Pine Bluff, AR– Born Chermaine Jenkins, artist Young Finessa has seen the depths of struggle in his hometown of Gould, Arkansas. At the mere age of three, the performer would witness the horrific shooting of his sister’s father. His death became the catalyst for his move around the country, inevitably to Georgia where the budding artist took a liking to music. Young Finessa began watching underground artists and battle rappers on shows such as Ultimate Rap League hosted by Smack White, and finally took pen to paper to craft his first song in 2015, entitled “We’ll Never Know.” Now, the Arkansas native is giving rap listeners a taste of his hometown in his latest mixtape under record label Onslot Musik. The mixtape is a tribute to the streets, where Young Finessa sheds a different light on areas people see as “bad.” Says the artist, “I want to give people a different perspective on my city, and not just see the crime.” He continues, “There’s so much that people don’t see – people doing things for the kids, the music.” He’s inspired by his city, and by his two little girls, who are his music’s biggest fans. “When I see them dancing to my songs, I know I’ve made a hit,” the artist laughs. While Young Finessa aims to top the charts and spread his music to the masses, money and fame aren’t the ultimate goals. Inevitably, once the artist “makes it” to the top, he’s bound and determined to give back to the community that shaped him as an artist and person. “I want to be an inspiration, and give people a bigger option,” he explains, “I want to tell them ‘You don’t have to be in the streets.’” The budding star is one to watch, remarking, “I’m on my way.” Listen to 2Sides2EveryStory. Follow along on Twitter and Facebook.
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County Derry, Ireland – Punk rocker from the green hills of Derry, Johanna Fegan’s music is a fusion of rock with pop influence and strong melodic chorus lines with electrifying drive, pure unfettered energy and Punk Rock attitude, Influenced by Alanis Morisette and other strong, female artists with powerful messages, her music is teeming with self-discovery and positivity. Johanna experienced the music industry first hand at the age of 23, when she was scouted by producer Andy Wright in her home town Derry and was flown to London to record at Metropolis Studios. Before releasing her debut album, Jo realized she would need to develop her production chops, and set out to further her studies. “I was hitting brick walls with technology,” laughs the talented Johanna, confessing, “and I knew in my bones I would meet special people.” Fate led her to collaborate with a fellow musician she’d met through school, creating a progressive story line which would inevitably manifest itself into a finished project. Her latest EP, Cutting Out the Noise, was released on all digital platforms on July 29th. The album is a personal testimony of triumph for Johanna. After suffering with depression and finding herself embedded in negativity, Fegan embarked on a journey of self-discovery. By participating in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the artist delved deep into her life’s issues, and got to the root of a lifelong struggle. “I was trapped in negativity. Anytime I was getting anywhere, I would hit a wall.” Her EP is brave, raw, and certain. “I really put myself out there,” explains the artist, “Even my darkest songs have a positive message (of pulling yourself up and out.)” Open and to-the-point, Fegan isn’t one to mince words. “In a massive market, if you’re going to stand a chance, you have to be direct.” Follow along on Facebook. Listen on SoundCloud. Chicago, IL – Formed in 2011, the Bop Boyz are a complilation of producers, songwriters, and rappers that once began as a large group and slimmed down to its current four members, Scrills (a.k.a. “Smokey da Bear), Bonkers, Certified Flip, and Hosse. “We wanted to continue with our music, so we went our separate ways and the four of us started together in 2011.” It was then that they dropped their first album, and EP entitled Eating of the Same Table and which contained the band’s hit single “Get Fucked Up.” Their music sparked a movement, with over 24,000 streams from their fans, and they hopped on tour with notable performers such as Lil Wyte, Twisted Insane, Kutt Calhoun (Strange Music), and Young Bleed (No Limit), 36 Mafia and more. Now, the Bop Boyz are surprising fans with their latest mixtape Fckyosleepgang which will make its debut come late September. Their single, which you’ll find on their mixtape, is “Grind or Die,” an anthem of “the struggle.” “The song is about every day. Trying to make it, and not letting your situation dictate your outcome,” the group explains, adding, “There’s a lot of pit holes you can fall into, but the song is about making it through. That’s the whole purpose.” Influenced by the writing and production aspects of musicians like Dr. Dre, the group’s creative process is unique, relying on the internet to send creative ideas back and forth. Their advice to other groups trying to make it in the music industry is to “tour as much as you can, because that’s the way the industry is set up now,” says Bonkers, emphasizing, “You have to be in front of them.” Learn more about Bop Boyz at www.bopbyznation.com Follow along on Facebook. Twitter: @bopboyz1 Instagram: @bop_boyz1 Bethlehem, PA – Eli Andrews was your average high school student from a sleepy Pennsylvania town; popular amongst friends, a baseball star, and music – while a hobby at first – had never truly been on the artist’s radar. After friends graduated, Eli found himself depressed and without an outlet. Enter Chris, Eli’s best friend, who suggested they try their hands at music. Thus began an endeavor as a music group, which was ultimately unsuccessful. “We were absolutely terrible. I basically got laughed at.” Eli took it all in stride, laughing along with friends, but soon the laughter inspired the young artist to take music more seriously. The more people laughed, the more he wanted to prove them wrong, that he could be a serious musician. “I didn’t want to be ‘normal.’ Everyone was going to school, getting a job, getting married. The white picket fence situation.” Andrews knew life had more in store for his life. Suddenly, he began studying hip hop the way some people study a language, falling asleep to hip hop records and using every opportunity to develop his craft. Still, the expectation is that he would follow the standard course for life, so he entered community college, but found no passion for his studies. “I would skip class and make beats in the car.” Ultimately, it was decided that music was the only future for Eli Andrews, and he set out to make a name for himself in the music industry. The road has been difficult, but Eli Andrews has used every outlet possible to develop himself as an artist. He first found a (heavy metal) studio to record his first songs. “I hate heavy metal,” admits the artist, “but the studio had the mic I was looking for.” A self-starter, the performer began marketing himself on Instagram, reaching out to other successful artists as a way to springboard himself into notoriety. He caught the eye of many successful artists, and even secured a meeting with head honchos at a major music label, but each attempt fell flat. Now, more than ever, Eli Andrews is ready to use his connections and his newest, best music to date to make a name for himself. His latest project, No Filter, is a single that was released April 26th. Catchy and fun, “it’s a song for the ladies,” explains the artist. The song is about seeing life without a filter, and ultimately saying that the girl in the song “doesn’t need a filter.” Thought the future is unknown, one thing is certain: Eli Andrews is a fighter, and is willing to put in the work. “I’m hungry for success at all costs,” he says, “I’ll do whatever it takes. I’m eager for criticism, even, and will listen and see what I can do to be better.” Every letdown has made Eli Andrews even more inspired to create musical magic, and one can expect great things from him. Follow along on Instagram. Listen to “No Filter” on Sound Cloud and YouTube. LONGVIEW, TX – Some of the best musicians in the world have mastered the art of storytelling, and up-and-coming artist James Lomax – AKA B.I.G. Lo – is hoping to follow in their footsteps. The hip-hop artist from Longview, TX has been making wave throughout the South with his unique sound and storytelling approach to music, and his newest single “Shake it Down Low” is the latest evolution of that sound.
“My style is to tell a story through the music, and this song is basically about meeting a girl in the club and trying to get her home for the night,” B.I.G. Lo said. “I want people who hear my music to hear a good story and to ride along with me on the journey. This song is more of a club joint. It kind of puts you in the mind of songs like ‘Back That Thing Up” because it has a hard bass beat and it’s a song that will get people dancing.” B.I.G. Lo has been making music for about 10 years, and some of his recent EPs and singles have found modest success across the country. The single “Freedom,” for instance, has seen nearly 10,000 views on YouTube in just two short months. It’s a song that speaks to the political tension throughout the country and the frustrations that have come out of various violent situations that have played out because of it. He said feedback from fans who’ve heard the song has been positive and demanding of more music from the artist. “It’s gotten really good success,” he said, “and from what I’ve gotten from people, they want me to make another version of that song. I feel a little bit like that puts me in a box as an artist – like a political type of rapper or a conscientious rapper. I want to show my fans that there’s more to me than that.” “Shake it Down Low” is his attempt to show his musical diversity. It’s a single off the EP “Illuminate the Box,” which also will showcase his evolution as an artist and display a wide range of sounds and storytelling ability through his lyrics. He worked with producer Young Shun on the EP – a Grammy nominated producer who received accolades from his work with Rick Ross MMG. B.I.G. Lo has also recently released two mixtapes, including “The Comeback,” “Verbal Imagery” and most recently, “The Traveling Man,” which features the single “Freedom.” Fans wanting to get more of his music can visit his Soundcloud page, or follow him on social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. Before Releasing His First Debut Album, Jean Lephare’s “Survival” Wows Fans New Orleans, LA – Haven’t yet heard of Jean Lephare? You’re missing out. The dynamic performer and producer has come a long way from his tenure with Jive Records as a member of 90s group Imajin. Determined to set out on his own musical journey, the artist returned to “The Big Easy” and is ready to release his debut project, entitled Toast, which will be released August 12th. Fans will get a taste of the up and coming artist via his single, “Survival,” (now available on iTunes) which fuses melodic rhythm with traditional rap to create a rap-meets-R&B vibe. The music video for “Survival,” filmed amongst the slums of Trinidad while the artist was judging and DJing for a local event, is authentic and depicts the struggles of the streets. The song is an anthem to getting out of the struggle, “without any favors or handouts,” explains the talented artist. Lephare would know a thing or two about “coming up on your own,” as he puts it. A self-made musician, the artist and producer has been behind-the-scenes with other successful rappers such as Lil Wayne, Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa. One might say it’s about time he become the main character in his own story. A musician at heart, Jean Lephare has made the jump from the studio to the forefront of the stage, where he’ll test out his singing chops entertaining crowds far and wide. “I just want to get the music out there,” says the budding star, “on the road. I want to be heard.” His advice for other up and coming artists? “Stick to your guns, and grind it out. Persistence is key.” Hit play, and discover the melodic genius that is Jean Lephare. Watch “Survival” on YouTube. Follow along: Instagram: @JeanLephare Twitter: @JeanLephare @Monstabeatz Snapchat: @Monstajean |
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