On Friday October 18th, Illsociety took a trip to Hollywood, the top floor of The Roxy (On the Rox) to be exact. The even was hosted by Suspend Magazine, and it was a trip well worth while, we experienced a flurry of performances from a group of young, up and coming, hunger filled group of musicians who simply consider themselves to be (G)uardians. The night started with a DJ set by Lil Mike Hundreds which was (as usual) a good way to set the mood and break the ice.
Then KT the Terrible took the stage, he brought a Macbook Pro, and a Roland Fantom X6. It seemed as if KT the Terrible (who’s music is far from Terrible, ironic right?) was trapped on a desert island, all he would need would be those essentials and probably some water (or not). The ladies really took a liking to his instrumentals, which, in my perspective, can change one’s mood from down and out, to hopeful and relaxed. He made beats on the spot, manipulated sound using the Fantom’s featured “D-Beam,” and had the ladies swaying left to right, moving sensually enough to make someone who’s practicing celibacy reconsider. From playing instrument samples of himself, to playing showcasing an anthem that any “LO Head” could appreciate, he delivered a performance that demanded you remember his name and his beats. Don’t believe me? Check him out at soundcloud.com/kttheterrible
The dictionary defines a maven as an expert or connoisseur. With that being said, when you encounter yourself at a local artist show, and hear the host say “Coming up next we have Blaison Maven,” you better believe that you’re in for a an energetic and captivating hip hop performance. Blaison Maven (who also goes by King Blaise) definitely has expertise in his profession, making and performing music. He had the house packed with beautiful ladies and hip-hop heads. Not only did he perform, but he also made sure to bring a two-piece band (drums and guitar), which brought a lively aspect to the performance as well as an energy boost in the crowd and MC. I caught up with a few acquaintances during the performance, and they were all captivated by his maturity as an artist, and his delivery as an MC. Blaise has a tape out that I would recommend to any music and hip-hop lover to download. Check it out at soundcloud.com/blaisonmaven
The night was far from over when Jeanleon stepped up to the plate. With a performance that felt as though you were covered in a blanket of darkness, and a turnt up feel all at the same time, Jeanleon delivered what I consider to be my favorite set from them thusfar. In Hollywood, you never know who you run into, and at this event, we had Aftermath signee J Pinder, the reason I bring this up is because, he was one of the many people who undoubtedly got caught in the trance that they put us in. Everyone was nodding their head, and hitting their “body roll.” The energy was definitely there, and the crowd followed suit when the beat dropped, they moved and grooved. Every song complimented the next, from “Pocket Squares” to “Pedalin”, and from “Nightdress” to “The T,” not one song disappointed. These two cat’s (SR Homme and Leon Swanks, who make up Jeanleon) are definitely on the artists to watch radar, and mark my words when I say you should get ready to see a lot more of them in the near future. Check out their sounds at soundcloud.com/jeanleon
The night was capped off by a performance provided by Dame55, his producer/DJ Soraya La Pread, and his two-piece band. This performance was high in energy, and to keep the vibe of all the other consistent had all the ladies moving, cheering and enjoying themselves. Dame’s sound is out of the box and seems like he enjoys getting on any beat that’ll make the crowd move and bounce. He was a good option for closer because, just as how the closer in baseball is selected by seeing who has the “heat”, and ability to deliver a performance to bring it home, Dame did just that, he brought it home. And with Soraya’s production, who wouldn’t want the energy of her beats to close out the show and send them home smiling. My personal favorite was “Teen Spirit” which consisted of a bass heavy beat with none other than a Nirvana sample, and I think you know what sample was used. Check out their sounds at soundcloud.com/dame55 and soundcloud.com/black-gold-1 I promise you won’t be disappointed.
It’s rare to find good energy in what people consider to be amateur performances, but every single performance from start to finish had more than an amateur feel to it. All of these artists bring something to the table, and as a collective, you can definitely consider them to be a part of something that’s soon to erupt like Mount Vesuvius. Make sure to stay on the look out if you don’t like to be proven wrong because, I will most definitely rub it in your face and say “I told you so” when it’s all said and done.
Peace and much love to ya’ll.
All photo’s shot by Asato Iida
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