NLF RAPPERS
Caribbean Life, M 30 arch 27-April 2, 2020
of her sound is an effortless
fusion of soul and R&B.
“Similar to fellow R&B
mavens such as Summer Walker
and SZA, Gabriella’s songwriting
prowess shines brightly
in this latest single by tapping
into past decades,” Driven
added.
Drawing inspiration from
the style and love themes of the
70s and 80s, she said Koachella
embeds nostalgic feelings of
bliss in style of classic crooners,
such as Evelyn “Champagne”
King or Teena Marie, “with
modern pop drums to curate
an embellished single that perfectly
storyboards relationship
advice.”
Driven said Koachella‘s “talent
and writing similar to the
previously mentioned artist
speak wonders” about her abilities
as an overall musician.
“Every generation and decade
have been through relationship
and love issues,” Koachella
said. “A a songwriter/
singer, it’s my job to create
music that relates to every
generation while maintaining
a modern feel to it.”
Koachella also released
another song, “Friend Dem,”
touting introspection, with status
and feelings at the forefront
and correlating themes.
“The poetic nature of making,
having, and keeping connections
flows deep and leaves
a lasting impact,” Driven said.
“Similar to classic Jill Scott
songs, Gabriella not only
makes the song smooth to listen
to but also essential to pay
attention.
“Her words are educational
to new lovers and seasoned
lovers to be able to maintain
a healthy relationship,” Driven
added. “She sings it with
no only purpose but with an
abundance of energy and confidence.
“Gabriella isn’t bashful when
it comes to expressing herself
or sharing her emotions with
her audience,” she continued.
“She tells it like it is when it
comes to love, including the
trials and the tribulations, the
good times and the bad, raw,
and keeping it real throughout.
“The songstress puts herself
out there musically and is
ready to show the world what
she’s got, with a string of new
projects in the works,” Driven
said.
sports overall and eventually
the whole industry.”
In a 2017 interview in popular
media publication Complex,
Ingram said that he was out to
prove that he is “the best rapper
in sports.”
“He is not only tackling stigmas
that athletes can’t rap in
the general public’s eye but also
sacks the competition away
with an embellished sound,”
Driven said.
“People always look at it like
I’m ain’t trying to hear this,” she
quoted Ingram as saying. “But I
would think the same thing if I
was a real musician and hit me.
But my music speaks for itself.”
“Unlike most athletes who
turn into artists, he doesn’t put
one side over the other,” Driven
said. “Also, he values the quality
of the content he curates in
music.”
According to Ingram: “To
me, rapping is more of a way to
vent and express yourself, and
some people will understand
you.
“It’s a way to tell your story
more than anything,” he said.
Passionate about the crafts
he grew up on, Driven said
Ingram is not interested in selfglory
“as he humbly accomplished
accolades in his football
career that few players have
touched.
“He applies this same mindset
to music, and it has given
him critical praise,” she said.
Driven said it’s the same
humility and hunger he showcases
in his latest single, “Painting
Pictures,” in which he dedicates
“heartfelt lyrics over the
soddy beat to reach the souls of
listeners while telling bits of his
life story”.
Similar to sounds curated
by Rod Wave and Kevin Gates,
Driven said Ingram “dabbles
into melodic rhymes schemes
while narrating situations to
where anybody of any background
can relate to, therefore,
creating a single showcasing
his passion for smacking sonically
pleasing and well-written
music.
“Melvin Ingram is not only
an award-winning athlete who
makes good music but also a
revolutionary icon who is taking
it to the next level,” Driven
said. “His aspirations are set
high, and his passion will take
him far.”
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massive” platform for Caribbean
audiences, stating that
it has produced or influenced
some of the leading acts in
music in just a few decades,
such as Rihanna, Jessie Woo,
Nicki Minaj, Sean Paul, Shenseea,
Spice and Alkaline.
Headed by Tanya Lawson,
director of Afrobeats and Caribbean,
Driven said Audiomack’s
platform has “passionately
worked to showcase the plethora
of prestigious musical talents
from the islands.”
She said “everyone at Audiomack
isn’t only fans of Hip
Hop or R&B but also genres,
such as to Rock, Afrobeats,
Soca, Punjabi, Zouk, Kompa,
and a lot of other types of
sounds.”
“Music is everything,” Lawson
said. “So, what makes us
so unique is that we focus on
everything.”
Driven said the platform is
already in Jamaica, and is currently
focused on establishing
a presence with artistes
in Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti,
Grenada, St. Lucia and Barbados,
among others.
“With a
growing excitement
from fans
in the United
States of America
and all over
the world, the
sounds of the
islands are a
hot commodity
that the team
at Audiomack
strategizes with
the brand’s signature
streaming
prowess
and ethical
branding to
increase” its
“overall awareness,”
Driven
said.
She said Audiomack is
introducing the platform to
fans under 34, “thus allowing
new fans of Caribbean genres
of music to grow and appreciate
the diverse sounds of the
culture.”
In conjunction with cofounders
Dave Macli and David
Ponte, Driven said Lawson
is “on a mission on making
the plethora of island sounds
heard throughout the world
in many different and ubercreative
ways.
“With prominent dedication,
branding prowess and execution,
their goal on expansion
and increasing awareness for
Caribbean music is currently
in fruition,” she said. “For
the rest of 2020, watch the
increase of exposure straight
from the team at Audiomack.”
Continued from Page 29
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley (10) crosses the goal line to score a touchdown
ahead of Denver Broncos cornerback Davontae Harris during the third quarter of an NFL
football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. Associated Press / John Munson, File
Caribbean sounds on Audiomax
Kofee, one of Jamaica’s top singers, is also
featured on Audiomax.
Gabriella