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Ken-C drops “They Don’t Know” in homage to DMX

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St. Paul, Minnesota’s Ken-C and Rochester Producer Kidd Called Quest continue to pay homage to the greats.  New single (out now via Bandcamp) “They Don’t Know” is a tribute to the late great DMX and heads will pick up a particular inspiration from the X man’s track, “Who We Be.”

Stream/Purchase “They Don’t Know”: https://kiddcalledquest.bandcamp.com/album/ken-c-they-dont-know-produced-by-kidd-called-quest

This track appears a scant few weeks after the duo’s “Premo Feel” single, dropped on DJ Premier’s Birthday (March 21).  The track has been getting a lot of love on radio including Statik Selektah playing it on Show Off Radio (Shade 45) on Premier’s actual birthdate.

Stream/Purchase “Premo Feel”: https://kiddcalledquest.bandcamp.com/album/ken-c-premo-feel-prod-kidd-called-quest

Previous to that the duo kicked off the new year with single “Rap Your Age” (link below).

 Listen to “Rap Your Age”: https://kiddcalledquest.bandcamp.com/album/rap-your-age-produced-by-kidd-called-quest

In addition these two previously paired up on The Kendrick Cole EP (2023).  Kidd Called Quest and is also completing a new producer LP, Put Your Headphones On to feature a ton of potent emcees.

Ken-C has been releasing music over the past decade with a massive back catalog (available via Bandcamp).  Kidd Called Quest in addition to his work as part of the duo Young Black And Gifted (with emcee Azariah) has been dropping soulful boom-bap work with such notables as Big Shug, Kool G. Rap, Pretty Bulli, Jae Hussle, Curtis Coke and many more.

More Info: 

https://www.instagram.com/kentageous651

https://www.instagram.com/kiddcalledquest

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Dysmusia Keeps “In your eyes” Honest, Warm And Straight To The Point

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It is easy to see why a songwriter might be drawn to a story like this. Relationships rarely finish as neatly as people would like, and the space between “it is over” and “maybe we should try again” can produce plenty of material. For Dysmusia, that space becomes the setting for latest single “In your eyes”, out now through Now Listen.

The Irish singer-songwriter has a knack for keeping his writing close to everyday life, and this track benefits from that approach. He looks at an old relationship that has already gone through several attempts at making things work, then focuses on what happens when those feelings start creeping back in.

What makes the song appealing is the balance between sincerity and a lighter touch. Dysmusia is clearly invested in the situation, but he does not turn every moment into a grand declaration. There is room for a bit of humour and hesitation along the way, which keeps the song feeling natural.

The arrangement gives the song a pleasing lift. Acoustic guitar sits at the heart of it, with the dropped tuning adding some richness and a second guitar bringing extra colour. The result has folk at its core but carries enough indie-rock influence to give it a little extra punch.

Dysmusia’s Irish background is another part of the picture. Based between Antrim and Dublin and coming from a musical family, he has developed a style that puts storytelling alongside contemporary guitar sounds.

“In your eyes” brings those influences together without making a fuss about them. It is a personable, melodic track about feelings that refuse to follow a neat timetable, delivered with enough warmth to make the story easy to get behind.

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