Cover Photo by @drewdepictions Yesterday was a momentous day in the worlds of Cash Cobain and Chow Lee. We’re officially a month out from the end of a massive year for the two collaborators, and acting as the cherry on top to the lasting momentum of their joint project 2 Slizzy 2 Sexy, the tape was honored in the New York Times “Best of Albums of 2022.” While the fervent street-level impact of 2 Slizzy 2 Sexy – inspiring a daily supply of ass-shaking videos reposted on Cash Cobain’s Instagram story – is worth endlessly more than the praise of a publication, the NYT cosign adds an official stamp to the historic run that Cash and Chow went on this year. As Will Foster puts it, “when people remember this era in the future, you gotta mention [Cash and Chow].” Right on time with the look, Cash and Chow blessed us yesterday with a remix of standout track “Just Blick It” alongside Brooklyn artist Bizzy Banks. The club-tinted kicks and signature, X-rated one-liners translate perfectly into a lively, make-your-feet-move visual, and Banks’ effortless cool ties this one together as a the confetti-popping moment to tie off a championship season. Peep …

I’ve found myself deeply invested in Houston’s music scene for a few years now, and yesterday, one of my favorite new projects from the city in quite some time arrived from an artist named Lang entitled It Won’t Happen Again. 12 songs and just over 30 minutes in length, It Won’t Happen Again is a deeply focused release from the rising talent, scarce on fluff, littered with a rollercoaster of captivating sonic highs and lows, and guided by illustrative production at the hands of his Houston-oriented team. From the high-octane first notes of “Die4u” to the contemplative moodiness of “Hate It All,” Lang’s newest taps into a range of emotions without losing direction along the way, and in doing so, shows the clear benefit of keeping things close to home during the creative process (worthy of note, the project is executive produced by Houston producer IWANTDIOR). The youth in Houston is doing things at a very high level all on their own, and It Won’t Happen Again stands in line with such, landing as a must-watch introductory moment for Lang and crew. Give this one a spin all the way through at the link below and be on the lookout for more …

2219 Lee has appeared on our pages several times in the past. His first appearance – and the song that really tipped me off to Lee’s natural run-that-last-line-back abilities – was “HAKEEM” alongside close collaborators Mali Smith and Cash Cobain. Ever since, a slew of high-energy songs have built upon and mastered this inimitable style of music, which leads us to the justifiably titled “Slizzy Bop”: a 2219 Lee x Cash Cobain joint, built around a sample drill flip of Kodak Black’s “Skrt” – because in typical Cash Cobain fashion, of course it is. Premiered with a matching visual component, Lee and Cobain’s latest demonstrates that this type of music doesn’t allow for a passive listen. Sexy drill is a full-body experience, which in the case of “Slizzy Bop,” is perfectly illustrated with a set of dance-heavy visuals shot the same night as Cash Cobain and Chow Lee’s 2 SLIZZY 2 SEXY deluxe release party. As such, you can feel the energy in the air on this one… the streets are crowded, people are dancing at every turn, and the “endless party” appeal of Cash Cobain’s movement-inducing production is at full force. Sit with this one a few times, dance …

Now that we’re officially in October – although still a bit premature – it’s worth thinking back on the albums that truly stuck out as singular, built real moments, and saw sustained attention throughout this past year. One particular project that I’d consider a lock in this conversation is Atlanta native Hardrock’s 808 Speaker Knockerz. Although Hardrock’s name was buzzing well before the tape came out, this release marked the “I’m here to stay” moment (at least in my eyes) for one of ATL’s brightest young talents almost immediately. More music has come out since, and Hardrock has continued to build upon the 808 Speaker Knockerz blueprint in a forward-looking way, but here to officially close out a hell of a chapter for one of the year’s standout talents is a brand new music video for “In The End” — a Linkin Park-sampling standout that if you haven’t heard by now, is a must-listen when getting into Hardrock’s catalog. True to the off-kilter nature of the production, the “In The End” music video leans into hypnotic effects and darker imagery to bring the energy of this one to life. Meanwhile, the declaratory nature of the song is echoed as Hardrock spraypaints his …

Philly artist Kear just released a new video for the hard-nosed “Can’t Fw It” – produced by the legendary Nedarb – and in every way, it’s a deeply exciting dive straight into the deep-end of a burgeoning creative scene happening right now. Front and center, of course, is Kear, whose punk-shaded style and singular eye for aesthetics have only sharpened with each new release. She proudly declares herself a rockstar, and line by line, song by song, is dead set on proving it – from the clothes she wears to the production she chooses, the energy she brings, and everything in between. What helps to make “Can’t Fw It” such a standout release even beyond this, though, is its display of the full-stop creative scene that Kear, Yori, Tina, Don (all credited below), and several others are building for themselves right now. Every detail in “Can’t Fw It” belongs to this scene of people making the things that they want to see, hear, watch, wear, etc. And as such, every aspect of the video feels cohesive, driven by a throughline of DIY authenticity that you can’t but applaud – especially when someone like Nedarb jumps in the mix, who has participated …

There’s a surge of young energy coming out of the UK right now, and Jim Legxacy is helping spearhead the movement with songs like this. “candy reign (!)” – and don’t forget the exclamation point – is a testament to the global quality of Jim’s music, rhythmic and infectious in a way that transcends borders while remaining singular and true-to-self in approach. It’s a no-brainer the moment you hear it, and for those that know, it even bridges generations with a perfect flip of Soul for Real’s 1994 track “Candy Rain.” As if the song wasn’t lively enough, the music video for “candy reign (!)” ups the ante from here with constant movement, dancing, and singing, setting the stage for the way that a track like this strikes listeners. It’s hard to sit still listening to Jim Legxacy’s latest, which at this point, has become fairly common across his catalog. Legxacy is doing things on his own terms (word to the BBK shirt and what that symbolizes), and perhaps most importantly, he seems to be doing it with the people he loves in a place that he loves. With all of these things in line, it only follows that the …

Photo by @filmandbandaids “Left foot left, right foot right / Like baby I like what you like, let’s do what you want, let’s do it all night like –.” Chow Lee has has been a personal favorite of mine for some time now, and with each passing day, he continues to master the sexy drill style of run-that-back one-liners and effortless charm, proving so today with a new song and video called “Hornitos” alongside Nu Sace. In every sense, “Hornitos” looks, sounds, and feels like the perfect soundtrack for getting outside this summer, riddled with love-and-lust-minded lines while structured around one of my favorite drill beats of the year. Nu Sace’s guest verse is the perfect addition to such a high-energy song and the visuals bring this release full circle, setting the stage for the endlessly fun world that Chow and the entire sexy drill scene are creating. Every function needs to be playing this to end the summer off, so peep the song below. And Hornitos, if you’re reading this, cut the check. Shot by @5THAVEFILMS EFX by @EMEKA2030  

Back with volume 3 of the FREE SOUNDs column, and there’s a lot to discuss this week. Peep the lineup of songs below and if you haven’t already, check out volume 1 here and volume 2 here. – – – BEAR1BOSS BEAR1BOSS is, and has been, on another planet ever since I first heard his music — and he keeps getting better. Peep the ATL talent’s new, self-titled album here — a project best visualized as a firework, colorful and explosive in its collaging of sounds while held together by outrageously entertaining personality. “Quit” and “$$$” are favorites, but “Nike!” takes the cake for me. While Bear1 has been a stand out artist from the jump, it goes without saying that on the new project, his ideas are really coming into form. In Bear1’s world, the energy never runs out, and thus, the future is undeniably bright for one of music’s most unique minds. LAY BANKZ A friend sent me Lay Bankz a few weeks back, and “Going Down” has been on repeat ever since. It’s a melodic love song at heart, but once paired with the charged energy of a Philly/Jersey club beat, this one becomes sonically undeniable. Lay …