I thought that when Batsauce dropped his collection of beats for the Clean Plate Club, that was going to be it. Then, like an RKO out of nowhere, a video dropped for the 2 part beast Rumors of War. The video uses one of my favorite methods of music video styling (public domain/newsreel footage), and while it pulls from a 1960’s aesthetic, the visuals and song are still quite relevant. Powerful stuff, worth your time, your likes and your shares.
-chief
Posted in Audio-Visuals, General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight
Tagged batsauce, chief, clean plate club, rumors of war, the doomsday device
-chief
Posted in Chief News, General Information, Spotlight
San Marcos, just like it’s big brother city Austin, is showing a wealth of creative and talented folks on the verge of making a name for themselves in 2017. JMac the Dragon‘s recent release, The Human Element, was a wonderful exploration of the ups and downs of our daily walk, and the video for the title track is a wonderful piece of art that reflects the sentiments of the album. Featuring a host of guest verses from Aye Cue, Frank Villa and CA the Commoner (who also directed the video), this track and video are instant classics. Dope for real.
-chief
Raw raps. That’s what the Boom Bap family is all about. The latest from the collective set to wreck eardrums is Ciggy Burns, and Sweet Morning Lights, the lead single off of the upcoming EP The Slow Burn, is one hell of a warning shot. Do yourself a favor and listen… get hip quick.
-chief
San Marcos has produced a thriving scene of musicians that have seamlessly blended the folk, bluegrass and punk aesthetic into a sound so natural it’s surprising it is not a thriving sound already. One of the frontrunners of this scene is the raucous outfit known as 36″ Wheels. Last winter, they hunkered down in the studio, and the result is their debut release, Spit On It. Done in 2 days of broken strings, fighting through illness and leaving it all on the studio floor, this project is one that will remain with you long after the last notes of the last song have faded, and it will certainly enhance your experience of their live show.
-chief
The weight of the world can drag even the strongest man down. An inherent part of closeness is trust, and trust is a delicate balance to maintain. On A Better Me, Smackola examines what it takes in order to navigate through a world that seemingly does not care, and his examination results in a simple statement : bettering yourself will aid you in your daily walk. Wise words as always from a true living legend.
-chief
Last fall, The Triggermen released their latest album, Live Wire. To celebrate its release, they threw a dope show at Beerland. I was honored to be a part of it, and that night was my introduction to Ben ‘McNasty’ Buck. His set was incredibly captivating, and then later that night, he took to the stage with The Triggermen for French Cuff Sleazy, and the results were fantastic. The Triggermen were in the midst of capturing footage for their Party Pro video, and this was a pleasant bonus that has now been shared for the masses.
-chief
Sometimes, pure skill and talent simply cannot be denied. Enter Scuare and no1mportant, two MC/producers who individually are capable of doing great things. When combined, however, these two work on a wonderfully harmonic resonance. Both cats have unique, rapid-fire and melodic styles that are similar enough for the duo to make total sense, but different enough from one another to compliment one another effortlessly.
A statement from …&more… concerning their amazing sophomore release, Existence Is Futile :
“In many ways it’s a celebration of a loss of ultimate purpose and growth through acceptance. The Star Trek metaphor helps to illustrate that notion through what we think is a pretty comical lens.
Outer Space is often juxtaposed with samples and lyrics that relate to how people view sex and relationships. These themes represent opposing points on the spectrum, and serve as anchors from which to expand.”
Take the time to dive into this wonderful piece of art. There is no sign of a sophomore jinx here.
-chief
And yet, another high quality song and video coming out of my beautiful hometown of Austin. This one is by Cha’keeta B., with an assist from Jake Lloyd. The song and video for Forever Love share what it can be like to be on the same wavelength with another soul. The good times are better, the creative energy can be shared, and the presentations to the world can be much stronger. This one came heavily recommended by many of my musical peers in Austin, and this was a pleasant surprise, and further proof that our scene can hold one another down when it matters.
-chief
Posted in Audio-Visuals, General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight
Tagged austin, cha'keeta b, chief, forever love, jake lloyd, the doomsday device
Retr0gRaDe is one of the handful of Austin hip hop groups that seems to have their eyes set on exponential growth for 2017. The self-titled debut album is cruising along nicely, and now the duo has dropped a second single and video. Body Heat is a nice dose of love rap, rounded out with a little advice about the key points to keeping your lady happy. The video is crazy dope… simple, but powerful, and amazingly well shot, lit and composed. Quality work from some quality fellas.
-chief
Posted in Audio-Visuals, General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged body heat, chief, retr0grade, the doomsday device
Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice 