Author Archives: Baseer Ahmad

[R&B] Xavier – Natural E

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - February 14, 2015

Xavier
Natural E

Given that today is Valentine’s Day, “Natural E” you’d expect to come across a romantic ballad or two (I have way too much fun with puns sometimes). However, this valiant effort stands out from the pack because it comes from Xavier, a mysterious crooner that we’ve had our eyes on since we first discovered his debut single “Now” early last year. Though we still haven’t learned much about him in that time, we can now safely inform you that the man who shares his namesake with the wheelchair-bound leader of the X-Men is no one-hit wonder.

While his previous two releases–the aforementioned “Now” and “The Hollow“–seemed to follow the moody and provocative example of The Weeknd, this tune seems far more stripped down and sentimental. It’s in its simplicity where it succeeds, however. Xavier’s vibrant vocals provide substance to a delicate, airy instrumental provided by ODNY. The track itself is all about forgoing the use of any drugs, and receiving a natural high through certain other *ahem* methods. As we mentioned before, with this being only his third track to date, “Natural E” fits well into Xavier’s established catalog. Stream the track above, and make sure to show your support by purchasing a copy as well. You won’t regret it later tonight when the moment’s just right.

Soul

Tory Lanez Talks SwaveNation, Al Pacino & Valentine’s Day [TMN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - February 13, 2015

Ever since Kanye West dropped 808s & Heartbreaks it seems as if the line between rapper and singer has become increasingly blurred. Guys who followed his lead, like Drake and Kid Cudi, only pushed the boundary further, influencing a whole generation of up and coming artists who now take inspiration from their examples. Similarly, the idea of a rapper-producer is no longer a foreign concept either. J. Cole and Big K.R.I.T. are two names that come to mind in that realm. Because of this, the whole idea of an artist becoming completely self sufficient is no longer entirely novel. Until now though, it can be argued we had never encountered anyone who was equally talented at all aspects of their craft. That’s where Tory Lanez comes in.

As a musician, Tory refuses to be classified. While all of the artists we mentioned are probably best known for one aspect of their skill sets, Tory prefers to be recognized for everything he does. Rather than being known as a rapper or a singer, for lack of a better term, Tory classifies his music as “Swavey,” which is basically the idea of fusing together all aspects of his art and striving to be the best at everything.

The Toronto native has been labeled “next” for quite awhile now. While that term is vague to begin with, there is no doubt that a certain level of expectation comes with the title. To his credit though, Tory never lets any of that get to his head. If you ever have the chance to watch him live, you’ll notice that he has undeniable charisma, and brings a raw energy to his performances, yet he still retains a certain sense of humility that keeps him grounded through it all. What’s even more special though is that Tory doesn’t draw a line between him and his fans, instead choosing to embrace them as family. After each show he’ll hold meet and greet session where he gives everybody the time of day–no rushed photographs, no quick autographs, no fake smiles. He will have legitimate conversations with every single person until he is essentially forced out of the venue.

Before his recent show in Chicago, we had a chance to catch up with Tory and discuss his upbringing, his mindset in the studio, and find out what truly separates him from the rest of the pack. If you have the opportunity to check out Tory live, we highly recommend it. His next show is this Sunday in Denver, but you can find the remaining dates for his Lost Cause tour on his official website.

’Tory Lanez – Diego (Prod. Tory Lanez x Play Picasso x Ozhora Miyagi x Mr. Punisher)’