Lou Phelps: Squeeze
The Juno-nominated Montreal rapper delivers a charming single and video taken from his recent sophomore album. Jahkoy chimes in with a vocal feature that accentuates the tone, and the lyrics are more tender than is usual for the genre.
By Kerry Doole
Lou Phelps: "Squeeze - feat. Jahkoy" (Last Gang/eOne): This is the latest video for a track from Montreal rapper Phelps' recently-released sophomore album, 002/LOVE ME.
His 2017 debut, 001: Experiments, racked up over 1 million plays on SoundCloud and earned a Juno nomination for Rap Recording of the Year. The new record deserves to have received more attention, so hopefully, this charming cut will help.
It has a laid-back feel, with lyrics that are a touch more tender than a typical hip-hop track ("let's be more than friends, if you agree"). Canadian R&B artist Jahkoy chimes in with a vocal feature that accentuates the tone, while ROMderful (Soulection) adds tasteful production.
Complementing the cut is a fun retro video, shot on Kodak Super 8 during Phelps' fun-filled birthday weekend down in Miami. In a label press release, Phelps explains “this track was about a girl I was seeing at the time. The relationship turned out to be horrible, but it’s all good." The song fits in with the album's aim of telling relatable love stories and tracing the ups and downs of relationships.
002/LOVE ME was executive-produced by Phelps' older brother, the Polaris Prize-winning artist/producer Kaytranada. Talented family!
Lou Phelps has upcoming shows at Montreal's Le Belmont (Nov. 9) and Toronto's Drake Underground (Nov. 10).
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Publicity: Indoor Recess
From left: Joey Scolari, Tom Pistore, Keith Pelley, Wayne Zronik and Tim Leiweke speaking on State of the Industry panel at Departure at Toronto's Hotel X on May 8, 2025.Mike Highfield