Category: NEWS

New single from West Coast artist Diverse is sure to get listeners amped 

HAYWARD, CA – A new single from West Coast artist Diverse is bouncy and aggressive and fun –the perfect summer song for a year in which people are longing to have a good time. The feel-good vibes of “B.B. Benson” perfectly present this young up-and-coming artist to the world in ways that unabashedly show off his ability to deliver smooth flows with confident lyrics underneath an energy that is infectious. This song is guaranteed to get listeners amped. 

“When I’ve got something to say, I gotta let it go and let it flow,” Diverse said. “It took me 40 minutes to make this song because it just came out so easy. Me and my boy were in the studio working and after we finished a track we’d been working on for a while he asked if I wanted to make another one. I said sure, and he played me a beat that was super energetic. For some reason, it made me want to whisper which I do at the beginning of the song, and then I come on strong. I’m like water – I can adapt to anything and any beat and I’ll make it my own, and this song is a perfect example of that. Last year, I was doing more melodic and Post Mallone type songs, and this year I’m coming with the hot energetic tracks. I like big-ass crowds and mosh pits and that kind of stuff, and this song is perfect for that kind of energy.” 

Diverse first got his start in music at age 12 when he would watch his dad make beats in his studio. By high school, he had learned enough to start creating his own music and when friends and classmates started hearing his creations, they clamored for more. After graduating from high school, he and a friend would spend nearly every waking hour in the studio working on songs and experimenting with new sounds. He dropped his first mixtape in 2016, and then in early 2017 dropped his first album. More and more people began to take notice and he went on tour that year. His music began to be played on the radio and in the years since, he’s put up millions of plays on streaming platforms with his music.  

“Diverse isn’t just the name I go by, it’s the type of music I create,” he said. “It’s also my personality and how I hold myself which is different from other people. There are different races in me. I was a jock in high school but also loved drama. I was always different than anybody else and my music is a representation of that. I have different flows on this song – I sound like three or four different people instead of just one – but I’m always keeping it real. My music will always be that – talking about shit I can talk about and be comfortable with. I want to choose the best version of myself and show that to the world, and I want to inspire people to embrace that about themselves as well. Just be 100 percent honest – that goes a long way and that’s what I want my music to be known for at the end of the day.” 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbh6hS0LABU]

To listen to Diverse’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit: 

https://mobile.twitter.com/yaboydiverse
https://www.instagram.com/yaboydiverse/ 

https://vm.tiktok.com/JNfYpC2/ 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/383JjDSp7QaDBAiz2AZZZN?si=nomnqJmPSyOjhEAWuU-4jw 

B.B.Benson – Diverse (Prod. Parker) 

https://soundcloud.com/diverseonthebeat/b-b-benson-prod-lou-ig

Former NFL hopeful uses pain to fuel passion for music 

VERO BEACH, FL – Inspiring the world is what Alonzo Phillips was made for, and his latest single “We Made It” is the perfect example of that. Featuring fellow artists Beanie Sigel and JP, “We Made It” is the perfect blend of energy and passion underneath lyrics that are timely and necessary for the current state of the world. 

“We’re putting some positive messages out there,” said Phillips, better known by his stage name TopNotch772. “Beanie’s verse talks about how he feels with what’s going on in the world today and it’s a little more mellow, and my verse comes at the same thing from a different perspective but it’s a little more upbeat. The overall message is that we’re gonna make it. And that’s the kind of music I want to make – positive messages that people can listen to when they’re going through something and they’re on the edge and they feel like giving up. My music is inspirational, uplifting and a little bit of street at the same time.” 

Those inspirational messages come from a life filled with a lot of pain. TopNotch first started rapping as an outlet for his emotions after his father was robbed and shot in the head. He and his father were very close and the loss was abrupt and deeply painful. He said he couldn’t turn to his mother during that time, either as she was addicted to drugs and wasn’t present. But Rap was just a side hustle that helped him emote, his real passion was football … and he was good at it. So good, in fact, that he was invited to the Buffalo Bills professional team’s minicamp. Though he didn’t make the 52-man roster, he knew he had the kind of elite athleticism to succeed at a high level and he pursued it hard … until yet another tragedy struck. 

While practicing with his professional indoor football team, he went up for a pass and came down wrong and snapped his tibia and fibula in half. The compound fracture had bones sticking out through his skin. The inner pain of his past was now mirrored by very real physical pain, and the two bounced off each other as he soon learned that his career as an athlete was over.  

“Pain is the reason I want to rap and share my story,” he said. “I know there is someone going through similar things to what I went through, and I know I can help them through music.” 

When he turned his full attention to music, TopNotch started gaining traction and making waves in the industry. He opened a show for Trick Daddy at a club in Cocoa Beach, Florida and has also opened for Yolanda Adams, Detrick Hadden, Tye Tribbet, Jessica Reedy and Fred Hammond. His previous single, “We Gotta Move” was on heavy rotation on multiple radio stations, followed quickly by more radio play from his song “Ain’t Nobody Mad.” Now with “We Made It,” TopNotch hopes to continue that success and expand his fanbase on more of a global level.  

“I’m never going down again,” he said, nodding to the meaning of his stage name. “No matter what it takes, I’m gonna stay up. I’ve lost people and I know how that feels, but instead of getting angry, I started writing songs, then doing shows, then next thing you know I’m opening for people like Trick Daddy. What got me started was pain and not wanting to find different unhealthy outlets for that pain, and I’m not gonna let anything bring me back down.” 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX3E-XQX_5s]

To listen to TopNotch772’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit: 

https://www.instagram.com/topnotch772/
https://www.facebook.com/AlonzoPhillips772/
https://mobile.twitter.com/TopNotch772
https://soundcloud.com/user-968912648
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1HfCzBtXivK119gwpJxVkZ?si=rqx_HaJ4R4e1OTpkrwoJ3w 

Hip Hop soul group Blaq Pyrates drops new single “Steady Growth” 

CORDELE, GA – One of the hottest street performing groups in the country has flown under the radar for the past few years, but with the launch of their new single “Steady Growth,” they’re set to launch into global recognition. 

The group is known as Blaq Pyrates, and they have been performing in major cities all over the South and Mid-West for nearly two decades. Originally known as the Trapville Pyrates, the group has won multiple awards over the years and have performed in some of the country’s most famous venues. In 2016, they were the winners of the Sony Music Distribution Competition Tour, followed by winning three Independent Tone Awards in 2017 including Artist of the Year in both the Pop and R&B/Soul categories as well as Band of the Year in the Alternative Rock category. They also won Hip Hop/Soul Group of the Year in 2018 for their single “Problems.” Their success gave them opportunities to perform in places such as WME Music Hall in Louisville, Kentucky, Liquid Lounge in Atlanta, Georgia, Daiquiri Lounge in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the South By Southwest Mansion Party in Austin, Texas, among others. Blaq Pyrates also appeared on the Legendary Khujo Goodie’s album ‘Feed The Lions’ Volume One. 

The group has fluctuated from as many as six members at one point to its current lineup of four artists. It was founded by Ali “Obawale” Rahman in 2003. Joining him were his two brothers, Amin “Obayemi” Rahman and Karim “Obatunji” Rothwell. The three performed under the stage names Fetty Cash, Rasta Rudd, and Marty MacFly, respectively. Their cousin Hayward Hollingsworth, AKA Koolgi Kid, joined them as well. They changed their name to Blaq Pyrates in 2007, choosing to adopt the acronym that stands for “Brothers Linked Amongst Qualifications, Protect Your Riches Alias Through Extreme Status” and have since performed under this name.  In 2009, Koolgi Kid left the Pyrates to start another group & was replaced by neighborhood friend, Michael Childs, named Nephew Shawty. In 2010, Jeffrey Alexander, named Jonny Papez, was added to the group’s roster but would later leave in 2018 to pursue other ventures. In 2015, Kendale Gibson, named York ILL, became the last member to join the group creating the group’s current four member lineup as follows: Rudd, York, MacFly, and Nephew. In the fall of 2017, the group incorporated their own independent record label Blaq Pyrate Nation, LLC naming Fetty Cash as the CEO. Unfortunately, in the fall of that same year, Fetty Cash lost his life in the streets of Cordele due to gun violence. Since his untimely death, the group has created a fashion line as a tribute to their CEO and lost member, called Zódoq Mebenki™, named after Fetty’s alter ego “Zodoq Banks”. 

Their steady rise to superstardom over the past three years has brought them to July 2020 and the release of their new single “Steady Growth,” which features independent artist Vigilany of New World Renaissance. The music video for the song was filmed in New York City’s Times Square approximately one month before the devastating COVID-19 outbreak.  

“It’s a song with a classic Hip Hop beat and Trap undertones,” said Marty MacFly. “We consider ourselves a Hip Hop and Soul group, but this song has a little more hype and energetic feel to it. It definitely will, for sure, get you inspired. It’s the perfect song to showcase our progressive growth over time. It encompasses what we’re about and what we’ve been doing. The video with different shots throughout Times Square will definitely give people that feeling of energy and success.” 

MacFly said the group is excited to see what the next decade will bring for them. As soon as it’s safe to do so, Blaq Pyrates will begin performing publicly again, and he promises that fans can expect more of the excellent sound they’ve been known for across the years while also bringing new energy and styles to the table. 

“Our music is about pushing business, entrepreneurship, independent wealth, and the American value system of hard work and dedication,” MacFly said. “We have a new age type of sound with old school concepts. When you listen to us, you’re gonna hear something that sounds completely different than what’s out there, and you know when you see us — it’s going to be unique and eye-catching.” 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL1hABUSkY8] 

To listen to Blaq Pyrates’ music or to follow them on social media, please visit: 

https://g.co/kgs/1tmqaF 

https://www.instagram.com/blaqpyratesofficial/ 

https://www.twitter.com/BlaqPyrates                   

https://www.facebook.com/pg/blaqpyratenation 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXlWvFnhPKYbZQXS1wBV9OQ 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2cVHylshUI3drOzgGBEpMO?si=_1cMmTYNQUuC8DR0Qa4L_g 

https://www.blaqpyrates.com/soundcloud.html#/
https://m.soundcloud.com/blaqpyrates 

https://www.blaqpyrates.com/#/ 

“STEADY GROWTH”  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL1hABUSkY8 
https://ditto.fm/steady-growth 

“PROBLEMS”
https://youtu.be/3nht-cv8tWQ
https://ditto.fm/problems-blaq-pyrates
https://open.spotify.com/track/4ttwIHwkzUMNrr0hgAvWlY?si=SjASJ_30SoS89Dv1WIBDsw;  

https://open.spotify.com/track/7GEcfdwyruFw9dnnDrpRsk?si=Bo7UUHsYTYeJupBICS6dXQ  

Merch Store 

https://www.blaqpyrates.com/store/c2/blaq-pyrates-merch#/ 

Zódoq Mebenki™ Fashion House 

https://www.blaqpyrates.com/store/c4/Z%C3%93DOQ_MABENKI_FASHION_HOUSE.html#/ 

Sean Walk inspires movement with new single ‘Nobody’ 

MAYWOOD, IL – Sean Walk is creating a movement. It’s hard to define, but anyone who listens to his music will understand immediately what it is he’s trying to inspire. It’s a movement that’s all about making music for everywhere – breaking down barriers and destroying walls that spring up between people for so many petty reasons. During a time in which there are wide cultural and societal divides, Sean Walk’s movement is not only attractive, it’s necessary.  

“Whether it’s vibe music or dance or music for the soul, I’m trying to create something that helps people relate in positive ways to what’s going on around us,” Sean said. “Each day, I experiment with different genres such as Rock, Rap, Blues, R&B, or whatever my soul feels like doing. My music is personal style, growth, and the ups and downs of everyday life. I hope that my movement will be something that everyone who listens to my music can relate to. Music should help people cope with life, be happy, be motivated, be inspired, and hype you up.” 

Sean’s newest single is a perfect example of that unique sound and style. The song is called “Nobody,” and it explores the inner strength it takes to look others in the eye and say, “No, I won’t listen to your negativity.” 

“I never try to fit in,” Sean said. “I’ve always been different and I’ve always gone my own way, and that’s what this song is about. It’s Rap mixed with Rock and the lyrics talk about not needing anything and not asking for help or depending on anybody. I’m going all by myself and making it happen. It’s a real live song – a turn up song – with pure emotion.” 

Sean said the single is one that serves as the perfect marker at this current time of his life, and a great example of the kind of journey he’s taken both in life and in music. He first started down the path of music as a career when he was 9 years old. His mother purchased journals for him and his brother, and he recalls listening to Petey Pablo and writing down his lyrics into the journal. He started rapping when he was 13 and in the years since, he’s worked on developing his own unique sound and style. 

“My sound is all about realism and the hurt and pain and actual feelings we go through on a daily basis,” he said. “I don’t consider myself a rapper – I’m a ghetto rocker. I turn my passion into music, and the way my music comes out is just pure. I just let my mind do the work and every time, I come out with a hit. It’s raw emotion. Too many people don’t want to let their feelings out but with my music, they can connect and it can help them get their emotions out. That’s how I express myself and that’s what this movement is all about. If you don’t want to talk to people, you can talk through my music.” 

In addition to “Nobody,” Sean is also preparing to release a mixtape called “Safe Love, Real Problems” which he said should be available across all streaming platforms by September. He’s also working on a 12-song album called “Focus Through Frustration” which he plans to drop either later this year or in early 2021.  

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/848713456″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

To listen to Sean Walk’s music or to follow him on social media please visit: 

https://instagram.com/walk_the_movement?igshid=18wfdpgh1oub9 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDUlSNzzQKoE4WfwbeAWQVQ 

https://twitter.com/SeanWalkTheWalk 

https://www.facebook.com/seanwalkthewalk 

https://www.facebook.com/seanwalk.dahwalk