Picture this. You're in your 4th rap battle ever, and your opponent says some shit so crazy that you know that it's gonna go viral. That's exactly what Jaylocke found himself in during the 3rd round against veteran battle rapper Aaron Sawyer. So, how do you beat somebody that’s went viral? That’s easy. Just be so much better than them, that even after the videos and meme’s have go away, people remember you. Also, you have to make them remember what really matters. Winning. Floating around the internet is the clip from of Aaron Sawyers with an animated verse about his opponent Jaylocke. I gotta admit the wordplay was nice. But did it win him the battle? That’s what matters. That’s what battle rappers are remembered by. Not a hot line. But the number on the left being greater than the number after the line. So let's breakdown the battle:
ROUND 1: Fight
Again, Aaron Sawyer is a veteran battle rapper, so it was only appropriate that he goes first. And in the first round Aaron Sawyer was set out to teach the newcomer the Five Pillars Of Battle Rap. Pilar 1. Disrespect your opponent’s manhood. Pilar 2. Challenge his character. Pilar 3. Schemes, angles, punches, and jokes. Here are a few of those bars:
Next it was Jaylocke’s turn: And straight out the gate Jaylocke had some tricks up his sleeves. First, he talked about hygiene, or possibly the lack thereof under Aaron Sawyer’s sleeves. Jaylocke handed Aaron Sawyer a stick of deodorant. This did get the crowd going. Who doesn't like a well-timed prop? But back to business, it was now Jaylocke who was on the clock. Here's some of the bars that caught my ear:
Round 2. To start off the round, Aaron Sawyer showed that he is a quick witted by using Jaylocke’s previous Madea bar against him. He even showed him how you should use a GWayne bar in a battle rap, while he focused on his Pilar 3. Look at these:
ROUND 3: Finish Him Round 3. You can't hold back. If you're a veteran in the rap battle game, then you know it's time to leave no doubt. It's time to Finish Him! Aaaron Sawyer started out with Pilar 4 which was angles.
The Scorecard: Finish Him Drumroll. There were three judges with a split decision of 2-1.
It was a hell of a fight. Both competitors brung their 'A' game. It was a lyrical battle filled with highs and lows. And truth be told, the viral scene helped both battle rappers. My advice to Jaylocke is to project more in his performance and to remember that rap battling is a performance. You need to use different vocal inflections, especially when you come to the punchline. It helps the crowd hone in on the punchline. And my last piece of advice would be for Jaylocke to stand firm and mean mug the fuck out of your opponent. Make him feel uncomfortable with your stare so much that he stumbles. Also, it's important to note, that Jaylocke has so much potential and so much room for growth. So, look out for Aaron Sawyers and Jaylocke's next battles, And one thing is for certain. BATTLE RAPPIN' AIN'T DEAD. THEY JUST SCARED! ​Also watch the whole battle below and let us know who ya'll think won: Follow both battle rappers: Aaron Sawyer Instagram: @aaronsawyerofficial Jaylocke Instagram: @jaylxcke
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 Hip Hop 918 has become one of those events that happens every year that celebrates the culture, the music, and the artform. I know, it’s crazy to see right? Who would’ve thought that Hip-hop would’ve lasted 50 years. More importantly, who would’ve thought that Tulsa, Oklahoma would be the place to celebrate it and bring some of the creators to a town they’ve probably only heard of recently during the Black Wall Street Massacre Centennial. But Hip Hop in Tulsa is happening, and now it’s clear to see, that Hip Hop is getting it’s time in the city they call 918. Next, we got a glimpse of the new school of hip-hop artists that have the potential to blow up from Tulsa. These students/artists are from the McClain High School Music Program that is taught by Tulsa artist Steph Simon. These kids are truly learning from G.O.A.T.s, And in a short amount of time, they’ve gotten amazing opportunities such as shooting their first music video 4929 (click to see the video), which an ode the address for the school. They also are getting the opportunity to perform on this stage. A huge jump for a first performance. They got to cut their teeth in front of hundreds, you could tell they were living their dreams, and that they had a ways to go before they were truly ready. But some people practice, to get in shape, and some people play, to get in shape. And they were there to win. The performance reminded me of the Wu-Tang posse’ cuts where at anytime there would be 10+ members on stage, all with their own unique swagger. These young artists are talented. But if I had to put on my critique hat for one minute. I would suggest that they not perform with their vocals. We want to hear YOU! But still they're still learning and have one of the best teachers to help them along their journeys. They're gonna figure it out.  One of the best things about the night was getting to see this musical roulette where 4 artists in particular (Jeezmino, K,O, Yung Qwan, and OTS J Huncho) took turns rapping their songs. Starting with Jeezmino, who did what she does. That's rap, rap. She left no doubt that she has bars and is one of the baddest in the game. Every time she steps on the mic, she commands the stage and her respect. With a beat or without a beat you're gonna here her. That's just how sharp her words are. They cut deep. Next was K.O. What else can you say about K.O.? She’s one of the most versatile, lyrical artists in the state. If you were looking at how much she is booked you probably would think she has to be from Tulsa, or at least OKC. But she’s from neither. She’s from Enid and she reps it loud and clear. Loud and clear is what grabbed the audience's attention so much that there were these audible for “ohhs” from the crowd because of a bar that hit hard. And that’s what you’re gonna do when witness a K.O. performance. Then we get to Yung Qwan. Yung Qwan came out of nowhere with his new fade instead of the dreads we’ve known him to have. His song selection was dope, even coming to perform his latest track “Rocket Man”. I think all in all it was a good performance. But if I had to put the critique hat back on. I would say that rapping over his lyrics took away from his performance. For example, Rocket Man seems like it has a lot of emotion that the performer needs to get across to the audience. But when you’re hear two different voices (the vocals from the track and Yung Qwan) who are not on the same tempo and sound completely different it’s easier to pick out the mistakes from missed notes and the wrong vocal pitch. It put the microscope that much more on his performance to spot the blemishes. But he's a great artist that can fix that. Last but not least in this rap roulette was the KING OF THE APES! OTS J. Huncho. His performance was the one that hit the hardest. I mean to see his growth from his first performance to now, is like night and day. When he first started performing, he used his backing vocals as sort of crutch, he had all the bravado, but that couldn't excuse the fact that to be the best rapper as he claimed, that he couldn't rap over his vocals. But now he’s flipped it and used his backing vocals to his advantage to help out with catching his wind and also to switch things up. He's realized that when donig a performance it's not just spittin bars, also there's showmanship. And that's what OTS J Huncho is incorporating in his shows. It's exiting to see this young rapper mastering his craft and rapping straight bars about the town he's from living in. He is the one. OTS J Huncho. After the roulette was finished another M.C. grabbed the mic. Marcel P. Black. An artist that exudes everything it means to be an M.C. And if you know him then you probably have heard his motto: “Real emcees don’t rap over vocals”. And true to his motto Marcel P. Black performed in pure hip-hop fashion, controlling the crowd with his voice. He even had the crowd 2 stepping to his song. Now if that ain’t an M.C. than I don’t know what is.  Another veteran that came and rocked the stage was Dangerous Rob. His performance more than anything showed how deeply rooted he was in Tulsa hip-hop, as Playya 1000 gave him a dope introduction about being there since the beginning. His performance also showed that he’s a marketing genius as three members of his entourage handed out Dangerous Rob branded shirts, of which the crowd ran to catch and also background workers held up signs. It's clear to see why he's been doing his thing for so long. He even performed his latest track "I Luv You", which showed that the veteran still has a lot left to say.  When you talk about Tulsa Hip-Hop there’s no way you don't mention Steph Simon. He’s been the one in the trenches with the machete clearing the path that soo many artists are now walking behind. He’s not only rapped next to your favorite rapper; most likely he’s booked them. Now if that isn’t a Tulsa King than I don’t know what is. Which is exactly what his accapella freestyle was about. Being the Tulas King. And as he said in the chorus, “Tulsa Kings run the world and Tulsa queens run the world”. From Steph Simon’s first song, to his last, he moved the crowd. He was in his Best Mood. He’s clearly in his 100,000 hours of practice and it shows. It’s his commanding presence, and his ability to move the crowd that moved the legend Eric Sermon to speak to Steph Simon after the show. Cause Steph Simon Is Hip-Hop. Last but definitely not least was the legends EPMD (which stands for Erick and Parrish Making Dollars) made up of the rappers Erick Sermon (“E Double”) and Parrish Smith (“PMD”) and DJ Diamond that hell from Brentwood New York. This is where our hip-hop lesson begins. But not where it ended. Because throughout their performance, not only were they playing their hits, but they were also teaching lessons. Lesson 1. Pure New York Hip hop. Say we don’t rhyme over vocals. As noted earlier in the article. It's doesn't help. Lesson 2. Hip-Hop means you have a dj. And it was with this lesson that DJ Diamond showed his mastery of the turn tables by scratching and even doing various tricks while the spotlight was on him. And last but not least. Lesson 3: Never forget the ones who came before you. EPMD ran thru some of the most classic Hip-Hop tracks, that no matter what generation you’re from, no matter what side of the train tracks you’re from. You respect it. Cause it’s Hip-Hop! So that sums up Hip-Hop 918 2023. You can’t tell that you don’t have a reason to go next time. It’s a free event that celebrates one of the biggest genres in the world. And you get to see some of the legends in the game do what they do best. Hip-Hop. Just as important, you get to appreciate the amazing hip-hop scene and artists that we have right here in Tulsa. Continue to support these artists by showing up to their shows and buying their music and merch. And by the time that the next Hip-Hop 918 rolls around you’ll be a believer that Tulsa IS SO HIP-HOP!  If you ever had the honor of being invited to a dj noname. event then you know just how huge of a deal it is. It’s like the Don Corleone sending you an invitation. And if The Don sends you an invitation, then you go. It’s an offer you can’t refuse. So, when I got the text from The Don, dj noname. I greatly obliged to show up to what was the dj noname. Residency at Mercury Lounge. “It's not personal, it's business”. And for dj noname. business is good. He’s worked with the best artists in Oklahoma. I’m talking Steph Simon, 1st Verse, Earl Hazard, Bambi, DialTone, and the list goes on. And let’s not forget Snackin’ With Flavor with Keng Cut. It’s a masterpiece that stands alone in the dj noname. trophy case. And the unreleased projects are just as talked about as the tapes that are out. Another thing is that he also takes care of business as seen with his proud to pay campaign on BandCamp. Let's be honest. You get more money from BandCamp than you do from streaming. It's not even close for an independent artist. And those that know, know, It's good business. "Power Wears Out Those Who Do Not Have It." And dj noname. has the power. It shows, especially when it comes to his residency shows. It’s nothing but heavy hitters! The level of talent that he is able to get on one ticket speaks to just how much power he has. Every time I go to a show and speak to an artist about how they first collaborated with dj noname., the conversations usually start with, “noname. sent me these beats and I was inspired.” And it's this inspiration that has gotten artists to start recording again or even back on stage. Even the audience members are filled with people who come to show their respect for an artist who has the power to make things happen. The man has his own socks! Tell me one dj in the game that has power like that. “Just When I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In." That’s how you feel when you go to a dj noname. show. Just when you think there is no other way the night can get better, dj noname. always throws in a curve ball. For example, unreleased tracks. I remember hearing “Best Mood” by Steph Simon at a dj noname. show., I swear I was close to leaving the party, but was pulled back in when the beat came on. "I'm the throwin' money out the sunroof, feel like I caught my second wind, I'm in my best mood, if I don't touch a mil this year, it's cause I touched 2". That's a short recap of how it went down. Everyone in the crowd rapping that part, while people who may have never heard the song watched in awe. And that’s what happens at a dj noname. show. You don’t wanna leave. "Some day, and that day may never come, dj noname will call upon you.” Trust me. You don’t want to let down The Don. He has the power, he has the juice in the town. It's shown be his consistency to get some of the best artists in the town to not only jump on his tapes but to also come out and perform. So go! The music is going to pull you in. And if you haven’t gotten an invitation yet, don’t worry. It’s not personal. Show up anyway and believe me one day you gonna get that message. And when you do. Do me a favor, and answer the call. And until then.... I'm in my "Best Mood". Make sure you follow dj noname. on all social media platforms. Instagram: @nosamyrag Twitter: @nosamyrag BandCamp: dj noname. Spotify: dj noname. Website: https://djno.name/ By Ryan Anderson Soulbody Cyphers Presents: Battle Royale - The Last Artist Standing The Boxyard Tulsa July 29, 2023  Soulbody Cyphers is a showcase performance event for artists from all over Oklahoma. Theirmission from their Facebook Page states; SoulBody HipHop Cyphers highlights underground hiphop talent all around the nation. A typical Soulbody Cyphers event would be 10-plus artists gathered in a building rapping some of their best bars over the same beat. But today’s event was anything but typical. This time around the Soulbody Cyphers did a competition for which this was the first round. 20 performers from Tulsa going head-to-head, performing one original song, and only the top 8 advance. To what? For a chance to be selected to go to an AirBnB to do music-related challenges and skill development programs. The Judges. These weren’t just anybody pulled off the streets, each judge carries an impressive resume. Kode Ransom is a well-known poet and songwriter who has written most notably for the Grammy award-winning artist B.o.B.. MidWest BJ is a popular radio personality for 105.3 who also hosts a radio segment called the “Midwest Artist Takeover” that features songs from local artists. Thomas Who? is one of the most lyrical rap artists in Oklahoma who has also appeared on the Fire in Little Africa album and is a PPBC Trailblazer award recipient. And the final judge 2 Peece, who is one of the most sought-after producers from Tulsa whose music has amassed millions of streams, he’s worked with the likes of Steph Simon, Devin The Dude, and Lil Flip. so you can see, these are the real deal.  The Performances: The performances featured a wide array of talent, but a narrow list when it comes to genres, mainly Hip-hop and R&B, and a sprinkle of Neo-soul. The performers had a wide range of experience, from the veteran to the new kids on the block. You get the gist of it. Each performance was by itself unique and authentic. Each artist brought something to their performance that they thought would be worthy Soulbody Cyphers. That’s because Soulbody Cyphers is a community. One that has been built brick by brick by the artists and supporters. Support being a very keyword. Because when Anonymous Vox, decided on the unconventional method of performing acapella backfired into what became a recurring retry of forgotten lines, it was support from the artist and audience that helped him finish his song and still cheered for him. But don’t forget, this was still a competition, but few competitions exhibit this sort of support. And at the same time, few competitions had a Thomas Who? as their judge. Similar to a hip-hop Simon Cowell, Thomas Who? was the only judge out of the 4 that was willing to score an opponent below a 6. It was Thomas Who? who gave out a score of 4 out of 10 to an artist, and deservingly so. But with that, he gave the most honest and the most helpful critique of all the judges. On the flip side was a surprising performance from JediahKO, a performer that took control of the crowd from the beginning. He’s also a younger artist, so it was refreshing to see his command of the stage and to hear the depth from his bars. “How you supposed to put the Rugers down when niggas is Ruthless now.” This bar left all the judges amazed. His performance was an assurance that hip-hop was in good hands. Another performance that caught everyone’s attention was Ace Da Kid's, because it was filled with raw emotion. Seated in a chair and with a phone pressed firmly against his cheek, an emotional Ace Da Kid rapped a voicemail let to his father about the lies and abuse that he could never tell him until this now. This was a special moment where he himself could not contain these raw emotions, breaking into tears, which created pauses in his verses that invited waves of emotions throughout the audience. Afterward, the crowd ran to the stage and embraced the performer. The performance even moved the judge Thomas Who? to feel this performance enough to give out the rare 10 of the night. And then there was Kendra Bars. There aren’t enough words to express just how great of an artist she is. Her bars. Her flows. Her bravado. Misses bars take a bow, take a bow. She is someone that is making waves in the town. You’ve got to see a Kendra Bars performance for yourself. Soulbody Cyphers may be moving to this new battle royale format. Who knows? But what’s not changing is the support from the community that has been built. I left the event with a newfound respect for some of the artists while also seeing the potential of others. So, to make it clear. Soulbody Cyphers got talent!
Winners: The Top 8 were:
The Prizes: Midwest BJ also picked JediahKO and Kendra Bars to be featured artists on the Artist Takeover which will put 10 radio-edited songs from these artists in rotation on 105.3. 2 Piece also gave away a collab studio session. Kode Ransom picked an artist to do a songwriting session with as well as a studio session.  Rush Fest. If you've ever heard of it, then you know some of the amazing talent that has performed there. This year was no short of that. What's so unique about Rush Fest? It's a musical festival, right? Island themed right? What's so different between this festival and Hanson Fest? My answer is that this festival is for Tulsa. It shows the multi-versatile artistry that Tulsa has. From art in the form of paintings to the live musical performances. To the celebration of local vendors. And last but not least. Kode Ransom. (Read our previous article on Kode Ransom called Kode Ransom: His Message Through His Eyes) A first glimpse look at Kode Ransom. He's a cool laid-back dude. Just watching him in a room there is never a moment that he's not talking to someone, whether that's to talk about music or just to say hello. That's because once you meet Kode Ransom you instantly feel his genuine spirit and his powerful words. I say the lyrics to the most ratchet song and make it sound like a speech from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakan. At times it seems as if he has the pressure of Tulsa's Black future on his shoulders, but he still carries the whole weight of a people without breaking a sweat. And we ain't even gotten to his talent. His songwriting abilities have helped him become one America's most dangerous, because he has the ink of Malcolm (X) and Martin (Luther King J.R.) and a pen that has helped him write for big name acts such as B.O.B.. while going viral for songs such as Brenda's Baby 1. He has his on IMDB page for goodness sake. To watch Kode Ransom perform is to see greatness. Especially when he performs his poetry. He carries on in the footsteps of the greatest poets, while at the same time creating his own footsteps of greatness. And greatness is what what we witnessed that night. The island themed 473 bar, though packed felt like a snow globe spotlighted on Kode Ransom and isolating him in this moment of time. It felt like time stood still in a shaky world. His words hit hard in relatable cadences that brought black people home, that projected that pride in our community. He spoke in that forgotten code. We felt his words, we felt the message, we felt the bars and metaphors. The only thing we didn't feel was the time. To a writer. That's bliss. He spoke in a tongue that activated the crowns of kings and queens and gave us for that very moment the power to say we gonna be alright. and the boldness to say we can do better. The world needs more of this. I remember approaching Kode Ransom and asking him if he ever thought of doing a poetry book. He said yes. But who knows will he or won't he. Until we know the answer, enjoy the artist that is Kode Ransom: 50 Years Of Hip-Hop! To celebrate. Meet Us Saturday August 12th at the Center of Public Secrets!  Date: August 12th, 2023
Time: 1pm-5pm Location: Center of Public Secrets Address: 573 S. Peoria Ave. Tulsa OK 74120 This Saturday!!!! To celebrate 50 years of hip-hop, we gonna celebrate the South with our own Swap Meet called “Chop & Meet”. All artists that want to sell physical copies of your music or merch, pull up and network. For more info contact: tulsalines@gmail.com If you want to trade CDs or Vinyls, pull up! We’re gonna also going to be selling physical copies of our New Mixtape called “Tulsa Lines Presents: “The Purple Tape”. Also. we have a special edition mixtape to go along with, called “Tulsa Lines Presents: “The Pink Tape”. Purple drank provided by @shaascreations / donation based/ pay what you can. We will also be taking donations to help sponsor a student to go to the @raps101 summer music program. An immersive songwriting and music production experience that supports the local arts program here in Tulsa.  When you think about famous people in Tulsa what comes to mind are the athletes and the rappers. Who could blame you? They’re literally on the big screen. Whether present or past, the common narrative has been pushed that if you want to make it to the big time then you either have to play some form of music or you have to be an athlete. Hank Byrd is a Tulsan looking to literally change the narrative, all the while making it to the big screen without having to rap or dribble a ball. Hank Byrd is a screenwriter from Tulsa, whose reputation speaks for itself. The self-proclaimed “army brat” also served in the U.S. Army, which gave him a more worldly lense, and is something he invites audiences in with each script he writes. Throughout his career he’s proven why his pen is just as mighty as his sword. The Tulsa screenwriter has over 14 years of industry experience and has recently released the 3rd episode of Blerds that was picked up by the popular streaming service Tubi. Hank not only saw this project as a labor of love, but believed in it so much that he paid out of his own pocket the capital needed to make the first episodes of Blerds. Some of his other accomplishments include; Won the Bare Bones International Film Festival Best Live Screenplay Reading honor in 2010 for his film “Dinner with Harry”. Audience Choice winner for best mini-feature for the film “The Take”. Also an official Selection to the HorrOrigins Film Festival 2020 for his film “Adjoining” and multiple quarterfinalist selections for his film “The Fae”. This brings us to his latest accomplishment, co-writer of the recently announced film Boneyard. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Inspired by true events, Boneyard tells of an FBI special agent, played by Mel Gibson, who along with the Albuquerque police department, is hunting for a serial killer nicknamed “The Bone Collector”. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, will be playing the chief. Alongside will be veteran actor Bran Van Holt, who plays the officer who is connected to the case through a missing niece. Although details of actress Nora Zehetner role have not been released, moviegoers will be sure to be in line to see her performance. Filming has already begun in Las Vegas and more details about the movie are sure to come out later. For Jackson, this comes at the heels of his most successful years as a producer; anyone who follows Jackson knows he’s not ashamed to share what’s on his mind, “I just realized there is not 1 African American person with green light Power in all of television. 👀 WTF , I gotta turn it up now !”.  Hank shares the writing load with Vincent E. McDaniel, Koji Steven Sakai and Asif Akbar, who will also be the director as well as one of the credited producers for the film. This is the big time. This is the big screen. A moment not too big for Hank Bryd who interned on the blockbuster hit Kiss Of The Dragon that starred world-famous actor and martial artist Jet Li. This is another opportunity for Hank Byrd to show why he’s had such longevity in the here-today, gone-tomorrow world of Hollywood. The next big script is right at his fingertips. So, lookout for Hank Byrd the screenwriter that is writing his way into Tulsa history. Another accomplishment Hank Byrd has added to his list is that of an author. He recently released his book "HANKISMS: Everyday Quotes About Life, Love & Everything Else That Falls Through The Cracks". You can order your copy here: HANKISMS on LULU Here's what Hank Byrd had to say about his book:  
Few rappers are actually story tellers. You might be thinking. Give me an example. Well, here are a few. Slick Rick and his song “Children’s Story” or Lupe Fiasco’s “Hip Hop Saved My Life”. Then you have Nas with his song "Rewind". Nas spit a whole song backwards. Crazy. So, as you can see you really gotta have a pen to tell a story and put it into a beat. But can you do it for 3 songs? And can you make all the stories fit into this amazing epic that keeps your audience wanting more? Well, that’s just what OTS J. Huncho did with his 3-part series called “Calvin’s Story”.
OTS J. Huncho seemingly came out of nowhere in 2019 just before the Pandemic and unlike most he didn’t let the Pandemic slow him down, it actually made him put his feet on the petal more. And if you know his music then you know you get some bars, you gonna get some hard beats, and by the end of the track you gonna be saying just like his tagline. “I like that one. Huncho on the beat bitch!”
The series starts with “Calvins Story Pt. 1 (Cali)” which appeared on OTS J. Huncho’s debut album “Guerrilla Warfare”. The track sets the stage and introduces the main character of the story, Calvin also referenced throughout the track by his nickname “Cali”. Also mentioned in the track is the damsel of the story Tori, who is Calvin’s love interest and together have this Bonnie and Clyde relationship. Tori is also the one who introduced Calvin to her uncle who then became the plug. Later on in Pt 3 we will see how the uncle is an intricate piece of the story as well. The story gets crazier as Calvin and his brother end up in a shootout with 4 robbers. They end up killing Calvin’s brother Cameron during an exchange of fire that also leaves Calvin with 3 shots in his arm, which the robbers mistake Calvin for being dead. The only thing that is on Calvin’s mind is revenge after that, of which he does catch one slacking at a gas station. The plot thickens as final scene rolls Calvin rolls up on a car with one of the other robbers and to his surprise, he finds Tori!!!! DAMMMNNNN!!!
The next track in the story is called “Calvins Story Pt. 2”. The track starts where Part 1 left off. Calvin walking up on one of the robbers and the woman who betrayed him aka Tori. But before Calvin pulls the trigger, why not take all his shit too? But money can’t buy you everything and, in this case, it was a life. Calvin unmasked shot the guy and chased Tori out the house. Then shot…..“This nigga fuck around and hit a cop”. The police radio plays as a trembled voice calls out for help. This story getting crazzzyyyyy!!!!
Last but not least we have “Calvin’s Story, Pt. 3” starts where the last story left off. Calvin coming to the realization that he forreal just hit a cop, and that he’s not gonna be brought in alive. During this track OTS J. Huncho really shows his writing skill as he raps from the perspective of Tori. First off, she was talking to the police where she revealed that she was pregnant. Secondly, she told her uncle. You remember the plug from Pt. 1? Yea she told him that Calvin had killed her baby daddy and then tried to kill her. This made the uncle furious, so he put 200 racks on Calvin’s head. Two weeks later. Calvin chillin at the house smoking when the door gets kicked in and two masked gunmen came to collect the bounty, but luckily Calvin had that Mac on him. And that bitch sang. He killed both gunmen and even took one of their phones to get the drop on where the uncle was. As soon as the uncle got out the benz… A gun to his head and Calvin replied as he took the 200 racks “this is all you could put on me?” Calvin walked him in the crib where guess who was waiting? Tori. He replied “This shit is sweet”. Took the 200 racks and all the uncle’s work. Then eventually killed both the uncle and Tori, even after she told him she was pregnant. Calvin couldn’t vast in his revenge to long, because before he knew it, he was on a highspeed chase with the laws. And this time around there was no getting away. There was a pit maneuver, and the car flipping 8 times….
"I miss my nigga Cali"
What makes this series of songs so crazy is that you can literally play them back-to-back and see the story play out. The intensity in the raps and his vocal tone matched with each scene. The production of each track created an environment for OTS J. Huncho to really get creative with the way he told the story, for instance when he rapped from the perspective of Tori. There's no doubt that OTS J. Huncho has a crazy pen game. And if 50 Cent can write "Get Rich or Die Tryin’" and turn it into a movie, then Calvin’s Story can be just as great a movie. But is this the last installment of Calvin’s Story? Who knows. In the words of OTS J. Huncho:
“And that’s still my nigga Calvin.” Listen to each track back to back and let us know what you think. 
When it comes to Tulsa music few artists have evolved and made their own lane as much as Dialtone. The Tulsa native has proven he’s a master of many talents, with the first talent being rap. The real shift in his career came when he also decided to take up a second skill, art. His No Parking Studios empire is one of the biggest brands in the town, and it’s taken him all over the country. But when Dialtone gets that itch to start making music again, that’s when no beat is safe. And that's exactly what's happening as seen with the release of his EP Texture Test 001. Dialtone is back in album mode and like we tweeted, “Yo Tone dropped this like to say "Don't think I still don't do this rap shit!". So, sit back and let’s dive into his latest single “Tulsa Bounce”.
“Bouncin’ thru uptown,
Anybody that knows Dialtone’s music knows that he’s more than a rapper, he’s more like Tulsa historian at times, just in the way he drops names and tells stories that are like insider trading secrets that only Tulsa people who grew up on the northside would know. These are the same stories he paints into his art. Tulsa Bounce is one of those tracks where the stories are woven into each bar. This track also highlights his mastery of rap as he shows that he can rap in whatever flow ya’ll think ya’ll favorite rapper can. And do it better. It’s almost like watching a runner set the pace of the race. When he switches flows it’s like pockets or speed bursts where he proves he’s still so ahead of the competition. One line that stands out is, “I gave up tryna convince, either you with, or get”. This line symbolizes a major shift in Dialtone’s music. He has nothing to prove, he’s put on for Tulsa since the beginning, he has a song with Charlie Wilson. What more can he do? What more does he have to prove? “The Fuck! From Round.”. Another thing to point out about this song is just the way he strings these moments together. It’s cohesive and at the same time these moments play out like different timelines in the multiverse. “Jukin, manuverin, the game what I’m fluent in, landin like superman, Goku super saiyan, what me do my dance, on you dog hoes.” We can't forget the instrumentation on the beat. Which is crazy. It’s like mixing the nostalgic sound of the pianola and the unpredictable beat making of Timberland, and last but not least, that bounce. It’s so Tulsa. So much of a feeling that if you ain’t feeling it then you just hating. Get that hate out your heart. Because Tulsa Bounce is one of them ones.
Dialtone has built a life where he doesn’t have to do rap anymore, but the sport and the competition is what he still loves. Tulsa Bounce is that love that will never go away. It’s an example of him lettin these rappers know I can still push a button and fuck up the game. “Bouncin’ thru uptown, but I can go uptown, in 4 minutes, niggas out of breath, tired of Tone winnin’. Niggas is winded, niggas is finished, niggas was timid, I made a template.". Checkout Tulsa Bounce by Dialtone below and let us know what you think!
Make sure to follow Dialtone on all social media:
Instagram: @tonesbeach Twitter: @tonesbeach Spotify: Dialtone YouTube: Dialtone BandCamp: No Parking Studios  Remember when we wrote, rap battle ain’t dead, these rappers just scared. Well, someone was listening. And to our credit, I think the sports analogy of the most well known basketball players don’t participate in the NBA dunk contest, still applies. But what we didn’t add is that battle rappers have broken through, be it Serious Jones, Cassidy, and of course there’s the Eminem’s and the Chocolate Drops. And who could leave out the biggest of them all Supa Hot Fire. OK. Not the last two, but you get the just of it. Battle rappers can make quality music that the masses will support. One person looking to make their mark in both the battle rap industry as well as the music industry is the up-and-coming artist Elo. So we had to ask Elo a few questions to see just who, is the new kid on the block. How did you get your name? So I actually got my name from playing chess. I wasn’t the greatest player but I always compete, in anything I do. So I like to gauge myself vs others. The ranking system in chess is Elo. That is also true for most match making games/ competition. So really off the back off me being a competitive individual and always wanting to be better than the next guy up, so Elo was fitting. I am the standard. I set the bar. If someone else sets it. I wanna clear it. What inspired you to get into music? My whole life has been Music. My father was a big rap head and living with a single dad most of my life that’s what we had in common. Music. So through him I was exposed to a lot of different genres. I’ve been in metal bands / pop punk bands/ but my roots are hip hop, my dad was a rap head more than anything so that’s what I latched to. My dad was a street dude so we were always outside with him and his homies and watching them do dumb shit lol. I’ve just been around the block and hip hop my whole life. But as a musician I do enjoy almost every genre of music. I can find positive qualities in all of it. My debut single will be released as of April 23rd [TBD] with a full video and all. Mixtape coming early summertime. Self-titled as of now. What was the first album you bought? D12’s “Devil Night” and Chingy’s “Jackpot” were the first 2 albums I ever purchased lol. I’m actually bout to run them both hang on. (a big smile comes over Elo’s face). Been to long.  What got you into battle rap? So before December I had only ever watched battle rap with a homie of mine because he battled and was into the shit. I didn’t care much for it at the time but it was Ight to watch. But when he told me I should give it a shot and I just started writing and being more bar focused. I could feel my skill set developing and boom. Addicted. So I’m still very new to the culture. I don’t see myself as a battle rapper as much as others do though. Yes I do battle but my main love is music. I know the battle rap tag will get thrown on me but the truth is my music is my number one focus. Just I was able to skyrocket into some crazy situations in my 4 months in battle rap. Now I’m battling s-drop in my debut with KsharkTV, which is a wild opportunity. This is my debut on beat so to get a name like that is definitely un heard of. I also will be debuting on Verbal Warzone which is the URL of on beat battling inlay 27th in Baltimore. So that’s huge! Where do you see the future of battle rap? Being so new to the culture I’m not qualified to guess tbh. I do see on beat battling being on the rise. It’s more digestible and anyone and everyone can enjoy it. Same level of bars, just added measurements. Anyone can pop on a verbal warzone battle and enjoy it. Can’t say the same for accepella. How do prepare for a battle? Write my ass off. That’s really it lol. Write and spar. Peep game. Take criticism. Learn from mistakes. Battle rap can be toxic, only a few are really built to handle it. I don’t get lost in that though. I focus on me and what I can handle. If I do that I’m a problem for anyone. Tell us about the event happening on April 29th. I’m the co-main event in my debut vs S-Drop on KsharkTV. Ksharktv is well known for there, cyphers and all the artist that have blessed the platform from NYC. Respect to NYC and KsharkTV for allowing me to come do my thing. Ima put on for my city state and give NYC a show.  What are you going to be doing in Harlem Outside of battling? Networking. Tap in with anyone and everyone I can. Hopefully get a chance to go to the iBattleTV event and see the homie Jay-R do his thing. The kid is nice nice. Even being so young compared to me he’s got a lot to offer when it comes to the battle side of shit. He’s ranked in the top 10 in iBattle with 2 battles for a reason. He’s a problem for sure so hopefully I get to tap in with iBattleTV and them. I think it's important to restate that Elo is not just a battle rapper, he's a real artist. Elo is proving this with the release of his debut track called "Track 1" that will feature none other than Benny The Butcher. This track will be apart of a mixtape called "North Gate Vol. That's a hell of a feature for a debut track. It's also a dope move seeing that the Griselda artist also has ties to battle rap legend Eminem, as the group was signed to his label Shady Records. So who knows, maybe this will also mean an Elo and Eminem collab. Who knows how the universe will align. But make sure to look out for "Track 1", it's a promise that you won't be disappointed. I expect bars so cold that the purest of hip-hop aficionados will shed a tear. THIS WILL BE HIP-HOP!!!  Checkout Elo's Oochie Wally Cypher Verse video below. |
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