urban music and culture
Image (right) and Steele perform in Lancaster. Photo by Leon Laing.
My cousin homie Vinny
Although DJ Image spins full time in the Northeast (Lancaster, Philadelphia and Baltimore), he hopes to reach a national audience. His current gig will definitely help him attain that goal. Image, né Vincent Smaldone, is on a national tour with the legendary Slick Rick. 3rd Rail, a company that fuses hip-hop, art and snowboarding, is promoting the event. Continue reading ‘DJ Image’
Teddy Pendergrass
Soul sensation Teddy Pendergrass passed away yesterday after his battle with colon cancer. He was 59. In a press statement, the singer’s son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father died at Bryn Mawr Hospital in suburban Philadelphia. “To all his fans who loved his music, thank you,” his son said. “He will live on through his music.” Continue reading ‘My memory of Teddy’
Local R&B singer Sincere. Photo by Leon Laing
In the photo above, local R&B singer Sincere opens up for Trey Songz and Fabolous on Dec. 20. He and former group member Siano will perform in Hummelstown on Feb. 13 — just in time for Valentine’s Day. And Harrisburg-based artists Shaashawn Dial and Michelle G. were once part of the defunct SisterArt association. Now the two will be releasing individual CDs this month. See below for more info. Continue reading ‘Upcoming events’
Brockington drops his mixtape today. Photo by Mike Chin Productions.
Darien Brockington
“I was a church boy,” singer Darien Brockington says about his childhood. “Me listening to secular music—there was none of that.” Things have changed since then. In 2006, the North Carolina native released his praiseworthy debut Somebody to Love, a collection of heartfelt slow jams and up-tempo joints sprinkled with hip-hop beats. Brockington’s boy-next-door persona and quiet storm music is reminiscent of crooner Carl Thomas. Continue reading ‘Artist on the rise’
Trey gets intimate during his Dec. 20 performance. Photo by Leon Laing.
With the Harrisburg area’s smaller urban music market, sometimes promoters can only attract B-list celebrities. But on Dec. 20, LeRon McCoy (LeSean’s brother) and Reggie Guy of Dream Catcher Entertainment came on stage and debunked the haters and naysayers. Dream Catcher did manage to bring two A-list acts to Harrisburg, they told the audience. Continue reading ‘Say aah’
Eric Roberson, neo-soul crooner/songwriter, wooed the ladies at Fort Hunter on Sept. 12. Now he drops a new video for “Dealing” featuring the great Lalah Hathaway, who is Soul Sista No. 1.
Rapper AR Period helps with food and toy drives. Photo by Leon Laing.
“We’re [doing] our part in giving back to the community not only for the holidays but in everyday life,” rapper AR Period says about local rappers getting their gift wrap on. AR’s company, 71718 Entertainment, and Hungry Entertainment partnered with the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank to hold a food drive that ended on Dec. 21. Continue reading ‘Wrapper’s delight’
Talk about your obstacles: First the bus. Now the snow.
Rakim’s bus broke down on Nov. 14, so he rescheduled his concert for today. According his spokesperson Matthew Kemp, the show will still go on tonight despite the snow. Judd Goodman, Dragonfly Club proprietor, also confirmed that the concert will be held at his venue. Click here to read our interview with Rakim.
Eric B. (right) and Rakim. Photo from the group's Gold compilation album.
The iconic Rakim Allah will rock the mic at Harrisburg’s Dragonfly nightclub on Dec. 19. Rhymefest (co-writer of Kanye’s “Jesus Walks”), windchiLL, J. Bair, M.I.H. and others will open up for the celebrity wordsmith. With gems, such as “Paid In Full,” “I Ain’t No Joke” and “Juice (Know the Ledge),” Rakim raised the bar for lyricism while schooling the youth with his 5 Percent Nation teachings. Continue reading ‘Rakim interview’
Kantana is a wordsmith from York. Photo from artist's archives.
Back in the day—20 years ago to be exact—celebrity rapper Kwamé Holland changed the game with his polka dot gear and radio-friendly debut album, Kwamé the Boy Genius Featuring a New Beginning. (Kwamé even performed at Harrisburg’s Forum back then.) Today, a local rapper with the same moniker is also making his own lane in the rap game. Kwame Kantana’s swagger is Mick Jagger. On top of that, the rapper, who reps York, dropped his bangin’ mixtape, I Just Wanna Be Heard in January 2009. Continue reading ‘Kwame Kantana’
