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Josh Rizeberg on May 11th, 2012
Lil Ripp dropped a video for "Cold World" featuring Rooga on YouTube. This song has Lil Ripp getting a little more serious with it, letting us know that it's not all fun and games hustling in the 253. Much of the video is filmed on South 19th and M.L.K. -
Columns
Josh Rizeberg on April 25th, 2012
So many new awesome faces to our scene, one artist that I'm excited about is MC Coo Beanz. He just dropped a new video for his song "Trying to Make a Dollar" - YouTube it. His video production moniker is AutoGoon, and he's been killing it with the videos this
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Josh Rizeberg on April 18th, 2012
Every month A-Hyp hosts the Hip-Hop is Alive showcases stacked with some of the best and most exclusive hip-hop in this beloved area code inside the new Harmon Tap Room Underground. Saturday - if your weed-hangover allows it- check out his second version featuring Leezy Soprano, The Sandlot, last month's
Columns
Josh Rizeberg on April 17th, 2012
It's ‘bout to be 4/20, an important date for the marijuana community, and therefore the hip-hop community. The green, beats and rhymes roll together like the Three Musketeers. For all my medical-card holders, celebrate this year by checking out DJ Gerze's new dispensary that'll have its grand opening on 4/20.
Columns
Josh Rizeberg on April 12th, 2012
A couple weeks ago I apologized for not writing enough about the female artists in our area. I then brought up Lady Versatile, and this week I'm shining some light on Nuvo Tha1. She is the first lady of the Gonzo Family and she is more than just a token
Columns
Josh Rizeberg on April 4th, 2012
Lately we've been seeing Todd Sykes and Qui Vive catch wreck doing solo live MP3 sets with some MC-ing. Another player in this creative movement is Eeetree. Hailing from Oakland, Calif., Eeetree grew-up as an MC, producer and artist in the talent-rich Bay Area hip-hop scene. Musically he's worked with
Columns
Josh Rizeberg on March 28th, 2012
The old Surreal Ultra Lounge, and whatever it was before that, is now Club In (Seventh and Pacific Avenue). It's newly remodeled and has now hosted a spattering of hip-hop shows. There's a big one coming up Friday, March 30 called March Madness Reggae/Rap Fest. The show is being planned
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Josh Rizeberg on March 22nd, 2012
This Friday, A-Hyp Productions brings Tacoma a new hip-hop monthly. Headlining the show will be a solo set from Todd Sykes. He'll be throwing down on the MPC and the mic. Awall A.K.A. 2-Piece is also on the bill - making this a good chance to hear
Columns
Josh Rizeberg on March 21st, 2012
The Krisis is the newest member of the Gonzo Family. He's from Centralia and currently resides in Longview. This stretches Gonzo Family into other parts of Washington - now there are members of the ever-growing crew in area codes besides the 253. Krisis has a rap-clown, party-animal vibe that he
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Josh Rizeberg on March 20th, 2012
Here's a friendly reminder to go see Glasses Malone at the Backstage Bar and Grill, Sunday, March 25. All too often in Tacoma we are stuck having to pay $20 to see someone washed up like Warren G, Coolio, Tone Loc or Skee-Lo. So, a $10-chance to see someone actually
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Josh Rizeberg on December 17th, 2011
Tacoma doesn't get many victories. So, when something big comes to the Tacoma Dome and Seattle and the rest of the state has to come here, it's a win for us. There is no more Kingdome, so "The Dome" finally does refer to our house. We've seen Lady Gaga,
Spew Blog
Josh Rizeberg on June 23rd, 2011
SOUTH SOUND HIP HOP FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS IT >>>
Leezy Soprano is doing it right now! He's getting props from The Seattle Times almost every time he drops a video, and he drops a lot of videos. These videos - plus his clever wordplay, cadence and all-around-coolness - have brought
Spew Blog
Josh Rizeberg on June 18th, 2011
LOCAL HIP HOP FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS IT >>>
I highly suggest hitting the one-year anniversary of S.P.'s "We Out Here Showcase." This goes down Saturday, June 18, at Clover Park Technical College in the McGavick Center, building #23. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Spew Blog
Josh Rizeberg on June 8th, 2011
SOME OF THE SOUTH SOUND'S BEST >>>
It all started with the DJ.
This ain't a Hip-Hop 101, class, so I'm not going to break down the history, but when hip-hop started in the South Bronx, the DJ was the most important element. Fast-forward 30-some years and it's not quite the same.
Spew Blog
Josh Rizeberg on June 1st, 2011
LOCAL HIP HOP FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS IT >>>
Doughkain, one of the most respected artists on the streets, is back at us with Where The F*** Y'all At? You can get the new album free at reverbnation.com/doughkain. With production by BoomBox Massacre and a host of local up-and-comers, Doughkain's latest
Spew Blog
Josh Rizeberg on May 23rd, 2011
LOCAL HIP-HOP FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS IT >>>
J-Mar Da Sik is back with Du4Self Records to hit us with another mixtape, Off With Their Heads. The mixtape drops May 27 and will be available on datpiff.com and du4self.com.
Da Sik is celebrating the release of the mixtape with a ridiculously packed
Spew Blog
Josh Rizeberg on May 15th, 2011
TACOMA HIP-HOP FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS IT >>>
For the last couple years Second Family has been putting out high-quality lyrical gangsta s***. The group's music is steeped in Oakland/Madrona/Tac-City street vibes. And they always choose bangers, so they def' don't lack weight in the beat department.
Second Family consists of two
Spew Blog
Josh Rizeberg on May 9th, 2011
SOUTH SOUND HIP-HOP FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS IT >>>
He's back.
Only one MC from Tacoma has gotten big enough to where those two words mean anything. Not that he ever left us.
The MC I speak of has consistently been opening for the biggest national acts that hit Sea-Tac. He's one of
Spew Blog
Josh Rizeberg on April 29th, 2011
TALKIN' 253 HIP-HOP >>>
Go back to 2005-06 in yo mind. What you'll find is hip-hop hustlers still selling their new releases out of the trunks of their rides. The only online promo action is MySpace. There's no Facebook, Twitter, Reverbnation or 253hiphop.com. It was just music and grind.
These days were
Spew Blog
Josh Rizeberg on April 25th, 2011
CHECK OUT HIS IBEAST MIXTAPE >>>
... What all of this shows me is Gazmo has a national grind right now. Granted, he may not be one of best-known 253 artists, but Gazmo looks to be getting a little more national shine than some of us. When I asked him to
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