Tag Archives: hip-hop

Culture Sounds :: EVOLVE X Mic Melt X Banga K Talk About ‘Basics’

There is no doubting that the monolithic culture we know as Hip-Hop was birthed in New York, but as the culture has grown, so has its reach and influence in not only the United States, but the world.  As a native Texan, I find myself spiritually connected to other Texas-based MCs that understand and respect New York and it’s firm place in the culture, and perhaps this is why it brings me great joy to hear Basics.  The prolific Texas duo that is EVOLVE and Mic Melt have always brought a grittiness and complexity to their artistry that is clearly influenced by the legions of classic New York artists, so to see them connect with New York-based MC Banga K, producer Deep of 2HB and dj Ez Dave during a recent trip to Brooklyn in this latest single feels like providence.  The track is a banger, of course, with the perspectives of those from outside and inside the “city that never sleeps” echoing one another beautifully.  If you dig your Hip-Hop with plenty of head nod energy, then cop this track immediately and spread it around.

-chief

Heat Waves :: Chris Conde And El Dusty Drop Party Packed Video For ‘Summertime Heat’

Engulfed in the Marvelous Decay, the Fake Four Inc. debut of Texas-based hip-hop trailblazer Chris Conde, has been a gamechanger in the way that it has not only manifested staying power, but opened up many doors of opportunity.  One of the cooler collaborations on the project was Summertime Heat, a song about Texas summers backed by the production prowess of the Grammy-nominated electro-cumbia mastermind El Dusty.  Earlier this month (and in spite of summer technically and theoretically winding down), Conde tapped creatives Mandy Heitzelman SmithAdrienne LakeGreer SkiesSunday BallewMarty RobbinsRichard Whymark and a handful of good friends to bring Summertime Heat to life via an old fashioned pool party.  If you want to take part in the summertime magic vicariously, definitely take a few minutes to check out the video, and if you dig it, be sure to leave a like and a comment before sharing it around!

-chief

Major Moves :: Kydd Jones And Company Visualize ‘Elon Musk’

You’ve already heard me give Kydd JonesTank WashingtonBryson Brown and the homie Butcher Bear props for Kydd‘s recent single Elon Musk, so it’s definitely good to see a video dropped that matches the quality of the track.  Under a beautiful Austin sky under what appears to be one of the handful of properties that Musk has acquired in the city (don’t quote me on that though), Jones and crew perform the track while equally dope artist Cory Kendrix does his thing on the video production side as the director, cinematographer and editor.  Much love all around to everyone involved, and props for running up the numbers so quick… if you want to help get the video’s stats pumped up even higher, leave a like and a comment, and share it around for everyone to do the same.

-chief

Right Now :: Heir MAX And Fake Four Inc. Share ‘The Moment-20’

I think it’s important to let Fake Four Inc. and heir MAX speak on this project : 

“This album is dedicated to Scotty Sixo whose birthday is September 10th.

In heir MAX‘s words:  ‘This project is very dear to me.  I talk about a lot of personal things I had a lot of time to reflect on during the Pandemic…. I hit on my childhood, how I grew up in Dallas Texas dealing with addiction, corrupt cops, the Pandemic, depression, and the pursuit for happiness.

I want to dedicate this album to our Dear friend Scotty Sixo Trimble.  A lot of us owe you so much and I am truly thankful to have had you as a friend. We miss you so much.’

Fake Four Inc. is proud to share this EP by Texas‘s heir MAX as a free digital download on Bandcamp day today.  With production by Moodie Black, Factor Chandelier, Progeny and more, heir MAX offers a unique blend of sonic influences backing up poignant, biting rhymes.

Joseph Johnson, aka heir MAX, is a hip hop artist based in Fort Worth, TX, and half of the duo Alligator Food with ScottySixoTrimble.

Alligator Food was hard at work on the follow up to their debut album, Even Petals, when Sixo suffered a fatal heat stroke during a motocross race.  The devastating loss of not only his friend but also all of their recorded material was a career setback not many could recover from.  Wanting to continue the pursuit of his childhood dream, heir MAX began to pick up the pieces and embark on his new journey as a solo artist.

heir MAX’s music has been described as “light-hearted with a dark twist.”  Drawing from unexpected influences like Dave Gahan, Muddy Waters, Trent Reznor, and the Dead Kennedys, heir MAX delivers catchy choruses over moody yet upbeat soundscapes, creating a sound uniquely his own.  MAX is as comfortable on a skateboard as he is on the mic, weaving his life experiences together without a lot of tricky metaphors.  The lack of overcomplicated and obscure references make heir MAX instantly relatable.  His tales, inspired by the likes of Slick Rick and Ghostface Killah, range from childhood skatepark antics and cartoons to serious topics, like corrupt cops- the subject of his song Ralph.

Though it was through Sixo that heir MAX met Ceschi and became part of his Fake Four, Inc. label, heir MAX quickly made a name for himself.  MAX has played alongside greats like 2mex, producer Factor Chandelier, Ceschi, MC Homeless, Onry Ozzborn, Height Keech, and the legendary Myka 9.  He has performed on several dates on the Vans Warped tour and is the go-to opening act at any major hip hop show in Texas due to his dedicated hometown fanbase.”

-chief

New Formations :: Chris Conde And Fake Four Inc. Release ‘Everyday’ Remix Contest Winner Compilation

Good friend and Fake Four Inc. labelmate Chris Conde has been making major inroads as a member of the collective roster.  With the successful release of Engulfed in the Marvelous Decay handled, Conde and Fake Four Inc. decided to have a bit of community-based fun via a remix contest.  The elements to Everyday were released to the public, and after a rousing response and volumes of submissions, four were selected to be released as a maxi-single along with the original track.  AlibiBadbelly and BIGBY all shined via their submissions, with grand prize winner IBGeeZee landing the opening spot on the record.  If you’re a fan of CondeFake Four Inc. or the practice that is the remix, then don’t sleep on this name your price digital release.

-chief

Hunger Games :: ATX Cypher And Nez Tha Villain Explore Their ‘Rap Appétit’

When Common spoke of the ‘hungry hip-hop junkie in the city’ way back when, I knew exactly what he was talking about, and after hearing Rap Appétit, it’s clear that ATX Cypher and Nez Tha Villain understand what that line is all about as well.  Thanks to an assist from Big&Little Productions and director Kevin Bocanegra Jr., we’ve been blessed with a video for Rap Appétit that captures all of the true-school essence the vocal duo put into the track… the boom bap and the self-affirming bars and backed up by a nice, vintage look and feel where two music fiends are exploring and embracing their love.  This video is super solid, so don’t sleep on it… you know what to do… like, comment and share!

-chief

Death Blow :: Ciggy Burns X Luca Brasi Story Comes To A Close With ‘Back From The Dead’

Evolve and Chef Mike are back at it again!  Dig the lore wrap-up straight from the Common and Normal camp : 

“After what can only be described as a horrific final stand, Ciggy Burns‘ life was cut short, however he’s managed to find his way back to the land of the living, vowing to collect debts owed and despite his gruesome appearance, win over the hearts and asses of soccer moms everywhere.  This is the continuation of Ciggy‘s tale as spoken by Ciggy himself with background noise provided by undead gangster turned producer, Luc Brazi.”

Back From the Dead is a short but effective power-punch of a project, so definitely check it out, share it around, and if you’ve got a few bucks to spare, throw it these cats’ way!

-chief

United Front :: The Brain Drops ‘World Full Of Pain’ Single Featuring Doogie McDuff

Yesterday marked the birthday of The Brain, member of Austin hip-hop collective SubKulture Patriots and an extremely forward-thinking MC in his own right.  Although a day late, I wanted to make sure to give him props for World Full of Pain, a collaboration with Doogie McDuff full of introspective views on global suffering, optimistic self-affirmations and clever wordplay.  You can catch the track on the major streaming services, so go give it a few spins and playlist it up to help out The Brain!

-chief

Taking Flight :: Andwan Zonez Taps Maikéru For ‘Jets & Planes’

Over the past couple of weeks, Maikéru has been doing major promo for Jets & Planes, a single and video he featured on with Andwan Zonez.  The hype that he built up for it was major, and like everything else that he’s pushed recently, the quality stood up to the promise.  The track is a well-produced mixture of R&B, hip-hop and club energy, and thanks to the well-known talents of videographer, director and editor extraordinaire Dan2TheL, the video looks as high quality as the track sounds with its vivid color displays and late 1990s/early 2000s aesthetic.  In all honesty, not following Maikéru at this point is taking a social media L, as he continues to get himself involved in interesting and top notch content.  Check out the video, leave a like and a comment if you dig it, and share it around to run the numbers up!

-chief

Bustin’ Loose :: Jsun The Prophesor And Levi Deadman Combine Forces For ‘Hektek’

We are definitely living in tense times nowadays, especially here in Texas on the eve of Constitutional Carry implementation.  Jsun the Prophesor, one of the driving forces behind the Austin hip-hop supercollective CHHK (College of Hip-Hop Knowledge), seems to clearly understand how normal and performative this collective madness is, and lucky for us, so does Levi Deadman.  With the help of South Side Hippie on production, the result of these ruminations is Hektek, the second single and video off of Jsun‘s upcoming album 9th Symphony.  Definitely check out the single and video, leave a like and a comment if you’re feeling it, and share it around so everyone can get hip!

-chief