Top 10 Songs of 2023
Our annual list of the top songs of the year. Read about the top 10 here, and check out the playlist to listen to all 100. Enjoy! Continue reading Top 10 Songs of 2023
The Best Spotify Playlists for Hip Hop, R&B, and Soul Lovers
Freezepeach is constantly updating and improving our playlists. We’ve selected a handful of our favorites to share with you here. If you like what you’re listening to, there’s plenty more to check out on our Spotify. Continue reading The Best Spotify Playlists for Hip Hop, R&B, and Soul Lovers
Top 10 Songs of 2022
Freezepeach’s annual list of the top songs of the year. Read our countdown of the top 10, including why we selected each song. Also, check out our playlist with the 100 best tracks from 2022. Continue reading Top 10 Songs of 2022
Stop Tap Dancing Around the Conversation: The Meaning and Background Behind Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
Kendrick Lamar’s fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, is a critique and rejection of present day culture. As a cultural icon himself, the Pulitzer-winning hip hop artist uses his new album to declare … Continue reading Stop Tap Dancing Around the Conversation: The Meaning and Background Behind Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
‘Go Ahead In The Rain’ Is A Precious Love Letter to Hip Hop
Hanif Abdurraqib delivers a transcendent post-modern tribute to his personal heroes and the members of his favorite hip hop group: A Tribe Called Quest. Continue reading ‘Go Ahead In The Rain’ Is A Precious Love Letter to Hip Hop
5 Thoughts on The Weeknd’s New Album ‘Dawn FM’
The Weeknd wakes up with a hangover after his After Hours binge After Hours followed the Weeknd’s journey late into the night, as he fell victim to his own worst habits. Dawn FM is him waking up from that hangover, … Continue reading 5 Thoughts on The Weeknd’s New Album ‘Dawn FM’
Top 10 Songs of 2021
Every year, we make a playlist of the best 100 songs of the year, and we write about the top 10. We hope you like this year’s list and that you discover some new favorites to add to your own playlists. Continue reading Top 10 Songs of 2021
Best Concerts in NYC in January 2022
Here is a short list of the best concerts in NYC in January 2022. We’ll be continually updating this list throughout the month as more shows are announced. Continue reading Best Concerts in NYC in January 2022
Let The Club Meeting Commence: EPIC by Pink Navel
The emergence of the Twitch livestream as a vessel for creativity and ingenuity has given creatives unparalleled access to instant feedback and reaction from others—fans, trolls, and fellow creatives alike. Dev, aka Pink Navel, has championed this platform, using their Epic Club streams (as lovingly referred to by them and their audience) to game, take calls, make beats, and freestyle while receiving real time feedback and love from dedicated fans and mutuals. Continue reading Let The Club Meeting Commence: EPIC by Pink Navel
Kanye West Plays Super-Coordinator On Donda, His Entertaining Christian Rap Jukebox
Donda is Kanye’s 10th solo studio album, arriving on Sunday (of course), August 29th, and running at a whopping 1 hour and 48 minutes, or the length of an average movie. The album confirms that God wasn’t merely a subject to temporarily explore through his music, but instead the nucleus that will define a whole era, and potentially the entire future, of Kanye West’s music. Named after his late mother, Donda will be remembered as much for its promotional packed-arena listening parties as it will for the music itself. Continue reading Kanye West Plays Super-Coordinator On Donda, His Entertaining Christian Rap Jukebox
It’s Been A Whole [LIMBO] Year: Aminé’s Limbo Turns One
One year after the release of his sophomore album Limbo, the Portland rapper’s adamant self-determinations—as well as his aptitude for blending flippant arrogance with visceral vulnerability—still captivate and shine as some of his best work to date. Limbo represents a crossroads in Aminé’s life: a state of uncertainty and experimentation he experiences while attempting to find his place in life and in music. Continue reading It’s Been A Whole [LIMBO] Year: Aminé’s Limbo Turns One
5 Thoughts on Isaiah Rashad’s New Album ‘The House Is Burning’
You could argue the peaks on THIB may not be as high as those on his other albums (Wat’s Wrong, Shot You Down), but as a holistic project, it’s Rashad’s best achievement yet. In what could be considered a risky move, he pivoted away from rapping and fully committed to utilizing his voice as a mood-setting melody-manipulating instrument. Thanks in part to a portfolio of smartly-curated production and a complementary guest list, the music on THIB is extremely cohesive without ever being dull. And yet, THIB’s greatest strength is its ability to replace Rashad’s vivid personal narratives with a more casual chilled-out aesthetic, while not sacrificing any of the intimacy. Continue reading 5 Thoughts on Isaiah Rashad’s New Album ‘The House Is Burning’
5 Takeaways from Questlove’s Summer of Soul Documentary
What 300,000 concert-goers got to experience in person 50 years ago, the world now gets to watch up close and personal. As the musical time capsule that is Summer of Soul shares its treasures, it evokes a strong sense of nostalgia for a foregone era, while not ignoring the significant cultural and political challenges of the period. Here are our 5 takeaways from the incredible documentary. Continue reading 5 Takeaways from Questlove’s Summer of Soul Documentary
Appreciating Twin Shadow’s Dominican-infused Rock: A Journey From His ‘Broken Horses’ EP to His New Self-titled Album
The differences between the Santo Domingo and Port Antonio Edits may be so subtle that you barely even notice, but there’s a reason Twin Shadow released the Broken Horses EP with both versions: he wants his music to have global citizenship. The Broken Horses EP symbolizes how the nuances between different cultures’ music should not be ignored; on the contrary, they should be celebrated. Sometimes it’s most important to recognize the uniqueness between musical traditions that share the most in common, such as the island countries of the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. Continue reading Appreciating Twin Shadow’s Dominican-infused Rock: A Journey From His ‘Broken Horses’ EP to His New Self-titled Album
REVIEW: Questlove’s Summer of Soul (…Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Director Questlove’s Summer of Soul takes us into the heart of Harlem, New York, where the most prominent and iconic Black musicians performed over the course of a six-part concert series during the summer of 1969. The footage of those performances is so spectacular, and the film’s commentary so engaging, that viewers will never think about the summer of Woodstock without also remembering the mini revolution that took place downtown at Mount Morris Park in the city. A revolution not televised… until now. Continue reading REVIEW: Questlove’s Summer of Soul (…Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Dusk-lit Drives Across Deserted Highways: Stay Up! By Kwajo
There is a certain feeling that is inextricably linked to the idea of summer drives at dusk—a feeling of total presence in the moment and untamed, unabashed hope for what’s to come. Stay Up!, the latest single by DMV rapper Kwajo, gracefully captures that sentiment. Continue reading Dusk-lit Drives Across Deserted Highways: Stay Up! By Kwajo
GoldLink Doesn’t Try To Be Bigger Than His Music
With the heavily distorted and almost muffled vocals on HARAM! GoldLink’s raps don’t dominate his album’s sound like rappers’ raps usually do. Like on his previous albums, Diaspora in particular, GoldLink doesn’t feel the need to make it all about him. He wants to be a part of the music, he doesn’t want to be the music. Continue reading GoldLink Doesn’t Try To Be Bigger Than His Music
Top 5 Rap Verses of 2020
Welcome to our first of many lists where we rank the best rap verses of the year. We’re kicking things off by reviewing the best of 2020. Let these verses and songs be a reminder that there are some good things that were born out of the pandemic. Continue reading Top 5 Rap Verses of 2020
J. Cole Embraces the New Era of Hip Hop and Goes Back to Rapping for Sport On The Off-Season
Despite the open-minded new direction Cole takes, make no mistake: he shows zero mercy on The Off-Season. He hasn’t sounded this hungry since his mixtape days, when the young simba was rapping for sport, lyrically terrorizing other rappers and threatening anybody in his path, punchline by punchline. On his new album, he returns to his rap-first think-later instincts that defined his early mixtapes. Continue reading J. Cole Embraces the New Era of Hip Hop and Goes Back to Rapping for Sport On The Off-Season
Speakin’ From The Underground: A Tribute To Shock G
Shock G gave weirdness, spontaneity and fun-loving humor a home within hip hop, while pioneering and exploring the funk and psychedelic side of the culture. Shock G was funky hip hop through and through, and the world is less funky with his passing. Continue reading Speakin’ From The Underground: A Tribute To Shock G
Shrooms, Tunes, and a Haunted Guitar: The Making of Shakey Graves
Shakey Graves has mystified and entertained crowds with his Americana musical blend for over a decade. With the release of Roll the Bones X, the origin of his beautiful, haunting melodies has been unearthed for all to hear. Read the full article for the story behind the artist, his new album, and the haunted guitar at the center of it all. Continue reading Shrooms, Tunes, and a Haunted Guitar: The Making of Shakey Graves
Cool Dry Place: Katy Kirby’s Coming of Age Debut Album
With the release of her debut album Cool Dry Place, Katy Kirby begins her career with a graceful triumph. On the album, the indie folk/pop rocker paints vivid images of where she’s from, who she is, and who she wants to be. Continue reading Cool Dry Place: Katy Kirby’s Coming of Age Debut Album
Top 25 Rap and R&B Collaborations of All Time
Our list of the top 25 rap/R&B collaborations showcases a cross-pollination of prolific rappers (Jay Z, Nas, Biggie) and singers (Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé) who came together to make timeless music. Continue reading Top 25 Rap and R&B Collaborations of All Time
Introducing Jay Jordan: The Young Producer Making Lo-fi Beats And Channeling Hip Hop Nostalgia
Hip hop producer Jay Jordan is taking it back to the basics, crafting nostalgia-infused beats that glitch and glide with soulful purpose. The amount of heritage, history, and legacy that is all consciously packed into Jordan’s work makes for a profound statement from an artist who’s just getting started. Continue reading Introducing Jay Jordan: The Young Producer Making Lo-fi Beats And Channeling Hip Hop Nostalgia
Being Part of A Global Hip Hop Collective: An Interview with Cole Hamilton from Youth // Service
We’ve seen plenty of boy bands take the entire world by storm, but we’ve never seen anything quite like Youth // Service. The alternative hip hop collective has redefined what it means to be global. Continue reading Being Part of A Global Hip Hop Collective: An Interview with Cole Hamilton from Youth // Service
Our Favorite Albums of 2020
Here’s a list of our favorite albums – in no particular order – from this crazy year. We’re thankful to all the great artists that shared their music with us. Continue reading Our Favorite Albums of 2020
Top 10 Songs of 2020 (Media Version)
This is the media version of our Top 10 Songs of 2020 article – it replaces the written summaries with streaming players and music videos for all of the songs. Enjoy. Continue reading Top 10 Songs of 2020 (Media Version)
Top 10 Songs of 2020
Every year, we make a playlist of the best 100 songs of the year, and we write about the top 10. We hope you enjoy these new songs, and the brief summaries. 🍑 Continue reading Top 10 Songs of 2020
How The Late 2000’s Hip Hop Mixtape Movement Became Immortalized
By operating outside of the iTunes model instead of within it, a generation of mixtape artists was able to make an indelible and transformative impact on both music culture and the present day streaming landscape. Continue reading How The Late 2000’s Hip Hop Mixtape Movement Became Immortalized
Vom feature: Slow Pulp’s new song/video is bonkers good
Slow Pulp is a really really good band. This week, the group released an ethereal power-sad ballad, “Falling Apart”, off of their upcoming album “Moveys”. The track came accompanied by an incredible music video Continue reading Vom feature: Slow Pulp’s new song/video is bonkers good
WizKid Explores New Elements of Afrobeats Music to Inspire His Latest Album ‘Made In Lagos’
If you only know WizKid from his appearance on Drake’s massive global hit One Dance, then now’s a good time to for that to change. Continue reading WizKid Explores New Elements of Afrobeats Music to Inspire His Latest Album ‘Made In Lagos’
Meditations by Caleb Giles: Growth in the Midst of a Collapsing World
Although New York hip hop artist Caleb Giles is still making waves mostly at the regional level, the young artist from the Bronx has already achieved a lot on his 4 albums to date. Continue reading Meditations by Caleb Giles: Growth in the Midst of a Collapsing World
Sturgill Simpson and The Steep Canyon Rangers Land a Lethal One-Two Bluegrass Punch
Two bluegrass albums came out last Friday from Sturgill Simpson and the Steep Canyon Rangers: two well-known acts in the country and folk music spheres. In terms of popular appeal, it might end up being one of the biggest days … Continue reading Sturgill Simpson and The Steep Canyon Rangers Land a Lethal One-Two Bluegrass Punch
Kendrick Lamar’s ‘The Prayer’ is a Critique of How Society Values Art
Of the three songs leaked on September 5th, The Prayer is the closest to album-grade Kendrick in terms of sound mastering and depth of concept. In exploring the concept of dualism between art vs. artist on the track, Lamar questions why the legacy of an artistic creation must depend on the reputation of the artist’s personal character. Continue reading Kendrick Lamar’s ‘The Prayer’ is a Critique of How Society Values Art
Introducing JoeJas: The Free-spirited Hip Hop Artist Doing Everything Himself
On JoeJas’s Spotify bio, he explains how his music is inspired by his personal experiences being labeled weird and different. After listening to his music and checking out his various design projects, it becomes clear that being weird and different is an asset, not a hindrance, for the UK-based creative. Few artists embody today’s limitless do-it-yourself (DIY) spirit quite like utility man JoeJas, who has found a way to control the entire narrative, all from his own island. Continue reading Introducing JoeJas: The Free-spirited Hip Hop Artist Doing Everything Himself