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Osay Gives Us a Taste of Her Rap Skills in the New Single “How Many Licks” 

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After Osay’s uniquely written single “How Many Licks” was released, we caught up with an insightful interview with such a talented artist to explore her eidetic experience and what she had to say about his incredible musical journey so far. Read below to learn some exciting details about Osay and her musical journey

Thank you for speaking with us at African Hype. What’s the first thing you hope new listeners feel when listening to your music?

Thank you for having me. What I want people to recognize first and foremost is that I’m a little different from your average female artist, and I welcome that. I don’t always talk about the same things, my subject matter, my way of rapping, and my beat selections, are sometimes a bit off kilter because I want my music to represent me! A lot of my sound blends elements of old school and new school to create something totally new and I want people to feel that nostalgic essence about me, but also recognize that I’m doing it my way.

“How Many Licks” is a fun record from start to finish with the combo of that hard-hitting beat and your catchy lyrics. What was the inspiration behind that song?

Haha, I love that record. It’s not what you’d expect from me, but that’s a bit of why I like it. It’s fun, it’s sexy, it’s light-hearted, and honestly, it’s just a vibe. When I first heard the beat, I fell in love instantly and the lyrics just came naturally and I just gotta give a huge shout out to muladè for producing such heat lol.

Osay Gives Us a Taste of Her Rap Skills in the New Single “How Many Licks”  Osay Gives Us a Taste of Her Rap Skills in the New Single “How Many Licks” 

I can’t say there was anything in particular that inspired the song outside of just what I was when I heard those kicks and that bang. I didn’t want the song to be taken too seriously or have the lyrics be too intricate, I think there’s a time and place for everything so I just wanted to just swag out on the song and let the beat kinda lead me.

Have you written songs for any other artists?

I have! Before I became an artist in my own right, my small claim to fame was working behind the scenes writing for other artists. They were all small local artists, so nothing you would have ever heard of but it did prep me on how to tell different stories and variate my subject matter as well as just putting myself in someone else’s shoes. I think that experience helped me a lot in improving my artistry and versatility.

What do you enjoy most about being an artist?         

That’s a good question. The thing I love most about being an artist is creating. Simple I know, but seriously I love that I can have an idea and then I go to record it and it becomes this tangible thing that other people can also enjoy. For the longest time, my songs were just private voice memos on my phone and now I have songs that are out that can be streamed and downloaded for anyone to listen to. Man if you told me I would have public releases a year ago, I wouldn’t have believed it. Creativity has no bounds and being able to expand upon thoughts and ideas that literally came from nothing is absolutely mind-bending to me. It’s so surreal and I never want to take that for granted.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?

If I could collab with any artist of today it would either be J. Cole or Brent Fiayaz. I love J. Cole, I remember first hearing his Friday Night Lights project and just being enamored by his storytelling and real perspective on life. I also really appreciated seeing how different he was from his contemporaries at that time but he owned it. I’ve been a fan ever since and I just admire him not only as a creator but as a person, he really cares about what he does and you get a sense of how genuine he is through his endeavors and his work.

Brent reminds me of the old-school r&b I grew up listening to and I just think he’s incredible and super talented. I think he just had this essence about him that brings life to any song he’s a part of and I would love to have some of his special sauce on a record.

Do you put a lot of pressure on yourself?

Haha, is water wet, is grass green. I put so much pressure on myself it’s not even funny. It’s because I love music, I love that my art has given me this platform. It’s the only time, I truly feel like I have a voice and I want to do it well. Anything worth pursuing should be done at the best quality you can so I find myself banging my head against a wall trying to come up with the best ideas I can. I’m always working, always writing, always trying to find new ways to push the envelope and myself further and I think if you want something bad enough, you gotta apply that pressure to a certain degree to get what you want. Pressure makes diamonds or it busts pipes, you decide how it affects you.

Are you working on any project right now and what can we expect from you in the future?

Yes, I’m currently working on my first EP documenting my current journey as an artist as well as just navigating this thing we call life. It should be dropping later this year and I’m excited to give the people a full-length project. I’ve been dropping singles for the time being but there’s something really special about creating a body of work and being able to tell a full-fleshed story to really give people a sense of who I am. You can also expect more singles as well some new visuals dropping very soon.

For our final question, is there anything else you would like to add?

For everyone who has checked out my work or even took the time out to read this article thank you so, so much. For those of you discovering me for the first time, I’m Osay a female rapper, a singer-songwriter who’s tryna bring a bit of personality and fun back into music. I just released a few singles such as “Shimmy Season” and “I’m On High” which is out everywhere.  And a music video for my single, “Off Brand” will be coming out soon. I think that’s everything but you can find me everywhere at @osaycantsee. Thanks again African Hype for the opportunity.

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Osay Gives Us a Taste of Her Rap Skills in the New Single “How Many Licks”  Osay Gives Us a Taste of Her Rap Skills in the New Single “How Many Licks”  Osay Gives Us a Taste of Her Rap Skills in the New Single “How Many Licks” 

MUSIC

King Jay Da Blountman Turns Versatile Into A Day Off Fantasy With The Easygoing Pull Of “Fish’n”

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King Jay Da Blountman Turns Versatile Into A Day Off Fantasy With The Easygoing Pull Of "Fish’n"

When a former football player tosses the rulebook for modern music, the results can feel braver than any tidy genre label. That is the lane King Jay Da Blountman keeps choosing, a Florida based St. Augustine artist with one foot in hip hop, one in country, and both planted in sheer hustle. His 2025 album “Versatile” has been picking up momentum as one of the year’s more convincing independent releases, partly because it refuses to sound like it is trying to fit a template.

A clear highlight is “Fish’n,” a 2-minute-and-54-second feel good cut that shows how naturally King Jay can blur styles without turning it into a gimmick. The track grabs you fast with a cadence that feels lived in. Instead of sitting on top of the beat, his voice folds into the groove, so the vocals and the production feel made for each other.

That ease matters because “Fish’n” leans into the space where singing and rapping overlap. King Jay slides between the two with a smooth rap sing touch that keeps hip hop and country in the same frame. The song lands like a snapshot of a mood, one that pulls you outdoors and away from the buzz of everything else.

The imagery is simple and it works. You can picture the fishing gear, the boat that is ready to go, the cooler packed with beer or whiskey, and the sun hanging in the sweet spot. “Fish’n” carries that particular kind of freedom you only get when the day is yours. It makes a fishing trip feel overdue, along with the permission to take a real day off. The music stays relaxed while still earning repeat listens.

There is crossover charm here that recalls Shaboozey’s 2024 hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”. The difference is that “Fish’n” stays unmistakably King Jay. It draws from lived experience and unfiltered real talk, and it keeps its own shape even as it nods to multiple worlds. The hookiness is the point, a cadence that lingers after the last note fades.

The best moments come from the tight fit between performance and production. King Jay’s vocals lock in with the beat, reinforcing the track’s quiet confidence and natural flow. It is the kind of song that belongs on open roads and open water, and it rewards listeners who like their playlists with fewer walls.

“Fish’n” sits on “Versatile,” a nine track project that earns its title. The album has been performing strongly, with several songs quickly becoming fan favorites, including “Whisky Man,” “Respect,” “Blue Cheese,” and “Kings.” Each cut shows a different angle of King Jay’s approach, yet the project holds together through a consistent sense of authenticity and risk taking.

You can hear how this run builds on what came before. “Versatile” follows the success of Jay’s 2022 album “Level Up,” which included the track “By the Water,” now with over 104,000 streams on Spotify. That earlier momentum set the table for what he is doing now, expanding his reach while sharpening his sound.

King Jay Da Blountman has always moved across lanes, from drums to raps, funny videos to serious storytelling, and the streets to global streaming platforms. His story reads as growth and openness, an artist still stretching toward the next version of himself. With “Versatile,” and with a standout like “Fish’n,” he shows how music crosses borders through heart, honesty, and a beat you can live inside.

As King Jay keeps spreading his wings globally, one jam at a time, “Versatile” works as both statement and invitation. Come as you are, grab a drink, and press play.

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Omaye keeps it brief and hits hard on “Tell Them”, a focused Afrobeats and Amapiano promise of what is coming

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Omaye keeps it brief and hits hard on "Tell Them", a focused Afrobeats and Amapiano promise of what is coming

Fast-budding Nigerian artist Omaye’s single “Tell Them” arrives with assurance that usually takes artists a few releases to earn. He keeps it tight, too. The track runs 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and it uses every second with purpose. In a lane where bigger often gets mistaken for better, Omaye shows how far a clear idea can travel when the writing and performance stay focused.

“Tell Them” plays like a self-empowerment chant built from a hardened, never-say-never mindset. The message is straightforward: put in the work, stay locked in, and trust destiny to meet you halfway. Omaye delivers it with a calm steadiness, the sort of quiet confidence that suggests he already sees the finish line. You can hear the belief that his moment is on schedule, and that nothing is going to shake him off course.

The sound matches that mindset. Omaye’s Afrobeats foundation gives the record its swing, while gurgling Amapiano synths bubble underneath and add a subtle lift. The production stays clean and restrained, leaving plenty of air for the vocal. Omaye’s delivery is crisp and polished, gliding over the beat with clarity. He never rushes the pocket. Each note feels chosen, each inflection considered, as if he’s more interested in landing the feeling than showing off technique.

What makes “Tell Them” linger is its emotional balance. It’s catchy and undeniably infectious, yet it carries weight. The hook sticks because the sentiment does, and the track rewards replay for more than its bounce. Omaye isn’t reaching for drama or putting on a persona. He’s capturing a mindset shaped by struggle, resilience, and self-belief, then letting that honesty do the heavy lifting. By the time the song ends, the confidence feels earned rather than advertised.

With “Tell Them,” Omaye comes off as a storyteller who knows what he wants to say and how to say it. The track reads as proof that he has the tools to connect with fans of Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Hip-Hop alike, and to do it without diluting his voice. The direction is clear. The hunger is right there in the phrasing.

Now streaming on Apple Music, “Tell Them” lands as a statement of intent and a clean introduction for anyone meeting him for the first time. If this single is a preview, the question around Omaye’s rise is timing, not possibility. Time feels like the only gap between him and the next level.

The release is also a milestone: “Tell Them” is Omaye’s first professionally recorded single, and it sets the stage for his upcoming EP “17EEN,” which is close on the horizon. Keep the name Omaye in your head. You’re going to hear it again.

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IurisEkero turns “AURA” into a sunset ritual of cinematic pop, where synths hold your feelings close

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IurisEkero turns "AURA" into a sunset ritual of cinematic pop, where synths hold your feelings close

IurisEkero has always had that producer aura where every synth feels like it’s holding hands with your feelings. On AURA, that instinct expands into cinematic storytelling. He even marked the release with a sunset ceremony at the base of the Andes, like he was unlocking a secret level in a music RPG. You can’t fake that kind of commitment. It gives the album a clear vibe: this is meant to be lived, not treated like something you leave running in the background.

He stays in a contemporary pop lane, polished but heartfelt, digital yet soft around the edges. The textures are warm. The vocal layers feel like a hug. And there’s a sense that each song stands as its own emotional chapter. The point is mood-building, not novelty. AURA ends up feeling like 16 different emotional passports, each stamped with a slightly different shade of hope, doubt, desire, or relief.

The album kicks off with “The Password Of My Heart,” a title that sounds cheesy until the production hits. Then it turns into a confession wrapped in shimmering synths. He moves gently, almost whisper soft, and the chorus floats in like he’s opening a door you weren’t sure you should walk through. It’s a smart opener because it sets the standard early: sweetness, yes, but with detail and control.

“Didn’t See You Today” brings the jolt. It’s dance pop in full gear, bright, jumpy, and built around a beat that sounds designed to rescue someone from a bad mood. The female vocals glide across the instrumental with precision, as if they arrived already locked into the same emotional tempo. The track is glossy, but it keeps the album’s softness intact, the warmth never drains out.

In the middle, “Aura” sits like a breathing space. It’s modern pop with emotional density, yet airy enough that you can drift with it. This is the one you play while staring at something far away, pretending you’re in a movie even if you’re just sitting on a bus. The hook doesn’t have to shout. The feeling does the work.

The crown jewel is “We Are All In One,” the single that has already pushed past 222k streams on Spotify. The appeal is immediate. The lyrics read like a sunrise pep talk from your favorite person:
“Woke up dreaming. Sky is clear, got the world beneath my feet…”
“Every moment, every glance feels like magic.”
“You’re my fire, my best friend.”
It’s warm, melodic, and sweet, and it carries an electronic bounce that keeps it from getting too soft. Romantic, yes, but it avoids the clingy tone that can flatten songs like this. It lifts you up without turning into a self-help poster. This is the track for the walk home after a long day, the moment you need a reminder that life can still glow.

The deeper cuts give the album its emotional spine. “Even Miracles Take a Little Time” and “Invisible Gravity” lean into introspection with an almost therapeutic honesty. Then he pivots into higher energy with “Let’s Ignite the Night” and “Cut Loose,” tracks that feel like the soundtrack to the moment you decide to stop overthinking everything. The shifts don’t feel random. They read like a real emotional arc, the way a night out can start with doubt and end with release.

As the album closes with “Don’t Get Your Hopes Up,” he returns to vulnerability, the real kind, not the Instagram caption version. The yin and yang in his music stays front and center, joy alongside uncertainty, light alongside shadow. That duality is what makes AURA feel human.

And that Andes launch seals the whole concept. He turned an album into a communal moment. As the sun dropped, each track played like a ritual chapter, a shared breath between strangers. It transformed AURA from a playlist into a lived memory. Artists talk about unity. Here, he actually staged it.

If you want more than background music, AURA is a recommendation. Each track is layered with feeling, melody, and energy that makes you hit replay before the last note fades. Stream it, share it.

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