Maya Donovan, released her newest single, “The Company,” on September 8, a song sure to appeal to audiences that share similar struggles, and with her blending of folk, jazz, and pop, it’s sure to perk up the ears of music listeners.
Maya Donovan has been expressing her emotions through music since she was a little girl. She mastered piano at seven years old, while also learning how to bring her melodies to life.
This song is no exception. Maya Donovan’s, “The Company” is a song that addresses her anxiety directly, personifying her fears and struggles as a real person. She discusses the constant feeling of being in limbo: unsure if the symptoms she experiences are just “in her head,” or a genuine illness.
The title, “The Company,” has two meanings, one being the unexpected companionship Donovan finds in her anxiety, and the other suggesting something more insidious. Donovan explains, “anxiety sometimes feels like it’s being orchestrated by this sinister network that I’m always trying to outsmart, a ‘company’ if you will, with a conspiracy to overthrow me from my own body.”
Maya Donovan crafts a powerful, relatable story for those who also struggle with their mental health, and the journey it takes to rediscover yourself on the never-ending mental health journey.
Donovan graduated from the prestigious LaGuardia High School for Performing Arts in New York City. The skills she learned while at this school are prevalent in all her performances at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village.
Maya Donovan’s latest single, “The Company,” is now available for streaming and download on all digital platforms. For more information on Maya Donovan, visit her website MayaSings.com.
Catch Maya Donovan this fall
Tuesday, September 12 – City Winery – The Loft , with Song Suffragettes
On the picturesque summer night of August 31st, Quinn XCII (pronounced Quinn ninety-two) shifted the EDM narrative of Brooklyn Mirage to experimental hip-hop pop. While the Mirage wouldn’t be the typical host for Quinn’s self-established genre of music, the wrap-around screens and pristine sound system served his performance well. Michael Temrowski, stage name Quinn XCII, has been making music since 2011 when he was a student at Michigan State. From college house parties to venues like Red Rocks and the Brooklyn Mirage, Quinn XCII has established a loyal fanbase.
Openers Stay Over and Skizzy Mars, a New York City native, revved up the crowd. It seemed that Quinn wanted to uphold the experimental artists, to pay tribute to their creativity and brave approach to navigating the music industry. Stay Over put on a show blended with rock and hip-hop, two very loud and vocal genres. Skizzy Mars also dabbled in hip-hop with a more indie flair. Both of their sounds were celebrated by the audience.
Photograph by Shauna Hilferty
When 10:30 PM rolled around, the lights dimmed and the bass amplified. As soon as Quinn XCII stepped foot on stage, confetti cannons showered the fans in an endless spill of rainbows. People cheered and through their hands up, letting the paper wash over their faces. His most recent hit single, “Georgia Peach,” got the crowd grooving.
The setlist was a culmination of old and new music, sort of a “best of Quinn XCII” kind of performance. The audience welcomed each phase on stage with nostalgia induced excitement. Songs dating back to 2015 got the audience just as loud as his latest releases. As notes from the past wove through his set, Quinn’s personal sound was never lost. From “Kings Of Summer” by aokay featuring Quinn XCII to “The Lows,” featuring Big Sean, his reggae influenced and rap driven style remained.
Before his song, “My Wife & 2 Dogs,” Quinn stopped the show to give respect to his beloved french bulldog, Nelson, who had to be put to rest that day. Emotions were heavy on stage and respected in the audience. Each word to the song was sung from Quinn’s heart and from the chest of everyone in the audience. Behind him on stage, was a video montage of Nelson and his other pup.
Photograph by Shauna Hilferty
For one of Quinn’s newer releases, “The Lows,” New York City artist Blu DeTiger joined him on stage to play bass. With her blue sparkly bass guitar, mini-skirt, and stomper boots, Blu added a whole other energy to the song. She tossed her lengthy blonde hair back as she headbanged to Quinn’s catchy beat. The crowd received her rock addition with vim.
Quinn XCII has been around for a lot of listeners since their grade school days. To grow up with an artist is a very intimate experience. To listen to Quinn as an adult is like getting a second chance at growing up again in your twenties. His music normalizes the wide spectrum of human emotions felt while in serious relationships, during inevitable change and stagnancy, and even while getting high in the back of your high school girlfriend’s car. The show at Brooklyn Mirage was a celebration of being alive and figuring it out.
Photograph by Shauna Hilferty
As the show came to a close, the audience chanted for an encore before Quinn was able to leave the stage. He exited the stage, but the lights darkened to a deep blue. Before everyone knew it, Quinn was back singing his first encore song, “Always Been You.” The next song, “Another Day In Paradise,” was another crowd favorite from one of Quinn’s most esteemed records, “Change Of Scenery.” Before he started to sing, he spoke sentimentally to the crowd about being present: “The good shit, the bad shit – nothing is permanent, let it pass…”
Photograph by Shauna Hilferty
Quinn XCII wrapped his show with one of his youngest songs, “Candle.” His original fans bounced on their feet and swayed their arms the entire song, almost as a wave goodbye. The confetti went off once more before the show wrapped. Quinn XCII at the mirage was the perfect summer send off. As the confetti settled and Quinn and his band took a bow, the night ended on a good note.
Soca music, otherwise known as “The soul of Calypso’’ is a genre of upbeat music that was created in the West Indian Island of Trinidad & Tobago. The alluring rhythmic energy of soca can be enjoyed at carnivals, fetes, parades, and even at home. The lively tempo gives its audience no choice but to dance and be swept away by the vibrant music.
Trinidad and Tobago flag. Waving flag of Trinidad and Tobago 3d illustration. Port of Spain
On September 4th, Soca music can be enjoyed at the West Indian Labor Day Parade in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
photo @newyorkcarnival
Soca music is a combination of Calypso and Indian music. Ras Shorty I, a Trinidadian musician sought to fuse the genres after the realization that calypso was becoming threatened by reggae music. Shorty created an energetic hybrid genre called solka, which later became known as soca. In 1973, the musician introduced soca to the world through his song, “Indrani.” Shorty established two different types of soca music known as Power and Groovy soca.
Power soca music is fast with tempos around 160 beats per minute. This upbeat soca encourages people to dance as a response to artists giving dancing instructions through their music. Groovy soca is slower paced with tempos around 115 beats per minute. Songs such as “Turn Me On” by Kevin Lyttle and “Tempted To Touch” by Rupee demonstrate this type of soca.
The creation of soca gave Caribbean Islanders numerous hits by popular artists such as Machel Montano, Destra, Alison Hinds, Atlantik, KMC, and Bunji Garlin, among others.
Montano, also recognized as the “King Of Soca” celebrated 40 years in the industry in September 2022. Montano was the first Trinidadian and youngest performer to win the Caribbean song festival in 1987. Additionally, the musician won the Young Kings Competition in 1991, the Party Vocalist Competition in 1995, and the Road March King Competition of Trinidad and Tobago in 1997. At the age of nine, Montano exposed the world to soca with his performance with the Mighty Sparrow, at Madison Square Garden. He is most known for his songs “Fast Wine”, “Like Ah Boss” “Vibes Cyah Done” and “Soca Kingdom.”
As soca became more renowned and spread to other Caribbean Islands such as Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, Grenada, more sub genres were created. Other variations include ragga, Chutney soca, Raga soca, Afrosoca, Steelband soca, Parang soca, Bouyon soca, and Bashment soca. Chutney soca is directly connected to East Indian culture with lyrics featuring both English and Hindi. Raga soca fuses traditional soca with Jamaican dancehall beats and instruments any you will most likely hear the presence of electric bass and electronic drums in this subgenre. Like Raga soca, Afrosoca is also influenced by Jamaican dancehall beats, an intermixture of dancehall and Nigerian beats.
Steelpan soca is characterized by its heavy usage of steel pans. Unlike the other subgenres, Parang soca is the only subgenre to incorporate Spanish into its lyrics. Bouyon soca is influenced by rhythms of Dominica. Besides Trinidad, many Bouyon soca artists are from St. Lucia, Antigua, and Martinique. Finally, Bashment soca is a contemporary form of soca and based in Barbados.
Although in many soca songs, human vocals are the only melodic instrument, often you will hear electric bass, keyboard synthesizers, cowbells, and machine drums. Larger soca bands are more likely to have a brass section featuring the trumpet, trombone, and the saxophone in their productions.
Soca has transformed throughout the years and has become a genre that not only represents Trinidad but the Caribbean as a whole, loved internationally and has inspired music from Western culture. Artists such as Drake, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes have multiple top charted songs influenced by soca.
Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter, and producer Tim Atlas drops his new EP Le Soir, part one of a larger body of work. Tim Atlas floods a nocturnal hybrid of R&B, neo-soul, alternative, and pop with unrestrained emotion on this latest project. Gathering hundreds of millions of streams and inciting the applause of Complex, Earmilk, The Line of Best Fit, Spin, and many more, he opens up like never before on his 2023 EP, Le Soir.
“This E.P. is the first chapter of three. It’s a collection of songs that I wrote as a result of moving to NYC, a place that has always allowed you to fully be yourself. I never defined myself as one thing, so this record is a testament to that,” says Tim Atlas. He introduced Le Soir with the entrancing and electrifying “Knockin.” The EPalso features recent releases “Attractive” and “See Thru.”
Standout release day track “Sushi in Wyoming” is fueled by a slick drum pattern and glitchy synths. Tim states, “Driving cross country from LA to NY, we literally stopped in Wyoming for a night. At that point of the road trip, I couldn’t stomach another burger or gas station staple, so I opted for sushi. Sometimes the worst version of something you crave is better than the alternative. I wrote the title in my notes app so I wouldn’t forget that moment. It actually wasn’t bad.”
Tim is slated for a headline US tour that kicks off in September, with Bay Area band Pink Skies. For ticket information, visit here.
Brooklyn Celebrates! is one of New York City’s most beloved musical experiences. At the outdoor setting of the Bandshell stage, free admission and delicious locally sourced foods made city goers flock to the park for one last summer hoorah. The Head And The Heart’s long-standing luminary folk sound pulled in one of the largest crowds to ever attend the festival.
Photograph by Erin Reid Coker
One of August’s faltering days where rain overtakes the forecast to hint at autumn’s approach took place. The grass turned to mud, people huddled under trees dense with leaves for shelter, and umbrellas sprouted and flowered above heads in the crowd like colorful flower buds. Despite the wet chill in the air, people spent their entire days in the park in a slow burn of anticipation. A Brooklyn crowd cannot be beaten, for the kindest people mingled and introduced themselves over the common ground of an affinity for music.
Photograph by Erin Reid Coker
Between the spouts of drizzling rain the opener, Izzy Heltai, took the stage. The alternative folk singer provided a great introduction, for his sound was unique and the crowd received him warmly. Izzy’s lyrics were humanly raw with an unwavering braveness to them, braveness through vulnerability. The queer singer sang passionately about the cruciality of mental health and its interconnection with the queer community. He sang of relationships, places, and seasons from a very personal perspective. Though, it’s wondrous how the most personal ideas can be so universal, for each song was lifted up and represented by the audience. Heltai expressed his gratitude for the platform he commanded that evening, and for the opportunity to share the same stage as The Head And The Heart.
Photograph by Erin Reid Coker
After a brief intermission between sets and another rain shower, The Head And The Heart finally made their way onto the Bandshell stage. The murmurs of conversations abruptly shifted into eager cheers, and the tungsten lights turned blue in solidarity with The Head And The Heart’s most recent record Every Shade Of Blue. The sextet took their places behind their instruments and mics to begin the show.
Photograph by Erin Reid Coker
The Head And The Heart is an esteemed band in the music industry, having released their first record in 2011. They moved into a particular corner of folk music and consistently paid rent, delivering five total records of great esteem. Lead singer, Josiah Johnson, reminisced on the last time the band was at Celebrate Brooklyn! back in 2012. He spoke lightly about the band’s origin and journey since then and thanked everyone in the audience for supporting them all these years. Johnson introduced the rest of his band members; the impressive multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Charity Rose Thielen, guitarist Johnathan Russel, bassist Chris Zasche, drummer Tyler Williams, and pianist Kenny Hensely.
Photograph by Erin Reid Coker
Each of the members’ contributions to The Head And The Heart’s sound proved vital and intentional. They have a raw sound cultivated in production that isn’t lost but tastefully added to during their live sets. Dominant, messy, tuneful piano notes mixed with crisp and punctual percussion, all led by the melody of Rose’s violin strings, made for a distinct foundation for their collective musicality. If the emotional sensation of longing could be a sound, it would be The Head And The Heart song.
Photograph by Erin Reid Coker
Their song “Lost In My Mind” from their first self-titled album made a lasting impression on the show. Each band member’s stage presence was electrified, and the high-energy crowd fed off of it. Pockets of fans linked arms to spin and skip. Arms flung up towards the sky in praise. One audience member even lifted their head-phoned baby above the crowd, gently bouncing him to the beat of the music. Johnson shouted out the young fan between choruses to acknowledge, “baby’s first concert!” Even the trees that swallowed the stage seemed to dance.
As the sun set behind the gray sheet of rain, nature’s lights dimmed. The stage glowed through the light fog settling over the audience. Russel smiled up at the darkening clouds, “I swear it always rains when we come to New York.” The audience laughed at their state, soaked and content. For their last song on stage, Josiah made his way into the pit and through the audience. The Head And The Heart’s fans are very gracious. They made way for him and respected his space while he roamed.
Photograph by Erin Reid Coker
The band abruptly left the stage, but the audience would not accept a goodbye. There were too many songs people desperately needed to hear. Voices called out pleading for an encore. Shortly after their departure, the band returned.
They put on a three-song encore, the first of three being “The Orchid.” Lyrically, the song was a meditation on isolation and glimmers of hope that can only be spotted during dark stillness. It was so quiet in the audience that for the first time all evening, one could hear the wind brushing the trees. The last two songs were “Living Mirage,” and their most iconic song, “Rivers And Roads.” In a collective voice, the audience sang the song back to The Head And The Heart. The slow and drawn-out pounds of the drum counted out the remainder of the night. True to their sound, The Head And The Heart left Brooklyn longing for more.
PRONOUN is back; the moniker of Brooklyn-based Alyse Vellturo released a new single and video for “SLAP ME IN THE FACE.” It’s her first release in over two years, following the 2021 release of her OMG I MADE IT EP.
“SLAP ME IN THE FACE” is an upbeat alt-pop single with a distinct diction and vocal style that adds flair to a tried-and-true pop rhythm. Contrasting an optimistic sound with rueful, gloomy lyrics, the single carries a captivating, earworm guitar track that shows Vellturo’s technical skill in the realm of simple, but effective. Evoking images of 2000s coming-of-age cinema, the single sets a strong tone for PRONOUN’s upcoming era.
“SLAP ME IN THE FACE is about a crazy night in with someone that turned into an internal joke of what if the world was literally fucking you. It’s about wanting a better situation but giving in and getting stuck in a moment where everything doesn’t feel horrible. This song poured out of me in one sitting; written, recorded, and produced in one day. The songs I feel the most about, always seem to come this way.”
The accompanying video shows Vellturo being absolutely pelted by dodgeballs coming at her from every angle.
Given the title, I always imagined getting somehow slapped in the face in slow motion. When putting a mood board together for the new PRONOUN era I was reminded of one of my favorite scenes in a movie. I Heart Huckabees is a film I could watch everyday until the end of time and discover a new easter egg. At one point Mark Wahlberg and Jason Schwartzmen end up on a log in the park together taking turns thwacking each other in the face with a red rubber ball until they feel a moment of nothingness. They call it ‘the ball thing.’ It fit how I was feeling perfectly when making this song. From that moment I knew it needed to be me standing in a studio getting absolutely destroyed with red dodgeballs.
PRONOUN
PRONOUN recently announced upcoming both headline shows and dates supporting SLOTHRUST. The tour boasts five shows across New York State, including Rochester, Albany, New York City, Syracuse, and Jameston. Tickets are on sale now.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
* PRONOUN Headline
^ supporting Slothrust
August 20 – Keene, NH – Nova Arts ^
August 22 – Boston, MA – Deep Cuts *
August 23 – Rochester, NY – Montage Music Hall ^
August 24 – Albany, NY – Empire Underground ^
August 25 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground ^
August 26 – Portland, ME – Portland House of Music ^
August 29 – New York, NY – Heaven Can Wait *
November 12 – Syracuse, NY – Song & Dance ^
November 13 – Jamestown, NY – Skatepark ^
November 16 – Columbia, MO – Rose Music Hall ^
November 17 – Omaha, NE – Reverb ^
November 18 – Wichita, KS – Wave ^
November 19 – Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep ^
The Caribbean Music Awards announced a star-studded lineup of live performances for the upcoming event on August 31, boasting many artists of the genre’s biggest names.
The awards will take place at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, with performances by Alison Hinds, Jada Kingdom, Dexta Daps, Kranium, Nailah Blackman, Ding Dong, Rupee and Romain Virgo, as well as others to be announced.
Last month, The Caribbean Music Awards announced Grammy Award-winner and Haitian-born Newark artist Wyclef Jean as the host for the event. Along with a full range of live performances, the night of celebration for Caribbean Music will feature appearances from Spice, Baby Cham, Toni-Ann Singh, and more.
Awards span across in 26 categories in many genres, including Reggae, Dancehall, Soca, Kompa, and Zou. Trinidadian group Kes leads with five nominations, including Performer of the Year, Video of the Year, and Artist of the Decade. Following with four nominations are Masicka, Ding Dong, Machel Montano, and Shenseea.
Trinidadian singer, songwriter, and producer Machel Montano will accept the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions as a leader of the sound and style of Soca music worldwide. In addition, reggae legend Beres Hammond will accept the Elite Icon Award. The esteemed award commemorates Hammond for his contributions in elevating and enriching the face of Reggae music for decades.
The Caribbean Music Awards will take place on August 31, 2023 at 8pm EST at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, and will be streaming worldwide on YouTube.
For the latest updates and information, visit the official website CaribMusicAwards.com or follow on IG @CaribMusicAwards. Get ready to experience the best that Caribbean music has to offer at the Caribbean Music Awards.
John Cale, one of the true OGs of the international art rock underground, gave a masterclass in performance and reinvention before a packed house at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival in Prospect Park on August 19.
At 81, Cale is still a striking and potent musical force, a true creator who is forever seeking new artistic horizons. He’s a man whose catalog has spanned everything from the proto-punk of the Velvet Underground to classical minimalism, gorgeous orch-pop balladry, the fiercest (and drunkenly deranged) hard rock rants to, on his first new studio album in a decade Mercy, shades of beat-driven hallucinatory electronica and experimental pop. This new collection finds the adventurous Welshman in the company of youthful collaborators like Weyes Blood, Laurel Halo, Sylvan Esso and Actress.
Belying his age, Cale was a most commanding force on stage – in fine voice, a sharp black Italian suit and dramatically spikey white hair, playing both keys and guitar for a 14-song, career-spanning set.
In a nod to his new album, many of the songs were kicked off with a rhythm machine like “Moonstruck (Nico’s Song),” his tribute to the Velvet Underground chanteuse whose best solo albums, like 1968’s The Marble Index, Cale produced. Another standout from the new album is “Night Crawling,” the first single which recalls his adventures with pal David Bowie in the New York City downtown of the 1970s.
Two of the most interesting and atmospheric numbers were “Rose Garden of Future Sores” and “Half Past France.” Both featured orchestral backgrounds, disorienting chords and spacey electronic effects. The latter was a 180-degree spins on one of the serene ballads from Cale’s acclaimed 1973 orch-pop masterpiece, Paris 1919. Its calm was transformed into a sinister ambient Krautrock noise nightmare. Its queasy string drone foundation was punctuated with bowed electric bass and an eerily harmonizer-effected vocal on the outro line: “We’re so far away, floating into space.” The same sonics were present for his funereal take on Elvis’ “Heartbreak Hotel,” a highlight from his 1975 album, Slow Dazzle.
Sonic dread never sounded so good.
Cale picked up the guitar and rocked strong and hard on old favorites like “Guts,” “Helen of Troy” and “Cable Hogue.” He returned to the keys to revisit a Velvet Underground staple to the delight of the crowd, Lou Reed’s junkie opus, “I’m Waiting for the Man.” Here, he perhaps deferred to the P.C. police by injecting the line “Hey buddy” for Lou’s “Hey White Boy.”
Another fantastic rearrangement was in store with another Paris 1919 ballad, “Hanky Panky Nohow.” Cale and his wonderfully tasty three-piece backing band made this already gorgeous song even more beautiful and relaxed – with a rhythm machine underpinning, a glacial pacing and an added sample of an operatic soprano female soloing on the song’s long coda. This and all tracks performed were complemented with video projections that made their atmospheric sounds even more so.
Cale’s set concluded with a raucous version of “Barracuda,” another punchy rocker from his album Fear featuring some very fine psychobilly guitar soloing.
The surprise of the evening was the set by the show opener Tomberlin, the nom de sound of contemporary folk artist/singer-songwriter Sarah Beth Tomberlin.
Now living and working out of Brooklyn, this Kentucky-born performer played a well-paced set of gentle tunes from her two Saddle Creek Records’ albums, the most recent of which, 2022’s I Don’t Know Who Needs to Hear This…, was recorded a few blocks away from Prospect Park at Figure 8 Studios.
Tomberlin is a confident performer with the kind of droll between song banter that easily won over the crowd, one that was surely there, in very large part, to catch a glimpse of Cale.
The most striking element is her voice. It has both a breathy quality that reminds me of another buzzworthy young performer, Snail Mail, and all power and range needed to bring across one of her dramatic lyrical twists. Her three-piece backing band provided sensitive accompaniment to all her songs, many that we’re mere whisps. Airy Frisell-like guitaring, lots of shimmering brush work on the drums and lush yet minimalist keys perfectly adorned her intimate story songs and their poetic lyrical turns.
Standout tracks in her set were the evocative “Sunstruck,” “Stoned,” “Memory” and the set closer, the sprawling psychedelic “Happy Accident.”
New York is a breeding ground for all kinds of talented individuals. The densely populated nature of NYC makes it challenging to achieve stardom there. With all of the people in this world, it can be difficult to differentiate yourself.
A major part of standing out deals with genetic makeup, upbringing and the place you grew to become familiar with your surroundings. However, New York encourages an unmatched hustle and rewards individuals who persevere with the utmost ambition. If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.
DonMonique, or DonDada releases refreshing tunes every time she steps into the studio. She dismantles traditional hip-hop by dispelling the notion that there can only be one Queen of Rap. She appreciates her hometown for its hectic jungle atmosphere, nuances, and grounds for uncontained creativity. With an old soul and a Brooklyn drawl, this artist consistently asserts a quintessential New York sound every time she lays rhymes down on wax.
Where Brooklyn @?
Brooklyn has birthed a few legends within its time. This is not to say she’s reached legend stature yet, but DonMonique is taking all the right steps to disrupt the game of hip-hop as a whole. She first gained recognition and garnered major attention through her fashion choices and photoshoots.
For a while, she modeled for Pharrell Williams on a website called Karmaloop. A major turning point came about when she did a photoshoot in rare FUBU attire that made its way to Tumblr and had thousands of “notes” and reposts within hours. With a fashion outlook, she set the tone at a high level with crossover appeal between fashion and hip-hop with style and distinction.
Before becoming a hip-hop artist, Don immersed herself within important spheres of influence and made connections with people who are relevant within the genre. Her manager recommended that she avoid popping up in studios without anybody knowing her personally. By building rapport, networking and gradually placing herself on people’s radar she saw success. This whole process took about a year, but proved worthwhile as she focused upon relationship-building and creating a good reputation for her brand.
The Dutchess
When it was finally time to burst upon the scene, DonMo captured her moment in all of its glory. A common theme within hip-hop involves replacing certain powdery substances with the names of white females. On the song, “Pilates,” DonMonique name-dropped Kendall, Kylie and Miley. Furthermore, this song premiered on an Alexander Wang fashion show runway which caused it to gain additional traction.
Pilates took flight when Kylie Jenner posted the song on her Snapchat. Kylie has been known to post new music on her Snapchat account and the fact that this quality song mentioned her name must have made a good impression. Subsequently, people began to take notice of this young Brooklyn artist with only a few songs to her name.
Thereafter, she started working with artists like Danny Brown, Justine Skye and Chuck Inglish. She toured with Lil Debbie, opened Webster Hall for Lil Yachty and got Stelios Phili (the same man who helped produce Ferg Forever) to entirely produce her mixtape, Thirst Trap. Without a doubt, she has that New York pizzazz that many covet and few are able to generate.
Autonomous Maneuverability
DonMonique discovered her voice through trial and error. Much more than just a face in the crowd – she possesses originality and unmistakable flavor. Hence, a strong-willed woman who thrives upon independence and confidence carries complete control over her trajectory. She takes risks regardless of obstacles, embraces her sexuality and rejects the approval-seeking nature that many feel required to subscribe to in America. Furthermore, with spunk and determination, she emerges noticeably different from other artists and travels along her path with subversive femininity.
When it comes to developing songs, DonMonique takes a minimalist approach. By giving the people just what they need and not a drop more, she keeps the fans honest and insatiable. Her clever verses and raspy vocals allow her to wisely navigate the male-dominated industry and reach new wavelengths. As a calm, cool and cozy Brooklyn cat she comes up with music that keeps her audience directly in mind which ultimately boosts her credibility and relatability.
Hypnotic Radiance
DonMo provides a rugged, rough around the edges tomboyish vibe. As a hungry artist she provides gritty bars, deadpan delivery and brash rhymes. With a raw persona, she approaches the genre with titillating, enticing, menacing and genuine bars. Being a noticeably distinct person speaks volumes to her audience and those who are in tune take specific notice of her energetic hustle.
She stands firmly within the throws of an era where hip-hop connoisseurs continue to witness women gain much deserved respect. As a result, she serves as a symbol of empowerment and advocates about unity for women in the form of uplifting anthems and dialogue.
Her first mixtape, Thirst Trap dropped in conjunction with the Hot 97, “Who’s Got Next” showcase. The mixtape title plays on the phrase for social media posts that attract viewers and persuade them into leaving desperate comments. Thirst Trap also relates to the fact that her body of music paired with her physical body and outstanding style leaves the audience thirsty for more.
Before dropping her album,Black Kate Moss, DonMonique took a hiatus to appreciate the moment and rejuvenate herself in order to supply the best possible product for her consumers. The release date was pushed back so that she could concentrate on herself, reflect via introspection and develop her sound further.
As a rebirth effort, this move gave her a chance to reevaluate, appreciate the entire process, cherish her gifts and prioritize her health. She continues to innovate and receive incredible reception from her loyal New York fan base. She performed at the Bowery Ballroom and the Meadows last fall. Stay tuned to hear where she performs next.
Standing out as one of New York City’s most unique MCs of all time, the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s discography chalks full of city anthems, whether spawning from his time with Wu-Tang Clan or his solo career. Passing away in 2004, the Brooklyn native leaves behind a legacy as one of hip-hop’s best, presenting an eccentric, energized style of rap that couldn’t be recreated by anyone else.
Al Pereira/Getty Images
Raised in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s raspy, crazily spewed vocals paired with his violent lyricism eventually made him a central figure of the majority Staten Island group Wu-Tang Clan and hip-hop as a whole. Made up of himself, Method Man, RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, and Cappadonna, the group first came together in 1992.
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), the group’s first project would release in 1993 following the immense success of the single “Protect Ya Neck”, highlighting the immense talents he and the rest of the group had in store as one of New York’s rising talents.
His solo career came to fruition in 1995, as Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, would drop on March 28, 1995, chock full of hits symbolizing the city of New York and more specifically his time in Brooklyn. With only Method Man’s solo effort coming out before his, the music industry was able to get its first glance into Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s career outside the infamous group.
Album cover for Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version by Ol’ Dirty Bastard (Photo via SoundCloud)
With Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version would come one of the rapper’s best performances, an ode to his city and former group through a song known as “Brooklyn Zoo,” as the hidden messages throughout go deeper into his life growing up in Brooklyn and his affiliation with other artists growing up.
Brooklyn’s Finest
Produced by himself and True Master, the track “Brooklyn Zoo” shot to the top of his discography following its release a month prior to his solo debut. This serves as the first real taste of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s journey outside of the group and would end up being his highest-charting single released, peaking at 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending 16 weeks on the chart.
Accompanying the track are two separate music videos. The most popular one, which features Wu-Tang members throughout the video, sees ODB loitering around an empty apartment building, most likely abandoned, chanting the malicious words of the track.
A second release, a short film with subtitles, came out with more of a storyline, with the rapper portraying a man completing his prison sentence and transitioning through his life returning home to gang violence. A majority of networks denied air of the film due to its explicit subject matter, but is known as the “Chinatown Version” with much of the film taking place in that section of NYC.
The music video for “Brooklyn Zoo”
Considered a hip-hop classic, the single goes deep into the “one-man army” that Ol’ Dirty Bastard calls himself, diving into his life growing up in the streets of Brooklyn as well, directly calling the region a zoo. The song’s many hidden meanings behind the title leave countless interpretations of ODB’s wordplay and past experiences.
“Shame on you, when you step through to the Ol’ Dirty Bastard, straight from the Brooklyn Zoo”
Other than its references to Brooklyn’s actual zoo in Prospect Park and the streets he grew up in, the track also mentions the second hip-hop group ODB was additionally a part of, Brooklyn Zu. Having an affiliation with the Wu-Tang Clan, Brooklyn Zu includes some of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s closest colleagues 12 O’Clock, the rapper’s cousin, Buddha Monk, Raison the Zu Keeper, and others.
Since the group’s formation around the same time as Wu-Tang Clan, many of the members have been featured on ODB’s Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, also releasing their own project Chamber #9, Verse 32 in 2008.
“Brooklyn Zoo” (Chinatown Version)
Dissecting the streets of Brooklyn for his listeners, the aggressive track truly encapsulates the one-of-a-kind style of rap/lyricism that ODB brings to the table. The countless New York interpretations behind the name of the track leave fans and avid rap listeners room to experience Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s work.
“Brooklyn Zoo” Lyrics
Shit Word, I’ll bust that n***a ass right now Ain’t no, none of them n***as can’t fuck with me What? N***a, you could never fuck with me, my n***a I’ll fuck you up right now, what? What? What? (Fuck you n***as) Bust your motherfucking ass, boy I ain’t no motherfucking joke You know who you talking to? (Yo, word up, bust that n***a ass, word up) Ol’ Dirty Bastard, you know what I’m sayin’? I’ll fuck you up right now Yeah, what? What? What? (Serve that n***a, yo) He ain’t sayin’ nothin’, fuck him (he ain’t sayin’ nothin’, fuck him)
I’m the one-man army, Ason I never been tooken out, I keep MC’s looking out I drop science like Cosby dropping babies Enough to make a n***a go crazy In the G building, taking all types of medicines Your ass thought you were better than Ason, I keep planets in orbit While I be coming with deeper and more shit Enough to make you break and shake your ass As I create rhymes good as a Tastycake makes This style, I’m mastered in N***as catching headaches, what? What? You need Aspirin? This type of pain you couldn’t even kill with Midol Fuck around, get sprayed with Lysol In your face like a can of mace, baby Is it burning? Well, fuck it, now you’re learning How I don’t even like your motherfucking profile Give me my fucking shit, ch-ch-blaow Not seen and heard, no one knows You forget n***as be quiet as kept Now you know nothing Before you knew a whole fucking lot Your ass don’t wanna get shot (shot) A lot of MC’s came to my showdown And watched me put your fucking ass low down As you can go, below zero Without a doubt I never been tooken out By a n***a, who couldn’t figure Yo, by a n***a, who couldn’t figure Yo, by a n***a, who couldn’t figure (Brooklyn Zoo) How to pull a fucking gun trigger I said, “Get the fuck outta here” N***a wanna get too close, do the utmost But I got stacks that’ll attack any wack host Introducing, yo, fuck that n***a’s name My Hip Hop drops on your head like rain And when it rains it pours, ’cause my rhymes hardcore That’s why I give you more of the raw Talent that I got will riz-ock the spot Mc’s I’ll be burning, burning hot Whoa-hoa-hoa, let me, like, slow up with the flow If I move too quick, oh, you just won’t know I’m homicidal when you enter the target N***a get up, act like a pig trying to hog shit So I take yo’ ass out quick The mics, I’ve had it my n***a, you can suck my dick (dick) If you wanna step to my motherfucking rep Ch-ch-bloaw-blaow-blaow, blown to death You got shot ’cause you knock, knock, knock “Who’s there?” Another motherfucking hard rock Slacking on your macking ’cause raw’s what you lack You wanna react? Bring it on back (back)
Shame on you, when you step through to The Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Brooklyn Zoo Shame on you, when you step through to The Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Brooklyn Zoo Brooklyn Zoo (what?) Shame on you, when you step through to (my n***a) The Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Brooklyn Zoo Shame on you, when you step through to The Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Brooklyn Zoo Shame on you, when you step through to The Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Brooklyn Zoo
What? My n***a Shame on you Shame- Shame on you when you step through to Shame on, shame on, shame on you when you step through to Shame on you when you step through to The Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Brooklyn Zoo Shame on you when you step through to The Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Brooklyn Zoo What? My n***a
