IAR/SwAzeLife Pic Of The Week

Erin
San Diego, CA

Underground Spotlight: Vice Carter

Name: Vice Carter
Age: 19
Hometown: Flint, MI (Fli City)
Affiliation: United State Of Grinders, (U.S.G.) E-World Ent, High Dreams Music Group, Crown Black Music, E.B.E., A.T.C., (Addicted To Cash Entertainment) & Blue Label Street Team
Released Projects:
"Grand Theft Audio 1" (2009, re-released in 2011)
"Grand Theft Audio: Prequel B4 The Sequel" (2010)
"Grand Theft Audio 2" (2011)
Upcoming Projects: 
"Grand Theft Audio 3" (2012)
"Transpose Aggression" (2012)


Youth is synonymous with hip-hop.  Youth is not often synonymous with an extensive resume' and a reputable work ethic. Not only does Vice Carter possess both of the aforementioned traits, his sharp, witty lyricism is forging the way and reminding the youth of the rap game to choose their words carefully.  With such a rigorous platform for new up and comers, the Flint, MI native is proving his worth and making it difficult for underground freshman to keep up.  When describing Vice's music, versatility is the operative noun.  His boundless style and creativity makes it simplistic for him to flow over any given beat, old school, new age, underground, or mainstream.  The evolution of youthful rap artists' is typically formulated by influence and propaganda to make music that is either radio friendly, or beneficial to someone trying to further their own agendas.  Vice Carter is not an artist submerged in that abysmal construct.  He's making true hip-hop music, his own way, with a tight-knit team, and the originality is evident.  While he's still relatively anonymous, his incredible pen game, determination, and drive to compile complete, authentic, and credible music will quickly vanquish that anonymity.  "Fli City" stand up.

Download "The Grand Theft Audio" Mixtape Series at www.datpiff.com


Follow on Twitter @www.twitter.com/ViceCarter               

IAR Interview: Young Renegade

The rapper, Young Renegade.  The home, Blvcklvnd. (Blackland)  The family, Rvidxr Klvn. (Raider Klan)  This Carol City native is no stranger to the ubiquitous struggles of life in South Florida, and his music is a fitting exemplification of those hard times.  Like every member of the Klvn, Young Renegade brings his own assets that provide him individuality, while still staying consistent with the musical pattern of the Rvidxr's.  The ominous feel to his music is combined with a lighter delivery, making him incomparable to most MC's.  Renegade merges deep and macabre content with a more radio friendly feel, placing him as a commodity in underground hip-hop.  Also, his production delves into so many avenues mixing raw lyricism, the signature Rvidxr "Phonk," along with trippy undertones and even elements of chopped and screwed.  While he's achieved the ability to make a plethora of memorable tracks, his 90's influences also delves into his freestyling ability.  While the art of the freestyle usually diverges into exorbitant lanes, Young Renegade's freestyles remain consistent and undeviating, transforming him into an artist who is in touch and confident in the exact music he wants to make.  Rvidxr Klvn is a complete and strong collective, but Young Renegade is yet another example of how diverse the individual members are in their solo endeavors.  He's eccentric, deep, complicated, seasoned, and individualistic in his artistry.  His introspection into life and the rap game, make him an avid storyteller, of both fiction and non-fictional elements, only expanding his lyrical prowess.  It's A Rap had the privilege of catching up with Young Renegade and getting some insight into the true emotions of the resider of Blvcklvnd.  Raw, real, and relevant, Young Renegade is broadcasting both Rvidxr phonk and mainstream appeal, live from the underground.


IAR: How did you get started in hip-hop?
YR: "I got started in hip- hop back in 2003 when I was in 8th Grade going into 9th grade.  In the summer I was playin' sports, I was just rhymin' one day with stuff I seen, as I was walkin' like grass or rhyme it with glass, and from there I would freestyle and write a lot of lyrics and watch a lot of dvd's out of New York, Smack dvd's, comein' up dvd's, dats how I got started with hip hop."


IAR: How did you link up with Rvidxr Klvn?
YR:. "I linked up with Rvidxr through one of SpaceGhostPurrp's cousins, I really met Purrp through the internet, Myspace, a while back.  He always knew bout the music I was puttin' out back on Myspace days, it's funny you can go on his old Myspace page when he was Muney Jordan and you can still see his friends on there.  So, we've known about each other, been about a couple years through the net."


IAR: Do you approach you music with the consistency of the Klvn's style in mind?
YR: "I approach with a lot of influcences.  Downsouth influnces like New Orleans, Miami, Memphis, Texas, Atlanta, and all the south.  The west coast and the east coast.  New York is a big influence, dats where I tend to get my story tellin' from."


IAR: What was the concept behind "No Emotions In Blvcklvnd?"
YR: "The concept behind No Emotions In Blvcklvnd was like my life growin' up in Carol City in Blvcklvnd and Miami.  The struggle, the violence, times I almost lost my life stunting round the city, with my descease brother Dauntrae.  To show the people where I came from, Carol City Miami Blvcklvnd, the place where anything can happen any second, like anywhere.  So dat was the concept."


IAR: Influences?
YR: "I've got so many influcence.  2pac, Outkast, N.W.A., Hot Boyz, Trick Daddy, S.U.C., No Limit, Three 6 Mafia, Biggie Smalls, The Lox, Snoop Dogg, Chopper Young City, J-hood, and a lot of Houston, west coast, east coast, and this whole Rvidxr klvn movement.  All the members of the klvn are an influence, everybody got dey own sound and own style how dey paint pictures."


IAR: Artists you want to work with?
YR: "The artists I want to work with that are alive are Outkast and Wu-Tang Clan.  Artists who are dead would be 2Pac and Biggie."


IAR: Producers you want to work with?
YR: "Producers I'd say, Dr.Dre, Jazzy Pha, SpaceGhostPurrp, Cool and Dre, and a lot I can't name at the moment." (Laughs)


IAR: Are you touring or do you have shows coming up?
YR: "Right now I aint touring.  In Miami with the Klvn movement until things start pickin' up more with the buzz.  But yeah I've got a show next month, a Miami strip club called The Office and lookin' foward to touring when my buzz pick up and more people get familiar with me."


IAR: Describe your sound.
YR: "My sound is me.  I'm inspired by a lot of music, but my sound is unique, I try to paint a picture to you to make you feel where I came from and the struggle and life I've been through.  My sound can sound like Down South, or Up North, or West Coast.  I tend to switch until I get one sound I'm comfortable with."


IAR: Future Plans/Projects?
YR: "My next project is comin' out is "Reincarnated Phonk 1988" it's like a tribute to the year I was born in the 80's, the music's not goin' to sound like 80's, but it's like I'm reincarnated.  Bringin' a lil hip- hop back or a lil crunk vibe, the style dat mainly fits my styles, dat tape is going to drop mid June or early July.  This like my last project, I'mma' have features.  The rest of my projects goin' to be me solo.  I want the people to get to know me and get used to my sound and story I'm bringin', so I plan to release four mo' projects before the year is over, a couple more mixtapes, and a couple EPs.  You might have with like nine fire songs dat can be in rotation daily, but look out for the whole Rvidxr Klvn, everybody has projects droppin' each month or new music on Youtube each week.  Thanks for interview.  1000."


Download "No Emotions In Blvcklvnd" at www.datpiff.com/YOUNG-RENEGADE-No-Emotions-In-Blvcklvnd-mixtape.327976.html

Follow on Twitter @www.twitter.com/YOUNGRENEGADERK

Mixtape Review: Lo Keys-"American Greed" (Scams, Schemes, And Broken Dreams)

NC Native Lo Keys is expanding.  His name, music, brand, etc.  His highly anticipated release of "American Greed: Scams, Schemes, And Broken Dreams" is a bona fide testament to that expansion.  Hosted by Big Mike and DJ Woogie, "American Greed" is by far his most well-rounded, experimental, and complete tape to date.  With a significant resume' of work, Lo Keys' newest installment to his repertoire exudes the undeniable feel of, not a free, downloadable mixtape, but a full length album.  Setting aside his impeccable wordplay which has been evidently present in all his tapes, the concept behind "American Greed" is thorough and precise and declares a theme from Intro to Outro.  Simplistic and melodic beats on tracks like "Floatin," "American Greed," and "Nameless" allow Lo to shine through with simply just his pen game and provide the opportunity for listeners to truly connect with his messages.  "They Watchin" and "Hell Yeah!" have a cipher feel.  They add a retro element and vintage sound to the tape from the rap transformation, somewhere around the mid to late 90's.  Lo Keys' art is most impressive due to his ability to adapt and conform to a track.  Regardless of the beat, delivery, feature, etc., Lo's flow and bars depict the feel and potency of each track, as opposed to the production establishing dominance.  The features on "American Greed," which include big names like; Killa Kyleon, LiveSosa, Young Gliss, Glasses Malone, Prodigy, Jon Connor, Killer Mike, and recently signed Bad Boy artist Los, are specific and calculating, implemented accurately, not weighing down the tape or saturating the material.  Lo Keys flow, accompanied by the features, are extremely complimentary of each other.  "All Alone" and "No Love" are an introspective divulgence, administering a deeper more personal feel to tape, making it relatable to even a casual listener.  "American Greed's" greatest accomplishment is it's evolution and demonstration of Lo Key's maturation process within his blossoming hip-hop career.  His flow is intact, bars a decisive, and he's propagating positive change as a true artist, not just another formulaic rapper.  The new tape is a giant step and achievement for the NC spitter, solidifying his movement and further establishing him as an artist who is here to stay.  "American Greed: Scams, Schemes, And Broken Dreams" is a fitting name and a prophetic statement for Lo Keys, because even though he's established as a true MC, he's not satisfied, and won't stop until he has it all.

Download Lo Keys new Mixtape "American Greed: Scams, Schemes, and Broken Dreams at www.datpiff.com/Lo-Keys-American-Greed-mixtape.360483.html  

The SwAze Playlist XXV

XXV.  No Particular order, just equally dope..Certififed.

1. T. Mills ft. Cocaine 80's-"Other Bit*h Callin"

2. Curren$y-"Biscayne Bay"

3. Ethelwulf-"I Don't Mind"

4. Childish Gambino-"Do Ya Like"

5. A$AP Rocky ft. Lloyd banks-"Make It Stack"

6. .38 Spesh ft Chinx Drugz & French Montana-"The Appeal"

7. Meyhem Lauren-"Fingerless Driving Gloves"

8. Pusha T ft. Rick Ross & Ab-"I Still Wanna Rock"

9. OJ Da Juiceman-"Narley"

10. Yung Simmie-"Dat Man"

IAR/SwAzeLife Pic Of The Week

Love for IAR

IAR Interview: Ethelwulf

The reminiscent feel of hip-hop's past and antiquated culture has made a colossal resurgence in recent years.  The swag, ego, musical composition, and the outright feel of the culture has taken a retro step back, while continuously evolving and progressing.  The collective assortment of Raider Klan (RVIDXR KLVN) is playing a significant and cogent part in the rap games evolution.  Klan spitter Ethelwulf is setting himself apart, combing new age 'phonk" with a vintage approach to his music, creating a unique paradox within the culture.  Ethelwulf is the personification of innovation.  Take Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, a early Mystikal, coupled with a trippy intellect and the signature RVIDXR sound, and the finished product is Ethelwulf.  His music creates a metaphorical time machine in which he transports you to a 90's era feel, while still maintaining the forging and pioneering style for which all KLVN fans have become accustomed.  Even though his craft leans towards the darker side, the allure of his content, sharp-tongued delivery, and archaic, yet forging, style make him avant-garde, original, and most importantly, authentic.  Ethelwulf possesses the confidence and novelty to make music his way, unrestricted and uninhibited, which is why his rise within the hip-hop ranks is inevitable.  It's A Rap had the privilege of catching up with the BLVCKLVND RVIDXR KLVN member and with his groundbreaking mixtape "The Wolf Gang's Radolphe," a collection of features, and an unparalleled sound, Ethelwulf is creating a genre within an existing genre and invariably putting the Phonk back in hip-hop.


IAR: When did you get started in hip-hop?
Ethelwulf: "My friends took me to a studio one day two years ago, fuc*ed up and let me on the mic and now I'm here."


IAR: How did you link up with RVIDXR KLVN and what role does that play in your music?
Ethelwulf: "Purrp (SpaceGhostPurrp) found me back in march.  I used to think the way I rap was played out, but the Klvn made me comfortable enough to bring back the phonk."


IAR: What inspired the name Ethelwulf?
Ethelwulf: "Ethel means "noble," which I am to my klvn family ethelwulf was also a king.  I am king of my flows you could say."


IAR: There is a faint feel of 90's Bone Thugs in your records, is that an element of your music or your own personal writing style?
Ethelwulf: "Uhm, I don't know,  I learned a lot from bone.  I've had my own flow mastered since middle school."


IAR: What was the concept behind "The Wolf Gang's Rodolphe?"
Ethelwulf: "I think of myself as the wolfgang leader, Rodolphe means "famous wolf" get it? Yeah."


IAR: The KLVN sound is very specific, do you approach all of your projects with that same feel in mind?
Ethelwulf: "Uhm, yeah as far as flowing out on the beats yeah."


IAR: Influences?
Ethelwulf: "Mystikal, Korn, Gangsta Pat, Bizzy Bone, Juicy J, Koopsta Knicca, Japanese anime music, Enya, Friendzone, and sh*t loads more."


IAR: Artists/producers you want to work with?
Ethelwulf: "Odd Future."


IAR: Describe your style.
Ethelwulf: "Strong, certain, my own art."


IAR: Future plans/projects?
Ethelwulf: "Lord knows, I'm just living everyday, follow my Twitter."

Follow on Twitter @www.twitter.com/TheEthelwulf


Download "The Wolf Gang's Rodolphe" at www.datpiff.com