Music Videos
NONSO AMADI AND ZINOLEESKY TAKE TO THE STREETS OF NIGERIA IN OFFICAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR “LOCK UP”
Globally acclaimed, Canada-based Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer Nonso Amadi shares the official music video for his latest single “Lock Up” ft. Zinoleesky out today via Def Jam Recordings/Polydor Records/MCA/Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company. Released last month, the track appeared on major global playlists with cover placements, while picking up features in Audiomack Africa, The NATIVE Magazine and Boomplay with over 2.5 million global streams to date.
The music video, directed by Joe Penney, was shot in Lagos, Nigeria and features Nonso with fellow afrobeats sensation, Zinoleesky, taking to the streets and getting caught up in a precarious situation. The release of the music video today kicks off the one month countdown on Nonso’s debut album release, When It Blooms, out May 26.
“Lock Up” is shared as the fifth track released ahead of When It Blooms. Amadi skillfully teams up with globally recognized compatriot Zinoleesky to deliver this danceable, up-tempo collaboration. On the partnership, Amadi notes, “’Lock Up’ is an Afro-pop song I wrote sometime back in 2018. It is probably one of the most upbeat songs I’ve done. I bumped into Zinoleesky’s manager at a song camp in Benin Republic and had her listen to the track. Fast forward couple months later Zinoleesky drops his verse and video calls me dancing to it.” Amadi digs deeper into the meaning behind the song, “the actual theme of the song is way edgier than most of my other songs as well. Lock up in Nigerian slang translates to Shut up, so this is me acting strong telling a girl that I like her and willing to tell off anyone who might get in the way of a relationship.”
When It Blooms will arrive as the first comprehensive body of work for Amadi, celebrating years of evolution through experience both as an artist and an individual. In anticipation of the album release, Amadi alludes, “I want people to listen to this project and know who I am and what I’ve gone through. I want to make great songs that tell my story for you. When It Blooms embodies my creative and personal growth, reflecting on my journey up until this point. I feel this message is best represented in the growth from seeds to a flower, uncoiling naturally for you.” The album features four previously released singles including the song that served as the epic return after a hiatus, “Foreigner,” as well as the collaborative track “Different” ft. Majid Jordan, an alliance which has garnered over 17 million global streams, plus “Eye To Eye” which picked up praise from UPROXX, MTV, COMPLEX and the patriotic single “Ease Up.”
Earlier this year, Amadi released a remix with three-time historic JUNO Award winner Savannah Ré for her track “Closure.” Collaborations like this plus with Majid Jordan and Zinoleesky are essential not only to fueling Nonso’s creativity but are also instrumental in continuing to spread the Afrobeats genre globally. Expect many more dynamic collaborations announced with When It Blooms.
The announcement of a debut album builds off the momentum of a monumental 2022; between being featured as Spotify’s Radar Artist, making the top of the list for Audiomack Africa x The Beat’s “Alte Vibes” playlist, and surpassing over 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The SOCAN Foundation announced Nonso Amadi as one of the winners of the SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards alongside Adria Kain, AHI, Desarae Dee and Zach Zoya. Amadi cemented himself in the vanguard of the next generation artists bringing Alte and Afro-R&B to the international stage.
Nonso Amadi capped off last year with the announcement that he had been selected to be a part of the ‘VEVO DSCVR Artists to Watch 2023’ list alongside emerging superstars poised to make an impact this year including Armani White, Ice Spice, GloRilla and many more. Amadi is the first domestically signed UMC artist to be selected for this prestigious program. Watch the VEVO DSCVR performance video for “Ease Up” here and “Foreigner” here.
Armed with a bottomless arsenal of flows and a powerful basso voice, Rich Amiri is a commanding presence on every track he touches. Taking a page from motorsports as he speeds through life, Amiri shares a video for “FORZA FREESTYLE,” a highlight from his new album, GHETTO FABULOUS. Produced by Zuko and Ghostrage, “FORZA FREESTYLE” finds a confident Amiri unfurling off-the-cuff flexes, swerving around 808 blasts and synth stabs like an Italian supercar. In the video, directed by Keaton Jones, Amiri whips his Tesla to a hillside L.A. mansion, where he relaxes with a beautiful woman and totes his firearm.
Rich Amiri flexes his muscular sense of melody pm GHETTO FABULOUS, Amiri’s latest release for Internet Money Record, which racked up over 12.5 million streams to date. Spanning 14 tracks, the new project from the Internet Money Records signee features some of the famed collective’s most luxurious production to date–Rio Leyva takes the helm behind boards, with credits on 12 of the project’s 14 tracks, welcoming contributions from IM fellows like founder Taz Taylor, Census, and ThankYouWill, plus unaffiliated associates like Zuko and maxvon. Shouldering the load with no features necessary, Amiri takes advantage of the room-enveloping production, his bellowing bass cutting through the cavernous atmosphere with commanding authority and unpredictable melodics.
2023 has been a busy year for Rich Amiri. Earlier this year, Rich Amiri announced his signing to Internet Money Records, making his longstanding relationship with the artist-producer collective official. Shortly afterward, Amiri dropped EVOLUTION, entirely produced by Internet Money, featuring singles like “Poppin” ft. Lil Tecca and “Salty.” The 12-track project was his biggest step yet in his rise from SoundCloud to nascent stardom. In 2021, he released his hit “Never Fail,” which recently surpassed 3 million streams on SoundCloud, which sparked a series of underground hits. Last year, the rapper shared his debut EP For The Better, which featured guest spots from Summrs, jaydes, and others.
Stay tuned for more music and videos from Rich Amiri coming soon, and check him out live on March 17th at Rolling Loud California.
GHETTO FABULOUS is available everywhere via Internet Money Records/10K Projects.
Emmy-nominated educator turned entertainer, Dee-1 (@Dee1music) addresses critics and fans alike in the official music video for the Danny Beats-produced single “Lines Drawn,” following his viral interview on Sway In The Morning centered around industry hypycrosy. Filmed by Tufts University‘s own Jalen Hill, a student enrolled in the New Orleans native’s “The Intersection of Hip Hop and Social Change” course, the timely track and its accompanying visual postdate Dee’s previously released album UNO. Serving as the first official leak from his forthcoming LP From The Hood To Harvard, the song is a beacon of light as unfavorable headlines engulf online media.
“I did this song as a response to the industry being so shaken by me drawing a line in the sand and saying that we need some accountability for the messages we’re glorifying inside Hip-Hop. This is part one, there’s more on the way. A shift is happening from a genre and cultural perspective,” says the National Social Emotional Learning Consultant in a press statement to Medium Creative Agency about the release.
Award-winning rapper. educator, host, activist, business owner, and keynote speaker are synonymous with Louisiana‘s Dee-1. The Nasir “Nas” Jones Hip Hop Fellow at Harvard University is a Billboard Top 10 charting, game-changing MC with a persona to match his penmanship. He’s transitioned from being a middle school math teacher in The Boot to a Hip-Hop heavyweight with much more to accomplish. He has released 10 albums and 21 projects thus far in his career.
Dee-1’s music is part of a bigger lifestyle movement called Mission Vision, which centers around three core principles: Be Real. Be Righteous. Be Relevant. In 2020, Dee received the prestigious NAACP “Power of Influence Award,” highlighting his community activism and commitment to inspiring the youth. In 2021, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on “The Manhattan Project,” but he lost to Michelle Obama. Later that year, Dee was appointed to the “Louisiana Council for the Success of Black Men and Boys” by Governor John Bel Edwards, making him the first rapper in Louisiana history to become a governor’s appointee.
Watch the HD clip for “Lines Drawn” on YouTube and stream the single via Audiomack below. For a limited time you can purchase an advanced copy of From The Hood To Harvard exclusively on EVEN, here.
Florida rapper Dredloc Esco presents the music video for “On The Low”, his new single produced by Dynasty Beats. The St. Petersburg native has dropped a steady stream of music throughout 2023, notably “Addresses” (watch the official video on Youtube), “See Me Ballin” (watch the official lyric video on Youtube) and “24” (watch the official lyric video on Youtube). These singles add to a discography which includes full-lengths like Paycation, Cut 2 Deep with Yo Simi, and Color Blind Chopped Not Slopped with OG Ron C. Dredloc describes his new single as “hustle music at it finest, with a touch of Afrobeat to keep you grooving at the same time. If you love getting money over partying and spending money, put this song in your playlist”. “On The Low” is out now on BigBuc Entertainment.
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