Is there anyone who is able to keep up with the insane amount of quality music being released, both in the mainstream and regionally? There’s stuff coming from so many angles, and I am limited on space. While struggling to find the time for repeat listens of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s brand-spankin’ new collaborative album Everything Is Love (it’s perfect), straight-up ignoring the rollout of Kanye West’s Ye, and only kind of paying attention to that unsavory Drake/Pusha T drama, I’ve also been hearing a lot of whispers about forthcoming hip-hop and R&B projects from Portland musicians. If you want an intro to the scene, you’re in luck! On Saturday, June 30, Mississippi Studios is hosting Portland Hip-Hop 101: How the Game Is Played, with an excellent panel of local artists that will include Rasheed Jamal, Mic Capes, O.G. One, Cool Nutz, Vursatyl, and Karma Rivera. Hosted by DJ Klyph, the conversation will be recorded for a live episode of Kill Rock Stars’ music business podcast The Future of What. Here are four other dope developments I found in my inbox recently.
Myke Bogan,
Joe Fontana
The title of Myke Bogan’s new album is the result of him losing a bet with his friend, who said Bogan would have to name his next album after him. Nonetheless, Bogan is taking the album’s craft very seriously. “He is the definition of my alter-ego,” Bogan says in a press release quote. “If there is another one of me, it’s my boy Joe. All he does is smoke weed, play FIFA, and watch porn… and that’s me.” The vibe throughout these 10 tracks is mellow and summery, with labelmate Blossom filling in background vocals. Joe Fontana is not unlike Myke Bogan’s previous projects, like standalone single “Mango Tree” and 2017’s Pool Party, which has nearly three million spins on Spotify. Produced by the 2thirty5 trio, Fontana is probably Bogan’s most soulful-sounding project yet. It’s packed with relatable lyrics that accurately reflect Portlanders’ party lifestyle in the summertime. In the chorus of “Pickathon” (featuring Khary), Bogan sing-raps, “I been smoking weed and doing shrooms/Living off my last name,” and “I been doing me/Hope you doing you/Never let that change.” I can practically smell the weed and the Moscow mules through my speakers. Other highlights include lead single “On My Way” (featuring soul singer Kid Indigo) and “Runaway” (featuring a chorus by Danielle Sullivan).
Covi.’s
#WimmeWednesdays
Young rapper Covi. is a born-and-raised Portlander who put out a groovy single called “Coconut Oil Shawty” last year. It’s an ode to women who use natural hair and skin products, specifically coconut oil. “I made the song to uplift Black women, make them feel good about using their products in their daily routine,” he explained in a social media post. (I think we already feel pretty good about it, but it’s still nice to be encouraged.) This month Covi. launched his #WimmeWednesdays promotional campaign—dropping singles and corresponding one-minute visuals on social media to build anticipation for his forthcoming mixtape. The first of those is “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),” in which he raps over a sample from Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott and Timbaland’s song of the same name.
Raquel Divar and Cory O,
The Reign
I’ve been waiting for hip-hop/grime artists Raquel Divar and Cory O to release something for years, and on July 30 the West Coast bass-focused rapper and producer will finally drop their debut EP. Though it’s a little dark for summer, and they initially intended it to be a 13-track LP, life happened, so the duo selected their five favorite songs from the past two years. “[We] just wanna get it out into the world,” Divar explains. “Snakes in the City” made the cut, as did the witchy “Smith n’ Wesson,” featuring former Portlander Alia Zin. It’s named after an American manufacturer of firearms and features lyrics like “Flawless with the aim,” so I’ll let y’all listen to the song to interpret it for yourself. Divar says “Runners Anthem” will get a video shortly after the album drops, and that the duo already has a follow-up in the works.
Ripley Snell and Blossom,
Clout Atlas
EYRST labelmates Blossom and Ripley Snell are gearing up to release their collaborative EP Clout Atlas on July 13, but tracks like “Dormiviglia” and “Casting Couch” have already become available online. According to a press release, the majority of the EP was created during a weekend Ripley and Blossom spent together in the studio, with an appearance from Neill Von Tally. The result was a combination of a bonding experience mixed with lack of sleep and a dash of shrooms. The joint project is also a tease of what’s to come, since Snell and Blossom both have solo albums coming out later this year.
