We caught up with the New York rapper to discuss his new album ‘Art With No Easel’ and much more.
African Hype: Let’s start off by telling us where you’re from Young Budd?
Young Budd: I’m from New York. Spring Valley, NY to be exact, bout a 20-30 minute ride outside the city.
African Hype: Where do you reside now?
Young Budd: I live in South Florida. Been here 4yrs now.
African Hype: Dope. Ok let’s get Into it.
African Hype: What is it that drivers you to create art and music?
Young Budd: My son kahlik and my daughter Mya, is what drives me. My struggle is what drives me. What I’ve been through that’s what drives me. I’ve lost a lot on this road. Friends, family, people i loved and trusted. It’s not easy keeping everything together while at the same time shaping your reality. Honestly the loneliest part is being away from kids, it’s crazy cause we talk almost everyday but you still feel something missing you know. The music keeps me alive, keeps me motivated, inspired and focused.
African Hype: What inspired the lyrics for your most popular song ‘CMB’?
Young Budd: Aaghh yea CMB is a good one. I was really tapped in when I wrote that record. Touching base on points in my life, from family & friends to the senseless murder of my uncle, to motivating my young niggas yea I feel I covered a lot of ground with ‘CMB’. Covered a lot of truths to certain things me or my listeners are going or may have gone through. I wanted to write a record that would resonate with people from all over the world, give them something they could relate to. Like when I said “From the start it was from the heart, but things change and people do to shit is bound to fall apart” that’s something people can feel not just hear and that’s what I feel being creative is all about being able to feel the art you know.
African Hype: What inspired the lyrics for your latest single Members Only?
Young Budd: I write the music the way I see it, If you’re listening right you’ll hear my story. Shit be like a movie sometime for real. Members Only is about family and doing right by the niggas younger then you. Quality of life type shit.
African Hype: What type of movies do you like? What are some of your hobbies, or interests that might surprise your fans?
Young Budd: I like Mob Movies. I watch series mostly, action thrillers are my go to tho. I like hitting the beach as much as possible, I’d definitely say I’m more of an outdoor spontaneous type of person. My favorite food is spaghetti. Favorite color is blue. I like all kinds of music. I have a Renovation company, interest in stocks and other investments. I read and listen to a lot of books, articles and podcast.
African Hype: Are you signed to a label or independent, do you have a management team?
Young Budd: I am independent. To be honest I am the artist, manager & owner of my music and brand. I’ve had a few people at that manager role come and go, I honestly got tired of waiting on the right people, shit I’m the creator at the end of the day, so that’s what did I began to manage myself and when the right person catches up with me ill have everything ready, he or she could just get to work.
African Hype: What does Kultivation mean?
Young Budd: The kultivation is our core network of supporters who help assist with the sharing aspect of our music, insights, methods and material. The Anchor represents Love, Honor, Loyalty, Trust And Respect. Holding shit down. Staying solid. It’s a way of life, staying true to the rules that’s always been there and to what you believe in. It’s about up lifting others by sharing our art and stories.
African Hype: Do you have a merch line?
Young Budd: Yes we do and will be Releasing the first few items soon. The Kultivation Store is on the way!
African Hype: Where can people find and stream your latest single Members Only?
Young Budd: It’s been released on all streaming platforms. Most popular for me are Spotify, Youtube, Apple Music, Tidal, Google Play and Amazon.
African Hype: 2020 going into 2021, what can we expect from Young Budd?
Young Budd: A harder grind. I got things more organized, I’ll be out interacting with the people but cautious at the same time, Covid been hating hard. I got some shows lined up, I’ll be traveling to work with other artist, different producers and engineers. I have a lot of visuals I’ll be shooting as well as an in-depth look at the process. I Just want to connect with my core base and support system a little more, they keep me focused. My music is in the world now and people love it. Forever grateful.
African Hype: Lastly, what do you have to say to the up and coming artist’s out there?
Young Budd: Don’t quit. I know it sounds cliche’ but that’s the one thing I haven’t done. I’ve been up been down and back up but through it all I never gave up nor do I plan to. So if you’re an artist out there and having a hard time, step back for second analyze, plan and then attack it with no fear!
African Hype: Where can people follow you to stay updated?
Young Budd: The Kultivation website will be available soon!
You can follow me on Instagram: @realyoungbudd
Spotify: Young Budd
Apple Music: Young Budd
You can also follow me on Spotify, Apple Music, or Tidal: Young Budd
Thanks for having me, I enjoyed it, very informative. Appreciate the love and support of my fans, my hood and the ones that raised me. Thank you!
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.
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.
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.