Tag Archives: san antonio

Loca Summer :: Apaso, Kree 23 And Aimsta Drop Visual For ‘Chingona’

Posted on August 19, 2019 | Leave a comment

Strong character and an independent spirit are a good look on anyone, but as a young man, that goes double for me when present in a woman.  Apparently, Apaso and Kree 23 hold similar beliefs to me, as they recently joined forces with Aimsta and director Greg Wallace of AGWF to bring the single Chingona to life.  The track, produced by the homie Progeny, is a banger in the vein of the mid to late 1990s, when songs made in tribute to the power of the feminine mystique were a bit more present and prevalent in the culture.  Both MCs manage to craft creative and visual bars that convey their visions of what defines Chingona, while Wallace has fun with the visuals by blending old school looks and transitions with new school elements like emojis, used as a shorthand to further drive home the lyrical points being made.  This one has summer jam written all over it, so give it a like, leave a comment, and share it around for others to do the same!

-chief

 

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Emergency Broadcast :: Chris Conde And Crew Go For Broke On ‘Basic Rappers’ Visual

Posted on August 13, 2019 | Leave a comment

Over the past couple of years, Chris Conde has really honed in the defining aesthetic in all aspects that makes the music and live performances memorable.  I’ve seen glimpses in different mediums, but everything really comes together perfectly in the recently released visual for Basic Rappers, a collaboration with Angel Marcloid of Fire-Toolz on the overall vision, Scott Newman on the performance footage, Oliv on makeup and Z the Barber on hair duty.  This single (an old live show staple) and video could easily fit in as a pirate broadcast interrupting said basic rappers and warning them that mediocrity will not be tolerated in the culture from either side (performers or supporters).  Plain and simple, Conde is laying down the gospel that MCs need to hear and heed.  Dig the video, leave a like and a comment, and share it around for others to do the same!

-chief

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Regal Vibes :: RoyalKingMinus Drops Knowledge On ‘The Regalia LP’

Posted on July 19, 2019 | Leave a comment

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San Antonio-based MC RoyalKingMinus has seemingly always been about mixing education into the finely-tuned bars he delivers, from what I can tell.  In the opening moments of The Regalia LP, his latest project, the reasons for this approach are laid out : the status of the hip-hop artist in the community, the responsibility that comes with their power, and the sphere of influence they create.  This speech sets the table perfectly for the feast of rhymes and ideas that RoyalKingMinus presents the listener over the next ten tracks, with a style that morphs and melds to whatever beat is presented.  I’m a new fan, but will definitely be a dedicated one based on what I’ve heard so far from RoyalKingMinus… I suggest taking some time and checking him out on your own.

-chief

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Today’s Math :: RoyalKingMinus Drops ‘The #’s Vol. 3’

Posted on May 28, 2019 | Leave a comment

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San Antonio-based MC RoyalKingMinus reached out to me recently to see about some shows in the San Marcos and Austin area, so I did what I do and got him in touch with cats I knew were active.  Then I did something I need to get better at, and asked him what his latest releases were, and GOOD GOD am I glad that I did.  RoyalKingMinus has been hard at work on what he calls The Numbers Series, a series of EPs that deserves a deep dive based on the brief but brilliant The #’s Vol. 3, or at least that’s the case in my experience.  The off-kilter production and rhyme delivery, heavily referential and smart lyrics, and the vocal samples that tie it all together had me wishing for more, and lucky me, there are 3 other entries in the project to check out.  I recommend you do the same, and if you’re in the central Texas area, keep an eye out for RoyalKingMinus later this summer.

-chief

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Standing Proud :: Chris Conde’s Solo Debut, ‘Growing Up Gay’, Now Available

Posted on January 7, 2019 | Leave a comment

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San Antonio rap representative Chris Conde has something he can truly be proud of in his debut release, Growing up Gay.  The project not only features forward-moving thought provoking production (courtesy of Chris Conde, Fire-Toolz, Ryan Joseph Galvan, Venetian Snares, Ledef and Casey Keyworth), but lots of forward-thinking in general in terms of topic matter and the way it is handled.  Chris Conde has a fascinating ability to embody the entire spirit of MC’ng in the form of bold statements and wordplay while simultaneously handling what many of the uncultured masses would consider a taboo subject in hip-hop : being gay.  Chris Conde addresses it head on without making it the topic that drives his entire subject matter, which provides a perfect situation for him to flex in a familiar way while standing out from the crowd.  I could go on and on, but it’s best to dive headlong into this project and let Chris Conde show you the way.

chief

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Shock Value :: MC Homeless Expounds On ‘Dead Rappers’ With Chris Conde In New Video

Posted on August 16, 2018 | Leave a comment

There’s braggadocio, and then there’s truly being unbothered by what the common crowd is doing… I think it’s safe to say that MC Homeless falls more in the latter category.  An MC that’s never been known to do anything less than his own thing, MC Homeless recently teamed up with San Antonio-based Chris Conde to draw a clear line in the sand between the true unliving heads and those that are basically already the walking dead.  The duo gets down over a Death Woods track (plus a drone loop from Vanishing Cities) with a little visual assistance from co-director Joseph Ramirez (MC Homeless also pulled director duty), makeup and special effects by Chris Paulos, Holly Paulos and Leigh Kessel, and digital effects from David Hampton.  The track will be found on the upcoming split cassette with Brzowski, Dig Two Graves, so definitely keep your eyes and ears open for that release… I’m sure this is just a small sample of the dopeness that project holds in store.

-chief

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Staying Afloat :: Chris Conde Hits The Masses With ‘No Air (Remix)’ Video

Posted on July 6, 2018 | Leave a comment

San Antonio-based MC Chris Conde has never been one to shy away from being proud of who he is.  No pun intended, but you get more straight talk about the game from Chris Conde than you do from many of his hetero, cis peers.  In the video we get direct addressing of peoples’ unfounded fears of a gay rapper, plenty of proof that his drive and skill level has nothing to do with his lifestyle, and tons of humor on top of everything to let people know that the issues really aren’t worth the venom they normally receive.  Rather it be skateboarding, prepping wigs, walking down the street eating icees, or just doing the normal posturing associated with hip-hop, Chris Conde is here to force diversity and open-mindedness into a scene that has needed it for quite a while.

-chief

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