Mixtape Monday: Free DOWNloaders

The Dallas hip-hop scene has been recently known for producing music that is fun to dance to but, lacking in significant substance. This week we profile two Dallas stand-outs that may have you bobbing your head to something a bit more substantial.

Be Free - Sore Losers
Free Loaders

Meet the Sore Losers, a young group straight out of the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. Sore Losers (consisting of members, Brandon “King” Blue and rapper Vince “Encyclopedia” Brown) were introduced by Dallas standout, Dorrough (of "Ice Cream Paint Job" fame). Sore Losers recently released their first mixtape entitled, Free Loaders.

Free Loaders is a combination of sounds reminiscent of such artists as Lupe Fiasco, Gnarls Barkley and Travie McCoy. I'm not crazy about the fact that the tape isn't anything I haven't heard before, however, anyone who has read my reviews can see that I am a true fan of people who can rely on their words and not on the beats their given. While the content is raw, it is also based on their own experiences and touches on issues ranging from relationships to troubled childhoods.

I look forward to seeing what comes next from this duo and trust you'll appreciate what this Dallas group has to offer.

To download Free Loaders on Datpiff.com, click here: Sore Losers - Free Loaders
Visit the Sore Losers on twitter: @SoreLosers , @BlueSoLoser and @BrownSoLoser

No Fear - Nick Pratt
Fear of Falling

Nick Pratt, originally of Fort Worth, Texas, attempts to give listeners a glimpse of his collegiate life in his mixtape, Fear of Falling. Pratt collaborated with young producers on the come-up including, Beewirks and CSB (Catholic School Boys), to create a sound that is creative and raw.

Fear of Falling offers up quite a bit of material with 15 tracks pegged and one ("Flying" featuring Brian Francis) that is a dual song timed at the 10 minute, 28 second mark. While Fear of Flying provides a lot to listen to, I feel the tracks are missing a certain cohesive element. Stand out tracks "Push It", "Choices", "Run", "Wait" and the title track, "Fear of Falling", give us a glimpse of Pratt's notable lyrical skills.

Ultimately, Fear of Falling is a solid first project from Nick Pratt. Looking forward to hearing more from this Texas musician as he hones his talent.

To check out Nick Pratt's mixtape, Fear of Falling, go to: http://nickprattmusic.bandcamp.com/

Follow Nick on Twitter @NickPrattMusic

Until Next Time,

Peace. Love. Music.

XoXo.

Chan.Lo.

Mixtape Monday ... Big Talk. Big Walk.

The Future Is Bright - Ghostwridah

In Love With My Future

I was privledged enough to receive one of the first leaks of Ghostwridah's latest mixtape, In Love With My Future, prior to its release at 8pm EST on July 1st. Needless to say, I've been jamming this for almost 2 weeks now...and I've yet to get tired of it. Propelled by the release and subsequent internet smash of "Redbottoms" produced by none other than, DJ Don Cannon, In Love With My Future could very well be the mixtape that takes Ghostwridah from New Miami icon to reppin the 305 at the Grammy's. This is the first tape, since the release of Anticipation by Trey Songz in the Summer of 2009, that I have listened to all the way through, back to back, to back, to back. It's that good.

Ghostwridah already proved he could deliver lyrically and put his heart on the highway with his last mixtape release, 305's and Heartbreaks. The In Love With My Future project only reinforces his way with words on EACH and EVERY song. I hate to toot the man's horn but, BEEP. BEEP. BEEEEEEEEEEEP. Although, the tape gives us more of a glimpse at Wridah's rise to the top and less of his personal struggles, he still paints a vivid picture of the road to his future. In "Look At Me Now" feat. Kirby, he highlights the glaring contrasts between his then and his now. Peep the first verse below:

"I guess this is what it feels like when you doin' big s&*t/Now they call you "sir" when they used to call you "misfit"/

Used to call security when we was in they stores/Now we all over the globe and they want us in they clothes/

Last year I was a n&*%a/Now I'm a Negro/Shawty said I wasn't rich enough to get her out her clothes/

Now the tables done turned and she throw it like Tebow/Problem is you was a dime/Now you just a zero/

You're boyfriend's hero, Homie used to sneak this/Heard he tryin to rap now he beggin for them features/

Cheerin from the bleachers every time that I touchdown/Used to play the ground floor, guess I'm goin up now/

used to do the Red cups now we doin Rose/...was doin ok but, now we doing splendid/my doors went suicide what a way to end it."

Fresh beats + Songs that flow + Features that hold their weight (my favorite may just be Bun B's appearance on the Big Tex, candy paint infused, "Ridin" produced by DJ Ideal) all = a memorable download.

*note: Ghostwridah also worked with DJ Ideal on the Coming From The Bottom mixtape. Peep game.

Needless to say, I'm a fan of this mixtape. With over 6,000 downloads in the first week alone, I'd go on a limb and say quite a few people are feeling the future as well.

Business Worthy Tracks:

"Crazy"

"Red Bottoms" - Peep this ode to the gold-diggers of the universe. Last verse had me rolling.

"Look At Me Now" feat. Kirby

"Still Not Famous" - Reminds me of a combination of B.O.B.'s "Airplanes" and Jay-Z's "Forever Young."

"Ridin" - Paul Wall would be proud. Throw up those H's. If you like this, make sure you play Drake's "November 18th" for a screwed up experiance.

To learn more about the homie Ghostwridah and to download In Love With My Future, head to http://www.ghostwridah.com/ and visit him on Twitter @_GhostWridah_

Big Deal - Asia'h
Deal With It

I stumbled across Asia'h Epperson, on one of my random internet music missions. Not until I did my research did I remember her as a season 7 contestant on American Idol. Her signing to Babyface's label, Soda Pop, piqued my interest, and the affiliation with bomb-diggity DJ, Don Cannon, made me download, however, it was the music on her mixtape entitled, Deal With It, that earned these joints a spot on my playlist.

Deal With It combines remixed versions of "Say Something" (Drake and Timbaland), "Bedrock" (Young Money) and "Sex Therepy" (Robin Thicke) as well as four original tracks.

Make sure you peep this ASAP if you love R&B. If Asia'h's first mixtape is any indication, I'm sure she'll be in heavy rotation sooner rather than later.

Business Worthy Tracks:
"Outta Time" - The witty punchlines in this track have made it a repeat.
"Open You Up"
"Say Something" (Remix) - This is probably one of the best additions to this song I've heard yet. Peep a portion of Asia'h's verse below:

"...you talking real fly out the window of your truck/to everything you catching walkin up out the club/Huh?/Its clear that where I am ain't really where you tryin to be at/It's sad that when I need ya you don't ever have my back/we were the perfect pair and now it seems that we don't match/it ain't the money boy, its how you act."

Download Deal With It by heading to http://www.asiahonline.com/ .

Follow Asia'h on Twitter: @asiahe

Momma! I Made It!!

Chan. Lo is Growing Up.

Ha. I've been dabbling with freelance writing for some time and I've finally found a place where my voice, and my pen, fit.

I have now teamed up with the wonderful folks at Underground Appeal.com and I shall lend my voice in an effort to spread the wealth of great music, fashion and all that is FRESH to the masses.

My "Mixtape Monday" posts will appear on both Underground Appeal and SBNP. Check out the site. Familiarize yourselves. Support the positivity.

More love. More music. More Chan.Lo. ;)

P.S. Follow the mastermind behind Underground Appeal, @truthxspeaks .

Mixtapes, Pt. II

Tongue and Cheek...Cheeki Pow Pow Hear Me Roar

Mixtapes provide a great venue for artists to put their own creative spin on existing hits. Cheeki Pow Pow capitalized on that very concept within her Hear Me Roar release. Three of the eleven tracks are "She-mix's" of such hits as "Fly Away" by Lenny Kravitz, "Day N' Night" by Kid Cudi and "Say Something" by Drake.

Production quality isn't completely up to par however, the lyrical content is both thought provoking and flat out funny. For example, on her she-mix of "Say Something", Cheeki takes a stab at a rhyming about a boyfriend who came out on the other end of the 80/20 rule:

"...You took us off our grind for a b----- without a bachelors/That's like trading in Vuitton for a clearance Baby Phat clutch."

Cheeki's wit and originality make this a mixtape worth the listen.

Business Worthy Tracks:
"Not U Itz Me"; "Day N Night"; "Hurt U Gud"; and "Say Something (She-Mix)"

Click HERE to listen to Hear Me Roar on DatPiff.com

Mr. Everything: Marty B.
Oreos, Kicks, & Video Games

The second Moonshine Kid featured in this series may be a name you are familiar with. Martellus Bennett, also known as Marty B, is a constant Youtube presence, creator of 'Hyperbole' clothing and, he's pretty good at football too. ;)

Nonetheless, the man who seems to have a talent for pretty much everything has released his second summer mixtape entitled, Oreos, Kicks and Video Games. Self described "patio music", Oreos combines a host of witty Marty-isms with a plethora of catch hooks and nod worthy beats. If you take a moment to listen to the lyrics, you'll also note a consistant play on words that would typically go unappreciated. An example of this can be seen in the track, "Velvet Ropes":

"Flows just dope/You would know if you listen/But, Khalid not my DJ/So, they don't hear the things we say/Tom Hanks my tapes/Just Cast Away/Hoping they'll last a day on their list of things to play/ok f--- it/I'll play my own s---/...my life just real my n----/no skits."

To check out more from Marty B and the Moonshine Kids, and to view and purchase Hyperbole apparel, visit www.dacoolsociety.com

To download Oreos, Kicks and Video Games click HERE

Business Worthy Tracks:

"Hearts and Love" ft. Micah Seth

"Better Place" ft. Shaud Money

"What More Can I Say?" ft. Dessie Lee and Shaud Money

"Velvet Ropes"

Honorable Mentions:

"Taxi" ft. Shaud Money

"Hello, Good Morning" ft. Shaud Money

"Sky Talk"

*Side note: You may be wondering who did the fantastic art work for the Oreos, Kicks and Video Games cover. None other than graphic designer/Photographer/All around know it all Ashley B. Nguyen. Hit her up on twitter @AshleyANP and on her website at: www.ashnguyen.com

And I'm Gone.

Peace. Love. Music.

xoxo

Chan.Lo.

You Ain't Nobody Until...You Make A Mixtape...Part One.

Here a Mix Tape, There a Mix Tape, Everywhere a Mix Tape.

The mix tape phenomenon has been prevalent for years. Unsigned artists or DJ's compile songs and distribute to the masses without the promo and traditional hoopla created with the release of commercial LP's. However, the art of releasing freebies is no longer limited to those without massive contracts and has become somewhat of a necessity to stay relevant in a game that releases (and leaks, i.e. Drake, Thank Me Later) more new music per day than Tupac did post mortem.

While I feel it safe to say that the beloved Mix Tape, and free music in general (hooray!), are here to stay, I find it quite intriguing that this tool is primarily used to hype commercial releases. Trey Songz, Lil Wayne, and the aforementioned, Mr. Drizzy Drake, have emphasized this with massive downloads of free music prior to the releases of their big label projects. The buzz created by the free-ninety-nine tracks pretty much secured chart worthy release figures.

With that, anyone trying to launch a career as an MC or songbird would do well to respect the Mix Tape hustle. I took to my twitter loves (follow me: @Chan_Lo) for advice on new business worthy artists. I received such a great response that I've decided to give you two a week...so much music, so little brain power. So, check below for installment one of independent joints worth checking out.

Happy Downloading.

Leirow Presents...Euphoria


Originally from Harrisburg, PA, Leirow brings a sweet voice to the table in this compilation. Eight songs complete the tape, three are definite downloads: "Blow Over", "Micromanagement" which is reminiscent of A. Keys' "Karma" and "Happy Now" which finds us with a familiar track made popular by Melanie Fiona with "It Kills Me."

Leirow's tone is brilliant and the tracks are well produced. Lyrical content left a bit to be desired however, the songs above help the tape recover nicely.

Click HERE to listen to Euphoria on DatPiff.com


SOLO DOLO: $haud Money
Solo Flight

Have you ever met a Moonshine Kid? Say hello to Shaud Money, aka, Reshaud Bennett, who happens to be 1/3 of the Moonshine Kids, other members include singer Chris Jobe and Bennett's older brother, Martellus. Originally from Louisiana, Shaud Money brings a unique, distinctly southern sound to his tracks. Solo Flight allows listeners to hear a glimpse of a fresh, young MC whom, with growth, could create quite a name for himself.

Though his flow is slightly raw, witty anecdotes and laid-back delivery make it easy for Solo Flight to cruise through your head phones.

Peep a few of my favorite cuts from Solo Flight:
"Forever Love" (the hook on this joint will stay in your head for hours.);
"Find My Passport"; "Lights, Camera, Action"; "Ear Dope" (production credit to Johnny Juliano. Beat is a wonderful blend of guitar and synth); and "Text Her Back" feat. Denali Nova.

Want more from Shaud Money? Check out his next mixtape in collaboration with another Moonshine Kid Marty B, entitled, Audio Tutorials, set to drop June 25th.

I've included a few of his free-styles below. Make sure you check out his flow on both the "Deuces" and "Rude Boy" instrumentals ...irony, huh? :)

Download "Deuces" Freestyle - Shaud Money
Download "Rude Boy" Freestyle - Shaud Money

Click HERE to download Solo Flight on LimeLinx

Till Pt. II...Peace. Love. Music.

XoXo,


ChanLo.

Put Your Records On...

Hear Ye...Hear Ye... :) Time for a Download...

Hey ya'll check out my latest playlist below. Some new artists, some old, some you've never heard of and a few on the verge. Check them out and follow me on twitter for more music, madness and random hilarity. :) @Chan_Lo

Happy Downloading! :op

1) "Busy" - Lyfe Jennings (Business)

This joint is a good look for Lyfe. You know how your always too busy to return that phone call? Take a look from the other perspective. Lyrical LYFE. Download like yesterday.

2) "Til The Day I Die" - Trey Songz

This joint was released back in February but, its still going hard on my Recently Played list. If you haven't heard it, get yourself some ear candy. If you have heard it, listen again.

3) "Take It All" - Brandon Hines (BUSINESS)

Been peepin Mr. Hines since his days at HU. This dude is one of the most under-rated artists you'll find out now. Get on this joint. P.S. Voice is like butter. If you want more, check out "10".

4) "Love Hurts" - Nivea

The second almost Mrs. Carter is back with a heartfelt ballad which is, dare I say, clearly about a certain dread locked lyrical genius? :) Check it out. Nivea has more range than she shows in this song but, its a nice introduction back to the game.

5) "Swag Sex" - Marques Houston feat. Soulja Boy

I really thought I would listen to this and roll my eyes the entire time...however, I actually am feelin it. Not business worthy but, worth a listen. MH is actually dropping some knowledge though: "...when you throw it you better put it in the endzone, sex game wack, she gon put you in the friend zone..." ;)


6) "Love Freak" - Trey Songz

The original R&B mixtape master, Trigga, dropped another mixtape entitled, 'Let Me Hold That Beat'. "Love Freak" is his version of Usher's "Little Freak"...LOL. No words. Download the whole mixtape & have yourself a Trey Day. ;oP


7) "Wait A Minute (For Your Love)" - JoJo

Someone please get this girl more promo. Talented. Song is FIRE. Download now.


8) "Fear of Flying" - Brandy (BUSINESS)

Ms. Norwood is back with this inspirational ballad. Good stuff. I must admit...I've missed her.


9) "Over" - Drake (BIG BUSINESS)

Clap. Clap. Bravo. Great introduction to the new album. Can't wait to hear what is next from Mr. October. Dude can create a flow with the craziest beats...this is evidence. Big business download bayyybeeee.


10) "Ha Ha" Fat Joe feat. Young Jeezy (BIG BUSINESS)

Joe Craaaaaccccckkkkk. LOL. Beat? Check. 2 of the best MC's in the game SPITTIN CRAZY? Check. On my playlist? You know this...Maaaann.


11) Tied up: "Redbottoms" and "Crazy" - Ghostwridah

Tracks both produced by the crazy talented Don Cannon and graced by Mr. On the Come-up himself, Ghostwridah. Please do yourself a favor and get acquainted with the future.

Enjoy the list. More for you soon.

Love. Peace. Music.

xoxo

Chan.Lo