“If you weren’t a part of it, at least you got to witness” One day (and a day, not very far off), Mr. Watts will be quoting Drake’s line from Forever to describe his own place in the game. With the release of his birthday mixtape, entitled 24, DK steps into his grown-man shoes even more than on previous projects.
His subject matter is Rated M for Mature without being unrefined, which is what we have come to expect from the proud son of the DMV. Musically, his selections can most accurately be described as “experimental” (not the experimental genre, but that he experiments with different sounds than we are used to hearing from him). Watts tests out new lyrical styles with his faithful soul or jazzy samples, always careful to remain positive and expository. The truth about DK aka Wayne Watts is that he will never escape the posture of a teacher. Through and through, his goal appears to be personal development and passing the lessons of his own experience in generalizable ways to his listening audience. Read more…
A truthful survey of my opinion on the current hip-hop game’s climate around the time that Raekwon’s OB4CL2 came out would have included a treatise on the death of the “gangster lyric” in hip-hop. Make no mistake, it isn’t my belief that those lyrics are gone from the landscape, only that they have lost all of the minimal contact with the reality of the artist’s lives that they may have previously had. For as much as the studied observer of hip-hop music and culture may decry the general apostasy from the image and the styles that they’re used to, is it truly possible to deny the disconnect between lyrics and reality? It is the opinion of the writer that a person who has reached a certain age along with a certain level of success should show an appropriate shift in subject matter reflective of their state of being – then again, if you believe that the biggest drug kingpins in New York are 50 Cent, Cam’ron, and Raekwon this argument will continue to be lost on you. The point being, that no matter what a person used to do, the public expects an artist’s message to mature as time goes on and circumstances change. Read more…
SomeOne is a San Diego-based emcee and part of a hip-hop group called Blah Tribe. His song, “Different,” was featured on the ReviewSTACKS Mixtape. This week we were able to sit down with him to discuss his bio, musical influences and what we can look forward to from him and his crew.
SomeOne: Been rhyming/rapping since I was about 13 years old. Started taking music seriously at about the age of 19. The first music I put out was with a group called Mission Infinite back in 2000 (with Dash Eye, Eye Focus and DJ Evs) – been making music ever since, producing and rapping. I’m a part of a crew called Blah Tribe with an EP titled Blah Tribe Shamans getting ready to drop this winter on Dusty Ears Records.
– When you were trying to get into the rap world what was the process like for you?
SomeOne: In high school I linked up with a lot of like minded people who were into hip-hop music…that’s where I met L7 (Eye Focus). We chilled after school and one day we were just spitting rhymes back and forth and he asked me if I wanted to be in a group he was forming with Dash. Those two heads basically opened a lot of doors for me. Through them I met Mysteries Extinction (Blame, D-Voo, Sandy Lion, DJ Cro) Y-Test, MMW, Fallguy and many other people that were making moves in the North County hip-hop scene.
– Those connections helped with being known in certain circles; did those people also influence your style?
SomeOne: Not at all. I was rhyming the way I rhyme since before I knew any of these heads. I definitely try to be myself on the mic.
– Nice! So how would you describe your style?
SomeOne: Well – I’m from an era I guess where intricate lyrics and wordplay were what real, raw hip-hop was – at least to me. I always try to be that way in my rhymes. Always honest; I try to put my heart into everything I do. Read more…
I got a chance to talk with Milk aka the “super-easy mightiest MC” of the legendary hip-hop duo, Audio Two. He and I discussed what he’s currently doing with First Priority Records, his roster of new acts, how the game has changed since he initially, came onto the scene, who he’s listening to, and his take on Charles Hamilton’s behavior of late.
Take a few minutes out of your day and listen to the words of a hip-hop legend.
Today we are looking at Forever Young: a 8-song project by up and coming rapper out of Atlanta, Ga. He goes by the name of Draft and he sat down with us to answer some questions and give us his own take on each of his songs.
RS: What brought you into the rap game?
Draft: Since I can remember I’ve always been interested in music. I remember being 4 or 5 dancing to Kool Mo Dee. I just always felt like I wanted to be heard. Add that with a love of music…an emcee is born.
RS: What aspect of the music do you enjoy most? Do you prefer writing, recording, or performing?
Draft: I love the writing aspect of music. When you write that hot song, [there's] no better feeling [than] when you see everybody react.
RS: ATL is full of people trying to break into this game, what does it take to stand out in Atlanta?
Draft: I think it takes individuality. [What is out there now] is so much of the same thing.
RS: Have you found the hip-hop world to be more collaborative or competitive?
Draft: I mean, its a little of both. I’ve collabed with a few people…but at the same time it is a business.
Today’s hip-hop landscape looks a lot like the lunchroom at an urban high school. What began as one thing, has grown into another, much bigger, more fractured thing altogether. While the casual observer might look at the rap genre as one thing, the more dedicated listener will note the distinct sub-categories that the music has to offer. Each category, while separate, will contain a bit of overlap for two reasons. First, each artist is influenced by the art of their contemporaries and predecessors. Secondly, what makes the product that each artist creates palatable for large audiences are the cords of similarity within the biographies of the entertainers and their fans. These shared experiences, stories, and viewpoints are the intangible elements that create the culture of hip-hop.
Here are the categories and their most notable figures:
“You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” How did a quote from the Dark Knight end up in this rap review? Well as I sit and think about the Smile, the EP by A.K.A. , I think about the mountain that he has erected for himself to overcome with this first project. I think about the classic debut albums which we have seen in the game before this one that go on to represent an artist throughout his career as the unrepeatable height of their greatness. The passion, hunger, and connectedness to the artists roots that is present on albums like Doggystyle, Reasonable Doubt, Only Built for Cuban Linx, The Documentary, and the revered Illmatic come to mind when listening to this power-packed project set to be released on May 23rd. With that said, the biggest question that remains is whether this artist will be able to repeat this offering the next time around. Read more…
SomeOne is a San Diego-based emcee and part of a hip-hop group called Blah Tribe. His song, “Different,” was featured on the 
– When you were trying to get into the rap world what was the process like for you?
Today we are looking at Forever Young: a 8-song project by up and coming rapper out of Atlanta, Ga. He goes by the name of Draft and he sat down with us to answer some questions and give us his own take on each of his songs.
w did a quote from the Dark Knight end up in this rap review?
People Are Talking