shasimone Archives - She Makes Music

Helen Evans — Thu, 18 May 2023 15:00:00 +0000

FVN releases ballroom-inspired summer hit, ‘Stunt’. The 90’s beat production, combined with FVN’s inspiration from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ ballroom culture, is the definition of Back-To-The-Future – if you ask FVN. The rapper has turned up the attitude and serves up Leikeli47 and Azelia Banks vibes through the dance floor, and with FVN’s fierce energy, sexy flows and catchy chorus, ‘Stunt’ is an unstoppable anthem from start to finish. A music video for the single is also out now, where FVN has managed to incorporate ballroom elements as an acknowledgement of both the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as extravagant shots of FVN and other interesting Danish profiles.

Houston rapper Monaleo has announced her debut project, Where The Flowers Don’t Die, due May 26 via Stomp Down. The 11-song project includes recent singles ‘Beating Down Yo Block’ and ‘Ridgemont Baby,’ plus the just-released ‘Ass Kickin.’ It’s a brash, head-turning song and here’s more background via press release: The accompanying music video delivers a brash all-pregnant girl gang led by Monaleo as the pregnant ringleader as they bring blows to bad guys while literally Ass Kickin’ all over the place. The funk-themed video hosts a guest spot from real-life boyfriend / rapper, Stunna4Vegas posing as her OBGYN while she lays down the law. “Now that my pregnancy and project have been announced, I wanted one of the first singles I put forward to be bold and unapologetic.” says Monaleo. “‘Ass Kickin’ is just that…It’s a carefree record that represents free and liberated women . A perfect introduction to the woman I was while curating [Where The Flowers Don’t Die].” [via Brooklyn Vegan]

ShaSimone, the British-Ghanaian rapper and songwriter, has released her first solo track of 2023, ‘Played Out’. The artist continues to demonstrate her consistency and commitment to creating quality music, as the new song showcases her turbulent flow over a dark and heavy grime-infused production, highlighting her talent as an MC. Speaking on the release, she said, “I just really want people to know that I’m committed to releasing quality music and being consistent in my craft. I’ve learned so much from my last EP and [this song] is just the beginning of what’s coming next.” [via GRM Daily]

Maiya The Don keeps her hot streak going with her new single ‘Keep It Cute.’ The track marks her official follow-up to March’s ‘Dusties,’ which boasted a sample of ‘Magic Stick’ by Lil’ Kim. Directed and executive produced by Jenzar, the freshly released ‘Keep It Cute’ clip takes place in a hottie-filled car repair shop. Maiya then rounds up all her girls for a pep rally, where she delivers her verse about her unwavering confidence: “Keep it cute, keep it cute, keep it sexy/ Don’t play with me, go play with your man, don’t entertain st that might fk up the brand/ Woke up this morning and went straight to the bank, they think they can do what I know that they can’t/ If I hop on it, you know it’s gon’ blow, why they tryna throw dirt on my name?/ B**ches get mad and start doin’ the most, do not compare me, ’cause you not the same” [via Rap Up]

Toronto rap mainstay DijahSB and California producer veggi have teamed up once again, this time to honour a basketball legend. The bouncy, summer-ready track combines DijahSB’s witty and seamless bars with veggi’s taste for house-inflected pop. It follows their 2021 collab ‘EXCEPTIONAL.’ “‘Lisa Leslie’ has been in the tuck for over a year now, it’s another collab with veggi which is cool because our last one is about to hit 10 million,” DijahSB tells Exclaim! “I’m excited to see where this one goes. Lisa Leslie is an icon and I’m excited to give her an anthem.” [via Exclaim]

The post appeared first on She Makes Music.

Helen Evans — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Fall is finally upon us, but if cardigans and crunchy leaves aren’t your thing, DijahSB wants you to remember ‘SummerTime’ sunshine. That’s the premise of the rapper’s new single. “I wanted this song to embody the feeling of summer,” the artist — born Kahdijah Payne after Queen Latifah’s Living Single character, of course — said in a statement. “We are about to get hit with some cold weather out here in Toronto, but I want this song to remind people of the good times and weather that the summer and sunshine bring. With the lyrics and smooth, soothing production, I hope you catch that vibe.” Hot off a busy and successful 2021, it makes sense that DijahSB would come back with ‘SummerTime.’ The breezy single offers a chill beat as the rapper boasts, “Room full of mirrors/ Still see no flaws.” It’s the type of self-assurance you’d want blasting in your earphones as you walk home after a long day, just as the single’s artwork beckons. [via Consequence]

British-Ghanaian rapper ShaSimone trades in an exuberant form of confidence. Just this year she has mixed party-starting afrobeats and classic hip-hop on her Simma Down EP as well as turning the BPM way up and jumping on jungle producer Clipz’s ‘No Time’ alongside Beenie Man. Across genres she always appears unflappable, always ready to get her bars off and keep building her name higher and higher. Her ‘Top 5’ video, then, resembles something of a victory lap. The opening track on Simma Down comes with that trademark ShaSimone energy as she declares, “I’m top five dead or alive” and tops it off by stating, “They’re gonna miss me when I’m gone, the heavens will cry.” Behind-the-scenes footage of ShaSimone performing at Glastonbury and an appearance at Rolling Loud set the scene for a video, that also includes the moment she joined Dave on stage at a huge London show, performing their We’re All Alone in This Together track ‘Both Sides of a Smile’ together. “The video for ‘Top 5’ reflects my achievements and my music journey this year, along with meeting some amazing people – it’s like a music diary for me,” ShaSimone tells The FADER. “There’s been so many ups and downs, but every moment has been steps taken for me to be in the position that I’m in today” [via The FADER]

https://youtu.be/sVrU_u0JOPo

This past August, a 22-year-old Bronx artist named Ice Spice came out with ‘Munch (Feelin’ U),’ a fizzy and divisive two-minute drill anthem in which she clowns some guy for being good for nothing except giving head. That song got on a whole lot of people’s nerves, but it was a hit. Ice Spice made fans out of stars like Drake and Cardi B, and the word “munch” entered the lexicon. Now, Ice Spice has come out with her follow-up. Like ‘Munch,’ ‘Bikini Bottom’ is a two-minute drill track with a catchy hook and a whole lot of presence. Ice Spice raps in quick, darting little bursts, and even if she doesn’t perfectly enunciate every word, she still radiates charisma. [via Stereogum]

The post appeared first on She Makes Music.

Helen Evans — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:00:00 +0000

MOBO certified artist and “Queen of flow” Crae Wolf switches things up for her latest release ‘Enough is Enough’. Not straying too far from her roots, the track bears a jumpy instrumental infused with notable Drill sonics. Crae laces this infectious offering with tantalising vocals, switching effortlessly between her native tongue English, into French and back again. Proving that she can conquer both bars and melodies, ‘Enough is Enough’ is everything you’d expect from Crae Wolf and so much more.

ShaSimone can spit hard. An intimidating persona, she’s also not afraid to be open. Recent single ‘Lock Off’ showed the rapper at her most dynamic, lifting the tempo for those epic double-time flows. Aiming to keep fans on their toes, new single ‘Thug Affection’ flips the script once more, with ShaSimone dropping the tempo for a work of ruthless honesty. Opening with spoken word testimony from a therapist, ‘Thug Affection’ boasts bass-heavy LikkleDotz production, the spartan arrangement moving from sub-low elements through to those tinkling notes of piano. Putting her heart on the line, ShaSimone talks about the trials of the dating scene, and the necessity that love and commitment hold in her life. She comments… “’Thug Affection’ is a song I made which is a reflection of the current dating scene from my perspective. Situationships have become so glamorised and I feel like a lot of people are craving genuine, real love. So this song is a dedication to all the people looking for something real.” A bold yet subtle track, ‘Thug Affection’ spins everything you know about ShaSimone on its head. MRMTMMG directs the visuals – tune in below. [via Clash]

Self-proclaimed “queen of drill” Ivorian Doll is sharing her newest track ‘Messy’. Coming alongside a montage video directed by Bas Haselager, the vid follows Ivorian Doll behind-the-scenes and performing on-stage. Speaking to DIY last year, she told us, “I try and make my music really fun, and people like that unapologetic person – the person who doesn’t really care. That’s what I put out every day. I’m doing me!” [via DIY]

Leicester’s very own Queen Millz has accompanied the release of her latest single, ‘Red Light’, with a fresh set of visuals. As always Queen Millz comes through with a whole load of confidence on ‘Red Light’, which she uses to detail her success to motivate her listeners. [via GRM Daily]

FLOHIO has shared a new video for her latest single, ‘SPF’. It’s a cut from recently-announced debut album, Out Of Heart. Set for release on October 7, the record also features single ‘Cuddy Buddy’. Director Aiden Hermit-Williams says of the video recording process: “Making this music video was truly a labour of love on my part and if I can speak for my majestic team: I’m sure it was for them too. We went through the fire to make something great but luckily we were wearing our SPF. Having the opportunity to work with Flohio, who’s such a focused and engagingperformer was really something special, turning it up to 11 for every shot. Not tomention the amazing cast and crew including Matt (@mattgillan) our DOP and Scott(@scottgriffithsdp) our focus puller who really brought their A-games for thecamerawork and Ellie (@ellie_r1) our stylist who really elevated the concept with herstyling. A great experience from start to finish.” [via Dork]

Continuing a red hot summer, Dallas rap star Erica Banks serves up a sizzling new music video for her latest single ‘Trick’ via 1501 Certified Entertainment/Warner Records. It remains a standout from her 2022 mixtape, Diary of the Flow Queen. The track’s thick bassline wobbles between a head-nodding beat. She launches into a series of raw and racy rhymes before a hard-hitting hook. As if offering up an instruction manual to the hustle, she urges, “Give ’em a show.” The sexy and celebratory accompanying visual illuminates her uncontainable spirit and star-power on-screen, bringing the song to life with no shortage of seduction. The clip features show-stopping pole dance routines as vibrant as the song’s bold bounce. It might just be her wildest and definitely most bodacious video yet! [via Broadway World]

New York rapper CLIP returns with bold new single ‘FALL BACK’. The artist’s debut EP PERCEPTION is out on September 8, released via tastemaker imprint In Real Life. Recent single ‘Calvin K’ caused a ruckus, with CLIP’s natural flamboyance coming to the fore. Ahead of this, bruising new single ‘FALL BACK’ is online now. The bass-heavy production carries a real sense of swagger, illuminated by those bright, buoyant electronics. Self-described as “pretty girl music” there’s a real sense of style to the way CLIP approaches this track. She says: “The energy for ‘FALL BACK’ came naturally. The beat is so beautiful and brought to mind iconic women rappers of the 90s and 2000s – I wanted to channel pretty girl music while still talking my shit.” The full video is also online, with CLIP continuing: “Moshpxt’s video brings ‘FALL BACK’ to life because it’s as if he created my own dream land, and that’s where my mind is most of the time. The visuals ultimately complement how euphoric and yet energetic the beat is.” [via Clash]

Birmingham’s Brixx has returned with visuals for her brand-new tune ‘Bad Like Dat’. Produced by Moshino Royale, this track is infused with a vibey dancehall-infused tone which Brixx uses to remind us what she’s all about. In the visuals by MarpzNorthside, we see Brixx in therapy where she speaks on her bad antics. ‘Bad Like Dat’ is Brixx’s first release of 2022 following last year’s ‘2nd Warning Freestyle’, and is said to be a taste of what’s to come from the Brum artist in the next few months. [via GRM Daily]

Nigerian-born, New Zealand-raised, Australian-based hip-hop act Sophiegrophy is back with the perfect answer for the haters in her new song ‘Question Mark’. The track sees her heading back to Lagos, Nigeria to soak in the energy and deliver a no holds barred assault on the naysayers over a bouncy drill/grime-infused soundscape. Armed with her bass-laden vocal tone and unrelenting confident demeanor, she reminds folks not to jump to conclusions because the reality might not be palatable hence don’t pose a question when you have an assumed answer. The track also sees her blending English with her native Yoruba language in an effortless manner as she glides over the beta with much gusto and finesse. For the visuals, Sophiegrophy taps Nayaeffecz of NayaCreativesStudios to help bring her vision to life. Using a mix of performance shots, indoor and on-location shots with themed set pieces, we get to see the rapper in all her glory from her animated performance and unique fashion style. [via Earmilk]

The post appeared first on She Makes Music.

Helen Evans — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:00:00 +0000

London-via-Rome multi-talent Shunaji returns with her latest track and video for ‘Why Don’t You’ featuring Birmingham-based rapper, Ayy. ‘Why Don’t You’ sees Shunaji restating her commitment to knowledge and social justice, as she challenges her audience to seek the truth – be that within ourselves, through history or in current affairs. Shunaji invites us to “Come up and see the comet”, traveling to an other-worldly reality made of opportunity, transformation and extravagance. To hesitation and diffidence Shunaji asks, “Why don’t you?”, as she reveals the power of self-determination and pride in being an outsider. Combining hard-hitting issues with her tongue-in-cheek humour, Shunaji wraps the track in avant-garde and cosmic sounds as she uniquely delivers a witty and observant commentary on modern society. Accompanied by a 6-track baritone sax, her bars range from mainstream media-inspired satire to a more in-depth commentary on cryptocurrency and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), with a critique of the ever-present “commodification of everything” which in many ways affects individual artists and the music industry as a whole. The single drops with a creative visual, self-directed by Shunaji in collaboration with Director of Photography Alex Janaszewski. Known for her imaginative and immersive approach to her creativity, the video features original Shunaji-devised characters, Princess Solo (seen preparing for a show, representing the mundane and private side of an artist), Sick Ranchez (Shunaji’s rap alter ego representing the direct connection between the artist and the audience) and An Alien (an eccentric balaclava-wearing persona representing the outsider, that makes an artist stand out). With these characters, the visual explores the distinct and interlinked aspects of being an artist through Shunaji’s lens. Speaking on the premise of the track, Shunaji said, “I wanted to bring other like minded people onboard through my lyricism and raise consciousness around issues that I care about – especially around race and class.”

Atlanta rapper, singer, and self-love savant Baby Tate returns with a glowing two-song bundle including ‘Yasss Queen’ and ‘Dancing Queen.’ The genre-shifting artist’s latest offerings find her doing what she does best: dropping bars, affirming her fans, and being the life of the party. ‘Dancing Queen’ comes with a colorful music video that evolves into a fierce dance battle. [via Urban Mag]

ShaSimone has provided us with an all-new single titled ‘Lock Off’ with visuals. Since appearing on Dave’s album We’re All Alone In This Together last year, a lot of eyes have been on ShaSimone and the rising east Londoner proves why she’s one to watch once again on ‘Lock Off’ – a lively TK-produced cut. The visuals come courtesy of GM who showcases ShaSimone locking things off at the Leake Street Arches in London. [via GRM Daily]

The post appeared first on She Makes Music.