Write Brothers is Kinda Blowing Up Right Now

First of all, you've heard this, right? If not, fix that...



This single has been legitimately blowing up. The Write Brothers are making waves way beyond the 802, and this is good because they should be. Since being debuted on Earmilk.com, they've been getting writeups with hip hop diehards KickKickSnare, being featured on the Seven Days website, and even landing a spot on DJ Booth.

Still, my favorite coverage so far was this: a long-form interview with Dante Davinci, an excellent read that offers a lot of gems for independent artists. Good strategy is good business.

March 20th: Brain Gang presents The Hip Hop Hullabaloo, Club Metronome

The Brain Gang crew is bringing a heck of a show to Burlington this week. Founded in Springfield, VT, the posse has been growing steadily ever since, so producing and promoting shows is a logical progression. (The "explanation" on Metronome's website indicates they might need to hire a copywriter at some point, though.) Brain Gang is bigger than the 802, boasting members in New Hampshire and North Carolina, but the bill this Thursday will feature familiar faces. According to the 7 Days listings, the lineup goes a little something like The Aztext, Bless the Child, FixHate, Crows, Mad Dog, DJ BP and host Emcee-T.

Best of all, this show is completely fucking free. See you at the bar.

Feb. 7th: Sophistafunk @ Nectars with The Aztext and Lynguistic Civilians

Hell of a lineup. Two of Vermont's finest will be rocking the legendary Main Street venue Nectars, opening up for a face-melting funk trio you really should have been hip to by now. Best of all, this is a Friday night and it's only $5. Lynguistic Civilians have been tightening up and experimenting with an already powerful set, and The Aztext are currently at the top of their game. Hard to see them as "elder statesman" when they've still got more energy onstage than anyone else in the state, you know?

Go see this.

More Info / Buy Tickets

Nov. 2nd: Aztext "Four" Album Release Party

Saturday night in Burlington, The Aztext will be celebrating the release of their (huge) new album Four at Nectars. The show will be a proper party, with ample assistance from The Move It Move It and a special set from Wombaticus Rex. Entry is a mere $5 and the festivities start at "10 pm sharp."

Bonus: thanks to Daylight Savings Time, the bar will be open until 3 am that night.

Tickets & Further Info via Nectars.

First Look: "Four" - The Aztext

The Aztext released a first look at the cover art for their impending album, Four. I got a chance to hear this straight through last night and I was impressed and surprised. After the experimentation of the Who Cares If We're Dope? series, Four is packed with ambitious songwriting, unexpected beats, and the most diverse & technically precise flow patterns the Aztext have laid down to date. This is a testament to some serious artistic growth.

Stay tuned for more news (and probably some leaks) but meanwhile -- get ready for the Release Party on Saturday, November 2nd at Nectars.

2013 Updates from the Aztext

One of my first projects here is going to be tracking down pretty much everyone making rap music in Vermont and get a quick interview about where they're at and what they're up to. The only logical place to start was, of course, The Aztext. Freestyle phenom Learic dropped some science like so...

37: How is the next Aztext album shaping up? Has your process changed?

Learic: The new Aztext album is called Four.

We're very close to finishing it, just a few more tracks to write and record. We're very excited about it; the album features some tracks that are us at our most creative as well as some very personal ones. The beats are a highlight, featuring our usual team of producers (Dub Sonata, E-Train, TouchPhonics), the SoulSlicers (who we worked with for 'Press it Onto Wax' which was on their album), as well as two producers we'd never previously worked with. We're excited about the addition of these two to the mix and I'll let it be a surprise as to who they are. There will be a series of music videos accompanying the album release as well. We're shooting for a summer 2013 release date.

As far as our process, it's still just the two of us going where the beat takes us, following whatever instincts it tells us to take it to, and never feeling like we have to keep whatever we come up with. There's a total freedom there because we've been working together for so long. So usually one of us will come up with a melody for the hook, then maybe the other one starts thinking of the words, and we go from there.

37: Can you tell us about The Write Brothers?

Learic: The Write Brothers is a project I've been working on for the past year and a half with Dante DaVinci. The EP we'll be releasing is called First in Flight. Dante produced all the tracks and we co-wrote some of the hooks but he wrote a lot of them. A couple tracks we co-wrote completely. There will be seven tracks but I feel they are each so diverse from each other that listeners will be very satisfied. We're planning to release this summer 2013.

Also coming out of the same studio (Upsetta) is a project from a group I'm in called The Precepts. It consists of Jer Coons, Eric Maier, and myself. The project came about from them making these sick hip-hop beats using live instruments and involving me on a couple tracks, then the more we got together the chemistry grew, and before we knew it we were a group. They're incredible singers and songwriters as well and we've put together an album that's slated for a tentative August release. Look for a single release (A-side and B-side) in early summer.

37: Your youtube channel has been extremely entertaining. Will you be dropping more freestyle video this summer?

Learic: I definitely have plans of releasing more freestyle videos. Kin (who I was making those with) and I have a lot of ideas on different spins we can put on it, so look for those this summer. Kin and I also have an album called Unusual Subjects that we'll be dropping this summer.

Throwback: "I Make Records" - The Aztext

The Aztext are at work on a fourth album. Learic is also doing a side project called The Write Brothers and has been busy doing (crazy good) solo sets with DJ BP around Burlington and New England. On a beautiful Sunday like this, though, we can't imagine a better blast from the past than their single "I Make Records."

Learic's Beer Cooler Freestyle

We definitely approve of freestyling in a beer cooler. Learic is having a lot of fun on his Youtube channel these days, get in tune if you're not familiar.

Learic Freestyling for 12 Minutes

Complete insanity from 1/3rd of The Aztezt.

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.

VERMONT HIP HOP IS BACK

I'm sorry I was gone so long! Blame the Navy.

Here's what's been going on since I left: first and foremost, The Loyalists have a new album out and it's nothing less than FUCKING AMAZING. Caps lock, swears and all. Every single track is a gem. Hardly anyone in hip hop makes an album like that. I'm sure Loyalists would like to be known as Cali hip hop now that they've left Vermont but we'll always know where they started from, and they're still the best music VT has ever produced.

I'll be doing a whole post on their new album, with links to buy it, in the next couple days.

I was also extremely impressed with the Algorhythms EP, which is Wombaticus Rex emcee Thirtyseven collaborating with Boston-area producer (superproducer?) Dr. Quandary. This was an experience: I had myself a sizable joint, sat down and gave this my full attention, and it's still in heavy rotation three weeks later. The lyrics are out of control and Quandary is on some outerspace funk shit with this EP. Very, very tasty music -- and it's free.



Of course, the new Aztext album has been out for awhile, but it's stood the test of time. I still bump The Sacred Document all the time, especially ROLL CALL. I wake up to that jam!

I'm just getting back into the swing of things, trying to reconnect with people...what's up with Rhythm Ruckus? I'm always worried that my favorite acts are going to retire. More updates coming!

IF YOU'RE DOING HIP HOP IN VERMONT, GET AT ME. Let me know what you're doing, let me know about upcoming shows. Again, I'm really sorry to get this started off and just let it die, but I'll stick to it now. Vermont needs this and I'm sure not giving up the name to someone else.

PEACE!

e

The Aztext, Granite State & The Alchemystics @ Club Electra, Lebanon ,NH

The event is billed as the Fusion Sneaker Party & Fashion Show, and the bill includes The Aztext, NH legends Grantite State, and The Alchemystics, who are definitely one of the most polished bands from Boston these days. Fundamental will be giving away free copies of their new Mix CD to the first 100 people at the door.

The Aztext Album Release Party: November 24th @ Nectars

The Aztext CD Release Party for their 2nd full-length album "The Sacred Document" will be at Nectars in Burlington on November 24th. Opening acts will include Burnt MD & Network, The Truth, Wombaticus Rex, and DJ Anubus. Miraculously, ADMISSION IS FREE.

New Album from The Aztext: "The Sacred Document"

The Aztext have been hitting it hard for awhile now. It's rare to see a group so focused and clear about their path to success, and these guys are a case study in What To Do Right. They always provide high-energy shows, release high-quality tracks, and they're also polite, generous and outgoing dudes. On top of all that, their business game is nailed down tight: they get consistent high-profile gigs and they've netted a sponsorship with the area's best clothing company, Fundamental.

Their debut album, Haven't You Heard?, featured some impressive guests, like Boston legend Krumbsnatcha, Double AB, and even Lyricist Lounge heavyweight Wordsworth. The Aztext are outdoing themselves for The Sacred Document, however, bringing on One Be Lo (from Binary Star), Rich Mo and Mac Lethal.

There's going to a (huge, essential) album release party on November 24th at Nectars in Burlington. The evening will be hosted by E-Train of the Loyalists, and opening acts include Burnt MD, Wombaticus Rex, and The Truth. Apparently there's a lot of other special guests to be announced -- I'll keep updating this as news trickles out.