Dear Friends...

There are few things better than lazing around on a Sunday afternoon after a jam packed weekend of amazing people, music and food (shouts to my folks for hooking up the home cooking for a post bday meal last night.) I kicked the weekend off a little early by heading down to EQPT for the PRC fall release party featuring hot dogs, the PG boys and Sol. It was a beautiful sunshiney day on the Ave and it felt more like a mid summer barbecue than a fall clothing release outside EQPT. A little after 3 we crammed and squished ourselves inside for the PG boys followed by Sol on the mic. It was hot and cramped but the crowd was loving it as can be witnessed in the video below.

For those not in the know Sol will be dropping a free ep this week (10/14) entitled the "Dear Friends," ep so keep an eye on his website because you don't want to miss that. Grab "Cash Rules" leaked earlier today by Sol, here and Sol's debut release "The Ride" on iTunes now. Peep more video from the EQPT in store on our youtube page (as well as clips from the Graymaker album release show.)and subscribe to keep up with our most recent video uploads.

p.s. And that limited edition Sol shirt you saw featured in the Kubiview last month? You can still cop that via Sol's myspace before it's too late. ;) Enjoy your Monday kids.

We all have a Man Crush on him

A good friend to Lovefest, Type (of The Let Go) has given Lovefest permission to post a free download of his EP "Amateur Hour." This is limited, kids, so get on it!

DON'T SLEEP ON THIS

This April it POURED

I am a creature of habit. Every December approximately a week after the Blowout I burrow myself a nest under my comforter and piles of half packed/unpacked clothes scattered across my bed and bunker down for the winter. I begrudgingly leave my hibernation headquarters only to go to work or retrieve supplies (food.) I resent anyone who attempts to drag, trick or force me into social interaction. The few times I am dragged kicking and screaming into the daylight only have me clinging harder to my hermit den in the coming weeks. This lasts until March. I peel myself out of my pajamas, wash and tease my hair, scrub my face and go blinking wide eyed into the sunshine of Paid Dues. The world is shiny and new, the raindrops smell fresh and sweet, spring has sprung and I anticipate Summer in a whirlwind of excitement. Not this year. This year the world unceremoniously booted my ass out into the shivering wonderland of February for the Never Better tour. (Minneapolis in February, really? What was I thinking?) And then a slew of releases, shows and lovely company followed one on top of the other and before I knew it Paid Dues had come and gone and here I was staring April in the face. And April stared back. Hard.

I have been waiting, and waiting... And WAITING to hear more from F. Stokes since I first caught him opening for Hand Over Fist last summer at the Entry. I watched the other faces in the front row and witnessed that exact moment some of them fell in love. Beautiful. And what better way to chase away those April showers than with certified Lazerbeak lava bangers? If "Tickle Me Mars" doesn't get you moving you are dead inside. Still no sign of this on iTunes but readily available from our friends over at doomtree.net. Stokes is on the come up people.

Speaking of releases that I've been waiting on, I was practically camped out at my mailbox waiting for my Black Blondie cd to make its way to me. Being hard working ladies I've managed to catch them a handful of times during my visits to Minneapolis and it was a total case at love at first sight/sound. To be completely honest I gave up on stalking my mailbox about an hour after I placed my order and then downloaded the album from Amazon. Shortly after I frantically texted the first person I could think of that would enjoy it half as much as I was and badgered him into check them out so I'd have someone to share my excitement. Being friends with me is an exercise in patience. You can still check out their track Candy Cigarettes over at City Pages but I really urge you just to pick up a copy of your very own. The wait paid off this disc is solid from start to finish.

April also brought Mr. Lif back to Seattle. This made me very happy for several reasons. One, its has been at least two years since I've caught Lif live. Two, he brought a new cd with him. Now its not on a Mo Mega level but I enjoyed it. Three, Monday night rap shows are my favorite way to start the week. Monday nights weed out the kids just looking for something to do while getting sloppy drunk and you find yourself in a room full of people really digging the music and having a good time. That said by the time I laid my little head on my pillow that night I was indeed sloppy drunk. Fail.

Later that week, on Friday in fact, I spent the evening not getting sloppy drunk at the Sodo for the When God Gives You Ugly tour. Last summer I narrowly missed seeing Attracted to Gods (at I want to say the Hexagon?) so I was very glad to get my second chance. So all you kids running on rap time and showing up late to the Atmosphere show, don't. Be on time, catch the openers its completely worth your while. I really probably don't have to say anything about P.O.S. but I really do love me some Never Better. The chemistry he and Bill have just makes for a fun time. I wore peep toed flats in the center of the mob. Bye bye pedicure, I may still have bruises. Picked up a copy of Mankwe Ndosi's ep and ATG's new cd before retreating to a safe spot in the bar for Atmosphere's set. Those kids play rough man. In the bar solo, (my fella's do not have the same fear of teenage girls that I do) head nodding I noticed a familiar t-shirt make its way towards me. Money, Paper, Loot, Scrilla. I of course had to stop the young man because I couldn't believe my eyes. Was that really a Muja Messiah shirt here in Seattle? He named dropped the Nomad and I felt heartsick. Seattle and Minneapolis really should be neighbors.

Honorable mentions for things I threw cash at that stuck this April include the new Kill The Vultures, Rick Ross, The FREE Houdini Mixtape and Dyme Def's new ep. April came hard but May isn't messing around either people you know you have a big sloppy red heart drawn around May 5th. Fess up.

Welcome to the block (blog)

On Friday I was lucky enough to steal a few minutes of Crista's time so we could finally properly introduce her into the blog. (Cody you're next!) As I've mentioned before Crista is one of my favorite people ever (I think that goes for all the girls) so when you get the two of us together we get very excited and its hard to stay focused. So below you'll find what is probably the least organized of this series of aim interviews. I left it pretty close to how we discussed things, editing out only a few tangents because I think it really shows Crista's personality and passion well. We got cut a little short on this one so if there's anything we didn't touch on drop a comment and Crista will get back to you. Enjoy!

S: You go waaay back with the blog thing, like Livejournal back. What drew you to doing a collaborative blog?

C: a collaborative blog was something i have never taken part in - and blogging has been huge to me. I thought the concept was really great, I don't know a group of better ladies in the hiphop scene to be a part of something with. There wasn't anyone else out there doing this, or at least that I have found. As you know I have a lot of stories, I think when I get into it this is going to be a great outlet. i've loved rap for a long time.

S: I've seen the photographic evidence, exactly how far do you and rap go back? What was your first hip hop show?

C:oh man that's so hard - i really don't know. It's going to date back to when i was around 15 so about 8 years ago... Taking the 21 bus to uptown. I have a lot of memories of this is when I saw who, kind of. But really no idea what sparked it. It was one of those things the kids talked about. I got into it and it consumed me. Growing with the greatest music I have ever heard at my fingertips was lucky. I was really lucky to fall into what I did.

S:You grew up listening to a lot of these artists most of us have just started talking about over the last few years, what's it like seeing all these different hometown secrets becoming more known?

S:That was the worst run on sentence in the history of my life btw.

C: still a good question

S: I have too many words

C: it was crazy - it still is crazy. I feel proud. i saw some of these kids bust there asses for so long. I've seen atmosphere at the triple rock, and the entry. I've seen doomtree shows with less people then I can count on one hand. I think doomtree is who I saw grow the most. And I still can't get over it. And now I am watching some of my friends do it - my generation. It took a lot of these people until there mid to late 20s to start rattling the trees. I am excited to continue to see growth. I am excited to see what comes out of the woodwork next.
Ahh I thought of another one, I saw brother ali play a block party in the Minneapolis warehouse district once... the smallest little stage in an an alley ever... and now he is selling out venues. it's insane.

S: Who should I be checking for to bust loose in the next year or two?

C: oh man i don't even know, this is where i disappoint myself and admit I don't look for music like i use to. Some of my friends are doing some things that i'm excited to see progress.

(at which point we dissolve into a gushy love letter to the Nomad until...)

S: Sound Set! Who should people be checking from the local stage?

C: I'm really stoked on Guante right now, check him out for sure. His spoken word is goosebump worthy. You can tell he is still learning the ropes but its endearing. I've only caught him a few times but he seems like a stand up guy. Which is refreshing.

S: Haha I'm a little embarrassed by my recent Last.fm playcount

C: haha i've never done the last.fm thing but i am really hooked on that genius shit on itunes - it owns me.

S: I missed Guante opening for Muja last summer, I was running on rap time and showed up way late. So I'm glad to have a second chance

S: Oh man I can't get into Genius

C: i think his face is going to keep coming up - he has big things to say and a lot of passion.

C: I LOVE GENIUS. I'm one of those I only listen to this one album 25 times a day. So this adds some random into my life but keeping the same flow. Addicting.

S: I think Guante has something ridiculous like 500 plays from me on last.fm this week. I'm currently combating all that conscious with some Rick Ross.

C: i've been listening to the responsive chord a lot.. a lot a lot... and astronautalis the mighty ocean and the nine dark theaters... just those two that's it....

S: Ah! I was so hoping my copy of Responsive Chord would arrive today.

C: you are going to love the responsive chord

C: I was a lucky little bird and got it a couple weeks ago

S: You've had that for a while now, how does it compare to K's other releases.
I think I noticed a few tracks from my beloved "Does it Matter"?

C: he's loud, he will always be loud. But he is growing. that kid has so much talent. i'm really lucky to call him a friend. his music honestly blows me away and would even if i didn't know him. kid has worked hard. i'll say that. But this album just seems polished, thought out and is solid. the site is going to be amazing too - botzy has been cranking that shit out. the entire package they put together for this release is amazing.

S: So excited, I listen to that mix Botzy burned me on the regular.

S: You mentioned someone from my region earlier, Astronautalis. You and Jamee caught him in AZ, what kind of reception is he getting on the road?

C: honestly i was shocked i think the crowed was better in arizona then in mpls. mpls it was the uptown bar and 21 up, i loved it but it wasn't a huge draw. I think for cecils set it was me maybe 5 others and astro watching. In AZ it was at this little coffee shop/art gallery with a live in cat. Everyone who was there was there to go to that show, they weren't watching a show that happened to be going on at the bar they were drinking at.

S: That's so weird to me, wasn't the AZ show on a Sunday night too? Those kids must be starved.

C: Yeah it was a sunday night, he played a saturday night here.

S: I think here in Seattle and sometimes you guys in Minneapolis take for granted how much there is to do and how much talent we have in our cities.
Who do you see getting more love in your city touring acts or local folks?

C: Oh i know i do, on the regular. My job actually wants me to move to San Diego, and one of the really big things holding me back is the culture out here. I'm so comfortable and so used to any act I want to see being at my fingertips. I was talking to one of my good friends the other day about acts we haven't seen that we want to and my list is small really small. I'm insanely lucky.

C: oh any RSE homecoming show is pure chaos.

S: Haha I've had battle wounds that will attest to that!

C: And it just depends on the tour. Most touring hiphop acts are going to pull some locals on as openers. But that's a great thing about hiphop in general. I LOVE how much they support each other in other cities. The other kind of strange spin on it is most of my favorite rap isn't from mpls.

C: yeah i will not do crowed for homecoming shows anymore - save me a seat at the bar.

S: I like the action, keeps me young

S: Lets talk favorites, who are you die hard for?

C: as far as hiphop goes? Aesop Rock is always going to top the list, Sage Francis has said some of the best words I've ever heard, I love Buck 65 & Astronautalis. And at the top of my minneapolis list - Cecil Otter. Sense a theme here?
and that's really just skimming the surface, the list could really be endless.

S: Godbless nerdy white rappers

C: hallelujah.

C: reading these interviews with the other ladies - we are all so different. it's crazy.

S: Yes! That's why I wanted you guys specifically because everyone has so much to offer but its all so different. I don't want us sitting here gushing about the same shit every week.

S: There's such opportunity for great discussion... I can't wait.

S: So last month there was kind of a big announcement, no Scribble Jam this year. I know you've gone to that several different years, do you think it will be back or has it been outgrown?

C: stab me in the heart. scribble jam is some of the best times i have ever had in my life. they've talked about ending it for a few years now so it really wasn't that shocking. it was never a huge pull. but it was a completely different sense of community. people started on that stage. i've seen almost every hiphop act i ever care to see on that stage. i've met some of my best friends because of that festival. i hope it comes back, i really do. I could go on about this forever - i'm cutting myself off.

S: You've seen me I get so nerdy/overexcited talking music

C: talking to you about it i'm getting super hyped too, can we please have a hiphoplovefest meet up in my living room?

S: Yessss!

C: i think combining us girls in one room might be one of the most insane experiences of my life.

S: That would be bliss

S: You and me have that travel bug, we could be very dangerous together.
I was eyeing my duffel bag last night and was sooo tempted to start packing. I think three weeks in advance is too early.

S: You mentioned community and I know we've talked about this before but our little universe keeps getting smaller and smaller thanks in large part to the web etc. Do you think that's a good thing or a bad thing?

C: i think it's got its ups and downs. i've meet some great hip hop friends through the internet. damn i had two kids from london fly over to stay with me and drive to Cincinnati for scribble one year, only knowing one of them from live journal. it's a way of meeting great like minded people and for artists to really network. you and i have the luck of living cities that do have culture, but damn those people living in population 300 cities - f that noise.

S: And yet we're the ones always desperate to break out of our cities

C: i know i have friend moving to NC in august and wants me to come out. and i still wanna see Seattle!

S: Yes! Seattle!

C: sometimes it's overwhelming, shows in other cities are different because no one knows you. I can't go anywhere without someone knowing me here. Really nowhere.

S: I think the best way to rekindle a romance with your city is by sharing it with someone new.

C: or going somewhere with no culture

C: i love minneapolis every time i get back from phx
that last trip really refreshed me
i'm stoked on my city again

S: I know I see so many of the same faces at Mpls shows

C: and it's not just shows. the coffee shops, the bars, the record stores.
walking down my street...
hahah my neighborhood is tiny

S: Haha I mostly frequent shows out there
But yeah I've had people come up to me on the bus etc. in midtown/uptown a few times like "hey you!"

C: i think i will end up leaving eventually for a period of time, but i will definitely settle here. it's a good city.

S: I think I'll end up somewhere truly random I'd never expect

(this is where we dissolve into tattoo talk and then have to bail)