Back at it again with a new volume of moving and grooving conscious hip-hop tunes in Vol. 4 of Conscious State of Mind!

#1] “Senzu Bean” – Peachcurls

Simply written on a MacBook Pro, “Senzu Bean” is Cleveland native Peachcurls’ attempt to help people through self-doubt and fear of rejection. Through gently spoken bars with a chill flow, he shares his personal relationship with self-confidence and facing rejection. Peachcurls says, “I’m telling myself and the proverbial neigh-sayers that I’m above the idea that people can’t see my visions. I’ll bring them to fruition myself.” The music video plays beautiful clips of him and his friends having fun and getting silly at a get-together, spreading the love and positive life force! Gospel chorus chords bring the song to a close, fitting for the mood of the video.

#2] “Baby Phace” – Gods Child

Gods Child is a Haitian American artist from New Jersey sharing his journey with conviction. “Baby Phace” tells his story about his life heading up to this point and how he was able to overcome what was put before him even when he had nothing left to give. The track’s lo-fi backbeat provides a perfect support for his strong bars. This live performance for Major Stage gives you a face to the music, and you can tell how much his music means to him. The lyrics that stand out the most to me: “There isn’t much food for a shell of a man, but I am still here by God and his guiding hand. I pray that you embrace your flaws and your steps in the sand. I’m praying that you understand.”

#3 ] “Sincerely” – Chuuwee x Money Montage

Sacramento rapper Chuuwee gives it straight to all the people out there acting shady… “You always flexing in front of your peers. Speaking in general, you being weird. Speaking in codes, I’m keeping it clear. You need to learn how to be sincere.” Produced by Money Montage from New York, “Sincerely” is the first single off Chuuwee’s album “No More Rappers”. After working together on other records in the past, the two have come together again on this full length project that was released on August 6th, 2021. Chuuwee is an underground force to be reckoned with, releasing thirty albums and mixtapes over the past 10 years, masterfully massing over 80 million plays combined on Spotify only, without ever formally being signed to a major label.

#4] “Baby Wassup?” – Chase Martin

“Baby Wassup?” is about something everyone can relate to; heartbreak. Its uppity beat offer a friendly and upbeat mood to get through these unfavorable feelings. The lyrics are simple and relatable. It even explores the internal thoughts wondering if the person who did the heartbreaking even thinks of you or if they really don’t care at all. Chase Martin started recording at a very young age in South Carolina. He has build a stacked catalog of songs that showcase his ability to create catchy melodies with 100% truthful lyrics.

#5] “Write For You” – Ethiq

Born and raised in New York City, inspired by his Puerto Rican and Colombian heritage, Ethiq shares music about self discovery and spiritual awakening. Lush with full instrumentation and soulful vocals to support his bars, Ethiq flows through encouraging words of tapping into dreams, pushing past fears, and the importance of being surrounded by the right company. He shares his own wisdom and that which has been passed down to him: “Some call it the law, others call it the secret / The universe will bring you what you’re looking for, believe it / Receive it, and own it, know it to be yours / Cause if you mold the keys, you can open the doors.”

#6] “Palo Santo” – Walter

The smooth acoustic guitar and airy drum set beat set a really cool backtrack for this track. Bahamian-born, LA-based rapper and producer Walter’s flow has a lot of openness to it too, so the song is sublime with an impressive lo-fi soundscape. “Palo Santo” is an undeniable ear-pleaser and is best described as a “let’s call it even” story of a love gone sour. Walter’s lyrics take you through the beginning twinges of bitterness, straight through to acceptance. He says, “I made ‘Palo Santo’ as a tribute to the fantasy of doing better than the people who hurt you, but still being the bigger person about it.”

#7] “Inviting You In” – Free Creatures

Free Creatures is an uncanny trio of upright bass, electric guitar, and MC vocals. Together they break the barrier of what conscious hip-hop can look like. “Inviting You In” is a song to help you feel welcome and accepted into the band’s new sound, vibe and tribe. This is the debut single of their upcoming sophomore album, “You’re Doing It,” which is set to release this winter. This powerful and uplifting fusion is chill and sensual, a place for anyone’s ears to rest.

#8] “SOVERYFINE (ft. Grezzzo)” – Arya

This song draws from old school hip hop fused with modern production. You hear some nostalgia in the groove of piano licks, an uppity drum beat, and cascading guitar melodies. Hailing from Los Angeles, Arya writes infectious tunes with relatable narratives. He picked up classical piano and violin at a young age, and his extensive music theory knowledge and compositional training transpires in his original indie pop / r&b concoctions. “SOVERYFINE” is about not knowing if he’ll make it out alive, but at least right now he’s feeling so very fine. The ad lib of instruments ad a conversational flare to the track, evoking emotion and speaking to personal experiences.

#9] “Formula 1 (feat. Mickey Factz)” – Brando Bambino

Puerto Rican-based emcee Brando Bambino joins forces with Mickey Factz and Pyramid Tapes on production for “Formula 1,” a snarling banger featuring standout wordplay. Brando and Mickey trade verses full of spitting vivid rhymes about their respective conquests. Pyramid Tape throwsback with a mafioso sound, and of course a hint of funk in the bass to compliment it well. Brando kicks things into gear with a standout bar: “Got rappers sweatin’ bullets like they sittin’ in saunas / What they spittin/ is boring / Had to skip to the chorus.” Brando keeps it pretty traditional in his music with a vintage 90’s grit about him. If you like this track, make sure to check out the rest of his works!

#10] “WRONG SIDE” – Prez Harris

“WRONG SIDE” is the witty follow-up to rapper Prez Harris’ single “one and only.” He collaborated with singer-songwriter China Shadae for vocals in this energetic track celebrating Prez’s success and his freedom from toxic situations of his past. This single serves as a confidence resurgence, embodying the feeling of knowing you can accomplish anything. Basically, if you’re thinking that the grass is greener, then you must have woken up on the wrong side.

If you missed Vol. 3, here it is. Vol. 4 is full of uplifting and energetic songs to help you navigate the ups and downs of life with poise. Conscious hip-hop is a soulful sub-genre. Hopefully these tunes resonate with you. To keep up with all the songs from this series, be sure to follow Conscious State of Mind on our Spotify account.

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