MUSIC FRIDAY - Pa Salieu, Backroad Gee, M1llionz, Joey XL x KC Clarke, Stormzy, James Blake
Pa Salieu Feat. Backroad Gee – My Family (Prod by The FaNaTiX)
The versatile upstart hailing from Coventry shows no signs of slowing down this year with his third drop of 2020. “My Family” which features the exciting BackRoad Gee, finds the tandem going back to back over high-octane production laced by the three-man production team The FaNaTiX. Not content with leaving their high energy on wax, Femi Ladi’s direction captures the mood with greyscale and thermal visuals; that displays crisp transitions and pyrotechnics to boot. Following their previous collaboration “Party Popper (Remix)”, “My Family” further displays Salieu’s growing potential as he aims to leave an indelible mark on the game.
M1llionz – Lagga (Prod. By TSB, iO and Rico Run That)
On quite possibly one of the best drill beats in terms of production value, Birmingham’s breakout drill act flexes his lyrical prowess – and impressive grasp of lingo – on his latest effort. “Lagga”. M1llionz does what he does best, bending his unique flow at will and integrating clever references to good effect. Production trio TSB, iO and Rico Run That combine on a finely engineered beat that puts the young rapper’s breath control to the test. Filmed in Kibera, Kenya, the TEEEEZY C directed visuals of village folk wielding weapons and kids dancing to “Lagga” adds grit and authenticity in equal measure.
Joey XL x KC Clarke – Friday Love (Prod by Daniel Zenith, Xavier, Fwdslxsh)
Aptly titled for the day, R&B vocalist Joey XL has joined forces with Last Night In Paris rep KC Clarke to provide sultry vibes on “Friday Love”. Produced by trip Daniel Zenith, Xavier and Fwdslxsh, this dreamy number offers party vibes as the starring acts take turns to get the mood right. This serves as a remedy to the chilly outdoors as Joey XL gives us smooth melodies that will surely warm chests.
Stormzy – Superheroes
As he tends to through his various platforms, South London giant Stormzy uses his latest animated visuals – courtesy of Taz Tron Delix’s direction and 2veinte’s animation – to uplift the black community. Big Mike spits black positivity on an AoD and Jay Weathers production, demonstrating through animations and referencing positive figures in our community that representation is everything. In a world that does its best to paint us in a negative light, this video does a great job of letting the light shine on us.
James Blake – Godspeed
In an up close and intimate music video seemingly filmed in one shot, multitalented artist James Blake pulls on our heartstrings with his latest offering. Titled “Godspeed”, fans of the ever-elusive Frank Ocean will be familiar with this one as James covers one of Frank’s most emotive songs, originally taken from 2016’s Blonde. As you’d probably expect, James puts his indelible touch on a cult classic and does it fair justice as we watch him playing the keys under the low lights.