Sleepy Carolina's Top Ten Artists Of All Time

1) SZA

SZA has completely taken over the music world ever since her album CTRL dropped on June 9 of this year, and I am already one her biggest and most faithful fans. Within four days of even hearing the album, I must have listened to it in its entirety about a million times and knew every single word to every single song. SZA has an incredible vocal range and can jump from high to low like it's no ones business. The thing that got me the most about this woman though, is her honesty. Her songs are so ridiculously relatable that I am sure 90% of listeners have been through the same thing at some point in their lives, allowing them to feel her songs on a whole different level. She speaks of major body insecurities, sharing a romantic partner with another woman, losing friends, working a job she hates and not feeling good enough for anyone. Powerful, honest, and beautiful- SZA is absolutely killing it.

Check out "20 Something", one of my favorite tracks from her debut album CTRL.

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2) FREDDIE MERCURY

Farrokh Bulsara, aka Freddie Mercury, is one of the most talented musicians to have ever graced this earth. His live performances were some how better than his recorded ones, and I don't think that man ever knew what it was to sing off-key. I believe Freddie shaped music in a way that still resonates in the industry today, and I know millions of people were impacted by his life. He was eccentric, unapologetically himself, and knew music theory like the back of his hand. He sang beautifully, was a multi-instrumentalist and brilliant frontman. If you have never seen him live, check out the video below and prepare to be blown away. We miss you, Freddie. There truly is no one like you.

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3) JAPANESE HOUSE

I was first introduced to the Japanese House in San Diego when "Still" came on in a local cafe's Spotify playlist, and since then the band has been in my top ten all time favorites. Amber Bain is the solo creator and performer of the Japanese House, releasing four EP's on her own. Originally from Buckinghamshire in the U.K, Amber's music has made its way across Australia, the United States and more. The 25-year-old incorporates guitars and electronic instrumentals into her music, giving off an early Imogen Heap feel with intensely layered vocals. She tends to change her voice to sound heavily computerized and lower, giving it an androgynous feel at times- and it totally works. Another reason we love The Japanese House is because Amber uses the most beautiful visuals when it comes to her music videos and album art. She tends to shy away from showing her face to the public, but rather wants her audience to focus on the deeper meaning of her work and the underlying beauty of it. Amber, could you please stop being so perfect?

Check out "Still" below.

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4) JHENE AIKO

Jhene Aiko has been a personal favorite of mine for years, and I remain a loyal fan to this day. The Californian native captured my heart when she released her single "The Worst" in 2013, opening up a whole new world of female beat- riders and ambient vocals that made us feel all types of ways. Jhene lost her brother to cancer in 2012, and many of the songs off her two preceding albums Sail Out and Souled Out reflect the pain, love and heartache she has suffered since then. Because of her honestly and lack of metaphor use in her lyrics, her music has proves to be the realest in the game. We have never known Aiko to hold anything back, which allows her fans to get a glimpse into her life and emotions, making her extremely relatable. She is also one of the most prolific female musicians of her genre, and we have continued to be blown away by her work. 

Check out her latest single "While We're Young" below.

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5) BLINK 182

What can we say about these Blink 182? I mean, they're a classic. If you grew up in the 90's, you were probably cruising down the street in your beat-up Camry blasting these guys on repeat. Blink 182 and Tom Delonge's side project Angels & Airwaves literally got me through high school, and I will forever be grateful for that. When I listen to them in present day 2017, I close my eyes and am immediately taken back to my teenage years- drinking beer, skipping class and falling in love every other week. Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus are currently making music under the name Blink 182 without Delonge, and it is undoubtedly good. But as a former Delong fangirl and obsessor, I'm just going to stick to the classic Blink.

Watch my favorite Blink song of all time "After Midnight" below.

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6) TURNOVER

This band only recently made my top ten, so I don't know too much about these guys yet. I know they formed in 2009 and are from Virginia, but that's about it. I fell in love with Turnover upon hearing the track "I Would Hate You If I Could" from their newest album Peripheral Vision. Their sound reminds me a little of the 80's era and all of their songs carry an extremely chillier vibe. "I Would Hate You if I could" is about a relationship that fell through, but still haunts the lead singer to this day. He recalls times spent with his former partner making love, smoking weed and laughing until the sun came up. Yup, we've all been there. Thanks for the feels, Turnover. 

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7) RUN THE JEWELS

I saw Killer Mike and El-P perform at Hopscotch Music Fest a week ago, and it was by far one of the best shows I have ever been to. Run The Jewels was one of those shows where you can feel the bass resonating through every inch of your body, and not one person in the crowd was standing still. A wave of thousands of people were jumping in unison and shouting every single lyric to every song at the top of their lungs- and it was magical. Run The Jewels also tends to use their music to get political messages across, bringing to light social issues that are important to them. They are incredible lyricists, performers and work brilliantly as a functioning duo. Not to mention, their music is beyond dope. Duh.

Check out "Legend Has It" below.

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8) HOZIER

For me, Hozier brought back the traditional singer-songwriter sound that I initially fell in love with as a youngin'. He allows his voice and guitar to take the spotlight and stand center stage, leaving all the bells and whistles behind. He is an incredible guitarist who has a way of phrasing his lyrics to shoot you right through the heart, remaining transparent and portraying his artistry beautifully. His voice is extremely recognizable and tends to soothe the listener into oblivion, proving to be one of the most timeless artists out there. I personally don't think he gets enough credit, but that's neither here nor there. I will continue listening to him daily in order to further my emotional and spiritual education, softening my heart one perfectly plucked string at a time.

Listen to "Like Real People Do" below.

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9) LIL DICKY

Many know Little Dicky as the hilarious Jewish rapper who came into the game after securing a track with Snoop Dogg in 2015 titled "Professional Rapper". While most of his songs are satirical and comedic, he does have a few softer ones in which it is impossible to deny his intelligence and lyrical genius. Lil Dicky, aka Dave Burd, is one of the best writers out there in my opinion. I mean, just listen to "Pillow Talk" or "Russell Westbrook On a Farm" and tell me I am wrong. I also like Lil Dicky because he only came in to the rap game after deciding to leave his full time "big boy" job, losing his long-term girlfriend and upsetting his parents in the process. He obviously new what he was doing though, because just look at him now. I bet his ex-girlfriend Molly is kicking herself right about now. Major respect for this man and his journey.

Watch "Russell Westbrook On a Farm" below.

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10) LEON BRIDGES

Leon Bridges is completely bringing old school RnB back to the music world, and I am so grateful for this. Not only does he look like he stepped out of an old-fashioned sitcom, but his overall demeanor is incredibly sweet and humble for someone with his level of talent. His music incorporates sounds from the doo-wop era, heavily using brass chorus and up-beat tempos that make you feel good no matter what mood you're in. Leon is also a wonderful instrumentalist, so make sure to check out the videos in which he absolutely smashes it on the guitar. Overall, this dude is just a legend. Thank you for existing Leon, I love you. 

Watch his live performance of "Better Man" at ACL below.

Review: Manu Crook$ Is Holding It Down For His Day Ones With New EP "Mood Forever"

DOPECAUSEWESAID has always had a special relationship with the Land Down Under, and all of the artists coming out of the Commonwealth Country are consistently killing it. Manu Crook$ is an emerging hip-hop artist based out of Sydney and is no exception, his music making international crossovers and racking up millions of views and plays on the internet. 

Crook$'s new 6-track EP "Mood Forever" is definitely something special with features from Miracle, DOPAM!NE and JOY. Every track on this project contains excellent production, hard-hitting beats and note worthy lyrics. His vocals remind us a little of Travis Scott or Migos, and his music incorporates many aspects and characteristics from the modern rap and hip-hop game. The coinciding music videos for "Mood Forever" are equally as impressive, remaining consistent with the high quality production and attention to detail.

The first track on Manu's new EP is titled "Day Ones", a fast-paced song that talks about holding it down for the people who stuck with you from the jump. The underlying melody is catchy, repetitive and ensures a spot in your head for the next day or two, a promising track to open up with.

"Touchdown" feat. JOY and "Under Pressure" are the second and third tracks on "Mood Forever", two slower songs that seem to have more of an ominous and dark feel attached to them. The vibe continues to remain chilled out with the fourth track "Ridin'", a bass-heavy track with an extremely melodic chorus. Manu really shows off his vocal ability in this one, and his diversity is shining bright with intricate runs and high notes.

Crook$ finished off the EP with the last two songs he titled "Romeo" and "All The Way", two autotune heavy tracks that portray ad-libs and backing vocals that seem distant and drowned out with reverb, but it works. 

Overall, this project was extremely high quality and a pleasure to listen to, so you can go ahead and consider us Manu Crook$'s newest fans. 

Stream/Download "Mood Forever" EP

Review: Brain's "I'm Brain" EP

If you're a true Lil Dicky fan, you may have known that David Burd was in the process of dropping an entire EP as his alter ego Brain. After releasing his popular single "Pillow Talk", Lil Dicky fans went mental over the debut of Brain, the lovable animated cerebellum who raps of craving sprite and his desire to party all night in the club. In "Pillow Talk", Lil Dicky teams up with Brain to absolutely destroy his one night stand from Minnesota with facts regarding topics such as war, vegetarianism and religion. Brain's honesty and hilariously brutal way of telling it like it is won the hearts of Lil Dicky fans within seconds, and we think it is absolutely brilliant Burd decided to play on the response.

"I'm Brain" is a 6-track project that incorporates humor, auto-tune, exceptionally hard-hitting beats and lyrical genius. LiL Dicky is often heard having back-and-forth conversations and arguments with Brain over several different scenarios, showing the inner workings of what Dave must go through on a regular basis. Even though the project is meant to be comedic, one cannot deny that the songs are way above average with fast raps and a clever play on words- regardless if Burd is playing the role of Brain or opting to perform as himself. One of the things that shot Lil Dicky to fame in such a short time was his ability to create a story in each and every one of his songs, portraying his intelligence and undeniable talent surrounding his craft. Whether the Pennsylvania native is rapping about losing the love of his life to another man or simply just throwing up after taking too much MDMA, the outcome is always going to be incredible (and hilarious). 

"On Smash" feat. Lil Dicky is the first track on the EP, going in ridiculously hard with the bass heavy beat right from the jump. In his introduction verse, Brain talks about how many babes he gets on a daily basis and how little of a f*** he gives. Lil Dicky's verse similarly discusses the cornucopia of high-quality women he has at his disposal, but promises the fame and ladies have not, and will not change him.

The second track titled "Cocaine" feat. Lil Dicky has to be our favorite, making us laugh all while impressing us with the suave instrumental and clever lyrics. Lil Dicky raps about a scenario he managed to get himself in to where a California babe is trying to get him to do cocaine, but is scared as he has never tried cocaine before. Instead, Lil Dicky chooses MDMA and gets sick, causing Brain to scold him and blame him for ruining everything as usual. The third track "Whipping' It Up" feat. Lil Dicky is probably our second favorite song because of the fire beat and classic Lil Dicky rap style, resulting in us breaking the repeat button.

The fourth track titled "Brainstorm" is a track in which Brain performs solo, and we are not really feeling it. The beat was way too pop-esque and we think Lil Dicky missed the mark with this one. However, the fifth track that follows immediately after titled "F Slo" feat. Lil Dicky makes up for it in a big way. Lil Dicky comes in immediately with his quick raps and his vocals are intertwined with Brain's in a rapid call and response vibe. The melody is catchy and the repetitive lyrics in the chorus make this one particularly notable.

"Interlude" is a cute little skit in which Lil Dicky asks Brain if he can take the lead on the last track. Brain agrees if Burd promises to go hard, which he does of course, bringing us to the last track on the project titled "How Can U Sleep" feat. The Game. In this track, Burd discusses how insignificant the other rappers in the game are to him, a theme in which he has touched on many times before. He talks about how no one believed in him and laughed at his dream of becoming one of the big names, prompting him to ask his haters how they feel about him now. Rapper The Game appears on the second verse, similarly mocking artists in present day 2017 and ending the EP with a powerful message and presence.

This EP is without a doubt a 9/10 due to its originality, comedic approach and overall quality. One of the first things Lil Dicky said upon entering the rap world is that he wanted to change the game along with the way the world perceives rappers, and we think he has executed his goal flawlessly. There is no one out there like Lil Dicky, and we will be first in line for any project his name is attached to. 

Stream/Download "I'm Brain" 

Review: AdELA's "Dreamers & Thinkers" EP

We've got our hands on AdELA's newly released EP "Dreamers & Thinkers", and we are digging the wide variety of big-name rappers and underlying themes. "Dreamers & Thinkers" contains a fair mixture of messages regarding romance, politics and remaining an independent female boss who opts to do her own thing. The multi-talented AdELA even managed to recruit some impressive features on this project such as Fat Joe, the CEO of Terror Squad and creator of "Lean Back", one of the most memorable tracks from 2009. Her sweet and ambient vocals are a perfect contrast to the majority of rappers that are intertwined throughout the 6-track project, and she even impresses her listeners by spitting a few bars herself. 

The first track is titled "So Much More" and features Torae and Kid Vishis, wasting no time in delving into America's current social issues surrounding police brutality and racism. Regardless of your stance on the issue, this track bumps and was a solid choice to open the project with. "Crown" is the second track featuring Royce Da 5'9 and Jon Connor, shifting the mood with a more uplifting and light-hearted message -- no one is going to take my crown. In this track, AdELA makes it clear that music is her forte and she is going to keep working at it until she's at the top of the game.

Romance comes into the picture with the third song "Love For You", a track that puts us in a time machine and sends us back to the late 90's. The beat definitely has an old school vibe to it, and the chorus reminds us of a Spice Girls song with the underlying harmonizing vocals and melody. 

The next two tracks "Only You" feat. Fat Joe and "Gangster and a Gentleman" feat. Clemm Rishad and Cormega follow similar themes of love, loyalty and holding it down for the right one. Both tracks are of a slower disposition but have hard hitting lyrics and a strong vocal presence. Sandwiching two softer and romanticized tracks in the middle of heavy and aggressive ones was a good move on AdELA and her producer's part, creating an ombre dynamic that brings you on a rollercoaster of emotions all while keeping your interest.

The last track "Main Attraction" feat. Kool G Rap has to be one of our favorites with AdELA immediately going in hard with a few bars, followed shortly by a classic record scratch in the chorus that fits into the aesthetic perfectly. The fast-paced track proved to be a good closer and left the listener wanting more. 

"Dreamers & Thinkers" is AdELA's best release to date, and we think it's going to put her on the map in a big way. 

Stream/Download "Dreamers & Thinkers" 

Interview: AdELA Discusses Her New EP "Dreamers & Thinkers" And Its Thought-Provoking Cover

AdELA is making her mark in the music industry with her old-school hip hop beats, new school soul vocals and unique aesthetics. The dark-haired beauty has worked alongside Grammy Award Winning Producer STREETRUNNER, who snagged Album of the Year for Lil Wayne's Tha Carter III (2008). DJ Booth Net also voted AdELA "Best Unsigned Rap/RnB Artist" and additionally stated, "If she's not signed, something is seriously, seriously wrong with the music industry."

AdELA just released a new 6-track EP entitled "Dreamers & Thinkers" (available for stream/download on iTunes and Spotify), so it's only right that we connect with her for an exclusive interview to find more about her musical partnership with acclaimed producer STREETRUNNER, the thought-provoking EP cover and much more.

Coming originally from Durban, South Africa, tell us about how you ended up in the United States and what led you to songwriting, singing and rapping.

My parents immigrated to the US when I was young.  We were fleeing the apartheid.  As a kid, it was heartbreaking to leave my grandparents and family behind, now however when I look back, I see just how much my parents sacrificed to give us an equal opportunity at life.  I have been singing my entire life (at least it feels that way)! Music was always a big deal in my house, I did once have aspirations of becoming the President of the United States but here I am singing and rapping which is way less stressful! However with the way things are going, maybe I can throw my hat in the ring?!

How did you connect with your longtime producer STREETRUNNER? And what about your musical partnership with him makes it so easy to create such dope music?

I met STREET at the start of my career and his sound drew me to him.  I loved the soul samples. We parted ways and eventually locked back in.  I think what makes it so easy to work with him, is the fact that musically I trust him.  I know he will craft my project to be a classic.  We both strive to make music that will be relevant in years to come.  So each record is perfected, always quality over quantity.

Congratulations on your new EP "Dreamers & Thinkers"; how would you say this release is different than the "Off The Burner" album?

I can give you 9 reasons why this project is different! But the major reason it stands out is because it is a collaboration EP.  "Off The Burner" is special because it was my first project and really showcased who I was as an artist.  From the sound to lyrics, to the story being told.  The first line in "Off The Burner" was "I felt hopeless, dont get noticed, on this stage here all alone" and the last line of the EP goes "Fuck you, pay me".  I lived a whole life on that project!

The cover artwork of "Dreamers & Thinkers" is a very innovative and thought provoking. How did the theme of the artwork come about? What does it mean to you?

First off that photo was taken in 4 minutes, my friend Stockroll snapped that, and he's the genius behind a lot of my images.  I was wearing the hoodie, and face mask to represent the current state of affairs.  The image was then sent to my graphics guy YT Designs who added the images onto the hoodie.  We simply placed headlines on the hoodie.  All that shit is whats happening NOW, or happened at the time of the creation of the artwork.  He took the image and message to the next level in post production and created a masterpiece. We then decided that the government was so fucked up and we needed to show that.  So we placed the American flag behind me upside down which represents "distress" in a nation.  I want people to see the artwork and then reflect on whats going on in the world.

You have some certified legends featured on "Dreamers & Thinkers" like Fat Joe, Royce Da 5'9, Kool G Rap, and Cormega; I'm sure a lot of artists envy you right now for being able to lock them in for the album. How does it feel to have the opportunity to collaborate with such staples in the rap game? 

I can live without envy but I will take respect.  Having these legends on my album was humbling and validating.  It showed me that I make music that is worthy of their words.  In the rap game co-signs are everything and I am blessed.  I feel like I rarely used the word blessed in the past, but what else can I call this? I am independent, I locked in 9 features that have more than made history in rap and here I am being able to create with them.

With 2017 almost a wrap, have you had a chance to think about what your goals are musically for 2018?

Haven't had a chance to.  2017 still has so many more opportunities for me so I want to kick down these doors and be heard and I will think about 2018 on December 31st.

When someone listens to "Dreamers & Thinkers" for the first time, what do you want them to take away from the experience?

I want them to think "this girl is the truth, she's coming and we either get behind her or get out of her way".  

Where can we stream/download the new album?

Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/dreamers-thinkers-ep/id1279310691
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/24DSA8YKEKUUUwgz2zLDIs?si=IzNZjWcg

Connect with AdELA: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook 

Review: Get Along's "Let My People Go" EP

Nick and Cara are the Colorado based Soultronic Anti-Pop married duo Get Along who have just released their EP Let My People Go (2017), a unique and captivating collection of five tracks that incorporate a wide variety of musical stylings and genres. If you happen to find yourself in Denver on September 22, the couple will be kicking off the release of the new project with a “Golden Calf Party” release show at Syntax Physic Opera with Turvy Organ and Ghostpulse. 

"Death Of A Death Metal Band" is track number one on the EP and immediately catches your attention with a deep electronic styled monologue that carries a seemingly ambiguous message. The feel of the song changes completely 46 seconds in with Nick's vocals, half singing and half talking over an almost hip-hop type beat. The track changes for a third time with Cara's powerful vocals over a rock and roll riff, portraying jazz instrumentals and heavy drums. The song continues to change and switch up throughout the four minutes and eighteen seconds in various patterns of the above styles, proving for a very interesting and diverse introduction track. 

The second track on Get Along EP proves to be much softer and alternative, opening with Cara's sweet and melodic vocals. Though it does become a little heavier and harder towards the chorus, this track is generally easy- listening and flows perfectly. 

"Let My People Go I" and "Let My People Go II" are the third and fourth tracks on the EP. Both songs start out with a more acoustic feel, only to build and layer as they carry on. Cara's voice really stands out in these two tracks, and the listener can properly get a feel for how strong and diverse her vocal range actually is. She uses both raspy and ambient vocal tones, creating a very unique dynamic and allowing a wide array of styles- which is both impressive and brilliant.

The 5th and final song on the project is titled "Exodus", and uses a warm piano chord progression to compliment Cara's melancholy yet smooth vocals. This was definitely picked wisely by Nick and Cara to close out the EP due to the track's exiting and "finale" vibe. It is for sure the most chiller song on Let My People Go and can be played if the listener is feeling more on the sentimental side. 

We definitely recommend you give Get Along's newest masterpiece a listen. It's clear the duo understands music to an impressive extent, and even though the EP only has five songs, the diversity and portrayal of multiple styles and genres is just ridiculous- in the best way possible.

Stream/Download "Let My People Go" by Get Along on iTunes

Dopecausewesaid's Hopscotch Music Fest 2017 Video and Pictorial Recap

Dopecausewesaid was live on the scene during last week's Hopscotch Music Fest in downtown Raleigh. Our Art Director Melina Twyman aka Sleepy Melina was in and out of music venues taking pics and capturing video footage of incredible performances from the likes of Solange, Big Boi, Run the Jewels, Rapsody, Future Islands, Tei Shi, G Yamazawa, and more.  

Enjoy our recap video (shot/edited by Melina) and photos and be sure to check out Hopscotch Music Fest's social media streams (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) and website for updates and news about next's year event, which guarantees to be even more epic. Also, check out Melina's brand new website Sleepycarolina.com, which features the music of innovative female artists in the genres of Pop, Hip-Hop, Alternative, Rock, and Electronic from around the world.

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The UK's Curxes Releases Electronic Banger "In Your Neighborhood"

All the way across the pond in Isle Of Wight, UK, an artist called Curxes is slowly winning over the music world with her ambient and captivating art. "In Your Neighborhood" is the first single and video to be released from her forthcoming album Gilded Cage, set to debut on October 20th of this year.

The video is extremely well done and definitely kept our interest throughout, opting to switch between animation and live action shots of an elderly man working in a television repair shop. The man appears to be fidgeting with old school T.V. sets in which the animated and animalesque puppets can be seen in various scenarios and positions, sometimes taking the form of a band and clapping along to the beat. The video is inspired heavily off of children's television programming in the 1970's and the obsession with looking backwards, creating a nostalgic feel with the cinematography and even the style of clothing donned by the elderly man. The colors remain pastel and focus mostly on blue and grey undertones, pulling the overall theme and vibe together quite nicely. It is obvious a lot of thought went behind the production, and we are absolutely loving the creativity and uniqueness of the final product. 

The music video for "In Your Neighborhood" may seem heartwarming and lighthearted on the surface, but the ending proves otherwise- and we will let you watch the video yourself in order to develop a personal interpretation.

The song itself is up to par with the coinciding video, and singer Roberta Fidora does an incredible job at balancing an ambient aura with powerful expressions. Her vocal performance for "In Your Neighborhood" is clear, strong and contains the ability to ride up and down the scale as she pleases. Fidora takes inspiration from bands like Active Child, Depeche Mode, John Hopkins and St. Vincent, and we are definitely sensing the similarities to these legendary bands in her vocal style as well as the instrumentation. The track definitely has an 80's feel and slightly reminds us of a female version of Morrissey or Turnover. Regardless, "In Your Neighborhood" flows out nicely with a soft yet consistent bass line, and we can definitely see new and old Curxes fans jamming this track for many years to come. If this first single is any prediction of the overall quality for Gilded Age, then count us in for the listening party.

Connect with Curxes: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | Instagram

From Atlanta to Raleigh - The Good Graces Perform at the Hopscotch Music Festival

Last week, DOPECAUSEWESAID was able to catch a wide array of talented artists from all walks of life at the Hopscotch Music Fest in Raleigh, starting with a duo called The Good Graces. We kicked off our Hopscotch experience with the corky band from Atlanta who made their Thursday afternoon appearance at a local venue called Slim's Downtown Distillery, a small and cozy bar located in the heart of the city. The stage was small, the venue was dimly lit and every inch of the floor was filled with festival goers having a good time.

Born in Kings Mountain, NC, Good Graces lead singer Kim Ware relocated to Atlanta in 2004 to pursue a life surrounded by good opportunities and even better people. She fell in love with Georgia and decided to keep it as her home base, hitting the road occasionally for performances such as the one we saw in the North Carolina capital city. An avid 90's music lover, Kim takes inspiration from artists such as Liz Phar, Mountain Goats and Indio Girls (sidebar, Kim actually toured with Emily and Amy of Indigo Girls). 

Ware also prefers to keep her lyrics on the raw and honest side, a somewhat traditional trait of indie-folk, opting to stay away from the use of metaphors and getting straight to the point. Her subject matter and phrasing are clever, unique and tell a story- keeping the audience attentive and with smiles on their faces throughout. She is also a drummer, so most of the music being produced by The Good Graces is heavily percussion based and acoustic, putting most of the weight on the vocal side of things. 

Within five minutes of watching The Good Graces, we were impressed with the on stage charisma Kim possessed. She immediately made the audience laugh with her pre-performance banter before proceeding to silence the room with her catchy melodies and distinct way of singing. Having played at Slim's a few times before, we could tell Ware felt comfortable and had established a modest following of listeners, some of which who were even crowded on the staircase to get a better look. She breezed through her originals making no mistakes, portraying confidence and hitting the more difficult notes with ease and power. DOPECAUSEWESAID was definitely glued to the singer during her 45 minute set, and we hope to see her perform again in the near future.

If you missed The Good Graces in Raleigh, you can catch them next at Nuci's Space in Athens, Georgia today with Pete McDade. Kim is also working on a new album that is set to be released this winter, but in the meantime, you can go to Thegoodgraces.org and download their album Set Your Sights (July 2017), an album Kim worked tirelessly on and is extremely proud of.

Connect with Good Graces: Website | Twitter | Instagram

An In Depth Look at the Underlying Meanings of Taylor Swift's New Video "Look What You Made Me Do"

Taylor Swift is notoriously exceptional at playing the victim, getting revenge on those who wrong her in the most dramatic of ways and selling millions upon millions of records. After being relatively silent for over a year, she has managed to bring herself back into the spotlight and in true Taylor fashion. She recently deleted every single post from all her social media accounts and replaced them with pictures and videos of snakes, followed by the album art for her upcoming project Reputation, which is set to be released on November 10th of this year. Then on August 23, Swift released an interesting and slightly confusing single titled "Look What You made Me Do" that ended up making a whole lot more sense upon the premier of the accompanying music video.

The video for Swift's new single "Look What You Made Me Do" has already been viewed over 69 million times, and it was only released two days ago- but this doesn't surprise us. Taylor Swift may very well be the biggest and most notorious superstar that this generation has ever seen, and she has mastered the art of creating just the right amount of drama and remaining relevant without ruining her good-girl image. Think what you will about T-Swift, but the country gone pop megastar know exactly what she is doing, and her latest release is no exception. Let's dive into the underlying messages and potential meanings behind "Look What You Made Me Do". 

Now unless you have been living under a rock, you know that Taylor has been keeping very busy over the past year by getting into passive aggressive feuds with an array of celebrities, and she has managed to rack up a pretty long s*** list. It is speculated that her newest music video "Look What You made Me Do" made subtle digs at Kanye West, Kim Kardashian West, Calvin Harris, Katy Perry, David Mueller (the radio DJ who groped her) Tom Hiddleston and the general public- but Taylor is no stranger to using her music as a deadly weapon against her enemies. Remember "Better Than Revenge" (Camilla Belle), "Dear John" (John Mayer), "Mean" (the media), "Bad Blood" (Katy Perry), "Innocent" (Kanye West), and "Forever and Always" (Joe Jonas)? Yeah, Taylor can be absolutely savage.

"Look What You Made Me Do" begins with zombie Taylor digging a grave underneath a tombstone that reads "Here Lies Taylor Swift's Reputation", immediately letting the audience know that the old Taylor we know and love is gone. But things really start to get hectic when you look at the tombstone next to her's that reads "Nils Sjoberg", the pseudonym Taylor used as a co-writer on her ex-boyfriend Calvin Harris’s song "This Is What You Came For". The two got into a major (and very public) argument over Harris not giving Swift credit for her part in writing the tune, even though he claimed they both agreed to keep her involvement private. The Guardian was one of the firsts to notice this hidden little dig, and we commend them for catching something that may have otherwise gone amiss.

Next, Taylor can be seen sitting in a bathtub full of jewels and wearing massive diamond rings, a clip many believe is a direct blow at Kim Kardashian West. Last year, Kim was robbed of millions of dollars worth of jewelry and diamonds in a Paris hotel room, a heist in which the robbers tied Kardashian West up and put her in a bathtub. It could be a coincidence, but the similarities lead us to believe that it is probably not. Less notable, a single dollar bill can be seen to Swift's left. This is a symbol to acknowledge the groping court case she endured against David Mueller in which she was awarded a single dollar. Taylor continues to throw shade at Kim in the next scene where she is sitting on a throne surrounded by snakes. In case you weren't up to date with the drama, Kim tweeted a snake emoji following the Taylor and Kanye feud which led Swift's social media to get flooded with a ridiculous amount of hate- but hey, at least she can laugh at it now.

The next victim on Taylor's list is Katy Perry, a long-time enemy of the singer and the speculated subject of "Bad Blood". At 1:06 of "Look What You made Me Do", Taylor can be seen crashing a car in an outfit that looks awfully close to something Katy would rock. Not only that, but the hairstyle Taylor chose to go along with it looks almost identical to Katy's new pixie cut and colour. Taylor can also be seen holding a grammy, potentially mocking that fact that she has won ten while Katy Perry has won zero- but all of this is arbitrary and mere speculation.

As the video carries on, Taylor can be seen in a bank vault with a squad of women in animal masks, robbing and burning money below a moving sign that reads "streaming". This can potentially be attributed to Taylor's long boycott and battle with Spotify and Apple Music. In this scene, we think she is majorly dissing these music streaming companies and how little they compensate the artist by showing herself stealing back the large amounts of revenue they are racking in from all her hard work. Now this is a diss we can get on board with. Creating and producing an album is not cheap, and we don't blame Taylor for wanting reasonable compensation for the amount of time and effort she puts into giving her audience the best quality music she can.

At 2:18, Tom Hiddleston gets a quick shout-out with the "I heart T-Swift" shirts that her back up dancers can be seen wearing. Do you guys remember when Tom received merciless trolling from the internet after he was spotted wearing a shirt with the exact same phrase while on a beach outing with Taylor? It was simultaneously cringey and embarrassing, so Swift is making sure we don't forget.

In the song's bridge, what we assume to be the new Taylor is wearing a crop top sweatshirt that reads "Reputation", and she is standing on a pile of older versions of herself. There are Taylors wearing outfits from old music videos, performances and even her infamous acceptance speech in which Kanye interrupted the singer and ignited a long standing feud between the two. The new Taylor ignores the old Taylors who are crawling to get to her until she releases some sort of supernatural force and blasts them all to oblivion. Adding to the drama of it all, the lyrics that fall over this particular scene are:

"I'm sorry, the old Taylor can't come to the phone right now."

"Why?"
"Oh, 'cause she's dead!"

The video ends with a saucy little dance number that serves as a filler until the song is over, but the last thirty seconds are really what we want to talk about. All of Taylor's personas can be seen standing side by side in front of a private jet, attacking each other and calling each other names. Swift calls herself out for being annoying, a b****, fake, conniving and always playing the victim- letting us know that she is fully aware of what people think about her. So is she making fun of herself and pinning the whole video as satire, or is she genuinely mad at these people and the media for "ruining" her reputation? We are not entirely sure. What we do know is that Swift has a lot to say about the people who have wronged her, and we can't deny that the symbolism in this video was nothing short of brilliant. What we especially like about "Look What you Made Me Do" is that she did not portray herself as the perfect little angel who only ever gets hurt and can do no wrong, because that act was definitely starting to get old.

It's obvious from this latest single that Taylor's new album is going to be an intense and interesting one full of drama and underlying messages regarding her personal life and relationships, and though her musical direction is still slightly unclear and we are unsure as to whether we are on board with it or not just yet- we honestly cannot wait to hear Reputation.  

Review: Darryl Rahn's "Everything Is Fine" Album

Darryl Rahn is a singer-songwriter from Utica, NY who is keeping the Americana genre alive and fresh. The folk artist released Everything Is Fine on July 14 of this year, and it is a 10-track record full of emotion and good vibes. With influences like The Avett Brothers, Dawes, Guster and Ray Lamontagne, one can anticipate Rahn's latest project to be well-thought out and with meaningful lyrics. After giving it a proper listen through, the conclusion has been drawn that Darryl's audience will keep coming back to Everything Is Fine for years to come.

The first track is titled "Running Back", and it is immediately clear that Darryl's voice has a very distinct and unique tone to it. The song is upbeat and somewhat uplifting, incorporating subtle harmonies and a repetitive chorus that becomes identifiable and gets stuck in your head, proving to be a solid opening track. 

The next notable track is the third one titled "Get Me Out Of New York City", which is much slower and less full when it comes to backing vocals and instrumentation. It is an easy listening and relatable one for anyone who is dying to leave their hometown, and the overall vibe of the music matches the message perfectly. 

The rest of the album switches between faster-paced songs and steady ballads, focusing more on finger picking with simple vocals that allow the listener to fully pay attention to Rahn's voice and lyrics. It sticks to the acoustic-folk theme throughout with the heavy use of tambourines, shakers and bright guitar chords and riffs. Just as the majority of albums, it take a couple listens to really get into- but once you do, it's a great project. Darryl fully proves his musicianship and talents on these 10- songs, and we definitely recommend you give it a fair go.

Stream/Download "Everything Is Fine"

Hannah Williams & The Affirmations Drop The Visual For "Late Nights & Heartbreak", The Sample Behind Jay-Z's 4:44 Song

Originally from Britain, Hannah William's main goal is to change the shape of popular music for the better. Her BandCamp page describes her as Soul's Funkiest New Diva who was immersed in soulful music from the day she was born. Over the past 4 years, she has demonstrated a raw, edgy and authentic vocal prowess to the world of music, and these days she’s backed by an outstanding crew of the finest musicians the UK has to offer: "The Affirmations".  

Hannah has been in the spotlight recently due to her song "Late Nights & Heartbreak", which is the stunning single that inspired Jay-Z to write "4:44"; a heart-wrenching and brutally honest response to Beyonce's Lemonade. "4:44" is the 5th track and main single on Mr. Carter's brand new album 4:44.  According to an interview Hannah did with Mass Appeal, Jay-Z's producer No-I.D. found "Late Nights & Heartbreak" and showed it to the rapper knowing it was the exact inspiration he had been needing, and Jay-Z instantly fell in love. William's explains how Jay-Z gave her a call and asked her to come record a few vocals and wanted to know if it would be okay to use her track as the main sample behind "4:44", to which she (obviously) agreed. Hannah managed to keep the whole ordeal a secret until 4:44 dropped on June 30, but is now proudly speaking out.

The music video for "Late Nights & Heartbreak" is a modest and simple production in which Hannah can be seen mouthing the words in various locations, while mostly focusing on a distraught blonde woman. The overall ambiance is ominous and dark, occasionally sporting black and white shots throughout. Hannah sings of being unfaithful to her lover and wanting so badly to treat them better, but knowing she never will. Her vocals are insanely powerful and the lyrics to the track are enough to make your heart hurt. We can see and hear her anguish in this video, and it's no wonder it spoke to Jay-Z so intensely that he decided to create an entire project around it. 

With the British soul sensation's recent success and insane talents, the world can expect to hear many more great things coming from Hannah Williams and the Affirmations. In the meantime, check out her newest music video "Late Nights & Heartbreaks" below.

Connect with Hannah & The Affirmations: Website | Bandcamp | Twitter | Facebook

Courtesy Of The Goodfellas Keep It Old School With DOPE Music Video "Playlist"

The music video for "Playlist" by Atlanta based trio Courtesy Of The Goodfellas came out last month, and we love the creativity and work that went behind the production. The track is a story about a boy and girl who sit around and smoke weed, drink Hennessy and listen to the dopest artists in hip-hop/RnB. He drops names of some of the classics and the general vibe brings you back to the old-school hip-hop era. The single is the first to be released from the collective's new project "Goodfellas Never Die 2", which drops early this fall. Sidebar- along with new music and merchandise, Courtesy Of The Goodfellas member Alex P will also be relaunching a sports blog dedicated to covering breaking news and events in the world of athletics.

The video starts out with a young man walking into a bar/eatery, reluctantly putting his apron back on and suggesting to his co-workers that they do "one last song." The next scene shows the lyricist in an ambient and softly lit basement, pouring his words into a microphone while still donning his work uniform. Two of his co-workers can be seen behind him, one of which is dancing and the other who is holding a broom and nodding along to the beat. The rest of the video shows comical and light-hearted clips of activity throughout the restaurant, bringing to light a realistic an accurate depiction of the struggling artist; working day jobs while attempting to lift their art off the ground.

The video does a wonderful job of matching the cinematography to the aesthetic of the song, and overall it is a brilliant piece of work. Not to mention the lyrics in "Playlist" are spot-on with lines like "What's the point of buying new whips if you ain't got no destination?" and "We don't know why fools fall in love. Then she ask me if I love her, what they say 'bout us?"

These guys are definitely bringing something special to the table, and we can't wait to see how they progress and develop over time.

Connect with Courtesy Of The Goodfellas: Facebook | Soundcloud

Sleepy Carolina's Review of Lana Del Rey's New Album "Lust For Life"

Lana Del Rey, or Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, is an American singer- songwriter who is known for her dramatic and Old Hollywood style music. Lana just released her 5th studio album Lust For Life (2017), and it is amazing- not that we didn't anticipate that. The album features artists such as The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, Stevie Nicks, Sean Ono Lennon and Playboi Carti.  

When discussing the beginning stages of the album with NME magazine, Lana stated "I do have early thoughts about what I'd like to do with it. My label, Interscope, is pretty flexible and open to my records coming out at any time, so I don't have that pressure. I'm just happy to be able to keep on making music I can stand behind. That's enough for me." She expressed the desire to take the album in a different direction from her preceding project Honeymoon (2015), while maintaining the same overall aesthetic. 

The 16- track album starts off with a song titled "Love", which was a single released in January and the first track the world would hear from Lust For Life. The track is slow, ambient and classic Lana. The backing instrumentation is minimal with a subtle and consistent bass, while Del Rey's vocals take center stage with minimal to no harmonies. The second track "Lust For Life (feat. The Weeknd)" is a nice change of pace and carries underlying tones of indie and dream pop. The Weeknd also shows a brand new side of himself by singing softly over a completely different sound than we are used to hearing from him, and it is a genre that definitely works for his vocal style.

The next few tracks tend to stick along the same vibe until the 6th track titled "Summer Bummer (feat. A$AP Ricky & Playboi Carter)", which displays Lana's voice over a hard- hitting hip hop beat. A$AP comes in about a minute into the song, and the contrast between Del Rey's sweet voice against the rappers more aggressive vocals work really well together. The album continues to carry a hiphop feel until about the 12th tack, "Beautiful people, Beautiful Problems (feat. Stevie Nicks), which drops all the synths and instrumentals and turns indie-folk, bringing the album back to basics. The 13th track "Tomorrow Never Came (feat. Sean Ono Lennon) proves to be one of our personal favorites, and the son of Yoko and John sounds insanely like his father. Both singers have heavy reverb on their vocals, giving the song a live- audience and spaced- out haunting feel, and the harmonies in the chorus are simply breathtaking,  

The last two tracks fill out the end of Lust For Life brilliantly until the final song, "Get Free", which was by far the best song to end the project with. The use of minor chords make the listener aware that the album is coming to a close, but also give of a to-be-continued vibe when the chorus takes a 180 and seemingly switches genres completely. 

Lust For Life was a very well thought out, precise and beautiful piece of art- and one of Lana's best project to date. The underlying messages behind her tracks are plentiful and open for interpretation, giving each and every listener something different to take out of them. There are so many different styles and genres intertwined throughout all 16 tracks, keeping Lust For Life interesting and perfect for all varieties of listeners. 

Stream/Download "Lust For Life" by Lana Del Rey on iTunes

Review: Kacy Hill's "Like A Woman"

Last year at SXSW, I was lucky enough to stumble into a room where Kacy Hill was performing an hour long set in the middle of a downtown Austin venue. At the time, Kacy didn't have much of a following and the room was noticeably empty. The 22 year old was just coming off her American Apparel modeling career and transitioning into the world of electronic music. But now a little over a year later, the Kanye West mentee is almost untouchable after the release of her new album "Like A Woman". Upon giving the project a listen in its entirety, DOPECAUSEWESAID has come to the conclusion that Miss Hill is going to blow up in a major way, and very soon at that.

The 12-track album can be described overall as melodic, incredibly chilled, sensual and slightly meloncholy. Kacy's voice proves easy listening and has hints of power that make us believe she can really belt it out if she wanted to, but the singer keeps the aura of the project relaxed and serene throughout. We immediately came to gather that the album is heavily inspired by romance, heartbreak and relationships with track names like "Hard To Love" and "Cruel". The singer even stated during a interview with Complex News last year that most of the tracks were inspired by a real life breakup. Whether someone shattered her trust or she has found love since then, it's clear she is expressing emotion and pouring her pain and desire through her art- and it is beautiful.

Donning the name of the album, "Like A Woman" is the first track to hit your ears. Kacy sings of how she is falling for someone, saying and doing things she never thought she would. The instrumental is made up mostly of a strong bass pattern, a few electronic melodies and a delicate piano licks. Her voice is piercing and flawless, and the listener can almost hear her sentiment pouring through the speakers. The album remains slower paced until the fourth track, "Hard To Love". This song gives off an 80's vibe with a lot of vocal layering and explosive instrumentals in the chorus. Out of all the songs, this is the one Kacy displays her vocal range and strength the most. But she brings us back down instantly with the fifth track "Static", which has minimal backing and ambient vocals that take front and center. 

The sixth track titled "First Time" is a little more electronic than the rest, and is a nice change to the cleaner vocals she displays in the earlier songs. The harmonies are even more synthesized than the lead and sound like something you may hear in an Imogen Heap album, but it isn't too bold and fits in perfectly when used.

"Arms Length", "Interlude", "Clarity" and "Lion" are the next to follow. These four tracks are quite similar to the first three in that they share a more spread out and spacey feel. "Interlude" only differs from the rest in the shorter length and lack of vocals, creating a break before the conclusion of the project.

"Say You're Wrong" is the second to last track on the album, and a personal favorite of ours. Kacy's lyrics were well thought out and enlightened in this particular song with lines such as "fear will bring me back to health" and "I just want your good intention". The vocal melody is beautiful and catchy as well, so don't be surprised when you can't get this one out of your head. The last track, "Am I", similarly sports a catchy chorus and lyrics that will really make you think- which is a smart move on Kacy's part by keeping the album in her audience's minds even upon completion.

For an emerging artist, Kacy already seems to be way ahead of the musical curve, but we wouldn't expect anything less from an artist Kanye West discovered himself. "Like A Woman" is the first full length album she has released under West's GOOD Music label, and the response has already been mind-blowing. While the album can seem slightly repetitive with songs that are a little too similar at times, the overall outcome is a very well-written and produced one. This is an album almost anyone can listen to, and it's also one of those albums that really grow on you the more you listen to it, giving it more shelf life. Kacy is a fresh and unique change from the bubble gum pop trend going on, and we love how she looks and sounds different than the majority of artists on the radio at the moment. The Arizona native is undoubtedly going to be popping up more and more around the music world, and we're not mad about it. 

Stream/Download "Like A Woman" by Kacy Hill: Spotify | iTunes | Google Play | Amazon

Review: "Prologue" by David Mark Bulley

Earlier this year, DOPECAUSEWESAID featured a music video release from singer-songwriter David Mark Bulley titled, "Where Do We Go From Here". As expected, David has not been sleeping on us. June 9 will see the release of the singer's brand new EP Prologue, and 11 track offering where he tells his personal story though the art of music. We had the privilege of getting an exclusive listen to the project, and we promise you will not be disappointed. 

David Mark Bulley is a London based singer-songwriter who is ready to take on the world with his powerful, emotive music. Not only does he have a beautiful musicality, but he has an excellent creative eye and strives for perfection. While David is a UK based artist, he has also accumulated a strong following in Poland, France and Japan. The release of the ‘Where Do We Go From Here’ music video received support from a number of music blogs from across the world including America, Australia and Germany. In fact, David received his very first Australian airplay this year which is soon to be followed by airplay in the UK.

Although we can go on about David's accomplishments all day, let's dive into the logistics of his new EP Prologue. The first track eases the listener into what proves to be a very diverse project with an ambient and almost mysterious instrumental titled Interlude: Prologue. As we listened on, the third song Kaleidoscope stood out due to the soft, sincere and longing overall tone of the track. While it isn't the only slow and sentimental tune of the bunch, the album does have quite a bit of up-beat and faster paced songs. Kaleidoscope displays the great deal of variety the singer is able to portray in his voice with his ability to jump from one style to the next.

The UK based musician wraps Prologue up perfectly with an inspirational pop-esque track titled Lions, leaving the listener satisfied and inspired. It was hard to choose which track we liked best, as they were all unique and well thought out in their own respective ways. Throughout the EP, David's voice is simultaneously powerful and smooth, and it was definitely a pleasure listening to these 11 tracks. It is clear to see David put in time and effort towards his vision, and that is something we can definitely respect. We have no doubt this artist will continue to pump out the brilliant work and can't wait to see where his music will take him in the future.

Webstore pre-order: http://davidmarkbulleyofficialwebstore.bigcartel.com

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