Temperature’s Rising: Standing Ovation (SO)
A wise man once asked me “how can something be ‘retro’ if everybody ascribes to in the contemporary age>” That wise man was actually my 9 year old cousin, but I couldn’t help but think he had a good point. So many people rock retro Air Jordans nowadays that what’s the point of calling them […]
Temperature’s Rising: Apollo
By now I’m entirely convinced that the various hospitals of Atlanta are in total cahoots with each other in their practices in the dark arts. Obviously Atlanta is a populous place with a lively culture, but that still doesn’t seem to account ridiculous amount of talent the city seems to produce on a steady basis. […]
Saul Williams: The Generator
Interview with Saul Williams In Chuck Klosterman’s bestselling 2005 book Killing Yourself To Live, he travels to historic locations where both famous and infamous musicians died prematurely, ultimately coming to the harrowing conclusion that the best move an artist can make in their career is to die a sudden death. A decade later, as poet/rapper/actor/writer […]
Temperature’s Rising: Nick de la Hoyde
Last night I attended a birthday party for one of my cousins. Although the party was adult-themed, there were of course a few kids in attendance. Long story short, with a twelve year old being responsible for the DJ duties, I got the chance to see what the kids were listening to these days on […]
Temperature’s Rising: superHERO
I don’t care what anyone says…the pop singers of the 90’s were far superior to whatever the hell the kids are listening to today. A greatest hits album of The Backstreet Boys s#### all over anything that One Direction, Selena Gomez, or The Jonas Brothers have released. I’ll admit, if God put me in a […]
Temperature’s Rising: Jelani Lateef “Manhood Talk”
A few months ago, in May to be exact, I wrote a “Temperature’s Rising” piece about Jelani Lateef. You may be asking yourself, “Why are you writing another article about Jelani?” Well, I’ll answer that question by not answering at all and instead saying this. This is my column. I write about whatever the f### […]
Temperature’s Rising: Nave “Cosby Kids”
Today, as you well know, is the debut of NFL Sunday for the 2015 season. Right now you are rightfully obliterating your 25th buffalo wing with a Bud Light in the other hand prepared to wash it down. Aside from praising the Lord, this is what Sundays are for. This is the day when men […]
Temperature’s Rising: Rhawn B
With Kendrick Lamar releasing arguably the album of the year with To Pimp A Butterfly, and Dr. Dre’s recent masterpiece Compton: A Soundtrack, and of course the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton, it seems like Compton has once again become the star city of the great state of California. In a larger scope, southern California […]
Temperature’s Rising: We R The Lost
What the f### is going on in Milwaukee? Up until 2014, I never once thought about Milwaukee or even Wisconsin as a real state, only one of those placeholders on the U.S. map that make places like California, Texas, New York, or Louisiana look all the more luminous. I really can’t explain my ignorance, as […]
Temperature’s Rising: Dave Childz
Even the casual hip hop fan knows that most rappers love sports. If you don’t have a slightly above average knowledge of the NFL and NBA, Wale’s verses might sound like complete gibberish to you. But in many ways, hip hop is just like professional sports, with every emcee trying to prove they are the […]
Temperature’s Rising: Frank Peters
Drake and Meek shocked the world when they engaged in a heated battle on wax, so much so that NPR even felt compelled to weigh in on the story. In the 90’s, aggression in hip-hop was the norm, but somewhere in the mid-2000’s it devolved into mainly “party music,” without an ounce of ingenuity of […]
Compton’s Billionaire Buck discusses Kendrick, YG, Big KRIT, Freddie Gibbs, N.W.A. and The West’s Second Coming
As part of my job, I get the chance to listen to sorts of Hip Hop from all regions. But I have no shame in admitting that I have a bias for the West Coast. In my formative years, growing up in Southern California, I remember stealing borrowing a copy of my brother’s Warren G […]
Temperature’s Rising: Reid The Martian
“We are not the same, I am a martian” is one of Lil Wayne’s most famous quotes. It’s sort of weird to think of rappers as aliens, but when one delves deeper, the symbolism is befitting. In the last few years, despite plenty who love to dabble in “the same ol’ s###,” Hip Hop has […]
Temperature’s Rising: Vision The Kid
XXL just recently announced the 2015 Freshman class, featuring rising stars like of Dej Loaf, Vince Staples, and Kidd Kidd. The Freshman list is always the subject of heated debate about what artists should or should not have made the roster, especially now in the digital age where Reddit and the like have flipped the […]
Temperature’s Rising: Nick de la Hoyde- By My Side
“Music is the only drug for the mad addicts,” Nick de la Hoyde spits in his new single, “By My Side.” As a self-diagnosed music addict myself, I am always on the prowl for new music, even when the rest of the world is freaking out over some viral sensation, like Bruce Jenner’s transformation to […]
Temperature’s Rising: The Acorns
Our society applauds renaissance men (or women). Despite one’s chosen profession, people are coming to the realization that a person can be many things at once. Music can often feel like a get-rich quick scheme, wherein an artist or band diligently studies the trends on the radio and design their creative blueprint around what the […]
Temperature’s Rising: Jelani Lateef
As one ages, a lot of things happen. First off, a night of drinking cannot be easily washed away with a Vitamin Water Revive and a few tabs of Ibuprofen like in the old days. Don’t get me started on the early morning pains in places that I don’t even know existed before. Also, as […]
Fitz- She’s My Music
I know what you’re thinking. Another rapper from New York. If you’re anything like me, whenever you hear the preceding phrase, you automatically recoil in horror. Most often these movements are involuntary, and have something to do with a slew of New York rappers that generate a lot of buzz in the beginning but end […]
Nick Delahoyde- The Longest Way
Everyday, I’m inundated with young hopefuls that are intent on getting their music out to a wide audience. I only have two ears (and if you’ve seen, you know that they are very small) so I am not able to listen to all these submissions, but I applaud the effort nonetheless. Recently, I stumbled across […]
Klassik- Summer EP
Back in February, I wrote an article about the up-and-coming Milwaukee artist Klassik and his Spring EP. A lot of things have changed since then. First off, The Milwaukee Bucks were decimated by The Chicago Bulls in a crushing 120-66 loss to end their playoff hopes. But just in case you were for some reason […]
