Hip Hop

Geto Gala: “Sumn’ to Say” (Live at Scholz Garten)

After years of supporting Deezie Brown and Jake Lloyd individually, it’s beautiful watching them both earn exponential exposure with this hip-hop/R&B phenomenon that is Geto Gala. The latest phase of a fruitful friendship, Brown and Lloyd had already shared a fair amount of stages together pre-pandemic before capitalizing on their bar-trading chemistry with their eponymous February 2021 studio debut. Alongside its delightfully-southern Chopped and Slowed counterpart, The Geto Gala EP probably played a part in Brown and Lloyd separately scoring their first official ACL Fest sets last October, where informal versions of the full Geto Gala band ended up backing each solo performer.

Between then and now, the Geto Gala gang’s apparently upped their game for a whole gauntlet of live gigs, at least based off the applause they garnered last Thursday morning when they transfigured our Scholz SXSW space into the Geto Garten. With a set that’d make Big Pokey proud, and a crowd that was happy to “fifth wheel” alongside the band, Geto Gala sure as hell had “Sumn’ to Say” at SXSW. We’re just hoping our invitation’s still good for the next Gala.

Grammys So Black

Confucius and Fresh Interview Austin hip-hop artist Vintage Jay about his upcoming album and his other projects. Then they discuss the recent Grammy Awards, which featured a celebration of 50 years of hip-hop.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about the connection between Kanye’s song “Big Brother” and Prince, how Jay-Z ended up on Joe Budden’s “Pump it Up” Remix, why 50 Cent once played the Delco Center in Austin, and more.

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that concerts, as we know them, may be winding down.

Confucius talks about the upcoming Super Bowl, Biden’s State of the Union address and the recent ice storm in Austin in Confucius Reads the News.

Wait Your Turn

Fresh and Confucius discuss the idea that people in the Austin music scene are owed opportunities. then, inspired by Justin Bieber’s recent 200 million dollar sale of his catalog, they talk about why artists might sell their stake in their work.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about the samples on “U Can’t Touch This,” “Ice Ice Baby,” “Tennessee” and more. It’s all part of Under the Covers weekend at KUTX!

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that today’s rap is boring.

Confucius talks about how the Eagles are going to win the Superbowl, Ted Cruz’s comments about the debt ceiling, how much money Kari Lake has raised since denying she lost November’s election and Netflix’s crackdown on password sharing in Confucius Reads the News.

A Love Letter to Austin Blogs

Confucius and Fresh discuss Dez Bryant’s statement that Drake made Houston rap famous, and talk about how excited they are about the new batch of hip-hop platforms in Austin, TX.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about how Gerald Levert got Cam’ron to leave the streets alone, how DJ Quik helped on 50 Cents’ song “In Da Club,” how Aaliyah made it on a Kriss Kross song, and more.

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that record labels don’t owe anything to artists who’ve broken the law.

Confucius talks about the recently recovered documents at President Biden’s house, TCU’s recent loss, Dre Dre’s showdown with Marjorie Taylor Greene, and more in Confucius Reads the News.

Texas’ top musical moments of the year

From the highlights to the blue notes, what happened in the world of Texas music in 2022. A Texas country music legend says goodbye to the road that goes on forever; our conversation with Robert Earl Keene. Also a renaissance for one of the best know Texas artists of all time: the impact of Beyonce’s 7th album, an homage to house and disco music. And Adrian Quesada turns up the volume on a rediscovered musical genre with his Boleros Psicodélicos. A lonestar-studded review of the year, today on the Texas Standard:

Merry Listmas!

It’s the last Breaks podcast of 2022! To celebrate, Confucius and Fresh debate the importance of end-of-the-year lists and discuss their hopes and predictions for 2023.

You’ll learn Christmas Hip-Hop Facts about the songs “Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto,” “All I Want For Christmas is You,” “This Christmas” and more.

Fresh States the Unpopular Opinion that people don’t have to be formally trained in hip-hop to be considered professional rappers.

Confucius talks about the trial of Megan Thee Stallion and Torey Lanez, the outcry over Brittney Griner‘s release, Gunna’s release from prison, and more.

WhooKilledKenny: “Teach Her the Game”

Our Saturday night specialty program The Breaks does a great job of highlighting hip-hop from the heart of Texas. But with an increasing number of émigrés ditching the Lone Star State for greener pastures out West and elsewhere, The Breaks simply can’t catch everything. Because of that, today we’re spinnin’ some new stuff from native Austinite WhooKilledKenny, who currently calls Los Angeles home.

As a die-hard South Park fanatic, it’s hard not to react, “you know…they; they’re…they’re bastards…” when you see that handle. So when you hear the militant discipline within this mid-twenties vocalist (and learn that his namesake actually stems from a potential lawsuit on behalf of Kenny G), you can tell WKK’s flow is no joke. Following up his 2021 debut No Refunds, WhooKilledKenny coasted in halfway through October with his sophomore five-track Strictly Business. Sonically it’s a far cry from EPMD’s ’88 debut, but its consistent themes and production style provide for a similar, seminal experience.

Hot off Strictly Business, WhooKilledKenny has been popping up on Spotify advertisements around Austin, almost as a sort of homecoming. If you want to show some love for a fellow Austin native (wherever you may be), toss a like onto one of Strictly Business‘ centerpieces (and music videos), the R&B-rap winner “Teach Her the Game”!

Jake Lloyd: “Sweat”

Weekend Two of ACL, baby! Those gates are wide open and ready to receive fest-goers of all kinds. For those who’ll be out at Zilker early tomorrow, you shouldn’t have a lot of trouble getting close up to the T-Mobile stage for a favorite of The Breaks and beyond, R&B vocalist-songwriter-producer Jake Lloyd. Along with our August 2022 Artist of the Month Deezie Brown Jake Lloyd makes up one half of Geto Gala, and be he paired up or strictly solo, you can always tell how much pure passion is stored in his pores.

The temps don’t look terrible for this weekend, but knowing Jake’s work and performance ethic, he’s sure to work up something 12:45PM this Saturday, whatever the weather. We’ve included a couple pop-ups from the past below to get a sense of what to expect. However, if you’re the type to lock into an artist and learn all the lyrics so you can impress your festy-bestie by singing along in concert, check out the full video and animated short for Jake’s latest banger. Wonder what ’80s-era Stevie Wonder would sound like if he’d ever teamed up with Sir Mix-a-Lot in his prime? Simply press start on “Sweat”, another outstanding entry into Jake Lloyd’s already-resplendent discography.

J Soulja: “BUTTA” (prod. Cush With A C)

The dust may still be settling from Weekend One of ACL, but if the past three days of festin’ just weren’t enough for you, we’ve got a whole new batch of recommendations. Big fans of The Breaks ought to recognize the name J Soulja as one of the specialty show’s longest heavy rotation mainstays, and this Saturday you can catch the official Swisher Sweet endorser 12pm on the Tito’s Handmade Vodka Stage.

With a creative appetite that’s as voracious as his verses, J Soulja’s creamy blend of hip-hop and R&B makes for a great appetizer to start your Saturday at ACL. We’re a little bummed his performance is scheduled at the same time as fellow Breaks favorite Jake Lloyd, but given the close proximity between the Tito’s and T-Mobile Stages, you can probably squeeze in both locals with just a quick jaunt. Regardless, we’ll keep our fingers crossed that J Soulja cuts into his latest Cush With A C-produced blunt-ready bop, “BUTTA”.

Is Rap Dead?

Confucius and Fresh discuss why some artists are so selfish and delusional. Then they try and nail down what makes an album a “classic.”

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about how Prodigy and Busta Rhymes almost ended up with the beat for Jay-Z’s “U Don’t Know,” what happened when Michael Jackson met Princess Diana, how the Lox almost got signed by Suge Knight, and more!

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that hip-hop is dead.

Confucius talks about the death of PnB Rock, Lindsay Graham’s proposed 15-week abortion ban, Cardi B’s plea deal, and more on Confucius Reads the News.

Azurah Vibez: “Headbanger” (prod. D-Madness)

Austin’s R&B scene…it’s out there; you just gotta know where to look. Now, we’ve kept a close watch on Mélat, Anastasia Hera & The Heroes, and Daniel Fears…but another Texas native has you’ll want to keep on your R&B radar is Azurah Vibez. There’s a chance you recognize the name from a feature we did a couple years back on Brighton Beach’s DVMA/Dama Nilz, but much more likely you’ve seen her name on bills opening for Justin Timberlake, P-Funk, Stevie Wonder, and Black Puma’s Jaron Marshall. In the pre-pandemic days, Azurah also curated the Soapbox Sessions Open Mic series alongside her Musical Director/House Band Leader D-Madness. And yet, in the eyes of the public, her immaculate set of pipes have yet to appear within Azurah Vibez’ azimuth. However, this past year, that all changed.

At the tail end of February, Azurah Vibez dropped her debut studio single, the reggae-R&B foot-rocker “Lover’s Paradise”, following it up with her sophomore “Headbanger” in mid-August. Once again produced by D-Madness, “Headbanger” immediately begs comparison to Dangerously In Love-era Beyoncé and’ll leave you eager for AZ’s first full-length (due out next year). With D-Madness’ MIDI flutes, live drums, and sensational six-string skills, Azurah Vibez received an ideal backdrop to go all out on “Headbanger”. And as tantalizing as “Headbanger” is on its own, it’s nothing compared to the song’s visual counterpart, which voraciously gyrates its way into the ever-growing collection of greatest twerk videos (from Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Lizzo, and more).

Wes Denzel: “Zodiac Killer”

Astrology. It’s a one-of-a-kind litmus test in casual conversation; either people will scoff at you for believing that gobbledegook or chastise you for not knowing your ascendant. But if there’s one demographic who seems to get a unanimous pass, it’s lyricists. From Deep Purple’s “Maybe I’m a Leo” to Des’ree’s “What’s Your Sign?” and Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box” to The Supremes’ “No Matter What Sign You Are”, perusing the daily horoscope appears to do pretty well. And as you can tell from that grocery list of greats, genre constraints have no place in the world of celestial phenomena. Which brings us to hip-hop/R&B renaissance man Wes Denzel. To say this San Antonio vocalist/producer is a beast on the mic and a scholar in his rhyme book…well that’s just a criminal understatement. I mean, he’s opened for both Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q. As a matter of fact, we even named Wes Denzel our February 2021 Artist of the Month surrounding his LP I Was Almost Happy. And with the recent release of his fifth single of 2022, the elements seem to be aligning in Denzel’s favor. The latest track pays tribute to Tyrese’s 2002 baby-maker “Signs of Love Makin'” with a steaming, astrologically-sprawling piece of funk-soul sensuality, “Zodiac Killer”.

State of the Austin Union

Confucius and Fresh talk about the current state of the Austin R&B and rap scene. They also discuss whether radio is still important and what needs to change for it to stay relevant.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about how Joey Bada$$ really feels about his song “Devastated,” how Dipset ended up with an office in the Def Jam building, who gave Irv Gotti his name, and more!

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that Megan Thee Stallion might be a little overrated.

Confucius talks about the Uvalde School Board’s decision to fire police chief Pete Arrendondo, Offset’s lawsuit against his record label, the Biden administration’s decision to forgive some student loans and more in Confucius Reads the News.

Takuya Kuroda: “Midnight Crisp”

It’s been almost a full decade since I graduated college, and I’d like to think that those I haven’t kept up with remember me for my two biggest creative endeavors at the time: playing trumpet and producing jazz-sampled hip-hop beats. I only say that because it seems like a pretty cool combo that I’ve sadly shied away from in the past few years. However if you are on the hunt for that unique pairing, look no further than Kobe Japan’s Takuya Kuroda. It took little time for Kuroda to cement himself in Brooklyn’s bustling jazz scene, where he eventually linked up with legends like José James and DJ Premier (who later recruited Takuya as a centerpiece for The Badder Band).

Takuya Kuroda just wrapped up Newport Jazz Fest and embarks on a month-long European tour in October. The occasion? Kuroda’s seventh studio album, Midnight Crisp. Like a soundtrack that switches between scenes of strutting, sensuality, and solitude, this sensational six-song collection comes out October 21st. So with a couple months to spare, feel free to step into the self-titled pseudo-’70s album opener, which just landed yesterday alongside the record announcement.

Rap Loves Comedy

Confucius and Fresh talk about the connection between hip-hop and comedy. Then, inspired by the success of Saucy Santana, they discuss whether hip-hop is ready for an openly gay rapper.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about the collaborative record that DJ Premier and 50 Cent never made, the connection between In Living Color and the Superbowl halftime show, how the introduction of Soundscan helped hip-hop, and more.

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that radio is still a musical gatekeeper.

Confucius talks about NBA Youngboy’s acquittal on gun charges, Desus and Mero’s split, the passage of a bill codifying same-sex marriage in the House of Representatives and more in his Confucius Reads the News segment.

Tribe Mafia: “We Matter”

With only one month of reflection and healing between the racially-targeted attack in Buffalo and the second official observance of June 19th as a Federal Holiday, Juneteenth came amidst an especially complicated sociopolitical context in 2022. On a day meant to celebrate the power and resilience of Black Americans, the troubling juxtaposition forced us to once again reexamine the seemingly-institutionalized norm of anti-Black violence in our country. That scrutiny also gave Black Texans (the same demographic who first commemorated Juneteenth) a national spotlight to chime in from our deeply divided state, our microcosm of the nation.

Among those who contributed to the discourse? Austin duo Tribe Mafia. Chinasa Broxton and Carlos Moore formed Tribe Mafia as high school friends back in 2010 and they’ve built up a chiefdom of acclaim and support over the dozen years since. Tribe Mafia refined their subdued R&B/Latin-trap formulas on the 2017 EP For You before going even harder for 2018’s The Come Up. And although TM went straight up southern trap on their 2020 eight-track Tee Pee Gang, since opening for Akon to a São Paõlo crowd of 60,000 the previous year, they’ve also incorporated dancehall elements so well that the Island Boys sound like kindergarten castaways in comparison. But going back to Juneteenth…Tribe Mafia seized the moment of Kairos masterfully and left little room for misinterpretation in the process. With a haunting refrain that repeats the bare bones title, crushing Caribbean riddims, and completely candid lyrics, “We Matter” is Tribe Mafia’s boldest statement to date. If you’ve got the stomach for it, we cautiously recommend checking out the corresponding music video. “We Matter” weaves archival footage of unrest with poignant visual recreations for a chilling document that’s less a piece of commentary and more of a tortured last ditch cry for compassion.

Riders Against the Storm

In this episode, Lisa and Rich talk with Chaka and Qi Dada, the husband and wife duo who make up the hip-hop group Riders Against the Storm.

BabiBoi: “Boyz 2 Men”

We hope you’ve been enjoying our Pride Month portraits of local artists over the past few weeks, but in case you haven’t had a chance to read the one on BabiBoi, we’ll give you a quick recap. BabiBoi is the preferred handle for Austin’s Dorian Delafuente, who’s also a co-founder of House of Lepore, one of Texas’ few underground LGBTQ+ ballrooms. When BabiBoi’s not commentating burlesque shows at Lepore, they’re bringing that same sassy energy to the mic for an unapologetically queer hip hop project. Since 2017 they’ve performed at SXSW, Pride festivals across the state, and even an opening slot for Charli XCX. And for a genre as historically plagued with homophobia as hip-hop, it’s a breath of fresh air to hear voices like BabiBoi go balls-to-the-wall over absolute bangers.

Today BabiBoi, ever embracing the ratchet-ness of their image, dropped their bawdiest track to date, “Boyz 2 Men”. No, you won’t hear any a cappella harmonies or New Jack Swing. Instead it’s an explosion of unrestrained sexuality that sweats confidence across two and a half minutes of cowbells and beats. It sounds like a cross between Big Freedia and Megan Thee Stallion, but with an extra sense of southern flamboyance. If you like what you hear (and why wouldn’t you?), catch BabiBoi’s performance at Pride in Local Music Festival, 6PM this Saturday at the Long Center (ahead of our June 2022 Artist of the Month Caleb DeCasper). And if you really want to get down and dirty, come out to the “Boyz 2 Men” single release show 9pm next Friday at Neon Grotto along with Lavender Thug, Miss Girl6, Johnny Psycho, and Dreamiecloud.

Rolling Stone’s “200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time”

Confucius and Fresh react to Rolling Stone‘s “200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time” and inspired by 21 Savage, discuss the prospect of getting money and fame in a lower class community without inviting a RICO case or having your neighborhood turn your back on you.

You’ll hear Hip-Hop Facts about Yo! MTV Raps, the soundtrack to the 1997 film Booty Call, Fresh Fest, a celebrity ventriloquist, and more.

Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion covers the elitism of R&B fans and how our culture categorizes the genre at large.

Finally the fellas chat about Uvalde, the nepotism of Star Wars casting, the impending return of the Those Damn Comic Book Guys podcast, and Matthew McConaughey’s political prospects.

Mo’Nique vs DL

Confucius and Fresh discuss the recent conflict between Mo’Nique and DL Hughley and talk about the golden age of streetball and the AND1 mixtapes.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about Black Music Month, the time Will Smith hit Anthony Mackie, Big K.R.I.T.’s baseball connection, Fat Joe’s start in hip-hop, and more.

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that not everyone is cut out to be a creative entrepreneur.

And Confucius talks about Canada’s freeze on handgun sales, Elon Musk’s email telling people to be in the office 40 hours a week or else, the baby formula shortage, and the final decisions in the Amber Heard / Johnny Depp case.