Mello Music Group US Hip Hop 163 Items

When an artist consistently creates at the forward edge, there are no guardrails. Quelle Chris has been comfortable at the boundaries, leading Hip-Hop since he started.

Quelle’s vision extends beyond genre or format. He continued broadening his creative ambitions even beyond his own legendary four album run (BYIG, Everything's Fine, Guns, Innocent Country 2) and worked with Chris Keys to compose part of the score for the Oscar-winning film “Judas and The Black Messiah” with director Shaka King.

The new album, “DEATHFAME,” is a sonic treatment produced by Quelle himself, along with Chris Keys and Knxwledge. The record carries on like an incredible lost tape found at a flea market. It explores, unflinchingly, every moment of the trials the early 2020s has brought to all of us. Guests Navy Blue and Pink Siifu lend brilliance to the dynamic and unexpected new album coming May 13th on Mello Music Group.

“G.I.T.U., an acronym for Greatest In The Universe. The title encompasses the feeling this body of work for me. It’s my life experiences, my loves and losses, my stories about overcoming obstacles both external and internal, while learning to love myself and becoming the best version of me. Both as a person and as an artist I tried to push my boundaries and expand my limitations. Everyone’s world is their own, everyone has their own universe that they are in control of, this is mine. I’m the G.I.T.U.” – Chris Rivers

Since he first entered the rap game, every mention of Chris Rivers inevitably acknowledges the influence of his father, Big Pun, one of the art form’s all-time greats. It’s a gift that offered the Bronx MC the opportunity to be heard, but simultaneously a curse that elicits unfair comparisons. But with his Mello Music debut, G.I.T.U., Rivers achieves what would’ve been impossible for a lesser talent: he stakes his claim as a singular artist, one speaking for his generation, his culture, his familial heritage, and most crucially, himself.

If Rivers is unquestionably the son of the first solo Latin rapper with a platinum plaque, he has clearly evolved into his own man. G.I.T.U is the opportunity to tell his story--one that starts full of mourning and self-doubt but matures into a gripping tale of self-discovery. In bold declarative terms, he sketches a portrait of a life lived on the margins, weathering the storms of abuse, poverty, and the lingering shadow of high expectations.

There are struggles with addiction and suicidal thoughts, but Rivers transcends those demons to deliver audio dope that does his legacy proud. He raps with the jaw-dropping lyrical agility and syllable precision that you’d expect from his patrimony, but with the vulnerability and introspection that can only come from an artist who possesses a rare knowledge of self. You can hear the inheritance of his late great father, but also a synthesis and expansion upon the path trodden by Black Thought, Mos Def, and Lupe Fiasco.

The title itself doubles as a mantra: Greatest In The Universe. This is the self-affirmation that Rivers told himself in his most turbulent moments. It’s an inspirational credo that allowed him to keep going, but also operates as fuel to listeners -- particularly those seeking a refracted light from someone deeply familiar with the darkness.

The 16 tracks encompass nearly every mood. There’s the confessional “Perfect,” where Rivers declares “well, I never loved myself, but right now I’m in love with two bitches, I mean women, I mean prisons, I mean prisms.” In the course of a single sentence, he’s able to convey labyrinthine complications. There is “Trick,” where Rivers rumbles like a champion prizefighter, boasting about how his sisters taught him how to brawl, reminiscing on his early days as a “little Puerto Rican fat boy with a brain like an asteroid.” Over rope-a-dope drums, he creates an anthem built for stage-diving and chaos, delivering a pummeling series of references that run from MC Hammer to Cassius Clay to anime. It’s a modern iteration of a tunnel banger: riotous, rowdy, New York brass knuckle rap.

“Damaged Goods” finds the 25-year old lyricist questioning the differences between lust and love, dropped his guard to exhibit a relatable sensitivity. “Wolf Mode” pairs a poignant sax lick with a plea to be able protect oneself from the storms of life. It’s not about being bulletproof, but rather, to possess the strength to endure the chaos that we must face. Yet Rivers is willing to accept the challenges head-on, claiming that he’d “rather have the hard truth than a sweet lie.” While “N.A.S.A.” takes dead-aim at the traps of millennial life: too many useless contacts in your phone, the dim lies of clout, and the indelible need to find the real ones who will hold you down. There is also a flawless “Pakinamac” homage.

The emotional centerpiece of the album arrives on the heart-wrenching “Sincerely Me.” It’s a tribute to Big Pun, but one that refuses to bow down to over-sentimentality. You feel Rivers’ pain and sadness, the struggles of his family, and his frustration at being unable to have a father to turn towards for advice. It’s a votive to a dearly departed spirit, gone much too soon. But when the song fades out, Rivers is stronger than before. A prayer has been answered. It’s the fully fleshed out picture of a son who doesn’t want to eclipse the father but rather, who wants to be able to stand beside him, shoulder to shoulder, two of the greatest of their times.

Detroit's Apollo Brown is back with the instrumental follow up to Clouds. Let the legendary beat maker take you on a trip.

Marv Won is a Detroit musical alchemist – a street poet laureate entrenched in the battle rap scene, as well as a cinematic world class producer as capable of channeling Dr. Dre as Donald Goines. Marv breaks new ground with his first Mello Music Group album “I’m Fine, Thanks For Asking” - a soul-baring endeavor, that weaves tales of struggle and triumph, drawing inspiration from his storied life in the Motor City.

As one of the most esteemed battle rappers, Marv Won brings a lyrical ferocity to his unapologetically raw and heartfelt rhymes. This album collaboration with Mello Music Group marks a pivotal moment in his career, showcasing a seamless fusion of his word play and production. The album, featuring collaborations with Quelle Chris, Elzhi, Freeway, Rapper Big Pooh of Little Brother and more, cements Marv Won's status in the rap game. Marv Won's storytelling transcends mere verses, painting vivid portraits of life in the D. Over ten self-produced tracks Marv showcases his ability behind the boards with tracks that blend epic orchestration and Joe Louis drums that hit like Tommy Hearns.

Detroit Beatmaker Apollo Brown and Fresno Rap veteran Planet Asia are proud to announce their new album "Sardines" - the followup to the duo’s beloved 2017 collaborative album “Anchovies.” Apollo and Planet Asia improve upon the minimalist, grimy Hip-Hop theme from the first collab with pristine execution. the new album promises grime just like its predecessor. Featuring Sick Jacken, Ty Farris, Marv Won, and TriState.

After a decade-and-a-half of sustaining classic hip-hop and soul traditions and expanding them into the next generation, MMG has built a reputation as one of the last dependable bastions of quality. Its latest label compilation, Omakase, plays into the idea commonly found in the finest sushi restaurants: trust the chef. This time around Mello creates original songs across Hiphop, Jazz, RnB, and Soul featuring new songs from Kamaal Williams, Pale Jay, Chris Keys, Raheem DeVaughn, Marlowe, Apollo Brown, Fly Anakin, Denmark Vessey, Danny Brown, Stalley and more.

Trusted with a culture kept under the concrete, the warning has been spread for years. Many assumed their operations were limited to underground societies or secret networks. But, The Black Opera have been among us all along. The time to hide is behind them. There will be no riot; the revolution has already taken place. The Great Year has come.

The newest movement from The Black Opera is truth. After the telling of the three part epic, The Black Op: Era I, TBO has returned without allegory or allusion. The Great Year is a modern story of emergence and art- a resistance to assimilation. It is a story of triumph and camaraderie and a renaissance of new thinking.

The new album’s influences musically are as diverse as they are aesthetically. From tribal rhythms to overdriven synths and from pulsing drums to intimate vocals, The Great Year’s sound is distinctly its own. Taking on a modern day palette, TBO has envisioned a new world, musically. With orchestration from creative minds like Tall Black Guy, Waajeed, yU and Arjun Singh, The Black Opera have assembled a team to help them communicate their message to the world.

Album produced & mixed by Oddisee!

Oddisee has previously dropped 'Odd Spring', 'Odd Winter', 'Odd Autumn' & 'Odd Summer' over the years but come May 17th, 2011 Mello Music Group will be dropping 'Odd Seasons' on remastered vinyl & CD physical editions as one cohesive collection!

When an artist consistently creates at the forward edge, there are no guardrails. Quelle Chris has been comfortable at the boundaries, leading Hip-Hop since he started.

Quelle’s vision extends beyond genre or format. He continued broadening his creative ambitions even beyond his own legendary four album run (BYIG, Everything's Fine, Guns, Innocent Country 2) and worked with Chris Keys to compose part of the score for the Oscar-winning film “Judas and The Black Messiah” with director Shaka King.

The new album, “DEATHFAME,” is a sonic treatment produced by Quelle himself, along with Chris Keys and Knxwledge. The record carries on like an incredible lost tape found at a flea market. It explores, unflinchingly, every moment of the trials the early 2020s has brought to all of us. Guests Navy Blue and Pink Siifu lend brilliance to the dynamic and unexpected new album coming May 13th on Mello Music Group.

Buffalo & Detroit are America’s broken dream. They are once thriving cities, now known for frigid temperatures and violent crime. The cities were birthed in a different era, forged in fire, built of cold steel. It follows that the rawest Hiphop in recent memory has bled from these two regions. No two artists exemplify this hard truth more than legendary Detroit producer Apollo Brown and Buffalo’s maverick emcee Che’ Noir. The two artists came together to create a sound as natural as calm after the storm.

The soulful, head-nodding production of Apollo Brown has been a staple called on by some of the greatest to ever do it. From Ghostface Killah to Danny Brown, and from Freddie Gibbs to Chance the Rapper, Apollo Brown’s signature style has become an iconic staple of the culture.

Meanwhile, Che’ Noir has stepped onto the scene as smoothly as any double dutch veteran. Having already worked alongside Benny The Butcher, Kool G Rap, and Fred The Godson, she has emerged as one of the most extraordinary New York talents heard in years.

The pair’s new album, “As God Intended”, drifts up and down city streets and offers a glimpse behind closed doors, telling the stories of gunshots, missing fathers, & playing the system.

The new album from Apollo Brown & Che’ Noir features Skyzoo, Blakk Soul, Planet Asia, Ty Farris, and Black Thought. Coming July 10th on Mello Music Group, it is exactly “As God Intended.”

A real NY classic from Skyzoo & Pete Rock featuring Pete Rock, Styles, P, Raheem DeVaughn, Westside Gunn, Conway, Benny The Butcher, Elzhi. Mixed by Jamey Staub. Mastered by Dave Kutch. A Mello Music Release.