The New Boston Revolution

When people think of Hip Hop and the cities that have contributed the most to the culture, they rarely pick Boston. Even though Boston was where The Source started out as a two page newsletter in Skippy White’s stores to alert consumers to new hip hop releases. Gangstarr originally started out here. The High & The Mighty started out here while Mr. Eon was attending Boston University. Some of the most important independent labels and distributors over the past 10 years have been based here (Brick, Traffic, Landspeed, etc.) . There’s a list longer than the Green Monster of hip hop classics made and produced by Boston area/MA based talent over the last 20+ years. Regardless of all these facts and many more I could list, Boston somehow still doesn’t get it’s due in regards to Hip Hop. Here are some heads that are out to change all that:

On the entertainment front, there are a good amount of talented emcees that are getting national exposure and attention from labels. There is also a long list of well respected underground emcees and groups from the Boston/MA/New England area with global fanbases. The following emcees are not only on the verge of breaking through and putting Boston back on the map nationally, but they’ve been cosigned by DJ’s like DJ Premier, DJ Kayslay, Clinton Sparks, Statik Selektah, Peter Parker, Chubby Chub, DJ Kurupt, and DJ GeeSpin. Here they are:

Dre Robinson (Pollymore Music Group/Fontana)
http://www.myspace.com/drerobinson
http://www.pollymoremusic.com

Smoke Bulga (Rushya/Phast Life)
http://www.myspace.com/smokebulga
http://www.smokebulga.com

Lou Armstrong (Hitmakerz)
http://www.myspace.com/louarmstrong
http://www.myspace.com/hitmakerzentcom

Frankie Wainwright (Team 220)
http://www.myspace.com/frankiewainwright
http://www.myspace.com/team220

Slaine (Commonwealth Records/La Coka Nostra/Special Teamz)
http://www.myspace.com/slaine
http://www.myspace.com/lacokanostra

Termanology (ST Da Squad/Showoff Records)
http://www.myspace.com/therealtermanology
http://www.showoffhiphop.com/term.html

Brix (Big Hustle/W.O.L.V.E.S.)
http://www.myspace.com/brix617
http://www.myspace.com/brix
http://www.brix-central.com

We can also claim some excellent artists, graphic designers and clothing lines that have come out of the Boston area and are on the edge of breaking out. The Madtwinz are the artists and creators of the popular series, Blokhedz. Not only has Blokhedz become a popular comic book and produced some toys and an animated feature is currently in production, but it also has a monthy strip in the back of Scratch Magazine, carrying on the tradition that began with C Traze Studios’ (Da Unda’Ground) strips in The Source. Fishscale USA is a Boston and Miami based urban clothing company that has taken the industry by storm since they first appeared on the scene. Rekloos US is crew of graf artists and graphic designers that have some of the illest designs that you’ve ever seen. They’ve also been known to throw down live at shows making original pieces on the spot from time to time. Check them all out here:

Mike & Mark Davis PKA Madtwinz (creators/artists of Blokhedz):
http://www.blokhedz.tv/
http://www.myspace.com/blokhedz
http://www.myspace.com/g_pak

Fishscale USA
http://www.fishscaleusa.com/
http://www.myspace.com/fishscaleusamiami

Rekloos US
http://www.rekloos.us/
http://rekloos.us/rekloosartists.swf
http://www.myspace.com/rekloos

It’s been hard trying to get heads to recognize the numerous beatmakers from the Boston/MA/New England area. We’ve had some excellent events for our local beatmakers to showcase their skills for the entire industry to see. The end result? The profile of Boston/MA/New England beatmakers increases exponentially. Rep grows bigger. Here are the promoters, movers and shakers that are out hustling, organizing and making these important events possible:

Boston Beat Battle:
Big Hek (DarkFigurez Entertainment)
http://www.myspace.com/ 43418299
http://www.myspace.com/75791260
http://www.bostonbeatbattle.com/

Beat Suite:
Marlene “Koko” Boyette (Restless Entertainment) & Kas (Backcourt Records)
http://www.myspace.com/restlessmiss
http://www.myspace.com/dkastal

Boston/MA/New England Producers Spotlight:
J. Cardim (Dice Music/Respect And Power)
http://www.myspace.com/jcardim
http://www.myspace.com/respectandpower

Nelly ProTools (Scratchismz Productions/Studios)
http://www.myspace.com/nellyprotools
http://www.myspace.com/scratchismzproductions

Cyrus Tha Great (Backcourt Records/Personal F.O.U.L.)
http://www.myspace.com/cyrusthagreat
http://www.myspace.com/personalfoul

Stu (Stu Bangas)
http://www.myspace.com/stubangas

LB (Imperfekt Musik)
http://www.myspace.com/lbeezy
http://www.myspace.com/imperfektmusik

Buctayla & Cardi AKA Brandon Heat (Hellsenda Productions)
http://www.myspace.com/hellsendaproductions

We’ve finally gotten organized and unified on a lot of points even though we still have some work to do we are definitely headed in the right direction thanks to the following cats. They even organized and put on something that was much needed and deserved for our hip hop community, the Boston Hip Hop Awards. Not only that, but they've also orchestrated a new live showcase that airs on local cable channel 26 will serve as a venue for Boston area talent. They are businessmen, CEO’s, promoters, and artists. I present to you all, Daneja, Bizznezz & Lyrical: the M.I.C. (Mass Industry Committee)

Mass Industry Committee:
http://www.myspace.com/massindustrycommittee
http://www.617live.tv

We also have a couple of websites and messageboards that we can always rely on to exchange ideas, information and find out what’s going on in/with the Boston/MA/New England hip hop scene. Here they are:

BostonRap.com (Mark Rosa):
http://www.bostonrap.com
http://www.myspace.com/bostonrapdotcom

RepDaBean.com (Cublunk/J.Biggz):
http://www.repdabean.com
http://www.myspace.com/repdabean

You’d figure that with all of these talented people and events going on, you’d need some people to document all of this living history for posterity...we have some extraordinary ones here in Boston. A.Garcia AKA DJ El of Foundation Movement (one of the elite hip hop groups in the area) also happens to be our own Gordon Parks. A. Garcia Photography is responsible for some of the most definitive images in Boston/MA/New England hip hop. Album covers, promo pictures, whatever you need, he’s the man to see.He is the proverbial yardstick by which we measure other photographers in the areas work.

Free Agents Enterprises consists of Roy Martin, Illy Haze and Keet. They are the directors, editors and distributors of the DVD series responsible for showcasing the area’s talent, Spotlight DVD. Free Agents Enterprises have also documented the Beat Suites and Boston Beat Battles as well as pointing their lenses in areas that often neglected by most industry heads and DVD magazines overlook when they come here as well as producing videos for groups in the neighborhoods of Massachusetts and New England. Check them out for yourselves:

http://www.myspace.com/agarciaphoto
http://bostonrap.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=11771 (Mini A. Garcia photo gallery)

http://www.spotlight-dvd.com
http://www.myspace.com/spotlightdvd
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=SPOTLIGHTBOSS (See clips of freestyles, videos, live shows and showcases)

The area’s premier independent hip hop label:
http://www.myspace.com/commonwealthrecords

The area’s premier hip hop show promoters:
http://www.leedzedutainment.com/
http://www.myspace.com/leedzedutainment

I’ll do these from time to time to shine light on some more emcees, DJ’s, producers, labels and promoters from my area that are holdin’ it down. I’ll also post some more rare compilations and CD’s next Monday.

One.