Icon South x 92 - Freeze (Prod. by Icon South) [Review] December 09, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious, Autotune Rating: 4 out of 5 “Smooth and melodic, ‘Freeze’ brings that easy groove that just falls into your consciousness as if you’ve been singing along to the song for years. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Samad Savage x Felisha George x Euphony - 75000 [Review] December 07, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rap, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 “A talented and topical flow highlighting a problem that is just now starting to gain the attention it calls for. The fact there are so missing black women in this country is appalling and kudos to this track for shedding light on this sickening issue. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Jackson Whalan - G.T.F.O.H. (feat. Myka 9) [Review] December 07, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 3.5 out of 5 “The chill easy vibe to the beat and melody contrasts nicely with the vocal flows, which have a decided West Coast feel. I recommend you fire one up, and settle in on these lyrics.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Andres Javier - Whistleblower [Review] December 01, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 3.5 out of 5 “This high energy track is a call to get out and vote. A political Hip-Hop flow with a nice beat and melody calling for the ouster of the Orange one. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Guyku - Easy [Review] December 01, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rap, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 “There were times I absolutely loved this track, and times I began to question why I do. A unique track that drops a variety of sounds and styles on you, but captivating for damn sure.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Rashad & Confidence - "Desires" [Review] December 01, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “This duo compliments each other over the top of a steady beat and a nice keyboard loop. The flows are unyielding and bring emotion and passion. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Mitchell James - Breaking Points [Music Video Review] November 27, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Rap, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 3.5 out of 5 “I’m left with a dilemma on this track. I like the music. The writing is solid and the flow has pop enough to hold my focus all the way through. That said, the video did not speak to me at all, especially the intro which hit me as a mediocre college assignment filmed by a group of buddies with no acting experience, after hitting happy hour at the local Holiday Inn. But hey, we are a music blog and the music did its job. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Co'xa - Griefer [Review] November 26, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rap, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 “This track hits different. So much so it isn’t easy to follow, but then again, grief is a twisted dark path that offers no real road map. So while many will dismiss the structure here, (based on the norms of music) this track is an exploration of human emotion, and I can’t think of a better artful expression for the way grief throbs and thumps and takes us to random places as we deal and cope with the pain.I really only wish it went farther, and offered more, because the track is fairly short overall. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Michael Kraun - Long Nights [Review] November 22, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 “Riding a nice hook in the chorus, Michael Kraun delivers a flow that feels genuine in emotion and lyrics. This track sets a mood from the onset, and stays consistent start to finish.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Dax - Self Proclaimed 3 [Music Video Review] November 22, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Rap, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 “Dax is the epitome of passion, and in this track that fervor manifests into a set of lyrics that speaks as loud as his steady flow. Delivered in a growl, over a steady beat, this is a song that will leave you hyped and ready to take on the world.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
WALDO - Kings Prod By Sango & Savon [Review] November 21, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “A hard beat backs most of the flow, and the production shines like a ‘Kings’ crown on this this track, but for me it is the realism of the artist that makes this single rule. WALDO pays homage to who he is, and where he came from, while bring a cocky humbleness to his lyrics.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
NugLife x Issa Gold (of The Underachievers / BEAST COAST) - Long Flights [Review] November 20, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 “A steady Hip-Hop beat is the one constant in this track, which pulls in threads of Jazz to back the serious straightforward commentary of the vocal flow. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Derek Luh - Hoodie [Review] November 15, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious, Contemporary R&B Rating: 4 out of 5 “Letting go is tough to do, and many of us have attached our emotions to an inanimate object. ’Hoodie’ delivers these feelings in a nice steady flow that is as comfortable to wrap around you as your favorite, time-worn garment. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
sasha! - Nose Ring [Review] November 11, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “The emotion escalates throughout this well-written track, putting you deep inside another’s mind. The stripped down beat and melody get out of the way, allowing for an instantaneous connection to the vocal flow. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Kirby Maurier - Key$ [Review] November 10, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Contemporary R&B, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 “Soulful and energetic, ‘Key$’ rides a hard beat and R&B vocals to create a genre bending Hip-Hop track that feels commercial, without sacrificing its soul.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Jaycetone - Going for Gold [Review] November 10, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious, Rap, Autotune Rating: 3.5 out of 5 “This is one of those tracks that just grabs you and it is hard to say why. There are some shiny lines that truly are ‘Going For The Gold,’ and the vocal flow is somewhat ordinary until the chorus anyway, but I was on the hook just the same. I suppose my intrigue here came from the fact that it felt true and I believed the emotion behind the flow.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Micayla De Ette & Flavor Flav - Write a Song [Music Video Review] November 09, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Neo-Soul, Hip-Hop, Contemporary R&B, Conscious Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Micayla De Ette kicks this off with powerful vocals that call and plead and express every artist’s desire to ‘Write A Song’ that will change the world. Been a minute since I’ve heard from Flavor Flav, but his flow is a perfect juxtaposition here, and this track is engaging all the way through.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Ghostwriter LA - True [Review] November 09, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 “Ghostwriter LA drops this melancholy tracks that does indeed ring ‘True.’ Life away from home and a support system is a challenge for anyone, and when you add in the tough vibe of making it in a difficult pursuit, like the music business, this song captures that hopeless feeling of chasing a dream. But where there is a dream — there is always a hope. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Frank B. - "Frankenstein" (prod. by Dame Grease) [Music Video Review] November 01, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 “Calling out the mumblers, Frank B. boldly claims to be coming back to keep Hip-Hop alive. The writing here is smart and sharp and the video is well done as well.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Mykel Hawk - Elephant [Review] October 31, 2019 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rap, Hip-Hop, Conscious Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 “The beat hits first and sets up the ridiculous flow that follows. Lyrically this one stomps across the yard like a thousand pound’Elephant.’ Attitude and righteous confidence are the trumpets that mark this sound. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)