[Saturday Spotlight] Zae Vibin + Roy Rutto

Welcome to another riveting edition of Saturday Spotlight!

2021 has already been off to an exciting start when it comes to the Spotlight. The submissions are piling on, the talent has become increasingly more polished, and artists emerging aren’t afraid to take their sound to places our ears have yet to witness. Every week, we review these entries in awe, as the pool for talent is only expanding. Whether you’re a local spitter, producer, or singer — Saturday Spotlight welcomes all. Let’s introduce our picks for this week.

Zae Vibin

Zae Vibin’s music comes from a place of pain and vulnerability curated by his experience in the trenches. The streets can provide as much as it can take away, and Zae has a vivid understanding of that. Throughout his songs, he details first-hand situations that have put his back against the wall, and the thoughts that spurred from those moments. As raw, and unfiltered his music appears, the menacing nature in Zae’s psyche adds an intensity unmatched in his verses. Like Chicago’s Polo G, Zae puts his heart on his sleeve and uses melody to tell his stories. On his track, “Keep Coming”, Zae writes another page to his story, discussing the fallouts of friendships, and everyday struggles. Zae puts the listener into his shoes, sharing the burdens that way heavy on his heart. Check out his track below:

Roy Rutto

Roy Rutto can capture his city’s essence and dealings, almost from a spectator’s eye. His music is conscious, aware of his surroundings, detailing the regular day in the life living in Orange County. Chilling in the park, scoring a gram of weed, and the pursuit of money seems to be the norm. On his single, “2 The Juice Pt. 2”, Roy welcomes listeners into his world of rowdy youth, using his skill and calm demeanor to tell the stories that revolve around his daily routine. The youth are pumped with the juice, diving into multiple situations headfirst without a second thought. Roy is a product of the west coast, using his music to paint vivid images of thick clouds of blunt smoke, fast cars, and palm trees. Of course, none of that doesn’t come without being harassed by the cops. Check out his track below:

Also peep his track ‘Seesaw’ which we have added to our Saturday Spotlight playlist on Spotify:

– by Anthony Malone and Navjosh

Through our artist discovery platform Saturday Spotlight, we have discovered some amazing talent in the past including Russ, Ty Dolla Sign, Mez, IDK, Victoria Monét and Trap Beckham to name just a few. In most cases, coverage on HHNM was their first look among media outlets. Find the submission guidelines here.