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Bringing Rhyme and Reason to the Hip Hop Table Is the Midwest Duo of Castronovo and Cru Anew With Their Joint Mixtape, “Steel Sharpens Steel.”

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Bringing Rhyme and Reason to the Hip Hop Table Is the Midwest Duo of Castronovo and Cru Anew With Their Joint Mixtape, “Steel Sharpens Steel.”

Castronovo is a lyricist who hails from Rockford, Illinois. Cru Anew, on the other hand, is a hip-hop artist who hails from Chicago, Illinois. These two artists met in 2021 at a hip-hop collective gathering where instantaneous musical chemistry was developed, and they decided to blend their musical tastes and come up with one joint project; and that is how the 7-track mixtape, “Steel Sharpens Steel” was born!

As a hip hop purist myself, I am not gonna lie—I had a feast with this one! There is just a way these gentlemen own their performances here. There is that glamour, wit, and unsubdued stage presence supplemented by that undeniable chemistry between them that makes you think they have been doing this for years.

They just bounce off one another and I just hope this is the first of many projects together; in the track “Speak to Me”, I feel like Castronovo exudes a writing style and flow that is similar to Eminem & Logic- with a hint of southern bellow like J Cole. This track is peppered with 5-star rhyme scheme lyrical pattern and exudes that hypnotic street vibe. The shouting at some point also adds to its taste and likability in an inexpressibly unique way (you will just know it when you hear it!

In the track “Greater Later,”  Cru Anew recounts his experiences while incarcerated. Despite being in prison for close to 30 years, you can tell that Anew has developed a high degree of literacy that characterizes his rhymes. His delving into the street and flirting with danger make him the only one suitable for laying down a fiery verse like the one he does on this tune that is as entertaining as it is educational—you have to listen keenly to take home his empowering message!

Clearly, the wannabe rappers have to find new hobbies because their whack sh*t really ain’t selling anymore! Delivering a thought-inspiring lyrical masterclass, the duo gives a refined conscious performance on the track “Pop Yo Shit” in a no-holds-barred rap approach.

God bless them for what they did in “Summertime,” because there is indeed that summertime vibe on the Midwest coast. There is variety and splendor from the melodies that echo a Neo-funk melody with hints of pop and the guest artist IamLostTwo does magnificently well to add that R&B flavor with his arresting hooks. For a moment there, I thought SilkSonic had infiltrated their soundtrack!

I just love the consistency in the banger, “Tale of 2”; I actually tried to do a bar count and got lost in the middle. It’s just straight bars and no sideshows, with the scratches from turntables and other snares and synths adding to the sonic flavor. After listening to this masterpiece repeatedly I agree; “it’s hard to reach for the sky when the skyline’s only 12 stories high!”

“Summertime” and “Tale of 2” are my all-time favorites from this collection; I have been playing them on repeat, and each time I feel like Superman!

To find out what Castronovo and Cru Anew are made up of; follow the attached link and stream “Steel Sharpens Steel” in its entirety… your playlist could do with a facelift!

Catch Up With Castronovo on:

Established Hip Hop Artist ReachingNOVA Creates a Free-flowing Lyrical Course with His Single "C'est La Vie" Established Hip Hop Artist ReachingNOVA Creates a Free-flowing Lyrical Course with His Single "C'est La Vie" Established Hip Hop Artist ReachingNOVA Creates a Free-flowing Lyrical Course with His Single "C'est La Vie"Established Hip Hop Artist ReachingNOVA Creates a Free-flowing Lyrical Course with His Single "C'est La Vie"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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MUSIC

Taarifa kwa Vyombo vya Habari – wimbo mpya wa Into the Blood: “Play Your Clarinet!”

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Taarifa kwa Vyombo vya Habari – wimbo mpya wa Into the Blood: “Play Your Clarinet!”

Katika wimbo wao mpya wenye mchangamsho “Play Your Clarinet!”, Into the Blood wanaunganisha midundo ya kielektroniki inayoshika kwa urahisi na mgeuko wa kusisimua: solo la klaneti lenye mionjo ya jazz kutoka kwa Peter Fuglsang. Uchezaji wake unaongeza mguso wa uchezaji wa moja kwa moja unaokamilisha msingi wa kidijitali wa wimbo huu, na kuunda tukio la kipekee kabisa la kusikiliza.

Wimbo huu utazinduliwa kimataifa tarehe 22 Novemba katika lugha 11 tofauti—ikiwemo Kiswahili, Kifaransa, Kiingereza na Kichina n.k.—pamoja na toleo lisilo na sauti za kuimba.

Jiunge nasi katika safari ya kimataifa
Acha “Play Your Clarinet!” ikupeleke kuvuka mipaka, sauti na tamaduni. Wimbo mmoja. Lugha kumi na moja. Utasikika kwenye majukwaa yote makubwa ya kusikiliza muziki mtandaoni, na video za maneno ya wimbo zitapatikana kwenye YouTube. Jifunge mkanda na ufurahie safari!

Orodha ya video za “Play Your Clarinet!” – video za maneno ya wimbo katika lugha zote 11 kwenye YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuQcCz0vhEKyPigEcJ1-Du7YhrzZdLrex

“Destination 11” – video ya muziki:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8l72BtPBd8

Kuhusu Into the Blood
Duo la Into the Blood—Jens Brygmann (sauti za kuimba na ngoma za kidijitali) na Carsten Bo Andersen (kinanda na sintesa)—imekuwa ikifanya kazi tangu mwaka 2016. Muziki wao umekuwa ukipigwa kwenye vituo mbalimbali vya redio duniani, vikiwemo vya Uingereza, Australia na Ufaransa.

Toleo la asili la “Play Your Clarinet!” pia linapatikana kwenye rekodi ya vinili ya inchi 12 kama sehemu ya mradi wao mkubwa wa Destination 11, unaojumuisha video ya muziki ya dakika 11. Video hiyo imewahi kuonyeshwa katika matamasha mbalimbali ya kimataifa ya filamu fupi, na hadi sasa tayari imeshinda tuzo mbili nchini India, kufikia hatua ya fainali kwenye East Village New York Film Festival na Las Vegas International Film & Screenwriting Festival, nusu fainali kwenye Seattle Film Festival na robo fainali kwenye Synergy Film Festival huko Los Angeles.

Mradi wa Destination 11 umefadhiliwa na White City Consulting na Custom Coaching.

Upakuzi kupitia Dropbox – Hapa unaweza kupakua nyenzo za promosheni:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/sai0udu4imfwdmktxf5cj/ADqWOKnmQZjDm3PsXL3yzvs?rlkey=75i1ctld2guy8tcp6snp112j9&st=jtgfu546&dl=0

Salamu za muziki kutoka
Into the Blood
Jens Brygmann & Carsten Bo Andersen 📧 [email protected]

Into the Blood – mitandao ya kijamii:
https://linktr.ee/intotheblood

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Van Hechter’s “Boy Problems” Is a Deep and Danceable Bilingual Anthem for Anyone Tired of Lukewarm Love

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Van Hechter’s “Boy Problems” Is a Deep and Danceable Bilingual Anthem for Anyone Tired of Lukewarm Love

Montreal-based pop sensation and LGBTQ activist Van Hechter is back with “Boy Problems,” a stunning new single. The track merges his signature upbeat charm with rare emotional depth. Hechter, known for hits like “Disco Brother,” “Hot Damn,” and “Love Elastic,” reveals a new side to his magnetic electro-pop personality, offering a message that is both radiant and raw.

At 4 minutes and 24 seconds, “BoyProblems” is a bilingual (French & English) eruption of glitter, melancholy, and empowerment. It’s built on irresistible synths, glossy production, and pulsing basslines. The song invites listeners into a world where heartbreak beats in rhythm with liberation. The melodies feel euphoric on the surface, yet are stained with a haunting vulnerability, proving that dancing and deep feeling can exist together.

At its core, the song is a manifesto about refusing to settle for half-love. Van delivers lyrics that make you sway, smile, and suddenly pause; the truth stings. If love isn’t loud, real, and fully given, he’d rather walk away. It’s a reminder wrapped in rhythm: loving yourself means refusing the small version of what you deserve.

Filled with Hechter’s signature humor, glamour, and optimism, “Boy Problems” is a club anthem and a soul-stirrer all at once. The bilingual lyrics expand its emotional reach. The track feels at home anywhere, from Parisian dance floors and New York rooftops to headphones on a bus or speakers at Pride.

This is a jam that makes you feel like you’re flying, free from pretense. It’s definitively dance-pop and unmistakably Van Hechter, though the smile has a real heartbeat underneath. Listeners will hear that signature flair; he’s still cheeky, stylish, and unapologetically queer. His artistry is simply sharpened with new emotional honesty. This is a growth moment, delivered with a wink and a synth hook.

“Boy Problems” is a significant step beyond a simple catchy single. It’s a toast to self-worth. A glittering rebellion against lukewarm love. A reminder that the dance floor can be a place to heal. This sonic centerpiece belongs on your playlist, and on your friends’ too.

Catch Up With Van Hechter on:

Established Hip Hop Artist ReachingNOVA Creates a Free-flowing Lyrical Course with His Single "C'est La Vie"

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TR Craze brings his South Sudanese story to the gritty drill anthem “Tule Tule” with Jamaican-UK rapper Caine Marko

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TR Craze brings his South Sudanese story to the gritty drill anthem "Tule Tule" with Jamaican-UK rapper Caine Marko

Sometimes a song shows up like that friend who kicks open the door without knocking, grinning and saying, “get your shoes, we’re leaving.” “Tule Tule,” the new single from South Sudanese artist TR Craze featuring Jamaican-UK rapper Caine Marko, moves exactly like that. The track is bold and charged, carrying the weight of lived experience while stomping over a dark, menacing drill beat that feels built for the streets as much as the club.

TR Craze’s backstory reads like a movie script Hollywood studios would fight over. He was born in South Sudan, shaped by the trauma of civil war, and pushed into the harsh realities of refugee life. He literally survived the treacherous routes through Libya and across the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe. This man distills survival into rhythm. On “Tule Tule,” you can feel that heart, that urgency, and that fire in his delivery, channelled into a raw, assertive drill performance that cuts through even if you don’t understand a single word of the opening verse. At its core, “Tule Tule” is a raw, assertive drill track that isn’t afraid to bare its teeth.

The word “Tule” comes from Nuer. It refers to youth games and the electric thrill of chasing something, whether that’s victory, joy, or destiny. TR Craze uses that spirit like a drumbeat beneath his voice. The choruses hit with a communal, call-and-response warmth but here that playfulness is flipped into a gritty, chant-like hook – “Tule Tule” – that feels like the rallying cry of a crew on the move. Even without translating the lyrics, the tone tells you everything. This is about motion, pursuit, celebration, and refusing to stay stuck in the past, all wrapped in an unapologetic, high-adrenaline atmosphere. Lyrically, the track leans into street life, dominance and crew loyalty, matching the tension in the beat.

Behind them, producer Kyxxx builds a dark, tense soundscape, stitching drill drums with Brazilian bounce and Bhangra-flavoured rhythmic elements that keep the track constantly on edge. The result is a gritty, energetic and unapologetic atmosphere that pulls you straight into their world.

Then Caine Marko slides in for the second verse, and the whole energy pivots into a sharp, swagger-heavy bounce. His flow is clean but gritty, confident and confrontational, shifting between braggadocio and sly charm.

“She knows I’m a wolf and I run the pack,” he starts, classic alpha talk, but delivered with a laid-back grin. “She come first like running track,” he continues, flipping between affection and athletic metaphors like a man who’s too used to moving fast.

Then he opens up the verse more: “Doing dirt and getting with a bitty, I only pretty… then back to the city. Got me some liquor then it got me some weed.” It’s lifestyle rap, but the reckless, unapologetic kind. It’s the messy, outside-at-night, live-in-the-moment vibe that balances TR Craze’s more grounded narrative. When he ends with “you going to hang with the gang,” the energy snaps into a group-hyped finale, a reminder that music like this isn’t meant to be consumed alone, underlining the crew-first loyalty at the heart of the record.

“Tule Tule” works because it blends worlds without softening its raw, street-hardened edge. It merges East African emotion, Caribbean-UK swagger, drill and hip-hop grit, Brazilian and Bhangra textures in Kyxxx’s production, diaspora storytelling, and a spirit of joy that refuses to be dimmed by pain.

Let “Tule Tule” run while you’re walking, cooking, texting, or plotting big dreams – or getting ready to step out with your crew.

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