Spiritbox “Circle With Me”
You only want to play “popular music” at your club? Sure, we get it. How’s this for popular: A band gets 66 million streams before their debut album even comes out, and 155 million streams after that debut album is released. That band is Spiritbox, who hit number one on the U.S. and Canadian Rock and Hard Rock charts and peaked at #13 on the Billboard 200. So yes, that’s undeniably “popular” by today’s standards. Though the quartet is fairly “heavy” by most standards, that potential abrasiveness is offset by the soaring vocals of Courtney LaPlante. The latest version of StripJointsMusic’s tracks for club DJs showcases “Circle With Me,” a rocking anthem that has seen Spiritbox land at #15 on the Sirius XM ‘Biguns’ 2021 countdown and #1 on Sirius XM Liquid Metal 2021. “Heavy metal” has evolved, and Spiritbox will show you where it’s going in the 21st century. — Dave Manack
Lil Zay Osama “Fuck My Cousin”
Isaiah Dukes, aka Lil Zay Osama, was exposed to violence in his Chicago South Side upbringing and raps about it openly. Osama has been rapping since he was a youth and released his first tracks at 12. With “Fuck My Cousin,” Osama lays bare his experiences “I don’t like them niggas they don’t like my niggas and I’m too rich to be fightin’ them niggas/He was talkin’ shit, caught him on the nine here go yo diaper nigga.” This song has a surprisingly light and soothing beat that belies its lyrical content — consider how the song ends “This so deep right now I catch him, I kill his ass in public nigga/That’s on my brother.” Again, despite what Osama waxes about in this song, it is a banger and DJs should have no problem slotting this into their rap playlist.
Tyga “Freaky Deaky”
Audiences probably are already familiar with Tyga thanks to his hits like “Rack City,” “Faded” and “Taste.” This time around, the Compton, California-based rapper is out with “Freaky Deaky” featuring Doja Cat. “Freaky Deaky” opens with Doja singing “Got the mirror on the ceiling/You’re in the mood to please me/I’ve been feelin’ freaky deaky.” This song perfectly marries Tyga’s rapping delivery with Doja Cat’s sultry vocals on the chorus. Similar to “Fuck My Cousin” by Lil Zay Osama, the song’s beat is a contrast to the subject material. Tyga has long been a staple at gentlemen’s clubs and this song should fit nicely in his catalog for future nights out.
Loui feat. DreamDoll “Get In Get Out”
“Get In Get Out” starts off blisteringly quick with Loui wasting no time in acclimating audiences to his lyrics “The way that she suck me up, that shit be beautiful/Fuckin’ three bitches, they all look identical/Huh, get in and get out.” The song also features New York-based rapper DreamDoll who maximizes her time on the track with gems like this: 5’3″, but my money is tall as shit (No cap)/Bro, don’t give me your heart, I’ma break it (Aww)/He might Photoshop a pic of me naked (Ooh)/If it’s some moves for some money, I make it/Took a lot to be that bitch, I’ma take it.” Continuing the theme of these rap songs, this is a no-holds-barred rap song that will have the dancers of the club and its patrons grooving.
Shordie Shordie “Leave”
Shordie Shordie is a Baltimore-based rapper who got his start in a rap trio Peso Da Mafia. But it wasn’t long before Shordie Shordie broke out on his own shortly thereafter and hasn’t looked back. With “Leave”, Shordie Shordie raps about relationship issues, “ When you leave/Don’t say I’m better at all/I never met her at all/Don’t try to take what’s mine and lеave.” This is a somewhat understated track in that it’s not quite in your face as much as it is a harmonious balancing between rapping and singing from Shordie Shordie. The song has a laid-back feel, fitting for cruising down the highway with this song blaring as summer quickly approaches. As with all great rap songs, Shordie Shordie achieves laying his heart bare while not compromising anything musically.
Popcaan “Skeleton Cartier”
Popcaan is a DJ hailing from Jamaica (the parish of St. Thomas, located in the southeastern corner of the country) who has been active since 2008. In this track’s title, Popcaan references Cartier, a brand renown the world over for its jewelry and watchmaking. This is just a fun song and Popcaan’s enthusiasm radiates throughout the song’s entirety “Skeleton Cartier/Tell dem seh me richer dan last year/Fresh Louis V, fresh Nike Air/Gyal ah say mi skin pretty dan a bike flair.” With songs like this, it’s not hard to understand why Drake snatched him up on his OVO Sound record label in 2016.
Soul Circus Cowboys “Leather & Chrome”
Soul Circus Cowboys is a Tampa-formed quintet founded by Billy McKnight. The band is produced by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Frank Myers and features rhythm guitarist Dewey Buxton, lead guitarist Ron Zebron, bassist James Caulk and drummer Steven O’Reilly. The very beginning of this song sounds like it could be featured on the soundtrack to “Mad Max: Fury Road” before it gives way to a more audience-friendly country vibe. “She likes country bars, loud guitars and a cowboy with a beard/She has high heels and lipstick/She’s a hustler with a pool stick … What really turns her on the most/She loves leather and chrome.” ED Magazine spoke with McKnight about what makes this song an ideal play for gentlemen’s clubs and here’s what he had to say, “Because it’s a woman’s anthem in such a way. Women nowadays are CEOs, executives and bosses all over the world but it would come to the weekend. They like to strip off their work gear, put on some chaps and boots and ride. This song features women at their strongest!” ‘Nuff said.
Psycho Synner “Lady Killer”
We round out the Vol. 98 track reviews with Psycho Synner’s latest offering “Lady Killer.” Psycho Synner is fronted by Jeremy Spencer, who started out his musical career on a $79 drum kit his grandmother bought him from Sears. As a former member of Five Finger Death Punch, Spencer is well known by rock audiences. As the horned, red-faced personification of Psycho Synner, Spencer is reveling in his band and it sounds like it with this track, “A wicked witch, this evil bitch/She’ll take your soul (yeah)/You never can escape her wrath/She’ll take control (yeah)/She’s a lady killer.” That sample alone pretty much colors why this song would be a hit at gentelmen’s clubs. After all, how many of your club’s dancers could be identified as lady killers?
