Category: tracks

C. Shreve + John Alex Harper – Boom Bap Bistro (prod. by P.U.R.P.) (New Track)

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Making his 5th flowsfordays appearance, North Carolina’s C. Shreve hits us with another classic collaborative record. If you’ve been staying up on the Professor, you’ll know he frequently works with fellow Free The Optimus member Mike L!VE. They always come through with the jams; using heavy instrumentation to compliment their dynamic bars.

It’s obvious Mike has excellent chemistry with Shreve, and John Alex Harper is another natural fit. He’s featured on their recent drop Boom Bap Bistro, which is Shreve’s most impressive track to date. They could damn near be a duo with how natural they sound trading bars. Their solo verses are just as solid, and producer P.U.R.P. gives an ample platform for both to wax poetics.

Shreve is currently finishing up several projects and preparing for a deep south tour that will take him through Atlanta, New Orleans, Birmingham, and other cities in the region. If anyone deserves this, it’s the Professor.

Nique – 25 To Life (New Track)

Posted in chicago, New Music, Submissions, tracksTagged , , , , ,

The burbs of Chicago rarely get love. One artist that might change that is Aurora’s Nique. He’s starting things off right with his debut SoundCloud single, 25 To Life. It dropped on his 25th birthday, and in just over 3 minutes he’s caught us up on his entire life.

The song speaks on his vices, specific struggles, and passion for music. A standout line sits in the beginning, giving us an honest portrayal of a man making art out of personal weaknesses : “I ain’t always living right/ I’m just tryin’ to feel the high.”

The sleek production comes from John Savage, providing a nice backdrop for Nique to wax poetics. I hope to see more collaborations between the two.

It’s only up from here.

ATM Smooth – Shadows (Prod Lasik beats) (New Track + Review)

Posted in New Music, philadelphia, Reviews, track review, tracks

King of Prussia’s own, Kid Smooth, is starting the summer out with a bang.

His latest track, “Shadows,” is a must listen to. The song begins with a hook that is very tasteful. It is very easy to get stuck in one’s head & it’s very relatable. Kid Smooth talks about his every day struggles, the things that haunt him in life. From the struggles, to the hard work and effort it took, to finally realizing who he was – these are the themes that circulate throughout the whole track, illuminating the “shadows” of his life.  These are the shadows he is constantly fighting, desperately searching for some sort of light.

Kid Smooth not only manages to give his listener a wonderful, catchy song, but also is able to teach his listeners how to beat adversity and prosper, through examples of his own life. I’m very excited to see what else he has up his sleeve this summer, he’s definitely someone to look out for!

While this is his first appearance on the Flows for Days page, I have a feeling it will not be his last. To hear more from Kid Smooth, check out his SoundCloud here. Also, extreme props to Lasik for the production of this beat. A great quality and sound that Kid Smooth’s voice compliments well.

flowsfordays Premiere: Juan Don – The Storm (New Track)

Posted in chicago, New Music, Premiere, tracksTagged , , , ,

Juan Don has been gone for a minute, and today we are happy to host his official return. After the almost universal praise of his 2016 LP, BELIEVE, the output ceased. We’ve been itching for something new from the Chicago emcee, and we’ve finally gotten it in The Storm. He speaks on his journey throughout life’s ups and downs, and the importance of rising above it all. Don’t be fooled, this is no mellow record. Juan hits the ground running as soon as Cavalier’s unique instrumental kicks in.

Throughout Juan’s career he’s stayed true to lyricism, delivering passionate bars and high caliber wordplay. The Storm is no different. The title is a metaphor to how he’s coming this 2017, which looks to be his best yet. He promises more music is to come, so keep it locked here.

Jocky Bay – OG Jocky (Track, Video, and Artist Spotlight)

Posted in Artist Spotlight, New Music, New Videos, Submissions, tracksTagged , , , , , , ,

Florida Platinum Dynasty Gang representative Jocky Bay has been involved in music since age 7. Initially singing in his mother’s church choir, he learned how to play 5 instruments by the time he was 12 years old.

Struggle often pushes us into creative outlets, and Jocky suffered early on in his life. His dad ended up going to jail when he turned 13, and writing poetry kept him sane. As time went on, the poems turned into raps, and by the time Jocky was 20 he decided to pursue a music career.

He’s been working relentlessly on his upcoming project Florida Boi Blues, which is set to drop on Father’s Day. This is a very significant day for him, and a perfect time to release his debut.

I am pretty strict on our submission rules as I like to keep content fresh and timely. Although the official music video and SoundCloud stream of OG Jocky was released some time ago, his story moved me and I decided to make a rare exception.

The actual music and video are entertaining, but contain some somber lyrics. One sticks out in particular “Damn I miss my Daddy.” While sonically it may sound like a bouncy down south anthem, there is much more to it.

Get ready for Florida Boi Blues dropping on the 7th of June by following him on SoundCloud.

 

Mpulse – Untitled Bars (New Track)

Posted in chicago, New Music, Submissions, tracksTagged , , , , , ,

The most skillful rapper out of Chicago has come through with another boom bap classic in Untitled Bars. He ditches the hooks for straight up bars, showing off his rhyming abilities. The musical chemistry between Mpulse and producers Keef & Lyle becomes more and more apparent each time they collaborate. You’ll hear it again in track Can’t Be Scared, released over half a year ago.

In Untitled Bars, Pulse wonders why “all these dudes sound the same,” as he continues to rep for classic hip hop brought to the forefront in the early 90’s. This marks week 38 out of 52 for Mpulse’s “52 Weeks” music campaign, where he plans to release new music every week for a year straight. You can check the previous 37 releases below. Don’t forget each one is available for free download.

 

Jay Wonder – The Heart, Part 4 Ways (New Track)

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You want bars? Jay Wonder has got them. If you haven’t heard Kendrick Lamar’s The Heart Part 4, get on that NOW. It was an incredible offering, and a precursor to his highly regarded DAMN. LP. The previous 3 parts were contemplative, and took time for listeners to deconstruct. Part 4 has him in action mode, ready to take on the world.

Jay was inspired by the record, and decided to spit his own truth over the instrumental. He sent it to me a few days before this official release, and when I told him he had a talent that could take him hundreds of miles past SoundCloud, he almost seemed surprised. In a world where humbleness and rappers don’t usually mix, Jay stays refreshing.

His version of Part 4 stays in the mode of meditation, emotional exploration, and monumental word-play, but remains Jay. Although Kendrick and Jay may have their own approach to song construction, they both are hard to out- rap.

Threat Digga – La Familia (New Track)

Posted in New Music, Submissions, tracksTagged , , , , ,

flowsfordays favorite Threat Digga hits our pages once again with another bangin’ record titled La Familia. The Pemberton, NJ shows his loyalty to his crew and the ones that have stuck by him since the start of his career. He also speaks on his successes, as his music continues to gain attention and press. Threat makes it clear that whatever clout he gains will be passed on to his extended family.

Any rapper will tell you having support for their endeavors is priceless. When they take L’s their friends build them up and push them to more forward and keep grinding. Keeping that at the forefront, Threat shows his mastery of high energy bars and descriptive lyrics. Production comes from KLAE who serves as the talent that brings everything together.

Nuworld Flood – Juiced Up (New Track + Review)

Posted in chicago, New Music, Reviews, Submissions, track review, tracksTagged , , , ,

Southside of Chicago rapper Nuworld Flood has been proving his worth since 2014 when he first started recording. His first post on SoundCloud was a venting session, with similarity to J. Cole’s prowess as a story teller.

He’s not just a bar for bar rapper. 8 tracks and 1 project later, he’s shown his versatility ten fold. He can make melodic singles, flow over high energy production, and create summer anthems. His newest release, Juiced Up, is the latter.

It’s his most ambitious track yet, and a perfect way to start off the summer season. It brings together all the elements he has perfected in his 3 year long career…great lyrics, confident wordplay, and a choice of smooth production which has become his bread and butter.

The summer anthem part comes in with the liveliness of the production, trap influence and catchiness of the chorus. Play this loud, and get in tune to one of the hardest working rappers out of Chicago.

flowsfordays Premiere: The Belief Cycle – The One (New Track)

Posted in chicago, New Music, Premiere, tracksTagged , ,

Drew Mantia, a transplant from STL, has been in Chicago making music for over the last 5 years, and in the process has grabbed collabs with Probcause, Chance The Rapper, Saba and many more. In 2015, he dropped a very talented collection of music – his first as a standalone artist, titled Feel Good Music.

Last year was just as fruitful as he dropped a single titled Down with Saba. He’s lately struck out on his own, doing performances on a beat machine live alongside Ryan Marquez, who together make up The Belief Cycle. The duo has been releasing a new single weekly on Tuesdays and returns next week with a really nice R&B jam, The One.

On this record Drew is on vocals, finger drums and guitar & KC native Ryan Marquez is on keyboards and bass. This is a feel good summer hit full of breezy vocals, relaxed instrumentation, and lots of passion. Stream above, check out the rest of the releases, and look out for the next single on Tuesday!

Savage G – California Palm Trees (New Track)

Posted in New Music, Submissions, tracksTagged , , , ,

California hip hop is not my forte, but I’ve grown to love the diverse sounds coming out of The Golden State. The Bay Area has always been a hot bed of talent, but other towns are continuing to show promise.

San Bernardino County is one of them thanks to Savage G. Although his stream count may not match his quality output, I am confident his movement will continue to grow.

One song that will help him out is California Palm Trees. With a minimal beat from producer Young Taylor, Savage spits with aggression about his hope to one day be the king of California. While this might be a little difficult to achieve, he is definitely on his way to a successful career within his hometown – and hopefully beyond.

lowlifeilli – Fuck It (New Track)

Posted in New Music, Submissions, tracksTagged , , , , ,

“Mumble rap” is often seen as a joke in the hip hop world. It’s become a bit of a worn out trend, especially among the hopeful rappers in the SoundCloud universe. I’ve heard a great many that sound uninspired; almost as though they are riding the wave just to cater to listeners that are drawn to the sound.

A good chunk of the submissions we receive do fall into this increasingly popular sub-genre. While some are actually pretty dope, there are many that fall to the wayside. lowlifeilli’s newest track Fuck It is not one of them. He has admirably tagged the track as mumble rap, calling out the elephant in the room. Yet, he’s confident in what he has created. His producer, Antonio West, sent him the beat, but lowlife could not think of what to rap about. He said “fuck it” (hence the title) and wrote about “literally nothing.”

Lowlife describes Fuck It as “a fun song about nothing. Perfect for when you are in a “fuck it” mentality.” He doesn’t give himself enough credit for this one, as his enthusiasm propels the song forward – especially with the chorus over Antonio’s thumping bass. Give this song a listen and FREE download above.

Chronic – On The Low (New Track + Review)

Posted in New Music, philadelphia, track review, tracks

WOAH, WOAH, WOAH, HOLD UP!

“This is the way that its destined, know I’m just counting my blessings, there’s no need for flexing,  I let my songs do the talking, see your boy balling, got b*tches here calling”

Straight bars from start to finish, in Upper Darby native Chronic’s latest single, On The Low. After releasing his debut EP EGO, he is back with some more heat to amp up the summer.

The song focuses on the come up. Chronic not only tells us specifically, but by detailing moments in his life which illuminate the song’s message and purpose, he illustrates the way any hardworking person should go about their craft. It’s the essence of letting one’s end product be the judge of the effort and time taken to produce said product.

“Get on my bad side I don’t wanna be ya, blowing up my phone now they all wanna feature, killing these b*tches since I was the reaper, your girl bring a friend to the bed she a keeper.”

This song hypes me up every time I listen to it. Its message is one that is conveyable to all, as it touches on the reality of the reaped benefits that come from working hard. Its a refreshing, jam-packed reminder. Not to mention, his captivating, aggressive flow over the beat erupts and extends the length of the song. A job well done by producer Justin Kase.

“I be wishing to bring piece to my enemies, people all up on me craving off jealousy, she gon’ break your heart cuz’ that is her specialty, drama lurking and I don’t let it get to me”

I can’t wait to hear what Chronic has up his sleeve for this summer. I see the growth and progression he’s making and am very excited to see the lengths he will go in the near future. If you wish to listen to more of Chronic (which I recommend you do), you can find him on SoundCloud here.

Written by Alim – follow him on Twitter.

Young Griddy ft. Gala Man – Drip (New Track + Review)

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“I’m dripping too much sauce and they can’t stand me. I’m bout go to ghost like I’m Danny.”

Upper Darby natives, Young Griddy and Gala Man  have reunited for their new and timely single, “Drip.” The engineering behind the beat calls for a very serious head rock from start to finish. A  job well done by Yung Dza.

A song that calls for a reassurance in oneself, it acknowledges one’s confidence amidst a mass that has not yet reached the level of self love and self recognition that they have attained. Young Griddy and Gala Man are just some kids working hard in their city, trying to make sure their friends and family are good for a lifetime. A dream and goal familiar to all. Its evident in their lyrics and their hustle, and I’m sure it will get them very far.

This song will definitely be in my “Summer 17” playlist. I recommend all to add it to theirs as well, satisfaction guaranteed. I know Griddy and Gala are gonna be lighting it up this summer and I can’t wait to witness the journey & be there for the new tunes!

Written by Alim – follow him on Twitter.

Mpulse – Broadcaster (New Track)

Posted in chicago, New Music, Submissions, tracksTagged , , , , , ,

You know the drill – Mpulse drops a song – we post it. It’s never a favor to him, just a tribute to the amazing music he makes. This one is called Broadcaster, and is Pulse at his most confident. He demands respect for his capacities as an emcee, and it’s hard to not give him props. Although I enjoy his collaborations with his go to producers, it’s great to see a fresh face in the line up.

estrykerSPEAK provides a gritty, boom bap instrumental, helping Mpulse evoke a 90’s NY type flow. Broadcaster marks week 36 out of his 52 week campaign, and the series is only getting better. You can catch all of the drops here.

5th Sequence and Randal Wyatt – Why Oh Why (New Track)

Posted in New Music, Submissions, tracksTagged , , , , ,

Portland stand up! We rarely get submissions from one of my favorite cities in the world, but when it happens it’s always a welcomed surprise. 5th Sequence and Randal Wyatt are new to my ears, but they’ve just released one of my favorite tracks this week in Why Oh Why.

It’s mellow, soulful, and a perfect pick me up for any bad day. The duo describes themselves as “Boombap specialists & avid hip hop fans with a desire to spread awareness of social issues while advocating revolutionary agendas of self empowerment.” With one listen to Why Oh Why, you’ll understand their reasoning.

This is the first single from their upcoming album Circadian Rhythms, dropping July 30th. The record is a great introduction to what they are capable of as a duo. The LP is only their 2nd release together in over 4 years, so I have no doubts it’s going to be something special. I’ll be watching for the release, and you can too by following them on BandCamp. 

Lastly – 5th and Wyatt have started a GoFundMe page for those who want to pre-order the album and merchandise or just support the cause. Those who are interested in supporting the album can pre-order/donate HERE.

After Pxrty – GSN (New Track)

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In our last post on Michigan’s After Pxrty, we wrote about his “unconventional flow and abstract rhyming.” This stays true for his newest drop, GSN, but it is definitely an easier listen. He’s about to drop a new EP titled No Rest for the Wicked that Pxrty has said is inspired by Clipse’s album Hell Hath No Fury. The comparison is a lot to live up to – but I think he’ll be able to deliver. Stream above.

Zip Dot – Next Up (New Track)

Posted in chicago, New Music, Submissions, tracksTagged , , , ,

We all need a pick me up. While hip hop fans may have a sub genre they gravitate towards more, it’s always nice to pump up the adrenaline. This feeling is Zip Dot‘s bread and butter. While he may not be the most technical rapper, he makes up for it in enthusiasm and unique personality.

His newest release, Next Up, is ferocious, with killer punchlines and a dominant flow. Producer MiiiKXYH composed an intense beat that fit perfectly with Zip’s approach to music. Zip’s is fan base continues to build off his consistency. We certainly feel that way as we’ve featured him countless times and even premiered some of his music. Stream above.

C. Shreve – The Visual Freestyle + In The Air (New Video + Track)

Posted in New Music, New Videos, Submissions, tracksTagged , , , ,

C. Shreve is an underground rap fan’s wet dream. He has all the making of becoming a cult figure in the alternative scene, and he’s already well on his way. There’s a reason we’ve been talking about him for months.

Today we’ve got 2 very different releases in a video freestyle and record that’s been in the vault for some time now. The Visual Freestyle is presented by Danny Digital, who captures Shreeve’s abstract delivery and confidence. You’ll see him and him only, with no distractions. If you aren’t already familiar with him this is the perfect introduction, as the freestyle is only 1 minute, and totally acapella.

Below that is a song called In The Air, produced by YSOSERIOUZ? Over the airy beat, Shreeve drops dizzying metaphors; flexing with proof of his genius. Check out his other releases here.

Photo Credit: Christopher Deverell

Coach Tev (feat. Jay Luse + Cambino) – Flight Change (New Track)

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Rising Dallas songwriter Coach Tev is notorious for building anticipation. In the last year he’s only dropped a half dozen tracks, but his strategy has proven to be successful. His stream count on SoundCloud has reached over 150K, with help from his friendly manager and social media push. He takes his time to perfect his output, from his unique artwork, down to his picturesque lyrics.

It’s taken some time, but Tev has finally released his first single of the year. Flight Change introduces producer Cambino who fits Tev like a glove. The smooth neo-soul record is a taken out of a scene from the classic black romance film Love Jones, starring the beautiful Nia Long. Tev steps in for the role of co-star Larenz Tate, as he attempts to smooth talk his way around the roadblock his beloved has placed before him. The theme is complex, and shows his ability to create quality concept tracks. Jay Luse is also featured, driving home the song with his dense rhymes.

Cambino and Tev are releasing an upcoming collaborative EP titled I Fell In Love With My Mistress slated to be out in fall of 2017. Keep watch by following Tev on SoundCloud.