2016 Vermont Hip Hop News (Re-Vamp)

Within the Green Mountain State lays a thriving Hip Hop scene. From bedroom beat-makers, graffiti artists, breakdancers, Deejay's and Emcee's Vermont has been contributing to the music scene for decades. Unfortunately inevitable for something not conventional to an area, the negative aspect of our community has been prevalent in recent times. We want to show you the positive aspect of the artists in this state. 2016 is the re-vamp of Vermont Hip Hop News. We will be working hard in supporting and promoting artists throughout the state. If you contribute to the Hip Hop scene in Vermont we want to support you! If you are a fan of Hip Hop in Vermont, you are the most important part! We hope you use this site as a place to learn about upcoming events and artists.

"At All" - Face-One (is back)

This isn't part of the "Get Familiar" series since by now, we should be familiar with Face-One, one of Burlington's best and most distinctive exports. Since the Earegulars project, he's been in shamanic hermit mode, occasionally showing up to heckle me at shows but otherwise scarcely seen. That is about to change drastically. You have been warned.



VTHH: Is "At All" part of a larger project on the way or are you still on hiatus?

Face-One: Off hiatus.

At All, Searching, and Not in Season all have a particular place. At All is from a highly experimental and really dark album entitled “A Way to Nothing” I am working on with the likes of TAP; a dub step, electronic, former metal drummer, and metal band frontman from Texas. It's got enough darkly vibes and tonality to make Aleister Crowley roll in his grave. It could also double as the theme music for Sex Magick rituals.

Searching is from Apart From the Others, a project that I have had a hiatus on amid the chaos that is my life. That album just needs to be finished being recorded but due to the electric seas of complexity I tend to cyclically surf it's been on halt. That project is with the redheaded, alien, super producer known as skysplitterink aka Zack Crawford aka face let me get a smoke cause I smoke but never buy a pack. That project is utterly ridiculous and features the likes of brutally honest, prolyphic from strange famous, Zack DuPont (one of Vermonter most brilliant guitar players), nuda veritas (formerly vt but now in boston) , Corbett (black light music) who has credits for Saigon just blaze styles p and the list goes on and on, an lastly Zack Crawford and myself. Rapping... actually rapping... Sounds crazy right?

Not in season was a response to a particular transition point I recently dealt with. The heavy seas of life inspired that one. It features humble and yeah that is what it was and what it shall be. Without this medium that being music and words I don't know how the hell I’d make it through most days.

VTHH: What got you into rap to begin with? How does one arrive at such a distinctive style of production, composition and delivery?

Face-One: Man, what gets anyone into anything outside of fascination, and curiosity? I’ve always been drawn to music & poetry so it just kind of worked out. The style of production definitely shaped itself when I was posted in a bed with my mouth wired shut. Finding different ways to talk I guess. The words ever evolving and growing just like me.

VTHH: What are your favorite venues in BTV these days?

Face-One: Venues… I don't go to many shows really. That scene gets old real quick for me, its a lot of conversations I don't go out to have, and lots of random shit. If I'm going out I’d much rather go to a bar like the needs, the OP, or someplace just as loud or quiet, where I can be but don't really have to be there you know. Detachment is key some days. So is socializing. I find a balance.

VTHH: What albums do you currently keep in rotation? (Do people still listen to albums?)

Face-One: Thom Yorke-Tomorrows Modern Boxes
Damon Albarn-Everyday Robots
Andrew Bird-The Mysterious Production of Eggs
Flying Lotus-Until the Quiet Comes, and that new one You’re Dead
Caetano Veloso-Transa
Thundercat
Run The Jewels 1 & 2
Stan Getz
Astrud Gilberto
Salt-N-Peppa
Breakup Music (not to plug you but theres some gems on there)
Earegulars - The Seed
& lastly some Action Bronson

"Life & Love" - Mertz prod. Nastee

A fresh cut from the upcoming Mertz album...

"Mainstream Rap, with it's glorification of violence & blatant hate towards so many different groups of people, is largely based on the ideas of Death & Hate. Hip-Hop, on the other hand, is a celebration of Life & is based on Love. What's interesting is that Rap & Hip-Hop are very similar in the way they are delivered, but as far as the message they send, they're basically polar opposites." -Mertz

Life & Love is from the forthcoming album "The Good in The Bad" set for release on March 4th, 2014.

New Colby Stiltz: "Purple Universe"

Fresh music from Colby Stiltz, who was just back in the 802 in order to rock a set with VT Union and N.O.R.E.. This latest single -- "Purple Universe" -- is from his upcoming album "Down to Earth," which is produced by New Hampshire bangersmith BeatsDaily.

RELATED: Get Familiar with Colby Stiltz

Burnt MD x Nastee - "Freedom Fighter"

New music from Burnt MD and Nastee: a smoking new single for just a buck? Hard to beat on a Tuesday. Burnt MD assures us there's a whole lot more new music in the pipeline...meanwhile, you can catch him on Twitter.

If you're not familiar with the considerable accomplishments of this particular character, start here.

The NEKtones - "The Wait and See" ft. Wombaticus Rex

Definitely one of my favorite tracks I'll be on in 2013. The NEKtones are a 5 piece "blue eyed soul" outfit from the Northeast Kingdom. They were generous enough to let me rap on this beautiful slice of sex funk. Their (very) Kickstarter-funded debut album, Proof of Concept, is dropping in July...on 135g vinyl, no less...and you can pre-order now at NEKproof.com

Cover art is courtesy the NYC photographer & artist Tobias Katz.

PSEUDO SLANG & WOMBATICUS REX - BIG PICTURE, WAITSFIELD, VT April 14th 2012

Chicago jazz rap purists Pseudo Slang are coming through Vermont -- that's news. They will be playing somewhere other than Burlington, which is unexpected: at the Big Picture Theater in Waitsfield, VT. A gorgeous venue and a perfect place to relax and take in some lyrical & conscious hip hop.

The opening act will be Wombaticus Rex, apparently featuring several artists from World Around Records who will be joining W. Rex for an epic set. Doors open at 8 pm, there's a $5 "suggested cover" which means you can spend your money on drinks instead. I'll probably pay extra. It's rare to get an international rap act (seriously, google them if you're not already up on Pseudo Slang) in the middle of the Green Mountains. Let's make sure it happens again.


Visit www.bigpicturetheater.info or www.pseudo-slang.com or call 802.496.8994 for more details.

Pseudo Slang

Wombaticus Rex

News from The Aztext

The Aztext have been steadily raising the bar on Vermont hip hop, and along with The Loyalists, they've elevated our scene to a national level. Their last album, The Sacred Document, was truly impressive and packed full of just plain banging songs. They also raised the bar for guest appearances: the album featured Mac Lethal, One Be Lo, and the super-dope but under-rated Rich Mo.

They're also really down to earth guys and true fans of hip-hop culture. When I asked them what they're up to, one of them got back to me right off with this update:

"Right now, we are taking some time off from the live-show scene, to work our recording our third LP. We are at the very beginning phases of getting the record together (gathering beats, concepts...). The lineup will consist of the usual suspects, Dub Sonata, E Train, Touchphonics, Framework, Double AB... but, if everything goes as planned, will have some exciting surprises. We hope to have something by May 09."

They've also got some major news on the way, but I was sworn to secrecy. Get psyched, though...I will say that much.