Brother Ali has no reservations in saying that he’s “trying to be one of the greatest of all time” (on the Molemen track “Life Sentence”). Inspired by golden era legends like KRS-One and Rakim, this undisputed Master of Ceremony began rapping as a means of survival. 

Growing up albino (colorless hair, skin and eyes, poor vision, and extreme sensitivity to the sun) in a world of cruel kids made it strikingly obvious to Ali that he needed a high-powered way to earn some respect and prestige among his peers. As a result, ever since elementary school he hasn’t slowed down with his lyrical grind. In his rare moments of silence these days, if you catch his eyes, you’ll notice that this Minneapolis denizen is rapping in his head. For Ali, hip-hop doesn’t stop when he exits the studio or stage.

Around the turn of the millennium, Rhymesayers Entertainment couldn’t overlook Ali’s talent and drive when he submitted his self-produced demo, Rites of Passage. This rare, cassette-only effort features collections of rhymes, poems, and stories that he wove into his live sets. Its release help make him a welcome member of the RSE family alongside Atmosphere, Musab, and Eyedea and Abilities.


Benjamin Laub – better known as Grieves – is a Seattle-based hip-hop artist. He emerged in 2007 with the independently released Irreversible. This led to touring with some of indie rap’s finest, including artists like Atmosphere, Macklemore, Cunninlynguists, Watsky, Chris Webby, P.O.S, and many more. He’s since followed with four more full-length studio albums: 88 Keys & Counting (2010); Together/Apart (2011) which landed at #1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers and #106 on their Top 200; Winter & the Wolves (2014) which peaked at #57 on Billboard’s Top 200; and his latest release, Running Wild (2017). In the summer of 2019, Grieves released a new addition to his arsenal, a new 8-track EP, The Collections of Mr. Nice Guy.

With 2020 presenting itself with its own unique challenges, some silver linings appeared, one being forced downtime. Grieves took that opportunity and dove heavy into the melodic realm with his newest release, 14 tracks of instrumentals, Canopy (June 2021).

Dropped a BANGER with Kota the Friend...

LIONHEARTED is out now 🫡
https://ffm.to/lionheartedwithkotathefriend

Part time DJ, part time remixer/producer, full time music lover.

I enjoy mashing/mixing/remixing Hip-Hop, Reggae, and Electronic Beats

Contact : contact [at] cherenkovriddim [dot] net

Affiliated with Tech N9ne's Strange Music label, the hip-hop group Mayday!'s 2006 national hit, "Groundhog Day," did not start out having any rotation on radio or MTV, but rather on YouTube. The DJ Craze-produced ode to the office nine-to-fiver, with Cee-Lo Green on the hook in Gnarls Barkley mode, received over two million views within just 48 hours, breaking the site's record. The story broke out to many of the mainstream media outlets (including ABC's World News Tonight and The New York Times), stirring up interest from some major record labels. 

This massive attention and acclaim sprouted from humble origins. MC Bernbiz, born Bernardo Garcia, and producer/keyboardist Plex Luthor, born Aaron Eckhart, were just two Miami suburbanites (Kendall, Florida, to be exact) who thought it would be fun to collaborate. Plex actually had previous recording experience as part of a few endeavors in Miami's rap underground, particularly Algorithm, before they came together in the early 2000s; plus, he also has contributed work to the Discovery Channel and the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming. Mayday!'s debut was the 2004 song "Quicksand," a local underground hit that brought their eclectic hip-hop over to the at-the-time newly formed SouthBeat Records. Under the label, they were better able to communicate the gamut of their musical influences like rock, jazz, and Miami dance -- a reflection of Miami's rich, cosmopolitan culture -- through their eponymous debut album released in September 2006. 

That same month they were designated as mtvU "Freshmen Five" artists, which nominated them as a college favorite well poised to hit it big in the majors. The group's career was put on hold as SouthBeat ran into financial problems and began a long, slow descent into bankruptcy, but consulting with other artists on the dying label introduced them to Ben Miller, aka rapper Wrekonize. Wrekonize joined the group in 2010, the same year they self-released the album Stuck on an Island, the title referring to the group's label problems. In 2011, rapper Tech N9ne invited the group for a guest shot on his Welcome to Strangeland album, an apt title since the group signed with Tech's Strange Music that same year. They debuted on the label in 2012 with the album Take Me to Your Leader. Believers followed in 2013, while their 2014 effort was a collaboration with rapper Murs and arrived with the mashed-up title ¡Mursday! The LP Future Vintage followed in 2015 and featured guest shots from Tech N9ne along with Afro-beat star Femi Kuti. Their seventh set, Search Party, was issued in 2017. The album enlisted Tech N9ne, Common Kings, J.L., Danny Acosta, and more. ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi

Stophouse Music Group was formed in the spring of 2008. 

PROF, Cashinova, St. Paul Slim, 84 Caprice, & so much more.

Déborah HAMOU is following