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Artist Spotlight

Interview With MJ

Interview With MJ
Exclusive Interview With MJ, a soulful yet determined up-and-coming rapper out of Houston, TX creating to shift the game in Hip Hop. Born in Redondo Beach, CA while raised in Pensacola, FL, MJ has been around both worlds enough to craft her own.  She began creating music in 2011 after being inspired by Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kidd, Madd City.” She relocated to Houston in 2016 to further pursue her musical aspirations. She aims for her major breakthrough while taking on a new approach in the female Hip Hop genre. Her lyricism is exciting yet deep and introspective. Her flow is smooth as silk yet can be as lit as a fire. She has released her most recent single, “DREAMS”, featuring the sultry vocals of singer Breana Marin.

Where are you based?
Currently, I’m in Houston, TX
How long have you been making music?
Been creating music since 2011.
What genre would you consider your music to be?
Hip-Hop and Rap.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
In college, I was struggling with what I wanted to do with my new adult life. Music and writing had been in my life on and off since I was 8 years old. There were unique artists coming out that we’re changing the game to one more of substance and lyricism mixed in with a little crazy. There were emotions I wanted to express through art. I love music. I was obsessed with it and I wanted to become a creator myself. So here we are.
What are your biggest musical influences?
Growing up in terms of female influences I loved Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliot. Missy in particular produced, wrote, and spit her own work which till this day I greatly admire. In college and beyond my three main artists who helped influence me were Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Childish Gambino.
Are you signed to a label or are you an independent artist?
Independent Artist.
What have been the biggest challenges in your music career?
The biggest challenges have been obtaining the knowledge and resources in order to elevate my career to the next level. I am an independent artist which means I don’t have the millions of dollars invested from a label. Nearly everything I’ve done I’ve had to do from scratch while still surviving. I’ve slept on couches and nearly been homeless a few times. But it has allowed me to grow stronger in my abilities and to steady my ship.
How many songs or albums have you released to date?
I’ve released an EP and six singles along with a mixtape from 2016. In addition, I’ve released several freestyles and have done some work with other artists.
Can you tell us a few things about your latest release?
Definitely! “DREAMS” was produced by Dreamlife, who recently did some work on Summer Walker’s “Still Over It”. I’ve gotten to chat with him and he is an extremely talented English producer. The hook is sung by Breana Marin, who is an extremely talented and beautiful R&B singer. I wrote my lyrics for the song this past summer after having to overcome several trials in my life. It is a deep song that I feel is one if not my best works so far.
Any plans for new music or upcoming projects we should know about?
“DREAMS” will have a music video on my official YouTube channel so stay tuned! I am currently working on creating more visual content in order to expand my reach and for my fanbase to see more of me as an artist and human. I have several new songs in the works as well. So again, stay tuned!

Natalie is a journalism major with a focus on Entertainment and Music who aspires to become a Content Creator For Honk Magazine. Eventually, she wants to be the Publisher or Editor-in-Chief of a major Publishing House. She loves helping people find their voice and passion for writing and journalism, and she can always be found with coffee in hand, editing another article.

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Artist Spotlight

Bash Co. examines emotional imprisonment and love on “Dungeon”

Bash Co.

Love is often seen as freedom, connection, and emotional release, and in the single “Dungeon,” Bash Co. takes a more complex look at reality, exploring what happens when an emotion becomes a prison. The song has been described as a darker take on “Velvet” and is part of an artistic duality between opposing emotional states. “Dungeon” explores being trapped by feelings that should otherwise bring freedom.

The song tells a story of emotional entrapment, fractured communication, and a broken inner state. Bash Co. examines how difficult it can be to shake attachment and emotional intensity. This picture fits with the song’s theme of pain and imprisonment.

The recording process also unexpectedly influenced the final direction. “Dungeon” was written on an acoustic octave guitar, inspired by a series of technical setbacks that helped Bash Co. hone in on the mood he was seeking. Those struggles could’ve thrown him off his game, but instead he used the experience to get closer to the suffocating character that the song’s lyrical concept demanded.

This is especially relevant to the release’s identity. The emotional side is also offered as a philosophical exploration, not as personal history. “Dungeon” would suit “Velvet” much better, and the two pieces explore the dichotomy between emotional freedom and constraint, providing a wider context for Bash Co.’s creative direction. The two releases are divided by a study of how the same emotional terrain can lead to very different experiences.

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Album Review

Girlhood find clarity in complicated connections with “This Will Make Sense In The End” (album)

Girlhood

Relationships are an emotional contradiction, and Girlhood’s fourth album, “This Will Make Sense In The End,” navigates the contradictions of love, attraction, disappointment, and personal growth. Singer-songwriter Natalie Holmes has delivered a pop album that explores that line between wanting to connect and knowing when to protect yourself.

The album’s ten tracks provide a thoughtful exploration of relationships with food, often as a metaphor for emotional hunger, control, intimacy, and the desire to feel whole. It’s an album that’s about exploring uncomfortable relationship dynamics while keeping personal discovery in sight. It starts with “It Could Be Worse,” and it’s about the exhaustion and bitterness of an unbalanced relationship. It’s about the slow realization that wanting more isn’t unreasonable.

Girlhood

The lead single “Lemon Aid” is an intriguing balance of external playfulness and internal frustration, and it is all the brighter for the emotional pressure. “Picnic” takes a generally happy setting and uses it to explore the negotiations and power dynamics that can lurk just beneath the surface of a relationship. Attraction is also explored on the album, and the difficult area of physical desire as opposed to a real emotional connection.

“Cracked” is about the intoxicating allure of a toxic situationship and owning your confidence and sensuality. “Island to Island” also explores the confusion that can happen when physical chemistry feels like the start of something deeper. “Straight at the Bar” is about wanting to be accepted for who you are, not for who someone else wants you to be. “Silver Lining” touches on both mental and physical health, while “Born Hungry” pays tribute to life’s opportunities and the need to let go of toxic attachments.

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Girlhood

The final song, “Wouldn’t Change a Thing,” is reflective, taking the record into a space of self-love, acceptance, and appreciation for one’s past. “This Will Make Sense In The End” is defined by the tension between desire and control. Girlhood is about finding perfect love and learning not to lose yourself in the search.

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