Monty: The Hidden Gem of Remy Boyz

(Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up)

Monty, the counterpart to Fetty Wap in the hip-hop group Remy Boyz, is an unsung talent. Though his mixtape Monty Zoo dropped last year, the same year as Fetty Wap’s Fetty Wap, Monty deserves more than the media has given him. Every mainstream music listener has heard the recognizable, hollow, wailing tone of Fetty Wap on hits such as “679,” “My Way,” and many others since 2015. However, Monty is the other voice on these tracks, mentioned by feature, that helps carry these hits through to their finish. Roman’s Rap-Up talked with the young rapper after his feature performance with Fetty Wap’ set at the Billboard “Hot 100” Music Festival at Long Island’s Nikon at Jones Beach Theater. From his excitement for the future to his constant acknowledgement for where he came from, Monty is an artist who is thankful to share the spotlight but also is ready to carve his own path solo, and the fans should listen.

(Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up)

“Fetty and I met at a chicken store… we linked up, and we both were on the same thing,” Monty said. The origination of Remy Boyz, originally with three members and now only two, began as simple as where the two rappers come from. Both carry a very deep and honest sense of their roots and their upbringing, and therefore, their normal meeting comes as no surprise. “We’re an hour and a half from home,” he said, “[Family and friends] love the chance to watch us perform especially from where we come from. To be able to perform [with] the beautiful view out here...” It’s a dream come true to him. Remy Boyz rolled up in black cars with New Jersey plates, as they drove from home, so the Billboard Music Festival was close to playing in their backyard. As he continued to talk about his experience at the festival, there was an easy sense of happiness and fun between him, Fetty, and their gang who eagerly waited to drive the short distance home to enjoy the rest of the night. The festival experience is much different than headlining a concert; Monty said, “It’s even crazier seeing other artists and having the opportunity for them to be right down the hall.” It was a special moment for Remy Boyz, almost a celebratory performance rooted in pure enjoyment to show their friends and family what they accomplished over the past year. 

When asked about new music, Monty’s demeanor lit up. “Monty Zoo Part II is about to drop real soon. It might be next month,” he said. This album would be a follow up to his mixtape from last year, and it would include lots of features from Fetty Wap, and the two trade of featuring on each other’s tracks. Monty just released a single off of the new project called “Right Back.” He said, “It’s one of the craziest videos… it’s my favorite song right now.” When talking about what’s to come and what’s next, Monty cannot seem to hold back his optimism for the future of his career. For sharing the spotlight with Fetty Wap who’s hot in the eyes of the hip-hop realm, their relationship is all love and brotherhood. Fetty watched the interview from a few feet behind Monty, goofing around with his entourage but also standing by for support like a friend does. Monty believes his personality speaks for itself. “I’m chill, laidback, easy. I’m the coolest person you’ll ever meet,” he jokes. There’s no outright aggression or competitive edge to the group. Remy Boyz 1738, a phrase constantly repeated like a mantra on and offstage, is not just a slogan or casually-used phrase. The title stands for the finest cognac liquor in the Urban Distract where they’re from; a metaphor for the music they produce: it’s the best. It’s a constant reminder of who they are, where they come from, and what they stand for. Monty represents all the growth the pair has been through, and it’s only a matter of time until he drops a track that blows up radio stations “Trap Queen” style.

Frank Ocean Finally Blesses the World with New Album "Blonde"

After releasing Channel Orange, one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all-time, back in 2012, Frank Ocean essentially disappeared from the music scene, only coming out to occasionally build hype for the release of his highly anticipated follow-up release. His most notable announcement came in early 2015, when he revealed that his album would be dropping in July of that same year. But when the album didn’t come out as expected, without any explanation, Frank’s fans were understandably upset.

But then, over a year after the anticipated date, Frank Ocean finally released his album. Utilizing the element of surprise, Blonde was released early Saturday night after Frank debuted the single “Nikes” in the early morning while most of his fans were asleep.

For those expecting a “Channel Orange 2,” they might be a bit disappointed. On Blonde, Frank Ocean delivers a completely new sound to his audience. The lack of drums brings atmospheric and dreamy vibes to the project. This production style paired with Frank’s vocals ends up creating some incredibly beautiful sonic moments on pretty much every track. There is no really “bad” song per se. Aside from a few skits that the album could potentially do without,  every track is enjoyable and holds something that every listener can find value in. 

At the end of the day Blonde was well worth the 4+ year wait. While there might not be a track that could have as much pop appeal as “Thinkin Bout You,” his project may just be enough to keep fans satisfied for another whole four years.

Photos: Pitbull Brings "Badman Tour" to Boston's TD Garden

Pitbull performs at the TD Garden in Boston as part of his "Badman Tour" on August 12th, 2016 (RJ Jaczko/Roman's Rap-Up).

Mr. Worldwide, better known as Pitbull, brought his Summer 2016 "Badman Tour" to Boston Friday night for an unforgettable evening of Latin-infused pop music.

Check out photos of Pitbull and opener Prince Royce below: 

Album Review: PartyNextDoor Delivers Another 'Nocturnal' R&B Album

(OVO Sound/Warner Bros. Records)

Two years after dropping his debut studio album, PartyNextDoor is back with his follow up project, PARTYNEXTDOOR 3. Staying true to his R&B roots and signature Toronto sound, PND delivers with his best work yet.

After receiving mixed reviews on his freshman effort PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO, the third installment of PND’s saga is an effort to silence those who may have doubted him as he was getting his feet wet in the game. Leading off the album is “High Hopes,” and as soon as it begins playing, it is already possible to hear how much PND has progressed and matured as an artist. As usual with OVO Sound artists, the production is on point. With help from producers such as Noah “40” Shebib, it makes PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 an extremely listenable album. PND continues the project with “Don’t Run,” an R&B-inspired banger which is reminiscent of the sound that is dominating the game right now from artists such as Bryson Tiller, DVSN, and of course, PartyNextDoor. 

“Not Nice,” which was available for listen prior to the album’s release, is more of a dance song with a bit more pop appeal, similar to Drake’s “One Dance.” PND continues with the dancehall vibes on “Only U.”

PartyNextDoor reverts back to his signature 'late-night' R&B style on “Don’t Know How,” and this is when the album starts to slow things down and get more emotional. “Problems & Selfless” is told in two parts. The first part is PND addressing the problems he’s faced and had to deal with in past relationships, while the second part touches on the heartbreak he has experienced after the relationships. On “Temptations,” PND channels his inner Weeknd and delivers the most sexual song on the project.

By the time “Joy” starts, the album has begun to leave behind it’s darker parts. It’s also around this point that the project’s quality takes a little dip for the next two or three songs, but by the time “1942” begins playing, the ears are pleased again. The only feature on PND’s album comes from Drake on the track “Come and See Me,” and as always, he delivers a quality appearance to an already solid song. The project finishes out with “Nothing Easy to Please,” an extremely fitting closer to a quality and cohesive work of music.

Aside from a few tracks that may come across as mundane to some listeners, PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 is an excellent follow-up to his freshman effort, and proves that the sophomore slump doesn’t plague every artist.

Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa Take 'The High Road'

Wiz Khalifa performs on "The High Road Tour" in Mansfield, MA on August 6th, 2016 (Benjamin Esakof).

Jhene Aiko performs on "The High Road Tour" in Mansfield, MA on August 6th, 2016 (Benjamin Esakof).

Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg rolled through Mansfield’s (MA) Xfinity Center for “The High Road Tour.” While the two rappers had multiple openers, they had no problem wrangling in the rowdy fans for their two-hour set. Jhene Aiko was one of the openers; the female R&B singer who promotes peace and self-love in her music, sounds just like her records. When an artist can sing live just as well as she does on track, it’s something special because all of the technological advancement in record studios can distract a listener from half-baked talent. However, Aiko is stellar; she wore a long, vibrantly multi-colored sweater, a baseball cap, and two low buns. Her careless nature and smooth R&B tone welcomed a performance of eye-closing, hip-swaying fans dedicated to her music. Aiko stated, “I don’t put on a circus act when I sing,” hinting at the technological advancements in the touring realm, as well, that can cover up the actual singing. Aiko kept it simple and beautiful. 

Snoop Dogg performs on "The High Road Tour" in Mansfield, MA on August 6th, 2016 (Benjamin Esakof).

Wiz and Snoop Dogg’s performance began just a little after 9pm, after Kevin Gates closed the opening acts with songs such as “2 Phones.” However, the two rapping megastars did not originally come onstage together. Snoop took the stage first, holding a King Kong-sized joint, with the carefree attitude that Snoop’s fans over the years have always loved. The familiar background music for Snoop’s introduction came over the speakers after “The High Road Tour” video, and the fans went nuts. Soon after, Wiz arrived onstage in light jeans and a white shirt, welcoming his own strong fan club to his opening song “Bake Sale.” The two rappers alternated songs to eventually join each other onstage later in the set. The performance included famous hits with features from the two, such as DJ Khaled’s “All I Do is Win” and Akon’s “I Wanna F*** You.” Their hit collaboration, “Young, Wild & Free,” finished out the show with rave excitement from the audience. However, the night’s main attraction was not either of the rappers; it was weed. The plant constantly growing in popularity and reformatting laws, weed was prevalent in conversation due to the business side of Wiz and Snoop’s careers, as well. Both sell weed paraphernalia and will soon sell actual strains in the handful of states where it’s legalized. Wiz promoted his Taylor Gang label in the middle of the set, a label that includes lots of weed-obsessed hip-hop stars who consistently shake the charts. The atmosphere was celebration – partying, smoking, drinking, enjoying each other’s company. Yet, Snoop made the effort earlier on in his set to sing a Biggie song and Tupac song. Amidst all the fun, this back-to-back song choice demonstrated why it’s important to still cherish Snoop, and why their tour together with new stardom and old is admirable. Snoop breathes the past of the hip-hop realm; he was a part of the Dr. Dre’s producer career; he lived through legends such as Biggie and Tupac, and he has seen the tremendous change occurring in hip-hop through all those years as an icon. Therefore, he has a respect for where the industry has come from that newer artists cannot match. Snoop should be applauded for taking time to remember those artists who so tremendously impacted hip-hop, and Snoop himself should be admired for the legend of peace, rap, and weed that he is.