JFH News: Steven Malcolm Conquers Inner Demons in "Monster" Feat. LZ7

STEVEN MALCOLM CONQUERS INNER DEMONS IN "MONSTER" FEATURING LZ7 NEW SINGLE PREMIERES TODAY

FIRST SINGLE OFF HIS FORTHCOMING ALBUM DUE OUT FALL 2023
PERFORMING AT BIG CHURCH FESTIVAL IN THE UK ON MAY 27-28
EO YOUTH DAY IN AMSTERDAM ON JUNE 2-3

Steven Malcolm Conquers Inner Demons in 'Monster' Feat. LZ7

NEWS SOURCE: Garden State Hip Hop
May 19, 2023

Steven Malcolm is back with a monstrous new track featuring LZ7, “Monster,” available today on all DSPs here. The song, produced by Jimmy James and Dayme highlights Steven's battle with inner demons.

After releasing his landmark album Tree in 2022, the 5-time GMA Dove Award nominee continues to position himself as a leading voice in faith-based hip-hop music. Over rapid 808s and synthesizing bass lines, Malcolm depicts the disruptive forces aiming for his flesh. His swift flows are delivered in a melodic riddim that nods to his Jamaican roots. The powerful lyricism fortifies LZ7's poignant hook, "There's a monster living underneath / If I said there wasn't I'd be lying through my teeth / So will I finally find me and find the real me / Will I finally find me and set the monster free."

"I’ve always loved the drill sound," says Steven. "The link up with LZ7 was perfect because it brought the sound of the UK and the heart of Jesus all in one room. I wanted to go beyond the surface and talk about something we all struggle with, the inner evil desires."

This is Malcolm’s first collaboration with the rap-dance outfit hailing from the UK. LZ7’s frontman Lindz West's hypnotic vocals amplify Malcolm’s suave, tactful rhymes. The solemn theme reinforces Malcolm’s ambition to be transparent and relatable to his listeners. He raps, “Don’t try n lie to me / What be inside be haunting and wicked / Daily I pry / Peel back the layers / It took me a minute / Faithful I battle / Sword on my side I’M READY TO DRILL IT!”

“Monster” sets the tone for Malcolm’s forthcoming album and serves as a rallying cry for those feeling conflicted. It’s a story of faith and triumph as listeners hear Malcolm slay his demons. Later this month, the Michigan-bred hip-hop artist will share his impassioned bops with more than 30,000 music fans across the UK at Big Church Festival 2023. The long-running music festival is known for showcasing the best Christian artists in the world. Tickets can be purchased here.

For updates and more information about Steven Malcolm please refer to the social media links below.

About Steven Malcolm:

Steven Malcolm makes faith-driven hip-hop that's as unique as his multicultural background. It's a sound rooted in rap's rhythmic delivery, pop's modern melodies, and God's word, glued together by an artist whose music has earned five Dove Award nominations and more than 70 million streams.

His new album Tree is an eclectic depiction of Malcolm’s past, present, and future. Delivering powerful rhymes straight from heaven, Malcolm offers a blend of alluring bops for any occasion. Arriving on the heels of the 5-track EP All Is True, Malcolm boasts the album's Shaggy, Social Club Misfits, and KB features.

Malcolm is a dynamic, crafty storyteller who incorporates many creative influences into his music. He doubles down on his talents with his most reflective album to date, Tree which arrives on June 3. Each song reverberates like Sunday-morning spirituals filled with Saturday evening energy. His powerful messages are reinforced with potent production by Grammy-winning heavyweights BoogzDaBeast (Kanye West) and FNZ (A$AP Rocky). Tree lands at a time when society could use a bit of growth and healing. “This being my third studio album focused on the growth and fruit that came from a foundation rooted in truth,” Malcolm says.

Malcolm's messages of hope and redemption come from his own experience. Raised in western Michigan and coastal Florida, he grew up in search of stability. His father, a native Jamaican who had emigrated from Montego Bay, was deported back to the Caribbean when Steven was just 10 years old, and later passed away before the two could reunite. Steven's mother struggled as a single parent and eventually left town, leaving her son to fend for himself as a young college student. His life lacked a clear direction until he accepted a friend's invitation to attend a local church service that incorporated hip-hop, dance, and worship.

That church — the Edge Urban Fellowship — changed Steven's life. It gave him a community and a place to make purpose-driven music. Between performances with the church's worship team, he finished work on his independent debut album, Monster's Ink, which became an underground success. Before long, Steven's reputation had extended far beyond the Midwest and attracted attention from major labels. He signed with Word Entertainment, a division of Curb Records, becoming the first rapper on a roster filled with the musical heavyweights of the faith-based world.

Released in 2017, the self-titled Steven Malcolm marked his major-label debut. Songs like "Hot Boy," "Never Let You Go," and the pop-rap tune "Party in the Hills" became hits, rooted in a wide-ranging mix of trap, boom-bap, South Atlanta hip-hop, and pop. He played nearly 100 shows that year — including arena dates on the Winter Jam Tour — and earned three GMA Dove Awards, laying the foundation for an even bigger splash with the album's follow-up, The Second City. Named after his father's hometown of Montego Bay, the so-called "Second City" of Jamaica, The Second City was a hard-hitting, lyrically driven record that focused on optimistic themes. The album debuted at Number 11 on Billboard's hip-hop chart in 2019 and received a Dove nomination for Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year. It also produced several hit singles, including the Top 40 Christian hit "Not To Us / Good Love," the Dove-nominated "Even Louder" remix featuring Natalie Grant (which earned more than 6 million streams), and "Fuego."

A blend of Steven's Jamaican roots and reggae influences, "Fuego" became one of the most diverse hits of his career and received several remixes. The tropical "Fuego (Remix)" arrived in 2020, featuring an appearance from Shaggy and gaining 2.5 million views with its cinematic music video. Shaggy also appeared on "Fuego (R3HAB Remix)," which was released later that same year, as well as 2021's "Fuego (The SoulBots Remix)," which featured vocals from Latin pop singer Melanie Pfirrman. In less than two years, the "Fuego" remixes racked up nearly 6.1 million total streams across all DSPs.

With the success of All Is True, Malcolm is eager to deliver Tree. It celebrates the next chapter of his music career and takes listeners on a journey with a husband, father, and artist destined to reshape his family and musical legacy.

About Curb | Word Entertainment:

Celebrating 57 years in business, Curb Records is one of the world’s leading independent music companies. Owned and operated by Mike Curb since 1964, Curb Records has achieved 435 number-one records, over 1,500 Top Ten records, and charted over 4,500 total records. With over a half-century in operation, Curb Records has been influential in the careers of some of the biggest names in music, including Tim McGraw, Hank Williams, Jr., Rodney Atkins, Lee Brice, LeAnn Rimes, The Judds, Dylan Scott, Sawyer Brown, Wynonna, Lyle Lovett, Jo Dee Messina, Hal Ketchum, and Desert Rose Band, among many others. Today’s roster includes some of the top names across multiple genres of music. For more information, visit www.curb.com.

Steven Malcolm online:

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