Fantasies

What’s going on, everyone? I'm happy to present a blazing new song submitted by rising West Coast artist Kyle Banks, featuring the incredibly soulful Eric Bellinger. 

Titled, “Fantasies,” this Meez & Louie Ji produced single encapsulates a poppin’ night out on the town, filled with unadulterated fun and romance. Kyle describes it as an exploration of carefree city life: “Overall, the message of the song is having fun in the city. We’ve all caught feelings for a dancer before.” Shiii, T-Pain ain’t the only one who fell in love with a stripper now!

The musical collaboration between Banks and Bellinger mirrors the synergy of the former Golden State "Splash Brothers" on the court, with Kyle acknowledging Eric as a significant influence on his journey. Their partnership produces a track that feels fresh while honoring R&B's roots. Bellinger’s impact on the West Coast R&B scene is undeniable; with over a decade of experience, he skillfully blends contemporary sounds with traditional influences, crafting hits that resonate widely.

Check out the visual for “Fantasies,” directed by Koby below: 

Open (Remix)

If you didn’t know by now, I’m an R&B thug! Yeah, I admit it.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a multitude of genres in the music sphere (Hip-Hop, Jazz, Pop and everything else in between).  It’s just that soulful sounds have the uncanny ability to take me into a higher dimension filled with colorful ideas. Shit, I don’t even really listen to rap while I’m working out. A sentimental R&B jam invigorates me harder than, let’s say, a boisterous DMX banger, because all I’m thinking about is…*clears throat * (nah, mean). Such a beautiful juxtaposition right?

In any case, one of my favorite smooth cuts right now comes from a rising singer based in Toronto named Dylan Sinclair. The talented 21-year-old newcomer linked up with fellow Spotify 2023 R&B Artists To Watch crooners Destin Conrad & JVCK JAMES to deliver a head-bobbing remix for his standout single “Open,” which is found on Sinclair’s breakout EP, No Longer In The Suburbs (Deluxe).

“This new ‘Open’ remix for me was about collaborating with two of my favorite up-and-coming artists who inspire me,” says Dylan in an interview with Rated R&B. “Destin being from LA and Jack being from London, this track is just about having fun and making something that gets people moving.”

Check out the groovy chune’s The Fang Group-directed music video below. And if you like what you heard, make sure to check out Dylan’s commendable discography.

So Bad

Valentine’s Day is less than a month away and I know a lot of you are dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on your romantic plans. If for some odd reason the playlist for y’all *clears throat* make-out sesh isn’t complete, allow me to suggest a tune that’ll enhance the mood for such intimate experience.

Aptly titled, “So Bad,” by multi-talented musician St. Panther, the song is dedicated to the lovers who cannot go one day without seeing each other. No cap, that was the case for me and my first love. I saw her every…single…day during the summer we first met (honeymoon phase much?).

There’s not much to say about this song because its heavenly vibes are so profound.  St. Panther, whose real name is Daniela Bojorges-Giraldo, showcases her hypnotic, soulful tone over an equally captivating beat which provides all of the feels.

Indulge below:

Magazines

This site is slowly but surely turning into an R&B blog...and I don’t mind one bit (duh, it’s mine). Music is something I hold near and dear to my heart and whenever I stumble upon a track that penetrates my soul, there’s no choice but for me to share it. Fortunately, we have similar upper echelon taste in sounds so it’s a win-win situation. With that said, meet Emanuel.

The rising Toronto-based crooner recently released his sophomore EP titled, Alt Therapy Session 2: Transformation, and like its title suggests, will alleviate any stress caused by this year’s pandemic lockdown. Consisting of four sincere songs, Emanuel’s latest project follows his stellar debut, Alt Therapy Session 1: Disillusion, which was released only five months ago. “I equate the sessions to my seasons in life,” he tells Atwood Magazine. “Titles like ‘Disillusion’ and ‘Transformation’ represent the obstacles and triumphs of this testimonial. I think the end goal is to really have an alt ‘therapy session’ with the listeners. Telling my story as best as I can with the hope of connecting and for it to be something people can relate to.”

Session 2 is all about self-love and empathy. My absolute favorite track from the incredible compilation is “Magazines,” which showcases Emanuel's smooth buttery tone as he displays his affection for a shorty he’s in a toxic relationship with. “So in that dark place, I was trying to iterate the way that I felt, while still talking from that foolish-heart perspective and just going with the flow and allowing things to unravel in a negative way.” Can you relate?

Listen to its awesomeness below: 

Studying Abroad

What’s good everyone? I know, I know it’s been such a long time (roughly five months) since you’ve read a brand new, satisfying article from me but your boy needed a break— especially with this pandemic. 

Since entering the airline industry last year, I planned on traveling as much as I could in order to enhance my level of artistic offerings. Unfortunately, Covid hit us pretty hard so all of my wild excursions were placed on hold. Despite all of the “darkness”, my spirit remained intact and my creativity blossomed. I recently released my super reliable #FrendyTote—cop here—and even conjured up a slew of other fresh FRNDY LMRN apparel. Another artist that stayed afloat during the worldwide travel ban is Masego.

“I feel like the lack of travel [during the pandemic] kind of made me lean into travel because that’s when I was my most creative,” says the multi-talented instrumentalist as he explains the inspiration behind his latest EP to Apple Music. What’s the name of the project, you might ask? Well, it’s called Studying Abroad (double entendre, don’t even ask me how). The EP, consisting of six eargasmic tracks, intertwines Masego’s past relationships and affinity for flying.

Be sure to listen to Studying Abroad during your next visualization session. For now, peep the video of my favorite song from the playlist featuring Cactus Jack’s own Don Toliver below. Oh, and don’t forget to renew your passport!

Imported (Remix)

“Hi, my name is Frendy/And sometimes people call me Friendly.” Damn, I really disliked when that happened back in the day, but I’ve grown accustomed to it. Furthermore, the nickname describes my personality pretty well so there's really no harm done. R&B star 6LACK certainly goes through the same situation and, just like me, doesn’t mind the public butchering of his name because, as he states in Jessie Reyez’s Imported (remix), “they stubborn and my bank account is looking mighty fine.”

The talented Toronto crooner’s slightly tweaked single is from her highly anticipated debut album.  "You don't really know what songs are going to touch people, but I remember a day after releasing the original song, I did a show and everyone was singing it”, she says of the sultry banger to MTV News.  "It was mad cool that people only had a day to learn the song and it hit them already, you know? So to be able to put somebody as talented as 6LACK on it and be able to give the song a new life, is a sick opportunity."

You think she said “Black” or “Six-lack” during the interview? *Laughs*.  In any case, check out the tune’s intimate visual below, and be on the lookout for Jessie’s sonic body of work, which is slated to release later this year via Island Records.

Who Hurt You?

Other than his surprise feature on the remix of fellow Canadian crooner Jessie Reyez’s smash hit single, “Figures,” and Anderson .Paak’s band Free National’s banger “Beauty & Essex,” Daniel Caesar has been laying low for the most part of 2018.  That is until now. Recently, the Freudian soul singer released a brand new single, which revealed a mildly wilder side of him we’ve never heard (or seen) before.

Titled “Who Hurt You?” The T-Pain-assisted jam finds Daniel singing about his infatuation with a bootylicious stripper from Atlanta who goes by the name of Priscilla. (I know, he took a page right out of Pain’s book.) Now, you might be confused at why the song is coined in such a mellow manner, but after a few listens, it can be inferred that the former dreadlock artist (yup, he chopped them off) is simply finding solace after a heart-wrenching heartbreak.

Check out the Jordan Evans & Matthew Burnett-produced scorcher for yourself below, and let me know if my deep dive is valid or not.

Kareem's Pick: UMI

For some reason, nostalgia always feels heavier in the fall. Music can vocalize the emotions that are hard to put into words. “Remember Me” by UMI is the perfect translation of how I’ve been feeling on the low.  

The Los-Angeles based singer/songwriter/angel ‘s track reminds me of a few risky texts I’ve sent in my lifetime. In the song, UMI pens a heartfelt letter to an ex lover detailing the memories they made together.

Nostalgia isn’t always gentle. Thankfully, this song reminds me that I’m not the only one suffering.

Written by Kareem Hilaire

6lack's East Atlanta Love Letter

Staying true to his elusive nature, 6lack (damn, writing that name is equally hard as saying it) fled the scene after releasing his successful 2016 debut album, Free 6lack, to go on a seemingly never ending tour run, which left devout listeners distraught from the lack of new tunes. This year, the multitalented crooner has returned, not only with a clean cut (in the words of The Joe Budden Podcast crew, “he got a mean rebrand”), but a long awaited sonic body of work!

Coined, East Atlanta Love Letter, the rising hyphenate’s sophomore effort is filled with heartfelt tracks dedicated to his hometown patnas (use the urban dictionary for the meaning), friends, current lover, and of course exes. My favorite joint from the project is a song that was released just a few hours before it actually dropped called, “Pretty Little Fears,” featuring the incomparable J. Cole.

Man, 6lack and Cole both blacked on the smooth tune with their potent pen. Y’all might have to replay the song a couple times just to catch a few double entendres! Check it out below:

Got Friends

"All of my b*tches got friends!"  Fellas, you already know our hearts rejoice whenever we hear those words come out of a beautiful woman's mouth!  Well, Goldlink and R&B megastar Miguel made a song out of that statement to commemorate all of the baddies of the world and their fine ass cliques.

Aptly titled "Got Friends," the feel-good single is the very first track from the DMV spitter since he released his debut album At What Cost in 2017.  No one knows if this song is spearheading a new project campaign for Goldlink but it sure bangs.  The collaborative tune dropped right before the summer started, yet is still potent as we're slowly moving into the cool weather.  Just goes to show that good music is timeless.

Check out the scorcher below:

R.A.N. (Official Music Video)

If you ever find yourself in a little jam with a shorty that you're trying to holla at, just play this new record from Miguel for some extra motivation to seal the deal!

Titled "R.A.N." (an acronym for 'Real Ass N*gga'), the confident-boosting tune is found on the soundtrack for legendary music video director Director X's SUPERFLY remake, which is currently in theaters.

Its visual finds the "Coffee" crooner on some Bonnie and Clyde ish with his old lady.  Being the real n*gga that he is, Miguel takes all the smoke in order to keep his woman out of harm's way.

Check out the Lesean Harris-directed clip below:

Come Through And Chill (Music Video)

"I need to feel your essence in my presence if you with it. I guarantee you won't regret you did it," J. Cole raps at the end of his second verse on Miguel's ballad "Come Through and Chill." Well, I'm sure they didn't regret their own decision to finally unveil the music video for the age old, yet potent single!

Directed by Kevin Calero, the visual is released less than a week after Jermaine shocked the world with his new rap album, KOD.  It features the "Coffee" crooner on a chair singing smoothly to a love interest. Cole is found doing the exact thing.  The only difference is that he's spitting some real stimulating bars to a shorty from a pay phone (haha).

If you're fortunate enough to have your significant other nearby, call them over to watch the clip below:

Kareem's Pick: Ravyn Lenae

Ravyn Lenae is doing R&B in her own way.  The Chicago-based songstress just released her EP, Crush, earlier this year.  The project consists of five songs, all produced by Steve Lacy.  Its lead single, "Sticky," is a bonafide hit that sticks like grits!

The tune is about a love that seems to be ending shortly.  Ravyn is pleading for her lover to do his part in the relationship.  The visual for the track involves vibrant colors and features the soulful singer grooving to the track while the camera circles around her.

Check out the Weird Life-directed clip below:

Written by Kareem Hilaire

Focus (Music Video)

A few articles ago, my contributing writer Sir Julien George penned a dope article about the soul-grabbing crooner H.E.R.  Now, I'm happy to announce that she has finally unleashed the much-anticipated music video for her notorious single, "Focus."

The moody track initially appeared on the mysterious songstress' H.E.R. Volume 1 project, which was released back in 2016.  It also made a special appearance on last year's H.E.R. Volume 2: the B Sides.  As you can see, it took quite a while for the song's visual to be released, but when a body of work is so timeless, who cares?!

The clip features H.E.R. painstakingly attempting to get the attention of her inattentive boo, played by the homie Elijah Craig.  Want to know if she finally got through to him?  Check out the Shane Adams-directed vid below:

You Should Of Called Jhene

"Oh boy, I'ma have to call them boys on you. Aw damn, I'ma have to call that man on you."  Only Jhene Aiko can make a menacing song sound so soothing and relaxing.  Big Sean's boo latest single "Never Call Me," found on her sophomore album Trip, takes aim at a despicable ex-lover.

The soulful songstress released not one, but two compelling visuals for the track.  The first is a metaphorical movie-like clip that depicts Jhene as Izanami no mikoto, a Shinto goddess who specializes in creation and death.  A funeral is shown at the end of the video signifying a renewal of spirit.  "The funeral is for a man I knew personally.  A man who lost his way," Aiko states to Refinery 29. "A man who played the victim in a situation where he was surely not.  A man who is a liar and a cheater.  A man who has lost his pride and integrity due to his deceptive ways and lack of understanding love.  This funeral is a funeral for his ego.  In this visual, I portray the goddess of creation and death, coming to collect his poor spirit and set it free."

The "Slauson Hills" music video version of the song is my favorite one due to its rawness.  The visual finds the multi-racial cutie in her hometown around close family members and neighborhood killers!  Furthermore, Kurupt's verse (TBH, he's just talking his gangsta sh*t) sees the light of day in this iteration.

Check out the Topshelf JR-directed vid below:

Which one is your favorite?  Comment below!

H.E.R. vs H.I.M.

If you have not been put on to the alternative R&B songstress, Gabriella "Gabi" Wilson, then what are you really doing?

Better known as H.E.R., the SoCal born singer/songwriter is currently signed to RCA records.  She released her debut album, H.E.R. Volume 1 on September 9th, 2016, featuring hits such as Focus, Losing and U.  Fans took a liking to H.E.R.'s style of anonymity and soulful sounds rather than her actual appearance.  Due to the unexpected amount of success from her initial EP, she was mentioned on iTunes' Best of 2016 R&B/Soul Albums list.  Furthermore, the track, Losing, made the cut on iTune's Best R&B Soul Singles list with over seven million Youtube views!

In October of 2017, H.E.R. released her second album, H.E.R Volume 2.  The project included included "Best Part" featuring Daniel Caesar, which immediately went viral earning her the support from celebrities such as Usher, Alicia Keys, Bryson Tiller, Kylie and Kendall Jenner and so many more.  Rihanna even posted a clip on her Instagram listening to H.E.R.'s hit, Focus.  Rolling Stones said that H.E.R's debut album "shows off her rich, velvety voice and diaristic lyrics about love, pain and all the emotions in between."  At this point in her career, it is safe to consider H.E.R. as an accomplished underground sensation.  That is until H.I.M. surfaced.

Meet the Queens, New York native H.I.M, an acronym for Her In Mind.  The singer is equally as mysterious and deliver the exact smooth sounds as H.E.R.  His debut album was marketed and mastered very well.  The idea of a male version of H.E.R was pretty genius.  H.I.M's career officially began in 2016 when he released his debut album, H.I.M Volume 1, only about two months after the release of H.E.R Volume 1.  The world immediately went berserk, in a good way.  Fans started to suspect that these two similar sounding artists were secretly and item, communicating with one another through their music.  H.I.M and H.E.R's album covers, musical styles and song titles were related.  One fan even tweeted, "When you find out that H.E.R and H.I.M have been communicating through their songs."  

This felt like a revolutionary Romeo and Juliet love story.  The only issue that stood in the way was that the two were not communicating with one another.  In fact, H.E.R has never even met H.I.M.!  He actually stole her entire concept and did it quite well.  Spotify said that H.I.M. "created a more complete response album than anything that has been made and does it from a genuine perspective."  The world still praises him for his musical style that he completely plagiarized.

Although H.E.R is anonymous, she still is findable.  After doing a diligent amount of research, I discovered her personal Instagram account, @GabiWilsonOfficial.  I went though her anonymous Twitter account and found a tweet dating back from September 23rd, 2017 that seemed to be subtweeting H.I.M. for stealing her vibe.  The tweet reads,"It's never cool to copy someone's whole concept and call it a 'response' to try to come up.  Be you!  Be original."

What do you think about these talented songwriters?  Should we be praising H.I.M.'s music?  Let me know in the comments below:

Written by Sir Julien George