Fire Starter: Lore’l
Real Spit: Reality television is a tricky thing. While it can give fans an intimate look into the lives of their favorite artists, sometimes things get too real and the image just can’t be erased. Up-and-coming Brooklyn rapper Lore’l was a bit hesitant to join the cast of VH1′s “Love & Hip Hop: New York,” but ultimately she made it all work in her favor. Read the full story at MTV News.
Fire Starter: Vali
Essential Info: Vali sort of has her head in the clouds. Normally, that would be a bad thing, but the New York native is looking to fully capitalize on the air up there. On Tuesday, the pop singer dropped her debut EP, Kiss the Sky, a fitting title since she planted the seeds for her deal with Rostrum Records while flying 35,000 feet in the air.
Kelly Valentina Porter, Vali for short, started out as a backup dancer for Nitty, an early act on Benjy Grinberg’s Rostrum Records, but the spunky vocalist, who has been writing and recording since high school, yearned for something more. At first, she went unnoticed, but Vali would eventually earn her wings. “Benjy didn’t talk to me because I was just a dancer, but then magically, I ended up sitting next to him on a plane,” Vali recalled to Mixtape Daily.
The random seating arrangement paid off, and during that flight, Vali played Grinberg some of her demos, which piqued his interest. He then introduced Valentina to a young, up-and-coming Wiz Khalifa, and the two would collaborate on “Sometimes” and “I Chose You,” two tracks on the “Black and Yellow” MC’s 2006 indie album, Show and Prove.
“I was just learning how to write,” Vali said of her early collaborations with her Rostrum labelmate. “I was singing in studios that were just closets or small, little places … but that doesn’t matter. If you have a good hook, you have a good hook — you can record anywhere.”
The early lessons proved valuable. Kiss the Sky is full of cleverly written love odes that are both playful and catchy. “Polaroid” is a cute poke at the paparazzi, and on “Ben ‘n Jerry,” Vali finds herself having to choose between two lovers, with two very distinct flavors. “I want to have my cake and eat it too/ Don’t blame me if I want a double scoop,” she sings.
“Top of the World” is a larger-than-life fist-pumper, while “Muah” is a reggae-tinged flirt fest. The ID Labs-produced “Light the Sky” is a toast to the single life, and the Juicy J-assisted “Bon Voyage” gives the EP a nice hip-hop touch. “I really admire Juicy J. He’s the hardest-working person I’ve met in my entire life. He does not sleep,” Vali said of her hyped-up collaborator.
In all, Kiss the Sky is a pretty impressive trip. “My life has been very much a journey and flying,” Vali said. “Even how I met Benjy on an airplane, it’s really weird. It all kind of ties together in this flight.”
What do you think of Vali’s debut EP? Share your review in the comments below!
For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.
Fire Starter: Honors English
Essential info: Honors English isn’t just rapping for the sake of rapping. So know that the Trenton, New Jersey, rap rookie has the attention of his growing audience, and he fully intends to use his rhymes wisely.
“I got an opportunity to go to school and do my thing in that way, and I wanted to give back in a lot of ways in terms of the music. Take what I learned and add it to hip-hop,” Honors told Mixtape Daily.
English is the MC’s given last name, but he adopted the Honors moniker from the time he spent in school. The skill that he would use to write term papers is the same skill that he uses to write densely packed rap verses. “A lot of times I’ll rewrite a song a couple of times, like I’m writing a paper,” he said. “I’ll rewrite it, rewrite it, rewrite it till it’s right.”
To say Honors’ lyrics are right may be a bit of an understatement. On his Needlz-produced State of the Art mixtape, the nimble-tongued rapper who now resides in Tallahassee, Florida, spits intricately laid bars alongside rap notables like Freeway and Lupe Fiasco. On “Crazay,” English employs clever wordplay, spitting rhymes like, “I swiss beats and turn ‘em to vegan cheese/ I’m rap’s answer to Alicia, now give me the keys.”
While “Crazay” is all about wordplay, “Second Chances” is a storytelling joint in which a different narrative is told in each verse. In the song’s second verse, English breaks down his producer Needlz’s battle with cancer. It’s all pretty heavy.
“We wanted to do a project about what we love about hip-hop,” he said. “Modern, something that had content but at the same time was not just trying to beat you over the head with a particular message. Making sure that it’s still entertainment, it’s still accessible.”
What do you think of Honors English’s State of the Art mixtape? Let us know in the comments!
For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.
Fire Starter: Irv Da Phenom
Essential Info: You get back what you put out. It’s a concept that Kansas City, Missouri, rapper Irv Da Phenom understands well. That’s why the up-and-coming rapper isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. Now, on his latest album, Who the F— Is Irv Da Phenom?, the Midwest MC looks to really define himself.
“I’m just a young man from Wyandotte County, Kansas City, a hard worker [who] was gifted to do music,” Irv told Mixtape Daily in answer to the very question that his album title poses. “I’m just trying to provide my point of view through music and move people with it.”
The self-proclaimed Phenom first got into music while singing in the church where his father was a deacon. As a child he wasn’t allowed to listen to rap music, but eventually, by the age of 13, he found hip-hop influences in Eminem, Busta Rhymes and his hometown hero Tech N9ne. Turns out that Irv would meet Tech as a teenager during a studio session and then years later end up touring with the Strange Music juggernaut.
“As years went on, he seen me doing my thing around the town, rapping. And then I pop up at his shows,” he said of his relationship with Tecca Nina. “It just eventually grew and grew. I was blessed to be able to go out on tour with him. He heard my music one day and was like, ‘Man you’re supposed to be making music with us,’
and that’s how we ended up linking up.”
Irv didn’t ink with Tech’s Strange Music but started his own independent label, Def Metal Gospel, through which he released his underground albums. If a rapper who flies a flag that draws inspiration from metal and gospel music sounds different to you, that’s cool, because that’s the way Irv intended it. “It’s already a Lil Wayne, it’s already a Young Jeezy, it’s already a Rick Ross, so why would I worry about fitting in to what they are?” Irv explained, instead choosing to be himself. “I just do what I know — somebody out there is just like me.”
While on the road with Tech, Irv did pick up some great touring habits. For one, he learned the importance of a quality stage show. Standing center-stage and rapping just won’t cut it. Secondly, he saw the worth in going directly to his fans. Irv has more than 11,000 Twitter followers and a respectable digital presence, but he is best when he is face-to-face with his fans, selling physical CDs at meet-and-greets before his shows. “It’s real important to actually go reach the fans, go touch ‘em and let them see you out and about,” he said.
For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.
Fire Starter: Tone Trump
Essential info: It’s no secret that Philadelphia is a hotbed for hip-hop talent. In the 1980s, it was Schoolly D who helped put Philly on the map with his 1986 hip-hop classic “P.S.K. What Does It Mean?” Of course, the Fresh Prince followed a few years later, then the Roots. In the late 1990s, Jay-Z introduced Beanie Sigel to the world, and Maybach Music’s Meek Mill is currently the city’s most recognizable rap figure.
Still more and more raw rap talent continues to break out of Illadelphia’s borders, and the latest contender, Tone Trump, was handpicked by Young Jeezy. These days, a street rapper can’t get a bigger co-sign.
“A couple of days ago, I officially signed my deal with Young Jeezy, CTE World, and [it's been] a lot of years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears, risking my life,” Trump told Mixtape Daily when he was in New York on Wednesday. “I make street music and I just signed with the biggest street artist in the world.”
“It would’ve been a dream come true to get a so-called record deal with any label probably, but not too many artists get to sign with their favorite rapper or their favorite artists,” he said with much admiration. “When I was in the mix and coming up in the grind, his music got me and mines through a lot.”
After TT and the Snowman collaborated on Trump’s 2011 street single “Afghan,” rumors began to swirl of a CTE signing, but the pair finally announced their union earlier this week. Jeezy, Trump and their now-unified crews celebrated over drinks. “It was a toast; it was a boss’ toast,” Tone said, setting the scene. “Snow, he bought about 40 bottles for the whole crew and it was like all rosé and it was one bottle of Ace of Spades, he put that to the side and gave it to me.”
More than the deal, it was Jeezy’s commitment that the Philly spitter really admires. “He said a few words, that I’m gonna keep private forever, that really touched my heart, and it meant a lot,” Trump said. “I even took the bottle back home like a trophy.”
Is Tone Trump’s deal with Young Jeezy a good fit for the Philly rapper? Let us know what you think in the comments!
For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.
Fire Starter: King Louie
It isn’t just a Chicago thing anymore — just ask King Louie. There was a time when 24-year-old Louis Johnson was just making music for fans within his native city’s borders, but in the past year, the Eastside Chi-town MC has seen his name spread like wildfire. A well-timed Kanye Westplug only fanned the flames.
“I was coming from the dentist, he had gave me all those meds, so I was kinda out of whack,” Louie told Mixtape Daily of when he first heard Yeezy name-check him on the G.O.O.D. Music remix to Chief Keef’s underground riot starter “I Don’t Like.”
“Shout-out to L.E.P., J Boogie, right?/ Chief Keef, King Louie, this is Chi, right?” ‘Ye spits on the souped-up remix, which hit the Web last week on May 1.
“It was crazy, because you don’t think them type of guys on that level hear your music just coming from the hood,” Louie said of his surprise during an L.A. interview three days after the song dropped.
Though Louie plays humble, it has been increasingly difficult to ignore his musical output. His 2011 track “Too Cool” has been consistently buzzing thanks to its infectious hook and polished music video. It also doesn’t hurt that he joined forces with Kanye’s former manager John Monopoly about eight months ago.
Now, Louie is signed to independent label Lawless Inc. and continues to pump out street-inspired, hard-hitting, dope-boy music. His latest mixtape, Motion Picture, serves as an appetizer for his upcoming album, Dope Shrimp.
Lou was about 16 years old when he first started hitting the recording studio. He started taking rap seriously after he got kicked out of high school. Now KL is part of a budding Chicago music scene that includes Chief Keef, Rockie Fresh, L.E.P. Bogus Boys, YP and Def Jam‘s latest signees Lil’ Durk and Lil’ Reese. “The music scene is crazy. It’s younger and energetic. … It’s fun again,” Louie said of his city’s new crop of spitters.
King Louie is particularly proud that he has had a hand in influencing a lot of Chi’s new talent: He and 16-year-old Keef are frequent collaborators. “Makes me feel like I did something right for my peers,” he said.
Now that rap’s spotlight is shining on him and his team, King Louie doesn’t plan to let up his verbal assault any time soon. Next up is Dope Shrimp, a title Louie said he chose because all he does is “smoke dope and eat shrimp.”
“It’s more mature; you can tell that I’m growing,” he explained. “You can hear the growth and development in my craft. Sounds like a better Louie.”
For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.
Fire Starter: 360
There was a time when 360 was running around in circles, simultaneously chasing his rap dreams while being pulled by the streets’ centrifugal force. Those days are over, however, and now the full-time MC is on a linear path.
“Everything that I’ve done it’s all just come back to music at the end of the day,” the Queens, New York, newcomer told Mixtape Daily. “So this time I was like, ‘I’m staying. I’m not doing nothing else but music now.’ ”
6-0′s debut EP, Everywhere and Back, which was released as a free download on his website at the top of April, is a collection of 10 original tracks. The promising rap rookie displays a consistently fluid flow, clever wordplay and a refreshing sense of humor.
Throughout, 360 holds his own collaborating with little-known producers, but he does get one major assist on the boards from Roc Nation’s J. Cole. When 60 released YouTube footage of him and Cole in the studio back in February, many wondered how the newcomer hooked up with the platinum producer. It’s a Queens thing, 360 explained.
“Cole, I knew him from way back. I knew him from when he was in St. Johns,” he said, recalling Jermaine’s college days in New York. “Basically, when it was my time to come up, he reached out while I was doing my thing and was like, ‘Yo let me help you.’ ”
It was a crucial assist. The result is “What Goes Up,” one of Everywhere and Back‘s standout tracks. Another is “Woulda Kid,” a track that pokes fun at those who exaggerate their street bravado to impress others. “It’s basically somebody that talks and never comes through, ever,” 360 explained while laughing.
Now that he is no longer chasing his tail in the streets, 360 is focused on a productive career in rap. It’s an age-old story, but one that never gets stale. “I really sat down and planned this. This wasn’t like I was just putting songs together,” he said. “The ultimate goal at the end of the day is to make a real change.”
For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.
