Blog favorite Yirim Seck with a new video for his track “And 1 (Won)” from last year’s excellent Audio D’oeuvres.
Insert coffee to begin.
VIDEO: “Young Casanovas” – Aaron Cohen (feat. ABGOHARD)
Seattle to Queens transplant Aaron Cohen preps the release of his clique’s mixtape, the self-titled Inner City Kids (due this fall), by pushing the limits of good taste and violating a couple dozen NYC building codes in his new clip for “Young Casanovas,” featuring teammate ABGOHARD.
NEW MUSIC: “Turn Up” – Caz Greez (feat. Bolo Nef & Nacho Picasso)
Caz Greez and Bolo Nef, friends from the Underworld Dust Funk collective, exact a plot to destroy the “Turn Up,” by getting decidedly turnt down in this new track featuring Nacho Picasso. We’re running this in the morning, but it sounds like these cats never went to sleep.
SHOW REVIEW: Open Mike Eagle at Columbia City Theater – Saturday, 8.23.14
Show review by Emery Desper. Photography by Zac Davis.
Open Mike Eagle has described his brand of hip-hop as “art rap,” while typically being classified as an “alternative rapper.” While the art rap stamp rings true, I would beg to differ that what Eagle brings to the table is “alternative.” Or, if it is, everyone else needs to change the way they think and talk about rap moving forward because what Eagle offers should be the norm. What you get from Mike Eagle is everything rap ought to be: witty intelligence, great flow, comedic value, punch lines that make you think twice, and good supporting beats.
Normally I hate describing certain music as “smart” for the same reason I detest describing people as “nice.” More often than not these terms are lacking. However, since the word “smart” means “Having or showing quick witted intelligence,” there really is no better way to sum up what Eagle brings to the table. Clad in earth tones and a turquoise wood medallion, unassuming, thoughtful and reverent to the rap task at hand, Open Mike Eagle began his show at Columbia City Theater last Saturday night by wafting scented oil into the air tracing an unknown word in the air while holding a figurine, facing East to pray, and passing around a golden crown for the audience to touch before starting his set. This was a dope way to establish energy in the room while also alerting the audience to just how important his particular craft is to him.
Eagle has a smooth voice and cool delivery, and he clearly loves performing his well-crafted bars. Not one to move about on stage or call too much attention to himself, he leaves room for what is most important: his raps. He made intense eye contact with the crowd, was very personable, and not over-confident, even though his skills justify any bragging he might do about his own dopeness. Instead of all the bravado that rap is accustomed to, he just stood and delivered, song after song. Eagle pulled off something rare by making heavy social commentary without sounding like a show off.
NEW MUSIC: Live From The Soufside – Romaro Franceswa
Romaro Franceswa is one of the illest young MCs around Town. Hailing from just south of Seattle and representing BeanOne’s Yukmob label, his new Live From The Soufside is a document of the rapper’s life and times in Federal Way; think a sort of good kid m.A.A.d city for “that town you have to drive through to get to Tacoma.” Preview the moody, bumping EP below and check out his video for “The Big Payback,” which was released back in April and appears on Romaro’s debut LP, Black King.
NEW MUSIC: “Blame It On My Youth” – Brothers From Another (prod. by Nima Skeemz)
“Born in ’92” is the new “In this economy.” You can get away with anything if your generation’s right.
NEW MUSIC: “Sunsets” – Theoretics (feat. Grynch & Afrok)
From their “One A Month” release series, Theoretics recently dropped this soulful, introspective cut featuring Grynch and Olympia’s Afrok. Worth a spin.
VIDEO: “BOSSA” – UGLYFRANK (dir. by Stephan Gray)
This “BOSSA” clip from ILLFIGHTYOU’s UGLYFRANK is essential to his steez. Released in late July excuse me while I play catch-up here. Stephan Gray behind the lens.
VIDEO: “#CAKE” – Shabazz Palaces (dir. by Hiro Murai)
Shabazz Palaces yet again plumb the depths of the phantasmic in their dizzying, rarefied new music video for “#CAKE,” directed by Hiro Murai. Go get SP’s essential new Lese Majesty, here.
VIDEO: “Home Of The Mighty” – Spekulation (feat. Perry Porter & Paolo Escobar; dir. by Shaun Scott)
206UP has been off it’s regularly scheduled programming for a minute while we gear up to release our Top 15 Seattle Hip-Hop Albums of the last five years (2009-14). It’s coming soon, I promise — just need to collect the last few envelopes of cash from these thirsty rappers. You’d never believe how hard it is to extract payola these days what with our every financial move being monitored and recorded for perpetuity.
I’m totally fucking kidding, by the way. (Or am I? …)
Anyway, the state of the world is … Well, I really have no words other than to say I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt such a range of emotions just from observing the 24-hour news cycle. There is so much pain and anger and risible sentiments of all types, it’s hard to muster the energy — or the desire — to celebrate anything. Spekulation’s Seattle-centric anthem “Home Of The Mighty” feels like the right song at the right time. It’s a poignant encapsulation of all the good and the bad, the dark and the light, that our fair city — and this country’s urban centers in general — are capable of producing. Last weekend, my wife and I watched The Birdcage, which was one of those familiar acts of celebration and lamentation we find ourselves participating in whenever a pop culture icon passes. We laughed our assess off, nearly to the point of tears, and it was interesting to consider where those fissures in composure were originating. The images in the video for “Home Of The Mighty” wrests similar feedback: alternating pangs of exuberance and regret over what the Town has wrought. You’d have to be an android not to feel it too.
A SEATTLE HIP-HOP BLOG 