Feature: @thisisNAO written by Katriece Davis

The evolution of R&B music is something I never get tired of talking about. It's always changing, the composition and narratives contextualized by the world we live in, and today's independent labels have the virtual monopoly on it. 

There is a whole crop of young, innovative artists whose sounds and aesthetic are experimental, but familiar. Apple Music has called artists like Lion Babe, SZA, The Internet, and now NAO the new faces of R&B, makes sense. SZA and duo Lion Babe are like pure Soulquarian homage. The Internet definitely gestures towards acts like Groove Theory. I've heard all of these artists referred to as Neo-Soul and Alternative R&B,  but even those seem too confining. All of the same perplexities come to mind for East London singer Nao. 

British electro-R&B singer NAO released her single Fool to Love back in May. The song is one of three singles she's released from her first full length Album For All We Know which dropped this past weekend. You see NAO is hardly an up and comer. The singer-songwriter and producer already has two impressive EPs out So Good and February 15th. She's also announced her first American Tour earlier this month via Twitter. She's been mentioned in the same breath as acts like SZA and FKA Twigs and was a featured vocalist and writer on Disclosure’s UK number 1 album, Caracal. Critics describe her sound as soul combined with electronic, funk, and R&B, but Nao plays with so many disparate influences and it's hard to put her in a solid box.If you miss Prince as much as I do, NAO brings the funk but also adds muted washes of dubstep in Inhale Exhale and Zillionaire.  No matter how you'd classify her by genre, the main draw is definitely her unique and mesmerizing voice. You'll see what I mean when you hear NAO flex her upper register throughout Bad Blood and Fool to Love below. The video features a man getting his behind beat in an apartment by an invisible force. Whether or not he's the protagonist or the antagonist seems open for interpretation. 

Feature: @ELHAE (written by @RamseySaidWHAT)

Andre 3000, Lauryn Hill, even Drake. Rapping and singing together on a track is nothing new to our ears. This eerie unnamed subgenre of R&B and hip-hop that I like to call rap-singing is the new trend as of late. This is the kind of music I've fixated to since I first started writing reviews. Acts like The Weeknd, Tory Lanez, PartyNextDoor, and Bryson Tiller have caught my ear. The new act to join this list is an experimental (as he likes to call it) artist by the name of Elhae.

I realized he was featured on Só Você with Esta on Sango's producer tape Da Rochina 3 last fall. I first heard Elhae's Needs. It was referred by a friend of a friend who knew someone involved with the production credits. Sounds like a lie but I don't want to get into it just know my source is legit. Anyways, the song is produced in such an awesome way as Elhae croons for the things he needs from his lover. I think it's pretty simple and not too much to ask from your lover.



So after playing this song (& a really dope remix by 8chan) on repeat about 30 times, I really dove into him and the project it was on, All Have Fallen which dropped two months ago. Dude has pipes, bars, and the story to take him over the top. His flow is in beat but kind of has a spoken word vibe to it. Beats from Rascal and the rest of his production is pretty dope from what I've heard thus far.Homeboy is also a pretty dope videographer too directing his own video for a song Situations. It samples Childish Gambino's rendition of the classic U Don't Have to Call by Usher.

"But when you love someone you throw yourself inside the fire. Just to see if it burns, just to see if she cares. Just to see if she realizes that your love is rare"



It truly is special where I get my music nowadays. Usually through soundcloud surfing or a cosign of a respected ear. Someone told me about him and I stumbled upon the music I was already hip to. He's gotten verses and cosigns from acts like Kehlani, JMSN, SPZRKT and more. At this point I knew this dude is for real. I'm excited to see what's next for this Atlanta product. Check him out yourself.

Feature: @Jephtoda of Different People

I like to say not much slips past my ear, especially around the way. I was fortunate enough to get the early scoop on Jephtoda. He's a emcee from West Orange, NJ part of the Different People collective.

Almost H.E.R.E is the debut EP of Essex County based rapper Jephtoda. It's the precursor to his upcoming mixtape H.E.R.E set to release later this year. I featured A Mile (A Mild) on my editor's picks a few weeks back. This is a sample of what you can expect from the young upstart MC. Jephtoda is part of the Different People collective. When I spoke to my man Dave about the group he explained their diversity and how they came together to create such a vast sound. They've actually been around since 2010 so their projects releasing is a long time coming. So a month back Jeph combined his singing and rapping talent to created Almost Here. This EP brings a sound he coined “Smooth Rap”. It's safe to say in a short amount of time Jephtoda has lived a lot of life. Love, Family, Sex, it's all here; so is the important stuff.

“You have Kendrick and Cole out there talking about social issues in the community. I’m coming on a smaller scale. I’m telling my story, simple and relatable. I think many people will understand and feel where I’m coming from because like all of us, I’ve been through some real sh*t.”

Check Out, Jephtoda's EP after the break. Keep a look out for his debut full length project, HERE in the near future and the rest of the Different People collective. When that releases WTM will be the first to know. Feel this.

Feature: SheReal (@SheRealTalk); A Niles P. Joint

When you're in the business of recommending emcees to other people, it can be hard to take suggestions from other people. So when my editor Ramsey told me to research and eventually write about Harlem’s SheReal, it took me a minute to convert the assist into points on the board. I did my Googles & found out that she had already earned quite a few stripes, having released four mixtapes, appeared in the press, and even won a few cash prizes for her raps. She was new to me but had already built a following and paid some dues. Musically, she had an ear for diverse beats (shout outs to her frequent collaborator, producer Sloppy Joe) and could change flows on a dime based on the needs of the song. My attention was officially piqued.

Eventually saw her perform at a dope Libre Brand show, The Art of Vibes in Newark.  Suffice to say, her talent blew my fuckin head off. The thing about emcees is this. Recording songs and putting them out is only half of the game. Time and time again I’ve seen rappers have dope & well crafted songs on their website of choice. But when I go to a show they perform with low energy, no stage presence, they can’t hold the microphone correctly, and for the final cardinal sin, they rap over their own vocals. SheReal earned my respect quickly because she realized emcee (MC) means move the crowd. That’s exactly what she did. She engaged the audience with call and response tactics, brought energy and enthusiasm, and trusted her own voice. Whether it was the Latin rhythms of Bodega or the familiar-yet-reworked Diana Ross sample in Party Tonight, SheReal allowed herself to get lost in the moment. Some rappers are too cool for school and don’t really do much when onstage, but she worked the crowd.  

Afterwards, WTM’s resident promotions guy Issah made it a point to introduce us. With someone as talented as her, I would’ve been fine with her being even a little bit cocky, but no. She was as humble as someone that just had their first performance, even when I knew this wasn’t her first rodeo. She was happy to hand out her flyers and take pictures with fans, and showed a knack for connecting with everyone. I was kind of amused how she was “a low talker” (think Seinfeld) despite being so boisterous onstage. The meek shall inherit the Earth and from what I can tell, SheReal is poised to inherit the rap game.

As I previously mentioned, SheReal has released multiple mixtapes & been in a bevy of magazines and blog articles already. Technically I’m actually late to the game, but it’s never too late to discover a great artist. I encourage you to not only check out her music online but also to see her perform if she comes to your area. While she’s frequently in the tristate, she’s traveled as far as Atlanta & Paris to perform so clear your schedule when she's at a venue near you. Ramsey’s assist eventually turned into a 360 dunk and I have a new emcee to keep an eye on from here on out. 

Check out SheReal’s official website here, which includes links to all of her music and social media.

#ICYMIMonday: @wondaland; @JanelleMonae @StBeautyband @DeepCotton @Jidenna @RomanGianArthur , Written By @Natural_Nation

Today I come to you with words of the future, tales of Wondaland. For those not quite in tune let me be your guide for what's to come. One of my favorite artists of all time, award winning musical artist Janelle Monae, has her own record label: Wondaland Records also known as Wondaland Arts Society. Wondaland Records is partnering with Epic records, a division on Sony Music Entertainment to create this unique combination of musical artists. Currently this musical collective consists of four other artists; Jidenna, St. Beauty, Roman GianArthur and Deep Cotton. All different artists with their own sound. As an introduction to the collaborative Wondaland released a collective EP called Wondaland Presents: The Eephus this past summer. 

Meet Jidenna: The Swankiest Master of Ceremony

Most of the world already knows about Jidenna. With his single Classic Man catching on quickly and being a hit from the gate this platinum record was a classy introduction to this "swanky" artist. Jidenna brings enjoyment back to the world of cool. I really appreciate artists who utilize their position and influence in a good way. From his attire to his music to his involvement in the community Jidenna is conscious and deliberate about the messages he's sending.

Check out his Eephus single: Classic Man

Meet St. Beauty: The Wild Children:Healer and Inspire

I first heard St. Beauty, a band made of Alexe Belle and Isis Valentino, a couple summers ago while spending some time in Atlanta. I came across a poor quality video of one of their performances on YouTube. Yet, despite the quality of the video it was quite hard to ignore their sound. I knew if i could find a clear recording somewhere that I would have found one of my new favorite groups. But I never did,so I waited. They had to come out with something eventually, right? 

Check out their Eephus single:Going Nowhere

Meet Roman GianArthur: A Certain Kind of Sol

Roman is a man of many talents: composer, singer, instrumentalist. I recently learned that before joining Wondaland records he actually had a hand in both The Arch Android and Electric Lady, Janelle Monae's first and second studio album. Roman helped compose the suite overtures on each album, which happen to be my favorite part of each album.  Brother to Nate Wonder, Roman is someone everyone needs to keep their eye on.

Check out his Eephus single: iKnow

Meet Deep Cotton: A Band of Brothers Who Like To Act Up

Chuck Lighting and Nate Wonder make up the funk duo Deep Cotton. The first time I heard Deep Cotton was actually about three years ago. Janelle had a commercial for Sonos electronic company and We're Far Enough From Heaven Now We Can Freak Out was playing as the track in the background. And actually, going back to watch the video I realize that everyone but Alexe and Jidenna we're in the commercial so this collaboration has been in tact longer than I had realized. The energy in this groups music is amazing and their overall message of freedom isn't hard to miss as long as you are not afraid to be open.

Check out their single: Let's Get Caught

I had to take the time to spotlight these incredible group of individuals. When Janelle Monae first came out it was like a breath of fresh air. I was able to look at someone who seemed similar to myself and as an artist watch her embrace that it was okay to sound and look different. People would laugh at me when I played her music in the car or call it weird. Or ask me why she always wore the same suit, like I knew. And then overtime I watched the climate shift. Now people started dressing like her for Halloween, now she was people's "women crush Wednesday" on Instagram. People began to embrace what they previously flipped their hair at. So, now I look at these other four artists who are all strikingly different but amazing just as she was and I can't help but feel hopeful about the future of music and culture. You can click on each name above to find out a little bit more about each artist. Best believe I will keep you updated.

Feature: Blind Man by @spzrkt Written by @Natural_Nation

What happens when you combine great lyrics and production with a great voice? The holy trinity...of music.

Last month a group of very talented artists from all different genres came together to perform at an annual music festival in Brooklyn called AfroPunk. This is really where it all began for me. A ride in the car with the editor and a Saturday filled jam session had my musical awareness at an all time high. I had experienced so many wonderful sounds that weekend. I wasn't sure what to put my attention to first. But my memory landed on a song that I heard in the car on my way to Commodore Barry Park that weekend; a very catchy Girls That Dance by Masego and Medasin. So, I went to the place where all musical dreams come true; Soundcloud. I was so excited to listen to the Pink Polo EP and Girls That Dance that I hadn't even fathomed the fact that I might stumble upon something else just as musically enticing. Immediately after the Masego hit went off, once again a sound emerged from deep within my car speakers.

“I can love you with my eyes closed…”

His name is SPZRKT (Spazzy Rocket) and melodic beauty is called Blind Man produced by J. Louis. If you have stopped and listened to the track coming up below there is really no need for an explanation. But because this buttery biscuit is so good, I have no other desire than to shout from the rooftops how great this record really is. Plain and simple this song has me in my feelings, deep in my feelings, the good ones. You ever hear a song that bumps so hard it gives you the stank face? That is what this song does to me. It's too smooth. It's too right. It's all vibes and I LOVE IT. Formerly under the genre of Christian Hip-Hop SPZRKT's music remains fairly clean but still delivers everything we love about this new, smooth, soul-filled branch off of R&B to the likes of Jhene Aiko and PartyNextDoor. His soundcloud is littered with gems including a seven track EP entitled Hours Spent Loving You produced by Marvel Alexander and Sango which you can expect a review soon. Folks SPZRKT most certainly has the juice. Keep an eye out. I sense only good things coming.

Feature: Who is this Kehlani girl? by @simONE_ofmykind

If I could describe Kehlani in one word it would be fresh. Her image, style, her music, her attitude, everything about her is just fresh. Her image has completely separated her from any of her considerable competition like Tinashe, Jhene Aiko, Sza, and Zendaya. Her straight rebel and bad-ass image makes her seem like she is not the chick you want to cross but her soulful music and angelic voice will go straight to your heart. Billboard named her mixtape You Should Be Here this year’s first great R&B album, and I totally agree but funny story it wasn’t even an album. The 14 track mixtape is a primarily R&B project but with an edge also with a mix of some blues, pop, and hip hop.

Singer, songwriter, and dancer Kehlani is another gold star the Bay area has on their chart, she was born and raised in Oakland, California. “I’ve seen things, and I’ve felt more pain than some will in their entire lives, all before the age of being able to buy a fucking drink at a bar”- states Kehlani during the intro of You Should Be Here.  At 20 years old she has had more trials and tribulations than many of her peers but somehow still manages to keep a big smile on her face as she continues to spread good vibes. Growing up Kehlani didn’t have her biological parents her father died when she was an infant, and her absent mother was a drug addict. Which left Kehlani to be raised by extended family members, including her aunt who put her life on a pause to step in and act as a motherly figure for Kehlani.

One Nick Cannon and America’s Got Talent without them the world may not have been introduced to Kehlani so soon. Her and her band at the time, POPLYFE, made it to the top four finalist on season six of AGT. After compliments from a couple of judges about her talents she eventually took in what they said and decided to pursue in a career as a solo artist. Before there was You Should Be Here, there was her mixtape Cloud 19, before that mixtape was her debut song “ANTISUMMERLOVE” which she put out summer 2013.

Kehlani's first mixtape Cloud 19 came out last year and received many good reviews. Complex magazine referred to Cloud 19 as one of the best albums of 2014.  You Should Be Here was a lot more well received than Cloud 19 but I would say Cloud 19 was just has good as YSBH. Her music stays pretty consistent as far as the sound and content. Jahaan Sweet produced most of Kehlani’s track for Cloud 19 and YSBH. In her music Kehlani talks a lot about relationships (family, friends, and romantic), forgiveness for those that have been responsible for the pain in her life, acceptance, empowerment, and confidence or finding the light inside of yourself. She keeps it real, she opens up in her music and she is raw, making herself not only relatable for listeners but also inspirational.

My top five tracks off of YSBH are The Way ft Chance The Rapper, Bright, Unconditional, N****s, and You Should Be Here (my #1). Even some of today’s biggest artist are on the Kehlani Tsunami Wave. Trey Songz recently hopped on the remix of “The Way”. PARTYNEXTDOOR, Drake, Chance The Rapper ,and Selena Gomez..just to name a few, have expressed that they are fans and cannot wait to see what’s next for her. Even Rick Rubin… RICK RUBIN, has said that Kehlani’s music will “change the world”. Are you impressed yet?

She makes the music that plenty of young people especially girls need to hear. She has everything that appeals to this generation. Her fanbase continues to grow and really took off after the success of “YSBH”. She currently has 105k SoundCloud followers, 732k Instagram followers, and millions of listeners between Youtube and SoundCloud. Kehlani is well on her way to be considered one of the best new artist of 2014/2015, if she continues to make the music she has been and doesn’t change her unique image I can definitely see her being a new face of today’s R&B. For anybody who isn’t familiar with her I suggest you do your ears a favor and familiarize yourself. Hop on the Lani Tsunami wave, I wouldn’t steer you wrong. After the break you can see the videos for The Way featuring Chance the Rapper and You Should Be Here.

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.