Fortress Festival with Run the Jewels, Purity Ring, Flying Lotus, Slowdive and more Fort Worth Cultural District, Fort Worth Saturday, April 29, and Sunday, April 30, 2017 Like any first-year festival, the two-day, two-stage Fortress Fest was not without its flaws. But last weekend it proved it could grow into…
Lil Wayne South Side Ballroom, Dallas Friday, April 28, 2017 For the last three years, Lil Wayne’s hip-hop career has been plagued by an ugly legal battle with Birdman, the co-founder of his parent record label Cash Money Records, who has held up the release of the highly anticipated Carter…
Six Shooter is a recurring feature where we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians Sarah Jaffe – “Bad Baby” This month Sarah Jaffe announced her new album Bad Baby will be released July 7, and debuted the title track on NPR. “Bad Baby” continues Jaffe’s electro-pop stylings she’s…
There is a lack of stability when it comes to high profile, multi-genre music festivals in North Texas. Over the last few years, several festivals have tried to make it, without success. Suburbia in 2014 proved to be a one-and-done; the pug-themed festival Bulladora was rained out last year and…
Dallas’ fragmented hip-hop scene forced Diego Money to be a nomad. In 2013, the then 17-year-old was making music that didn’t sound like the other artists in Oak Cliff, and he had no interest in being part of Deep Ellum’s alternative hip-hop scene. He was making what he calls “young…
Rick Ross and Trina Gas Monkey Live, Dallas Thursday, April 13, 2017 Rick Ross has more to celebrate than ever before. At 41 years old the superstar rapper from Miami is reaching new heights in his decade-long career with the release of his ninth studio album, Rather You Than Me…
It’s not simple being FlexinFab. The 19-year-old, born Fabricio Rojas, is currently riding a wave of success only six months after setting out on his rap career. On the flip side, he’s knee deep in internet trolls and hip-hop purists who think he represents everything that’s wrong with the genre…
21 Savage With Tee Grizzley and Young M.A. House of Blues, Dallas Sunday, April 2, 2017 21 Savage has described his style of rap as “murder music,” and he carried this idea through his entrance to House of Blues last night. The rapper, né Shayaa Abraham-Joseph, emerged from what looked…
Six Shooter is a recurring feature where we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians. Kaela Sinclair – “Golden” Yesterday Gorilla Vs. Bear premiered this new single from singer Kaela Sinclair’s upcoming album. As mentioned in the blog post, Sinclair’s solo career has been on hold the past year…
Jake Ryan Hull and Nick Melita have mastered the art of the intimate performance. The creators of Dallas-based Cinderblock Sessions — which delivers “one-take” performance videos for up-and-coming Dallas artists with a small, select audience in attendance — brought everything they’ve learned over the past two years to Austin’s South…
The stage at a sold-out Trees on Sunday night proved to be the perfect fit for Thundercat to perform: large enough to accommodate the big sounds from the stage but intimate enough for the more informal, modern lyrics. This weekend’s Dallas show was Stephen Bruner and company’s final one of…
R. Kelly Gas Monkey Live, Dallas Sunday, March 5, 2017 Last night when the curtain dropped and the spotlight hit R&B icon R. Kelly, he was wearing sunglasses and a Chicago Bulls hat, and holding a cigar. He was surrounded by a DJ; security guards; members of the opening act,…
Six Shooter is a recurring feature where we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians. Pat Ron – “Psilocybin” Psilocybin is a psychedelic compound naturally found in certain species of mushrooms. From the opening strings of Pat Ron’s newest track off his upcoming album, This Time Last Year, it’s…
Fifteen years ago Rob Viktum began putting together Shoot The Messenger. “This record is the first time that everything has come together and felt perfect,” Viktum says. “My whole career I’ve been making music, but I’ve never really made a record that was 100 percent and totally me. I’ve either been pulled…
Last week was a whirlwind of activity for R&B singer-songwriter Ladarrion Darnell, also known as Imaj. The 23-year-old visited radio stations across DFW including 89.3 KNON, 97.9 the Beat, K104 and 105.7 Smooth RnB to promote his new single “Something Real,” earning him spins on those stations. Then, on Valentine’s Day, he…
Being in the rap game for over 15 years earns you some leeway, as Dallas rap legend Tum Tum has learned. For one, he’s never in a rush to release new music. It’s been almost six years since his last studio album. But on Feb. 28, Tum Tum will release…
Six Shooter is a recurring feature where we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians. Che — Che Got Wings If you’re a fan of PartyNextDoor, Bryson Tiller, Travis Scott or Post Malone, this five-track EP from enigmatic singer Che and Dallas-based producer Cardo Got Wings is for you…
South by Southwest started as a small indie festival in 1987, but in 29 years it’s grown to become a keynote event of the music industry. That means it’s also increasingly crowded with performances, and the chances of getting a big break seem slimmer every year. Nevertheless, many Dallas musicians have…
Chance The Rapper is coming back to Dallas. The superstar rapper will headline ScoreMore’s fifth annual JMBLYA lineup, which currently includes Steve Aoki, Lil Uzi Vert, 6Black and Young Dolph, with more artists to be announced soon, along with the venue. JMBLYA kicks off Friday, May 5, in Dallas with…
The next family gathering J. Catalyst attends may be a bit awkward. At Club Dada on Friday he edged out five rappers to become the brand new Master of the Mic, and among them was his own cousin, Dre the Hitman. J. Catalyst, whose real name is Jason Broussard, is…
Six Shooter is a recurring feature where we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians. Dallas hip-hop reigned supreme in the month of December. End-of-the-year releases represented all corners of the city’s fragmented scene, including Southern hip-hop, trap, alternative, fusion and everything in between. Some well-known, established North Texas…
Young Thug is an unusual rap star. His off-kilter delivery includes rapid flows, screeching falsettos, barks and growls or mumbles that are downright inaudible at times, and he cultivates an androgynous look, often wearing feminine clothing. Even if his music can be as misogynist as that of his genre peers, his…
