On his latest EP Delta, Escapist tells the story of grief and recovery, from the pain of loss and separation to the process of self-realization and renewal. It explores lyrics in terms of sound, flow, speed, rhythm, and rhyme, with the words carrying the story of loss, withdrawal, hallucination, denial, dreams, and healing.

With a combination of natural and electronic sounds, the soundscape further immerses the listener. Water is used as a symbol for darkness, grief, loneliness, change, and tranquility; the listener emerges from the forest canopy to see a new path in life, unburdened by the pain and suffering of the past.

SKMBJarrell aka SheKnowsMeByJarrell is a 25-year-old rapper from Berkeley, California. For SKMB, his vision in his music is that it should bring emotion out of people, good or bad. The Bay Area has a unique spirit and sound that is to be celebrated and embraced, while in tandem experimenting with new sounds. SKMBJarrell seeks to envelope a lighthearted vibe around everyone who comes across his music with hopes to inspire many more to chase their dreams while he’s on his own journey of self-discovery.

Bay Area’s newest R&B sensation is the representation that the community deserves. Itz Julius is a Filipino-American R&B singer-songwriter, producer, and audio engineer. After over 10 years of experience behind the scenes, working on developing his skills, he’s now releasing music to inspire and motivate the people around him that hope to do the same.

“Missed Calls” is an ode to the experiences that Chris has felt since growing up in Louisville, Kentucky. The murder of Breonna Taylor hit him hard, and instead of ignoring the pain, Chris Carter chose to embrace it, opting to pen the deeply emotional and highly vulnerable “Missed Calls” – for the people he’s lost, the struggles he’s felt, and his promise to overcome it all.

With deep cuts like, “What is On My Mind”, “Blank Stares” and “Café Society”, EL.SY reflects on what it means to navigate the world that we live in. Every song involves intricate, dancey, and dynamic production, but none of them sound the same. The only constant is EL.SY’s beautiful voice, and the captivating storyline that encompasses it all.

A few weeks ago, Finessed Media spoke with Nick Lee and Shannon Ervin of The Cultural Reset, to talk about their career beginnings and what they hope to achieve with their newest venture: The Cultural Reset.

We found very quickly that as different as we all are, we all want to accomplish the same thing - to support the communities that aren’t supported enough by traditional media.

Are you ready for the future?

The Hood Life Krisis series stemmed from wanting to escape the hood, and now it’s an escape from mediocrity. Be sure to check out Volume 3 on December 18th and keep an eye out for some very big features.

K CAMP, the artist behind one of the most popular Tik Tok records of the year, “Lottery (Renegade)”, has now released a deluxe version to the final installment of his R&B series, KISS 5.

The album runs a clean 20 tracks, and clocks in at just under an hour, but the sound of it is tough to describe. Elements of the production are indicative of contemporary R&B, and the features solidify that, but still, we think you should decide. CAMP came into the album with intention of making something that his fans would love – which is what he did.

Kaash’s Teenage Fever is vulnerable and real, which is all she’s ever wanted. She truly is “the world’s homie”, who understands the pains (and pleasures) that we all feel. Her music allows us to acknowledge the melancholy that comes with life, but also appreciate it for everything it has to offer. “Life is fun as hell”, and her music only makes it better.

With this release, Carmen stays true to her Venezuelan-roots, choosing to write and sing entirely in Spanish, over a modern reggaeton beat. What we weren’t able to translate, we were able to feel.

“SuperGood” is a sonic celebration of black history and black culture. Duckwrth uses elements of funk, R&B, pop, gospel, and hip-hop, to tell a story that oozes happiness and love. Even though our world is up in flames, Duckwrth believes there are healthy ways to escape – delving into SuperGood is one of them.

Brooklyn born & raised artist and activist DJ Bembona sits down with Alexi to talk about how she got her start playing parties and how her Latin American heritage has influenced her work.

My Brothers and I are an Oregon-based band whose music has amassed more than 22 million streams since they released their first debut album "Don't Dream Alone" in 2015. Their music, a mix of soul and indie pop, has won the hearts of 269,000 Spotify listeners, and led to notable premiers from Billboard and Ones to Watch. The group was also named one of KCRW's Artists to Know, and featured in Amazon’s “The Next” new artist program. Scott, David, and Jordan are hard-working, humble, and witty, evident in their quick-slip jokes during the interview; and their music inspires feelings of creativity, love, and grounding. This up and coming heartbreak band has its music available on all major music platforms and they encourage fans to visit them at their website https://mybrothersandiband.com for an insider's look on who they are. MBAI will release a new single "Own the Night" on April 24th.

Gatton is a 21-year-old Tampa-born artist who ascribes his music and inspiration to the stories he believes to be common amongst humanity. Gatton, who began releasing music professionally in 2017 after years of singing in choirs and playing the piano, has seen more than 2 million streams on Spotify with an average of 93,000 listeners per month worldwide. His hit single "When Scars Become Art" has garnered more than 800,000 streams alone, and his own creative direction has brought more than 20,000 views to multiple videos on his YouTube channel.