The trio, which began as a quartet in 2003, is composed of Tré McCoy of Omaha, Neb.; Dele Olasiji of Norman; and Eric Hollowell of Davenport, Iowa. They met at a party in 2001, while attending college. “Four different states and we all happened to end up at the same party,” McCoy said. “The name […]
Hip Hop
Posted inArts & Culture
Hip anatomy
Despite a common misconception that they are all about partying, hip-hop lyrics often convey important messages regarding political and social problems. At Inclusion in Art’s latest exhibition, Cipher, which opened last weekend, artists display pieces of their work inspired by hip-hop lyrics. Cipher’s first run was last year in Tulsa, but because of statewide interest, […]
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Double R — Dr. Digital
Crazy, but good. It’s totally sporadic and unpredictable, which would be a detriment elsewhere, but works here. It’s like swimming in his id: a sunny, jazz-inspired melody here; a swampy, Gothic hook there. These indulgences are overwhelming and exciting, especially in the darkest of moments. It’s your best, worst nightmare. Double R works as much […]
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Josh Sallee — Probable Flaws
Besides doing away with hooks that skewed frat-boy (“So Chill”), what were spitfire thoughtful lines on Sender have become genuinely compelling storytelling. “Lately wanna rage on the daily / Mainly ’cause the pain go away” is the most easily repeatable lyric on “Like Girl, Like Guy,” but it’s far from the most intriguing. The guy’s […]
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Kick it
“I work two jobs, and my car doesn’t have a front bumper,” said Oklahoma City rapper Jabee Williams. “I’m a real-life person.” But crowd-funding website Kickstarter.com gives musicians worldwide the opportunity to release the same quality product as major labels. “Basically, it takes the place of a record label,” said Brandon Lovelace, lead singer of […]
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Soundcheck: Woody Awards nominations
Back after a long year of rocking and rolling, hipping and hopping, twanging and clapping, Oklahoma Gazette’s Woody Awards are once again calling for nominations. You may nominate up to three bands in as many of the categories as you wish by commenting on this article with your picks (see the example below). Please be […]
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Let it Wride
Five years later, they found one. After rapidly and relatively assimilating into U.S. culture, the duo discovered Persian rap in 2006. Soon, Nima T and Arash, aka The Wriders, were born. Now with more than half a decade of music under their belt, the cousins have been working relentlessly to make it in America, through […]
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King Kearn
Singer-songwriter Mat Kearney has come a long way from his rebellious, skate-punk roots, but his love for hip-hop — the music and culture — remains. That juxtaposition with his folky beginning has made Kearney the performer he is. “That in-the-moment thing that hip-hop brings is something that I love. It’s unfolding before your eyes, and […]
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Raekwon — Unexpected Victory
The guy’s so old, he got his nickname from Chuck D, but now that he’s signed to Cash Money Records, Busta’s probably going to be all over 2012, starting with a really fun guest verse on Raekwon’s “Unexpected Victory” mixtape. The track’s called “MTV Cribs” and opens with the Wu-Tanger doing what he does best: […]
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Methotrexate — Camelpacks & Battlerapz
While “Camelpacks & Battlerapz” is no doubt the creation of similarly humble production (albeit as professional and warmer), he digs deeper than your average upstart MC. This standout hip-hop record is seemingly the product of consuming just as many jazz records and cult films as mixtapes, and it’s as studious and labored over as a […]