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by ASHLEY JONES  10 things that went over your head from Fire in Little Africa’s Reparations Music Video By Ashley “Medley” “Tina Token” Jones For those who don’t know, Fire in Little Africa made a fire video to match a fire song. The video had all three artists on the track highlighted in a beautiful fashion. What was released is far from that original intentionally. St. Dom will be giving ALSUT an exclusive on what happened to the original. What I can confirm is that FILA is made up of 60 artists and funders with ties to the Mayor’s Office. Due to non-violent depictions of the Mayor’s likeness being in the trunk during a scene, and a separate scene that made up the core of the video, the artist understandably decided to create a new vision. Jeopardizing the first in my eyes is like asking someone to give an artist’s creative baby plastic surgery, or paint over a No Parking Studios masterpiece. It is fine the way it was and still is. The reshoot video is one that people who think appeasing the Mayor would enjoy, because the Mayor would enjoy it. 
Thanks again to Ashley Jones for the drop breakdown of the "Reparations" video. Comment and let us know what you think of it. Also don't forget to share the article and subscribe to our newsletter: Follow Ashley Jones on her social media: Instagram: @medleyjones Twitter: @medleyjones website: medleyjones.com/
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Reparations:
It’s Thursday, just a little past 12 PM when the intro to the world premiere started playing for the Fire In Little Africa video “Reparations”. The live chat started to get longer and longer as the comments started to come in. The excitement was at an all-time high, mainly because of the controversy surrounding the first video being shelved. St. Domonick hosted a private screening of the initial video on a building wall downtown just off 3rd st. This caused many to use their social media platform to express their anger and outrage, at times even comparing their struggle to the same narrative of being silenced by “The Man.” But now here we are, the second attempt at an official release for “Reparations”.
The countdown finally finished and the video started to play, opening with a drone shot of the city and a voice talking over a dispatcher radio. Next, the video cuts to 3-masked men in a Chevy mid-sized car parked in front of a building. As one of the masked men closes the truck, the Vuelo shark logo can be seen (Good product placement). The video then cuts to the 3-masked men fleeing the scene as alarms blare in the distance. The car speeds off with the masked men celebrating their getaway. Finally, the car stops as the masked man in the backseat announces: "DOM JUST DROPPED A VIDEO!”
The next thing that happens is nothing short of embarrassing. An all-white cast for a video that is called “Reparations”. This single term has been controversial when it comes to African Americans. We built this shit! We should be compensated for the trillions of dollars in unpaid labor our ancestors did. But anyone that knows history knows that it’s not uncommon for America to give reparations, this would include the Native Americans as well as the Japanese Americans that received reparations for America’s horrible attempts at wiping out their race. But African Americans have yet to receive reparations to the extent that these other races have. So when the “Reparations” video did finally drop. It was a disappointment!
As a journalist, I advocate for Oklahoma music. There have been so many times I’ve argued with people that Oklahoma has some of the dopest artists and our videos can compete with any mainstream artist. No question! But this video will forever be that rebuttal. “What about that ‘Reparations’ video?”. The Reparations video was a disappointment. A letdown. This truly hurt the brand. After Fire In Little Africa put out 2 amazing visuals “Shining” and “Elevator”. Not even counting the visual content that surrounded the actual album. It’s Reparations that totally missed the mark for what the project aimed at accomplishing. But mostly this video hurt the artists featured on the song who had an opportunity to showcase their talent on a major stage. This doesn’t represent the years that Oklahoma artists have put into creating a hip-hop scene that is like no other. This definitely doesn’t represent the ancestors who gave their lives to make sure that the next generation had a chance. YOU HAD ONE JOB!
Who is responsible for this? There are some conspiracy theories about the label [Motown] white-washing the album. The label had nothing to do with this video. The artists were actually involved with making the video. Well, not all the artists. That’s an issue within itself. The song is fire. All three artists brought it. The video is a total distraction from what’s really supposed to shine. THE LYRICS! The worst part is that all three artists had amazing verses. St. Domonick brought an energy to the track that helped shape the direction of where it was going. Even M.C.’s 8 bars were dope. He’s one of the dopest emcees, whenever he’s featured on a verse he always shines, and everyone seems to raise their bars when he’s on the track. Hakeem Eli’juwon is one of the stars of this album, and this song is an example of why that is. The way he switches flows. This delivery and the way he emphasizes certain words make for perfect moments in the track. He’s a star! And even his disappointment for the video can be seen with his reaction on Twitter. While M.C. has gone radio silent on the whole issue. There was one artist that seemed to relish in the chaos.
The original video wasn’t released because it went too far. I don’t think the city would’ve blocked this video because they were too busy with the cyber attack going on and the rush to get the unidentified bodies of the Tulsa Race Massacre reburied. If we talking about songs that really got the attention of the government there are two examples that come to mind. N.W.A. and their song “Fuck the Police”. They went to jail over that song. They even got a letter from the F.B.I. for the lyrics of the song. Another example would be the original lyrics of FDT. “Fuck Donald Trump” that was written by Nipsey and YG. The actual Secret Service called Universal to get the lyrics to the song. There actually is a law (18 U.S.C. § 871), which criminalizes threats made against the President and successors to the Presidency.” With the label pressuring them, they had to change the lyrics. But the point is. THEY DROPPED THE FUCKING SONG! They realized the impact it would have on the culture. And the result was that record numbers of voters turned out to defeat Trump during his second run for the presidency. Back to “Reparations”. I imagine they weren’t in so much hot water as the Secret Service knocking on their door. So a little change to a video wouldn’t have killed everything. Or it means that the people involved with making the video don’t like to be challenged creatively and won’t allow themselves to get over setbacks. But I get it. Your an artist. And your Sensitive about your shit.”
A white-washed parody of the Family Matters intro. Some might say that this video was made as a 'fuck you' to the establishment. "That we won’t play by your rules". I see it more as trolling for views. Did we just get Rickrolled? This was not a clever witty response. This felt more like Tekashi 69, a rapper who got famous off trolling the music industry. Trolling and Black Wall Street shouldn’t be in the same discussion. And if we talking about legacy. Something that will be hereafter your gone. Is this truly what you want to be remembered by? “We laughed at the establishment.” In the end, it’s one guy who thinks he’s gonna get this big laugh when the whole world is laughing at him. For anyone to claim this idea for making a video ‘parody’ as a good idea doesn’t see just how just how big of an opportunity that was blown plus it’s still irresponsible to put out a video at this point in time. Especially with this being the 100-year centennial and the current social climate. It does nothing to push the conversation forward. This was a chance to educate and tell the story of your ancestors, for your ancestors. But instead, this was a win for the people who wanted to silence the argument for reparations as well as the ones who tried to silence anyone who talked about the Black Wall Street Massacre. So in closing. "Put this video in the same trunk that St. Domonick raps about." If ya’ll need help creating a video. Holla at Tulsa Lines. Cause. THIS AIN'T IT! Final Thoughts: "This Ain’t Making Top 5. Burn that video. Burn that film. Burn that Harddrive." RESHOOT REPARATIONS! And at least fix the song credits on the video: 
Lastly, don’t watch the video. It doesn’t represent Oklahoma Hip-Hop and it doesn’t represent the legacy of Black Wall Street.
 In collaboration with Ashley Jones and IndyPot News Ausi and Winny Flows are adding to Tulsa’s list of dynamic duos with their new group, HippieTree. HippieTree may be a duo, but their third musketeer is behind the scenes on the production side, London Canon (Winny Flows brother). They're taking after Tulsa legends such as Super Splash Bros and other collectives like FILA by traveling to put Tulsa on the map this Saturday in KoreaTown, New York when they debut Austin’s latest project, “Emocean.” Two music videos are set to drop with their performance, and more music video shooting and promotion for HippieTree will be captured in the big apple. An artist from NBA Youngboy’s label, Doggi Krazy, is headlining HippieTree’s performance in the big city, it’ll be their first out of state show out of over 20 overall since 2019. “[Working together] brings everything together as a whole,” Ausi said. “If you have two artists that are confident and they know what they can bring to the table. It really helps form the team for sure.” Groups and collectives have been around for decades. The usual formula being that one artist is selected from the group as the lead singer or rapper. This all changed with collectives like Fire In Little Africa that saw an opportunity to take some of the solo dopest artists in the state and put together a collective, all set on putting Oklahoma on the map. And sounding pretty fucking dope while doint it. This is the approach of rap artist Ausi when forming the group HippieTree, a collective of artists Ausi, Winny Flows, and the more behind the scenes artist London. This collective has also allowed Ausi to concentrate on his own project while also learning new skills from others. As excited as we all are to hear what’s in the HippieTree vault under Ausi key, we can predict what’s to come based on his consistencyJust in 2020 alone. Ausi dropped three singles, the first being “Turn the Lights On”, which is an unapologetic Ausi rapping about his life and where he plans to take it. The second track “Lemonade” spits about how he’s taken the old saying “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. And the track is a refreshing vibe for the summer. The last single “Eat Up” showcases his knack for clever wordplay as he feasts on the beat. These tracks left his listeners wondering what’s next for Ausi, and on August 20th his listeners will get his answer. The speedy flows are back, the clever rhyme scheme and advanced and lyrical flows remain. What differs is the independent production process. Ausi is becoming a master at his trade in all aspects with HippieTree. “I definitely feel most confident in my recording process and just writing and editing the songs. Because for about a year straight, I started going to Solaray Studios to record all my music,” Ausi said about the production."  Winny Flows, the other half to the HippieTree duo, recorded his entire last album, “Dedicated,” with the production power of Ausi and London. Ausi took a lot of his inspiration and growth in engineering from Solaray Studios. “I learned a lot from him, actually. Solray, shout out to him. I'd say taking a step away from going to the studio and taking the time to just teach myself how to actually record it, edit it, and just do it right,” Austin added. “Teaching myself how to do all of those things is the biggest step I’ve taken into becoming a fully independent artist.” A common theme in Ausi’s music is an Asian American kid who is seen as a “nerd” navigating his way through life and the lessons it has taught him along the way. This led him to the mecca of hip-hop, New York. Where he plans to shoot two videos as well as release some of the music that he’s been stockpiling for “emocean”. “Emocean is the very first track from the project. There is a line that goes, ‘But I can't get caught up in emotion, nothing but waves inside the ocean coming and going,’” Ausi said. What else is in the works for Ausi? Two music videos, three big features that include TDE, Alex Wiley, Sneak the Poet and YG Tut, an artist affiliated with Isaiah Rashad. And of course the project “emOCEAN” that is set to release August 21. Make sure you checkout Ausi and his new project "emOCEAN". Also follow him on his social media: YouTube: Ausi Instagram: @ausiiii Spotify: Ausi  
It’s not always the main dish that makes a meal slap. Especially if you got your favorite sides hot off the stove. Some side dishes are so good that even when they’ve been sitting for a while they still slap. That’s exactly what happened when listening to “Mac’N With Mess & Mike”. A tape that to no one’s surprise is good even when you let it marinate. Anyone that has heard You A Mess on the mic knows of his smooth player talk, but what makes him stand out the most is his “grind hard don’t stop” work ethic. "Mac’N With Mess & Mike" gives him the stage to do these two things well. The title track “Mac N’” shows a smooth singing Lawrence Leon and the mac You A Mess spitting bars.You A Mess has an unorthodox flow that is just offbeat enough to be on beat, which is what keeps your ears engaged and holding on to every line. By the time you get to the 2nd track “Ahh Shit (Sir Mike)”, you realize that this album isn’t just isn’t about You A Mess, it's the collaboration with DJ $ir Mike that makes the tape come together. Track 2 feels like a chant similar to how “Go DJ” was with Lil Wayne and Mannie Fresh. There is no mistake about the importance of his role in the album. DJ $ir Mike is the wild card of the album. His production on the album is flawless, and packed away on the 2nd verse of “Own” you even hear $ir Mike spit a few bars. “Life is precious, but a lesson,
When it comes to features on the album the theme seemed to be “keep it in the family”. Most of the artists featured have collaborated with You A Mess before as well as hoped on a DJ $ir Mike beat. This is further proven by the fact most of the featured artists appear on the album multiple times. For instance Leon Lawrence, opens the album on “Mac N’” as well as “Crusin’” (which is my favorite of the songs he is featured on.) and “What It Do”. Clutch Barz is another artist who was featured multiple times on the album. Clutch Barz shines bright on this project, especially on “Get Down”, what I liked most was Clutch’s delivery and bravado, it makes this one of my favorite features on the album. Not every featured artist appears on multiple tracks. Soulstar is featured on “Cruisin’” where he shines and creates a vibe that’s so chill that you might just miss the smooth wordplay he spits. Another one of my favorite features on the album is Raccin JasOn. Even though he only appears on the last track of the album (“Bounce”), he delivers a fury of raps and a cadence that is similar to the Drill sound popularized in Chicago.I couldn’t have chosen better features for this album because every artist shined in their own right.
I was born in shoes to big for me to fit but I wore em’
This is one of my favorite bars off the album. The line is clever and so real. You can sum up the track with those 3 words. Clever and so real. The track has this flow of consciousness and deep thought that really makes the listener think about the words being said. Both artists You A Mess and DJ $ir Mike spit bars then break into a spoken word like delivery where they tell about the game and how to play it. Another favorite is “Bicycle Kick”. it’s just an unorthodox track that is filled with bars and a crazy production where the track switches up and You A Mess turns it up another level like he is going Super Saiyan. These two tracks are just a piece of the whole dish that is “Mac’N With Mess & Mike” and prove that this album is good.
Some dishes are best served cold. But the fire lyrics, the dope features and of course the production of DJ $ir Mike makes Mac’N With Mess & Mike an album that is as fresh out the oven as the day it was released. Checkout the album for yourself and see why these two artists are have fans lined up to get the dope tracks that are "Mac 'N With Mess & Mike". Make sure you go listen to Mac 'N With Mess & Mike" now streaming everywhere!  And the view from the rocking chair improves/But I have yet to see a team fucking with the crew/Near and far, I saw it all, wide-frame/Everything with wings ain't a plane, mayne/Endo get rolled up like car windows/Avoiding the policemans, them Carl Winslows/The wind blow and change, and I am not mad/All garbage bag rappers need to find a style fast/It's written all over niggas like a Dapper Dan/Survive rough lands, cactus plants growing in desert sands/Alive I stand, left for dead, though a nigga didn’t die/I got highed up so I could autograph the sky, fool/ Why would anyone ever get a key to downtown? Especially the Louisiana native Curren$y. He is set to perform at Cain’s ballroom on August 20th (Doors open at 8pm). For anyone that knows smoking culture knows that Curren$y is one of the pioneers of stoner rap and a champion for the cannabis world. His 3 part-mixtape series Pilot Talk showed the evolution of an artist with almost 2 decades on the mic, getting his first deal with Master P’s No Limit Records, and an early roster of Young Money/Cash Money Records. The Stoned Immaculate artist was even been signed to Dame Dash’s DD172 label. Curren$y truly is an artist that has seen the ups (one being on the Freshman cover of XXL) to the downs (Having Dame Dash sell his music without his permission.). But to see his performance is to be engulfed in the audio dope that spills from every bar. He’s one of the few rappers that can start rapping a song then hold the mic out to the crowd and hear every word, every pause, every inflection perfectly replayed. When they say all you need is 1,000 true fans, Curren$y is the artist who has taken this blueprint and build a career off it. GET YOUR TICKETS: Click here. But should Curren$y get a key to the downtown Main St.? No but the other artists that are performing on the same stage with Curren$y SHOULD! Artists Dialtone, 1st Verse, Keezy Kuts, Clutch Barz, Doc Free, and Bezel 365. These are the ones that really deserve a key to the downtown Main St. These are the artists that have spent years building a rap scene in Tulsa. From the shows that used to have only 3 people in the crowd, to now a whole festival that saw thousands cheering them on as they looked out onto what Tulsa hip-hop scene has grown to become. It’s their music that’s now being played on the local radio stations. And it’s their talent that had Motown knocking at their door to get a piece of that Tulsa sound. They even brought uncle Charlie home. And choose to stay in Tulsa right downtown they have proclaimed that hip-hop will have a place downtown. Right where Black Wall Street was. They built downtown into a hip-hop scene that not even the major city like Cali or New York City can say. If you don’t believe me check out the World Culture Music Festival. So come to Cain’s on August 20th and come see some artists from right here in Tulsa, get the key to the city. They are Tulsa. They are Main St. And when the Jets are gone, it’s going to be them still here. Still reppin Tulsa. And Still yellin’ Everything IS US! GET YOUR TICKETS: Click here.  By @urfave_nessa Public Relations Manager for 1921 Music Group   Contemporary Oklahoma RnB artist Sanaa Mason is ready to make you sizzle with her lyrics and a voice that makes your ears perk up. The Owasso native is making her entrance with her sexy/cool vibe and her fresh take on Rnb. 1921 Music Group LLC first female artist is still buzzing after her first EP party at Love Moore Hookah this past Good Friday. Masons’ first studio EP “Bare With Me” is set to drop May 31st, and it is sure to leave you gratified and highly satisfied with local Producers such as Prez Simons ( A legend you need to link with @gwdcmplxclothing) working with her.Be prepared to have an eargasm or two with the sensational sounds and variety on this project. Keep up to date with Sanna on Instagram (@sanaamusicc) & make sure to subscribe to her Youtube (@sweetybub1231) , new content dropping soon! Be Sure To Follow:
Album Review: Steph Simon Leaves A Reasonable Doubt With His Album "Diamonds From The Tisdale"7/2/2021 
"It may be unfair to dismiss Nas’ success as merely a piggyback ride on the back of L Boogie and her Refugee Camp, but I can come to no other conclusion for this year’s most surprising success story, as almost overnight, Nas-the-Martyr has become Nas-the-Superstar. Meanwhile, Jay-Z is somewhere lounging on a leather couch sipping an ice-cold bottle of Moet. Since he still runs his own operation and puts put his own shit, Jay-Z, when all is said, done, and divvied up, will probably make more money."
This quote is from the legendary Elliott Wilson who recently re-released an article called “Elliott's 1996 'Reasonable Doubt'. In the article Elliott Wilson compared and contrasted two hip-hop legends who both dropped critically acclaimed albums within a week of each other. Nas’s 'It Was Written' and Jay-Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’.
This one paragraph can also sum up two artists from Tulsa. Gang51E June and Steph Simon. From the outside June has been a commercial success. But when you peel back the layers you see just how much of a success and a boss that Step Simon is. The DIY artist that Steph Simon has been his whole career has always been the HOV way. From selling physical copies before putting his album on streaming, to creating a festival that booked June, (remember Jay-Z was the head of Def Jam and had Nas on the artist roster.) June may have the streams, but Steph Simon is getting the front and backdoor money. Also when it comes to throwing a show in Tulsa it’s Steph Simon that people call to curate the acts that should perform together. And may we not forget Fire in Little Africa. A commemorative project that was executive produced by Steph Simon that included over 70 artists. More than 70 were invited, some of which didn’t think the stage would be big enough. But as we see, the city is “Shining" because of it. With a city that’s in the world spotlight, no other artist has thrown as many ooops as Steph Simon. So it’s only right that when he dropped his new album “Diamonds From The Tisdale” that he get his stats and not pass on the time that he's been grinding for. This new album leaves beyond a Reasonable Doubt. When it comes to making an album the most important parts are the 1st track and the last track of an album. Anyone that has heard a Steph Simon album knows that he has always delivered both. The first track “2020 Vision” sounds like the manifestation of his title track “Visions” off his 2017 release ‘Visions From the Tisdale’. “Visions” is Steph’s foresight into what he believes his city can become, and it concludes with speaker Buddy Rodrigrez who delivers a narration on both tracks. On “2020 Vision” Steph Simon knows himself and knows the power of speaking things into existence. This is exactly what he’s done his whole career. Spoke it and then manifested. The goals of “Visions” were spoken into existence, now the same manifestation will help him speak into existence the goals he raps about on “Visions 2020. ”I can see them vultures comin, gonna make sure we eatin first." This statement is undeniable with just how many artists from Oklahoma that he put on the “Fire In Little Africa” project.” And how many artists he’s booked for shows throughout the years. “Poppin’ shit sober minded, I don’t even like Advil but I don’t need Molly”
For years Steph Simon has been a humble rapper. And for years fans have been wanting him to flex on tracks just to let the haters know that it ain’t safe, and at any time he can push the button. Well “Hoop Shorts” is that track. His delivery on the track is like someone who says, “Yea I said it, and I meant it”. And if his words aren’t enough, he shot the video in New York to let the world know that it’s Steph ‘Diamond's’ time. The whole song is a big flex, especially at the end when he spits the line to tell people he doesn’t need the drugs to be cool and is already comfortable as himself.
“Baby I kept it Jim from the jump, before that Obama and Trump, had Player’s Choice in that trunk, and I wasn’t takin’ no shit from no punk”.
‘Jim’ has been a word of brotherhood, it’s in you and not on you. But on “Jim For Life”, Jim is almost being protected as if there’s a lot of people that have been using the word without being one. And not everyone gets a Jim pass. One of the Forefathers and protectors of ‘Jim’ Keeng Cut shows us just what it means to be a “Jim”. As he delivers a Khampa Trillman like verse just to let people know this ain’t just a word, but most importantly it’s for life.
When it comes to collaborations the track that sticks out Jim For Life is definitely one, but that standouts the most on the album has to be on the song “Bars for the BBQ”. Long time Jim's Steph Simon and 1st Verse go bar-for-bar like teammates at a dominoes game. Both artists are the upper echelon when it comes to being a lyricist. But this collab leaves both artist shining, each setting up the other to score, and at the end they both yell DOMINO!. “Momentum swingin’ with the metaphysic leverages, Tone remind me that what we doin ain’t regular shit, Out here tryna set it like the price and the precedent, put fire on the food and ice on the beverages." With the tracks “No Chaperone” and “Skate Town'' Steph Simon proves that he knows how to make a love song. “No Chaperone” is for anyone that remembers the lock-ins at the Mabee Center, and the other recreational events that were supposed to keep young people out of trouble but was the perfect space for getting into some trouble over. Steph raps over a sample of H-Town’s hit single “They Like It Slow”. "Skate Town" is the telling of a love story of Steph Simon’s parents meeting at Skate Town that was located on 36th and and North Peoria. A soulful Billy Bruner sings over a bounce disco-filled track that sets the tone and the groove you needed to have fun at Skate Town. The breakdown at the end of the track is so smooth, like that last chance you have to get to the number from the girl you’ve been eyeing all night. Check out the video below: With such a personal album as Visions From The Tisadale, songs like “Detours” and “Dreamland” carry on that same personal feel to "Diamonds From The Tisdale". “Detours” features artists Branjae and Sterling Mathews “10,000 hours, I put that in a long time ago”. The song is Steph Simon realizing that the path to success wasn’t a straight line and that the shortcuts aren’t promised to get you where you need to be. “Crucify” is like the pressure to stay the same but knowing that you have to grow to get where you need to be. Real ones know, fake ones say you changed. Personal can also mean feel good, BBQ songs like “Zaggin Interlude” or “Sunday Diner” these two tracks remind you of the same feelings that Steph created on “Chillin on It (Just Vibin)” or “Sunny On the N.S.” two tracks that took you through his personal experiences and most importantly his neighborhood. You’re riding down TIsdale Expressway on this new album. “Dreamland”! Dreamland! We gotta discuss the last track of this album. Like we said before, Steph Simon knows how to make an outro track. And "Dreamland" shows you just what we mean. The track is Steph’s dream realized. But also it’s him realizing that he’s not through dreaming. The “Dreamland” track is filled with a plethora of bars and quotables that’s like his version of “Feelin’ It”. Checkout the video to see just how big that dream has become! "Diamonds From The Tisdale" is an album that came at the right grimming (grinding + timing). Some might even call this his Victory Lap album because he took the formula of what worked and what the fans liked from “Visions from the Tisdale” and enhanced it even more. Unlike Jay-Z this isn’t Steph Simon’s 1st studio album. But like Jay-Z, this album won’t get the commercial success it deserves but it is undeniably a classic. To the critics Diamonds from the Tisdale is the Reasonable Doubt that Steph Simon is one of the greatest artists of our time. And even more Steph Simon is moving into a bosses role more and more like the one they call Hov. Make sure you checkout Steph Simon's new album "Diamonds From The Tisdale" now streaming everywhere! Follow Steph Simon below: Instagram: @stephxsimon Twitter: @stephxsimon Spotify: Steph Simon YouTube: Steph Simon 
When it comes to dedication the word can be defined as; the quality of being dedicated or committed to a task or purpose." This is a word that is thrown around as loosely as the word “love”. But when I came across an album titled “Deadicated”, this brought a new perspective on how committed to being successful that a person could be and reminded me of the title to 50 Cent’s first album, "Get Rich Or Die Tryin’. So for an artist to name their album Deadicated meant that there could be no story untold, and no story too personal. For this album to live up to it’s name Winny Flows would have to be in his truest form. And he would have to leave everything on wax as if this would be his ONLY album. Without further ado, here is the story of an artist who looking to show the world that he is DEADICATED!
The opening track “WYA” is a high energy intro to an 8-track album. His fast pace delivery cuts through the mellow piano centered production. Switching flows throughout the track, his vocal inflections sit on top of the layered vocals surrounded by sounds that seem to jump out at the listener. "Like Aladin, Floatin’ through Manhattan,
If I had to pick a standout track on the album it would have to be “Lucy Lane”. Winny Flows delivery and flow are on point. The way the chorus is incorporated in the track shows his song-writing ability which is not an easy feat to accomplish in these days of throwaway tracks. He knows how to write a hit. And by judging by the fact that he also released this track as as single, he knows he has a hit on his hands as well.
Groove is where the album seems to turn around from turning up to spiraling within. Winny Flows gets more personal with songs like 2020 where Winny Flows shows that he is also a vocalist as he sings the chorus on the opening bars of the track, “I’m certain my serotonin is lower than ever before , if the ocean was dopamine through me overboard". The track seems to end with a lyrical assault of pent up emotions that spill on to each bar so as to not get it confused. He can rap. Wordplay is one of the most noticeable things about this album from, track-to-track and from bar-to-bar this talent is showcased especially on the track “Know Me”. The complex way he puts together syllables takes his listener on a tongue twisting lyrical ride as he asks “You know me?”. Its clear that with this track that the album is turning back to a more up tempo feel. Spinning is another example of his dope wordplay. He switches his flow throughout this track while also smoothly transitioning into serenading chorus. It has a house party vibe to it, it will be interesting to see if this is one of the most streamed songs on the album. “Deadicated til the day I die, that’s why it’s in the title".
The last 2 tracks of the album seem to be the signature moments of the album. In The Moment is like a reflection point where Winny Flows learns to get out of his head about worrying to much about others opinions and pressures to focus on him. This could easily be a track made for movies where the hero finally gets his moment. A moment that leads up to Deadicated. The title track on the album. The track has a bounce and even a little Texas Screw influence that helps end the album nicely.
Winny Flows put together a project that shows a depth in it’s topics, it also shows his abilities as both a rapper and a song-writer. Finally, and most importantly the album shows his hunger for success, or as he so puts it DEADICATED. And if there’s any confusion or doubt about his seriousness, then the last word on the album is to is a fuck you to the doubters... DEADICATE. Make sure you go stream "DEADICATED" and also go follow Winny Flows on all his social media: Instagram: @winnyflows Twitter: @WinnyFlows Spotify: Winny Flows  Scary Hours turned into scary bars when OTS J Huncho dropped his new video "Freddy Krueger". Just like the character Freddy Krueger, OTS J Huncho's voice and wordplay strikes fear into it's victims. It's no coincidence that when you hear OTS J Hunch counting that it's his victim's final tune they hear. Throughout the track there are many clever and witty bars that give an incite to his Tulsa OTS J Huncho roots. "I done seen fiends play with that needle, they skin turn red like they went to Union". Tell me that ain't a bar. To be honest his lyrical skill is unexpected. Especially on a track with such a hard-hitting drill type of sound to it. But when he spits it's no doubt that he has bars. He walks down on his ops with lyrical clips that leave no witnesses. "When my Polo was Beverly, The video was shot by Wallace Productions who was able to bring to life a track that a thriller within itself. Every scary movie has that one scene that everyone talks about. The part where everything is still and it's that anticipation of knowing that the murder is about to kill his next victim. For this video, it's when OTS J Huncho hops out of a convertible Mustang and spits the line, "When my Polo was Beverly, Bitches wouldn't check for me, Now I get head in the Lexus seat". Lines like these slice through the beat like Freddy does in his horror films. So don't sleep on him. And if you hear the counting in the middle of the night be careful, it might be OTS J Huncho bodying another track. Make sure you go watch OTS J Huncho's new video "Freddy Krueger" below: Go follow OTS J Huncho on social media: Instagram: @ots_jhuncho Twitter: @OtsJHuncho YouTube: OTS J Huncho  Late Night Oatmeal. Download here.
When does the recognition come for putting in the 10,000 hours? To anybody that knows the game, knows that you got a hell of a lot more time to put in. So until then, the grind continues. And in the words of Jay-Z, "I can't leave rap alone the game needs me!". Along this journey, I've met a lot of dope individuals, one of those being a producer that has created his own lane and has dropped classic collab projects with the illest rappers from the town. Just listen to Snackin With Flavor, 1st Name, and Dr. No, just to name a few and you will see why dj noname. will go down in history. So when dj noname approached me about a tape that he put together for Tulsa Lines, it was an honor. And with that being said I have the honor of giving you the tape called “Late Night Oatmeal”. To download click here. |
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