Day: March 25, 2022

In recent years, a new breed of artists has been seen dominating the music scene. These innovative creatives are not afraid to push boundaries that will elevate the industry to greater heights. One such remarkable individual is the up-and-coming rapper KINGMOSTWANTED.

The 8PETOWN MC first started gaining momentum in 2018 when he released his debut single “No Case.” Only 15 years old at the time, he captured the attention of audiences because of his infectious bars and entertaining point of view. Hailing from the Inland Empire, the gifted artist is focused on building a legacy and creating music that celebrates his beloved West Coast.

After dropping the banger “In My City,” featuring fellow 8PETOWN collaborator MCM Raymond, his career saw a meteoric rise. The song gained over 15 million combined streams and a whopping 1 million video creations on the popular media sharing site TikTok. 

Since then, KINGMOSTWANTED has become a celebrity on the platform, with more than 173k followers who are always on the lookout for his every release. Even TikTok’s most popular star, Charli D’Amelio, has danced to his track “Different Varieties.” Leveraging his viral status, the impressive young man has landed exciting projects such as 2020’s FRESHMAN YEAR, which featured guest spots from AzChike and Quin NFN.

Despite having another feather on his cap as an influencer, the talented young rapper remains committed to his craft. In fact, he is going back to his roots for his most recent release, “Cali Lovin.” It is a rework of Ice Cube’s “Check Yo Self” and pays homage to the classic hit while putting its own spin and showcasing a modern-day Los Angeles. 

Above all, the song is a product of the artist’s unique creative process where he thinks of rhymes, arranges a flow, and then collaborates with a producer to create a beat that fits his thoughts. 

The track is powered by Vydia, and its official music video is produced by KEFLON THE DON. “Cali Lovin” is an excellent teaser that gives fans and listeners a glimpse into the young man’s upcoming release—his next EP, Notorious King.

The KINGMOSTWANTED is undoubtedly one of the best rising hip-hop artists on the West Coast today. When asked what helped him accomplish such an incredible feat, he profoundly replied, “My sound is not just one sound; I can come on almost any beat. That’s what makes me different from anyone.”

Moving forward, the intuitive MC plans to continue making more music that will show everyone that he has what it takes to take the world by storm. But, most importantly, he is looking to break through and achieve elite status on the West Coast and, soon enough, the global scene. 

In the meantime, fans and music enthusiasts should keep an eye out for KINGMOSTWANTED’s upcoming album, which is expected to be released soon. 

Check out the visual for “Cali Lovin,” here.

Music can make or break a party’s vibe. It takes a skilled and talented DJ to choose music that the crowd will enjoy, create fun and unique mixes, and give their audience an unforgettable show where they dance the night away. DJ Fade is an incredibly talented DJ who has made a name for himself on the international stage. His sets are always a crowd favorite as he knows how to keep a party moving.

DJ Fade may be known as a DJ, but he is also a well-accomplished producer. The music he produced has been a mainstay on radio stations since the early 2000s. With a career spanning over two decades, DJ Fade was instrumental in shaping the club culture and is a pioneer in club music. He has been part of many international features throughout the years, and all of those songs have been well-received by audiences worldwide. 

As a famous and beloved DJ, DJ Fade has attracted the attention of several A-list clientele. His list of previous clients includes Rihanna, Swizz Beats, Bu, Jermaine Dupri, Jordan Belfort, Chris Tucker, Maluma, and Usain Bolt. His music has also graced several high-profile events and venues, such as Madison Square Gardens, Prudential Center, Faena Forum, and Art Basel. 

So what sets DJ Fade apart from other professionals in the club music scene? He dances at each of his events. The effect he has on the crowd is mesmerizing, and he knows how to get the crowd engaged throughout the night. The artist said, “I love what I do, and I love that I get to share my music with people who genuinely want to have a great time. Dancing is a part of that entire experience that I get to share with them.”

While DJ Fade may have played major venues and events, he is also open to entertaining smaller parties. He has played music for several wedding receptions and corporate events. “I’m an entertainer,” the DJ says, “As long as there are people who want great music and an even greater time dancing, I can get the party started. Whatever vibe the event calls for, I can help everyone get into it.”

New York City is known for its thriving arts scene, whether that’s visual art, music, poetry, or fashion. As a resident DJ at one of New York’s best upscale venues, DJ Fade embodies the diverse cultures present in the Big Apple and fuels that into his performances. “Playing at the Pergola has been the best thing in my life,” he said, “I am so grateful to be surrounded by amazing people. And I am so lucky I get to change people’s moves and vibes every day.”

Even with his illustrious career, DJ Fade is still accomplishing his biggest dreams. Recently, he was invited to create a soundtrack for one of the world’s leading cognac producers. “That was a pinch-me moment for sure,” he recalled, “When I first started my career, I wanted to work with a well-established global brand, and to have that dream become a reality was surreal.”

Music and dancing have been a part of DJ Fade’s daily life. But what he treasures most is the connections he makes. “Meeting people, spending time with them, and getting to know them while they celebrate their life has been an amazing experience, and I hope to keep DJ-ing and producing music for years and years to come.”

After 25 years in the mental health field as a student, counselor and psychologist Dr. Jennifer Kos has come to the point in her journey that she realized we are all searching; searching for answers, comfort and a sense of belonging. Her new book, The Normalcy Fallacy, is the culmination of observed stories, fictionalized to persevere confidentiality where indicated, collected resources from other professionals, and challenging questions that are designed to lead us away from pathologizing the human experience and embracing the ideal world where “normal” is simply that which is healthy, safe, and loving. 

 Dr. Kos’ educational and clinical background includes undergraduate work in psychology and education, graduate work in counseling, and a doctorate in clinical psychology. With having multiple clinical licenses in two states, however, she continues to see the value in moving beyond the confines of pathology and diagnosis to the deeper work of self-awareness, self-healing and with a deep respect for intuition and belief in Self. Dr. Kos stated, “As I move away from the clinical work of diagnosis and treatment, I look to embrace seeing us all as in need of acceptance, love, and healing.” 

This movement toward coaching and consultation seeks to reach into those spaces beyond our illness and into our strengths. Dr. Kos will meet you where you are and together you can do the deeper work of self-exploration, acceptance, healing, and thriving.

 Dr. Kos was asked if you could give two quotes to someone starting a business, what they would be and why? Her response was straight forward responding, “Know Yourself and Know Your Audience. Without a level of self-awareness it is incredibly difficult to truly know ‘what I want to be when I grow up.’ So many adults, even into their middle and later years, continue to joke about not knowing what they want to do. Knowing and understanding our own interests, passions and values makes it less difficult to find and follow a path. You may want to be a therapist, but what kind? What area? What specialty? These are answered by knowing ourselves well enough to understand not only what we want to do but also what we absolutely do not want to do.”

When it comes to Knowing your audience Dr. Kos leads into understanding the dynamics of the chosen business and who is going to fund it. She stated, “Not only knowing your targeted audience but if there is an audience at all, or at least one large enough to support your business.” You may know yourself, your interests, values and passions, and be incredibly good at what you do, but if there is no audience for the service or product there is not a business.

Her book, The Normalcy Fallacy, would be the current product that could be described as one of the most innovative in her career right now. It discusses the impact that seeking normalcy has on our emotional health and how to break down the idea of being normal into doable parts. 

Current innovative services include consultation and coaching around emotional intelligence, deconstructing normalcy, stress and anxiety regulation, communication skills, and support through major life transitions. 

The third and most innovative service is tarot lead, intuitive coaching sessions. This particular option adds an element of Source lead feedback and challenge for those who are open to that way of looking into the past, present, and future. 

Besides the obvious difference in offering tarot as an adjunct to traditional coaching and consultation, what provides a unique spin on her services is the focus on creating healthy, safe, loving space to explore a person’s needs, goals, and obstacles. Dr. Kos stated “ Often, behaviors and thoughts are driven through a lens of pathology, trying to figure out “what is wrong with me” instead of looking at the function of these less desired behaviors and thoughts as normal parts that are maladaptively doing a ‘job.’”

She continued by stating, “Taking the ‘abnormal’ and working with a person’s skills, strengths and opportunities to create space where they can normalize what is ultimately so very human about the experience. This is not about approving of harmful, unhealthy or abusive behaviors, but finding the source of these obstacles and challenging the person to change in ways in the now to promote health, safety and a loving space to operate from into the future.” 

As a therapist and psychologist of over 25 years there has been a natural movement away from “diagnosing and treating” people to seeing, understanding, and supporting people in their personal quests to improve their current and future life. Dr. Kos got into the industry as a freshman in psychology 101. Originally scheduled as a communications and public speaking major. The moment she sat in a class and heard the theories of Freud, Jung, Maslow, and Erikson, she knew her life course had been permanently altered. “I had no idea what I was going to do in this field, but I knew it was my field to do it in, whatever that it was. There have been many ‘its’ over the years, but the field has remained the same,” said Dr. Kos.

She continued passionately saying, “To recognize that there is a power within each person that they can tap into to become a healthier, safer, more loving version of themselves that ultimately will not only improve and change their life but improve and change the lives of everyone they come into contact with. That adolescent part of me that wanted to change the world, to make it a better place before I left it, drives me to keep trying.” Dr. Jennifer Kos is constantly working on the three pillars of health, safety, and love that can deconstruct and rebuild the concept of normalcy. Dr. Kos understands and studies Guilt as a deeply motivating emotion that binds people to unhealthy behaviors and recognizes anxiety as a physical and psychological experience that can be not only debilitating but also incredibly motivating and powerful to create positive changes. Moving forward she has documented all and more in her new work The Normalcy Fallacy to guide people into a brighter and beautiful future.

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Lashia Levins is a multi-dimensional singer, songwriter, producer, and DJ diligently working her way up the industry ladder in songwriting, DJing, and music production. 

Growing up in the diverse musical heritage of Atlanta, Lashia’s childhood was colored by the sound of music as her parents were singers. As a child, she sang sopranos in the church choir and often accompanied her mother to studios and concerts, watching backstage as her mother sang background for A-listers like Elton John and Maroon 5. 

As she grew older, so did her innate talent and passion for music. Her mother recognized this budding creativity and supported her dreams by enrolling her in piano lessons, voice lessons, and performance art programs to sharpen her skills.

“She would also put me in a marching band and buy me all kinds of musical instruments for the house. I would make mixtapes that I would DJ and record music. She didn’t care what it sounded like. She’d play my music in her car,” Lashia recounted. 

Backed by a mother’s love and support combined with mentorship from industry professionals, Lashia Levins recorded her first professional song in 10th grade. Her angelic voice and intellectual talents, confidence, and charisma make her an artist to watch out for on the musical scenes.

Although Lashia made her debut as a young artist, her life is not all roses and sunshine. As the victim of abuse and a victim of a tragic car accident, she subsequently was confined to a wheelchair and used a cane for two years until her full recovery. However, rather than let those moments define her, she found strength, using the downtime after her accident to study to get a degree in music production and channel her experience into her craft. 

“I wrote many songs about situations that I have endured in my life, and without music, I wouldn’t have had an outlet. Every time I was kicked down, I was determined to get back up. I continue to pray and push. A little bit of faith can take you further than you’ve ever imagined. There are always guardian angels around, and I firmly believe that God will always plant your feet in the right place at the right time. You just have to be strong enough to take the first step,” Lashia said.

Aside from music, Lashia is also deeply involved in community development. She has participated in several community service events through her sorority (AKA) in support of education and global health by initiating clothing drives and working with educators to incorporate electronic music production in public schools. Additionally, she has military experience and has worked closely with the department of defense and FEMA to support cities that have been affected by war and major storms.

As a woman in the cutthroat music industry, Lashia Levins continues to push forward in the face of challenges identifying them not as challenges but rather as motivation to keep pushing.

“I’ve been through a lot in this industry, however, I use my pain and healing as motivation,” she said.