We’re out here in the gray, where the concrete meets the spirit. Mental health stigma isn’t just a talking point; it’s a cage in the artistic community that keeps real talk locked behind a mask of “vibes.” We talk about survival like it’s the finish line, but survival is just the toll you pay to enter the game. Thriving—truly finding your feet while the world tries to trip you—is where the real art happens. The three artists we’re looking at today don’t just survive the silence; they use it to build something louder.
“On the wild side” – Della Sol Quintet
Matteo Callahan, the architect behind the Della Sol Quintet, is a composer and jazz guitarist who treats the studio like a time-capsule laboratory. Operating out of the M-Sol Records stable, Callahan specializes in blending the emotional weight of 50s and 60s swing with the modern pulse of jazz-hop. He records live instrumentals—sax, keyboards, and his own guitar work—to create an audio landscape that feels lived-in and breathing rather than programmed.
The track “On the wild side” serves as a meditative anchor in a world that often demands constant noise. In the streetwise and thoughtful framework of this review, we see Callahan using jazz as a tool for mental grounding. The 70s vocal hook doesn’t just loop; it haunts the track with a sense of nostalgia that reminds the listener of the thin line between being lost in the past and finding a path forward.
“Everyday Music” – Callme__Curtis
Matthew Smiling, better known as Callme__Curtis, is a New Jersey native who took his skateboard and his bars across the country to California four years ago. With over a decade of experience that started in a band setting, he has transitioned into a dedicated hip-hop artist focused on the “BoomBap” tradition. His work is heavily influenced by the conscious lyricism of Joey Bada$$ and the independent hustle of Nipsey Hussle, aiming to merge the worlds of skate culture and mental health advocacy. Narrative Write-up Callme__Curtis brings a raw honesty to “Everyday Music” that feels like a conversation on a NJ park bench.
The track is a direct response to the mental health stigma that plagues the hip-hop community, where showing vulnerability is often mistaken for weakness. Curtis uses his platform to flip that narrative, showing that surviving the “NJ to Cali” shift required more than just physical movement—it required a mental overhaul.
“The Lord Gon’ Bless Us” – Lex Lakaiser
Lex Lakaiser is a veteran of both the military and the music industry, having honed his craft in Germany after his time as a soldier. Hailing from Burlington, North Carolina, he has taken the reins of his own career as the CEO of LakaiserENT. This track is the second release for his upcoming album, “The Book of A.Enoch,” a project that seeks to bring a spiritual and positive perspective to the often-gritty world of old-school hip-hop.
Lex Lakaiser approaches hip-hop with the discipline of a soldier and the heart of a community leader. “The Lord Gon’ Bless Us” is a thoughtful exploration of faith as a tool for survival in overlooked spaces. In a culture where the narrative often leads toward destruction, Lex is consciously steering his listeners toward a higher plane, showing that thriving is possible even when the system is designed for your failure.
These three artists represent a shift in the independent circuit where the focus is returning to the internal world. Whether it’s the jazz-infused calm of Della Sol Quintet, the skate-and-grind motivation of Callme__Curtis, or the spiritual discipline of Lex Lakaiser, the message is clear: survival is the start, but thriving is the mission.
By tackling mental health stigma and systemic obstacles through their art, they are carving out a path for the next generation to follow without fear.
