Music

Chance The Rapper Releases His ‘Are U Live’ Video With Jeremih And Valee

The Chicago rappers spread holiday cheer as they encourage one of their own to get well soon. …

Chance The Rapper and Jeremih’s 2016 holiday mixtape Merry Christmas Lil’ Mama is an odd bit of internet ephemera. It’s a fan favorite, yet fans can only stream it sporadically, as the two uploaded the project and its 2017 follow-up to SoundCloud originally but not to more mainstream services like Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal. While Jeremih is currently recovering from a bad case of COVID-19, Chance decided to spread a little holiday cheer by releasing the video for one of the project’s songs, “Are U Live,” after holding onto it since 2017.

The video was directed by Cole Bennett (no relation to Chance or his brother Taylor) of Lyrical Lemonade at the start of his rise as one of hip-hop’s most sought-after video shooters, while the track itself was produced by ChaseTheMoney, a SoundCloud rapper go-to who has since produced for Dreamville and J. Cole on Revenge Of The Dreamers III and JID’s DiCaprio 2. Like plenty of Cole Bennett’s previous works, the video blends a low-fi aesthetic with a simple concept, as well a cheeky sense of humor with on-screen captions pointing out a failed “successful dap” and more. He even appears in the video, although you’ll have to have a sharp eye to catch his cameo.

The song isn’t what you’d call a traditional Christmas song, with its call-and-response, sparse beat, and the artists’ rap athletics. But the video displays their festive mood, with Santa caps and fairy lights aplenty decorating their red cup turn up.

Watch “Are U Live” above and listen to Merry Christmas Lil’ Mama below.

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Album Review

Kamila Csenge explores the unknown with a powerful debut album “Behind the Universe”

Some albums tell stories, while some invite you to experience a different worldview. And that is precisely what Kamila Csenge does on her debut album, “Behind the Universe.” A collection of 7 crafted tracks exploring what lies beyond fear, pain, and the limitations we so often put on ourselves. The album is an invitation to curiosity and reflection and growth, not to easy answers.

The journey begins with a reflective jazz fusion ballad, “The Void,” opening space for silence outside of simple ideas of right and wrong. Next track, “Against the Wall,” moves from there, with a stark look at the courage to overcome obstacles and make a difference. Then, “Music Forever” goes on with a sincere reflection about being true to yourself in a world that asks for attention and speed.

The emotional and imaginative range of the second half of the album goes even further. “Guardians of the Garden” is a peculiar universe, a universe of hope and light in the darkness. Next up is “The Metamorphosis,” which explores the silent yet powerful evolution of a human being, as growth usually begins with the loss of our former selves.

“This World” turns inside to the quiet wars many people fight each day with honesty and compassion. The album ends with “The Point of No Return,” a perfect song to end the album, accepting that the only way to go is just to go. Kamila Csenge’s debut album “Behind the Universe” is a record that prizes emotion, imagination, and resilience and is at once deeply personal and open to infinite interpretation.

Connect with Kamila Csenge on | Website | IG | FB | Spotify | TikTok |

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Artist Spotlight

Kai Moa delivers an electronic journey of loss and identity with “L = ∅”

One of the few electronic releases to communicate emotional collapse so intensely is “L = ∅” by Kai Moa. The track is a dramatic shift in weight and atmosphere, the second single from the artist’s forthcoming debut EP, which will be out by August 2026.

The production of “L = ∅” has a nice balance of mechanical force and emotional tension. The song is about the emotional fallout of losing a job and the meaning it held. Instead of a straightforward representation of grief, Kai Moa takes on the mindset of a character who is sliding into nihilism, rejecting ideas of work, security, relationships, and meaning itself. This is an artist who can take personal disappointment and make it into a meditation on identity.

“L = ∅” is an immersive listening experience that defies expectations. Kai Moa has a real talent for blending cinematic storytelling with a bold sound design. This release feels like it could make its way into the ears of underground electronic fans and those searching for substance in their music. Kai Moa is an artist who isn’t scared to jump headfirst into uncomfortable ideas with fearless production and ambitious creative vision, and the first track leads into the debut EP.

Connect with Kai Moa on | IG | Spotify |