Hailing from Havana, Florida, Hurricane Wisdom has established a certified name for himself.
JaJuan Malachi
Hailing from Atlanta, GA, Alternative R&B rising starlet Korin has escalated her inevitable rise to stardom with sheer vulnerability and unadulterated emotion.
Comfortably nestled somewhere between “I want it” and “I’ve got it,” Reuben Vincent is a dynamic young star among today’s Hip-Hop milieu.
Upon signing to Jamla Records in 2016 and then to Roc Nation in 2021, the 22-year-old rap phenom was taken under the chief wing of some of the best and brightest of the genre: 9th Wonder, Rapsody, Young Guru and more. Under their tutelage, Vincent is a leading poster child for artist development as he has been able to carefully hone his lyrical acumen, take his time with the craft and ultimately perfect what he does best: rap.
Irrespective of his status as one of Roc Nation’s youngest signees, the Charlotte native is resolute about forging his own distinctive path and taking the road less traveled, especially among the modern music industry.
Over the course of his career, he’s already dropped myriad, critically acclaimed projects. Some of his records include Myers Park (2017), Boy Meets World (2020) and his most recent, Love Is War (2023).
Whether it’s speaking on the treacherous nature of dating on “Trickin” ft. Domani or talking about the ills of chronic drinking on “Bottle Service,” the young prodigy proudly wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid to delve into hot button topics of vulnerability.
Seamlessly shapeshifting between poignant thought processes and intimate highly personal subject matter, Vincent has a penchant for more nuanced, deeper level rhetoric. As far as his catalog and musical prowess is concerned, there’s nothing one-dimensional or myopic about it.
During the last year, Vincent has been a member of the “TIDAL RISING” Program, which has prided itself on “highlighting up-and-coming artists across every genre, using the tools at hand – playlists, video content, online articles and marketing – to help musicians take that crucial next step.”
This year, the program has expanded its offerings to include “amplification, education and connections.” Some of the tangible resources are “workshops, attendance at the inaugural TIDAY Artist Summit, master classes, hands-on training in partnership with Dolby, and opportunities through TIDAL’s editorial department.”
In recent times, culture journalist JaJuan Malachi was afforded the opportunity to speak with Reuben Vincent. What ensued shortly afterwards was hearty conversations about a bunch of different topics. Some of the matters they spoke about include his latest single: “Grand Cherry,” the impact Jamla Records has had on his career, who he would love to collaborate with on a track dead or alive, his future and much more.
Here’s how the conversation went.
JaJuan: What’s good Reuben!
Reuben: What’s good.
JaJuan: Where you at right now?
Reuben: Uh, I’m in Charlotte.
JaJuan: Ahhh ok, back home back home. I peeped that you were in ATL recently.
Reuben: Yeah, I was just down there like two days ago. I did the Pass Da Aux thing with Nyla Symone.
JaJuan: I peeped. That was fire.
Reuben: Where you at right now?
JaJuan: I’m over in BK right now.
Reuben: Ok, fire fire!
JaJuan: I’m so glad we were able to bring this into fruition. I know I’ve been knocking on your door about it for a little minute.
* mutual laughter*
Reuben: Right!
JaJuan: So my first question, I wanted to know. What was the motivation behind your recent single: “Grand Cherry”?
Reuben: So for me, “Grand Cherry” is a song I wrote earlier this year. As an up and coming artist, you have the trouble of like “when is this going to work?”, “how are things working?”, “are things working?” “Grand Cherry” was just an affirmation and on top of that, I had just got a car last year, which was my Grand Cherokee Jeep. So that’s why I say, “they didn’t know what to think when they saw it was me, hopping out the Grey Jeep, Grand Cherry it’s sweet.” I’m just playing off of it being a Grand Cherokee. You know the goal was to affirm myself. You know, all the work I put in. All of the time I put into this being away from home. I wanted to bring it back to that center. I’m knowing my worth and valuing my worth.
JaJuan: I noticed that it was dedicated to a friend of yours. Would you feel comfortable expounding on that a little bit?
Reuben: Oh yeah, it was my whip. It was just a play on the words. In the beginning of the video, I said dedicated to a friend but I was just talking about my car.
*mutual laughter*
JaJuan: lol, ohhhh. I thought there was a deeper meaning. For my next question, I know you’ve been at Jamla for a minute now. It’s been a good good minute. How has your tribe over at Jamla kind of impacted your career?
Reuben: For me, I was always younger than everybody who was on Jamla. Like for me, they really gave me like big brother/big sister energy. They always gave me older siblings energy. You know when I’m making my decisions, they’re not sitting there tryna tell me what decisions to make but kind of guiding me in the right direction, making sure I’m not making mistakes they may have made and stuff like that and just also keeping my head sharp. You know I picked up a lot of wisdom from being around everybody in the Jamla camp. That helped me further grow my wisdom and why people be like “oh, you have an old soul and all that.” It comes from the wisdom and the game and the knowledge that I got from everybody over there. That’s what they were for me. Just family, continuing to give knowledge and pass it down from generation to generation.
JaJuan: It seems like y’all have a really strong bond over there. A lot of genuine energy and camaraderie. It doesn’t feel forced or anything like that. Moving on, I peeped that you had two freestyles for this year’s BET Awards. A lot of legendary artists have been down this same path. I know we spoke about it over at the TIDAL event. How was this experience for you?
Reuben: For me, it was just dope. I had did the actual cypher last year. And this year, they called me back to do something on stage, I think was pretty dope. To get that call back and just to see the value in my talent and my work ethic made them call me back. And I think it was just dope, continuing to put my eyes in front of people who may not know who I am. I am more than grateful.
JaJuan: That’s super dope. You really did your thing. How do you feel about the execution and reception of your latest record: Love Is War. I know it’s been out for a little minute now. I guess enough time has passed for reception to be a thing. I think Pitchfork did a piece on you as well right?
Reuben: Right.
JaJuan: I guess a motif that I noticed is that a lot of the tracks are super poignant. Incredibly thought provoking. A lot of nuanced meaning behind it all. I was actually just watching the Trickin’ video for the first time.
Reuben: Oh, forreal?
JaJuan: I was like “yo, is this how it is in the music industry”? But then I was like nah.
*mutual laughter*
Reuben: Nah, that’s just everyday life forreal.
JaJuan: Yeah, yeah. That was a turn of events that I didn’t see coming and that was like a super clever concept. But yeah, I just wanted to take on how people have been perceiving it.
Reuben: As an artist, you’re always going to feel like you could have did this better but another thing as an artist is when you put music out, it’s not yours no more. Love Is War has slowly become an if you know, you know music project. I’m not gon’ sit here and say Love Is War did the greatest year. Not saying to the music side but to the marketing/promotional side, that it had a great album run. If you know you know and if you did listen to the album, you did respect what was on there and I think it’s just going to continuously grow over time as I continue to grow in my artistry. I feel like I’m still on a discovery level and I feel like Love Is War, people have discovered me. If you discovered me, you did but I feel like a lot of people haven’t yet. The concept. The execution of the project. I feel like it went over everybody’s heads a little bit. And some people are going to go back to it as time goes by.
JaJuan: No, for sure. I think it’s one of those projects that require a deeper level of commitment to thought, which channels the golden era of Hip-Hop in a way. I feel like a lot of music back in the day was like that. It wasn’t so evident in terms of like the meaning behind it all. And that was the allure, being able to find those nuggets of wisdom. I feel like a lot of your music kind of follows that trend.
Reuben: It’s definitely a battle and I’m also trying to figure out how to navigate it because I want my music to continue to channel a deeper level of thought but I also want to get as much ears on it, you know what I’m saying, without the expense of the music. If I could have improved upon anything with Love Is War, I wish I could have been able to keep off what I feel I needed to get off but get it off in a way that I feel like everyone was able to digest it.
JaJuan: I feel like that kind of requires a bit of trial and error and also just fine tuning the process.
Reuben: Right! Nah, I feel you.
JaJuan: So for my next question, if there’s anyone you could collaborate with dead or alive, who would it be?
Reuben: Man! That’s such a hard question because I be wanting to collaborate with a lot of people. I want to collaborate with Pharrell. I want to collaborate with Jordan Ward. I want to collaborate with Kendrick Lamar. I wanted to collaborate with Bob Marley.
JaJuan: I think that kind of emanates a lot of your various influences forreal forreal. So being such a young prodigy, it kind of gives me like a Nas Illmatic kind of vibe because I remember when Nas dropped Illmatic, he was super young as well. And in some ways, you kind of remind me of him a little bit. How does that feel and how do you combat the natural pressure of it all?
Reuben: You do combat the pressure but the pressure never goes away. I think the best way to combat the pressure is to not allow the pressure to become your identity. I think for a while when I was younger, I had the pressures of being under 9th, being under the Jamla crew and then on top of that joining Roc and Guru. I feel like I always had the pressure to be. I don’t have any room for error because of the set up. You’re signed to Jamla. You’re signed to Roc. You cannot mess up. In the beginning, it kind of drove me a little crazy because my mentality was. I cannot f**k up. I’ve gotta make sure I’m delivering on all aspects but at the end of the day, mistakes are inevitable in the human process and the artist process. As I got older, the way that I combat the pressure is by making mistakes and being open to making mistakes and learning through my process. The Roc has built their name. Jamla has built their name. 9th has built his name. I don’t always want to continuously live off of. I don’t want people to think of me as “oh, he’s the prodigy of 9th Wonder” and he’s signed to the “Roc” but when people say Reuben Vincent. They can just say Reuben Vincent and stand on it. Just removing the pressure of thinking there is pressure and being ok with mistakes. I think that’s how I’ve been able to combat the pressure and stuff.
JaJuan: I feel that. Mistakes are an essential part of the process.
Reuben: For sure.
JaJuan: I feel like you’re definitely on the verge of forging your own path. I feel like you’ve already done that in a lot of different ways. Last time, I saw you was at the TIDAL Summit. I guess since joining the TIDAL RISING Program. What would you say has been the most impactful or valuable thing about it for you?
Reuben: The most enticing thing about the TIDAL RISING thing I’ve been doing the whole year. They’ve been giving me resources, platforms to share my voice, open my fanbase. Figure out how to be a better businessman. How to be a better person. How to become an all around businessman to help fuel the art. One thing that artists suffer with is the business versus the art. Me and my manager have a good perspective and bird’s eye view on how the playing field needs to be ran. I feel that. It sounds like a comprehensive training. I think it’s definitely needed.
JaJuan: I never thought about that concept of the business versus the art being a thing. There are a lot of artists that have come into conflict with that element and that’s kind of sullied their careers in a lot of different ways. Just not making the right moves.
Reuben: Yeah bro. You’ve gotta be aware at the end of the day. This thing is a business. At the end of the day, people could be like “I don’t care about money.” You tryna get paid bro. We all tryna get paid. Yeah, your music might not be driven off the money but you care about the money, so in order to get the money right you’ve gotta get your business in order.
JaJuan: That’s a fact! Shoutout to TIDAL for establishing a platform like that. So what do you think about the current landscape of Hip-Hop today? There’s a lot of different sounds and a lot of different waves. A lot of different subsections of the genre.
Reuben: A lot of different opinions too.
JaJuan: Coming from Reuben Vincent and you know where you stand in the equation of Hip-Hop, I’m really curious to know what your thoughts are on the overall state of the genre.
Reuben: The genre is in a transcendent place right now. And the reason that I say that is because I feel like there’s a new era. There’s a new emergence of young artists that are making their way and paving their lane. And when a new generation comes around, the other generations aren’t familiar with what to do with it, so it becomes a thing of we miss this thing or we want this thing. Or Hip-Hop is dead and whoppty whoop but I feel like Hip-Hop is far from dead because there’s so many avenues. There’s so many original ideas being put out now. And on top of that, not even just on the mainstream side. I feel like people listen to music in their own bubble but if you really dig and find music, you can find great music. I think the thing that is the problem is more so the accessibility for everything. I think also another problem is we don’t have proper measure of music right now and marketing the music. Everything is online, on social media. All the songs that people are listening to or gravitating to are on social media. I think that is mainly the problem more so than the good music. Things that were important, like album sales are becoming less important. What’s becoming important is either A) How much you’re pulling in on your tickets or B) How much you’re pulling in on a social media presence and how much can we accumulate on both to make a star. And another thing is because of that, there might be someone who makes a crazy song on TikTok but they may have just started rapping twelve months ago. Now you’re putting this artist in the studio and expecting them to become something as quick as possible. It’s ruining the growth and the journey of somebody who could potentially be a great artist. But because we’re tryna milk the game and get money out of it, that’s how it’s looking right now. But I don’t think Hip-Hop is dead. I think the problem is accessibility. Being marketed on the mainstream forefront and on top of that, the measure that makes music successful these days.
JaJuan: I mean that was an extremely well thought out response. You touched on a lot. I definitely appreciate you sharing those thoughts. Going back to that sentiment about artist development, I feel like if anyone knows about artist development, it’s you.
Reuben: Oh fasho
JaJuan: Yeah, I can definitely see how that can be a bit of dilemma for some people that are coming into the game. Personally, I feel like there’s a chasm between the elder statesmen and the new era so to speak.
Reuben: Right.
JaJuan: And just finding that middle ground. People in both parties need to embrace each other.
Reuben: Let’s think about it bruh. At the end of the day, young n***s is gon’ be old n***s one day and old n***s was young n***s one day.
*mutual laughter*
Reuben: Forreal bro! Let’s cut the bull because y’all acting like wasn’t there before and we acting like ain’t gon be there before and I’m guilty of it because I be joking on old heads sometimes. It be harmless. I think both perspectives have a perspective we can embrace and I’ve never been someone who s**ted on the old heads or nothing like that. I think both perspectives offer something we can both respect and embrace. I think my disagreement with elder men is the people who didn’t embrace what was new. Just because I rap a certain way. I listen to Chief Keef. I’m not tryna be woke 24/7. Sometimes, I just wanna turn up or just hear some s**t that bumps in the car. We also have to give credit where it’s due. I feel like it just needs to be that. And the elders need to understand that they’re not young no more. I’m not saying you can’t be apart of the activities. If you’re 40 something years old, you’re obviously don’t know what kids is tryna listen to right now. You not outside. Your daughter might be. Your grandchild might be. So just pass the torch to them and keep it moving from that. I don’t think we need to continue to have the back and forth.
JaJuan: Yeah, I definitely agree. It’s going to require some compromise on both ends. Hopefully, the community can make it happen but yeah, where do you typically find your inspiration for music from?
Reuben: As of lately, as of the last year or two, what I find as inspiration for me is honestly, the gift of life. Just living my regular day. That’s where I get my inspiration from more so than “oh, I’m listening to an artist and oh, I’m inspired now.” It’s more so a thing of what did I go through today. What did I live through today. What have I experienced. That has been fueling inspiration for what I do more so than anything honestly. And just other means of art: movies, poetry, reading, fellowshipping with your brothers/sisters. That’s what I’ve been inspired by more than anything.
JaJuan: Gotchu. That sounds like a healthy collection of influences. I think that bolsters your relatability too, which is great. I see that you have a penchant for covering other people’s tracks.
*mutual laughter*
JaJuan: I peeped you just did the “8AM In Charlotte” joint and the “Secret Recipe” joint. Quite frankly, I think it’s a genius idea. I think more artists should be doing that especially younger artists but yeah, where’d that idea even come from?
Reuben: It came from Lil’ Wayne. I was a big Lil’ Wayne growing up. You know, he used to kill everybody’s beats. I was just reminiscing on the mixtape era and how he used to dominate. And I was like man, we need to bring that back. Just the concept of people wrapping on other people’s beats. I was like, I’m gonna do it reels and the rest is history.
JaJuan: Wow! That’s like a full circle thought process for me. I ain’t think about Wayne but he was definitely one of them ones that pioneered that trend. So I know we spoke about what’s been going on in recent time but what do you have going on for the rest of the year/top of the year/Q4 going into Q1?
Reuben: Just more music. More activities. More things where I’m able to learn who I am as a person and to help the community. I think those are avenues I’m trying tap into more. I’m just tryna be more community based. More collaborations. I just wanna continue to grow the fanbase, grow this community and give back to it in as many ways as I can. I just wanna continue to get discovered and continue grow and just continue to become a better artist. You gon’ here me producing more.
JaJuan: Dope! I’m looking forward to that. Definitely keeping my ears peeped. I know we spoke a little bit about you being in Atlanta with Nyla Symone. I guess I would just love to get a brief synopsis on the event and how the experience was?
Reuben: For me, the experience was I drove down to Atlanta that day. Nyla Symone and I have a very close relationship, as well as, Domani. We had a lot of college students, so we brought them there. We had some college students perform before us/open up for us. Then we went up there and had a question and answer session with her. After that, we performed. Me and Domani did a song that we have together and then we did two-three songs individually. And then we wrapped it up like that. It was pretty dope because a lot of the college kids were looking towards me as a source of inspiration because I come from a similar background. Like going to school and now I have my deal and my situation. They were asking questions from me. As an artist who comes from humble beginnings. Who comes from the South. Just having that mingle and then a little bit afterwards, we turned up and you know had a good time. Nyla is doing a great thing with Pass Da Aux.
JaJuan: Nah, she’s definitely killing the game with everything she has going on.
Reuben: Facts!
JaJuan: So I know that you and Rapsody are pretty close.
Reuben: Yeah.
JaJuan: I remember when she posted her latest single: “Asteroids,” you posted about it on your story right.
Reuben: Yeah
JaJuan: I’m genuinely curious to know your thoughts on that particular track. You know, just understanding her POV because I’m an avid fan of the track. I actually just made a video talking about it not too long ago. You know, just really going in-depth. I just feel like there’s been a theme in Rap’s career in where she hasn’t received the respect she deserves and I just feel like this track was sort of a tipping point for her. I feel like it was a culmination of those kind of thoughts. Shoutout to Hit-Boy. The beat goes crazy.
Reuben: Definitely shoutout to Hit-Boy. As far as my thoughts go, Rap has cemented herself as one of the best even if it might not accumulate in sales or money or whatever. I think she’s earned the respect far beyond that. And if you don’t respect her, that’s just on you and that’s really a “you” problem. But for me, Asteroids was a dope way for me to intro people back. Kind of a dope way to talk about what’s been going on. I think for Rap, obviously I want her to get her flowers because she is speaking for a certain type of people that could appreciate that. Sometimes, we’re not always showed the benefits in the moment. I want her to know she’s walking a road less travelled. And that’s the reason how things are aligning how they are. The reward down the line is gonna be greater.
JaJuan: Yeah, nah that’s a fact. I think she’s one of the dopest of her generation. Arguably, one of the dopest ever.
Reuben: Nah, she is.
JaJuan: Thank you for sharing your thought process on that. So when it’s all said and done, where do you see Reuben Vincent? When you’ve accumulated years and years in the game and you’re set up comfortable and have achieved everything you could ever think of.
Reuben: Hopefully, I see myself with some acres. I’ll own some land. Like a big a** fruit farm or some s**t. But nah, I definitely see that by God’s grace. That’s a deep a** question. I’m not gon’ lie but I think for me. I just want to be a vessel in making sure we got a step ahead and I mean that just for my family and my ancestors and everybody that comes from the generation before me and after me. Honestly, as I get older, I don’t want too much. I think I’m just happy with if I’m doing what I was served to do on this Earth and I know one of those things is making music and being respected for the work that I’ve done but I’m not doing it for anything from anybody honestly. I’m doing it to push the envelope for culture, for my family and for the generations. I hope I’m really old. I hope my family is healthy. I wanna be chilling at the end of this with a lot of money and a lot land forreal.
JaJuan: I feel that. I mean that sounds like a real wholesome journey but I just wanted to thank you brother for taking the time out to speak with me.
Reuben: Thank you bro! We finally got to do it.
JaJuan: Yeah, I know. I wasn’t too sure if we were gonna get it done before Q1.
*mutual laughter*
Reuben: But we got it fasho.
JaJuan: Fasho man. Well you know keep in contact and I wish you nothing but continued success and blessings.
Reuben: Definitely, you’ve got my #, so we’ll get up.
JaJuan: Fasho. Let me know when you’re in the city and all lat.
Reuben: For sure. I got you brody.
JaJuan: Fasho. Be safe.
Reuben: Alright peace!
To keep up with Reuben, follow him on Instagram.
Doubling down on her unremitting commitment to dismantling the myopic parameters of a single genre, Moya Rey adds yet another gem to her ever-so-refined and just as progressive palette with the release of “Je pense à toi.”
Translating in English to the endearing phrase: “thinking of you,” “Je pense à toi” is a tasteful concoction of Afrobeat, House and R&B that collide together to culminate in a delightful listening experience of epic magnitude.
Produced by fellow multihyphenate Arty Furtado, “Je pense à toi” was recorded in Paris and was filmed in Brooklyn by Deme Brown, who is a queer, non-binary visual artist from Chicago.
Split at the intersection of two languages: English and French, the diffusion that takes place between languages function as unique portals to Rey’s limitless nuance as an artist and serve as a beautiful canvas of her acumen as an avid purveyor of global culture.
Growing up in a Dominican family and having traveled to over twenty-five countries, Rey prides herself on being a vibrant product of myriad cultures. Currently based in Brooklyn, the 25-year-old singer/songwriter is an outstandingly talented polyglot who is enthralled by routine cultivation of sultry lyrics and empowering sentiments of belief.
Earlier this year, Rey dropped another electrifying, genre-bending single: “Back Up.” In an earnest effort to vent about the daily adversity of “cat-calling” that women oftentimes have to deal with, Rey creates an anthem that is just as uplifting as it is infectious.
Influenced by her initial exposure and travels to South Africa, where she explored the regions of KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town, the lyrical content encompasses the next frontier in Rey’s feminist virtue and queer identity.
Before hopping on yet another flight to gain inspiration for her next entity of art, JaJuan Malachi was able to chat with her about a litany of things including when she developed her affinity for cultivating cross-lingual music, opening up for Caribbean artist Konshens earlier this year, the drive behind her non stop hustle, her future and much more.
Here’s how everything went.
When did you discover your appetite for cultivating cross-lingual music?
I have always been a singer/songwriter. From a young age I would sing in the shower and write love songs. I am a self taught piano player and even tried to pick up guitar and ukulele in high school.
The difference when I got older was when I took French and Portuguese classes. I discovered my appetite for cultivating cross-lingual music during my undergraduate years at New York University. A New York City native, NYU simply expanded the worlds I knew existed and made different cultures more accessible to me through different clubs, language classes and study abroad opportunities. I was inspired by my peers, but I forced myself to put aside my hunger for music because I would always prioritize my school work over my own needs or desires.
However, my creative inclinations still took a life of their own. Although I wasn’t making music, I was writing a lot of poems. In my language classes I always chose to make projects that showed the interconnections of our human experiences and culture through music.
I officially started recording music during the pandemic. I was abroad completing my masters with Columbia University. Once the pandemic hit I no longer held on to the excuse that I had to prioritize my school work before my own spiritual practices, and music is one of those spiritual practices I take seriously.
You definitely communicate your passion for cross-lingual music and culture in your latest single “Je pense à toi”, tell me about this Afrobeat, House and R&B fusion.
“Je pense à toi” was produced by Arty Furtado, who produced three out of the four tracks in my first EP Lost in Translation. “Je pense à toi” is French for “Thinking about you”. I was inspired by the track “Je pense à toi”, written by Amadou & Mariam, a musical duo from Mali. I was really inspired by the west african sounds and in general the beautiful tones. I wanted to emulate some of the cadence for the melodies, all the while bringing forward my own experiences and lyricism. The song originally came to life during the pandemic and I kept reworking it to the final form you are able to hear now.
Tell us about your single “Back Up”. Tell me about this amapiano drill fusion, how did it come to life?
The lyrics for BACK UP were inspired by my experiences as a woman being cat called in the most annoying and offensive ways possible. Specific to this song is my experience visiting my mother and younger sister in the South Bronx and feeling harassed every time I walked out of the house. BACK UP is lowkey a diss track to these random men who are outside trynna holla at young girls. Sometimes I intentionally walk with the most stank facial expression on in order to deflect any unwanted attention, but even that doesn’t work. I still get unwanted cat calls in the most belittling way. So the lyrics are partly about telling these crusty, dusty, musty men to BACK UP.
Since visiting South Africa, I mostly wanted to live out my dream of making a house track. I am also a DJ, and House is my favorite genre to DJ. BSNYEA showed me the different house tracks he’s made and I knew it was finally my time. BSNYEA produced, recorded and engineered the song BACK UP. We layered the Amapiano baseline with drill beats, the Dominican güira, Brazilian cuíca and Brazilian Funk at the end.”
How’d you enjoy your Debut TV appearance on Bronx Net TV? That was major!
I absolutely loved having my Debut TV appearance on Bronx Net TV. This happened in January of this year, which was an amazing way to start off the year. It was the first moment I felt like all my hard work was paying off. I think it set a precedent for all that is to come – that I will reap the seeds I sowed and have abundance.
How was it opening up for Konshens? That’s such a surreal milestone.
Opening for Konshens was extremely surreal and also a full circle moment. The Caribbean Students Association (CSA) at NYU reached out to me as an alumna and asked if I would be interested in performing for their end of the year concert. I immediately jumped on the opportunity. As I mentioned, I wasn’t releasing music during undergrad, so it felt like a full circle moment to be invited back to my university to perform my EP. I got a lot of love from the current students and I am very grateful. Also Konshens in general is a vibe! He definitely plays at parties and clubs. When I was an NYU student in CSA, we also definitely were listening to his music then.
What was the central motivation behind the creation of the “Non-English Collective,” which is aptly described as an arts collective for queer, black, latinx and POC artists?
The non-english collective feels like it formed on its own. I am the co-founder with my friend Gamaliel Arroyo. We are both queer, Caribbean artists in Bushwick. We are both also Leos, which is to say we throw ourselves into art and have a sort of perfectionism attitude.
One day Gami decided he wanted to do an art showcase for his paintings and he asked me to DJ. The night was a success of friends and locals stopping by to show love. Then the Grammys happened and the subtitles for Bad Bunny said [speaking in non-english] and [singing in non-english] which was extremely problematic and rooted in western imperialism. We decided to form a collective, and this media portrayal of racism inspired us to go with the name the non-english collective as satire but also to form community and center the artistic productions of queer, black, latinx and POC artists
Between being an adjunct professor, a DJ, a journalist, a photographer, the cofounder of an art collective for queer, black and brown folks, what would you say motivates your unremitting hustle?
Thank you for seeing the many hats I wear! It just feels natural to create and be in community with other artists of color. I always grew up with a community oriented perspective so it just feels natural to combine art and community and continue to release art works as a form of survival. It is what keeps me balanced and able to navigate the mundane or difficult parts of adulthood.
I hear you shot a Pride Campaign with Skittles, what was that experience like?
I truly did not expect this! One of the producers reached out to me directly with the opportunity. Like I said about BronxNet TV, this experience considers to set a precedence for what I am able to accomplish. I love all things creative, and I feel 2023 is the year where I manifest a lot of what I’ve been praying for. I’m more active and willing to show up for myself like I would have shown up for work or school. I am so grateful I can be on a Skittles campaign and that someone will see me and think “she looks like me”. This is the greatest impact I can have, to do what I love and to show girls that look like me that they can too.
We know you have a penchant for keeping super busy per usual, what do you have in store?
Haha! Yes, I definitely love to be working on projects and being extremely hands on.
I am currently working on the post production process for three new singles; “Tourbillon”, “Eternelle Chanel” and “Expectations”. I directed and produced all of them! I am currently in the post production process for Tourbillon- I am editing and color grading it with the support of my friend and filmography Deme Brown. “Eternelle Chanel” and “Expectations” were filmed this summer in Paris, France by the same videographer who shot and edited my second single “Open Letter”. I can’t wait to see how these two turn out!
What’s the best advice you’ve received thus far in your career and from whom?
This may sound so basic, but the best advice I received is to not take things so personal and focus on my own journey. The industry is intense and I’m only now getting started. I just hope to form genuine connections and grow in this way.
Where do you envision Moya Music five years from now?
I feel I am fortunate enough to be able to do what I love. My goal is to monetize off of it and not have to work a regular job. I want all of my creative ventures to sustain me.
To keep up with Moya Rey, check her out on these platforms:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/moyamusic_/
Amid an alarming era of dwindling artistic merit and dubious vocalists, Nigerian songstress Ogi Ifediora, better known as simply “Ogi,” is the silver lining we never knew we needed.
Draped in distinctive swagger and seemingly in a league of their own, funk-filled Canadian trio “Planet Giza” has swarmed onto the contemporary Hip-Hop landscape with stellar momentum and vivacity.
Oftentimes, folx behind the mask of the music industry aren’t very conspicuous. They have a tendency to exist behind the veil and traditionally, find solace in the esoteric nature of that reality.
Who is the creative mind behind Jake Paul’s futuristic apparel: Meet Ché Young
On February 25th, social media personality Jake Paul fought a formidable opponent: Tommy Fury and suffered the first loss of his career.
Hailing from Roosevelt, NY, Keanu Clarke, better known as, Uneak has established an outstanding knack for cultivating music that somehow achieves at feeding both the mind and the soul.
With a fervent hunger woozily reminiscent of J. Cole in his ‘Friday Nights Lights’ bag, the lyrically gifted newcomer is sincere in his expression and in all things that make him authentically unique.
Despite there being something earnest about his content matter at times, his discography embraces a healthy amount of fun and hedonism.
Sonically, he typically embraces a menagerie of chipmunk soul-infused instrumentation, which tend to provide some nostalgic flare while still sounding very much in tune with the present.
From a lyrical perspective, Uneak’s sentiments are witty, aspirational and anchored in the life and times of his current reality but never detract from his primary goal: to become a remarkable entity among today’s Hip-Hop milieu.
With the full intention of demonstrating his boundless versatility as an artist, Uneak dropped his most recent EP: “Better In Person,” which dropped in November. Some salient highlights on the record include “Elevate” and “Day By Day.”
“Better In Person gives you my true sound as an artist. This EP is the definition of becoming better and expressing certain things I’ve been though.”
In what is fully complementary to his recent release, Uneak spoke to JaJuan Malachi of The Knockturnal to paint more of a vivid picture of who he is at the core. Some of the things spoken about include his origins, his plans for the future, some of the most recently played music on his playlist, “Better In Person” and much more.
Here’s how the conversation played out:
To keep up with Uneak and his journey, follow him on Instagram.
Rising rap starlet Yaya talks Aspirations, Female Representation and “Who’s That Girl”
In an industry that has been long male dominated since its advent, rising rap star Yaya is resolute about illuminating the reality that women are, just as if not, more paramount to the modern-day pertinence of Hip-Hop.
Hailing from an enclave that has bred some of the greatest Hip-Hop entities of all-time, some of which include DMX, The Lox and Mary J. Blidge: Yonkers, NY, Yaya is carrying the torch as a fresh newcomer with an undeniable flow and edgy demeanor.
Dripping with palpable verve and unbridled confidence, Yaya doesn’t rap merely for the sake of rapping. She yearns for her audience to genuinely feel every pulse of her content.
Driven by her insatiable desire to properly represent for the “everyday” woman, which is something too often overlooked in modern-day Hip-Hop, Yaya intends on bringing something novel to the game that’s never truly been actualized before.
With a vibe reminiscent of Remy Ma and Meek Mill but still very much authentic, Yaya is a striking lyricist with potent punchlines and feminist-driven bars for days.
Buzzing off the good vibes and positive energy of her latest single: “Who’s That Girl” ft. Danasia Manaya, Yaya just dropped an accompanying video. Just as hilarious and fun as it is poised and professional, Yaya demonstrates her lowkey ability to choreograph and dance herself on top of her impressive lyrical acumen.
Before taking off to higher heights, JaJuan Malachi of The Knockturnal was fortunate enough to chop it up with the burgeoning young lyricist in Queens to discuss goals for her career, female representation in Hip-Hop today, music she can’t live without and more.
Here’s how the conversation played out:
JaJuan: So Yaya, first and foremost, thank you for taking the time to speak with me on behalf of The Knockturnal. So, I guess to kick things off, for people who aren’t yet familiar with you, tell us a little bit about your background and where you’re from?
Yaya: So first off, I just wanna say thank you for having me. I am Yaya. The Yaya . I’m from Yonkers, NY. I’m 23. I’m here to change the world.
JaJuan: Dope! Dope! I love it. So I’m curious to know: when did you first discover you had a talent for rap? Was this an early on thing or was this a relatively new revelation that you came across
Yaya: So, this was a relatively new discovery. I started doing poetry in high school. You couldn’t have told me that it was going to turn into this. I met some local rappers. I started doing freestyles on Instagram and from there, the freestyles eventually turned into “Yaya, pull up to the studio and from there, I got my first little shot and from then, I feel like I fell in love with music.
JaJuan: That’s so dope! So being from Yonkers, who would you say were some of your biggest musical influences growing up?
Yaya: Ummm….
JaJuan: Or does the fact that they’re from Yonkers not even really matter?
Yaya: So ok, I feel like most people want me to say “Jadakiss” or like “Styles P”
JaJuan: The quintessential figures of Yonkers pretty much.
Yaya: Yeah exactly *chuckles* But a lot of people don’t realize that I am an R&B girly. Like, I love R&B. So for me, my biggest inspiration was Mary J. Blidge. Like to me, she made me feel like success was tangible. Like, we’re from the same projects. Same background. I feel like I see a lot of her in me. It just made me feel like I could do this. If she came from where I came from, it’s not that far from me. I thank her! She’s a huge inspiration.
JaJuan: Shoutout to the Queen! Mary J. I was fortunate to see her this summer. Apple Music had a little private performance, which was really dope but I’m curious to know: How was your experience making your latest single: “Who’s That Girl”? I love the opening skit.
Yaya: Um, it was exciting. From getting the beat made to the studio session. From the script reading to dance practice. It’s one thing to do what you love but to do what you love with people you love. It doesn’t feel like a job. It feels like I also have total creative control because I am independent, which is dope! That’s definitely the best part about it.
JaJuan: Yeah, it legit felt like pure fun. Like, that’s really what it felt like. It didn’t feel contrived, it felt very much organic. The people around me are organic.
Yaya: Yeah, the people around me are organic.
JaJuan: Word! I’ve been using that word a lot today.
Yaya: *wholesome laughter*
JaJuan: So I’m curious with regard to the song, how’d you team up with Danasia Manaya?
Yaya: So we worked at the same summer youth program growing up.
JaJuan: Back in Yonkers?
Yaya: *laughs* yeah, back in Yonkers.
JaJuan: Haha, classic.
Yaya: So back then, music was a thing for either of us. Originally when I first went to the studio, I tried to sing the hook myself. I was channeling like my inner Beyonce and she just wouldn’t come. So I felt like I needed someone to come sing this hook. So Danasia was the first person who came to mind. Um, I knew whoever would sing it would need to have a lighter voice. I feel like I have a deeper voice and even when I sing, it’s deeper. I wanted someone with a soft sound to still give it that kind of Summer Walker kind of updated feel. She was perfect. The vibe was dope. It was just me and her and the engineer and we had a lot of fun. Nervous at first. I feel like you see the chemistry in the song.
JaJuan: Yeah, yeah for sure. I love the contrast of tonality between you guys.
Yaya: So, I did right.
JaJuan: Yeah, y’all did that fasho.
Yaya: Haha, word!
JaJuan: So over the last few years, there has been a major influx of female rappers to grace the landscape. Some of my personal faves include Rico Nasty, Doechii, Tierra Whack, Meg The Stallion, Latto, the list goes on. With this being said, how important is female representation in Hip-Hop to you?
Yaya: I think it’s really important. Being young, black and a woman, I want to represent myself. But, I also feel like I haven’t felt seen since Nicki stopped being Nicki. And when I say that, I mean Nicki in her prime. They’re a lot of rap girlies. I pay attention. I’m very intuitive. But, I feel like it’s so oversexualized sometimes to the point where regular girls like me are overlooked maybe up until like Glorilla. She’s the closest I’ve seen. Besides that, no. I feel like we forget about the girls in limbo. The girls who don’t have it all figured out. Who don’t got the BBL. Or who don’t scam or just girls trying to figure it out.
JaJuan: The everyday woman.
Yaya: Yes, the everyday woman.
JaJuan: That’s a really interesting observation for sure. I definitely didn’t think about that.
Yaya: Yeah, of course not.
*mutual laughter*
JaJuan: Yeah, the hypersexual stuff is just always at the forefront.
Yaya: Always!
JaJuan: Yeah, it’s to the point where we forget about even like the Rapsody’s of the world. Like, Rapsody is one of the best out.
Yaya: And so overlooked.
JaJuan: Yeah, so overlooked. She has her own aesthetic and it’s a dope aesthetic.
Yaya: Yeah, everybody, don’t worry! I’m coming.
*mutual laughter*
JaJuan: Yes indeed, you’re up next. So outside of rap, what are some of your other creative outlets?
Yaya: Ok so, outside of music, I’m a comedian.
JaJuan: Oh really? Do you have any favorite comedians?
Yaya: Bernie Mac and Marlon Wayans.
JaJuan: Ok, those are some good ones. R.I.P Bernie Mac
Yaya: But aside from that, I dance. I told you. I met a lot of my creative team through dancing.
JaJuan: What type of dancing?
Yaya: Of course like Hip-Hop dancing. But um, dancing. I feel like that’s something I got to incorporate in “Who’s That Girl.” I gave you guys just a sneak peek. I can make a choreo. I made up the choreo actually.
JaJuan: Wow! That’s hella impressive. I’m not even
Yaya: And even for my shows and performances and everything I made my dancers do, I made everything up.
JaJuan: Gotcha. I saw that performance at SOB’s btw. Y’all really killed it.
Yaya: Thanks! But yeah, dance. I feel like it’s something I definitely wanna incorporate in my music and along this journey. Because I feel like when you think about singers, a lot of singers dance but what rappers dance? Offset?
*laughter*
JaJuan: Does Offset actually dance?
Yaya: Yes.
JaJuan: Oh, I didn’t even know that.
Yaya: Yeah, him and Chris Brown were thinking about having a battle.
JaJuan: Oh nah, he’s wildin.’ He’s gotta chill.
*mutual laughter*
JaJuan: So if you could only listen to three albums, which ones would they be and why?
Yaya: Pink Friday is #1.
JaJuan: Are you a barb?
*snickering*
Yaya: I’m thee BARB
*laughs*
JaJuan: Barbz are unapologetic about their support.
Yaya: Because she deserves it.
JaJuan: She does for sure. Okay, Okay, so we’ve got Pink Friday.
Yaya: It’s the first and only physical album I’ve ever owned. Besides that, I’m gonna do “You Should Be Here” by Kehlani.
JaJuan: That’s another great one.
Yaya: And then, I’m going to do Summer Walker “Over It.” I told you because I’m an R&B girl. She was just important, I feel like in college.
JaJuan: Yeah, she had a moment!
Yaya: She had thee moment! For me, I feel like she kind of opened that door for new R&B. And I feel like as far as the connection she had in terms of heartbreak and things like that. I wanna be able to do that with my own project. I wanna be kind like the first female rapper to take what Summer Walker did. As far as painting that picture of heartbreak, getting it together, confidence building.
JaJuan: Yeah, she’s deep in her music. One of my favorite songs by her is Constant Bulls**t. That’s my joint right there.
Yaya: She’s one of them ones.
JaJuan: So as far as career trajectory, are you seeking to be signed to a label or are you carving your own route on the independent side of things?
Yaya: I think in a perfect world, I’d love to remain independent. I’d love to remain independent just because I want the creative control. I want to be able to get my ideas out there. Um, but I feel like life be life’ing, so if getting signed is what gives me that stardom I’m seeking. I feel like in the long run as long as I get to the point where I’m able to regain my full arts control. But right now, I’m seeking any help and not all help is good help. But just getting Yaya on a larger scale. All that’s missing is the money. That’s all that’s missing. So whatever gets me there.
JaJuan: It’s really only a matter of time.
Yaya: Oh, I’m certain of that. I am so certain.
JaJuan: So for my next and final question, I wanted to know: where do you see Yaya five years from now?
Yaya: Famous! Uh, running music. Having it. I don’t know, I feel like my faith is so strong. I see longevity. You know how like in today’s world, especially with artists with TikTok. It’s easy to get discouraged with all this overnight success. And I feel like these artists sign to these labels with one good song. I don’t want just one good song for me. And I feel like, even with the rap girlies, nobody has had the run that Nicki Minaj has had. And, I plan on surpassing that. And I feel like no female has survived decades of rap in the same context that we’ve seen Jay-Z or Nas. How like Jay-Z went from the early 80s, he was able to dominate the 90s. He gave you HOV DID. So I feel like as a female, you’re gonna watch me grow.
JaJuan: So sort of transcending generations.
Yaya: And dominating.
JaJuan: Yeah, I feel that. I feel like that’s a good point. When you think about Queen Latifah and artists like her during that time frame. You know, their relevance is kind of stuck in a vacuum of that time period. I hope that this comes into fruition for you.
Yaya: Yup! It’s coming. It’s only a matter of time.
To keep up with Yaya, follow her on Instagram.