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[thetorreediary]

Last Train to Paris | Part I | The Torree Diary

Diddy-Dirty Money consists of Making the Band’s Dawn Richard, Kaleena Harper & Diddy. In an interview with Billboard, Dawn let it be known that even though the trio was on to something “brilliant and iconic” the world still saw and treated her and Kaleena like “background singers”. After much research, I gather that the energy about the group’s ignition and dismantlement varies amongst the former members. During an interview with VladTV, Kaleena explained how she came to be a part of the trio originally. She had an eight-month-old baby when the group joined forces circa 2008 and she was a budding recording artist trying to land her big break. Dawn Richard, on the other hand, was recovering from the blow of her girl group, Dainty Kane [created by Diddy per the “Making the Band” reality tv-show], breaking up when Diddy asked her to write, produce and star in Diddy-Dirty Money. After essentially four years of touring, following the success of the trio’s only album Last Train to Paris, Diddy went to act and produce again, Dawn began focusing on her now wildly successful solo career and per her interview with VladTV in 2015, Kaleena focused on family life while using the gems dropped by Diddy and the whole experience of DDM to create a lane for herself in the songwriting game.

All in all, Diddy showed his genius-level alignment skills when it comes to music and all it encompasses when he came up with the concept for the group/album and who would accompany him on the journey that was DDM. They produced a cult classic of an album and here we will dive deep and analyze the nuances of Last Train to Paris and what it meant and did for the culture of hip hop and R&B forever.

Intro: Our preface into this futuristic cosmo, the album’s introduction track is sporadic and laced with what sounds like alien noises that transition into a rhythmic hip hop beat. You can also hear women’s voices dancing in the background. Getting into the lyrics of the track, our narrator is beginning to express “Sometimes you can meet somebody and they could just take your soul”. He seems scorned yet accepting, saying “That’s just the way it is sometimes”.

The track is written and produced by Guy Gerber, an Israeli disc jockey. He [..blends the worlds of melancholy and euphoria so effortless], which perfectly coincides with the subject matter of this first track. This lays the groundwork for more romantic-centered contradictions and the alluring sounds that accompany them.

Ass On The Floor (feat Swizz Beatz): The jarring, drumline-esque percussion is the base in the layering of the Ass On The Floor beast. It is built up with a combination of hi-hat and snare which gives this 15-sec crescendo that is reminiscent of techno. Without warning or transition, the beat suddenly switches over to a synthesizer sound that is melo in comparison to its predecessor. Coupled with the lyrics, the beat helps tell a very clear story.

Have you ever been at the club, clearly heartbroken, but you’re determined to drink and dance your sorrows away? This is track 2 summed up into one sentence. The lyrics of “When you in the club get your ass on the floor”, “And you’re drunker than a motherfucker”, “Try to find your way back to the love, you motherfucker” and “I would’ve gave my last breath, Now you can’t breathe without me” are very much telling of the subject matter. The narrators are clearly experiencing a tough breakup and are struggling to overcome the emotions that come with that trauma. The way the beat slows down and speeds up over certain lyrics jogs memories in my mind of when I’ve been out enjoying myself and all of a sudden everything slows down in my mind and I have that thought I had been trying to avoid and then whoosh, I’m brought back to reality. Our narrators are definitely setting the tone of the album to be a decade-defying breakup joint

Dubbed a legendary producer in the game, Swizz Beatz is known for his ear-catching sound. At this point, you should be able to identify his beats off sound alone. Outside of his distinct drum patterns, Swizz is also known for not being afraid to take collaboration to the next level. Here, he lends his voice as an instrument and can be heard on the chorus and hook.

Yeah Yeah You Would (feat Grace Jones): Track 3 is furthering the newfound theme of Last Train to Paris. It is giving us more of the “star-crossed lovers whose stars are not aligned after all” vibes. The title is repeated 18 times, with the single word “would” being used upwards of 20 times and the word “could” thrown in the mix for nuance. All of that is a clear directive of the narrator being lovesick and reminiscing on what would’ve or could’ve been. The beat almost pump fakes at the beginning with this melodramatic slow vibe used to allow Swizz Beatz to make the song’s introduction. Then it transports you back to the album’s setting of the club. It has high energy and uses instruments in ways I have never heard before. I can only describe it as brain-melting hardcore neo-hip hop.

Floyd “Danja” Hills produced this electrifying track. His style calls to mind the likes of production powerhouse, Timbaland. It comes to no surprise that the Virginia Beach native’s career breakout moments come from being under the hand of Timbo. After jumpstarting his profession in such a major way, he went on to produce mega tracks like “Gimme More” by Britney Spears, “We Taking Over” and later “Shining” by DJ Khaled, and “My Love” by Justin Timberlake. Danja is not shy about putting everything he has into a beat and it shows proof again with Yeah Yeah You Would.

Hate You Now: Skipping ahead to the sixth track in the lineup we have Hate You Now. In verse one we hear Kaleena’s voice loud and clear for the first time on the album. Her sound, while extremely similar to Dawn’s, has a rich and deep tone that allows her to bring a grit to this track that suits it well. The track stays with the contradictory love spell theme with lyrics like “Don’t go, don’t go Don’t want you, I hate you”. In verse two Dawn comes in subtle but with just as much power towards the end to give this very serious vibe not just with the lyrics but with the volume of her voice too. Nestled in between the verses there’s Diddy with this smooth four-bar rap that basically sums up the reason for all the back and forth with the theme of loving and not knowing how to let go. “My mama told never cry, She never told me to say bye, I cannot let you go I tried, I hate you girl, you know I lie”.

I wanted to include this song in particular because it’s the first time on the album where each member of Dirty Money gets to shine. Free of distracting background music and/or vocals, Kaleena, Dawn, and Diddy sound like a unit here. It is refreshing and it eloquently transitions us into the second half of Last Train to Paris. This is where the fun really begins.

Honorable mentions go to Rico Love, a 2x Grammy Award-winning songwriter, who co-wrote this Yeah Yeah You Would along with Aasim aka Leroy Watson. Watson has been signed to Bad Boy for almost 20 years and has written and currently music for hit Starz show Power Book III: Raising Kanan and ABC’s Queens. Additional vocals were supplied by none other than James Fauntleroy, 2x Grammy winner, and Rocnation signee.

R&B frontrunner, Victoria Monet, co-wrote I Hate That You Love Me along with Darkchild, the late Lashawn Daniels, Diddy, and Latoya Duggan.

|tiffanytorree|

Stay tuned for Part II. Be sure to follow me on all social platforms for up-to-date insights and alerts as to when I’ll be posting again @TiffanyTorree on everything

#music #tiffany #tiffanytorree #blackgirlmagic #blackwriters #blackbloggers #review #album review

[thetorreediary]

CLEAR | Summer Walker

Accompanied by a twelve minute long visual on Youtube, Summer Walker released a surprise EP entitled Clear. What struck me to share my thoughts on the project firstly was the fact that it was recorded all live. In the digital age I literally grew up in, such a thing is unheard of nowadays. Technology has advanced in a way that producers and engineers can take a couple programmed oos and ahhhs and create an entire song from it, without anyone ever picking up a microphone. So the fact that Summer took a simple yet powerful approach to her EP is greatly appreciated by a music purist such as myself. You cannot hide behind synthesizers and pitch correctors with a live fed mic.

Riot

“For my love, I need a riot”. With ample control of her voice, Summer explains to her lover that she needs their love to be a riot. From what I gathered, she doesn't mean confusion or violence as the title suggests but fire and spontaneity. This gem is under two minutes long and its lyrics are so powerful and ring true for many. Who wants a love that is without passion? Not I.

Grave

The only uptempo song on the EP comes with gusto. She is not taking any shit from anybody and is unapologetic about it. If you must tell her anything she does not want to hear Walker tells you to put the nonsense on her grave. I believe the story is truly told on the break down of the song. Her live band takes you to another place without the use of words just a few scats. And just like that, the song comes to an end.

Wasted

“Wanna get wasted off you”. Summer Walker uses the metaphor of getting drunk to describe the feelings of her lover. They have an effect on her as an unhealthy addiction. Feeling the burn of their love hit her throat as she consumes more than necessary or even safe.

Settling

‘I can't live with you, but I can't live without you”. Something we all grew up hearing we shouldn't do, settle for less than what we deserve. But as they say, when that love jones comes down on you it can be a MFer. Summer is clearly in love but knows she could do better. The bass guitar is the catalyst of the record. The low sounds of the instrument compliment the low tones of the vocals. To add to the drama of this track there is a sudden pause towards the middle of the song makes you think it is all over quickly picking back up where it left off. This reminded me of the uncertainty of love. One second everything is copacetic the next there is a jarring pause of fear then it subsides to a low hallow feeling.

|tiffanytorree|

be sure to follow me on all social platforms @tiffanytorree

#clear #summer walker #walker summer #blackgirlmagic #black women #album #review #shes gotta have it #tiffanytorree #tiffany #torree

[thetorreediary]

God Bless Them 20 Somethings | Ctrl | SZA

This monumental debut album by SZA has thoroughly secured my relationship with music. I now know how my mom felt in ‘98 when The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill graced the airwaves. There is no other album to date, by a young artist made in the 21st century that I have connected with as much as CTRL. There are moments on the album where SZA’s mother and grandmother are giving advice on the various topics the album presents. The first voice heard on CTRL is Mommy, as her daughter refers to her, saying the following kicking off the album : 

“ That is my greatest fear That if, if I lost control Or did not have control, things would just, you know I would be… fatal “

 Tiffany Torree’s Picks

| Supermodel |

 This track was produced and written in part by Pharrell Williams who also lends his voice for the whispers in the outro of the song. Solans reveals in the song that, as a result of her boyfriend not being with her on Valentine’s Day (and a host of other reasons), she has been sleeping with one of his friends behind his back. There is a line in “Supermodel” where she says, “You know I need too much attention for shit like”. I appreciated this lyric and other lyrics throughout the album for its raw emotion and plain language. As a young woman, daying in the digital can quite frankly trash. Everyone’s worried about a fantasy world made up of algorithms online instead of the physical bleeding breathing person in front of them let alone the people they are in a relationship with. 

 Another line I resonated with on this particular track is as follows: “Wish I was comfortable just with myself”. I agree with her on this one. Why is it so hard for people to be alone? In the past I struggled to come to terms with being single, feeling like I was less than for not having someone to claim me as theirs. It is perfectly normal to just be getting to know yourself without the added pressure of palming someone else's happiness. You should know yourself wholeheartedly before entering a connection with another as to not lose yourself in the other person when things don't work out. 

 Lastly, the lyric,” I get so lonely I forget what I'm worth, We get so lonely we pretend that its worst…...lonely enough to let you treat me like this”, is basically saying that she’ll get so lonely that she temporarily forget how she is supposed to be treated by a significant other. Then, she says that the loneliness gets to the point where she convinces herself it feels like the toxic relationship would be better. 

The electric guitar strums compliment the dark quality of the song. In the last 30 seconds of the song, SZA repeats the same line but it is met with drums in front of the guitar making the audience feel her words even more than the times previously saying the same thing. 

 | Garden (Say it Like Dat) |  

Solana’s love language is her man telling her that her butt is getting bigger even it doesn’t appear to be so. She expressed her insecurity of not being shapely like other women. Granny comes in the outro with a warning to her granddaughter telling her to “stand her ground”. The inspiration for “Gardens (Say it Like Dat)” was her desire to write a song for “[her] new self, writing to [her] old self to the someone [her] old self needed”.  

| Wavy(Interlude) featuring James Fauntleroy |

Interludes always seem to make it into my top picks on album reviews. I think its the aspect of leaving me yearning for more makes me appreciate the song that much more. The opening line is as follows: “I think I’m bad as hell, I got issues out of line”. Solana is playing off the term “bad as hell”, meaning a hot woman, to throw off the listener from the coming lyrics “I got issues out of line”. 

The following is an excerpt from Genius.com, annotating the lyrics,

 “I was wavy I've been waitin' for you, boy And I was drownin'” 

: An allusion to the 1953 poem, “Not Waving but Drowning” by Stevie Smith. The poem is about a man that from the shore appears to be waving at the people on the beach, but in reality, he is drowning. The first stanza goes: Nobody heard him, the dead man, But still he lay moaning: I was much further out than you thought And not waving but drowning SZA and James Fauntleroy may appear to be having a good time in their relationships, but in reality, they are crying out for help. (Genius.com)

| 20 Something |

This is my ultimate favorite song on Ctrl. When I first heard “20 Something” I cried like a baby because I felt such a deep connection to the lyrics. I can remember driving up I10 in Houston, at night and blasting the album but when this song would come on I'd be so distraught that I needed to pull over. It was 2017 and the album had just dropped and I was dumbfounded at how well she could compute emotions I didn't know I had.”How could it be 20 something, all alone still not a thing in my name”. Your twenties are a time where you have fun, they say. You're supposed to be exploring different types of people and be traveling, they say. But in reality, you end up being treated like a child but expected to take care of responsibilities. You're broke and so disassociated that we can't even do whats so say expected of us.

“But God bless these 20 somethings

 (God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh) 

Hopin' my 20 somethings won't end Hopin' to keep the rest of my friends 

Prayin' the 20 somethings don't kill me, kill me”

Happy 2nd Birthday Ctrl !

 |tiffanytorree| be sure to follow me on all social platforms @tiffanytorree 

june 9, 2019

#sza #ctrl #szactrl #blackgirlmagic #black women #writers #writer #blackwriters #women writers #nonfiction #article #music #tde #20somethings #tiffanytorree #tiffany #torree #thetorreediary #MUSICBLOGFORTHEMASSES #love galore #drew barrymore #brokenclocks #2017

[thetorreediary]

Artist Spotlight & Review | Lrkchronicle | Tiny Desk Concert

Mannnn it's something about live music that gets me every time. I'm pretty sure it has much to do with my upbringing. My mom is a fanatic over big bands and I'm almost certain she passed that love to me. Lrkchronicle gives us that intimate feel of the Tiny Desk Concert Series, produced by NPR on YouTube but makes it so original. Accompanied by a pianist and two vocalists, he takes us on a bewildering journey of sonic bliss. While it was only 12 minutes, it was just enough time to never want it to end. Lrkchronicle gave us a short, sweet and soulful performance.

My only criticism would be the title of the video. Because I'm an individualistic enthusiast I didn't want this glory of a performance to get lost in the sauce of YouTube searches. But I will acknowledge that, in the last couple of years and even months, YouTube has changed its algorithm. So the title is a good thing in that regard. Now to a couple of things I thoroughly enjoyed. The band was all Black artists, which of course made it aesthetically pleasing for me to watch. Lastly, the arrangement of the last song was my favorite of all the songs performed. It was a group effort and everyone sounded amazing.

|TiffanyTorree|

Lrkchronicle | social media | @respectmrwalker

Tiffany Torree | social media | @tiffanytorree

[thetorreediary]

Lukk-G | Artist Spotlight | The Torree Diary x Tiffany Torree

We are currently living through another black renaissance. Everything from movies to music is being revamped and looked through a different lens. Ced Law II, otherwise known as Lukk-G, is apart of the current school of thought that is being credited for the onward movement of black culture. Although his resume is still under construction, you can not deny the raw talent he posses. Hailing from Houston, Texas’ infamous Nawfside Lukk’s journey into his passion began in 2015, that same year he coined the phrase “Fuck allat silly shit, FASS”. I took the acronym FASS to be a play on the word FAST which Webster defines as “characterized by quick motion, operation, or effect”. To me, Lukk is saying let’s get back to the task at hand swiftly, being real rap bars before we lose that core fanbase i.e. the engine that pushes hip hop along. From what I’ve gathered, he is a very calculated artist who has found their niche for putting out quality work. Speaking on quality work, after some extensive research I found that there was a shift in consistency and quality of work for the better around August 2018. Here is where we get into the “meat and potatoes” of Lukk-G’s artistry and musical catalog. We get into projects like [F.A.S.S.] Fuck Allat Silly Shit Volume 1, Mine over Matter and most recently the single Really Rap’n. | [F.A.S.S.] Vol. I is branded as your classic mixtape, fresh bars over iconic and/or popular beats. Ironically, this is where we see his originality shine through. With illustrious beats such as Lil Kim’s “Crush On You” featuring Lil Cease and more recently popular 2 Chainz’s “Good Drank” featuring Gucci Mane and Quavo. My favorite on the project has to go to Lukk-G’s rendition of Digable Planets’ “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like That)” called “Too Cool Like That”. He keeps the same looped beat from the 90’s smash while delivering fresh bars that hit. He also solicits another toe smashing rapper, KenTheMan also hailing from Houston, Texas’ Nawfside, to make the song well rounded and full. I rock with the song so tough because it could’ve easily become an updated version of the same song and it was not that at all. This project has the most listens of all projects and singles on Lukk-G’s Soundcloud.com. | Mine over Matter is described on Soundcloud.com as “3-track crack”. It was released just under 10 months ago at the time this article is written and is the most recent body of work that has been released on this platform. Overall, I thought it was straight to the point without any mundane transitions. It is obvious that time went into this EP and I appreciate it’s simplicity. | “Really Rap’n” is the most appropriate title for this single seeing as though Lukk is doing just that. Rapping. Bar after bar, pound for pound, he uses his talent in the purest form to give you this minute and forty-second goldmine of metaphoric jizzum. To find all the projects mentioned, please visit www.soundcloud.com/lukk-g

Follow Lukk-G on all social platforms | @LukkG_

Upcoming Projects | [F.A.S.S.] Vol. II coming Spring 2020 | Lukk not Luke coming Fall 2020

Follow the author, TiffanyTorree on all social platforms | @TiffanyTorree The Blog | www.tumblr.com/thetorreediary

[thetorreediary]

I | Lucky Daye l Story Told Amongst A Million Men

A good artist friend, and fellow Mckinley High school alumni put me on to the video for Roll Some Mo. It’s the first single from Lucky Daye’s very first EP entitled I, as in Roman numeral one. I is the first part in a two part collective album with the second part being II. After being awestruck by his vocals, I had to find out more about his artistry and process. This led me to Youtube where I watched an unhealthy amount of content and was immersed in it.

The people at You Got Soul asked the questions I wanted answers to. When asked about how Roll Some Mo became the single from the project Lucky said he couldn’t take credit for something he did not have a hand in. Normally when it comes to an artist submitting their music to recording labels, the branding team will make changes to the material in hopes they’d appeal to larger audience. I was submitted to RCA and they approved with no changes. Roll Some Mo is the first track on the five song EP thus making it the single.

Daye spoke about I in highest regards and expressed how he got very emotional and raw for this project. His demeanor was that of someone who had tried to appeal to their audience while keeping some artistic integrity that had finally got their break. He expressed how he cried writing half the album.

Lucky is among a distinctive group of musicians hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana. All having a unique sound and an undertone of soul. “Nola means soul. .. It made me tough as nails and soft as cotton”, he expressed.

Torree Picks

The entire EP rides so I’ve analyzed the songs individually and as a whole.

Roll some Mo|

The video was captivating like the effect of watching someone preform live. In a moments time I became a fan of Daye. Roll Some Mo showcases a pair of beautiful brown people, the star being Lucky and his unnamed companion. It begins melodic, airy and whimsical. Full of scenes of nature and thick smoke clouds as the title suggests. The visuals and song take you on a journey of ascension. A euphoric rush over the mind. At the 1.5 s mark in the song the beat morphs is a way that it seems the vocals are dancing on it.

Late Night |

This is a soulful and funky track that instantaneously makes you want to dance. This groove is engraved in the DNA of the song. It is producers by D Mile who’s leeway in the game by producing songs such as the following : Boss|The Carters, Could’ve Been|H.E.R. ft Bryson Tiller, Carried Away|H.E.R. & produced many songs on Ty Dollar $ign’s Free TC.

Extra|

When I first heard this song I just knew it had to be featuring Frank Ocean. There’s a canny resemblance in their voices at the beginning. Maybe it’s the same southern drawl and kindred soul of artists from Nola. Extra is a feel good track. It transitions nicely into a spoken word piece done by Lucky Daye himself.

Concentrate |

It seems like the lovebirds from Roll Some Mo, our first track, are getting intimate and are trying to concentrate on the moment while trying to focus on not falling in love with one another.

Ready to Love (Interlude) |

Not long enough. I just love it that much! We can only assume that after trying to concentrate on not falling in love the inevitable happened and the EP is ended with the cliff hanger of not knowing how the love plays out. I figure the whole project is the process of falling in love present day. Roll one up with your person of interest. Then on to the dancing after your both floating. It getting late, around that time, they’ll start to want a little more. They begin to concentrate on being together and subsequently are now ready for love. Leaving on an interlude, you’ll be wanting more.

|tiffanytorree|

s/o my homeboy Loki Pravda for always putting me on good music.

click above to listen to I by Lucky Daye

& follow his social media @iamluckydaye

& STAY TUNED FOR PART II

[thetorreediary]

When I Get Home | Solange

Solange Knowles gave us the dose of neoRnB that we needed as a prerequisite to When I Get Home. A Seat At The Table had strong standing full tracks and storytelling interludes, something Solo continues in this newest project.

With her two and a half year hiatus, some thought they had heard the last of the fresh sound Solange had so thoughtfully placed before us. Although promotion for When I Get Home was slim to none, it was strategic in revealing the subject matter of the album.

[phone] is undoubtedly the most iconic telephone number in Houston music culture history. Made famous by Swishahouse’s own, Mike Jones in 2005 on the cult classic “Back Then”.The song reportedly would receive thousands of calls a day and racked up a $50,000 bill from Sprint at its peak. Back in 2018, Solo used the number to preview snippets of the album when dialed. Thus revealing the topic of conversation and influence of When I Get Home.

Dubbed “Houston-as-hell” by many publications for its deep rooted inspiration of The Lone Star state’s most populated city. There are hints of Zydeco, Soul, & Chopped and Screwed sprinkled amongst the various styled beats. The producer lineup consists of heavy hitters Pharrell Williams & Metro Boomin. And some of my personal picks have unlikely but sensible players involved.

Torree Picks |Down With The Clique is the first track on the LP that struck a strong cord with me. The simple yet bass filled beat is accompanied by the voice of Solange and additional vocals & keyboard is lent by Tyler the Creator which was a pleasant surprise as he sows off his low tone by harmonizing with our lead vocalist. This track was in part produced by Solo as are all the songs on WIGH.

|Stay Flo was in part produced by Atlanta native Metro Boomin, which is evident by the single quality of this song and by the vocals added to the beat lent by Metro. There is beauty in its simplicity of words and music.

|Dreams holds the same characteristics of all songs on the album including repetition along with extreme lullaby tendencies. On this track, Solo is urges that dreams come true with persistence as the line “dreams, they come a long way, not today” is repeated as a mantra.

|Almeda is not only an area on the southwest side of Houston but also the title of track number nine. Pharrell’s 808 paced beat gets your attention. It’s still grasped by the staccato chop of the beat and choppy vocals of Solange. The track features The Dream and Playboi Carti.

| Sound of Rain is my absolute favorite song on the project because it is very reminiscent of Missy Elliott’s 1997 hit The Rain with its dark undertones. The iconic and identifying four count that preludes the song is the signature of producer Pharrell. Between the digital crash sounds and the continued use of 808s it creates a beat that is used to mimic rain and thunder. The background vocals are done by Steve Lacy and ABRA.

Overall, it’s extremely evident that Solange and her team put an immense amount of work into When I Get Home and it’s shines through the entire project. A beautiful follow up to A Seat At The Table.

Thank you to Solange Knowles and everyone involved for the album and visuals. Together they gave me a vast amount of inspiration to write again.

|tiffanytorree|

To see more from me and what I’m listening to
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[thetorreediary]

Contrary to popular belief this was my very first time going to a listening party and Seynabou definitely exceeded my expectations. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The sea of different shades of ebony filled the room and the elder women of the family greeted me with open arms and hearts. Their smiles swam love into my heart and opened my soul to the ambiance. I noticed early into the night that the elements were present. Fire from the tea candles lit the corners and nooks of the room, the earth symboled by the many grounded plants reaching for the sky, the air cooling me down intrigued my Air sign heart, the water of the rainy day elated my skin as moisture is the source of hydration for melanated skin. The elements brought on a peace and calm about the night that my anxious soul greatly appreciated. I was able to dive deep and soak in my surroundings and the music yet to come. There were spoken word performances done outside. The greenery behind the men of Blacksmith and Ronin set the tone of everything natural. As they let us in to what magic they had created with pen and paper, all sounds were of echoing snaps bouncing off the emerald leaves. We retreated to the house after the sunlight chased us in. Before we commenced to listen to the project, she quoted the phenomenal Erykah Badu “I’m an artist, and I’m sensitive bout my shit.” I learned that this project is a continuum of her first ep From The Mirrors... and as soon as she pressed play it all made sense. ....To The Stages The stage is all hers. The project starts with Promise,Seynabou’s voice ringing from wall to wall. She is a choir. Crescendos and decrescendos send euphoric chills up my spine. She has my full attention. Such a powerful voice over many beats of which she made almost entirely by herself. Don’t Go teaches us order and patience. It also is extremely tranquil as is most of the ep. Jump to Be A Little and you get your new favorite song, definitely mine for that matter. There’s a switch up in this one that took me somewhere else. At the listening party it had the same effect as No Overlapping, the first song on From The Mirror... There is a radio quality about it that thrilled everyone I have let listen to it so far and it is currently the most listened to on SoundCloud. MTA is special for a couple of reasons, it’s the only song produced by someone other than Seyna and has one of the only features. It shines through and still is gelled well with the rest of the project, which is a hard concept at times when dealing with different producers and sounds. Finally there is Shape Up, which took me back to classical training. Seyna’s voice is angelic and contemporary. I feel l Ike this particular song explores genres and showed off her powerful range. To Seynabou (Para Kari Ra) Thank you for the outpouring of love and kindness. Your are a light among your peers and your voice carries the strength of our ancestry. Peace and much success. | tiffanytorree | Seynabou | insta.snap.twitter | @dis_mysong

[thetorreediary]

Change Up | Brandough | Song Review & Breakdown | @TiffanyTorree x TTD

Change Up is an anthem for the loners getting the bag by any means. It has a lethargic feel and impeccable radio quality. The track’s cover art features Brandough in multiple clouds of multicolored smoke. This is a direct correlation to the drugged out sound of the beat and blunt laced lyrics. Money is the motive and the center of the artist’s mind. It also is a direct parallel to the power aspect of money expressed in the legendary Scarface’s early 90s track “Money and Power”. It is easy to see how and why one would strive to get funds and maintain them, especially in the economic desert of today.

The beat is mellow yet spacey. It puts you in a dazed reality where the artist takes you on a journey through his mind. It doesn’t do too much and like I always say “less is more”. Simplicity catches the ear of the audience and holds onto it like an interlude would. This effect leaves you wanting more.

The lyrics “Alone inside my bag solo”, is a powerful message if you know how to take it. You can get money with others but it’s nothing like the grind and daily hustle of doing it by yourself. Money is clearly the motive. The Melancholy overtone mimics the limited gusto of being a constant loner.

The late 2010’s and early 2020 brings a new wave of music that is drugged out and just does not give a damn. Can we blame them ? The musicians are in a different environment and headspace to where they are producing this quality music with small budgets while getting their content to audiences instantaneously. From there they are able to make revenue from touring making for less artists development which ultimately breeds a paper chasing mentality. That combined with everything they have grown up seeing, even today what they continue to see, it’s understandable that they would make drugged out solo dolo music.

The possibilities are endless for our artist Brandough. With the success of Change Up, he followed with 2 more singles to rock the summer of 2020. The first being Allstar which has a similar “getting money” attitude. The other being a gritty Silence featuring Yoshi the Plug. For this variety I can see a lot of potential in the Brandough’s ability to branch off into alternative genres from this track and others on his streaming music profiles.

|tiffanytorree|

Make sure to follow Brandough everywhere for up to date news on his music releases!

IG| @solo_dough Twitter | @itzBranDough

Anywhere you stream new music | Brandough

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[thetorreediary]

Shiii Deezy | Battler Spotlight | The Torree Diary x Tiffany Torree

After countless battles watched, one of my only questions is Why aren’t there any scoreboards or judges for these battles? But that is a loaded question. What could seem like trivial nuances, are the very things that make battle rap the very spectacle that it is today. 

Shiii Deezy is a battle rapper hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. To collect the W battling against Deezy is no easy feat. His assertiveness in the ring is ungodly and his punchlines almost always have his opponents lagging a couple of bars behind trying to decipher his lines ultimately leaving them in a frenzy. 

Deezy had a great matchup back in March 2019 when paired with Poppy G from Little Rock, Arkansas for BlackSmith Battle League Presents Bloodline. Poppy G, from what I’ve seen, is very aggressive with his approach and is usually out for blood. But after the excitement of the first round wore off, both battlers seemed to stumble and trip over words. First, it was Poppy at the end of the second round. He seemed comfortable after his freestyled rebuttal, but it proved to be too much for his brain to hold on to written verses as well. Deezy, on the other hand, seemed to be coasting on the excitement of the homecourt advantage and by the third round bowed out gracefully when the punchlines continued to fall flat. Overall, both battlers could have come harder and left the audience, in my opinion, with a draw of sorts. 

Fast forward to November 2019 to BlackSmith Battle League Presents Equal Writez and we see Shiii Deezy paired with the Compton, California firecracker, RX. This one round smackdown gave me everything I wanted to see from Deezy. But first, let’s talk about RX. Sure, she came with a few punchlines in her bag and I can not deny her wittiest overall, but her lines were weak in the face of Deezy. I feel like she should’ve done more research on her opponent rather than Louisiana as a whole and maybe this would have turned out more like a classic rather than a complete W on Shiii Deezy’s part. I can tell, just out of sheer comparison’s sake, from one battle to another that he came for blood this time. My dude had the fresh hair cut, free from the typical locs he sports which is a kudos to him because then all potential bars about his dreadlocks are out of the question. Slaughterhouse, kickback’ll push you away, SEPTEMBER. If you don’t know, you have serious catching up to do. His comfortability and performance soared. This was the most consistent I’ve seen from Deezy and I can only hope that it is nothing but up from here. 

|TiffanyTorree|

Let My Audience Know What You Have Coming Up | 

“I am booked for SXSW in March. Until then I am just building my putting on for Baton Rouge in the Battle Rap culture. Shoutout to BlackSmith Battle League & Bayou Battle League. 225 vs the World”   -Shiii Deezy

Be sure to follow Shiii Deezy on social media | @deezy.prophet

Follow me on all social platforms | @TiffanyTorree

[thetorreediary]

Artist Spotlight ✨ | JayJayy I had the privilege of having a phenomenal conversation with my good friend JayJayy. He's an up and coming artist out of Baton Rouge,LA with a sound all his own. I just wanted to pick his brain about his music and the processes that he takes to create it. Jamison "JayJayy" Joseph is a creative of the rapping and singing persuasion. At age 20 he is already growing his fan base on SoundCloud and Instagram all while working and attaining a Bachelors degree in Music Business at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Being a Libra he finds balance in every situation and he also thrives heavily on vibes and energy, making sure not to rush the process. This proves to be true when it comes to JayJayy's creative formula. “When it comes to songs and projects I don't have any rituals that I consistently go by.” He told me that sometimes the dope lyrics come first and sometimes the beat comes first and he works his magic with either scenario. Even with the music he is currently working on, nothing is rushed and he chooses to go at a steady pace that works best for him and his ever growing schedule. And with all he has going on he still has time to do open mic performances on UL Lafayette's campus and has already indulged in making music with his pupils. When asked about potential featured artists this is what he had to say: “I see myself making great music with people like Jojo (@jojothevoice) and Seynabou (@dis_mysong).” Both ladies have alternative approaches to RnB similar to JayJayy so those collaborations would be a perfect melodic match. His sound has an unconventional RnB vibe with hints of Funk and a strong sense of New Age hip hop. The man has bars and a controlled singing voice. A dynamic duo that can't be beat in the generation of Trap Soul. He currently has a single out called "Any Other Nigga" that has been played over 34,000 times since its release in late March. And he let me know that he is currently working on new music that will be released very soon. Special thanks to Jamison for taking the time out of his day to chat with me. He's a rising star who deserves every blessing that comes his way. |tiffanytorree| JayJayy's handles will be below as well as the link to "Any Other Nigga" IG & Twitter | @igobyJayJayy SoundCloud | @itsJayJayy "Any Other Nigga" the lastest single by JayJayy | http://soundcloud.com/itsJayJayy/anyothernigga Photography | @lahmoses To see more from me and what I'm listening to follow me @TiffanyTorree on all social media platforms

[thetorreediary]

Paramore has and always will be my favorite band. Hailey’s vocals caught my ear in the 7th grade and ever since then I have been a big fan of the group as a whole. So when I had the opportunity to go to the high school of my dreams by way of a talented music program I knew that I had to come correct for the audition. I had about a month to prepare and of course, I was a nervous wreck. I talked with the musical people in my life about what I should sing. My previous music instructor recommended a ballad, you know the usual Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey song. My sister suggested something off of the Arch Android by Janelle Monae. The album had just dropped earlier that summer and we vibed to it daily. My mom really wanted me to sing “Forgive Them Father” by Lauryn Hill and since I spent the majority of that summer out of town she sent me away with the lyrics and told me to practice daily. Now I don’t know about y’all, but I was kid away from home during the summer and memorizing a song was the last thing on my mind. I think I may have tried to practice once during the whole 2 1/2 weeks I was there. It got down to two weeks before the audition and I had just made it back home to Baton Rouge. The minute I got back my mom wanted to hear me sing the song and of course, I bombed and she was pissed. So there I was back at square one with only a couple of weeks to get something together for this audition. I asked around for more suggestions and it seemed like I couldn’t find the right song for me. Even after all the input I still was lost as to what I should sing. I wanted a song that would showcase my voice but also my creativity and originality. I knew everyone would go in their audition with “I Will Always Love You” on the brain and I wanted to be different. So finally, it came to me while flipping through my CD collection. I stumbled across a burned copy of Brand New Eyes, the latest album from Paramore, and instantly I knew what song I’d sing. Misguided Ghosts had been my go to song when I found myself lost in the emotions of growing up. It also was a simple song that I knew I could put my personal flare on. With the help of my in-house vocal coach aka my mom, I arranged the song in a way that was comfortable and effortless to sing for me. The day of the audition came and I was scared as hell, as to be expected. If I remember correctly it was my mom and aunt who came with me and they tried their best to boost me up and drive the jitters away. We arrived at the school board office where the auditions were being held and I got out of the car contemplating if I even wanted to go through with it. We get inside and just my luck they were immediately ready for me. I was guided to a different room than my mom. I opened the door and saw nothing but white walls, two women sitting at a long table, a CD player and piano tucked to the side of the room. They asked me my name and what song I’d be singing. I must have replied nervously because the black woman told me that everything was going to be okay. I took a deep breath and told them I was ready. The music started and by the grace of God, I actually started singing. Following the audition, my mom and I were ushered into another room where I would receive my results. Out of a possible score of 50, I earned a 49! One point taken off for diction but I could not have cared less. My dream had come true. I often think about this moment in my life and wonder what would have happened if I had never given Paramore a chance. Up until the moment I stumbled across their music, I let my taste in music be shaped by what my mom and sister liked and listened to. But for the first time, I opened my ears to new sounds and genres and I fell in love. “I see my life in terms of music.” - Albert Einstein | tiffanytorree | Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud | Snapchat @TiffanyTorree