Anton Sword = Encore Status!

I like Anton Sword. Affable chap. Very smooth. Haven’t met him, but I appreciate how clean, how subdued he is on his album “Sentimental Education.” I hope Anton will forgive me for assuming that his house doubled as an airport lounge, but I’m starting to think that’s the case, first from the album’s cover, and also from the music. Anton is a crooner. He shows great range in that style of singing, so he can sound spooky on “Infrared,” (more due to backing vocals as opposed to his own voice) or melancholy as when he sings “Throw yourself away, Throw yourself away/ Liquify your face, Liquify your face.” He seems to feel that the pop artist’s job is to reflect emotions to the audience as opposed to experiencing them firsthand, and I like that about him. The most emotional track on the album is “Standing on the Precipice,” a track that more directly adheres to adult pop conventions, but even that draws back at points when it feels itself getting carried away. The guitar work directed by Sword on this track is particularly impressive (guitarists were Julian Maile and Erik Paparazzi) because it is smooth, measured, and soulful all at once. It suffers a little at the end, specifically because it does abandon its restraint a bit, but maybe that’s part of the fun. Still, amazingly good track.
Anton’s is an act that thankfully eschews kitsch or cheese, or at least an overdose of those elements, and takes the material as seriously as any emo artist. “Liquify” is the most comprehensive of his tracks, as it’s all subdued sincerity and ambiguous haze . I like that Anton feels free to wander about his keyboard, and the solos have a pleasant sense of timid spontaneity. He likes to squiggle, like a kid coloring in the margins with a glitter pen, but there is plenty of method to the wandering.
Then again some of the other tracks such as “The Instrument, Your Friend,” or the aforementioned “Infrared” sound more urgent, and even a little panicked. They traffic in ambient territory, and help by adding shades to the starbursts. “My Judgement” is much more of a bad trip though. Here, he subverts much of the album with some very harsh production that almost sounds like the wailing of space ghosts in an arty sci-fi movie. It comes off a bit overwhelming, if extremely skillful, and contrasts, unfavorably, with his more salient tracks. The production is, as I said, skillful, but at times inconsistent in that it sometimes compliments its surroundings, and sometimes swells to the point of overwhelming itself. There are violins and heavy stings, kind of like Phil Spector, but it comes and goes too much. These are quibbles really, and highlight just how accomplished this all is for a debut. The bottom line is that Anton has already crafted a pretty steady persona, and laid out some very strong thematic work in the realms of liquid, light, and indecision.

-Sporky

Sneaker Design Contest!

Calling all custom sneaker designers....or people just sick at using ADOBE! RunAthletics is having a shoe design contest...but not just a regular ole sneaker design contest...its for charity. Scion and Run Athletics have teamed up to host a benefit for the not-for-profit Soles4Souls. Soles4Souls is an organization dedicated to providing footwear to those less fortunate around the world. The Kick off event will be held at Ultra Nightclub in NYC from 6-8:30pm on Oct 24th. If you bring two pairs of slightly worn shoes, boots, heels, etc...you get in FREE. Celebrity DJ Mel Debarge will be spinning.

Please check out http://www.lalucas.com/soles4souls/ to find instructions, templates in order to design the kicks, etc. 300 limited edition pairs of the winning design will be produced. A final party on December 17th will announce the winner with honorable guest Reverend Run of Run DMC and RunAthletics.

Kenlo Key..."Destined 4 Greatness"

Before I get into the nitty gritty about Kenlo Key’s recently released mixtape, “Destined for Greatness,” let me just get this fact out in the open from the jump; this dude has rhymes for days. It’s no exaggeration for me to say that you will be utterly convinced of Kenlo Key’s lyrical superiority within the first 40 seconds of popping in this mixtape. As avid followers of underground hip-hop can attest, the one thing that we’ve heard over and over about this Chicago emcee is that he knows his way around a freestyle, and certainly, the Key does nothing to disprove the hype on this mixtape. So yes, folks, Kenlo Key can spit. You heard it here first.

Of course, having a hot flow does not mean you can automatically declare yourself the Second Coming or whatever. Kenlo Key, while incredibly talented and certainly has much to look forward to in the near-future, leaves much to be desired on this mixtape from a musical standpoint and fails to push himself beyond the stale “I got money, guns, and bitches” theme that has held hip-hop under arrest since the late 90’s. Sure, that shit was fun to listen to back when we still had CD players in our JanSport bookbags and had nothing but optimism about driving tricked-out Beamers and Escalades in the (then) near-future. But now, it’s kinda hard to listen to someone talking about “counting all this cash” and “ballin’ harder than the Globetrotters show” when considering that in today’s crazy economy, not even banks have money. (And don’t even get me started on that one…) Between the tired themes restated throughout this mixtape and the generic-sounding beats that fail to make a lasting impression, it’s clear that the Key still has a lot of growing left to do as an artist before we see him reach his full potential.

Still, there are some bright spots on this mixtape that certainly make this free download worth your time. Easily the best parts of this album are the various freestyles placed throughout that show just how gifted Kenlo Key can be when he’s off script. Outside of the freestyles, there are two tracks that warrant your attention: “Gingerbread Man,” easily the most radio and ringtone-friendly track on this album and “Black Mask, Black Gloves,” the most gully, hungry, gutter-sounding track Kenlo Key has on this mixtape. (Too bad it’s only two minutes long, though) The other tracks, while not bad, certainly aren’t too memorable in their current forms and lack that “oh, shit” factor that an artist like Kenlo should be getting based on his lyrical skill level.

Overall, Kenlo Key’s “Destined for Greatness,” while certainly not an instant underground classic, serves as a great “foot-in-the-door” for one of Chicago’s finest raw talents. If given the opportunity to work with a couple of hardcore loopdiggers, there’s no doubt that Kenlo Key will push beyond the played-out boundaries he set on himself in this mixtape effort. And if that happens, shorties won’t be the only people calling Kenlo Key the “Gingerbread Man…”

Ray Torres, The Digital Manwhore


Download Kenlo Key's Mixtapere here

Encore Status Promo

Emperial Nation Fall 2008 Launch Party

Our good friends over at Emperial Nation are dropping their fall 2008 line, with inspiration from the great Harlem Renaissance Era. Take a trip uptown with these original pieces that include images of Jack "Galveston Giant" Johnson, Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, and other strong images from that time in history.

To celebrate this release, Emperial Nation will be having it’s very own release party, in collaboration with The Tastemakers Society, on October 16, 2008 at New York City’s Gallery Bar located in the Lower East Side. From the hours of 7PM-10PM, Emperial Nation will be playing host to one of NYC’s most exciting and happening spots. Two Hungry Brothers will be in the house spinning everything from old school R&B, electro-pop to underground hip hop. Those that come celebrate will be treated to gift bags, complimentary Sonu beverages and celebrity style photography sessions. Did we forget to mention the 7:30pm to 8:30pm open bar?! This is The Back to School event you don’t want to miss!

For more information on the release party or the Emperial Nation line, check below and visit www.emperialnation.com.

See ya there!

To Trick...or not Trick...

photo by: happyeric

In my experiences with the dating scene, I have learned to attract the opposite sex using the gift of gab, to always stay sharp and say the right things to entice the opposite sex. Nothing could drive a woman's imagination more than a man's ability to spit some good game. That's why it bothers me a bit when I see my brothers in the club spending and wasting money on women who they have only known for so long. Whether you are buying drinks or making it rain to get a woman to talk to you, such acts are classic examples of trickin'.

What is trickin', you may ask?
Well, UrbanDictionary.com gives the following definition:

trickin' (v): To splurge on large gifts for a girl or boy that you like but don't know very well.
To me, using money to get what you want out from women is bad enough. It is even worse that now many influential music artists are now perpetuating to this phenomenon. The following are excerpts from some of the more recent hit songs rap and R&B songs:

“Like yeahhh, and everyone say it/
Mr. Rain Man can we have a rainy day/
Bring an umbrella, please bring an umbrella/
Ella, Ella, Ella, EH /
Bitch ain't shit but a hoe and a trick/
But you know it ain't trickin' if you got it”
Lil' Wayne – “Got Money”

“Shawty, you the hottest/
Love the way you drop it/
Brain so good, coulda swore you went to college/
100K deposits, vacations in the tropics/
Everybody know it ain't trickin' if you got it”
T.I. – “Whatever You Like”

“I can put you in the log cabin/
somewhere in Aspen/
Girl ain't nothing to the Pain/
it aint trickin if you got it/
what you askin'....for”
T-Pain – “Can't Believe It”

“I like to trick trick trick/
I like to trick (trick) trick/
I wanna spend some money, spend some money/
I like to trick, I like to trick”
Ray-J – “I Like to Trick”

Music has been so influential in promoting many of society's vices, with this “It ain't trickin' if you got it” movement coming on the rise. It is funny that these artists have the means to “trick” of their money, while a vast majority of their fans and listeners don't. I can ramble on about my thoughts on the topic, but the purpose of this post is to get your opinion about the topic. Please feel free to post your opinion, for it is humbly appreciated.

To trick or not to trick – that is the question.
- From SatisJackson305

STREET ART STREET LIFE

photo:Fatimah Tuggar, Coverfield, 2008

On view through January 25, 2009
Organized by guest curator Lydia Yee, Street Art, Street Life examines the street as subject matter, venue, and source of inspiration for artists and photographers from the late 1950s to the present.

This far ranging exhibition, one of the largest to consider the subject, includes street photography; documentation of performance, events, and artworks presented in the street; works using material from the street; and examples of street culture by more than thirty artists including William Klein, Lee Fried­lander, Raymond Hains, Vito Acconci, Martha Rosler, Sophie Calle, David Ham­mons, Jamel Shabazz, and Francis Alÿs, among others.

Museum hrs are: Thursday - Monday, 11am - 6pm, Friday: 11am - 8pm, Tuesdays and Wednesday are closed.Cost is $5 for students, $3 Seniors, children under 12 FREE.

The Bronx Museum of the Arts
1040 Grand Concourse (at 165th Street)
Bronx, New York 10456
718.681.6000
www.bronxmuseum.org

-Krazy Cam

Anonymous Twist = Encore Status

Anonymous Twist, a Toronto based MC, DJ, and producer, blessed us with a couple of tracks for our mixtape back in february(Melange mixtape featured on the right panel of this blog). One of the tracks and a personal favorite of mine was entitled 'Brainwash.' His camp put a video up for the track featuring clips from the movie City of God. Enjoy the track, and cop his album available on Itunes.

David Sides = Encore Status

We're probably late bringing this to you, but a friend of a friend of a friend of Encore Status sent this to me today and I was blown away. Known as the "Mozart of hip hop" D-Sides has done brilliant piano renditions of the music from top artists in the music industry. "Buy You a Drink"(T-Pain), "Bed"(J Holiday), and "Closer" (Ne-Yo), are tracks I have listened to personally. Please peep the rendition of Lollipop, originally performed by Lil Wayne.

Oh yea...and don't be late like us...friend him on the myspace.

-PM

STOP...now do the french Fry

Hello,
After posting the Smiley Jonez video "Chicken Wing," we set out to find content that was more tasteful. We think we have found what we were looking for. This Sweet and Sour clip forced me to STOP...and do the French fry. Please view yet another uncategorizable gem -- The McDonalds rap.

Enjoy,
StatisJackson

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Rex Milano = Encore Status

While digging through Youtube the other day, we found this 21 year old hip hop dance phenom from Italy. His name is Rex Milano and seems like he would step to ANYONE on the dance floor. If you've seen anyone that will or can test him, please contact us at Talent@encorestatus.com. (We wont expect that many emails...just watch his video below).
Enjoy,
Pure Madness



Please check out more of his stuff in our Youtube widget on the right.