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Russ Sings The Blues On ‘Hard For Me’

‘Hard For Me’ caps a year that saw the New Jersey rapper drop two projects and give away his streaming money to fans. …

Russ flat-out refuses to stop making new music and it’s kind of hard to argue that it’s not endearing. Just weeks after dropping his Chomp EP and rapping alongside legends like Black Thought and Busta Rhymes, the New Jersey-born rapper is back on his solo grind with the soulful “Hard For Me,” crooing his blues over a melancholy piano loop with a nifty guitar noodle in the background. It’s a return to the heartbroken, world-weary persona in the mode of early Drake that made him a fan-favorite capable of racking up platinum plaques independently.

Russ has had himself busy year, releasing not just one but two projects beginning with January’s Shake The Snow Globe. He followed up in May with the deluxe version, adding features from Ty Dolla Sign and Westside Boogie, all while pulling down a reported $100,000 a week from streaming. He also contributed verses to projects from the likes of Trippie Redd, made his television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and worked with Kehlani on “Take You Back.”

But his arguably most impactful move of the year wasn’t even a new music release, it was giving away $20,000 to his Twitter followers to boost their spirits during the rough early months of the pandemic. 2020 may have been trash for most of us but Russ turned that trash into treasure and in this process, may have changed some minds about him as well.

Listen to Russ’s “Hard For Me” above.

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Artist Spotlight

C’batch turns an old guitar performance into a new story with “Our Little Pooh Pea (The Last Light) 4 – Cinematic”

C’batch

“Our Little Pooh Pea (The Last Light) 4 – Cinematic” by C’batch is a guitar performance in a new musical world that can totally change its identity. Drawing on electronic and rock influences, the piece features a guitar solo originally recorded for another song, “Round & Round,” twisting a familiar performance into something distinctly cinematic.

The guitar is the star of the production, providing the song’s emotional character without a traditional vocal performance. C’batch creates an electronic atmosphere around it, changing the context of the original recording. The instrumental performance remains the core feature, but the blend of guitar-led expression, electronic textures, and cinematic treatment gives the record a spacious feel.

C’batch returns to the original guitar solo as in performance to find a different possibility. The process feels like reinvention, showing how a musical idea can mean something new through a change of context. The electronic and rock elements give way to the guitar to tell another story, and the cinematic production takes the performance in a new artistic direction. C’batch’s latest release speaks volumes about the value of putting fresh ears on old records again, and finding a whole other musical future within them.

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Artist Spotlight

Johnny Hates Jazz and Jaki Graham put musical connection at the heart of “Soul Believer”

Johnny Hates Jazz & Jaki Graham

“Soul Believer” is a meeting of two different British musical voices, Johnny Hates Jazz and celebrated soul vocalist Jaki Graham, and it has a sense of occasion to it. It’s sophisticated pop, funk, and soul, blending Johnny Hates Jazz’s artistry with Graham’s deep roots in soul music.

It’s a feel-good collaboration that celebrates connection, musical feeling, and timeless appeal. “Soul Believer” was penned by Johnny Hates Jazz singer/songwriter Clark Datchler and Average White Band founder Hamish Stuart. Released on Revolver Records, the track draws on a deep British musical tradition, and the collaboration with Jaki Graham adds another layer of vocal character.

They create a slick sound that blends pop accessibility, funk energy, and soul warmth. This release is a shout-out to longtime music lovers who know the emotional power of great recordings and an invitation for younger listeners to discover the feeling, artistry, and humanity behind them.

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The release pairs two lasting voices with a modern-day feel-good spirit, more than nostalgia. Johnny Hates Jazz & Jaki Graham turn the song into a statement that soulful, human-centered music still has a place, giving you a release that celebrates connection and brings music lovers together across generations.

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