Sterling Hayes Delivers a Haunting New LP in SideFX
People want authenticity. I often ask my students, 'what don't you like about music?' One of the biggest responses is the lack of honesty they perceive from artists of all genres who pretend everything is always going well. It's a common theme, and a common criticism. In recent years though - and many younger people credit Kid Cudi in this regard - subjects such as depression, drug abuse, and just feeling shitty have taken a more prominent role in Hip Hop music. If you are searching for something raw, emotional, and honest (almost to a fault), then I highly suggest SideFX, the new album from SaveMoney's Sterling Hayes.
From the start, SideFX removes all barriers and at times is downright scary and hard to listen to. Hayes' delivery is gruff and even chill-invoking as he howls "Chicago is killing me" on the album's third track, "Suicide". A few themes run throughout SideFX, maybe none more prominent than Hayes' ownership of his own problems and his resolve to conquer them. He is worried about being a bad son, being a bad friend, doing too many drugs, not being able to stop doing too many drugs, being hurt by his girlfriend, the violence in Chicago, allowing blogs to dictate his self-worth and generally wasting away. His parents also play a prominent role on this record as he tackles their marriage, their divorce, and the realization that many young adults come to abruptly that one day they will die, and you can find yourself alone. In that regard, SideFX plays out somewhat like a manifesto for Hayes who commits to counting on himself, and at the end of the day making himself proud as a conduit to doing right by others.
This is a haunting and honest LP from a Chicago artist often overlooked alongside his "friends with Grammys". And while his friends such as Smoko Ono, Malcolm London, Via Rosa, and Chance The Rapper all make cameos, it is Hayes who maintains centerstage on this LP. With SideFX, Sterling Hayes clearly establishes how he is different from his peers and at the same time, like so many of his listeners going through similar situations. There is a light at the end of the tunnel for Hayes, and hopefully this album makes it a shine a little brighter.
https://soundcloud.com/sterlinghayes-1/sets/sidefx
[Songs Of The Day] 1/27/14 (Feat. Big Boi, Blood Orange, Imagine Dragons and more)
With the Grammys come and gone and it is with Macklemore as the new-minted golden boy of hip-hop that we bring you a bevy of music that followed the perennially-disappointing award show on the Internet and beyond today as the race began for the next batch of gold gramophones.
Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons got things started at the actual show as they debuted the remix to "Radioactive" which they performed together last night. Big Boi stoked the flames of the already incendiary talks of his and Andre 3000's reunion after being on hiatus since the 2006 film Idlewild as a mash-up of Big Boi, Phantogram and Sade dropped, titled "CPU 2.0". British producer Blood Orange's "On The Line" received a remix from Star Slinger and we have the latest from a pair of up and coming Chicago artists as Joel Quentez offers up his talented "Moment of Truth" while Sterling Hayes and THEMpeople make up for a super collaboration on "Monae". Check out all the latest to hit the 'net streaming here below.
Big Boi "CPU 2.0" Feat. Phantogram & Sade (Mash-Up)
Blood Orange "On The Line" (Star Slinger Remix)
Joel Quentaz "Moment of Truth"
Imagine Dragons "Radioactive" Feat. Kendrick Lamar (Remix)
Sterling Hayes "Monae" (Prod by THEMpeople)
Frank Leone: "UNREST" (feat. Sterling Hayes)
Here's a great loosie track from Frank Leone featuring SaveMoney's Sterling Hayes, which dropped today at six. "UNREST's" production was handled by the rising OnGaud team, who have been on a tear lately crafting a bunch of local hits and building up their resume towards a huge 2014. Stream below and be on the look out for Frank's forthcoming single "MONSTERS" featuring the homie Monster Mike.
Sterling Hayes: "The Glory" (feat. Vic Spencer & Tha Guyver) (prod. by iLLeeT)
The homie, iLLeeT, recently celebrated his birthday with a trifecta of dope records he produced for a bunch of dope Chicago emcees. "The Glory" is the standout track from the batch and it features SaveMoney's Sterling Hayes, Vic Spencer & Tha Guyver spitting over a sample-heavy instrumental, which will be placed in the upcoming Holy Spirit EP. Also, enjoy Keenan Coke's "No Molly" & Lee Majorz' "The Hard Way" below.