I wrote about The Black Sunn & 810's video for "DMV (Everyone Knows)" for the City Paper's Noise blog.

Labels: 810, Baltimore City Paper, Noise, The Black Sunn, video

Labels: flyer, Greenspan, Sonar, The Black Sunn

The Black Sunn - "Hip Hop's Lament" (mp3)
Here's a new Black Sunn track he did for a mixtape from DJBooth.net.

(photo by Rarah)

Labels: mp3, The Black Sunn

Green Street f/ The Black Sunn and 810 - "Up To You" (mp3)
Green Street are a hip hop group from Boston by way of New York, but they recently released an EP that features a couple of my favorite underground Baltimore rappers, I dig this track. When I interviewed The Black Sunn recently he said he's working on a duo project with 810, looking forward to that.

Labels: 810, mp3, The Black Sunn

This week the Baltimore City Paper rolled out its annual Big Music Issue, and it's got a lot of interesting stuff in there, can't wait to read all the articles. The one I wrote is called Might Don't Make It: Baltimore hip-hop may never go mainstream--is it up to its iconoclasts to carry the torch if it doesn't? I hope it'll start some conversations and some arguments; it might seem like I'm trying to shut down all the talk about if/when Baltimore might blow up, but really I just wanted to debunk some of the more naive and dated theories and strategies and get people past them, so they can set more realistic goals and maybe make more meaningful accomplishments. Most of the article is kinda me ranting, but I also used it as an opportunity to talk to some of my favorite unheralded underground hip hop artists and get their perspectives on the subject: The Black Sunn, Sean Toure', ScholarMan, Kneel Knaris, Born King, and Singodsuperior.

(cover by Sam Holden)

Labels: Baltimore City Paper, Born King, magazines/newspapers, PX, ScholarMan, Sean Toure, The Black Sunn

Labels: A-Class, Always Dope, Brakefast Records, flyer, Red Maple, The Black Sunn, Under Sound Music

PenDragon - 24 (Team Arson)

PenDragon isn't the first rapper to make a mixtape in one day -- not even the first in Maryland since Kojo has done it a couple times -- but one thing I like about the way he did it is the spirit of spontaneity. He got the idea on a Thursday and executed it that Saturday, no planning or writing ahead of time and getting a whole finished product mixed down in the space of 24 hours. Of course, it's only 37 minutes long and has a number of freestyles over other people's beats, but I feel like there's a good relaxed vibe here, it feels casual and in the moment in a good way. And this was done in November, but as prolific as Drag is, he's got a new one coming soon. You can download this off allbmorehiphop.com.

PenDragon - "DRAG x Black Sunn x Mydus" (mp3)
One thing I like about Drag is that he really listens to other Baltimore artists and checks for people outside his crew, which is sadly rare -- shit, sometimes he sends me links and knows about stuff before I have any idea. And one thing he's done a little in the past and does a lot more on this mixtape is rap over tracks by local artists, not like collabs but just he liked the song and decided to do something with it. On here he does it with songs by the Get Em Mamis, Lynee Michelle and The Black Sunn, and sent them all the mixtape to let them know it was a show of respect and not some track jacking thing. The Black Sunn kinda took it the wrong way and talked about it on Twitter like he was being leeched off of, and it's a shame he didn't really understand or appreciate the gesture, really more artists could stand to be like Drag. Hopefully they'll get on the same page at some point and do a real song together or something.

Labels: ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, G.E.M./Tha Plague, Lynee Michelle, mixtape/album review, mp3, PenDragon, The Black Sunn

Labels: flyer, G.E.M./Tha Plague, Sonar, The Black Sunn

810 - Glass Half Full (DJBooth/2dopeboyz/illRoots)

810 and The Black Sunn are two young artists that I've been praising and posting music by here in the last few months, and a recently I met them briefly and got a copy of 810's newest mixtape that I'd been meaning to check out for a minute. I liked his previous album that I'd heard, Supply And Demand, but for whatever reason this one's been hitting me a lot harder, just a really solid record from an MC who has his own unique viewpoint and a good head for internal rhymes. The Black Sunn, who of course makes a guest appearance here, seems to be the higher profile of the 2 at the moment, but really both these guys have a lot of talent, hopefully will be making a lot of noise together and individually in the future. You can download this mixtape on DJBooth.net.

810 - "Too Young" (mp3)
This is one of the shortest songs on the mixtape and doesn't really have a chorus, but it's kind of perfect as is, great beat by Mydus and really smart exploration of a theme you don't really here in rap songs very often.

Labels: 810, mixtape/album review, mp3, The Black Sunn

I posted about 80-something albums and mixtapes on Gov’t Names in 2009, more than any year before, but I have to admit that between staying home with my son for the last 3 months of the year and generally being busy and overwhelmed for the rest of the year, I really feel like my attention was scattered and I don’t know how much I really appreciated everything I heard. And there are a ton of notable releases I either haven’t gotten around to hearing yet, or have heard but haven’t posted about, and while probably spend the first couple months of 2010 catching up on those. Still, I’m pretty confident that barely anyone’s heard as much as I did this year, so I’ll keep pulling together my favorites for a big year-end list for whatever my opinion’s worth. I’ll make the same offer I did last year even though nobody took me up on it then, though, that if people e-mail me their own top 5 or top 10 or whatever, hopefully I can get enough to make that a whole other post (I’m probably never going to attempt a reader poll again, though, that was a mess). I feel like, with more of the stuff I write about here readily available for free download than ever, on DatPiff or AllBmoreHipHop or whatever, there’s really no excuse for anyone who reads this site to not hear a lot of it and form their own opinions, and I’d love to hear them.



1. The Get Em Mamis - TerAwesome (RCRD LBL)
It’s funny, a lot of my music critic friends and contemporaries seem to get excited about any female rapper that comes down the pipeline, and while I’m obviously a big supporter of female MCs especially here in Baltimore, I still feel like they need to be held to a standard just like anybody else. And really, Nicki Minaj and Lil Mama are just garbage, even compared to rappers who were doing it big a few years ago like Trina or Remy Ma. So I’m really glad that Roxzi and Symph from G.E.M. are really stepping up and making great music that you don’t have to adjust your expectations for based on their gender.
download TerAwesome from RCRD LBL
The Get Em Mamis - "Boss Bitch Business" (mp3)



2. The Boy Blesst - Charmicidle (Reign Music Inc.)

I’ve been into Blesst’s mixtapes for a couple years, but he was always just one of many mixtape rappers I liked out of many. But this year he set himself apart by making a real album, where pretty much every track has a good beat and a strong hook, every verse has some dope rhymes and says some real shit, which is somethig that so few of his peers have managed to do. This album is so laser-focused it’s crazy.
buy Charmicidle from digstation.com
The Boy Blesst - "Good Times Roll" (mp3)



3. Cutthroat and Bear - Silent Flutes (For The People Entertainment)

I was initially attracted to For The People for how big and prolific their roster is and how unique their whole organization is as much as for their music. But I always saw the potential and the creativity there, and they really delivered a release that lives up to that promise this year.
buy Silent Flutes from Amazon
Cutthroat and Beat - "Squadre Name" (mp3)



4. The Black Sunn - GodSound (2dopeboyz/illRoots)

The Black Sunn has to be my favorite newcomer of the year, even if he’s probably been doing his thing for a minute, and getting introduced to someone who’s got his own sound and is really making great music right from the jump is one of the things that really keeps me excited to keep doing this site.
download GodSound from 2dopeboyz or illRoots
The Black Sunn - "Tune In" (mp3)



5. Kneel Knaris - Going Sane In A Crazy World (Street Legal Entertainment)

I remember last year hearing that both members of PX (Parts Unknown) were working on solo albums, and figured they might be coming out around the same time. As far as I know, though, only Kneel’s has come out so far, and he really set the bar high and took his music to a whole new level, really getting high concept and autobiographical at the same time. This might not be my favorite album on this list, but it’s definitely the most ambitious.
buy Going Sane In A Crazy World from Amazon
Kneel Knaris - "Something To Talk About" (mp3)



6. ScholarMan - GameShift: The Movement (Soganic Music)

ScholarMan was another artist that was new to me in 2009 that really impressed me, and he put out a whole lot of music this year, including a couple EPs, but this full-length was my favorite release so far.
buy GameShift: The Movement from Soganic Music
ScholarMan f/ K-Mynez - "What You Puttin’ Back" (mp3)



7. Chubb Rock & Wordsmith - Bridging The Gap (Godigital/Unruly/Koch Records)

I wasn’t sure if this old school/new school New York/Baltimore combination made any sense, or whether Wordsmith would really get the room to do his thing like he does on his many many solo mixtapes, but after all the wait I have to say this album really came together well.
buy Bridging The Gap from Amazon
Chubb Rock & Wordsmith - "Soul Baby Blues" (mp3)



8. Comp - The Man With The Hand (Bang-A-Rang/Shape Shifter Entertainment)

5 years after his Def Jam deal came and went, Comp finally made a non-mixtape album, and it’s way too personal and funny and weird and harrowing than anything a major label would’ve allowed from him.
buy The Man With The Hand from Amazon
Comp - "Short Film" (mp3)



9. Height With Friends - Baltimore Highlands (Wham City)

I’ve liked Height’s unique take on rap since the first guest verse I heard from him way back in 2002, but it was this year that he really seem to come into his own and kind of create a whole movement of likeminded MCs and producers, many of whom collaborated with him for this album.
buy Baltimore Highlands from Wham City
Height With Friends - "Code Of Love" (mp3)



10. K-Mack - Night Ryda (Knokville Entertainment/Banga Bill Enterprise)

Sometimes I wonder if it takes a MC or producer that have been at it since the mid-’90s, like K-Mack and Banga Bill, to make a record that sounds this tough and really maintains the feel of that era, without actually feeling forced or retro.
download Night Ryda from AllBmoreHipHop
K-Mack - "B City" (mp3)



11. Los - Welcome To Swaggsville

You may notice that there’s not a single mixtape in the top 10 of this list, it’s all albums with original production, and that’s because for the most part I’m fucking sick of mixtapes and hearing people rap over the same tired radio beats over and over and over. But if I’m gonna listen to any, I’d prefer it’s someone who can really kill every beat like Los.
download Welcome To Swaggsville from swaggaboylos.blogspot.com
Los - "Say You Will" (mp3)



12. Barnes - Block Work Featuring Barnes (DJ Jabril)

This is an example of a record I didn’t really think of much at first, or at least I didn’t like it nearly as much as Barnes’s first album, but I was really convinced to go back and listen to again after hearing about people really thinking highly of it. And that doesn’t always work, someone else was really insistent that I give their shit a second chance recently and it still sounded weak when I went back to it.
download Block Work from AllBmoreHipHop
Barnes f/ Bump - "Ay Boy" (mp3)



13. Mike Malachi - Malachi's Way II: Malachi's Revenge (Music In Me Production Inc.)

The underrated Mike Malachi and his producer Ron Rico came back hard this year with an album that feels like a step up from their previous efforts, but still a natural progression and very much a piece with their earlier albums.
download Malachi's Way II: Malachi's Revenge from DatPiff
Mike Malachi - "The Showstopper" (mp3)



14. Shy Lady Heroin - Queen Of The Streets (Money In Da Bank Ent.)

Last year’s Queen Of The Mic champ really upped her profile this year with a ton of live performances and this mixtape, which I wasn’t real into at first but has grown on me.
download Queen Of The Streets from AllBmoreHipHop
Shy Lady Heroin - “What You Want" (mp3)



15. Haz - The Game Need Change (DJ Radio)

I heard a lot of generic hardcore street rap mixtapes this year, but very few of them managed to flow as well as this one and not wear out its welcome.
download The Game Need Change from AllBmoreHipHop
Haz - "100 Bar" (mp3)



16. PenDragon - HomeRun King (Team Arson)

Drag remains one of the city’s best underdogs, making dope beats, dope rhymes, good videos, etc.
download HomeRun King from dragwroteit.blogspot.com
PenDragon - "Never Stops" (mp3)



17. Skarr Akbar - The Street Album B4 The Album (Akbar Enterprize)

The perennial favorite continues to drop solid projects year after year after year after year after year, this list wouldn’t be complete without a Skarr tape.
download The Street Album B4 The Album from AllBmoreHipHop
Skarr Akbar - "Dear Diary" (mp3)



18. Al Great - Greatness (Alevan Music Group/DJ 5 Starr)

I met Al Great a few weeks after posting about this mixtape, and turns out dude was really kinda mad about it, and I didn’t even think I was that harsh, I really just want him to put out another album with original production because he’s had a few mixtapes in a row.
download Greatness from AllBmoreHipHop
Al Great - "Circles" (mp3)



19. Mania Music Group - Demos, Freestyles And Outtakes 2007-2008 (Year One) (Mania Music Group)

Mania’s profile continued to rise in 2009, even if their output wasn’t as relentless as their initial flood of material in 2008, but really even this odds’n’sods collection is as good as what a lot of artists were putting out as their best shit.
download Demos, Freestyles And Outtakes 2007-2008 (Year One) from ManiaMusicGroup.com
Rapman Ron G - "Break (Demo)" (mp3)



20. NOE - Deal Or NOE Deal (DJ Daa One)

Soundalike or not, NOE’s got lyrics for days and continues to be someone worth watching as he makes more and more industry moves.
download Deal Or NOE Deal from AllBmoreHipHop
NOE - "92Q Freestyle" (mp3)

Labels: ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, Comp, For The People Entertainment, G.E.M./Tha Plague, lists, Mania Music Group, mp3, Skarr Akbar, The Black Sunn, The Boy Blesst, Unruly Records, Wordsmith

The Black Sunn - GodSound (2dopeboyz/illRoots)

I posted about a previous album and EP by him before, but this is by far the biggest release The Black Sunn has dropped to date, with co-signs from a couple big blogs, 2dopeboyz and illRoots. Anyway as I've said before, I think this kid is a promising talent and seems to have a good handle on his sound, what beats he likes and what he wants to rap about, which isn't especially distinct, is really pretty garden variety old school conscious rap, but he does it well. There is a little more R&B on this record that I'd like, but it's alright.

The Black Sunn - "Dread Man" (mp3)
It's kinda funny to me how this song has a reggae feel and theme, but really the sample is The Police's "The Bed's Too Big Without You."

Labels: 810, mixtape/album review, mp3, The Black Sunn

810 - Supply And Demand

810 is an MC I first heard on The Black Sunn's projects who sent me some of his stuff recently. He's kinda working in the same vein as Black Sunn, kinda classic headnodding cratedigging hip hop, but one thing I like about 810's stuff is that he's got all these slick '80s pop/R&B samples that get chopped up into something more hip hop. This is an album he released in February, he just dropped a new project earlier this month that I haven't checked out yet.

810 - "Bill Gates" (mp3)
This song, like a lot of the tracks on the mixtape, was produced by Mydus.

Labels: 810, mixtape/album review, mp3, The Black Sunn

The Baltimore Scene held the Baltimore Crown Awards at 5 Seasons on Sunday, and I decided to stay home with my son that night, but I ended winning a "golden pen" award to match my "best blog/website" award from last year. So thanks to them and the voters, and congratulations to the other winners, full list below:

Hip Hop Artist of The Year: Mully Man
Poet of the Year: Taalam Acey
Vocalist of the Year: Chyna Doll
Band of the Year: Soul Cannon
Mixtape of the Year: Comp "The Man with the Hand 2"
Photographer of the Year: Kelly Connelly
Graphic Designer of the Year: Skarr Akbar
Blog/Website of The Year: www.allbmorehiphop.com
Studio of the Year: Architect Studios
Manager of the Year: EC (Frank Lewis)
Promoter of the Year: Tay Tay of Tayland Promotions
Under the Radar Awards: Tonio from da top
Most Likely to Succeed Award: Mully Man
Best New Artist: Black Sunn
Best Live Venue: Rams Head Live
Best Poetry Venue: The 5 Seasons/Warm Wednesdays
Best Hip Hop Venue: Club Reality

Golden Awards: Awarded to artists that take it beyond being artists and use their talent and energy to contribute to the scene/community

Golden Mic: Ogun
Golden Pen: Al shipley
Golden Stage: 5th L

Special Appreciation Award: Ahk of 88.9
Special Contribution Award: Lisa Stant

Baltimore Legend Awards
Inductees to The Baltimore Hall of Fame
(Joining: Fertile Ground, Labtekwon, Taalam Acey, D Chase, and Ogun)

Mr. Wilson (RIP), K Swift (RIP), Vicious V, Sonny Brown, Lo Key, Brown Fish, Comp, and Skarr Akbar.

Labels: 5 Seasons, ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, announcements, Architects, Comp, Mullyman, Ogun, Rams Head Live, Skarr Akbar, Soul Cannon, Tayland Promotions, The Baltimore Scene, The Black Sunn, Tonio

The Black Sunn - The Sunn Is Black EP (Hungry Heart Ent.)

I first posted about one of The Black Sunn's older records last month, and at the time mentioned that he had an EP and a full-length on the way soon. The album, GodSound, is coming out on Tuesday, but in the meantime I wanted to post about the EP, which has been out since September and is 6 dope tracks produced by Damu the Fudgemunk. Once again, I'm just consistently impressed with this guy, who just has a good laid back vocal presence, gets his point across well, and kind of operates within a specific aesthetic with a sense of purpose, I'm really excited to see how the album turns out. I also like that his label is called Hungry Heart Ent, because "Hungry Heart" is the song where Springsteen mentions Baltimore, even if that's not why they used the name. Check out The Black Sunn's MySpace page to hear the EP, and the GodSound release party is at Red Maple on Tuesday.

The Black Sunn - "Puttin' In Work" (mp3)
This has a sample from Office Space and kinda follows the usual workplace theme, but is probably my favorite track on here.

Labels: mixtape/album review, mp3, The Black Sunn

Labels: flyer, The Black Sunn

The Black Sunn - The Dawn Of The Black Sunn

I know I come off pretty jaded on this blog a lot of times, and sometimes I do feel like it's getting harder to find good music in Baltimore to highlight here or exciting talent that I haven't heard yet, but now and again I do hear someone that really reminds me that there's some shit worth seeking out, and most recently it's The Black Sunn. A few months ago I heard from a couple places about this cat and checked out this album and really dug it, but I wasn't sure how old it was and never got around to posting anything about him. Then this week I got word that he's releasing a new EP, The Sunn Is Black, on September 29th, and then an album, GodSound, on October 27th, and I was like damn, I need to throw up a post. I don't know if the Strictly Hip Hop crowd is already up on this dude but I know they would really love this record, just lush hard-hitting production and kinda old-fashioned MC skills, really spitting and not all this cornball new school blog rapper nerd shit, just an intelligent guy who knows how to put together words. My bad if he's been out for a while and I've been sleeping!

The Black Sunn - "Eclipse" (mp3)
It was hard to pick a best track but I feel like this is a good introduction to his whole style.

Labels: mixtape/album review, mp3, The Black Sunn