There is a kinetic energy that binds drummer and producer Karriem Riggins and singer-songwriter, rapper, and producer Liv.e—the spark that happens when instinct meets flow and spirit finds rhythm.

Their collaborative debut as GENA (short for “God Energy, Naturally Amazing,” and loosely inspired by Gina from Martin), The Pleasure Is Yours (via Lex Records), feels like a playful, soulful conversation between two kindred improvisers: Liv.e’s smoky, unpolished vocals glide through Riggins’ warm, percussive universe. Rooted in jazz, soul, and hip-hop as living language, the Dallas-born Liv.e brings a raw, experimental approach to R&B, while Detroit native Riggins—known for his work with Common, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Madlib, and a close kinship with the late J Dilla—extends his lifelong dialogue between jazz improvisation and beat science. Together they create a world that’s analog and ethereal, percussive and poetic, bridging eras without ever settling in one; The Pleasure Is Yours is the sound of Liv.e and Riggins bringing each other’s music to life and finding a new language together—one rooted in rhythm, vulnerability, and exuberance.

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Te Whanganui-a-Tara based Tokelauan singer-songwriter Romi Wrights blends soul, funk, boogie and modern jazz with warm, expressive vocals and deeply personal storytelling, drawing on the spirit of classic late-’60s soul and R&B.

He whet tārake - A bright shining star.

Awa has quickly become a core component of the Te Whanganui-a-Tara underground and a name synomous with prized parties. A tastemaker selector, designer, radio host (Mouthfull radio) hailing from the iwi of Te Atiawa, Ngâti Kahungunu and Ngāti Maniapoto, raised in the kõpú of Wainuiomata.