blackwave., the project of Antwerp producer Willem Ardui and rapper Jay Atohoun, is reminiscent of the earliest, jazziest songs of The Roots, the worldly street soul of Mos Def and the smart hip-hop funk of Pharoahe Monch or The Pharcyde. There is a nice dash of nineties in, but the two effortlessly lift this wonderfully smooth groove live to today.
At the end of November 2016, the band dropped their first Caravan Session, which was soon followed by a second. Since February 2017, a debut single has also been released with 'Flow' (ft. Caleborate). Not much later, the group drops 'BIG Dreams', an extremely catchy earworm that has become a staple of many radio stations.
Will and Jay clearly cannot sit still: their debut EP 'Mic Check' released in May 2017, showcasing the broad talent of Blackwave. is completely highlighted. Praising reviews appear almost everywhere - as De Morgen (****) says, "a top record that promptly made us go back to two of our favorite hip-hop albums, being Fantastic by Slum Village and Like Water For Chocolate by Common. Blackwave dreams of that level, we can reassure the boys: the potential is there."
In 2022, the band released its latest album 'no sleep in LA', which scored both nationally and internationally. The single 'a-okay' even ended up in the soundtrack of FIFA23! In 2024 they scored a second time at EA FC24 with 'Cracked Screen'.
Nothing but praise outside our national borders:
"Cutting edge hip-hop with a jazz-like sensibility, the pair have an extraordinary sense of balance, with their rhymes dipping in and out the effortless production." - Clash Magazine UK
“It could easily be the basis of an old-school Kanye West track, but these are guys from Antwerp." - 3FM (Netherlands)