alice + olivia loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah……
Stepping into the storied Hunt & Fish Club in midtown Manhattan feels like what you imagined New York City to be like as a little kid – tall, gilded ceilings, white tablecloths and velvet-lined booths, champagne cooling in a table-side marble bucket. Let’s just say it – we were thoroughly impressed when we walked in and were escorted to our table.
David Cronenberg is the undisputed king of body horror, though this title doesn’t accurately prepare you for the emotional core that beats beneath The Shrouds.
November 7, 2024. Manhattan, New York — Arkansas-bred rapper, LG Malique, notable for his melodic street songs, released a brand-new EP, LIVING GOLD on October 25, 2024.
The 8-Track EP illustrates his resilience and fortitude, powering through the obstacles, on the path to making his dreams a reality. With an all-new, pop-infused single, “Lie” and the viral remake of Lukas Graham’s, reimagined, “7 Years”, featuring the song originator, LG Malique stands boldly in his truth with the numbers to back him. LG Malique has earned over 2.7M global streams on his song collaboration with Lukas Graham and over 1M views on YouTube trailing closely behind.
The rapper sits with Danielle Niecey of The Knockturnal to share the inspiration behind his brand-new EP, LIVING GOLD.
The Knockturnal: What inspired the New EP, LIVING GOLD?
LG Malique: The fact that it’s a miracle really. It’s for the underdog. My back was against the wall and most of the songs [I] made, were when I was down, bad at the beginning of this year; and I had nothing, but faith and I had to really be delusional about my dreams. During the time [I wrote and recorded these songs] I was nowhere near [close to] what I was talking about on this project. I wasn’t even feeling like that; it [the music] was just a safe place. So the take is, it’s almost like an, “I’m here” EP.
The Knockturnal: So you were speaking where you are today, into existence?
LG Malique: Yes. A lot of people gave up on me, but don’t ever think you can put out my burning desire. When you keep going, miracles happen.
The Knockturnal: Had you already been signed at the time or was this more you cultivating this project as an Indie [independent] Artist?
LG Malique: I was signed but I was getting shelved and it’s a depressing space for an artist to feel like everyone’s giving up on you. There are artists in the same situation, but I had to have faith and push hard.
LG Malique’s unshakeable faith and transparency as an artist shine through in his interview and on LIVING GOLD. With Living Gold in heavy rotation, the breakout star showcases his inspiring journey, penning and performing from the heart of the underdog turned hero.
Living Gold Tracklist consists of 8 songs that include:
- I Know
- Lie
- Baptize
- Momma
- Seven Years
- Acknowledgement
- Wallet
- Stood My Ground
All of which ring clearly and boldly as an artist coming into the industry with high hopes, hunger, clear vision and coming to the harsh reality that though there are people in his life rooting for him, there are others looking to see him fail. Never allowing that to deter him, LG Malique created his EP, LIVING GOLD, as a testament of his Faith in God, his courage and tenacity, all of which cannot be denied. Living Gold stands as the project that required strenuous creative efforts and laser sharp focus backed by the culmination of prayers, positivity and thousands of hours of practice. Although he’s faced some of the perils navigating the business it hasn’t steered him from his path. It is evident that he has experienced hardships beyond what can be translated in mere conversation, choosing instead to use the pain to fuel his progress in music.
The Knockturnal: You have a song collaboration with Lukas Graham, “7 Years”; what was that like collaborating with him? 
LG Malique: Me and my girl were jumping around the crib when we got that news. It didn’t feel real. Then it took so long to happen, but I know he’s a man of his word, but I was so excited, checking my email, like ‘…Did it come? Did I get it?” *laughs* It’s crazy…it’s crazy, I know that I worked for something like that and I’m super grateful for it. So, it ain’t like I hit the lottery because I went through so much to get here and I worked for it and I’m grateful, super grateful. It was a once in a lifetime miracle experience, for real.
The Knockturnal: I don’t know Malique, 2.7 million global streams and over 1 million YouTube views, I think you hit the lottery. There’s a lot of content creators that would love to switch places with you.
LG Malique: *laughing* Alright. *laughing* You’re right.
The Knockturnal: That’s pretty cool! Congratulations. So, let’s say someone discovers you as an artist and stumbles across your EP. They can only listen to 3 songs to get a jist of who you are, which songs are you recommending?
LG Malique: It’ll be “Momma”, “I Know” and “Wallet” …”7 Years” of course but I’m gonna go with Wallet, I feel like “Wallet”, and “I Know” are super vulnerable with me taking [personal] accountability. I feel when it comes to expressing myself and my experiences, I would choose those. Those songs are the real ‘me’, I’m a storyteller and I told the story.
In addition to the project’s viral hits, highlights include the typically vulnerable “I Know” and “Acknowledgement,” an exploration of the steep price of following your dreams. Other gems “Baptize,” and the devastatingly intimate “Momma.” On the viral single, “Lie,” LG Malique best demonstrates his ability to write deeply personal songs that resonate widely.
The Knockturnal: Who are some of the artists that inspired you to write and perform the LIVING GOLD EP?
LG Malique: I grew up on R&B so it would be like… Fantasia, Usher and Alicia Keys…I grew up on those heavyweights. On the rap side it would be Lil Wayne, he’s so descriptive and he paints a picture in your head and that’s what I go for. Yo Gotti, Three 6 Mafia and a little bit of Lil Boosie.
The Knockturnal: What do you want your legacy in music to be?
LG Malique: To change the game, like to bring back a nostalgic sound from the early 2000’s. The songs were meaningful, they weren’t making music just because, and they had to do different things, they had to try different sounds and styles. I want to make songs that are classic [timeless] and live on. I don’t think we have many of those these days. Like the old Rihanna’s albums and songs, you can still bump those. Classics, I want to make classics like that.
The Knockturnal: Who’d you like to tour or headline with?
LG Malique: Lil Teejay, Polo G and Gunna.
The Knockturnal: Can you tell us more about your single, Lies?
LG Malique: Lies is a recent experience and I like to so much because its fresh. Someone betrayed me after I gave them my trust, knowing all that I’d been through and it’s about people who would take advantage of you everytime. Its like life, it’s just gonna always happen, no matter who you are.
The Knockturnal: What advice would you give your fans who are aspiring to be recording artists or aspiring to
LG Malique: Yes, stop seeking validation. That’s not what life is about. It’s about doing what you like and believing in yourself. I know it sounds so cliche, but it means so much. Literally, start believing in yourself and stop seeking validation.
FOLLOW LG MALIQUE: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | To view “LIE”, the official music video HERE.
Capturing the excellence of a man is hard but Mark Cousins’ film works just like that.
This year’s KnockturnalWEEN Halloween extravaganza transformed Lower Manhattan’s historic The Paris Café into a spine-chilling wonderland, where guests dressed as iconic figures like Billie Eilish, Britney Spears, and classic Halloween staples like witches and cats. .
Ocean Casino Resorts this weekend cemented why music lovers from around the world will forever go the way of the shore when it comes to concerts. The waves of glorious sounds splashed into the hearts and minds of thousands of attendees who came together for the magic of Lenny Kravitz on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 when the icon performed at Ovation Hall.
The Taste of Tin dinner series featured a dish from several restaurants you’ll find at the Tin Building. | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
We all know the drill: you and your friends want to go out but you can’t figure out what you want. Some of you truly would be happy with anything, while others are too nice to say that you’re not in the mood for that one place.
Instead of letting this oft-repeated ritual lay claim to yet another one of those nights where you all opt to go to the neighborhood pizza spot and proclaim that the next time, you’re going to that place you were reminded of mid- mid pizza bite, how about heading to a place that has it all?
Enter the Tin Building. Located in the Seaport and boasting great views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, the Tin Building by Jean-Georges brings a new definition to the classic food hall. Filled to the brim with specialty shops, grocery stores, and more cafes, restaurants, and bars per square foot than you managed to fit in your Sims superblock community, the Tin Building truly has it all. Whether you need freshly cut flowers or are trying desperately to find that gourmet French cheese you tried when you studied abroad, the Tin Building is where you’ll find it.
The tuna tartare with lotus root chips. | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
Everyone from the on-the-go New Yorker looking for a quick coffee to the visiting from out-of-town family looking for a memorable sit-down meal will find something for them in the Tin Building’s two-story footprint. Through a multi-year effort, world-renowned Chef Jean-Gorges Vongerichten was inspired to create the Tin Building based on his many years of eating various cuisines while traveling around the world, and of course, those from his native French home. One can grab a coffee from T. Cafe, a pastry from the T. Brasserie, and for lunch, a sandwich, taco or salad from the multitude of other eateries in the building.
Chefs checking in on the bass. | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
Dinner and drinks really are where the Tin Building shines. Last week, The Knockturnal was invited to a special Taste of Tin dinner series that highlighted just a couple of the myriad choices you can choose for dinner in the building. The Taste of Tin dinner series featured a five-course meal that was each paired with a wine chosen by the building’s beverage directors that you will be sure to find on your next visit.
Sitting at two large communal tables with people who would later become friends, we knew we were in for a treat when the night began with clam chowder and champagne. I spoke with Wes, one of the sommeliers for the night, about a Skurnik-imported wine (one of my favorite distributors in the city– no wine they import will steer you astray), and he mentioned just how quickly diners are requesting the perfect wine pairing for each dish, let alone a meal, and how much fun he’s having choosing the wines. Our experience was no different.
First up was a yellowfin tuna tartare that was paired with a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, just a stone’s throw from
Preparing the sea bass | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
Sancerre. The wine’s citrus notes brought out the tartare’s lime and chili flavors, but I think the real winner of the dish was the crispy lotus root chips that acted as an unconventionally perfect vessel for the tartare, something you’ll find at the Fulton Fish Co. as soon as you walk into the building.
Next up was a butternut squash agnolotti, a quality dish found at the Italian-French fusion restaurant, The Frenchman’s Dough. Paired with a buttery chardonnay from Domaine Jerome Fornerot, the agnolotti immediately melted in your mouth as you tried to scoop as much of the basil and butternut jus at the bottom.
The steamed black sea bass might take it home for me and the four people around me that I did little cajoling to admit was their favorite dish. Paired with a German riesling from Dönnhoff (another Skurnik wine!), the bass was topped with ginger, scallion, red chili and coriander that left the whole table asking for more. Luckily you can get it too at the Tin Building’s Chinese-inspired restaurant, House of the Red Pearl.
Is it art or is it dessert? Poached pear with a dark chocolate brownie. | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
Just when we thought we had seen it all, a 28 oz. bone-in ribeye served with potato puree and roasted brussels sprouts was laid before us as was a 2019 Bordeaux blend from Chateau Les Grands Sillons. Reader, believe me when I say the whole table let out a collective “ahh” as we all managed to find extra room for the steak. Juicy, tender, and cooked to perfection with each bite reminding you of the care and attention that went into its preparation. Asking for seconds was encouraged, but by the time a few guests asked for thirds and fourths, the steak was, rather obviously, already devoured. Instead, we all know now to head to T. Brasserie for that special treat once again.
Not too long afterward, our plates were once again filled with a part-art piece, part-delectable dessert: a poached green
Two communal tables left us with filled stomachs and great friends | Photo credit: Grant Hao-Wei Lin
Clapp pear with a dark chocolate brownie, pear sorbet, and a whipped dark chocolate ganache. Again served with a Skurnik-imported wine – this time, a Banyuls from the Languedoc – the dish was almost too beautiful to cut into. Plating was half the artwork, however, because that feeling soon waned as the table took their first bite and voraciously wanted more of the sweet poached pear and bitter dark chocolate.
The Taste of Tin dinner series truly showcased what the Tin Building has to offer, and that was just a small percentage of everything else we can find in the food hall. So next time you and your friends are having trouble deciding what to eat, make your way to the Seaport and you’ll find something for everybody.
On Saturday night, Power 105.1 held its annual Powerhouse concert at The Prudential Center in New Jersey. It was full of fans who came to see some of their favorite artists. The lineup included A Boogie wit da Hoddie, Gunna, Sexxy Red, Cash Cobain, Bossman Dlow, Bay Swag, On The Radar,, Jordan Adetunji plus Dj Spinking and Friends. Every artist that hit the stage left a mark in their own creative way.
Sexxy Red ate and left no crumbs with her set. She performed all her best hits, Including “Looking For The Hoes (Ain’t My Fault), “Whatchu Kno About Me,” and the Crowd’s favorite “Get It Sexxy,” Although she is one of the lineup’s newest artists she is also one of the biggest.
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie is no stranger to Powerhouse. However, the crowd never gets tired of a little Boogie. Gunna performed his Collab with Young Thug and took a moment during the set to say “Free Thugger.” Who was released days later on Nov 1st
Cash Cobain and Bay Swag join forces and sang “6 AM Thoughts”
DJ SpinKing, known for surprising the crowd, had everyone in a roar when he brought out NLE Choppa and 41; the duo performed their new hit “Or What…?” live on stage for the first time. Other surprise guests were Teejay, Sleepy Hallow, Rowdy Rebel, and, of course, the biggest surprise of them all, DaBaby.
After much anticipation, the second season of AppleTV+’s Silo is coming soon to the streamer!