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Maur Kii Drops New EP “MAURNB: THE YEAR WAS”

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View Park RecordsMaur Kii has had a busy 2024. He kicked off the year with an album, BIRTHDAY PACK: WELCOME TO 7. The music sensation is now back to close out the year with a new EP, MAURNB: THE YEAR WAS. The six-track EP is R&B-focused, borrowing from various eras and subgenres of R&B. Maur Kii cleverly and strategically arranged the songs on the EP to tell a story and its parts. The overall story is based off an interaction between Maur Kii and a woman.

The EP opens with the track, “STREETS.” The song is a chill, sleek record that has a modern R&B sound. The song depicts the initial interaction between Maur Kii and the women that is the subject of the EP’s story. Track two, “4 THE WEEKEND,” continues with the vibe of the previous record, but incorporates a more Hip-Hop/Rap sound. The track features renowned music artist Wontel. The song discusses Maur Kii courting the female love interest and his admiration for how hard-working the woman is. The next song, “NAKED,” has a unique arrangement and an eclectic beat yet still brandishes Maur Kii’s captivating R&B sound. The record dives into the internal conflict that the woman is feeling towards her new love interest, Maur Kii, and her current significant other. The end of the record marks the end of her current relationship.

The EP moves onto “DEEPER.” “DEEPER” goes deep into the lovemaking. It is a sensual, sultry record that touches upon the love/lust. The song features rising star Afterdrk (and appropriately so, given the topic of the song and the artist’s name). “OPTIONS,” the penultimate song, is up next. “OPTIONS” is a song that served as a lead single for the EP; however, Maur Kii altered the EP version of the song a bit. “OPTIONS,” on the EP, has an intro. The track has a swaggy vibe yet is a vulnerable piece. The song features budding music artist Randy White. The song is about how Maur Kii has options and him being honest to the woman, letting her know what she’s getting into. The track provides an intricate and intimate discussion about indecision, communication, and other topics that deal with love and relationships. The EP ends with the story’s end. “WHO CRIES IN A MAYBACH?” is a wavy record with dark tones. The romance and honeymoon phase seem to have faded. The song tries to reckon how the fun and extravagance weren’t enough to make the woman happy and the relationship last.

MAURNB: THE YEAR WAS is a terrific body of work from top to bottom – from the storytelling to the vocals to the production. The EP is perfect for all listeners, but especially great for fans of PARTYNEXTDOOR, Travis Scott, and Fridayy. MAURNB: THE YEAR WAS demonstrates why the year was Maur Kii’s.

Follow Maur Kii on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciskii.

This review was made possible by SubmitHub.

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DJ Design drops “I Wanna Be Free” single ft. Gennessee

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Bay Area beatmaker/visual artist DJ Design returns with new single “I Wanna Be Free” (Below System Records).  Washes of synth collide with a dense horn arrangement and snappin’ drums.  West-Coast emcee Gennessee guests on the track spitting a lyrical dissertation on the woes of a police state, racial profiling and surveillance. 

Listen to “I Wanna Be Free” (Ft. Gennessee): https://bsr.ffm.to/iwannabefree

This is the 3rd leak from the forthcoming Survival Web Vaults LP to drop in vinyl and digital formats later this year. Additional album guests include Fashawn, Phat Kat, Elzhi, Guilty Simpson, LMNO and more.

Listen to “No Less Than The Trees And The Stars” (Ft. Fashawn): https://bsr.ffm.to/nltttats

Listen to “The Blues” (Ft. Phat Kat & Elzhi): https://bsr.ffm.to/theblues

While more of a behind-the-scenes player DJ Design’s (aka Keith Griego) work has had a sizable imprint on the history of modern hip-hop. As a DJ/Beatmaker and visual artist he has contributed production and art since the late 90’s for notables including The Beastie Boys, Madlib, A.G., Foreign Legion, Rasco, Peanut Butter Wolf and Phat Kat

As a visual artist, his high point of work with the label was his design of the 12” vinyl cover for Lootpack member Madlib’s side project Quasimoto. The cover for “Microphone Mathematics” featured Design/Griego’s visual representation of Lord Quas as a sort of alien aardvark, which was adopted by the artist and has since become one of the most iconic and enduring

characters in the game today.

More Info: https://www.belowsystem.com/

https://www.instagram.com/djdesign

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