Phonte
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24 Sep

Posted at 09:07h in Music, Reviews
The Idea of Beautiful. You could write an entire essay on such an intriguing matter. Snow Hill, North Carolina native Rapsody did write an essay on the topic but did it in the musical form. In her debut LP, Rap decided to take all that she learned from her previous three projects in which she explored different avenues and combine into a rare introspective effort. Rapsody’s ode to cultural assent and narration of her own heartbreak transforms The Idea of Beautiful from complex portrayal to personal abstraction and human-dignifying advancement.

27 Oct

Posted at 14:30h in Music, Reviews
It's become quite apparent that even in 2011, some years after the Carolina based group Little Brother called it quits, their spirit still remains ever present. Not just because the die-hard fans continue to bump The Listening, The Minstrel Show and the rest of their cult classics but because two thirds of the former trio have released solo albums. 9th Wonder took listeners through a glorious musical journey on The Wonder Years whilst Phonte's working man's album Charity Starts At Home arguably stands as one of the best releases of 2011. So all that remains now is for the heavy hitting Rapper Big Pooh to round off an impressive year for the heralded acts with his awaited release Dirty Pretty Things. Minus Phonte and Wonder, the Virginia born spitter has offered solid mixtapes aplenty, but can his second full length LP push him out of the LB shadow and into a lane of his own?

28 Sep

Posted at 18:48h in Music, Reviews
Even though much time has passed since the split of revered trio Little Brother, one of Hip Hop’s most cherished groups, deep rooted amongst many fans has been an impatient craving for something new from either 9th Wonder, Rapper Big Pooh or the artist in question today; Phonte. Whilst Wonder has given us his Wonder Years and the Foreign Exchange (Phonte’s most recent project) provided some warm, glorious memories of his musical past, the urge for something closer to home was desired by many. So for the Greensboro, North Carolina born lyricist “home” is where he returned; back to the circle of dope beats and dope rhymes for his first solo album. Having spent numerous years sharing the plaudits with his two brothers in rhyme, how would one of Hip Hop’s most revered poets handle an entire project in which it would only be him and his thoughts occupying the recording booth?

27 Sep

Posted at 17:46h in Music, Reviews
Passing the torch has always been mandatory in Hip Hop. No matter how big their ego, a successful rapper, DJ or producer always wishes to find their sucessor to ensure their legacy carries on into the new generation. From Rakim passing the lyrical baton to Nas or Eminem's co-sign of XXL Freshman Yelawolf, the trend continues, none so much so than in the producer field; namely one 9th Wonder. From carrying the same soulful blends as Pete Rock to constructing abstract drum patterns which channel DJ Premier, the genre’s greats have been quick to laud the praise of the former Little Brother member, not only for his remarkable sounds but for drawing out the superior artist within each individual he works with. As his collaborative effort The Wonder Years finally dawns, all ears will be intensely listening to hopefully discover whether the fusing of 9th's luscious sounds with a range of vocal juggernauts results in a timeless project which will sit amongst the great works of decades past.

27 May

Posted at 06:00h in Features, Interviews, Music
If you've been a fan of 9th Wonder, Phonte, Little Brother and/or Foreign Exchange or even a follower of the burgeoning music scene in North Carolina for the past three or four years, then you will not be a stranger to the unique, soulful and powerful vocals of one Carlitta Durand but just in case you are [a stranger that is] to this 25-year old singer and songwriter born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and bred in North Carolina (US), then by God, an introduction is well and truly long overdue.

12 Oct

Posted at 19:30h in Features, Interviews, Music
The state of North Carolina has been the home for some of the greatest singers and musicians in the history of music. Nina Simone, Ben E. King, Shirley Caesar, Roberta Flack and George Clinton are just a few artists in a long lineage of incredible, groundbreaking talent. The next in this line is R&B singer/songwriter Darien Brockington. Brockington hails from Durham, NC and has been singing since the age of six. For most R&B artists, their origins begin in the church and Brockington’s story is no different. Since the inception of the R&B genre, the formative years of many vocalists were shaped in the choirs of Baptist, Pentecostal and Seventh-Day Adventist faith-based churches. Brockington’s first exposure to music came when he was two years old and his love of singing grew exponentially. His parents were instrumental in providing a concrete foundation for his burgeoning, eclectic taste in music. After his first solo at age six, he began performing in community events and talent shows in his native city eventually leading him to pursue a career in music. Once deciding on a career in music, he began attending North Carolina Central University and in 2000, he met rapper Phonte of the Hip Hop collective Little Brother. This meeting would put forth in motion the first of numerous collaborations between them merging the worlds of hip-hop and R&B to create a formidable sound. This week, Brockington took the time to speak with SoulCulture about his musical journey.

27 May

Posted at 09:00h in Reviews
YahZarah is a name we have become familiar with in the last several years through various Little Brother / Justus League songs and albums and her previous releases Hear Me (2001) and Blackstar (2002). Still fresh in the minds and ears of many with last year’s Foreign Exchange group release Leave it all Behind, the Washington, D.C. native definitely shined on the project's standouts “If She Breaks Your Heart” and “If This Is Love.” As news of her new LP became more prevalent, it was clear that her latest project would definitely be one to savor. Now under the Foreign Exchange music banner, YahZarah, born Dana Williams releases her third album The Ballad Of Purple Saint James.