We are in good company. LVLC's sets out to prove this on his new album "Lovelace & Company" that comes jampacked with 13 tracks that read more like a compilation project than a solo album. The album features 11 credited artists, that's almost a 1-to-1 with the tracklist, but these are friends. As far as LVLC, with this album, he's out to tell the world that he's one of the best and I have dope friends too. So, without further ado, let's get into the album they call "Lovelace & Company". Track 1 "Y.O.T.D". I learned that this actually stands for “Year of the Dragon” it’s a soulful feel-good track "so I told God, thanks a lot, but I don't need love when it's my name". It’s lines like these that grab your ear and make you pay close attention. I like how he even adds a foreshadow to his track "Love Me" with his bar "boy get out your feelings, ain't no money in that place". LVLC shows his versatility on the track by the way he switches his flows to a Kendrick Lamar-like voice when spitting the bar "This is that double-sided Genimi" which for Kendrick fans know that Kendrick is one of the most diabolical Genimi's in the game. The second track on the album is called “Primordial” and admittedly I had to look up the meaning of the word. It's always good to learn right? Well, I would describe this album as a learning album. LVLC does what he does on the track which is deliver some amazing bars while we also see the first appearance of his super friends on the album, this time its FaDello who delivers a solid performance, his vocal tones keep you engaged, and his bars are agreeable to the listener like Fadello's verse is more conversational than outright lyrical assault which fits with the mood of the song. But then I would counter this point with The Thought's verse which immediately seemed like a lyrical tirade. His voice broke through the beat like a superhero's entrance, his bars landing powerfully as he kept your ears on its toes you were careful not to miss a metaphor. It was an amazing verse. Track 4 "Homies" is a reminiscent track that features again, FaDello but also GWayne and Kendra Mars. The track has a catchy fun hook which LVLC lends his voice to. Surprisingly he doesn’t rap on this track, but I guess that is what friends are for, one of the homies, Kendra Mars comes in very smooth, then gradually switches flows to so cleverly, it’s like when you hear about that athlete that can turn their talent off and on, they’re at times the most talented athlete but then it’s times when they let others shine. This is also FaDello’s second feature and it's a standout verse on the song he knows his pocket and how to entertain which comes through on this track. Homies is a standout track. Track 5 Pints & Fifths I would've liked to see this chorus evolve better, I feel like it's too repetitive, not as bad the viral "period ah period uh" but just repetitive. But G Wayne really stands out on this song, he comes in with a heavy inspired West Coast tone and backs it up with lyrics suggesting his willingness to stand on his lyrics. I do think LVLC delivers a dope verse as expected but again I think the simplicity of the chorus is unexpected from such a complex artist. Then you get to one of my favorite tracks from LVLC period. Track 6 "Love Me". The song is filled with such a quotable bar that starts off the song and is repeated throughout "boy get out yo feelins ain't no money in there" I remember going to Groundwaves and hearing the chorus and seeing everyone sing along. It's a very intrinsic song that proves that even LVLC's simplest bars are so tightly worded and expressed that you still go "ouuu" as if it were the quintuple entendre that Drake was wanting from Kendrick. The second thing I noticed about this track was the feature Da'juan Dupri, who has been killing verses and killing performances. But as much as I was filled with excitement I was met with a deflating verse. I felt Da'juan Dupri was uncharacteristically subpar in both his delivery and unserious on the track that left me confused. The song seemed to be a chance for a lyrical heavyweight battle but instead it was more of Jekyll and Hyde. But Dupri has time still to redeem himself on the next track. Florence Pugh. You can’t do no half-steppin on this beat. LVLC is really on his rappin shit. He goes straight in leaving no room for guessing who's album this is. He's just ice cold. Then FaDello immediately comes, this being his third featured verse on the album he doesn't disappoint as he spits this crazy entendre that lasts 4 bars using concepts centered on the nose. His delivery is on point, and he keeps the song elevated from the previous verse. Then the final verse. America loves comeback stories. I think this verse from Da'juan Dupri is his redemption verse. But this verse proves to be Dupri doing what Dupri does, "no boxin, get a jab, I'm Johnson & Johnson" that's the Dupri with the bars and the delivery and that I'm accustomed to. The metaphors are there, Dupri welcome to the show. Opportunites is a nice change of place track at the midpoint of the album. LVLC pulls another flow out of his bag that's more melodic than the punchline hard core hip-hop vibe of the earlier tracks on the album. Creo Cash was the perfect person for this feature, his rap\singing verse is complementary to the track "if my soul is attached to it then it ain't opportunity" and finishes the track by repping his group BDM. Fuck it Up is that posse track that feels like it could’ve been on Ruff Ryders Vol: 2. It’s this hardcore bass hitting, air guitar having, punch to your ear drums. It’s like a rock and rap mashup. Kendra Mars goes off on this track and reminds me of Eve holding her own amongst men. “I ain’t this light, I’m thinking Zeus, I’ll get a nigga struck”. FaDello has seriously been holding it down the whole tape and spitting some tuff bars. Lastly, Liberal Media throws around bars like a conspiracy theorists crime web, I’m still tryna dissect the verse, ornaments and organs, then the trail keeps going. This that one. Brothers starts with a sample from Donald Jenkins & The Delighters "Music Revolution" AceDaKid War Mothershed stood out in his delivery, he matched the energy of the beat, his verocity he approached the beat was like he was in a rap battle. LVLC keeps spittin. Check his wordplay. My God! At times he slows up his verse to make you understand and leave no guessing. He is the Dragon!!! What You Know is something for the radio or even a placement for the end credits to a movie or your favorite video game. LVLC singing. Who would’ve thought the lyrical artist could also serenade us, he really shines on the hook and blends well into his verse which is more singing rap. Even at the end of the track I was surprised, LVLC really showed off his vocal talent and sounded like an R&B singer in the rain that left me singing along, “Yeahhhhh Yeaaaahhh Yeaaahhhhh”! Every album needs that little bounce and that’s exactly what Skate Song is, it reminds me of that smooth soul dance track with rap. I can literally imagine being at Skate Land and vibing to this. It's a fun upbeat house style type beat and Emani blends her voice with the soulfulness of the production. LVLC even on a fun song like this LVLC's verse is lyrical he is still intentional with his delivery making sure to switch up flows. He paints this vivid picture with his use of wordplay and vocal inflections. I can only raise a glass of tea to this sweet verse. Congratulations sir, you sir have a hit. The last song on the album Lovin is the end credits to this album of a movie that has shown us inside the brain of LVLC, it’s also given us a glimpse of his friendships and the lengths that they will go to show that they have his back. Promise Cezar is one of these friends who chops up the beat with each word and like a calming voice on a track that is meant to ease the mind. The track closes with this sing-along “We Are The World” feeling where multiple voices sing along. You just might sing along too. So, there you have it. This album "Lovelace & Company", it's proof for the artist that doesn't need proof. He's extremely talented that has created an album that he chose to share and incorporate his friends. Maybe this isn't his solo masterpiece, but it is still a masterpiece that proves that there is no 'i' in team. LVLC doesn't need a team but I'm sure it was more fun having one to navigate each track. And even though its friends, it's still a competition and LVLC is known for throwing haymakers/bars when it comes to verses, and everyone raises their lyrical prowess when working with him. So, listen to the album and let us know what you think of "Lovelace & Company".
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by dj noname.  If know you know. And many people know about the producer/ artist/ manager/ photographer/ project manager/ yelper/ last but not least dj, they call dj noname. He's released so much classic music. But did you also know he writes? Here's something special from the one they call dj noname. talking about his newest single "A Love So Complicated". The main point of my production stems from how I grew up, especially late-night freestyle takeovers. It was all about the raps, I didn't care about subject matter to an extent, what did the production make you come up with initially? That's what I wanted to be laid on my production. As my first year chopping samples ended up turning into (almost) 5 years, the more songs + projects I released, the more artists (even ones who didn't take music seriously) would approach me with getting on a track. I wouldn't even second guess the individuals, it was more of an experiment that I'd like to test out. "A Love So Complicated" is one of those things stemming from that notion. A person who is in this art world, who isn't even a musician, always threw the bug in my ear about sending some stuff over & he was super serious because we've had a few conversations about it. This conversation continued for about a year; the beat is maybe that old as well. Along with that, I might've sent another beat or two. I have a good problem with always doing albums instead of singles + loosies (whether 3 or 10 songs... I treat everything like an album) & I felt like this song was so good that I couldn't even include it in a project I had in mind for it, The Album Before The Album. The sample stems from something I've heard before at a different tempo. This was during peak blog era & very close to a decade before I dove into DJing + producing. All of these songs I grew up on + heard sampled are now coming to life to where I'm utilizing them. Without that, there wouldn't be this. I had to ask dj noname. why is there no artists credited on the single. "Simply because he's not a musician. We wanted to have fun with it [the record]. We made it about the music." Shoutout to dj noname for the dope insight about his new single "A Love So Complicated". Can you guess what sample he was inspired by? Make sure you go purchase this new single "A Love So Complicated". here: djno.name/a-love-so-complicated 
4batz is an industry plant. Well, this is the general consensus when people try to explain 4batz's quick fast rise to fame. Neko Bennett, better known as 4batz is a singer/songwriter from Dallas, Texas who has been taking the world by storm which has also landed him a deal with Drake’s record label OVO. 4batz has the radio on lock but what about an actual project? 4batz just answered this question with the release of his mixtape “u made me a st4r.” The 11-track project comes in at 23 minutes and 35 seconds, making it very consumable. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into it!!! The first track is actually a skit called "umademeast4r.mp3" and is really a slight jab to all the naysayers and people who have said that he's an industry plant. That he's blown up too fast. I like how he addresses this first, by saying ‘You're the reason’, meaning that all publicity good or bad has helped catapult his career to millions of streams seemingly overnight. But could you blame anyone for thinking this? 4batz came out of nowhere with his viral song "act i: stickerz 99" and each release since has seemed to have gotten bigger. Even his From The Block Performance of "act ii: date @ 8" has reached over 12 million views the unexpected performance is a contradiction to every R&B performance known to man, as he is surrounded by a group of friends from the block and is dressed in a white wifebeater and ski-mask. The performance seems more like a Chicago Drill video than an R&B video. Now let's get into the music. 4batz was smart, he put the two viral singles on the mixtape. Track 2 which is "act i: stickerz 99" and track 3 which is "act ii: date @ 8". It was smart of him to do this because it means that he can "inflate" his numbers with the track’s existing streaming numbers, as well as entice new listeners to listen to the mixtape solely on having these two singles on there. It's almost a perfect plan. I say almost because he put these songs at the beginning of the mixtape instead of putting them embedding them deeper into the mixtape. Doing this would've ensured that people who came to just hear the two singles were more easily steered toward listening to the other tracks on the mixtape because the streaming service would have another song from the album in the queue. Another point about these 2 songs is that there is no flow from one to the next and it throws off the cohesiveness of the album. It seemed to feel like “let’s just get this out of the way” more than it was “let’s give them something to look forward to”. This is a reoccurring issue with the mixtape. Track 4 “act iii: on god? (she like)” is his third radio single that seems thrown on the album. The track already has over 22 million Spotify plays. It’s a slow crooning 4batz singing about not letting go of a lady because of you guessed it, love. The song also has a remix which is the only credited feature on the mixtape. Who would've guessed? Kanye West, which is surprising given that 4batz already has a Drake feature on his single “actii: date @ 8 (remix)”, which is not on the mixtape. Kanye's verse wasn't anything spectacular and did nothing for the song. Honestly, I would've rather he left him off the song altogether and maybe just did an acoustic version. The remix is really just the original song with a Kanye verse on it, letting you know that the two probably just put the song together through emails instead of being in the studio together. The remixes of Diddy years where R&B artists and rappers made a song together on a slightly modified beat are over.
Now we jump into uncharted territory after getting the three radio singles out of the way. Track 5 is a skit called "get out of your feelings ho" where 4batz friend kind of reminds him that he shouldn't be tripping over a female especially since he's already been involved with so many others afterward. It is a light-hearted laugh between the two that was like a snap-out-of-it moment that then leads into track 6 "act iv: fckin u (18+)", the song is this hyper-sexualized song that sounds like it would never play on the radio but humorously bleeps out words that aren’t radio friendly and covering up probably the boldest lines a man could ever say to a woman as a compliment, "I can't stop f##kin you because your body is like a prostitute". Maybe we have to different ways of serenading the ladies because Jodeci would never.
Track 7: act v: there goes another vase. I think this is my least favorite song. The lyrics just lack that connection between the feelings he’s trying to describe and the way he sings to express those feelings. His tone is very deep and passionate, but the words seems very surface level. Also, I didn't like how he incorporated the vase into the song. It was too direct I would've liked to see the vase be more of a symbol or just an overall better line. I do think he executed the melodies of the hook to perfection. It's a song about a toxic relationship, yet it has this hold your woman tight and slow dance feel to it, which makes it that more confusing.
By the time we get to Track 8 the flow of the mixtape starts to get better, “act vi: mad man probably has the best transition from feel that carries from song to song. This song is more of a passionate intimate track I would say making love rather than Track 6’s feel of promiscuous sex. It’s the acoustic guitar that has this Latin, passionate feel and sets the tone for the track, 4batz comes in smooth jumping from bar to bar like a nursery rhyme, I oddly hear The Weekend in his town when singing the hook. The hook competes with the smoothness of the verses rather than complementing it, making it just an OK song.
No R&B album is complete without conflict and that’s exactly what 9 is about, "act vii: all we do is argue, argue” comes in with 4batz sounding like he’s imitating Michael Jackson, the short quick bursts of his voice overshadow the slow-evolving production of the track, but is immediately forgotten about as soon as the beat drops. The conflict, which on this track is, you guessed it, his lady, it’s the first time we notice that he’s rapping more than singing on a track. But even with all these things going on, it still doesn’t feel like a complete song.
Throughout the tape 4batz seems to borrow vibes from earlier generations, this is very apparent in Track 10 titled “act viii: i hate to be alone” The song sounds like it samples Luther Vandross’s Always and Forever”, and again also speaks to him tapping into those nostalgic songs from the 90s and earlier eras and putting his spin on them. The song is his attempt at a Love Ballad but is executed more like a late night informercial for BET Lover’s Greatest Hit album. I don’t think Love Ballad’s are his lane. It calls for a vocal performance and vocal range that from my knowledge he doesn’t have.
The album ends with “act iii: on god? (she like) (remix), which we stated before could’ve been left off the album. It sounds like Kanye just sent the verse in an email, and 4batz knew that people seeing Kanye’s name alone would be enough for the song to be a hit. It’s not a hit. But it’s also not my mixtape to live with.
Is 4batz an industry plant. Who knows, but as far as his new mixtape I would say that his rise to fame is more formulaic than traditional. The mixtape is made more for streaming playlist consumption where each track can be singled out instead of a cohesive body of work. But maybe that’s what people would say a mixtape is. It’s an introduction and not necessarily a story that an album would build, which would be very opposite of Drake who changed the way mixtapes were made and consumed with the release of his “So Far Gone” mixtape. As for 4batz u made me a st4r the mixtape seems to be filled with deep feelings sung subtly enough that you want to hear more but not deep enough that you would play them to get through different events in life such as a break-up or job promotion. These songs feel like skeletons of what great songs could become and are more reference track like than full complete songs that an User "U Got It Bad" or even a Toni Tone Tone "It Never Rains in Southern California". Maybe technology is a little bit to blame for how we consume music and the abilities it has given people who you wouldn't think of as singers. But I have to also give 4batz his credit, he knows how to make a song that gets your attention, some it by pulling on those old strings of rnb classics. Final thoughts, though it may seem like I may have bagged on this album a lot, I would still consider it a good album because of it's formulaic singles that make it easy to place on different playlists. Overall, I would give it a 5 out of 10. OK to listen to but not replacing any of User’s albums any time soon. Let me know what you think of the album:  To people from Tulsa, LA might as well be Paris, because it seems like such a far-fetched dream to even reach there. But Steph Simon not only is reaching L.A., but he has the opportunity to be apart of a forty-day residency. Another artist who is also doing the L.A. residency is Sneak The Poet. Both Tulsa artists will be taking their talents to do something that seems so unimaginable, make art while living on a stipend in L.A. The stipend is cool. It gets them there and helps them live, but to maximize their experience they needed more funds, and that meant a fundraiser, which I went to on Sunday at the Skyline Mansion. Here’s what happened. The night was set with a really intimate setup with chairs lined along the main stage that reminded you of a tiny desk-like set up. dj noname. was the one dj spinning for the night and if you been to one of his events, then you know he knows how to rock a crowd. The stage also had the iconic backdrop banner of the Skyline Mansion. The stage had a keyboard, drum set, and multiple speakers set up. We're just setting the stage here. Before the show started, Steph and Sneak sat together on the stage to explain why they are going to L.A. and why this benefit concert was created: For Sneak The Poet, this L.A. residency will be used to make a film. It may be a low budget. It may be in non-traditional locations. But what it will be, is a Sneak Joint. A Sneak Joint has the vision to make something amazing with very little. But he’s not going out there blind, he has a network of friends already in L.A. which include actors, location scouts, and scriptwriters to help make the journey a little easier. He announced that having a routine down there is what he’s most excited about. Working out, writing, and filming being some of the activities mentioned. Sneak The Poet is an amazing artist who doesn’t perform as much, but trust me, his skills are as sharp as ever. He was a one-man show as he rapped some of his favorite tracks from the Akira album that was produced by dj noname. himself. Sneak was very laid back but confident on the stage. His style was smooth but sharp like the anime swords you see on T.V. He also mentioned that he was the only artist with a Loheim feature, and when Loheim performed he didn't do it on the stage but rather mysteriously from the side room to not be seen, only heard from the speakers was a jazzy voice singing the chorus. Take a look at Sneak's performance: For Steph Simon the L.A. residency will be an opportunity to create a new album called “Tulsa King Goes West”. What will make this album so special is that the production of this album will be using all L.A. resources. That means producers, engineers, recording studios, and shows. Luckily, he’s not starting from zero, he has the mentor of legendary rapper Murs to help him. He also already has nine beats for the album, and he’s even intending on making a beat himself. Now for his performance, it was Steph Simon backed by his wonderful band. It’s a reason he holds such high regard for them. It’s because they play off each other and complement each other so well. Steph played the composer as the band followed his lead adjusting real-time to certain requests while still playing. One of the highlights of the night was when he rapped his verse to “Shining”, which he actually rapped from Tate Brady’s kitchen, it was crazy to get the significance of it in that moment. Tate Brady's mansion was where the massacre was blueprinted, was now transformed and reclaimed by the people it was trying to destroy, also one of the best hip-hop albums in Oklahoma was created here. Hopefully Tate Brady is rolling over in his grave. Steph Simon expressed that his favorite song on “Tulsa King” is “Growing Pains” because it’s a reflection of success, and working, and of course the growing pains that come with it. He left us with this beautiful story about him and his daughter watching a caterpillar go into a cocoon, and how he never knew if the caterpillar made it or not, but he did see butterflies in his backward and wonder. Also, that nobody knows if butterflies actually fly in patterns because they know how to fly or is it just their growing pains. Watch some of his performances below: Again, the residency does provide a stipend, but this fundraiser was to help him create and do more. For Steph Simon this opportunity is a chance to become uncomfortable in a place that nobody knows his work and no one is biased. He wants to test his performance and his pen. For Sneak The Poet this is an opportunity to work with people and create in a place where the movers and shakers are, to see how a L.A. director lives. Both of them have 40 days and 40 nights to create, and from the Bible we know what can happen after that period. So go support them by giving to their fund. They also have merch for sale: hit up Steph Simon on IG: @stephxsimon To just send a donation to Steph Simon or Sneak The Poet hit them up on IG: Steph Simon IG: @stephxsimon Sneak The Poet: @sneakthepoet  Thrilling True Crime film, "Boneyard", co-written by Tulsa-based writer, drops its first action-packed trailer! Tulsa-based screenwriter, Hank Byrd is one of the talented screenwriters behind the thrilling screenplay based on a true story. Here's the story: When the skeletal remains of eleven women and girls are discovered in the New Mexico desert, an extensive investigation is launched. Inspired by true crime stories, this chilling crime-thriller follows Police Chief Carter (Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson), Detective Ortega (Brian Van Holt), and Agent Petrovick (Mel Gibson) in a multi-agency effort to identify and apprehend the killer. The synopsis for the film reads: "As each of their agendas and methods clash, a tangled web of intrigue casts suspicion in all directions." Starring: Along with Gibson, Jackson, and Holt, Boneyard stars Nora Zehetner (The Right Stuff, Maron) and Michael Sirow (The Wrath of Becky, Jack Goes Home). The film is directed by Asif Akbar, who previously made 2022's The Commando, 2023's Mojave Diamonds, 2023's MR-9: Do or Die, 2023's Clown Motel, and 2024's Skeletons in the Closet. This film is Distributed by Lionsgate, Boneyard is expected to hit select theaters and streaming on July 5th. Follow Hank Byrd on social media: Facebook: @screenwriterhank Instagram: @screenwriterhank Checkout the Trailer below:  One Aux turned 1 years old. That’s not an easy feat. The grind of having to facilitate an event is always a logistics miracle. But with community comes help, and that’s just what the folks at One Aux have done. They have created a community that is willing to help whether that’s with audio or that’s troubleshooting, or even grabbing chairs. One Aux is seeing the fruits of its labor in the form of a community that is building the change in music that they want to see. We had a chance to experience this change firsthand at their First Anniversary show at The Heirloom Rustic Ales bar in Tulsa. Details below. “Depression is your conscious saying fuck you. I don’t want to be this character anymore. I don’t want to hold up this avatar.” - Jim Carrey Admittedly there were a lot of great performances that occurred that night that included Kristen Ousen. Henry Roanhorse, Nathan Scot, Earl Hazard. SynthDom, and DJ $ir Mike. I was able to catch the last three performances of the night which I wasn’t disappointed. As I walked into Heirloom, SynthDom was just setting up. I remember his performance at the last One Aux event I attended (NOISE: THE REAL UNDERGROUND MUSIC OF TULSA), and my amazement at his setup. This time was no different, I was still amazed, but his rig was very different. This time it was this mahogany wood chassis that wrapped around the mechanical sync machines that gave them this acoustic guitar feeling. SythDom was in rare form as he warped different sounds like he was at the helms of the space station controls. There were times where this hard-hitting metronome took over time. I could see his emotions in every strike against the drum pad. The backing vocal was so expressive in its ability to go against the norms of what people would expect you to say that when it faded out it felt like this proclamation. SynthDom is phenomenal. If you know about One Aux then you know it invites all genres of artists even genreless artists. Earl Hazard is one of those artists that you can’t fit in a box because he can live in them all. This night was an example of that. Earl Hazard got on stage and immediately went into one of the hardest raps. When it comes to rap. He’s no doubt, one of the best. His words are sharp and calculated. What some don’t realize about Earl Hazard is that he also knows his jazz. His own pieces often resemble jazz musicians as he is able to scat on stage, also his beat selection is heavily jazz influenced. The rhythms and pockets that Earl Hazard raps in remind you of a Miles Davis, a great legend that is able to tell his story with his voice as his instrument. Earl Hazard’s performances are always very personal, which I and many others appreciate because even if it’s a free show, our time is the real currency. I think he takes this in consideration and wants to only put out amazing work. Which I’ve never seen a bad performance from him. Just watch the video and see what I mean. The last performer of the night was DJ $ir Mike. One of the best DJs in town. I’m not just saying that, check his calendar, he’s booked all the time. His musical palette is world-rounded as he’s able to play corporate events, to club venues, to bar mitzvahs, and to his origins of hip-hop. When people see DJ $ir Mike’s name on the flier they know that the event is going to have great music. So, when I saw his name on the One Aux flier, I was excited to see just what he was bringing to the table this time. What we got was a feast of mashups and unheard mixes created by him. He played this Atomic Dog and Beyonce’ mashup that was so cold that I was going crazy like “Yo!!!!!!” This is fireeeee!!!!. But what else would you expect from one of the best DJs in the state. His transitions are always so smooth that you literally are vibing to a track then by the time your ear catches the next one it’s already 20 seconds in. He’s good. Trust me. Next time you see DJ $ir Mike on a flier. Pull up. You’re singing or rapping or dancing the whole night. Happy One Year Anniversary to One Aux. It’s a community that was created to help the people and artists that had something different to say but no platform to say it. For those who never felt like they fit in the regular checkboxes. For the music that wasn’t this genre and never wanted to be that genre. This is the place for that. Whatever that is. It doesn’t have to be defined but it will be respected. There is so much more anniversaries to come for One Aux and the community that has been created. So come out to a show and support this amazing community of fans, artists, and musicians. You won’t be disappointed.
 Over the past couple of years rap beef has occurred, but it’s mostly been a regional thing where artists from the same city beef over who’s the big dog in that city. There hasn’t really been a big rap beef since the Drake and Pusha T beef. Some might argue that the Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion beef is a major one. To be honest. Both didn’t really give the people what they wanted. The diss tracks seemed to be more like jabs that stung but didn’t really inflict any actual damage. So, I would say that the game has been relatively peaceful. That’s until Kendrick Lamar chose to shake up the game and drop a verse that broke the internet, again. I say again because this isn’t the first time that Kendrick Lamar has broken the internet with just one verse. Many remember the bombshells he dropped on the game in Big Sean’s song, “Control”. In the song he literally called out rappers that he had made songs with and are said to be friends with. It’s not personal. It’s just hip-hop. He even called out Big Sean on his song. And Big Sean’s verse was first, so it was like he just caught this stray bullet that he wasn’t ready for. Now looking at this new verse, ironically it dropped on the same day Big Sean’s new single "Precision" dropped, which is the first single he's dropped in two years, unfortunately it was overshadowed by the release of Kendrick's verse. Literally nobody was talking about Big Sean’s song. It was “Control” all over again:  Now we get to the new verse that shook up the world. I’m talking about “Like That” from Future & Metro Boomin’s new album “WE DON’T TRUST YOU”. But why did Future let this happen? Future and Drake have been long-time collaborators who dropped a joint project together called “What A Time To Be Alive”. Interesting enough, Future didn’t appear on Drake’s most recent album, “For All The Dogs”. On the other hand, Drake did appear on Future’s last album “I Never Liked You”, which may mean something since Drake’s album was the latter album to drop. When it comes to the new album, “WE DON’T TRUST YOU”, something to also note is that Metro Boomin’, who provided most of the production for the album, doesn’t rock with Drake, so this might’ve made it easier for Kendrick to drop the bombshell on this track. Am I my brother’s keeper? This might be the real question that Future may be asking himself as there has been another theory popping up around the internet as to why Future would let Kendrick diss his friend and long-time collaborator, Drake. The theory floating around the internet is that both Drake and Future are involved with the same woman, but Drake has been pillow talking to the woman badly about Future. This may be alluded to in his verse when he spits. “Stickin' to the code, all these hoes for the streets, I put it in her nose, it's gon' make her pussy leak, Pussy niggas told, ain't gon' wake up out they sleep”. Now let’s talk about what you’re really here for. Kendrick. He firs attacks Drake with the line, “Say, it's a lot of goofies with a check”. We all know that Drake is endorsed by Nike, and the check is the trademark logo. So, Drake is Goofy the dog and he's getting checks from Nike. OK Kendrick. Nice bar. Another bar is, ‘Niggas clickin' up, but cannot be legit, no 40 Water, tell 'em”. OK it’s getting hotter. This is another jab where Kendrick is talking about Drake and J. Cole clicking up, while also giving probs to E-40 and B-Legit, who formed the group called "The Click". and that the fact that their clicking up ain’t forreal or ain’t gonna help them be better than him. Also note that the beat used for this song E-40 also used on his song "Look At Me" that featured Juvenile, BG, Lil Wayne, and Birdman. Then Kendrick starts to point his aim more direct with the bar, “Fuck sneak dissin', first person shooter, I hope they came with three switches”. People know that "First Person Shooter" is the name of Drake and J. Cole’s track that was a great song and did numbers. Anyone that knows Kendrick Lamar knows that he is clearly a writer and master of his craft. He loves hip-hop but also like in the line he raps, he’s not afraid to go against hip-hop, “I crash out, like, "Fuck rap," diss Melle Mel if I had to”. Story time, Melle Mel from The Furious 5 (which is a classic hip-hop group) dissed Eminem for being on a Top 5 list but stating that it’s mostly to do with him being white. This made Eminem go against the hip-hop pioneer and drop a diss track calling out Melle Mel for possible steroid drug use. Kendrick Lamar is willing to do the same and go against hip-hop to prove he’s the best. That being both the pop rap that Drake is, or the hip-hop purist that J. Cole is.  Finally let’s break down the most direct bars. Remember Andre 3K was the set-up bar in the “Control” verse, well here it shows itself again. When he says Motherfuck the big three, this is a jab back to Drake and J. Cole’s song “First Person Shooter” where J. Cole says, “Love when they argue the hardest MC, Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?, We the big three like we started a league, but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali”. I think other rappers would've seen this line as a complement, but that's not Kendrick, who takes this more as a backhanded complement, especially since J. Cole ends the bar saying that he is "The Greatest" aka Muhammad Ali. But again, Kendrick Lamar doesn’t want to be buddy buddy, he says it’s him at the top and him only. "Your best work is a light pack". Kendrick is snapping. Then he says, “Prince outlived Mike Jack”. He is saying that he’s Prince and his career gonna last longer than Drake’s. Again, on First Person Shooter, Drake rapped, “What the fuck, bro? I’m one away from Michael, Nigga, beat it, nigga, beat it, what?”. I would argue thought that J. Cole is more like Prince because he can produce music as well as rap. But back to Kendrick with a direct hit to Drake again, “‘fore all your dogs gettin' buried”. Drake’s album is called “For All My Dogs”. Coincidence. I think not. Especially with this line “K with all these nines, he gon' see Pet Sematary”. Ouuuu!! That’s a crazy triple entre. First K stands for Kendrick who is saying that he is a 10 and with the nines, and that Drake and J. Cole are just nines. Second K with the nines, meaning K-9, which means dog. Then with the nines infers that they have 9mm guns and not the stick he says he has earlier in the verse. Also, in that same line he goes into Stephen King’s novel Pet Sematary to say that that’s where their careers are going to be if they keep fucking with him. And just to put the final nail in the coffin he calls them bums. You can see that there were multiple casualties in this verse. Kendrick went direct which many say First Person Shooter was filled with more subliminals than direct hit. Kendrick going direct. So, there you have it. The verse that shook up hip-hop. Kendrick Lamar is now known as one of those artists that doesn’t say a lot, but when he does, the world stops and listens. This verse is so hip-hop. We didn’t even talk about his tone, his delivery, the iconic sample that was also sampled by Lil Wayne. I wanted to focus on the words. Kendrick made a point in this verse. He kept it hip-hop. He kept it direct. But every action has an equal or in hip-hop’s mind a more powerful and deeper cutting reaction. Hopefully, that means J. Cole will respond. Drake too. Just know they both are now officially on the clock. 
It’s been almost 10 years since Kendrick Lamar spit this line on his song “Hood Politics”, And since then Killer Mike still continued to push the needle of hip-hop, but to many it was a surprise that he would win the Grammy for Rap Album of the year for his album “Micheal”. A 14-track 53min and 51 second album that was released in June of 2023. To be honest it was a star-studded category with Metro Boomin (HEROES & VILLAINS), Nas (King's Disease III), Travis $cott (Utopia, and Drake & 21 Savage (Her Loss). Killer Mike beat Nas, Drake, and Travis $cott. All I could think was that this has to be an amazing album. So, let’s see why this is the Rap Album of the Year!
The album starts out with the track “DOWN BY LAW” that features fellow Dungeon Family member CeeLo Green. This track sets the tone for the album, Killer Mike lets you know, this is a rap album. His delivery and tone are similar to that of a revolutionary and he is unapologetic about his use of words. The song also represents an era where songs where 4 minutes at the minimum. Just skimming through his album, the shortest song is “TWO DAYS” which is 2 mins and 14 seconds, which is still long in this current time of streaming and it’s just straight bars. This can’t be taken lightly Kiler Mike is really rapping on this album. There’s so many quotable lines in this album for instance on NRICH “It's underwhelmin' to be so overly underrated”, I could only think that he has been the long shot his whole career. Now he has the championship. Another line is “I don't give a fuck who the president is, if the president ain't for me”. Or this one on SPACESHIP VIEWS, “What you know about college educated and still had to sell cocaine, nigga?”. To be album of the year, especially rap album of the year, you have to have memorable moments in the album, and that's just what these quotable bars are. A high point of the album is seeing the Dungeon Family lineage of artists featured. From Rico Wade to CeeLo Green, to Andre 300, to finally Killer Mike and Future. The Dungeon Family has created the sound for Atlanta hip-hop and to this day continues to push the genre forward. On SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS is where the reunion continues as the futuristic production lend room for two artists from the future themselves, Andre 3000, coming off a totally instrumental flute album, reminded people that he still loves rap and is still one of the most anticipated featured artists. Check the wordplay “A stamina stampede of happily happenings, dabblin' into obliv-ion, neon, beyond the ambiance”. Let’s not forget about Future who is undoubtedly the Andrė 3000 of this time. Few people realize that it’s not by chance that Future is such an amazing artist. He is a part of the musical branch of the Dungeon Family and it shows in lines like, “Learned how to turn a trap house to a mansion, Watched me watch the world take my pain and balance it, It's better to be an outcast in a world of envious (Oh, yeah)”. To be a fly on the wall when this track was made would be Heaven. Talk’n Shit is probably the most turnt up songs on the album, the song pays homage to Three 6 Mafia by sampling two of their tracks “Tear da Club Up” and also “187 Invitation”. He further pays homage by mentioning DJ Paul and Lord Infamous who are credited with creating Three 6 Mafia. Killer Mike shows his versatility as he switches his flow multiple times throughout the track and just executes so masterfully. He even switches from talking about underground kings like Bun B and Pimp C to talking about being in rooms with politicians. His bars are as versatile just much as the company he keeps. “I don't give a fuck who the president is if the president ain't for me”. There’s plenty of depth in the album, one example being the track SLUMMER, where Kiler Mike talks about having an abortion, and then his lady going and having a baby with an older man. It doesn’t get more deep than this track. It also showcases his storytelling abilities. With bars like, “A couple summers and our teenage love had turned to somethin' slummer, can't love her like I used to, she somebody's baby mama”. These are real life bars. Then you get to the track SOMETHING FOR JUNKIES which is another song that has a lot of depth to it. The way he raps in this song puts you into the conversation he had with his aunt. To still see her as a person and not what she’s been labeled is empathetic and what the world needs more of. Also, we find out that he hit a laced joint, which was huge plot twist when going in with a preconceived idea of what the song would be about. The depth of the songs on this album is definitely my criteria for Rap Album Of The Year. When you think about Killer Mike and who would be in his class I think Curren$y and 2 Chainz are right up there. All three artists had to grind and create their own cult-like audience that helped them to reach different degrees of success, Killer Mike now having the highest musical accolade with 3 Grammy wins this year, it was great to see all three on the track SPACESHIP VIEWS. Plus, they are all car junkies. The self-proclaimed “King Of Car Talk”, Curren$y really shined on this track, “I bought this hoodie on Fairfax, I'm all over hundred” (Peep my Genius annotation). Don’t forget about 2 Chainz, who brought his original signature flow “Half a mill' for my fee-finder, Use a coffee grinder for a weed grinder, Search your house for a key, find it”. This is one of the many great moments in the album. I take it back when I said about SLUMMER and that it doesn’t get more deep that that, because MOTHERLESS is one of those powerful, emotional, and thought-provoking songs period. “My momma dead” The song could’ve ended here, and that would’ve been enough, no other words were needed. But Killer Mike fought through the emotions of this bar and gathered himself enough to deliver a powerful performance. His words really had me sitting back and thinking, like in this line, “If God sent me back to normal to be next to you, I would gladly trade it all 'cause I be missin' you”. And let’s not talk about the performance. There was this relatable pain and flow of emotions that translated as he stood in front of a live audience on the Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show and rapped his heart out. Look at the emotions in this and tell me you didn't feel it. DON’T LET THE DEVIL definitely sounds like a Run The Jewels track, as both members Killer Mike and El-P showcase their ability to rap and why they have been so successful as a group. El-P gets off on this track, “How you movin'? One of two in, super groupin', Gorilla glued up to the cash, couldn't lose it”. Maybe this track is a foreshadow to another Run The Jewels album in the chamber. We’ll just have to wait and see. The last track of the album is HIGH AND HOLY which starts out with this lady of African-decent that is speaking what sounds like an African language. It’s spoken so beautifully that I found myself wishing that I could understand and speak this lost language, it’s somewhere rooted in my DNA but lost through the enslavement of my ancestors and probably further lost with the burnings and killings of my people. Until now, I feel like the resistance of the blacks is in this album sewn into each bar is this language that we created, and without a computer it’s constantly being updated through hip-hop. He forreal spittin’ holy bars, "'Cause we just trifle, we carry rifles, granny carry Bibles, We carry hatred for our rivals, same as Cain and Abel, Killed his brother 'cause God showed him favor”. But wait there’s an extended version of this album, that’s just how good this album is. And as I get deeper into the 2nd part of the I keep coming back to the production of the album and how big the sound of the album feels, this is probably partly because of the amazing engineers, mixer Migui Maloles, and engineer mastered by Nicolas de Porcel at Million Dollar Snare. Who is known for Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar’s “Family Ties” and also Roddy Ricch’s famous track “The Boxx”, just to name a few. This album is another masterpiece to add to their resume. Killer Mike described this album as "Like A Prodigal Son Coming Home". That’s exactly how I would describe the second part of this album. It feels so Atlanta. It feels like you’re there. You know where the good spots of town are. You know where the bad spots of town. But all-in-all you know what it takes to make it here. The 2nd part of the album features 4 new tracks “YES!, MAYNARD VIGREETTE, “GET SOME MONEY”, and “ACT UP”. You probably can't mention Atlanta rap without mentioning T.I. who is featured on Maynard Vignette, he kept it playa partna, and the T.I. we all love to hear lent some dope bars, “my life full of highlights, if it was a book, it'd be a page-turner” The track also features JID who just came off a huge single “Surround Sound” that was pushed by TikTok, it was well deserved just like Killer Mike, he’s been paying his dues and now is being rewarded. He shows his crazy wordplay, especially in this line, “Tell me more about the war, the wins, I know the stories of the horrors we in, Now we goin' for the glory, I'm on a victorious binge”, GET SOME MONEY is about what you think it’s about. The Powernomics. Killer Mike is rapping like the rent is due. At times the chorus becomes this chant. He sings, “Get some money bitch”. The song even does some interpolation by using Yung LA’s hit single “Ain’t I” that Killer Mike uses in verse 1. He doubles down on needing money by ending the track with the bar, “You can't do nothin' if you're broke”. ACT UP is a track where Killer Mike is not playing fair. He’s just doing rap somersaults on this track. You’ve already proved that you're a rapper. You ain’t gotta step on the competition’s necks like that. Just bars! Just bars! We ain't worry! But also, I would say this is balanced by Young Nudy’s slower tempo’d verse. It feels like Killer Mike shooting the shit with his trap homie. It's a really good song. Like I said, the 2nd part of this album is so Atlanta, this point is brought home with DOWN BY LAW - Live frin Atlanta, GA. The song is literally a homecoming for Killer Mike. The track draws you into what it would feel like to be from Atlanta in front of your home crowd. Listening to this track is like hearing the record for the 1st time but with the addition of live instruments and hard-hitting bass. What I like the most about the live version is hearing the different voice inflections and imperfections and improvisation that comes with performing live. It's better my Nigga. Plus, he got CeeLo Green to sang like he was pulpit in an Atlanta church. Wooo!! Another track that was remade for this second album was RUN titled RUN - Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley Version. The song is a great marketing move on Killer Mike’s part seeing that music is going to a more worldly sound. This version is heavily Reggae influenced and even featured one of the greatest musical linages, the Marley family, that is Damian Marley, you gotta go through him to get that co-sign that you aren’t riding the wave of a certain vibration, that is not to be messed with. But it's a dope rendition of the song. MOTHERLESS hits so much harder on the 2nd version called the MOTHERLESS - Robert Glasper Rendition. They way the piano plays so somberly in the background coupled with the life lessons that Killer Mike puts into his verses is fucking amazing. One thing I also noted was just how vulnerable he allowed himself to be in this song as he rapped about missing both his mother and grandmother, there's still the deep emotion this song provokes on even the 2nd and also 3rd version of this track. You saw that right, there is also a 3rd version of the song MOTHERLESS. The last one being the single version that has that radio feel. It’s like he knew MOTHERLESS specifically would be the song to make it undeniable that he should win a Grammy. When it comes to TALK'N THAT SHIT, the 2nd version, it’s like he invited Three 6 Mafia in the booth with him. The DJ Paul ad-libs and the sampled productions seem to run deep into the core of the Three 6 Mafia sound. This is re-emphasized when the beat switches to “187 Invitation”. It’s a track that you have no choice but turn up to. It's his club banger. Every Album Of The Year needs that one club banger. Who's better than Three 6 Mafia at doing that? The last track of the album. No really this time. The last track of the double version is DON’T LET THE DEVIL - Single Version. This is a more polished version of the song. The production is crisp and clear. What’s still there is the lyrical assailants that are Killer Mike and El-P, their verses are a display of their lyrical skill. Again, I ask, a new Run The Jewels album??? Maybe. Let’s just enjoy this track until then. There you have it. The album of the year and Grammy Award Winning Rap Album of the Year “Micheal”. This album was worth all the hype, because it wasn’t hype. It was a masterpiece, a work of art, and worthy of every award that it wins. The album was filled with some of the biggest features and also took you on the journey that was Micheal. It was an album where Killer Mike was the reason why the featured artists stepped up their bars and knew they had to "rap rap" or be destroyed by Killer Mike on the track. But also this album has a lot of depth that hits hard. Maybe that's because it is so relatable. The constant duality of being human. The album cover illustrates this as a young Killer Mike is pictured with a Halo and the devil horns. We are both good and evil. There is a message for people who do good and a message for the people who do evil. And it’s all told through Michael. That's why this is RAP ALBUM OF THE YEAR! So give the album a listen and tag Killer Mike to read this album review.  What does it mean to be from the East Side? To be overlooked. To be undervalued. To be counted out before the game even starts. Growing up on the East Side puts a chip on your shoulder. Your thrown into this environment with so many different cultures that you even you have trouble knowing where one culture’s neighborhood starts and another ends. But that’s the East Side. That’s also the advantage of the Eastside. This past weekend 3 artists Doc Freeman, YungxHalloween, and Yung Qwan showed just what it meant to be from the East. Paying homage to the Beastie Boyz, the 3 artists did their own flip on the name and came up with what would become the Eastie Boyz. The SoundPony stage was set as hip-hop was in the building. The first up was the artist known as YungxHalloween who got on the mic and showed a side of the East. YungxHalloween has a sound that explodes with energy and emotion. Also, in his music he represents for his community and his Hispanic culture as he drops gems and terms that if you know, you know. At times he seemed to blend into both Rap and Rock n’ Roll, which is true to the Beastie Boyz legacy. Go check out his Instagram: @yungxhalloween Next up was Yung Qwan. I feel like Yung Qwan had this period of time where he was completely ghost from the scene. Coming off the highs of an amazing EP and the Fire In Little Africa project, it was bizarre to not see him out and rocking shows. This night he reappeared, but without his signature dreads. He stood center stage with a microphone in the stand. I can say that when it comes to the bars it was clear that he's still got them, but it was at the end of the song where you could see his change, as the beat continued to play Yung Qwan repeated the chorus with a pain that deepened with each repeat. “I cut the locs off, looked in the mirror, and found me”, I think Yung Qwan is in a new version of himself and it's exciting to see. His artistry is expanding before our eyes and his new project is gonna be crazy. Look out for that fa sho and go follow him on Instagram: @iamyungqwan The last performer of the night doesn’t need an introduction. You can call him Doc Free, you can call him Doctor Freeman, but just don’t call him not from the East Side. Doc Free has been reppin’ and waving the flag since his insurgence into the Tulsa Hip-Hop scene. His impressive resume’ has made him one of the most well-respected MCs (also a member of the Oilhouse collective) and also one of the most sought after djs that can rocks crowds no matter the genre. No doubt his dj skills have also helped him uncover some sampling gold. His words cut with this laser cut precision that only a doctor could. (go listen to Dr. No, he is so on target with this album, like if James Bond was spitting real life Spy shit.) This night the doctor didn’t need an assistant as he was his own dj while also spitting bars from behind the table. And when the music was over, he was gone. Lost in the nights bars he escaped to hit the j., after the completed mission. Go follow him on Instagram: @docfree918 The Eastie Boyz. It’s a showcase of the East Side’s best. Who knows if the next time it will be the same crew. Who knows if next time it will be on the Eastside. The only thing that matters is that the Eastside has some amazing talent. This night proved that it’s just started.  When you think of what’s underground and what’s considered indie, your first thought to come to mind is that hip-hop has so many underground artists, especially in a city like Tulsa. But that wouldn’t be true. If you look at hip-hop even here in Tulsa, it’s beginning to get the recognition it deserves. That starts with having acts at big venues like Cain’s or even the Vanguard. To be truly underground means that your genre isn't in these big venues and therefore you have to create spaces that go against the norm of poplar mainstream music. That sounds like Noise. Noise is a genre that goes against everything conventional and is definitely not mainstream. That sounds like what we witnessed on Wednesday night at the One Aux event at Noise Town. I know what you're thinking. What’s Noise? My answer would be, what isn’t Noise. Because Noise isn’t something that can be defined. It is more or less experienced. The first performer of the night NURTURANCE is a living embodiment of that. During NURTURANCE's set he surrounded by all these high-end pieces of equipment with so many different cords and outputs. It was as if he had a mini studio with him. He played each piece of equipment like a conductor making the machines play with a frequency that moved sound, while a projector displayed images of him and also silhouettes of people that you couldn’t quite make out. His performance was intense concentration but with a freedom, and at times he would lean over to a controller with vertical wires and literally bend the sound. Now that’s Noise. The next performer was GOLDIELXCS. GOLDIELXCS has performed in both R&B and hip-hop heavy events, but this time seemed different. This time felt like the unstructuredness of the genre gave her the freedom she was looking for. Her performance proved just how wide the spectrum of genre of Noise is because it was completely different than the first. Her music was so soulfully unstructured. GOLDIELXCS used a beat making-like setup to play looped sounds. It was as if her voice carried in this spatial spacing that transcended her into different places in the room. At times she would pick up the mic and go into this short vocal backing of the track almost she was there to back up this moment in time as an alternate timeline in the multiverse. She’s played with a comfortably that let you know. I’m the shit. This is my Noise! The next performer of the night was SYNTHDOM. His setup was so grand that everyone marveled at it. One of the audience members began to calculate all the pieces of equipment and how expensive it is. This is the mothership. This is the setup that artists with lower end equipment's try to mimic. And it showed how just wonderful it was when the first synth progression played. His set started with a backing drum kick that he then layered different drums, cymbal clashes, and synths on top of. He was the master of his setup and at times looked like a mad scientist jumping from sound to sound. To a rapper at times, it sounded it feel like being in the studio with a producer who is making the beat from scratch. And true to the genre of Noise. It’s not how it starts. It’s how you feel in each moment of the performance, and with SYNTHDOM, no two moments were the same. The last performer we caught that night was ACESHOOTMEDOWN. That’s a long ass name. Unexpected. Sort of like the performance though. She got on stage with only her phone that was bluetoothed to the stage's sound system. ACESHOOTMEDOWN started rapping! What!!! But that’s Noise. It’s unexpected. She had bars as she took the stage with a bravado and stage presence that let everyone know that she was the shit. Her music was probably the most structured of the night as we grounded ourselves, knowing that we personally were in our element. We know hip–hop. ACESHOOTMEDOWN seems like a student of hip-hop as told through her stories and song structure. I’m looking forward to seeing her again and where she takes her music. So, there you have it. Noise. Unorganized Noise. To an outsider it may seem like an AV club convention with the AV carts and monitors and all the cords. Just the sheer electricity alone separates this genre into something that’s different. But what we learned is that Noise is a community that knows each other and is supportive rather than competitive. It’s a genre that feels more improv than the programmatically structured predictable styles of mainstream music. It seems to focus more on bending sound than adhering to it. Lastly, Noise is more than the sound that it makes, it’s more about the experience that it creates that audiences love. So next time you want to hear some underground music. Go listen to some Noise, the genre that’s underground! |
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