, the 23-year-old Charlotte rapper MAVI seeks the strength to sustain. His raps pull salvation from Black spiritual traditions to offset the pernicious influence of fame. "Hope when I get into heaven God hand me a blunt / And it's some Runtz," he raps on "Reason!" later adding, "It's legal for corporal punishment if God your teacher," assigning purpose to the pain. Black folklore has a long history of meeting grief with a prayer and a smile instead of running from it, and MAVI embodies that. His album channels the folktale of High John the Conqueror, known as a symbol of the indomitable Black spirit for his ability to laugh through the biting harshness of chattel slavery and outmaneuver white masters. Second albums are often albums of scale and reflection, and here MAVI realizes that money and notoriety can't solve his problems, forcing him to reckon with them. Listeners are made privy to a transformation in progress, an artist saving himself from the depths of a darkness that we see but that he doesn't let us touch.

, coincided with the pandemic. That record now feels representative of the rapper's younger and brighter self. He planned to release another album, 

, in late 2021, but decided to shelve it. There is a kind of blessing in getting this project instead, one that feels well ahead of schedule in his artistic and emotional development. His debut was boisterous and raw, making apparent his political alignment but at the expense of personal transparency and lucidity. He is clearer in thought and intention on this record, more open and vulnerable, letting his observations guide his insights. This time the politics of Black liberation are more deeply rooted in his exploration of self.  

The album reads as a psalms of laughter, pain and introspection. It follows an artist enduring losses, spoken and unspoken. In facing solitude with a clear head ("Finally sober and it's just another layer of lonely," he raps on "Chinese Finger Trap"), MAVI lands us on a truth — he made it through, not by resilience alone, but through community care. He raps lovingly of his mom, relies on the support of his brothers, and yearns for the centering influence of friendship. He raps of his late grandmother as a lingering presence, her blessings staying with him. This all speaks to an idea at the core of the record: that real bonds are unbreakable. "But, love from fragments automatic / just Sumter magic," he raps on "High John," making clear that he arrives at this moment with his family legacy in tow. Noting his origins, MAVI places his magic, lyrical or otherwise, in proximity to his pedigree. This nod to the small town that produced his family line demonstrates how ancestry informs his ideas of connection.

Connection is something MAVI is markedly pursuing, and a romantic streak cuts through the entire album. His conversational songs about coming up short in relationships seem to induce epiphanies of self-reflection. "Still feel like a fuck up, away from rich or broke again / But money coming back quicker the easier I let go of it," he raps on "My Good Ghosts." "Wanted to yell, now these days, don't want no one to know I'm here." "3 Left Feet," brings us an older and wiser yet unsure and deeply questioning partner whose self-awareness keeps penetrating his own wishful thinking. "I want you back, but I can't give you the years," he raps. It's clear that he has devoted himself to rap, for better and worse, to take care of those he loves even if it separates him from them. But the conviction in his verses seems to indicate a worthy trade-off. "I been gave my soul away to the drum, I'ma live forever," he says on "Baking Soda."

In "High John de Conquer," a piece by Zora Neale Hurston reported for 

 in 1943, she wrote that High John's "singing-symbol was a drum-beat [...] sure to be heard when and where the work was the hardest, and the lot the most cruel. It helped the slaves endure. They knew that something better was coming." The patter of drums is also a signifier of brighter prospects in these songs. Dylvinci and Wolf Morpheus produced half of the album, with spot help from Jacob Rochester, Monte Booker and longtime collaborator ovrkast. Together, they help bring MAVI into a more expressive space. The beats are still assembled upon undergirded low-tempo production, but the album pushes past any lo-fi distinction MAVI may have inherited from collaborators like Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE. Nothing here sounds muddled or unclear, many tracks are bolstered by knocking drums and elegant backing vocals. MAVI knows how to move along the bends, and with sharpened writing he's more plainspoken. 

The album is not presented chronologically, but it takes time seriously, particularly the turning points in MAVI's maturation. While on his first tour with Jack Harlow, he got into a 

. The journey brought not only a brush with death but left the artist face-to-face with the wide-ranging toxicity of anti-Blackness in all of its forms: "On tour wowed by the scenery and what it mean to be a second-class citizen / See why they wrote the Green Book," he raps on "Last Laugh." The tour was a proving ground for MAVI, who refined his presence and honed his sense of discipline, and the accident began a string of losses the rapper ponders across the record — the death of his uncle, losing the will to pursue his degree. He grapples with all of this without sacrificing his rapping's rhetorical power. 

 takes accidental steps toward unraveling some of the mythology around MAVI, a crowned lo-fi rap prince. He very clearly channels his insecurities as a performer, lover and friend. He spends much of the album thinking out loud, working through the burdens of small-time celebrity. What remains is something more human. Even in the High John folktales, the Old Massa figure often came out on top. "The curious thing about this is, that there are no bitter tragic tales at all," Neale Hurston wrote. There was always laughter, win or lose — as she put it, "a sort of recognition that life is not one-sided." It's that experience MAVI seems to gain throughout this coming-of-age saga: "Found out welts make wit," he shares to open "Last Laugh," inadvertently showing the cost of his own acuity and humor.  

{"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"text":"","type":"text"}]}]}

Clarissa Brooks

The Charlotte rapper's new album, Laughing so Hard, it Hurts, is more direct in thought and intention than his debut, more open and vulnerable, letting his observations guide his insights.


Wyeth Collins

MAVI - High John (Official Video)

MAVI's clearheaded songs of endurance

Each week, we add new music, older tracks, which are known as “Gold adds”, and tracks that might not fit our general format, but still deserve a place in rotation because they serve our mission of showing the depth, breadth, and influence of Black musical expression - These are known as “Variety adds.”

We’re sharing this to get you excited to listen and to open up the floor for feedback and suggestions. If you want to request a song, 

. If you make music and want it considered for rotation, 

 If you want to give feedback directly, reach out to me at jgreen@mpr.org.

What a week for adds! My personal favorite, 

, isn't on Spotify. But honestly, the YouTube video is better, anyway. 

Try to watch it without getting emotional challenge (impossible)

We're getting spooky this week on The Message. Sanni B. will be playing some of her favorite strange, weird, creepy, crawly tracks. Tune in to hear Sani live on The Message from 10 AM to 1 PM Monday through Thursday!

Keep all these tracks in one place with the 

 Spotify playlist. This playlist is updated weekly with all the new adds. When that playlist is cycled with new tracks, the tracks live forever on the 

 playlist. That playlist contains all of the music that we've added since the week of July 11 in chronological order of when it was added. All of the tracks available on Spotify, at least.

“Fight Club” feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow

“Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See”

“It Never Rains in Southern California”

“King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown”

Julian Green built and manages the music library for Carbon Sound and oversees content creation.  


Julian Green

All of the tracks added to rotation on Carbon Sound the week of October 24, 2022.


Natalia Toledo

New on Carbon Sound

Old on Carbon Sound

New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of October 24, 2022

Fatima Rahman

papa mbye and powerhouse openers Mike Kota and Riotgrrrldarko showed the bright future of Minneapolis’ music scene Friday night.


Zoe Challenger

papa mbye gives minneapolis a night to remember

's transformation from a street cat who took rappers' money in dice games into a superstar making rapper money has been breathless, and his music leans into the velocity of his rise. He constantly notes the speed of his unlikely journey from Atlanta's impoverished West End to prison to music stardom, exalting the rewards of constant labor and forward motion. The titles of his early releases, which established his workhorse rep, invoke muscle building as much as toughness: 

. In his tumbling verses, you can almost feel the exertion.

Lil Baby has always lagged behind his mentor 

, who both taught him to rap, but his rapid ascent and his resolve to improve suggested a dormant potential manifesting in real time. On 

, his knees lock. The album is intended as a bigger and ballsier blockbuster sequel to 2020's platinum-selling 

, which was the most streamed album of 2020 and cemented him as a star. But it feels more like a business obligation than a refinement or mission statement. The album artwork depicting Lil Baby as the sole person on a rap Mt. Rushmore inadvertently captures the spirit of this drab and listless music. Baby, like his labelmates Migos, who have 

 the same imagery, mistakes visibility for greatness, an outlook that lends itself to routine. Accordingly, he just shows up and toils, motor learning guiding his writing and performances.

He spends the album noting the ways fame has altered his means and his focus. "I moved on from slanging drugs and pistols, can't be thinking simple," he says on opener "Real Spill," a brooding track that features a prominent Sade sample. That means eating dinner with Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble. "Switching up my image, no more pictures with my styrofoam," he announces on "From Now On." He reports from the World Cup on "Back and Forth," the Golden State on "California Breeze" and from "somewhere in Toronto with a Canadian" on "Waterfall Flow," underscoring his distance from West End corners and traps. He's clearly in a more deliberative and reflective mode, and has said he began writing with pen and pad on this album to deepen his craft. But there is no tension, texture, or scenery in these songs. He offers no point of view about his new environments, moving through them briskly and without curiosity.

Lil Baby variously calls himself a legend, a hero and a boss, but the songs never embrace that mythmaking or mold those labels into personas. Baby is a straight shooter who does not joke, embellish, or emote, an asceticism that does him no favors as he attempts to detail his new life. His past music got around those tendencies through sheer force of will, his melodic flows hurtling through beats the way a cannonball breeches a castle wall. Without that momentum, he is rudderless; his weak storytelling, basic lyricism and nondescript style are on full display. Although he shakes off the lethargy for a few songs ("Not Finished," "Danger," "Never Hating"), he often sounds disinterested in the act of rapping, as if his stature confirms his pedigree. 

His distaste for eccentricity extends to his production choices, which he sources from trap mainstays like Murda Beatz and Tay Keith, along with beatmakers of smaller profiles like 

. The 808s reliably kick, the snares sufficiently strike and the keys consistently patter, but on the whole the mood is static and grayscale. No surprises or quirks lurk within. The beats are entirely functional, bleeding into each other as the 23-song album drags on. "Stand On It" and "Back and Forth" seem to nod to the bouncy and syncopated rhythms of the Michigan rap scene, which has recently 

, but Baby never teases out such a connection in the ways he approaches those songs. 

Given the way Baby perks up when he raps over faster production, he'd likely sound great on a Jersey club or drill track. But he doesn't even probe the kookier margins of trap found in plugg or the eclectic work of producers like Brandon Finessin, Pi'erre Bourne, and Coupe. "Not Finished" yields his strongest performance, but when looked at closely, it is more intense than self-possessed. Although the boisterous KRAZYMOB beat knocks, it coaxes Baby into familiar habits.

The generic beats underscore a deeper anonymity in Lil Baby's music. He prizes his directness and authenticity, and has long 

 as the counterpoint to rap "weirdos." The label is confusing given his tutelage by walking iconoclast Young Thug, but he has stuck to it nonetheless. "Don't compare me to no other rapper, I feel like my shit real," he boasts on "Russian Roulette." "I made real niggas win, we back in style now," he declares on "Real Spill," doubling down. But without a distinct point of view, what is realness? Young Nudy, 21 Savage, and GloRilla are also no-frills rhymers, but their orthodoxy doesn't preclude their tastes and perspectives. Their dashes of humor and self-awareness enhance their realism, yoking it to their interests and origins. Lil Baby has an almost mythical reputation as a gambler, but you'd never know it from his songs. He raps as if he's being surveilled, a habit that ironically yields one of the album's few inspired moments: On the third verse of the otherwise boilerplate Future collab "From Now On," Baby drops his voice to a conspiratorial whisper and spurns the feds he insists are listening in. He sounds electric.

The paranoia is justified, too. A carceral horror story has played out in Atlanta rap this year. In May, authorities rounded up multiple members and affiliates of Young Thug's YSL records, including Thug and Gunna, on RICO charges. The 

, filed in Fulton County, characterizes YSL as a criminal street gang and uses social media posts, song lyrics and tattoos to accuse the group of a criminal conspiracy spanning armed robbery, murder, attempted murder and drug distribution. Young Thug and Gunna have denied the charges through their lawyers, and the music industry has spurned the case as a violation of First Amendment rights, but the precedent the indictment sets is already being felt. "We're used to saying a lot of stuff that's not true, that didn't happen. It's art," Lil Baby 

 The Associated Press. "It's your imagination. You can go as far as you want to take it. But now, I have to be very mindful." 

In this context, Lil Baby's fixation on new horizons and self-improvement can scan as caution. "All the youngins that be drillin' shit, you know that come with life," he obliquely raps on "Everything." Later, on the pensive "No Fly Zone," he's defiant: "Until all my hitters get out the system, they goin' in every song." Even in this light, however, his lack of style undermines his new mission. His omissions lack the cold clarity of 

, and the provocation of Tee Grizzley and the late 

 — all of whom have used their nightmarish brushes with the justice system to turbocharge their music with emotion or denude it into cutting commentary. A monument can acknowledge a legacy, but it can't build one.  

Stephen Kearse

The newly minted A-list rapper variously calls himself a legend, a hero and a boss on the album, but the songs never embrace that mythmaking or mold those labels into personas.


Man wearing silver vest raps into microphone

Kevin Winter

Lil Baby - Real Spill (Visualizer)

Lil Baby - Not Finished (Visualizer)

On 'It's Only Me,' stardom makes Lil Baby more anonymous than ever

The Heat Check playlist is your source for new music from around the worlds of hip-hop and R&B with an emphasis on bubbling, undiscovered and under-the-radar acts. Who's got the hot hand? Who's on a run? It's a menagerie of notable songs curated by enthusiasts from around NPR Music.

This week's Heat Check selects features grounded wordsmiths, emergent L.A.-based chanteuses, auto-tuned misfits and songs of self-care. A rap thinker flexes his muscle, another reflects on his stereo past, an unlikely yet welcome soul collaboration bears fruit, a gaggle of nu-trap imitators try to replicate a singular star and more. Stream the playlist 

Baby Rose, "Fight Club" (ft. Georgia Anne Muldrow)

On Baby Rose's latest single, in collaboration with genre-fluid experimentalist Georgia Anne Muldrow, the vintage vocalist embarks on a new journey. Propelled by detuned piano, tambourine and punchy, pulsing bass, "Fight Club" urges us to abandon comfortability, to take the risk. "I wanna run to my fears 'til I'm not afraid," Rose sings on the chorus, to which Muldrow responds, "Catch a current of fresh air to ride." Muldrow plays a catalyzing role here in a collab I never knew I needed. — Ashley Pointer

 rap as much as R.A.P. Ferreira. The artist formerly known as milo is such a meticulous writer that his rhymes exude the care put into them, but he is also an allusive penman that is constantly thinking of other thinkers, the ideas they might bring to notions of rhythm and symmetry and lyricism, the lessons their work might imprint upon his — and anyone else's. "ours" is a prime example of studiousness becoming craft, the ten-thousand hours manifesting. Over a wonky-sounding piano-mash, courtesy of Rose Noir, Ferreira performs with the looseness of someone relying on muscle memory. "Most disastrous motive, wrote this letter to them pacifist poets / In my bag is an understatement / Retract it, I keep ready to blaze like a matchstick /Blood-soaked cowboy, down to my last tin of Altoids / They'll say this was a stream of consciousness / I was simply a being, being honest," he raps. Even if you don't know he belongs among the greats, it's clear that he does. — Sheldon Pearce

The Las Vegas-raised, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Arima Ederra makes gentle, swaying folk-tinged soul music that nods to influences like Lauryn Hill and Bob Marley. The title track from her new album, A

, displays her propensity for making serious things light. She is a practitioner of a weightless form of R&B that simmers in the ether like incense, and here her voice seems to let sung phrases spiral until they dissolve. Her harmonies give the song an intangibility, as she sings of angels and heaven. About a minute in, the song erupts into a skittering barrage of drums. They recede, then return. But throughout the ebb and flow, her singing remains unwaveringly subtle and elusive. — Sheldon Pearce

In a post-lockdown world, moving fast to make up for lost time can actually be more draining than redemptive. Ruti makes beauty out of that blah on "Safe & Sound." With scuffled UKG percussion and a wailing saxophone as her backdrop, Ruti's vocals ring so clearly, she's able to hit a sweet spot, leaving the listener both grounded and ascendent. This is a slow burner with more to discover on each listen. — Sidney Madden

 Joyce Wrice yet, there's still time to embrace her soulful music, which has taken a more buoyant turn lately, and bask in its richness. She performed several standouts from her new EP, 

, during a stunning set, including the Kaytranada-produced "Iced Tea" and the lush "Bittersweet Goodbyes," but another cut worth visiting is the Afropop-inflected jam "Spent," which opens up for her to further showcase the range and nimbleness of her bubbly vocals. "All the time we, spent it way too fast," she sings, with the exasperation of a woman who is all out of patience. — Sheldon Pearce 

ssgkobe, onlybino, xhulooo, spgwes, pourz, "patek"parczy, "run it up!" (ft. ilymax and xravvvenx)brentsrevenge, "SRT!"

ssgkobe, onlybino, xhulooo, spgwes, pourz, "patek"

parczy, "run it up!" (ft. ilymax and xravvvenx)

With all the chatter about rap's waning dominance lately — an overreaction to a slight dip in a few streaming metrics — it can be weird to see the exact opposite curve playing out elsewhere. There is a cadre of obvious rap stars existing beyond the reaches of popular culture, connecting with their audiences directly as everyone else ignores them, and none of these figures is more prevalent online this year than Yeat. Just spend 20 minutes letting stuff autoplay on SoundCloud and you'll start to feel his influence. All three of these songs are deeply indebted to him in some way. Half of the rappers on the "patek" posse cut seem to be miming the mummified Yeat flows and vocals. The rattling nascar and qwentcrazy production on "run it up!" evokes the work of beatmakers like Trgc. Even "SRT!" is playing into the same blurred-out, clouded-up aesthetic, which seems to scrub songs of any distinctive or defining traits. They all have their individual charms but they can only approximate Yeat's peculiar appeal. — Sheldon Pearce

The volume of "self-care songs" has certainly risen since the dark ages of The Pandemic, yet KIRBY's new single "Take Care" still manages to meet the moment. There's much food for thought within this transportative neo-soul soundscape, produced by and featuring the trumpeter Dave Guy. Communal sounds of the outside – children playing, banter of neighboring families and friends – provide a nostalgic foundation for a rim-shot-led, pocketed drum groove, a dynamic bassline, soulful, muted horns and KIRBY's own smoky, Badu-esque vocals: "This load is way too heavy carried by yourself / Take care of momma," she sings, her voice wispy but unmistakable. "Know you gotta /Take care of brother / You gotta / Take care and hustle / But please take care of you." — Ashley Pointer

Open Mike Eagle, "circuit city" (ft. still rift and Video Dave)

The L.A.-via-Chicago rapper Open Mike Eagle looks backward for inspiration into the future on "circuit city," referencing the now-shuttered electronic superstore chain. The Madlib-produced song engulfs you in a soft, rock-tinged instrumental, as Eagle playfully raps, "I'm a brand new man doing the same dance / It only seems confusing because I changed pants." His longtime collaborators still rift and Video Dave hand off verses without interruption, pushing a constant flow over a steady, percussive beat. The song is just one flashback on Eagle's latest project, 

, where he is at his reflective best — traveling to the age of clunky home stereos, boomin' 90s beats and recollecting his own past, reminding us to have fun while we're there. — Teresa Xie

Exotix, "Ton1ght" (Remix) (ft. j4M and Luvdes)


The singsong Atlanta rapper Exotix likes to overlay monotone, auto-tuned flows atop beats that lightly glow and flicker. He often seems zoned-out in his songs, as if he's dozing off beneath the gentle hum of a nightlight. "Tonight," his best-performing track yet, has the feel of a sleepy cradlesong sped up to 1.5x. Even moving in tandem with the like-minded rapper j4M, the cut just sort of chugs along, pleasantly unassuming. A new remix elevates it to something more than a sparkling bauble. The new version adds sweeping vocal runs from Luvdes, which not only bring texture but tone to an otherwise colorless affair. Even in the few moments where her voice is unsteady or cracking slightly it still feels thrilling because she is reaching for something dramatic. — Sheldon Pearce

Sheldon Pearce

Sidney Madden

Ashley Pointer

Teresa Xie

This week's Heat Check selects features grounded wordsmiths, emergent L.A.-based chanteuses, auto-tuned misfits and songs of self-care.


Nicole Hernandez

Baby Rose - Fight Club feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow (Official Visualizer)

Ruti - Safe & Sound (Official Video)

Spent

run it up! feat. ilymax and xravvvenx (nascar + qwentcrazy) by parczy

KIRBY - Take Care (ft. Dave Guy)

TON1GHT ft (j4m & Luvdes) [Official Remix] by Exøtix [@imexotix]

Heat Check Roundup: Baby Rose, R.A.P. Ferreira, Arima Ederra and more

The family of George Floyd announced Tuesday that they will file a $250 million lawsuit against Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, following comments he made about Floyd's death on the podcast 

Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office ruled that George Floyd's death was a homicide, caused by Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes. But Ye — who was a guest on last weekend's episode of the podcast hosted by rapper N.O.R.E and DJ EFN — put forth the idea that it wasn't Chauvin who caused Floyd's death, but that he died from fentanyl use.

The family seeks damages for defamation, harassment and more

The lawsuit will be filed by Roxie Washington, the mother of Gianna Floyd: George Floyd's only daughter and the sole beneficiary of his estate. Washington plans to sue Ye, his business partners and associates for "harassment, misappropriation, defamation and infliction of emotional distress seeking $250 million dollars in damages,"

"Kanye's comments are a repugnant attempt to discount George Floyd's life and to profit from his inhumane death," said Attorney Pat D. Dixon III. "We will hold Mr. West accountable for his flagrant remarks against Mr. Floyd's legacy."

Attorneys for the family have also issued a cease-and-desist letter to Ye for his comments.

"Free Speech Rights do not include harassment, lies, misrepresentation, and the misappropriation of George Floyd's legacy. Some words have consequences and Mr. West will be made to understand that," said Kay Harper Williams, another of Washington's attorneys.

Ye's First Amendment rights will be a factor in this case, expert says

On the matter of First Amendment rights, however, the family may have an uphill legal battle against Ye, said Roy S. Gutterman, the director of the Tully Center for Free Speech at the University of Syracuse.

"First off, there is no possibility of a defamation action here, because there would be no living plaintiff whose reputation has been damaged," Gutterman told NPR. "Libel and slander require a live plaintiff, and family members or surviving family members do not have standing to sue for defamation."

One possible path for this lawsuit, though, would be the the allegation of intentional infliction of emotional distress, Gutterman said — although it will be difficult to claim. "This requires the plaintiff to prove that the statements were intentional or reckless, outside the bounds of accepted decency and morality and causally-connected to some viable harm," he said. "This tort is often a difficult claim to collect on, especially with a media defendant."

However, proving this claim is not impossible; notably, Sandy Hook families successfully sued Alex Jones on this secondary tort in a recent civil trial in Connecticut.

Drink Champs has issued apologies for the episode

 prides itself on its ability to allow a free flow of ideas within the hip hop community," a representative for the program told 

That being said, unfortunately, the recent interview with Kanye West contained false and hurtful information regarding the circumstances surrounding the murder of George Floyd."

 into Hot 97's Ebro in the Morning to talk about the episode and issued an apology.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I can sit there and say, 'That's only Kanye West

 it's only what he said.' But I have a responsibility when I have an audience. When I watched myself, I was embarrassed. I was like, 'Wait a minute? You just let him say that?' I'm irresponsible for letting it go."


Representatives for Kanye West did not immediately return messages for comment.


Matt Adams

The announcement of the lawsuit comes after Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, made comments about Floyd's death on the podcast Drink Champs. 


Man with mouth guard sits at fashion show

Julian de Rosa

The family of George Floyd plans to file a $250 million lawsuit against Ye

Tune in to hear Sani live on The Message from 10 AM to 1 PM Monday through Thursday!

Robert Glasper - “Therapy pt. 2” feat. Mac Miller

6LACK - “Pretty Little Fears” Feat. J. Cole

H.E.R. - “Could've Been” feat. Bryson Tiller

“LUNE SONG (from the other side of things)”

“Thrifted Palmeiras Jersey (Bonus Track Ibrhhh Begged Me To Drop)”

All of the tracks added to rotation on Carbon Sound the week of October 17, 2022.


New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of October 17, 2022

Awa Mally

Check out Awa Mally’s photos of Lancey Foux and Joony at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall.


Lancey Foux stomps the Amsterdam Bar & Hall

This week's Heat Check selects feature artists from as far out as Rwanda, but if there is anything resembling a theme it is songs of self-reliance. An R&B newbie enlists a legend for a vintage ballad of acceptance, a spaced-out rapper decides to go it alone, artists from Compton, London and Nigeria refuse complacency and more. Check in.

Though acceptance doesn't mean we no longer feel the pain of heartbreak and loss, it does mean that we are no longer resistant to our reality. On "So Be It," the opening track of Alex Vaughn's newest EP 

, the LVRN artist finds herself in this place, processing the end of a relationship with a classic R&B ballad. Produced by the prolific Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins — whose credits include Brandy, Toni Braxton and Beyoncé — alongside Xeryus, the track starts off vulnerable with melancholic guitar arpeggios and a laid-back drum groove before it crescendos through the choruses, complemented by thick choral-like background vocals. In the last verse, Vaughn's singing reaches a climax as she settles into the acceptance needed to confront the truth and move forward: "In my heart I still want to forgive / Came to terms that we might never get / Back to what we used to be / Everything's still new to me / Won't be no love lost / So be it." — Ashley Pointer

Since 2020, the Atlanta rapper UnoTheActivist has upped the productivity, releasing a dozen albums of spaced-out melodic trap that seems to continuously get stranger (See: "Astral Plane"). He has been on the same wavelength as his cousin, Playboi Carti, since the Christmas release of 

 in 2020, but Uno is a step beyond the league of outside imitators, warping the dimensions of his already dark and zonked music to be even more lively. The 

 standout, "By Myself," is among the most interesting things he has ever released. Its overlaid synths sound like an AR headset overloading. But there is order within the chaos. Listen closely and you can hear a meticulous array of digital tones. Somehow, in the midst of it all, his voice stays steady and centered, like a storm chaser resolute amid a maelstrom. — Sheldon Pearce

The charms of benihxnx's "lightz" are wrapped up in its sample, Timbaland's "Give It To Me," and the way the song milks its components for tempo. The best club rap often creates the same slingshot effect that comes from the chops in regular club music, only there must be enough open space for the rapper to maneuver. In this case, benihxnx seemingly plays hop scotch between the deeply distorted Nelly Furtado hook. It's less about what he's saying and more about how he's keeping time, the way his flows and the bass create friction, making the sample feel like a reverberation. — Sheldon Pearce

These soundwaves feel more like a mist, SoundCloud chant rap vaporized and diffused through your headspace. "Polaroid Picture" is Lerado Khalil's recent masterclass in mood-setting, finding the sublime in a mess of classic plugg synths and barely-audible vocals. — Mano Sundaresan

A lot of lowercase music channels the hushed insularity and shyness of bedroom recordings, but the Bay Area singer thuy's "u should feel special," the opener from her new project, 

, embodies the subtle assertiveness displayed throughout Ariana Grande's 

. thuy's voice can be similarly mumbly but there is an effervescence there, too, and her songs are usually imbued with the buoyancy associated with the local rap scenes. Here, she uses that gentle force to remind a guy how lucky he is to be with her: "You need a medal / 'Cause you went and score way out your league / It's amazing how you weren't even a thought / Now you're laying here with me." Though she doesn't possess Ari's range, she does a more than passable job replicating the self-assured sass of her more recent music. — Sheldon Pearce

There is a strain of SoundCloud rap that sounds like it's trying to deep fake the late JuiceWRLD and another strain that sounds like it's trying to turn Auto-Tune into vapor. "Love & Live On," by Sincerely Vlxne!, blends the two styles together. It has the same freestyle energy and curdling emo vocals but it is mostly performed as a murmur.  At 1:20, the entire thing seems designed for ephemerality, a puff of smoke disappearing before you. But in that moment before it vanishes it can be pleasantly disorienting. — Sheldon Pearce

Jeshi, "Protein v2" (ft. Obongjayar, Westside Boogie)

With a fresh verse and new feature from the Compton mainstay Westside Boogie, the London rapper Jeshi manages to elevate the already infectious track "Protein" with a second take. The foundation was, of course, already set with the Nigerian singer Obongjayar's effortless vocals adding an undeniable layer of cool: "Can't nobody stop me, I'm on go / Late night creepin' , I'm running on no sleep ... Baby, I'm active, can't move slow / There's no plan B, can't do both." For anyone seeking a subtle yet catchy song to put a battery in their back, this is it. The song feels like a clash of coasts in the best way, as all parties involved envision reaping the benefits of their respective come-ups. — Jerusalem Truth


The Rwandese singer-songwriter Alyn Sano has become a figurehead in the East African pop movement, receiving the nation's Female Artist of the Year award, in 2020, and reaching the semifinals of the African iteration of "The Voice." Her early singles from 2018 — "Naremewe Wowe" and "Rwiyoborere" — tried to recreate the softness of stateside R&B but were undermined by two-bit production. Even chintzy balladry could not mask the beauty of her voice, which has rich, earthy undertones, but her music on the whole lacked animation and magnetism. Last year's "Hono" was a move toward bounce that gave her sound a certain dynamism, and her new single, "Radiyo," builds on that momentum. Embodying the Afrobeats of her neighbors to the west, Sano lets her sumptuous, low-toned harmonies sweep through the clicking drums on her best song yet. — Sheldon Pearce


Mano Sundaresan

Jerusalem Truth

This week's Heat Check selects feature an R&B newbie enlisting a legend, a spaced-out rapper deciding to go it alone, artists from Compton, London and Nigeria refusing complacency and more.


LVRN/Interscope

Alex Vaughn - So Be It [Official Music Video]

BY MYSELF - UNOTHEACTIVIST (OFFICIAL AUDIO)

lightz by benihxnx

POLAROID +NOFOURFIVE+ by Lerado Khalil

thuy - u should feel special (audio)

Jeshi - Protein v2 feat. Obongjayar, Westside Boogie (Visualiser)

Alyn Sano - Radiyo (Official Music Video)

Heat Check Roundup: Alex Vaughn, UnoTheActivist, Jeshi and more

Lizzo missed the Twin Cities and it’s clear the feeling was mutual. At the beginning of her first Twin Cities arena show, Lizzo gave one of many speeches about her affinity for Minneapolis-St. Paul. She recalls this as the place where she received valuable support (“Shout out to The Current”) and is eternally grateful for it.

Personally, I haven’t seen Lizzo live since New Year’s 2018 at Myth in Maplewood. The venue only held 3,000 people which is a fraction of the Xcel’s 17,000. The winter cold was especially bitter that night, but Lizzo’s performance made up for it. Seeing her rise since “Good as Hell” and “Truth Hurts” came out — they were relatively new at the time of her Myth performance — has been incredible to witness.

Starting at precisely “bad bitch o'clock” Lizzo spent two hours filling the Xcel Energy Center with serotonin-inducing songs without missing a beat. She was supported on stage by a crew of Black women which included her long-time DJ, Sophia Eris, her Lizzbians band, and her dancers, the Big Grrrls. (Asia Banks, a participant from Lizzo’s Emmy award-winning Prime program, 

, was also present on stage showing there are real benefits to competing on her reality show.) Bringing new and old together, she performed a rendition of her 2022 single “Grrrls” and 2016’s “Phone,” from her 2016 

 EP — same release that introduced “Good As Hell.”

Sporting a sparkly pink Yitty hat that we can only hope will soon become available online, Lizzo transitioned into “Boys.” Lizzo had the whole arena bouncing up and down while singing along. This was one of many clear crowd favorites. The track not only sounds like it has Minnesota’s beloved Prince’s influence, but its music video also honors the late legend by taking place in front of the iconic 

. (Prince was photographed there in 1977.)

The Lizzbians then took the reins and geared up the crowd for “Tempo” with a electrifying solo from their 19-year-old guitarist, whom DJ Sophia Eris affectionately called “the baby girl on the team.” Accompanied by background visuals reminiscent of Rihanna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money” era, Lizzo and her dancers twerked to the club track.

To cue up “Rumors,” the jumbotron began showing text messages. “Lizzo and Chris Evans are dating!?” “Lizzo is engaged!!” “What’s next, a baby?” The visual was evocative of Demi Lovato’s infamous “Sorry Not Sorry” performance at the 2017 American Music Awards. Cardi B made a surprise appearance “ringing” in via pre-recorded FaceTime call to deliver her verse in “Rumors.” The video worked so seamlessly into the concert, more artists should consider implementing this when performing songs with a featured artist.

For the next song, “Naked,” which she debuted on her Emmy-winning 

, Lizzo got more intimate with the crowd. She strutted down the walkway in a feather boa robe fit for a mansion to get closer to the concertgoers in the standing room. As she got nearer to the audience in GA she disrobed and was 

 naked. (Don’t worry, she was wearing a nude-colored bodysuit, presumably from her brand Yitty.) She bared all to give lyrics to the song new life. The dark arena lit up with phone camera flashes while the stage light beautifully displayed different shapes and colors before finally reading in clear bold letters “My Body My Choice” on Lizzo’s silhouette.

“If you’ve dated a Gemini, you’re entitled to compensation,” says Lizzo from the therapy-style chair she had brought on stage while performing “Jerome.” “Break Up Twice” in meaning is a straightforward song. Lizzo doesn’t break up twice. She does 

 [date] once and does it right. The background of this song, however, is especially intriguing. It was produced by the legendary Mark Ronson, and contains an interpolation of Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing).” Before hopping off stage for an outfit switch, she and DJ Sophia Eris rapped the first part of the Hill hit, then handed it off to her incredibly on-key background singers.

Finally, Lizzo performed the track that her tour and album are named after, “Special.” In a public declaration of self-love, she had the crowd wave their hands in unison. Lizzo’s encouraging voice saying “I love you. You are beautiful. And you can do anything. In case no one told you today, you are special!” was still ringing in everyone’s ears while she performed. The last few lines being sung a cappella was a goosebumps moment.

In a transition that could’ve either been a bit or completely real, Lizzo spotted a fan on the barricade in a wedding dress. She asked the fan if she recently got married — to which they replied, “I got dumped.” Some members of the audience audibly said “aw,” taking pity on the person. Lizzo, on the other hand, gave the fan a pep talk and reassured them, “I got just the song for you” before singing “Truth Hurts.” While performing, she made sure to sing some lines directly to the heartbroken fan. After the song ended, she took a few minutes to acknowledge the crowd. She showed off her 20/20 vision by specifically pointing out what people were wearing, even if they were in nose bleeds. A concert attendee dressed in a “fuck fatphobia” crop top and sheer leggings drew special attention.

At one point Lizzo restated a point she made in her recent 

 when the writer asked about criticism that she makes music catering to white audiences. “My name is Lizzo,” she said. “I’m a Black woman, making music from my Black experience. And I make music for every-fucking-body. Period. Because I know when you see me on this stage, you see yourself as well. I’ve lived enough life at this point to know we all go through our own individual struggles and it may not look the same, but it is the struggle nonetheless. And if you’ve gone through the last two years like I’ve gone through you’re a survivor. Period.”

While crying a little bit, she had the crowd sing back the words to “I Love You Bitch” to her. “I never thought a song called ‘I Love You Bitch’ would make me so emotional.” She continued with “Good As Hell” and “Juice” before ending with “About Damn Time” for an encore. Performing those upbeat songs had the audience forgetting it was the end of the concert. Many did not start leaving their seat until a video of Lizzo on the jumbotron exclaiming her iconic line, “bye bitch!”

Bora ⠀

Lizzo spent two hours performing serotonin-inducing songs to a packed St. Paul audience without missing a beat.


Lizzo stands smiling on stage with one arm pointing up 

Tony Nelson for MPR

Seven people in pink outfits stand on stage with one arm up 

A wide view of some crowd members, the full stage set-up, and performers 

Stories

MAVI's clearheaded songs of endurance

New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of October 24, 2022

papa mbye gives minneapolis a night to remember

Get the Carbon Sound app

On 'It's Only Me,' stardom makes Lil Baby more anonymous than ever

Heat Check Roundup: Baby Rose, R.A.P. Ferreira, Arima Ederra and more

The family of George Floyd plans to file a $250 million lawsuit against Ye

New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of October 17, 2022

Connect with Carbon Sound

Lancey Foux stomps the Amsterdam Bar & Hall

Heat Check Roundup: Alex Vaughn, UnoTheActivist, Jeshi and more

Lizzo brings joy to the Xcel Energy Center

See more stories →