Other-ground Atlanta

Contrary to popular belief, every artist in Atlanta or the South for that matter does not trap, snap, lean, rock, crank, SupaMan and/or SpiderMan dem hoes. Not that I have anything against any of that, because hell, if I have enough drinks in me and the music is right, I will snap, lean and rock with the best of them. This is coming from a dude who has bounced and ragtopped until I couldn't sweat anymore. But, I doubt that you will see me cranking Supaman's and SpiderMan's on dem hoes. I don't think I have the energy for all of that.

That being said, I went to a show last Friday (the 13th) at the Drunken Unicorn. It featured a crop of artists that you can label "underground." But I don't think that's fair, especially with how that word is just thrown around now. It seems like every person who doesn't have a song on the radio or television likes to call themselves "underground." Even if their "underground" ass is making music identical to what is currently getting played on the radio and television. {turning away from soapbox}

That reminds me of something else. Me and JBoogie were having a discussion about how sound and image plays a big role in how people are percieved. For instance, we both have a mutual friend who said they don't listen to Slum Village or Little Brother because "i dont like that backpacker, concious shit." Anyone that listens to Slum V. knows that they talk about sex and hoes just as much as Daz and Kurupt. Its just that SV rocks Nike Dunks instead of Chucks and they had vibey/lounging beats from the Dilla and Dwele's of the world, and not that G-Funk from Dr. Dre/Warren G/DJ Quik/Battlecat or whoever else you wanna throw in that mix. Anyone who listens to Little Brother knows that, yes, they got college degrees, but they ain't coming at you like Chuck-ONE.

I guess I'm saying all of this to say, um...I dunno.

Anyways, I wanted to share some pics and info from the show I went to last Friday. It kinda turned into an under, er, other-ground Atlanta star party on the low.

[photography sponsored by bad lighting, 3 cans of PBR and a crowded room]

GRIPPLYAS


This was my first time seeing this dude live, but I'd been peeping stuff on his myspace page over the last year or so. The shit is slum as hell (that's a good thing). For the sake of reference, I'll say he reminds me of Devin because of the way he blends humor and sex in his rhymes. He performed a handful of songs, none of them sounded identical to each other and none of them sounded like something you would hear from someone else. He has that vintage-beat machine sound that everybody seems to be trying to recreate nowadays. Right now people are talking about his song "GITYOASSONDAFLO."

PROTON

Same thing here. Got familiar with thier stuff through Myspace about a year ago. They have this song called "Notice Me" that I really dig, I used have it as the profile song my Myspace page. They describe their sound as "Girl and Ghetto Shit." Why their brand of "Girls and Ghetto Shit" isn't being mass marketed, consumed and jumped on, I don't know. Guess it goes back to that Slum Village vs. Dogg Pound stuff I was saying earlier. But anyways, they also have some very original music you should check out.

YELAWOLF


Yelawolf isn't from Atlanta, he's from Gadsen, Alabama. But he pretty much lives/works in the A. I got hep to his stuff a couple years ago. I guess you could say that he was the headliner of the show. He ripped it and ended by performing his song "Run" with B.O.B. He is signed to Sony/Columbia, but he is still out in the streets doing shows at venues like this one and giving out mixtapes for free. I got a chance to hang with him and his people in Gadsen a couple months ago when they was shooting the video for his single "Kickin'." It felt like I was experiencing history or something. KP said "this is the realest video shoot I've been on since Outkast's 'Players Ball'." Everybody that sees or hears him for the first time get surprised because he's white and can rap, of course. Don't know if that's much of a compliment, but oh well. I thoroughly enjoy his stuff. You can download his mixtape at his Myspace page. Its dope. Not just just a bunch of songs thrown together, its actually themed from the cover art down to every track.

B.O.B.


Alot of you have probably heard of this dude already. He's from The DEC and reps it well. I got put on to him when I had to interview him for Ozone last year. He was so new at the time that we did the interview on his way to Atlantic Records where he would sign that day. He's dropped a couple mixtapes and he sends out like, 1,000 Myspace bulletins a day directing you to his page. If you've been, I assume you enjoyed most of what you heard. Alot of people are looking forward to this dude's album. Let's pray Atlantic doesn't give him the Saigon treatment.

MORE PICS

B.O.B. & Janelle Monae
(shameless plug: I wrote the first nationally published articles on both of these artists [B.O.B. for Ozone, Janelle for VIBE])


B.O.B. & The Dreamer
(Dreamer got some jammin' shit too, he does that "Grind" intro that Greg Street plays on his show. Look out for him.)


Zoo Atlanta & Gripplyaz
(I don't care, Zoo Atlanta is one of the tightest monikers to ever come from the city.)



DJ Quiet Storm
(Me and this dude go back. We've lost money together doing parties The Aquarium. Made money together doing parties at Club Mirage. Ran into each other going eastbound MARTA. Gave each other rides home. Now he DJ for the Atlanta Hawks, holds down a show on 88.5 FM every Saturday from 9 to 12 and spins at Slice, El Bar and a couple other spots. He is available for parties and club gigs at an affordable price.)



Wonder
(This is the dude who co-produced T.I.'s "What You Know")



SHOW PICS