Thanks for the continued support! After taking feedback from the material from my album I'm Not Like You, I decided to release one of the favorites from the project to iTunes, "Alive," a track where I weigh in about my own personal struggles, trials, and adversities. Though it all, those things have helped me learn myself what I've heard all my life -- what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and, indeed, I'm still alive!
Hope you enjoy the music, and I appreciate the listen! You can hear the song below on SoundCloud, but you can also download it from iTunes, and listen to it there or any other music streaming service.
And, yet another year in the books. While this was a relatively quiet year publicly and musically, it was certainly a noteworthy one. A number of moves were made behind the scenes, while still keeping fresh material out along with a few performances.
Get Familiar 3: The Love for Hip Hop Edition
The year was kicked off with the third installment of "Get Familiar," this one themed as "The Love for Hip Hop Edition." This was a packed show that featured local hip-hop and R&B acts ranging from relative newcomers like Pierce Love and Troy to local mainstays like Ice James and RT, and all in between, such as Knuckles and V. Loveless. Buzz-worthy groups such as Hot Bars Music Group, The New Juice Crew, and The Big League were all strongly represented, and EDE's own Rah Scrilla, N. Talekt, and Cee Jay all gave performances of their own. With excellent performances and a nice turnout, this was a great showcase for not only our team, but for RVA as well.
The showcase also spawned a free mixtape released on DatPiff, which features all of the acts from the showcase, which you can download here.
Following this showcase, the EDE team took a bit of time to regroup and refocus, while still working on music of our own and working with other artists. Rah Scrilla did a number of features and quietly, but notably, released a street single "I'm Back" via YouTube just to make sure everyone knew that the music was still coming strong. Short, sweet, and to the point, and with the reliable BC Music 1st behind the camera, Rah was able to make a statement with this single, and later followed it up with a number of other tracks and features.
Meanwhile, throughout the summer, N. Talekt slowly chipped away at his next project, spawning a warm-up single of his own, "Relax." Over the summer, this would be chased by a number of singles, such as "Ghosts," "Opportunity Knocks," and "Keep Cool."
However, things would really heat up come late fall, when N. Talekt released his final single from the project via YouTube, "The Night."
N. Talekt - "I'm Not Like You"
The positive response from this single was the perfect lead-in to the release of "I'm Not Like You." This 15-track album would be a statement for N. Talekt, a musical declaration of independence, of sorts, with a fresh sound with from-the-heart open-book lyrics. The project is available for free across the web, and features a short-list of talented artists such as Rah Scrilla, RT, Je2Rit, Chayse Maclair, and Kevin Jaxon.
Finally, to round out the year, Rah Scrilla brought a new track with his brother Jay Nice, "Convo," which may serve as a preview to what 2014 has in store. With continuous music and improvement from the EDE team, the future is certainly looking bright.
My new CD, I'm Not Like You, will be out NEXT WEEK! But until then, please enjoy my brand new music video for the album's third single, "The Night." Wouldn't have been possible without a lot of hard work and support so check it out and enjoy!
After a busy 2011 and an even busier 2012, I took some time to step back and recharge, refocus, re-energize, and relax. I've enjoyed the vacation, of sorts, but now it's time to get back at it.
So now, you all can relax, because I'm back. Here's something fresh, and there's more where that came from.
Well, another year in the books. After an exciting 2011, Established Dons Entertainment had quite the corner-turning 2012, with a bright future heading into 2013. With stronger music and product, additional shows, and starting our own "Get Familiar" showcases, we accomplished quite a bit this year, including, for the watchful eye, a name change.
N. Talekt - "Be Loved"
As far as music, this year started off the way it ended. With N. Talekt riding the wave of momentum from 2011's "In My Loving Memory," the first release of the year for EDE was "Be Loved," an eleven-track opus to love, lyrics, and happiness, a stark contrast to the previous title. A surprise release on Valentine's Day, the EP-turned-album showcased releases like "Time Is Slipping Away," "You," and "Fall." The tagline explains it all -- "written and performed for anyone with someone special in their lives to Be Loved; dedicated to that special someone in mine." Simply put, a timely release with timeless content.
Rah Scrilla - "Most Underrated"
Chasing that release, Rah Scrilla dropped "Most Underrated" on March 26, 2012, on the heels of his own heralded release months before, "Smoking in the Bathroom." With EDE starting to come together in late-January, Scrilla used this mixtape to give audiences a brief introduction to himself and his crew, hoping to both live up to and shed the moniker of underrated and trade it for something better. The release spawned singles such as "Where I'm From," "I Puts It Down," and the city anthem "We RVA," which were performed in various venues throughout the spring.
Musically, it was a quiet spring, but it was highlighted locally with performances and shows with all the new music that had come out over the past six months. EDE held it down from events like Purple Day at The Camel to Face Melt Friday at Strange Matter. But that silence was merely the calm before the storm...
N. Talekt - "Featuring... Me, Act 3"
Kicking off the summer was N. Talekt with his second 2012 release, and his fifth in a 55-week period, the much-anticipated "Featuring... Me, Act 3." Following the successful formula of the previous two releases, the mixtape, dropped on June 26, 2012, featured SoundClick artists at their finest of all walks and styles. Singles such as "Tear This Down," "Better Days," and "Hip Hop America" highlighted the diversity of the mixtape while showcasing good music. N. Talekt has since promised that this would not be the last of the series.
Cee Jay - "Rejuvenated"
A little under a month later, EDE's Cee Jay kept the summer heat going with his solo mixtape debut, "Rejuvenated," on July 24, 2012 A newcomer to EDE that year, Cee Jay's effort showed just why he was a welcome addition to the team. His distinctive flow, character and sound, highlighted on singles like "Racing," "Nu Day," and "Unstoppable," showed his musical range while painting a picture of his personal growth from "young and wild" to "older and wiser" over the fifteen-track recollection. Days before the project dropped, a short street video, "Racing," was released as well.
Watch Cee Jay's video for "Racing"
Throughout the remainder of the summer, G-Lotto, next in line, was in training, quite literally, preparing for his release.
Watch G-Lotto training for "Session 3"
G-Lotto, "Session Three: In the Clutch"
Following the singles "Around The Clock," "Party All Night," and "Put It All on the Line," G-Lotto released his third mixtape, "Session Three: In The Clutch," the final installment in the series on October 9, 2012. With experience and confidence on his side, this fourteen-track release showcased the potential G-Lotto has to pull out a winning performance "in the clutch." A fresh new sound and more complete lyrics showed his growth as an artist, while still bringing the series around full-circle with the Cee Jay and Rah Scrilla assisted remix to the wildly popular 2011 single, "Cha Ching." G-Lotto was able to appease old fans and bring in new ones with this release that is still going strong today, with a video coming very soon.
Rah Scrilla, "Still Smoking"
Finally, in what is seemingly becoming a team tradition, EDE ended another year with another highly-anticipated and highly-touted winter release, this time from Rah Scrilla. On December 18, 2012, days before the second installment of EDE's "Get Familiar" showcase, Scrilla released "Still Smoking," the follow up to 2011's "Smoking in the Bathroom." Singles like "Gauntlet" and "Bomb First" highlighted the strong performances from both Scrilla and his features, but it was the smash single "Getcha Money Right" that really opened eyes. Spawning two videos, "Still Smoking" showcased Rah Scrilla at his finest, with music spanning all of hip hop's sub-genres, as evidenced by tracks like "My Wife," "Project X," and "Stressed," in addition to the aforementioned cuts.
Watch Rah Scrilla's video for "Getcha Money Right"
Conspicuous by his absence is Jay Nice, the latest addition to the team. He's showcased his talents throughout the year on features on tracks like "Where I'm From," "One Thing," "Put It All on the Line," and "Young Minds," and brought energy to the stage for all of the team's performances. The talent is clear, and the time is coming. Watch out for a big year for him in 2013.
More music, more shows, more videos, and overall better product, that kind of growth was planned, expected, and executed by the team. Continued hard work will continue to pay off, and that will be made evident come 2013. Thanks for tuning in so far, and stay tuned for more.
New music from the EDE camp! Cee Jay's much-anticipated debut mixtape "Rejuvenated" finally hits the internet shelves! Featuring singles "Nu Day," "Unstoppable" and "Racing" (video below), Cee Jay's first solo effort is a solid 15-track hip hop tour of his life, past, present, and future. He's back from hiatus to rejuvenate the game. Enjoy!
The third installment of the Featuring... Me series is here. Showcasing some of Soundclick.com's top talent in rappers and producers, this mixtape offers a bit of everything for all hip hop fans and ensures an enjoyable listen from start to finsh.
Established Dons' own Rah Scrilla is back with a new mixtape, "Most Underrated," which showcases the talents of himself and the EDE team. Sharp lyrics over a diverse mixture of beats makes this a pick-up you'll definitely want to have. Download it now from any of the sites below:
To celebrate, I want to present to you a soulful hip-hop take on what it really means to Be Loved. This 11-track effort features some classic, soulful remakes with romantic overtones and fresh hip-hop flavor. Enjoy!
Here's what I promised. A year in the making, I present to you my first full-length effort since 2009's "So Cold," my (street) album, my life, "In My Loving Memory."
Better late than never -- Rah Scrilla, Established Dons representer, has his latest project "Smoking in the Bathroom" finally available on DatPiff, a popular mixtape hosting site.
So, why should you download it, if you haven't already? Well, below are 11 great reason:
Another solid outing for Scrilla with a variety of great beats from some of Richmond's hottest producers, top-notch features, and quality songs.
Here's the third single and first video from my upcoming project "In My Loving Memory," releasing in two weeks (11/15/11). Check out the video and enjoy the music. Special shout outs to BC Music 1st for doing the video direction, production, and post-production, and to everyone who helped make this a success.
It went so well the first time, I figured I'd do a follow up! Here's the second round, "Featuring... Me, Act 2!" With a mix of the hottest artists on Soundclick, some impressive up-and-comers, and, of course, yours truly, this is definitely a mixtape to catch. Get it from the following sites:
This week, Jonny B moves up from #5 to #1 with "Set Me Free," a heart-felt tale about love, family, and personal demons. Piercing lyrics and a commanding beat make this song really stick out, and Chayse does what he does providing a smooth hook to bridge Jonny's tale. It's a story we all can relate to, and Jonny provides witty yet well-written lyrics with interesting rhymes to tell the story. Very nice work here; while the selection was small this week, I think regardless, this track would have been top 3 easily amongst a number of competitors.
A gem found amidst the beat promotions, open collabs, and peep my track threads was The True Bonanza's "Love Knocked Me Down." It's well-deserving of some attention, but as of this writing, hasn't gotten any. The song is very well put together, the mixing is decent, and the lyrics are nice. I think the hook is a bit cheesy and some of the rhymes are forced, and words unnatural, but the verses are pretty good, especially the second verse. A confident performance here with a well-delivered hook and great beat make this a great listen, deserving of a spot on the list.
The rest of the tracks are also good listens. Rah Scrilla's "Can't Miss This Show" is aptly named. Witty lyrics woven into a nice anthem for his fanbase make this a standout track for me. Boss Game's "On Top" kinda falls short on the hook, but the verses are smooth and the beat works. Rounding out the list is "Killing Spree", basically one of my tracks to fill the list but a good listen nonetheless and brings something different to the table in relation to the rest of this week's selection.
As always, nice work this week by everyone, happy to see the good work coming out, and I'll be back next week with more...
My partner in rhyme, Rah Scrilla, has released his latest project, aptly titled "Pushed Back." After a bit of a hiatus, he's back in the booth and is looking to become a steady force. Keep an eye on him in the fourth quarter, and check out his mixtape, "Pushed Back!"
Just released some new material from me called "I'm Back!" -- I recorded this while prepping for the new mixtape, tentatively titled "So Cold." I'll do a few blogs about mixtape as the release date for that approaches. For now, do enjoy the new track -- it's the first one I've dropped in a good minute! Hope to release a few more in the near future. Lemme know what you think...
Hey! Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog!
I created this blog for a few reasons. First, I want to try to stay somewhat relevant, and what better way to do that than with a blog! Second, it's a bit of a pain to do keep things updated via my Soundclick when there are so many other avenues of media out there; with blogs providing RSS, I can keep my updates in one place and have it travel many places. Third, I want to be able to better interact with the people who enjoy my work. Next, I want to post things that are relevant to music in general here and my opinions on them as well as song critiques, must-hear music, must-see videos, and more. Finally, this is a good opportunity for me to discuss things about my music that I literally can't do in 52 bars. :)
We'll see how successful this is. Check back regularly as I hope to keep this active for as long as I can. Become a "follower" if you'd like to show your support, or just leave some feedback in the comments. Enjoy!
It went so well the first time, I figured I'd do a follow up! Here's the second round, "Featuring... Me, Act 2!" With a mix of the hottest artists on Soundclick, some impressive up-and-comers, and, of course, yours truly, this is definitely a mixtape to catch. Get it from the following sites:
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