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The morning after the Dijon concert, I came down with a case of the worst post-concert-depression I’ve experienced since the last time I saw Dijon perform live. I almost called out of work.For context, that was at the Re:SET Festival back at Forest Hills Stadium in summer of 2023. The lineup on the day I ensured I had a ticket for was Dijon, Clairo, and Boygenius. Mk.gee played the guitar before anyone even knew who Mk.gee was. It was the show that Justin and Hailey Bieber went to; the one when the videos of the two of them vibing side-stage to Dijon went slightly viral on many a music social media algorithm.In support of my gripe with music festival scheduling and time-slotting, Dijon’s set was just about a half hour, but until last night, that half hour was one of the best half hours of ...

This Thanksgiving week, we were graced with a solid scope of music headlines, ranging from Uzi going indie to Kenny Beats becoming Kenneth Blume.The release lineup spanned solid longform projects from Ferg, SWAVAY, MAVI, Zukovstheworld, and Pink Siifu, along with the beginning of Biggavelli's proper return to the rap scene...Ferg’s FLIP PHONE SHORTY – STRICTLY FOR DA STREETZ VOL. 1 Features His Own Art View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hypetrak (@hypetrak)One of my favorite days ever is the day I got to visit Ferg’s art gallery pop-up in New York City back in April. Held in an intimate gallery space in Soho, Ferg gave us a tour, explaining each painting in grave detail – oftentimes referencing lyrics directly – and emphasizing the fact that painting is just as much a p...

Do you remember your first-ever email handle? Probably made in middle school, and likely referencing a defining hobby, trait, or hyperfixation of the time. Mine, for one, was "elainaisamazinggg." Kenneth Blume's was "kennybeats."And that's the lore of how Kenny Beats came to be.To the surprise of many (and chagrin of others), the pioneering force in contemporary music production has dropped his infamous stage name and shifted to sophistication, now going by his government name, Kenneth Blume.They are telling me my new tag needs to be “hold your horses Kenneth”— kenneth blume (@kennybeats) November 24, 2025 A few music commentators and fans were quick to comment about how the name change marks a shift in focus for Kenny, specifically suspecting that it points to the producer distancing hims...

This week in music is setting us up for a solid close to 2024.Kenny Mason continues to make strides after last week's Killer Mike co-sign; the rapper rises once again with a new three-track EP, as well as a confirmed appearance on MAVI's mixtape dropping next week.As two of my favorite (and once-gatekept) artists Dijon and fakemink are both wrapping the year with full-circle co-signs by the cultural mainstream.Billie Eilish's Latest Fragrance Foray(aka I got to interview her). Read the full conversation here.New Release: Kenny Mason – Pup Pack: 1st ShiftFollowing up on last week's Killer Mike co-sign, Kenny Mason has dropped off his first new music in a year. Based on how expansive his discography is from 2023 and 2024, I'd honestly forgotten it had been that long, but boy, are we so back ...

It's clear Odeal has a lot to say right now. Back in July, the British-Nigerian musician ushered in summer properly when he dropped his acclaimed EP The Summer That Saved Me.The seven-track, almost fully solo endeavor from the budding artist, revelled in, what Odeal refers to as more "selfish" feelings, while spanning the full sonic spectrum of R&B. As the cold front comes in, the musician is shedding his summer skin with The Summer That Saved Me's, alter ego, if you will. His new EP, The Fall That Saved Us, is sort of a follow-up to July's EP, but more so, it's an fully independent body of work, rooted in an entirely new range of cathartic feelings, anecdotes, and memories that come after the summer smoke clears."Our feelings and perspective can change quicker than seasons do," he sha...