Category: artist spotlight

artist spotlight

Girl Power: 6 Fabulous Female Creatives who are Taking the 757 by Storm.

The entertainment industry has become over saturated with females who pride themselves on being hypersexual, arrogant, disrespectful people. Why people like this are famous is a very baffling question. Thankfully enough, there are female creatives out here who do provide a breath of fresh air. When it comes to female creatives in the 757 who radiate great energy and provide intriguing talent, the list could literally go on and on. From designers, to artists to DJs, the 757 is well represented by phenomenal women who are taking the area by storm. Here is a list of 6 females whose good energy, crazy work ethic, humble attitudes and unique personas make them shining stars in their own right.

1. Keana Love

If there is one word to describe this young lady its “unique”. Stylist and owner and operator of her own clothing line “Koncrete Kulture”, Keana Love prides herself in being different. The talented designer has recently had herFullSizeRender (87) work featured in Norfolk State University’s Spring Fashion Show and also has an upcoming event on October 7th where her work will also be displayed (see our upcoming events page). Not only does Keana design and sew her own apparel but she is also a talented illustrator as well.

To keep up with Keana follow her on IG @lovejvnkie and @koncretekulture

2. Miia Monet

If you’re not hip to who Miia Monet is, now would be a great time to enlighten yourself. In a world where most female rappers pride themselves on their oversexualized lyrics and “I’m the baddest bitch” attitude, Miia Monet is a breath of fresh air and brings FullSizeRender (89)something tremendously different to the table. A true lyricist, Miia can be noted on her dope flow, her unique style as well as her perfectly balanced energy which always relays into her music. Preferring to work in silence, Miia doesn’t do much talking or boasting on social media or in real life, however, whenever she touches the stage, it is apparent that she is indeed putting in work. Check out her video for her song “TELL’EM” for example.

To keep up with Miia Monet follow her on IG @ogzm__
3. Lacree

If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to be around her then you know that Lacree is a person who radiates positivity all around.FullSizeRender (88) A Va Beach based artist, Lacree makes music that simply makes people feel good. From her upbeat song “Vibrate” to her more relaxed track “Boom Bye”, Lacree does an exceptional job of providing music that people can vibe too. Recently she began filming the visual for her song “Crazy” (check out our exclusive BTS footage here ).

To keep up with Lacree follow her on social media @itslacree also check her out on soundcloud

 https://soundcloud.com/itslacree

4. Perla Woods

If you need anything from flyers, to logos, to music video direction and anything in between,FullSizeRender (86) Allianah Hamilton, better known by her alias Perla Woods, is your girl. It’s been said that not one person can do everything but graphic designer Perla Woods comes pretty darn close. Recently she put on her first event which she called “Like a Virgin”. The event was a huge success and was a showcase of all female talent such as artists, singers, rappers and DJs. Perla is another person who spreads positive energy every where she goes. Her creative talent mixed with her can-do attitude as well as her no nonsense approach is what makes her a truly remarkable artist.

To keep up with Perla Woods follow her on social media @perlawoods and @alliart757 as well as her website http://www.allianah.com

5. Niya Nel

It’s not too often that you find people who are so for the culture that they want to put on a whole event with performances, cyphers, FullSizeRender (84)DJ sets and a discussion panel for people who want information on how to make it in the industry for absolutely no cost to the participants. Niya Nel is a blogger/personality who has been putting major work and earned her credibility in the game. This past Sunday she put on her first event, a Hip Hop Carnival where she provided participants with an informational panel discussion, as well as entertaining performances and freestyle cyphers. When it comes to blogging, Niyah Nel is definitely some one you want to keep watching.

To keep up with Niyah follow her on ig @niyah_nel and @everydaydopelife also check out www.everydaydopelife.com

6. Zum the DJ

From her taste in style to her taste in music to her positive message to females, everything about Zum the DJ is dope. This unique young lady is not only a beast on the turntables but also has a background in modeling as well. Recently she has made appearances showcasing her talent at Niyah Nels Hip Hop Carnival as well as the Like a Virgin event hosted by Perla Woods. What makes Zum an even more remarkable individual is her confidence, her precessionalism and the way she carries herself. Her message to FullSizeRender (85)females is made clear in her interview with http://www.nsightz.com where she says “When I go out there and DJ an event I’m showing other women that we can be more than the girl twerking, we can be the person making every one dance.

Keep up with Zum by following her on social media @damnzum

artist spotlight

Welcome To DEFCorp: Meet the VA Label that is Preparing to Take Over Summer 2017

Def Corp is a rising record label that is preparing to make a lot of noise this summer. The label is led by producer HighDefRazjah who is the mastermind behind Rae Sremmurds “Take It Or Leave It” and consists of artists K Sess, Miia Monet and Rari. Although not many are familiar with this label, it has become apparent that they have been indeed putting in work and just may be the most slept on collective of artists in the game right now. Recently artist Miia Monet was seen in the studio with HighDefRazjah working on a collaboration with producer Lex Luger, Rari has recently released his newest single “Real Ones” (which is doing numbers on Soundcloud) and K Sess will be performing at “ART! ART! ART!” on June 10th, an art show and performance showcase hosted by HeyMissChrissy, Gnarly CJ and CKCSSpectrum. (to purchase tickets to this event, head on over to the “Upcoming Events” page for the ticket link) Check out the footage of Miia Monet and Rari’s single “Real Ones” here!

 

 

https://soundcloud.com/young-king-rari/real-ones

artist spotlight

Across The Water: Hampton & Newport News Artists To Watch

We are only five months in to 2017 and in that short time, the 757 music scene has been making a lot of noise. Artists such as Doe$ki, Young Crazy, Beo Smook and Ceo Moc have been releasing hit after hit this year as well as great visuals to accompany them. Here are some artist from the Hampton and Newport News area of the 757 who are keeping that momentum going by releasing some noteworthy projects and visuals.

Harsh World

If you haven’t heard of this young emcee, now would be a pretty good time to become acquainted with his work. This Newport News native is definitely making a name for himself this year. His newest release “Support Your Local Trap” is an anthem for hustlers everywhere, paying homage to anyone with a go-getter mentality. Harsh is also responsible for songs “P$4” and “BING” produced by Lowkey. With a vibe all his own, Harsh is showing no signs of slowing down.

BuckSquad

Mack Derico, Tay Gutta and Yuong Blizz are all members of Bucksquad, a hip hop collective based out of Hampton. If you’re familiar with Traptastic, a platform responsible for artists such as Young Crazy and Doe$ki, or been to any of their events, then you’ve probably heard Mack Derico’s “Back To The Trap” or seen the visual for the track which was released in Febuary of this year. Yuong Blizz has released a visual (directed by Filepe Brothers) for his track “Health Intro” which can be found on his Health EP, which was released earlier this year. Tay Gutta, who might be the most slept on out of the group, has scheduled projects to be released in 2017 as well.

Mack Derico x Back to The Trap

Yuong Blizz x Health Intro

Bobby Blaze

Hailing from Hampton, Virginia, Bobby Blaze is a unique artist who is slowly but surely on his way to dominating the Virginia music scene. On his project “The Life and Times of Bobby Blaze” he introduced his unique sound to listeners and Virginia quickly fell in love. Since then, he has released a visual for his song “Stingy” (feat. Bucky Malone) as well as a second project with Team Green entitled “Green Day”.

artist spotlight

Meet Bando 1134

Last night in Richmond after attending the Forever Richmond showcase hosted by Virginia Got Now (www.virginiagotnow.com) I got the chance to link up with the talented creators of Bando 1134, an upcoming music team based out of Richmond. The group is composed of rappers T Kelly, Miah Travis and producer Keith Blvck who is the mastermind behind Miah Travis’ newest release “Anxiety”. During my time with the group, I was privileged to experience some of the magic being created in the studio as well as engage in discussion with the group about how their team was formed and plans for their future. Check out the video of my time with Bando 1134 here!

 

artist spotlight

Leaders of the New School: The 2017 757 Freshmen Class

2016 was a great year for music on both a national level as well as a local level for the 757. From Young Crazy’s “Definition of Crazy 3” to True Lee Fresh’s “Sex Drive”, the 757 was blessed across the board with countless projects from homegrown artists. While 2016 was a phenomenal year in music for the 757, it is now 2017 and with a new year comes new music, new projects and new artists to be recognized.

This group of artists, who I affectionately called the “2017 757 Freshman Class” are 7 young emcees from different areas in the 757 who I feel are the new generation of hip-hop and who are re-defining hip hop with a unique style that each of them bring to the table. Selecting the artists to feature on this list was an especially difficult task, however after much careful consideration, I was able to narrow down the many artists I was presented with into the 7 artists being featured in this article. The 7 emcees who compose the 2017 Freshman Class are Norcova, Miah Travis, KB The Artist, A Block Shy, Breezepark, Conscious Kane, and lastly, Al Dom$.

Norcova – https://soundcloud.com/norcova

With his laid-back sound and lyrics that tell intricate stories, Norcova is bringing a new, unique face to hip-hop in the 757. Norcovas newest single “Backwoods and Backroads” describes the thoughts of an aspiring young artist growing up in the 757 who just so happens to also be a rebel in todays society. The track features flat vocals over a dreamy, mellow track and features a unique flow that is sure to appeal to hip-hop heads everywhere. Norcova has a very tranquil sound that is underrepresented in music, especially in the 757. What makes Norcova unique is his ability to contrast his easy going sound with stories that keep listeners hooked, giving us music that is both relatable and relaxing.

Miah Travis – https://soundcloud.com/miahtravis

Whenever the name Miah Travis is mentioned, one word comes to mind: lyricism. From his message about police violence in his single “Hands High” to his feel-good single “1999”, Miah Travis gives us intricate wordplay and a dynamic flow that is extremely rare. Miah Travis has given us 5 singles that will be featured on his upcoming EP entitled “Loose Ends” which is scheduled to be released later this year. On his latest single “Mona Lisa”, Miah Travis gives us his thoughts on religion, faith and the church over a smooth beat (produced by Tokyo Trends). With his complex flow and distinct wordplay, Miah Travis is creating crisp, fresh, thought provoking music that listeners are sure to appreciate.

KB The Artist – https://soundcloud.com/user-445157790

KB The Artist is the dopest (and only) female who made it into the 757 2017 Freshman Class but don’t sleep, with her blunt lyrics and hard hitting punchlines, KB proves to us that she can hold it down just as well as one of the guys. On her newest track “Posted” KB gives a warning to any person brave enough to threaten her, while in her song “The Switch Up” KB shares her feelings about people who want to befriend her simply because of her fame. KB gives listeners that raw, real, sound that 757 artist are known for while serving up memorable lyrics making it perfectly clear that she is a force to be reckoned with.

A Block Shy – https://soundcloud.com/shy-34

With his descriptive lyrics painting a realistic picture of the lifestyle that is very much a reality in the 7 cities, A Block Shy is the true definition of a 757 rapper. What makes A Block Shy so unique, however, is his ability to create music that vividly illustrates the thoughts and concerns of a young emcee trying to achieve his dreams while still being surrounded by the activity of the hood. In his song “Real Street Sh*t”, A Block Shy tells listeners of his desire to reach success while trying to overcome the trials and tribulations of the streets. With his ability to contrast his trap sound with lyrics that cause listeners to be able to clearly see the reality of life in the 757, A Block Shy is showing us a new side of trap music that listeners are sure to love.

Breezepark – https://soundcloud.com/breezeparkfm

Composed of members TySafari, Jay-R, CvmQuest and Rye, Breezepark is bringing a completely new sound to hip-hop in the 757. From their music to their personal style, nothing about this group of young artists is comparable to anything to ever come out of the 757. On their newest single, “Paradise” Breezepark talks about what it means to be a young, hungry artist who is on the rise to fame. With its catchy hook and flawless verse to verse transition all over a energetic, vibrant beat, “Paradise” shows listeners that Breezepark has all of the components that it takes to dominate the 757 music scene.

Conscious Kane – https://soundcloud.com/consciouskane

This 23 year old artist who is known as Conscious Kane is using his platform to create music that not only makes listeners enjoy themselves but also spreads positivity and uplifts everyone who is graced with a chance to hear it. On his track “Black Fist//Black Face” he displays his pride in being an African American as well as discusses the struggles of being black in America. With his controversial content, uplifting message and easy going sound, Conscious Kane is giving listeners music that makes them feel good while leading them to change their communities for the better, exactly what the 757 needs.

Al Dom$ – https://soundcloud.com/al_doms

The Norfolk rapper known as Al Dom$ is bringing a new face to trap music in the 757. On his single “Al Dillinger” the emcee gives us witty wordplay and power packed punchlines at a pace that keep listeners enticed from start to finish. In addition to being an awesome lyricist, Al Dom$ is also a member of ill Pack Mob, a group that is known in the 757 for producing powerhouse emcees. With his intense flow and unparalleled lyrical capabilities, Al Dom$ is well on his way to becoming one of the top artists to originate from the 757.

While the process of choosing these artists was a difficult one, it was a rewarding one nonetheless and I hope you all are as pleased with the results as I am. What do you all think of the group of artists I chose to be the 2017 757 Freshman Class?