Now that the long weekend’s over, it’s back to the grind and the music. Here’s a mix ranging from prolific rapper Tupac to the mysterious Pnkblnkt, so y’all can keep on bumpin’.
Today marks 20 years since one of the most respected rappers in the industry, Tupac Shakur, passed away. This track was a staple for rappers who were starting out shortly after his death, and his influence continues to spread far and wide even today. Straight off his seminal Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z album, “Keep Ya Head Up” is dedicated to black women and Latasha Harlins, an African-American girl who was shot in the head at 15 years of age due to the racial tensions between the African American and Asian American communities in Los Angeles. This was the first time he dedicated a track to her, amongst his many other mentions of her throughout his discography. There’s nary a rapper who would stand up for the rights of his people in such a manner, especially more so for the opposite gender, and that’s why we still miss Tupac even two decades on.
Ta-ku and Wafia have been making waves since their first collaboration a year ago. With the recent release of (m)edian, their first full length EP, they’ve been gaining fans and traction all over the world. The pair took to Australian radio station, Triple J, to deliver a re-make of a classic 2004 hit, “Leave (Get Out)”, which become a track that’s more downtempo, perfectly setting off their different vocal ranges.
Popular Israel-based indie electronic band Garden City Movement will be coming to Singapore this week to perform at the Music Matters Festival and we couldn’t be more hyped. Here’s one of their standout tracks, accompanied by pastel visuals that listeners have described as having a “soft lesbian aesthetic” to match the dream-like hazy soundscape of the band’s luscious vocals.
John Givez takes a step back from the music industry’s usual fanfare of shiny cars, bling and topless girls, delivering a short video highlighting the trajectory of his journey in music. Delivering bars from a rooftop clad in denim overalls, the video tells the story of Givez going through a baptism, which ties in with the fact that his father was a preacher. While he may still be low-key in the grander scheme of things, that hasn’t stopped listeners from being mighty chuffed with his delivery, with nothing but praise for him in the comments section of the music video.
Here’s a mysterious youngin’ who goes by the name of pnkblnkt. Hailing from the Midwest, this 18-year-old’s public appearance and promotional photos see his mug covered by an actual pink blanket. While we’d love to know the face beyond the veil, we’re more than happy to kick back and chill out to his music. With a hypnotic sonic backdrop and vocal cameos from Kevin Abstract (whom we also love) the track is well-composed, showing that age isn’t everything when it comes to making quality sounds.
Tira Lee is Straatosphere’s resident aux cord heaux. She’s in-charge of pulling together nifty mixes each week to spread dope tracks and good vibes to the public. In her free time, she partakes in something distressingly referred to as academia and often experiences an existential crisis of sorts. She’s also paid to put pretty clothes on pretty people sometimes.