The DJBooth A&R Report (August, 2016)
Welcome to the first ever DJBooth A&R Report, a brief rundown of four up-and-coming artists that need to be on your radar: who they are, where they're from, and what you need to hear.
Treat this as your guide to who's next to blow, and don't be surprised when they do.
ABIR
Location: NYC (by way of Virginia)
Age: 22
Songs:
Socials: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | SoundCloud
Our Take: ABIR caught our ear because of her strong, unique vocal abilities and her penchant for quality production, despite a very limited quantity of releases. We’ve seen her voice completely transfix a crowd during live sets (she’s also opened for The-Dream), and her latest single “GIRLS” was premiered on Beats 1.
Jack Marzilla
Location: LA (by way of upstate NY)
Age: 21
Songs:
Socials: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | SoundCloud
Our Take: After spending years behind the scenes as a producer, Jack Marzilla recently stepped forward into his own solo career. While his production alter ego MistrAdams has earned placements with 50 Cent, King Los, Ace Hood and more, he mostly remains tightlipped about being the man behind MistrAdams. His debut EP, Over You, is nearly entirely self-produced and shows Marzilla is capable of achieving a variety of moods - from late night creeping in the whip to warm, beachside vibes - and flows (though mostly singing), in addition to an ear and talent for impeccable engineering.
DJ Neptune, Yungeen Ace & Joony: Best of the Week
DJ Neptune, Yungeen Ace, and Joony, among others, have the best new songs on Audiomack this week.
10 Rappers You Should Know Right Now
Luh Soldier, Snowsa, SGaWD, and K.Charles are four of the 10 new rappers you need to know right now on Audiomack.
Freddie Gibbs, Saweetie & Earl Sweatshirt: Best of the Week
Freddie Gibbs, Saweetie, and Earl Sweatshirt, among others, had the best new songs on Audiomack this week.
Dougie F
Location: New Jersey
Age: 26
Songs:
Socials: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | SoundCloud
Our Take: Dougie F secured Hot 97 radio play a few years ago with his Jersey club anthem “Back Up On It,” released with Mad Decent. Since then, he’s continued to utilize a variety of styles, from straightforward rap records to a more melodic, pop-leaning sound. His "On Purpose" record with Pitbull could have been a Top 40 hit and "Mixing" has found a steady rotation in the DJBooth offices.
Nav
Location: Toronto
Age: Unknown
Songs:
Socials: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | SoundCloud
Our Take: Nav is the latest in a line of mysterious individuals catching buzz in the overcrowded space of atmospheric, vibed-out R&B (he is from Toronto, after all), but he manages to stand out above the rest with a drugged-out combo of hypnotic flows over his own addictive production. He has yet to publicly divulge his identity, but that hasn’t stopped him from racking up millions of SoundCloud plays on every one of his seven publicly available songs, getting spins on OVO Sound radio or landing a co-production from Metro Boomin on his latest addictive single, “Up.”
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By Brendan Varan. Follow him on Twitter.
Photo Credits: Instagram
