Urbanite Magazine's hip hop issue is out, and I interviewed Rye Rye and Blaqstarr for the cover story. I also wrote a brief overview of the checkered history of Baltimore rap and club music artists that have had national attention and/or major label deals in the past.

Labels: Baltimore club, Blaq Starr, magazines/newspapers, Rye Rye, Urbanite

I reviewed Soul Cannon's new album The Mixed Ape for the July issue of Urbanite Magazine.

Labels: magazines/newspapers, Soul Cannon, Urbanite

The March issue of Urbanite Magazine hit Baltimore newsstands today, and the theme of the issue is change, with features on six Baltimore 'change makers.' One of them is my article about Shodekeh, the human beatbox who's been performing with the BSO and doing countless other interesting projects that change the perception and parameters of his artform. I also spoke to another beatboxer, The Bow-Legged Gorilla, and High Zero Foundation member Shelly Blake-Plock about Shodekeh for the article.

In the same issue, I also wrote a review of Celebration's new album, Hello Paradise.

Labels: Bow-Legged Gorilla, magazines/newspapers, Shodekeh, Urbanite

I started working with Urbanite Magazine a little earlier this year, and this week I guest edited the Tuesday arts/culture edition of the daily zine that Urbanite e-mails out now. Some of the stuff I put together for the zine that went out today includes:

- A feature on Mickey Free, the rapper whose new album Last of the Tight Wiggers I posted about on Gov’t Names a while back.

- A Q&A with Brett Yale and Jimmy MacMillan of Friends Records on how to put out music on vinyl and cassette.

- A review of the new solo album by Dustin Wong of Ponytail, Infinite Love.

- A review of Josh Sisk’s new book, Under The Strobe Light - Club Photos: 2005-2009, which features a lot of great pictures of Baltimore artists like Rod Lee, K-Swift, Say Wut, the Get Em Mamis, Blaqstarr, Scottie B., Mullyman, Rye Rye and others.

- And a bunch of links to Baltimore music websites (AllBmoreHipHop, BeatBots, the Ms. Tris Music blog) and listings for cool events happening this week, including Cullen Stalin and Scottie B. at Metro Gallery, Hip Hop In Pink w/ Keys, the Get Em Mamis, Si-Notes and Golden Seal, and Greg Dulli and Craig Wedren at the Ottobar. You can sign up at the Urbanite site to get any of the weekly zines e-mailed to you in the future.

(photo by Lisa Scott)

Labels: ALLBMOREHIPHOP.COM, Baltimore club, Blaq Starr, G.E.M./Tha Plague, Golden Seal, K-Swift, magazines/newspapers, Mickey Free, Ms. Tris Beats, NSW (Say What), Scottie B., Si-Notes, Urbanite