Uproxx Sessions

Bia Brings Her TikTok Hit ‘Whole Lotta Money’ To A Boisterous ‘UPROXX Sessions’ Performance

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If you’ve been on TikTok at any point in the last two months, the odds are extremely high you’ve heard Bia’s “Whole Lotta Money” at least once — I’d ballpark it at around 96%. The ruthlessly catchy wealth anthem has been a staple of all kinds of content, but today, you get to see the face and the razor-sharp performance behind the jewelry jam on UPROXX Sessions.

Hailing from Medford, Massachusetts, Bia is one of a growing number of rising stars to get her start on a reality show. In her case, it was Oxygen network’s Sisterhood Of Hip Hop, where she spent two seasons after signing to RCA Records. However, when the deal stalled out, she secured her release in 2019 — and started her ascent to stardom in earnest. Her song “Best On Earth” with Russ was highlighted by a Rihanna co-sign and gave Bia her first platinum plaque. Over the course of the next year, a string of releases included “Same Hands” with Lil Durk, a new EP, For Certain, on Epic Records, and yes, the TikTok-favorite single with which she’s taken over viral launching pad TikTok. Keep an eye and an ear out; Bia is built for this and finally getting her due.

Watch Bia’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “Whole Lotta Money” above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Saphir Delivers A Cathartic Performance Of ‘Jaded’ On ‘UPROXX Sessions’

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It’s hard to pin down Saphir’s genre. The LA-based vocalist’s work can range from emotive pop to goth-rock-influenced rap-soul, with many, many variations in between. However, for her first UPROXX Sessions appearance, self-described “Jewish girl who never got out of her scene phase,” opts for “Jaded,” a song that reminds me of a more confident, swagger-filled Evanescence. It’d make cool background music for a dystopian cyberpunk thriller — and I mean that as a compliment.

Counting influences such as Avenged Sevenfold, Slipknot, and NeverShoutNever, Saphir’s sound certainly wears those inspirations on its sleeve. Like her late compatriot Lil Peep, Saphir’s songwriting is personal, reflective, and raw; she’s unafraid to expose her issues to public scrutiny, which some fans will undoubtedly find endearing and relatable, and while her genre-hopping style is unconventional, it may very well be the key to a thriving career.

Watch Saphir perform “Jaded” for UPROXX Sessions above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Sean Kingston Makes His Return With The Moody ‘Darkest Times’ For ‘UPROXX Sessions’

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Jamaican American superstar Sean Kingston is on the album comeback trail after a half-decade hiatus with his new album Deliverance and its lead single “Darkest Times” featuring G Herbo, and his latest stop is UPROXX Sessions. Kingston stops by the studio in LA to deliver a smooth performance of the moody new track, showcasing his vocals, undulled by the time away and ready to compete with a new generation of singing rappers and rapping singers.

Kingston, whose last album Back 2 Life was released in 2013 and featured the Hot 100 single “Beat It” with Wiz Khalifa, had been relatively inactive in the years since, although he maintained that he was working the entire time. Deliverance, which is set for release later this year via Empire, is called “a rebirth” in press materials, and if anyone can manage a successful comeback, it’s an artist whose calling card includes one of the biggest hits of the resurgent 2000s, “Beautiful Girls.”

Watch Sean Kingston’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “Darkest Times” above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Steven Cannon Spits Flexes At ‘Mach 10’ In A Swaggering ‘Uproxx Sessions’ Performance

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Steven Cannon, a Lil Xan-affiliated rapper from Cincinnati, Ohio, is this week’s guest on UPROXX Sessions, delivering a breezy, breathless performance of his high-velocity single, “Mach 10.” Cannon, who’s a fixture of the SoundCloud rap scene, has been active for the past few years as the co-founder of Lil Xan’s “Xanarchy” movement after moving to Los Angeles at 18 and featuring on tracks like “The Man” and “Pills.” Xan (aka “Diego“) counts him as his number one influence after Cannon coached him on rapping after hiring him as a cameraman.

Cannon’s performance here displays all the hallmarks of the style that endeared him to followers and fans on SoundCloud and social media. He’s laid-back, confident, and fills the space around him with his outsized swagger. His flow glides along over the booming bass drum that dominates the “Mach 10” beat, filling his verses with quirky boasts about his money, status, and sex appeal.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Dolo Tonight Celebrates His ‘Graduation’ With A Buoyant ‘UPROXX Sessions’ Performance

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This week on UPROXX Sessions, New Jersey “Anti-​Pop” rapper Dolo Tonight comes through to deliver a buoyant performance of his celebratory single, “Graduation.”

Dolo Tonight describes himself in one interview as “Bill Nye-meets-Cartoon Network-meets-a rapper, all in one” and that seems like a pretty fair summation. He’s got a bubbly, cheerful bent to his sound — he’s more Chance The Rapper than DMX — bopping along with a melodic flow and a smile on his face as he raps about regular guy situations like breakups and dropping out of school to pursue music (the impetus behind “Graduation”) rather than shootouts and illicit pharmaceutical sales. He might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but he was able to build enough of a following to pique the interest of producer Michael Ashby and secure a contract with Asylum.

Watch Dolo Tonight’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “Graduation” above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Dolo Tonight is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Blvc Svnd Showcases Multiple Talents In HIs ‘Uproxx Sessions’ Performance Of ‘U Foine’

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In this week’s episode of UPROXX Sessions, genre-bending LA artist Blvc Svnd (pronounced “Black Sand”) pulls a neat trick, strumming out his backing music on his electric guitar as he raps the raunchy, melody lyrics to “U Foine.” His wardrobe is pretty eye-catching as well; with his blue hair, pink spotted fur coat, and lime green aloha shirt, he’d be hard to miss in a crowd. All the elements combine to perform a quirky, unexpected performance that refuses to constrain itself to one vision of what music should sound like or what artists should look like.

Hailing from Los Angeles and spending extensive time in the Bay Area, the 22-year-old Blvc Svnd may not be on many radars, but he’s working hard to change that. He’s released over a dozen self-produced mixtapes and EPs beginning with 2015’s Nag Champa, pushing out the majority of his music on SoundCloud, much like rock-rap forebearers such as Juice WRLD and fellow Sessions guest Kamiyada. He also plays all the instruments on many of his projects himself, including bass, drums, and piano, while genre-hopping between electronic, pop, R&B, rap, and even metal.

Watch Blvc Svnd’s UPROXX Sessions performance of “U Foine” above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Dax Delivers A Celebratory ‘Uproxx Sessions’ Performance Of ‘Dear God’

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YouTube star Dax celebrates a milestone on this week’s Uproxx Sessions, as the music video for his deeply personal song “Dear God” crosses over 1 million likes on YouTube. It also has over 35 million views since October 2019. The song, framed as a prayer of sorts from an artist questioning his faith, ponders questions about religion, spirituality, and social issues as they relate to the existence of a benevolent higher power who seems not to mind too much when bad things happen to good people.

Dax also commemorates his second appearance on Uproxx Sessions, returning after performing his socially relevant song “Black Lives Matter” in August of 2020. He’s also a year removed from his 2020 project I’ll Say It For You, released in March.

Watch Dax’s celebratory performance of “Dear God” above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Dax is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

CJ Plays A Simmering Rendition Of ‘Bop’ For ‘UPROXX Sessions’

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In a bit of a curveball for his first Uproxx Sessions performance, buzzing Staten Island rapper CJ foregoes his big hit, “Whoopty,” in favor of playing a simmering rendition of its slick follow-up “Bop.” Sporting a low-key black-on-black ensemble, CJ delivers a pitch-perfect performance with all the restrained energy of the swaggering original recording.

CJ, who saw the 2020 “Whoopty” climb all the way to the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, was resolute in pursuing the success of his breakout hit with new music, following up with an EP, Loyalty Over Royalty, earlier this year. This past New Music Friday, he dropped a deluxe edition, which featured two remixes of “Whoopty” that approached the song from different angles.

On the NYC Remix, he recruited vocal doppelganger French Montana and the recently released Brooklyn drill prototype Rowdy Rebel to add complementary verses to his, then, on the Latin Mix, he employed fellow Latino artists Anuel AA and Ozuna to speak their piece. Not content to just ride remixes of his breakout, CJ also dropped videos for most of the songs on the EP, including “Bop,” “Real One,” and “Set,” then put out a new song from the deluxe, the sex-positive “Lil Freak” featuring fellow New Yorker DreamDoll.

Watch CJ’s Uproxx Sessions performance of “Bop” above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

CJ is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Smrtdeath Is ‘Too Far Gone’ In A Somber ‘Uproxx Sessions’ Performance

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This week’s guest on Uproxx Sessions is Smrtdeath, a genre-bending rapper and singer from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, singing his defiant anthem, “Too Far Gone.” Mashing up emo and punk influences with hip-hop production sensibilities, Smrtdeath is part of an underground movement that doesn’t follow the conventional rules of popular music. Smrtdeath himself takes things a step further, refusing to abide by the conventions of fashion, as well, as seen on the cover of his November album, Somethjng’s Wrong (that’s not a typo).

On “Too Far Gone,” Smrtdeath addresses any potential criticisms of his lifestyle head-on: “Living on my time, give a fuck about what they say,” he snarls. “All of this advice but it’s coming from no pain.” On that same note, he’s previously spoken about the encouraging messaging behind his music. “You’ve got to remember that things can be better,” he said. “You will come out on the other side.”

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Erica Banks Brings Her Viral Hit ‘Buss It’ To A Buoyant ‘UPROXX Sessions’ Performance

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When it came to what song to perform for her UPROXX Sessions debut, Erica Banks’s choice was a no-brainer. Her biggest hit to date — and the song that introduced her to the world via a fan-approved TikTok challenge — remains “Buss It,” the Nelly-sampling, bass-heavy, twerk-ready anthem that had fans dropping it low at the Dallas native’s behest. Stopping by Uproxx Studios, Banks brought her signature bold energy to a buoyant performance that proves her personality comes through live even better than it does on the record.

Being signed to 1501 Certified Entertainment — the same label that helped introduce the world to Megan Thee Stallion — brings a fair share of expectations for Banks. As a fellow Texan, her accent, flow, and taste in production have all been compared to the Grammys’ 2021 Best New Artist winner, yet Banks also has to stand out and prove that she’s a completely different artist.

Fortunately, the success of “Buss It” has given her a running start at reaching that goal, while its remix with Travis Scott and her subsequent guest appearance on Yella Beezy’s “Star” took massive strides toward becoming a breakout artist in her own right. With her UPROXX Sessions performance, she takes another step on that journey, strutting with her head held high and showing she’s got the tools to carve out her own lane.

Watch Erica Banks’ buoyant “Buss It” performance above.

UPROXX Sessions is Uproxx’s performance show featuring the hottest up-and-coming acts you should keep an eye on. Featuring creative direction from LA promotion collective, Ham On Everything, and taking place on our “bathroom” set designed and painted by Julian Gross, UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite performers, who just might soon be yours, too.

Erica Banks is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.