Spotlight: Scroll

SCROLL SPOTLIGHT

To quote his own bio "I used to write raps. I don't anymore. Now i make beats by pushing buttons on machines". Need I say more? Probably. Scroll met Tekst on the first day of college a good 7 years ago on Staten Island. He then retreated to Vermont after a year, where he began to really get own to business with his music. He held down the Burlington scene for a couple years, opened for tons of headlining underground acts, and got himself a few features in the Vermont press. He traveled to the west and back and is currently settled into a little beach shack (litterally) up in northern Mass. For the last year he has been doing shows in Boston and the Northeast areas and festivals performing live instrumentals on two MPCs and an array of other toys. For people that dont about the MPC and its powers, i advise people take a quick look at Scroll doing his thing thing. He has a new album coming out with his man Forest, another good guy who runs Symptoms Collective. Scroll did all the beats. The album will be put out through Projectivity's new label. Hope everyone checks it out. Def hit him him up and he'll come do a concert on your lawn. HOLLER

Review: Asher Roth - Asleep in the Bread Aisle

There's no way to avoid him, especially as another upcoming white emcee. He has become the new spotlight chosen to represent the "white rapper". Among all the other ridiculous
acts out there calling themselves hip-hop, I'm not mad that he is our current representation. While his style and delivery isn't anything extraordinary, his music provides a fresh approach
to all the flashy sneaker rap that younger emcees are getting into. Since THC focuses on positivity and concepts, its easier for us to enjoy his music other than alot of other wanna-be rappers that just have nothing to say. There are plenty times when the rhymes seem amateur or simply dumbed down at best, but the production def carries the album through. His beats were def handpicked to create a very cohesive sound from beginning to end. My conclusion is this; all in all the album is worth the listen and can def stick around in rotation for a little. But I think his buzz and notoriety surpasses his talent, especially compared to other established independent white artists that I'm sure most real hip-hop heads know about. Unfortunately the machine that has supported Asher Roth has not even scratched the surface of talented underground artists that can do what he does. But I think he knows this and has a respect for the culture around him of other artists making this music. I'm glad he's out and hopefully his success will open the idustry's eyes to the mainstream potential of other already successful "underground" artists.

Choice songs include "Take Me As I Am" and "La Di Da" which has a dope video on MTVU.com in which our boy Future is rockin Cloudkicker at the very beginning.

FLOW - 4
Lyrical Content - 3.5
Production 4.5
Albumness - 4
OVERALL - 4

Angela Yee interviews THC on Shade45

THC on Shade45 with Angela Yee from Matty J on Vimeo.

Spotlight: John Colombo

If you haven't seen the "House Of Dreams" video ft. Joy Luv by now then I don't know where the hell you been at. When Jon Colombo came to stay at our house almost a year ago we didn't realize we'd be getting hooked up with such an ill video. A year later we have got ourselves a good friend from the Cloudkicker crew that has ended up filming multiple videos at the HOD. Colombo has been handling the Video Production side of Cloudkicker while Mike Cash holds down the music productions and Mike D holds down the fashion side of things. If you don't know, Cloudkicker and Projectivity pretty much work hand in hand so it was obvious that we had to get that video done with the legend himself. Recently Colombo has done videos for Joe Budden and Slaugherhouse. He's got some upcoming work with Jadakiss so definitely be on the lookout for that. Things are only getting bigger and brighter for this up and coming music video producer and Projectivity affiliate. Check out his videos @
http://www.vimeo.com/johncolombo/videos

Brother Ali -

Something about Brother Ali has left a taste of the golden era in my ears. And I always enjoy it when i can taste things in my ears. Let me clarify; the simplicity in his production mixed with raw passion driven lyrics sounds like he could belnd right in the with EPMD and Rakim. Anyone that saw him on tour with a ten piece band along side ghostface and rakim knows his capabilities. His newest release, "The Truth Is Here" EP is a solid set of songs that might have been passed over for the final cut of "Undisputed Truth". I feel a few could have made it. Overall, Brother Ali continues to capture listeners covering everything from his daily habits on tour to Islam and more. If you haven't bothered tuning into the "Champion Sound" at this point in your hip-hop fandom, its about time you see what this Rhymesayer is all about.

FLOW - 4
Lyricial Content 4
Production - 4
Albumness - 3.5
OVERALL 4