It feels almost impossible to keep up with all the great music and creativity coming out of Portland’s hip-hop and R&B scene lately, but I still do my best. Here are four newly released songs and videos from Portland-grown artists.
Mic Capes, “Jumper Cables,” feat. Vinnie Dewayne
On Monday Mic Capes released a music video for his and Vinnie Dewayne’s high-energy single “Jumper Cables,” which they have been performing together in front of crowds for months. In case you couldn’t tell by the chorus that proudly proclaims “North-side nigga I done came up,” the song’s lyrics are an homage to the rappers’ roots in North Portland, specifically St. Johns, and the music video reps Portland even harder. Capes and Dewayne wear local gear (Blazers colors and a Yanagida tee, respectively), drive around the hood and post themselves up outside a local convenience store with a small crew of homies, including an adorable pit bull. The video is loaded with shots of iconic North Portland imagery like Roosevelt High School, the St. Johns Bridge, and the 4 busline to “Fessenden.” Recently Capes has also announced that the follow-up to his Concrete Dreams full-length will be an EP titled SHEESH that will drop later this summer.
Umii, “Dangerous”
Umii—aka Reva DeVito and B. Bravo—is slowly but surely becoming my new favorite R&B duo. After dropping the addictive and sensual “Masquerade” last month, Umii’s second single “Dangerous” proves to be just as enjoyable. B. Bravo provides an irresistibly danceable beat, and some relentless funky guitar, while Reva DeVito’s soulful urban-pop vocals add a thickness to the summer concoction. Their songs so far have been consistent in sounding both retro and fresh at the same time, and I am all the way here for it. Their debut EP reportedly comes out July 26.
Blossom, “U Got Me”
Portland audiences are already drinking up “So Cool,” the super summery lead single from Blossom’s debut LP Tease. But yesterday Blossom and producer Hot16 dropped “U Got Me,” another gem from their upcoming project. After several reassurances that a loved one should “say goodbye to lonely,” Blossom repeatedly sings “right now I don’t need nobody else, by myself,” in the bridge. The ethereal-yet-funky song also features some spoken word by Janae Ball, who also happens to be one of Blossy’s backup singers. This week she also announced more deets about Tease: an eight-song track list, album artwork, and an official July 21 release date! If you frequent the singer-songwriter’s shows, you’ll be relieved (though not surprised) to hear that the dance-inducing “Loves Comin” is included on the album.
Calvin Valentine, “Supernova,” feat. Danielle Henderson
Over the weekend Oregon-raised Calvin Valentine dropped a new music video for “Supernova,” the latest single from 2016’s Eugene. The visual is filled with gorgeous landscape shots—lots of desert mountains, open fields and colorful sky. “I had the idea of doing a road trip from Eugene to Los Angeles because the theme of the album is about my personal and creative transition,” Calvin says. The song has a beautiful gospel-infused chorus by singer Danielle Henderson, and the production is a sentimental and complex arrangement of electronic instruments and ad-libs. It’s hard not to feel some type of way while watching and listening.
