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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” 

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Digital Guts Builds a Restless Genre Bending World From Anonymity, DIY Instinct, and Sonic Experimentation on “Digital Guts”

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Digital Guts Builds a Restless Genre Bending World From Anonymity, DIY Instinct, and Sonic Experimentation on “Digital Guts”

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Originally from Michigan and now based in Philadelphia, Digital Guts is an artist who embraces anonymity, keeping attention on the music rather than the person behind it. That sense of mystery fits naturally with a deeply DIY approach. The self-titled 7-track album “Digital Guts” is a fascinating, genre-bending project, connecting an underground electronic and emo aesthetic with experimental, sample-heavy instrumental structures. The result feels committed to sonic exploration, with arrangements that resist cookie-cutter formulas and a production style that shifts deliberately from one track to the next.

Opener “Angels Ball Out” sets the record in motion with a grand introduction. Its beat leans heavily on clever, layered sampling, creating a textured foundation that feels nostalgic while remaining distinctly underground. The rhythm settles into a smooth, loop-centered hip-hop bounce. It functions almost like an overture, especially once the album reaches its final track, “Bye Bye,” which cleverly returns to “Angels Ball Out” through a full-circle structural reverse play. Weightless, ethereal, and triumphant, the opener creates a cinematic entryway into the album’s universe.

The second track, “Goth Girl,” moves directly toward darker alternative subcultures, driven by a shadowy trap bounce and alluring vocals. A deeply calming, hypnotic instrumental backdrop balances the vocal loop, while the rhythm stays slow, deliberate, and swaying. Much of the vocal cadence circles around one lingering question, “What you see in me?” At a faster tempo, that repetition might become tedious. Here, it works beautifully, drawing a comparison to Rihanna’s “Pour It Out,” filtered through a more gothic atmosphere.

What comes through is deep longing, melancholia, and romantic fixation. The restrained beat strengthens the sense of emotional vulnerability and keeps the listener absorbed in the atmospheric space surrounding the voice.

Third track “Broken” marks a huge sonic pivot. The smooth sampling falls away as the production dives headfirst into aggressive electronic hip-hop, powered by high-energy UK drum and bass patterns. The rhythm is high-octane, frenetic, and relentless. Its chaotic cadence recalls early The Prodigy and the aggressive electronic-punk style associated with Wargasm UK.

The mood is erratic, anxious, and explosive. “Broken” captures the sensation of mental fracturing or inner chaos, pushing the album’s energy suddenly into overdrive.

Another standout from the album is “cryonme,” easily its most experimental and polarizing track. The production is intensely maximalist, with so many elements moving at once that the beat can feel intentionally at odds with the underlying tone. Its eccentric layering carries a distinct art-pop Gorillaz influence, while hyper-pulsating electronic details become one of the track’s defining characteristics.

The rhythm is disjointed and constantly shifting. “cryonme” is among the album’s more lyric-driven moments, asking the listener to follow the vocal cadence through a maze of competing instrumental sounds. The mood is melodramatic, eccentric, and overwhelming. It resembles emotional overload poured into a blender, producing a surreal and slightly chaotic listening experience.

“Dreams” is a synthetic masterpiece, hauntingly beautiful throughout and capable of leaving a desirable aftertaste long after its final notes fade.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the story of Digital Guts’ “Digital Guts,” streaming now on popular digital platforms.

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Gospel Artist Harmoni Allen Confronts Mental Health Stigma With Vulnerability Faith and Soul on Her Powerful Single “Schitzo”

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Gospel Artist Harmoni Allen Confronts Mental Health Stigma With Vulnerability Faith and Soul on Her Powerful Single “Schitzo”

Right now, gospel artist Harmoni Allen’s work reflects the transformative power of faith, with vulnerability, triumph, encouragement, and Christ-centered hope running through her music. Her warm vocals, expressive delivery, and deeply personal storytelling give that message a human center. Drawing from lived experience and testimony, she turns questions of faith, healing, freedom, resilience, and hope into songs that feel intimate without losing their uplifting spirit.

Harmoni Allen’s “Schitzo” is a sincere, soul-stirring track built around a deeply personal subject. Short for schizophrenia, the song opens an intimate conversation about mental well-being, judgment, fear, vulnerability, and the struggle to feel free in a world that can be quick to define people from the outside. Harmoni does not keep the subject at a safe distance. She brings the listener directly into the experience, shaping the song as a confession that feels immediate and exposed.

The accompanying music video establishes that vulnerability from its opening moments. Harmoni sits alone on her front porch, drinking water, visibly troubled and seemingly asking herself whether she is truly okay. Nearby, two women watch her from a distance. Their expressions communicate the judgment and assumptions that sit at the center of the song. Without speaking, they capture a painful reality: people can decide who someone is before taking the time to understand what that person may be going through.

Looking for answers, Harmoni calls a friend and heads to a hospital. The song then unfolds inside a psychiatrist’s office, where she is asked, “So, Miss Allen, what brings you to my office today?” Her answer becomes the emotional core of “Schitzo.” The music takes over, developing into a slow-burning, soulfully rich R&B confession carried by Harmoni’s heavenly, deeply vulnerable vocals.

Verse by verse, Harmoni reveals the strain of living under the gaze of people who may fear, misunderstand, or judge what they cannot see. She sings about people being scared of her, watching from afar, the medicines she takes, and the exhausting burden of being viewed through a label instead of recognized as a human being. Inside that pressure, however, comes a moment of release. She looks into the mirror, sits on the bed, takes a breath, and arrives at the realization that she is free.

That realization does not magically change the world around her. People still look at her the same way. Their assumptions remain. This is where “Schitzo” broadens into something many listeners can recognize, the understanding that other people’s perceptions do not get to define your identity, your worth, or your destiny.

Harmoni’s faith gives that idea its foundation. Beneath the emotional turbulence is a steady conviction that God has the last say. People may judge from afar, attach labels, and make assumptions based on appearance, yet those opinions do not determine the course of someone’s life. For Harmoni, faith creates a space where judgment begins to lose its hold and freedom becomes possible.

Musically, “Schitzo” carries the same emotional weight as its subject. The production settles into a slow-burning R&B groove that gives Harmoni’s voice room to breathe, ache, and communicate. Her soulful delivery has a nostalgic warmth, while smooth layers of vocal harmony wrap around the lead with an almost heavenly glow. The arrangement remains restrained, keeping the storytelling in clear focus instead of crowding it with unnecessary drama. Harmoni shifts naturally between fragility and quiet strength, making the performance feel close enough to resemble a private conversation across the room.

“Schitzo” ultimately centers on being seen, being misunderstood, finding your breath again, and recognizing that freedom can survive other people’s judgment.

When the final note fades, Harmoni Allen leaves behind the message that has guided the song from the beginning: people may have their opinions, but God has the final say!

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Serag Baddar Revisits a Teenage Guitar Idea With Intimacy and Patience on the Atmospheric Post Rock Track “Limerence”

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Serag Baddar Revisits a Teenage Guitar Idea With Intimacy and Patience on the Atmospheric Post Rock Track “Limerence”

Based in Malta, composer Serag Baddar turns a long-held guitar idea into something intimate and absorbing on “Limerence.” The post-rock track grew from a riff he wrote 15 years ago, with one section carrying a subtle nod to Buckethead’s “Padmasana,” whose rhythm guitar left a clear impression on Baddar.

Crisp, mellow, and atmospheric, “Limerence” moves through clean guitar layers and an ethereal sense of space. Silken vocals shimmer underneath, adding a restrained melancholy that suggests heartbreak without overwhelming the arrangement.

Baddar’s background in heavy metal remains important to the song, even as he strips away high-gain distortion and conventional vocal delivery. In their place, structure and melody do most of the emotional work. At the center is a clean, melodic guitar riff designed to flow ergonomically across the fretboard, giving the performance a natural physical ease.

The quieter acoustic and clean passages of progressive metal are an obvious reference point. Opeth and Tool, two bands that have shaped Baddar’s style, can be heard in the track’s sense of structure and restraint. Its spacious ambient textures also draw from the accessible melodic soundscapes associated with instrumental artists such as Buckethead. “Padmasana” is especially relevant, with its rhythm guitar inspiring a small section of “Limerence.”

The pacing is deliberate and unhurried, in keeping with post-rock’s slow-burn character. Its rhythmic framework stays steady, patient, and evocative, giving the central guitar melody room to breathe. Notes are allowed to ring out and decay naturally rather than being crowded by unnecessary movement.

Much of the song’s appeal comes from that simplicity. The arrangement avoids excessive time-signature gymnastics and settles into a smooth, approachable cadence that strengthens its hypnotic quality. That choice suits the meaning behind “Limerence,” the intense and involuntary psychological state of romantic obsession and infatuation that Baddar seeks to capture emotionally.

Because the released track is a “demo” mix, it retains a raw, unpolished authenticity. That texture fits Baddar’s philosophy of “writing for dopamine,” prioritizing emotional resonance and the organic “magic” of a creative spark over pristine, heavily compressed commercial engineering.

The result is intimate and thoughtful. It feels reflective and deeply personal, like a bedroom guitarist finally translating a 15-year-old teenage memory into a cohesive, immersive piece of music. The closing stretch brings the song’s crisp, clean, haunting guitar riff into sharper focus, giving the track a fitting climax and reminding us how much of its emotional weight rests on that original idea.

Baddar waited until he felt his technical ability and musical vision had matured enough to do the riff justice before recording and releasing it. He approaches music as a philosophical hobby, creating for the pleasure of the craft rather than under commercial pressure.

Taken as a whole, “Limerence” is an accomplished, carefully felt performance worth spending time with. It is streaming now.

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