Big Quarters, "New Plateau"

 Footage from the Welcome to MN tour where they opened for Atmosphere. Track off their recent Party Like A Young Commie

Nomination #5 for Album Cover of the Year

Photo by my homie Tommy Ellis.  You can check out more of his excellent captured images at Manos Del Norte.  For booking, inquiries: tommywellis@gmail.com

Big Quarters, "C'mon"

Party Like A Young Commie available for pre-order now.

Tommy Ellis (aka Honest12) camera montage with Brandon Allday

Big Quarters on record collecting and Hip-Hop from Manos de Mono on Vimeo.

Be on the lookout for Big Quarters' Party Like A Young Commie early next year.

Drunken Post: Mux Mool's VJ

Mux Mool is the ma*fuckin* man! And now you can get a healthy dose of chopped-up retro movies, 8-bit goodness, and 80's visuals with your helping of electro beat bumps...

Keep a lookout on the Ghostly International label for upcoming releases. Props for the Big Quarters stickers!

***Drunken Post idea stolen from the seminal Minneapolis taste-making blog Switchblade Comb

Twin City production giants bless the scene again

The weekend agenda (updated Friday, 6/5!)

It's the first Friday of the month which can only mean that it's Get Cryphy time!  The First Ave V.I.P room will yet again be a DJ short as Plain Ole Bill hopped back on tour with P.O.S for the summer after stopping home to throw down some slick vinyl mixing with JimmyJimmy last weekend.  I hope you didn't sleep on that special occasion because it was colder than a polar bears' toenails.  Bill will be missed, but Jimmy 2 Times, Fundo and So Gold are more than up for the task of taking Minneapolis' premier party-goers on a Cryphilicious dancing expedition.  And don't worry about the hypeman, either.  Yea, nobody really gets down like Prof after a few PBRs, but Felix of Heiruspecs is a monster on the mic and I am definitely looking forward to seeing him in a club atmosphere.  Prof is also currently on tour.

Before you hit the sack on Friday night/Saturday morning, be sure to prepare some coke lines right where you rest your head.  That way when the alarm goes off at 8:30, you'll be ready for a morning of record shopping.  The VFW is hosting another record show on Lyndale.  Bring cash!  It's 2 bucks to enter and everything else depends on your taste and haggling skills.

After hours hunched over crates, I'd recommend grabbing an awesome omelet at the Uptown Diner.  Then take a nap and put your learning cap on and get ready to be schooled.  For those fortunate enough to pick up the free tickets (sorry guys, all sold out now - my bad for not posting it earlier!), McNally Smith  is putting on their Hip-Hop Diploma Kickoff Event.  There will be many great performers like Toki Wright, Doomtree, and Big Quarters.  The headline of the show is Davey D who will be speaking on everything hip-hop.  This all goes down at the McNally Smith/History Theater in St. Paul.  If you don't have a ticket, swing by.  Who knows, if I end up blowing a load on records in the morning I might need to be scrimping for some cash.

Dang!  I almost forgot!  The man, the myth, the Ableton BEAST, Mux Mool is coming back home briefly and will be at the Uptown Bar Saturday night.  It wouldn't surprise me if some of the local emcees that he's collaborated with in the past show up and do a little ditty.  Don't miss this!

And another one!  I'm going to be torn this Saturday evening as both Mux Mool and my favorite Twin City band, Black Blondie, will be playing at the same time.  You can catch Black Blondie at the new 501 Bar off Washington.

Big Quarters CD Release show in review

Disclaimer: Big Quarters always brings the energy when they perform.  They just brought even more for their release show at the Triple Rock.  In particular, I've never seen Brandon as intense as he was.  He had his listen-I'm-trying-to-teach-you-dummies-something screw-face on most of the night.  From a technical standpoint, these brothers always come correct during their live shows.  When most rappers up the intensity level they end up slurring and just not enunciating.  But dudes were crystal clear with their delivery and messages.

Speaking of messages, the crowd was fully involved and down for all of the knowledge that was dropped by the talented guests throughout the night.  Host Big Zach even dropped some classic jewels from his impressive catalog.  I Self Divine came through for "Instinct" (you had to be signed up for BQ Direct to get that one from their April feast), P.O.S performed "One On the Lip", Crescent Moon performed "Wipe the Dust (produced by Brandon)", and Mankwe Ndosi through down with Medium Zach at the end of her set.

Big Quarters CD Release show TONIGHT!

It's finally here.  It goes down tonight at the Triple Rock.  Doors are at 9 but I highly recommend buying tickets before hand online to guarantee you get in.  I predict that this show will sell out with the quickness especially with dope opening acts: Mankwe Ndosi, Kill the Vultures, Alissa Paris and hosted by the bigger version of Zach, New MC (aka White Jesus, Zachariah, Big Zach...).  Be there!

Zachariah (you're host for the evening), "Sub Shop" from White Jesus

Haha!  I bet you'll never go to Erbert and Gerbert's again!  More jokes, chilling and good ole fashion hip-hop can be expected throughout the night.

DJ'ing tonight at the Dinkytowner (FREE T-SHIRT!)

Come through the Dinkytowner Tuesday night (May 5th) after you cop the new Big Quarters at your favorite record store.  If you're the first to holler at me and mention this blog, I'll hit you up with the tee-shirt below designed by your boy.

From the Home of Brown Babies & White Mothers

I just got a glorious package in the mail today that made this gloomy Wednesday very happy. This is why I love DIY'ers and Minnehappiness...
 Details are what makes art ART and life worth living.  I love all of the little things about this package.  It's screen-printed on one side with the promo font, it has a Big Quarters sticker that resembles a stamp in the upper left hand side, on the the upper right is a stamp that reads "Free Shipping" (the last track on the album), they included stickers (who doesn't like stickers!?), pins (coming back in style), a lovely artist's EP that Zach has been working with, and the ultimate personal touch: a signed picture with a shout to yours truly.  It all is very special.

Their attention to detail can be found in their music, especially in this album.  Things like the background sample of Brandon's significant other laughing in mid-thought ("Wipe the Dust"), the unique recording of screams used as emphasis throughout the record, the balancing of heavy drums and basslines with airy melodies ("All Day Long") that match the lyrical content perfectly, and the extended instrumentals to let that 'ish breathe.

The intricate details are all finely aligned and all of the pieces come together to make a very cohesive album.  It has all of the bases covered: knowledge drops ("Protection"), comments about the industry ("Barter System"), the grind ("Blessed"), tragic tales ("All Day Long"), dope instrumental ("Can't Won't"), one for the ladies that still bangs ("Ladies Know"), growing up ("One On the Lip"), and uptempo/experimental joint ("Free Shipping").

My favorite line on the album that I believe sums up what Big Quarters is all about:

"Forget what you put in, truth's in the puddin'.  Made in an instant, wouldn't taste your cookin' - GOOD LOOKIN!"

The State radio show broadcast featuring tracks from the new album with in-studio guest, Brandon Allday

Last of the Record Buyers featuring Medium Zach

Dang!  I apologize for not giving you guys a heads up about this special night.  It was special for a number of reasons.  Mainly, though, the night featured the founder of LOTRB, Medium Zach, and marked his 10 year anniversary as a beat-maker (word?  That's definitely not a coincidence.  Read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell).  Zach had an extensive library to get through and a couple of times he had to rush through things he wanted to play.  But he definitely dropped plenty of gems including some of his earlier works.  There was even an unreleased joint that Brother Ali rapped over that uncovered the history of some familiar verses.  He brought us from the beginning at the age of 16 to stuff that's still not released including a couple of snippets from the upcoming Big Quarters album.  I also learned that he's been working with some local non-hip-hop acts.  I forget their names and there isn't anything on his myspace.  But be on the lookout.

I also learned that I've been trippin' by not signing up for BQDirect.  There were multiple joints that Zach dropped that I've never heard before and assumed they were still waiting to see the light of day.  Nope.  A lot of them were, "This was on BQDirect November/June/September..."  I'm signing my sleepy ass up as all y'all should! -------------> click to link to their blog and sign up on the left-hand side

An excellent feature of the night are the questions that the attendees can ask via host Brandon All-Day.  I asked a couple of questions and Zach answered all of them very frankly.

1) Do you like to dig alone or with someone?  If with someone, who? He does like to dig with people and I'm blanking on the crew he enjoys to go digging with.  I apologize for my short-term memory.

2) What's your favorite city to dig in? Not only did he tell the crowd what his favorite city to search for records in was but he also named an unknown record shop that I quickly wrote down.  Haha!  I'm not telling y'all!  Y'all should've been there!  By the way, we're doing this road trip in the summer, Tommy!

3) What's your "guilty pleasure" to listen to when you're by yourself?  He admitted that he listens to himself when nobody's around because it's awkward to listen to himself when others are nearby.  He also said it as though it was more of a studying of his work as opposed to really enjoying it.

4) (I didn't ask this) How'd you get to be 'Medium'?  When Zach started working with the Interlock crew people kept on getting confused between the two Zachs (Zachariah aka Big Zach aka White Jesus aka New MC).  So since Zachariah is a tall dude, Medium Zach got stuck with 'little' Zach for a while.  It was alright for a while until Zach got credited for some joints on an Interlock record and the credit was "lil' Zach."  Zach wasn't feeling that but didn't do much about it until he ran into a friend at Hymie's.  The friend referenced his credit, asked him if he liked it, and then asked him how he felt about "Medium Zach."  It stuck.

It was a great night.  I only wish that my boy Tommy could have attended not only to drop some jewels but also to experience it all.

Sidenote: as I was leaving I ran into Tasha from Black Blondie.  She plays the keys, sings and looks pretty.  I asked her when their album was finally dropping.  It's coming April 14!!!  I can't wait!  The release party will be April 17 at the Triple Rock.

Oh, and Benzilla (a beast!) dropped some lavabangers (copyright, Lazerbeak).  And it wouldn't be a LOTRB without Bold Illin' doing a little jig and bringing that soul-sample goodness.

Big Quarters, "Track 19" from Zip Disk Breaks

Dre Day Recap

After a romantic dinner and evening with the missus we got our West Coast on. I buttoned the top button on my Crypt-blue flannel, threw on my blank navy cap, and walked into the night with my locs on.

The evening started off with some classic jams spun by the jack of all trades, Mike the 2600 King. It then moved on to everybody's favorite game, The $20 Sack Pyramid. Quasi-celeb contestant, Medium Zach of Big Quarters fame, and his lady-friend made it up the pyramid. They won some swag including a stolen in-dash car CD player.

The live performances didn't disappoint as both Trama and Muja Messiah held their own rapping their own joints over classic Dre beats or even going toe to toe with the West's best by covering iconic jams. Prior to this evening, I hadn't been impressed by Trama. Either I saw him in a different light or he's just been working on his game because he came with it. He had the basics down with an excellent stage presence, delivery and flow. He even converted me from hating Twin City gangster rap. He dropped a couple of gun-slanging tracks from his catalog and had me on the edge of every bar.

Nothing needs to be said about Muja Messiah. Dude's been getting it popping up on the national level. So if you don't know, just know this: this is the guy who's going to help make Twin City hardcore and gangster rap legit. Oh, and he's also going to be picking up the other half of the ladies that haven't already been won over by Slug.

I've seen Carnage (usually accompanied by the lovely and talented Desdamona) in every type of venue imaginable. Even when there's literally two people on the dance floor Carnage brings a bunch of energy. But I'm sure he was amped by the crowd, the celebration, and most likely all of the 40's he was being fed on stage. Carnage brought the ruckus. He rapped and beatboxed his arse off. A couple of times he was outdoing Mike cutting up and bringing in instrumentals. Carnage's beat box is so on point that when he was beat boxing a Dre joint I couldn't tell whether the DJ was bringing in the instrumental or if his mouth and throat were in the zone. Much love to the kindest, realest, talented and most multi-faceted emcee I've ever seen. (check the pic I snapped where it damn-near looks like God comes down to speak to Carnage)

What made the night truly special was the venue and the atmosphere created by the decorations. Everything was a tribute to Dre and West Coast rap: the brown-bagged 40's with Dre screen printed on them, the cannibus chandelier, the $20 Sack Pyramid, the 70's-style fridge that spewed cold ice when opened revealing a stack full of 40's for the performers, the knock-off Daytons, host Espada decked out in Snoopy-style-over-the-top-pimpin host outfit... It all fit. In general, the Varsity Theater is an AMAZING venue with plenty of room and mind-on-my-money-laaaaaaaid back decor. Last, but probably the most important, the sound system was on point. Everything was crystal clear. Often, when I go to a concert of an artist I'm not intimately familiar with, I can't make out their words for the life of me... especially at hip-hop shows. And vocals are that much more important at hip-hop shows given the repetitive nature of the instruments and the sheer volume and poetic nature of the words. This struck me at the end of the show and I looked around and saw... a seemingly brand new Mackie soundsystem. I'm sure the sound man helped perfect the sound, but I've come to appreciate Mackie's ability to make very precise-sounding speakers. I personally have their top-of-the-line studio monitors and have used their powered-PA speakers for DJ gigs. I have not come across another pair of monitors or PA's that sound as clear. Note to club owners... I'd be willing to pay a premium to see an artist at your venue if you have a good sound set up!

 

Trama feat. Muja Messiah, "Fuck Da Police"

Ill Chemistry (Carnage + Desdamona) feat. Project 13, "Bring The Soul Back (Live at The Playhouse)"

Amosphere feat. Muja Messiah and others, "Crewed Up"