R&BULLY: KANE WAVE FINDS BALANCE WITH “DON’T DRINK THE WATER”
Kane Wave’s eccentric, high-octane 2018 debut Hoodstar was an interesting moment for modern Buffalo Hip-Hop. Bringing the grungy, left-of-underground sound to the city’s forefront, the dynamic rapper’s boldness as an artist has helped him build and refine his music into what it is today - a boundary-less space of thundering 808s, audacious lyricism and pocket croons - or what he likes to call “R&Bully.” The rising artist’s dark aesthetic married with Street Rap and R&B has been on a long, creative journey. But his most recent offering finds a gentler meeting of the 2 genres.
There’s a handful of reasons why Wave’s Don’t Drink The Water sounds grand. For one, we’ve been on this journey with him. Since Hoodstar, the enigmatic singer/songwriter/rapper has experimented with almost every genre. From the soulful ballads on Selfloveclub to steamy, trap-flavored tracks on One Of A Kind to the confessional, rage-induced loose singles throughout his discography, Kane Wave doesn’t hold back when he’s creating - and he’s had impressive execution so far.
Since the last time we spoke with him on the heels of his 2020 R&B record Loverboi release, Wave was fully encompassed in his “Loverboi” persona. Leading with confessional raps and entrenched in his spur-of-the-moment harmonies, the softer side of his sound took center stage - but it didn’t last long before he switched it up ( Cue “Home For Christmas” - a new-gen, novelty, holiday single that dropped late last year). If there’s one thing that we can bet on Kane Wave is that he is unpredictable, and that’s what makes him exciting.
So what stands out on Don’t Drink The Water? Balance. It’s the underlying Midas touch of being a versatile artist. Kane Wave’s gift to fluidly flow between R&B and Rap is in its genius on DDTW, and it doesn’t feel forced. Wave’s rough edges are smoothed out on tracks like “Syndicated Business,” “Got What I Came For,” and “Off Right Now.” He takes the minimal route with great care; his sonics are atmospheric, smooth, and introspective. “Got What I Came For,” is a major standout not only for the impressive features by fellow vocalists Jaymarr and Nelle’, but how well they bounce off of each other. The production value is pristine from the adlibs to the arrangements.
Even as he dials up the energy towards the end of the project, he doesn’t lose the soulful melodies and R&B elements on his more crass tracks. “Slimeball,” “Screws Loose,” “Badnews,” and “Meet Me In Miami” is Kane Wave in his element. Energetic and no-holds-barred is what his listeners love and he delivers. “Slimeball” is an instant turn-up track with thumping percussion and an infectious synth where Kane Wave and K-Pi$tol go back and forth about “trying to get paid,” while “Meet Me In Miami” is a winner’s circle anthem. With calculated bravado and an 80s-inspired groove, Kane Wave finds himself deep in his bag touching on all the parts of being a cocky bachelor. DDTW is such a well-rounded view of Kane Wave’s abilities, it’s not surprising he made his own genre.
JAY AQUARIOUS TALKS NEW EP “THE GREAT VINE”
“This whole project happened by accident. It was not intentional at all.”
In the midst of working on 3 projects simultaneously, avant-garde singer Jay Aquarious pivoted his sound after a chance music session with rising producer AIRXKING. Both artists, with instant musical chemistry and open to experimenting, began working together on a sonic smorgasbord of “left of” sounds. From hip-hop to pop to house, the duo took an intimate, unique approach to create the collaborative effort that is THE GREAT VINE - ushering in a new side of Aquarious and a fresh introduction to AIRXKING as a beatmaker.
The 6-track project is a continuation of Aquarious’s pop-appeal, accentuated by AIRXKING’s textured production. Across the work, you can expect to hear Aquarious’s walk seamlessly through his signature sultry, bedroom pop, to catchy, narrative-driven hip-hop that ultimately works to introduce the entertainer’s anti-persona, Daymian Dabb - a name and personality that has been in the backseat of the singer’s career since high school.
“When I first decided to do music, I was a rapper. I wasn’t a singer...I was writing raps and I would write hooks for singers, but I wasn’t really confident as a rapper.”
Discouraged to rap early on, the talented songwriter moved to sing but received the opportunity to rap on a fellow artist’s song when he started working on the project. When the feature fell through, Aquarious kept the verse and let AIRXKING customize a beat for the most dynamic track on the EP, “Daymian Dabb.” With more confidence in his gift as a lyricist, the singer-rapper embraced the song, included a special appearance by local rhymer Son Scotty and decided to add to the EP.
“I just feel like getting in my bag for Daymian Dabb. I felt like this is the moment to bring that song and character to the forefront because again I came up with him in high school and left him alone for a very long time.”
With rumbling chimes, and an infectious kick drum led offering, Aquarious is everything but humble. Rapping about his unwavering motivation and strutting his sexual prowess with an extra dose of bravado, Aquarious lets out all of his frustrations and ego-driven thoughts with Dabb, tastefully, but it’s only after he gives us his sensual side.
The first single and 2nd track on the EP titled “Love High” finds the crooner in his element- heartfelt, intimate, and indulgent. Oozy piano chords set the scene for a never-ending groove of harmonious background vocals and soft percussion. Operating in his power as an enigmatic singer-songwriter, Aquarious questions the boundary of love and lust with a lost lover. From fantasizing about the idea of rekindling, he moves into another familiar-sounding track titled “Dreamatic.” Inspired by one of his earlier songs titled “Naked,” Aquarious created the third track as a sequel to his transparent, honest, and spiritual sound- A feat that AIRXKING took on graciously.
Expressing AIRXKING’s interest to make music together after their initial music session, Aquarious efforts with THE GREAT VINE pose as a tribute to power and solidify his talent as a collaborator. Taking inspiration from Janet Jackson to Lil Kim to Left Eye, Aquarious’s artistry and versatility opens up a little more. Every track on the EP is a standout - The Plax featured -“Pay A Bill” is not far removed from the blunt, boastiness of Daymian Dabb, the “Fill My Heart” remix is breathy and sexy along with the Lil Dame-assisted intro track, preparing you for the multifacetedness of Aquarious; Bold, sharp, and full frontal.
“With this project, I want my listeners to understand influence is power. Like that’s power. To be able to inspire somebody to do something different is literally a lot of power.”
#BUFFACOLD: Get To Know ILLY ALI
With his influence growing, rapper Illy Ali is stating his claim with his recent project Rosebuds Too. An Eastside Buffalo native who moved to Atlanta in 2008, the rising lyricist has been through a handful of sonic reiterations but finds his footing on the 6-track EP serving as an introduction to who he is now; mature, well-traveled, and telling his story.
“My quest is trying to make music that shows my truest self,” Ali shared.
Initially on the scene back in 2006, Illy Ali’s first contributions to Buffalo hip-hop came through his participation in a young hip-hop crew called ‘Da F.A.M,’ and they released their debut mixtape titled Heart of the City that same year. Their sound, an integration of backpack raps and street lyrics was a dichotomy to the raw, boom-bap movement, which kept them on the fringes of the city’s rising rap community, but that didn’t stop Ali. A graduate of Hutch Tech and Canisius College, Alli moved to Atlanta to pursue music and work as a teacher.
“Moving to Atlanta was a whole ‘nother ball game,” Ali explained. “I started to call myself Sandwich Bag Shawty. Named my first solo mixtape Sandwhich Bag Shawty. We still had CDs then…and I went to AC3 with CDs in a sandwich bag. I started getting marketing ideas.”
An ode to Atlanta’s “Shawty era” integrated with his Buffalo pride, Ali’s work on Sandwich Bag Shawty highlights his duality as a rapper and artist. Besides the constant references to weed and smoking (hence the Sandwich Bag) songs like “Three Ogs,” “Ode to Blo,” and “Friend or Foe” display the street tales of the versatile rhymer, with grand instrumentation. But he keeps the project exciting with party-centered tracks like “Go Green,” “Whip Game” and “Shawty Smoke,” which stretched the boundaries of standard hip-hop production - don’t be surprised to hear his background vocals throughout the project.
A constant collaborator on Sandwich Bag Shawty is Buffalo-based beatmaker Anthymonthetrack. Producing most of Ali’s work, including Ali’s follow-up to his solo debut and the 3rd installment called Sandwich Bag Season, Anthym joined forces with Ali to create a hip-hop duo called The Dignitaries. Creating from 2010 to 2017, The Dignitaries released their own project titled Chess Not Checkers towards the end of the year-showing off their lyrical chops. Standout tracks like “The Beckoning,” “Freaked Out,” and “Book Of The Dead” finds the two going tit for tat throughout the project.
“In 2017 we cracked the code. We had a group of 4 people but…we did a couple songs with just Anthymonthetrack and myself and I knew that was the sound that kind’ve the people wanted…for us to finally just come together and do a project with the two of us was an evolution,” Alli shared.
Also starting their record label called Native Alien, Anthym and Ali continued to work closely. With a fresh rebrand, Ali matured his sound. The rapper strayed from his Sandwich Bag Shawty identity to Rosebuds - signifying his move to a storytelling-centered narrative, which gives major homage to Buffalo.
“I did 3 volumes of Sandwich Bag Shawty with weed symbols on everything and I didn’t want to just put myself in that 4/20 category…there’s more to me, there’s more depth,” Ali explained.
Inspired by his childhood experiences of singing in the city’s church choir called Rosebuds and his interest in love songs, Ali’s 2020 effort deepened his intention. The 6-track EP slows the rapper’s pace, with rich production from smooth strings to simmering 808s. With the themes of love, romance, and good bud on the project, Ali ups the ante - he produced most of Rosebuds and features fellow artists like 7xve The Genius, Tommi Cole, and Fee Love.
“I wanted to kind of give listeners a glimpse into my production,” Ali mentioned.
Expanding his sonic journey with Rosebuds set the tone for his follow-up released last year. Rosebuds Too is poignant, and sharp, but still maintains Illy Ali’s clever edge as a lyricist. His single “Don’t Walk Away From Me” is a culmination of his introspective storytelling, lyricism, and smooth production. Also, take a listen to tracks like “Blood With My Brothers,” and “I Love You.” Always repping Buffalo, Alli’s unique collaborations and approach to his music make him one to watch.
Listen to “Don’t Walk Away From Me” here:
Follow IIly Alli HERE
ANTHONY 1999’s “24: CELEBRATION OF THE SEPARATION” ALBUM REVIEW
“I haven’t really felt like I had a real birthday to myself in some years. This is a birthday where I actually feel like it’s my birthday.” - Anthony 1999
Anthony 1999 wants his music to speak for itself. Since the young rapper’s move from Buffalo to the West Coast a few years back, his approach toward his music has been through phases of intense passion and exclusivity. With minimal social media presence, the rising artist dropped over 8 projects last year spanning 18 tracks or more. His sounds of high-octane party music turned bass-boosted confessional raps is a result of what he calls an “incubation” stage. His most recent offering 24: Celebration of the Separation which dropped on his birthday, (March 7th) aims to be a creative culmination of his life as an adult far removed from the familiar tundras of the Queen City.”
“Ever since I left Buffalo, Ive been able to jump. I was able to leave Buffalo and jump into the outside world conversation,” Anthony 1999 explained.
Anthony1999’s experiences since his move are recounted throughout the album. From rough patches of relationships (“Pack All Your Shit”), evaluating his life (“Deep End”), and focusing on his aspirations (“Headlight”) the rapper doesn’t shy away from both his lows and highs. Touching on the bittersweet moments of living and leaving Buffalo, Anthony 1999’s project is full of catharsis: including an animosity that has fueled his consistency in commentating on his life.
“People aren't real. People aren't authentic, and I know I am the most when it comes to my music.” - Anthony 1999
Overall, “24” is another effort for Anthony 1999 to validate his experiences, and he does it with selected group of collaborators - Beno Jay, Zelly Ocho, and 1600J - attempting to capture moments as authentically as possible. Leading with his passion for life and art, 24: Celebration of the Separation is just the beginning.