[Saturday Spotlight] IAM McCoy + SIM

Following a couple of weeks of hiatus, welcome back to another edition of Saturday Spotlight. Each week we review submissions from all over the globe, picking the best out of the batch to highlight at the end of the week. If you’re an aspiring rapper, a producer wanting to create a buzz, or a singer looking to expose their talent, Saturday Spotlight is dedicated to discovering the next star. This week, we received over 60 submissions — below are the two picks!

Whether it’s your latest single or a new beat you made, all upcoming artists can submit music to us for Saturday Spotlight on this link.

Kendrick Lamar Shakes Up The Super Bowl With Bold Drake Diss And Surprise Guests

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl 59 halftime performance was nothing short of legendary, leaving fans buzzing with surprise cameos and bold moments that took his long-running feud with Drake to new heights. Kicking off with an unreleased song snippet and followed by “Squabble Up” from his latest album GNX, Kendrick immediately set the tone for a game-changing performance. Fans eagerly waited to see if Kendrick would play his diss track Not Like Us, especially with Drake's ongoing lawsuit against him and his label for defamation and harassment. Lamar's performance included an unexpected appearance by SZA and a quirky cameo from Serena Williams, along with Samuel L. Jackson’s comedic interruptions, all building the suspense around the Drake drama. In the middle of his performance, Kendrick turned up the heat, looking straight into the camera and directly addressing Drake with his famous lyrics, “I heard you like them young," as fans held their breath. Despite the tension, Kendrick censored himself when it came time to call Drake a "certified lover boy" and avoided saying “pedophile,” which had been widely speculated. Social media lit up with mixed reactions, with some fans mocking the performance as a "mid mashup" and others noting the intense hostility toward Drake. With the hashtag #KendrickBowl trending, it’s clear that Kendrick’s performance was a cultural moment that pushed boundaries—but has he gone too far, or is this just another chapter in hip-hop history? Only time will tell, and Drake has yet to respond.

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IAM McCoy

Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, singer/songwriter IAM McCoy has released a project titled “OVERDUE”. The album is an 8-song journey through IAM McCoy’s transition from being a “shadow artist”, to finding himself on the front lines of music creation. Starting as an audio-engineer, McCoy always had a strong passion for music, but found it challenging to navigate that space for his own original work. The project explores McCoy’s status as a student of music — this is clear with his affinity for bars and flow. Despite various features on the project, McCoy’s layered voice carries through to the last track. There is a seriousness to his voice and delivery, one that exemplifies his dedication and perseverance to the craft.

Listen to ‘Overdue’ below.

SIM

Ethereal, otherworldly singer/songwriter SIM enlists LA based R&B vocalist Tanerélle and ATL native Hip-Hop artist ZAIA for the stunningly eclectic track “SAMSARA.” The song comes as a follow up to WORMHOLE & KARMA, aligned with SIM’s galactic theme of being an alien being brought to Earth to heal with music. With angelic vocals and dreamy songwriting, SIM & co. explore the “bittersweet reality of multiverse lovers whose romantic journey has come to an end.” SIM produced the track themselves — perhaps this is why it flows with such seamless ease, with SIM’s own vocals acting as an instrument in the production. As the track progresses, “memories of many past lives instantly flood into the couple’s current state of consciousness; allowing them to recognize their intimate relationship spans beyond this world.”

Listen to SAMSARA below.

– by Nadine & 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.