Blogs: Author Archive

Today is February 1st and for thousands of hip-hop fans around the globe, it means the all too short month of celebrating James “J Dilla” Yancey’s life has commenced. The late groundbreaking Detroit producer who touched the lives of countless music fans worldwide would have been 38-years-old this month (Feb 7) if he hadn’t...
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Just yesterday I was thinking how timeless Sammy Davis Jr’s jazzy “Hello Detroit” song is and how for 35 years now, people have been writing ditties about how Detroit is struggling yet absolutely beautiful. Now today, Detroit resident Apollo Brown and former Detroiter Boog Brown released a song with a similar message, albeit set...
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If you haven’t heard already, the 2012 Coachella Music Festival line-up is announced. Somehow, someway, Detroit got totally snubbed. I could be missing something or maybe my eyes are bad. Judging by the poster above, Detroit musicians got stiff-armed this year and it makes no sense. No Danny Brown, no Dale Earnhart Jr. Jr.,...
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Smoothed out British producer Eric Lau is currently in the process of releasing an EP entitled The Mission with Detroit emcee Guilty Simpson. Frankly I’ll say it’s the first 2012 release with Detroit roots that I’m anxiously anticipating. Their paring is an odd one: Guilty often raps some of the darkest material a person...
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A few days ago, Detroit rap celebrity Miz Korona gave me the good news that she’s finally got a release date for her upcoming album. In comical fashion, the album is called Sealy Posturepedic (The Most Slept On) and refers to the fact that despite being one of the better lyricists in the city,...
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With a new year comes new changes, right? Former Detroiter Denmark — who used to perform under the name Denmark Vessey — just released a new single/video this week and it already gives me hope for 2012. This is the same Denmark of the Crown Nation family and a key, longtime collaborator with Quelle...
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Plans are currently in motion to ensure the legendary Detroit producer James “J Dilla” Yancey will be celebrated in style this upcoming February on what will be the sixth anniversary of his passing. On February 10, “Dilla Day” is scheduled to take place at the Fillmore Detroit says Jonathon Taylor who heads the Yancey...
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Looks like Detroit rapper and producer Black Milk is giving out gifts a day early. This afternoon, he and soulful singer Melanie Rutherford released a new song that puts a nice spin on an old Paul McCartney Christmas classic. They titled it “Simply Having” and are giving it away for free download now. You...
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It’s been a strong seven days for Detroit rapper Danny Brown. Late last week, SPIN Magazine came out with their list of the Top 50 Albums of 2011 and Brown’s XXX record clocked in at number six. That’s well ahead of Fleet Foxes’ stunning Helplessness Blues, Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch The Throne and...
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There’s no way that one of the true kings of Detroit rock’n'roll should go unnoticed on his 63rd birthday. Ted Nugent has done more than his fair share to make sure that music lovers around the globe know that Michigan and Detroit in particular is a rock haven. Of course Ted has his controversial...
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