Tag Archives: austin

Props Party :: College Of Hip-Hop Knowledge (CHHK) Drops Cypher For Austin Hip-Hop Awards

Tall Kyle, Big MicJSun the Prophesor, Big TreeSillMic Trey, The Culprit (with a special guest) and Kartune recently got the call from the Austin Hip-Hop Awards to create a cypher in the vein of the BET Awards, and to nobody’s surprise, the crew did not disappoint.  For any successful cypher, you need a banger of a track, and the high energy A$AP Ferg track East Coast served as the perfect platform for the collective of talented MCs to drop bar after bar after bar, with tons of historical, mythical and cultural references intertwined among an a vast array of styles and deliveries.  I love what the CHHK is doing for hip-hop at large, and for Austin-based MCs in particular, as it’s allowed a handful of promising individuals with raw talent to transform into the seasoned performers confident enough to present a cypher of this caliber.  If the past few years have been any indication, CHHK will be making big moves this year, so definitely stay connected with them for more dope output.

-chief

Joyful Noise :: Chief And TheDoomsdayDevice Drops Audio-Visual For ‘The Limit Is Mythic’

It feels good starting off 2020 on the right foot.  After a collaborative year with K Death of the iconic duo Moodie Black (a year in which she produced projects for several underground Texas juggernauts), I am happy to announce the release of Panic Ruminations on January 24.  In order to properly support the roll-out, I hooked up with the homie Jeffrey Garcia from the Dream-Atomic camp, and he helped me capture footage for the limit is mythic, the lead single from the upcoming project.  Check it out, leave a like and a comment, share it around so we can get those view counts up, and stay tuned for the release of the full project.

-chief

Moving Parts :: Warm Star Kicks Off 2020 With ‘(mixtape)*’

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Austin never fails to impress me with the sheer range and variety of producers and beatmakers that reside in the area.  No matter what your taste is, someone is definitely making tracks that will speak to your sensibilities.  If you’re a fan of slightly glitchy, wonderfully off-kilter tracks that warp samples into new elements that are interwoven together intricately, then Warm Star most certainly has you covered.  On (mixtape)*Warm Star hits us with a dose of Prefuse73-esque vibes over two tracks that had me in the zone, for real.  Definitely looking forward to hearing more from (and possibly collaborating with) Warm Star in the future, but for not, you should jump on this while you can… and if you can donate a buck or two, you should.

-chief

Ugly Truths :: Feral The Earthworm Visualizes ‘Peace Of Shit’

Feral the Earthworm continues to be one of the singularly unique creators of recent years, as his latest run of music and videos has been high quality both visually and sonically.  Peace of Shit continues this tradition with a purposefully silly video animation that showcases Feral‘s iconic home-studio on wheels, while simultaneously showcasing his ability to reflect deeply on life in the seemingly most offhand of ways.  Rather than despise the lows, Feral espouses that we use them to ground us, therefore providing both perspective on and the opportunity to enjoy the highs that inevitably follow.  Feral the Earthworm continues to be my favorite groovy guru, so definitely subscribe to his page if you haven’t already, like the video, leave a comment, and spread this love and wisdom far and wide!

-chief

Smart Money :: Qi Dada Shines Solo With ‘Black Girl Payday’

Qi Dada, one half of the award-winning Austin-based duo Riders Against The Storm (RAS), has always been a sharp with the tongue as she is defined with her vision.  It comes as no surprise, therefore, that the lead single for her upcoming EP Mammy’s Money would be the appropriately titled and themed Black Girl Payday, an absolute banger of a track where Qi Dada flexes multiple styles and levels of energy to create the first anthem of the new decade.  Plain and simple, this is a banger in every definition of the word, so don’t sleep on it.  Share it around, leave a like and a comment, and do your part in helping the inevitable rise that will occur.

-chief

Dream Works :: DJ Byron Art And Hydeen K. Beverly Explore Mind Over Matter With ‘Grace’

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While combing Facebook for content (as I usually do), I came across a post by the homie MadCoins that intrigued me.  He mentioned his homie Hydeen K. Beverly, a Philadelphia native currently residing in Austin, dropping bars on a new single named Grace, and with a classic style cover accompanying the recommendation, it was nearly impossible to skip.  Thank God I didn’t, because this brief but powerful track really left an impression on me.  Hydeen‘s wise and philosophical ruminations on life fit well over the DJ Byron Art track, and the additional versions of the track contain equal levels of impact.  The drums on the original bolster the message, the additional flourish on the Vincent Rohr remix give the track a bittersweet beauty, and the unplugged version allows the piano to showcase Hydeen‘s words perfectly.  If you’ve got ten minutes to spare, check out this track, and if it leaves an impression on you like it did on me, share it around for others to feel as well.

-chief

Quick Flex :: J Soulja Creates Impressive ‘GUCCI FLAMINGO EP’ In A Day

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The creative process differs from artist to artist, but when inspiration strikes, the best answer the call and allow themselves to be driven.  In the case of Austin-based MC J Soulja, not only did he answer the call when it hit, but he delivered something tangible in the span of the day.  This tangibility is symbolized by the GUCCI FLAMINGO EP, a 5-song collection with more range, diversity and style than many MCs are able to amass over the course of 8 to 12 songs.  Sporting production by DailyOnThisTrackFootOnThaBeatMalOnTheBeat and ShaunSolo, plus guest verses by fellow Austinitand top notch MC Blakchyl and the mighty Ab Soul, this project leaves a lasting impression.  I am certain I will be revisiting this project many times over, and if the buzz I hear is correct, the world will be hearing much more of J Soulja in the near future.  Check this one out, leave a like and a comment, and spread it around so everyone can enjoy.

-chief

Controlled Chaos :: Chuck Duze And Ative Go Hard On ‘Cow Chow’

Chuck Duze (of the Austin-based FOCI collective) and Ative just made the rowdiest ode to the loud that I’ve heard in quite a while.  With the help of producer Kato On The Track, the pair of MCs drop rapid-fire bars on getting lifted on Cow Chow, with a high-energy and slightly trippy music video produced to match that audio energy.  Period point blank, this one is fire, so don’t front… check it out asap, leave a like and a comment, and spread it around so it can go viral.

-chief

Family Ties :: Wreblemuzik Reflects On Father’s Music Collection Via ‘Everette’s Crates’

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Austin-based producer wreblemuzik recently spent some downtime with his father digging through record crates, and based on the knowledge shared during this session, the inspiration for Everette’s Crates was born.  Apparently, the digging session at the greenhouse stirred up strong reactions, memories and thoughts, as the beats presented in this short collection have a nearly perfect balance of hip-hop edge and soulful echoes.  Hearing the product of genuine inspiration is always a pleasure, so props must be given to wreblemuzik for chasing the muse, and subsequently sharing his creations with all of us.  Definitely check out the project, leave a like and a comment on your favorite track, and share it around for others to dive in!

-chief

Instant Gratification :: Ratarue Embraces The Moment With ‘Tantrum Tapes’

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From the digital desk of Ratarue :

“Made with a cheap Drum Machine, a midi keyboard, and an old second hand Apple Laptop.  I was in a band and I borrowed the mulitrack recorder and made these four songs in a day.  It is unmixed and unmastered.  The quality is really bad but we all come from somewhere… Maybe, you will get the messages behind these songs.  Peace!”

Check this one out, as it’s definitely inspiring!

-chief