Album Spotlight: Daichi Diez – The Reason and the Rhyme

"From the Land of the Rising Sun to the Emerald City comes an artist who understands what it means to rhyme with honor. For anyone familiar with what’s cracking in 206 (Seattle Hip Hop), the name Alpha P is synonymous with quality music, ridiculous skill and a commitment to consciousness. In his international offering The Reason and the Rhyme, Daichi Diaz does not fail to hold that banner high. Not even a little bit. Daichi has a classic approach that embraces both his Japanese and Seattle heritages. If balancing the two was supposed to be a challenge for him, I couldn’t tell."
From the Hip Hop Congress Blog, view full article here.
Purchase the Album Here

Album Spotlight: Contrary to Popular Belief

When Graves Hansen asked me to write a few words on his new album, Contrary to Popular Belief I was more than happy to oblige. Graves is a notable Seattle Hip Hop vet, with supreme grind and the only artist I personally know with their own Iphone app. The album, from Seattle’s Black Lab Productions, is a testimony to Graves’ contemplative, sophisticated sound. Filling a much needed gap in Hip Hop today, Contrary to Popular Belief takes listeners on a reflective journey, urging us to look deeper into our world, our lives, and ourselves. Powerful, complex, and at some points painfully critical, the album is anything but light listening. Despite the heavy content, Graves has a way of delivering even the most melancholy message in a way that makes you bob your head and yearn for more. The album features contributions from some of Seattle’s best little-known artists, such as Jewels Hunter, Cheo Lopez, Phreewil, and Cin7, as well as 206Zulu’s favorite beatboxer AudioPoet. Several tracks also feature the legendary guitarist Randy Hansen, best known for his work with Jimi Hendrix. Click here for track listings and to purchase the album, and definitely look forward to more exciting releases from the emerging Black Laboratory, which has much more up its sleeve.