In early 2010, brothers Gray and Baylor Thomas, along with friend Dan Sewell, started Pairadime as a music blog, which they still operate. The idea was to have an outlet for the music they liked, not imagining the growth it’s seen. “It’s been an absolute trip. We did not start out with this in mind,” […]
Hip Hop
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Soundcheck: Beetyman — Underdog
That said, another quality GRP FLY-sporting rapper’s emerged from the fertile Oklahoma City ground that produced Jabee, Josh Sallee and aDDLib. Beetyman hails from the east side, as he informs us on his aptly named debut LP “Underdog,” a record full of optimistic brass samples that surround a genuine, young talent. Per the album title, […]
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Beet it
Will Beatty — who raps under the name Beetyman — is quick to point out exactly what he expects from fellow hip-hop artists: Honesty ranks high, and by extension, authenticity. Really, it has to do with speaking about what you know, and much of what Beatty knows has to do with being the underdog. The […]
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Kanye West and Jay-Z — Watch the Throne
Or … not. This marks three consecutive years of blockbuster hip-hop releases from these two guys who’ve built a close friendship around their megastar lifestyles, respective talents as artists (technical rap wizardry for Jigga, arena-blasting, prog-rap production from ’Ye), and incomparably massive ambition as pop stars. Kanye’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” prompted more sterling […]
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‘Yahu!
“I think, to be honest with you, most people have one thing to say,” Matthew Miller said. “They have one thing to put forward.” For Miller, better-known by his Hebrew and stage name, Matisyahu, that one binding theme is his Orthodox Jewish faith, an ever-unfolding struggle to grow closer to God. From this fount, he […]
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Theophilus London — Timez Are Weird These Days
Nothing out of the ordinary with that, but it oughta tell you that if you’re looking for a true spitter, then look elsewhere. From get-go track “Last Name London,” the Brooklyn rapper(ish) makes it clear that he’s aiming for modern pop-star status. I offer the following as evidence: • the Kanye West “Lost in the […]
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Badd company
Bryan Abrams is a survivor. And now he’s looking to reclaim his “Eye of the Tiger.” He’s best-known for belonging to the supergroup Color Me Badd. The hip-hop/doo-wop quartet from Oklahoma City’s Northwest Classen High School hit it big in 1991 with “I Wanna Sex You Up,” then followed with two No. 1 singles, a […]
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Shabazz Palaces — Black Up
That was all true for their first two projects, the “Shabazz Palaces” and “Of Light” EPs, and nothing has changed with the new full-length, “Black Up.” The same adjectives might fit the man behind the mic, Digable Planets alum Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler, at least in his approach to rapping. His moderately paced, raspy and recognizable […]
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Kendrick Lamar — Section.80
People often expect highly anticipated albums to disappoint, but Kendrick leaves no room for disappointment. Lamar made this album as an ode to his fellow ’80s babies, products of the Reagan era. In fact, one of the songs is called “Ronald Reagan Era.” On this RZA-assisted composition and other tracks, Lamar mentions problems that have […]