Stefan Ponce - For A Girl (Feat. Rejjie Snow, Moxie Raia, & Julian Bell)
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Chicago producer Stefan Ponce enlisted a talented crew of songwriters and vocalists to create a piece of work that somehow transcends the sum of its parts with "For A Girl". The track is a groovy new age Funk/R&B record that would be perfect for cruising the lakeside. The drums swing within the pocket of the rhythm, the harmonies are rich, and every detail feels hashed out to the margins. Look no further than the guitar outro that comes in at the 3:10 mark, most acts wouldnt think to strip the song down that way. The attention to detail is clearly what separates Mr. Ponce from the rest. Listen for yourself above and think about that special someone.
Writing credits go to: rejjie snow, rayblk, stefan ponce, julian bell, william kurk, eddie sanchez
[RH Photos] Disclosure and Vic Mensa in Austin (1/31/14)
Last Friday, the UK producer/DJ duo Disclosure took over Stubbs' outside venue to a a sold-out crowd. You couldn't ask for a better night for an outside concert. As soon as I walked in, Samo Sound Boy was already halfway trough his set, getting the crowd ready for SaveMoney's Vic Mensa. The rapper joined Disclosure on a handful of tour dates, with Austin being his last stop of the tour. Producer/DJ Stefan Ponce kept the crowd going before Vic stormed the stage, performing a set filled with songs from his latest project, INNANETAPE. Fans in the front row sang back lyrics to Vic as he moved around the whole stage. A short break to get things ready for Disclosure to hit the stage. ONce they did the crowd went wild. The duo went through many of their more popular songs from their last critically-acclaimed project, Settle. Austin loved Disclosure and did not want them to stop playing. Below are some shots I took of the show.
[Video] Childish Gambino: "3005" (Official Video)
Childish Gambino has blown up the internet with his latest release, Because the Internet, which dropped last week to voracious listeners and solid early reviews. With the project in the public forum, Gambino, also known as Donald Glover, has begun dropping accompanying visuals for the singles on the album. Last week, he dropped the video of him riding a ferris wheel at a carnival, looking unamused clutching a teddy bear. Over the weekend, Gambino also dropped his surf-inspired video for "The Worst Guys" featuring none other than Chance The Rapper, who very well may be having the best week ever between dropping songs with Justin Bieber and a new track with Vic Mensa, all while stopping down in Miami for the stretch run of the Social Experiment Tour. For "The Worst Guys" it seems all the pair did was have a good time at the beach smoking in the water and whatnot. Check out the video here below and pick up Because The Internet now on iTunes. Also, check out Gambino's new video for "3005", available below as well.
Update: The "The Worst Guys" video was originally available, then only available using the password "12.10.13SIXTY", and now seems to be down once again. We'll keep you posted as the video comes available again.
"3005"
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Chance The Rapper: "Cocoa Butter Kisses" Feat. Vic Mensa (Stefan Ponce Remix)
Stefan Ponce has been making hip-hop music in Chicago for a minute. The new father dropped his remix to Chance The Rapper's cigarette anthem, "Cocoa Butter Kisses" off his colossal Acid Rap release earlier this year. Ponce starts things off by accentuating the thunderous keystrokes of Peter CottonTale that set the tone of the track, before steadily taking things up a notch and turning the melodic song into a bonafide dance track. The break gets some funky synth work that makes "Cocoa Butter Kisses" a different kind of fun adventure throughout, playing with Chance's idyllic "nana's". Vic Mensa's verse, one of the highlights as far as features go on Acid Rap sound intrinsically Innanetape-esque with a double time shaker and increased bpm pushing the verse and track in a different direction. Check out the fun, creatively different remix of "Cocoa Butter Kisses" by Stefan Ponce, below.
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Childish Gambino: "Melrose" (Prod. Stefan Ponce)
The other night, Donald Glover caused a stir on Twitter by tweeting an ominous instrumental track at Jhene Aiko. As if the pair needed anymore rumors (Glover has denied they are romantically involved), the internet ran wild with rumors of what the track could be and why he sent it Aiko's way. On the song, Childish adds high-pitched, airy vocals to a similarly formed beat, before dropping into a funk line. The roadwork was crafted by Chicago's own Stefan Ponce, who has spent much of the last year in Los Angeles with Gambino working on new music. Where's the final landing place for the track? We may not find out for a minute, but so far they've got some hot stuff to work with.
Childish Gambino: "3005"
Donald Glover, better knwon to some of the world as Childish Gambino, dropped a new song today from his upcoming project, Because The Internet, due out later this year. The track is produced by Chicago's own Stefan Ponce, as well as Glover and Ludovin (Ludwig Goransson). Check it out below and keep it posted for more to come from Childish Gambino.
[Album] Vic Mensa: "Innanetape"
Download INNANETAPE here --> Vic Mensa: "INNANETAPE"
Talk about a long wait. Today, Chicago's own Vic Mensa released the long overdue follow up to his 2009 solo debut mixtape, Straight Up EP, with the most highly-anticipated release since Chance The Rapper's Acid Rap in April. To step back into the solo spotlight, the Save Money member and former Kids These Days frontman gives us Innanetape, a truly different, at times experimental hip hop release from one of the most fully-formed artists in Chicago. Four years ago, Straight Up Ep served as the spark that lit the wick, leading to the eventual explosion of talent we've seen coming from the Second City over the past few years. At a raucous listening party sponsored by IllRoots and Adidas this past weekend at Lacuna Artist Lofts on the city's southwest side, Mensa performed much of the tape to eager fans, seeming to relish in the moment of limbo before the tape became publicly available. Executive produced by Peter CottonTale and Cam Osteen, it is a multi-genre project with features from Chance The Rapper, BJ The Chicago Kid, Rockie Fresh, Joey Purp and Tundercat that should appeal to a wide range of listeners. If tracks like "Diditb4", "Orange Soda" and "Lovely Day" are any inkling to what is in store, those fans shouldn't be disappointed. Mensa is widely credited with helping open the door for Chicago artists, and it's one he now walks through himself-with the potential to be one of the biggest stars to emerge from his hometown. With a city that has a history including Twista, Common and Kanye, that's saying something. Give Innanetape a listen below and keep it posted to RH all week for my continuing coverage on the release.
http://youtu.be/BewDnzmyZ5E