Uproxx Music 20

Uproxx Music 20: Hennessy Keeps Her Head Above Water With Music — The Best Therapy She Could Ask For

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Hennessy Uproxx Music 20
Tnick/Merle Cooper

Hennessy begins her recently released EP, Maybe I’m Oversharing with a voice memo she recorded on New Year’s Day this year. The soft-spoken spends a little over two minutes admitting her flaws and bouts with depression and anxiety. At the same time, she questions those who criticize her for a moment of weakness, wrongfully assuming it’s connected to laziness or insufficiency in her life. By the end of the voice memo, Hennessy finds solace in her attempts to overcome her mental health struggles and a moment to explain herself and overshare a bit about her life, something the voice memo allows her to do.

Born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, Hennessy dove headfirst into a music career in 2020 with her debut single “1-800-SLIDE.” Since then, she’s used music as a medium to find her voice and recover from life’s ups and downs. Her debut EP Time Revealed, released in 2022, exhibits this the best as its six songs document the crushing rise and fall of a relationship that, in the end, was “all for nothing” as the project’s lead single details.

With later singles like “I’ll Be” and “Forever & A Day” in her back pocket, in addition to Maybe I’m Oversharing, it’s now clear that Hennessy has not only accepted but embraced the healing nature of music. Keeping that in mind, it makes sense why the singer ditched her therapist after their last encounter, something she poignantly details in “Therapy Session” on Maybe I’m Oversharing.

Days removed from the release of Maybe I’m Oversharing, as well as Virgo men-bashing freestyle on the New York-based platform On The Radio, Uproxx spent some time with Hennessy where she unveiled her love for Brandy, concerns for teleporting into the future, and her hope to heal with her music.

What is your earliest memory of music?

I think probably Sunday cleaning with my mom. She would always play old-school R&B and my brother would play rap in his room. That’s how I acquired my music taste.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

I think myself. I was in the hospital in a coma for so long and when I woke up, I was like, “Damn, if I died, I really didn’t do all the things I wanted to fully commit to in life and one of them was music.” In elementary, middle, and high school, I did all the talent shows. I did America’s Got Talent and The X Factor, my mom brought me to them. I knew if I would’ve died, I wouldn’t have died fulfilled because I didn’t pursue music. So when I left, like literally soon as I got healthy — not even when I got healthy because I was still kinda limping because of the surgery — I went to LA and I went to Atlanta to record.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

I want to learn how to play the bass. I love it on all my songs, like every record, I have to have live bass on it. So it’s like if I’m having live bass on all my records, I want to be able to go on stage and actually perform with it.

What was your first job?

My first job was at the Boys & Girls Club. I was working with kids, I was like 14.

What is your most prized possession?

Definitely my hard drive. I’m done for if it’s gone.

What is your biggest fear?

I think dying before I accomplish everything that I want to do. I think because I have come close to death already, I really want to accomplish everything that I want to do because I know it’s possible.

Who is on your R&B/rap/afrobeats Mt. Rushmore?

Brandy, PartyNextDoor, Lauryn Hill, and Jhené Aiko.

Brandy is the vocal God, a layering queen, and my favorite R&B artist of all time. PartyNextDoor is the originator of trap R&B rnb, and without PND, we wouldn’t have a bunch of our favorite R&B male artists who were, of course, influenced by him. Plus, his production and pen are crazy. Lauryn Hill gave us one of the best albums of all time, and she was able to blend hip-hop and R&B so well, I’m heavily inspired by her. Finally, Jhené Aiko is one of the pioneers of this modern R&B sound for women. I feel like people don’t give her enough credit. She really created a subgenre in R&B for all the soft-toned singing girls. People have one idea of what R&B should sound like – with crazy runs, belting, and all – not knowing the beauty of the genre is that R&B can come in all types of forms and tones. I think we need to start giving Jhené her flowers.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

I’ll stay in Rhode Island. I’m eating mad crab legs. I’m going to Wonderland and I’m paying somebody’s college tuition at the strip club. I’m buying my car that I sold, I’m buying back my 1970 Buick. I’m buying all my friends things that they always wanted. I’m paying my friends’ student loans back as well. I’m buying my mom a crib, I’ll pay it in cash. I’m gonna tell everybody to meet me at the mall and I’ll buy them whatever they want. I’ll go to a grocery store like Stop & Shop or Shaws and pay for people’s groceries. I’ll go to AS220, find an artist who is in high school and wants to become a singer just like me and give them bread to start their music career. I think I’m just naturally a humanitarian so I want to give people things if I had unlimited resources. I don’t know what I would do personally besides eat crab legs. I think I’ll be fulfilled with that and getting my mama crib.

What are your three most used emojis?

💯🩸🦇.

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

Young Thug.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

Rick And Morty because I want to do voice acting. I feel like I’m awkward on camera, but when there are no cameras around, I’m able to actually showcase my personality. So if I was a voice actor, I just know it’d be fire. I have the voice for it. It’ll be fun too and I love Rick And Morty.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

Cardi B. She shows her personality a lot. She’s really just unapologetically her.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

Virgo men are not good people and Young Thug is the most influential artist of our generation. No one can ever change that for me either.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

“Put That On Everything” by Brandy. It’s my favorite love song.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

Bangor, Maine is my favorite city to perform in. I want to perform in Toronto really badly, they have a really great R&B scene.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

It’s gonna be in Providence, RI. It’ll be fire to bring a music festival to Rhode Island. I like how artists have festivals in their hometowns. Jack Harlow just announced he’s doing one, I like how Tyler The Creator does it, and I like that J. Cole and Drake have their own too. So it’ll definitely be in my hometown. It’ll be me, Kehlani, SZA, Young Thug, Cash Cobain, and Drake of course. I gotta bring Drake to Rhode Island, Drake has to experience Rhode Island.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

I would be an Africana Studies professor at a university because I think that’s what I want to do when I’m like 60 years old.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

I think I’m too scared to see the future. What if I don’t f*ck with it? What if I die so now I just see black? Like I’m dead so I wasted the five years for nothing. I think I’ll go to the past to relive some moments, just to get that feeling again.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

You should’ve never dated that man.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I went to Brockton for Luke Bar’s listening party for his “Flawless” single and one of the guys that owns the venue came up to me and said Time Revealed was one of the best projects he’d listened to that year because he was going through something dark. I told him I just dropped a three-pack, but I didn’t tell him the names of the songs. I told him that if you liked Time Revealed, you’ll like this one because this one is me being more vulnerable and expressing my mental health. He’s like it’s crazy because a lot of people don’t talk about therapy when it comes to mental health and I told him I have a song on the project called “Therapy Session.” So I just want my music to heal people because every time people DM me or tell me my music just helped them, it makes me feel better and like I have a purpose outside of just releasing music. It makes life worth living.

Maybe I’m Oversharing is out now via Pousome Records. Find out more information here.

Uproxx Music 20: Dende Makes Music For Unapologetic Lovers And ‘Wish You Were Here’ Is Proof Of That

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Dende Interview Uproxx Music 20
Qurissy /Merle Cooper

There’s no shame in romance for Dende. The Texas singer has a knack for letting his heart bleed on records nor letting a teardrop or two fall if the moment pushes him to that level of emotion. Whether love is at his doorstep or on the other side of the world, Dende years for it in a way that few in today’s R&B landscape do. His music recalls when singers begged and pleaded in the rain – something Dende has done through his music (see “Better Than Him”).

Dende’s impressive run, which dates back to last year’s ’95 Civic and Before We Crash projects, continues with his latest EP, Wish You Were Here. Through three songs, Dende recalls the moments of longing during a trip to the UK that separated him from a lover. His irrefutable feelings about his partner on “Your Intro,” the sultry invitation for romance to fulfill a burning passion on “Slide” with J Warner, and the celebration of flawless chemistry on “Jigsaw” all make for a soul-stirring display of love at its peak.

Along with the release of Wish You Were Here, Uproxx also caught up with Dende to discuss his start in music, his love for Usher, and his commitment to defending Arby’s at all costs.

What is your earliest memory of music?

My earliest memory of music is sitting at the lunch table in elementary school. This girl, Danielle, and I had a sing-off. People around the table were judging it. I don’t remember what song she sang, but she could not sing for real, and I sang “You Don’t Have to Call” by Usher. They voted for her, and I went and cried in the hall.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

Funny enough, the person who inspired me to take music seriously was Chance The Rapper. Senior year of high school I begged my parents to let me go to his concert. They were kind of strict, and Acid Rap had just come out. I was obsessed, and at the time, he was just preaching independence and working really hard at making music.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

I actually know how to play a couple of instruments. I know how to play piano, guitar, & drums. I was in drumline all through high school and some of college. The instrument that I wanna learn how to play is the saxophone.

What was your first job?

My first job was at Kroger, a grocery store in Texas. I was a — I don’t know my official title, I think it was a cart getter? I’d go get the carts. Eventually, I became a bagger, and then I became a cashier.

What is your most prized possession?

My most prized possession is my grandpa‘s rocking chair. It’s really not comfortable at all, but I love it. My dad gave it to me after his dad passed.

What is your biggest fear?

My biggest fear is probably not reaching the potential that I know that I have. I’d hate to not live up to the standards I hold myself to.

Who is on your R&B/rap/afrobeats Mt. Rushmore?

My R&B, Mount Rushmore, is as follows: BOOM! We got Usher, we got Luther Vandross, we got Brandy… I don’t know how many heads are on Mount Rushmore.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

Aight, I have 24 hours and unlimited resources let’s get it. First, I wake up, I look over to my left, and all I see is this nightstand and a lamp, and one of those old-school alarm clocks. The ones you still got a hit, but they were brown and they looked weird, but everybody’s grandma had them in their house, but that’s what I have. Then I look to the right, and all I see are those trays that people have bed-and-breakfast breakfast on. I have one of those and on that tray is just a mimosa and a cigar, it’s already lit, but it was just lit, and there’s nobody there.

So I sit there, I’m drinking this mimosa, I’m smoking a cigar in bed, and then the alarm goes off, and I smack the alarm, and I get out of bed. I get in my car, and in this timeline, I have a McLaren, and I drive that McLaren up to Six Flags, and I have a fast pass. I get on every ride five times. I return to my McLaren and drive to the movie theater. I love watching movies in the movie theater. I feel like it’s a dying art, and we need to appreciate it more. I watch every single one of the Harry Potter movies on the big screen in order, then I go home. When I get home I walk in, and there’s another mimosa and another cigar ready for me to go to bed. That’s what I’m doing for my 24 hours.

What are your three most used emojis?

🛝🍑🤤.

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

Usher. I could die a happy man.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

It would be That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime! I love anime, and it’s basically all I watch. I’d love to see myself animated.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

The celebrity who I admire for their personality is probably gonna be Tyler, The Creator. I feel like he’s always just wanted to be himself authentically, and I pride myself on doing the exact same thing.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

To be honest with you, I will never let the internet or anyone else convince me that Arby’s isn’t good because I feel like we’ve all been conditioned by Twitter to make this running joke that Arby’s is terrible. But every time I ask someone if they’ve ever eaten Arby’s or when the last time they ate it they either have never eaten it or they ate it when they were like eight years old. So I challenge everyone to go to your nearest Arby’s, go get a buffalo chicken slider and the curly fries and then shut the hell up.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

The best song I’ve ever heard is “Almost Doesn’t Count” by Brandy. That song is amazing. My favorite thing about it is that the first verse feels like a hook. It’s crazy, but it’s amazing. It’s such a well-written song, I love it.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

My favorite city to perform in so far is Atlanta because I love seeing all the black faces in the crowd, that makes me super happy. A city that I’m really excited to perform, and I have to do two of them, is gonna be DC and Toronto.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

So BOOM, my dream lineup, including myself, is going to be Lucky Daye, Usher, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, and Avril Lavigne. This sounds like it doesn’t make any sense, but that’s because it doesn’t, and that’s OK and we’re gonna do this in Malibu on the beach.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

To be honest with you, I’d probably still be doing AC work. I got my HVAC license and it pays pretty well.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

I would see five years into the future simply because I don’t think living in the past leads to anything productive.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

I would tell my 18-year-old self to accept help quicker.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I’d like my music to be remembered as an impactful period in people’s lives. I remember what I was going through or where I was when I heard specific albums. I just wanna be able to be that for other people.

Wish You Were Here is out now via CXR. Find out more information here.

Uproxx Music 20: Bossman Dlow’s ‘Get In With Me’ Is The Motivational Music We All Need

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Bossman Dlow Uproxx Music 20
Merle Cooper/FROMAKBAR

If you’re going to be around Bossman Dlow, you better be about your business. The Florida rapper makes that clear, directly and indirectly, through his various releases that include a pair of 2023 projects: Too Slippery & 2 Slippery. Though his philosophy lives throughout his discography, no entry with it has resonated better with listeners than his 2024 breakout single “Get In With Me.”

I can’t tell what helped Bossman’s “Get In With Me” blow up to the masses and earn an entry on the Billboard Hot 100, but personally, a celebratory TikTok from Keith Lee is what introduced the song to me. The Florida native’s music is birthed from the same atmosphere as cut-throat unforgiving records from Rob49, Real Boston Richey, EST Gee, and others. In the end, Bossman Dlow excels thanks to a simple message to listeners that live as both lyrics for “Get In With Me” and a mantra for his artistry: “You wanna be a boss? You gotta pay the price.”

Without further ado, add “Get In With Me” to your motivational playlists and scroll down to learn more about Bossman Dlow who has a sweet appreciation for Future and HER and an honest take on his past and hopeful future.

What is your earliest memory of music?

Hearing “Juicy Fruit” by Mtume. My momma loved that f*cking song.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

My brother Tory inspired me from a young age.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

Hell no. But if I had to learn one, it’d be the guitar or a piano.

What was your first job?

Truck driving and doing delivery jobs with my Dad.

What is your most prized possession?

My money of course.

What is your biggest fear?

I got two of ‘em. Getting sentenced to life in prison would be the first. Being broke would be the second, but we up so no fear on that front.

Who is on your R&B/rap/afrobeats Mt. Rushmore?

Future, Babyface Ray, Wiz Khalifa, and me, of course.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

We finna open up every business every dispensary everything you can open up. Every cop gonna be owned by big za. Dlows flowers, dlows electronics, dlows world.

What are your three most used emojis?

🦈🏊🏾💪🏾.

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

Future.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

The Boondocks.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

Future. How he vibes and carries himself. Who do you know the Future beefs with? That’s definitely something he’s doing right.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

Broke people are miserable.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

“Slide” by HER. When I was locked up and had those headphones in, I’d go by myself in the corner and that shit had me all the way to 95. I was on all type of vibes with that song. She snapped so hard.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

Favorite city so far has been Gainesville, FL. I’m really excited to perform in Detroit, MI soon.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

Future, Babyface Ray, HER, Sexyy Red, and Veeze.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

Probably trapping lol.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

The future, for sure. The past is over with. 5 years in the past I was probably on the way to prison. It’s a sad reality, but I shouldn’t even say “probably.” The future holds unlimited potential. Only way is up from here.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

18? I’ll go back a year further and say that I wish I ain’t catch that felony when I was 17. Wish I could tell myself to make better decisions. But like I said before, the past is the past. We moving towards the future.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

For making music that gave you inspirational energy, that made you want to get up and go make 100 million dollars and get to that money.

Uproxx Music 20: Jordan Mackampa Nourishes The Soul With The Fulfilling ‘Welcome Home, Kid!’

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Jordan Mackampa 2024 press photo
Aiden Harmitt-Williams

Jordan Mackampa’s sophomore album Welcome Home, Kid! will be one to remember in 2024.

Through 14 songs, listeners will be whisked away on a soulful journey that is rejuvenating. Welcome Home, Kid! is the British-Congolese singer’s coming out party, and boy is it a good time. “Proud Of You” keeps you light on your feet with a giddy dance that’s a perfect match for the song’s fluttering piano keys and roaring trumpet. “Step By Step” and “Blaccjack The Mac” take you to church with glorious trumpets, lively drums, and the energy that only a family cookout can provide.

I’ll go out on a limb here and say Mackampa’s Welcome Home, Kid! will go down as one of 2024’s best R&B releases. Along with production that adds fuel to the spirit, Welcome Home, Kid! celebrates the moment that things start to make a little more sense. It captures the applause that comes when you’ve finally discovered your purpose after doing the nitty-gritty work to get there. In his second coming as an artist, Jordan is back home – at least in the figurative sense – where he belongs.

With Welcome Home, Kid! available in just a few hours, Uproxx caught up with Jordan Mackampa to talk about his early music memories, who he’d play on The Bear, and more for our Uproxx Music 20 Q&A.

What is your earliest memory of music?

My mum dancing in our kitchen and me clinging onto her legs as she moved.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

My music and performing arts teachers.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

I play few at the moment, I’d love to learn a horned instrument next like a trumpet, just need to find a quiet play to practice that doesn’t annoy my neighbours.

What was your first job?

I was the world’s worst door-to-door salesman, asking folks to give me their credit card details at the most inconvenient times of the day, in return for a £9.99 ‘Lovefilm’ subscription.

What is your most prized possession?

My hard drive.

What is your biggest fear?

Hahahaha, no way I’m sharing that on the internet.

Who is on your R&B afrobeats Mt. Rushmore?

Jazmine Sullivan, Miguel, Frank Ocean, Lianne La Havas.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

First things first, I’m clearing all student debts everywhere and repurposing that money into affordable housing, healthcare & education systems, with a mandatory course on a selection of Bell Hook’s work. Secondly, I’m giving Palestine back to the Palestinians as well as every other country fighting for their freedom. Not long after that, I’m decriminalising sex work & any incarceration charges for marijuana. Lastly, I’d put together my dream show so I can watch Childish Gambino & Kirk Franklin go back to back.

What are your three most used emojis?

☠🤎🥵.

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

Something with Ari Lennox or J. Cole.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

The Bear, I could play Marcus’ brother or a new love interest for Sydney — I’m open to both.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

Damson Idris, I feel like in an alternative universe somewhere we’re good friends who have discourse all the time, over where the best Jamaican food in London is.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

Songs In The Key of Life isn’t Stevie Wonder’s best album.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

“Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza” by Mac Miller. I love how instantly I’m trapped in that nostalgic feeling so quickly.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

London’s always gonna be a favourite because it’s home, New York is fun too. Europe is taking the top spot right now though, especially Germany & the Netherlands.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

Chance The Rapper only doing Acid Rap/Coloring Book songs, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler The Creator, Kaytramine, and Dijon. Gimme a field with an open bar/taco stand & I’m comfy.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

I’d be a chef running my own 24hr diner.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

Past, so I could reassure myself that we’ll be ok.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Don’t break your back keeping bonds that don’t feed you.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

As someone who poured all they had, into everything they did.

Welcome Home, Kid! is out 2/16 via AWAL Recordings Ltd. Find out more information here.

Uproxx Music 20: Majeeed’s Versatile ‘Cheers To Life’ EP Catapulted Him Into The AFCON 2024 Spotlight

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Majeeed 2024 Press Photo
Press Photo

Nigerian singer Majeeed displays the type of vulnerability that shows the true range of afrobeats. For three years, Majeeed worked on his craft and showed his elevating vulnerability through a collection of singles he released dating back to 2020. “Time,” released in 2021, showcased his textured vocals over savory production carried by a mesmerizing violin. The following year, “Yawa No Dey End” showed how Majeeed would fair over more flavorful or vibrant production and he cruised through the record as well as its eventual remix with Joeboy.

The best example to date of everything that Majeeed brings to the table is his debut project Cheers To Life. The 8-track effort leans into the afropop sound, but even that isn’t enough to fully capture the project’s true sonic landscape. “Waka Jeje” alongside Bnxn is an amapiano-inspired track that combines the lively production the genre is known for with Majeeed’s cool, calm, and collected demeanor. “Gbese” with Tiwa Savage takes amapiano to more spirited levels while the “Cheers To Life” and the Lojay-assisted “Cry (Shayo)” wade into afro house waters.

Majeeed’s wide-encompassing talents made him perfect to curate the theme song for the AFCON 2024 tournament with his song, “Let’s Do It Again.” With the Nigerian Super Eagles just a game away from winning the tournament, it seems like Majeeed’s record is providing the necessary boost for himself and his home country.

With plans to continue his streak of success still in motion, Majeeed took a moment to answer our Uproxx Music 20 questions. Discover his inspirations, tastes, future goals, and more through his responses below.

What is your earliest memory of music?

My earliest memory of music has to be when my mum constantly played old Yoruba records by great artists like Baba Ara and Tope Alabi.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

The person who made me take music seriously is Wizkid.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

I don’t play any instruments but I’d love to learn how to play the violin.

What was your first job?

My first job was as a salesboy.

What is your most prized possession?

My most prized possession is my voice.

What is your biggest fear?

My biggest fear is losing the ones I love.

Who is on your afrobeats Mt. Rushmore?

The person definitely on my Afrobeat Mt. Rushmore is Wizkid.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

The artists I’d love to perform with at my music festival would be Wizkid, Rihanna, Harry Styles, Post Malone, and Rema, and I’d love to perform with these great artists at the 02 Arena.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

I would empower the youth and provide social amenities, and infrastructural facilities for hospitals and schools.

What are your three most used emojis?

❤😂🔥.

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

An evergreen record with Rihanna.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

I’d love to appear in the TV show titled Fool Me Once because the storyline is really amazing.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

The celebrity I admire and respect is Kanye West. His realness is top-notch

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

Hard work, smart work, and consistency pays. No one can change my mind about that.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

“Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles because it transcends beyond my imagination.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

My favourite city in the world to perform is Wembley Stadium and the city I’m most excited to perform in is Madison Square Garden in New York City.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

I would be a professional footballer if I wasn’t doing music.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

I would pick 5 years into the future because my future is too bright to look back at my past.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Consistency and hard work pays, never give up.

Cheers To Life is out now via Dream Empire Music / EMPIRE. Find out more information here.

Uproxx Music 20: 4Batz Welcomes You To The Show Where It’s Anything But An Act

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4batz 2024 press pic
Cameron Moore

In just a matter of two months, Dallas singer 4Batz went from an underground artist to one of this year’s most-anticipated new acts. He achieved that with just two songs available for his growing fan base to listen to. Released as “acts,” 4Batz kicked things off with “Act I: Stickerz “99”” which he released in June 2023 and six months later he returned with “Act II: Date @ 8.”

The latter record is one that swiftly pushed 4Batz into the spotlight. “Act II: Date @ 8” sits at over 34 million listens on Spotify, much of which can be credited to the 4Batz’s From The Block performance of the song going viral, a video that was posted just five days after the song was released. “Act I: Stickerz “99”” is nearing 13 million views while 4Batz’s Spotify page boasts 6 million monthly listens.

So what makes 4Batz so popular? One might say it’s the singer’s juxtaposing music videos that capture him and friends in dark clothing and ski masks as he belts out lyrics about love that are equally juxtaposing. For example, take well-intentioned yet coldly-delivered bars like “I’ll come and slide by 8 PM / And send a text to your DM / Five hunnid for your f*ckin’ hair / Two hunnid for your f*ckin’ nails” on “Act II: Date @ 8.”

Maybe its his pitched-up vocals that are raised just enough to catch the ear, but not too much to recall trauma from the endless TikToks with the chipmunk voice filter. It could also be his blunt and moderately toxic approach to love with lines like “You hate I’m stuck up in my way / But love it when I’m playin’ games” on “Act I: Stickerz “99”” and “She like ‘boy go find someone, find someone you love’ / Girl, I can’t find no one, ‘cus you’re the one I love” on his upcoming track “Act III: On God?”

Personally, as boring as this answer might be, I think it’s a little bit of everything. It’s not the first time an artist has stepped into the scene like this (see: RMR), but make no mistake, this isn’t an act for 4Batz. That was clear after we spoke with him as a part of our Uproxx Music 20 series. Below you’ll learn about his start in music, favorite R&B artists, how he avoids feeling regret, and more.

What is your earliest memory of music?

[It] was when I used to write down verses of music in my old spiral [notebook], and I used to tell my grandma it was raps… and she would always take my notebooks and say these aren’t raps, these are poems. It’s funny cause even though it was negative she would always put it together in a positive way, I’m like, ‘Grandma I’m talking about killing this n****,’ but she would still call it a poem.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

Nobody did. I did. I feel like the downfalls of my life inspired me to take music seriously.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

Yeah, I play the guitar.

What was your first job?

My first job was at Burger King.

What is your most prized possession?

My Ruger-5.7.

What is your biggest fear?

Regretting. Regretting or missing the moment and not doing something, and regretting like damn I should of did that. So I try to put my life on the line and just stand on business.

Who is on your R&B Mt. Rushmore?

Sadé, Mint Condition, Miguel, Jodeci, andddd… Anita Baker.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

My festival would be held in Dallas, Texas; with Chief Keef, Tupac, Biggie, DMX, and 50 Cent.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

Mannn, I’m going to sleep. If I have all the resources in the world, it’s kind of boring in a way… the thrill is being told you can’t do something and doing it vs having everything in the world.

What are your three most used emojis?

🦇5⃣🔫

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

4Batz, cause he gone be the biggest in the world.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

Power.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

I respect NBA Youngboy. He’s one person I’ve seen in the industry that don’t wanna f*ck with everybody. And I kind of respect that, cause you see people true colors in this industry. Cause I’m like that, I don’t f*ck with nobody forreal so I respect that.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

When you walk through the street and you split the pole, that’s bad luck. You can’t split that muhf*ckin’ pole.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

Sadé’s “Kiss of Life.” Cause on that song, she didn’t say a lot of words but she said a lot of things without having to. She’s the one that showed me you don’t have to put all these words in a song, music is a feeling.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

I haven’t performed yet but I’m excited to perform in Paris.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

Trappin’.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

Five years in the future, because my past was really crazy, like I don’t even want to think about it. I’d rather extend the future because lately my life been going good.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

I’d tell myself to keep pushing [and] keep grinding. Like if I woulda went harder I would probably be somewhere else.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as, the biggest artist in the world and one of the most humble people in the world who gave back and inspired people, and who you know was talented.

Uproxx Music 20: Chxrry22’s Red-Hot Passion Is Nothing Short Of Captivating On ‘Siren’

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Chxrry22 Press Photo 2024
NSTY

If Chxrry22 (pronounced Cherry-22) established her artistry in 2022 with her debut EP The Other Side, then she strengthened and elevated it to impressive standards with her second EP Siren, released at the end of 2023. The Toronto-based singer, the first female singer signed to The Weeknd’s XO Records label, exudes a level of self-awareness, vulnerability, and honesty (for better or worse) that many of us could only dream of fearlessly having.

Chxrry22’s The Other Side presented all of this under a gloomy cloud of realization and acceptance that she played both the villain and victim in the realm of love. “Do It Again” craves the return of an expired love and “Call Me” hopes to re-spark a toxic flame. In the end, “Wasteland” is Chxrry22’s moment of recovery as she dusts herself off and takes a step forward with a newfound commitment to herself and peace within.

That very commitment is the launching pad into the dominating Siren that Chxrry22 presents herself as on her 2023 EP. The gloom of The Other Side is no more, and instead, we’re hit with the fiery passion that blares as loud as the warning signal that shares the name of her most recent project. Chxrry22 dares a partner to be as passionate as she is on “Ride 4 Me” and goes even further with a sultry request to put their words into action on “Never Had This.” For seven songs on Siren, Chxrry22 asserts he dominance and captivates with her euphoric energy.

Months removed from Siren, Uproxx spoke with Chxrry22 to learn more about her start in music, the one artist from whom she needs a feature, and the advice she’d give her 18-year-old self.

What is your earliest memory of music?

I feel like music was a part of me before I was even born. Both of my parents could sing and they were in a choir, so they would make my brothers and I sing Ethiopian songs and record us. I’m not even kidding when I say that in every single home video I have from my childhood, I’m singing. I don’t think they thought that one of their children would actually grow up to be a musician, but I think it was their love language and also a way to teach us our language.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

My mom. She used to make me perform everywhere growing up. Birthdays, weddings, you name it — I’d do it. She would pass around a hat for people to put money in. When I saw people actually giving a child money to sing my brain went off like, oh this is lit.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

I’ve actually tried learning how to play the guitar and keys multiple times but my schedule gets hectic and I never have a chance to see it through. I actually just ordered a keyboard on Amazon to my LA apartment so we’ll see how long it lasts this time. But I do wish I could, it’s one of my goals.

What was your first job?

A hostess at a restaurant. I’ve had a million jobs and I’ve been fired a million times.

What is your most prized possession?

My voice. My health. My ideas.

What is your biggest fear?

I actually have two. Having a painful death but also just having regrets in life.

Who is on your R&B Mt. Rushmore?

Whitney, Marvin Gaye, Anita Baker, D’Angelo, Keyshia Cole. I think that’s a few too many, but you get the point.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

Dead or alive? Kali Uchis, Lana Del Rey, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse and Nina Simone. Held in my hometown, Toronto, of course.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

Donate to every cause imaginable and use whatever’s left to buy every vintage bag in sight.

What are your three most used emojis?

🍒 💋 🖤 . Classic.

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

Lana Del Rey. No questions asked.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

Girls. 100% Bring them back!

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

I don’t know, I don’t really pay attention.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

That celery is disgusting. It actually makes me gag.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

Omg, I love this question. Also so hard to answer but for sentimental reasons I’ll say “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole. It’s so simple but heartfelt. It’s the soundtrack to my life.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

My favorite is always Toronto because I get the most love and it’s for me, duh! No, but in all seriousness it’s always so special looking into the crowd and seeing your friends and family. But, I have so many fans in London and Atlanta so I can’t wait to perform there. Atlanta actually holds a very special place in my heart because it’s where I really found myself as an artist. I lived there for a few years when I first got signed, and it’s actually where I wrote “The Falls” and the majority of my first project.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

I’d love to be a creative director and help other artists in some capacity! Or a hairdresser. I’m shockingly good at hair. Anything that lets me create freely would be a dream.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

The past was too traumatizing, so I’ll say the future haha. Also, I’m really nosey so I want to be ahead of the curb.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Don’t date him. Don’t date anyone until you’re 25 honestly.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I think like every other artist, I hope people can still connect and feel something when they listen to my music years down the line. I want to be remembered as someone who represented my city and my culture, and if I’m lucky, I’ll have said and done enough of the right thing that they know my heart.

Siren is out now via XO Records/Republic Records. Find out more information here.

Uproxx Music 20: Odeal Confesses The ‘Thoughts I Never Said’ With Nobility On His Emotive EP

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Odeal press image 2024
Aaron Paul Walker

One of the most fascinating things about Odeal is the diversity of his cultural background. The 23-year-old singer was born in Germany and spent time in Nigeria, Spain, and the UK over the years. In turn, that granted Odeal an artistic palette that many would dream of. He’s collaborated and excelled with UK artists like Nines and Enny. The same goes for afrobeats artists like Gabzy. Odeal proved that he could wear many hats and wear them well. Additional proof of that can be found in his 2023 EP Thoughts I Never Said.

Released back in November, the project is a 20-minute confession of the raw emotions and heart-wrenching feelings felt in romance. Overall, Thoughts I Never Said captures Odeal’s rise and fall from love to loss in a moment-by-moment account detailed through the EP’s nine songs.

It begins with “Landmine,” an enchanting intro that details the unmatched feelings he has for the significant other in his life. The EP continues with “Bedroom Weather” and “Water” which both capture the euphoric intimacy that lives between partners whose chemistry is sky-high. Odeal’s love takes a turn for the worse on “Rigamortous” and another vulnerable moment on the album is instead, now used to showcase pain and anger. By “Fine By Myself,” acceptance amid the pain has set in as Odeal finds the silver lining within rain clouds.

Just a couple of months removed from the release of Thoughts I Never Said, Uproxx caught up with Odeal to discuss how Burna Boy inspired him, a feature he needs in his career, and what he’d be doing if it weren’t for music.

What is your earliest memory of music?

My earliest memory of music would have been me listening to Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange. At the time, Facebook was prominent, and I thought, you know what? As I moved around quite a lot, I had loads of friends in different places, so I posted a video of me doing a cover of Frank Ocean’s “Thinking About You.” Once I posted it on Facebook, everyone was like, “Yo, this is crazy. You should do this more. When did you start singing?”

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

I think it was Burna Boy. I went to his first show when he came back to the UK in 2016. It was his first time back in the UK in 6 years after not being allowed to perform here for a while. He came back and did a show, and I saw how everyone came together to listen to him. Bear in mind he wasn’t the biggest Afrobeat artist at the time; it was Wizkid, Davido, and maybe some others. So, for him to come back from Nigeria, just the same way I came back from Nigeria, and then he was having an immense amount of love. I saw so many different people there to see his performance, to see everything. From that day, I was like, yeah, man, I need to take this seriously. Before that, it was just a hobby.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

The only instrument I can play right now is my voice. I play keys, but I just figure out the chords as I go along. If I could play any instrument, I would love to know how to play the keys even better than I know how to play now.

What was your first job?

My first job was working in Subway at a highway service station.

What is your most prized possession?

My hard drives and my laptop.

What is your biggest fear?

My biggest fear is not achieving all my dreams.

Who is on your R&B afrobeats Mt. Rushmore?

D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Brandy, and Usher.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

Tems, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Santi, and Rema. I’d love for it to be held in the Sphere in Las Vegas!

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

First things first, I’d have a massive breakfast. Next, I’ve been blessed with unlimited resources, so I’m praying. I’m going to give God thanks. And then, what else am I going to do? From there, I think I’m going to chill, taking in the scenery in my huge kitted-out house somewhere in Spain. I’ll hop on a private jet because I want to hop on a private jet. I’ve always wanted to. Eat fried rice from this spot in Ghana that I love. So, I’ll have fried rice from Ghana on the plane.

We’re going to take the jet to Tanzania. We’re going to take the private jet to Tanzania where I’ll get on an island where there’s like lunch or dinner prepared, then I’d have a studio session in a hut on an island. For the rest of the evening, soak in the scenery and make crazy music! And then sleep in a huge, you know, them extra-large king-size bed I want to sleep in. That’s how the day ends.

What are your three most used emojis?

😂🙏🏾😔

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

Tems.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

Power, as I’d like to see how serious I could be in it, and it’s an all-time great series for me. Sex Education – I feel like the chaos of the school matches the energy that I’ve got.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

Vince Staples, he doesn’t care, and Odumodublvck matches that energy as well.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

I genuinely haven’t missed in my music. Ever. I don’t think I’m missing any time soon!

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

“Rock My World” by Michael Jackson. The lyrics, melody, and feel of the record speak to my inner soul!

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

My favorite city I have performed in is London, and I’m very excited to perform in Lagos, Nigeria.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

I’d be a film director. Or a creative director. Or a fashion designer.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

I’ll go into the future. See the future, yeah? Yeah. And why? Because I want to prepare myself. For good, for the bad, the ugly. At least if I know, I can, like, just prepare myself for what’s about to come.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

I would say, it’s going to work out, just stay consistent.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I’d like to be remembered as someone who brought different kinds of people together, music-wise. I want to be remembered for having made people’s favorite songs in my lifetime.

Thoughts I Never Said is out now via OVMBR. Find more information here.

Uproxx Music 20: Samaria Begins Her Brightest Chapter Yet With ‘Even Paradise Rains’

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Samaria 2024 Press Photo
Ryder

Samaria’s music presents a layer of vulnerability that, though thick, allows listeners to see and feel all the pain, joy, and everything in between that exists in her life. For the pain, look no further than her 2022 EP Didn’t Start With You. Her struggles in love are showcased with raw emotion through the project’s six songs as she details how failed love rocked her world. “I was purposely isolating myself from everyone so that I wouldn’t accidentally take my pain out on the wrong people,” she said at the time. “I didn’t even want to make music.”

Thankfully, the Bay Area-born singer chose to press onward, and with that comes the optimism for the future that healing from the past provides. The departure from pain and the subsequent journey towards joy live on Samaria’s new EP, Even Paradise Rains. The project marks her first release since signing a deal with RCA Records, and it grants Samaria the opportunity to start a new chapter — her brightest yet. Even Paradise Rains glimmers with the promise of better days while Samaria’s voice provides lush, velvet-like comfort as she lets go of the past in pursuit of finding the best version of herself in the future. “Best Thing For Me” details this entire process while “Forever More” highlights the search for better and “Serial Recluse” captures the departure from what once was.

Together with the upcoming release of Even Paradise Rains, Uproxx caught up with Samaria to chat about her first job at In-N-Out, her biggest fear, and her love for SZA and Euphoria in our debut Uproxx Music 20 Q&A.

What is your earliest memory of music?

Being in the car with my dad when I was a kid, he turned on “Where I Wanna Be” by Donell Jones. It was my first time hearing it and I really wanted to impress him, so I started singing along with the hook. He looked back at me from the driver’s seat with a proud look on his face, turned the music down, and told me to sing it louder. That was the first time I think my dad realized I actually had a voice. It’s a cool memory that stuck with me.

Who inspired you to take music seriously?

My grandma, nobody’s ever pushed me to be great like she did.

Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?

The piano & the basics of guitar. I’m super rusty. The goal this year is to pick the guitar back up.

What was your first job?

In-N-Out Burger in San Francisco when I was 16. They’re super strict about not having tattoos, so I hid my finger tattoo, but a coworker saw it a few weeks later and ratted on me to the manager. Shortest job I’ve ever had.

What is your most prized possession?

My grandmother’s ring. I’ve kept it with me since she passed.

What is your biggest fear?

It used to be failing and having everyone laugh at me. Life taught me that failure is inevitable, and I’ve had people laugh at me, it’s actually not so bad. Now, my biggest fear is dying before I get the chance to see my dreams come to fruition.

Who is on your R&B Mt. Rushmore?

Lauryn Hill, Frank Ocean, SZA, and Shiloh Dynasty.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.

Frank Ocean, SZA, Shiloh Dynasty, Lauryn Hill, and Labrinth. I’d hold it in Hawaii and make it a secret location on the island. You’d have to be formally invited and flown out like in the Scooby Doo movie.

You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!

I’m throwing the biggest beach bonfire/surf party with unlimited BBQ. I’m hiring ocean waiters to bring food out to those of us waiting on set waves – to hand feed us so we don’t have to get out of the water.

What are your three most used emojis?

🥹🤙🏾🐚

What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?

SZA. For sure. I can retire a happy camper. That pen is just… vicious. The only artist that makes me push myself to write better.

If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?

Euphoria, obviously. It’s just shot so beautifully, and I think I could match the energy of the show. It would feel natural.

Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?

Beyoncé. She does her job with love and care then she lives her life in privacy to protect her peace and the things that she worked hard to build.

Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.

The fact that nobody on this earth is responsible for your happiness, no matter how much you may love each other, nobody can give you that satisfaction but you.

What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?

The answer to this question is constantly ever-changing… Right now it’s “Bleed” by Kid Laroi. Next week it’ll be something different.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?

Right now, it’s Philly and Toronto! I’ve never had that type of love shown they have my heart forever. I really want to perform in the UK. Anywhere in the UK would be sick, sick.

What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?

Definitely starting a family and raising my kids in Hawaii, surfing every day. Also, would be acting, that’s a big dream of mine.

If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?

Five years into the future. I’m a super impatient person so I need to make sure all this work I’m putting in is going to pay off.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Stop trippin’. Everything’s gonna be aight kid.

It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

I’d like to be remembered as the artist who healed all the broken hearts when the world needed her most. I’d also hope that the young producers in 2050 sample me like crazy.

Even Paradise Rains is out 1/12 via RCA Records. Find out more information here.