Music

Conway The Machine Honors The Life Of DJ Shay In His Powerful Video For ‘Forever Droppin’ Tears’

The video’s release falls on what would have been DJ Shay’s 49th birthday. …

Conway The Machine dropped his highly anticipated record From King To A God back in September, but unfortunately the rapper’s longtime friend and producer DJ Shay passed away just weeks before its release. Conway included the powerful track “Forever Droppin’ Tears” on the record as a tribute to Shay and now, he’s shared a compelling video for the mournful track.

Running some eight minutes, the video honor swhat would have been Shay’s 49th birthday. Directed by Langston Sessoms, the video stitches together snapshots from the two’s long friendship. It opens with them as young men living in New York and follows Shay’s influence on Conway. (Shay served as a musical director, DJ, mentor, and father figure.)

Speaking about the video in a statement posted to Instagram, Conway reflected on Shay’s influence:

“I was thinking about the beginning of this journey. I remember when I came from jail in 2005 and big loveboat and kutter(free kutter) brought me to Shay lab to start this buff city records sh*t. I was the first, then I started bringin Benny and west, chinegunn and thugz and everybody around the lab and we built something monumental for the city. Fast forward 15 years and we all got record deals and some people would even consider us to be some of the best rappers in the game right now, and it’s wild because Shay seen this shit from the beginning way back then, he seen us being something that we probably didn’t even see ourselves being, and that’s hip hop legends. That’s why it’s f*ckin me up so much that this man is no longer here with us to bask in these moments and celebrate these incredible accomplishments with us, I think about unk everyday and I hold back tears, but I find comfort in knowing that GOD don’t make mistakes, and I know my n**** watchin over me and smiling down like ‘yeah machine fuck them n****s up’” Lol so just know we gone hold u down forever Shay! Happy gday almighty!!”

Watch Conway The Machine’s “Forever Droppin’ Tears” video above.

From King To A God (Deluxe) is out 12/11 via Griselda. Pre-order it here.

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Artist Spotlight

KENTON journeys through family, identity and healing in “Sweetmouth (Sugar Free)” (EP)

“Sweetmouth (Sugar Free)” is an extremely reflective acoustic EP that guides you through its six tracks as it explores memory, identity, and emotional reconciliation. Created at a moment of deep discovery, the project reveals KENTON’s process of forgiving others, of realizing who he is within himself, and of internally processing what he experienced as a queer Asian American child growing up in the United States.

The EP opens with “I’m Breaking My Father’s Heart – Acoustic,” a gentle track about the disconnection between what parents desire and what you believe is true. “Never Born – Acoustic” is inward-looking, exploring the existential uncertainty of financial suffering at home and prayers that hang in the air, unanswered.

“Let Light In – Live” is a release that captures emotional awakening, where letting go of past pain is the first step toward recovery. “Without You – Acoustic” is one of the most affecting moments on the EP, which recounts a tough relationship with a sick father. “Wannabe American – Acoustic” laments the falseness of the American Dream and how it commodifies the Asian identity.

On the final song, “The Times – Acoustic,” KENTON directs strength toward a message of survival, hope, and endurance in an emotionally suffocating world. “Sweetmouth (Sugar Free)” is also the voice of the collective, and it’s a gift to immigrant and queer youth searching for belonging in spaces that often do not welcome them.

Photo credit: Ricky Chavez

Connect with KENTON on Website | Spotify | Instagram | TikTok

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Artist Spotlight

Terrell Journey rewinds emotion and identity in cinematic EP “Retrograde”

The new reflective R&B EP, “Retrograde” by Terrell Journey, transports us back to the emotional origins of his Journey Digital Supercharged universe. It’s a cinematic prequel defined by tension, clarity, and artistic reinvention.

As a prequel to the famed Journey Digital Supercharged collection, it builds on Terrell Journey’s vision of a musical universe with separate but connected story worlds beneath that umbrella in the Journey Digital Saga. This project is a shift in point of view, and “Retrograde” examines the moments before acceleration, the tension and clarity that happens before everything moves forward.

The EP’s opening track, “Me vs Me,” invites introspection and sets the stage for the project. “Tit 4 Tat” sharpens the tension, while “We Listen and Don’t Judge” creates a space cleared by honesty and emotional control. “Run A Boston” feels fast and intentional, harnessing the force of movement before the EP enters what is its most personal closing stretch.

“Steal Your Heart” is a melodic peak that combines emotional tug with elegant R&B textures. “Love” closes the EP on a warm, resonant note that sounds resolved and open-ended. “Retrograde” expands Terrell Journey’s kaleidoscopic world by making introspection a narrative, and it serves as a crucial link between reflection and the forward momentum of Journey Digital Saga.

The EP challenges you to consider themes of internal conflict, emotional honesty, and change. This continues to cement Terrell Journey’s track record for creating in-universe sets of R&B storytelling narratives.

Connect with Terrell Journey on Website | Spotify | Instagram | X | TikTok