Tag Archives: rap

LISTEN: Spence Brown Tells Us Life Isn’t Always ‘Easy’ — and That’s OK!

After a long, contemplative winter and spring, Spence Brown has reached the summer with a new sense of perspective and — dare we say? — optimism.

That’s what shines through on “Easy,” Brown’s latest single, released May 31. The final release before his album, 4am in Nashville, arrives this summer, “Easy” is a breath of fresh air, and the first glimpse of sunlight over the horizon after a cold winter’s night.

“One of the most fascinating emotions to me is the feeling of something being bittersweet, and at the end of the day, that’s really what life is like,” Brown said. “We’re here living, trying to figure out who we are and what to do with this one life we get. In the process, we end up feeling the full spectrum of emotions that we can as human beings, and realize that we — and everyone we know and love — will someday leave this plane of existence. That is the most bittersweet feeling that there is, so don’t take it for granted. Understand that, for the good to exist, the bad must also exist, and sometimes things just take a little bit of time and hard work.”

Like the rest of Brown’s releases, “Easy” was self-produced, with every detail curated to provide a thoughtful, cathartic experience for artist and listener alike.

“I started this song with a sample from Splice, but as I often do, I wanted to make the song my own and create something that still felt original,” Brown said. “So, I used the sample in the verses, and then mirrored the melody into a different instrument in Logic and added the vocal stacks that fill out the background. I tweaked the mix for months, just trying to make it perfect, because the song just meant so much to me.”

LISTEN: On ’26,’ Spence Brown Describes Feeling Lost

Can we truly find ourselves if, at first, we aren’t lost?

Spence Brown explores what it means to drift through life as time slips away on his latest offering, “26.” The contemplative new single was self-written and produced, recorded in one late night session and presented as a raw antidote to burning existential questions.

“I wanted to keep it simple and just talk about how I feel, so I didn’t even write a hook. Just rapped,” Brown said. “Like most of the other songs I made for this project, this was made late at night all in one session, just me, a microphone and the stars.”

“26” is the third single from Brown’s upcoming album, slated for release this June. Brown notes that this single is one of the album’s most vulnerable moments, and stems from his own challenge to find direction and purpose.

“In my mid-twenties, I really kinda lost hope for a while. I felt like I was just floating in space, with everything that I wanted out of my reach,” Brown said. “It was a very empty and numb feeling and I put that all into this song.”

Songs You Should Hear: The Return

It’s been a little while since we’ve done one of these, hasn’t it?

Yet, with excellence all around us, it’s clear that many of the submissions we’re receiving deserve a deeper dive. And so, today marks the triumphant return of Songs You Should Hear!

Get started with these, and be ready for more on the way, every Friday at UMC!

Artist: JT Loux
Song: look into my eyes
Genre: Indie Rock/Alternative
Why You Should Hear It: The course of true love never runs smooth — and it can be made even more complicated when you’re loving from a distance. Underneath this tune’s prevailing warmth is a clear and present longing, inspired by the reality of “loving someone, but they are 2,000 miles away.”

Artist: Rex & The Rhythm
Song: Umbrella
Genre: Hip Hop/Soul/Alternative
Why You Should Hear It: Who’s ready for some April showers? This tune’s breezy sonic landscape juxtaposes well with its lyrical content, artfully illustrating the conflicting emotions experienced after a breakup.

“‘Umbrella’ is about a relationship abruptly ending, even though the forecast appeared to show clear skies and warm weather,” Rex said.

Fun fact: Rex has had the opportunity to open for artists including Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Ashanti, and Lauryn Hill — and, after opening up this “Umbrella,” it’s easy to understand why!

Artist: Spence Brown
Song: By My Lonely
Genre: Hip Hop
Why You Should Hear It: If you’ve ever dealt with haters, this one is for you. Brown has proclaimed this fiery new track the “anti-hater anthem”; and with how hard this one goes, it might just provide the push you need to overcome doubt.

Brown says, “As an artist, it’s always hard to deal with haters, but if you can remind yourself that what you do is good at the end of the day, you can just laugh it off. Personally, I’ve always had a hard time dealing with haters, so I made this song to remind myself that it doesn’t matter what other people think. I can get this done without their opinions!”

Got something you think we should hear? What are you waiting for?! Shoot it our way, and you could be featured in an upcoming edition of Songs You Should Hear!

UMC20: The Best of February 2024

It makes sense that, in a year where February gives us an extra day, that we have a surplus of HEAT from which to choose as we compile the UMC Best of February playlist.

And so, even in a short month, it leaves us with some tough cuts to make. As you always do, independent artists of Earth, you brought your best to us this month. Here’s what we’ve got to show for it as a result!

Track listing
Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise – High Vibrationz
Jordyn Tareaz – Again
Malcolm DeWayne – Amethyst Nights
Lord Goldie – On da Line
Foundation Mecca ft. Ari Shavon – TKO
Spence Brown – 2024
Gangstagrass ft. Jerry Douglas – The Only Way Out is Through
Laura Mustard – Dirty Minds & Wild Hearts
The Steel Wheels – Sideways
Josh Fortenbery – Heirlooms
Ty Warner ft. Olivia Frances – This is Not Goodbye
Sarina Haggarty – Lipstick to Myself
Parker Barrow – Back to Birmingham
The Wandering Hearts – Letter to Myself
Aaron Lee Tasjan – The Drugs Did Me
Fuchsia – Backseat Blues
The Mad Sugars ft. Monte Mader – Dare Me
Olive Dares the Darkness – Not My Fault
Jasce – River
EMMI IIDA ft. Peachkit – Higher Self

UMC20: A Sonic Melting Pot (Feb. 20, 2024)

From song to song, and moment to moment, you never quite know where this week’s edition of UMC20 is going to go.

There’s a lot of genre-bending goodness throughout the playlist. You’ll hear plenty of instances where elements of one genre sneak their way into another.

And, of course, there are two bonus tracks, because we’re releasing two episodes of The Quinn Spinn per week now. One highlights the journey of an exciting new artist; while the other, just released today, shows a different (i.e.; the original) side of our Official Podcast. Past meets present, indeed!

Track listing
Foundation Mecca ft. Carissa Kohne – Brand New
Cyrille Aimee – Here
Fuchsia – Backseat Blues
Malcolm DeWayne – Amethyst Nights
Jasce – River
EMMI IIDA ft. Peachkit – Higher Self
Aaron Lee Tasjan – The Drugs Did Me
Flyin’ Hot Saucers – Ollantaytambo
Deidre – Every Breath You Take
Andrea von Kampen – Such Love Does
Gabrielle Grace – Both Ways
Lindsey Lomis – Long Way Down
Kitty Coen – yellow light
Steve Conte – Shoot Out The Stars
Old 97’s – Where the Road Goes
Frontier Ruckus – I’m Not the Boy
Parker Barrow – Back to Birmingham
Sarina Haggarty – Lipstick to Myself
Emily Ann Roberts – Whole Lotta Little (Cabin Sessions)
Armchair Boogie – Livin’

UMC20: Fall in Love with These Tracks (Feb. 13, 2024)

There’s a lot to love about UMC20 every week. But, with warm and fuzzy feelings in the air for those who celebrate Valentine’s Day, that sentiment feels even stronger today.

This is a powerful, dynamic lineup of songs, featuring styles across the musical spectrum. We start with rock, give you a heapin’ helpin’ of Americana in the middle, and then progress to pop, R&B, and hip hop to round it out.

Also, we have not one, but TWO bonus tracks: We just announced that we’re going to two weekly episodes of The Quinn Spinn this week, and our two latest interviews are included at the bottom of the playlist!

Track listing
Olive Dares the Darkness – Not My Fault
The Mad Sugars ft. Monte Mader – Dare Me
Fame & Fiction – Knuckles
Sugadaisy – Slip n Fall
Cole Gallagher – Lost Sounds
Ben Carr – Seventeen
The Wandering Hearts – Letter to Myself
The Dead South – Yours To Keep
Moonsville Collective – Helen Highway
The HawtThorns – Nothing But A Shadow
Tyler Ramsey – New Lost Ages
The Steel Wheels – Sideways
Laura Mustard – Dirty Minds & Wild Hearts
Spencer LaJoye – Someday You’ll Wake Up Okay
Sabrina Song – Okay, Okay
Jordyn Tareaz – Again
Jetta – sticky ickyKuf Knotz & Christine Elise – High Vibrationz
Foundation Mecca – Felt Like This
RAHMAT ALLAHGXDMC – Rain

LISTEN: Spence Brown’s ‘2024’ is an Anthem of Self-Discovery and Resilience

The New Year may not be as “new” as it once was, but there’s still plenty of time remaining to make your mark.

For Spence Brown, that means coming back to his own artistry in triumphant fashion, as he continues to blaze a trail in the production world. He claims his purpose on the new single, “2024.”

“Until recently, I felt like I had pretty much given up on my own music career, and was focusing mainly on my producer career,” Brown said. “I realized that I really regretted getting to this point over the last few years, and wanted to change it. So, I decided I would start the year off with an affirmation to myself about my purpose, and set my intentions to change my career’s trajectory. ‘2024’ is really about me saying ‘I’m going all in now,’ which I’ve needed to do for a while.”

“2024” provides a modern update to Brown’s previous single, “2020,” complete with the refreshed perspective that comes with four years of self-discovery in business and life.

“I had made this beat a while ago, and had it sitting on my computer until I came across it again. I immediately had an idea for what I would do with it,” Brown said. “Four years later, (this is) how I see things, and where I see myself going this year. There are even some callbacks to 2020 in the new song!”

How will you remember 2024, when all is said and done? Reflect on that question as you listen to “2024” below!

WATCH: Harris Hills is All About ‘ACTION, MAN’

One of the true gems of the New Year so far belongs to Nashville-based rapper and producer Harris Hills, who combines the soulful sensibilities of Nashvllle with the quick-hitting, grime music influence of his native U.K. on his latest single, “ACTION MAN.”

The well-traveled artist — who also spent his teenage years in Washington state before coming to Music City — pairs slick production with a delivery that moves as swiftly as an independent artist on the rise. A true hustle anthem, “ACTION MAN” adds a fresh voice to Nashville’s already thriving hip hop scene, diversifying Music City’s sonic palette in a way sure to resonate with fans in any location.

The single is accompanied by a video, which features the adventures of Hills and his entourage traveling through many haunts on and around Lower Broadway.

Perhaps these visuals signal what we already know to be true: they’re taking over the city, and it’s only a matter of time.

LISTEN: With ‘Too Many Losses,’ Intellect and Dave East Shine a Light on Urban Hardship

It’s been a minute since we’ve checked in with our old friend, Intellect. Since becoming acquainted in 2019, we’ve always known the hip hop artist, actor, and military veteran to be a Renaissance man who speaks from the heart about his experiences, with music as a vehicle to reach the masses.

Fast forward to 2024, and Intellect has released his first single of the year alongside fellow emcee Dave East. Titled “Too Many Losses,” the single conveys a powerful and gritty message about the struggles and challenges faced in a difficult urban environment — including violence, crime, temptation, and lack of trust.

“‘Too Many Losses’ also highlights the resilience and determination of individuals who continue to fight for survival despite the odds stacked against them,” Intellect adds. “The lyrics capture the raw and harsh aspects of street life, offering a glimpse into the complexities of such an existence.

Intellect and East wrote their verses separately; however, the similarities in their experiences and perspectives seamlessly blend their stories together on “Too Many Losses.” On the production end, Tempur Beats deserves credit for crafting a haunting soundscape that illustrates the hardship of life in the streets, while giving both emcees room to breathe hope into the narrative.

UMC20: The Best of July 2023

July had plenty to offer us. It featured sick beats, slick grooves, and tender moments alike. It gave us moments drenched with soul, and sounds that will remain etched in our minds.

Let’s commemorate this memorable month by offering some of its best and brightest releases!

Hear the Best of July
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