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Music writer raised on disco and 90's hip hop, constantly in search of beats that knock. Life-long pop and hip hop devotee. Dedicated to covering new music from local to global artists.
Sound of Boston - Staff Writer, Columnist: Live Show Reviews, Premieres, Album Reviews, Video Reviews, Interviews, Artist Features.
Boston Hassle - Writer, Interviewer, Curator, Producer
NPR Boston: WGBH Music Section, Mass Mix Contributor
From "Day 'n' Nite" to "Reborn," Kid Cudi brought fans of every generation inside a dream two decades in the making on the Rebel Ragers Tour. There are few places in New England better suited for creating summer night memories than the Xfinity Center.
The California sister trio transformed a hazy September night at Suffolk Downs into an intimate yet electric family jam beneath glowing planes and drifting rain to promote their latest studio album, I quit.
Global dance-pop duo & vibe cultural purveyors, SOFI TUKKER, electrified a home-town crowd at the Roadrunner on the first leg of their BREAD Tour, laying down 21 dance-floor bangers to light up the release of their third studio album, BREAD. Ice-blue lasers washed over a bouncing crowd, cutting between the fingers of raised hands.
Check out our staff's suggestions for who to catch at Boston Calling this year, from big names like Leon Bridges to local favorites like Senseless Optimism.
The newly minted king of music streaming, Khalid brought his R&B chill and dressed-down dorm vibes to TD Garden, laying down 32 tracks to promote his second full length album, Free Spirit. In front of a Tasty Burger outside TD Garden, a young fan says, "I only listen to hip hop, but...
Billie Eilish, the preternatural pop god from LA, is rocketing off her recent sweep of the Grammys to the TD Garden on March 19th for a red-letter stop on her Where Do We Go? World Tour. Eilish has come a long way from the 14-year-old dancer who uploaded the lovelorn hit ballad “Ocean Eyes” to Soundcloud from her bedroom...
Unapologetic pop star Kim Petras gave a glittered Sinclair audience infectious electro-pop dance beats and soaring vocals about boys, clothes, cars, and drugs on her sold-out headlining "Broken" Tour. "949-331-0609...call me up...for a good time!" announced happily hedonistic pop star Kim Petras as the ticking high-hats and breezy keyboards rang through, "Got My Number" a ...
Pumping out summertime kickback jams with hip-hop heart and a disco shine, The Knocks thawed out an icy cold Boston crowd into a college house party sweat. In an homage to their breakout album, '55, fans wearing black satin bomber jackets were out in force, forming glossy silhouettes against the Sinclair's vintage brick walls.
Lizzo is feeling “Good As Hell” as she comes off her performance at Coachella and brings the “Juice” to Agganis Arena on September 17th for a highly-coveted stop on her Cuz I Love You Too Tour. Hailed as a body-positive, feminist trail-blazer, the 31 year-old pop sensation’s witty dance anthems have pushed her first major-label album...
Hope springs eternal from the next generation of Boston hip hop artists. Between his summer release of the nostalgia-fueled rap EP, Camp Wildfire, and his recent full-length album, Don't Try This At Home, local emcee, producer, and visual artist, Fuegoveli has given rap fans a reason to be optimistic for the future of the Boston hip hop scene.
Oompa @ 1:45 PM, Sunday on the Red Stage. ---- To be in the audience and feel the heat against your skin from Oompa’s lyrical flamethrowing is a sensation every hip hop fan should get to experience. One of the cornerstones of Boston’s recent hip hop renaissance, Roxbury-born rapper and slam poetry champion, Oompa, has been driving local rap culture forward since...
New year; new beginnings. For our first Mass Mix of 2021, we asked our contributors to reflect on the meaning of a new year and tell us what they've been listening to on repeat. Here's what they said. Squirrel Flower has blossomed into a standout vocalist in the Boston music scene.
Traditionally known for its quiet opulence with arched coffered ceilings and high-tea Sunday's, the Boston Public Library is expanding its reach to build a community for local hip hop artists with Year 2 of the Teen Music Maker showdown.
Trap music has become one of the most popular subgenres of hip hop and one of the most pervasive production styles across all genres of music but what will come after? To discuss some of the candidates for hip hop’s next big sound, we sat down with music writer Jared Steinberg from the Sound of Boston music blog.
Boston artists across the board brought their A-game in 2023. Get familiar with newcomers like Tiny Habits and Nay $peaks, and get reacquainted with favorites like Ben Cosgrove and Fiddlehead with our team's ten favorite local albums released in 2023.
Only one month into 2021 and we're still riding the highs of the releases selected for this month's Listen Local: Hip Hop Edition. Approaching adversities with confidence and resilience, each track dives into themes of rebirth and restitution that echo in the bold production.
Our Mass Mix contributors are embracing the holiday season with a variety of songs. From hip-hop that feels like a home-cooked meal to a breezy indie-reggae song that sounds like a sunny day, here are the songs we're thankful for this month.
Carly Rae Jepsen has come a long way from the catchy simplicity of 2012’s thunderous pop bombshell, “Call Me Maybe,” and if you’re looking for an excuse to sweat it out on a summer night in the city, look no further than her show on July 16th at House of Blues. Her newest album, Dedicated, is peppered with funky synth...
Once-in-a-generation pop innovator Maggie Rogers pumped out magnetic energy through her unique electro-folk melodies, intense dance moves and rare stage presence that entranced audiences at the Wang Theater. Maggie Rogers' show opened with ethereal lighting on a white canvas draped in front of her band, illuminating her caped silhouette.
It never seemed like this day would come but here we are: Boston's hip hop artists have finally emerged from studio quarantine with live rhymes and beats booming once again. A largely vaccinated city is giving way to live shows returning (including one of our own) and a string of searing new releases setting the stage for a red-hot summer in a reanimated society.
Since last year, Bandcamp has waived the normal fee they collect from purchases on their platform on the first Friday of every month. Instead, they pass those proceeds directly along to artists. Fans have since purchased more than $48 million dollars worth of music and merch on Bandcamp Fridays.
Hope springs eternal as Boston enters the April thaw. With the visual pop of bright green shoots now gathering in the city's dusky flowerbeds, it's hard to ignore the feeling that new life might be waiting for us around the corner.
2020 was, by all accounts, a difficult year. As we fully fledge ourselves into the future, our world continues to suffer from a microscopic force and macroscopic corruption. Lives are still being lost, politicians are still trying to save face, and the clouds still grow grayer. Through this arduous mess, music is still what binds us together.
2022 brought another year of stellar albums from Boston artists. From big hitters like Van Buren and The Ballroom Thieves to up-and-comers like Eph See and hongjoin, our team shares their ten favorite local albums released in 2022.
Whether you're turning to music for comfort, entertainment, or reflection, this list from our Mass Mix contributors has you covered. This month, we asked them to share new songs they're grateful for that they've been playing on repeat.
Very few artists are beyond the term “relevant” to reach legend status, but Snoop Dogg isn’t just a legend, he’s forever. One of the driving forces behind hip hop’s official cross-over into the mainstream on Dr. Dre’s 1992 classic of classics, The Chronic, Snoop Dogg has become one of (if not) the most famous rappers of all time
The butter-smooth beats and rhymes pulled off the late nineties classic album, The Velvet Rope, by the iconic Ms. Janet Jackson. ”Got till it’s Gone” reprises the famous Joni Mitchell song, and blends the old and new in such a way that makes you think you’ve stepped into another universe
Two of Brooklyn's finest emcees, Mos Def (now Yasiin Bey) and Talib Kweli reunited as the prolific Black Star, backed up by DJ Hi-Tek for a night of pure, uncut hip hop at Boston's newest music venue. You could still smell the fresh paint as you walked up the plush and not-yet-beer-soaked carpet entering Boston's ...
#4. Oompa, "Unbothered." A lyrical flamethrower by trade, Roxbury-born rapper and slam poetry champion Oompa broadens her scope with layers of new pop sensibilities on her third studio album, Unbothered. Laying down fresh R&B vocals on the cook-out park-jam, “Go” Oompa has leveled up this year, as noted with recent plugs from industry kingmakers, Snoop Dogg and Def Jam Records.
Bringin you one of the most fun late 90s jams ever done - this should bring nuthin’ but love to your weekend. “Now what we gonna do right here…is we gonna smooth it out!” (ahhhhh…we miss ya, Puff)
With coverage across mediums from WBUR, WGBH to ABC’s The View, Thomas was named one of Boston Globe Magazine’s Most Fashionable Bostonians. Now the fashion, music and culture icon is sitting down with hip hop writer Jared Steinberg from Boston Hassle to talk about why it's great to be an artist in Boston...
From the breakout albums by Anjimile and Squirrel Flower, who both made big waves beyond Boston, to the EP gems by acts like Alexander and a fantastic Cliff Notez and Dephrase collaboration, here are our favorites of 2020.
Since her latest album, Feel the Aura dropped in late July, master-craft emcee, Red Shaydez has been having a banner year musically, picking up mentions and features in major publications like The Globe and WBUR and all the way to UPROXX and the UK's POP Times. Now the thermogenic local icon, Red Shaydez is sitting down with hip hop writer Jared Steinberg from Boston Hassle...
If you’re looking for a way around the New Year’s Eve $100 bar covers and champagne-fueled bar-fights, look no further than the classy as f&#k, Lake Street Dive at The Wang Theater. This group of hip-swaying, Motown-infused soul singers actually formed at Berklee...
Rapper, writer, and Boston Magazine's 66th most-influential Bostonian, Cliff Notez, sits down with hip hop writer Jared Steinberg from Boston Hassle to talk about what he's been up to in quarantine, why he started the thriving art collective, Hipstory and his long-term investment in the Boston artist community.
A booming protest anthem just dropped from A-list rap scion and criminal justice reform advocate, Meek Mill. “Otherside of America” uses a heartsick violin melody and a delayed, hard-hitting trap beat that feels like a cannon blast to drive momentum and propel the voices of the Black Lives Matter movement...
“The temperature’s about 88, hop in the water-plug just for old times sake / break to your crib, change your clothes once more cuz you’re invited to a BBQ that’s startin’ at 4:00” Yo Vibeaddicts! To kick off the official start of summer...
The masterful tracks for this month deliver meaningful messages through hip hop's ever-thriving spirit, bringing Boston hip-hop to new levels of artistic achievement. In this latest edition of Listen Local: Hip Hop Edition, our artists stir the souls of Boston listeners with messages of hope, injustice, and confidence told through original beats and bars.
We’re throwin’ back this Thursday with a classic 2Pac banger, “Picture Me Rollin” off his off fourth studio album, All Eyez on Me. The smoothed out melodic beat on this track makes you feel like he’s right there next you cruising around on a warm summer day in a drop-top Benz
“Sometimes I wouldn’t have made if it wasn’t for you…Hip Hop, you the love of my life.” This week we’re spinning one of the most beautifully detailed ode’s to hip hop ever made, ”Act too (Love of my Life)” by The Roots ft. Common, off their monumental album, Things Fall Apart.
Local hip-hop producer, rapper, and beat-making professor at MassArt Lewis M. talks about the art of the album, the future of hip-hop, and his latest record, Don't Be Nice. "Hip-hop is different from any other genre because of its regional sound of influence...nothing has changed as much as hip-hop has,"
Now a part of the elite ranks of the rap game, North Carolina-born emcee Rapsody has earned Grammy nominations, five trips to the White House, and a deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation. Her years of grinding in the studio has paid off: as President of Motown Records Ethiopia Habtemariam mentions in the Netflix Series...
Since March, Bandcamp has waived the normal fee they collect from purchases on their platform on the first Friday of every month. Instead, they pass those proceeds directly along to artists. Since then, fans have purchased more than $75 million dollars worth of music and merch on Bandcamp Friday.
Unapologetically hip hop, J.Cole is an artist who built his impressive following by focusing on the musical foundations of rap — beats, rhymes, and honesty. Describing his true ambition to “write the songs that raise the hair on my arms,” Cole carries on the traditions laid by Public Enemy, Nas, and Tupac, using his music to document and dissect...
As we say goodbye to an unusual summer, musical artists are still mostly working in isolation, which is sparking new ways of creating and sharing music. For this edition of Mass Mix, we asked our contributors to share a song by a local artist that they've been listening to on repeat.
Over the past month, we've seen some creative ways through which hip-hop's true spirit continues to thrive during the pandemic. Along with new dope tracks, we're featuring a live cypher filmed at Dorchester Art Project with some of Boston's rising LGBTQ+ rappers.
Logic is bars-only. Rarely does a rapper come along that’s as dedicated as Logic to the art and craft of rhyming acrobatics. With a career that’s progressing as fast as his machine-gun flows, Logic’s undeniable talent has attracted rap royalty like Eminem, G-Eazy, Big Sean, and Wiz Khalifa, who all compete for highly coveted feature spots on his prolific albums...
Tashawn Taylor, the young rap scion from Cambridge sits down with hip hop writer Jared Steinberg from Boston Hassle to chat about the state of the music, his history in the city, and the real life battle for his neighborhood that inspired his latest heartfelt jam, "Don't Take It From Me."
YBN Cordae gets it. At just 22 he’s playing a key role in helping hip hop find itself in 2019—an otherwise confusing time for hip hop heads. There is a battle for direction of the genre, waged between the “old heads” who put crisp, soulful beats, and clever rhyming above all else (see J. Cole), and the newer, trap-inspired, Soundcloud generation of rap artists (see Lil Pump) attaining worldwide success...
If you haven't experienced a Berklee Summer in the City concert yet, now's the time. Our team highlights one of the upcoming (free) concerts, as well as a handful of other shows around town that we've been looking forward to. Mark your calendars, buy your tickets, and see you there!
Maybach Music Group’s first compilation, Self Made is set to drop tomorrow (May 23). “That Way” is a hidden gem that puts out a different sound than the rest of the album. Producer Lex Luger puts down a smooth & soulful underlying beats while Wale leads with sensual lyrics. Rick Ross’ rough edges in the third act adds the perfect depth
“...And YES, I make the beats ya can feel in ya chest!” Large Professor is indeed throwin' it back for us this Thursday for us with his classic banger, "iJusWannaChill" off the highly anticipated but much delayed album, THE LP.
We know the last few weeks have been nothing short of disturbing, heartbreaking, frustrating-and powerful. Local artists like Bad Rabbit and Cliff Notez have been using their music to spread the Black Lives Matter narrative far and wide.
"Pain" was the first song Tupac recorded under Death Row, which made it to the B-side of the cassette and vinyl copy of the “Above the Rim” soundtrack but kept off the CD release of the album. It has a classic Tupac sound with deep introspective lyrics mixed over beautifully syncopated rhymes and hard hitting beats...
There's no better time than fall in Boston. But what does this time of year sound like? This month, our Mass Mix contributors answer that question with songs that celebrate local music, Hispanic Heritage Month, and the spirit of the season. Here's what songs local luminaries have been playing on repeat.
Boston's hip-hop scene has been steadily on the rise as producers and lyricists continue to drop bars and beats that compete at the highest levels. We're back to give the recognition that these artists deserve with five tracks that showcase the talent that this city has to offer.
One of the tightest cuts ever produced, "Reminisce Over You" by Pete Rock and CL Smooth captures the heart of hip hop: soulful storytelling, real people, and silky smooth beats - intoxicating enough to bring you back to a childhood state.
Scandinavian songstress and whimsical pop dreamweaver, Anna of the North, was in a state of blissful perma bounce when she brought her confessional, electrified powerpop to fans at Brighton Music Hall to promote her new album, Dream Girl.
Boston's hip-hop scene has been steadily on the rise, as producers and lyricists continue to drop bars and beats that compete at the highest levels. We're back to give the recognition that these artists deserve with five tracks that showcase the talent that this city has to offer and to fill you in on the ...
“And everybody say, I REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN!” This Thursday we’re giving you one of the tightest beats laid down over perhaps the clearest picture ever painted in hip hop – ”Back in the Day” by Ahmad, an unfortunate one-hit wonder gave us some food for our soul with this classic cut
As the new year begins, we look back to the local albums that captured us in 2019. Across all the records we see some shared themes cropped up: cries of despair paired with glimmers of hope, truly open and honest narration, and serious self-reflection. Here are some of our team's favorites, in alphabetical order: Cliff ...
“I go by the name of A-Boogie and I’m from Highbridge, the Bronx…where it all goes down.” A-Boogie wit da Hoodie is a new-school rapper that came up in New York City’s defiantly old-school hip-hop culture, where artists still pound the pavement to hand out CD’s and Hot 97 radio DJ’s still have the power to break artists.
Boston's hip-hop scene has been steadily on the rise, as producers and lyricists release quality content on the regular. To give the recognition that these artists deserve, we're back with five tracks that showcase the talent that this city has to offer and fill you in on the songs that deserve a spot in your ...
"It's the realness that makes hip hop", Lewis told me when I found him deep within the maze-like halls of Mass College of Art. A musical successor to DJ Premiere, Lewis M. brings a gritty, hard-hitting sound that simultaneously comforts you with a soulful backdrop of classical strings, horns, and flowing female vocals.
Australian electro wizard Hayden James ratcheted up the energy at Sonia to a literal breaking point. A disco ball spun slowly from the rafters, shining purple beams onto a glittering sea of smiling, starry-eyed partygoers when Hayden James, the DJ/conductor of the evening, took the Sonia stage by surprise to help the opening act, Cakewalk, ...
BJ the Chicago Kid is bringing the soul from Chicago’s South Side to Allston to promote his latest album, 1123. BJ serves up a blend of vintage and modern R&B with a laid-back hip hop sensibility. Born to church choir directors, Bryan James Sledge follows in a long tradition of legendary Chicago soul music dignitaries: Curtis Mayfield, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kanye and Chance...
Global indie-pop sensation and one-man band, Youngr whipped the Sonia crowd into a frenzy as he built his electro-fire beats and silky smooth hooks from scratch. A 360-degree fortress built of interlaced keyboards, mixers, guitars, and drums stood on an empty stage around a lonely, black leather stool. Youngr looked like a rock star from a time gone by, a snake-hipped, British rocker...
Boston Music Award winner and lyrical fire breather, Oompa, sits down with hip hop writer Jared Steinberg from Boston Hassle to chat about her new record, 'Cleo' , which drops August 10th. Oompa goes in depth about the concept behind the record, her blossoming rap career, and when she first fell in love with hip hop.
“You can say I’m plain Jane, but it’s not the same / I ain’t into big names, but I like nice things” Such classic lyrics from a song few of us probably have on our iPod’s, but one all of us remember when you hear that delicious hook.
Chicago rap sensation Mick Jenkins gave hip-hop heads at the sold-out Middle East show something heavy but sweet to work with. Wu-Tang and Biggie were playing as low-lying smoke clouds filled air, bouncing off the shallow, Middle East ceiling as hip-hop fans were eagerly awaiting their headliner.
Ghostland Observatory took The Paradise crowd on a laser-fueled journey into outer space with Aaron Behrens at the helm, dancing his way through the cosmos. In the dark halls of The Paradise Rock Club, fans stood around comparing how many times they'd seen the band, hastily cracking glow sticks.
Every month we're talking to local music luminaries about what music they just can't get out of their heads. This mix is a diverse collection of hip hop, Latino punk, folk anthems, and even a little Reggaeton — some familiar names and some we are excited to introduce.
Jedi Mind Tricks has steadily maintained their place in hip hop history as one of the most influential underground artists of all time, part of a balanced breakfast for dedicated hip hop fans. With deadly, soul-piercing rhymes produced purely for the love of music...
Oompa is a master of ceremonies during her live shows, providing the audience with the full gamut of her experiences, directing the audience from one song to the next, while hitting heavy poetic rhymes. Oompa entered the Oberon stage on August 3rd rocking a bright yellow jacket, stone-washed jean shorts, white-on-whites, and horn-rimmed glasses.
Local music takes a stand at Boston Answering, a one-night hip hop-centric artist showcase for Boston residents and a shot across the bow at Boston Calling. When you walk into the lobby of historic Strand Theater in Dorchester, you can almost hear stories emanating from the gold leaf paint-trimmed walls.
Rapper and style icon Billy Dean Thomas uses beats and fashion to bring cultures together for a massive late-night party at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Sneakerheads in rare blue and orange Nike Air Max trainers and matching track jackets stood shoulder to shoulder with runway accoutered fashionistas rocking 10-inch black leather heels, structured ...
LouBands brings the unwavering hip hop hustle, hunger, and entrepreneurial spirit to his latest album, Bando Wave. Boston-based rapper LouBands is wasting no time making a name for himself. He started rapping only two years ago, but has already attracted the creative support of Young Jeezy's producer, John Scott, to drop his latest album, Bando ...
"Don't need no watch for me to tell you what time it is!" Billy Dean Thomas drops lyrical gems with their latest EP, Rocky Barboa. Packed with multilayered metaphors and deeply creative wordplay, the EP has the kinds of beefy rhymes that hip hop heads can chew on for years.
If you're lookin' for fresh beats and spooky, tripped out effects to amp up your Halloween, check out Benji III's video for...
Oompa recalls hip hop's true spirit on November 3rd with beats you can feel, soul-driven melodies, and skillful wordplay of painfully honest experiences. November 3rd is local artist Oompa's debut album-a deeply confessional collection of songs over smooth soul beats. Through deadly rhymes Oompa tells honest stories of her day-to-day realities: grief, depression, discrimination, and self-sabotage.
On his latest album, Civilization, local artist Sweeps explores time travel with hip-hop as his copilot. Packed with jazz-laced melodic rap beats and sci-fi thematics, local hip-hop producer Sweeps launches listeners through time and space with his latest album, Civilization. Blending 90s era hip-hop beats and 70s funk soul samples, Sweeps connects the past, present, ...
Inspired by the glittered pop-mania eruption of the early 2000's, when high-gloss teen bop talents like Britney Spears ruled with undeniable catchiness and memorable dance moves, self-described "pop prince(ss)" Rhoadse brings us his TRL-inspired EP. Sell My Soul is a sampler platter for pop-hungry listeners, offering a variety of flavors from all-night dance bangers, to ...
On his third album, Boston-based rapper AZA offers a bridge for social dialogue and brings listeners "only good karma" In a return to the conscious rap era of the 90s where artists like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest were front and center, AZA shares his unique perspective on social bias and his ...