#MonthlyMonday Album Pick of the Month
This month's local album pick is the compilation mixtape Black Wave by local Athens rappers Squallé and Kxng Blanco, recently released August 21st exclusively on Spinrilla.
Squallé and Kxng Blanco began working on this project in January of this year, already known in the community independently for their respective movements Black Liaison and Wavy Mob (Black...Wave...hint hint). Both artists share the same values of inspiring, motivating, and elevating the Athens hip hop scene as a whole.
“In the song “Swish,” the idea was coined due to a lyric from Blanco’s verse. He says, ‘and me and Squallé the dynamic duo/so they calling us the black wave!’ From that line, we decided that it was a cool name for a joint mixtape,” explained Squallé.
More than just a cool name, Black Wave has an intriguing story that follows Squallé and Kxng Blanco getting stranded on an island. Cameos from local artists such as L.G., DJ Kountry Boy, Cassie Chantel, and Mack Mally intertwine with the story to represent their involvement with the creation of the project. Reoccurring themes of life lessons appear throughout the mixtape as the story unravels.
“There is true beauty in the struggle! It is only in those moments when we have nothing, we learn that we always have something. Our will to survive and strive is what keeps us afloat,” said Squallé.
The positivity coming from the project’s message matches the unity of artists in the scene that’s showcased in the mixtape. Furthermore, bridging fan bases is a successful move for expansion in the music industry.
“You don’t have to be in a certain mood to put on this album because we have a little something for everybody. You could compare Black Wave to an appetizer sampler at a restaurant. We also wanted to show people that you can bring two different squads together and make magic as one. It makes a bigger impact when we all come together to cook up and eat,” said Kxng Blanco.
Be on the lookout for a sequel to Black Wave! In the meantime, check out the mixtape on Spinrilla along with the artist interviews on Out Your League Radio, Crank It Up TV, and on the VH2 network being released September 4th.