Chilly Chills Drops DOPE EP Hosted by DJ Greg Street

As the fourth quarter comes to a close, Chilly Chills has released his second EP titled “DOPE,” presented by one of the biggest DJs in the south –DJ Greg Street. Already cosigned by legends Outkast and Kanye West and a hot record in the streets (Poppin in Here), Chilly is prepared to set new standards for what it means to be an emcee from Atlanta — No longer does the stigma hold that Atlanta rappers are not lyrical. DOPE is moody, yet melodic and follows a 7 track story line about Chilly’s external and internal consciousness.

His wordplay suggests that he himself is the dope, and wants his listeners to be addicted to him and his music. On the project, Chilly opens up about his father’s addiction to crack cocaine and how he overcame all odds despite his living conditions, all of which work together to express sophisticated ignorance. The DOPE EP includes production from heavy hitters such as The Yardeez, KC Da Producer, Ducko Mcflii and newcomers Vee Dozier and Dx2c. 

Click the album cover to stream the DOPE EP. 

Connect with Chilly Chills: Instagram   Twitter   Website   Soundcloud

Hear the new single 'The Only One' by SoFree Wisdom

SoFree Wisdom was born in Landstuhl, Germany. A prodigy from the start, this tremendous artist was literally singing at the same time she was learning to utter sounds. As she grew, this phenomenal talent only advanced her musical abilities. Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Usher are just some of the singing giants that she admired and was inspired by.

From the tender age of 8, SoFree has been creatively challenging herself with her musical acumen. She has immense writing skills coupled with the talent for arranging her own songs. She continues to write, adding gripping life stories from those she observed along with her life experiences.

SoFree Wisdom hosted Volume 1 of the Heart of R&B Series presented by DJ Dellmatic and DJ Echo. She has also worked with various artists like Derty Den, Oc From NC, Lazurus, Venomiss, Paradox, Sequence, Hugg E Bear, and more.  In addition, the talented singer/songwriter hosts her own radio show on Fleetdjs.com every Monday from 2pm-3pm.

With credits to the IMDB, SoFree Wisdom joined the independent casts of "Heavy Weight on the Block 2" in 2012 and "Hurt People Hurt People" in 2015. She will get a chance to showcase more of her acting skills as she stars in "Alien Savior" in 2016.

With SoFree possessing a bright, intelligent, and engaging personality combined with incredible voice, her musical career has many great things in store. Her single "The Only One" is set to release on all major online retail stores today. Stream it below and purchase it using the link. 

Connect with SoFree Wisdom: Soundcloud   Facebook   Twitter   Reverbnation   

Purchase 'The Only One' here

Who is Live Animals?

Live Animals is a culmination of all of life's experiences, exploring new soundscapes and expanding the consciousness of sound. Between his West-coast hip hop influences and his entanglements in modern bass music, Live Animals creates a sound that transcends boundaries and blends genres, creating his own space on the map of the electronic dance music scene. With a background in percussion and music theory, Asheville native Josh Stone fuses melody and harmony to create pure sonic force. Live Animals has performed alongside Phutureprimitive, Random Rab, Cashmere Cat, Thriftworks, Space Jesus, Russ Liquid and more, performing at the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in NY, Masquerade in Atlanta GA, New Mountain Asheville Theater, Asheville Music Hall, SOL Bar, OneStop and beyond.

Recently, Live Animals released his first physical EP // ARRIVAL // which can be purchased on iTunes digitally (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/arrival-ep/id1035356659) or physically on CD Baby (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/liveanimals1).

Connect with Live Animals: Website   Facebook   Bands in Town   Soundcloud

Who is LAVIER?

LAVIER is the name for Boone, North Carolina's fresh new soul-meets-future act who's music is already becoming known for it's sultry and artful complexity. Pulling from the deepest parts of himself, LAVIER intends to create a deeply moving experience for listeners; something artistic and expressive that can be felt from the soul. Jazz guitar and keyboard playing, live looping, and top-notch production are all contributing factors to the live LAVIER performance, which has been described as an all-encompassing and provocative experience.

Connect with LAVIER: Soundcloud   Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   Bandcamp   Tumblr  YouTube

CHAI TEA // TAI CHI EP

Who is murkury?

Paying homage to the Red Planet, murkury's elemental style combines futuristic, bass-heavy sound design with chill melodies and hard-hitting drums. His minimalist yet groovy style has been entrancing audiences in the Western Carolinas for over four years. Recently, murkury has started to make waves in Asheville, NC alongside members of a new psychedelic art collective, The Undergrowth. With dozens more originals, remixes, and bootlegs in the works with some of the best underground musicians from North Carolina, keep an eye out for murkury and the rest of the Undergrowth crew as they evolve together.

Connect with murkury: Website   Soundcloud   Facebook

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Urban Creek Records is What's Next

Urban Creek Records was founded in 2013 by recording artists Brandon Jones, R.E.A.L. tha Poet, and producer J-Ideas.  Seeing the cut and paste nature of major label record labels, the crew set a goal to provide alternative themes and sounds within the realm of music without having to be shoved into a box of what's fresh, what's new, what's on the radio or what's "different".  At Urban Creek, the motivation is the love of music and the creation behind it.  The music and content released by Urban Creek provides a window into each artists' mind and soul. 

Below are the biographies of the Urban Creek artists as well as their recent releases available for you to stream and download. These include R.E.A.L. tha Poet's "The Real World", J-Ideas instrumental album "My First Car Was a Caddy" and Brandon Jones's soulful "Shot of Bourbon".

R.E.A.L tha Poet

R.E.A.L Tha Poet is a true school rapper out of Paris, KY currently residing in Lexington, KY. His influences include Outkast, A Tribe Called Quest, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Kid Cudi and The CunninLynguists. R.E.A.L uses his unique views to paint a vivid picture of everyday life.

R.E.A.L drops knowledge that others are commonly afraid to shed light on. R.E.A.L's ability to craft records with playability in numerous settings while still being very lyrical showcases his talent on the mic, songwriting ability and his ear for beats.

J-Ideas

Producer J-Ideas loves cranking out hard head knocking beats that make the trunk rattle as well as smooth soundscapes that make you lay back and relax your mental. Hailing from Pekin, Indiana, he brings a small town, blue collar sound in his production, while making it complex enough to compete with anyone in the game.  

As self taught musician, he feels he isn't constrained by the usual set of rules that others tend to feel boxed in to.  J-Ideas tries to bring a different energy into each beat he creates with a style that shows he's a student of the craft. 

Brandon Jones

Actor/Singer/Songwriter Brandon Jones was born and raised in Kentucky and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. An old soul in new shoes, Brandon blends both past and present into a beautiful mix of styles and musical textures.

Brandon is influenced by the jazz of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald,  the blues of Buddy Guy, Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan, as well as the soul of Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye. Drawing from real life experiences, Brandon's music is raw and honest, creating a gateway into his soul for listeners to explore. 

Connect with Urban Creek Records: Website   Twitter   Facebook

Q&A with King Chase

King Chase is an emcee from Prince George's County, Maryland who has released two solo mixtapes, five Coast 2 Coast mixtape feature spots, and a successful EP entitled "Young King". We recently caught up with him to see what's up with his upcoming EP "Crown", to find out his musical influences, whether he feels being signed to a major is still important in 2015, and much more.

Carlton Boyd

What's the Rap scene like in the DMV for an emerging artist such as yourself?  K: The rap scene here differs based on region. You could perform a song in DC that might not have the same crowd reaction as a Virginia show. The DMV as a whole is a diverse area, and the music reflects that. Whether it's a pure hip-hop track that takes you on a mindtrip to the old days of "boom-bap" style raps... Or a new age sound that may get you on the dance floor. There's artists of all types and backgrounds here. And for that reason, I feel we are the most slept on region for good quality music.

Is everyone supportive of each other or is more every man for themselves? K: I try to support as many up and coming artists like myself. Whether its sharing a link or sharing some knowledge that might help them take a step ahead in their career. I can't say the same for everyone else though. Sad to say, it's the classic case of the "crab in a bucket" complex. Nobody wants to show love to anyone. Too busy hating or throwing social media shade at one another.

Do you have a favorite artist? If so, how have they influenced you? K: I have a few artists that I can honestly say have influenced me. Wouldn't be fair to give all the credit to one. Nas and Jay-Z get the two top spots. Jay's work ethic is nothing short of inspiring. I can honestly say I watch his interviews more than I listen to his songs. It's almost like he gives the blueprint to success every time he speaks. And Nas, his ability to tell a story and spread a message all in the same track. That was and still is the dopest thing to me. I try to bring that same feel to my music. I want my listeners to take away something from the experience. Whether it's one person, or one thousand people. I thrive off of that energy.

Does it really make sense for an emerging artist such as yourself to sign to a major record label in 2015, especially with our sites like ours, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and other free means to promote your music? K: I can honestly say I see valid points on both sides of that argument. There has never been a better time to make a name for yourself independently than right now in this internet age. With slight knowledge of social media and networking, possibilities are endless. But having a label backing your brand has tremendous upside. Wide-spread distribution, international promotion, and the endless plugs and connections you gain under record companies almost make it worth while.

But I feel the answer to that differs based on who's being asked.. If you have the drive and work ethic.. You can make your own brand,  your way.. And for me, that sense of accomplishment is unmatched.

What is it you look for when you select the production you decide to write to and record?K: Originality. Thats the number one thing. If your average, round the way rapper would use it... Chances are I wouldn't. I'm constantly chasing new sounds, new styles, and new cadences. Different beats allow me to experiment with new ideas & challenges me to become a better artist.

Are you dropping a new release soon? If so, when? K: I have a new 8-track EP coming very soon. We're leaning towards Thanksgiving Day.

Connect with King Chase: Website   Facebook   Twitter   Instagram

Young King EP

Where's Brookelyn At?

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Brooke Elizabeth Wright, more commonly known as Brookelyn, was born in Pasadena, CA. At a young age, she relocated to Simi Valley, CA where she now resides. Brookelyn realized her passion for music very early on. She bought an electric keyboard along with an electric guitar and began using internet videos to teach herself how to play. Singing has always been her first passion; she continued school while pondering what career path she wanted to take, and concluded that no career would suffice that did not involve music. She began taking vocal lessons at 14, and soon joined her church choir in San Fernando Valley.  Within weeks of joining, she connected with Antina Campbell, the manager of a girl group called Gifted Nations, who was in need of a Latin vocalist. Brookelyn was quickly placed in the group where she developed skills in performance as well as being an overall artist. Gifted Nations built relations with Track Martians' founder, EJ Jones before Track Martians was created. When the group agreed to split up, Brookelyn reached out to EJ after struggling on her own. In a short matter of time, she was the second artist to become a part of the Track Martians. While working two jobs and maintaining a 4.0 GPA, she studied the industry and her peer, Anjaleia, and released her first cover of Jill Scott's "Gettin In the Way" in December of 2014. Now that she has completed high school, she is working on original music and just released her first single "Gemini" produced by Kanchantz and written by EJ Jones.

Connect with Brookelyn: Facebook   Website   Instagram   Soundcloud

BLOG: Can She Really Make It On Her Own?

As everyone knows, the entertainment business is a strange place. Often times artists say that they have to “sell their soul” to get anywhere. Of course anyone with a brain knows they aren’t actually writing a contract with evil spirits, rather they’re stepping outside of themselves to do things they normally would never do to get closer to the top. Anyone who’s made that remark seems to have made commercial success in the industry, but how far should one actually go? Would you go as far as let’s say, marriage? Well these ladies did (some of them got really close to it) and it got them where they wanted to be, which begs the question -- can women in the music and entertainment industry really make it on their own without a dirty deal? The following female celebrities have had amazing careers, but it looks like they all got their starts by shacking up. Let’s start from way back in the Motown days with Diana Ross. 

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Diana Ross is best known for being the front woman of the 1960’s girl group The Supremes who had many number one hits and paved the way for the Pop and RnB artists we know today. They are considered to be the most successful girl group ever. The Supremes were initially called the Primettes and had small successes on their own, but it wasn’t until Berry Gordy, CEO of Motown Records signed them in 1961 under the condition that they change their name to ‘The Supremes’ that they really started to take off. Under his guidance they were able to create their first hit “When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes”. Berry had decided that Diana would now be the lead singer. The group continued to gain success and just 4 years later in 1965 Diana Ross and Berry Gordy started dating. Well that’s only what the internet says; I can imagine that they were involved long before. Diana and Berry’s romance lasted a while, all the way into 1971 and they got pregnant, strangely though only two months into the pregnancy, Diana married music executive Robert Ellis Silberstein. Are we seeing a pattern here? Diana had two more children for Robert before their divorce in 1977. Diana then moved on to Gene Simmons for a couple of years… Are we seeing the pattern now? As everyone knows, Ms. Ross has continued to have a very successful and multifaceted career, ask your parents and they’ll tell you she’s a legend.

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Next on our list is everyone’s favourite diva, Mariah Carey! We all know how big a star she is and have heard of her demanding diva ways, but how did it all happen? She met the right man of course. Mariah knew she wanted to be a singer at a very young age. Through high school she met a writing partner and together she compiled a four song demo tape. Once graduated, Mariah moved to Manhattan and shared a one bedroom apartment with four other girls. She worked hard as a waitress but would always get fired after two weeks on the job. She kept on trying to get her demo through to the record labels, but they just weren’t having it. Mariah somehow met pop singer Brenda K. Starr who took her to a music executive’s gala. Brenda gave Mariah’s demo tape to Tommy Mottola who was the head of Columbia records. The story goes that Tommy was so impressed with her voice that he came back to the party looking for her, but she was nowhere to be found. He searched for her for two weeks, found her and immediately signed her. Her two studio albums won her two Grammys and had her all over the billboard charts in the span of less than two years. And then of course in 1993 she and Tommy Mottola got married… Interesting, I suppose he just fell in love with her voice. But like any stepping stone, Tommy served his purpose and Mariah moved on. 

Some of these ladies figured their situation out and got the most of it while they could; however this next one is still trying to get things set up. Remember Nick Cannon’s leading lady in ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing?’ It was Christina Milian! Before Nick Cannon shacked up with Mariah he was romantically involved with his then co-star Christina. Christina Milian has always hopped between acting and recording music with generally positive results in both, but nothing major has occurred in both arts. Supposedly her lackluster success is due to music labels not allowing her to make the music she really wants to. Perhaps in an effort to get more control over her music Christina tried to pull moves like the ladies who came before her: She dated Andre Lyon from producer Group Cool & Dre who she was working with on a new album. In 2009 she started dating producer and artist, The Dream while they were working on some songs. The two ended up marrying and having a child. The relationship didn’t work out so Christina decided to claw her way back to stardom with that reality show of hers. In 2012 Christina joined Young Money and… Yes, she also started dating Lil Wayne. The two put out a song together called “Start a Fire” last year and then the flame of their romance ran out. Ay Caramba! Who will Christina saddle up to next?

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Before I wrap this up I just wanted to give a shout out to the OG of marrying her way up -- Anna Nicole Smith! Anna was a simple girl from a small town who is most known for her career as a model, discovered by Hugh Heffner. Anna married an 89 year old billionaire at the age of 26 and was living that high life. Unfortunately when her husband died the next year, she got none of his money!

I’m still not sure if a woman can just make it on her own in entertainment anymore, but when I see stars like Adele and Nicki Minaj, I like to think that it’s still possible. I’d say the moral of the story here is to at least have some talent if you’re gonna go the bride route, if not get everything in writing! - Asha Mullings

Q&A with love+war

love+war is a Nashville, Tennessee based Electro-Pop duo comprised of writer-producer-guitarist team Coury Palermo and Ron Robinson who just released their debut EP "Hue".  The two began writing together in the fall of 2014 with no other intention but writing material for possible pitches in TV/Film.  In early 2015, the two-piece began working on a collection of covers and an EP of originals simultaneously. 

We linked up with Coury and Ron recently and asked them about their name and how they became a group, whether they're influenced by Country Music, their songwriting process and more. 

Carlton Boyd

I really like the name love+war; what does it mean and how did you guys come together to form a group? Coury: To me (the name) it symbolizes where we are as a society.  We live in a time of such immense hope and chaos - it's the collision of both mind sets.  
We began writing together last fall and realized how effortless the collaboration was.  We kind of stumbled onto "the duo thing" once the songs kept coming.  It is by far the easiest collaborative experience of my career.

Being that you guys are based in Nashville, which is largely known as the "home or center of Country Music", would you say that your music influenced by that genre at all? Coury:  I'm actually based out of East Nashville, which is a more fringe/non-traditional area of Nashville. Think "East Village" rather than "Upper Eastside" - in comparison.  I love Nashville and all of it's rich history - both country and other.  What may surprise people is the varied taste of the city.  I'm not sure I can say I'm influenced by country music, but I am influenced by the city and the people I live my life with.  It is a different pace than a New York or LA, which I appreciate.  I'm not much for the posturing that comes with being a musician, so I enjoy the freedom to be oneself that Nashville provides.

Ron: Nashville has always been known as the center of country music, but in the last decade or so it’s really held up to the name “Music City”. Everything is being recorded here now.  Artists and musicians are not going to LA or New York like they used to, they’re all coming here. 

Who are some of your musical influences? Coury: I grew up on blue-eyed soul, hip-hop and what I like to call "chick-rock".  Annie Lennox, Sade, George Michael - these were the records I cut my teeth on - the artists that made me fall in love with words and melody. They are the same artists I can still put on and get lost in.

Ron: Peter Gabriel, Tom Petty, Tears For Fears, The Cure, The Outfield, basically anything that’s 80’s pop.  That is my favorite era of music hands down. I pretty much like anything with a great track - solid hooks and melodies.

What's the songwriting process like for you guys? Coury: We usually set up some mics in the control room, grab a guitar and begin.  There's no big process.  It usually comes extremely fast. For me - I write a ton while I'm driving, so there's a plethora of ideas to pull from.

Ron: Yeah we’ll set up in the studio - both have headphones on with some effects we love - hit record and start experimenting. Sometimes the tracks (programming wise) start to take shape at that point. 
Its much more inspiring to hear an idea in the vein of a finished product “as” you’re working on it. Much more so than writing/playing “acoustically in the room” if you will.  We find that it really helps enhance the creative process.

The "Hue" EP is an incredible collection of songs to listen to with a quality set of headphones on but I am sure that seeing you guys perform these tracks live is a whole other experience. Will you guys be hitting the road to perform these songs on tour? Coury: Thank you.  Currently we are rehearsing a small set and would love to get out there and start playing.  We have a lot of new songs in the wheel house that we'd love to hash out live as well before recording the full-length album, so yes - touring is on the forefront.  

Ron: Thank you! Yes, I’m looking forward to it as well.  The process of working out the material outside of the studio is always fun.  Will it be more full sounding - like the record, or stripped back?  At this point that's still to be determined.  Either way we are super excited to get out there in front of an audience.

Connect with love+war: Website   Facebook   Bandcamp   Soundcloud

Hue by love+war

Madison Jay + COUNTY = 4 Eternity

Raleigh, NC Hip-Hop staple Madison Jay returns with the emphatic new single "4 Eternity"  from his upcoming debut album 'Return Of The Gap'!

Madison enlists production from emerging North Carolina producers Legion of Musik to provide a scathing and haunting production for him to lay down hard hitting lines such as: "The signs are becoming so clear/I'M the one that they fear/The humble shit ending this year, YEAH!" which is safe to assume his mindset going into his upcoming debut.

As the promotional run for the album begins check out this scorching new track which is our current Song of the Week and be on the lookout for Madison Jay's debut album 'Return Of The Gap' due at the end of the year on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and other online retailers.

Connect with Madison Jay: Twitter   Facebook   Soundcloud   YouTube   Bandcamp