Crib Notes

THE RE-UP: Producer 808 Blake preps the sequel.

A lot can happen in a year. Just ask production duo SMKA. That’s just about how long it’s taken for them to bogart Atlanta’s other-ground rap scene. And they’ve got the schedule to prove it.

They’re currently working on mixtapes featuring Atlanta artists Trimm, A. Leon Craft (formerly of the Backwudz) and, of course, the second installment of the compilation that started their buzz in the first place, The 808 Experiment: Vol. 1. Tack on a gig with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (they’re remixing a classical piece with lyrics by A. Leon Craft), and it’s easy to see why they’ve become one of the brightest spots emerging from Atlanta’s music scene.

“We learned a lot this past year,” says Mike Walbert, business manager for the duo, made up of primary producer, 808 Blake and Bobby Ray’s guitarist, Kyle “7” King. “We want Vol. 2 to have a bigger impact. Our goals are loftier. We want to open more ears to our music and even put our music on a larger plateau.”

Continue reading “SMKA travels at the speed of sound”

(Photo by Dustin Chambers)

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MOVIN' THE CROWD: Rakim

SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM RAKIM’S SHOW

You know the feeling you get when the DJ makes the last call for alcohol?

You know you probably don’t need another Blue Moon, but what the hell? You’re there; you may as well. Same goes for the A3C Festival. With more than enough acts to chose from, attendees staggered from one venue to the next looking for one last shot to keep them properly buzzed until next year.

Though the entire final day was full of joyful hip-hop activity, the most potent shots of the night belonged to Rakim, Mike Bigga (Killer Mike), J. Cole and … Grip Plyaz? (We’ll get to that later).

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DUCK DOWN: Buckshot brings the heat at East Atlanta Icehouse

There’s something to be said about hip-hoppers that don’t have to worry about going to work in the morning. Maybe it’s that Johnny Kemp “Just Got Paid” syndrome. Maybe it’s the cheap PBR. Whatever. Last night, heads were clearly more than ready to shake that load off at day two of the A3C Festival — and the energy was electric.

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BEHIND DOOR NO. 3: Spree Wilson

Remember the old game shows? You know the ones where the over-eager contestant would get to chose a prize behind Door No. 1 (a compact cd player!), Door No. 2 (a new leather couch!), or Door No. 3 (a new Subaru!).

This year’s A3C Festival is a little like that.

While the laminated “map” to the events was studied diligently by some of the heads in attendance, by and large East Atlanta Village presented a maze of hip-hop wonders last night, taking a cue from the popular South By Southwest Fest in Austin, Tex. where music lovers wander and pop into bars and venues at will.

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STICKY ICKY SITUATION: Devin the Dude

UPDATED SHOW DATE: Devin the Dude with 88 Keys. $20. Fri., June 19. Apache Café, 64 3rd St. 404-876-5436. www.apachecafe.com.

Over the last decade, only one dude has consistently maneuvered hip-hop’s flinty trends, coastal biases and various mid-life crises. His name — Devin the Dude. And most hip-hop heads consider the dude a legend. Himself? Eh, not so much.

“Well, only because it rhymes with Devin,” he obliges with a chuckle. “I still think I have a lot to accomplish and do to feel as if I’m a legend. Maybe a gold album?”

But it’s his sense of humor — not units sold — that’s always been his hook. His self-deprecating, smoked-out and sexually explicit stories had folks calling him hip-hop’s Richard Pryor after his first album, The Dude, dropped. Eleven years and several albums later, he’s among the few who can say he’s worked with such alternative rappers as De La Soul and Dilated Peoples to Raphael Saadiq, Nas and Dr. Dre — all while consistently remaining himself.

Continue reading “Devin the Dude, a legend in his own rhyme”

(Photo courtesy Devin the Dude)

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ALMOST FAMOUS: Danny!

He’s dropped 10 albums, including three instrumentals and a Best Of — just to “be funny,” says the MC. He’s been on the shortlist for the Grammys, charted on Billboard, retired, and inevitably returned.

Yet, South Carolina-reared, Atlanta-based MC/producer Danny Swain, aka Danny!, still considers his upcoming show opening for rap phenom Drake on May 2 as his “official coming-out party.”

When Danny! emerged in 2004 with his debut, The College Kicked-Out, after being expelled from Claflin University following an alleged cheating scandal, he didn’t expect his career to move so slowly. His above-average, sample-heavy production and sometimes self-deprecating lyrics should’ve landed him on every blogger’s hit list with the cyber rappers of the day. It didn’t.

Continue reading “Danny! is something like a phenomenon”

(Photo courtesy Danny Swain)

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BEST OF YESTERYEAR: Mic Club didn’t go out without a fight.

Mic Club — the weekly event hosted and promoted by Dres the Beatnik at Apache Cafe — gave up the ghost this past Tuesday before a packed house full of faithful followers.

The weekly show was canceled when Apache owner, Asa Fain and Dres couldn’t come to an agreement about Dres’ compensation. After a few circulated emails, with both men defending their decisions, things came to a head Tuesday.

Before the battles began, Dres took the mic, reminiscing about the event and its numerous helpers and supporters, proudly adding that for the past six years the show always went on — rain, sleet or snow. He also mentioned that 10 million DVDs had been sold that chronicled Mic Club, bellowing that the “World Famous Mic Club will never die!”

The words “love and loyalty” were repeatedly slipped into his diatribe, as he not so subtly suggested that he was shown none by the Apache owners.

“The only thing we ask is that you take care of the people that take care of you, and that’s why we’re at this point now,” he said.

Despite the original idea behind the event, the mediocre emcees were mostly props for Mic Club’s colorful ending. Shortly after 2 a.m., Dres got onstage for the final battle, but ended up sidetracked, deciding instead to talk about his troubled relationship with Apache.

At that point, Asa grabbed the mic from the soundboard at the back of the club, urging Dres to “talk about it” with him, before getting on stage and suggesting that Dres wasn’t telling the entire story. (more…)

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YelaWolf is an of-the-moment type of dude. He’s supposed to be talking about the influence his Gadsden, Ala., roots have had on his music, but after a couple of minutes of storytelling, with the last anecdote recalling the days he spent as a fisherman in Alaska, he pauses. “Wait, what the hell did you even ask me?”

Continue reading CD Release.

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(Shelton Kelley and Keith Dorsey)

Some ghetto Hammer shit. That’s how PK describes his upcoming album led by “Monster Jam,” featuring Tony Towers and Atlanta legend MC Shy D. The single channels its bassline straight from the early ’90s.

“I’m bringing back personality [and] fun,” PK says.

Continue reading Spotlight.

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