The League of Extraordinary G’z perform at Kiss and Fly during SXSW, Austin, March 14, 2012
Texas rap
At a time when many rap artists seem to be abandoning regional rap styles in favor of the pursuit of a national sound, Lil O has created a quintessential Texas rap record with Grind Hard, Pray Harder. O’s no stranger to Houston rap fans (he even has a Greatest Hits CD), but this new album consists of 14 solid tracks, with an all-star cast of guests, including Killa Kyleon, Slim Thug, Chamillionaire, Devin tha Dude and Big K.R.I.T. Outstanding tracks include the UGK-sounding “Baulin in da City”, the current hot single “I’m What Dat Iz”, the sunny “Fresh Up Out the Cleaners” and the driving, street-hard “Betcha Can’t Do It”. Lil O’s Grind Hard, Pray Harder is a beautifully-produced piece of Houston rap, a throwback to the sound that made Houston famous.
At a time when many rap artists seem to be abandoning regional rap styles in favor of the pursuit of a national sound, Lil O has created a quintessential Texas rap record with Grind Hard, Pray Harder. O’s no stranger to Houston rap fans (he even has a Greatest Hits CD), but this new album consists of 14 solid tracks, with an all-star cast of guests, including Killa Kyleon, Slim Thug, Chamillionaire, Devin tha Dude and Big K.R.I.T. Outstanding tracks include the UGK-sounding “Baulin in da City”, the current hot single “I’m What Dat Iz”, the sunny “Fresh Up Out the Cleaners” and the driving, street-hard “Betcha Can’t Do It”. Lil O’s Grind Hard, Pray Harder is a beautifully-produced piece of Houston rap, a throwback to the sound that made Houston famous.
At a time when many rap artists seem to be abandoning regional rap styles in favor of the pursuit of a national sound, Lil O has created a quintessential Texas rap record with Grind Hard, Pray Harder. O’s no stranger to Houston rap fans (he even has a Greatest Hits CD), but this new album consists of 14 solid tracks, with an all-star cast of guests, including Killa Kyleon, Slim Thug, Chamillionaire, Devin tha Dude and Big K.R.I.T. Outstanding tracks include the UGK-sounding “Baulin in da City”, the current hot single “I’m What Dat Iz”, the sunny “Fresh Up Out the Cleaners” and the driving, street-hard “Betcha Can’t Do It”. Lil O’s Grind Hard, Pray Harder is a beautifully-produced piece of Houston rap, a throwback to the sound that made Houston famous.
After the conference, I rode way out to Frisco, Texas to have a late dinner with my homegirl (and publicist extraordinaire) Skyylife at the Cheesecake Factory.
More scenes from the Texas Summer Music Conference, July 16, 2011
For ten years, Mic Moodswing has put on the Texas Summer Music Conference in Dallas. Consisting of panel workshops, model and rap showcases, the event has furthered the careers of any number of Texas artists.
The overwhelming supremacy of South Park Mexican has at times threatened to eclipse the other talent on the Dope House label out of Houston, but with Dope City, the other talented artists on the roster get an opportunity to be heard, and fans of SPM will be pleased with new tracks from their favorite artist as well. Producers such as Nathan Happy Perez, Jaime Pain Ortiz and Shadow provide the funk-laden foundations for rhymes by SPM, Juan Gotti, Lil Rob, Low G, Lucky Luciano, Grimm and Rasheed, and soulful vocals by Carolyn Rodriguez. Dope City runs the gamut from R & B anthems like “Gangsta Girl” to tributes to the homeboys in prison like “For My People”, to the pleading for a better life in “Help Me Find A Way.” The album is consistently high-quality throughout, and it’s not just the SPM tracks that stand out.