March 2010 Archives

Photo by Evan Daniels for ATG.

Diary Of An Atlanta Brave is the fire mixtape from last year. Today brings XXL cover photo shoots, a deal with Atlantic Records, binge drinking at the Grammys. ATG caught up with Donnis to talk his quick ascent, his Freshman 10 buddies.

Photo by Evan Daniels for ATG

88 Keys has been at hip-hop's creative fronts since high school and the late '90s. He's been best buddies with Kanye West since 2001. ATG chatted backstage with the rapper, producer, Ralph Lauren enthusiast about the game, wack producers, his misunderstood last album, The Death of Adam.

Photo by Evan Daniels for ATG

Kidz In the Hall are educated, met the right people, forged a career from a circumstantial project people dug. ATG caught up with them in Grand Rapids, Michigan on a leg of their Crowd Control Tour to talk new album, new fame, being buddies with Just Blaze and recording in Jay-Z's studio.

All photos by Callie Richmond for ATG.

We're here.

As the Interactive component of South by Southwest 2010 winds down, media geeks cut loose. Monday night, locals, badge attendees and locals wearing a badge from two years ago to sneak into prohibited areas scoured downtown for the RVIP (a traveling caravan complete with on-board open bar and karaoke that's supposedly awesome provided its impenetrable Twitter account leads you in the right direction), itself a trendy ticket as famous-for-being-attractive-and-friendly celeb, Ashton Kutcher, reportedly jumped in.

Elsewhere, ATG was shut out of the Beer Camp beer pong invitational for failing to register online beforehand, though there was plentiful, accessible free Shiner. Foursquare threw a tech meltdown at Cedar Door complete with Next singalongs. A bunch of people lined up outside a bunch of clubs for some reason or another.

Without question, the highlight of the evening came courtesy of Thrillist, celebrating the launch of an Austin branch with vodka and hip-hop charmer, Kid Sister.

Hit the jump for an exclusive slideshow from the evening, rundown of where one can find FREE HIP-HOP CONCERTS all over Austin this week.

Saturday night you'll either be wiped or hyped after the Fader Fort's secret headliner. It's the home stretch and remember, it's about the music, man. The complete listings after the jump. If you don't have time to scroll, here are the night's top five, most essential shows:


1. Rhymefest / Klub Krucial, 12:15 A.M.

For starters, I'm a big 'Fest fan; El Che is excellent (May 18). Yelawolf has lots of steam and performs earlier. Mainly, I'm curious to see Rhymefest share an audience with the young, inexperienced, line-crossing former prodigy, Charles Hamilton, whom he attacked last year. Rap beef rarely comes full circle.

2. Xzibit / Club DeVille, 11:00 P.M.

One for Los Angeles. A celebration. There's Xzibit the forgotten star, legendary producer DJ Quik, nasty dude Kurupt, and dreadlocked intellectual, Murs. Look elsewhere for buzz, but it won't be as digestable.

3. Don Glover / Esther's Follies, 11:11 P.M.

Glover is a former "30 Rock" writer turned semi-actor (2009's hilarious "Mystery Team," "Community")...turned rapper. His Childish Gambino mixtapes are interesting but generally bad (I mean his name is literally a joke pulled from a Wu-Tang name generator); he's slated to rap at SXSW at a comedy club alongside comedians. In other words, should be funny one way or the other.

4. Mickey Factz / Beauty Bar, 9:25 P.M.

Another 2007-2008 rising star without a proper album but a proven record for live throwdowns. Electro paradise/ douchebag chain The Beauty Bar will be his element, his scene, his moment. Some blipster poppin', v-neck t-shirt jumpin' authenticity.

5. Freeway & Jake One / Emo's Main Room, 12:00 A.M.

Friday night is a good binge night as the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's opening round meets a fever pitch and the night's best showcases feature talent already doing multiple free day shows. Cut loose. The complete listings after the jump. If you don't have time to scroll, here are the night's top five, most essential shows:


1. Pharoahe Monch / Scoot Inn, 1:00 A.M.

Exception to the intro and a no brainer, Monch is excellent live, his catalog deep. He's a legend and thus far, this is his only slated appearance. Smif N Wessun, Skyzoo and Kidz In the Hall round out an excellent bill. Only downside: Scoot Inn is removed from downtown madness so be prepared to post up here and do little else.

2. The Cool Kids / Mohawk Patio 10:50 P.M.

On the other hand, if you're a wristband patron with a day job, the night's most buzzworthy showcase is at the city's trendiest venue. Yes, The Cool Kids sat on their 2007 buzz and today border irrelevance, but live it's fun and electric and you know the songs. There's also three XXL Freshman (Gibbs, Donnis, Fashawn) and white soul guru, Mayer Hawthorne.

3. Wiz Khalifa featuring Curren$y / Spill, 10:00 P.M.

It's kind of funny to picture self-serious lyrical dude, Lyrics Born, doing his official showcase at a sorority flagship. I'm also curious to see West Coast rambler, Khalifa, perform a duet show with a more talented cohort.

4. Theophilus London / Club DeVille, 11:45 P.M.

Theo is an ATG favorite, but the downside is his multiple free appearances. However, DeVille is a Red River gem of a venue, and if you feel like catching some indie pop bullshit, there's good music in the building (Ra Ra Riot, Neon Indian).

5. Looptroop Rockers / Club 115, 1:00 A.M.

On the international tip, a night of hip-hop from Sweden and New Zealand. Why the hell not?

Thursday is an epic night of hip-hop. The complete listings after the jump. If you don't have time to scroll, here are the night's top five, most essential shows:


1. 8Ball & MJG / Barbarella, 1:00 A.M.

It's easy to write off SXSW as a corporate schlock-fest for the industry to leach and network and fuck. Except that, the mere fact Tennesee titans have forthcoming work (Ten Toes Down, April 6) means they'll stop by and destroy a stage. By any measure, this is a good thing. They're heavy, respected, perpetually underrated, essential.

2. Slum Village / Victory Grill, 1:15 A.M.

Detroit night at an East 35 club I was once beaten up at culminates with the city's most influential rap outfit. Check for Elzhi and the undercards: Black Milk and battle-tested ace, Marv Won.

3. Killer Mike / Klub Krucial, 1:00 A.M.

It's pretty simple really, Mike has made 2010's premier mixtape, I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind, Pt. II.

4. GZA / Mohawk Patio, 12:00 A.M.

Hispter alert: the thinking man's favorite Wu-Tang member performs in the city's trendiest venue, with trendy indie bands.

5. Reflection Eternal / Ace's Lounge, 12:25 A.M.

The industry blogrolls are slowing down as their creators begin packing for Austin. The complete, official showcase listings for Wednesday after the jump. If you don't have time to scroll, here are the night's top five, most essential shows:


1. Paul Wall & Chamillionaire / La Zona Rosa, 1:15 A.M.

Seperately, they're B-list rap stars slightly beyond their prime. Together, they provided the Houston boom of 2004-2005's backbone and recorded one of the best albums of the decade. It'll be a joyful reunion show.

2. Nas & Damian Marley / Emo's Main Room, 10:00 P.M.

Trust me, Nas at Emo's is no joke. We're talking, run down Illmatic sequentially serious. It'll mostly be a showcase for the upcoming Best Of Both Worlds-inspired duet album, but there's bound to be some big highlights. It's two enormous talents in a tiny room, fireworks are a given.

3. Bun B / Ace's Lounge, 1:15 A.M.

Bun will be all over the place all week. If Rick Ross misses a plane, he'll fill in and wreck. It's what the legend does. He's rap's Cal Ripken. But with rising names like Mike Posner and Big Sean, underground saviors like Freddie Gibbs, and local monsters Kevin Jack and Phranchyze on Wednesday's most stacked showcase, posting up here all night isn't a bad idea.

4. Das Racist / Buffalo Billiards, 9:00 P.M.

Spin, Pitchfork and A Thousand Grams darlings Das Racist will, like Bun, do tons of shows. Buffalo Billiards is a bro bar not known for its live music and it's perfectly located on East 6th, right next to all the vital bars and clubs. Check out the smartass semi-rappers and cross them off the list.

5. Broken Bells / Stubb's, 11:00 P.M.

The star-fuckers special. At Stubb's you'll find secret Beastie Boys ('06), Metallica ('09) and Muse shows (Friday, shhhh); Matisyahu recording a live album ('07); people who don't know anything mothing to the familiar, iconic hub. The Danger Mouse and James Mercer band will be a draw, but be prepared for crowds.