Labels: A-Class, Brakefast Records, flyer, Gritty Gang, Minlus McCracken, Sonar, Tayland Promotions

Minlus & McCracken - BeLIEve (Dichter 2 Productions)

I liked Minlus & McCracken’s last album, Rock And A Hard Place, but I feel like I didn’t really get into the best songs or appreciate the group’s whole vibe and sense of humor until I saw them live a couple times later on. I was a little skeptical of the whole new album being done with a German producer and label, but it works, just some nice old-fashioned boom bap type beats, and the group just sounds like they're in a good comfort zone and know exactly what they wanna do and do it well. I kinda wish I'd gotten around to listening to this earlier, it totally would've been in my list of the top Baltimore hip hop releases of 2010. The title's a little lame, though, parodies of the Baltimore Believe campaign were played out like 5 years ago and I don't think the city even uses that slogan anymore. You can buy BeLIEve on CDBaby.com.

Minlus & McCracken - “Stayed In 2Nite” (mp3)
This song is about having a bad night on Valentine’s Day so it seemed right to post it now.

Labels: Minlus McCracken, mixtape/album review, mp3

Labels: Dirt Platoon, flyer, Jade Fox, Minlus McCracken, Sonar, Tayland Promotions

Labels: flyer, Jade Fox, Minlus McCracken

Labels: flyer, Minlus McCracken

Labels: flyer, Jade Fox, Minlus McCracken

Labels: Bourbon St, Club Reality, flyer, Jade Fox, Minlus McCracken, The Unstoppable Nuklehidz

Labels: Dirt Platoon, flyer, Minlus McCracken, Ms. Stress, Tha Profitt

Labels: flyer, Minlus McCracken, Sean Toure

Over on my other blog, Narrowcast, I recently posted a list of the 20 best shows I saw in 2009, and the Baltimore hip hop artists on the list included Height, Mickey Free, AK Slaughter, Rapdragons, P.T. Burnem, Kane and Midas and Ron G. of Mania Music Group, Minlus McCracken, Jade Fox, Wordsmith, Soul Cannon, Si-Notes, Shy Lady Heroin, the Get Em Mamis and E Major.

Labels: AK Slaughter, E Major, G.E.M./Tha Plague, Height, Jade Fox, Kane, lists, Mania Music Group, Midas, Minlus McCracken, P.T. Burnem, Rapdragons, Ron G., Soul Cannon, Wordsmith

Labels: flyer, Jade Fox, Minlus McCracken

Ironsoul - Marcis (Ironsoul Music)

I'd never heard Ironsoul before checking out this album, and although I tried to listen and give the whole thing a chance, unfortunately it's a type of underground hip hop that I almost never enjoy. That is, it's a guy bellowing humorlessly like he really really means it, man, over stridently flat-footed beats. Nothing against the guy, it's actually probably one of the better albums in that style that I've heard, it's just not my cup of tea. Marcis has guest appearances by A-Class, Reg from Pro & Reg, McCracken from Minlus & McCracken, and Bishop, and is available for purchase on CDbaby.com.

Ironsoul f/ Mic Brown and A-Class - "Bottom Dollar" (mp3)
I think A-Class is one of the best rappers Baltimore has, so right off the bat the last track on here that features him is one of my favorites.

Labels: A-Class, Minlus McCracken, mixtape/album review, mp3, Pro and Reg

Labels: flyer, For The People Entertainment, Jade Fox, Minlus McCracken

Labels: Club Reality, flyer, Jade Fox, Minlus McCracken, Sean Toure

Labels: A-Class, Brakefast Records, Dirt Platoon, flyer, Jade Fox, Minlus McCracken, Ogun, Sonar

Labels: flyer, Minlus McCracken

Labels: Club Reality, flyer, Jinxxx, Minlus McCracken, Pro and Reg

Jeff made a suggestion in the comments box for one of these posts the other day that I should do a 5th anniversary show, too. I wish I had the time or energy for it, but these days I really don't. Maybe next year, maybe I'll hang in there for a 10th anniversary, really hard to say what the future of the site holds, although I could easily see myself trucking along for years and years. Anyway, more songs:

61. Mullyman f/ JI-900 - "Realest To Run It" (mp3) - January 21, 2006
62. Tim Trees - "Don't Make" Freestyle (mp3) - May 5, 2005
63. Height f/ Bow'N'Arrow - "Smash Your Eyes" (mp3) - May 28, 2007
64. Los - "10-Minute Million Dollar Massacre Freestyle" (mp3) - June 20, 2007
65. Rod Lee - "Hammerjacks Theme" (mp3) - May 17, 2006
66. Minlus McCracken - "MuFucka" (mp3) - August 21, 2007
67. K-Spin - "Why I'm Hot" (mp3) - September 20, 2007
68. Young Dip - "D.T.T.W.C." (mp3) - October 3, 2007
69. Say Wut - "Futuristic" (mp3) - December 30, 2007
70. PenDragon - "How Does It Feel" (mp3) - December 29, 2008

Labels: Baltimore club, Height, lists, Los, Minlus McCracken, mp3, Mr. Wilson, Mullyman, NSW (Say What), PenDragon, Rod Lee, Skarr Akbar, Tim Trees, Young Dip

Labels: Club Reality, flyer, Minlus McCracken, open mic

My latest live reviews on the City Paper's Noise blog have been: Tha Profitt/Skarr Akbar/Ogun/Comp/Shy/Hots @ Black Hole Rock Club, 1st Family/Bossman/Huli Shallone @ Black Hole Rock Club, Mania Music Group/Jade Fox/Wordsmith/Minlus & McCracken @ the Quarter, Impossible Hair/The Caribbean @ the Black Cat, and Asobi Seksu/Thrushes @ the Ottobar.

Labels: 1st Family, Baltimore City Paper, Black Hole Rock Club, Bossman, Comp, Hots, Huli Shallone, Jade Fox, Mania Music Group, Minlus McCracken, Noise, Ogun, Skarr Akbar, Tha Profitt, Wordsmith