Tulsa
Lines
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:
0 Comments
The 2023 BET Awards. Admittedly I hadn’t watched a BET Awards ceremony in probably 4 years. Ever since I cut the cord I couldn’t watch the awards ceremony. But more importantly, there just has been a need to since BET really hasn’t been BET in a while. But this ceremony was different. This was the first BET awards since the announcement of Tyler Perry being the new owner of BET and now the network was back to being black owned. This hasn’t been the case in 20 years!! Black Entertainment Television being owned by another race seems really political if you ask me. But we not here for that discussion. We’re here to celebrate BET being back!! And with that a few people also being allowed back. I jotted down a few notes from the 2023 BET Awards below:
So, there you have it. My notes from the BET Awards 2023. I gotta say all-in-all it was solid. Surprisingly solid. I was glad to see Busta Rhymes get his flowers. The female artists are really making noise and shows. So will I watch the 2024 BET Awards. Maybe? We’ll just have to see what music looks like 12 months from now. Who knows? We might be all listening to House Music. There are plenty YouTube videos you can catch a recap so I’ll save you. But if you have any comments about how you felt about the BET Awards. Let us know!
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. And if don’t know, then now you know! No words could be truer because on June 1st, 2023 we launched our first book called “How Much Does A Dollar Cost?”. If you’re a hip-hop fan than this title sounds all so familiar. But even if you’re not. We still think you’ll like the book. The book is available exclusively on Amazon. We're working on some more retailers coming in the next few weeks. The author Ryan Anderson is also planning his first book signing event on June 10th, 2023 at the Center For Public Secrets. That’s in Tulsa, OK. Details on the flier below: Also along with the book signing will be a popup for the clothing brand In$pire led by founder Cruz. His high-quality fashion has been seen all around the country and the demand is always high. Make sure you take a look at his new collection on www.24ire.com as well as come to our popup where he will be selling some of his latest items.
🗓️ Date: June 10, 2023 🕖 Time: 1-5PM 📍 Location: Center For Public Secrets Address: 573 S. Peoria Ave. Tulsa, OK There will be: - drinks - merchandise from In$pire availble for purchase - giveaways - limited copies of the book available for purchase See you on June 10th at the Center For Public Secrets! Also you can still order your copy of “How Much Does A Dollar Cost?”. Now on Amazon! "that's when your idols become your rivals This line comes from Drake’s song “Thank Me Now.” But I don’t think Drake knew how much A.I. would be coming for him. ChatGPT we’ve all heard about it. It’s become the new world changing thing and the new buzzword for 2023. Basically, it’s artificial intelligence or A,I. that a real person can use natural language to ask questions and get answer in seconds. But deeper than that is that It do so much more like, write a book, give you business ideas, or even write this blog post. Well not this one. But the thing that excites most people is just ChatGPT but it’s the boundless wonders of artificial intelligence. We’ve all seen the sci-fi thrillers about computers taking over the world. But no one would’ve seen artificial intelligence coming for the music industry. When we say artificial intelligence taking over the music industry, we’re not talking about a Control verse from Kendrick Lamar that turned the hip-hop game on its head back in 2013. Naw this is even genre less and is truly coming for everybodddyyyyyy!!!! Artificial Intelligence is a game changer for all genre’s just like the CD was to the tape cassette or Napster was to CDs. The thing that’s got the game in a frenzy is Voice Cloning!!! Voice Cloning is defined as the creation of an artificial simulation of a person's voice. Today's AI software methods are capable of generating synthetic speech that closely resembles a targeted human voice. In some cases, the difference between the real and fake voice is imperceptible to the average person. We’re not talking about some funny T-Pain microphone that takes your voice and makes have autotune. No we’re talking about taking your voice and making sound exactly like Drake’s. DRAKKEEEEE!!!! Yes, this is where we are now. No longer are these fairytale movie Mission Impossible relics. These are real life now relics. People are creating songs using AI to create songs using big name artists. Just this year a creator used A.I. to recreate Drake’s voice to be on a track. But he didn’t stop there. He also uploaded it to DSPs like Spotify and Apple Music. Can you do that? The creator quickly found out you can’t after Universal Music Group (UMG) made all DSPs take the song down. Has there ever been an AI artist? There actually has.been one. The most famous being FN Meka who was a rapper that was created by developers that used A.I. to mold him into an artist. The crazy part is that he was even signed to Capital Records, a legitimate human record label. The thing that got him in trouble was the fact that he was a seemingly white avatar who said ‘Nigga’, with his artificial chest. So who should be help accountable? The white developers? Or the technology? Also ironically enough the voice used to rap the lyrics for FN Meka was a black rapper named Kyle The Hooligan. So does that make it better? It’s like a black person being a puppet, who is basically repeating lines from a white person. So if he didn’t write the word nigga but given the script to say it instead. Is that OK? But A.I. isn’t just being used by regular people, big name people are now starting to use A.I. to create music. In early February David Guetta, who is a famus French DJ and producer, used A.I. to recreate Eminem’s voice to be featured on a track and then played this track on one of his dj sets in front of a massive crowd. He noted in an interview how easy it was. Get a 15-second snippet of his voice, then typing the lyrics. And voila. Eminem on a track. He stated that since he’s not uploading this to any DSPs or monetizing of the track that it’s not illegal. But if you don’t get Eminem’s consent. Is it ethical? That’s the question that legendary producer Timbaland looks to answer with the new software he is working on. Earlier this month he dropped used this software to create an original verse with the late legendary rapper Notorious B.I.G., which is a collaboration he’s always wanted to do but never got the opportunity to. But now this new software that uses the coined term “AI voice filters” to create songs. He says this will also be a better option because it will involve the actual people whose voices are being used. Problem solved right? Maybe, only time will tell. A.I. is changing the game. A.I. is here. A.I. is only going to get better. We say it with Napster which eventually another company called Spotify decided to create relationships with the record labels in order to what Napster couldn’t. Now with A.I. it’s really a race to see who can create the relationships with record labels so that A.I. and the music industry can co-exist. And the winners or problem solvers will be millionaires. It’s the people who don’t adapt who will be left behind. But best believe we are only at the tip of the iceberg for what A.I. is going to do to the music industry. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
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. In the words of Jeezy rap battle ain’t dead, these rappers just scared. OK. That’s not exactly what he said. The truth is that the rap battle game is alive and thriving. No longer are these battles happening on street corners. Now they’re held in clubs and venues with a 1,000-plus capacity. With stages this big you would think that the biggest names in hip-hop would be going head-to-head. That’s where you’re wrong. Rap battles are like the dunk contest. It’s one of the most anticipated events without any of the big names. But if you look on the sidelines you will see these same stars spectating. Battle rappers are more like And 1 players. They found another way to play the game without being confined. But only a few street ballers have made it to the NBA. Just like few battle rappers have translated to mega-star rappers with hit records. But there comes a time when the world wants to see a good battle rap, and Twitter showed just who the world wanted to see battle. And Remy Ma was able to make it happen. The match. Hitman Holla vs. Eazy The Block Captain. Get your popcorn ready! The Contenders Hitman Holla is a battle rapper from St. Louis who is the more widely known contender due to his frequent appearances on Nick Cannon’s Wild 'N Out and a true veteran in the battle rap community. The other contender is Eazy The Block Caption, a battle rapper from Philadelphia who has also done some TV, most notably on the remake of the “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” called "Bel-Air”. But really still on the come up, but has made a name for himself. As you can see, both contenders have a pretty impressive resume. But that’s enough talk. Let’s get to the battle! Below are some of the bars from each round that I felt did the most damage. Round 1 Hitman Holla:
The first round was tough because both competitors had a great round, even with all the technical difficulties. But the thing that separated them was that Eazy The Block Captain had bars that stung way more, He had the crowd, Plus he was just throw combination after combination of punchlines. I gotta give this round to Eazy the Block Captain. Round 2 Hitman Holla:
Eazy The Block Captain
By this time I think he had lost the crowd and he was complaining that his mic wasn’t working. This was a great round. Both competitors had some great bars. But the technical issues was really bad at this point. Hitman Holla had seemed to really lose the crowd in this round. Eazy The Block Captain was still throwing some clever bars tho. I gotta give this round again to Eazy The Block Captain. Round 3 Hitman Holla:
Eazy The Block Captain
The third round I didn't feel like lead up to the the hype. Both rappers had subtle bars. Nothing that really stung or stood out like the first two rounds. I really say it was a tie. I think Hitman Holla was more about braggin about what he got, which battle rap is the wrong stage for that, it was more bravado than just going at ya competitor. I think Eazy The Block Captain had to many Nick Cannon bars. After a while it was like another Nick Cannon bar. The Score Card After 3 rounds I have Eazy The Block Captain winning Round 1. I have Eazy The Block Captain winning Round 2. I have it a tie for round 3. Overall, I have Eazy The Block Captain winning the fight. He had better early rounds and was able to survive Hitman Holla in the 3rd. And one thing is fasho. Battle Rap ain't dead. Let me know who you think won the battle. Here's the full battle: Sometimes opportunity knocks at your door but and if you’re lucky enough you’ll be able to capitalize off it. Now when I say “lucky” I not thinking of the magical mythical thing you see in movies. Naw I mean are you prepared? Like the saying goes. Luck is when opportunity meets preparation. Sometimes that preparation means having access to capital. Which can mean. Can you take out a loan or have a line of credit you can access at any given moment? With SoLo Funds artists now have the ability to get access to the capital they need and be prepared for any opportunity. SoLo Funds was created is a Los Angelos based fintech company, created by Rodney Williams and Travis Holoway, who are black entrepreneurs that created Solo Funds for people who were needed just below the $1,000 cash threshold that banks and other traditional lending institutions usually set as their minimums. Solo Funds was also created to keep customers away from predatory payday loans that charge astronomically high interest that can reach upwards of 400%. This is where SoLo Lends comes in. It created a platform for peer-to-peer micro loans that range from as low as $20 up to $565. Also, it has a 15% max interest that a lender can ask of a borrower. The most important thing about the app is that it also gives a community of people who wouldn’t qualify for banks to be able to have access to capital. There’s even an option to not charge interest. On the lending side, a lender can choose a loan to fund and then agree to the terms of interest rate or negotiate the terms so that the borrower has to then accept. So what does this mean for artists? Imagine if you were able to get a feature from an artist that has a buzz but you were only $300 short. You could ask your inner circle of family and friends. But what if still no one would let you borrow the money? And in this day and age of internet, the prices of artists when they're about to blow can go up overnight. Just ask the promoters who booked Ice Spice right before she blew up. They were surprised when she upped her price even if it meant cancelling an already agreed upon performance. SoLo Funds could bridge you that $300 til your next payday. Another scenario is if you're recording your album and you need $275 to finish the mixing and mastering. SoLo Funds could bridge that gap. For an artist SoLo Funds could be the access to capital that could help you get your “lucky” break. What about for those wanting to be label execs? If you want to be an exec than SoLo loans is the perfect place to get your feet wet. You can find an artist looking to fund a project and then put up the capital. Your return is then tracked in the app. You get exposure to what lending means and how to find a good deal. This could eliminate the handshake deals that people do in business because SoLo Funds actually draws up the contract for you. So, a person could say I’ll loan you $200 for your project. Just go on SoLo Funds and I’ll approve your loan request. Another scenario. An artist approaches you about needing money to go to buy merch, but they don’t have the cash right now. You as an exec sees this as an opportunity to make some money and it’s actually going towards something that will make money for the artist and help pay the loan back faster. SoLo Funds can help facilitate this transaction seamlessly. I’ve personally tried the SoLo Funds on the lending side and have tested out what it means to find a good deal. WARNING: I am not a financial advisor nor am I a fiduciary, and information given is purely for entertainment purposes. Please do your own independent research and contact a financial advisor for you investing needs. Here is the formula that worked for me. 1) Never loan out to a person that has a score below 60. 2) Never loan out to first time borrower. 3) Never loan out to a person whose last payment was late. Here are my personal wins and losses. As you can see I even went a little astray from my own rules. The risks. With anything there are risks. Especially on the lending side. If a borrower doesn’t payback a loan, then you’re obviously out of your investment. But now there’s also a Loan Protection feature that allows for lenders to get some of their principal back if the lender misses their payment due date. But if you don’t take out the Loan Protection then after 35 days the loan will go into collections where a collection agency will attempt to collect the loan amount, with the only catch being you only get 30% of your principal back. So, for a $100 loan that’s only $30 you’ll ever see. There’s also a Missed Payment feature that sometimes SoLo Funds gives the option to lenders to get 50% of their investment back. That’s it! It goes without saying be careful out there. Risks do apply.
So, to wrap it. SoLo Funds is a place where artists can have access to capital using a peer-to-peer app that does not charge predatory interest rates or need good credit to apply for. On the flipside, people looking to help fund projects and make a little money can now get exposure to making deals while helping artists. It’s a win-win-win in my book. The only thing SoLo Funds can’t help you do at this moment is to help you build your credit. Nor will it help you become an accredited lender. But hopefully this will change in the future. Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think. The evolution of music is undeniable. Just look at this past Grammy’s and the fierce competition for Best Dance/Electronic Album. This can be attributed in a huge part to the Pandemic that kept us all inside, so it’s no wonder that now genres like Techno, Electronic, and House music have made a had a huge impact on pop culture. From Beyonce’s new album "Rennaissance" to Drake’s album “Honestly Nevermind”. This category of music is feeling the effects of a market being saturated due to a high demand. But the great thing about music is that the true fans can see through the bandwagoneers, and the real music, from the real artists, is usually the only thing that lasts. AP=Chem is one of the real bands that is looking to take their music all across the world and show why their true creators in this space and not just another band looking to ride the wave. Their looking to shock the world with new album Imed=2. AP=Chem is a collective of two collaborating songwriters from Oklahoma City. Anthony Mahon, who also was in the band "The Gentle Art of Floating". And Eric Gorman, who also was a band member of "The Gentle Art of Floating" and also the band "Trap Queen". They describe their music as Inexplicable Modern Existential Dread. They have released multiple singles as well as the 2021 EP "Imed=1 Inexplicable Modern Existential Dread" and their now follow "EP Imed=2". The first track off the album is called "Please Don’t Make A Dance Song (Out of My Plane Crash)", which is really ironic. This 70s infused high energy track just takes over. It’s like looking thru a TV cycling through 70s themed shows and commercials. Back when you could take drugs on a plane and be a part of the mile high club. The clashing of the sounds dance unapologetically in the listener's mind. How can you not dance to this? Throughout the you hear a voice that is seems to be a flight stewardess. Her fragmented voice layers on top of the beat. But near the end another voice comes, this time a male voice that seems to be an air traffic controller that guides the listener through the freeform nosedive of synthesizers and piano chords and crashes right into track 2.
Track 2 is called "Forensic Homicide". The track starts with an ominous bass guitar that blares through the speaker followed by the resting piano keys. But it’s the eclectic guitar that then pulling you as if cupid himself were playing. And it's the drums that let you know that your heart is still beating. It really gives off this forbidden love type of feel. Just listening to the track your mind elopes with the beat not caring of time nor space. This feeling grows as the infactuated crooner sings, “Disappear tonight, we’re never coming back here". The listener then rides the guitar cruising through the rest of the track. Forensic Homicide is a highpoint of the album.
By the time we get to track 3 "House Not Home" we are at the mid-point of the album. The track has this dark inviting feel to it. It plays out like the part right before the killer is about to make his move. The vocals tuck tightly behind the beat as support rather than the main ingredient. They go in and out leaving enough room and suspense that you have question will it return? This track highlights their songwriting abilities with a more lyric song structure. There’s a lot of ironic bars in this track for instance; “It’s a big house, off the interstate, a nice neighborhood, with an iron gate”. I just think there’s a lot of irony in having a big house that no one can see because it’s in this secluded area and neighborhoods are usually inviting but an iron gate suggests this one isn’t. But maybe that's also meant by House Not Home.
The 4th track on the album is "Tyrel Slide". The track brings the energy of the album back up. It’s pounding bass and synthesizers draw you in. The beat is beautifully layered which creates these special moments in the track. The elongated piano notes create these paths that the synthesizers can then go and roam, while the drums are like the barriers that keeps everything inbounds. The track takes you on a quest. I can imagine a montage of a hero training or the long journey the hero has to take before he gets to the boss at the end of the story. The track is short but that is also the beauty in it. Knowing it’s short means you appreciate it that much more.
The last track on the album is "Penny Dreadful". This is the finale, with that comes a combination of where we’ve come and also how far we still have to go. Maybe a Imed=3…? Penny Dreadful has this diabolical feeling to it. There’s a voice that layers on top of the instruments that sounds like an archeologist journaling his most recent discovery. Which would be this EP. Again a montage of a scientist doing calculations and writing down theories comes to mind. The hard-hitting drums keep the thoughts organized as the synthesizer's loop around the harmonized organs. This is how you want to end an album.
There you have it. AP=Chem's latest EP Imed=2. Here are some facts about the EP. There are 5 songs with a total playback time of 23 minutes and 49 seconds. The shortest song on the album Tyrel Slide comes in at 2 minutes and 42 seconds. My favorite track on the EP is Forensic Homicide, it’s just a vibe and kind of tugs at the heart strings, also Valentine’s Day is around the corner so this would be a good theme song. What I liked most about the EP is that it took you through highs and lows. That’s what a great album does. It’s able to be played through the highs and lows of life. All-in-all I think AP=Chem did what they set out to do create inexplicable music in these modern times of existential dread. And who knows. Hopefully there will be a Imed=3.
Make sure you stream the EP Imed=2 from AP=Chem and let us know what you think. Make sure you follow AP=Chem on their social media: Instagram: @apchemband Facebook: AP=Chem Spotify: AP=Chem YouTube: AP=Chem BandCamp: AP=Chem SoundCloud: AP=Chem |
About Author
|