Mega Ran‘s new single “Recess” feat. JER from Skatune Network and Stacked Like Pancakes was added to Spotify editorial playlist Ska Around the Globe alongside Operation Ivy, Sublime, Catbite, Save Ferris, and more!
Hip-hop’s relationship with the video game culture stretches as far back as the Super Mario Bros. TV show rap, which recently made a resurgence for blockbuster-related reasons. It makes loads of sense. They both grew into mainstream prominence during the late 70s/early 80s, were once relegated to simply being fads for the moment and were pushed along by technological innovations. Hip-hop is a pivotal foundation for contemporary pop music globally, while video games are currently the highest-grossing art medium. There isn’t a better example of the two cultures beautifully co-existing in one person than emcee Raheem Jarbo, a.k.a. Mega Ran.
Today we are pleased to premiere rapper, DJ, author, Guinness World Record holder, and new father Megan’s new single “That’s Okay,” a glimpse into what’s probably Ran’s best album yet with Buddy’s Magic Toy Box.
The laid back flow of “That’s Okay” and Mega Ran’s New Orleans jazz-singer chorus is heightened by Kadesh Flow’s trombone. It deals with patience and potentially subconscious microaggressions when it comes to the names of some people of color and folks with tough to pronounce names. PoC will understand this most, and people who haven’t experienced it can learn to empathize with it.
New album Buddy’s Magic Toy Box is out on September 15th.
If there ever was a profound inspiration behind a song, Beekeeper Spaceman undoubtedly earns a medal for its Greek mythology allegory. On their new song “Locusts and Honey” that Glide is premiering (below), the voice in this song is John the Baptist’s, or to use the scriptural language: ‘the voice of one crying in the wilderness.”
“In ‘Locusts and Honey,’ the prophet-singer knows he’s about to be beheaded, but he stands there, ten toes down, and taunts his feasting murderers. In the second verse, he says, ‘Who’s got the platter? Baby, get the dagger. I got the laughter.’ Then in the chorus he reminds his killers that, just like Orpheus, he’ll keep on singing even after death: ‘Dancing money can’t unsing wild song.’ It’s quite a mic drop for wild John,” says primary songwriter/ singer/guitarist Greg Brownderville.
Artist: Gwen Levey and the Breakdown
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Barefoot and Pregnant”
Album: Not the Girl Next Door EP
Release Date: November 3, 2023
In Their Words: “RIP Roe V Wade. That was such a dark day. It’s a very personal issue for me and most women. I was a child who was sexually assaulted. So, everything that’s been happening hit me really hard, especially here in Tennessee, which has the strictest abortion ban. That, even if you’re a child, you can’t get help for anything like that. The song has a serious social commentary, but I wanted it to still be fun so it’s more accessible. You have to be brave to sing that in the south.
Need to scratch that Western Gothic itch you have? The Handsome Family is just the right fit. The duo has released a new song titled “The Oldest Water.” The melody is just a taste of their new album, Hollow, set to release on September 8th. The music is suitable for easy listening.