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Adele releases a gorgeous 12-track studio album, entitled, “30”
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Adele is a global pop superstar from London, England. Not too long ago, she released a gorgeous 12-track studio album, entitled, “30.” The project was preceded by the release of several wonderful tracks including the spectacular lead single, “Easy On Me,” which finds a vulnerable Adele singing about her childhood, lost marriage, and valuable lessons learned from experiences involving family, love, and abandonment. The sentimental ballad contains a relatable narrative, ear-pleasing vocals, and tuneful melodies that will resonate well with fans of Ella Eyre, Andra Day, and Lauren Daigle. Furthermore, “Easy On Me” has commandeered the #1 position on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart since it was released four weeks ago. Also, the single has broken streaming, radio, and chart records around the world.
“I was certainly nowhere near where I’d hoped to be when I first started it nearly 3 years ago. Quite the opposite actually. I rely on routine and consistency to feel safe, which I always have. And yet there I was knowingly – willingly even, throwing myself into a maze of absolute mess and inner turmoil. I’ve learned a lot of blistering home truths about myself along the way. I’ve shed many layers but also wrapped myself in new ones. Discovered genuinely useful and wholesome mentalities to lead with, and I feel like I’ve finally found my feeling again. I’d go as far as to say that I’ve never felt more peaceful in my life. And so, I’m ready to finally put this album out.” – Adele explained
Adele’s “30” album is being heralded by critics as Adele’s finest album to date, and we totally understand why they think so. Our favorite track on the album is “I Drink Wine,” a track we will surely have on repeat for many years to come. “30” was produced by Greg Kurstin, Max Martin, Shellback, Tobias Jesso Jr, Inflo, and Ludwig Göransson.
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Maluma releases an appealing music video for his “Mama Tetema” single featuring Rayvanny
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Maluma (Juan Luis Londoño) is a global Latin music idol from Medellin, Colombia. Not too long ago, he released an appealing music video for his “Mama Tetema” single featuring Tanzanian artist, Rayvanny. The Jessy Terrero-directed video finds Rayvanny in Africa and Maluma in the United States. ‘Mama Tetema’ contains a relatable narrative, ear-pleasing Spanish and Swahili vocals embedded with tuneful melodies. The infectious dance tune possesses rhythmic instrumentation flavored with afrobeats, reggaeton, and Urban Latino elements. Also, “Mama Tetema” makes it impossible for listeners to stay still, compelling people to dance and tetama (shake).
‘Mama Tetema’ was inspired by the popular track, “Tetema,” (2019) by Rayvanny featuring Diamond Platnumz. Maluma heard the song and loved it so much that he reached out to Rayvanny via DM on Instagram. , and the rest is history. Maluma added new lyrics in Spanish and included a reggaeton beat. The result – a hot new fusion, entitled, “Mama Tetema.” Maluma and Rayvanny performed “Mama Tetema” at the MTV European Music Awards. Their performance aired from Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday, November 14, 2021.
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Da Hot Spot music podcast Hosted by DJ TYKES |
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Kuttem Reese releases an appealing music video for his “Bounce Out” single
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Kuttem Reese is a rising street rapper from Orlando, Florida. Not too long ago, he released an appealing music video for his “Bounce Out” single via Republic Records. On the track, bass-laden piano underscores a menacing beat as Kuttem Reese rips through the production with punishingly sharp verses. The momentum builds towards a ravenously catchy hook. Once again, Kuttem masterfully controls his intensity to deliver a caustically catchy banger.
Furthermore, “Bounce Out” finds a determined Kuttem Reese rapping about never giving up and doing what he has to do to survive. Later, he stated, “They say hard times break people, for me, it turns me up.” Bounce Out follows hot on the heels of Kuttem’s previously released anthem, entitled, “Pallbearers.”
Kuttem Reese just wrapped up a sold-out run supporting City Morgue on the Monster Energy Outbreak Tour Presents Bottom of the Barrel, performing to packed crowds coast-to-coast. In addition to dropping the hypnotically infectious “Steppin By My Lonely” this year, “Industry Music” landed a spot in the Original Soundtrack Album for Madden NFL 22. Also, Kuttem’s 15-track debut mixtape, “Kutt Dat Boy,” has tallied north of 20 million total streams and counting. Plus, the Super Bowl champion, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, bumped his banger, “Madden,” to celebrate their NFC championship win earlier this year.
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Editor's Pick |
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What we've been listening to this week |
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Essosa releases an appealing music video for her “Lemonade” single
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Essosa is an up-and-coming 20-year-old singer-songwriter and dancer from East London, England. Not too long ago, she released an appealing music video for her “Lemonade” single, which tells a bittersweet tale of star-crossed love and heartbreak. The dancefloor-friendly tune contains a relatable narrative, ear-pleasing vocals, and tuneful melodies that will resonate well with fans of Jenny Kwon, A$H., and Nate Who. Furthermore, “Lemonade” serves as a tasty appetizer to what listeners can expect to hear from Essosa in the near future as she continues to release new music.
“‘Lemonade’ is a heartbreak dance-pop anthem. I wrote this song as a form of escapism – and to find a way to dance despite the pain of rejection. My inspiration behind the music video was to recreate the vibe of famous 1980s New York dance clubs like The Danceteria and Studio 54. I want to give a special thank you to the director, Alice Rotherham, for helping my idea come to life. Also, I want to thank Miscia, who helped take the pictures for the cover art and more. Lastly, a final shout-out to all of my friends who took part and helped this video come together. You guys are the best video vixens an artist could ever have.” – Essosa explained
At the age of 17, Essosa released her debut single, entitled, “The Retreat,” a protest song about the infamous Brexit vote. In 2021, she released two singles, “Memory” and “Belong,” ahead of her debut EP, entitled, “Dreamworld,” featuring five dreamy tunes.
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Sophie Simmons releases a heartfelt pop tune, entitled, “Love Turns Lonely”
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Sophie Simmons is a talented singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Not too long ago, she released a heartfelt pop tune, entitled, “Love Turns Lonely,” which tells an intriguing tale about a young woman who shares a declining relationship with her significant other. Apparently, she has donated all of her time and energy towards the development or restoration of their relationship. However, her companion seems distant, oftentimes, taking her undying love for granted. Therefore, she addresses her problematic partner, “Who’s gonna call you when the love turns lonely?”
“‘Love Turns Lonely’ is my first solo release in a long time. I took a break from releasing to focus on writing for other artists. It was a very organic way to get back into artistry. I wrote it with three of my closest friends, and I think you can hear the love in it. ‘Love Turns Lonely’ is about a fizzling relationship; where the partner in the song is being a bit distant and dramatic. The narrator is lost and the love they had is slowly turning to loneliness.” – Sophie Simmons explained
Sophie Simmons has performed for audiences as large as 20,000 people and she has amassed over 300 million streams across her releases as a vocalist and writer. Some highlights include Sam Feldt’s and Ella Henderson’s “Hold Me Close;” Felix Cartal and her JUNO nominated, SOCAN award-winning, and Canadian platinum-selling single, “Mine;” R3HAB and Kelvin Jones’s single, “Downtown;” and Leah Kate’s viral hit, “F*** Up the Friendship.” Furthermore, Sophie is executive producing an upcoming project with Casey Bear. Her track with Frank Walker and Nevada peaked at Canadian Top 40 radio at #24. To date, the song has over 2.5 million streams.
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Nissi releases a spectacular African dance tune, entitled, “HOLD”
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Nissi is a fast-rising singer-songwriter from Nigeria. Not too long ago, she released a spectacular African-dance tune, entitled, “HOLD,” which tells an appealing tale about a young woman who hates the fact that she is under her significant other’s spell. Apparently, her partner’s hold on her is extremely strong and intoxicating. Therefore, she feels drunk, confined, and caught up in a state of rapture. She desperately searches for a way out of her predicament – but she is not able to set herself free. Later, she tells her companion, “I’m locked up in a maze and you’re my captor.”
Blending both African and European influences, the cross-cultural sound of Nissi reflects the path she has taken in life. Born into a highly creative family in Port Harcourt, Nigeria – her older brother is Burna Boy and her grandfather was Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti’s manager. Nissi lived in England since 2011, first in Bath and then Warwick before settling in East London. With her music career still very much in its infancy, Nissi is already showing signs that she is destined for big things.
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Valntna releases a heartfelt R&B tune, entitled, “Vivid Dreams”
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Valntna is a singer-songwriter from south London, England. Not too long ago, she released a heartfelt R&B tune, entitled, “Vivid Dreams,” featured on Valntna’s new 8-track EP, entitled, “Shadow Work.”
“‘Vivid Dreams’ is based on trusting in your intuition and tapping into your highest self for guidance and answers you seek. The song is actually inspired by a personal experience of mine that I had about a year ago. I was seeing this guy and I started to have this really uncomfortable feeling about a friendship he was building with another woman. I just felt he wasn’t being completely honest about the nature of their relationship. Something was just not sitting right with me and when I would question him about it – he would always find a way to make it about my insecurities. In all honesty, at the time, I believed him. But then, I started having random dreams about them. One day, I had the craziest dream. And when I asked him about it, he couldn’t hide the truth. My dream had already revealed it all to me. Deep down, I always knew I just didn’t trust my intuition and I kept praying for a sign and it came to me in my dreams.” – Valntna explained
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Krissi Hunter releases a sensational electro-pop tune, entitled, “Boomerang”
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Krissi Hunter is an up-and-coming singer-songwriter from Ontario, Canada. Not too long ago, she released a sensational electro-pop tune, entitled, “Boomerang,” which tells an intriguing tale about a desirable young woman who occupies a problematic relationship with her dishonest significant other. Apparently, some other woman is calling her companion, “Baby,” and she doesn’t like that. Therefore, she bosses up and deletes her partner’s number from her phone because she’s tired of giving out second chances. Her partner comes crawling back and starts blowing up her phone trying to apologize. However, she doesn’t care about any of that because it’s too late for apologies. Later, she finds someone new, and this good-looking individual treats her the way she deserves to be treated.
Krissi Hunter’s sound is upbeat, unique, and fresh. She believes music is a form of healing and mental therapy in our society, and always wants to bring that element to her audience. Also, Krissi works with charities of all kinds around Canada, including Sick Kids, Breast Cancer Support Services, and the Canadian Cancer Society.
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Anna Sofia releases a self-assertive pop tune, entitled, “No Negotiations”
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Anna Sofia is a young singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Blue Mountains, Ontario. Not too long ago, she released a self-assertive pop tune, entitled, “No Negotiations,” which displays Anna’s wit, sarcasticness, and immaculate songwriting. To date, the song has accumulated hundreds of thousands of TikTok views on just a demo.
“‘No Negotiations’ is a straight-to-the-point hype song. It’s the one song I’ve made that reminds me to be good to myself because I deserve it. Sometimes, we forget how amazing we really are and can be our own worst enemies. This is just a song to remind you that you are the baddest MF out there SO ACT LIKE IT!!!!” – Anna Sofia explained
Anna Sofia has accrued millions of streams and a legion of dedicated fans for one reason: she’s honest. Her music represents an artist living in the moment, reflecting on life, and navigating the drama of becoming an adult–with sophisticated, experimental, and theatrical tunes free from pretense and bullsh*t. Also, she sings directly from the heart of the Gen Z experience.
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Three Black Boys book series |
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"Thomson's ear for street-slang vernacular is effective in bringing his characters to life and creates a chillingly real backdrop." - Kirkus Discoveries Review |
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“Three Black Boys: Tomorrow After Supper” by Zangba Thomson
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The location is South-side Jamaica, a rough and tough neighborhood in Queens, New York, and home to Babita Harris, an uninsured single parent who falls ill after returning home from vacation. She is taken to a hospital, where Salome McBryant diagnoses her with having black fever disease, which has done a significant amount of damage to her liver. With a couple of months to live, Babita's only hope of survival is a costly liver transplant. But with no health insurance, the chance of surgery is slim. What she needs is a quarter of a million dollars in cash. And that's when Barnes, her only son, along with his best friends, Demus and Baker, spring into dangerous action to get the money. Though their road is paved with good intentions, the brothers in arms are in for a few surprises and a whole lot of heat in this supernatural thriller which tells two remarkable tales of crime and redemption.
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"'Three Black Boys: The Hotep Brother Manuscript' has elements that reminded me of the movie, 'The Mummy Returns." - Night Reader Reviews |
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"Three Black Boys: The Hotep Brother Manuscript" by Zangba Thomson
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Barnes, Demus, and Baker are back with another actioned-packed adventure. This time, they travel to Monomotapa, Alkebulan, where the king and queen were recently slain by Ego, a familiar nemesis whom the three Black boys thought they had destroyed in the afterlife. But they were deeply mistaken. Now, Ego has in his possession The Hotep Brother Manuscript, a sacred book filled with spiritual laws and enchanting spells, which he uses to turn the Monomotapan military into Egomaniacs. By his side is Deadra, a divine entity, and their goal is to rule Monomotapa and discontinue all shipments of gold to Planet Black, the home of the deities. Currently, the black planet is vulnerable, protected by a thin layer of gold that is quickly depleting. With the threat of an incoming meteoroid shower looming, there’s no telling what might happen to Planet Black if a large shipment of gold doesn’t arrive there soon.
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Bong At Home video series |
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