At the beginning of the new year, The Cause dropped a dope Teyana Taylor remix; that sparked us getting back in contact, which then turned into Cause asking me to sit down with him for Part 2 of his "Conversations W/ Cause" series, which he kicked off in December of 2018. After chopping it up while driving through his stomping grounds, we sat down to talk about everything—his last project, The Release Party, growing as an artist and a person, working with the legendary DoItAll, and much more. It was dope chopping it up with him and having a real convo about the life of an artist and his varying inspirations in general.
Check the full conversation below, and just in case you haven't checked it out, dive into Cause's Release Party.
I just got a notification for this "Raize of the Sun" video from Rich Quick, which is taken from The Beginning Is Nigh, which dropped back in April. I still haven't even properly processed his passing. Rich was a genuine dude who was also genuinely talented, and this clip proves it.
I still don't know how to even talk about him passing. Questions unanswered. Glad there's material of his to still dive into, hoping to either find those answers or just feel his spirit while I'm still on Earth to shout his name. We miss you, Quick.
Heading out to Bill Nobes’ Dirty Old Robot Studio on a chilly fall evening can be downright scary. While some of the brightest stars in Trenton’s local music scene head down there to contribute to Nobes’ Analog Trenton project, you get the feeling that Nobes wants it that way.
The reason for my trek to this quiet part of Jersey was to see the punk-rock outfit PISSED! record a special version of their song “Hands Up” for Analog Trenton, a project that Nobes describes as “capturing the Trenton music scene in 100% analog.” Without understanding the scope of the project, I recall seeing images of the likes of Molly Rhythm and Black Collar Biz recording at spots like Champs in Trenton (as well as a special recording session during Art All Day 2018 at Trenton Coffee House & Records featuring Skelly, Nikki Nailbomb, Josh Adair, Bern the Bastard, and more) for this compilation, which aims to feature 30+ artists from a number of genres into this compilation that’s being pressed to vinyl (with CD and digital versions also being made available). Additional acts that have recorded for the project include Roebus One, DATA_WOLF, and Wade Wilson, among others.
Analog Trenton’s Indiegogo campaign is set to end on Black Friday (aka November 23, 2018); more than half of the $12,000 needed to complete the project has been raised, but they are still looking for funding. Perks for backers include everything from pre-ordering the vinyl, CD, and digital versions of the compilation to producer credits, chances to attend recording and mixing sessions, and more.
Amidst the theremin and Moog keyboards and tape decks and massive multi-track mixers sitting in the dining room area of Nobes’ home (“a real dorm room feel,” Nobes described), Bill shared the genesis of Analog Trenton. The concept for a compilation of this size started out roughly two years ago, around Thanksgiving while Bill was on his “way to Nikki (Nailbomb)'s birthday party at Abdul's. At that party it was just all musicians just playing to celebrate Nikki's birthday, together. It wasn't about anything other than that. I was like, ‘we should probably record this, this whole thing.’ I think that might be the first night I came up with the idea.”
Like many collaborative projects in the art and music scenes in Trenton, it snowballed from there. Nobes would speak about it to one person, and they’d be interested in the idea. Slowly, it morphed into the series of recording sessions that not only went down at Champs, but Trenton Coffee House & Records as well, that is numbering over 20 acts, and is set to wrap in late December of 2018.
This isn’t a project Bill dived into on his own, though; while it’s his vision, he recruited Nikki and Griff Sullivan to act as co-producers on Analog Trenton. They both are mainstays in the Trenton music scene, and help bringing in talented individuals that truly highlights what Trenton makes. “It's extremely important that we represent as much as we can the city of Trenton and all of its diversity,” Bill explained. “It wasn't just about what we like. It's about a true snapshot of what makes Trenton music right now. We have way more than will fit in a vinyl so what we're gonna do is sit down with the tracks and figure out which ones create that best snapshot.” Don’t fret; while the vinyl release might be limited to 20 or so artists, the CD version will add more acts, while the digital version of the compilation will feature everything recorded.
For music lovers, especially fans of music recorded before the dawn of the digital age’s impact on music, the idea of recording straight to analog might not be foreign. For those who just love a good song, it might be a tad confusing. Seeing Bill—a true renaissance man who’s done everything from directing his own stage plays to managing events in the New York and Hoboken scenes—in his element, guiding PISSED! through their roughly two-hour session, it’s an amazing sight to see. Bill’s doing everything, from troubleshooting instrument levels to picking the exact moment to stop the recording (hopefully those seconds of vocal+resonating cymbal sounds stay in the final version). There’s a sense of performance to his producing, with his ever-present hand signals at the start and end of each recording. Even if he’s just speaking aloud, making sure that all systems are go before pressing record, you get the sense that Bill has a particular way of producing, a true passion for committing the sound of Trenton to analog tape.
Bill’s also learning on the job. He shared his experience recording Jersey hip-hop luminary Roebus One and his unique way of recording vocals. “He did every third verse,” Bill explained, “and then he did two tracks fill in here, fill in here, fill in here. We had five levels of fill in.”
“When [Roebus] writes,” Bill continued, “he overlaps the words. When I was listening to some of his tracks, I was like ‘how are we going to do that in analog?’ We had him doing some crazy stuff for the final fills. At one point I had him stand eight feet away from the mic and yell stuff. Then the next one I put in a ribbon which is very sensitive and have him get right next to it and whisper.”
The spirit of experimentation is alive and well in his studio, although with PISSED!, the session was much more straightforward than you’d imagine for a bunch of Capital City punks. The four-man outfit began the session working out some of the changes in this special version of “Hands Up,” and after two run-throughs of the song in full, they laid down two takes on the song (which questions the issue of police brutality) before doing individual takes of each instrumental and vocals. Bill was always willing to try something new, making sure the musicians felt comfortable with their take before moving to the next step. It was collaborative, and fun; a truly welcoming environment to record in (or just be a fly-on-the-wall of).
In the end, Bill made sure to point out that while this compilation will highlight the sound of Trenton, Analog Trenton’s mission runs deeper than that. “[The] idea started as a snapshot of Trenton music,” Bill shared, “but it's turned into a snapshot of Trenton community.” He recalls one session where the family vibe of the scene was alive, with Nikki and company working on vocals while chilli was being served to those in the session. Anyone who’s worked near the art and music communities in Trenton have had that moment, where the family vibe of the scene makes these events about more than the music. It’s people coming together and building something, or just watching out for their peers. It’s the spirit of Trenton that gets lost in the salacious headlines about the city. It’s what true Trentonians (and those who’ve been adopted into this patchwork community) see, feel, and experience on the regular.
After PISSED! completed their session and took off into the November night, Bill and I parted ways. Stepping into the cool evening air, I felt like I’d truly experienced...something. Going to see music performed live can be a life-altering experience. Dropping by Dirty Old Robot and seeing a piece of Analog Trenton be constructed right before my eyes? It puts a different spin on the concept of live music, and more importantly, what makes up the Trenton music scene. For such a historic town, committing that excellence to analog tape is fitting, and should be a part of every true Trenton music scenseter worth their weight in pork roll.
Jersey's Cymarshall Law has been raw; we've known that. It's dope to see other outlets, especially the legendary Rap Is Outta Control show on Shade45, giving him the time to shine. He recently visited with Raf Almighty, and while Raf goes for his during the first minute of this clip, CyMar goes dumb for almost two minutes. Styling, punches, he's got it all. If you aren't up on him yet, get to know him NOW. His latest album, Imperfectly Perfect, is a great place to start.
With the Indian Summer finally breaking over here on the East Coast, Jaxtella returns with a massive boost of liquid drum & bass for your speakerboxes.
The Trenton-based DJ is still working through months of dnb releases, and turning them into sixty-plus minute rinseouts. This pack is from the month of August, and includes a number of Degs "sprayouts" from his impressive Hospital mixtape, as well as bits from Friction, Pola & Bryson, Danny Byrd, Villem & McLeod, Djah, and more.
For those of you looking to get your weekend off on the good food, Jax's got you covered. Stream and download this mix below, and be sure to check out that full tracklist.
As per usual, Jaxtella came through with ruckus for this month's edition of rockthedub radio. Now I know that a whole two-hour podcast full of music can be a lot, especially if you love drum & bass and just want those bits. So, we made sure you could stream and download Jaxtella's mix, which features cuts from Kid Drama, DJ Andy, The Upbeats, Urbandawn, and many, many more. Stream and download this one, and check out the full tracklist down below.
Tracklist:
Redpill - Hold It Like That
TR Tactics - Vision (Disphonia Remix)
Prolix ft. DC Breaks - Beat Down
Vowel - Pulse
Kid Drama - Dredger
Urbandawn - Roundabout
Fa11out - Necronaks
Kusp - Shook
Black Sun Empire & State of Mind - Ripsaw
The Upbeats & Rockwell - Gamma Ray
Stoner - 1984
King Of The Rollers - Running Man
Zombie Cats - Reflection
Rizzle - Memory Glitch
Benny L - Rough Edge
Chase & Status ft. Cutty Ranks - Retreat2018
TC - Test My Gangsta
DJ Andy - Keep Rolling
NC-17 ft. Replicant - City on Fire
Proxima - Localize
Mob Tactics - Crazy Hype (Annix Remix)
Dossa & Locuzzed - Cargo VIP
The Cause is one of the many artists I remember from the Garden Variety series in Trenton many moons ago. From afar, I've seen him continue to push forward, growing as a solo act. This week, he sent over his latest, Release Party, and I'm loving how cohesive this project is, especially when you consider there's different cats producing each track. The final track, "Flower Town," also features the impeccable Valona Denise as well as the legend DoItAll from Lords of the Underground.
Stream the full project below, and download it today from Bandcamp.
The NJ scene is still reeling from the passing of Rich Quick, but one of the best ways to heal is to link up with your community and celebrate. That will be happening at the Voltage Lounge in Philly on Friday, October 12.
The bill features the likes of Reef the Lost Cauze, the CORFU crew, Skrewtape, and even Rich's student, HeemFuquan. There will also be a cypher with featured MCs like MiilkBone, Ren Thomas, and more. Even the homey Leon Rainbow will be doing some live painting.
Tickets are available now; $10 pre-sale, $15 at the door. There's also an Art History 101 exclusive Rich Quick shirt on sale only at the event, as well as raffles and a silent auction, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Rich Quick Scholarship Fund.
Ren Thomas is one of the nicest in the Garden State doing it. Hopefully a cut like "In The End," which caps off his #RensDay series with a heavy dose of real talk, can get some of those sleeping heads to wake up.
To close out 2017, Trenton's own Valona Denise dropped SBTP, which we loved for its intoxicating effect. Roughly nine months later, she takes one of the more gorgeous and soulful tracks from that release, the Iamnobodi-produced "Love Jones," and dropped a dope visual for it. Check it out below.
When it comes to the infectious sounds of Baltimore and Jersey Club, TT the Artist and UNIIQU3 are two of the artists really waving the flags for their respective moments. It makes sense that they'd link up for Club Queens, Vol. 1, a project that also serves as the debut release for TT's Club Queens label. It's also a tribute to the OG Bmore club queen, DJ K-Swift, and is a dope blend of the Bmore and Jersey club sounds.
You can stream the full seven-track EP below, and then head over to iTunes to download it.
The rap game just lost a real one. While details are scarce, social media has lit up with word that Rich Quick, one of the nicest and most memorable artists in this area, has died. If you've been rocking with this site, you've definitely come across a post we've done on his music.
I want to say I first got introduced to Quick back in 2011, during one of the many Garden Variety shows in Trenton. I'd continue to run into him in Trenton, and we struck up a rapport. It was his I'm With the DJ tape that really made me appreciate what Quick did as a lyricist for the area, but it went deeper than that project. He just felt like he was always on the pulse. He was one of the first I remember migrating to SoundCloud. One of the few taking the time to craft songs with live instrumentation, even after cats started making beats at home. He just thought different. Might be why, over the last few years, he was doing way more painting and way less writing.
I’ve been laying low4a while, sharpening my sword. But I didn’t 4get about y’all. Thankz4continuing2believe in me+I hope you’re all az ready4my next chapter az I M. Here’z my latest piece! RETWEET, comment+support!! #ArtByRichQuickpic.twitter.com/1k8wrYNVBd
I guess we won't be able to hear what Quick's pen would sound like after this hiatus. I'd love to know what his next chapter would've included. All I have are these tracks, all of those daps and laughs, his warm greeting whenever we ran into each other in the Town. I'm genuinely going to miss this dude, just like anyone who entered his cipher during his way too short time on this Earth. So while we all try to pick up the pieces, lets loudly blast the music Quick left us. Rest in power, Rich.
A GoFundMe to help out Rich's family is here; you can also read his obituary.
While R3LL might not have been able to drop his Certified Club Music mixtape when he wanted to, he more than made up for it with the release of this Cashmere Cat remix.
R3LL is one of the few Jersey Club artists bringing the sound to the masses, and his Dim Mak affiliation definitely helps when it comes to the wider EDM audience; this is remix should be blasting out of everyone's daddy's Prius come the end of the year. Or at least throughout Indian Summer.
If you missed this year's Jersey Fresh Jam, don't worry; this new video from Cymarshall Law will make it feel like you were there. He shot the clip for "The Same Guy" during this year's Jam, and released it just in time for the release Imperfectly Perfect, which drops on September 7th.
With everyone feeling their way through Young Thug's Slime Language, Jersey club destroyer Ase Manual decided to turn "Chanel" into a certified banger. This is one for the DJs who need a proper DJ tool with a Thug touch for their late summer sets. Tell 'em who sent ya.
Because I've been rocking with Black Collar Biz for a minute, I know that he's never truly left the rap game. He's had situations go down, and real life is always a mother, but it's not like he's dropped trackson the low. That said, his new album, The Get Back, is Collar's official return to the game, and "The Get Back is Amazing" is a mission statement for what he's been doing, where he's going, and a reminder that he does, in fact, do this.
Collar's practically an elder statesman for the emcees coming up in the Trenton area, which makes sense, consider all of the accolades he's received over the years as an artist. This nine-track project is one of my favorites of his catalog, and something you need to ride out the rest of the year to (at least).
Check the Jubee-directed video for "The Get Back is Amazing" below, and grab the full project via iTunes.
The Jersey Club dynamo UNIIQU3 is back with a brand new EP, Phase 3, set to drop via NLV Records on August 24. This week, she unleashed the title track, and it's a monster. The cut, which finds the Jersey Club Queen infusing a number of throwback sounds into a futuristic club stew, also features UNIIQU3 rockin' her shit on the vocals. Not too many producers are doing it like her, on such a consistent level, but that's just how Jersey does.
Stream "Phase 3" below, and if you need it in your playlists, cop that shit.
Ase Manual is someone UNIIQU3 put me onto. They collaborated on her cut "2 The Floor", and I was a big fan of his Black Panther: The Album remix project. On "Oh Okay," some hypnotic guitar strums play on a loop as he lets some club-ready percussion boom on the under. Big body track that makes for a very unexpected banger. Grab it over on Bandcamp.
Trenton's an interesting town. It has a storied hip-hop history, with loads of West Indian roots. There's also a deep house history in the city. There's something about the soul of true house music that resonates with the area. Not even on some fist-pumping shit; just pure, deep house music. So there shouldn't be any surprise that the Trenton House Heads United crew has been putting on their Trenton House Music Festival in the city for a number of years. In 2018, though? They have something special lined up.
This Sunday (August 5th), the first-ever all-female line-up to hit the Trenton House Music Festival will kick off at 12PM in Mill Hill Park. It's a free event, and runs until 7PM. What's dope is not only is the line-up full of women, but it's very international. DJ Venus 7 reps Thailand, while DJ Sabine Blaizin reps Haiti. Yuko Jikido is repping Japan, and finally, DJ Zandy Shejay is bringing the sounds from South Africa.
For more details on the DJs and the live performances, hit up their Facebook event. To get you right, here are some mixes from the wonderful women on the card.
At the beginning of 2017, Jersey's own Venomous2000 linked with Serbia's Trilian for Sounds of the Great Ones. The response must have been phenomenal; we loved it, and it looks like they've completed up for a second volume, which they are currently accepting pre-orders for the vinyl version of. Featured on the project is everyone from Skrewtape to dead prez's Sticman, but they need the project to hit a certain number of pre-orders for the vinyl to drop, so do the wise thing.
The first single showcases the hip-hop alarm-call that their union truly is, accentuated by ginsu-sharp cuts from DJ TMB. It's one of those tracks you run to the recycling to grab cardboard boxes to backspin on. Something to pull out the fat caps and get your Krylon on. Tracks for the fat lace-wearing b-boys and girls in the area out there. Stream the track in full down below.
