From the upcoming album "Rebirth of the Slickest" by VVS Verbal (03/30/18). Featuring Sadat X (Brand Nubian) and Craig G (Juice Crew) Produced by Es-K Scratches by Crusty Cuts Presented by Bucktown USA Entertainment

BTV superproducer Es-K is preparing to drop another major milestone in his career later this month: an LP with Bucktown rapper VVS Verbal, a razor-sharp NYC spitter. VVS made a strong impression throughout Es-K's last Bucktown project, "Building Bridges," his epic collaboration with General Steele of Smif-N-Wessun.

"Then 2 Now" is a classy head-nodder featuring two flat-out legends: Sadat X of Brand Nubian and Craig G of the Juice Crew. It would be hard to find a more official co-sign than this. And yet, not only is Es-K holding down the beats, but Burlington DJ / producer Crusty Cuts is also on the scratches here. He'll be showing up on several other tracks when "Rebirth of the Slickest" drops worldwide on Friday, March 30th. 

(You can, by the way, pre-order now.)

Es-K, of course, stays busier than busy, so you know that's not all. He's also been quietly dropping an album's worth of singles with Detroit / LA emcee Chel Strong every Wednesday, as part of their "Clearing Out The Hard Drive Series." In addition, he's cranking on multiple instrumental projects, wrapping up several other choice LPs we can't talk about yet, and collaborating with dozens of other producers around the world. 

That's still not all, though. On Friday, April 13th Es-K, alongside Loupo, will be representing at the Master of the Machines Battle Grand Finale at Sonia in Boston. This is a huge deal, approximately, and the live competition will be judged by none other than Apollo Brown, Beat Butcha and Shawn J Period. The event is sponsored & hosted by emerging Boston label Backcourt Records, the label behind one of my favorite tapes in the past year, Codenine's "IX," as well as the home of DJ Manipulator. 

Best of luck to Team 802, but ... if there's anything the past five years have proven, it's that Es-K relies on hard work -- not good luck. That's a strategy worth stealing. 

Big news this week from VMB Productions - an eight-stop tour featuring Mister Burns and Jarv alongside legendary lyricist Masta Ace. That's a heck of a lineup.

They'll be touching down at the Rusty Nail Stage in Stowe, VT to celebrate alongside Hustle, Loyalty and Respect artists Jibba "The Gent" and yung phenom Drive, who is already having a hot 2018 run. The rest of the tour is a proper sprint around New England...

4.12 - Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub / Cambridge, MA
4.13 - Rusty Nail Stage / Stowe, VT
4.14 - Waterfront Tavern / Holyoke, MA w/ Sadat X (!!!!)
4.15 - Newport Blues Cafe / Newport, RI
4.17 - The Hive: Co-working Space / Keene, NH
4.18 - Stella Blues LLC / New Haven, CT
4.19 - Empire Live Music & Events / Portland, ME
4.20 - Sandwich Taverna / Forestdale, MA

This is both a huge move and a pretty typical maneuver for Mister Burns.  Having built himself into a formidable franchise, he's now carving out customized tour circuits, in addition to all the other behind the scenes hustling he does.

Burns learned the game working with The Lynguistic Civilians, who had a huge, successful run. Which is not to say they're past tense yet -- especially since they will probably win the Seven Daysie for Best Hip Hop again this year. But that long reign was an opportunity to get familiar with every aspect of music management, good, bad & ugly. Anyone reading this should do the same. 

This evening, BTV Mardi Gras festivities kick off in style at SideBar, with a jam-packed bill befitting the Clu6terf*ck name. Magic Hat still knows how to throw a damn party. The lineup is heavy on DJs with great taste and beatsmiths who spin great DJ sets. 

We have it on good authority that Loupo will be playing an album's worth of new material this evening, as well. NO COVER. 21+. 

This is a Smörgåsbord of quality 802 singles. Everyone is busy getting their farm stands ready for summer. There are a lot of albums on the way and a lot of big news incoming, too. Meanwhile, though, get caught up on some fresh local sounds...

2018

First up: Raw Deff & XP team up for another banger - "Love & Hate" sounds like a million bucks. Both emcees continue to come off, well...hungrier than they have to be, which is good news for rap fans. They've been in the booth constantly cooking up new material, and much like Bar None The Best or Possibly Human, it's obvious they're aiming much bigger than our local scene. Props.

Remix contests are a young man's game, it's true. Still, Wool See is giving it a shot, and his "Heater Season" remix is a damn good shot, too. The remix contest in question is being run by Doomtree's new super-group, SHREDDERS. You can VOTE HERE. With the help of the mighty green mountain state, we may yet see his rock and roll dreams come true. Also, he has a lot of new music on the way. 

This is the track, we made during our second Friends For A_Dog Foundation Dj Camp in 2018 at King Street Center. This track is special in so many ways, but one reason is the kids picked every sound. And pressed every button in the creation of the instrumental. Big thanks to Es-K & David Chief for the assistance. Also the vocals are by Lyric & Konflict. In which all the lyrics were inspired by the king street kids too.

The Friends For A-DOG Foundation has been doing outstanding work in the name of Andy's legacy. A big part of that is community outreach and music education. They recently wrapped an event that combines both: their second DJ Camp at the King Street Center. Kids got a first-hand education in making something from nothing -- you know, hip hop. They got to study production, DJ'ing and songwriting with a rotating cast of excellent local artists like Es-K, S.I.N.siZZle, David Chief, Konflik, Learic and SkySplitterInk -- big salute to all involved. This track was created by the youth of the King Street Center!

This was made when I was borrowing a Korg Minilogue from my student Ian. Its a funky number with a live feel thanks to the guitar, analog synth layers and dueling drum breaks in each speaker.

Speaking of good people doing good things... BTV beatsmith, musician, engineer and all-around Clark Kent type SkySplitterInk just dropped a ferociously funky single named "Out West." It showcases both blazing instrumental work and some serious depth in his mixing game. SkySplitterInk has sworn to release more music then ever this year, so expect fireworks.

Finally, we've also been blessed with a new single from Bar None The Best, with a guest verse from Dakota. It's heat, but it's also an exclusive stream - check it out on 7th Boro.

The team at Anthill Collective seldom stops moving, although they do occasionally sleep. Their latest project: a trip to paint murals and help rebuild on St. Thomas, still recovering from last year's hurricane season. As a fundraiser to support their expedition, they've created a limited run of "I AM ANTHILL" shirts, available here. 

They're heading out at the end of the month, and their paint is already shipped. As ever, props to the team for doing it big. 

On Friday, March 23rd, BTV beatsmiths ILLu and Rico James will be dropping Vol. 1 of their new instrumental series, "Tired of Waiting for Rappers." (Which, by the way, is a damn great name.) 

This will also mark the first release on the new 802 label Equal Eyes Records. This is the next phase of Burlington's Cambrian Explosion -- expect to see more collectives, groups and record labels cropping up this year. As prolific producers who are embedded in multiple networks, ILLu and Rico James are both well-positioned to grow a quality catalog. 

Are there enough resources and opportunities to sustain this kind of growth in the Vermont scene? Yes, definitely. There probably won't be any single breakout artist in this wave, but we can expect multiple success stories in multiple lanes over the next twelve months. Stay tuned...

Ler Stevens was only in Burlington for a few years, but he made a huge impression on the Queen City scene while he was here. He was friendly, charismatic and a dedicated student of the game. The high point of his 802 tour of duty was definitely "Green Hour," a laid-back and carefully produced LP he created with Crusty Cuts.

This is '14 vintage and still sounds brand new; it's also a free download. Take some time and get immersed. He's back in Philly now, but Ler Stevens hasn't lost a step -- check out his Soundcloud for a taste of what he's been up to...the man stays busy.  

Courtesy of RICO JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY

A short rundown this time around - not that I'm in any huge rush, but many of these gigs only have partial details right now. Updates as events warrant & etc. 

March 1st - Possibly Human opening for Injury Reserve at Higher Ground. $13 adv / $15 door. ALL AGES.

March 2nd - Jarv in San Diego, CA at  The Tower Bar. $4. 21+.

March 3rd - March Madness Hip Hop Festival at Sammy's Patio in Revere, MA. HLR and Street Religion will both be performing.

March 8th - Yo! BTV Raps Vol. 10 at Sidebar. DJ Kanganade is hosting the latest edition of this long-running rap party. 10 pm. 21+. FREE SHOW.

March 10th - Show M3 What U Got Radio Showcase Vol. 1 at PAS Lounge, Somerville, MA. Street Religion will be playing a set and HLR will be in the building to support. 9 pm. 21+. $10 / door.

March 15th - 3rd Thursday at The Monkey House. Uncle Sam & EvillDewer will headline a packed evening. Always a guaranteed good time, and this month it is FREE. 9 pm Early Open Cypher. 18+.

March 16th - East Coast Indie Present March Raddness at Club Metronome. Colby Stiltz and the gang are hosting another networking extravaganza upstairs on Main Street. 9 pm. 21+ FREE SHOW.

March 17th - Hip Hop Night at Parker Pie Co. Mycelium MC and friends bring some backwoods flavor to Glover. 8 pm. $5. 

March 17th - There will be a St. Paddy's Day show somewhere in Brattleboro with Eyedos and Epidemiks. Looks to be a house party, so if you know, you know.

March 23rd - Blockhead at Higher Ground. Opener TBA. All Ages. 8 pm. $10 adv / $15 door.

March 23rd - Bar None The Best will be opening for Philly legend Reef The Lost Cause at Jewel in Manchester, NH. 8 pm. 21+

March 24th - Boomslang, Maiden Voyage & Mr. Burns at Sweet Melissa's. 

Buy/Stream "Leaving / Left": http://fanlink.to/Left Get the "Left / Over" Bonus EP: https://heavennoise.bandcamp.com/album/left-over Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=heavennoisenw Directed by Colin Fitzgerald & Miles Goad for Pivot Media. http://www.heavennoise.com http://www.twitter.com/heavennoiserec https://www.facebook.com/HeavenNoise #heavennoise

New video from Portland, OR transplant Wool See. "Everything Goes Dark" is certified organic local produce: this was made by Colin Fitzgerald and Miles "DVP" Goad for Pivot Media. (You may recognize the name from their excellent coverage of Above the Radar last summer.)

This track is the closing cut from his 2017 EP, "Leaving / Left," a project that was remarkably epic, considering it was only eight tracks. Fans would be advised to check out the Left / Over EP, as well as rest of the Heaven Noise roster -- it's a serious and diverse lineup. Start with their latest instrumental release, Jisatsu no otōsan.

ARENA TOUR tickets on sale now: http://injuryreserve.online/tour Directed by LANE STEWART & PARKER COREY http://www.lane-stewart.com/ Cinematography by JACKSON SPILSBURY & MANASH DAS http://jacksonspilsbury.site/ Set Design: JACKSON SPILSBURY Titles: CHRIS CADAVER Production Manager: NICK HERBERT Production Assistants: ADAM ARRIAGA ARMANDO GABALDON LUCAS ESPARZA FLOYD ANDERSON TYREE EVANS SAM DURRICK Styling: LANE STEWART & MONICA MURILLO Special Thanks to LIL AARON OPE ODUMAKIN MANNY CANEZ ALEX RESOAGLI

Tomorrow evening, Higher Ground is hosting a hot ticket. Injury Reserve, the breakout rap crew from Arizona / the internet, will be coming through South Burlington and local heroes Possibly Human will be opening up. 8 pm. ALL AGES. $13 adv / $15 door. 

The 10th installment of the Yo BTV Raps! series is coming to Sidebar on Thursday, March 8th. The evening will be headlined by Mister Burns and NH rapper Eyenine, a muppet-haired uber-chopper who has made a name for himself coast to coast ... and beyond. In fact, he's got a nicer Wikipedia page than Adeem does, so by New Hampshire standards, he's made it, bud.

Speaking of underground choppers: Eyedos will be making a rare BTV appearance -- expect him to unleash the fucking fury. He's currently wrapping up a new Minds Eye Tribe EP, ILLiterature, which is set to drop on March 12th, and there's a new JynxINC LP on the way after that. 

PR DepARTment will also be in the building, testing out new material and cuts off their '17 release, The Pilot EP. Early arrivals will be treated to the old-school fever dream that is Matt Hagen MC, too...so arrive early. 21+, 10 pm, FREE SHOW.

A year ago today, Raw Deff dropped a lean, potent mixtape called "Rhyme Travel." In the first installment of a regular Monday series, we're bringing it back into rotation here today.

Raw Deff has been prolific and spooky consistent for a long time now -- you can check the catalog on Bandcamp or on Soundcloud -- and he's still improving, too. He's also technically from New Hampshire, but I'm not sweating that and neither should you. Bars are bars.

Expect a lot more from the man this year, and on the off chance you missed Hitmen For Hire, get ahold of that now. It's Raw Deff, Judge Da Beast and Yung Breeze trying to one-up each other over all bangers. 

Tonight at Sidebar, a special treat for folks in the service industry, students with no early classes tomorrow, and anyone else who likes gorgeous, funky, psychedelic-ass beats. The Black Market-U team has -- wisely -- booked BTV beatsmith Loupo to hold down the fort in style.  You could not do better on a Sunday night, folks. 

Things kick off at 9pm -- show is free for anyone of drinking age, $5 for the 18+ demographic.

More new music today: a mixtape from Yung Breeze, one of the foremost artists in Street Religion. This project is a pretty damn solid indication why: the dude is a natural talent, pure and simple. This is a free download, available now on DatPiff.com and Audiomack. There are some real burners on deck, especially his cuts with Raw Deff -- Yung Breeze is tearing through classic instrumentals in style here. Dig it.

Sam Paulino - "GHOUL" Produced by Somba "I'm Just tryna get groovy, do all the things that we see in the movies"

More fresh produce from the Possibly Human crew, this time a Sam & Somba single. "GHOUL" is a stripped-down sex rap that skews more towards sly humor than ... well, this ain't Kool Keith or R. Kelly, let's just leave it at that. As ever, Somba manages to make stark minimalism sound both fresh and interesting. 

Next Thursday, you can catch Possibly Human opening up for AZ rap crew Injury Reserve at Higher Ground. Show is $13 adv / $15 door and starts at 8 pm. All Ages.

It's been a crazy busy February, and the biggest night of the month is coming up at The Monkey House. Tomorrow night, underground legends The Perceptionists will be bringing their true school revival through Winooski; a guaranteed good time.

Rounding out the bill will be a (surprisingly accurate) cross-section of the 802's scene right now: BTV supergroup Cultural Chemistry will holding it down, first of all. They always step it up for big shows so this set should be a barn-burner. 

Windsor emcee and rap internet celeb Jarv is also performing a solo set -- he's been honing his stage show to a razor's edge over the past year. In addition, HLR artist Drive will be kicking the evening off, fresh off the release of his D.U.I LP.

All this for $12. Note that minors 16+ can be admitted with an adult. 9 pm.

A fresh new single / video from Biozone, "Forbidden Fruit" is a low key, catchy blues banger. Tight flows and a great beat is a formula that always works. Props to all involved. 

This video was shot & edited by the always-excellent crew at DVP Cinematography, a team that over-delivers for reasonable rates. Ask around.

"Forbidden Fruit" is a one-off prom cut, but Biozone is currently prepping for his debut LP, "Ascension," coming later this year. 

New Single - "BLAME" ft. Sam. Prod. Somba

Another dispatch from the frontlines of BTV's new wave. Technically, pairing up Hanknative with Sam. is a new Possibly Human track, right? This cut is produced by Somba, who continues to develop as an auteur of a producer. "BLAME" is best experienced either in headphones or at high volumes. 

(Don't do both, though. Your ears are more valuable than you realize.)

The great thing about this crew is, there's always more new music on the way. Stay tuned.