Tag: Soul

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Austin Hip Hop 2010

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My impression of Hip Hop in Austin now is one of awe. I can not even define hip hop with out saying words like: oppressed people, music, joy, dance, overcome with hope, poetry, art, culture, and other great qualities a movement has. Hip Hop has kept music alive and it can never be dead. This is more than saggy pants and fashion, it is about expressing a moment into a rhythmic flow. Painting a perfect picture of the environment or pressures endured. Experiencing life and spitting it back out in some form or another. There is one word that I wish could be said more often when describing Hip Hop anywhere: Unity. If music doesn’t bring us together, then it is tearing us apart.

Hip Hop, rap, beats, soul, jazz, blues, or any form of music that has kept a beat in a kids head, or kept a song in young persons heart and filled their life with hope and dreams of a future in music is a victory. You can do anything you set your mind, goals and actions towards doing. Believe that music is worth it, practice and find a way to make it support you. COLLABORATE! Work together, find a mentor and stick to a goal. Lend from the music industry and get other artists to feature your talent, and it does not have to be rap if you are a rapper, broaden your horizons. Find other talent and feed off of one another.

The hip hop movement is alive and well in Austin. It is everywhere and SXSW has been one great example of its place in Austin. Artists have come from hundreds of miles to perform in Austin, and it was not just about the money. Most musicians know that Austin’s SXSW is it when it comes to shows for the year. Play SXSW and feel like a rock star for a week, at least. It is also a great reminder how much competition there is in the biz. This is not American Idle, it is real life and there is no crowd of voters that will carry you through to the next round. Quite often it is one shot, so do not fail. The crowds into it, they feel your flow, they tweet you, and you get 2 sales on iTunes. SXSW is worth it. So what you did not get a major record deal for all of the effort of making it to Austin. You made it to Austin! Keep making music. The experience is worth every minute.

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Solillaquists of Sound are moving to Austin, TX..

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Over the better part of a decade, Anti-/Epitaph recording artists Solillaquists of Sound have built a movement in their hometown of Orlando that’s transcended music alone. By contributing their skills, interests, and unique personalities to the city in which they live, Solilla’s four members have built a strong and long-lasting community of friends, family, and fans. Just as they’ve always approached other facets of their career, with unorthodox methods, the Solillaquists of Sound are now introducing an outside-the-box approach to promote their latest album, “No More Heroes”. With the Hometown Heroes Tour, Solilla will establish themselves in some of the country’s most culturally vibrant cities through a month-long residency in each town. SoS will live in each community and integrate what they do into that place’s already existing art, music, and cultural scene. In essence, reinventing the way a group can tour. “In the time that we spend in Austin, we hope to develop a relationship with the community that the normal, ‘one-day-in-and-out’ national tour schedule doesn’t allow,” says DiViNCi, producer/MPCist for Solillaquists of Sound. “Not just a ‘Hi, do the show, Bye’ routine, but a deeper connection with the fans and the scene that they have created/belong to.” Starting February 27, 2010 SOS will be living and working in Austin for a period of four weeks, culminating with a showcase at this year’s South By Southwest Festival. In the weeks leading up to the event, Solillaquists will appear and perform at local events, promote the showcase through radio appearances and in-stores, teach classes, organize lectures, connect with art groups in the community and engage in recreational activities with fans. And it doesn’t stop there – the Solillaquists plan to take this method of touring to other US cities later this year. The group will also be implementing this movement overseas, as they are relocating to France for a month immediately following their Austin adventure. “The connection that we create with these cities and the relationships that we develop all tie into breaking down the wall between us and our fans,” says DiViNCi. “That element is going to play a massive role in the theme and direction of our next album.” [b]AUSTIN, HERE’S WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU:[/b] • A Place(s) to stay: No “Hometown Heroes” stop would be complete without the “HOME”. We are looking for a place (or places, if need be) to post up while we are in your town – a comfortable, smoke/drug-free environment for us to lay our busy heads. • Shows and Events: No one knows your scene better than you, so please feel free to school us on what your community has to offer. Whether it be dope restaurants, stores, weekly events, schools, events we can judge/host (i.e. MC battles), Open Mics, Skate Parks, Farmer’s Markets, or radio stations, let us know what is going on in Austin. • ATTENTION LOCAL ARTISTS; We want to perform with you! Normally, when we roll through your city we are looking for local openers to share our stage with. But on the Hometown Heroes tour, we are paying respect to you on your home turf. If you would like us to open for you, play at your house party, or provide the soundtrack to your cousin’s bat mitzvah, this is the perfect opportunity to make it happen. Hit us up and we will work out the details. In closing, if you happen to see or know of any other ways that we could integrate with your culture beyond what we have mentioned, please feel free to hit us up with your suggestions. SEE YA SOON!!! Also in case you missed it check this out: -DiViNCi www.solilla.com