With a kaleidoscopic sound informed by pop, electro, punk, soul, and hip hop, local trio Don't Talk To The Cops! conjures grooves that are catchy, clever and utterly infectious. On stage, fleet-fingered djblesOne, pint-sized dance machine emcees, and hype man El Mizell blend chaos and choregraphy, whipping audiences in to a grinning, dancing frenzy.
Instantly embraced for the warmth and depth of their funk-psych, feminist sci-fi epics, local duo Stasia Irons and Catherine Harris-White evoke equal parts Elaine Brown, Ursula Rucker, and Q-Tip. Their stunning, seductive debut for Sub Pop, AwE NaturalE, is one of the most critically acclaimed releases of 2012.
Fortified by a five-piece rhythm section, and equally drawing from hip-hop, soul, electronica, and funk,Theoretics use this diverse instrumentation to creative dynamic, energizing music that reflects the thoughtful, from-the-ground-up composition style of The Roots and Jurassic 5.
A dynamic rapper, producer and vocalist, Seattle's Katie Kate earned her degree in classical piano from Cornish College of the Arts in 2009 and went on to create imaginative compositions that reflect her background, but are ultimately buoyed by her undulating vocal flow and compelling, cosmopolitan electronic beats. Drawing strength from her inherent contradictions, her icy-cool vibe and mesmerizing presentation will please fans of Robyn or Santigold.
Representing the youthful face of the region's still-rising hip hop scene, KnowMads cut out laid-back, hook-heavy grooves that contrast nicely with the more impassioned, urgent lyrical flows that ride over them. Their 2012 debut, The KnewBook, features guest appearances galore, including Smoke DZA, the Coughee Brothaz, Ras Kass, and Sol.
After years of toiling on the rap chitlin' circuit and navigating the mixtape matrix, Yelawolf broke out in grand fashion with his critically-acclaimed release, Trunk Muzik. His official debut, Radioactive, showcases his knack for fluidly shifting gears from Southern hip hop and Southern rock while remaining in his own creative lane.
After slow-burning success with a series of mixtapes and videos, Kanye West protege Big Sean finally released his hotly anticipated debut last summer, aptly entitled Finally Famous. With a seemingly effortless flow and tireless hustle, the Detroit-born MC staked his claim as one of hip hop's next rising stars.
Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller's first studio album, Blue Slide Park, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 when it was released in November 2011. This seemingly meteoric rise was actually predicated by several years toiling in the trenches of internet mixtape culture, finding his voice, refining his flow, and building an online audience that he could hook on his party-starting anthems.
French-born MC Ana Tijoux continues to bewitch and beguile with her new record, La Bala, the follow up to her Grammy-nominated album, 1977. Her shows are a whirlwind trip through hip-hop, jazz, and funk, augmented with a bit of politics and the playful sense of humor that has made audiences around the globe fall in love with her.
