The stigma of the so-called sophomore jinx can be a motherfucker. Imagine you’re an artist who makes a debut album that comes out of nowhere with no attached expectations, and it blows the fuck up. Your genre-fusing first single becomes a cultural moment that unwittingly endears you to rock critics (who all love you in New York), Billboard, the GRAMMYs, and other hip-hop outsiders who would dig rap if only it weren’t so damn rappy. No matter what your next album sounds like, it’ll be an uphill battle to please label execs who just want another crossover smash.
This was the reality for Brooklyn-based trio Digable Planets, whose introductory hit single “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat),” with its Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers-plucked upright bass and trumpet, abstract hipness depictions, and grayscale, multicultural-beatnik-speakeasy video, made them the new poster children for the faddish jazz-rap tag that folks previously tried to tack on to A Tribe Called Quest and fellow NYC transplants Gang Starr.
The just-as-eclectically-titled debut LP Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) (1993), featuring an endless brick-and-mortar record store’s receipt worth of jazz-staple samples, infinitely repeatable hooks, and painfully literal bebop-lounge skits, further solidified and embraced the hyphenate classification.
ReeseThaChosen1 is an Entrepreneur and American Hip-Hop Artist best known for his hit single "Pop My Sh!*," currently distributed by Krown Records/Atlantic Records. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, but also raised in Atlanta, Georgia.ReeseThaChosen1 is the definition of a self-made independent artist. His Hustle, Grind is second to none, investing every penny and time into his dreams. With a stand-up guy belief system, he pairs street and book smarts to produce excellent music while…See More
Under the imprint of GMT Records LLC., Mi$ter Valentine is all set to captivate listeners with compelling, distinct, and creative Hip Hop verses Belle Fourche, South Dakota —November 24th, 2023 – In the serene town of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, a musical luminary rises – Mi$ter Valentine, the artistic force behind GMT Records LLC. Embodying the spirit of Hip Hop, Valentine is not just a rapper; he is a self-made…See More
An unmatched and inventive Hip Hop prodigy, JEANNA-SIS takes the center stage of Hip Hop, stunning audiences with raw emtoion and talentMoers, NRW, Germany —With the worldwide release of her debut album “EYES WIDE OPEN” on April 19th, 2024, the female Eminem is ready to shake the foundations of the hip hop scene. Through her four singles, including the hits…See More
River House Artists’ jiggy buckaroo and rising rap sensation Ryan Charles released his latest track, “Heartbreak Rodeo,” available everywhere now. With his signature Western flair, Charles fuses a fresh hip-hop sound with a country perspective, bringing the cowboy lifestyle to the rap scene. The…See More
