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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Victoria Princi December 6th 2025 This week, I had the pleasure to speak with Victoria Princi. Included in this conversation is exclusive insight into her new single, In and Out: From the beginnings of the project to the satisfaction of releasing it. We also spoke of her 2026 goals, her musical inspirations and much much more. View the full interview below!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT TWELFTH April 18th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners Noise pop and shoegaze blended with tints of glitch, rap, and metal Describe your creative process I'll usually be thinking about lyrics or something I could use as a topic in a song and then just flow on whatever beat I choose and just make the song from there. No planning or any complicated steps I just kinda get in the studio and make something, and if I like it enough I'll put the whole thing together or work on it off and on. Your latest album, “I’m not, I’m just” is such a cool and dynamic project. How was that album created? What is your personal favorite track on that album? I'm Not, I'm Just is probably my favorite project I've ever done, I started working on it in May-June of 2024 and was working very hard on it throughout the rest of 2024 and until it was released. I'm honestly not set on an absolute favorite track on the album because I always change my mind or have phases loving a song from my albums- But as of right now it would definitely be zombie, it's my most abrasive, noisy, and experimental song I've ever done and xandrey killed it on the mixing. It was really hard to put it all together when I made it I almost cut it from the album but I'm glad I did finish and put it out and I'm very happy to see the attention it's been getting How’d you first get into making music? I started making music in fifth grade, I was inspired by a lot of popular rap around that time, like Polo G, DaBaby, and Roddy Ricch and I started messing around with Bandlab and eventually started dropping rap songs on Soundcloud under a different name Where do you find the inspiration to create music? My biggest inspirations are definitely my favorite artists and just the music scene as a whole- I really have Quadeca to thank for really introducing me to different genres besides hip-hop after he dropped I Didn't Mean to Haunt You. That album definitely started my love for music as a whole and that's when I started to really get involved with the Album of the Year community, deadAir artists, and other genres that I never thought I would be into. Any new music soon? can't say too much but definitely have been in the mix What music have you been listening to recently? I've been nonstop listening to underground rap, Jane Remover's newest album has been on repeat lately but I also really like che & nettspend. and if you aren't tapped in to Daniel Kashule yet trust me you must get tapped in

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 2Hats January 10th 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners My music is all over the place, honestly. It’s always gonna be rap, but the style can vary from Detroit-inspired relentless punchlines to Griselda/New York aggressive boom bap to Atlanta autotune-infested trap melodies. I’m always trying something new; basically clicking on one my songs is like a slot machine. You never know exactly what you’ll get. How has your discography transcended from “satire rap?” I started out recording music on my phone with no knowledge of producing or engineering whatsoever. In my mind, the easiest thing to do at that time was to make songs that had a bit of novelty since I didn’t have the assets to make a so-called “serious” record (Hence my most popular song: “Fuck Chili’s”). As my equipment got better and my production skills got sharper, I was able to show more and more of what I can actually do while still keeping it light-hearted. I think nowadays I’ve found a nice balance between the serious and the unserious. When creating the songs for your latest album, “The Hat Trick”, did you know you were going to put those songs together in an album? Or did that come afterwards? Or did that come afterwards. The original plan was to make a bunch of EPs over the course of a year, and at the end of 2024 I would compile the best songs from those EPs into one big album. But that changed as the EPs I released developed into their own standalone bodies of work. By the end of the year around late November, I just wrote and recorded new songs non-stop until I had 15 records that I was confident in releasing as a full-length album. Some ideas had been in the works as early as April 2024, and other songs were started a week before the album came out. How’d you first get into making music? I started making my own beats and writing lyrics in high school. And to no one’s surprise, I was trash. I never thought I could be good enough to actually write and record my own original material. As years went by, I noticed how accessible and simple it was to record on your own by seeing people online do it. So I tried it myself in 2022, and I haven’t stopped since. Describe your creative process, how do you come up with such clever lines? Usually, I’ll browse YouTube beats for literal hours on end. Every so often I hear a beat that inspires a flow or a chorus, and I’ll either write it down or make a voice note to remember later on. In my Notes app, I also have one note that just has endless one-liners in it. Any time I randomly think of a funny line or a good idea, I’ll put it in there. Some of my most memorable bars come from that method. Then, when it’s time to record I just go line-by-line until I have a full song. What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners As previously mentioned, my album “The Hat Trick” was just released, and I do consider that to be my best overall project. But I got 2 EPs released last year, “Free Agency” and “Getting Faded at Smile Grocery,” that are full of essentials and some true 2hats classics. “Prada for Me” and “NTSB Jacket” are two songs off those EPs that people seem to really gravitate towards. What’s next for 2hats? What are some goals for 2025? This year I want to focus on music videos. That’s an area I haven’t explored yet, and I already have some crazy ideas in the works as we speak. Also I plan on releasing 3 full-length albums along with miscellaneous EPs throughout the year. Hopefully the albums will be a little more cohesive in terms of sounds and vibes, but that remains to be seen. What music have you been listening to lately? What music have you been listening to recently? Recently been listening to a lot of Pierre Bourne(TLOP5 is peak), Earl, Rio, Jane Remover, Rome Streetz, and Kendrick(new and old). Vince Staples and SahBabii are probably tied for my favorite album of 2024, both of them went crazy.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Jordyn Tareaz May 30th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners I make pop diva music with alt and rock elements. Think big riffs, runs, powerful vocals, and catchy hooks, but also 808s, electric guitars, strings and synths. Describe your creative process I make my music at home doing the songwriting, producing, and engineering. My life is my muse so my art stems from what's happening in my own world. A lot of the time I'll just hear a melody in my head and a couple words or phrases within that melody. Once I have the basic melody or vibe of the song I'll make the chord progression and the skeleton of the beat. From there I’ll come up with the concept of the song and flesh out the rest of the hook and then the verses. Then I'll go back and finish the rest of the production. And after that I'll record final lead and background vocals in harmonies. Lots and lots of harmonies Your latest single, “Pressing Play” is very impressive. How was that song created? I made that song while studying at the Los Angeles Academy of Artists and Music Production. It's producer duos Stargates program. They've made songs Like Diamonds by Rihanna and Irreplaceable by Beyoncé two of my favorite artists and songs and their catalog. I attended the program last year on a full ride scholarship for production from Splice. Each week we were put in sessions and had to come up with a song. Oftentimes there was a theme for the week. I really don't remember what the theme was for the week that we made Pressing Play. I made it remotely with my co-writer Thea who’s based in London and my producer for the song and mixing/mastering engineer Colleen is based in Germany. I’m based in the US so it’s cool that the song was created in so many different places. I made a reference playlist with some of the vibes I was feeling sonically and Colleen came back with a couple of track ideas. I had never done anything that was dance pop/EDM inspired but still had an electric guitar leading the song so I was really drawn to the production of this track. Thea and I over a couple of days wrote the song, I recorded all the vocals, then Colleen finished up the production and the song. I remember the writing process taking longer than it usually takes for me. And at times we got really frustrated but I'm really glad we pushed through cuz I love the way the song turned out. How’d you first get into making music? I started performing and taking piano lessons at 2 years old so music has always been a part of my life. When I was 8 years old I performed in a talent show and my mom suggested that I should write my own song. The song was called Free To Be Me and I wrote the lyrics and a piano accompaniment to go with it. I got a really, really great reaction from the crowd and people were coming up to me all night about the song. I've been writing ever since. It wasn't until college in about 2020 when I started teaching myself to produce and record my own vocals. There's a real lack of female producers in the industry so that's a huge driving force for why I decided to learn. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? My life is my muse. Art can be found in even the mundane micro-moments of everyday. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten new music from you! Any new music soon? Yes! I have a song called Wild Woman coming out June 13th! I'm so excited because it's the start of a new era. I wrote, produced, recorded, and played all the instruments for the song by myself in my bedroom. The song is all about reclaiming your power and unleashing your truest self. What music have you been listening to recently? Been loving the artists Jade, Adela, Chxrry, and Jae Stephens. Would love to open for any of them in the future!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT BB Bando October 1st 2025 How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before? I feel like everyone’s go-to answer is “refreshing.” I definitely get that vibe from my music, don’t get me wrong, it’s just so much more than that to me. The best way I could describe my music to someone that doesn’t know me is unapologetically expressive. You can tell just how I’m feeling with each and every song I’m on. If I’m feeling a certain way or thinking about certain things it’s gonna be told in my music, and that goes both ways — positive and negative. I feel my music is honestly the most me thing about me. Like if you don’t know me, 3 songs in you will. Can you walk us through your creative process? My creative process for a lot of songs is very dependent on my setting. I find I make my best music when I’m completely alone. It gives me the freedom to say/try anything I want and see for myself if it works for the song, rather than not saying something out of fear of being judged/laughed at. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made a number of great songs during seshes with my N2K brothers; however, most of my solo songs, if not all, have been by myself in my room, bottle of soju to my right and my bong to my left. I let them be my audience. Your latest single, “yugioh,” has a video game–inspired, almost retro style that I love. What influenced this sound, and how did you build such a wide arsenal of effects? Yugioh is a song I hold very dear to my heart. I almost treat it like “the big bang” in me finding my own style of music. I never really implemented any of my current creative process until this one song, and it really showed me my true potential. It’s definitely retro-based thanks to the beat (shout out Rubbish) and has ties to my childhood as I was around a lot of Yugioh growing up (ironically becoming more of a Pokémon fan in my later childhood). In 2025, you’ve collaborated more often with producers like 5kjordn and Rubbish. What has that experience been like for you? First, I wanna give a big shoutout to 5kjordn and Rubbish — they’re really goin crazy. Some of the most talented producers I’ve come across. That being said, I haven’t spoken with either of them too much, but Rubbish’s beats were definitely standard for me in the beginning. If it wasn’t for his beats, I probably wouldn’t have ever found the sound that’s gotten me all this attention. Another big influence in my music production-wise would have to be my brother Gerk. He and Rubbish really defined my sound. Although I haven’t used too many Gerk beats, I can definitely attribute a lot of my sound to him as he does most of my mixing. How did you first get into making music? Gotta thank my brother @rayymond for that one. He was making music before all of the waves he’s making now through his music videos. Seeing him properly do it in a time (2019) where it seemed everybody was trying to do what he did with poor effort really gave me the inspiration to go after it myself. I don’t think I would’ve tried to even record if he didn’t push me, because he saw the potential. I even made my first ever song with bro (unreleased). Where do you usually find inspiration to create? My inspiration to create really comes directly from things I experience in my personal life. I feel the more active I am, the healthier I am, the more life I’m living, the more music I create. My good friend @rayymond once told me a quote he pulled out of a book one time we were hanging out: “It’s not about creating or having the motivation to create, it’s about being in a place in your life where creation is simply inevitable.” What have you been working on lately—any new music on the way? I’m very excited to announce I got a song with my brother @chon_978 coming out 10/10 called The Way I Like It. The only way I could describe it is really a whole party in a song — from 0:01 you’re gonna be taken to a better place mentally. It’s just one of those songs. Other than that, I’m always workin on new things with my North Vicious brothers as well as my N2K brothers. Where did the name “BB Bando” come from? I got 2 people to thank for the name “BB Bando.” The name originally started as Anto Bando, originally coined by @rayymond. Everyone called me Bando to the point that it’s how I introduce myself. At this point, if someone who’s not immediate fam/my girl calls me by my government name, I’d look at them crazy. It then turned into 777bando after I drew to the number heavily during some hard times. I had 777 up until February of this year when I had linked my brother Ricky Chix, who thought up the name BB Bando when we were discussing alternative names. It just had a ring to it that I couldn’t describe, and I just felt at that time it was time for a new era, so BB Bando I became. What artists or songs have you been listening to recently? Recently, I’ve been on a crazy contemporary rap/alternative rap kick. Someone I’ve been listening to heavily is an artist out of Long Island named Theravada, very similar to Earl Sweatshirt, and I know they’ve collabed at least once. I’m just really feeling the rawness and grittiness of this type of music. The tapes Voire Dire by Earl and The Years We Have by Theravada are big on rotation, usually listen to them continuously on L rides or errands.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Smith Almighty March 7th 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners indie pop/rock with inspiration from jazz and self reflection Describe your creative process Most of my songs start with my acoustic guitar. Once I have something I like on guitar I begin to add other instruments. Whether that be keyboard, synth, drums, brass, samples etc. Usually I write my lyrics as I am playing the guitar. Every time I get a new idea it gets put into my voice memos. I probably have over 50 songs on my voice memos. You’re new single, “so, what if i” is my personal favorite song of yours, describe how you made that song That is one of my favorite songs too! It started with the chorus actually. I loved the chord progression. After having the guitar part down for the chorus. I added the keys which gave the song a more somber and self reflective feel. The lyrics were inspired by something a friend of mine was going through. I took it to the abstract. How’d you first get into making music? i always loved listening to music. The Beatles, Queen, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and so many others have inspired me. I sang chorus for my high school and was even part of a band that performed annually. I wrote and put out my first song freshman year of college. I started taking classes on producing and engineering music. Since then i have been mixing and mastering all of my own music. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? I grew up in a super rural area, but went to college in Philadelphia. The blend of the extreme urban and the extreme rural definitely influenced my music. A lot of my songs spawned from life experiences, my imagination, and pop culture i have absorbed. What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners? Its honestly a tie between (Ode to Former Prospects), (so, what if i), and (Wreckage) What’s next for Smith Almighty? What are some goals for 2025? I have been making so much music these past few months and just enjoying the writing process. I will probably have another song coming out in the next few months. What music have you been listening to recently? I like to listen to albums in full. Recently I went through the whole The Smiths discography and also the Weezer discography. Very good stuff!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT DOMENICK BIERMAN December 13th 2024 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners. My music varies honestly. It ranges from pop music, to funk, to rock. It’s definitely for people in their feels. I promise i’m trying to change that though lol. it’s very premature, my music that’s out. It has a lot of angst in it. i definitely was not in the best state when i wrote most of it. but i think that’s when music really can be at its best. when you’re just pouring everything you got into it How and when did you get into music? I got into music since i was a baby. I wrote my first song when i was 8. But i got BIG into it when i was 15 2 (continued). writing music was always in the cards for me, in terms of like expression. sharing my mental state was never something i was a big fan of, so writing music allowed me to do that Creative Process? Nowadays, my creative process is i sit in a quiet room and feel my emotions for a little. Then, i grab my guitar and play chords that i think sound good. then when i get a progression, i start to write. i find it quite beautiful when i really unlock some good lines. then i can REALLY call it my work Where do you find inspiration? I find inspiration from whatever i’m listening to at the moment. But i’m always getting new inspiration. I do have like 3 artists that i always look up to. I take huge inspo from tyler the creators creativity. it’s hard to hear in my own music because i don’t rap, but i strive to be as from the heart and powerful as him. I try to get my music as enjoyable to listen to as Bruno mars. he’s been my favorite since i was a baby and i’ll always try and match his effect he has on people What song/project should unfamiliar listeners begin with? Probably “Right here (with you)”. I personally think it’s my best song. it’s my best produced song. It also is my best vocally done song in my personal opinion Any new projects soon? Anything you'd like to promote I’m trying to work on an album right now. It’s more rock based, but it’s on the pop side too. At the moment, the working title is “Still Learning”. if my last album was about angst and being a teen. “Still learning” is about growing up, but not fully out of that like teen stage. mistakes still get made, and you still just have to take the lessons life gives you What music have you been listening to recently? I’ve been listening to classic rock, metal, hiphop, alternative, pop, punk, grunge, funk. a whole lot

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT SHOTY April 11th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners My music is a mix of all my favorite things about different music genres. I love catchy pop melodies, cool electronic beats, and the confidence rap lyrics tend to give you! Describe your creative process If I’m by myself I’ll listen to tons of beats until a good melody and cool lyrics pop into my head. I’ll record whatever melody and small amount of lyrics I have initially then go back and write the full song, sing it a bunch of times then record! When I’m working with people I feel a little more pressure to work quickly so I’ll usually have the full song written before the producer finishes the beat then jump straight into recording. I prefer creating in home studios because it’s a lot more comfortable and easier to be vulnerable. Your newest single, “NYG” is my personal favorite song of yours, describe how you made that song Thank you! I’ve never made a song the way I have NYG, I was pretty much just laying in my bed after a long day of work feeling pissed off and the “I wouldn’t hold your breath” line came to me. I recorded it all the way through in one take twice then it sat on my computer for a few months. Everything on that song is pretty much from the first take except a couple lines. How’d you first get into making music? I wanted to be a DJ, I was obsessed with flume so I got the same program he was using and a midi keyboard. I quickly found out I wasn’t about to be flume and naturally gravitated toward song writing and just kept at it. I really just wrote for fun, it was never something I thought I could pursue. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? I find inspiration from whatever is going on in my life. Usually I have to be feeling a very strong emotion whether good or bad to end up with a good song. To me, creating is sort of like fishing so if an idea just isn’t there I won’t force it, I’ll go do something else and come back when life inspires me or I really need to get something off my chest. What song / project would you suggest for unfamiliar listeners? Call me I’m Lonely or Selfish seem to be most people’s favorite What’s next for SHOTY? What are some goals for the rest of the year? I have a song called “Flowers” dropping April 17th. My goal for the year is to just get all the sh!t off my computer! What music have you been listening to lately? I’m obsessed with Amyl and the Sniffers and recently discovered this artist Portraits of Tracy. You won’t be disappointed listening to either!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Jardin February 28th 2025 Describe the sound of your music for unfamiliar listeners my music goes all over the place, i like to do many different genres like indie rock in English and corridos tumbados in Spanish. i believe the versatility in my music represents me as a person and gives me no boundaries as an artist. “Lose Control” is my personal favorite song of yours, describe your creative process for that song. Lose Control was the first song i ever put vocals on, i had made the instrumental with my pawned guitar and midi keyboard on garageband and felt motivated to start singing. i loaded up bandlab with the regular apple headphones and just wrote what felt right for the song. it was really interesting trying to figure out how to do everything and i’m happy with how it came out. How’d you first get into making music? i started playing guitar when i was 15, but i never really thought about making music until my senior year of high school. Me and my friend Pablo, who helps me with my music a lot, started writing songs in the school parking lot. after i graduated, i started recording instrumentals and started writing songs from there. Where do you find the inspiration to create music? my influences and the music i listen to on the regular inspire me to keep creating. Steve Lacy is definitely one of my biggest influences, with his ‘bare maximum’ concept, seeing someone making such great music without using crazy expensive equipment was very inspirational and motivates me to get to that level of talent. What song/project should unfamiliar listeners start with? i would definitely recommend “FAST TRAK”, its my favorite song that i’ve released. hard hitting drums with chorus guitar and electric piano, very inspired by mac demarco’s style of music. i called it FAST TRAK because i made the instrumental and lyrics in one day. What’s next for Jardin? What are some goals for 2025? i want to improve the quality of my music and release more consistently this year. i also just want to have fun with what i’m doing and try new things like making music videos or collaborating with different artists. i would want to release an album in April with singles in March if everything goes well. What music have you been listening to recently? i’m always listening to artists like Steve Lacy, Mac Miller, Deftones and artists in spanish like Ivan Cornejo and DannyLux. i’ve also been listening to smaller artists doing really cool stuff like Sexto Sentimiento and Yrs Ant, hoping to collab with both of them in the future.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Isaiah Keaton August 23rd 2025 An in-person interview with Isaiah Keaton!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Mark Saunders May 16th 2025 Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners The sound & texture of my music is EVERYDAY LIFE HUSTLER music. If you're someone applying themselves everyday to get more outta life, while making themselves uncomfortable in order to grow my music will resonate. The messaging is relatable to those pushing through the turmoil. Describe your creative process in the respective aspects of creativity. Whenever my name is attached to something its always highly intentional. I work on many projects at once and slowly nab away at them based on what's inspiring me most at that specific time. I try to cram in as many meanings & entendres into these spaces for sharp artistic execution. I want surface consumers to enjoy my lines yet I also want connoisseurs to have a moment to tap in with a artist they can tell cares about this shit just as much as them..... if not more then them...because of the layering that goes into my work Your album, “demoGRAPHIC II” is truly so impressive. How was that album created? What is your personal favorite track on that album? demoGRAPHIC II was initially a project I was going to release in 2019 then I scrapped the idea because I HATE SEQUELS I personally think they're corny & low hanging fruit for artist. I prefer artist to make new experiences opposed to forcefully creating a lightning in the bottle moment. Fast forward to 2021 I began working on a project and by mid 2024 I found myself in the exact circumstances + mindset that I was in when when I released the first 'demoGRAPHIC' back in 2018. It felt genuinely to my storyline as a artist to come out with 'dG2' A personal favorite, for me is “Silence of The Lambs”. Tell me the story behind that song. I've been rapping for 15 years, they say you aren't a master of your craft until you’ve put in 10,000 hours. Well, I've exceeded over 30k. Within my 15 years I'd say I'm on my 3rd life as a rapper. And I've experienced first hand people loving every little thing about you then later hating you for it. Silence of the lambs took me two full years to write and as I went through defeat that song became my direct journal. How’d you first get into making music? outta pure curiosity. I remember being a freshman in highschool listening to Lil Wayne 'the drought 3' on the bus on my way to school and instead of getting off at my stop I cut school writing raps over Wayne's vocals hahaa. Good times! Where do you find the inspiration to create music? First its my natural love for hip hop and mastering the technical mechanics to become one of the greatest emcee's ever. Secondly I've watched my entire family struggle. I view my talent as a vital tool to change the course of my bloodline. It sounds like alot to burden but as long as I sacrifice it'll be worth it. The work + work ethic will speak for itself Any new music soon? Anything you’d like to promote? Yeah, sure. This is the first time I'd be publicly announcing this. Im happy to be doing it on your platform. I grew up as a real student of rap music and being from New York I looked at PRO ERA as people similar in age who were dominating. In mid-June I'll be releasing 'DON'T TRIP' featuring Nyck Caution. There's a music video in the works as well. This has been a long time coming! Where do you find the inspiration to create music? First its my natural love for hip hop and mastering the technical mechanics to become one of the greatest emcee's ever. Secondly I've watched my entire family struggle. I view my talent as a vital tool to change the course of my bloodline. It sounds like alot to burden but as long as I sacrifice it'll be worth it. The work + work ethic will speak for itself Any new music soon? Anything you’d like to promote? Yeah, sure. This is the first time I'd be publicly announcing this. Im happy to be doing it on your platform. I grew up as a real student of rap music and being from New York I looked at PRO ERA as people similar in age who were dominating. In mid-June I'll be releasing 'DON'T TRIP' featuring Nyck Caution. There's a music video in the works as well. This has been a long time coming! What music have you been listening to recently? Westside Gunn, Ray Vaughn's New Album, Carti, Mixtape Lil' Wayne & alotta classic soulful R&B. There isn't much music in rap that's moved me. Other than music, what else have you been up to? I've been trying to get back on my feet financially. I fell on hard times in October '2024, I was fired from my job and in May 2025 I finally got a employment offer (part-time). Other than that my doctor gave me the unfortnate news, im prediabetic. As I was unemployed I was severely depressed eating comfort foods to feel better so the news makes sense. Since then I'm prioritizing my mental & physical health by working out & completely changing my diet.