Hey y’all, This week’s newsletter is going to be a little different. I don’t have an artist of the week for y’all. Instead, I have a few performances and mixes to share with you instead. I think I’ll mix these categories in the future to keep y’all on your toes. Anyway, let’s start it off!

Performance of the week: Jack Harlow - NPR Tiny Desk

Last December, Jack Harlow released his album “That’s What They All Say” and it’s one of my favorite projects of that year. He follows that up with an ELITE NPR TINY DESK performance accompanied by a band that gives it another wave of energy. Some of these renditions are so good that I wish they were on Spotify. This kid is a star.

Mix of the week: "Chance 2.5" x @ElzTheDJ

When we were all waiting for “Chance 3” to drop way back when. @ElzTheDJ decided to gather all of Chance’s guest verses from that time and put them all together in an hour mix that’s so damn good.

Songs of the Week: iyla - Juice

This soul style pop is quickly becoming one of my favorite vibes over time and iyla is one of the reasons why. This song is produced by Kadis, who just adds the perfect amount of bounce to the track. This is just a great blend of the stuff that I enjoy when I’m around my house thinking about what to clean first.

Phony Ppl - Way Too Far

The 5-man Brooklyn band leads off their 2018 album mō'zā-ik with “Way Too Far”. It’s the perfect introduction to the band as it showcases what they can do with their music. They are phenomenal and tailor-made for exceptional live performances like this one.

2Pac - Do For Love

This is one of my favorite 2PAC songs of all time. With both a Bobby Caldwell AND The Pharcyde sample, this song couldn’t fail.

Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic - Leave the Door Open

BRO I’M SO EXCITED FOR THIS ALBUM WE GOT TWO OF THE BEST ARTISTS OF OUR GENERATION GOING “YOU KNOW WHAT LET’S MAKE A MASTERPIECE” THERE WILL NOT BE A SINGLE MISS ON THIS ALBUM I BET YOU THAT.

HappyBirthdayCalvin "Alone" ft. BJRNCK

HappyBirthdayCalvin is up and coming in the game and he brings a very distinctive look to hip-hop in my opinion. His potential and versatility are through the roof, as you can tell that he’s still experimenting with his sound.

Sample of the week: Freddie Joachim - Waves

This instrumental was used for one of my favorite songs to listen to in high school. “Waves” by Joey BadA$$. I really know all the words to this song by heart. Joey was 17 when he made the mixtape “1999”. That’s actually wild to think about now.

J. Cole also used this beat, but the Joey one means more to me honestly. No shade though.