Tag Archives: tee double

Role Call :: A Multitude Of Austin Artists Combine Forces For ‘Walk With Me Austin’

From the digital desk of GoldenHornetATX :

‘While cities across the nation mourn the myriad uncertainties of 2020, more than 45 native and resident musicians from Austin, Texas have joined forces to produce Walk with Me Austin, a powerful anthem created to inspire and unite the City of Austin during a pivotal time in the U.S.  Available for download and streaming, Walk with Me Austin brings hope to the community while addressing matters of social and racial injustice, civil unrest, equality and the global coronavirus pandemic.’

The who’s who lsit on this project is too vast to name, but many artists that appear in this video have been featured on the blog before.  All proceeds to the purchase of this song will go towards HAAM (Health Alliance for Austin Musicians), so if you’re digging it, follow the links in the description, and share it around while encouraging others to do the same.

-chief

Funky Poets :: Universal Seedz Connect With Tee Double, Tray God And Bavu Blakes For ‘Ovidalo’

Back in the mid to late 1990s in Austin, there was a golden moment of musical synergy that took place every Wednesday night at The Mercury known as Hip-Hop Humpday.  Anyone lucky enough to have experienced one of these legendary nights can tell you how wonderful it was to hear MCs Tee DoubleTray God and Bavu Blakes take turns blessing the crowd with bars over a live band/DJ combination.  It’s these memories that make the instant classic Ovidalo, the latest single from Universal Seedz featuring that very trio of MCs, such a special moment in its own right.  Over one of the most vintage-sounding jazz/soul instrumentals I’ve heard from a modern day band, the group of MCs do what they do best, wowing us with their verbal skill while educating and uplifting.  Definitely dig this track, share it around for others to check out as well, and support if you can.

-chief

Preserving History :: Mirage The Gr8’s ‘The Rhythm Still Plays’ Documentary Now Streaming

Mirage the Gr8 and myself have had a several year working relationship, and an even longer friendship.  The music video commissions he sends my way have made me a better editor and creator, in my opinion.  As the previous decade was coming to a close and 2020 was on the horizon, I envisioned myself making a documentary project of some kind, so when Mirage proposed his idea for The Rhythm Still Plays, a documentary celebrating the 20-year anniversary of his Good Vibe Records release Life Is A Rhythm (L.I.A.R.), I was all in.  I knew that it would be an important reflection of a big moment in the careers of he and Tee Double, but I had no idea that it would turn out to be a solid reflection of the era in Austin hip-hop that was the most inspirational for me as a young man.  Sit back, enjoy, leave a like and a comment if you dig it, and share it around for everyone to see!

-chief

Coming Attractions :: Mirage The Gr8 Readies Release Of ‘The Rhythm Still Plays’ Documentary

After several years of collaborating on music video projects, Mirage the Gr8 and myself decided that 2020 was the year we would step our game up.  The year also coincided with the 20-year anniversary of Mirage‘s first label release, Life Is A Rhythm (L.I.A.R.) on Good Vibe Records.  Based on the importance of this anniversary and the release of that record at the time, it was decided that a documentary should be created to commemorate the release.  With interviews from NickNackDJ Mike SwingBrotha K.DJ Crash and key figure Tee-Double, plus the candid story of the album from Mirage himself, this is definitely a project of great importance in regards to Austin hip-hop history.  Check out the trailer, and stay tuned for the release of the full documentary in early July!

-chief

Sacred Texts :: Tee Double Releases 20th Anniversary Edition Of ‘Lost Scriptures’

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Until around my junior year of high school, I had this idea in my mind that musicians and actors were a completely different level of person than the average individual.  I’d been to a few arena-level concerts and seen major motion pictures, but nothing at the club  or indie level up to that point, and definitely nothing that featured anybody local.  That all changed right around the time I discovered Alien Records, once a mainstay of the Austin music scene… the location introduced me to local shows where underground acts that I was just becoming familiar with toured and played, and the shows were rich with local support.  This is how a number of Texas hip-hop acts, chief among them being Tee Double, made it to my radar.  He was already prolific at the time, and one of the first local LPs I ever purchased was his Lost Scriptures project, distributed by the California-based GoodVibe Recordings.  It was a trip owning a record by somebody I personally knew, and it’s still a trip 20 years later, even more so now that time has entered the equation.  Take a moment and check out this classic, add it to your collection if you don’t already own it, and spread it around so others can do the same!

-chief

Paying Homage :: MC Overlord Paid Tribute At The 37th Annual Austin Music Awards

(video courtesy of William Tompkins)

This past Austin Music Awards ceremony was full of awards presented and memorable moments, but none stood larger than the moving tribute paid to 9-time Hip-Hop Award winner Donnell Robinson, formerly professionally known as MC Overlord in the Texas music scene.  His passing in 2018 was one that left a definite hole in the community, as a recent triumph over health issues made his passing that much more of a shock.  Dirty Wormz came through to back up Tray GodTee Double and Bavu Blakes  (the trio of MCs formerly associated with the Austin hip-hop cornerstone Hip-Hop Humpday), and the collective blazed through a set of songs while the crowd and performers all became awash in the glow of memories and homage.  We must never forget our fallen soldiers, and this is an instance of the scene coming together to solidify that fact.

-chief

Fallen Stars :: Rest In Peace To Austin Legend MC Overlord

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Last night, my timeline was filled with sad news.  Dominican JaySmackola and Tee Double all posted right around the same time about the passing of MC Overlord, who’d been in and out of the hospital for the better part of 2018.  In this loss, Austin is losing a legend, a diplomat and a true enthusiast for its hip-hop scene.  As a member of .::liquidstereoproject in the early 2000’s, Overlord was one of the acts that embraced us and gave us opportunities to open for his projects, which certainly helped us build a crowd.  His impact and influence are unmatched in this town.  In memory of this influence and his kind spirit, I’m sharing two videos courtesy of the Austin History Center to give you an idea of what MC Overlord was all about when he was at a creative and career peak.  He will be remembered and honored for years to come, I am sure.

-chief

Dropping Knowledge :: TEE-DOUBLE Releases ‘Bless The Child’ EP

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Of all the Austin-based MCs and producers, you’d be hard-pressed to find one with the drive, vision and longevity of Tee-Double.  Of the many hats he wears (cultural diplomat, business educator, creative advocate), the man still finds time to produce, write and engineer his own albums, adding to his vast catalog.  Bless The Child E.P. finds Tee-Double really learning the limits of his studio, the newly crowned Teetopia.  Breakbeat exploration is still used, but Tee has been throwing more and more live musical elements into his production, giving this album the sound and feel of a funk-band’s back-up.  Add the natural dosage of lyrics about being hip to the business side of the game, the journey from where he came to where he’s arrived, and the inspirational messages he gives to listeners (artists and casual fans), this E.P. is shaping up to be one of the more important releases of 2017.  Cheers to you, sir, and keep doing what you’re doing.

-chief

Real Talk :: Tee Double and QuiteTrillWorldwide Talk ‘Black Mics Matter’

You already know the drill.  Tee Double is an advocate for Austin music, and a legend in his own right.  Mirage512‘s brainchild QuiteTrillWorldwide is an outlet for education and social awareness.  Black Mics Matter is a statement about these turbulent times we are living in, how not much has changed, and how we need to find understanding in order to move forward.  Give it a watch, and give the compilation a listen.

-chief

Taking Stands :: ‘The Black Mics Matter’ Compilation Now Available

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In light of the recent killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castille, the shootings of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, and the all too familiar pattern of these events with no end in sight, Kinetic Global mastermind Tee Double decided to do what he could to bring some awareness to these situations.  The result is The Black Mics Matter Project, a compilation of Texas hip hop artists and bands that are sharing their perspective on this message of police brutality and equal rights.  The lineup is heavy with talent, the compilation is free to download, and donations are being taken for future projects and events via the GoFundMe page.  Do your part for this important time in our existence, because it has repercussions that will be felt for generations to come.

-chief