SoundCloud What’s next in music: OSHUN’s intergalactic hip-hop

Last month we launched the next installment of “First on SoundCloud” to celebrate the unique moments when creators and fans collide, and to give you more opportunities to discover your next favorite artist.

We’ll be surfacing twenty new creators over the next few months, but today the spotlight’s on OSHUN – a neo-soul hip-hop duo creating music with a purpose, sonically manifesting Afrofuturism, and ripping the pink bow off of modern-day femininity.

OSHUN is comprised of Thandiwe and Niambi Sala, two Maryland natives who first met as undergrads while at NYU. Their friendship and artistry centered around their shared experiences as women, and they saw their music as an extension of the positive, powerful feminine energy that the deity Oshun represents. So they adopted the goddess’s moniker, and with one tap of the caps-lock button, OSHUN was born.

Their first full body of work, bittersweet vol. 1 (out now on SoundCloud) is about the difficult yet rewarding dichotomy of being full-time students and full-time businesswomen. While the lyrics trace the duality, the atmospheric harmonies grounded in heavy drum and bass also create this push/pull feeling, like being a superhuman entity weighed down by gravity.  

OSHUN uploaded their first mixtape “ASASE YAA” to SoundCloud in 2015, and since then have amassed hundreds of thousands of social followers and nods from major outlets like Billboard, Rolling Stone, The FADER, NPR and Vogue. In their interview with Vogue, the duo said their sound is a combination of genres but also has intergalactic elements, because, “The idea is: we’re not from here.” And we’d have to agree: OSHUN’s music is from the future.   

Stream their single, “Burn,” for a dose of cultural clairvoyance, and check back here to discover what’s next in music, first on SoundCloud.

SoundCloud We’re integrating with Pioneer DJ so now you can be a DJ too

Since our mission is to provide you with the best creator tools and resources to grow your career, we’ve partnered with Serato, Virtual DJ and DEX 3 to bring streaming to DJ applications. Today we’re adding Pioneer DJ to the list, giving you another way to level-up your workflow and find more music for your next set.

Or your first set. Even if you’re new to DJing, Pioneer DJ’s easy-to-use WeDJ app simplifies things so that anyone (👋) can start mixing SoundCloud’s millions of tracks within their DJ app using a SoundCloud Go+ subscription. Here’s how:

  • On iOS, download and log in to WeDJ to use on the go, or connect the app with Pioneer DJ’s DDJ-200 controller.
  • Enable SoundCloud within the app and sign in to your account (you need to be a SoundCloud Go+ subscriber).
  • Restart your WeDJ app to pull in tracks from your SoundCloud playlists, and to search, mix and stream from SoundCloud’s catalog of official releases, emerging creator content, and everything in between – directly from the app, in real time.

In addition to accessing this growing list of DJ integrations, SoundCloud Go+ gives you offline and ad-free listening to SoundCloud’s entire catalog and the ability to stream in high quality audio. If you haven’t upgraded yet, that’s okay. There are a few different (and discounted) ways* to get SoundCloud Go+:

  • Looking for the best value for DJs? Get our premium creator subscription Pro Unlimited and then add SoundCloud Go+ for half the cost; this option gives you industry-leading creator tools to grow your career, plus the ability to mix with select DJ apps.
  • Are you a college or university student? Get SoundCloud Go+ for 50% off here.
  • Just want to keep it simple? You can purchase a standalone subscription here.

We’ll be rolling out integrations with other leading DJ applications later this year, so stay tuned. If you’re a label or distributor that doesn’t have a deal with us yet and would like to be involved in partnerships like this one, reach out to licensing@soundcloud.com.

*Note, offers cannot be combined.

SoundCloud You can now mix SoundCloud’s massive catalog with your DEX 3 app

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your mixes out of the bedroom and into a DJ booth, now’s your chance. Because our mission is to empower creators at every stage with the best tools and resources to grow their careers, today we’re bringing our next-level streaming solution to a new DJ application.

We’ve already integrated with Serato and Virtual DJ, and now DJs who use DEX 3 can mix SoundCloud’s millions of original tracks, directly from their DJ apps. All you need is a SoundCloud Go+ account to get started. Here’s how to supersize your set:

  • Download and log in to DEX 3 online
  • Enable SoundCloud within the app and sign in to your account (you need to be a SoundCloud Go+ subscriber).
  • Restart your DEX 3 app to pull in tracks from your SoundCloud playlists, and to search, mix and stream from SoundCloud’s catalog of official releases, emerging creator content, and everything in between – directly from the app, in real time.

In addition to accessing this and future DJ integrations, SoundCloud Go+ gives you offline and ad-free listening to SoundCloud’s entire catalog and the ability to stream in high quality audio. If you haven’t upgraded yet, that’s okay. There are a few different (and discounted 🤑) ways* to get SoundCloud Go+:

  • Looking for the best value for DJs? Get our premium creator subscription Pro Unlimited and then add SoundCloud Go+ for half the cost; this option gives you industry-leading creator tools to grow your career, plus the ability to mix with select DJ apps.
  • Are you a college or university student? Get SoundCloud Go+ for 50% off here.
  • Just want to keep it simple? You can purchase a standalone subscription here.

We’ll be rolling out integrations with other leading DJ applications later this year, so stay tuned. If you’re a label or distributor that doesn’t have a deal with us yet and would like to be involved in partnerships like this one, reach out to licensing@soundcloud.com.

*Note, offers cannot be combined.