If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Vonny Lorde Toronto's DijahSB has one of the more interesting styles in hip hop today. The MC has released a pair of singles, "Don't Touch!" and "I'm Blooming" that touch on their life as a black, non-binary rapper. "Don't Touch!" has that late 80's positive hip hop sound that reminds me of De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest meets the modern sensibility of an artist like Oompa. It has an upbeat, jazzy sound that throws back to classic hip hop while still sounding modern. "I'm Blooming" is a more laid back track that still has that jazzy vibe, but in a more Guru-esque kind of way. Both songs may have an old school thing going on, but neither sounds like a throwback track. DijahSB says of their new tracks: “These two tracks are essential to the theme of this album, I’m excited to have this album out. I’m turning 30. I feel like I’m going to be stepping into a new era and this album will help usher me in.” You can l...

Photo by Vonny Lorde Toronto's DijahSB has a sound that is reminiscent of old school hip hop while still being modern. Their latest single, "How R U?," has this laid back vibe and is a stripped down song focusing on their vocals. With a lack of an obvious sample or an R&B chorus, DijahSB has a bit of a throwback feel, but the song sounds completely 2023. Just to show how the song sounds both vintage and modern, the artists it reminds me the most of are Queen Latifah and Oompa.  DijahSB says of her song, which tackles the subject of mental health: "I wrote How R U during the pandemic, it really became a phrase that I began not knowing how to answer anymore so I also stopped asking it, because it felt like no matter what walk of life you came from, you were struggling during that time, and to me it's only gotten worse. So I feel like this song could literally come out between today and 2019 and still have the same impact." You can watch the visualizer for ...