New York, NY (January 5, 2009) - Canadian emcee Eternia stopped through the SRC offices with partner in noise Chesney Snow and laced some ill spits for the camera before opening up a little bit about her place in hip-hop. Don’t get the pretty face twisted tho - girl can rap. A Toronto transplant now living in New York City, she’s got a show Sunday, January 11th at The Pyramid for the latest installment of EOW, too, so if you’re in the area, check, check, check out the meloday. For more, peep the joint she did with Ill Poetic and Reef The Lost Cauze called “Souled Out.”
New York, NY (January 4, 2009) - Got this email from Niki the other day, Loud.com all over the place and one of our own is getting it in! RapDreamsRadio.com interviewed super-producers and Loud.com mainstays Play-N-Skillz over the phone and, afterwards, check out Niki Damez with the No. 1 song on the countdown the last three weeks! Props to both parties for their hustle.
Rest In Peace, homie!! A lot of “thugs” ask if there’s heaven for a gangster… sure there is. You just have to impress the likes of Pun, Chris Wallace, Big L and Tupac in a cipher before St. Peter lets you in. Let that marinate.
New York, NY (September 16, 2008) – The outspoken have always played an important role in society. Whether it’s been simply stoking the fires of unrest among the people at a local level or actually taking up arms and going to war with a government, revolution has been a part of every civilization at some point. Hip-hop is no different.
From the mainstream assault levied by Public Enemy, NWA and more recently Nas (eh), to the constant movement of underground champions like Dead Prez and Immortal Technique, the viewpoints offered are always one of anti-establishment, truth, justice and equality – ideals in society that are often swept away in the name of progress. Success usually depends on how those messages are presented to the public; but in the case of the person leading the charge, they couldn’t give a shit. Their point is to be heard, period. The message is what needs attention, not one person.
Final Outlaw, who calls most of New York’s five boroughs home, may not paint himself as a revolutionary in the same strokes that Immortal Technique or Dead Prez do, but their messages are all very similar. Outlaw decries the politics of the industry, name-checks the artists who left poverty behind and didn’t look back, and laments the influence modern media and technology have over today’s youth. Having dealt with his own financial and familial struggles coming up, Outlaw is a unique voice for today’s streets.
Through hard work and extensive touring NY’s local venues, Outlaw has garnered a good deal of buzz in the city, and his supporters have seen to it that his message has spread internationally, too. Here, he goes in with a ridiculous Full Volume segment that was half-rhyme and half-lecture, rapping and speaking on life with the kind of passion and conviction that can only come from the spirit of someone who’s actually lived what he writes.
New York, NY (August 29, 2008) – New Jersey native Rasheed Chappell has been grinding for a minute. He readily admits there was a point in time when it didn’t look like it was going to happen, and he began to think of Plan B. But sometimes things just work themselves out. And so after a few brushes with labels, a grip of ciphers, radio shows and live events that had people wanting more, and numerous late-night studio sessions that provided some classic material for his hood, he’s finally landed with a label that understands his vision and has the means to realize it.
Ill Friction Records, headed up by Grammy-winner Kenny Dope, has invested in Sheed’s upcoming album, “Nostalgia,” and the results have been monstrous. Before we got into the interview and spits, I was privy to a few tracks, bumped through the speakers of a car that struggled to do their job. Nevertheless, the music found a way out. It evokes an early 90’s vibe, but with accessible, modern lyrics and the mature touch of a producer (Maleet) that’s given an artist the perfect soundscape for his style.
We got up for a good hour and chopped it up about “Nostalgia,” following through on dreams even as they seem nearly impossible to reach and also the night he got to spit with Nas. Be sure to check the last verse in his Full Volume segment, too, it’s probably one of the realest verses you’ll ever hear. All the old-school heads yellin, “Go Rasheed!” HIP-HOP.
New York, NY (August 7, 2008) – There’s some emcees that just… when they spit, it gets ugly. Emilio is one of those people. He assaults the English language. If Anderson Silva has command over a “Ballet of Violence” in the UFC, this kid would be the hip-hop equivalent. Peep game as we get to know Emilio a little bit and then strap in while dude gets busy. And it ain’t all just battle rhymes either, kids…
Part 1: The homie from Rochester gives us the latest on his projects and shows.
Part 2: Emilio destroys three of his favorite verses from the lobby of the Radisson Martinique in NYC during the Dynamic Producer Convention. The alphabet didn’t stand a chance…
New York, NY (July 28, 2008) – Asher stopped by the SRC offices last week and we had the chance to rap with him (literally) on his way to another meeting. Son hooked us up with three of his favorite verses, two from his recent mixtape with Don Cannon and DJ Drama, “The Greenhouse Effect.”
Check the video below for the breakdown of his “The Lounge,” “Cartoon Chicks” and “I Love College.”
And check out a live performance of Asher in ATL this weekend.