Hope. It's something that often can be expressed in cliched terms but is one of the most meaningful elements of the human experience. To that end, hope is something that doesn't suffer from too many avenues of expression. For B. Mills, it is a vital component of his life and work. On his latest album, The Life & Times Of An Eternal Optimist, that feeling is imbued throughout. Standing in at eight tracks, Mills displays a versatility that spans the genres of R&B, soul and hip-hop with a deftness that doesn't come across as heavy-handed.
It begins with the opening notes of "And We Rise", as Mills's production crafts a melodic intro that mimics the opening of a new day. It's a track that is lofty, with a simple bounce and cheery vibe provided by his upbeat lyrics. That sets the tone effectively, with "Get Up 2 Get Down" and "If U Will" being highly infectious standouts that could stand on their own as singles with the high level of harmony they both exude. B.Mills does plan to have a full-length release on the way, and if this is a sample of what's to come then the idea of hope will have a newly riveting and rhythmic definition. The Life & Times Of An Eternal Optimist is available now on all platforms.
There's moments where you need for your tunes to have the kind of smoothness, one that applies no matter the setting or the genre. And truth be told, there are still musicians who have the dexterity to deliver on that kind of a need for their listeners. For some, having that smooth aura is somewhat second-hand. When first listening to Taylor James, you get the impression that he fits right within that category. James, who hails from Mississippi, has been doing his thing when it comes to music for quite some time as a singer, composer, instrumentalist and producer. That experience springs forth on his latest album, entitled Insane.
Taylor James - "Say It's Me(Living For You)"
Insane is an album that in one sense is a representation of the work James has put in, and it's released through his Heart Of Gold imprint. The album puts forth a highly relaxing vibe, brought about with James' vocal talents on each track. For instance, with "Good News", he sings about the unsettled times that we're in on a political and cultural level in a tone that belies his gospel background imbued with some R&B stylings that harken to what one recognizes from Peabo Bryson. With "Say It's Me", James delivers a truly mellow love ballad that immediately puts one in a laid-back mood. And to show that he's a man with an ear for anything good no matter the genre, note the firm traces of hip-hop found in his singing, exemplified in the lively "Let's Go Steppin". Insane is an album that shows that Taylor James is an artist who's style is a balm in a world that isn't always stable on many levels. Check out the album on his website and Spotify.
You may not recall Queen Naija - the singer who hails from Michigan first came to prominence with her former husband as part of a duo on American Idol's 13th season. Building on that momentum and taking time after the separation, Naija honed her talents and has now delivered an EP. Listening to it gives you a real sense that there is going to definitely be more from this artist down the line.
Lamar Peterson is an assistant professor in the art department at the University of Minnesota, and hails from western Florida. He's begun a solo career with his work over the past year and a half with solo shows, most recently in New York City. Peterson's work is a mix of pop culture, a kind of youthful whimsy and some somber tones.
"Feel-good" rock is something that can be doubly employed for the genre as well as a cross-section of it. It takes a lot of plotting and a lot of enthusiasm to successfully approach this and to carry it out with one's own personal style. And in that light, Nick Lamb is someone who is in step with the beginnings of this journey. Lamb's own personal story is a key blueprint - hailing from a small town in Pennsylvania's coal mining region, he credits his father's position as a cherished local musician who played rock and roll and country music as well as his mother's own writing ambitions as the bedrock for his own dreams. This, coupled with a birthday gift of Def Leppard tapes and a cassette deck player was a spark that lit the flames of wanting to be a musician in him. After college, Nick decided to embark on his musical career and is now on the verge of releasing his first album, Rock N' Roll's My Road.
This single, "Gettin' High Off Of You" evokes a boyish charm from the opening notes, one that's awash in a feel that has some kinship with Tom Petty's musical stylings. Lamb shows a keen proficiency for framing the lyrics, which paint a picture of a cool cat being enamored of a woman's style and her own attraction unfolding in subtle ways with a strident rhythm that captures the teasing energy that's natural in those situations. Lamb is almost a one-man show here on vocals, and lead and bass guitar. "Gettin' High Off Of You" is a sentiment that one can jam out to, and one that might just be a pointed welcome to all that who are inclined to check out more of Lamb's music and revel in what they find.
There are many who flock to music as a release, and for that same reason you will find that true of the overwhelming majority who create music. Some pick up on that knack early, and act on it in steady movements. This group has a substantial amount of those who claim rap as their life blood and joining those ranks is Maxx the Muffin Man. Maxx hails from the Pacific Northwest - Portland, Oregon to be precise. The rap bug bit him from early on, and he made the decision to capitalize on his skills from the environs of his college dorm room. But Maxx's ultimate aims are more expansive, because he sees rap as a way to connect to others with a more positive vibe and to undercut repetitive tropes often found in the contemporary rap game. With that in mind, he began to work on music along with a few trusted friends which resulted in a couple of singles being produced and released on streaming platforms such as Spotify.
Every Summer Since is a ten-track mixtape that was released this past December. On it, Maxx displays a style that's a mix of the laconic and the upbeat, with parts of the flow more along the lines of early stuff by Wiz Khalifa. The production throughout is set up to evoke a kind of audio surrealism, at times taking on the kitsch found in psychedelic rock. Maxx's flow is a consistent one, best emphasized on "Puff Is Enough" where the production by Old Ben matches it with a bounce that embraces the listener's ears. "Wavy Gravy" is like a Grateful Dead mashup through the speakers. The title track is an evenly-paced song, and Maxx stands out for some clever bars that highlight the joys of just being chill no matter what. Every Summer Since is available to listen to now at the artist's webpage and "Better Than This" is available as a single now on iTunes.
Tess Armstrong is an artist with a definitive style that embraces and adds a vibrant touch to the celebration of the magic of women of all hues. A student at the Art Institute of San Diego in graphic design, Armstrong's work employs a mythic surrealism that's coupled with contemporary thoughts and culture points that captivate the eye. Check out her work at these links and look at her store for purchasing some of her artwork here.
It's said that true warriors not only endure and rise above whatever has been handed to them in terms of strife, but they extend their wisdom to those willing to hear so that they can do the same. Some do it through certain sciences and business professions. Others do it through the arts, in particular through their music. Joining the legion of those with a potent message through their music is Dylan Dili. You may know him through his stint on the MTV series "Making The Band" that led to some infamous moments. But in this interview and with his new album, Dylan demonstrates how much more you and the world don't know about him - but should. Sit back and read on about the talented musician who's a son of Grenada and Brooklyn and learn about what went into the making of his recent album, Pain 2 Power.
Manifesto: So, Pain 2 Power - a strong title for a strong project. What compelled you to name your album that way?
Dylan: Man..I think a lot of people feel that because you're on television, the radio or have a business - any kind of business at that, they think you're successful and that you're doing great. If they don't see the blood and the sweat, they don't believe it and they don't care. So there's been a lot of pain that's been built up with the beginning of my career and life in general. I have a lot of pain that I was built up with. And at times, the pain drowned me. I was literally dying and drowning from that pain. I realized that you could really take every ounce of the pain and flip it and turn it into something good.
Even something as simple as the jokes by Dave Chappelle, for example. It went so viral, made top five lists, and so forth. That joke in the beginning was the cause of every single label saying no to me. Every single DJ not playing my record. But everyone knew me from that - it got so that something that painful, where you stopped checking for me as a result of it I had to look at in a different way. Like, "Hold on - he may be known by about 50 million people." That's powerful. You're going to know who I am for the rest of your life. That's power that I had to learn to appreciate, and I had to appreciate the pain that was in that lesson. So this album is not just for me y'know, It's for everyone, everybody who will feel that. That pain to power is transformational.
Manifesto: You've mentioned in other interviews about the business side of things being overwhelming from the Making The Band Days. What's the difference in your perspective now?
Dylan: The difference was, at the time I didn't realize it was just business. I remember carrying my emotions on my sleeve. I wore my emotions, which was good for TV at the time. (laughs) It was great for TV but I came from a street mentality, or a roadside mentality, when ya out there 'pon de road, you know? Out there on the road, you have your crew, and certain values that we go by. Street laws that we go by, certain values that we go by. Loyalty is a big issue on the street so if you're rolling with me, we go to the club together, we came in together we leave together. You got beef with somebody? I've got beef with somebody. Those are just simple laws that we go by on the road. Now when you go into the music industry with that mentality and you realize that they don't really care about you, (laughs) not realizing that it's not personal then you start to get mad, you go like "eff that person", you're flipping out!! Not realizing that you're on contract, relax. This has nothing to do with emotions, this is a business relationship. So that illustrates my view of the difference between now and then, then I didn't know it was business.
Manifesto: So, going back to an earlier point you made about loyalty, that leads me to the next question. Being a son of Brooklyn and of Grenada, how do those experiences hone not only your persona but your music? How is that the fuel?
Dylan: Being a son of Brooklyn and a son of Grenada is what really made me. Because I lived in both places. I went to high school in Grenada, grew up in Grenada as well as doing my thing being in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. It's the best of both worlds. To know the country life of taking care of cattle, sheep and goats...I remember living with my grandmother and to bathe at the time (laughs), we had a cistern that caught the water when the rain fell. And we had to carry the bucket and catch the water - it was best to do it at noon when the sun was high because the water would be cold but at that time the sun warmed it up. So that would be the best time to bathe. Now knowing that, and living in Flatbush...you already know how Flatbush gets down.
Manifesto: Yes sir! (laughs)
Dylan: In Flatbush, you'll never be cocky, you'll always be humble. I don't care how far you go, if you get a Grammy - "man you bathed in a bucket." (laughs) You are aways going to be one with the people, to show love to the people.
Dylan Dili - "It's OK"
Manifesto: With the album, there's a constant vibe that's all about rising above. What was your reasoning for gettting producers to help you create that vibe?
Dylan: With the producers it was a matter of being picky as hell. (laughs) The man dem would send me about 10 riddims at a time and I'm like, "naaaah." But I was recording a lot, however. I was recording to a lot of different riddims but when it came down to choosing it was deep and I didn't know what to do. We already had done about 100 songs, and I told my brethren 3MP - he's our master engineer - I told him, "You know what? You're going to have to take the job of cutting it down and making this a Pain 2 Power. You're going to have to take these last 30 songs and make it 12. 'Cause I don't know what to do." And he did that man, he did the arrangement and it helped due to preparation. Before we would have sessions, we would listen to a lot of classical albums like Ray Charles, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke. And in other sessions we would listen to Tenor Saw, (Mighty) Sparrow, we would listen to Bob Marley so that before we even got to recording we would have a good time just listening to the greats. And knowing that we would be the next one up to be in that pantheon.
Manifesto: That's what's up. How did you link up with VPAL Music?
Dylan: Well, a friend of mine was one of the heads of VPAL for years and I didn't know that that's what she did. (laughs) I knew she (Jeannie Seranno) had some job but I wasn't aware of what she did. After I came back from Grenada and doing the album, I got a notice from Instagram that said "your friend Jeannie is now under the account of VPAL Records" and I went "wait, how is that?" And so I hit her up like, "Jeannie what's good?" And she let me know she was involved, her and Donovan. So I went "ah, well mi have somethin' for you." (laughs) And we went forward from there.
Manifesto: After Pain 2 Power, what do you plan on doing next musically?
Dylan: After this, the power! (laughs) We are gonna toast up!
Manifesto: I'm with that. (laughs) So my last question is, for anyone who is aiming to succeed from a similar road like you have, what would be your advice?
Dylan: Prepare to go crazy. (laughter) Prepare to go crazy, absolutely. Because you have to understand, you're sacrificing your whole f---king life. You're sacrificing 24/8 and and that's the only way you're going to be great. Just giving your all. You have to have faith, you have to have full faith. You have faith and action, and it's a huge sacrifice. Just know that it's huge, it's not regular. I'll finish off with this - it wasn't about how much work you put in and how much studio time you could do, it was more about mentally how much can you take from all of these different souls and energies and different people. If you can take that mentally, you're all right. It's a lot people you have to meet, it's a lot of people you have to talk to. It's a lot of vultures out there you know. It's a lot of snakes. And some are dressed as sheep are. But it takes having a strong mentality.
Pain 2 Power is out now through VPAL Records on iTunes.
If there's anything to be said about persistence, it's that having it instilled in you early sets you further apart from the pack. When it comes to rising rapper Dima Kash, that persistence is propulsion for a career that's already gotten some notable events. Hailing from Minnesota, Kash was originally born in Russia and came to the U.S. with his parents at a young age. From that time onward, he took it upon himself to be more independent. It wasn't until the birth of his son that he made the choice to turn his love of music into what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He went into music full time, creating a professional studio and going on to release his first album in 2013 called Vibe With Me. Since that decision, Dima Kash has slowly built up a solid rep by opening up for and going on tour with various established artists on their tour dates through the Midwest such as Wiz Khalifa, Twista, Travis Porter and many more. He's even performed at SXSW and has done shows in Japan.
All of that serves as a springboard for more possibilities with his music, which he's keen to seize on with the release of a new single, "All Night." This track is a decent entry point for those who may be new to Dima Kash's sound. It's one of crisp production that doesn't concern itself with extra effects that would distract from the bars that Kash and King Wayz drop. Kash has a style that fits with the more clever of those rapping today but there's also a seasoned tone one gets when he rhymes. Listening to the single makes it highly apparent that for Dima Kash, persistence is the tool that expresses his insistence on being around in the rap game for years to come.
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at 11:59AM 
