SUPERSTAR

I was today years old when I discovered Kenyan hip hop artist and producer tg.blk and that experience felt beautifully nostalgic. Not sure why, but it reminded me of early, (more) careless days of Stereofox, and the level of excitement I have about the work of the Mombasa-based artist felt like the days I first heard artists like Mura Masa, Tom Misch, and Little Simz.

The story of tg.blk goes back to the late 2010s and is partially related to the music of lo-fi's OGs J Dilla, Madlib, and 9th Wonder, Straight Outta Compton, and Earl Sweatshirt's Some Rap Songs (2018). Growing up in the heyday of the SoundCloud era, it was the platform that was the first home of Nyathigi's art in a period she felt shy about posting her music online.

Fast-forward to 2024, a lot of people now know her as tg.blk and today we celebrate the release of her brand-new 5-track EP ITS NOT THAT DEEP. The release opened the doors to a creative world I would love to be a part of.

I will probably deep-dive into the whole release, but as part of my Friday picks, I decided to go with "SUPERTAR" because I feel it truly highlights her vocal abilities. Of course, it is also a great showcase for her smooth flow over a beat that blends psychedelia, soul, and classic punchy boom bap.