Ben Young

Ben Young lives a life of polarity. He has split his life between the coasts: half his life on the West (California) and half on the East (Georgia and Virginia). He has pursued careers in the art world (film school graduate) and the corporate world (executive with Fortune 500 companies). And he is Biracial, the personification of being two things at once. Ben’s musical influences were formed by music loving parents, raised in a world of John Coltrane and John Lennon, James Taylor and James Ingram, Huey Lewis and the News and Prince and the Revolution. Saxophones, electric guitars, synthesizers, and breakbeats filled the air Ben breathed from birth. And being born one year after the birth of Hip Hop, Ben has been joined at the hip with the genre his entire life.

The Edge of New Clothes – Open Mike Eagle

27 October 2020

Dude can really rap, and not rap as defined by Hip Hop Twitter (i.e. 20-year old suburban kids). Real rap. Poetic lyricism, expert flow, soulful musicality

freetime – Schwey feat. Satchy

12 October 2020

Start off your newfound escape by grabbing a drink and playing this track. Either Johnnie or Crown will do.

Harder Than My Demons – Big Sean

22 September 2020

The trials and tribulations of Big Sean have been thoroughly documented over the past decade. It’s that perseverance and devotion to God that he raps about on this track, that manifests itself as success despite the obstacles.

CUT EM IN – Anderson .Paak

1 September 2020

CUT EM IN is just another hit off the assembly line. Throw in a tight Ricky Rozay verse and you have a track that can’t be played enough.

Why Don’t You – Cleo Sol

17 August 2020

This is a summer vibe, that kick-off-your-shoes-relax-your-feet-just-kick-it vibe. If you ever needed to hear a message in 2020, this is it…

Know My Rights – 6LACK Feat. Lil Baby

9 July 2020

A$AP Rocky. Ty Dolla $ign. !!!. CHVRCHΞS. And our artist of the week: 6LACK. These artists are instigators. Symbols and numbers in names were supposed to end with whatever Prince called himself, but here we are.

Blessed – Buju Banton

30 June 2020

Is there a more universal genre of music than reggae and dancehall? There’s a reason Bob Marley is the first international superstar from a so-called “Third World” country…

Free – Teenear

22 June 2020

A worthy entry in the “R&B as empowerment anthems” genre

Do What You Like – Phenomenal Handclap Band

9 June 2020

While the country seems stuck in the 70’s with our backwards race relations and anti-fascist power struggles, might as well jam to some Space Disco…

Find A Way – Duckwrth feat. Alex Mali & Radio Ahlee

1 June 2020

Chance The Rapper and Ariana Grande if they were transported to 1984, over an synth-pop track

Paradise – Tha Third I

12 May 2020

Music is art. Art is subjective. Some art is considered indisputably great, with critical and commercial acclaim….

TakeCareSoul!!!! – 9th Wonder

5 May 2020

We are currently living in the #QuarantineEra, where creatives are forced out of their comfort zones to stay productive, happy, and paid. There have been some moves that have catapulted artists into hero status, credited for saving us during these isolated times…