The creative spirit, much like the root system of an old-growth forest, thrives in the dark, honest soil of experience. It’s often in our most fragmented, vulnerable moments—the moments we fear will expose us—that we find the seeds of the strongest art. For too long, artistic communities have grappled with a quiet and corrosive internal pressure: the mental health stigma that demands a facade of effortless strength. The artists featured here are actively rejecting that stigma.
1. “Disappear” – Cabra
Info about artist: Cabra is an Essex-based artist blending UK hip-hop with smooth R&B. Unbothered by genre rules, he pulls from soul music, letting feeling lead his verses. Now part of the ES6 collective, he brings a unique balance of soul, wit, and raw honesty.
| Niche | Review (Reflective & Inspirational) | Score (1-10) |
| UK Hip-Hop | This track begins not with confidence, but with the quiet courage of someone admitting the architecture of their life is shaky. Cabra lays bare the confusion of a toxic bond and the shadow it casts on self-worth. The pivot, reflecting on the purity of his niece, is the kind of storytelling that speaks to the deepest human need: a reminder of what is truly sacred, providing a compass to navigate internal chaos. The soulful melodies over light drill percussion offer a current that moves you forward without forcing a false optimism. It feels like an exhale. | 6.4 |
2. “Present In The Pain” – T O Soul
Info about artist: T O Soul is an artist and producer who unapologetically bridges the raw intensity of UK grime with the smooth depth of traditional R&B. His fierce, bold, and unfiltered lyricism is a clear focus, crafting a sound that is as commanding as his approach to storytelling.
| Niche | Review (Reflective & Inspirational) | Score (1-10) |
| UK Grime/R&B | There is profound inspiration in choosing to stay where you are—in the moment of discomfort—rather than seeking distraction. T O Soul’s title, “Present In The Pain,” is a manifesto. His delivery is a forceful, rhythmic meditation that transforms discomfort into strength. This is music for the mind that needs to stop running. It teaches that acknowledging the hard truth is not a weakness, but the first step in building a sustainable sense of self. A valuable, powerful approach to difficult emotions. | 6.0 |
3. “Na Na Benz” – James BKS
Info about artist: French Cameroonian artist and producer James BKS crafts a tri-continental musical language. He channels the legacy of his father, legendary saxophonist Manu Dibango, into percussive offerings built from Bikutsi music and contemporary hip-hop. This single celebrates the Togolese women traders known as the Nana Benz, symbols of female entrepreneurship and independence.
| Niche | Review (Reflective & Inspirational) | Score (1-10) |
| Afro Hip-Hop | This track is an act of historical recollection as a form of motivational creation. By honoring the ingenuity and agency of the Nana Benz—women who turned textiles into wealth and power—James BKS provides a powerful framework for what independence looks like. The fusion of taut drill with the hypnotic rhythms of Cameroonian bikutsi is a compelling backdrop for this narrative. It’s an uplifting cultural piece that reminds us that collective history is a blueprint for individual forward movement. | 7.0 |
4. “Tears for Tissues” – Josiah Soren x Shalom Little
Info about artist: Atlanta-based bassist, beatmaker, and author Josiah Soren blends improv jazz and hip-hop. This track, taken from his album Samurai, features MC Shalom Little exploring themes of fragile masculinity, loneliness, and insecurities, following a unique writing process where the vocalists set the intention before the band composed the music.
| Niche | Review (Reflective & Inspirational) | Score (1-10) |
| Jazz/Hip-Hop | This track stands as a crucial piece of the conversation on mental health stigma. The lyrical confrontation of fragile masculinity and loneliness by Shalom Little is not just honest; it’s an act of cultural repair. The music, a backdrop of innovative and expressive instrumentation by Atlanta jazz musicians, honors the words by giving them space. The track’s concept—truth leading the melody—is a beautiful metaphor for how self-acceptance allows for better harmony in life. It’s a purposeful and deeply affecting piece of art. | 6.8 |
5. “Back To The 50s” – Ant Kelly x Skip The Kid
Info about artist: Ant Kelly, from New Castle, PA, is a founding force behind Consigliere Records, dedicated to DIY ethics and raw, street-level art. Teaming up with Skip The Kid, this track is a boom-bap cut built on a soulful loop, focusing on storytelling about growing up in New Castle and the everyday survival that shapes the town.
| Niche | Review (Reflective & Inspirational) | Score (1-10) |
| Boom-Bap Hip-Hop | This track is a comforting piece of grounded creation. By looking back at the culture and stories of New Castle, PA, Ant Kelly and Skip The Kid use their craft to process the foundation of their identity. The production, warm and built on a classic, soulful loop, creates a safe space for honest reflection on “hood stories” and “survival.” It teaches that even the most difficult memories, when woven into a thoughtful narrative, can become a source of strength and cultural pride. It’s an authentic act of place-based art. | 6.2 |
Ou bat tanbou epi ou danse ankò.
This collection of work is a collective act of healing through creativity. It’s a gentle reminder that to be a great artist is to be a human first—to allow for loneliness, to wrestle with insecurity, and to honor the historical and personal weights we carry. The music below is not a polished escape; it is the thoughtful, detailed work of individuals who use their craft to process the pain, planting their truth for us to reflect upon and grow from.
