Archive for the ‘ATL Love’ Category

Life in Technicolor

Atlanta in the 90s, for me, was skating on Saturday nights at Golden Glide to bass-heavy Southern sounds, participating in Bankhead Bounce dance-offs, watching American Rap Makers (RIP to Arnell Starr) and Planet Rocks late at night and strolling through South DeKalb Mall, debating on whether or not I should get my name airbrushed on a shirt or twisted up on a gold wire chain.

Outside of Miami, Atlanta was where bass music thumped the hardest.  90s ATL influenced many, including singer/songwriter Spree Wilson and production team The Flush, most evident by this dope ass EP these Southern gents dropped entitled Life in Technicolor Vol. 1.  If you know anything about Atlanta Bass Music, you know that fun is the epicenter of it all.  It’s about getting your folk together and having a good time.  This EP brings that vibe back.  With appearances from Big K.R.I.T. and A-Town legend DJ Jelly, you already know it’s gonna be a party.

Oh, and get into that Miya Bailey original cover art!

 

You may or may not be familiar with the name Kameron Corvet, but thanks to his recent appearance on The Voice, he’s almost a household name.  Based out of Atlanta, Kameron’s smooth tone is not to be taken lightly.  I’ve seen the brother perform live; he’s got quite a voice (take that, Cee-lo, Christina, Blake and Adam!).  Check out his new joint, “There Is No Tomorrow,” and judge for yourself.

 

The director of the acclaimed short documentary Underexposed: Indie Hip Hop in Atlanta delves into another aspect of the hip hop scene: the changes of the genre from inception to the present.  W. Feagins, Jr. presents what looks to be a well-thought out piece on the inevitable evolution of hip hop and how it’s affected its artists and its audience.  Hip hop, with its international presence, has proven that it can withstand the tests of time and scrutiny, but how does its change touch those close to it?  Change In The Game will hopefully answer this question and stimulate more dialogue.

The film will premiere at A3C Film Festival at the Plaza Theater.  Get more info on the screening here.

The first official single from Big Boi’s upcoming album Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors is in.  “Mama Told Me” is a funky track produced by The Flush Music and features Kelly Rowland on the chorus.  As always, General Patton laces the track with sharp wit and boastful wordplay: “Living legend, rap scholar, art major/Cuz I make major art, like Beethoven, Van Gogh or Mozart, so don’t start.”  I dig it, but I can’t lie.  I prefer the version with Yukimi and Little Dragon.  You can implement your own compare/contrast methods after the cut.

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Dillon and Boog Brown have bumped fists to activate their dynamic MC skills in the form of super duo Martha Knuckles.  After collaborating a few times on songs and stage, the two Atlanta-based artists obviously figured they would be twice as nice as a group.  Since hearing their first single from the EP, I foresee good shit coming from this collab.  Check out the neck-breakin’ track below.

You can also help fund the group’s EP by heading over to Indiegogo and dropping them a little (or a lot of) bread.

Hip hop is a funny thang.  We’ve got rappers that spit bars about money, cars, clothes and hoes, as if these acquisitions are the fulfillment of all their desires.  Rappers that strive to cop a label deal in hopes that all of those aforementioned things will be bestowed upon them with the simple mention of their names.  Thankfully, somebody has come along to talk some sense into these lost souls.  Visual artist and hip hop head Fahamu Pecou  has released an EP to complement his All Dat Glitters Ain’t Goals exhibition, which is currently on display at Lyons Wier Gallery in New York City.  One part case study, one part satire, all around poignant, All Dat Glitters is the impetus for a much needed discussion about hip hop’s role in pop culture and its massive influence through media depictions.

Hence, Fahamu Pecou is The Shit! The Shit is Pecou’s alter ego who exploits hip-hop vernacular to address the oversaturation of false images and mislead ideals of wealth and success. Appearing as a blinged-out, tatted-up rapper gracing the covers of art and pop culture publications. Fahamu Pecou is The Shit’s over exaggerated persona and swagger of is heightened by the use of subversive commentary, wordplay and colloquialisms scrawled atop these large-scale works. These quips directly engage the erroneous posturing proclaimed by today’s black pop culture icons and role models.

The EP provides the soundtrack to Pecou’s hard hitting displays of hip hop grandeur and extravagance.  Pecou recruits some of Atlanta’s most enterprising MCs to assist in ushering in some dialogue about what’s happening in hip hop culture.  Produced by Illastrate, the All Dat Glitters EP has been blessed by the likes of Stic.Man of Dead PrezClan Destined, L.I.U.N.S. Den, StarChile, Boog Brown, Great S.C.O.T.T., Methuzalah, Mike Flo and more.

Not only do you receive an awesome EP (for free!), Pecou has added a digi-book which includes art from his exhibit and lyrics from each dope track.  That’s the shit, right?

If I had to use one word to describe Killer Mike, it would be consistent.  Consistently himself, consistently honest, consistently trill.  This latest interview with Montreality will attest to that description.  Mike Bigga speaks expressively about everything from James Baldwin’s influence to summer jobs he held has a teen to his favorite superhero to the legacy he’d like to leave.  So get to know Killa Kill a little better.  He’s cool as hell.

We the people have the power, we can shut the system out
Cut the strings and pull the curtains
Show’em we ain’t playin’ ‘round

This new joint comes from the homie blctxt contxt.  It dropped last week, but best believe that a message this real will always have relevance.  “Warning Signz,” produced by AWOL, is a call to action, a rally cry to inspire the masses to pay attention and act.  Absolutely relatable and necessary, blctxt delves into subjects that touch every facet of our lives: government involvement, propaganda, and plain old brainwashing via media infiltration.  The revolution is stirring.  Y’all feel that?

 

Every once in a while, I’ll be struck by a particular sound, a sound that moves my spirit as well as my body. This is exactly what Atlanta-based band Jack Preston & The Dojo have done with their debut LP In The Land Of Wanderers. Sonically enticing, Wanderers feels like a journey into a space of light and everlasting funk. And the instrumentation is just sick! Vocals, keys, guitars, horns, percussion, and strings, every sound is heartfelt, emitting the energy of an eclectic collective. On the track “Find A Way,” the vocalists combine their voices into almost a choral presentation, evoking the spirit of gospel and soul, backed by the fused instrumentation of rock and funk.

The Dojo describes Wanderers as “a melange of sound and genre coming together to dance upon the ear, stimulate the mind, and comfort the soul.” Agreed. The album is worthy of at least one, thorough listen. But please believe, once you’ve experienced the sound, one time won’t nearly be enough.

Check out the album and info on The Dojo’s album release celebration under the cut.

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Big Boi stopped by to bless DJ Greg Street with the fresh out the box exclusive of the latest track from his upcoming project Vicious Lies & Dangerous Rumors.  Produced by Organized Noise Big K.R.I.T., he and UGK (yes, the late Pimp C is on this thang) turn this into a true country rap tune.  The South is outchea!  General Patton’s new album is scheduled for November 13th.  FYI, this is a radio rip, but as soon as the dirty version is available, it’ll be here.

UPDATE: Big Boi released the CDQ version.  Here it go.