God-Des and She

January 20th, 2010 | By Erin Eagan

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If an album is released but no one hears it, does it make a sound?

That’s the question the Madison-bred duo God-Des and She were asking themselves after their release of Stand Up in 2007. “We figured, we’ll just put [the album] out and people will buy it,” says God-Des. But Stand Up didn’t catch on. Like the one before it, the album primarily ended up in the hands of their hardcore fans — a loyal lesbian following, which had grown after an appearance on Showtime’s The L Word along with a No. 1 hit on MTV Logo.

The duo will be the first to admit they’ve made mistakes in their five-year career, and they aren’t reluctant to talk about Continue Reading

F.Stokes

January 19th, 2010 | By Steven Potter

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If there’s one thing F.Stokes is, it’s tangible.

Through his lyrics, the Chicago- native delves deep into his life and culture, rhyming about relatable struggles at home, on the block and abroad. He never strays from what he knows — usually more hardship than happiness — yet he balances it with hopes and dreams.

Some examples of his unglamorized depictions of his southside Chicago upbringing come from the song “Main Attraction,” off his current album (with Minneapolis producer Lazerbeak) Death of a Handsome Bride, where he spits: “I ain’t gotta sell my soul for a listen/Cuz I remember clear, my momma moppin’ them kitchens/ Cryin’ on my pillow, wishin.’” And later Continue Reading

Let’s Talk with the L.O.S.T S.O.U.L.S

January 17th, 2010 | By Steven Potter

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It’s common knowledge that the powers that be in Madison and those in the local Hip-Hop scene have had confrontations in the past. And unfortunately, this has led to a poor perception of the genre as a whole in the city, causing some venues to close their doors to rap shows altogether.

The most notable of recent incidents occurred last February, when a scuffle outside of a downtown venue led to what some say was an excessive response and use of force by the Madison Police Dept.

Feeling as if the incident did not warrant such a severe response by police, one of the performing groups, the L.O.S.T. S.O.U.L.S, and others decided to flex their civil muscle, holding a protest and march on the capitol building and police Continue Reading

Madison’s Break Dance Ambassador

January 12th, 2010 | By Steven Potter

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Nine years ago, Jarius King was lying on the couch, immobile and writhing in pain as he recovered from spinal fusion surgery to correct his severe scoliosis. “I was just stuck there on the couch, not able to move,” he remembers.

It was then that he made a life-changing proclamation about his future. “Watching the movie Beat Street and all the dancing in it, I got inspired,” he says. “That’s when I said ‘I want do that. I want to be a breaker.’”

Flash-forward to the present and you’ll find he’s done that and much more through the art of breakdancing. A member of the Wisconsin breaking crew Motion Disorderz and also the Hong Kong-based Rhythm Attack crew, the 24-year-old known as the b-boy ManOfGod has not only traveled around the globe to compete in Continue Reading

An Obscure Oddity Worthy Of Your Ear

January 12th, 2010 | By 608

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A TRIBUTE TO ROSIE PEREZ

When your moms calls you by your full name, you know you’re in trouble. When your crew does it, you know you’re onto something. Case in point: “Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez,” the third installment of tributes to their favorite “B-list” actresses by Twin Cities wordsmith Slug, half of the rap duo Atmosphere, and left coast emcee Murs of the underground Hip-Hop group Living Legends.

This time around, the collaboration includes emcee and producer extraordinaire, Aesop Rock, who unites the three veterans into a coast-to-coast super-group of indie rap dedicated to Rosie Perez. (While none of the lyrics or tracks directly address Perez, who once held the female lead in White Men Can’t Jump, it is, nonetheless, Continue Reading