I’ve been following Ethiopian-American rapper Siimba Liives Long’s rise for a cool minute (re: several years) so it’s dope to see coverage on him from the likes of Noisey. Indulge in the swagginess that is “Cocaine Bimbie,” off the sonic series Zemenays Gemiinii. The presence of lions and fire-eating in the video matches the lavish feel of the track–you won’t regret watching this:
Tag: music
#HabPlaylist: Robel Ketema
An absolute banger from Saint Louis-based Ethiopian-American rapper, Robel Ketema. There’s not much information online about his work but we’re loving what we hear so far. Production comes from Dylan Brady, a member of the collective Robel is in–HELLA. The beat is on one and Robel’s style is memorable and unique, which makes for a great sonic landscape 🙂 Hit up his SoundCloud for more goodies. Listen and watch below:
Image courtesy of Pigeons & Planes..
Listen: “7 Billion” – Mizan
Another day, another brilliant piece of work from an up-and-coming Ethiopian artist. This time, indulge in the beautiful simplicity of Mizan Kidanu’s “7 Billion” below:
Her EP, Dark Blue, is out on Nov. 6 on Terrible Records. Until then, check out her other tracks on SoundCloud..
Chatting with Vala Tseguy
Learn more about Vala Tseguy, rapper hailing from New Orleans, LA!
Where did you grow up and how, if at all, did your environment influence your music and who you are today?
I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. Growing up there will definitely shape you in some way. There is a lot of culture. We do things a lil different. Music drives everything there. It’s impossible to be out in the city & not see street performers, people drinking in the streets, and smell flavorful foods. It’s also difficult to grow up there and not get exposed to violence. It’s called the “Big Easy” because it’s easy to get by with the lost cost of living but that also breeds an environment of people who aren’t used to having a lot of things, including myself. That makes it pretty difficult to be successful when you don’t know many successful people. Musically that has always inspired me to think bigger and travel to other places. Artists rarely break from NOLA. The market is pretty small and there’s a lot of crime but a lot of talent. People will try to end your life if you’re good and they view you as competition. I think the city is still searching for its identity in today’s music scene. There hasn’t been an artist to break out of New Orleans since the Hot Boys / Lil Wayne era. Most people leave Nola and find success in other places. So being from that environment and now here in California, I’m able to see all the opportunity and outlets for an artist.
#HabPlaylist Presents: Dawit Eklund
Another day, another shining light from Washington D.C.-based label, 1432 R. This time indulge your senses with Dawit Eklund, an Ethiopian-American producer from Virginia. While little is found online about Dawit, we’re liking his intricately crafted sound found on his single Psycho Animus, which debuted in September of last year:
#HabPlaylist Presents: Endeguena Mulu (aka Ethiopian Records)
Picture by Leykun Wondifraw.
Another from the house of Ethiopian electronic music, this time from producer Endeguena Mulu, known professionally as Ethiopian Records (ER.) Learn more about this up-and-coming talent on Dazed & Confused and tune in below if the hypnotically good, genre-bending blend of electronica and traditional Ethiopian instrumentals is your thing (his recently released 2nd EP In My Sleep can be found below… follow his SoundCloud to stream his 1st EP, Qen Sew):
#HabPlaylist Presents: Mikael Seifu
Mikael Seifu has been playing around these parts for over a year now but upon each listen, I discover another genius nuance I hadn’t heard in the listen before. The 27-year-old producer is based in and influenced by Addis Ababa and offers a sound with a reach far beyond the underground music scene in Ethiopia. His music is electronic in the broadest sense, with hints of traditional Ethiopian instrumentalism. BIG UPS to Mikael and his label, 1432 R, for pushing this sound out of East Africa–we can’t wait to hear more from this trailblazer. In the meantime (instead of twiddling your thumbs in anticipation for his next project, a second EP titled Zelalem), check out this insightful piece on him via Pitchfork (!!!) and fall in love with his debut EP below:
Listen: Mélat’s latest EP, “It Happens So Fast”
Austin-based Ethiopian singer-songwriter Mélat has been making moves on the low, taking advantage of the ever-so-accommodating Internet and the ability to self-release just about anything. With her sweet voice and accompanying airy-production, she’s garnered the attention of many listeners and blogs like The Fader. It will only be a matter of time until we hear of her online and on the radio. Listen to her newly released EP “It Happens So Fast” below: