Alan Ward-"Bucket"-SINGLE

Alan Ward plays on themes of humility and big picture thinking in his latest single “Bucket” and dedicated a live performance of it to the victims of the October shootings that took place at Bowie State University and Morgan State University a week prior- an appropriate tribute as he uprooted himself from his home in Milwaukee and settled in Baltimore, MD where these two schools are located. He performs with a single mic around the BSU campus in an Unfinished Legacy ‘Milwaukee’ shirt and vibes out to the groove of a somber-toned yet warm and smooth production from Stoic (Mick Jenkins- “Smoke Break-Dance,” “Guapanese”). This chill anthem gives sound to the season of fall and the familiar feelings associated with it during the approach of the end of yet another year. Ward’s nonchalant bravado and impressive word play portrays the mellowed out cool-kid persona that comes with owning the life that you live. He creatively describes the gray area of staying in your lane to get further while playing your part socially as one of life’s simplicities of a young person with lots to do and much to prove. Give this track a listen, Milwaukee, and remember… “All Love. Peace. Put the guns down. Let’s party up!”- Ward

/Naomi-Re’a CW

Always About Me-Interview w/ Elliott

What’s up yall! It’s PEAZY from /CW and I’m back with another interview from one of Milwaukee’s very own: Elliott! Check out our conversation and make sure you go stream “Jimmy’s Summer Mix” on all platforms! Without further ado let’s get into it.

/PEAZY: So, you have this project, “Jimmy’s Summer Mix”, a 6 track EP and it’s so diverse. I’m sure you have your favorites right? One of mine is “Charlie Wilson”. “Charlie Wilson” has so many different elements of sounds but one sound really sticks out to me and that’s that Milwaukee low-end beat. What was the process behind incorporating this “new” sound into your music?

Elliott: Well, I always wanted to like…find a way to implement my usual flow and song content and bring it to that type of beat. So for this project, I had gotten this beat from my guy Mar (@martyguerrerobeats) and after going through a number of different beats, it just started flowing. And I was hesitant at first you know, but I’ve also been in the space of trying to have more fun with what I do. Alot of my previous work is thought-provoking and mellow, I just wanted to get on this record and do something fly. “Fall For That” is the same way, it’s in that same category of sound.

/PEAZY: I feel like a track isn’t really a track without it having something about it that you will always remember. Once you establish that one line or that one sound as yours, it’s forever embedded in the culture. Wayne has the lighter flick, Metro will shoot you if he doesn’t trust you, etc. Yours is ‘Yes, Lord”? What’s the origin of that? Is it an affirmation? 

Elliott: It’s kind of..actually not kind of, it IS an acknowledgement to God and it’s just me thanking Him for being able to do what I do. It’s a shoutout to Him.

/PEAZY: “Always About Me”, “Show Up Late”, “Corner Store”; you have a lot of songs that narrate a story. How much of that comes from personal experience and how much comes from your poetic license ? 

Elliott: It’s mostly stuff that I saw first hand. If not, then it could be experiences that I’ve lived vicariously through others close to me. Or sometimes I’ll take elements from different stories in my life and put it together to make one big story and translate it to a record. But it’s all things that my eyes have seen.

/PEAZY: So, for people who don’t know, you are a middle and high school teacher. Do your kids know that you rap? And if so, how does your artistry influence them? Do you incorporate music into their education?

Elliott: Yeah they know. I didn’t tell them they kind of just used those inquisitive minds and they found my social media. But I teach English so it definitely inspires me in a way that motivates me to encourage their creativity and their emotional vulnerability. I just find ways to implement that into what we are already learning about. In a way my kids are the influence behind tracks like “Charlie Wilson”, that kind of music really gets them going and they really take the words to heart. 

/PEAZY: Okay so say I’m introducing somebody to Milwaukee music and I’m telling them how great of an artist you are. What 3 songs would you put someone on to to introduce who you are as an artist?

Elliott: I would say “Show Up Late”, “Who We Kiddin?” and “Always About Me”. 

/PEAZY: What’s so special about those?

Elliott: Those are the songs I personally enjoy the most. Just knowing what went into the creation of them, what inspired them, how I felt recording them and how I’ve seen them resonate with people who’ve listened and connected to them. 

/PEAZY: As an artist in 2023, do you feel compelled to also be a content creator? Is it something that you’re cool with or something that you feel like ‘man I wish I didn’t have to do this’? Cause you know we live in a social media world, if you’re not posting reels or if you’re not on Tik Tok you’re not as hot. Is it a lot being an artist AND a content creator?

Elliott: I mean…I wish the music could do it itself but the game is the game. Music is more than just music, it’s marketing, it’s getting your song into people’s ears consistently. I’m definitely getting more comfortable being in front of the camera and just putting out content in general. But I think the music that I’m creating enables my confidence to create the content.

/PEAZY: You have two devout Christian parents and you grew up in the church. You talk about this a lot in your music alot but we live in a time where if you sing about God or talk about God you’re viewed as being weird. Does God give you the courage to glorify Him in your music? 

Elliott: The only approval I seek is from Him. Outside opinions against that don’t really move me because it’s like…you can’t save me! When it comes down to what’s cool and what’s not, I do work to make sure I creatively implement that part of my life into my music. I know a lot of Christian Hip-Hop is looked at as corny and I don’t know if I would necessarily put myself in that category, but I do always try to acknowledge how good God is.

/PEAZY: What would you say to someone who’s listening to this and is having a hard time believing in their dream  because they’re caught up between doing what they want to do vs doing what God wants them to do?

Elliott: You gotta have faith in the fact that it’s not going to happen how you think it will. And when it doesn’t, you have to figure out how to turn those feelings: anxiety, nervousness, stress, or anything into music. Use those feelings of uncertainty and turn it into your art. Talk about how you might feel anxious about something or how stuff isn’t working out, figure out a way to turn everything into music. 

/PEAZY: Where can we find more Elliott?

Elliott: Latest project, “Jimmy’s Summer Mix” is available everywhere.

/PEAZY FROM CW

BIG P "Weed and Wine"-ALBUM RELEASE!

I recently did one of my favorite interviews so far this year with BIG P! And y’all would never guess what happened…the audio DELETED! But you know at /CW we take lemons and turn them into Kool-Aid  Lemonade so without further ado let’s get into this album review of “Weed and Wine” by Big P.

The thing that I love about this album is the symbolism. Bip P creates an outro following each song that helps you understand the morals to the story he so eloquently told on the track. The theme of each outro varies from playful phone calls to Big P’s Seafood and Fries to more serious conversation about mental health, accountability and healthy love. My favorite song is “Ms. P” featuring Ro. J; this is one of those songs that demonstrates the symbolism that I mentioned but also has many elements of southern rap that we really don’t see many Milwaukee artists tap into. This is especially surprising because Big P is a real Milwaukee native, so to see him embody and so effortlessly pull off this southern swag really speaks to how dimensional he is as an artist. 

“Never know what you can see, never know what you can be. But one thing fasho, you f--king with Big P bay-bay” (that’s how you say it with a accent, bay bay)

Southern charm isn’t the only thing he tapped into on this album either. “White Lies” has neo-soul elements, the melodic scats throughout the song add peacefulness to what may seem like a harsh message. 

“Telling these lies to you knowing that I’m doing wrong. Truth be told I know my wrongs baby. Call a spade a spade that’s just what it is. I put you through this sh-t for what my mother did or didn’t.

Lines like that are frequent as Big P demonstrates his ability to make you groove and hold yourself accountable on the same track. “Wright Way”  does the exact same thing in a completely different way. The first two minutes of the song are for you to stand up and vibe, but the last two minutes??? You have to sit down and listen. Not because the lyrics might go over your head, but because within each experience he gives you the best of both worlds. Is that not what we look for in certain songs when we listen to them? You initially just want to feel good but by the end of the song you’ve learned something or taken something away.

“The song may have ended but the melody lingers on.”

“Boyz II Men” was the first song that I heard off the project, featuring his best friend Lik who is also the producer of this project. If this is your first time hearing them together, this is a great introduction to this dynamic duo. The back and forth between Lik and Big P flows smoothly, this is one of the songs that give you an understanding as to why he named this project “Weed and Wine’. If you know you know, but the combination of the two really makes you feel like the smoothest person in the room. And lowkey, I felt like they channeled Bootsy Collins a little bit and I’m here for it. 

 “Hf” is one of the songs that I paid attention to in particular because throughout the album Big P shows respect to his son’s mom. When I asked him why he does this, he said: 

“Honestly I really just wanted to show love. You know we had our son when she was still in college and being that young, you know I made a lot of mistakes. So this was really just like 1)to apologize for everything that I’ve put her through and then 2) just to let her know I’m gonna forever make sure she’s good.”

“Wish It Could Last”  is the perfect way to end this whole album. First, this is an ode to UGK’s album “Ridin Dirty”, the last song “Outro”. Big P uses this track to shoutout everybody that had a hand in creating “Weed and Wine” and it’s really a great way to learn things about Big P if you didn’t know him already. He’s a Milwaukee native that was raised by his grandparents and grew up with hoop dreams, turned them into reality, had a kid and made plenty of mistakes along the way. But he also made music; amazing, soul-filled, authentic music. So good that he picked up the mic when he put down the ball. Overall, 10/10. I really think this is a creative body of work that encapsulates the majority of who Big P is as an artist and I truly think this is authentic music. 

Interview PART 2 COMING SOON! Check out “Weed and Wine” and let me know what y’all think! 

/PEAZY FROM CW 

Richie Buz - Enigma + ft Elliott

Last week, Richie Buz dropped his EP, “Enigma” ft Elliot and I really think these two paired well on this project. Starting off with the collaboration between Elliot and Buz, I think we should see more of them together honestly. “Knowledge ft Elliot” caught my ear at the intro with Elliot. I’ve just recently ran across his body of work and I must say I am a new fan. His verse speaks life into the song leading up all the way to Buz’s verse.

“I don’t sell boy or girl but I teach em’, every day I’m showing up to reach em’. Give em real history, the world tryna bleach it.” 

It feels good to have music that makes you feel good, I love how both of these artists can create music about more than the average topic and it hits, artists like them help motivate versatility in Milwaukee music.  Of course I think Buz’s verse is fire on this song too, but I wanna focus on this solo track, ‘Somd”. I won’t tell you what it stands for, that’s for you to find out but this is probably my favorite song on the EP. If you know Buz, I especially think you would like this song because as real as Buz is in real life is exactly how real he is in the song. 

“I be tryna tell the guys that it’s more than riches. They think I’m trippin like ‘bro you ain’t tryna get it’. I can’t blame em, that’s the way we came up, tryna escape these conditions that enslaved us. Who am I to judge? Spent $200 on some new J’s, that was probably made in China by a few slaves. System only show compassion if you paid, adolescent nights felt bright with D'usse, dudes day anything for clout but nothing for respect.”

Nicki Minaj voice: “Hold on Holiday, you can’t just give it to em’ dry like that, bring that sh-t back!” Like replay this whole song real quick LMBO! I enjoyed this review and this EP, y’all please go show some love to these Black artists! 

/Peazy for CW

I Hope You Stay - Cam Will

What’s really good? Ortizus is taking over the blogs this month, you know the vibes! What better way to get nostalgic than to highlight one of the most progressive artists I've covered! That’s right! We are talking about Milwaukee’s own, Cam Will. 

If you don’t already know Cam, you can check him out on his socials but to make a long story short, he has dedicated his whole life to music. With over 38k+ monthly listeners on Spotify to over  This is not an overstatement, he literally walked away from his D1 soccer scholarship to follow his dreams. That takes some heart! Let’s jump right into the music though!

On March 21st, Cam released two singles titled I Hope You Stay Around along with If Not, But When? “I Hope You Stay Around is a two part story (IHYSA and Not If, But When) lays the foundation for highs and lows of seeing the vision ahead of one’s goals but also fighting the timelines and expectations we set for ourselves to reach them.”

What do we think? We think it's a HIT. The video really gives perspective on what goes on when it’s all said and done. A very personal intimate vibe if you will. 

The real question is what do YOU think? Tap in and watch below and be sure to follow him on all socials, including instagram: @_Camwill

Catch a vibe!

/(Imani) Ortizus for CW

Tye Motives, "24 Blessings" "No Shade, No Shine" ALBUMS

Tye Motives has easily become one of my favorite artists in the city. Although I may have hopped on the bandwagon later than most, I’ve had a chance to listen to a bit of everything and I have only good things to report. Starting with my favorite song, “Doja” on his album “24 Blessings”.

“All she wanna do is smoke, hit the weed like it ain’t strong girl I told ya, she gone hustle never let the world fold her, hot as summer time but she been getting colder. I just wanna smoke Doja with you, that’s a double dutch yeah I rolled Doja for two.”

When I sit back and imagine the visuals for the video, it really emphasizes the entire vibe of the song. The verses themselves provide the upbeat tempo, it’s the part of the song that you can ride to, but maybe you won’t be tempted to sing along. But once the chorus comes on, it’s inevitable. I definitely suggest y’all add this to your date night playlists. 

So at this point, I’m going down a rabbit hole and I ended up listening to his 2021 album, “No Shade We Shine”. Two words: “Boss Roads”. No different than before, Tye receives no bad remarks, “Boss Roads” can easily be a fan favorite, the chorus once again is so captivating, it’s one of those songs that you WANT to learn the lyrics to.

“You see this road that I been on, I got dreams up in my sight. You a lie, you gangsta, you gone step outside you risking life. Gotta watch yo mans when shit ain’t adding up ain’t feeling right, gotta watch yo mans when shit ain’t adding up ain’t feeling right.” He manages to also pick the perfect cadence with the perfect beat for the perfect song. The creativity and artistic vision that rap itself takes, especially to be successful, Tye has it. Here’s another one of ours that is next up! Let me know what y’all think. 

/Peazy from CW

Cam Will- “What Do You Want?” MUSIC VIDEO

On October 21st, Cam Will dropped a new single,“What Do You Want,” a ballad about the young rapper’s personal experience with being in a back and forth romance with someone that he was dating once upon a time. He briefly gave some background on this story in a short video on his insta page prior to releasing the song to the public. A few days after the drop, the music video was released. This black and white visual, starring Model Julia Papillon, is short and sweet. She is greeted by her boo at the front door to her home and instantly they begin to have a playful evening- they’ve had a little bit to drink, they’re playing cards and being silly around the house. Meanwhile, during this seemingly adorable moment, Cam Will’s lyrics bleed through describing the emotional consequences of having to move on from someone whom he had been waiting on before; someone who didn't choose him back in the end. Before long, her person of interest ends up looking at his phone while she walks away to grab their drinks and tells her that his time with her is up. As they hug each other goodbye the main lady is seen with a glum look on her face. The camera quickly pans over to Cam Will sitting in his car peeping the last bit of their interaction with each other before pulling off; his last look at her before deciding to move on. Whew, the feels! Tell me how YOU feel about “ What Do You Want?” Milwaukee. /Naomi-Re’a for CW

Huey V- “Mixed Personalities” MUSIC VIDEO

There’s no letting up from Milwaukee’s own Huey V. The WHMG artist’s views continue to rise into the millions and he’s getting the right attention from some major media outlets. His latest music video “Mixed Personalities” was exclusively premiered on BET Jams & Hot 97 late September telling the story of how the grind towards musical success can cause one to become distracted from certain promises made to those closest to them. Huey V is seen coming home to his girlfriend only to be rejected by her due to his repetitive disloyalty. An argument forms and the scene changes to Huey V still in conflict with her over the phone while in bed with someone else. Mixed messages and blurred expectations are heard throughout his lyrics. The back and forth of being forgiven and forgotten takes a toll on both sides and there seems to be no clear direction for this relationship. While in a red lit room he expresses “...The grass aint always greener though, When I'm in my bag I forget about you..” as he attempts to console his girl who has had enough. At the same time he is passively rejecting his temptress’ efforts to regain his attention, proving this cycle to be nowhere near an end. Tell me how YOU feel about “  Mixed Personalities ” Milwaukee. /Naomi-Re’a for CW

G-Gifted- “Zone” SINGLE

G-Gifted’s newest single “Zone” speaks from the perspective of the ‘strong friend.’ You know, the one who always knows what to say when we need that extra bit of strength but ends up facing a lot of their battles by themselves? Yeah that one (Call them!). While keeping up with the current running theme of his life- self care, accountability, and growth, for which he named his latest project- G-Gifted is also learning to be a bit more celebratory of his accomplishments and has taken on some pride for his development, but not before spitting a few lines of transparency. Without sugar coating his truth, he speaks on some of the elements of his life that have contributed to his depression. From having low self esteem and uncertainty amongst his social circle to having big blows like the loss of his Aunt, the young rapper had a lot to overcome. His silent coping style and strong exterior had given those around him the impression that he was unaffected by life’s day to day obstacles. Of course as people we know that no one is immune to the harshness of life. Through that pain, G-Gifted had become overly humble about the good qualities of self growth but with the triumphant anthem that is Zone, he gives himself that much needed pep talk. The one that we all deserve! Tell me how YOU feel about “ Zone ” Milwaukee. /Naomi-Re’a for CW

2Hi “All Good” MUSIC VIDEO

After almost a year since “White Lighter Bad Luck,”  2Hi is already excited to give us new material! The roll out for his new EP HEY GANG!, which dropped on Monday, started back in August when a snippet of the project’s lead single “All Good” was posted on his instagram. After about a month of promo, the Single officially dropped on September 6th with the music video dropping the very next day. 2Hi is playing into the image of being a menace to society yet I don't believe that the creative element of storytelling has been completely neglected. The exaggeration of illegal activity shown could be an interpretation of how the world chooses to view a collection of young men who operate as a unit and hustle hard with all the energy that they have to give.

“... Brand new bands, count that quick, watch my hands, I’m Good. No new friends, new demands, making sure we All Good...”

The frequent use of red- red lighting, red ski mask, red phones and red scarves are all symbolic of the chaotic atmosphere that is assumed to come from the movement that is young artistry. The grittiness of the camera filter, tight shots, and editing style is similar to that of a docu-film- another example of a platform where certain images are shown to provoke an idea of the lifestyle that young black men are bound to live when they are independant and refusing to conform. It could be all of that, right?

OOORRR…

We are just seeing an energetic 2Hi who enjoys riding around doing hoodrat things with his friends. You tell me… How do YOU feel about “  All Good  ” Milwaukee? /Naomi-Re’a for CW