Welcome to The Playground, the PressPlay Agency’s blog where we keep you up-to-date on what us and our partners are up to.
The Playground Meets: Igwe Aka
Be sure to check out Igwe Aka’s latest release More Than A Man available on all platforms - featuring “Red.” Along with his follow up single release “Not The Hills” and the live performance at Major Stage below.
Stay tuned for the next evolution of Igwe Aka in 2021.
Written by Larcoche “Cin” Cineus for The Playground (by the PressPlay Agency)
The Playground Meets: Hollywood YSA
Hollywood YSA, much like a blacksmith forging a suit of armor, has been refining his craft over the years. While we’ve become quickly accustomed to the New York drill sound, the Brooklyn native sticks true to his roots in the ever evolving landscape. Blossoming onto the scene at the height of the blog era, Hollywood YSA released two mixtapes Hustle Thru Depression and 9th Dilla Effects, before releasing The Doom Tape EP. Written by Larcoche “Cin” Cineus for The Playground (by the PressPlay Agency)
The Playground Meets: Kaleb Mitchell
Kaleb Mitchell is a talented artist and rapper ready to take the world by storm with his eclectic take on hip hop and R&B music - with a new album out now titled So Help Me God II.
Born and raised in Morristown, New Jersey, his affinity for music started at the age of five when his parents discovered his talents of playing music by ear on an electronic keyboard. Written by Zahir Byam for The Playground (by the PressPlay Agency)
The Playground Meets: Lo Village - Discussing New EP ‘Lost In America’
The Montgomery Village rap and neo-soul inspired trio, Lo Village, follow their 2019 It Takes a Village EP with their most direct release yet, a five track EP that dropped late last year titled Lost In America. While Lo Village unifies their perspective as a collective artistically, they don’t allow location to be their defining factor, though it plays an influence in reinforcing their sense of community. The Playground (Powered by PressPlay). Interview by: Virginia 'Steph' Donalds Written by: Laroche Cineus.
Fivio Foreign Hand-Delivers Valentines To Women In Need In Brooklyn and The Bronx
Written by Nishat Baig
On Valentines Day, February 14th, New York rapper Fivio Foreign, alongside his non-profit organization the Foreignside Foundation, partnered with self-funded community organization Million Dollar Drive By to bring you Fivio’s Valentine Giveaway. Fivio joined Million Dollar Drive By founders Melissa Gabriel and Giovanni Pierre-Louis in handing out Valentine’s Day gifts to single women in shelters and domestic violence victims as a charitable effort to uplift women in the community. In addition, 45th District Council Woman Farah Louis joined the give away to help raise awareness of her “Take A Stand” initiative which supports domestic violence survivors and sex trafficking survivors.
The Playground Meets: Chris Patrick
Chris Patrick is a living testament to the power of manifestation and grind. So far, his music career has been unconventional, unexpected, and unprecedented. Originally a collegiate track star at Rider University, Chris went from jumping the high jump and hurdles to suddenly catapulting into his artistry… Written by Brianna Nestor for The Playground (Powered by PressPlay)
The Playground Meets: Mo’Love
Born and raised in the Bronx, Mo’Love is a budding R&B singer-songwriter who is a musical sponge to the world around him. A self proclaimed free spirit through music, clothing, and life itself, we learned that there is more to him than his peculiar timbre. Mo’Love makes music that touches on numerous topics such as his experiences with people, the gritty neighborhoods of New York, daily struggles, and who he is as a person, as heard on his 2019 project In Due Time… Written by Zahir Byam for The Playground (Powered by PressPlay)
The Playground Meets: GLENWORLDTOUR - to Discuss New Album ‘I Wanna Talk 2 Samson’
GLENWORLDTOUR is starting 2021 with reinvention and a new grasp on his aspirations. The Queens native spoke with The Playground about his beginnings, the importance of support and what to expect from him moving forward. His newest album, I Wanna Talk 2 Samson, was released January 5th of this year as a follow-up to his 2016 debut album, For Real This Time. He also releases music within his rap collective thebaremax, alongside artists Bert Knox, lamuse, yeahCALEB and executive producer Khozy. Through GLENWORLDTOUR’s music, listeners can get a sense of his versatility and how much he values those around him.… written by Brianna Nestor of The Playground (powered by PressPlay)
The Playground Meets: Jax - From TikTok To Atlantic Records
LA-based Jersey girl Jax is a talented singer, songwriter, blossoming pop star, and the newest addition to the Atlantic Records roster.
Last year, Jax – real name Jackie Miskanic, originally from East Brunswick, NJ – attracted a lot of attention from fans and labels alike by channeling her undeniable talent and obvious star power into a series of brilliant short videos on social media… written by Aidan Werder of The Playground (powered by PressPlay)
The Playground Meets: Seddy Hendrinx
Virginia ‘Steph’ Donalds of The Playground recently sat down with rising star out of Florida, Seddy Hendrinx to talk about his recent project Sayless, his involvement with Generation Now, and big plans for 2021… Written by: Ryan Crowley Interview by: Virginia ‘Steph’ Donalds of The Playground (powered by The PressPlay Agency)
The Playground Meets: TOME
Recently, The Playground sat down with the singer for a candid conversation on Instagram Live to discuss her growth and recent experiences as a rising star out of Toronto.
If you would’ve asked Tome three years ago, “Do you see yourself singing in front of thousands of people anytime soon?” She would’ve probably laughed and given an answer affirming her dreams and ambitions. Fast-forward to present day and ask the talented songstress the same question, and she will have stories to tell you about her recent reality of performing in front of sold-out shows all over the world.
The Playground: J.I Speaks On His New Project, Hood Life Krisis Pt. 3
The next edition of Hood Life Krisis Volume 3 is set to drop on December 18, 2020. Disney, from The Playground was fortunate to sit down with J.I prior to the release of the visuals for his second single “Excuse My Pain” ahead of the release of his new project.
Check out our interview with J.I from The Playground’s Disney (griseldaa_blancooo) below - and follow @pressplayground for the full video and more interviews with your favorite artists.
JLShotThat is Brooklyn Drill’s Go-To Music Video Director
JLShotThat is a key figure in the Brooklyn drill movement, and one you may have seen pop up in the background of some of your favorite clips - whether he’s being adorned with custom jewelry by Fivio Foreign or dancing in a Triller with the late-great Pop Smoke. Few people are aware of his contributions to the careers of many of New York’s blossoming stars, and even fewer are prepared for what he has planned next. We wanted to sit down with the man responsible for some of the most iconic videos out of Brooklyn drill. Think of a dope music video you’ve seen recently from a New York artist… chances are good that JLShotThat.
Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow Featured in Forbes’ Look at the Brooklyn Drill Scene During COVID-19 Pandemic
Forbes entertainment contributor, Gary Suarez, took an in-depth look at the Brooklyn Drill scene during the COVID-19 pandemic in a feature article published on May 8, 2020. In the piece, he lays out the current landscape of New York rap - citing Sheff and Sleepy as two early-movers and influential artists on the scene.
MEET THE TEAM: VIRGINIA “STEPH” DONALDS - DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SUCCESS & SPECIAL PROJECTS
Virginia “Steph” Donalds is our Director of Member Success & Special Projects - and the glue that holds it all together. A natural born hustler and creative, Steph plays a key role in discovering talent, creating partnerships, and generally keeping the ship running smoothly. At just 23 years old, she’s an entrepreneur, a cofounder, and has a production partnership with a major label - and somehow has time to attend just about every workshop and industry event NYC has to offer. Steph ensures our members and clients get the most out of our work together - and takes pride in building strong relationships and equipping talented young artists with the tools they need to navigate the music industry. She is a fierce advocate, a valued team member, and a star PressPlay brand ambassador - and we’re happy we found her first!
MEET THE TEAM: AIDAN WERDER - DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Aidan is our resident copywriter, editor, notetaker, and Jersey boy. He’s a skilled writer and communicator with an eye for branding and an inexplicable amount of hip hop knowledge - all being put to good use building up the PressPlay brand and our artists’. Coming from the startup world with a business school background, he has a unique perspective on the business landscape, using the lessons learned from helping to grow venture-backed tech companies to the world of music and entertainment. Aidan brings to the table a powerful combination of strategy and creativity, helping to bring concepts to life and elevate the stories of artists and brands. If you need to get your point across in written form - whether it’s an article, a bio, a press release, an email, or even a DM - Aidan is your go-to asset.
Meet the Team: D'Rand Jones - Director of Brand Management
D’Rand “D.Jones” Jones is our branding secret weapon. An experienced brand manager, D’Rand brings to the table years of experience working with top-tier talent: managing brands in several verticals, touring with high profile artists, creating brand activations, and building merchandising operations from the ground up. Over his career, he’s helped to sell over 500K units for various entertainment, lifestyle, streetwear, tobacco, and beverage brands - generating $6M+ in sales. D’Rand has managed Grammy-nominated artists and award-winning designers - and worked with some of the biggest brands and publications in the country. Originally from Cleveland before honing his craft and hustle in Atlanta, D’Rand now brings his talents to NYC to help build the PressPlay brand and those of our partners.
PressPlay Agency’s “Split Sessions” is Helping Artists Stay Productive While They #StayHome
PressPlay Agency CEO, Jocelyn Rivera is getting creative with a new IG Live Series, ‘Split Sessions’ - providing a platform to connect bubbling artists with A&Rs, media outlets, and music industry execs.
Split Sessions is a two-part interactive session on IG Live hosted each week by PressPlay CEO, Jocelyn and a special industry guest. During Part One, artists get the rare opportunity to have their music submissions listened to and reviewed on the spot by a music industry professional. Part Two consists of an informal interview where Jocelyn poses user-submitted questions to the guest around their experience in the industry, their areas of expertise, and of course the hot topic of the moment: how to cope with pursuing a music career during quarantine.