Songs You Should Be Listening To Vol. 1
- Ty Peterson
- Sep 15
- 8 min read
"Music saved my life" is such a played-out quote amongst fans and listeners but I don't feel many truly love and appreciate sound in the way that I do. Growing up with young parents who both grew up in the church, music was very prevalent in my life from an EARLY age. Whether it be waking up and hearing the crescendo of BET's "Lift Every Voice" on Sunday mornings or MTV2's morning music block every day before school, I've always been a lover of all things music and musical art. To say I love it is an understatement. Most days, it's the only thing that gets me thru to the next one. With all that being said, I don't think y'all love music the way I love music, nor do I think you consume as much music as I do, but that's ok. That's what I'm here for. As an avid listener and writer, listening to music is KIND OF my thing and rather than gatekeep, I've chosen to put you all on game. In all seriousness though, I'm excited to share what is playing in my headphones when I make these posts most of the time. This is what I've been wanting to do since I began this blog, so forgive me if it's long winded. But without further ado, get comfortable, grab a pair of headphones, and take note of what I'm about to tell you because this is only the beginning of a series that I will be doing here. Let's get into it.
DEMNA LEFT BALENCI by Westside Gunn
Westside Gunn's newest album is easily one of the best to come out this year. From the production to the lyrics, its everything I expect from him at this point which is absolute heat. Like Prime Shipping, bro is going to deliver every. Single. Time. Produced by DJ Muggs of "Cypress Hill" fame, the track has an old, almost nostalgic feel. It's reminiscent of Raekwon or Ghostface Killah, but Westside Gunn raps in a way that only he can, almost as if telling a story over a sample. It's EASILY my favorite song off this project which I cannot praise enough, and I mean that LITERALLY. I have to mention "HEEL CENA" as well. Both are the epitome of hip hop and rap in general. Definitely check this one out if you haven't already.
Rebirth by Adrienne Indigo and Paul Grant
Released in 2020, this song was a happy accident. I was listening to the instrumental of "Love" and decided to go and check out the rest of the project as this particular beat had been on my playlist for some time and I wanted to hear more from the producer. After some very simple digging, I found the rest of the album with the vocals and was immediately mesmerized when I came across this song. It's almost hypnotic. I have no shame in admitting I listened to this track 54 times in one day across 4-8 hours. If you had heard it, you'd understand why. The vocals remind me of the group We Are KING which is ironic given that I think both Adrienne and the group are out of Los Angeles. When coupled with Paul Grant's production, you have the perfect fusion of neo-soul and R&B that would make even Robert Glasper make the proverbial "stank face" upon pressing play. Anyone who's a fan of the artists I mentioned or music similar to that of Tom Misch or Hiatus Kaiyote, this might be just what you need to get your fix.
Truth by Little League
Venturing to Chicago's underground, League is an artist I've been following for a while now. This project in particular is my favorite of his and for good reason. The entire project is one massive punch to the temple. It hits you immediately and once it does, you can't help but to vibe and bounce with it. Described by him as a "hype project", this tape does that with ease. Whether working out or running late for work, I put this on and I'm ready to go the whole day. A frequent collaborator of Your Stepdad, he also makes an appearance on this tape as well and the track does not disappoint. League is an artist I feel any fan of X or hardcore trap-rap can get behind and although, I may be partially biased cause this is my favorite album and track, I don't think there's a better introductory track to get familiar with his work. Definitely give him a listen and check out the other types of music he has to offer.
Weezy Face by Domo Genesis (prod. by Graymatter)
Anybody who knows me knows I loved Odd Future growing up. Anyone who LISTENED to Odd Future knows that lyrically, Domo was one of the best in the group, but never really seemed to get the recognition he probably should've. I really feel he was a victim of the time, but please don't mistake this statement for pity. Domo MAKES HITS. Domo HAS BANGERS. "Genesis" was in my rotation HEAVY throughout high school and still very much is and anything he's dropped since then or featured on has been damn near flawless.
It's no mistake he's talented, so you can only imagine my surprise and excitement when on a random Friday in August, he decided to drop an EP. The opening track is the perfect way to get it started. Right out the gate, Domo Genesis is rapping his ASS OFF. It's almost as if he's saying "Ayy, I do this shit too. Remember that." Domo doesn't get talked about enough in my honest opinion. When it comes to flow, he's one of the best out and this is a prime example of what I mean. The song is called "Weezy Face" because that's the look I made when I heard it the first time.
PLEASE go listen to this if you a real hip-hop head.
Beeper!!!! by Kaicrewsade
Listen man: as a music fan, I don't think there's anything better than discovering a new artist and watching them and their fanbase grow. I've been obsessed with this dude's music since I first heard him on "Magenta Skin" with Wakai. He has consistently put out good music damn near every month for the last year. Everything he's dropped, I've been absolutely blown away by and have even used his music in the intro of one of my own videos. He is absolutely going to be an even bigger star than he already is, and I stand on this. I will PERSONALLY recommend him to any and everyone I come across. "Yvette" is one of the BEST projects to come out last year and that is not an exaggeration. It is FLAMES. How I only found it THIS year, I don't know, but I'm so glad I did. His recent releases, two singles I'm assuming will be on an upcoming album, both were a great little listen and have definitely added onto my already brewing excitement. Of the two, I enjoyed this one just a bit more but recommend both and HIGHLY recommend you give "Yvette" a listen. If I could describe it in so few words: Imagine if Erykah Badu and Robert Glasper had a child, and he smoked a ton of weed and listened to Saba. That is Kaicrewsade in a nutshell. Give him a look.
Swan Song by Zahir & Nali
An oldie but goodie. One I recently rediscovered when the shuffle threw it in my rotation. A chill lil vibe, something to just sit and coast to. Zahir has a very monotone and calm flow, sort of like Mavi (who will be featured on the "HIM" Motion Picture Soundtrack. Expect to hear about that and him very soon, no pun intended). It's the perfect track to just put on and get lost in. Nali's dreamy vocals accompany his sultry tone perfectly. When coupled with the beat, it's almost like a lullaby, and don't get me started on the Tweet sample throughout. That song is a classic in and of itself. But this outro? The piano outro is the ultimate chef's kiss. Just the perfect end to an already great track. It makes me think of a simpler time. Just me and my friends, out late night on the town, walking around, laughing, drinking, its perfect. Any track that can evoke that kind of emotion gets a spot on this list and on this blog. Much thanks to the artists for the quick nostalgia trip.
Still Kickin Shit by BoofPaxkMooky
Boof one of them artists you either really like or absolutely despise, ain't no in between. One thing is for certain though: bro gone drop and drop often. In addition to two albums last year, "Sincerely Boof" dropped in 2025 and he's had a string of singles and features strewn throughout. Just when I thought "Worst Paxk" couldn't be topped, "Still Kickin Shit" drops and like the name suggests, Boof's generational run is nowhere near finished. What comes after this, I'm not entirely sure about, but this track should get me thru till I have the answer here for you. In the meantime, enjoy this one on full blast. And give Texako a listen as well. Both are dope individually, but when on the same track, they also complement one another well.
Mew by eu - IV
Ending this entry the way we started: in appreciation of sound. This one is a bop and I do mean bop literally in the way it'll make you bob your head without ever saying a word. This track features no lyrics or vocals outside a subtle vocal sample thrown in the mix. eu - IV finds a way to make a hit without ever saying a word and you should enjoy it the same way: in silence. No words. Just let the beat take you away. It sounds like a track you'd hear on a Super Mario Galaxy level, though I'm pretty sure it's a Pokémon sample (somebody let me know if you know). The chops in the beginning start almost off key and confusing at first, but as the track builds and the other elements are added, everything flows into each other perfectly. It's almost as if it's broken apart and then put back together before finally making something entirely new and different. Before a writer, photographer, and creator, I'm a fan at heart and a student of the game. As a beat and instrumental enthusiast, this one hit all the right notes for me. I definitely listened to it more than once and one more time before I wrote this. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.
Alright, and with that, we've reached the conclusion of our first entry of "Songs You Should Be Listening To." As the title suggested, go and listen to them yourself and form your own opinion. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed penning it and I can't wait to add to this series and continue to share what I come across as I COME ACROSS it. Till then, keep digging in those crates. I'll see you in the next one.
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