Tag Archives: hip hop

Beats & Verses: December 2024

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We’ve followed the trail to new music discovery, and we’ve once again found a bounty.

One project we’re excited about is Heru Heru‘s new album, Heruglyphics, which dropped in mid-November. The Nashville-based trio is a shining example of what it means to keep lyrical hip hop alive — but it’s far from the only example on this playlist.

From nerdcore to hardcore, from pop-rap to R&B, from new tracks to enduring favorites, there’s a full harvest of Beats & Verses for you to enjoy this month. Tap in!

Track listing:
Heru Heru ft. Nakessa & Negro Justice – Barry
Syclonus ft. KDotJay – Me, Myself and I
Gr3ys0n – Times Up
Jamar Rose – OUT THE DARK
Spence Brown – By My Lonely
Emory Jaymz ft. O.N.E. – UNOdat
Harris Hills – Cops and Strippers
RiTcH – Emotional
Lord Goldie ft. Q Shaunte – Lick
Lyrick Musiq – Winter Rainfall
Symbasyd ft. Kelly2face & Adonis – Heyyy
Brett Will – Dominoes
E.T. ft. Therese – You’re A Star
Numoon – I Hate The Sun
BEZ – Lie Detector
Intellect ft. Dave East – Too Many Losses
Usual Suspektz ft. Asun Eastwood – Tower
pher, – moon
Miles Squiers – 24 Hours
Ekelle ft. Ervin Mitchell – Games

WATCH: Da’ Healerz Preview ‘Heal Talk’ with ‘Healin’ It’

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On Friday, UMC Spotlight Artist Da’ Healerz kept the hype train rolling toward the release of their debut album, Heal Talk, with the release of the project’s first visuals.

“Healin’ It” — directed and produced by Twisted Focus Entertainment — sees Foundation Mecca and Lord Goldie on a nature walk through Burgess Falls State Park, about an hour east of Nashville. The picturesque setting provided Da’ Healerz an opportunity to connect back to nature, taking in the sights and sounds as they release their burdens and come to a place of inner peace.

“Healin’ It’ is a powerful track that dives deep into self-restoration and making amends, whether you’re the one who caused pain or the one carrying it,” Da’ Healerz said in a joint statement. “This song is a guide through the process of finding peace, as we explore therapy, meditation, healthy eating, facing our fears, and addressing childhood trauma.”

The track itself was produced by N8MLVL, who added soulful vocals in the song’s chorus. “Healin’ It” is a preview of what is to come on Heal Talk, which now has a new release date of December 12 (12.12.24) — which just so happens to be the solar return of Healerz member Foundation Mecca.

“Join us on this journey toward wholeness—one step at a time.”

PHOTOS: Gussapolooza, Day 1: We Arrive North

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The late summer sun was shining. Shades of sky blue and kelly green draped over the Canadian landscape, as I drove into Ontario by way of the Ambassador Bridge, connecting Detroit to Windsor.

I — and UMC — had never been here before. Not only did I find myself in another country, but I was there on behalf of this plucky little platform I started with a USB mic, laptop, and idea in my childhood bedroom 11 years prior. Surreal.

I still had a few more hours to go before I’d arrive to my destination: Cookstown, about an hour north of Toronto. Gussapolooza — an emerging festival for independent artists — was set to begin.

I arrived shortly after 5 p.m. ET, where I was greeted warmly by organizers and volunteers. After getting camp situated, I grabbed my camera and walked up to the festival’s dual main stage setup.

Suddenly, we were off to the races.

Throughout the evening, I found myself remarking at the talent and diversity on the lineup. It felt that, with each new performance, I had found my new favorite moment of the night.

Moreover, all of us in attendance were free and encouraged to create and enjoy it all. It became evident quickly that Gussapolooza is more than a festival; it’s a community that brings us back to the fundamentals, while providing meaningful opportunities for artistic expression.

Certainly, to build a career in this industry, there is a necessary emphasis on the business side that we all must embrace. However — if just for a weekend — Gussapolooza invited us all to drop the pretense, come as we are, and find unity in the art form that inspired our creative journeys.

Gussapolooza was here for another year, and it was ready to remind us why we do what we do.

Note: I tried to get to every performance, but there were a few I missed throughout the weekend, in the flow of things. If I missed yours, I offer my humblest apologies. Let’s make it up sometime!

Brigitte Eve (IG | Spotify)

In Your Walls (IG | Spotify)

Freightliner (IG | Spotify)

Usual Suspektz (IG | Spotify)

Cudbear (IG | Spotify)

Ashley Gilmore (IG | Spotify)

Feral Minks (IG | Spotify)

Jeff Gutteridge (IG | Spotify)

The Manic Boys & Girls Club (IG | Spotify)

CMAGIC5 (IG | Spotify)

Fundamentals of Beatmaking: A Live Q&A with Foundation Mecca

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Foundation Mecca is a Nashville-based hip hop artist and producer who wears many hats. He’s one-third of the heal hop trio Heru Heru, as well as one half of Da Healerz with fellow Nashville native, Lord Goldie.
In this virtual session, Foundation will reveal everything you need to know to get started making beats for artist projects, sync, and more. We invite you to bring your questions to the chat, which we’ll answer live on the stream!

RSVP HERE

This conversation is being offered to the public for FREE by the UMC Academy. For more educational content and creative connections, consider joining the Academy today: https://umcworldwide.com/academy.

NashLive! Sonic Kaleidoscope Tickets On Sale Now!

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NashLive Sonic Kaleidoscope

On Monday, we announced the lineup for our July 20 NashLive! Sonic Kaleidoscope experience at Helping Our Music Evolve in Nashville. Presented in conjunction with Rainne Entertainment, this uniquely vivid event will feature the talents of Shawney Rainne, Fiona Maura, and Hew G.

Tickets are now on sale — and they come in two different flavors!

  • Basic Babe ($15): Ready to experience an epic night? Grab a general admission ticket and you’re good to go!
  • Party Like a Rock Star ($45): General Admission PLUS unlimited access to our specialty cocktail bar! You read that right! An extra 30 bucks gets you access to the open bar! You won’t find a deal like this anywhere else in Nashville.

Be sure to grab those tickets ASAP, because they will sell out! Hit the button below.

SECURE YOUR SPOT

LISTEN: Spence Brown Tells Us Life Isn’t Always ‘Easy’ — and That’s OK!

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After a long, contemplative winter and spring, Spence Brown has reached the summer with a new sense of perspective and — dare we say? — optimism.

That’s what shines through on “Easy,” Brown’s latest single, released May 31. The final release before his album, 4am in Nashville, arrives this summer, “Easy” is a breath of fresh air, and the first glimpse of sunlight over the horizon after a cold winter’s night.

“One of the most fascinating emotions to me is the feeling of something being bittersweet, and at the end of the day, that’s really what life is like,” Brown said. “We’re here living, trying to figure out who we are and what to do with this one life we get. In the process, we end up feeling the full spectrum of emotions that we can as human beings, and realize that we — and everyone we know and love — will someday leave this plane of existence. That is the most bittersweet feeling that there is, so don’t take it for granted. Understand that, for the good to exist, the bad must also exist, and sometimes things just take a little bit of time and hard work.”

Like the rest of Brown’s releases, “Easy” was self-produced, with every detail curated to provide a thoughtful, cathartic experience for artist and listener alike.

“I started this song with a sample from Splice, but as I often do, I wanted to make the song my own and create something that still felt original,” Brown said. “So, I used the sample in the verses, and then mirrored the melody into a different instrument in Logic and added the vocal stacks that fill out the background. I tweaked the mix for months, just trying to make it perfect, because the song just meant so much to me.”

Our 48-Hour NASHFLASH Sale is Back!

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As you may have heard, our premiere NashLive! experience got delayed just a wee bit to April 26, giving us the opportunity to make it even bigger and better than before.

That also means we get to give you another chance to save on tickets — but that opportunity won’t last long!

This Tuesday and Wednesday (April 9 and 10), we’re bringing back our NASHFLASH coupon code for 48 hours only. Get your tickets before 11:59 p.m. CT on Wednesday, April 10, and save $5 off the price of admission.

This is the LAST TIME we’re offering this deal, so make sure you get those tickets now. Watch below to see what all the hype is about!

Songs You Should Hear: The Return

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It’s been a little while since we’ve done one of these, hasn’t it?

Yet, with excellence all around us, it’s clear that many of the submissions we’re receiving deserve a deeper dive. And so, today marks the triumphant return of Songs You Should Hear!

Get started with these, and be ready for more on the way, every Friday at UMC!

Artist: JT Loux
Song: look into my eyes
Genre: Indie Rock/Alternative
Why You Should Hear It: The course of true love never runs smooth — and it can be made even more complicated when you’re loving from a distance. Underneath this tune’s prevailing warmth is a clear and present longing, inspired by the reality of “loving someone, but they are 2,000 miles away.”

Artist: Rex & The Rhythm
Song: Umbrella
Genre: Hip Hop/Soul/Alternative
Why You Should Hear It: Who’s ready for some April showers? This tune’s breezy sonic landscape juxtaposes well with its lyrical content, artfully illustrating the conflicting emotions experienced after a breakup.

“‘Umbrella’ is about a relationship abruptly ending, even though the forecast appeared to show clear skies and warm weather,” Rex said.

Fun fact: Rex has had the opportunity to open for artists including Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Ashanti, and Lauryn Hill — and, after opening up this “Umbrella,” it’s easy to understand why!

Artist: Spence Brown
Song: By My Lonely
Genre: Hip Hop
Why You Should Hear It: If you’ve ever dealt with haters, this one is for you. Brown has proclaimed this fiery new track the “anti-hater anthem”; and with how hard this one goes, it might just provide the push you need to overcome doubt.

Brown says, “As an artist, it’s always hard to deal with haters, but if you can remind yourself that what you do is good at the end of the day, you can just laugh it off. Personally, I’ve always had a hard time dealing with haters, so I made this song to remind myself that it doesn’t matter what other people think. I can get this done without their opinions!”

Got something you think we should hear? What are you waiting for?! Shoot it our way, and you could be featured in an upcoming edition of Songs You Should Hear!

UMC20: An Explosive Start to April (April 3, 2024)

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Rock and roll is alive and well, as you’ll hear throughout the first half of this week’s UMC20.

This week’s compilation is frontloaded with a variety of electric guitar sounds and turbo-powered swagger. But, as always, there’s something for everyone this week. Americana lovers will want to pay close attention to the middle of the playlist, while pop, soul, and hip hop fans will particularly enjoy the latter portions.

And, as always, we’ve got some useful nuggets from that Official Podcast of ours waiting for you at the end. Check those out — especially if you fancy yourself an artistpreneur!

Track listing
Another Dead Rockstar – 1985 (Can You Help Me)
Gloom Girl MFG – Crimes
The Mad Sugars – Lost Among the Avenues
The Fever Haze – Last Night I Killed a Man
JT Loux – look into my eyes
Lurve – Run, Get Drunk, and Fall in Love Again
Lone Tree – Miss You
OPIATE – Lay
Black Suit Devil – Passage
Medium Build – Knowing U Exist
Old 97’s – Somebody
Travis Feutz – Utah
The Flying Raye – The Ballad of Leslie Cochran
Swamp Dogg ft. Jenny Lewis – Count The Days
Annie Scherer – You Like The Blues
Eliza Hardy Jones – Counterfeit
Rex & The Rhyhtm – Umbrella
Lindsey Lomis – Long Way Down
pher, – moon
Spence Brown – By My Lonely

UMC20: The Best of March 2024

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What a stacked month!

Between the 20 songs that comprise the UMC20 Best of March 2024, and the two latest, completely epic episodes of our Official Podcast, The Quinn Spinn, our end-of-month compilation contains nearly three-and-a-half hours of listening enjoyment!

Get it while it’s here. Next Wednesday, we’ll drop the first all-new UMC of April. Soak up the memories from the month that has been!

Track listing
Bootsy Collins ft. Snoop Dogg, Fantaazma, Wiz Khalifa, and Dave Stewart – The Influencers
Spence Brown – Scotch Thoughts
Miles Squiers – 24 Hours
Game Changer – Just Sayin’
Adam Paddock – Sweet Ohio Light
Izzy Rage – Wreck
TsukiMai – Selenophile
Cardiac Half – Gloom
YEARB4 – BABY I’M DYIN’
The Minimum Wage – Everyone Is
Pepperwood – Drowning
The Ghost Club – If I Fell (Don’t Wait Here For Me)
Crow and Gazelle – Take It Away
Max McNown – Dead Set
Dustin Kensrue – High Scalers
Kat & Zach – Winter Flower
Bronco Redahan – High on Lonesome
The Kentucky Gentlemen – Beg Your Parton
Mikayla Lewis – All is Well
Rome – Forever

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