Mouse Powell - These are the good times

Mouse Powell. An epic player in the valley's underground hip hop scene, as the host of Thursdays Blunt Club held at the Yucca Tap Room, he has made a name for himself. His latest project, These Are The Good Times,  has national and local celebs adding their creative juices for one XL power drink. 

I was honored when Mouse emailed me, giving me full access to his latest project on soundcloud, I had heard about him here and there, and speaking to JDV a while back,  was excited to see JDV and Mouse collaborating on a song. I think after this review, a follow up interview will be necessary. What do you think Mouse, will you let me crack open your brain to see your ideas and words? 

These Are The Good Times has several MUST LISTEN tracks. 

#3 Dancing In The Rain - Featuring the Veragrooves own Andres Rodriguez and Karly C. 
#4 Brass Monkey - because who doesn't like a brass monkey every so often!
#6 Cliff Clavin
#7 DGTW - Featuring Kristina Moore
#8 Good Times - Featuring Jason Devore 

If you have been following my blogs and reviews you know I write about how the music makes me feel, how it moves me and I always try to stay away from production values, sound and beats. But not this time. This time the production sound is fan-fucking-tastic, the beats dropped and lyrics are like no other. We all know that one song that we can sing to, the one we enjoy and yes I know you do, sing in the shower, well Mouse gives us that chance with Brass Monkey, DGTW, and Dancing in The Rain. Production on this project was spot on, kudos to The Ref for sampling, mixing and producing a quality set of songs. The overall LP was not overproduced and it didn't interfere with the lyrics and vocals. 

There were some trumpet samples, sending chills down my spine and giving me turkey skin. An amazing mix of harmonious vocals, trumpets and fresh ta def beats make These Are The Good Times one of the valleys top 5 LP releases. It's a close 3 to Fayucas Barrio Sideshow.

Want more info on this project? 

"These Are The Good Times" is the result of a year long collaboration with Tempe producer The Ref. Our project which was made possible by over 70 backers on kickstarter.com  is a unique blend of some of the Valley's best talent. We really wanted to step over genre boundaries and create something special while staying true to our Hip Hop backgrounds. We were able to accomplish this by bringing in musicians from different bands throughout Phoenix, and allowing them to add their flavor to our music. The project features and collaborations can be found along with the track listing in the description of the private soundcloud playlist. "These Are The Good Times"  will be available for free on November 12th, 2013 at MousePowell.com.  

Check out Mouse Powell on SoundCloud: 
https://soundcloud.com/mousepowell

Like Him on Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/MightyMousePowell

And you can catch him most Thursdays at Blunt Club @ Yucca Tap Room. I have to say Mouse is another one of the valleys best kept secrets, but hopefully no more. Its time to rise Phoenix, from the ashes of our nearly deceased underground music scene and show that once more we rise and will stay on top. 

I hope you support the project 100% and get it once it drops, I know I will. 

I want to thank Mouse Powell for allowing me to review this project before release, I am deeply honored. 

Gods and Monsters / Blaze Rock - Black Talon - The Killer. The Butcher. The Mercenary.

     First off, the fact that The Ginger and Streets could possibly pull another LP out of thin air like Houdini and a bouquet of flowers is mind numbing. With The Company We Keep released in 2012, and The Second Coming shortly before that, once again one of AZ's most unique underground hip hop camps did it. 

     This collab featuring Blaze Rock, titled Black Talon -  The Killer. The Butcher. The Mercenary. Is out of control. These guys are fucking crazy. Dangerdoom? Nah, fuck that. D12, probably not. Again, more like Slaughterhouse, Public Enemy, And maybe even Run DMC. These cats are on point, like a fresh pair of Jordan 89 Fire Reds, GNM is just that. On Fire. These guys are eye catching. Maybe more like ear catching, It never gets old listening to their sound. Nothing ever sounds the same and the lyrics still, sharp as a samurai sword, cut through my headphones. 

     They maintain their posture, Gods among men, leading AZ hip hop to the top of the food chain. With shows on the horizon, GNM proves to be worthy to selective audiophiles like myself.  

     Like Single Dad Shit? Yeah Pt 2 will blow your mind. So many tracks on this LP, keeping true to how they feel about their lives, their music and their emotions. Audio Dope, will seep in your blood stream like a virus. Streets was right, having this in my ears as the blood pumps through my veins, sweat down my face as I go into beast mode in the gym is by far the best motivation. 

     Nothing compares to this LP, this is by the far the best Hip Hop LP released this year, world wide. Other artists, trying to represent what hip hop is about, falling short. AZ's true underground Hip Hop is what its about. They've taken over the block, next is the world. I expect nothing but excellence from them. I feel sorry for the 602 missing out on this LP. Time for some radio play.....what do you think? 

Where can you get it? 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DF3KODM/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk

Video? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en&gl=US&client=mv-google&v=p3JyH3knLiw&nomobile=1

Website? 

http://godsandmonstersaz.com/

Tha WiKiD onE - Cause and Infect

Tha WiKiD onE. 

Another mic killer from the 602. Moved. Motivated. Driven. 
With names like Bizarre from D12 reppin his Cause and Infect LP this kid should be going somewhere. 

I follow him, cyber stalking his moves from PA to Cali. Watching and waiting for his next move. With his Death of an Emcee video his words speak clearly on how he feels. Beats thump in my ears as I listen to his LP, mixed and dubbed, shaken not stirred. Smooth like a Mission Impossible agent can only be, he infects your brain with his words, his beats, his presence. 

I don't know what his purpose is. I don't know who his heroes are. I don't know his next move. I do know you will be sick with words from his mouth to your ears. Is Mission Infect Mission Impossible? You decide. 


Infect your brain. Infect your ears. Spread it. Infect


http://www.facebook.com/thawikidone
Http://www.thawikidone.net

SUPPORT LOCAL AZ HIP HOP!!!!!

Far From Finished - DoneOne

Maryvale, AZ. The back alleys, abandoned buildings. The wasteland. DoneOne calls this home. Classic beats ring through your ears as you listen to the words flow.

You get the feeling of personal experience when you listen. There are some pros and cons to this album....But im not here to tear this album apart. I want to sell you on the words, the man. The way he presents himself in public and the sounds he creates. 

Tracks on this LP include:

Intro

Far From Finished

Anyone There

Why Do I

Here To Stay

Interlude

Broken Words

The Crack Era

Cant Take It

Nothing I Can Do 

Addict in the Attic

Same Old Game

The Meaning

The American Skeem

Whats Done is Done

The Wasteland

Never Lose

Outro

Part of a bigger conspiracy, T.S.O.I., DoneOne represents everything that is right with the underground hip hop scene in this city in the desert. He is an alias with no name, words revolved around the meaning of HIS life and the type of music you need to fulfill your desire for true words. 

When I close my eyes I picture the images he is presenting, dark worlds, littered alleys. T.S.O.I. is  just that....The Society Of Invisibles. Underground scene, creating beats to pump the soul. There is no comparison. There is no equal. 

There is just DoneOne.

The Company We Keep - Gods And Monsters

Who, Feast, Mad Men, Catch Us, A Gentleman’s Bet, Team Grizzly II, HCMF, Heavyweights.

The Company We Keep is littered with Dela, Done One, Ruste Juxx,  Judgement, Joey Baggs, Blaze Rock, and Grey Fox.

After listening to this EP about 7 times in the last 2 days, I decided that the words I needed to formulate, scratch that….the words I needed weren’t going to come to me easily. Heavy hitters featured on almost every track this shit is the 602’s rawest underground talent throwing their 2 cents at your face.  An old friend once told me he worked in the belly of the beast; he must have been talking about Gods and Monsters.  Streets and The Ginger are the beast. 

I struggled, how I would describe these boys, these boys who have become men over the years. The only thing I can come up with, they are the modern day code talkers. Translating rhymes and words into something more than music with some beats behind it, these aren’t the old school pro-tools beats I messed with in school 15 years ago; these beats come from another planet. 

When I listen to G N M I have to pull out my Dangerdoom, Proof, Grimm, and Old School Eminem (circa 1997) I close my eyes and I’m drug through the hot sweaty nights of downtown Phoenix, destination 1145 E Roosevelt, crowds getting restless, hands shaking, hugs being tossed, Streets and The Ginger on the porch. The music starts. The crowd moves as one. We are the snakes they are the charmers. They are the puppet masters we are the puppets.

Nas, I suggest you get your daughters ready, Slaughterhouse 5 I suggest you make room for these Gods and Monsters. The mistress you thought was hip hop, well let’s just say she upped her game and like preachers at the podium you will feel the vibrations through your bones listening to these men.

I will be your judge, I will be your jury, I will not be your executioner. I will put these words on paper and let the crowd decide. I find you guilty of taking the souls of the lost who wander the streets slicing their throats from ear to ear and letting the beats flow like blood from their veins. Condemned to roam the earth hip hop whispering in your ear, your beats stalking the shadows.

The Company We Keep

The Second Coming

**I would like to thank Damien Streets, Brent William, Sarai Phi and all you other muggs for allowing me to be a part of your family. The Pics are from Sarai Phi from the 08/11/2012 FREEP party of The Company We Keep at Push Art Gallery in downtown Phoenix. 

The Second Coming - Gods and Monsters

Gods and Monsters

http://www.facebook.com/godsandmonstersaz

http://godsandmonstersaz.com/

The Second Coming

The Company You Keep

Damien Streets

Brent William

Who are they? Brent William + Damien Streets = Gods and Monsters. Just a couple of rappers who probably need psychiatric help, that and some money to pay bills and buy Jordans. 

This is not your old school new school hip hop. This isn’t your big brothers homemade mix tape. Flared with real world experience and dreams, a pumpkin spice coffee and avocado rolls, streets and “the ginger” roll through words and ideas, dreams and failures, heaven and hell. Never leaving you behind, tagging a picture of what ifs and could bes.

They don’t sound like House of Pain, and they aren’t a part of the Young Money Cash Money Millionaires. They are a part of the AZ underground hip hop scene, which seems to be getting bigger and bigger. Don’t look for DMX in this crowd, but rather young and old who can see the bigger picture, who want to be a part of this movement and are willing to march to a different beat.

Comparing them to other well-known groups is unjustifiable. But If I had to create a mash up I would say they have the stylings of slaughterhouse, some D12, and the powerful words of NaS. But to add a label to who they are would toss them into the pond of wannabe “rappers” and “Juggalos”.

Download their album, not because you’re a ‘hip hop’ follower, but because you want to support the AZ hip hop scene, you want to think outside the box, you don’t want to be a follower but a leader. Don’t be the sheep. Be the wolf.

Gods and Monsters……..lyrical serial killers.