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Seattle Hip-Hop Hits NYC
[Editor's Note: This morning, Jonathan Cunningham, most recently the hip hop columnist at Seattle Weekly, filed a preview for PubliCola about this week's Seattle rap showcase at CMJ, the high profile new music fest in NYC.
We're bumping it up, as the kids say.]
There’s no shortage of local talent headed to New York this week to perform at CMJ, the longtime proving ground for breakout bands. The Maldives, the Whore Moans, Black Whales, the Moondoggies, and the Dutchess and the Duke are just a few of the local rock outfits scheduled to play (CMJ runs October 20-24.)
Seattle rap gets overlooked time and time again at CMJ, but with Seattle’s hip-hop scene having one of its best runs in recent memory, we're not being ignored this year. Seattle has four hip-hop acts on the CMJ bill.
That's not as many Seattle hip-hop artists as there should be on the bill (Fresh Espresso, the Physics, Macklemore , Grayskul, Khingz, and They Live! immediately come to mind) so the Seattle MCs taking the stage in NYC are under some hot lights to impress the bloggers and music writers from around the country who will pack the CMJ venues.
Interestingly enough, Blue Scholars , one of the few rap groups from Seattle that are recognized nationally, were supposed to play CMJ this year but backed out at the last minute. That's actually okay, because local hip-hop has been moving in a new direction all year and the New York audience will get a taste of that.
Local music writers can blog endlessly about the intergalactic lo-fi madness that is THEESatisfaction, the Jewish-leaning spirituality of yarmulke-wearing D. Black, or the party rap debauchery of Champagne Champagne. But until said groups get on the road and show it to the rest of the world, it will remain a town secret.
The ladies of THEESatisfaction have already temporarily relocated to New York as of a week and a half ago, and that may help, but the show they’re playing with D. Black, Grynch, and Champagne Champagne later this week is an important one for Seattle.
I recently caught up with all four of the rap acts that are playing their first CMJ showcase and picked their brain on how they plan to standout and what they’re looking forward to about the trip.
D. Black : http://www.myspace.com/dblackmuzik
Where: The Suffolk
When: October 24, 10:00 p.m.
How do you plan to stand out? I’m going to go out there and do what I do. Honestly, I think New York is waiting for a D. Black show. Just me doing what I normally do at a show will be enough for New York, and maybe too much. This is another stage another day. I hope I’ll see enough of my Jewish brethren in the crowd to feel supported out there.
What’s your one New York guilty pleasure you can’t wait to indulge ?
I’m trying to find a synagogue. That’s what I’m stressing. I’m trying to find a Chabad house. And I really want to go to a kosher Subway out there. Are you crazy (laughs)? I’m definitely going to the kosher Subway. That’s what I really want to go to. Everything else, I’m not tripping.
Grynch: http://www.myspace.com/grynchmusic
Where : The Suffolk
When : October 24, 10:00 p.m. (performing as a part of D. Black’s set)
How do you plan to stand out?
Just go hard with the song (“Bring it Back”) that I’m performing. It’s probably one of my favorite songs to perform so it will be a good time. I’m also swinging by the Billboard offices since they did that story on me and that should be cool too.
What's your one New York guilty pleasure you can't wait to indulge?
Man, I love New York. I’ve only been there once but I love it. There’s this place called Dallas BBQ which has ridiculously good food and I think that’s going to be the first place that I go to right when I get off the plane.
Champagne Champagne: http://www.myspace.com/champagnechampagne
Where: The Suffolk
When: Oct. 24, 11:00 p.m.
How do you plan to stand out? (Pearl Dragon of Champagne Champagne) I know we can do well in front of any audience. Of course, we’re willing to do anything possible to garner all the attention we deserve, but basically, we’ll just be doing what we normally do here, but taking it there.
What’s your one New York guilty pleasure you can’t wait to indulge?
We’re staying in Harlem so I want to go the Apollo. I really want to see a show at the Apollo. That and probably catching a Chinatown bus to Philly to get a Philly Cheesesteak.
THEESatisfaction: http://www.myspace.com/theesatisfaction
Where : The Suffolk (Performing with Champagne Champagne)
When : October 24 11:00 p.m.
How do you plan to stand out?
(Cat of THEESatisfaction) We're definitely going to be ourselves. That's what seems to work. We're going to go extremely hard at being 'stasandcat'. We're going to wear 'stasandcat', sing 'stasandcat', & spit 'stasandcat'. We're very excited and thankful for the opportunity to play in the big apple.
What’s your one New York guilty pleasure you that you can’t wait to indulge?
Well, we’re already based in New York right now, so it’s not a quick trip for us. But so far, we have been indulging in music! We've been going out to clubs, parties, and shows ever since we landed. We've met several artists & DJs from the downtown scene and we are very excited for the new wave of music.
We're bumping it up, as the kids say.]
There’s no shortage of local talent headed to New York this week to perform at CMJ, the longtime proving ground for breakout bands. The Maldives, the Whore Moans, Black Whales, the Moondoggies, and the Dutchess and the Duke are just a few of the local rock outfits scheduled to play (CMJ runs October 20-24.)
Seattle rap gets overlooked time and time again at CMJ, but with Seattle’s hip-hop scene having one of its best runs in recent memory, we're not being ignored this year. Seattle has four hip-hop acts on the CMJ bill.
That's not as many Seattle hip-hop artists as there should be on the bill (Fresh Espresso, the Physics, Macklemore , Grayskul, Khingz, and They Live! immediately come to mind) so the Seattle MCs taking the stage in NYC are under some hot lights to impress the bloggers and music writers from around the country who will pack the CMJ venues.
Interestingly enough, Blue Scholars , one of the few rap groups from Seattle that are recognized nationally, were supposed to play CMJ this year but backed out at the last minute. That's actually okay, because local hip-hop has been moving in a new direction all year and the New York audience will get a taste of that.
Local music writers can blog endlessly about the intergalactic lo-fi madness that is THEESatisfaction, the Jewish-leaning spirituality of yarmulke-wearing D. Black, or the party rap debauchery of Champagne Champagne. But until said groups get on the road and show it to the rest of the world, it will remain a town secret.
The ladies of THEESatisfaction have already temporarily relocated to New York as of a week and a half ago, and that may help, but the show they’re playing with D. Black, Grynch, and Champagne Champagne later this week is an important one for Seattle.
I recently caught up with all four of the rap acts that are playing their first CMJ showcase and picked their brain on how they plan to standout and what they’re looking forward to about the trip.
D. Black : http://www.myspace.com/dblackmuzik
Where: The Suffolk
When: October 24, 10:00 p.m.
How do you plan to stand out? I’m going to go out there and do what I do. Honestly, I think New York is waiting for a D. Black show. Just me doing what I normally do at a show will be enough for New York, and maybe too much. This is another stage another day. I hope I’ll see enough of my Jewish brethren in the crowd to feel supported out there.
What’s your one New York guilty pleasure you can’t wait to indulge ?
I’m trying to find a synagogue. That’s what I’m stressing. I’m trying to find a Chabad house. And I really want to go to a kosher Subway out there. Are you crazy (laughs)? I’m definitely going to the kosher Subway. That’s what I really want to go to. Everything else, I’m not tripping.
Grynch: http://www.myspace.com/grynchmusic
Where : The Suffolk
When : October 24, 10:00 p.m. (performing as a part of D. Black’s set)
How do you plan to stand out?
Just go hard with the song (“Bring it Back”) that I’m performing. It’s probably one of my favorite songs to perform so it will be a good time. I’m also swinging by the Billboard offices since they did that story on me and that should be cool too.
What's your one New York guilty pleasure you can't wait to indulge?
Man, I love New York. I’ve only been there once but I love it. There’s this place called Dallas BBQ which has ridiculously good food and I think that’s going to be the first place that I go to right when I get off the plane.
Champagne Champagne: http://www.myspace.com/champagnechampagne
Where: The Suffolk
When: Oct. 24, 11:00 p.m.
How do you plan to stand out? (Pearl Dragon of Champagne Champagne) I know we can do well in front of any audience. Of course, we’re willing to do anything possible to garner all the attention we deserve, but basically, we’ll just be doing what we normally do here, but taking it there.
What’s your one New York guilty pleasure you can’t wait to indulge?
We’re staying in Harlem so I want to go the Apollo. I really want to see a show at the Apollo. That and probably catching a Chinatown bus to Philly to get a Philly Cheesesteak.
THEESatisfaction: http://www.myspace.com/theesatisfaction
Where : The Suffolk (Performing with Champagne Champagne)
When : October 24 11:00 p.m.
How do you plan to stand out?
(Cat of THEESatisfaction) We're definitely going to be ourselves. That's what seems to work. We're going to go extremely hard at being 'stasandcat'. We're going to wear 'stasandcat', sing 'stasandcat', & spit 'stasandcat'. We're very excited and thankful for the opportunity to play in the big apple.
What’s your one New York guilty pleasure you that you can’t wait to indulge?
Well, we’re already based in New York right now, so it’s not a quick trip for us. But so far, we have been indulging in music! We've been going out to clubs, parties, and shows ever since we landed. We've met several artists & DJs from the downtown scene and we are very excited for the new wave of music.
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