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HNHH & TuneCore Present “Heat Seekers” Artist Spotlight: ATM

HNHH and TuneCore linked up last year for an 11-week series that showed off some incredible up and coming talent in the music industry. As the curiosity of our readers peaked, the “Heat Seekers” contest became quite popular on the website. We have had numerous artists submit their music, as a result, and many have been featured on HNHH. Following the 2019 edition of the contest, one artist got picked to join us at the HNHH studio alongside a notable producer, all in an effort to give an authentic recording session experience. Throughout 2020, HNHH and TuneCore has picked up from where we left off but with a twist. Now, the “Heat Seekers” contest is going to feature 12 artists over the next 12 months. For those interested in potentially being featured, you can submit your music to enter the contest, here.

As for the month of July, HNHH and TuneCore are excited to present Queens, New York artist ATM. At 34 years of age, the artist has plenty of life experience, which is something that truly shines in his music. As he explained in our interview with him, he would describe his music as “honest, lyrical, and personal.” Just one listen to some of his songs and you will see that ATM is an artist who exudes emotional honesty. With influences such as Jay-Z, Jay Electronica, Muhammad Ali, you can’t help but feel like his music and philosophy have been guided in the best way possible. Simply put, ATM is a name you should be paying attention to and we’re excited for you to hear what he has in store.

To get better acquainted with ATM and his music, check out the Q&A we did with him, below.

(HNHH) Where are you from? How has your home influenced your sound/style?

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(ATM) I’m from Queens, NYC. Of all the boroughs in NYC, Queens is the melting pot. Every neighborhood has a different culture. The lyricist that Queens has produced need no introduction. There are legacies to uphold coming from Queens, intentionally or not. 

Describe your sound in three words.

Honest. Lyrical. Personal. 

How old are you? Does age matter to music?

I’m 34. I think that age matters if you’re searching for the truth. My truth is different at 34, then it was at 21. My perspective of the world has changed. My experiences give me wisdom that I didn’t have in my youth. 

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What’s the last album you listened to?

A Written Testimony. I think it paints a really great image of our current social climate. I released the songs, Order + Chaos with Hebrews 11:1, durning this time for that very reason. The psychological conversation that I’m having with myself on Order + Chaos, are some personal accounts of having to deal with my own malevolence. I think the world can use a bit of self reflection at this time. If everyone’s checking everyone else, who’s checking self? I wanted to check myself first. On Hebrews 11:1 I’m speaking on, Faith in action. I don’t want to talk, I want to embody. There’s a difference. I believe when you embody the spirit of the words that you use, those are the words that you understand. The words that you speak but don’t embody, are only words you’ve learned. Which is why everyone uses the term, actions speak louder than words. It’s because it’s fundamentally true. So on Hebrews 11:1 I’m speaking on sacrificing old values, with faith in the highest potential of myself. Knowing that I can’t merely speak on it, I have to change behavior. So that record is my declaration to do so.

Name your top 3 biggest influences.

  • God
  • Jay-z 
  • Muhammad Ali 

Name your dream collaboration.

Produced by Kanye West.

If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Victory Lap

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What’s your favorite hip-hop sub-genre at the moment?

Gangster Rap is still my go-to sub genre. Those artists still speak most to my spirit. I can relate more to those emotions and stories, than in any other genre. I also search for the wisdom i can extract in the allegory, of any piece of art that was made honestly. I listen to artists who are honest with themselves and it come across when you hear it, you feel it.

Be sure you go check out ATM’s music in the HNHH x TuneCore “Heat Seekers” playlist, below. We also urge you to stay tuned to HNHH as we will be bringing you more TuneCore “Heat Seekers” winners soon.

About TuneCore: 

Many independent artists wonder how to get their music on Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Tidal, and other stores. The reality is, you don’t have to be signed to a major label – all you need is a digital distributor.

We recommend using industry leader TuneCore if you’re looking for a trustworthy and transparent service. For an affordable fee, TuneCore will host your album or single on all the major stores and streaming platforms. You get to keep all your rights and 100% of the sales revenue.

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Celebrity

Meek Mill Draws Mixed Reactions With Drill Take on Nico & Vinz’s “Am I Wrong”

Meek Mill has released a couple of songs that leaked online recently, giving fans a proper way to hear the tracks after they popped up over the weekend. “Philly Heathens” has been praised for its attention to street culture and youth affected by violence, but his other new album, “Am I Wrong,” has received a much more divided response.

“Philly Heathens” has been praised for its lyrics about street culture and the young people who get caught up in violence. “Am I Wrong,” however, takes a vastly different approach, remixing the song of the same name by Nico & Vinz as a drill centric interpolation.

“Am I Wrong” is now 12 years old, and its connection to the EDM sound of the time makes it especially recognizable to those who grew up with it. So Meek’s take is built on a familiar musical reference, but the response has been far from universally complimentary. A lot of the criticism has been directed at the hook. The production has also been called dated, but the track was leaked, which may explain its sound. But the strongest reactions have focused on Meek’s chorus vocals.

Read More: Drake Joins Karol G in Houston for First Live Performance of “Ahi”

Some of the responses have been good, though. Some listeners felt the track was a throwback to the blog era, while others thought the criticism targeted almost entirely the hook, not the song as a whole. One Reddit commenter wrote that the track was good, but the chorus was bad, suggesting that Meek’s performance on the rest of the song was better than the reception to the hook may suggest.

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The different reactions demonstrate the contrast between Meek’s two new leaks. “Philly Heathens” has resonated with audiences for its subject matter, while “Am I Wrong” has sparked discussion due to its interpolation and vocal approach.

Both songs are now officially available on YouTube so that fans can decide for themselves. The response to “Am I Wrong” shows how difficult it is to reinterpret a well known song, especially when a recognizable hook becomes the centerpiece of the new version

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Celebrity

Drake Joins Karol G in Houston for First Live Performance of “Ahi”

Drake made a surprise appearance in Houston this weekend, joining Karol G on stage for the first-ever live performance of their collaboration, “Ahi.”
The surprise appearance took place during Karol G’s show in Houston, where Drake jumped out from the bottom of the stage to perform the song with her. “Ahi” is the latest from Karol G’s project No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, and the Houston show marked the first time the pair had performed the collaboration together on stage.

Drake made his entrance to a loud reception from the crowd. The rapper popped out from under the stage, bowed to Karol G, hugged her, and launched into their collaboration. With “Ahi,” the performance was not over. Drake stayed on stage and carried on with the set, performing “Janice STFU” and “One Dance” and giving the Houston crowd a long set from the Canadian rapper.

The collaboration also sparked speculation about Drake’s upcoming music. A rumor started that Karol G was one of the collaborators on the project, along with Molly Santana and Future, days before ICEMAN is expected to drop. Future and Molly Santana were among the names on the rumored list, and Future ended up on “Run To Atlanta.”

Read More: Cardi B and Kehlani’s “Safe” Takes Best HipHop at the VMAs

Drake’s Houston appearance comes as he continues to promote music outside the traditional album release cycle. He released FOMO, a visual YouTube project featuring visuals for several songs from Habibti and Maid Of Honor nearly two weeks ago. The project also featured a couple of unreleased songs, including new material with Yeat and new unreleased music with Don Toliver.

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Drake and Don Toliver have also dropped a remix of Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.” The remix has recently sparked speculation about the artists after re uploaded visuals allegedly erased all footage of Langley.

But the Houston show shifted the focus back to Drake and Karol G. The surprise appearance turned the stop into the first live showcase of “Ahi” for the audience, while Drake’s renditions of “Janice STFU” and “One Dance” extended his surprise time onstage. It also gave fans their first chance to see the two artists perform their collaboration together, adding a live chapter to the release of “Ahi. “

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