I wrote an album review of Neema and Keyboard Kid’s new record, The Cigar Room, for City Arts. Click through to read it: “Deep Decadence in Neema’s
Tag: the cigar room
LIVE COVERAGE: Neema The Cigar Room Tour – Barboza, Sunday, 3.15.15

Photo courtesy of Neema’s Facebook page.
Neema: The Cigar Room Tour | Barboza | Sunday, March 15, 2015
By Emery Desper.
206UP PREMIER: “SuperSonic Keyboard” – Neema (feat. Grynch & Prometheus Brown)
“Highly anticipated” is a hyperbolic phrase that gets thrown around too often, much like “hottest rapper in the game” and “New England Patriots dynasty.”
The Cigar Room, Neema’s (ahem) highly anticipated album with producer Keyboard Kid, has simmered somewhere on a hard drive for a long enough stretch of time that the street’s anticipation for the conspicuously missing album has come in, out and back in fashion like a pair of acid washed jeans. So the phrase is still apropos, especially on the proverbial eve of the record actually hitting pavement via an appropriately provincial debut at The Jet Bar & Grill in Mill Creek tonight (which also serves as the kick-off of a regional mini-tour). The online release via iTunes is set to happen in a week.
Score one for the slow rap movement*.
We’re especially happy over here at 206UP because Mr. 10K himself has graciously allowed us to premier the latest single from The Cigar Room: “SuperSonic Keyboard” which features guest shots from fellow Seattle rap populists Grynch and Prometheus Brown. This track finds the three posted up in the backroom, preferred carnal delights being enjoyed by the respective rappers: a surprise striptease for Neema, open flask for Pro Brown, and bitch-slaps for subpar MCs trading in his style for the King of Ballard. It’s all adorned with additional vocals by Latin Rose and J Landis, and Keyboard Kid’s reclined production, which vaguely references the best R&B stylings of the mid-’90s. Smoke one, as they say.
UPDATE (11:21 AM PST): Catch Neema answering questions on the Hip-Hop Heads Northwest Reddit board #AMA today at 4 PM PST.
“SuperSonic Keyboard” – Neema (feat. Grynch & Prometheus Brown; prod. by Keyboard Kid):
*I may or may not have just coined this phrase. Shout-out to the slow food movement for the inspiration.
AUDIO: “Ten Stacks” – Neema (feat. Mr. Xquisit; prod. by Keyboard Kid)
It appears the mythical Neema/Keyboard Kid collab The Cigar Room will indeed rise from the depths of an overworked hard drive and taste crisp Northwest air. See, Neema fans — it says “March 2015” in the track artwork above. Do your vocal warm-ups now and get ready to rhyme along in the car with the region’s beloved super-rapper. In the meantime, enjoy the nocturnal, crawling lyrical workout that is “Ten Stacks” featuring Mr. Xquisit on the hook.
VIDEO: “The Cigar Room / The Weatherman” – Neema (feat. Keyboard Kid)
Mr10K himself and based world auteur Keyboard Kid appear together in the first half of this video to promo their upcoming The Cigar Room collab. Then, everything turns purple for “The Weatherman”, an older joint by the reigning crown prince of Seattle double-time. AK Romero got behind the lens for both of these.