Good evening all. It's been an eventful week of music. 21 Savage dropped to little fanfare, "ICEMAN" is still ice cold, and I was unable to find a copy of Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life" and that made me very upset. I still had some pretty good finds, though, and a ton of new stuff for you as well. This one's gonna be a bit all over the place, so please do, bear with me.

MARCO PLUS - TRX Freestyle

MARCO PLUS has released some of the best music this year. In addition to replay value, he boasts INSANE production with even crazier lyricism. In terms of consistency, he's on par with Westside Gunn for me which is ironic given he worked with another famous East Coast artist this year, Boldy James.

This album was a fun listen and this song was my second favorite on the project after the aformentioned Boldy James feature, "jamal crawford".

MARCO PLUS has a certain swagger to him that I can't help but to like and wanna emulate. The 808s on this song knock and I mean knock HARD.

Quotes from this include but are not limited to "Shawty, I'm so got damn high, I might levitate. If she let me f*ck first night, she'll get a second date" which I won't lie, definitely got a chuckle out of me.

MARCO'S bravado is on full display and he makes it known he not only wants to stunt, but make you sick in the process, all the while, never missing a beat.

The flow is unmatched, the production is top tier, it's everything I want in a track. I can't complain. Give this album a look.

Mxtt Hardyy - CULTURE BOYZ FREESTYLE

If you know me well or have ever taken a ride in my car, you probably have a pretty good idea of what it is I like and don't like musically. I'm very particular about what I let enter my ears (pause) and how I go about finding music. But from time to time, something so new and obscure will find it's way to me, it almost feels taboo even knowing about it. This is that track.

I stumbled across this song in a video just before it was released and couldn't stop listening to the snippet. When the full track finally dropped on YouTube, it didn't even have Mxtt Hardyy's name on it, just "Release - Topic" in place of it. Once the official song was put on Spotify, I played it to death and I haven't given it a rest yet nor do I plan on doing so.

I don't like to use the term "smaller" when referring to artists, but "unheard" is the only word I can use to describe him and his music without discrediting him. Now, please understand, it is not because of a lack of talent, he just doesn't have a huge following, but that's why I write this blog: to generate buzz.

His carefree, almost lackadaisical tone throughout is very reminiscent of Detroit rap or "flow", but as the song progresses, he almost gains another life. At certain points not only does the pitch that he's rapping in go up, but he begins to rap a bit faster as well.

It's not an exaggeration when I tell you he's rapping his ass off on this track. You can hear him inhale to regain his breath several times during his verse. That man was genuinely rapping like the rent was due.

I love finding new or rising artists because I feel in a lot of ways, you get to grow with them as they grow in name and status, so it's easy to not only compare their old and new work, but also watch how they evolve creatively as time goes on.

If this song were a game, this would be a Heisman or MVP moment of sorts, very much worthy of applause. I only hate he doesn't have a larger catalogue so I could give you more to check out, but I get the feeling this isn't the last you'll be hearing of him. Give it a listen.

Duckwrth - Ken Doll

I've known about Duckwrth since high school and though I don't listen to him as much as I once did, I had a bit of a resurgence of sorts back in '24 - early '25, around the time "All American F*ckboy" dropped. I started listening to his newer stuff and after a thorough run thru, not only had I become a bigger fan, but I also found a ton of new stuff from him.

I'll be honest, I didn't listen to this entire album, nor have I ever listened to a Duckwrth project from start to finish, but this track is similar to a lot of the other things I like. It's a nice contrast from the previous entry and has a lot of what I look for or expect from RnB.

I love the beat and sound of the acoustic guitar throughout this whole song. The backing vocals and addition of Tanerelle is so perfect here. I feel like Jesse Pinkman when he stuck that needle in his arm and started to float above his bed which is ironic because at the end of the song, Duckwrth abruptly cuts the beat and asks himself "What am I doing? I gotta get out of here."

I did the exact same thing when I realized after 6 listens, the song was on repeat.

It's a slow, sensual ballad. Put this on and dance or lay in bed for hours and just get lost. Both options are swell.

LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON ft. Wild Recluse - So You Really Don't Miss Me?

I love story driven rap. I love rap that requires you to pay attention. I love lyrics that I can visualize while I listen to them.

For better or worse, LORD JAH-MONTE is having a conversation with a former lover about what was. Sunny days turn to long nights and things are past the point of fixing, but it doesn't stop him from reminiscing and one could even say longing for that old flame.

Whether it be happy memories or old texts, these feelings don't just go away overnight. This conversation, though in song form, is their way of trying to gain closure. Or them trying to find their way back to one another.

Everyone at some point in their life will suffer from lack of reciprocity in a relationship or second thoughts, for better or for worse. This one is for you guys.

Carys CabØ ft. RUNITUPDAY! - 2 da sky

One thing I pride myself on with this blog and I wanna make it a point to really emphasize this: there is NO personal bias here, nor is this blog a paid effort. You'll never see me take payment for any entries here or any sort of payment period unless stated or noted in the post. With that being said, everything posted here is because I both enjoy it and I want to show recognition to those who may not have the platform or funding to push their work out at a GLOBAL and/or RAPID level.

It's always dope to see artists I know or have a level of familiarity with shine and I can't think of a better or more deserving artist than Carys. I've been following her for some time and this song has been in my rotation for months, but I don't ever want people to feel I do this for praise or simply because I expect others to reciprocate the same love back, that goes for both the artist and the reader.

Now, with all that being said, Carys is no amateur to the music. Please don't get it twisted. The production on this track is phenomenal and I'm fairly certain that the vocals heard throughout the song are Carys's, BUT I may very well be wrong. It isn't full of high hats or flutters and that's just what I like in a beat: simplicity.

The vocals remind me of Destiny's Child, but the beat reminds me of Chaka Khan. Her voice flows thru this entire song like butter on a roll and stays in your ear like a gnat in the summer. It gets in your head and it stays in your head until the very end. It's almost infectious and I can't help but to nod my head every time I hear it.

On to the MC of the song, RUNITUPDAY! offers a nice gritty sound straight out of the Bronx. His nasally, deep tone embodies everything that the underground is and should be without ever taking himself too serious. Whether it be the Doechii bar or his laugh in each verse, these two feel as if they're just scatting and feeding off one another's energy. I would've loved to have been a fly on the wall or in the studio to capture the entire creative process that went into this song, but the clip on Spotify gives me a pretty good idea of how it probably went and I'll be honest: I'm with it, no doubt. Shout out to them both.

These two have a gem with this one. If you love hip-hop and soul, give this one a listen, for sure.

Kim Burrell - Try Me Again

Disregarding all of the controversy surrounding sister Kim, her vocals are a thing of legend at this point. In terms of influence and signature sound in the gospel genre, she's up there with Rance Allen (rest his soul).

Kim uses her signature vocal runs and belting throughout the entirety of this track. It feels almost animated the way her voice ascends and descends, but it's so great here. The band also deserves a ton of credit for keeping up with her. They never miss a beat at any point. They're neck and neck all the way thru.

I'll tell you the truth, I didn't have the best week, but this gave me a quick little pick me up. Sometimes, that's needed. Regardless of where you stand or how you feel about her, this song is bound to make you wanna shout and stomp or if you're like me and feel every word when listening to music, you might just shed a tear or two.

I know it's probably odd to see a gospel entry on one of these lists, but contraire to what most think, I was raised in a church family. I love the word and I love the music that comes with it and I say this with no shame. This is just another example of such.

I hope you'll give this a chance and it brings you some sort of semblance of peace like it did me.

Dayo Bello ft. Immanuel Wilkins - J'adore

Boy, boy, boy. Where do I start?

You know that feeling when you come home from work, kick your shoes off and flop onto your bed? This is that song.

You know that feeling when you sit on the edge of the tub and dip your toes in while it fills up? This is that song.

You know that feeling when your room is dumb hot and you flip the pillow over and it's just cold enough to cool you down? THIS IS THAT SONG.

This song is smooth as a waxed ass. It's like red wine with a candle lit dinner, it just works.

On a song that features acoustic guitar and saxophone, Dayo's voice is like an instrument in itself and manages to shine just the same. None of these elements feel out of place or overshadowed by the others. They complement each other perfectly. It's rare I feel this way with a song, but it honestly feels that if you took any of these instruments, the vocals, anything away, it wouldn't be the same. They all need each other to make what I feel is a PERFECT track.

This song is a charcuterie board of noise. There's so much to enjoy hear, you can't just grab one thing and go. You gotta get the full spread. Put this on and try and count how many instruments you hear. Whether its windchimes or woodblocks, this track gets better with each listen. I can't help but to put it on repeat.

Next date night or study session, give this one a listen to really set that mood and get yourself in the zone or just to impress your jazz enthused partner. Just MAKE SURE you let 'em know where you got your swag from. You're welcome.

And with that, the 6th volume is over and done with. I've enjoyed writing these last few articles and I'm so happy you've decided to stick around and tag along on this ride with me. Music is at the forefront of my life, but more than anything, its the thing that keeps me rooted. Without it, there's no me and there's no this, whatever this is. But if you're enjoying this, stick around and check out the other entries as well. I thank you for your time and I hope to see you again. Until then, I'm probably somewhere lost in a record shop, but don't try and save me.

I promise I'm doing just fine.