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Artist Spotlight

New Jersey R&B Singer and Songwriter Olawumi Drops Her Debut Album “Moody”

New Jersey R&B singer/songwriter Olawumi has been crafting her debut album for five years, and it’s finally here. Titled ‘Moody’, this project started out as a therapy session for a breakup at the time, but the project has grown to become so much more. Moody is a culmination of black love, heartbreak, self-discovery, and honesty that is just as sonically pleasing as it is impactful for anyone who may listen. Moody will force you to view love through a lens that may be foreign to the current version of yourself. As you continue to listen, you will soon realize that Olawumi’s perspective is necessary for the person you want to become.

The ten-song album listed under the R&B/Soul genre contains hard-hitting themes that align with every song title. Taking a look at the tracklist, you’ll see titles like Better Off, Who Am I, Situationship, and Free; all familiar emotions or phases that we have felt during the rigorous self-rebuilding process of a breakup. On the first single, Better Off, Olawumi brings us right into her reality over soothing instruments that could also be fit for a guided meditation session. The New Jersey-born songstress couldn’t have picked a better song to set the tone for the full project.

Olawumi’s music carries a confessional, old-soul storytelling nature rooted in honesty. From love and heartbreak to womanhood and self-discovery, the New Jersey native’s music is telling the lived experiences of Black and toxic love stories. In the video above, Olawumi details what it feels like to drop her debut album and reintroduce herself to her fanbase. She aims to touch the souls of anybody who listens and is 100% sure that these are the songs that everyone needs to hear.

OLAWUMI: I am looking to invoke the true magic of self-awareness and love with this album. I want women (and men alike) to learn that it is OKAY to feel, mourn, cry and love. None of it makes you “crazy”, or “soft”. Love isn’t always both ways, love is painful, love is happy, love is sad, love is confusing, and love is MOODY. This album highlights that. This shit just doesn’t make sense sometimes, but it can definitely sound beautiful. The important lesson to learn is loving yourself. Without that, none of this is worth it. 
Shoutout to Olawumi and the many voices keeping R&B alive and well. Stream her debut album ‘Moody’ here.
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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

“Yonkers” – Song by Tyler, the Creator

Tyler, the Creator

15 years ago, Tyler, the Creator released “Yonkers.” The song would go on to shape a generation of hip-hop fans and make him one of the most talked-about artists in modern music. Tyler’s work on “Yonkers,” which came out of the Los Angeles group Odd Future, was a brave mix of raw lyrics, dark humor, and simple production that made him stand out from other artists right away.

“Yonkers,” which is just over three minutes long, seems simple but has a big effect. The song’s production is based on a spooky bassline, simple piano chords, and simple drums. This puts Tyler’s voice and story front and center. His flow is slow and threatening, and it sends out a stream of verses that balance shock value with deep thoughts on themes like being alone, rebelling, and thinking about oneself. This song has a modern twist on the gritty, confrontational style of hip-hop that was popular in the early 2010s.

The music video for “Yonkers” became a cultural phenomenon all by itself. In the black-and-white video, Tyler looks straight into the camera while doing something that surprised both fans and critics. Tyler became known as an artist who isn’t afraid to push boundaries when the song’s raw lyrics and stark images quickly went viral. The video’s viral success brought Odd Future national attention and helped Tyler get more work, including his albums Goblin (2011) and Wolf (2013), which were both well-received by critics.

People who didn’t like “Yonkers” thought it was a new take on hip-hop. People in the genre often liked flashy production and collaborations, but Tyler’s solo song showed that minimalism can be just as interesting, if not more so, when it has strong lyrics. Young people who wanted realness and change connected with the song’s unapologetic tone, and its influence can still be heard in music today. Many contemporary artists assert that Tyler’s early compositions, particularly “Yonkers,” significantly influenced their lyrical writing and visual storytelling techniques.

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“Yonkers” was a big moment in Tyler, the Creator’s career. It was a bold statement from a single artist who wanted to change the rules of hip-hop, and it captured the spirit of early Odd Future, a group that thrived on chaos, creativity, and free expression. More than ten years later, the song is still a touchstone for fans and a turning point in the growth of alternative rap. Its creepy beat, controversial lyrics, and viral music video are still seen as examples of a time when hip-hop was pushing its limits and welcoming a new generation of voices that were willing to question the way things were.

“Yonkers” is a cultural artifact, a snapshot of the time that shaped Tyler, the Creator’s unique artistic style, and a reminder of how powerful bold, unapologetic music can be.

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Artist Spotlight

A Boogie Wit da Hoodie’s New Project “Before Artistry” Drops Friday, Teasing Fans with a New Snippet

A Boogie Wit da Hoodie

A Boogie wit da Hoodie, a rising rapper from New York, is set to release his highly anticipated project Before Artistry this Friday. Fans are going crazy over what will be another big step in his musical career. A Boogie is known for mixing melodic flows with deep lyrics. He has a reputation for making music that appeals to both mainstream audiences and hardcore hip-hop fans.

Along with the announcement, there is a short, exciting clip from the project that gives listeners a taste of what’s to come. We don’t know much about the tracklist yet, but the short preview shows off A Boogie’s signature style: smooth singing over catchy, hard-hitting beats. The snippet shows how well he can balance being emotionally open with telling stories in a confident, streetwise way, which is something he’s done in the past.

As soon as the snippet came out, fans took to social media to share their excitement and guess what kinds of collaborations might happen. A Boogie has worked with some of the biggest names in hip-hop before, so fans are already making guesses about which artists might be on Before Artistry. It’s clear from the snippet that the rapper is still working on his sound. He mixes modern hip-hop styles with the melodic sensibilities that have defined his career since Artist 2.0 came out in 2020.

 

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Before Artistry is a turning point for A Boogie, who has steadily risen from his early days in Highbridge, the Bronx, to become one of New York’s most important voices in modern hip-hop. His past work, like Hoodie SZN and The Bigger Artist, has made him known for making records that do well on streaming services and in cultural conversation. Fans and critics alike are excited to see how he pushes his art even further with the release of Before Artistry.

Music industry experts say that A Boogie’s strategy of teasing short clips before a full project comes out has worked very well to build excitement. The clip that was shared this week shows that he knows how to keep fans interested by giving them just enough to get them excited without giving away the whole experience. This method has helped him keep a strong online presence, with streaming numbers often going up right after teaser releases.

Before Artistry’s release date is also in line with a trend in hip-hop where artists use short previews to get people excited in a time when streaming is very competitive. A Boogie makes sure that fans are ready and conversations are already happening on social media by releasing a short clip before the project.

As Friday gets closer, excitement for Before Artistry grows. A Boogie is ready to release another project that will solidify his status as a major voice in modern hip-hop, thanks to his track record and the promising snippet. Fans will be paying close attention to see how the rapper balances new ideas with the catchy melodies that have made him famous. They want to see the full range of his latest work.

Before Artistry comes out this Friday.

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