.O. and Trip G dropped a joint project it was a surprise. Knowing that this would be a difficult thing to pull off I was skeptical. That was until I heard the first track which has to be the title track off the album called “Hustle Sold Separately”.
The track starts off with a maniacal beat produced by ADHD, who has been a long time collaborator with Trip G. The beat represents his signature tag line “ADHD Got This Bouncin Yea” with its hard-hitting bass and synthesized piano keys that seem to creep around the bass. I don't need approval,
K.O. is up first. The lyricist has built a reputation on intricate flows and clever bars having caught the attention of her peers, many have approached her to do features. On this track is no different as her skills are exhibited as if with ease. She starts out walking on the beat taking her time and making every word punctuated. But as she gets to the end of her verse she switches her flow to a faster pace almost as telling Trip G. Match Me!
I'm sucka free but you niggas some suckas
Trip G is not to be shown up. He proves from the beginning that not only can he match the pace but also that he can drop bar after bar, in sort of a lyrical sprint. Trip G’s verse is true to his style that can be described as more of a showman. He raps about staying on point because people will wait for the right opportunity and their plenty of opportunists. And Trip G is not afraid to call them out.
By the end of the track, both artists wait at the finish line not looking phased or fatigued. This is just the warmup. And most importantly this is the start to a great album. Checkout K.O. and Trip G’s single from their title track called “Hustle Sold Separately" below: Go follow K.O. and Trip G's Instagram's below: K.O. Instagram: @sheisko Trip G Instagram: @tripgofficial  Trappin Music ain’t dead and Cityboy Chop is proof that it’s alive and kicking. The self-proclaimed Cartier Don since the beginning has embodied what it means to be a trap rapper. Never to be counted out he’s shown his ability to stay on top and to thrive. Even with the changing times of the mixtape era to the now playlist era, Cityboy Chop has continued to have a loyal fanbase and respect from his peers while having a career that outlived some of the rappers that he came into the game with. In a time where the internet has given anyone the freedom to make music, it's important now more than ever to stand out from the crowd. And Cityboy Chop is doing just that by sticking to the music he knows best. Trap Music. He’s also continued to grow his fanbase and stay relevant by working with new artists, which is the case for his latest single that features Joey Organic called "Swear 2 Gawd". Swear 2 Gawd is the intro track off Cityboy Chop's new album "Drug Proceeds". Which is his 6th album to be released in 2020. That's right 6 studio albums released in 2020. Cityboy Chop has been releasing music at an unprecedented pace flooding the streets with dope music. This latest release proves that Cityboy Chop has plenty left to say. Send my bitch with the Cleo braids, The track is like a dope boy's oath where Cityboy Chop reflects on the rules of the game that he has pledged his life to. Things that he has stood tall on and never folded both in life as well as in his music. Staying true to this oath has given him a presence on the track that few can have, the reason being that his verses come from stories he’s lived as opposed to stories told through someone else's eyes. This goes back to the earlier point of how he stands out from the millions of artists. He’s lived it!. To build an empire you need help. For this track Cityboy Chop got Joey Organic to help deliver the message for Swear 2 Gawd. The hook singing Joey Organic is usually known as a rapper having released tracks of his own such as “No Hook Josè” that showed he could really rap. So to hear him singing is surprising yet not totally, having heard him sing backup for Youth The Vampire during his performances. His style complements Cityboy’s hard-hitting street lyrics as they both perform on the front steps of the Boston Avenue Methodist Church. The 2nd verse plays like a cumulation of all the lessons he’s learned, almost as to say, “I did this so that you didn’t have to” as Joey Organic sings “I Swear 2 Gawd”. Go listent to Swear 2 Gawd and let us know what you think! Checkout Cityboy Chop's video "Swear 2 Gawd" ft. Joey Organic below: Follow Cityboy Chop and Joey Organic on their Instagram: Cityboy Chop instagram: @iamcityboychop Joey Organic instagram: @joey_organic  "Bust a left, a right, I'm outta sight I'm throwed". Everybody remembers Yungstar's iconic line in the song "Wanna Be a Baller". The line has become bigger than the actual artist who rapped it. But this one line perfectly describes Houston car culture, better known as "swangin". For those who don't know swangin just put on Trae's song "Swang" ft. Big Hawk, Pimp C & Fat Pat. Just 500 miles away an artist by the name of Keezy Kuts would pay homage to this iconic line in his song "LnR". LnR is the latest single from Keezy Kuts who has had a relatively quiet year musically. He's taken most of the year to focus on becoming his own boss by opening his own barbershop suite, he's also been building his Pre-Rolled empire. "You know I'm Pre-Rolled". It’s only fitting that this be the first bar that speaks to the effort he’s put into his brand which he showcases in the video by wearing a Carolina blue Pre-Rolled hoodie, which has become a fan favorite. But also anyone who knows Keezy Kuts knows that he supports local brands such as the Northside sweater by Boss P, and the Black Wall Street t-shirt by Black Wall Street T-Shirts & Souvenirs that he also rocks in the video. And I'm goin up, This track has a fun bounce to it, it's a feel-good track that Keezy Kuts slides on. And yet it's all freestyling. Like the famous words of Lil Wayne where he stated that he doesn’t write his lyrics, neither does Keezy Kuts, but you can still hear the metaphors and double entendre's in his lyrics. I'm not much for comparison but Keezy Kuts's ability resembles Lil Wayne's. His unscripted improvised raps, sounds like a lyricist who has meticulously written out bars that are laced with clever lines and hidden messages. Yet Keezy Kuts does it so effortlessly. Or as he says it “Ima freestyle liaison”. LNR is a dope track that you can tell that Keezy Kuts had fun with. He definitely shines on the track, literally, peep the gold grill and gold watch in the video. So checkout the video below and let us know what you think, Checkout Keezy Kuts new video "LnR" below: Make sure you go follow Keezy Kuts social media below: Instagram: @keezykuts Twitter: @keezykuts Spotify: Keezy Kuts YouTube: Keezy Kuts 
Rapped by real name,
I never fronted.
By the first bar, it's not even a question. It’s Chris “The God MC” Cain. A name that carries so much weight and has been pivotal in the growth of Oklahoma Hip Hop. I say Hip Hop because he’s apart of the culture and is quick to remind you of the distinction between Hip Hop the “culture” and Rap the “genre”. Which he’s always been an advocate for the culture and is etched in his rhymes. Words that depict his life and most importantly the name that he stands behind. A bold statement, but for anyone that knows his music knows that bold is the only way he knows.
But for the past year people have been wondering "Where's Cain?" His last studio album release "Now Showing", played like a movie that brought back the nostalgia of growing up in the 90s while also giving it's listeners a front seat view of the Eastside of OKC. But what has he been up to since? He's released two EPs ("Lucky to Be a Legend" & "My Ghetto Gospel Wherever It May Be"), he’s released multiple featured verses (most notably "The Fire in Little Africa Project"), and also has been about his family. With all these accomplishments still, people were missing the presence of the rapper that has always been present on every bar. It was not until his unique black and white cinematic rollout for "Arrived" that we knew something special was on the way. When “The God MC” would let the world know that he had "Arrived". Arrived is the name of the title track off the album that comes near the midpoint of the album. The track starts off with a female storyteller who speaks of being inspired by his music and the rap scene in OKC that he helped create. What’s always been a strength of his is how technical of a lyricist he is. His bars are so deep that even the subtlest bar is like a puzzle that crime detectives could put on a wall and piece together the connections between each bar. For example the bar. “2Pacalypse Now, Apocalypse Now, Just Smile”. One by one these breakdown into pieces that string together to lead to the next clue. Anyone can make words rhyme but only a truly skilled lyricist can make not only the words rhyme but also make the listener think. Only a lyricist can make the listener research what the artist meant when they wrote a particular bar. But then again this is “The God MC” 
"Day one's since little niggas, couldn't play on the court." This one line again shows his gift to paint pictures with his words. Better yet movies, Because this line is something that we’ve all lived. As kids playing basketball waiting for the older kids who were playing full court to momentarily move to the other basket so that you could quickly take a shot before they come back. That’s the scene that’s replayed in every hood. Which makes this track so nostalgic and at the same time sort of a blueprint to how young boys grow up on the Eastside.
The album Arrived still has so much to unpack that it would be an injustice to just review it after one day. So until then here's the review of the track "Arrived" by Chris "The God MC" Cain. A track that is a holistic approach to looking at the different moments of time. From driving down the same roads, to seeing the gentrification happening all around him. This track is almost a celebration of his timing. Or better yet to announce that he’s “Arrived”. Checkout the track "Arrived" by Chris "The God MC" Cain below: Make sure to checkout Chris "The God MC" Cain social media below: Instagram: @chris_the_god_mc_cain Apple Music: Chris The God MC Cain Spotify: Chris The God MC Cain YouTube: Chris The God MC Cain Twitter: @C_TheGodMC_Cain |
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