Tag: hip hop

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Macklemore– Unstoppable

June 6, 2016

Only a handful of indie hip-hop artists have experienced the meteoric rise to fame Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have. From relative obscurity to the cover of Rolling Stone, the Seattle-based duo is deeply submerged in the spotlight. It’s all moving incredibly fast, but they are apparently enjoying the roller coaster ride. The pair’s latest album, This Unruly Mess I’ve Made, chronicles his growth as a husband and father while juggling the insanity that comes along with his new celebrity status.

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Back in Effect – Luniz Reunite for 420 Show

April 11, 2016

There’s not a stoner alive who doesn’t know the song “I Got Five On It” by the Oakland-based duo, Luniz. Released in 1995 on their seminal album, Operation Stakola, it took Yukmouth and Numskull from every day street hustlers to platinum selling artists seemingly overnight.

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Top Tunes Thursday: Big Grams — Self Titled

October 1, 2015

I’d like to see the “to do list” for this record. It must read something like: “1. Make awesome music. 2. See #1.” Yes, it’s simple, but it’s simply fun. If Big Grams set out to make music to dance/copulate to, I think they hit the nail on the head. Phantogram released their most recent record last year, and the last time OutKast put out new music, I was a Junior in highschool. (Wow, I’m old.) While there doesn’t appear to be any tour dates in Big Grams’ future, I guess you’ll just have to settle for playing this record on repeat.

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Top Tunes Thursday: Little Simz — A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons

September 24, 2015

Imagine you know someone who wants to be a world renowned rapper. Regardless of talent or ability, how many challenges lay ahead of this person? Find/compose beats, write verses, record said verses, produce record/mixtape/single, and somehow get that content out to the people, whether that be through radio, concerts, or some manner of digital dispersion. Now imagine this person is a woman, and lives in the UK, a locale as synonymous with hip hop as it is with hardcore death metal (which is to say, not very). This is the monumental task Simbi Ajikawo set for herself at the tender age of 9. After dabbling in the movement and screen disciplines, Ajikawo dedicated herself to rap, donning the moniker Little Simz. 4 mixtapes, 6 EPs, and 1 independently created record label later, Simz has garnered adoration from ravenous listeners around the globe, including some of rap’s biggest names, including J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay-Z.

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Top Tunes Thursday: Travis $cott — Rodeo

September 10, 2015

When your first public appearance has you labeled as a protege of Kanye West, it’s safe to say you travel with heavy expectations on your shoulders. When Travi$ Scott was revealed as one of the top producer’s behind West’s blistering thrash-rap opus, Yeezus, the countdown to his solo album began. While his debut EP Owl Pharaoh failed to impress, his follow-up Days Before Rodeo did much to increase the appetites of Scott’s swelling fanbase. Now, two plus years after the source of his fame, Travi$ Scott has released his highly anticipated solo record, Rodeo. Without giving too much away, it lives up to the name.

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New Music Monday: Bilal — In Another Life

July 6, 2015

With In Another Life, Bilal releases a collection of tunes ripe for the season. The record kicks off with “Sirens II,” which paints the picture of the slow and unwitting seduction of our main character. With a bossy beat, and a bass line some of you might recognize from Jay-z’s “Picasso Baby,” it’s the perfect setting for the sensual jaunt that is to come.

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As Famous As He Wants To Be: Sage Francis Sits Comfortably At The Helm of His Career

June 16, 2015

The Providence, Rhode Island-native, former spoken word champion, seasoned emcee and founder of Strange Famous Records has built a comfortable career for himself over the last two decades, but he would rather stay under the radar. Francis has never been one to seek out fame, it kind of found him. His incredible writing talent was undeniable. Coupled with a strong stage presence, it was only a matter of time before he attracted attention. Curiously, it’s the attention he tends to want to avoid. As a self-proclaimed introvert, he’s much more relaxed inside the fours walls of his home than he his outside in the world. However, that all goes out the window when he takes his first step on stage; he explodes with confidence.

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