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Kehlani Parrish, known professionally as Kehlani, was born on April 24, 1995 in Oakland, California. The R&B singer-songwriter is currently signed to Atlantic Records. She achieved initial fame as a member of the teen pop group, PopLyfe, which was a finalist on America’s Got Talent. Kehlani released her first mixtape, Cloud 19, in 2014 which was listed among Complex’s “50 Best Albums of 2014”. Kehlani's second mixtape, You Should Be Here, premiered at number 2 on the national R&B charts in 2015 and preceded her sold-out North American tour. She’s gone on to explain her ethnicity as “black, white, Native American, and hispanic”. Raised by her aunt, due to her father’s early death and her mother coming in and out of prison, she attended

Premiered via EDMTunes and out now on DJ Shadow’s Liquid Amber imprint as the latest of their Digital Dubplates series, the “Trades” release signifies something special for Dj Pound, aka Danny Gonzalez. The Chula Vista, CA native is an artist in rarefied company, a turntablist at heart who identifies with the underground but is at the forefront of the modernized beat-driven, electronic movement. Gonzalez describes his sound as an “instrumental electronic kind of hip hop with really loud booming bass,” and his latest release “Trades,” fits that description perfectly. Featuring innovative and sophisticated sound design from countless hours working with samples in the studio, “Trades” is everything fans have come to expect and love from a Dj Pound anthem. The hard-hitti

Underground Chicago rapper Jelani Lateef (J Fury) has been grinding for the past 10 years, trying to get his brand of hip-hop out into the world. In 2011, he founded Manhood Entertainment and released his debut album My Soul to Keep on the independent imprint in 2013. A year later, he dropped My Soul to Keep 2 and quickly followed up with 2015’s Cold Days and Dark Nights. With thought-provoking and introspective lyrics, his soulful brand of hip-hop aims to enlighten the listener. Much like Kendrick Lamar and The Roots’ Black Thought, Lateef is another breath of fresh air in the often soul-less genre of mainstream rap. With each release, Jelani has garnered more critical acclaim. With album reviews in the Source, Allhiphop.com, Black Minds Magazine, and

Brooklyn-based artist Santigold isn’t hip-hop, she isn’t soul, reggae, pop, or electronica, nor is she dance music. As a matter of fact, she’s nearly impossible to contain in a neat little box, which is exactly the point. After debuting her self-titled album in 2008, she blazed a new trail for her own genre-less style of music by working with a variety producers (sometimes multiple producers for just one song) and keeping the audience engaged with her unique sound. Her sophomore album, 2012’s Master of My Make-Believe was heralded as a masterpiece by critics and fans alike. Recorded in Jamaica, it features guests vocals by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and production by Diplo, Switch and Nick Zinner, also of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. “I think music is a communal thin

Canva$, or Canva$ Cope, is a Vermont native from the city Brattleboro, and he later moved to Goldsboro, North Carolina. His passion began at the age 9 but he truly began recording his music during sophomore year of high school in his own bedroom. His musical obsession continues to grow and he hopes to drop his EP that is in progress early 2016. Much of his inspiration came from the late 2Pac and Jay Z. The flow they delivered as artists are what he “fell in love with” and the support of his family and friends made it easy for him to pursue his dream of being a rapper. His name came from wanting something that “could represent him as an artist,” and Canva$ coincides with his desire to paint visuals through his music. Pulling from artists like 2Pac, Jay Z, and Nas with his favori

Idris Goodwin On His Hip-Hop Inspired Play, How We Got On: A Break Beat Play Award-winning playwright, emcee and educator Idris Goodwin never stops grinding. When he’s not teaching a hip-hop class at Colorado College, he’s writing lyrics, penning a play or spending time with his family. He is the true definition of an artist, often times suffering for his art, but ultimately embracing his passion so he can share it with the rest of the world. His most recent play, How We Got On: A Break Beat Play, combines elements of hip-hop with a storyline that takes the audience on a journey back in time when hip-hop was just beginning to breathe new life. In the RAPstation interview, Goodwin talks about the concept behind the play, how hip-hop fits into it and the next two plays in th