By JR Valrey, The Minister of Information I love Bay Area Hip Hop, and music in general, because I am a big fan of musical innovation, passion, and great story-telling. With the exception of Mystic of Digital Underground, there hasn’t been any female MC’s that … Continue readingHunter’s Point Femcee, So Vicious Has Been Making Herself a Force to Reckon With
By JR Valrey, the Minister of Information Reminiscent of the great crooners like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Donny Hathaway, Ty Astor is a very talented vocalist that I met at D. Wiggs’ Small Stage Sesh, on a Monday, in East Oakland. Ty Astor stood … Continue readingTy Astor is the Future Sound of RnB from the Bay
By JR Valrey, The People’s Minister of Information Beyond the revolution, prostitution, the drug scene, tech, and independent Hip Hop, Oakland is known for its production of talented female vocalists that either were developed in the Town, or that passed through to hone their craft. … Continue readingSongstress Keidra’s Single “Body” Gives the Bay Area a New Sound
By JR Valrey The Continental Club located at 1658 12th Street, in West Oakland, is one of the first places where Blues and Jazz bands, and later Soul bands got a chance to hone their craft, in front of an audience, in the Town. Musicians … Continue readingRapper DB the General Now Owns the Legendary Continental Club in West Oakland
By The Minister of Information JR If anybody won musically this year, out of the Bay, it is the poetics of Champ Green, who just dropped his “Agape Elephant in the Room” project yesterday. The heavy metaphor-laden wordsmith is also one of the frontmen for … Continue readingOakland’s Beast on a Beat Champ Green Talks About Droppin’ New Album and His Lyrical Hustle Through the Pandemic