I’m not typically swayed by Lollapalooza lineups but this year the annual festival is forcing double takes left and right. Pulling in a bit more from Hip-Hop, Soul, and Bass/Electronic realms, between the main acts and Perry’s Stage (which btw, is being booked with increasingly impressive talent), you may want to invest in a clone or two to catch all the action! Check out Ground Lift’s Top 6 Picks below…
The cornerstone of what’s arguably the most successful independent Hip-Hop label (Rhymesayers), Atmosphere peaked quickly during the late 90s indie boom with their trademark dark, introspective style, and have managed to maintain momentum ever since. As forefathers of the current Minneapolis Hip-Hop scene, the duo of Slug and Ant achieved what many artists aspire to: staying independent while also staying paid. As the industry was in upheaval during the early / mid-00s, Atmosphere stood their ground and found commercial success while simultaneously building a massive, loyal fan base the world over.
As other notable indie labels folded, Rhymesayers (in conjunction with the Rhymesayers-owned record shop The Fifth Element) breathed life into the meandering Midwest Hip-Hop scene. Coupled with this solid home base, Atmosphere’s incessant tour schedule and collaborations with artists like Living Legends, KRS ONE, Murs, & Evidence kept them at the forefront of a rapidly evolving landscape. Experience speaks volumes and nowhere is this better witnessed than during their high energy live performances, which over the past couple years have been accompanied by a full band.
They say “pick one thing and do it well” but in Busy P’s case, he could care less what ‘they’ want you to believe. As a DJ, Record Label owner (Ed Banger), Producer, Remixer, Artist Manager, and leading voice in the French Electro / House scene, it’s safe to say he dabbles from time to time, rightfully earning the moniker “Busy.” But in a move to inspire Jacks-Of-All-Trades worldwide, he stands apart from other multi-taskers by attaining success across the board. The game was rigged somewhat however, when you start with all the chips winning comes easy.
Getting a leg up as Daft Punk’s manager, following their subsequent rise to stardom Busy P launched the Ed Banger imprint. Home to artists like Mr. Oizo, Uffie, Justice, and DJ Medhi, the label has helped define the French Dance music scene for over a decade. As a solo artist, his releases / remixes have been few and far between, but now that he stepped down as Daft’s management, expect to be hearing more…
It’s easy to say Cee-Lo came a long way since his brief introduction via Outkast’s debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik or on Goodie Mob’s critically acclaimed Soul Food, but honestly I think we all saw his current incarnation a mile away. Emerging from the talented pool of artists ‘Dungeon Family’ (which includes Outkast, Organized Noize, Sleepy Brown, and slew of other members), his voice consistently stood out as the most soulful. Not in an R&B fashion, but more like a grizzled Southern preacher with an eye on the streets, and a past worth repenting.
Andre 3000 drew comparisons to Prince but there are few artists with which to compare Cee-Lo, and as a result he has quickly found himself as a leading voice in new Soul music. But the “Soul” genre can be very misleading, often equating an overly Retro / throwback style a’la Sharon Jones or The Mastersounds. While there’s certainly room for a true-to-form sound, Cee-Lo seems more content to delve into a wider range of influences. Motown homages pop up occasionally on the recent The Lady Killer, but he tends to succeed most when channeling the subtly abusive, confidently seductive, Modern Soul swag of a late era Teddy Pendergrass.
I have a hard time calling Chicago Hip-Hop bands “Hip-Hop” because typically you’ll hear influences from many genres, whether it’s Rock, Jazz, Funk, Soul, etc… and Kids These Days are no different as they habitually genre-cross with surprisingly solid results. The barely-legal, 8 member group comprised of three horns, a rapper, a blues-rock trio and a female singer burst onto the Chicago scene in the most literal sense. From the beginning, selling out shows has been the norm for Kids These Days and they still find time to support concerts with artists like Rhymefest, The Cool Kids, Rafael Saadiq, and Dom Kennedy.
2011 is shaping up to be the year of youthful collectives, what with Odd Future dominating news feeds so much that having ADD isn’t enough. But Kids These Days’ approach seems a bit more reigned in and refined than Tyler and Friends. After their debut at SXSW 2011 was met with critical and fan acclaim, the band refocused and are currently building momentum as their upcoming debut EP Hard Times nears release later this Summer.
Honing his chops in the vital Ann Arbor & Detroit Hip-Hop scenes, Mayer Hawthorne (also once known as DJ Haircut, ½ of the duo NowOn) has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame over the past few years. What began as pet project was quickly released by Stonesthrow after label head Peanut Butter Wolf caught wind. The debut single “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” and it’s now collectable heart-shaped vinyl set the stage and since ’09, Mayer Hawthorne went from selling out 300 cap venues to supporting tours for Bruno Mars, Janelle Monae, & Passion Pit.
Of course the Snoop Dogg co-sign only helped matters… But as legend recalls, when Peanut Butter Wolf was handed Mayer Hawthorne’s demo, he understandably mistook the music as being unearthed Soul rarities. And with production values and lyrics informed by legends like Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, and Holland-Dozier-Holland, it’s easy to see why. Led with a falsetto that often seems to be hanging on for dear life, MH’s music is best served live as all the theatrics, style, and band punctuation unite for a vintage 60’s Soul excursion.
A trend begun by Radiohead for their 1st album after leaving EMI In Rainbows, offering your music for free (or incredibly cheap) once seemed novel, yet nowadays it’s almost expected of indie artsts. Bandcamp & Topspin have changed the playing field, making it even easier for anyone to release music independently. But for Derek Smith (aka Pretty Lights), ‘free’ has been the sole option from the start. Festival-goers downloaded and shared his early releases as if they were trading Dead bootlegs in a stadium parking lot. And as a result his popularity skyrocketed, eventually leading to a now-legendary sold out Red Rocks concert.
Often found on tour, his frenetic show schedule finds him topping festivals bills from North Coast to Coachella to Bonaroo to DEMF. But it’s always kind of been this way. Entering the industry with all the finesse of a vet, Pretty Lights initially supported concerts with big name acts like STS9, The Disco Biscuits, & Widespread Panic. Although it’s his particular sound which piques most people’s ear holes. Producing Electronic music appealing to Hip-Hop heads (and vice versa), his hybrid style informs many of today’s beat-heavy, Bass artists along with like-minded trendsetters Flying Lotus and Glitch Mob.
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