Cut of the Day: "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," Vinnie Dewayne

Also watch a mini-documentary on the St. Johns MC's recent visit to New York, filmed after his recovery from a devastating car accident.

Music Three weeks ago, I wasn’t sure if local MC Vinnie Dewayne was dead or alive. Twitter and Facebook were littered with requests to “pray for Vinnie Dewayne” and assurances that “we’re thinking of you, Vinnie.” As it turns out, he and a friend h...   More

 

Tuesday, April 30, 2013 by REED JACKSON

Album Review: Serge Severe

Boom Bap & Bars Vol. 1 (Focused Noise)

Album Reviews [HIP-HOP] Portland MC Serge Severe has always had an appreciation for the “golden age” of hip-hop. He released a tape of himself rapping over DJ Premier beats. He refers to  himself as    More

 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 REED JACKSON

Primer: Joey Bada$$

Music Stories Born: In 1995 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Sounds like: Your older brother’s favorite hip-hop cassette tape from the early ’90s.  For fans of: Nas, Gang Starr, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth. Late   More

 

Wednesday, March 20, 2013 REED JACKSON

Album Review: Myke Bogan

Monkeys on the Beach (Self-Released)

Album Reviews [HIP-HOP] Myke Bogan is a sad-clown rapper. Almost all the material released by the twentysomething MC has filtered heartbreak and loneliness through the sound of an empty PBR can getting crushe   More

 

Wednesday, March 20, 2013 REED JACKSON

Kenny Fresh (FRSH SLCTS)

How to blog Portland hip-hop and occasionally alienate people.

Music Stories A lot of people have heard of 25-year-old Portlander Kenny Fresh. Most don’t know why. The New Jersey transplant, creator of music blog FRSH SLCTS, has become a significant fixture in the Nort   More

 

Wednesday, February 13, 2013 REED JACKSON

Primer: E-40

Music Stories Born: In Vallejo, Calif., in 1967. Sounds like: A sugar-tongued gangster with a flair for the dramatic. For fans of: Too Short, Rappin’ 4-Tay, Spice 1, 3x Krazy. Latest release: History: Function   More

 

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 REED JACKSON

Primer: RJD2

Music Stories Born: In 1976 in Eugene.  Sounds like: An extremely gifted beatmaker who has a love/hate relationship with his drum machine. For fans of: Cut Chemist, DJ Shadow, Elliott Smith. Latest release:   More

 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013 REED JACKSON

Cut of the Day: "Get Lifted," Myke Bogan (with video!)

Music Like most of Myke Bogan’s music, “Get Lifted,” off his debut mixtape, So Long South Dakota, seems relatively innocent at first listen. Its laid-back guitar strums and references to Mary Jane give it the sound of a well-made weed anthem. And it is—sort of. But beneath the intoxication talk is a heavy tone of loneliness...   More

 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012 by REED JACKSON

Rap Class: Wednesday, Oct. 31

Portland beatmaker John Kammerle wants to take the songs stuck in his head and cram them into yours.

Music Stories [SAMPLE-BASED] To quote an overused hip-hop proverb, sampling is an art. For local beatmaker and DJ John Kammerle, aka Rap Class, it’s also a turn-on.  “I don’t want that to sound w   More

 

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 REED JACKSON

Cadence Weapon: Sunday, Oct. 28

How a cerebral Canadian MC evolved from an introverted philosopher into “a traveling fun machine.”

Music Stories [ECLECTIC HIP-HOP] Expectations are high for 26-year-old Canadian rapper Rollie Pemberton, also known as Cadence Weapon. He was a poet laureate for his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, so people e   More

 

Wednesday, October 24, 2012 REED JACKSON