We put the "A" in Austin Mixtape (SXSW Atlanta Hip Hop acts)

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Photos from the Yelawolf x Proton x Hollyweerd show

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

I arrived in time to catch Yelawolf's performance and it was brilliant as always. For my money he's got the best live Hip Hop show in Atlanta. Great energy, great songs, great presence. I never get tired of it. Hollyweerd came on next and even with sound difficulties had their best show I've been to - ever. Their show still isn't as outstanding as their music itself, but they are getting better and better every month. The dancers added a great deal to the show's energy, I think. Proton came on last at the end of a long night. Some patrons were expecting The Clipse to perform and left a bit early because they were upset. If they had stayed they would have caught a strong performance from Proton. You can tell they've been doing shows out of town. They performed lesser known tracks from their catalogue and did it with confidence. That's the kind of thing local acts don't do, they'd be scared- especially as the crowd thinned out. The fellas have traveled and performed like pros.

Ox Banga did his thing. Jamad stepped in for Rasta Root, I believe, which was dope. Certainly no drop off there. For those upset about not seeing The Clipse perform, remember the flier never said they were performing. If you're a seasoned club goer in Atlanta, and I'm sure this is true for any city, the listed acts performing are who generally takes the stage.

This wasn't an MF Doom situation. Nobody was duped. But then again, I planned to leave during The Clipse set anyway. I was there to rep Atlanta acts.

Promoters pay an arm and a leg to get the "Walk through" or "Appearance" from artists. *shrugs* I know I had a blast. My clothes weighed about 30lbs with sweat when I got home. Danced all night.

Check on the the flier which states the DJ's and the Acts in yellow:\

I'll house you.

Btw, New Proton single "Magazine Dreamz"

While I'm here I might as well plug my boy Small Eyez performing at the Apple Store in Perimeter Mall for FREE with the Radiant Kids. I will be taking the North-line out there to support, no doubt. Should be a lot of fun.

Pharoahe Monch @ The Loft 1/23

Big up to Kid Kaos and 'em. They really do a great job with the Scion Parties. Somtimes The Loft be hot as hell, but it's worth it to see great MCs play with a live band. What a week that will be, huh? Goepele, Darien Brockington and others are playing at Sugarhill as well. Check Sugarhill's website for more info. Speaking of great MCs, Atlanta's Proton has dropped a very solid effort called Girls & Ghetto Sh!t. You might recognize a track on there I put on one of the first Grits & Gravy mixes called "Wsup Now". There are some bangers on there for sure. Checkout Proton's Myspace page and be sure to pay the brothers for their hard work. They have a snowcap store embedded on their page...While we're on the subject of girls and ghetto shit...have you seen the new(ish) Spank Rock Video? Spank Rock and Benny Blanco are some fools. If you haven't copped Bangers and Cash, you're behind (no pun-o).

Fridays = No Doze/ Don't sleep.

I think every Friday I'ma introduce some young Fly Folk making some dope music. This Friday we'll kick it off with Wale out of D.C. (not to be confused with ATL's Wale Oyejide- GET THAT ALBUM!!!)




Wale is serious. (Re)discover him.

You knew I had to get back to the ATL, tho. Didn't you?



ATL Based The Dreamer is making moves as well. They say left of center music can't make it onto Big Radio. WRONG! (c) Charlie Murphy. WRONG! The Dreamer don't seem to have that problem. The Dreamer is really an extension of what is an entire group of new fly cats emerging from ATL's art scene (which I gotta shout out Doo Gallery, Artists like Gaelle, and promoters like The F'in Socialites and others for stoking it's fire).

The media hasn't gotten hold of this movement yet, so there isn't really a name for these folks. The movement includes names like like Stacy Epps, Proton, Janelle Monae,Crunc Tesla, Supreeme, Dj Rob Wonder, Former DMC Champion DJ Klever, The Audubon Society, Hustle, Knives Out as well as Producers like Battery 5 and Tru.ski.


These fashion forward acts with an electic musical palatte threaten to make some noise this summer, and into 2008.



The Dreamer is no exception.



Atlanta's very talented, and equally congested Indie Underground Hip Hop scene has yet to manage lifting critically acclaimed acts such as Y'all So Stupid (yeah, I took it back), or Dungeon family members Witchdoctor, Malachi, Ked or even Cool Breeze from the murky depths of the local scene despite them penning anthems like "Hustling boy", "Holiday","Watch for the Hook" and "Van full of Pakistanis".

I don't think that The Dreamer and those of the class of 200? will have that problem.

Their be fly as you wanna be stylings have a mass appeal. This could be the next big ATL soundscape much like LaFace/Organized noise was in the early 90's, Crunk in the the late 90's and Snap is now.

There aint much I can tell you about Dreamer except that he is a young cat- a film student at Georgia State. He is part of the B Rich Squad, and he's already made fast friends with the likes of Lupe Fiasco, Fonzworth Bentley and the Dugeon Family.

Sounds like he's on the right track.
"Bowtie" ft Fonzworth Bentley




Another young brother making moves is Hustle. This Georgia Southern University alumnus (had to get that in there) has been on his grind to. Making music with Kanye West protege Really Doe. Here is the mp3 to "Diamond Girl".




Knives Out. We talked about them earlier this week. The group is comprised of Shoden- a local producer, Former Rawkus Label star Novel, and Spree Wilson. If the outtakes in their youtube clips are any indication, this upcoming album should be FIRE! Anytime you can get No I.D. (Frequent colloaborator with Common) in the studio, you might be doin sumin major (Let alone Dallas Austin 'n 'em).



So fresh, so clean.

I gotta mention the Slack Republic real fast. Meczilla fronts this Rock/Punk fusion band based out of ATL. I caught them at the Star Bar last year. I'll let the music speak for itself...

"Popular Belief"

Finally, I'ma talk about Proton. These cats are fly for real. I haven't really been able to stop playing "Wsup Now". These are really the elder statesmen of The Class of 200?. Proton been on and off the scene for a quick minute. But I think that Atlanta, perhaps the world wasn't ready for them the first time around. Maybe it is now. I dunno...you be the judge:




I'll be back later on today with some music from NYC like I promised. I want to talk about this Joel Ortiz character, Emily King, and Peter Hadar a taste. I also want to ask what appearantly is a rhetorical question on why Kudu isn't getting the love that J*Davey and Heavy is getting.

Or I might not. I have to go to Jummah, and go in early to work this evening. We'll see. I might add the NYC stuff on Saturday.





I'ma leave y'all with DJ Klever's remix of "Get it Shawty" by ATLien singer Lloyd.


I'll Holla back.

I'm in love with this Battles Album.

When I saw the video for "Atlas" I was floored. That shit is fucking amazing. The way they work that equipment. I fell in love with their entire flava. I really liked that song. If you haven't seen it, here it is:



I waited patiently for this album.

It's everything I hoped for. It reminds me of the first time I heard Dave Matthews Band ( I know, I know, y'all gonna hate on me for brining up DMB- save all of that). The music is just rich with textures and sounds.

It made me think of avante garde local groups doing their thing in Electronic, Rock and post rock music like Deerhunter, and Snowden- both of which frequently play at Underground LEGEND Bar "Lenny's" in Downtown Atlanta. Another group noone is talking about probrably because they know nothing about them is comprised of former Rawkus label artist Novel, Spree Wilson, and Shoden.

The name of their group is Knives Out.



Check for them.


Another ATL artist doing some thangs Is Le Castle Vania. Folk wanna pidgeon hole the ATL music scene. We bigger than crunk and snap, tho. Get over it. We do it all, and we doin it well (c) LL.


You don't need to look much farther than a group like Proton or an act like Dreamer to see that.





Btw, belated congrats to Cee-Lo on his new label. I can't lie. I'd die to work for that label- for free. I can just tell that they have special things in store for the music scene in the near future.

How can I tell? Guess...

You know what's wild tho? Nevermind. I'll holla at y'all later. It's time to cook dinner before the wife gets home. I'll post with some more random musings later.