Photo: Verena Stefanie Grotto

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Listening to A$AP Rocky’s year-old debut mixtape “LiveLoveA$AP” is like traversing a zero-gravity realm where snapshots of the rapper’s day-to-day life are projected on all sides in black, white and gold and set to music created at the bottom of the deep. He raps conversationally about being who he is, wearing progressive yet inexplicable clothing, having sex with various women knowing full well they have boyfriends, and confronting those boyfriends earnestly (“Oh that’s your girl huh?/ Well I just hit it/It’s A$AP nigga/ live with it”). Every now and then, an ulterior voice steps in, deep and drawled, and you see a close-up of him taking a swig of purple liquid from a Dixie cup. Read the rest of this entry »

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After a long period with the Chilean rap group Makiza, French-Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux (born Ana Maria Merino) set out on a solo career. She gained recognition through a collaboration with Mexican singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas on the hit single “Eres Para Mi,” a semi-acoustic track that had a strong R&B influence and helped introduce Tijoux into mainstream Latin pop.

Tijoux was born in France to exiled Chilean parents who fled to Europe during the Pinochet regime. When democracy returned to the country in 1990, part of her family returned to their motherland, and Tijoux started her career shortly after. Read the rest of this entry »

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One never hears the term “gay rapper” used to describe an artist, but that’s exactly what Cazwell is. Growing up in Worchester, Massachusetts, Cazwell began making music and performing in the Boston underground hip-hop scene. Upon moving to New York City, he began to perfect his own unique style. Drawing inspiration from legendary electro clash father, Larry Tee, Cazwell created a sound that isn’t easy to classify and has led him to collaborate with such artists as Avenue D, DJ Drama and Mike Skinner. He may spit rhymes, but Cazwell’s music is far from hip-hop. Dirty disco and electro house beats accompany the MC’s sleazy, raunchy and humorous lyrics. Songs with titles like “Watch My Mouth” and “All Over Your Face” defiantly some up what the music is all about. Taking a brake from DJing and hosting parties in NYC, Cazwell makes a stop at Berlin tonight to perform live in support of his album, “Get Into It. “ Berlin’s own Friday night resident, DJ Greg Haus, makes a special appearance tonight as well, joining the BFF team of Zebo & Heather Doble. (Zeb Resman)
Thursday, September 27 at Berlin

After almost literally blowing off the roof of the Biz 3 tent this summer at the Pitchfork Media Festival, Spank Rock returns to Chicago this week for another Baltimore booty assault. While the trio consisting of Naeem Juwan (aka MC Spank Rock), Alex Epton (aka Armani XXXchange) and Chris “Rockswell” Devlin proudly wear their B-more heritage on their sleeves, the group was actually formed after both Juwan and Epton had moved out of their beloved hometown. Juwan had departed to Philadelphia to try to forge a rap career, while Epton ended up in New York, eventually landing a gig as an assistant for the production duo DFA. By chance, a mutual friend of both Epton and Juwan invited them both to an art exhibition in Baltimore and introduced the two to each other thinking they might hit it off musically. Sure enough, this friend, Chris Devlin, was right, and the rest, as they say, is history.

After an immense amount of buzz from the initial singles (particularly the underground club smash, “Put That Pussy On Me”), the world was formally introduced to Spank Rock in April with the release of its debut full-length, “YoYoYoYoYo.” Featuring Juwan’s trademark raunchy lyrics and Epton’s bootylicious bass lines, “YoYoYoYoYo” was a critical smash and removed any doubt that Spank Rock would merely end up as a novelty one-hit-wonder act. In fact, Juwan likes to describe the record as “the rap version of Prince’s ‘1999’ album.” While one great record does not put a group on the level of the great purple one, Juwan’s bravado may not be that far off. Major labels have started to take notice of the B-more party fiends, and a bidding war is sure to follow. In addition to embarking on a European tour next month, Spank Rock will also be supporting Beck for a few dates this month on his current North American tour. It’s only a matter of time before Spank Rock explodes out of the underground—don’t miss this opportunity to catch them while you still can inside the quaint confines of The Empty Bottle. (Brad Knutson)

Spank Rock performs, along with DJ sets from Devlin & Darko (Spank Rock) and the Pase Rock, at the Empty Bottle, 1035 North Western, (773)276-3600, on October 11 at 9:30 pm. $14.

Known as DJ KID K.U.T. in the eighties, leader of the Atlanta super group K.I.N. in the early nineties and DJ and producer for the Further MCs in the mid-nineties, CX Kidtronik is truly a veteran of the underground hip-hop scene. After working with some of the scene’s best over the years, CX finally made his solo debut on wax earlier this year with “Krak Attack,” a brilliant concept record that’s every bit as poignant as it is raunchy. “Everybody and they moms is rapping about crack now…so I just had to flip it and salute, as well as question the ladies of low-rise worldwide,” says CX. Calling his frenetic sound “punk rap,” CX brings a refreshingly DIY approach to a genre that has become sterilized by slick overproduction and six-figure marketing campaigns. “Most of the album was just me bringing in beats to the studio on a homemade CD,” says CX, “and then cats would yell on ‘em, and we would add and chop up shit from there.” Read the rest of this entry »

By Seth Mayer

Rhymefest really thinks you need to hear him. And he isn’t afraid to tell anyone, including the people who interview him, that his recently released CD “Blue Collar” demands a listen. “If you would’ve said no [that you hadn't heard the album], I would’ve said: ‘Shame on you!’” he shouts. “You’d be surprised how many journalists get a ‘shame on you.’” It’s as if he’s sincerely worried that someone might go on living their life without hearing what he has to say. “If anybody hasn’t heard this album, they gotta get into it quick,” he says, like he’s giving a warning.

While speaking with Rhymefest, it’s difficult to keep up with the sense of urgency and missionary fervor that accompanies the answers he gives to questions. Read the rest of this entry »

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The official Lollapalooza after party from Dark Wave Disco brings grime queen Lady Sovereign back to where it all began… in The States at least. Riding a huge wave of underground hype, the notorious mini-sensation invaded the mod confines of Sonotheque last July for one of her first-ever American performances. The show was a smashing success by all accounts and by the following month she was schmoozing with Jay-Z about a record deal. At this point though, the buzz around Lady Sovereign seems to have calmed a bit, with fans forced to wait on a full-length debut that won’t be hitting store shelves for another two months. Additionally, her subsequent appearances in Chicago, including her recent performance at Intonation just last month, have failed to quite capture the magic of that debut show. Most of this is probably attributable to the lack of fresh material, but it may also be that she performs best when immersed in a raucous club setting. With the Dark Wave Disco crew at the helm and a fired-up post-Lolla crowd guaranteed to put the queue out the door, the S-O-V just might bring it like she did the first time around. Read the rest of this entry »

By Kate Puhala

“Don’t even worry about it. Don’t even fuckin’ worry about it. I only want to talk about the future, you know? I don’t dwell on the past. I don’t got time for that shit. Don’t worry about it.”

And I just asked for his real name. “Juiceboxxx, that’s three x’s. That’s all that matters,” says the 19-year-old Milwaukee-based rapper. A self-described “fusion of contemporary retro rap and dance with a punk-rock energy,” Juiceboxxx seems harmless at first, chuckling about a Gumby exhibit he was going to see at a museum in Hollywood. Then try mentioning “up-and-coming rap career” and he turns into a cussing, arrogant teenager. He doesn’t have time for anything superficial. He doesn’t care that he’s a skinny white kid. And he doesn’t mind that he’s from a state most famous for its cheese. But it’s no gimmick.

“If there are people out there who want to only think about age and other physical filth, they can go fuck themselves,” Juiceboxxx says with increasing aggressiveness. “If they’re not willing to see past looks, if they’re so fucking superficial, then you’re just a superficial motherfucker. You know I don’t care. I’m not concerned about those people, I can’t be worried about it. If people like me, great, but if people won’t even listen to my music because I look a certain way, they can go fuck themselves.”

Signed to Vicious Pop Records, part of the No Karma Label, Juiceboxxx’s “R U There God?? Itz Me Juiceboxxx” showcases fresh, playful hip-hop and grimy beats from the mind of a nerd-gone-wild. His lyrics, especially on “Thunder Jam #3,” reveal an innocent outlook on life—a reckless pursuit of fun while wishing, respectably, to rise to fame. With an anger in his voice aimed at no one specific and at everything all at once, Juiceboxxx rhymes, “Everybody all over the globe/ comin’ through straight to your earlobes/ Keep your head up and keep the beat slamin’”—and to Juiceboxxx, that’s simply all that matters.

“With the music I’m making, I just think it’s important to forget about all this shit and dance. To dance to music and rage. Know what I mean? Focus on the fuckin’ important things and fuck everything and rage. F.E.A.R. Fuck Everything And Rage, motherfucker. You know? Slogan for 2K6 and beyond. Completely fucking lose it.”

According to Juiceboxxx, there’s no better place to start the F.E.A.R. fad than Milwaukee.

“I think the fact that Milwaukee is not a hip town makes it a good place to be,” Juiceboxxx says. “Visiting L.A. or New York is cool, [but in Milwaukee] there’s none of that big city bullshit that you find in Chicago or New York. It’s like when I throw parties, people come and dance and don’t take shitty pictures of their friends or worry about what they wear, you know? In big cities, you can’t help but focus on the bullshit because it’s there. I mean, the focus-on-what-you’re-gonna-wear shit happens everywhere. But I think Milwaukee is small enough that it can break away. I don’t give a fuck about anything besides playing a good show and making sure people are dancing and not turning shit into a fashion show. And I think Milwaukee has the potential to reach it, and it’s my battle to unite the kids in the city with that.”

And Juiceboxxx doesn’t discriminate—he’s talking about making music for all kids: an audience that includes a borderless blend of hip-hop movers and shakers with those not at all familiar with the beat underground.

“There are some motherfuckers out there that talk about inclusiveness and say they make music for all the kids, but their music is so obviously targeted at a certain group of people, and that’s bullshit,” Juiceboxxx says. “I make pop music influenced by the current mainstream, you know. It’s rap for the youth, rap for everyone, all united. I make an effort to make music for everyone. ’Cause it’s a message everyone needs to hear. F.E.A.R., motherfucker.”

Juiceboxxx plans to unite the youth of the Midwest with his high-energy live show. “It’s all about an extreme intense punk rock feel and fucking shit up,” Juiceboxxx says. “Take it all out and fuckin’ mess it up. It just takes ten-to-fifteen seconds for me to get in the zone. I sit in a corner and then it’s just fuckin’ high energy. It’s pointless for me to describe it. I just fucking go nuts for like ten-to-fifteen minutes. Don’t even worry about it. I don’t even want to describe it. See for yourself.”

Juiceboxxx plays July 16 at Empty Bottle, 1035 North Western, (773)276-3600, at 9:30pm. $8.