[RH First Glance] Kris Kasanova: "Tomorrow" (Feat. SZA)
Kris Kasanova has been building a steady buzz for himself in the New York market for a minute now. Since popping up on Peter Rosenberg's New York Renaissance mixtape released earlier this year and featuring a full scope of NYC acts such as, World's Fair, A$AP Rocky and Ferg, Action Bronson and Flatbush Zombies, among others. Kasanova has edged his way into the limelight in one of the most competitive markets in the world and today teamed up with TDE-signee SZA for "Tomorrow", which got a video treatment the other day. Currently, Kasanova is hard at work in the studio, preparing his next project with producers like Justin Rose. Across the country we're seeing hip-hop branch into many different angles, proof the "Renaissance" isn't just confined to one market or another. Definitely keep an eye out for Kris Kasanova, who should be releasing new content throughout early 2014.
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[RH First Look] Justin Rose
Justin Rose does a little bit of everything. The 23 year old from New York City started off rapping before gravitating to what he calls the "addicting" process of crafting beats. I met him this past year at SXSW while hanging out at the Illmore after-party, wondering how I was still awake. Since then we have kept in touch as Rose has spread his forward-thinking production across his scene and city, linking up with the likes of NYC up and comer Kris Kasanova which garnered him a track on Peter Rosenberg's curated mixtape earlier this Summer, as well as doing in-house production for Nakim. When I met him on the front end of 2013 there were still a lot of question marks around both of our futures. Nearly a year later, Rose has found himself bouncing around the vibrant and bubbling New York scene that have many bloggers across the country learning how to spell the word 'Renaissance'. The growth and uprise of that scene in New York is due in large part to progressive, hungry and cross-platform artists like Rose who are eager to find a way to push the music and culture forward without apology. I was able to catch up with Rose over the phone recently as he was leaving the studio from working on his debut project, RoseWaVve Vol.1. to talk about what the year has been like, what he's been up to and where things are headed for the young crafter. In exchange, he sent over this video for his track, "PARTY4ME", which we are premiering here on Ruby Hornet. Give the video a watch below and get to know Justin Rose.
RH First Look: Jarred A.G.
Native Chicagoan Jarred A.G. recently dropped the first track off of his debut Luxury Tax titled "Play Around". Featuring Dally Auston, the laid-back, snare snapping production comes from his younger brother Smoko Ono. The track acts as a great representation of A.G.'s spot in Chicago hip hop right now. Working with other up-and-comers, he has positioned himself as an intriguing new artist that's building a name through quality releases and dope collaborations.
This current positioning is evidence of a strong progression as an artist. No longer do does his material go up because of the potential, rather it is due to the merit of his work and how sharp his new material sounds. Now he is on the verge of dropping his first project to date, a six track EP that is just a taste of what's to come. When asked about his debut album Stepchild, he told us that he has " files and files of music that we’ve worked on and are still working on". What does this mean for fans and listeners? We sat down with the young artist to get a better idea of things to come, the work he's done in the last year and where he's at now.
[Interview] RH First Look: The GTW
words by Jake Krzeczowski
It's hard to miss James King when he enters a room. When I first met him he was wearing green fatigue pants tightly tucked into black combat boots and topped off by a patchwork bomber jacket. King, better known as The GTW (Greater Than Wealth), explains that his dress reflects his art, taking from many different scenes and cultures around Chicago and abroad to create a sound and attitude that is wholly his own. The sound he dubs "Chigerian" is a nod to the Nigerian heritage his immigrant parents bestowed on him since he was an infant.
The rapper/singer/producer embodies the collage of influences in everything he does, calling it a "random" mix of everything from art to music and life. His music is a sort of new-age 90's R&B with tribal twinges and a mix of down-tempo house with carefully crafted electronic undertones. His most recent project, 4814 with producer Beng Feng showed a flexibility to adapt and assimilate his tone and sound to a different production, something the 22-year old artist prides himself on. The GTW is a big Manchester United fan and has a keen eye on the european electronic scene and 4814 garnered him a write-up in the UK newspaperThe Guardian before he had much of any press here at home. With a video for his song "Cravings" on the way and upcoming projects with Beng Feng and others in the works, expect to see plenty more headlines on The GTW in 2013. I was able to catch up with the multi-talented artist just before his show January 25 at The Temple Head Gallery in Humboldt Park.
[Interview] RH First Look: Alex Wiley
Alex Wiley has been working hard lately. The Southside MC has been busy for the better part of 2012 garnering followers through a steady flow of videos and songs online and collaborations with Kembe X and a host of other Chicago artists. Wiley is now looking to drop his own solo project, one that has gone through several changes throughout the last few months. What originally started as an EP under the name Village Up, has transformed several times during endless recording at SoundScape Studios, where I recent met and spoke with the budding emcee. To be sure, Wiley was due for a nap. Luckily, I was able to catch him just before he curled up on the couch, exhausted from a long day.
That Wiley sleeps at all may be the most surprising thing. The high-energy emcee can be found around town rapping in a Santa suit like he did onstage at Chance The Rapper's AcidRap Live show at The Metro November 23, or chopping up philosophies on the intricacies of the perfect taco bar, which he has plans to unveil somewhere in the near future. A glance at Wiley's robust Twitter feed could make anyone wonder if the kid sleeps at all. Since releasing #MoPurp with Chance and Kembe earlier this year, a video for which has garnered over 75,000 YouTube views in just under six months, Wiley has set about making his mark on the Chicago scene and beyond and is nearing the release of his debut project, Club Wiley, which has spanned almost a full year of his progression and is set to drop early 2013 via the indie label, Closed Sessions.
Also, if you're in Chicago, catch an early sampling of Wiley's forthcoming debut, ClubWiley, on January 5th at Jugrnaut at 427 S. Dearborn from 6-8 PM.
words and interview by Jake Krzeczowski.
[Interview] RH First Look: Jason [^_-] Davis
Moving around a lot can be pretty tough on a child. You're always the new kid at school, and making friends can be tough. For some though, being forced to entertain yourself can have its perks. Jason Davis, an emerging emcee and producer, found some benefits from following his mom from job to job and state to state. The constant relocation led him to discover the comics, toys, speeches, and philosophers that would lay the foundation for his art.
Davis began dabbling in music in 2007, writing verses and posting them to his Facebook page with the weird face that would become his calling card, and continued mentions of a Robot Army. He started to notice a solid response and that others began to latch onto this "army", which soon grew to include photographers, producers, emcees, and video directors, all drawn to Davis' off-center imagery and skill.
Since the release of his first project in 2009, Welcome To The Robot Army, Davis has continued to work on music, getting better and more serious with each release. In 2012, Davis released his best project to date in the form of Spectrums of The Mind. He deems it his debut album, and something that is reflective of what he's been going through over the last few years, both good and bad.
I sat down with Davis to talk about his new album, the Robot Army, and what he needs to do to be taken seriously in Chicago's current Hip Hop scene. Check out the interview as well as Davis' new album on the next page.
[Interview] RH First Look: JD Era
While the world moves faster than ever, and patience is a rare attribute, Toronto emcee JD Era is bracing himself for the long haul. JD comes from Toronto's independent Hip Hop community, earning stripes and respect in the battle scene while dropping gems since 2008, a few featuring his fellow Toronto native, Drake. While he collaborated with Drake, JD didn't seek to ride any coattails, nor use Drake's star to build his own. He has continued that theme since inking a deal with Raekwon, and releasing the new mixtape, No Handouts. It this old-fashioned attitude that has JD Era poised for continued success and a strong member of Hip Hop's new class. We get to know JD a little better in our latest First Look.
[Interview] RH First Look: Black EL X Durkin
Black EL X Durkin take a conservative approach to their music. The Boston-based duo is not conservative in the sense that they produce formulaic tracks that cater to likes of pop radio stations. They’re far from that, producing a unique selection of cuts with witty lyricism and dynamic production. Black EL X Durkin are conservative in that they would rather put out a few tracks that you’ll really like instead of throwing a 20-something track tape at listeners and hoping something sticks.
Their condensed catalog consists of two mixtapes, 2010’s Color Commentary and this year’s The Collage EP, as well as a handful of other tracks. These guys are worth paying attention to and we know what to expect from them, “More singles…More videos. More parties. More shows. Global takeover. Profit.”
Check out RubyHornet’s First Look with Black EL X Durkin.