Macklemore: The Independent Music Messiah

"But it was only 99 cents"- Article by: Jugo Azul

When it comes to the mainstream music scene, it’s the same thing all the time. It’s either “I got money”, “I Get Intoxicated”, “I dress well”, or recently in the last few years “Im God”, which im not going to get started on, and last but not least, anything to do with “twerking”. Put these things in your music and you will get a loyal following of listeners, viewers, or just curious banter from those who are interested in these aspects of social cluture. But what do all these “artists”, or maybe we should just say entertainers, not have? They lack quality, and originality, two things that we in our society have forgotten about in our chase for fame and fortune. But in the last year we have been sent what I like to refer to as an “industry prophet” Mr. Macklemore himself. Partnered with Ryan Lewis, Macklemore has done what many artists have failed to do over the past decade, which is hit the music and entertainment scene running full steam ahead as independent artists. Here on Jugo Azul vs. Entertainment you know that the independent artist and their exposure is the focus, and props are definitely due to this power house performer. Macklemore and Ryan lewis went to the top of US and UK charts with their reality focused hit “Thrift Shop”, and following not far behind their controversial hit “Same Love” which they performed at the 2013 VMAs.

The duo is known for using reality and the ability to give fans something they can relate to as an effective marketing tool, and has taken them to the top of the charts for youtube views and downloads.

         Macklemore comes to us at a time when the industry is in need of a serious make over. It is no secret that the mainstream industry is not concerned, nor worried about the content of their music to this generation. Most of the music today is sending youth and gullible listeners a message that they have only one life to live, so they should do everything in their power to screw it up and make it shorter. Macklemore brings a breath of fresh air to the generation, speaking on issues of equality, originality, and actually living an economically wise life.

We can only hope that this trend sticks and brings some reality into the façade that the mainstream is forcing on the industry. Lets hope that Macklemores strength of influence puts some positive influence on the independent music realm as well as a focus on the indie industry itself. Have we finally reached the day that independent music will become the new mainstream? We can only watch, wait and hope.

Jugo Azul Interview: Fayetteville NC EDM Artist KID COLA

Whats going on Entertainment lovers and enthusiasts. Welcome back to Jugo Azul vs. Entertainment, it has been a little while since we had a feature, but we have been making some BIG MOVES and hope you are ready for some new features and new material for the summer! Its Heating up outside, and its heating up here on the blog! So lets get back into it with a HOT new Feature.

We Head back to Fayetteville NC, to check out our beloved Growing EDM community. If you remember the last time Jugo Azul Vs. Ent. reported we featured the Diesel Boy Concert that took place at The Rock Shop. Diesel Boy cam and destroyed!! Fayetteville North Carolina and JA vs. Ent was there to cover it live! There were a few opening acts to the conert, and one of those opening acts is a well known EDM DJ in the Fayetteville Area. That Brings us to the Feature, DJ and part of the widely popular SUB-CULTURE group, KID COLA is one of the well known names in the EDM community in Fayetteville NC. I had a pleasure of listening to his tunes during Diesel Boy, and he def. is a worthy artist! Check out the E-Interview with him below, and get hip to KID COLA OF SUB-CULTURE!!!

KID COLA

KID COLA INTERVIEW

1. What style of EDM do you prefer to spin?

I don’t really have one style EDM I prefer since I play multiple genres of music when I mix.  I spin mostly House, Electro, Moombahton, and Trap.

2. How long have you been DJing?

8 Years

3. Who are you with? (Crew, production wise)

Sub-Culture (Kid Cola, Twilight, and Slodrive)

4. Where can people hear you live?

You can hear me live at our monthly Sub-Culture parties right here in Fayetteville at the Black Cat Lounge every 2^nd and 4^th Friday of the month!  I also play various shows around the state throughout the year.

5. What are your social network sites so people can follow and check out your music?

https://www.facebook.com/SUBCULTURENC
https://soundcloud.com/sub-culturenc
https://soundcloud.com/kid-cola

6. Whats your next big step?

I plan to continue to host my monthly Sub-Culture parties here in Fayetteville at the Black Cat Lounge, continue to play more shows out of town, and begin producing more original productions of my own music.  Other than that I am one happy dude of where I am at right now!

What up world, this is Kid Cola of Sub-Culture from Fayetteville, North Carolina.  I am 1/3 of the Sub-Culture collective with Twilight (Christian Muffley) and Slodrive (Justin McDonald).   I have been DJing since 2006 and we created our Sub-Culture parties in 2010.  Since then we have held down our monthly Sub-Culture dance parties here in Fayetteville for 3 solid years and are still going strong.  Thus making us the longest running EDM party in Fayetteville!  ^nd & 4^th Friday of the month.  Our goal is bring quality DJs and quality dance music to Fayetteville.  Instead of having to travel out of town to shows and parties, we bring the party to you!  Anyone who knows my style will tell you it’s a mixed bag.  I pride myself on being able to drop various genres and music styles in the mix when I DJ.  My first love is House music, but I don’t just play strictly house music.  I mostly play House, Electro, Moombahton, and Trap in my DJ sets.  I love how each genre has its own vibe and feel to it making it unique and fun to mix.  I believe that in this day in age as a DJ it is important to be versatile.  Most crowds don’t want to hear just one genre of EDM all night and neither do I.  My influences are so wide spread it is hard for me to list them all.  As of right now I am really digging Disclosure, Dirtybird Records, Symbols Recordings Mad Decent Records, Fools Gold Records, and Black Butter Records to just name a few.  I have had the honor to open up for the likes of Brian Lindsay, John Graham aka Quivver, Dieselboy, and Antiserum.  For bookings, music, and mixes check me out online at the following links.

We currently host our Sub-Culture parties at The Black Cat Lounge located on Fort Bragg Rd. every 2

https://www.facebook.com/SUBCULTURENC

https://soundcloud.com/sub-culturenc 

https://soundcloud.com/kid-cola

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NEW MUSIC FROM ROX RAN: YOU WINNIN (PROD. BY KAJMIR ROYALE)

Bio:When an artist has the strength to stay true to his values and try to inspire people at the same time he is successful from the start. The aim of a musician like this is not just fame and fortune by copying what everyone else is doing but instead to do what feels best to them. We recently came across an artist that shares this mindset and is ready to share his music. Here is Rox Ran. 

Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Rox Ran combines smooth R&B with a talented rap flow. He comes from a family full of talent as both parents were vocally blessed and his father is a locally well-known DJ. Grabbing influence from such luminaries as De La Soul, Mos Def, and Nas, he has put his own personal spin to create something original. Rox Ran pours his heart and soul into his music and is not scared to share his personal life in song. According to him “I kind of try to be me on every song.” 

 

The plan is to release his debut album entitled Heaven On Earth in early June. Stay up to date with Rox Ran at: http://www.roxran.com/

Websites: OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF ROX RAN

Social Networks: 

Rox Ran on Facebook

Follow Rox On Twitter 

Rox Ran on Reverb Nation

Artist Feature: Hip-Hop Artist X-PHAZE

ARTIST FEATURE

Just checked out this great artist hailing from the NJ area. He has a very unique, clean and well developed flow. Def. a breath of fresh air for the Hip-Hop Community his very clear delivery and hypnotic beats and production bring you to fall in love with his material almost immediately! Def. have to give this guy a listen to and check out his material. Check out the Bio and some of his music below and make sure you check out all his links and get familiar with the artist known as 

X-PHAZE

Bio: X-Phaze is a 17 year old hip-hop artist residing in Mendham, New Jersey. With over 200,000 YouTube views and opening performances for Rittz, Matisyahu, and King Los, he is definitely beginning to make a buzz. Meaning of Name: "X" resembles the unexpected and the anomalous. It is the unknown, the variable a person has to figure out, and the outcast of the in-crowd. It is the variable that seems as if it has no vitality. But when the true meaning is discovered, it is, in fact, extremely powerful, leaving a person oblivious of what to expect. "Phaze" signifies the phases encountered throughout life that fuse together with the inability to be fazed.

►Official Site -

 http://X-Phaze.com/

►"Like" -

 http://Facebook.com/XPhaze

►Subscribe -

 http://YouTube.com/XPhazeTV

►Follow -

 http://Twitter.com/X_Phaze

►Download -

 http://iTunes.com/X-Phaze

►Listen -

 http://Reverbnation.com/XPhaze

►Free Music -

 http://SoundCloud.com/XPhaze

Artist Feature: Rox Ran

ROX RAN 

How do you describe the music when, as personal as it is, it still incites people to move? If you ask Rox Ran, he considers it - Heaven On Earth. Hailing from Cleveland OH, Rox Ran is taking a leap of faith with his own music. With the background of both parents being vocally blessed, and his father working as a DJ, there’s no surprise that Rox Ran is able to make hit tracks such as “Lifestyle” and “Winning”. Through influences such as De La Soul, Mos Def, and Nas, Rox Ran instills the individuality he’s learned from each of these artists, into his own project. 
“I kind of try to be me on every song. I can’t really say how I am much different or alike to any one else, I just keep the goal in mind to make amazing music with every opportunity.” It is in that individuality that Rox Ran is hoping for more than just hit songs, he’s hoping to inspire people to become motivated to go after their personal goals and see them through. Rox Ran would also like to encourage his fans to identify with themselves and find their own originality. As far performing for his fans, Rox Ran’s favorite venues are music and celebratory festivals, but don’t be surprised to see him showcasing at places such as the House of Blues and Peabody’s in Cleveland. Make sure you give Rox Ran your attention so he can give you a little bit of “Heaven On Earth”!

Connect with Rox Ran: 
Twitter: @Roxran216 
Website: www.RoxRan.com
For Bookings and all other business: 
Email: Roxran216@yahoo.com

Artist Feature: Vohn Doe

Vohn Doe is a Bahamian rapper. He remains unsigned, and rhymes for the passion of the art and for his fans, and is currently in Fort Lauderdale FL pursuing an acting career. Doe prides himself on his lyrical ability, and painstakingly examines each verse before allowing it to come out of his mouth. Wasting bars on worthless words is like wasting beers... it's a shame. Vohn Doe is currently working on a feature film and an upcoming web-series. Every time he has been asked where he sees himself in the next 5 years, and then 10 years later looks back at what he said, it is never what unfolded. So he just rides it out, hopefully making forward movements and only minor missteps with the intention that at some point an adjustment made previously will butterfly effect into a colossal advancement in the future. Maybe he just sees himself on a porch in California with a case of Bud Lights grilling burgers and conch. Doe's music is good because it has elements of what's good in hip hop in every song. He's not Dead Prez, but there are lines where he calls on you to think about your lifestyle. He's not Eminem, but some of what he says is intentionally inflamatory. He's not Drake, but he also isn't from the hood, even though he spent a lot of time there.

Commentary provided by vohn doe.

INDEPENDENT ARTIST FEATURE- CASSIUS K

Bio

Cassius K (Cash-us-K)- born Samuel Rueben Cassius Kendrel Robinson to Kenneth D. Robinson and Anna D. Barksdale. The 27 year old TEXAS born Lousiana raised Artist has a true emcees bravado.He would say "I spit from the gut". Cassius is currently on the roster of Presidential Hustle Records & Entertainment out of Houston, TX. Cassius K's new official single “WATCH” produced by H.D. dropped at the end of April 2013. "WATCH" already has a buzz growing in the streets & the popular social networking platform/site Twitter & a few others. Cassius has a versatile delivery and isn’t afraid to express how he feels in lyric, beat & melody. “I adjust my voice to however the beat makes me feel” is what he tells Source. Cassius has been building his name & brand in part by putting his vocals on mixtape tracks produced by Just Blaze, DJ Mr Rogers, Heavy D, Stunt N Dozier, Watts Productions, H.D., 80s Babies, CJ BEATS and was also featured on DJ Merk’s (Official Dj for Dorrough Music) Outbreak VoL 1 in 2007 & various projects across the globe. Cassius first solo mixtape project "PAGE 1” is scheduled to be released Summer 2013, and his first album release date being discussed with PHE. 

Cassius is a Graduate of Prairie View A&M University receiving his BS and MS in 2007 and 2009.

In the spring of 2006 Cassius K was initiated in the Eta Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi. Alpha Fraternity Inc. and in the Winter of 2008 he was initiated into The Insane Alpha chapter of Nu Gamma Phi Fraternity Inc. , a community service organization established in Waller County.

The former athlete turned artist says music has always been in him, but he felt football was his passion, but injuries put that goal on hold. His Mother is a singer, father a trumpet player, and his grandmother, Rev. Maxine L. Barksdale was a piano teacher. PUNCHLINES are never his intent but they may happen. “My goal is to MAKE people across the earth feel me” #PHE

Catch up with Cassius K

on Twitter

@Cassiusphe

SOUND CLOUD

http://soundcloud.com/cassius-k-1