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Tag: <span>Cali</span>

ICY GRL

INTERVIEW: Bay Area MC Saweetie Talks “Icy Grl” & Social Media Fame

Originally posted on HipHopDX 11/13/2017

For as many rappers as the Bay Area has produced, Kamaiyah is one of the few women to break through in the scene’s rich history. Hayward native Saweetie wants to become the next female MC to break the trend and put on for women in NorCal.

“I’m a Bay girl. The Bay raised me,” Saweetie said when asked about her history of living across California. “I love Sacramento too, so I kind of have two hometowns: Hayward and Sacramento. Those two cities shaped me into who I am today. I’m definitely a Cali girl but more like Bay Area.”

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Manna

INTERVIEW: Fashawn Announces New Album, “Manna”

Originally posted on HipHopDX 3/24/2017

Fresno MC and Mass Appeal artist Fashawn stopped by #DXLive to give us the exclusive on his forthcoming effort. “It’s about to drop on y’all, probably April 29th, the day of Grizzly Fest. Y’all the first people I’m telling this to,” says Fashawn. “It’s called Manna. That’s where the beauty comes from. I had to figure out a title that really encompassed [how I feel],” Fashawn explains to the #DXLive cast as HipHopDX Editor-In-Chief Trent Clark pointed out the parallel to the Bible where manna was “coming down from the sky.”

Fashawn also discusses the confusion between mixtapes and albums. “It’s a project. I don’t even know anymore [if there’s a difference between albums and mixtapes], the lines are so blurred. I just call them projects. The Fresno MC also goes into detail about what we can expect from Manna, “It’s just me,” Fashawn exclaims when asked about features. “I got love for everybody in Hip Hop but a lot of cats just didn’t make the cut. I still got time to work on the project so I’m still laying the finishing touches on it [so] you never know. I got a few people in mind so hopefully if their schedules permit it [and] if they got enough love for the kid they can [send their verses in].”

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Murs

INTERVIEW: Murs Recalls Seeing Biggie Getting Slaughtered In A Rap Battle

Originally posted on HipHopDX 3/20/2017

Triple beam lyrical dream? The late great Notorious B.I.G. may have been that cat you see at all events bent but on one fateful night, he met his match in Los Angeles. SoCal rap pioneer Murs stopped by the #DXLive set to promote his latest album and shared his favorite Notorious story about how B.I.G. may have caught an L. 

“He [had a show] right around the corner from Project Blowed at Marley Gibbs place, the Crossroads of L.A,” recalls Murs. “He was opening for Craig Mack. He came out [and] did ‘Juicy’ and then said ‘Who’s the hottest MC in here? I’ll battle him right now.’ It was barely nobody [in] there. Lady Of Rage was in the back. It was maybe 50 people in there. He battled this dude named NgaFsh from [Chillin’ Villain Empire]. Fish got in his ass. Killed him. And Biggie was a good sport about it. As a 14-year-old looking up to that shit I was like, ‘Wow I’ve been listening to [Biggie’s] album all month and I love him and he got served’ but it didn’t mean anything. He was just giving this dude some shine that’s from our city. Gave him love, held up his hand and was like, ‘You got me bro,’ went back [to his set] then Craig Mack came on and did ‘Flava In Ya Ear’ twice and left.”

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Veggies

INTERVIEW: Casey Veggies Previews New Music & Says He’s Dropping 2 Projects Soon

Originally posted on HipHopDX 1/31/2017

Los Angeles MC Casey Veggies has been on a bit of a hiatus. His last mixtape, Customized Greatly Vol.4, was only his second project in about three years along with his debut album, Live & Grow that dropped in 2015. Veggies recently stopped by the DXHQ to hit play on some new music and talk shop about his relationship with Roc Nation.

“I’m managed by Roc Nation,” Casey says. “I think it means [I’m] doing something right but it doesn’t mean [I] have it all figured out or will be the next big thing.” Casey first caught the attention of Roc Nation’s leader Jay Z when he was only 17 years old.

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Mic Drop

EDITORIAL: Farewell, Barack!

Originally posted on HipHopDX 1/21/2017

Dear President Obama,

As a wide-eyed 24-year-old black man in the Metro Detroit area, I walked into my local polling place wearing my “Fuck Joe The Plumber” t-shirt in 2008 to cast my vote. For the first time in my life, I had the opportunity to participate in an American government system I never felt represented me until you shook my foundation. Like many of my contemporaries, I’ve never seen a government that I felt represented me let alone look like me. Sure, I can remember parts of Coleman A. Young’s 20 years as Detroit’s Mayor and Dennis Archer’s stint as Mayor on a local level. But a black man as President? That was unfathomable.

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