Listen: Still - @Olawumiii (Prod by @CloudAtrium)

#thefeels has come to an end.

Olawumi dropped the concluding track to her #thefeels series. The song is titled Still and goes back to her more melancholic moods through prose and rhythm. The track is produced by Cloud Atrium and is one of his best productions yet. I can't wait to hear Ola drop an LP and the different emotions conveyed through her music. Until then, I need yall to feel this. Still below after the break.

Listen: Clouded - @Olawumiii feat. @CloudAtrium

Maplewood songstress Olawumi links up with Cloud Atrium once again for a new jam.

This time around Cloud not only makes the beat but adds a rap verse of his own which really surprised me. I've always loved the brand of music these two frequent collaborators put together. This is the first time that I can remember him rapping, I want to hear more from him. Until then listen to Clouded below. This seems to be a loosie and not part of the feels series Olawumi has presently been promoting.

Editorial Feature: @Olawumiii - Short Stories, A Stroll, and Preview of #CROWNS

"Hey, I'm outside."
"Where the hell are you, I'm outside too?"
"Oh man, my bad I see you down the street wrong number same street."
"Aight"

I remember Olawumi when she was just Hillary. Circa Fall 2011 first day of classes I step foot into my media writing course. Michael Salfino was the professor, a writer for Yahoo Sports and the New York Times. Anyone that knows me knows if I actually do go to class I go early and usually in a tie where everyone else rolled out of bed in sweatpants. 30 minutes goes by and Mr. Salfino is talking about his experience in the industry. In walks Hillary. Dark skin tone, Military Jacket, Janet Jackson high waisted jean shorts, flannel, and purposely ripped stockings. Stylish, like anyone I've seen on my tumblr dashboard. I was a little dazed because I generally pick what girl I'm gonna flirt with the entire semester in the first class.


"Does anyone know what a lead is?" Asks Salfino. Everyone just looks around, I was staring at Hillary like a creep. She raises her hand.

"Isn't that like the beginning of the article." 

"Correct, kinda."

After an assignment or two, a few conversations about previous writing experience with blogs and magazines, and one occasion where I saved a classmate from Olawumi's fury we clicked. In fact, I remember our professor holding us after class telling us we were the only good writers that has a shot at doing this for a living (to be specific, "You guys are the only ones that are good, everyone else sucks").

That was four years ago. I don't mean to put her in a box but I was into hipster chicks who liked going to thrift shops and finding new music like me. She curved me a week later because I put her in a box and called her a hipster. That's a different story but I know we'd work on a professional tip after that. It's now 2015 and we are countless releases and a couple EPs later waiting for a new one and I got the privilege of a short conversation and a car ride to campus. Check that out below:

What's the Movement: What can we expect for your next project? You got a drop date yet?

Olawumi: I can't spill too much but I'm aiming for spring as far as time frame goes. It's called CROWNS. But I'm on my Queen Shit man, like Queen Shit. Like seriously. And not on no Beyoncè stuff, like bow down though.

WTM: Queen Shit and Crowns. I get it. In comparison with Noir and MANGO what kind of sound will it have?

Olawumi: Same producers, you know my Boi-1da and 40 with Cloud Atrium and RecklessG4B. There's a few new sounds and a couple new producers on there but it's not as dark. I feel like it's my coming out. You can listen to the story in Noir and tell that I was in a dark place. CROWNS is different and I can't wait for you all to hear it.


WTM: Any Videos? Are you continuing your trend of visual EPs. If so who shot them, Kalani did an amazing job on the 5 video.

Olawumi: Yeah there's gonna be multiple videos on this project. I would show you like I did last time but only thing I got on my phone is the music. You know what I'm gonna let you hear it. Well the beats and Ima sing it to you cuz it's just instrumentals. I'm sick tho so let me not.


WTM: Nah let's hear it. It's fine I know you can sing plus studio mixing and mastering I don't wanna wait. You know we always do a listener early.

Olawumi: (smiles) Aight word, lets do it.

For the rest of the snowy and traffic filled car ride. Olawumi serenaded me personally. I can tell you straight up from the live (and sick) version you need to keep an eye out for the EP. Point Blank Period. Word on the street is her visual for Queen Shit drops this week as well. Anyways, we have a lot to look forward to in the near future. I hope this satisfied your hunger, til then Stay Tuned.

Listen: You Have Me Mistaken - @CloudAtrium

Never late but always on time.

It's not just producing for this guy. Don't get me wrong, Cloud Atrium produced this too and it's fire. Gritty, Rough, Authentic. Nuff Said. Listen after the break.

Listen: OVER - @Olawumiii @xtraordinaryann

I normally have more to say about Olawumi when I do a writeup on her. You're just gonna have to wait for the long read I have planned.

I hope a new track will do. OVER featuring Maryann is one of the first of many new Olawumi releases we can expect in the new year. Not sure if it'll be on the next EP titled CROWNS but in time we all will find out. OVER is produced by her "40 and Boi-1da," Cloud Atrium and RecklessG4B respectively. Press play.

 

Listen: Mango - @Olawumiii

Fresh off Noir, Olawumi drops some new sounds for the fall.

If you haven't been reading Olawumi is always moving. Her latest project, MANGO is a two track EP you can dive into below via her soundcloud. More upbeat, new stories, same art, hope you enjoy the way I have.



Side Note, She confirmed a visual for He Said (off Noir) set to be released September 15th.

"He Said" video off of my debut EP, #NOIR drops on SEPTEMBER 15th! be sure to tune in! (shot by brggs)… http://t.co/AsgZT5jQlh
— MANGO. (@OLAWUMIII) September 2, 2014

Editorial Review - #Noir by @Olawumiii

There's really only one way to listen to new music. Sit in your room, turn off your lights, TV, Laptop, and Cell Phone. Turn on your speakers or headphones, and just listen. That is the only way to ensure a complete new musical experience.

You have to attack Olawumi's Noir the same way. For a debut project this is ahead of it's time. As an artist, the Jersey songstress sounds like she's been here before, that's why there is so much potential waiting to be developed. I've heard way too many bloggers and music listeners say the same thing about Olawumi. I'm here to set the record straight for the bloggosphere (yeah I just created that word). They say "She is a cross between Jhene Aiko & SZA." The styles and genres are similar but that's about it. R&B as a whole is changing with the times (this is an entire article waiting to be written). As time goes on R&B has changed into Pop, Hip-Hop, and back into Jazz, then as of recently has just gotten eerie. Producers are taking a different uncanny feeling into their compositions with lots of reverb use. Singers are adding lyrics of love, or sex, or desperation to it. If I had to compare Olawumi to a mainstream artist, I'd say she's Frank Ocean meets The Weeknd and far from Jhene and SZA (maybe it's because she is female).

Anyways, I have an EP to review. I think this is the anthem to my 16 year old self. Noir is a story of Girl meets Boy. Girl loves Boy. Boy disappears. It's Over? It's Over. Oh Well. Time to move on. Anyone who has ever loved and been hurt, and could relate that's word to 500 Days of Summer.

Track One: He Said (Prod. by Cloud Atrium)

Boy meets girl. I imagine this is what women feel like when they first meet a guy they like. When they realize they like him they cling to his word.  He has an aura, a glow even. He said let's go, and she followed. She's telling her friends about him. What I love most about this track is it takes on two parts kinda like how Timbaland likes to do in tracks like in "What Goes Around Comes Around" if you catch my drift.

5, Olawumi shot by Kalani (photo edited by Jonathan Ramsey)

Track two, Dear Boys (Prod by Cloud Atrium)

Acoustic guitars usually signify love of some sort, I think? Well it does in this song. It's short but the message is clear. She is in love. Everything she told her friends in track one is confirmed. She's in love.

Track three, 5 (Prod by Cloud Atrium)

This track released about a month ago. The video for it can be found here. Like I said then, it's repetitive. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes you have to be clear to get your point across. 5 in the morning, she's looking for him. Where is he?

Track four, Soul (Prod by Ambl)

Time has passed. Feelings of love and desperation are gone. She looks down at her phone and he's still in her contacts. She reflects on what happened, "He said he loved, but he really don't. I can't complain." Oh well right? But why did she call him and reach a disconnected number? Perhaps there are feelings still there that contradict what she said. Good ole story of Heart vs. Brain huh? Regardless it's time to move on as she continues to reflect on what he said on a plane it seems. He said "she's the one" but it seems futile now. He just said it "To try to get you some" Then she calls again. No answer.

Track Five, Speeding (Prod by Cloud Atrium)

This one wasn't easily deciphered. I'm not sure if it's an ode to another man or if he came back to love her. She raps more things he said to her on his track, she takes them seriously but she has learned. "You can't speed for love."

You can tell Olawumi was in a dark place in her life when you listen to Noir. I mean Noir is the french word for black if you didn't already know. There's hope though, this was only one story in her life. I love Noir. I would make love to a woman to this EP (which is kinda awkward to say aloud). It portrays a beautiful story I think we all could relate to or have at a point in our lives unless your name is Summer Finn and have a gaping hole where your heart is supposed to be (god I hate her character, and Zooey Deschanel for that matter) and leads straight to your genitals (sorry about that (and all the other parenthesis too, it's just my writing style)). Olawumi has a far way to grow and I cannot wait to watch it take fold. This is an amazing debut EP from start to finish. Production was perfect for her voice. I would like to hear her with more producers in the future. A track produced by Sango or Jeremy Rose would be an awesome match for her. Noir gets 4.15 of 5 Stars on the Ramsey Rating Scale. You can stream it via her soundcloud. Hope you listen and enjoy like I have.

Watch - 5 by Olawumi

Olawumi dropped another visual for her EP, Noir coming out soon. This video is for her new song, 5 (Produced by Cloud Atrium). A bit eerie, and it circles and loops around the same thought. "It's 5 oclock in the morning," and where is her man? Nuff Said, check it out after the break. Shoutouts to the producer Kalani of Afrolombian Films.