"BENTO BOX... Vol. 2" (MIXTAPE)

(August 2023) Happy Birthday to me! As you can see by scrolling below, it's been a long and arduous journey. I've done things. I've been places. I've met people. A lot of those people may not be familiar with the resume and the people that are may not be familiar with all of it. So I linked up with DJ Fresco and tapped my brother Dez to put together a more concise greatest hits project than the original Bento Box was. This is a greatest hits mixtape, but more importantly a celebratory timestamp. If you're new, I hope this project inspires you to dig deeper. If you joined the wave during the blue hair era, thank you. If you've been around since my emo soundcloud days, thank you. If you've been around since the Lil Swych days, thank you. I now present to you, Bento Box... Vol. 2

"MINE 4 THA SUMMER" - SINGLE

"SCARRED DELUXE" (MIXTAPE)

(October 2022) An extended version of the $CARRED$HONEN$CARED EP I dropped in Soundcloud as my first official release away from home. I dropped the original when I first moved to Atlanta as a wrap-up of honestly some extra VIDEL-era tracks that felt more trap and less heartbroken. With this release I bring the last batch of my Soundcloud joints to streaming services. But this release serves another purpose for me currently. I'm not who I was in 2018. I've had a toxic relationship not just with women, but with my own music at this point. Making music out of my own pain has served me very well creatively and has been incredible cathartic... but it's boxed me into feeling like I need to fully be that person. It's kept me from my own happiness in some situations. As I reflect on the journey, I feel like right now I'm in a very similar space to where I was in 2018. I'm on the verge of a new chapter of my life. I'm reevaluating my priorities and refocusing my energy. I'm not allowing heartbreak to define me. I may be scarred, but I am not my scar.

"Think I Like U (feat. Some Guy Named Lee & Fresco)"  (SINGLE)

(September 2022) I made this song last year with Fresco. It was originally me on the hook, but I thought Lee's tone could give it that special sauce. Then I added my signature outro breakdown which he also killed, so I threw some ad libs all around it & voila. My new single, "Think I Like U". I really wanted it to have that nostalgic feel to it and I feel like we captured that essence. Available now on all platforms!

"HYPERBOLIC TIME CHAMBER" (EP with Johnny Juice)

(August 2022) Like most of the music you're going to be hearing throughout the rest of BENTO SZN 2, these are not fresh creations. In fact, this was what the Ride Or Die EP was originally supposed to be. I had just met Johnny, stacked up on a bunch of beats, and being that I was new to LA and ain't have no friends yet I just locked myself in the crib and practiced making music. I was "training" if you will. Nothing but me, a mic, Dragonball Z on the TV on mute, and Johnny's beats. So here we are 3 years later and as I've been focusing more on production and other non-vocal aspects of my craft, I did the same thing with mixing this together to make it a full listening experience. It can be a lonely process, so this project is all about coping with that loneliness, healthily or otherwise.

"VIDEL EP: Anniversary Edition"

(June 2022) BENTO SZN 2 might be underway but honestly, I've had writer's block. There have been a lot of changes in my life I've needed to focus on, and I'm entering a new chapter in my life both personally and artistically. To keep me grounded, I began listening to my older material to reflect on how far I've come. And present me is still blown away by what I was able to accomplish with the VIDEL EP. It was so raw, so real, despite the heavily processed vocals. This was my 808's & Heartbreak moment. I thought it deserved better than to be stuck on Soundcloud exclusively. So here, on the fourth anniversary of its release (and the tenth anniversary of my father's passing it was released to commemorate), I've released it to streaming services along with another special record from that era. 
If you've been around since then, thank you for your love. If you're new to the Bento, welcome. I hope you enjoy.

VIDEL EP: PINK VERSION (Hyper-Mix)

VIDEL EP: PURPLE VERSION (Slowed + Reverb)

"Multi Player" (EP)

(April 2022) The company we keep will always bring different energies out of us. It’s important to honor and balance all of our different energies. So I released a Trap/Drill banger to remind us all that we not to be played with, combo’d up with an R&B/Pop joint to remind us all that no matter how hardened we may be on the outside we all want to be held tight and loved. Both records feature friends I've made in other parts of the country. Can’t be running up single player games forever.
Below are two animated music videos I created to loosely express how the records tie together (but also just to give you something more entertaining to stare at than my face when you watch it on YouTube). Let me know which record you fuck with more.

"Tomorrow" (SINGLE)

(March 2022) I've learned a lot about my own anxieties over the past few months. It makes it very difficult to be present. I'm constantly planning for a future that may or may not even exist on this timeline, all the while still not letting go of the definitive past. Not anymore though. Or at the very least, I'm working on it. And I'm gonna do my best at it today, just in case tomorrow never comes.

"Something 4 U" (SINGLE)

(December 2021) Christmas came early this year. This is a record I actually did back in my time in ATL with producer B3N R3ADY. It's not fully a Christmas record or anything, but it fit the season of the spirit and I wanted to put something out so here it is! This is obviously from the time when I obsessed over background vocals and you can tell lol. Here you go. Something 4 U. See you next year. Blessings to you & yours this holiday season.

"T E R M I N A" (ALBUM)

(June 2021) TERMINA is the world I lived in through most of the pandemic. I created a very sad rap album through the depression and isolation of quarantine, as well as the general anxiety that comes with living in your mid-twenties. So much uncertainty about life itself, the only certainty seemed to be that bad things would happen. I've gone through so many cycles of loss, failed relationships, failed friendships, failure failure failure. So I brought myself back to my roots to show myself just how much I'd learned and how far I had truly come. I hope this album helps you through whatever hard times you face. No matter how futile resistance may feel, or how repetitive life may get, you are always moving forward. Break the cycle, don't let the cycle break you. Welcome to TERMINA.
**UPDATE** (August 2021) As of my 27th birthday, I decided to release the project remastered with VIDEL III as bonus tracks. I hope you enjoy the deluxe!

STREAMING SERVICES

T E R M I N A: LIVE FROM THA BASEMENT

"6 FEET (DON'T GET ANY CLOSER)" VIDEO

"REALLY GONE" VIDEO

I was interviewed by my homies at TDNforever for this release. Check that out here.

"New Shit (with Yung Quapo)" (SINGLE)

(March 2021) "You'll never find nobody better than me"... I remember the first time I heard Heartless by Kanye West on a computer at the library. I immediately made it my MySpace song and proceeded to replay the track over and over, and the way he expressed his pain all while sounding so robotic and cold really stuck with me. Fast forward to Valentine's Day 2021. Fresh off another failed attempt at a relationship, I made the beat and wrote the song all that morning. A week later, I got in the studio with Quap and we laid it out. I've been very inspired by my VIDEL era work and real-life experience, especially seeing how far I've come from turning my pain into art. Every setback life has given me, I managed to grow from. That's what keeps it all interesting. I may have even unknowingly self-sabotaged some relationships for the sake of the art. I guess this is just where I am in life, reflecting all while moving forward. Enjoy my New Shit. 

"BENTO BOX: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1" (COMPILATION)

(January 2021) What a journey it has been. I've been fortunate enough to make and release music for over ten years now. I've tried a bunch of different sounds from Emo Trap & New Jack Swing to Afrobeats & Drill. Over the last year and some change specifically, I released music on a monthly basis despite a global pandemic. Of course some releases have gotten more shine than others, but my growth is something I'm incredibly proud of. So I figured, why not do a "Greatest Hits"? The songs are in chronological order and I believe that makes the growth even more apparent on a front-to-back listen. I'm heading into a new chapter in both my life and my music career, but I'll always look fondly upon these past moments. From selling beats in Atlanta to dying my hair blue in LA to linking with some hometown heroes... these have truly been some of the best days of my life and I'm so thankful for everyone who supports me and pushed me to experience them. And of course I put a couple of new tracks at the end for those who want something new. There will be new music soon, but for now - this concludes BENTO SZN 1.

"FLOWERS999" (Juice WRLD Tribute)

(December 8, 2020) One year ago today, I was deeply saddened to hear that 21 year old Jarad Higgins, known professionally as Juice WRLD, had passed. He quickly became my favorite artist back in early 2018, with his emo-flavored tales of heartbreak and anxiety feeling extremely relevant as I had been dealing with my own breakup and mental health issues around this time. He inspired me to find my sound in becoming more vulnerable with my music, and his influence is evident in my earlier works such as the VIDEL series and the videl_lost_sessions.mp3 mixtape. Shortly after hearing of his untimely passing, this song was completed (albeit unmixed). This was the fastest I had ever taken a record from start to finish, making a beat, writing and recording my lyrics all in just two hours. Again, Juice had inspired me tap deeper into myself and ascend to new heights. I didn't want to rush to drop it then as this moment was not about me, so I waited for today - the one year anniversary - to release it into the universe. I'm not even on social media right now to promote it. More than anything, all I wanted to do was put it out. I wanted to express my deepest gratitude for all the young legend has done for me personally. RIP Juice. 999 Forever.

"EASTXCOASTXUNDEAD" (MIXTAPE with Young Walt Dez)

(October 2020) My brother Dez came to LA about a year ago, shortly before the tragic death of Pop Smoke. We were both so proud to be from the East Coast at a time like this, and I told him I was experimenting with drill vibes in my production. The single, "Keep It A Stack",  was my first attempt at it, and he was more than happy to embark on the journey with me. A few months later, we've executed a whole mixtape dedicated to the fact that after many years, the East Coast is back dominating with it's own sound(s). We feel like it's stronger than it's ever been in a lot of respects, and with all due respect we're a part of the reason. Happy Halloween. Hope you're ready to dieeeee.

LIVE PERFORMANCE

EASTXCOASTXUNDEAD MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

"Super Bento Sunshine" (MIXTAPE)

The Soundtrack to Summer Love

(August 2020) It's been a rough year. Outside just ain't the same. So here's a nostalgic trip to Summer's past, hosted by the hottest DJ in New Bedford - YouKnowFresco! Everybody in my city knows one thing. When Fresco spins, that's the place to be at. So I had him help me curate this project and bring it together as if it were a full event experience. I also really wanted to bridge the two coasts and their beautiful beaches. Take a break from the stress that is 2020 and just enjoy yourself. Sing. Dance. Eat. Party. Reminisce. Love.

SUPER BENTO SUNSET (chopped & screwed re-release of Super Bento Sunshine)

(August 2020) Here is the second single from Super Bento Sunshine, untagged for your playlisting pleasure. It is my continuation of P. Diddy's "I Need A Girl" singles, seasoned with some Cape Verdean and Afrobeat flavored production.
(July 2020) Here is the first single from Super Bento Sunshine, untagged for your playlisting pleasure. It is an afrobeat cover of Christina Aguilera's "Genie In A Bottle", similar to what I did with "Cry Me A River" back in April. Happy Summer.

"Lost Angels" (SINGLE)

(June 2020) June 11th marks the anniversary of my Father's death. But this year, it hits a little different with the news of the countless senseless killings of innocent Black people (specifically those ate the hands of the very people supposed to protect us). So while it's a rough time for everybody, and this moment is much bigger than me, I am releasing this record in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter and will be donating all first quarter profits to BLM and BLM affiliated charities.
In Loving Memory of my Father and all of our Lost Angels <3

"RIDE OR DIE" (EP with Johnny Juice)

What do we have here now?

(May 2020) 4 Tracks. 2 for the riders. 2 for the undead. All produced by Johnny Juice. What team are you?

"videl_lost_sessions.mp3" (MIXTAPE)


videl_lost_sessions.mp3 (FULL MIXTAPE)
(January-August 2018) In the roughest period of my life, mentally, I parked by the beach at night and recorded songs in my car with the mic on my iPhone headphones. I didn't care who heard me, I sang my heart out, and this was how I found my voice. A lot of those ideas have become newer songs, but I put together a mixtape of the ones that haven't for anybody experiencing loneliness during the quarantine. These are the raw unedited Videl demos, as released as a mixtape in early 2020.
*Soundcloud Exclusive*

HEARTBROKE HIPPY ERA

"Real Good (feat. Sky Bento)" by Blix(August 2020, Late Release)
"Poison (feat. Sky Bento)" by Blix(April 2020)
"Cry Me a River" (Justin Timberlake Cover) (April 2020)
"Lately (feat. Sky Bento)" by Blix(April 2020)
"D.R.E.A.M (feat. Sky Bento)" by Young Walt Dez (March 2020)

"I Hope You Love Me" (ALBUM)

Because I Do.

(February 2020) Ten long years. That's how long I had been recording when I released this project. Since 2018 when I decided to rebrand under my real name, I've always struggled with labeling each new project as "my debut". But the fact is, I'm not new to this. New people may be hearing my stuff everyday but I've done and wanted to do music my whole life. It was my first love, and for a long time it felt like it didn't love me back. I cared way too much about what people thought of my art. So this time, I locked myself in (produced myself, recorded myself, mixed myself, even made my own cover art) and made what I wanted to make... what I wanted to listen to. I thought to myself, who did that little boy on the cover think he was? The answer is me. And I Hope You Love Me. Because I Do. I Finally Do. And It Feels Great.

BENTO SZN 2019: 

ALBUM ROLLOUT

"Fire It Up (feat. Neion Deion & Some Guy Named Lee)" (December 2019)
"Old Thing Back" (December 2019)
"Comin' Down (feat. Neion Deion)" (December 2019)
"Sleep (feat. Xagi Yung)" (December 2019)
"December" (December 2019)
"Thrilly (feat. Sky Bento & Hatty Maines)" by Blix (November 2019)
"VIDEL II" - Single (November 2019)
"Used 2 B Down (feat. Kid Angel)" (February 2019)

SOUNDCLOUD ERA

Soundcloud was where I began to find myself.Music wasn't just therapeuticIt was therapy.
"$$$ ($CARRED$HONEN$CARED EP)"
(December 2018) A collection of VIDEL era records dedicated to my anxiety. Specifically, I focused on the anxieties that come from capitalism, and my desire to finally make some money off of my music.This was my first release after I moved out of my hometown of New Bedford, and also the first I had mixed myself. This time period was when I began to incorporate more emo and rock styled vocals into my sound, specifically with my use of distortion and nasally vocals.
"VIDEL" (EP)
(June 2018) I rebooted my entire career with this project. This is my superhero origin story. This is me finally getting the courage to sing my broken heart out. I was still figuring out the nuances of my voice, but I consider this the foundation of everything Sky Bento.

"Magicant" (ALBUM)

(2017) My original "debut album". This was a very transitional period in my life. I was technically still a rapper named Swych. I had just parted ways with my label and graduated from college. I returned to life in my hometown, and the anxieties that came with it. I created this album (originally titled "welcome 2 MAgicant") as an ode to my city and tried to encapsule all the things me and my friends complained about, from trust issues and late nights, to wanting to leave it all behind. This was my coming of age story, and the end of my previous musical style of lighthearted brag raps. This project was preceded by a short EP (released track by track on a monthly basis) that you can stream below.
"Spirit Guns" *Original Bonus Track*

SWYCH ERA

I originally went by the name Swych and just rapped out all my fantasies.I was very good at it.

"Level Up 64" (FREE ALBUM)

(2016) My debut album "the Young & Hungry LP" had been scrapped and I went back to my roots. I created a much grander project. The anxiety from life and being about to graduate college and enter "the real world" with no safety net was starting to set in. Worried about what my legacy would be like when it's all said and done, worried about death in general... I really wanted to make my own version of a Kanye album with this one, specifically inspired by My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Yeezus & Graduation. I grabbed samples from all over the place, but stayed true to my video game roots. I let my ADHD run wild with the use of these samples and even the arrangements. Almost every track has some sort of beat change, or at least a real intro/outro. Distraction from the more serious thoughts behind the themes of this project. This was also the real beginning of me taking influence from emo rock, as I began to put my own personal frustration into the music (especially noticeable in my voice). The 8-bit synth became by electric guitar. This all came together in my performances around this time, which mostly involved me jumping up and down, screaming in people's faces, and trying to elicit. This ended up being my only project on Okword Music Group, and I definitely utilized my resources.This is also my most collaborative project to date, as I reached out to other producers for co-production and even got nerdcore legend Mega Ran on the track Grand Theft Auto, one of my first forays into socially conscious music. Today, this may not be the most comfortable listen all the way through... but you can feel it. And that's what I realized my music should do. BE FELT.
"Like It Or Love It" - (2013) My first commercial single

"Level Up" (FREE ALBUM)

(2012) I had released 4 mixtapes in the two years I had been recording up until this point. I had just gotten my first manager I believed I was ready to make an album. I've always heard you have your whole life to make your first album (and that saying still taunts me to this day lol). So I made the album I had wanted to make since I was a child, or at least I thought so. I sampled some of my favorite video game music, threw some stock drum loops and sounds over them, and rapped my ass off. I still impress myself with some of the bars I threw on this project. The entire project was recorded and mixed by Oph Kiltah of Okword Music Group, which lead to me signing to the independent label. The artwork was created by producer Ben Jayne as well.

"The Talent Show 2"

(2012) It was at this point that I really decided to put together a real project. I put a lot more thought into what I was actually saying and the sequence of it all, and while it still left a lot to be desired man was there hunger in this one. I remember the process of creating this one vividly, and my expectations for it of course were wildly greater than what I would actually deliver (at one point it was planned to be around 25 songs). I began looking inward and displaying more of who I actually am on this project and the difference between this and the first Talent Show project are night and day.

"#projectbeatkiller"

(2011) As my days of idolizing Lil Wayne continued, I decided to rollout my next mixtape - by releasing another mixtape. This time it was all beats from famous songs at the time, and I released the songs individually on a daily basis the week before my next mixtape.

"Just When You Thought It Was Safe"

(2011) Who did I think I was with this title? After moving back to my hometown and being surrounded by other rappers (and joining local rap group YoungLads) I was driven by the need to prove myself. I wanted to be the best. I believed I was the best. The Vegeta cover was a nod to the feeling of being underrated and the desire to beat whoever people though was the best in the city. This also featured my first beat with "Michael".

"The Talent Show"

(2010) My first ever mixtape was delivered right at the end of the MySpace era. I was 15. With a strong emphasis on punchlines, I clearly wanted to be Lil Wayne for nerds. My flow and voice had a long way to go, but I think it's important to see just where this all started to really appreciate the growth I've gone through.