[Video] Psalm One: "A New Phaze" (Feat. The Hood Internet, Tanya Morgan and Fluffy)
Last week, Psalm One, aka 'Hologram Kizzie' dropped her album, Hug Life via Bandcamp and iTunes. This week, on the heels of a solid first week of sales for the largely independent artist out of Chicago, Psalm offers up the first video for the project for "A New Phaze" which has production from electronically-inclined production team The Hood Internet, as well as Cleveland hip-hop collective Tanya Morgan and right-hand woman Fluffy who all join her on the eclectically-fun track that sets the tone for the rest of what is to come from the project that firmly straddles several different genres and sounds that come together to provide a sampling of styles and endeavors that are hot right now. The video balances the different flavors on the project with what is largely a traditional hip-hop video that allows Psalm to take creative risks while staying rooted in the art-form that has brought her to prominence, while also touching on her community service and outreach endeavors. Psalm has always been at the forefront of what is happening in the middle of the map, evidenced by her firm link with the Minnesota-based DoomTree collective and Tanya Morgan feature here, and this video is a furtherance of that sentiment. Check out the video, streaming below.
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[Album] Psalm One: "Hug Life"
With all the talk of the violence in Chicago and 'Chiraq' this and that being hawked by out-of-towners on the daily, mucking up the Second City's image for personal gain, it can be easy to forget that there is still plenty of positivity in the city's streets. Chicago's first lady of hip-hop, Psalm One is out to challenge that dubious status quo with her latest project, Hug Life. A play on Tupac's seminal phrase all the way down to the "Hug Life" torso tat on the album artwork, the title is a juxtaposition of nuanced meaning that perfectly accents the message Psalm puts forth on her latest, perhaps most complete project to date.
Released via iTunes under Psalm's alter-ego Hologram Kizzie, the project is an examination of love, lust and the things that come from both. In a story for the Chicago Sun Times, Psalm characterized her different monikers and the roles they occupy as such: "Kizzie is a little — a lot — less inhibited than Psalm One,” the rapper detailed, pointing out that while her biblically derived handle is well suited to her all-ages content and humanitarian endeavors, being Hologram Kizzie “gives me a lot more freedom.” The project includes a who's who of Midwest up and comers and bedrocks alike, including the likes of ProbCause, Tanya Morgan, The Hood Internet, Young Josh of Flosstradamus and Lazerbeak and PO$ from DoomTree, among others. Hanging out at a West Town loft last weekend listening to the project, we listened through several times without noticing it had started from the top again, a true testament to a full-fleshed out project that hits the proper chords from start to finish. Check out Hug Life streaming below and pick up the full project over at iTunes!
Sasha Go Hard: "Problem" (Feat. Tink)
Chicago's own Sasha Go Hard is back with a new single with fellow Windy City MC Tink. The track, produced by yet another Chi-Town representative, Tony Roche, is a one-off release, titled "Problems". Two of the top female artists rep their hometown on "Problems", flowing over a Roche beat that is alarming and epic, with electronic aesthetics. Check it out for yourself below.