VNCHY

Ottawa is known for being Canada's capital, but not much else. Though there are a flurry of talented artists who have come out of Canada's sleepy political and academic hideaway, most have achieved success as a result of moving West to Toronto or East to Montreal, where the music scenes are vastly superior to those in Ottawa. One artist who has touched Canada's capital is VNCHY, who finds himself in Ottawa after coming moving there from Montreal. Today, he releases a new song titled "Godlevel" with which he hopes to change the way you think about people from Ottawa.The track is a slow and murky quest through drums amd snares, the minimal beat creating a background for VNCHY to deliver his gravelled lyrics about the struggle of making it in music. The song sounds more like a track from Yo Gotti than Arcade Fire, continuing the trend of Canadian hip-hop being known more for its lack of regional sound than the presence of one. - Noisey

t's Thursday! Which means that we're getting our weekend playlists ready for the hot nights out to celebrate June. Luckily, we're here to provide in the form of a fantastic hip hop track called "19+".

With swirling, haunting vocals and fantastic lyrical content and flow, we're impressed at how incredibly far the young talent has been able to get in his short life-span. We can't stop playing this, and neither will you. "19+" is the first single from Congo-born, Ottawa-based rapper VNCHY's forthcoming Neverland EP. It will be released some time in July.

Check out the track below. You won't regret it. - Earmilk

VNCHY is gearing up for the release of his debut EP, Neverland, and the 19-year-old rapper lets loose the second single from the project today as part of a DJBooth world premiere - also his first feature to grace our pages. Born in the Congo, and currently residing in Ottawa, VNCHY has Broke Dreams, and reflects on his upbringing over the slow-burning boardwork of Prezident Jeff. The Neverland EP is slated for a July release. - DJBooth

19-year-old Congo-born, Ottawa-based rapper VNCHY is set to drop an EP entitled Neverland next week, but before it lands, Exclaim! is giving you the first look at his new video for "Broke Dreams."

The track hears the gravelly voiced rapper delivering verses about his experiences being raised as the middle child in a less than financially fortunate preacher's family. The video, meanwhile, takes the viewer on a mysterious journey through outdoor Toronto landmarks like Scarborough Bluffs, Markham Forest and the Rosedale Ravine.

And while it may appear that VNCHY is on the prowl in the clip, he assured viewers in a statement that while he may play the hunter in the video, "I have the ability to empathize with the hunted."

"Although the visuals are an extension of the music," he continues, "They have the ability to stand as their own product as they outline the many details, elements, concepts, and ideas, which symbolize the essence of Neverland."

Check out the final results in the scenic video for "Broke Dreams" in the player below. - exclaim!

Ottawa, ON – Young up-and-coming Ottawa artist VNCHY just got on to our radar with his latest Prezident Jeff-produced single titled “Down With Me.”

This flex-filled track serves as a bit of a formal introduction to the young Congo-born, Canada-based MC. He comes at us with some braggadocious gravel-voiced bars, and asks us if we’re going to f**k with him or not: “I gotta ask/ Are you down with me?” Check it out below.VNCHY has such an easily recognizable delivery. You listen to cats like Drake, Kendrick, or Eminem and you just KNOW you’re listening to them. VNCHY’s got that going for him. He’s not a big dude, but his voice has a big presence. His voice sounds somewhere along the lines of Sticky Fingaz or Nine, with a little bit of a Dr. Dre undertone. It’s an unsettling raspy deep-voice: “Soon I’m gonna make a mill/ like my first name Meek/ But probably won’t share it with yo’ ass anyways.”

And in case you missed it, the stage name VNCHY is a nod to the great Leonardo da Vinci. Because y’all know that visual art and musical art have more than a few commonalities.

While on the surface, this track is hella boastful and flex-filled, it also leaves VNCHY slightly vulnerable. He remains unintentionally humble. Let me explain: if homie was that overly confident, he wouldn’t be phrasing this track as a question. Instead of asking “Are you down with me?” he’d be saying something along the lines of “You’d better get down with me.” I feel that though. Shout-out to that humility. Keep things humble, young lord VNCHY. - HipHopCanada

A couple weeks after sharing his drive to succeed fueled by dreams of him continuously being broke, Canadian emcee VNCHY shares the visuals to the tale.

Fueled by scenes of the outskirts of Toronto, the gloomy, ominous setting enhances the themes of pain and hunger VNCHY has for succeeding the rap game. "Broke Dreams" is off the emcee's Neverland EP, which is set to release later this week.

Watch the video above. - 2DopeBoyz

19-year old Ottawa newcomer VNCHY is getting ready to release his new EP Neverland, scheduled to drop next month. Before then, he releases a new track titled “Broke Dreams,” influenced by his position in the family and his mother’s presence. The song is produced by Prezident Jeff, who has worked with Kevin Gates, Little Simz and Que, and serves as the follow-up to “19+.” - OnSmash

19 year old Canadian artist VNCHY has been the talk of the town lately. Locally building his buzz at a steady paste, VNCHY’s music is set to take flight and win the ears of many in North America. After taking in his standout single ‘Broke Dreams’, it is safe to say his creative turn on his carefully composed music very much speaks to young adults directly. Dark yet polished with a hint of lyricism, but sophisticated at the same time. As his fanbase continues to grow and he stays cooking in the studio, he was able to spare few minutes of his time to sit down with us to speak a bit more about his craft and what else can be expected of him musically.

Where are you from?

I was born in Congo but now I live in Canada, which is why I consider it my home. During my time here I’ve moved across the country and through a lot of cities including Montreal, Ottawa and I’m currently living in Mississauga. I’ve always considered myself a piece of the environment since I’ve lived in a lot of different places and it also introduced me to a range of lifestyles. However, It’s easy to lose yourself when you’re constantly on the move so I had to find my own identity opposed to becoming a product of my environments.

What are some of your music influences?

My biggest influences musically would have to be James Blake, Biggie Smalls, Kanye West, and J. Cole. James Blake is probably my favourite of them all as his portraits are the most vivid. Each of these artists has had a major impact on my overall artistry.

What was it like growing up for you?

A constant struggle for progression.

Whats the story behind your stage name, VNCHY?

VNCHY is more than just a pseudonym; it’s a title – a declaration of ascendance in self-understanding and self worth. As an artist I tend to create alternate realities through the experiences of both myself and my team. To put it one way, these realities feel dream like in a sense, from the lingering emotion of my first love, to the drunk eerie nights cruising around Toronto or even waking up in a Los Angeles penthouse with my closest friends. The power of imagination and communication is the ultimate tool of creation but – at the risk of sounding corny – with great power comes great responsibility. Like Leonardo Da Vinci himself, I have come to understand the world in multiple dimensions and perspectives and it is that complexity that has driven my desire for growth.

How long have you been making music for?

I have been writing music for five years.

What does your latest tape ‘Neverland: 001A_0315‘ present?

Neverland represents a time where people cease to age, where the imagination of the youth roams free, where people can’t be judged by the social expectations of others. Neverland exists in every child’s mind, but differs from one to another. It’s a place that has no boundaries. This idea best represents the tape – it represents us trying to capitalize on our youthfulness. The time we have now can never be gained back and this time is the best time for us to take risks and deal with the consequences that come along with them. We will face daily obstacles of us having to conform to social expectations as young adults, especially in regards to success, women, family, and school, all while trying to achieve this dream of ours. On the contrary, us following our dreams means we will inevitably disappoint others in the process, whether they’re our friends or family members. But at the end of the day, this is our life, our struggle and our grind, and we will not let anyone get in the way of this process. The numbers after the tape title actually represent something as well, but that will be unveiled in the near future.

The production of your tape is very polished. How do you pick your beats?

Thank you, I appreciate that! My team and I have a hands-on process with the production, we aim to find sounds that best represent moments we are trying to create for our audience. Shout out to my manager Mute he has a hell of an ear.



Your previous single “Broke Dreams”. It’s a great song, what’s the process that went behind that single?

Funny enough, I was on my way to Toronto to record the tape and I caught a real quick vibe. Finished it by the time we got to the spot. Broke Dreams was actually the last song I wrote on the tape although it’s placement is midway through the EP.

Were you executing a certain vision when “Broke Dreams” was shot? Tell us a bit more about that.

Most definitely, “Broke Dreams” was a switch in mentality, the place where the hunter becomes the hunted, almost a singular in the fabric of time. The video itself contains various elements that encompass the mentality that is Neverland, however, it was never meant to speak upon the full understanding of it, only a portion. With the content to come our audience will begin to better understand the portrait in it’s entirety.

5 goals in 2015:

The year is coming to an end, but there are a few things I would like to accomplish. For starters, I would like to play my first show in the States and step into my comfort zone. Secondly, finish the rest of the projects I’m currently working on to have them out before the year ends. As well, start to meet more like minded individuals out of my local geographical area. The last few things would be to stay focused and have fun throughout this journey.

Stream his new tape NEVERLAND: 001A_0315 below and check out his soundcloud for more. - The Source

Ranked number 5 in Canada out of 40

5. VNCHY

I always get excited when VNCHY releases something. This guy is so young but has a distinct grizzly raspy flow that’s reminiscent of Dr. Dre. VNCHY has an aggressive flow – but he’s not an aggressive guy. So listening to him is a bit of a mindf**k. Oh. And just to make things clear – VNCHY is a Toronto artist. I’ve been hailing him as an Ottawa artist but apparently that was all the fault of his previous PR people. In actuality, he’s repping Mississauga and the GTA. VNCHY came on to my radar with the release of his Prezident Jeff produced “Down With Me.” And then he dropped the NEVERLAND: 001A_0315 EP (which was entirely produced by Prezident Jeff). That EP was on replay for such a long time – even though it was only five tracks in length. “Broke Dreams” and “19+” are two of my all-time favourite tracks on 2015 – and they both appeared on the EP. And in case you missed it, the video VNCHY released for “Broke Dreams” was one of the rawest, most carnal videos I saw this year. He played with the idea of the hunter-huntee relationship and it was both brilliantly executed and visually stunning. - HipHopCanada

VNCHY – Neverland: 001A_0315 EP

At just 19, Mississauga via Ottawa’s VNCHY has captured the essence of his artistry, which he showcased on his Fall EP Neverland: 001A_0315. The 5-track EP, produced entirely by Prezident Jeff, represents a time when people cease to age, and serves as his most personal delivery yet. Trakcs like “Broke Dreams,” which tell the tale of the hunter becoming the hunted, has already massed over 60K listens on Soundcloud, while “New Kings” introduces VNCHY in a new light. - Boi-1da