Hey ya’ll, I know it’s been a minute but I’m still here! So you should be familiar with the smooth vocals of Kaya,(if not you’re missing out on some great music)…. Well she’s back with a new song from her new album, and it does NOT disappoint! I love this woman’s music and I could go on and on about it but you can hear her thoughts on HERE …check it out and support the LP HERE!
The inscrutable Danny Swain strikes again ya’ll! Long Time Comin is his latest and it’s full of the usual unusualness, if that makes any sense… Lets just say the homie Danny is on his A game as always. Too much witty wordplay and cleverly concealed puns to absorb in a single listen, Long Time delivers dense bars that lovers of true hip hop lust for. And he made the beat to…. Really it’s a mystery to me he still gets slept on so much! Check it out ya’ll! Download Here
From the South Carolina music scene comes a lady with a lot of talent who’s poised to take the top spot. Sadie Hawkins returns with her newest mixtape “Girl Interrupted”, and I must say it was worth the wait! From melodic slow flow to rapid fire machine gun spittin, Sadie maintains perfect control and flawless timing. The tracks display her ability to write on a variety of topics, with down to earth bars ranging from partying, everyday struggles, pursuing dreams and life as woman in today’s world. The bouncy upbeat marching band joint Cocky has the energy of a SC State game, while songs like Moan and Comeback keep it moving and will no doubt be club classics. Sadie shifts from sexy and sultry to straight street seamlessly as she goes hard on joints like Slay. On Microphone Checka Sadie flexes her lyrical muscle for those who might be doubting, with straight raw rhymin riding the boom bap beat with ease. Then when you think you got her figured out she changes up her game and speaks straight from the soul on freestyle tracks HYFR and Nobody’s Perfect, all the while reppin SC to the fullest. Sadie is here, and like DJ Scream said”She’s a Problem ya’ll!” Click Cover to Download
Just some thoughts on the Trayvon Martin…
Where's the Justice?
A young man is dead, shot in the chest. It happened back in February, and finally the press is starting to give this tragedy the coverage it deserves. Now that it came to light his untimely death has created a whirlwind of anger and discontentment across the nation. From all the details I’ve seen thus far it looks like Zimmerman was over zealous in his unofficial policemen role, pursing and confronting Martin. There’s not much Martin could have done, he wasn’t in a back alley, abandoned building or some other place he had no business being, he was in his Dad’s neighborhood. He wasn’t armed or climbing out of someone’s window with a TV in hand; he did nothing wrong. If a strange person was following you then started to chase you, what would you do? How would you react? It’s not like Zimmeran was
in a police uniform; for all Martin knew this could have been someone attempting to rob or harm him. And what of Zimmerman’s contiuning freedom? Well if I had been in his shoes I’d be under the jail, how has he not been arreasted? I guess the sobering part about this is that though for all our collective pain and outrage, the shock lies more in the idea Zimmerman was not arrested than that the shooting happened at all. The incident itself is not such a suprise, we all know the fact is we are already a supsect before there’s even been a crime just by default. I know I’ve been stopped for being black on a friday night, and I’ve seen the employee’s eyes following me as I shop. It’s an ugly byproduct of our culture and history, which is made crystal clear when one examins the facts. If you purse an unarmed person, confront them and shoot them, it’s painfully obvious that is not self defense. Black, white, brown whatever, it makes no differnce, or 
at least it shouldn’t. A frank discussion about race, bias, stereotypes, the roots of it all and what to do now is long overdue. Hopefully the rallies, blogs, media coverage, and displays of solidarity move this issue foward. And maybe, when my son grows up he won’t have to explain the ugly truth of such things to his son, or is that too much to ask? Only time will tell. For now I’ll keep pushing for justice and not let this young man’s death be in vain.
Anyone who even vaguely knows me is aware that I’m knee deep in the arts. And everyone generally knows I’m a born Columbia native and proud of it. That being said I enjoy keeping up with the scene in my hometown, but the coverage could be better. Now it was purely by chance that I discovered just what I was missing…. Jasper! 
Jasper is a new Columbia based magazine that touches on all aspects of the art scene. From traditional visual art, music, literature, and theatre to more non-traditional artistic expression nothing is left out or neglected. The third issue(Jan/Feb 2012) is beautifully constructed with vivid photography, accompanied by well written articles. It featured artist such as Lucas Sams, and Cedric Umoja(a personal favorite) to dancer Journy Wilkes-Davis as well as the wonderful NiA theatre troupe among others. And the feature poetry and reviews add yet another element to the already robust offering. I love it and I’m already looking forward to the next issue!
I’d like to think I’m not easily impressed, actually I can be a bit harsh(so I’ve been told)… That being said this EP from Kaya must be really good because it’s been in HEAVY rotation since I got a hold of it! And add to that the fact that it’s merely a collection of roughs, demos, and unmixed tracks, it becomes obvious how stunningly talented Kaya is.
A quick rundown… The first track “Why Don’t We” is my current favorite. The stuttering staccato of the drum pattern gives it an unstable foundation that perfectly compliments her smooth calm cool cadence. The lyrics in “Fake” display an astounding depth of though that’s completely engaging. “Can’t Survive Love” is a churning sea of emotion drenched in haunting piano melodies(I’d love to hear what the arrangement sounds like on the finished version). Between the thump of the kick and pulse of the thick bass, her airy voice tickles the fringes of your ears on “Lovelife”. I think the uncomplicated musical backdrop of these unfinished tracks work well and leave room for her musing lyrics to shine, but I can’t wait to hear Kaya’s polished songs. I’m loving the rough edges on this one, and it says a lot when an arist’s demo cuts are better than many other’s finished work…. Check out Kaya’s EP Imperfections HERE if haven’t yet!
Quarantine Klark 
