Danny Brown – Detroit State Of Mind

Danny Brown takes us to his childhood Detroit home, bringing back mixed nostalgic feelings: “I went to jail on this block, I got beat up on this block, I met girls on this block.” Brown sounds happy to have moved away, but he’s not afraid to reflect. Here’s a look at how he has turned his past life—and his new—into humor and great, honest music.

Smoke DZA – Miss Dimplez Interview

I seldom have the opportunity to experience hip-hop and its artistry in Arizona, when The Smoker’s Club Tour rolled through I was given a moment to catch up with Smoke DZA for a quick discussion… I typically find myself traveling the Earth to get a glimmer of an interview of an artist I support, so it was that much sweeter to do this in my own backyard. This was probably one of my hardest interviews ever. Naturally Smoke DZA is a very relaxed person, so my tempered off-the-wall personality asking questions to someone so ‘chill’ was like mini-root canals with a Novacane drip, but practice makes perfect right? Right!

Our FaceTime discussion included the “Kushed Gawd” speaking on the response he’s been getting from Rolling Stoned, how being rap-oriented in his youth benefits him now, and advice to his former self. Our off camera conversation included a discussion of dreams of brand expansion past rapping into movies and more.Miss Dimplez

FADER Features Freeway

Freeway’s a walking fashion feature. Here he shows off symbolic jewelry honoring album releases and his group State Property, as well as the shirt off his back from a clothing line he’s developing. But there’s something deeper too, with Freeway crediting his rap career to a school-age love of violin and poetry. Born and raised Philly, in December Freeway traveled to Africa for the first time to perform, and you can tell he’s still proud and impressed by the places his music has taken him.