They say love is all-around. Sometimes the feeling is as palpable as an embrace. Yet, finding the accurate words to frame love into its proper context remains one of the world’s greater mysteries. Love can be all-encompassing, it can be selfless, it can blossom out of desire and it can even be fickle. Only one thing is certain, once love is in the air, it builds its own cocoon within the consciousness waiting to be explored. And on Winter Nights, we get a first-hand look into how Mo’ Love handles his ever-changing disposition.
Lately I’ve been f****d up, all these feelings got me worked up.
In five swift songs we see the enchanted crooner jostle between lust, desire, commitment and emotional weariness. Beginning with the anthemic “Pgp,” where he wastes no time addressing the point of contention. The record opens with voicemails from various women looking to get in touch demanding that he call them back. Instead, he makes himself readily available to all, where his promiscuous flair is captured.
She think I’m a player cause she like what I’m saying. I’m not into selling dreams, you should buy what you like. And if you don’t, you can return me after the night.
Mo’ Love – Pgp
While the project intros with an emotional free-for-all, the more tightly wounded “The Same” is the inverse of its predecessor. With his distinct singing voice and sultry delivery, the r&b singer confronts the feelings of complacency that comes from a long-standing relationship. From fighting about the same things, noticing changes in a partner’s feelings and behavior, while dealing the subsequent yearn for the person responsible for your pain.
Comparatively, “Slow Dance” is next on the queue and sees the South Bronx native do a complete 180. While “The Same” left him picking up the pieces of his dissolved relationship, on “Slow Dance” he goes from prey to vulture, picking at the remains of a woman’s freshly severed union as he looks to seduce her. As the third of five records on the project, the song placement seems to be indicatory of the middle ground between committed and spending time, as he lulls,
flowing through the vibes, I can it in your eyes, Oh I love.
– Mo’ love, Slow Dance
Mo’ Love shows his talents for performative arts with his thespian-like display of character arc, going from player, to sucker and back to the life of easy virtue in just three songs.
Won’t you slow dance for a n****a yea, if you want these bands from a n***a yea.
We keep fighting about the same thing, I need some space so I could maintain Since you left, I haven’t been the same.
– Mo’ Love, The Same
Winter Nights follows this ebb-and-flow throughout all five records, where each mirrors its predecessor and vice versa. It’s a Ying and Yang of commitment versus freedom and promiscuity, with an intermission to ponder giving up both on “F****d Up Anthem.”
Who doesn’t want to be in a nice healthy relationship? But then, also I like my peace. I’m on a journey, I’m trying to get somewhere and there’s distractions. A lot of people are distractions more than help. Me knowing that, I definitely battle with being in relationships, wanting to take one serious. It takes a big, big person to make that leap and I battle with that all the time.
– Mo’ Love
It can be played frontward or backwards and the same message still echoes, combine that with the concise length of the EP and it is a reflection of the fleeting emotions that we share with one another.
I’m losing myself. The only thing I want in this life is bad for my health.
– Mo’ Love, Dirty Diana
Such is the uncertainty that surrounds many modern-day relationships, with not only the number of options, but the availability of it all. Lust can turn to infatuation, which metamorphoses into commitment, yet can just as quickly transform into weariness.
I deserve more than this, hurt on my mind so it’s hard to reminisce.
I’m hoping they [fans] go through the rides of emotions that I felt when I made it and the attention that I put into it. I know I wanted people to dance to it, I know I wanted people to feel good to it, but also, I wanted people to understand that there’s always a message in everything that I’m saying. There’s a message in every song that I put out and that means the most to me.
The Bronx-bred rapper/singer Sy Ari Da Kid released his newest debut album, The Shadow In The Shade which features multiple artist throughout the album. Sy Ari Da Kid features Yonkers hip-hop icon Jadakiss on the album with track, “Unbreakable Promises” along with recently released music video.
Sy Ari Da Kid and Jadakiss met up in Virginia to shoot the music video for “Unbreakable Promises” that would celebrate their success while also shedding light onto the hurdles they faced with the soulful track produced by Vtng Jag.
The new album, “The Shadow In The Shade” appeared on New Music Friday select playlists by XXL, Brooklyn Vegan, and Essence. A variety of artists are showcased on the debut album that helped Sy Ari Da Kid bring his project to life, artists like Jadakiss, T.I.. Benny The Butcher, Big K.R.I.T., Trouble, Lloyd Banks, Ransom, Mickey Factz, Cyhi The Prynce, Shawn Ellery, JR Writer, Raekwon and Bumpy Knuckles are featured on the tracklist.
“Some rappers sprint to the tape but Sy is running a marathon with no finish line in sight. He just keeps going.”
-RapReviews
Growing up between the Bronx and Atlanta, he quickly started his career right after high school and became a battle rapper. Working on numerous of other projects throughout his career such as Alone but Not Lonely, S.O.O.N, Better Safe Than Sy Ari and others, which led to him releasing his own that he had in the works for long time for his rap fans.
The album consists of 21 tracks with brazen but vulnerable lyrics that allows for fans to connect and relate with. Sy Ari Da Kid’s sound is versatile which ultimately makes his fans equally crave his deep hip hop cuts and his continue uphill climb will keep his fan wondering what will be next for him.
Sound Mind Live have announced their fourth annual Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health. The event will take place outside on May 21st at 4 PM in New York City’s Central Park. Performances include Cold War Kids, Big Boi, American Authors, KAMAUU, Wrabel, and Allison Russell. The event will be hosted by Bronx-raised comedian Gina Brillon.
Cold War Kids
As brought into the public eye, the coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on a lot of people’s wellbeing and mental health. This year, the Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health will focus on the mental impact that this virus has imprinted on us. Artists will have the opportunity to share their own pandemic experiences and information will be readily available including mental health resources, suicide prevention resources, and self-care practices.
Leading up to the event, Sound Mind Live will also host an open panel about mental health at Prime Produce Social Impact Cooperative on West 54th Street. Wrabel, ELSZ, and Pronoun will also perform stripped-down performances of their sets. The event will go deep into mental health struggles in the LGBTQ+ community, communities of color, and the music industry. The event is free and will begin at 5:30 PM. Those who are interested must register on the Sound Mind Live website beforehand.
Two items will also be raffled off, a microphone signed by Big Boi and a drumhead signed by Cold War Kids. By signing a petition for improved crisis services, you will be granted three entries. Moreover, every dollar donated to Sound Mind Live grants you ten entries.
For the first time, those unable to catch the event live can watch a live stream on TikTok. Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, March 11th at 10 AM ET. General admission tickets will cost $40 and VIP tickets will cost $149.50. For more information, go to www.soundmindlive.org.
Analyzing the motive behind a politician’s actions or words can be tricky, for deception is often their one true ally. For every politician elected, no matter how prosperous their tenure, there is a group of people left feeling bamboozled or unnatended. From a historical perspective, it’s clear that politics are about control and the ability to generate waves with one flick of the tongue, which is sometimes guised in the want to build a better all-around community (depending on the politician). A preacher and a politician aren’t too dissimilar, there is a performance aspect to holding office and the theatrics of a reverend/preacher is of good use when dealing with the media. Which is why it’s seamless for a member of the clergy to slap on the title of “activist” and enter the political world.
In the case of New York City mayor, Eric Adams, momentary power doesn’t seem to fit his bill, having held dignified positions of authority and moving on from each for greener pastures, Adams gives the impression of a man with a larger play in mind. New York City is a tough place to govern and win over. If one wants to truly make their mark (and be elected for a second term and maybe more), they must find an agenda and make it their focus mission. For Giuliani, it was the mob and his “tough on crime” stance, for Bloomberg it was the implementation of stop & frisk. Adams may have found his silver bullet with his recent harping on the negative impacts of drill music and the need to keep it off social media and radio airwaves.
Fivio Foreign: The most commercially-successful living drill rapper with an upcoming album executive produced by Kanye West
While discussing the shooting death of Bronx drill rapper, C-Hii Wvttz, an emotional Adams apologized to the teens’ parents and made plans to meet with civil rights activists including Al Sharpton and state NAACP President Hazel Dukes to pitch his plan to crack down on gun violence. Which all seemed fine and dandy after all, isn’t that what you do after the tragic death of a young Black man? Meet with Al Sharpton. Until Adams pivoted and began to use drill — a violent hip-hop sub-genre in its own right — as the scapegoat for the many unfortunate deaths of Black youth. Adams even went as far as to say that he had never heard of drill music and learned of it from videos his son (who works at RocNation) sent him, claiming he was alarmed by his findings.
22Gz: recognized as the founder of the Brooklyn Drill wave
Drill music (which gets its name from the slang term for killing someone) derived as a sub-genre from Chicago rappers like King Louie, Edai, Lil Durk and Chief Keef in the early 2010’s. It is composed of threatening lyrics, constant references to gun violence, disrespectful disses aimed at dead rivals and most importantly, gang culture. Once popularized, the genre made its way to New York City. Brooklyn, New York to be specific. Adams, who served as Brooklyn borough President from 2013-2021 watched as Brooklyn artists the likes of 22GZ, Sheff G, Sleepy Hallow, Fivio Foreign and most of all, Pop Smoke (who took over the world musically in the year 2020) reached commercial success while trading insults, threats, injuries and fatalities all on the back of drill music.
The most popular drill artist ever as he took the genre to unforeseen heights before and after his tragic death.
The irony in all of this is that the current incarnation of the ever-evolving drill sub-genre derives not from Brooklyn but from the Bronx. This latest version where a pop-friendly record is sampled, sped up and laced with heavy drums, while backed by menacing lyrics has put the Bronx back on the map. With its most recognizable names being the currently incarcerated Kay Flock and Dthang, as well as B-Lovee.
It’s why when Adams says things like,
We are alarmed by the use of social media to really over-proliferate this violence in our communities. This is contributing to the violence that we are seeing all over the country. It one of the rivers we have to dam.
The public stops and rolls its eyes, because this has been happening for quite a few years and prominently in his own borough.
Gang culture in New York has been prevalent since the 1990’s, yet none more so than in the past decade (when social media became a factor). Adams himself comes from an under-privileged background — much like many gang members and drill artists — and was around during the crack epidemic and witnessed the gangster music culture it fostered. While hip hop has always been about reflecting one’s reality, emcees went from rapping like this, to this, to eventually this. As the streets became more menacing, so did the music, as it reflects the anger and angst that comes with growing up in project buildings and crime-infested areas.
One of the faces of the Bronx drill scene, Kay Flock, is currently incarcerated on a first-degree murder charge and is awaiting trial
Quite honestly, drill music could be the last bit of realism left in the rap game. Southern trap, which was once hip hop’s ugly stepchild has transformed into the main segue into the music industry and drill music may not be too far behind with the mainstream success of several Brooklyn and Chicago drill artists. Yet, as of now, drill is the voice of the streets. It is honest, brave and raw. So much so, that the constant dissing and shooting between rival gangs may be too much for New York City’s bright lights. When a drill artist makes a diss record and is then the victim of retaliatory gun-violence, it comes as a surprise to absolutely no one. The fans and artists alike know what’s to come. Yet, the inevitability of it all tends to make law enforcement look like helpless bystanders, especially when innocent civilians are also affected by these reckless shootings, as they look to the police to put a stop to it.
Called the founder of Bronx drill, Dthang is also serving time for a weapons charge
However, would banning drill music from hitting airwaves change anything? Adams referred to former President Trump’s Twitter ban as precedence but, are the two instances even comparable? Donald Trump is a privileged white man with enough wherewithal to know exactly who he is provoking with every word. Drill artists are teenagers who — for many — have yet to leave their own neighborhoods. Donald Trump had conflict with Russia and the Ukraine. These kids beef with each other because that’s all they know and where they’re from, death and murder are commonplace.
Blovee: the Bronx rapper represented his borough in the meeting with mayor Eric Adams
Instead of using drill music as a scapegoat, why not eliminate the problem at its core and focus on nurturing a more positive outcome for the youth. How about focusing on the vast number of underperforming high schools and making sure they meet certain standards? After all, education is one of the things that helped turn Adams’ life around. Schools could even begin introducing trade programs for kids who feel as though their future does not lie in a textbook, exposing them to legal income at an earlier age certainly would pique interest.
Rather, this past Wednesday, mayor Adams met with several drill artists to hear their opinions on the matter and clarify his stance.
They came in with a lot of energy — of, you know, here’s a 62-year-old guy that [doesn’t] understand young people and you want to destroy. And I let them talk and then I told them what I said: That violent people who are using drill rapping to post who they killed and then to antagonize the people who they are going to kill is what the problem is.
Eric Adams on his meeting with NYC rappers
And they heard me, and we’re going to be rolling out something in the next few days to deal with this issue. It was a great conversation, and I was happy to have them there.
The antagonizing lyrics Adams refers to have been happening in hip hop for decades, the difference is, rappers of yesteryear were more discreet with their disses, it was an “if you know you know” kind of thing. As we’ve entered the social media era, where anything and everything gets shared publicly, the reality that New York City is fostering youth that have such little regard for human life is a little too real for some and it reflects poorly on its leaders.
Besides, what can one meeting solve when only two of the people in attendance are actual drill rappers (Fivio Foreign and B-Lovee), and none of the rival gang members/ drill rappers who their antagonizing lyrics are aimed at are present? Isn’t that how you come to a treaty, by having opposing factions sit down and come to a resolution?
Nonetheless, this might be a strategic move from the mayor. With his denouncing of drill lyrics and vague rapper meetings, he can give his “hey, I tried” answer the next time a young driller rapper is killed, or he can continue to attack the sub-genre itself, but we’ll all know the problem was never the music. The music itself is a voice for the problems. But then again, the mayor may have just found his long-term cause to hang his hat on.
The South Bronx non profit Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation, has recently received a $2.5 million grant to finish construction of the Bronx Music Hall. The grant was awarded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The state of the art facility is 14,000 sq. ft. and will be the first music venue built in the borough in more than half a century. It is located on 438 East 163rd Street within WHEDco’s newest affordable housing development, Bronx Commons. The venue is currently capable of 250 occupants, and also contains a green room, studio, classroom and a lobby to host additional events. The Bronx Music Hall is capable of serving 20,000 in person audience members, post pandemic.
Davon Russell, president of WHEDco, cites the new venue as a “community cultural asset” that will respond to historic inequities that the borough has experienced through the decades. It will also help to bring funds to the borough, and greater NYC area to assist in its economic recovery.
Historians documented each wave of immigrants who settled in the Bronx spanning more than a century. The traditions and rhythms they carried have endured and inspired new generations and new forms of music. Inside and out, the Bronx Music Hall was designed to reflect and showcase today’s diverse contemporary culture
Nancy Biberman, WHEDco Founder and President Emerita.
The Mellon Foundation funding will allow for completion of the main elements within the music hall, including back end lighting, rigging and audio control, as well as cosmetic additions and necessary audience seating.
The Bronx Music Hall is scheduled to open later this year. For more information, visit the Bronx Music website. More information about the WHEDco organization can be found here.
