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Benny The Butcher Reflects On Being A “Nerd” In School

Benny The Butcher is still reeling from the success of Burden Of Proof, an album that has been earning praise as an album of the year contender. Today, the Griselda lyricist hit up Sway In The Morning to chop it up with the gang, opening up about some of his influences — both on the lyrical level and beyond.
Benny The Butcher

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“Definitely Rakim,” reveals Benny. “Nas. Jay. But early? I remember getting it from Westside Gunn — a Father MC tape — I remember me getting that tape and liking his delivery. It kinda reminded me of Big Daddy Kane. He was very influential to me. I don’t hear many people mention that name, but Father MC, man. I remember that tape.”

And while much has been rightly celebrated about Benny’s prowess as a lyricist, The Butcher reveals that his pen game extends beyond the world of hip-hop. Taking things back to the school years, he reveals that he was quite the academic in actuality, taking pride in his good grades and literary prowess. “I definitely read a lot in school, and even more in prison,” he reflects. “I always was good, even in my times of being bad as hell in school. I always used to get good grades in school period. Especially English, writing, and literature. I’m a good essay writer, I know how to write. I was just good at it.”

He proceeds to share a memory of a parent-teacher conference he attended with his aunt, where he believed some of his misbehavior would be the focal point. “My literature teacher told her he’s a joy to have in my class,” reflects Benny. “‘I love to pick him to read.’ I remember her telling my aunt ‘I wish I could have him read the whole book, but I be having to give other students the chance to read.’ I was like, ‘oh shit, I’m not as bad as I thought, I’m really a nerd in this muthafucka!”

“You probably the King of the Nerds if you a nerd,” marvels Sway, sparking a laugh from the gang. Clearly, the encouragement from a good teacher can have a lasting impression on somebody, and it’s nice to see that Benny The Butcher still takes pride in his academic achievements. Check out the full interview below (nerd talk transpires near the conclusion), and be sure to catch up with our own interview with The Butcher right here.

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Kyle Ashen’s sun-drenched recollection with new release “That Local Girl”

Kyle Ashen’s latest release, “That Local Girl,” is a gorgeous trip down memory lane, a country single that explores that golden glow of memory, like flipping through old photographs touched by salt air and summer sunlight. It’s warm, cinematic, and deeply relatable, a song about the kind of love story that never quite goes away, even as time moves on.

“That Local Girl” is filled with imagery that quickly takes the listener into a world they can walk right into. You got a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl on a boardwalk street by the ocean, a souped-up truck driving through town, neon lights reflecting off the ocean breeze, and the electric innocence of young love burning in the background.

But under all that cutesy trapping is something more than that, longing. Some people, some places that leave permanent marks on Kyle Ashen and us know that. What’s so brilliant about this song is that it marries those two ideas, making love and hometown memory feel beautifully inseparable. Sometimes you miss a person. And with that person, you miss an entire version of life. “That Local Girl” is more than a country love song from Kyle Ashen. He is a living postcard from the past, sun-faded, bittersweet, and glowing with feeling. A reminder that summers pass by, but some memories stay with us forever.

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ECHOFLIP inspires faith and fire with triumphant anthem on “Kingdom Rise”

ECHOFLIP marches forward with commanding purpose on “Kingdom Rise,” a single that not only demands attention but also commands it. Driven by pounding drums, soaring melodic textures, and full-conviction lyricism, the song arrives like a battle cry with the heart of worship. Bold and energized and spiritually charged from beginning to end.

“Kingdom Rise” is street realism meets kingdom vision at its heart. It’s got grit in its pulse but grace in its message as well. Each bar rings with resilience with ECHOFLIP, a record that embodies struggle, perseverance, and steadfast faith in the face of adversity. The result is music that is rooted in reality while reaching for something much larger.

What makes the single particularly compelling is how seamlessly it combines high-energy Christian trap with uplifting spiritual themes. The hard-hitting production has edge and urgency, and its faith-centered focus gives it soul. It’s motivational without being pushy. Worshipful without momentum loss, without losing authenticity. Ideal for trap gospel, inspirational rap, and urban playlists that aim to uplift as much as energize, “Kingdom Rise” delivers on all fronts. It moves the body, it sharpens the mind, it stirs the soul.

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