It may be that artists who originate outside of the New York-area, but reside here now, take a bit longer to find their place on our e-pages, even when receiving co-signs from locals. After all, as the self-proclaimed journalistic representative of New York-area hip hop, we have to take care of our hometown heroes first, right?

Well, I didn’t jump on Signif the first time we crossed paths, and the next time she saw me, she let me know about it! Hey, it happens, but it did prompt me to take a deeper look, and I liked what I saw and heard from her last full-length project The Transition, and 2011 EP Significant Wizdom, taking a particular liking to her delivery on “Drifting,” and her sitting-on-the-stoop session at the end of her “Lovely Imperfections” video. When I saw her again, I promised to pay closer attention to her work, which I truthfully enjoyed, and to make sure she gets the site space I felt she deserved.

Now Signif is back with another full-length project, Embracing Rejection. And as she says herself on “Simple,” it’s better late than never. I always make good on my promises.

Embracing Rejection showcases Signif’s playfully cocky flow nicely, with intellect and honestly woven in among smooth tracks crafted by an assortment of producers, including Tay Lee, HPthaHybrid, Gee Wiz, JBM, Radio Raheim, Thaddeus Otts, Haz Solo, KnowSum, DJ Puerto Roc, Sauce Fonda, Sudan Life and Gambitt. Despite the variety of sonic carpenters, the result stays rather cohesive, with tracks that lay just the right foundation to compliment Signif’s style.

Embracing Rejection is presented by KevinNottingham.com, HipHopIsCoolAgain and The Mad Bloggers, but gets definite co-sign from us as well.

Listen/Download Signif – Embracing Rejection at signif.bandcamp.com/album/embracing-rejection

Though stylistically, New York hip hop has always been diverse, trademark New York hip hop DNA still can be found in music on stages around the Big Apple. Forceful voices with touches of gritty flair, delivery full of New York confidence, lyrical content that includes boastful braggadocio, but is not afraid to venture into substance, and head-nodding beats that exhibit elements of their boom-bap laden, Golden Era-ancestors.

Two-man crew Undeniable (Sinnagi and 07) attempts to lasso in all these elements, and as their new EP Black Market Artists shows, the results are, at times, undeniably effective.

Undeniable held a September release event for their EP Black Market Artists at Manhattan’s Bowery Poetry Club, in conjunction with the Coffee Grind showcase series. With a well-chosen lineup of opening acts (including Rebelmatic, Mohammad Dangerfield, K.O.N., Gab Gotcha, Jeanette Berry and Eye-N-See) each putting it down solidly themselves, Undeniable’s night-ending performance displayed an energy that was a touch more elevated than I had remembered from previous performances, over beats that seemed a touch crispier than I recalled as well.

Not that our prior experience watching these two Queens representatives had been a let-down, quite the opposite. After their performance at the co-release event for New Jersey rapper/producer KON’s Above The Clouds and Raw Nature’s The Direction, we stated that Undeniable “upped the head-nodding ratio considerably, riding smoothly over well-crafted beats.”

Not much has changed for Undeniable, which in this case is a good thing, and in fact, their EP release event further solidified our opinion that they are definitely worth a listen.

Undeniable’s EP Black Market Artists can be sampled and purchased at their website, www.undeniablemusic.com.

Undeniable – “Sippin Slow” (off the Black Market Artists EP)

As was the case with the Rebel Diaz Arts Collective, we are happy to report that a mainstream New York news organization beat us to the punch with a worthy hip hop-related story.

We’ve spoken on a few occasions to Sam Sellers, known among the New York City hip hop scene as Rabbi Darkside, about the hip hop infused educational program he has been involved in, “Fresh Prep,” along with the Urban Arts Partnership. Fresh Prep is a groundbreaking education initiative that successfully incorporates hip hop techniques in the classroom, and we have been eager to find out more, in order to write a story for our site.

Luckily, despite the fact that our backlog has yet to afford the opportunity to look further into it, the New York Times came to the rescue, and profiled Sellers and other associates of the organization, as they apply Fresh Prep techniques to a groups of students studying for Regents exams.

But instead of treating street culture as something that has no place in a classroom, it is being used as a vehicle to deliver instruction. That is the idea behind Fresh Prep, a program run by the Urban Arts Partnership that is trying to help hard-to-reach students pass the history Regents tests, which they must do to graduate.

Be sure to check out Preparing for State Tests, to a Hip-Hop Beat on NYTimes.com for more about this enlightening program.

UPDATE: The program was featured on CBS’ The Early Show. Story here. Video below.

The second acting role for Christopher “CJ” Wallace, a.k.a. the son of the late Notorious B.I.G., is a big one, co-starring with Will Ferrell in the film Everything Must Go, which opens May 13. The film, and it’s young co-star, should garner a good deal of attention, as it was a selection in the Toronto International Film Festival, and sees Ferrell trade in his typical funnyman schtick for a more dramatic role.

Ferrell plays a down-and-out recovering alcoholic whose life takes a unexpected turn for the worst, after losing his job, and finding his belongings on the front yard, a result of a Dear John eviction.

Wallace plays a loner neighborhood kid who befriends Ferrell’s character, since relegated to living 24/7 in the yard where his belongings were unceremoniously dumped. The trailer, shown below, hints to a touching and humorous interaction between Wallace and Ferrell.

AOL’s Black Voices posted an interview with Wallace, briefly speaking on his burgeoning acting career as well as speaking about CJ’s desire, or lack thereof, to musically follow in his father’s famous footsteps. Good interview, seems like Wallace has a good head on his shoulders. Check it out.

Freekey Zekey and Jaysun share a laugh at the video release event for Jaysun's "Get Busy"

The Bronx’s Jaysun was joined by Diplomats president Freekey Zekey and capo Jim Jones to usher in the release of the video for “Get Busy,” the Amazinj-produced track that helps answer the question, ‘Who Is Jaysun?’ Both Freekey Zekey and Jim Jones are featured on the song and in the video, which debuted at the March 29th screening and meet and greet.

Rocksmith Toyko sponsored the occasion, and GIVEN Liqueur provided tasty samples of their tequila liqueur during the evening. Truffle was the host venue, and supporters and fans of Jaysun and his Dipset affiliates soon crammed both levels of the restaurant/lounge, eager to catch first glimpse of the video for “Get Busy,” an almost playful, club-friendly headnodder with an equally party-friendly visual vibe.

Jim Jones was in attendance for Jaysun's video release event

The Janelle Abraham-directed video for “Get Busy” will be hitting the networks next week, so in the meantime, check out the behind-the-scenes footage below, courtesy of The Source and O.Y.E. Media Group.

Also below, interview footage from the meet-and-greet, filmed by the good folks at BlokTV, which includes interviews with Jim Jones, Freekey Zekey, Jaysun and Janelle Abraham.

Shouts to Lexi Chow & Marisa King-Redwood of Buzz Brand Marketing for having us.

We first brought you a taste of Brownsville’s Maffew Ragazino Sr. when we noted the Village Voice piece highlighting NY-centic hip hop artists, where he was included along with folks like Roc Marciano and Action Bronson. Ragazino’s visibility has been increasing lately, as his mixtape, freestyles and recent video release, “Zen Master,” has grabbed the attention of prominent bloggers and their respective audiences.

“Zen Master” is a dope track, just the right type of semi-laid back but gritty joint that can best showcase the Brooklyn MCs delivery and wordplay, and is featured on Maffew Ragazino’s 20-track mixtape Rare Gems mixtape released earlier this year. Working with folks DJ Clark Kent and DJ Scratch, Ragazino has some vets in his corner, that should help him continue to build on his current buzz.

So, to do our part to help our readers get familiar, check out a triple-play from Maffew Ragazino, Sr. by checking out his video for “Zen Master” (directed by Sha-Banga and Big Throwback), a thorough interview with the good folks over at Good*Fella Radio, and a hot-off-the-presses freestyle (seen over at NahRight).

01 Maffew Ragazino Street Life Freestyle by CICORECORDS

Genesis Be, a Mississippi transplant and Hurricane Katrina survivor, is working hard to make her mark as a member of the New York City hip hop scene, preparing her full-length release Mississippi to Manhattan, scheduled for an April, 2011 release. Genesis Be precedes the project with “Like a Movie,” a bouncy, synth-heavy “down South” sounding track, that gives listeners a good idea of what Genesis Be is bringing to the table.

Despite our pro-New York hip hop mission, we’re not anti-Southern hip hop, and while Genesis Be heavily leans to a sub-Mason-Dixon-Line sounding style of music, she has an obvious dedication toward lyricism, and in “Like A Movie,” almost sounds like she’s working on a hybrid flow, a little Southern staccato mixed with a little East Coast lyricism and delivery. If she continues to work in this direction, Genesis Be could hold the attention of fans of either faction.

It should be noted that Genesis Be also has a history of serving up a bit of social and political discourse through her music, having been an outspoken activist regarding many issues, speaking out publicly against the Iraqi war and even protesting at Ku Klux Klan rallies. Her efforts to help empower youth continue through her Strive Till I Rise project, an effort dedicated toward working to “to empower and educate the youth about voting practices, responsible consumerism, safe sex, how to positively exercise their individual influence and how economic trends can affect their college and career opportunities.” In addition, Genesis Be is slated to graduate this year from the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at NYU, no small feat in of itself, and is releasing Mississippi to Manhattan under her own production company and label, Open Sky Artworks.

With this blend of style and substance, we’ll certainly continue to keep an eye on this young, hustling spittress, and as we await the April 29 release of Mississippi to Manhattan, we share with you “Like a Movie,” her previous video for “Lovers and Friends,” and the humorous (and a bit catchy) “I Don’t Discriminate,” and appearance in the Efficacy video interview series. Genesis Be embarks on a tour at the end of March, for more on that, and her, visit GenesisBe.com.

Genesis Be – Like A Movie

Kalil Kash is another overdue entrant on our e-pages, having long ago finding his prior project The Exit Method an enjoyable listen, but never finding time to get it reviewed or featured on our e-pages. Well, luckily the Newark, New Jersey MC has continued to put out material, culminating for now in The Madness Mixtape, a 10-track project, available for free download.

A casual listen starts with a smooth intro, and Kalil rides in with a flow that we have previously described as a “mix of friendly flow and condescending lecture,” not a bad thing at all, as his delivery is almost conversational. A nicely chosen musical backdrop is a great start to The Madness Mixtape, nothing too harsh, nothing too experimental, just a nice track.

A solid drop over the classic “Dwyck”-track, and another relaxing head-nodder featuring Otis Clapp kept The Madness Mixtape moving along well. Kalil Kash’s habit of dropping clever obscure references lets the listener play a game of mental Jeopardy! as flows along, and those who enjoy such mental exercises in their hip hop (like me), will enjoy playing along at home.

I enjoyed “Can I Live,” “Dilla! Dilla! Dilla!” featuring Mr. Muthfuckin’ Esquire, and “Dear Moleskine”. A couple of verbal hiccups in “Best In Flow” and what I felt was a slightly overpowering instrumental in “John Blaze” were points I thought took away from the play-straight-throughness for me. “Let Me Take The Floor” left me indifferent, while “Hate In My Blood” might grow on me.

A couple thoughts. One, while Kalil Kash stays in a fairly laid-back, rap-easy-listening vocal vibe, after recently seeing him on stage at Bars Mitzvah emphatically reciting “Be Gone” alongside Top $ Raz, I wouldn’t have minded a more animated Kalil Kash here and there. Two, and maybe a few more listens are necessary, but I seem to remember Kalil Kash spitting a bit more personal storytelling and self-reflection on The Exit Method, something I thought he does particularly well, so more of the “20 Years,” and “1985″ type of tracks would have been nice. But overall, Kalil Kash has always weaved lyrical introspection and observation with clear enunciation and intelligent references over fairly well-chosen beats, and this continues with The Madness Mixtape.

Listen/Download: Kalil Kash – The Madness [MIXTAPE]

File this under “better late than never,” as I promised a very nice person in LiKWUiD’s camp I would check this album out quite some time ago, and have taken my proverbial sweet-ass time in doing so. I assure her now, however, and all you reading, that it is not for lack of goodness, as Gummy Bears & Champagne should deliver a little something new and enjoyable for ears of many different tastes.

From it’s initial title track opener, Gummy Bears and Champagne, demonstrates that LiKWUiD (a.k.a. LiKWUiD Stylez) lives in a lane a little less traveled, and generally, this is a good thing. Rocking over an uptempo soulful 2HungryBros track, LiKWUiD spits with a flow, if one must make female comparisons, that might be described as a slightly Southern-twanged Rah Digga. LiKWUid does have her own aura however, and occasionally, quite a playful approach, evidenced by the skit at the end of the opener, and further exemplified by the even-more-festive track, “Go L,” a joint I remember watching LiKWUid perform live, and proverbially killing it. It’s a fun track, and my favorite on the CD.

LiKWUiD, a South Carolina transplant, tells a bit of a back story on the vaguely “Lollipop”-influenced “Who’s Down,” speaks on her Carolina roots on the drawling Southern hip hopish and fittingly titled “Carolina,” but brings it back to a sampled soul vibe with a humorous, raunchy twist on “Camel Toe.”

“All I$ Fare” pushes a high-energy, on-some-musical-other-shit button, a valiant attempt at owning a bit-out-in-left-field style, one that ultimately left me a bit unfulfilled, but admiring of the effort, wondering if those more inclined to this type of sound might receive it better than I.

Of the remainder of this project, “Soul Rebel,” a smoothly produced, Caribbean-flavored joint, and the hypnotically good “A Toast,” featuring Coole High, worked well.

So, a solid project, though we thought there were a couple of slight hiccups. In “Snap Shot,” we like what LikWUiD was saying, but thought the track didn’t compliment the message well while the jazzy “My Life” was loose but flighty, but ultimately might have missed it’s mark. Another 2HungryBros production, “Goodness Love —> Eternity” had a spacey/groovy vibe, matching LikWUiD’s more eclectic lyrics and flow, and could be a “grow on you” track while the Southern-flavored tracks might be skipped by those favoring a more typical East Coast sound.

This is a common result of an artist seeking to reach several audiences and cater to many sonic preferences on a single project, sometimes in an attempt at mass appeal, sometimes as a result of an artist trying to determine what their fanbase will favor, and sometimes as a result of an artist not knowing where they are in the general musical landscape. In LiKWUiD’s case, we think it is the former of the three, a purposeful attempt at variety and outside-of-the-box determination. For the most part, it works, though there are extremes here that will be considered downsides by those on the opposite ends of the respective stylistic spectrum.

That being said (written), LiKWUiD has a comfortable flow, a mix of confident spit and occasionally cocky humor, beat selection and song construction that works more than it doesn’t and an energetic stage presence. With those things, we expect LiKWUiD will be popping more champagne to go along with her gummy bears in the future.

For more information, to hear samples from, or to buy Gummy Bears & Champagne, visit www.iamlikwuid.com

LiKWUiD – Go L (What Recession?)

Hip hop has always had a way of reaching out to the masses and shaking things up a bit. This statement may hold true for S-Rock, the self proclaimed “Titan of Rap.” Born in 1984 in Brooklyn, NY, S-Rock grew up a loyal fan of some of hip hop’s biggest names, such as Biggie Smalls, Tupac, and DMX, to name a few. S-Rock used these influences, as well as his exposure to different types of sounds and music (thanks to his father, a local DJ) to make himself into an artist that has an old school flow, but leaves himself enough room to foster his own creativity and uniqueness. S-Rock decided in earnest to immerse himself in the hip hop world in 2003, when he began performing at various shows and venues, becoming aware that his music was proving to be “unforgettable.” With his name catching fire, S-Rock garnered the chance to have two of his songs placed on the Cars Gone Wild DVD v.3. He has also been interviewed by New York’s 90.1 Street FM radio, allowing for his music to be introduced to a whole new demographic and audience. With a storehouse full of music, a few new mixtapes and appearances on the way, S-Rock is one of the industry’s newest and brightest movers and shakers.

E.H.M.P.: What sets S-Rock apart from other up and coming hip hop acts?

S-ROCK: Most importantly as an artist I speak from my heart. Nothing is fabricated or just simply made solely for the entertainment of the art. I believe that sets me apart from other acts coming up because normally, I see other acts try to duplicate what’s already being done, instead of being who they are.

E.H.M.P: How have you evolved since you started on this hip hop journey?

S-ROCK: I’ve evolved as an artist in the sense that I now know what I can and can’t do when recording music but most importantly I’ve become a better businessman from when I first started out. I mean this is the entertainment business, right? (laughs)

E.H.M.P: What’s your relationship like with A.D. The General? The Elegant Hoodness Musical Program?

S-ROCK: My relationship with A.D. is a good one thus far. I’m understanding what she is doing with her business and how the Elegant Hoodness Musical Program is generated to actually help the unsigned community as opposed to the unsigned community just helping the program, meaning dishing out money with no return.

E.H.M.P.: How did it feel winning second place at the Jan. 19th EHMP Showcase? How does it feel to be eligible for an award at the end of the year?

S-ROCK: Winning second place on my first show with the Elegant Hoodness Musical Program was cool because I could have not placed at all, but I am out for first. Being eligible for an award because you’re doing what you love feels great, I’m happy to be eligible. Hopefully at the end of the year I can say how it feels to win an award with E.H.M.P, I got my fingers crossed.

E.H.M.P.: Tell us about RockView Entertainment?

S-ROCK: RockView Entertainment is a company I started to push my vision and what I do. After being in situations where things went bad because of different reasons, I felt it would be best if I took control of what I do. With that frame of mind I studied and learned what I needed to do to better myself as an independent artist so I could move forward my way.

E.H.M.P.: Where do you see hip hop headed in the next three years?

S-ROCK: Well within the next three years I see a change coming about. Can’t say exactly what type of change but I’m working to be on the positive side of that change.

E.H.M.P.: Besides the mixtapes and appearances, what else are you working on?

S-ROCK: Well I recently put out my debut album The Introduction of ROCK which is available online at iTunes, AmazonMP3 and more. Right now I’m focused on pushing that material but I’m always working on the next steps, so only time will tell what’s next.

E.H.M.P: What one word can you use to describe S-Rock to the world?

S-ROCK: Passionate.

Visit S-Rock’s mobile site at http://m.myxer.com/TITANofRAP

BY ESQ_TV
COURTESY OF THE ELEGANT HOODNESS MUSICAL PROGRAM ‘11