Buffalo’s hometown heroes, Benny The Butcher and Elcamino, have joined forces on their brand-new single, Mobile Phone, produced by Rochester, NY’s MC/producer 38 Spesh. Benny delivers one of the year’s standout verses over an impeccable 38 Spesh beat, complemented by Elcamino’s signature street-sung hook and verse.
Shot in the gritty streets of New York, the official video perfectly captures the raw energy of these performers, marking the first major moment of 2025 for all involved. Three upstate New York powerhouses have come together to create an instant hip-hop classic.
Mobile Phone is the second single from Elcamino and 38 Spesh’s third installment of their Martyr’s Prayer series. Martyr’s Prayer 3 drops on February 21, 2025, with accompanying vinyl available through Daupe shortly after.
STREAM ‘MOBILE PHONE’ HERE
The popularity of hip-hop music continued through the late 1990s to early-2000s “bling era” with hip-hop influences increasingly finding their way into other genres of popular music, such as neo soul, nu metal, and R&B. The United States also saw the success of regional styles such as crunk, a Southern genre that emphasized the beats and music more than the lyrics, and alternative hip-hop began to secure a place in the mainstream, due in part to the crossover success of its artists. During the late 2000s and early 2010s “blog era”, rappers were able to build up a following through online methods of music distribution, such as social media and blogs, and mainstream hip-hop took on a more melodic, sensitive direction following the commercial decline of gangsta rap. The trap and mumble rap subgenres have become the most popular form of hip-hop during the mid-late 2010s and early 2020s. In 2017, rock music was usurped by hip-hop as the most popular genre in the United States. In recent years, hip-hop’s influence has transcended musical boundaries, impacting fashion, language, and cultural trends worldwide.[19][20][21]
Amidst its evolution, hip-hop has also been a vehicle for social commentary and political expression, reflecting the struggles and aspirations of marginalized communities. From its roots in the Bronx to its global reach today, hip-hop has served as a voice for the disenfranchised, shedding light on issues such as racial inequality, poverty, and police brutality.[22] Artists such as Public Enemy, Tupac Shakur, and Kendrick Lamar have used their platforms to address systemic injustices, fostering dialogue and inspiring activism. Hip-hop’s ability to confront societal issues while simultaneously providing a form of empowerment and self-expression has solidified its significance beyond mere entertainment, making it a significant cultural force worldwide.[23]
