.:The Solution w/ DJ Low Key & Lazy Eyez:.

Meet Spree Wilson, our featured out of town act for The Solution Showcase #11 on 12/22 at the Meadowlark…

Denver, meet ATLien Spree Wilson.  We first heard of Spree a few years back when he dropped “Word!” with one of his mentors No I.D. (video below) because well, we’ll check out anything No I.D. produces based on his work with Common, Jay-Z and such, not to mention the mentoring of his most infamous protege, Kanye West.  It took me a minute to get used to Spree’s voice and No I.D.’s strangely electronic beat but it grew on me, just as I was hearing other work of his pop up on albums/mixtapes with Novel and DJ Deckstream and realizing the full on scope of dude’s talent.  From there we heard a few more solo joints, “Pick You Apart” and some leaks from his critically acclaimed The Never Ending Now project which became staples in DJ sets at The Solution and while Low Key DJed at Guess.

Above: “Right One, Wrong Time”, one of our 2012 favorites.  /// Below: Very dope video for Spree Wilson feat Novel “King Sh*t (The Answer)”.

Next thing I know I’m seeing Q-Tip shouting out Spree Wilson left and right, mentioning they’re working together some and talk of Spree linking up with the likes of Outkast producers extraordinaires Organized Noise and The Flush, as well as G.O.O.D. music.  Spree did in fact link up with Kanye and crew, with writing credits on the Cruel Summer album plus six more yet to be released songs (!!!!!), as well as getting some work on the upcoming Cee-Lo and Theophilus London projects.  Then just a few weeks back, Spree dropped the ATL-bass inspired super JAM, “Right One, Wrong Time”, that we can’t stop playing, making now a great time to have him out for The Solution Showcase.

Above: Spree Wilson “Word!” (produced by No I.D.) /// Below: “Sin City”, John Legend, Travis Scott, Teyana Taylor, CyHi Da Prynce & Malik Yusef “Sin City”, co-written by Spree Wilson.

So now that you’re up on Spree Wilson, we probably don’t need to remind you that Saturday, 12/22 is your monthly chance to see a top notch talent in an award-winning intimate venue before they blow up, right?  Catch Spree making his Denver debut, along with CO production legend Boonie Mayfield, Fresh Breath Committee’s Fo Chief, eclectic producer/DJ Neon Brown and all three Solution DJs; DJ Low Key, Sounds Supreme & Lazy Eyez for The Solution Showcase #11 on 12/22 at the Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).

Tags: Boonie Mayfield, DJ Low Key, Fo Chief, Fresh Breath Committee, Lazy Eyez, Neon Brown, Sounds Supreme, Spree Wilson, The Meadowlark, The Solution, The Solution Showcase

Saturday, 12/22 -> The Solution Showcase #11 w/Spree Wilson (ATL), Boonie Mayfield, Fo Chief, Neon Brown, DJ Low Key, Sounds Supreme & Lazy Eyez at the Meadowlark…Extra thick lineup to celebrate one year of showcases!

SATURDAY, 12/22 -> After featuring “Hov’s fav cat”/Questlove protege Danny! at last month’s Solution Showcase, we’re back at it with another ridiculously talented new artist who’s been racking up praise from legends and an extra thick lineup to celebrate the showcase’s one year anniversary (thanks for helping us make it happen Denver!!!).  This month’s Solution Showcase #11 features Atlanta-based Q-Tip/No I.D. protege Spree Wilson, CO production legend Boonie Mayfield, Fresh Breath Committee’s Fo Chief, eclectic producer/DJ Neon Brown and all three Solution DJs; DJ Low Key, Sounds Supreme & Lazy Eyez.  Catch this stacked lineup at the Meadowlark as we celebrate one year of bringing out the best in up & coming and CO-based hip hop acts to Denver each month.  $5 pre-sale tickets are available at all 3 Family Affair locations and get you 15% off your entire purchase, perfect for holiday shopping.  Otherwise, it’s only an $8 cover to catch 7 top notch acts at an award-winning venue.  2701 Larimer St / 21+ / Doors at 9pm.

Tags: Boonie Mayfield, Catch Lungs, DJ Low Key, Lazy Eyez, Neon Brown, Sounds Supreme, Spree Wilson, The Meadowlark, The Solution Showcase

Meet Infamous Jones, our featured Denver producer for The Solution Showcase #10 on Saturday, 11/24 at the Meadowlark…

Denver, meet Infamous Jones.  Fresh off producing, D.I.A. “In This Town” (with Turner Jackson, Marcus Arrilius, AP, King F.O.E., Chuck’T, Capital G, Young Hamm, Tuxx, Dre Payne, Tytanik, Rebel Minority, Champion, 5280 Mystic & DT), one of the most impressive and ambitious posse cuts in #COhiphop history, we’re featuring Infamous Jones as our CO producer for The Solution Showcase #10.

DJ Dozen first introduced us to Infamous Jones a few years back and we’ve been watching him steadily ascend the ranks of Denver production scene ever since, working with his Welcome To The D.O.P.E. Game crew and showing off his skills in The Solution Beat Battle earlier this year.  Besides producing for the crew, Infamous has dropped a few different full length projects you should know about, including the Ghost Buster Remixes project w/DJ Dozen and Infamous Jackson w/Turner Jackson.

.:Download Infamous Jones & Turner Jackson – Infamous Jackson:.

.:Download Infamous Jones & DJ Dozen – Ghost Buster Remixes: The Haunted Hills Edition:.

Now that you’re a little more familiar with Infamous Jones, make sure you check him out on Saturday 11/24 at The Solution Showcase #10, along with “Hov’s Fav Cat” (c) Questlove, Danny!, J. Carey, DJ Low Key & Lazy Eyez at the award-winning Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).  Don’t miss a chance to catch this insane lineup for only $5 via pre-sale (plus 15% off your purchase) at any of the Family Affair locations or just $8 at the door.  Starts at 9pm / 21+.

Tags: DJ Dozen, Infamous Jones, The Solution Showcase, Turner Jackson, Welcome To The D.O.P.E. Game

Meet J. Carey, our featured Denver act for The Solution Showcase #10 on Saturday, 11/24 at the Meadowlark…

Denver, meet J. Carey.  If you’re a straight up rappity rap cat, you might not have heard of him; but if you get into a little R&B or soul singing or pay attention to the hooks on songs like Foodchain’s “Take VI” (posted below), then you’re probably already very familiar with the crooner (he even raps a little, and easily outraps most so-called rappers in town).  Besides being the go to singer for hooks in Denver right now, J. Carey excels with his own material, with jams like “Sorry” & “Head Over Heels” giving R&B fans in Denver some local anthems to get behind.

Above: J. Carey “Come & See” /// Below: J. Carey “Head Over Heels”

More recently, J. Carey has been garnering even more praise in the mile high city after teaming up with rapper Rebel Minority on the For Now… EP, getting great reviews from the likes of HipHopRollCall.com, who said “The two sound good enough together on this EP to press play and just let it ride.”.  Check out the entire EP for whatever you feel like spending here (even free!) and catch J. Carey showing off his formidable rap chops on “Replaced” below.

So now that you’re up on J. Carey, make sure you check him out on Saturday 11/24 at The Solution Showcase #10, as he rocks alongside “Hov’s Fat Cat” Danny!, Infamous Jones, DJ Low Key & Lazy Eyez at the award-winning Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).  Don’t miss a chance to catch this insane lineup for only $5 via pre-sale (plus 15% off your purchase) at any of the Family Affair locations or just $8 at the door.  Starts at 9pm / 21+.

Above: J. Carey “Late Nights x Street Lights” acapella /// Below: Food Chain featuring J. Carey “Take VI”

Tags: J. Carey, Rebel Minority, The Solution Showcase

Meet Danny! aka Danny Swain, our featured out of town act for The Solution Showcase #10 on Saturday, 11/24 at the Meadowlark…

Denver, meet Danny Swain aka Danny!.  Jay-Z’s new favorite rapper, former Interscope signee, Grammy nominee, Questlove endorsee, Def Jux strandee, Von Pea collaborator and most importantly among all the cool titles, one hell of a rapper/producer.  Over the last few years, Danny!’s created a lane unique to himself, trudging through the industry with a combination of snarky raps, honest introspection and witty concepts.

Above: Danny Swain, The Roots & Gavin Castleton – “Evil (Live on The Jimmy Fallon Show)” /// Below: Danny! “I Don’t Wanna Hear That Shit”

If you’re not familiar with Danny!, check out this great interview with Complex from a few months ago for a little more insight into what he’s all about and make sure you check out his critically acclaimed new album Payback, on Okayplayer Records and featuring all sorts (literally, all sorts) of great guests, including Blu, Lil B, Tanya Morgan, Agallah, Res, Phonte, Swizz Beats, El-P & more.

Above: Danny! featuring The Ilmont Collective”Payback” /// Below: Danny! “Goodbye Love”

Above: Danny! featuring Danny Brown “Theme Music To A Killing Spree” /// Below: Danny! featuring Von Pea “I Don’t Know”

Here’s a little more on Danny Swain’s fascinating rap career by David Jeffries from AllMusic.com:

While South Carolina producer/MC Danny! declares himself “A Tribe Called Quest on acid, or EPMD on LSD,” he’s much more complex than that. Born to military parents in the summer of 1983, Danny Swain never had enough time to grow roots in any particular area. With his family crisscrossing the country, the scenery was always changing and so were Swain‘s friends. The only long-term relationship he was able to maintain was the one he had with music. His mother supported her son’s interests, buying him music equipment every Christmas. By 1998 he was a serious beat-maker and writing rhymes became his next conquest.

By 2002 he was ready for his debut and began work on The Danny Swain LP, but the album would never see the light of day. Accused of being the ringleader in a grade-changing scandal at his college, Swain was expelled from Claflin University and by the end of the year he was back home, dejected, depressed, and quitting music. Two years later, he had a change of heart and reappeared on the local scene with his first full-length, The College Kicked-Out. While some saw it as a winning combination of Little Brother and Kanye West, others saw it as derivative of both. Danny! relocated to Georgia for a second chance at higher education at the Savannah College of Art & Design and worked on his second effort, the venomous F.O.O.D. (Finding Out Our Destination).

Whether or not the Kicked-Out criticism was the reason for the anger, F.O.O.D. proved that Danny! was a unique rapper who wore his emotions on his sleeve, soul-searching through layers of feelings and taking the listener along for the ride. Although F.O.O.D. went unnoticed by most, Danny! began working on his most ambitious project yet, a concept album. Semi-autobiographical, Charm found Danny! narrating the story of an up-and-coming rapper who looks to fame as a way to escape dismal reality. The album was an excellent combination of his loopy, fascinating productions and his wry, poignant lyric-writing, but it was also his alleged swan song. Even though his star appeared to be rising, the unpredictable Danny! announced Charm was his farewell to the game just as the album was being released in late 2005. The following summer, the instrumental record Dream, Interrupted, which was originally meant to accompany Charm, came out. In early 2007, Danny! won Definitive Jux’s Best Music on Campus contest, resulting in a deal for a digital EP and a video with Mr. Lif. However, the Def Jux deal never really happened as they shut down, so Danny! just kept releasing things independently.

And I Love H.E.R. came out in 2008 and was named one of that year’s top 50 albums by ABC News. This was the first album where Danny! had any outside production assistance, bringing in Alex Goose. Goose did all the production for the follow-up, Where Is Danny?, in 2009, but there was a falling out and Goose slapped an injunction on Where Is Danny?, preventing distribution. So Danny! went back and did all new productions for Where Is Danny?, finally getting it out in 2011. Payback was slated for release in early 2012, but kept being pushed back by the label. However, there was a buzz around the release, as shortly after Payback was completed, ?uestlove of the Roots tweeted that Danny! had caught the attention of Jay-Z, who called Danny! “Hov’s Fav Cat,” though it would end up being ?uestlove himself who released the album later that year through his own label, Okayplayer Records.

Last but definitely not least, make sure you check out Danny!’s Colorado debut on Saturday 11/24 at The Solution Showcase #10, along with J. Carey, Infamous Jones, DJ Low Key & Lazy Eyez at the award-winning Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).  Don’t miss a chance to catch this insane lineup for only $5 via pre-sale (plus 15% off your purchase) at any of the Family Affair locations or just $8 at the door.  Starts at 9pm / 21+.

Tags: Danny Swain, Danny!, The Meadowlark, The Solution Showcase

Saturday, 11/24 -> The Solution Showcase #10 w/Danny!, J. Carey, Infamous Jones, DJ Low Key & Lazy Eyez at the Meadowlark…

SATURDAY, 11/22 -> After taking a bye month for the South Broadway Soundclash/Halloween in October, The Solution Showcase is back to bring you another stacked lineup of hip hop at the award-winning Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).  The Solution Showcase #10 features Danny! aka Danny Swain aka “Hov’s fav cat.” (c) Questlove as our of town act, fresh off the release of his critically acclaimed Payback album on Okayplayer Records (with cameos from everybody from Blu to Lil B to Tanya Morgan to Swizz Beats to El-P to Phonte).   Very dope singer/sometimes rapper J. Carey is our featured CO artist for the month and The D.O.P.E. Game’s Infamous Jones is our featured producer, while The Solution’s own DJ Low Key and Lazy Eyez hold things down with the best in hip hop & more on the turntables.  Don’t miss a chance to catch this crazy lineup for only $5 via pre-sale (plus 15% off your purchase) at any of the Family Affair locations or just $8 at the door.  Starts at 9pm / 21+.

Tags: Danny!, Infamous Jones, J. Carey, Okayplayer, The D.O.P.E. Game, The Meadowlark, The Solution Showcase

Meet CA’s Free Speech, one of our out of town guests for The Solution Showcase #9 on 9/22 at the Meadowlark…

Denver meet rap retiree Free Speech…LOL.  While he’s technically retired from rap, Free Speech is just about as nice as any MC you’ll find out today and it’s actually a pretty funny story how he got added to the bill.  My initial plan was to bring out frequent Free Speech collaborator Ro Blvd as well as Thurz and before we’d announced the show I was talking to the homie/Denver’s favorite videographer/Welcome To The D.O.P.E. Game co-founder Jeremy Pape and mentioned the tentative lineup.  He bugged out and said that he was a HUGE Ro Blvd fan and the Ro Blvd/Free Speech/BrekFast Club project Laffy Taffy Rots Your Teeth (Retro Edition) was one of his favorite albums ever!  I text Ro and Free Speech to pass on the word and next thing I know, Free Speech was added to the lineup for what promises to be a great Solution Showcase #9.

Free Speech’s music is the sound of a brilliant Stanford educated dude mixed with straight up grimy hip hop.  His lyrics are vicious, clever and provocative and with most of the production coming from Ro Blvd, his music tends to stand out.  Download 2006’s controversial Laffy Taffy Rots Your Teeth below to get more familiar with Free Speech and his BrekFast Club crew (founded with Ro Blvd and including the likes of The Solution’s own DJ Low Key, Micah James, Sik, France and more).

.:Laffy Taffy Rots Your Teeth (Retro Edition):.

Now that you’re a Free Speech fan, catch him at The Solution Showcase #9 with LA’s Ro Blvd & Thurz, elusive DJ/producer Fast Forward, DJ Low Key & more on Saturday, 9/22 at the Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).  We know there are a lot of other events going on the same night, so we’re starting early at 7PM sharp on the patio stage (for the first time ever!) and giving anyone who shows their ticket/ticket stub from another 9/22 event $3 off cover (only $5 for this crazy lineup instead of $8) to help you maximize the last official day of Summer.  21+ /// $5 Pre-sales now available at all three Family Affair locations & get you 15% off your entire purchase /// $8 at the door /// Doors at 7pm.

Tags: BrekFast Club, Free Speech, Ro Blvd, The Meadowlark, The Solution Showcase

Meet Fast Forward, our featured Denver producer for The Solution Showcase #9 on Saturday, 9/22 at the Meadowlark…

Denver meet Fast Forward.  The elusive producer/DJ has been making a name for himself in some of the most notable Denver circles for years, but still somehow remains one of Denver’s best kept secrets.  Ask 2011 World DMC Champion DJ Vajra about Fast Forward and he’ll rave about his skills, as the two have collabed on numerous projects over the years.  Take a look at the clip below to see some of what these two musical geniuses do when they get together.

Fast Forward & DJ Vajra are Dirty Southpause “Time 4 Tacos”

Fast Forward is way more than a DJ Vajra bandmate though, in fact, he’s a one man band onto himself, playing drums, keys, singing, scratching and more in his live performances.  You can also catch Fast Forward and DJ Check One’s collaborative project, Fun Addicts, here.  A man of few words, catch more live video from Fast Forward on his youtube channel and you’ll be sold on dude’s diverse talents, just like me, Vajra and countless other heads in Denver.

Above: “Slow Tetris”  /// Below: “Punch Box”

Now that you’re a little more familiar with the man, the myth, Fast Forward, catch him at The Solution Showcase #9 with LA’s Ro Blvd, Thurz & Free Speech, Prime Element, DJ Low Key & more on Saturday, 9/22 at 7PM at the Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).  We know there are a lot of other events going on the same night, so we’re starting early at 7PM sharp on the patio stage (for the first time ever!) and giving anyone who shows their ticket/ticket stub from another 9/22 event $3 off cover (only $5 for this crazy lineup instead of $8) to help you maximize the last official day of Summer.  21+ /// $5 Pre-sales now available at all three Family Affair locations & get you 15% off your entire purchase /// $8 at the door /// Doors at 7pm.

Tags: DJ Vajra, Fast Forward, The Meadowlark, The Solution Showcase

Meet Thurz aka Thurzday, one of our out of town artists for The Solution Showcase #9 on 9/22 at the Meadowlark…

Denver meet Thurz (aka Thurzday).  I first learned about Thurz’s music via his now defunct group, U-N-I, right around the time that him, his former partner Y-O and Ro Blvd first linked up.  While U-N-I had received a lot of attention from earlier projects, their album with Ro Blvd, A Love Supreme, proved to be one of 2009’s best releases and garnered some of the attention that an exceptional, well-received, borderline classic album should.  Shortly afterwards, U-N-I & Ro Blvd released a retail version of A Love Supreme (2.0) with more live elements and new songs like the “Land Of The Kings” remix with Houston legend Bun B to even more acclaim.

After the success of A Love Supreme, Thurz and Y-O decided to part ways and release music as solo artists.  Thurz proceeded to drop his excellent conceptual solo debut L.A. Riot, loosely based around the ’92 riots in LA, with help from the likes of Roots’ frontman Black Thought, Dr. Dre co-producer DJ Khalil, acclaimed singer BJ The Chicago Kid & Strong Arm Steady.  Check out the videos below from the album, “Colors” (produced by Ro Blvd & featuring SAS) and a live performance of “Los Angeles” featuring both Ro Blvd and Exile.

Above: Thurz “Colors” from L.A. Riots /// Below: Thurzday, Ro Blvd & Exile at the Okayplayer x Stones Throw Showcase last year at A3C

At the top of this month, Thurz premiered his new project, 517 W Queen Tape, on Complex’s site to overwhelmingly positive results.  The free 16-track mixtape finds Thurz a little more light-hearted than L.A. Riots and features the likes of Killer Mike, BJ The Chicago Kid, Ro Blvd and more while getting heads excited about his upcoming sophomore album, Blood On The Canvas. Download it below and get familiar with one of the best from the West.

.:Download Thurz – 517 W Queen Tape:.

Now that you know Thurz, catch him at The Solution Showcase #9 with his Cali compatriots Ro Blvd & Free Speech, #COhiphop greats Prime Element, elusive DJ/producer Fast Forward, DJ Low Key & more on Saturday, 9/22 at the Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).  We know there are a lot of other events going on the same night, so we’re starting early at 7PM sharp on the patio stage (for the first time ever!) and giving anyone who shows their ticket/ticket stub from another 9/22 event $3 off cover (only $5 for this crazy lineup instead of $8) to help you maximize the last official day of Summer.  21+ /// $5 Pre-sales now available at all three Family Affair locations & get you 15% off your entire purchase /// $8 at the door /// Doors at 7pm.

Tags: The Meadowlark, The Solution Showcase, Thurz, Thurzday, U-N-I

Meet Cysko Rokwel, A.V.I.U.S. & Es Nine aka Prime Element, our featured Denver group for The Solution Showcase #9 on Saturday, 9/22 at the Meadowlark…

Denver, you probably already know them, but in case you don’t, meet producer Es Nine, MC A.V.I.U.S. & DJ Cysko Rokwel aka Prime Element (fka 3 The Hardway), easily one of the top groups in #COhiphop.  After linking up under the name 3 The Hardway in 2007, the group changed their name to Prime Element in 2010 and dropped their official debut album, Set In Stone, a year later on Kamikazi Airlines Records to both local and international acclaim (Prime Element gets mad love overseas).  Since then, Cysko, Es Nine & A.V.I.U.S. have been traveling the country on tour with the likes of Swollen Members, Dilated Peoples, People Under the Stairs, Souls Of Mischief, Sweatshop Union and Saigon while playing on top notch stages like the Warped Tour, as well as a who’s who of top Colorado venues, bringing a finely tuned show built upon the classic MC/DJ/producer combo to tens of thousands of hip hop fans in just a few short years. Check out the rest of the post for a taste of Prime Element’s music and more info on each member.

Above: Prime Element & Rakaa Iriscience “Truth” /// Below: Prime Element “Listen Up” (produced by Multi-Platinum German Producer Shuko)

Es Nine

You might remember Es Nine as our featured producer for The Solution Showcase #2 back in January.  If you came out that night, I don’t even need to explain how Es Nine is bringing boom bap to a new generation of hip hop fans or mention that he’s produced tracks for indie hip hop heavyweights like KRS-One, Dilated Peoples, Encore, Killah Priest, Prince Po, Kam Moye, Fashawn & Apathy or that he’s one of the most requested engineers in the Denver area, but in case you didn’t make it out and don’t already know, check out his instrumental project, Light Of Day, to get more familiar with one of Colorados top producers.  P.S. Es Nine is also a very dope DJ, which you might also already know if you’ve been to the great Denver hip hop parties that he’s involved in, such as The (formerly 90s) House Party and Ya Dig! (with Cysko Rowkel).

.:Download Es Nine – Light Of Day:.

Cysko Rokwel

4 Time US DMC Finalist.  2 Time US DMC Runner Up.  2010 East Coast DMC Champion.  2 Time Colorado DMC Champion.  Crunk Brother.  CO turntablist legend.  Incredibly dope DJ.  Those are just a few of the titles that Cysko Rokwel has acquired on his way to becoming one of the top DJs in Colorado and the country.  And while Cysko is most known for being one of the fiercest DMC competitors of the last decade, he’s also dropped some great mixtapes (his Best Of The Beatnuts tape is CRAZY!) and been a fixture on the party scene (alongside Es Nine) with events like the The (90s) House Party & Ya Dig!.

A.V.I.U.S.

Prime Element frontman A.V.I.U.S. is best known within the context of the group, but has been busy on the Denver scene since his pre-3 The Hardway/Prime Element solo debut, Patience, dropped in 2007.  Over that 5 year period, A.V.I.U.S. has commanded a wide variety of crowds in true MC fashion along with Es Nine & Cysko as a member of Prime Element while also keeping a few rhymes in the stash for a solo project.  Last year, he dropped that solo project, For Better or Worse, an EP on House Of Waxx Recordings led by the Es Nine-produced single “Same Ol Line”, which includes verses by XXL Freshman cover feature Fashawn & Evidence (of Dilated Peoples).

.:Download A.V.I.U.S. For Better or Worse:.

Now that you’re up on Prime Element, catch them at The Solution Showcase #9 with LA’s Ro Blvd, Thurzday & Free Speech, elusive DJ/producer Fast Forward, DJ Low Key & more on Saturday, 9/22 at the Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).  We know there are a lot of other events going on the same night, so we’re starting early at 7PM sharp on the patio stage (for the first time ever!) and giving anyone who shows their ticket/ticket stub from another 9/22 event $3 off cover (only $5 for this crazy lineup instead of $8) to help you maximize the last official day of Summer.  21+ /// $5 Pre-sales now available at all three Family Affair locations & get you 15% off your entire purchase /// $8 at the door /// Doors at 7pm.

Tags: 3 the Hard Way, A.V.I.U.S., Cysko Rokwel, Es Nine, Prime Element, The Meadowlark, The Solution Showcase