It's round 2 of Dank Jamz' Unsigned Showdown. This weeks track is Dr. Dre's "Next Episode."

The contest is open to all unsigned artist. Each week a track is chosen. It's up to each artist to develop there own concept and make the track their own! A winner is chosen each week based on the number of votes obtained.
@DopeGrlCheme's picks
There were 6 different artists this weeK:
Motive- Miami, FL
              Delirious- San Francisco, CA
  Ransom- Miami, FL
City- Brooklyn, NY
Mula- Miami, FL
    M.A.G.Z- Colorado

Go to www.DankJamz.com and cast the vote for your favorite artist this week!

To submit your track for next weeks battle go to http://www.dankjamz.com/ or check out my post just below this one!
 
ALL MY UNSIGNED ARTISTS LISTEN UP:

My Cali Connect is strong & I'm puttin the work in yo' hand!

It's goin down this summer with the Unsigned Showdown brought to you by Dank Jamz. This is an AWESOME opportunity to get heard and get your face seen. If you think you got a hot flow and you wanna put on then you need to get in on this. In addition to being featured on the DankJamz site, I'm pickin my own winners each week!!!

......and its FREE, so don't say I never gave y'all nothing!!!
DankJamz is introducing Unsigned Showdown, an online rap contest for unsigned talent. The first round of DankJamz Unsigned Showdown will start on June 10th 2011. Entries will appear on DankJamz and visitors will vote for the best song every week.

The first round features rising artists: Delirious from San Francisco, Scooba from Los Angeles, Motive from Miami,  Virginia's S. Nasty, and Colorado's M.A.G.Z. .

The contest is open to anyone entries for the Second Round are due to DankJamz 6/17/11
Contact: [email protected]

Prizes:
-Each Round's Winner will be featured on the Home Page of DankJamz
-The Artist with the most wins at the end will be crowned the champion and DankJamz will help in the development of the champions first album and will PAY to have it released on Itunes and other online music retailers.

The Beats for the first 5 rounds are as follows:
    1. Shyne – Bad Boys  
   Entries due: 6/8 Voting starts: 6/10

     2. Dr Dre – Next Episode
     Entries Due: 6/17 Voting Starts: 6/20

     3. Styles P – Good Times (I Get High)
 Entries Due: 6/25 Voting Starts : 6/27

  4. 2pac – Str8 Ballin’

     5. Nate Dogg – I Got Love

*Early Submissions will get review by Celebrity Guest Kidd Russell and will be featured in “Kidd's Picks” on the DankJamz homepage



ENTER/ VOTE

WWW.DANKJAMZ.COM




City

6/23/2011

0 Comments

 
The last few weeks I been rocking with some pretty DOPE east coast artist. So why not end the month on the same note!
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Brooklyn born artist City started writing at the age of 9. As he got older he started taking his words the studio. Life dealt him a hand that landed him in prison. His release from prison initially didn't prove to be beneficial to his music either. It took him a while to get back to it, until he had enough of feeling like the hip hop scene was missing something.

Today, City is alive and well, writing and recording. His much awaited release "In the Belly of the Beast" just dropped over the weekend.
I've had a little time to check it out. I can get wit this one. I already got my favorite tracks: "On One," "Incredible Love" & "Red Roses". This is one of them mixtapes you throw on, ride around the city and vibe to!

You check out and download the entire mixtape here: In the Belly of the Beast

Also, shoutout to City's management team ImPrecious Entertainment!!!!

Booking/Contact:
www.twitter.com/City108
www.twitter.com/imprecious
http://www.reverbnation.com/citypro2010 

 
Stayin' up top this week!!! Got some positive dudes doing their thing with the music tip.
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GP Mafia consists of artists Champ-Pain, Don Ray and Young Po, all New York natives. The premise of their connect is to shed light on life issues relating to coming up in single parent homes, drug addiction, street life & everyday struggle.

Champ-Pain made a move to Atlanta where he later hooked up with Youn Po. Champ's brother, Don Ray, decided to come down to Atlanta. While heading to a local store, Don Ray was shot at point blank range. Through God's graces he was able to make a full recovery. They used this life altering event as a catalyst to go harder with the music and give their testimony on what God can do.

Those who know me personally know that I'm wearing about 4 different hats right now. So I thought it'd be appropriate to post this GP Mafia video of "Different Days"......
They've got a hot joint called "Shake It" on their website GPMafia.com. They got this track "Break 'Em Down" that's pretty dope too.These guys are def worth a listen.

I'm happy these guys allowed me to put them on my site. I know they're continuing to take lifes tragedies and blessings and lead positive lives. They've got some other dope videos on their YouTube channel as well.

Look out for these guys here in tha A!

Booking/Contact:
[email protected]
http://www.gpmafia.com/
www.twitter.com/GPMafia
 
I have to admit that of all the music I listen to, I don't really keep up with the Tri-State music scene.

Harlem native Wise Vega, born Davon Brown, fell in love with hip-hop at the age of thirteen. He wrote his first song after listening to Tupac's "America's Most Wanted."
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With his father incarcerated much of his childhood, he used his home life as a a muse for his music. He see's his rap style as having a "split personality." He comes with the conscious, real-life raps as well as showcasing the flashy, cocky side of Vega!

He's got an upbeat track to keep tha hood inspired called "I'm Grinding." And "Long Time Ago" SLAPS along with tha video which you can check out below. The hook on this song is hella dope.
And I just got this "Amber Rose" record tonight...all I can say is a MUST LISTEN!!!

Definitely keep checking for more Wise Vega;dude KILLS. The music he's putting out is definitely hot. And his SWAG is on a trillion. Check out some of his other YouTube videos & you'll understand.

Shoutout to NY, Jersey, PA......we rockin wit this one!

Booking/Contact:
[email protected]
www.twitter.com/IAmWiseVega
www.myspace.com/wisevega4
 
Takin' y'all back home wit me for this one....

#OOMF("one of my followers" for the non-Twitter people, lol) sent me a link to this You-Tube video said I had to check this dude out. There's something about my California people, 'cause soon as I started listening I said 'Oh he gotta be from the best coast, the west coast.' Which ain't a bad thing when your delivery is as hot as this dudes.
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Ryan Anthony is a college student hailing from San Diego, California. He actually started not as an artist but as a producer. At the age of 6 he was dabbling with music making beats using the Fruity Loops software.

After years of building up his library he decided to start putting his own words to his fly beats. Although he loves the producing aspect, he can get with the lyrical part of it as well.....And I have NO complaints with either!
Y'all most definitely gotta check out some of his music on HotNewHipHop.com. Feelin the Life, At Moment track. Super producer & hot lyricist....




Booking/Contact:

www.facebook.com/ThisARyanAnthonyBeat

www.HotNewHipHop.com/ThisARyanAnthonyBeat

www.twitter.com/RyanAnth0ny

 
I'd be doing such a dis-service to anyone who ever reads my blog if I didn't attempt to feed your soul. This is that attempt....

Everyone knows someone who's going through something, and that is TOO prevalent in today's day & time. We are all looking for something or someone  to help us make it through the day....even sometimes just the hours.

I'm definitely not gonna preach to y'all because I am far from a saint! But I will say try GOD!

This week I bring to y'all Gospel sensation Stanley Johnson. Dudes voice is SICK! Soon as I started listening to "Hiding Place" I said 'Smokey Norful?!' He brings that conviction and passion into his music to make anyone a believer.
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Lansing, MI native Stanley Johnson began singing in church at a young age. He took his music global performing under the direction of Dr. Mal Williams. He draws his musical influences from artists like Stevie Wonder and four-time Grammy winning Worship Leader Israel Houghton.

The first single off his debut album Beyond Me, "Hiding Place" provides the mood music for ones quiet time. It's that song that takes you to that place within yourself to allow you to be still and be in total commune with what God. Over the last 6 months, I can say with conviction that I've been in that place NUMEROUS times.
"In a world of confusion, through a time a uncertainty, it is hard for one to grasp the idea of selflessness; But to be live Christ is to live beyond self." ~Stanley Johnson

Nothing less than the TRUTH!

Booking/Contact:
[email protected]
http://www.stanleyjmusic.com/
www.twitter.com/StanleyJMusic
 
Told y'all Texas stays on my radar.......

"In the end I'm gon' get mine because I'ma do what I gotta do..."~Yung Zavey

If you look at the numbers, a good portion of hip-hop music is supported by those of a "lighter persuasion"! So I'd say it's probably a good idea to have in your plan as an artist to be able to make music for the masses rather than a select few. If you think about any of the major hip-hop artist, mass appeal is definitely a part of their success.

Well add that to Yung Zavey's plan too!
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Houston, TX bred artist Zavey is most definitely puttin' on for his city. His latest mixtape Thinking Out Loud should be in everyone's rotation right now. It's a super DOPE mixtape hosted by DJ Fletch & the LEGENDARY production team Stunt n Dozier.

Funny how he says he got started.......reading a lot of Dr. Seuss books as a kid! (Side note: Some of y'all need to do this as adults!!!) I can't say that listening to him reminds me of anyone, he's got a very original sound. His freestyle to Wayne's "6 Foot 7 Foot" is fo sho a winner!
His approach to his craft is unique as well. I think a lot of artist think short term......get money NOW. Zavey has a different approach in that he's goin' for longevity, all expressed on the track "Everybody Raps." When you LOVE what you do there's no such thing as retirement. As Zavey would say, "You only temporary like a passion mark."




I like his style 'cause: 1. He's laid back wit his delivery & 2. I can understand what he sayin'...not so true for some MAJOR artist out right now. He's absolutely making good music and developing his own lane, not only in the Houston market but in the music game period.




I can say that this dude has to be in my top 3 artist I put on here yet!(Don't nobody ask me who the other 2 are please, LOL).

Check out and D/L Thinking Out Loud here. Be on the lookout for "Herbs, Nouns, & Verbs" slated for release on 4/20. You can check out some of his stuff on YouTube as well.

Booking/Contact:
Anthony: 832-584-9703 / [email protected]
www.twitter.com/ImZavey
www.facebook.com/Zavey
http://www.youtube.com/user/ImZavey
 
This piece is less about an artists music and more about what music can do to change a persons life.

As I sat down to go through dudes bio, I was a taken aback by his story a little more than the music....
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Alain "Rico" Moise, Jr. was raised in Rhode Island. At the age of 7, his father was gunned down outside of the night club where he worked. His mother later went on to re-marry a US service man which called for Rico and his family to move around the country a number times during his early to mid teens.




In his senior year of high school Rico returned to live in Rhode Island, where he met Kalvin Duarte. Kalvin turned out to be the driving force behind Rico getting into music period. He introduced Rico to the Juelz Santana Back Like Cooked Crack mixtape. His mind was turned on to a lifestyle different and more intriguing than that of what he was used to.




Fast living got Rico locked up, missing his 21st & 22nd birthdays. Just before being locked up, he suffered another loss with the passing of his friend Kalvin. In the fall of 2009, Yung Rico's son Kalvin Alain Moise was born. The birth of his son proved to be the turning point for Rico. He decided to throw himself into his music in hopes thatog making things happen for himself and his son. And I'd say thus far he's doing a VERY good job.

So now I'll get to tha music....Dudes tracks are hella dope!!! Check out his freestyle track "I'm Gone." His latest single "Can't Stope Me" is slated for official release on the Back at it Like a Track Addict mixtape. I know dudes been working 'cause he's got hella mixtapes set for distribution: Wats Ur Motivation hosted by DJ MixmasterG730 out in Germany, Winta Grind, Summa Shine hosted by DJ New Era in Alabama, & I Refuse 2 Lose hosted by by Nappy Boy DJ Slick In Miami...all put out by his OWN company Dinstinguished Men Ent Group South.

Besides being HELLA funny, he's a GRADE A HUSTLER in every sense of the phrase. I 'preciate his energy and positivity and wish him all the best in things to come.

Booking/Contact:
a[email protected]
www.twitter.com/YungRico401
www.twitter.com/DMEGroup_South
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Yung-Rico/135357443173841

 
I sit here on the weekends going through emails, trying to decide who I'm going to do my next peice on, what am I going to say about the artist...blah, blah, blah.....

So today I said 'Lemme check out this chick. She's seems pretty kew so I hope she don't absolutely suck'......AND OMG does she not suck!!!!

I start listening to this track called "Brand New" by Troy, Alabama native Raspy Rapsody, and I'm like this track is hella dope....then she starts singing!!! LOL I'm like ohhh naw this chick is hella hella dope. 
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You can definitely hear some of her musical influneces like Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu in her music. Her style is confident but not overbearing. I LOVE the tone of her voice as well. A lot of artist have hot sounds but they get on tracks that don't fit them.

Raspy got her start in the church where her mother was a pastor. She didn't start behind a mic but rather learning instruments and the behind the scenes dynamics of the music industry. Rapping, singing, writing, producing or engineering.... she does it!!!

Thus far in her career she's been blessed to share the stage with some awesome artists like Cody Chesnutt (LOOOOOVE HIM), Soccorro, Tallahassee Soul Project and Royce Lovett. She describes her own sound as HIP-HOP SOUL FUSION.  "Hip-Hop is suppose to make you think and feel emotions, whether their good or bad," Raspy says.
Whatever it is she's doing I LOVE IT! "Hipster" is one of my favorite tracks and definitely a new add to tha iPod. Her versatility will definitely prove to be a plus for her. As well as her willingness to keep learning.

God bless you sistah, keep doing your thing, wish you ALL the best!!!

Please chek her out on YouTube or ReverbNation!!!

Booking/Contact:
www.twitter.com/raspyrapsody
(850) 519-7899