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AUDIO: “America, The Funeral (Part One)” – RA Scion & Indica Jones

RA Scion & Indica Jones

We are in a new era of protest: wars with nebulous “enemies” rage persistently in high-definition, immediately visible to anyone with a wi-fi enabled device; state-sanctioned murder of America’s own citizens in broad-ass daylight, brought to you in easily digestible packets of corporate-sponsored news.

RA Scion — call him Seattle hip-hop’s best answer to Pete Seeger — remains a dissenting voice above the fray. Operating with the same social spirit as other Town MCs like Gabriel Teodros and Prometheus Brown, Ryan Abeo’s lyrical approach is just this side of obtuse — if you’re not paying close attention, that is. Recently, he and producer Indica Jones let loose with a three-part movement called “America, The Funeral (Part One).” It loosely channels Vietnam-era protest music, albeit with breakbeats.

Welcome to the end of the rope.

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VIDEO: “Venus In Transit” – RA Scion & Vox Mod (feat. Blake Lewis; dir. by Casey Sjogren)

http://vimeo.com/97016362

(Sorry, can’t get the embed code to work for the full video. Above is a preview clip. View the entire thing, here.)

RA Scion’s new video for “Venus In Transit” — featuring production by Seattle electronic music maestro Vox Mod and vocals by Blake Lewis — premiered yesterday on Yahoo Music. The video, directed by Casey Sjogren, looks and sounds great, and feels different from everything RA has released previously (though his role reprisal as a member of the proletariat class is steadily familiar). Blake Lewis (whose Portrait of a Chameleon dropped May 20) does his best Justin Timberlake impression in the dramatic clip. “Venus In Transit” is from RA and Vox’s Sharper Tool Bigger Weapon.

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VIDEO: “Fixed” – RA Scion & Vox Mod (feat. Daniel Blue)

Keep digging through the rough and you might find diamonds. That particular adage is applicable to the outcome of the drama RA Scion recently faced with former production partner turned fink Rodney Hazard. Go here to read the saga concerning their late 2013 album, The Sickle & The Sword.

Things are looking brighter now, though, with a new producer on board — electronic maestro and Shabazz Palaces collaborator Vox Mod — to conduct a re-worked version of the original album (new title: Sharper Tool Bigger Weapon) set for release on March 18. Above you’ll see an edited version of the video for “Constant” (originally featuring Hazard’s production), this time called “Fixed” and with Vox Mod’s instrumental.

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206UP.COM YEAR END: The Best Seattle Hip Hop Albums of 2013 – The Top 10

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Today concludes 206UP’s Year End feature on the Best Seattle Hip Hop Albums of 2013. Below the jump you’ll find the blog’s Top 10 Albums of the Year (including a master list of all the albums considered at the very bottom of the post). Click on the album artwork or artist-titles for links to download or purchase.

Thanks so much for checking out the site! In 2014 there are some new features and — hopefully — big surprises to come, so keep visiting 206UP.COM throughout the New Year.

Peace, family!

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NEW MUSIC: The Sickle and The Sword – RA Scion

S&S_FRONT_WEBS&S_BACK_WEB

RA Scion promises a new sound on his latest LP, The Sickle and The Sword. It’s produced entirely by New York-based beatmaker Rodney Hazard. You may have already seen the video for the lead single, “Constant”, which does indeed feature a heavy electronic vibe. It’s a strong departure from RA’s last record Adding To The Extra which had the formidable boom-bap heft of Tacoma’s Todd Sykes.

See everything that’s new for RA Scion at The Sickle and The Sword album release party on November 14 at Neumos.

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NEW MUSIC: “Constant” – RA Scion (feat. Daniel Blue; prod. by Rodney Hazard)

RA Scion - Constant

RA Scion’s new album, Lumberjack Beard, is set to drop October 31. Jokes. The record is actually called The Sickle and The Sword and it’s produced entirely by New Yorker Rodney Hazard. Different sounds, different motions, TS&TS promises a more ethereal, ambient vibe. Check the video for the first single, “Constant”, filmed on beautiful Orcas Island and directed by Casey Sjogren.

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NEW MUSIC: “Radio” – Rockwell Powers & DJ Phinisey

Radio - Rockwell Powers & DJ Phinisey

Tacoma’s Rockwell Powers and DJ Phinisey are prepping for their upcoming release, Build, on October 12 at an album release party hosted by Grit City Grind House. Catch up with the 253 duo along with South Sound teammates The Brakelites and Seattle’s RA Scion. “Radio” is the latest single from the new album.

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NEW MUSIC: Adding to the Extra – RA Scion & Todd Sykes

Click album cover to purchase.

Click album cover to purchase.

RA Scion and Todd Sykes ensure the grand tradition of sample-based boom-bap stays alive in a synth and EDM dominated landscape. Adding to the Extra is an example of hip-hop convention done right: Sykes chops up loops and layers drums like a master lasagna chef (mmm, lasagna) and RA adds his trademark lyrical density about the proletariat class. This is music for the communal masses to carry around in their backpacks.

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VIDEO: “Guttersnipe Bridge” – RA Scion (prod. by Todd Sykes; dir. by Garrett Gibbons)

RA Scion, the most professorial MC in Town, has a new full-length coming out soon called Adding to the Extra (March 19). It’s produced entirely by City Hall’s Todd Sykes and is a sample-based, boom-bap affair that trends toward ’90s traditionalism (Golden Era enthusiasm?). “Guttersnipe Bridge” is the first video from the new shit.

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NEW MUSIC: Phinisey – DJ Phinisey

Click album cover to download.

DJ Phinisey is a name you might not be familiar with but should be. The man has done board work for a number of local artists (Tacoma compatriot, Rockwell Powers, being one of the most formidable) and he’s been known to croon a few bars when the beat calls for it, as well. Phinisey is his first solo release and features a healthy guest list of 206/253 talent: Grynch, RA Scion, Luck-One, John Crown, and Dice among them. Stream it and download for free below.

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