Benjy Ali – ‘Grace’ [EP]

By: Shamus Hill

The versatility prevalent within the music exiting Brockton, Massachusetts is staggering to say the least. It makes sense that the city is dubbed “The City of Champions” given the exorbitant amount of high-level musicians that have their foundations set in this area. Adding his name to this roster of individuals is Benjy Ali, who just recently shared the first component of his discography — Grace.

The 3-song EP rests just shy of 10 minutes, however do not let this fool you into thinking that Grace is something that’s meant to be breezed through. Each singular song carries extreme depth, showcasing the multi-faceted artist that Benjy Ali is at his core. Full of lush harmonies that are crossed with some truly masterful production, Grace is substantial from every view point. Benjy carves in and out of the underlying instrumental with the strength and precision of a fighter jet dancing amongst the clouds. He intertwines deep-seated emotion that tears at the listener’s heart with well-balanced sonic elements that help to create a standout body of work. Justin Bloom, with assistance from Baby J and Isaiah Valmont, swung for the fences with respect to the production on Grace, with the end result being a grand slam.

“Be My Home” is without a doubt my personal favorite from this project, as Benjy encapsulates all of the above sentiments into this one track. He emphasizes the true prowess that’s associated with his vocal capabilities here, while at the same time maintaining lyrical dominance. I’m confident that this will not be the last time you hear Benjy Ali, as this Brockton artist is quite literally just getting started with what’s to come.

Listen to Grace below:

[PREMIERE] Marvelous Stefan – “On My Side” ft. Saint Lyor (Prod. Isaiah Valmont)

By: Seamus Fay

It comes as no surprise that Brockton is a hotbed of talent right now, filled to the brim with a number of standout acts that will undoubtedly be taking their careers to new heights as 2018 moves on. Among these artists are Marvelous Stefan, Saint Lyor, and Isaiah Valmont – three Graduation Music frequent flyers and inarguably three of Brockton’s finest talents out at the moment. Hearing them come together on a track would be nothing less than a privilege, and today, they’re here to bring that dream to life with a new single entitled “On My Side”, premiering via the Graduation Music SoundCloud.

Right off of the bat, this song proclaims both pace and energy, as Lyor and Stefan bounce off of another’s flows, going back and forth between smooth vocals and quick shipments of rap. By creating this stark contrast early on, the two are able to compliment Valmont’s hypnotic production and the burgeoning force of the drums – two elements that define the very essence of “On My Side” at its finest. With all of these features perfected to a common point of chemistry, it’s important to note that the lyrical content of the song decides who’s on Stefan and Lyor’s side, who’s pocket watching, and everything in between. They’re here to claim the top spots in MA rap, and no one is about to get in their way.

Listen to “On My Side” at the link below:

FourtyFor – ‘s.$ide’ [Mixtape]

By: Seamus Fay

Simply put, I had never been quite familiar with the work of Massachusetts producer FourtyFor until this morning. His name may have crossed my eyes on the production credits for a few songs, but overall, he has remained in the shadows for the past few months, hidden away from Graduation Music while quietly making his mark on our state’s budding scene. Thankfully, however, the rising talent is here to leap into the light today, taking to our pages with his latest mixtape, s.$ide. With features from DumDrumz, MT Mill, Ashauni, Isaiah Valmont, Chris Morris, Lord Felix, and Patrick Michel, this is definitely not the project to sleep on.

10 tracks long, s.$ide weaves in and out of a number of different production styles while maintaining a common feeling throughout. This running commonality is most clearly defined by the homely pinch of charisma that seems to touch each track ever so slightly, reminding us that FourtyFor is the mastermind behind the boards for each track while hiding him within the shadows at the same time. In this light, the tape acts as a thorough introduction for the world to get hip to this rising producer, and he will definitely be someone we look forward to hearing more from in 2018. Be sure to show some love to Massachusetts’ own, FourtyFor, by listening to s.$ide below.

Note to the reader – I cannot keep this Max B intro off of repeat.

Pe$o Boii – “Touched Down” [Prod. Isaiah Valmont]

By: Seamus Fay

The year is ending, the stocks are rising, and right now, we are receiving some of the best music we have heard this year from artists all around Massachusetts and beyond. Everyone wants to end 2017 on a high note, and with his newest single, “Touched Down”, in collaboration with Brockton producer and WAV Co. representative, Isaiah Valmont, Pe$o Boii is doing just that. He has dropped off a noteworthy amount of hard-hitting singles and videos this year, and “Touched Down” can definitely be added to that list.

Triumphant yet relaxed lyricism leads the way on this melodic single, yet Pe$o’s deliveries simply can’t be ignored in my opinion. The young artist’s charismatic, care-free personality always makes for entertaining releases and throughout my personal listening experiences as a fan of him, the deliveries have always been what hit me the most. Add that on top off some infectious production courtesy of Isaiah Valmont and you’ve got a hell of a song at hand. Keep this one on repeat as we round the corner into 2018 and be sure to click play below.

I was in Belair, blowing smoke in the air/ Like, I just touched down”