The JoyRide with Vadell Gabriel

19/01/2024

Been a minute since I've dusted this off, but some major news: I'm finally hitting all the major podcast platforms. More episodes, old and new, will be coming up soon. Wanna take a listen? https://pod.link/1726645337

Art by

02/12/2023

I'm admittedly a bit late on sharing this due to life stuff, but Game Genie Sokolov and friends have put together a wonderful compilation called Chip T4T, featuring several transgender and non-binary chiptune artists. All of the album proceeds go towards The Trevor Project and Transgender Europe (TGEU), organizations dedicated to empowering transgender and non-binary individuals.

17 track album

18/10/2023

*blows off dust* I gotta be more active on here :v But that'll change soon, as I got some announcements coming soon. But first: The homie Super Smack just dropped his debut LP "Beauty and the Brain"! Buy/stream it wherever you get your music!

Choose your preferred music service

24/02/2023

Back from the grave to share this new video for "Hotel Bed", from LEX the Lexicon Artist! The song was already dope, but this video completes the experience!

Official music video for “Hotel Bed” by LEX the Lexicon Artist, from the EP “Lex and the City”.Thank you to my Patreon members for helping fund this video! h...

02/09/2022

There's still time to pledge towards Super Smack & The POP's kickstarter! They're looking to do a 2023 mini-tour as their stretch goal, and need just $2000 more to hit it!

A feel-good album about love, dreams, and confidence. Created by indie pop rap artist Super Smack and his dancer band, The P.O.P.!

07/08/2022

Super Smack & The POP's Kickstarter is almost at its goal! Go help give it a final push to get some dope Super Smack content and swag!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/supersmackpop/super-smack-debut-album

A feel-good album about love, dreams, and confidence. Created by Asian American pop rapper Super Smack and his dancer band, The P.O.P.!

16/05/2022

It's here! The full interview with composer Richard Rodwell is up on YouTube. We talk about his role in bringing Canadian rap to the mainstream with Beat Factory, working at YTV, and originality in music! Link is in the comments.

13/05/2022

Hey all, been a while, eh? I still got some episodes to do, but first, I got something special for all my fellow Canadian homies: An interview with longtime YTV music composer Richard Rodwell. The full version will be out Monday, but here's a snippet of him telling how creating the theme song for "Uh Oh!" got the show greenlit:

13/10/2021

Blowing off the dust for a bit to say this: "Neon Blue" by Super Smack is A-1. Review coming soon!

30/12/2020

MAGFest is a giant mess right now, and not just cause of the pandemic, but its current board of directors. If you're an artist or a MAG fan, and want to see the organization change for the better, read on below to see how you can help.

I honestly did not expect the list of musicians, performers, panelists, artists, and other contributors to the con scene to grow so quickly. But here we are!

Hi! My name is Ally. I absolutely love and adore the culture, community, and spirit of MAGfest. MAG has become my home convention. It is where Wreck The System was born.

What I do not love however is the current state of affairs with a particular "problematic four" as we've come to dub them who are on the MAGFest board of directions.

I am putting together a MAG Pact. It is a pact of performers, musicians, DJs, videographers, vendors, cosplayers, photographers, videographers, content creators, artists, etc who are coming together to say we stand with Friends Of MAG and enough is enough. Until their terms are met - we won't be performing for your convention or events anymore.

If you are interested a link to my open letter will be in the comments below. If you are interested in joining feel free to message me here, or contact me via the contact information provided in my open letter.

Thank you!

02/11/2020

Like I said, this podcast ain't dead! I got a new episode for ya featuring an unreleased interview with CreateLadyJ from right before the 'rona really threw a wrench in everything, plus some new tracks from her album with Cam3, Vessels of Light, exclusively on the Spotify app!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/608PkmTkeLnWppvu9Np55P?si=KeyzXnNXScaF8BHnz_IT9g

Though new to Spotify, this is actually the 32nd episode of the JoyRide by Vadell Gabriel. In an unreleased episode that was nearly lost to the pandemic back in March, Vadell chops it up with Lady J of Wreck the System about the group's roots, her start in music, and her (now available) solo project...

29/10/2020

No, this ain't dead (yet). 👀 New episodes are on the way soon. Keep ya eyes and ears open.

25/04/2020

*Blows off dust*

I'm well aware I'm long overdue for an episode, but it's coming soon! In the meantime, check out the new album from Game Genie Sokolov, Trans // Mission!

https://ggsokolov.bandcamp.com/album/trans-mission

12 track album

06/03/2020

I'd like to send out a big happy birthday to the high-energy, mind-reading emcee known as LEX the Lexicon Artist! May your year be full of high notes and good vibes!

In related news, their upcoming second LP, "Alter Ego" is up for pre-order in the link below!

https://thelexiconartist.com/preorder

12/02/2020

*Heavy breathing intensifies*

Ready?

10/02/2020

Been a while since I've posted, but today's my birthday, so why not? Normally, I'd plug my own release, but Mark Cooper dropped something today as well; a new beat tape, to be specific! The sixth entry in his "I Know How You Feel, Man" series is out on Bandcamp!

https://reign.bandcamp.com/album/i-know-how-you-feel-man-pt-6

40 track album

04/01/2020

A small, but long overdue blog update. More to come in a few days.

https://vadellgabriel.blogspot.com/2020/01/happy-new-year.html

Well, I promised there'd be updates months ago, but hell... Life's wonderful, ain't it? Ups and downs aside, I do have good music news com...

18/12/2019

LEX the Lexicon Artist, Zilla Persona & Sir Kn8 are coming at ya with a nuanced new jack swing re-imagining of the winter classic "Baby It's Cold Outside." All about enthusiastic consent and open communication, layered with clever punchlines and laid back funky production, this is something you should be putting into your holiday playlists!

Official lyric video for "Warm Inside" by LEX the Lexicon Artist (feat. Sir Kn8 and Zilla Persona). This song was written as a nuanced, introspective reimagi...

25/11/2019

We here! The JoyRide is finally back in effect with a review of "NBA Jam: The Book" by Reyan Ali, from Boss Fight Books! It's a bit shorter than usual, but there's some great basketball themed music you don't wanna miss! And go check out the book when you get a chance! Link is in the podcast description!

https://www.mixcloud.com/The_Joyride/joyride-boomshakalaka-nov-25-2019/

Listen to JoyRide - Boomshakalaka! (Nov. 25, 2019) by Vadell Gabriel

24/11/2019

It's been ages, but I haven't forgotten about y'all! A short, but sweet episode drops tomorrow on Mixcloud, but for now, here's a taste of what the theme is gonna be:

23/10/2019

Guess what came in the mail from the homie Super Smack! I think he's still got some shirts in stock, so go grab some while they're still hot!

13/09/2019

Super Smack, why you gotta be so nice with it?! This year, I've heard nothing but nonstop flames from this man, and he has yet to disappoint. And true to form, "Neon Red", his debut EP, is pure 🔥🔥🔥

Check out my mans' work and get with the program:

Bandcamp: https://supersmackraps.bandcamp.com/album/neon-red

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2kJOSvE

Apple Music: https://apple.co/2kz4wdk

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2lLkG3n

5 track album

06/09/2019

I was up till 3AM trying to finish this thing, no thanks to Audacity deciding to make the recording process miserable by constantly crashing, and I probably sound like a rambling mess more than usual, but despite all that it's here! The JoyRide is back just in time for the fall season, kicking it off with album reviews on Twill Distilled & Ryako's newest releases! Peep the link and get with the program! (EDIT, I accidentally screwed up the URL to Ryako's music in the episode, ffs. Here's the proper one: https://ryako.bandcamp.com/ )

https://www.mixcloud.com/The_Joyride/joyride-hurricane-edition-september-6-2019/

31/08/2019

31/08/2019

Ryako finally released her Keanu Reeves-inspired EP, "Tears for Keanu" today. On top of that, in a pretty smart marketing ploy on her part, today is her birthday! Go show her some birthday love by streaming her album on Bandcamp!

https://ryako.bandcamp.com/album/tears-for-keanu

5 track album

28/08/2019

Twill Distilled's latest album "I N V A D E R" has just dropped on Bandcamp, and is on its way to streaming services soon!

I'm currently prepping review of the album, but in the meantime, go show Twill some love and check out "I N V A D E R" now!

15 track album

08/08/2019

These silly Top 50 lists have been getting huge attention the last few days...🤔

Something tells me I'm better off keeping my mouth shut when it comes to ranking artists though lmao.

08/08/2019

A big happy birthday shout out to the one and only Super Smack! Show the man some love by checking out his discography!

The Nintendo Switch of Rappers. I've performed at SXSW Nerdcore Dayz, Brooklyn Comic Con, and the Kennedy Center. I've had the honor of performing with Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casal, and opening shows for nerdcore rockstars LEX the Lexicon Artist, Mega Ran, Schaffer The Darklod. Homebase: NYC For upcom...

25/07/2019

Twill Distilled just dropped "Spotlight," the first single from her new project "Invader", and GODDAMN, does it go hard! Play this in your car, home system or headphones, cuz this song bumps like a m**o, thanks to Shawn Solo's production!

track by Twill Distilled - Prod. by Shawn Solo

17/07/2019

Yuzo and Motohiro, along with Hideki Naganuma, Yoko Shimomura AND Keiji Yamagishi on the "Streets of Rage 4" soundtrack?!

Man, even if the game ends up being b***y, that soundtrack will still slap nonetheless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-1e1cbiKpg

Dotemu, Lizardcube and Guard Crush Games are thrilled to reveal that Yūzō Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima, the original Streets of Rage series’ incomparable c...