Ovrld, Protextor and special fill-in host Morgan put Kayleigh Hughes, one of the better scene writers, movers and shakers, on the hot seat for an informative conversation. I could go on and on, but you know how The Hot Conversation gets down.. check it out for yourself.
-chief
Posted in General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight
Tagged chief, kayleigh hughes, morgan, ovrld, the doomsday device, the hot conversation
Props to EVOLVE for being both one of the hardest working cats in the game and one of the folks most willing to collaborate with others. His latest project, in fact, will be a series of collaborative songs with many, many recognizable names in the hip-hop gamut. The first single, Life’s A…, features Deacon the Villian (of CunninLynguists fame) and JunClassic, and your’s truly was lucky enough to get the call for producing a music video. ‘Public domain science fiction’ would describe the motif, but believe me, this track is dope. Check it out, give it a like, and give it a share!
-chief
If there is one thing that Faylita Hicks has never been afraid to do, it’s been the process of diving deep into any given topic, no matter how uncomfortable it may be, and exploring it with the detail and urgency it deserves. I mention urgency because Faylita recently took part in the San Marcos Cinema Club‘s 72 Hour Film Race contest, and With No River was the result of her 72 hours. Needless to say, I am excited to see what Faylita and her venture into the growth of her brand, Arrondi Creative Productions, brings forth. Props to her for addressing the homeless situation in the central Texas corridor as well.
-chief
1994, my freshman year of high school. Hip hop had recently turned super gangster, but as a teenager on the fringe of becoming a young man, I already had dreams of partaking in the hip-hop culture in any way that I could find to help sustain the fullness of the culture. It was right around this time that a homeboy laced me with a DJ Baby G mixtape entitled Bomb-Ass Mixtape 2, and my mind was blown. I knew a handful of things instantly : I needed turntables and a mixer ASAP, there has to be a Bomb-Ass Mixtape 1 in existence in order for there to be a part 2, and I needed to find out where I could cop these mixtapes and records. Some pavement work resulted in the discovery of Alien Records (then on 15th street), and the rest was history. A journey that I am still taking part in was put in motion. Here we are, almost 25 years later, and these tapes still sound wonderful. DJ Baby G still gets down behind the ones and twos. And hip hop is bigger than any of us could have imagined.
-chief
Mindz of a Different Kind (MDK) started off as a powerhouse of a crew.. four extremely talented MCs who pooled their collective resources and vision to form a united front. Time, however, has revealed new things out of this union.. a strong sense of self-respect from each member, as well as an obvious mutual respect among the collective.. a growth in the confidence and the content of their material.. a visual aesthetic that promotes growth and ideas while being reflective of days past.. All I Know, the lead single from the recent EP release Borderlinez, encompasses all of these things brilliantly. Word on the street is that there’s a short film in the works.. be on the lookout for No Sleep No Breaks when it drops.. I know I’ll be.
-chief
Summer may already be upon us, but that didn’t stop Austin-based producer Lord Meraki from blessing us with his Spring EP. Full of house and hip-hop infused, rhythm and synthesizer heavy beats, the Spring EP is a great summer companion.. that is, unless, there’s a Summer EP on the way. I wouldn’t be mad at that.
-chief
Posted in General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight
Tagged austin, chief, lord meraki, spring ep, the doomsday device
The best thing about any good crew is the ability to not feel rushed in whatever your solo process may be. Any crew worth their weight stays active and productive, so you never get rusty on the songwriting or the performing. This allows you to really find your way as a solo performer, and it makes it that much more impressive when your solo work is released. Joy of Grid Squid Entertainment would be the most recent example of this process bringing forth good things. I recently saw her perform her debut single, Tainted Love, live at Martian Arts & Music Festival, and I must say that it definitely stood out. The official single is now out, and hopefully a full length will not be far behind. Keep you ears and eyes open for that, and give Tainted Love a listen and a share.
-chief
Props to Wallaby and Bobbes for always coming with quality beats and rhymes. Moving Forward is a self-made effort all the way around, from song to video concept, and these guys are proving that they can get it done on their own. Imagine what would happen if a label decided to invest in these cats?
-chief
Earlier this year, the homies Chisme out of San Antonio hit the road, and among their stops was Seattle. While out there exploring, one of their stops was Radio Concuss, and the fellas blessed the station with a live performance that was wonderfully captured. Check it… dynamite stuff.
-chief
Posted in Audio-Visuals, General Information, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged chief, chisme, radio concuss, the doomsday device
Austin-based crew Space Camp Death Squad (Protextor and Secret Levels) recently embarked on the wonderfully named VelociRapTour, and as anyone who has ever been on tour knows, things get interesting and wild. Luckily, the fellas decided to document what had to be one of the better stops, DisneyLand. The result is a wonderfully entertaining video in the happiest place on Earth. Props to the fellas for bringing some culture to the grounds. Enjoy!
-chief
Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice 