Thursday, April 03, 2014

Interview: Kato Dox - Realizing A New State Of Mind


As an artist, a creator, a human, we’re on a seemingly never ending quest to “find our voice”. Truly expressing ourselves, and speaking our internal truth is what we all seek. The “voice” is the elusive muse who slips around the corner just as you catch a glimpse. Our “voice” is our nakedness for all the world to see.

Kato Dox is an up-and-coming artist who is redefining Austin hip hop and in the process defining himself. Our story starts with a young man growing up in Dallas, TX.

Rage Against the Machine

As with many teens, the teenage years are an emotional roller coaster. As a teenager growing into your own, in the process, you must reject your origin. This growth process, quite often, is expressed with emotions of anger and the targets are your parents. For Kato, this time period was no different.

One of the outlets that helps you cope with these internal volcanoes is music. During this time, Kato would find solace and therapy in the words and rhymes of Eminem and Tupac. The musical outlet would be the fuel for Kato to cope with young adulthood and to connect with hip hop.



The Second Generation

Growing up as a second generation Asian American is interesting in that you’re torn between two worlds. On the one hand, you have the traditional Asian culture and mindset which your parents try to instill in you. And on the other hand, you have the American culture that the world outside of your home is presenting you.

As a young man, finding your place between these two worlds can be confusing. While Kato would work at his studies as a “good Asian kid”, he would also start exploring his passions and artistic abilities with poetry and band. While at the same time, his love and experimentation of hip hop would be hidden from his family in the confines of his bedroom and his notebooks of rhymes.

As Kato honed his skills, he would learn to get out of the mindset of fitting in to pave his own path. During this time, he would put out three mix tapes and begin the journey to discover his own voice and sound. The path would lead to finding a more authentic self and a more authentic sound in his music.



Realizing A New State Of Mind - RANSOM

Now, after putting in the hard work and graduating from UT, he's shown his parents a young successful adult, which has lead to their support of his musical aspirations. In addition, it’s become a family affair with his brothers, who are also musically inclined, and play guitar as part of the Kato Dox band. 

The Ransom Life brand is a record label with Kato’s extended family of Jony Glez and Benson J.T., both who are college buddies and help round out the skill set of the team. As you talk to Kato, the concept of “team” is a common theme and you realize his understanding of building a great team is one of the keys to success.

On the heels of his recently released album, Infinity, Kato and the team aim to keep the momentum moving by strategically promoting the album, playing at shows, and starting the work on the next album.

Who are the folks that are loving our music, cause at this point I’m not changing my music or my sound to fit in anywhere. - Kato Dox



More info:
http://www.katodox.com
https://www.facebook.com/katodoxmusic
https://www.youtube.com/user/KatoDoxMusic
https://soundcloud.com/katodoxmusic

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You can catch Kato Dox at Beerland on Saturday, April 5.


Thursday, February 13, 2014

Interview: Clemits - Skate or Die.


The great thing about our culture, the hip hop culture, is the inclusive and embracing nature and the different influences that can spark one’s love for this culture. Hip Hop is the culture of the youth. As Kevin Powell put it, “Hip-Hop is urban folk art, period. And that urban folk art is about the lives of a very unique group of people, of how they made something out of nothing, and how that nothing has come to define an entire era in many ways, be it our language, our fashion, our attitudes, our art, the way we make music, and the way we do and do not communicate across race, gender, geography, and cultures.”

Clemits, an MC and producer, came to Austin as a young man. In Midland, Texas, where he grew up, Clemits drew many of his influences from skateboarding and his group, the MSG Crew.

Skateboarding

Like many young men, Clemits found skateboarding or skateboarding found Clemits, if you’d like to get philosophical. Skateboarding has it’s own storied culture with its own icons and folklore. Both cultures, hip hop and skateboarding, are very much intertwined. And like hip hop, skateboarding is a conduit for youthful self expression.

As a skateboarder, Clemits would have dreams of one day becoming a pro skater. And through these connections, he would be greatly influenced by his friend Gest of Fools Inc., who would turn him onto some of the more serious graffiti art and artists and well as expanding his knowledge of underground hip hop.

Another early crossover between skateboarding and hip hop which would greatly influence Clemits, would be the 411 Video Magazine. 411VM was a platform showcasing many of the top skateboarding talents performing to music, and much of it being hip hop.




Earning His Chops

Once getting to Austin, Clemits would be swept away by the music scene and the DIY nature of the Austin artists who were putting together their own shows. To this day, that do it yourself attitude is still with Clemits, who regularly puts on shows that serve as venues for Austin artists to showcase their art.

Shortly in time, many of his crew would also move to Austin. During this time, Clemits and MSG Crew would put out a series of demos. Following the release of their first professionally recorded album, “Jobs are for the Birds”, Clemits and MSG Crew would tour Europe. And after which, he would return home and release his first solo album, “Tomorrows Friend”. The coming years would be a sequence of independently released albums and touring.



In December of 2009 on the “More Everything Tour”, Clemits, Dubb Sicks, and Japanese Jesus would get the idea to form an acapella battle league in Austin, called the Texas Battle League.



Just do. Just because. Just live because that’s who you are.
Just do what comes natural. 
- Clemits

More info:
http://clemits.com
https://www.facebook.com/Therealclemits
https://twitter.com/Clemits
http://clemits.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/clemits

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You can catch Clemits at Silhouette Loft 718 on Saturday, Feb 15th.
An AHHS Sponsored Event.


Sunday, January 19, 2014

AMX + AHHS Block Party Mix


For your listening pleasure, here is the AMX + AHHS Block Party Mix as part of tonight's show. The MLK Block Party is at Spiderhouse Ballroom. Show starts at 8pm. All of the artists will have their music available for purchase. Come out and support the scene!

Download the mix here: http://goo.gl/G1dPYU

Look at all the artists on the mix!

Charlie Boom - 2 People
Anya - Call It Love
Architech And Dosis - CLASs
DNAtheG - Teenager_On_Drugs
Domus - NO_BUDGET
Dria E - Clockwork
Emcee Eats - Space Boots
Feral the Earthworm - Dreamer's Anthem
Kilmatik - The Cleanup
King ART - Who Am I
La Vida Buena - La Vida Buena
Likwid Flowz - On Me
LNS Crew - Leaders Life Forever
MTTRVN - Dreams
One Who May Ascend - Psychic Hotline
Panamatic - Nobody Radio
Roadsklr - indigo gypsy
Samlive Redbeard - Oct 24, 2013, 4.22 PM
Scuare - Gone Away
Solow DaBoss - TRRAP JUMMPIN
The Triggermen - Irresponsible
Whiteside - Like Jordan

Again, the MLK Block Party is tonight!

Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/671810789516501/


Thursday, January 16, 2014

Interview: The League of Extraordinary Gz - Family. Bond. Vision. Discipline. Quality.




One of the most important things in life and some would argue the most important thing is family. We come into this world with a given family. And through this journey called life, we extend our definition of family and find new members to associate with. As our family grows, so does it’s strength and bonds.

The story of The League of Extraordinary Gz aka The League is at it’s core a story about family.

Before They Were The League

The League is the combination of 3 different groups, Dred Skott, SouthBound, and C.O.D. and DoWrong. Each group was already gaining notoriety for their artwork before joining forces.

Dred Skott was started by Reggie Coby and Octavis “Esbe” Berry. In November of 2008, the team put out the Dred Skott 4 President mixtape. As the group name, Dred Skott, would suggest, the mixtape contains it’s share of politically charged songs like Fight and Fuck Bush. However, what I think is interesting is that in the song ‘08 Paul Revere a collaboration with SouthBound, you hear Reggie Coby mention the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Listen for it.


SouthBound was a hip hop duo by two twin brothers, Lowkey and Sandman. Their superior lyricism is what sets them apart from their peers. Before joining The League they already had 2 bodies of work under their belt, The Come Up Mixtape and Season’s Change. Their lyricism is in full display in Money Don’t Come.


C.O.D. was the creation of Mr. Greezo, Tuk-da-gat, S-Dot and Lil J. The group comes hard with more of a classic street sound. Their distinguishing sound can be heard in New Sneakas from Ova the Stove Vol. 3 mixtape, where they make a song about shoes sound hard.



The Birthday

It would be a year after we hear the first mention of The League in ‘08 Paul Revere, when, in 2009, the 3 groups would agree to a mixtape collaboration at Reggie’s birthday party. And this would eventually be the formation of the present day League of Extraordinary Gz.

Octavis “Esbe Da 6th Street Bully” Berry aka Tay

At the heart of it all, The League was the vision of Octavis Berry, endearingly called Tay by his League family. Tay envisioned the League before the 3 groups ever came together. And what was supposed to be just a mixtape, turned into the exact pieces of the puzzle for Tay’s grand vision.

With Tay at the helm, the League would put out the mixtape and enjoy growing notoriety among their peers. The successes resulted in opening for the Paul Wall & Chamillionaire Reunion at the SXSW Music Festival, performing at Fun Fun Fun Fest and touring with Jackie Chain and Dead Prez.

In October of 2011, with no health insurance, Tay would pass away from an undiagnosed pulmonary embolism. From talking to the League, you can hear and feel the impact of Tay and what he’s meant to the group. They speak as if Tay’s soul has entered into each one of them. And his influence still guides them to this day.

The untimely passing of Tay hit the League hard. The crew couldn’t write or record for the next year. The League album, #LeagueShit, was abruptly and indefinitely put on hold. And even though they fulfilled their obligations and commitments for performing, their passion and energy was severely lacking.

The Resurgence

The League hit rock bottom with their performance at the 2012 A3C Hip Hop Festival. When after the show, their manager, Kunal Sharma pushed the team to finish the album. This would turn out to the be catharsis to catapult the League out of their funk.

On the heels of the recently released album, #LEAGUESHIT, in 2014, we will see 6 solo works come out of the League camp. In addition, they are already thinking about another League album. The future definitely looks bright for the League.

At the end of the interview, as I’m walking down the walkway between the door of their house and the door of my car, all that resonated in my head were the words that constantly made their appearance.

Family. Bond. Vision. Discipline. Quality. The League of Extraordinary Gz.

More info:


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You can catch the League on Sunday, Jan. 19 at Spiderhouse performing at the MLK Block Party.