I PUT ON FOR MY CITY. I always say that, and I will stick to that mantra. This time the spotlight is on a trio from my hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina. FTH (Full Time Hustlaz) consists of members Durand Bennett (Young Money), Cortney Bryson (Boi One-Da) and Pharaun Coleman (Heron). All three went to school together and during that time the full time hustle began. The group has been creating quite a buzz with a couple of mixtapes Guide to Tha Streetz Vol 1 & Vol 2. Hustling for Dummies. Their latest song, “My Life” is a BANGER. But don’t take it from me; check out these three songs and if you like that, you can download their latest mixtape here. But first let’s check out the artist’s bio.

Everything in life is a Full Time Hustle, whether it is in the streets, in school or at a nine to five job. The hustle that FTH raps about embodies everyone in every sense of the word. This is why the name Full Time Hustlaz is suitable for the group. FTH, which began in 2005 is a hip hop group made up of three rap artists. Durand Bennett (Young Money), Cortney Bryson (Boi One-Da) and Pharaun Coleman (Heron) make up FTH and they consistently deliver original music to their audience. Their music in a style that is able to relate to the life styles that they are living.

The members of FTH all attended the same middle school and high schools growing up. They have been connected musically since they have known each other. They started off in middle school under the same band instructor and continued their musical connection in high school as members of the marching band. Emerging into the rap game was always a part of the larger spectrum of things. Boi One-Da and Young Money began working together professional through the creation and sharing of beats. One-Da was already in a group when the collaboration with Money began. This collaboration led to Young Money being a featured artist on one of the singles for Boi One-Da’s former group. This would be the first time Young Money would ever record in a studio. Boi One-Da eventually left his former group and he was approached by Young with the idea of forming another group with himself and Heron. Heron and Boi One-Da began their musical collaborations while sitting in classes writing in a rap book, passing it back and forth, never knowing that the formation of FTH would come about. Money, Heron, and Boi One-Da agreed that they would form a group and since their creation FTH has performed at many clubs throughout North Carolina including Genesis, Club Touch, Lounge 2800 and Rum Runners.

Download: FTH – “My Life”
Download: FTH – “Fly High”
Download: FTH – “Rescue Team”
Download: FTH – Vol. 2 Hustling for Dummies [Mixtape]

For more information about FTH contact  fthnc3pent at gmail.com or 3Pent  3pentertainment at gmail.com for bookings and production inquiries.

It been way too long since we’ve done a Independent Spotlight. It even more shameful since we get a lot of music from some talented up and coming artists. New talent has always been a big part in Hip-Hop; why not help that? Exactly.

810
Download: “Hire Us” (feat. The Black Sunn)
Twitter: @810musik
Coming straight outta Baltimore is 810. Even though this MC also splits his time being being a college student and holding down a job, his motivation and talent on the mic still shine through. This shows even more on his recent mixtape Glass Half Full (Which you can get here). My favorite track off the mixtape is the Mydus produced and Black Sunn featured “Hire Us”. I can relate.

Cymarshall Law
Download: “Magic”
Twitter: @Cymarshalllaw
We’ve been trying to get Cymarshall Law on this site again for a while but things kept coming up; You may remember him on a track off HipNOTT Records 2010 Takeover Volume 1. There’s a gruffness in his voice as well catchy flow that draws you in. Cymarshall just released Creator’s Kid EP which this song “Magic” comes from (Produced by Remot). You can pick the full project up at iTunes or Amazon.

The Yes Yes Yalls
Listen: #theyesyesyalls
Comprised of Shameless Plug & Chris Jenkins, The Yes Yes Yalls (Cool name right?) are definitely going in a different route in terms of the artists on this list. They combine numerous genres and make their own. Their latest album is called #theyesyesyalls and you can check the whole thing out at the official website.

We already told you guys we were dedicating 2009 to the independent artist. I know we haven’t been as aggressive as we should have, but we are still bringing you the best reviews, ORIGINAL columns, and music you might not have heard in your neck of the woods. This is another one of those artists. A friend reached out to me on Facebook (yeah, King Jerm is on Facebook) and he emailed me a song from his group, Likwid Stoan. I really thought it was going to be your average run of the mill Hip-Hop, but it had a different element to it. Check out the bio for more info on the group.

Most of us just listen to music but others of us consume music. We take music and make it a general part of our lives. In the south, hip hop was somewhat re-formatted and brought to the public in many different styles and concepts. Likwid Stoan, A hip hop and r&b duo out of North Carolina has done just that. They have taken a combination of southern styles and methods to producing their music to present to you a mid-Atlantic style. The basis of their music abilities derive from being positive and staying truthful about life situations. Iso, the witty lyricist born and raised Michael Lovett in Greensboro N.C., is one of the co-founders of Likwid Stoan and with his very detailed words of contribution (as he calls it), will undoubtedly keep you listening for the very next line. Frank Santiago, the singer born in MD and raised in GA, compliments him with his background vocals on raps but yet is still able to pull a serenade out of his pocket at any given time. Together they have produced music that is unlike most of what you may hear. Currently working on an upcoming debut album titled “Rock Solid Muzik”, they have been spending countless hours in the studio. Prior to beginning the production of the album they were featured in the Self Paid compilation produced by Big Will, Ceo of WWS magazine based on the west coast which received over 55,000 distributed copies in the US and they also appeared on the Green Light Go mix tape featuring Rick Ross, Triple C’s and other various artist brought to you by BG the Prophet which also received over 172,000 downloads and 300,000 listens. You can find these works on datpiff.com. You will be hearing a lot from Likwid Stoan in the coming months. They will be releasing their upcoming singles titled “What it Do” and “Dance floor”. You can also view more about them at www.myspace.com/likwidstoan or for booking contact them at likwidstoan@gmail.com.

Check out the track “Whaddup Girl” and let me know what you think! If you are an independent artist trying to get heard…shoot us a song and a short bio, and you might be the next alumni of our “Independent Spotlight”.

Download: Likwid Stoan – “Whaddup Girl”

Even though this year we at nappyafro were suppose to go harder with featuring more independent artists, I’ll be the first to say that we could be doing way better in that category. But all that’s about to change. See, we get lots of music sent to us be it physical or digital. I guess scheduling reviews and keeping up columns kinda block us from getting that music out. So starting now (And I hope regularly) we are cranking the Indie Spotlight column back up. New music from new talented artists has always been a big part in Hip-Hop; why not help that? But before we get to the music, let me give a guide to all you aspiring artists as to how you can (And can not) get your music featured here:

1. Don’t E-mail Blast Us
And I understand why you would. It’s much easier to send your music out to 100 or so sites with the click of a mouse then it is to write each one individually. But honestly, we when received they just get deleted without getting read. Even if I don’t like the music sent, at least I will actually try to listen to it if the e-mail is personalize and it’s also a good chance I will write back (Maybe not quickly but I will eventually write back). Using our contact form will also merit a read too.

2. Don’t Get Upset If We Don’t Review It
We try not review mixtapes. I know we break that rule sometimes but it’s mostly because we can’t tell V-G what to do. Besides, it’s only 6 of us on staff (Plus the occasional help on the side) so we at least like to review the music that people want the most. Do you really this we gonna not review the new Weezy album to do yours? Not to say that they’ll never be exceptions.

3. We Gotta Like It To Post It
Duh.

Okay, enough of my grandstanding; let’s get to it.

Download: Anterluz – “Til We Die”
Twitter: @anterluz
Hailing from Southern California come Anterluz. He actually sent two tracks but as soon as I heard this one, I hit him back like; “Is that a Rocky sample?”. Okay, I’ve heard the Rocky theme sampled before; but I really like the way producer Soul Professa flipped it. Not to say Anterluz can’t rap; he goes hard over the track (“Yeah we getting it in/I’m crack on the backboard/I’m bending the rim”). His street album Fight For The Crown is expected to drop this fall with production from DJ Babu, Frank Dukes, Soul Professa, THX, YH of Da Zombeez and others. We see you Anterluz! Stick & Move!

Download: Thee Tom Hardy – “Thee Tom Hardy Show”
Twitter: @THEETOMHARDY
We got sent Tom Hardy’s Don Cannon hosted mixtape, The Hardy Boy Mystery Mixtape: Curse of Thee Green Faceded, and it sat in out inbox for almost 2 weeks. Yeah, we’re idiots. This North Carolinian does his thing. He’s also signed to 9th Wonder’s label It’s A Wonderful World Music Group/The Academy so we could being seeing big thing for this kid in the future (Is this still technically an Indie Spotlight? Whatever). You may have heard him on “Rap $$$” with Freeway and Young Chris also on the track. I guess it’s more that one white boy that can rap from North Carolina (We still love you Joe Scudda). This track is off The Hardy Boy Mystery Mixtape: Curse of Thee Green Faceded which also feature cameos from Murs, Mikkey Halsted, Tyler Woods, and others. Get that here.

Download: Jeff Johnson – “Pray 4 Me (The Great Recession)”
Twitter: @thisboyiscrazy
Hey. One we reason we mess with Jeff Johnson is because dude puts in work. Plus he shows that Atlanta just doesn’t breed one type if artist. Most of Jeff’s music is come with a message and “Pray 4 Me” keeps this theme (Check out the accompanying music video). You can still get his mixtape Hoodlums, Scholars & Heretics which he released earlier this year here. The full album from Jeff should hit this December

As always, you can send music to  nappyafro at gmail.com. Peace.

You know how you guys are always complaining about how there is no “real” music anymore? Well thanks to the homie Kevin Nottingham and Nobody Famous, you can stop the bellyaching for now. Coming in a time where there is so much to take in, some people get lost in the shuffle. Don’t let that happen to this guy. I’m not saying this because he is a friend of ours, I’m saying this because “real” Hip-Hop is becoming a forgotten art. The youngsters of today are so out of touch with “real” music and need to be reminded from time to time. The album was produced solely by Nobody Famous and was released digitally TODAY on HipNOTT Records. The concept behind the album was to give listeners some good music that they could come back to, and feel satisfied like they do when they eat a good meal. Side Note: if you never have tried chicken and waffles…YOU ARE SLEEPING! You know we don’t just hand out “co-signs” like some of these sites, so if we are behind it…IT’S OFFICIAL. Don’t take my word for it, find out for yourself.

LISTEN TO THE FULL ALBUM @ IMEEM

Amazon Buy Link for Order Up! Volume 3: Chicken and Waffles

Itunes Buy Link for Order Up! Volume 3: Chicken and Waffles

I don’t know if you know this, but we get A LOT of music submissions. It is plenty of people out there making music, some of it is good, some of it is GARBAGE. You don’t have to worry about that with this one. This is from one of our long time readers, a guy by the name of Jeff Johnson. No gimmicky nicknames, just his government.  He hails from Atlanta, Georgia, but he isn’t your typical ATL emcee. Notice how I used the word EMCEE. He puts you in the mind of Talib Kweli, with a shot of Common. Jeff has been a dedicated reader for over 3 years and he has been doing his thing in the music game and has done songs with Blu, Co$$, Immortal Technique, and Large Professor just to name some cats that he has gotten it in (PAUSE) with. Enough of me talking, here is the video (which HE paid for) “Breezin’” featuring T-Kiss. Also check out his Hoodlums, Scholars, and Heretics mixtape, which we provided below. Who knows where the next Independent Spotlight is coming from, it could be you! Send all submissions to  nappyafro at gmail.com!

Download: Jeff Johnson – Hoodlums, Scholars, & Heretics

The homie Kevin Nottingham is doing big things and Nobody Famous is the first artist off Kev’s new record label HiPNOTT Records. This is the video for the first single off Nobody Famous’ upcoming album Order Up! Volume 3: Chicken and Waffles (which will be released in July). The single artwork is featured above and if you feel the song, head over to iTunes and put some money down (via the link below).

Download: Nobody Famous – “Don’t Act Like I Never Told You”

What’s good, people? As you already know, 2009 is the year of the Independent Artist here at nappyafro.com. We are committed to becoming the BEST Hip-Hop site ever created. Allow me to introduce ya’ll to Big Raw, a rapper reppin’ both North New Jersey & Albany, NY. Matter of fact, I met this up-and coming star in a barbershop in Albany!

It was Friday, the day before prom, so I went to the barbershop to get a fresh cut. I was in the chair and the guy was edging me up as Jadakiss’ new album was playing. I heard him say, “You heard this shit? How he spits hard lyrics over a club beat for the ladies? That’s what my sound is like.” I was curious, so I asked him his MySpace and if I could do an Independent Spotlight on him. He said yes, so I checked out his song, and true to his name, it’s RAW!

First, I want to shoot a quick biography about him: he was born in a Muslim household in New Jersey, and lived a fairly well off life due to his family’s restaurant business. However, later in life his family was forced to moved to Vailsberg Section of Newark, NJ, their wealth suddenly stripped away from him. Big Raw had to learn how to maneuver in the grim area he lived in, and eventually became a successful street hustler. Over 17 years, he was in 14 correction facilities in two states, New York and New Jersey (Damn). He’s got the credentials of a veteran in the rap game: he’s opened for acts such as Ja Rule, Nas, Foxy Brown, Jadakiss, Jim Jones, and Juelz Santana since 1999. Big Raw cites his main influences being Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Scarface, and Kool G Rap.

He effortlessly changes song styles from club hits like “Bounce it Out” to emotional tracks like “Mommy Forgive Me”, to straight up bangers like “Behind the Wall” and “Take a Number”. “Behind the Wall” and “Mommy Forgive Me” both really impressed me: besides incredible beat that’s on “Behind the Wall”, the lyrics are really deep and hard too. The hook sums it up perfectly: “Let me take all of ya’ll behind the wall/Where hustlers and crooks are confined to fall/Some crawl while other guys decide to ball/I’m the real deal, tell me what side is ya’ll?” Meanwhile, “Mommy Forgive Me” is a more laid back track completely with pianos on the beat too. Here, Big Raw gets personal about his life with his family and asks his mom to forgive him. The R&B singer on here was a good look too.

Big Raw has got a mixtape coming out May 1st. With the independent launch of Grimey Tunez Entertainment LLC, Big Raw is positioned to make big splash in the game. With “rawthentic” lyrics that were created inside the prison walls, his songs will prove that the lyrics he spits put him in a league of his own. Check him out on his MySpace page here.

Staying true to our word about shining the light on artists that you may or may not know, the latest to be added to that list is Skent Dukes. Reppin the Buckeye State, (Ohio for the slow ones) Skent is trying to become the next big thing out of Cleveland. Cleveland and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony will forever be synonymous with each other, but can Skent Dukes carve out his own lane and show the world that everyone in Cleveland doesn’t sound the same. Check out his bio and then listen to his song “Steady Watchin”. Who knows, he might just be the next BIG thing!

Growing up in Cleveland at a time where it’s music scene was run by national artists and an inner circle of locals, Skent found a place to stand on his own. As a young teenager and member of Sly Fam—alongside his brother, Stone—Dukes was apart of a 1999 underground E.P. entitled Thievery, which went on to sell over 10,000 units in Ohio and effectively put him into a viable position in the midwest music scene. Three years later, Skent’s first solo venture Get It Right had the Cleveland streets buzzing and moved, over 9,500 copies all out of the trunk of his car. The album boasted 19 tracks, including “Swallow That” featuring Columbia recording artist Lil’ Flip and the standout single “Grind Right” that landed at No. 25 on the Billboard magazine’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart and at No. 43 on the Hot 100 singles. According to Billboard, “Grind Right” sold approximately 25,000 copies, as indicated by Soundscan. For several weeks, Skent Dukes’ single “Grind Right” was the most purchased track locally, outselling national artists both inside and outside of his genre.

Having opened for major national recording artists such as Jay-Z, Scarface, Ludacris, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and the Big Tymers, Skent Dukes has the ability to hold his own and engage any crowd. In addition to holding his own on stage, his collaborations with Lil’ Flip, Dogzilla and Mike Jones have also proven his growing skill level. Now, currently gearing up for the release of his next solo album and pushing his new jump-off single “Steady Watchin”, Skent Dukes has an arsenal of lyrics and material that can readily flex his rhyming muscles over some of his self-produced and blazing tracks. Looking forward to dispensing some of Cleveland’s assorted flavor into the national hip-hop/rap market, Skent Dukes more than ready to have the world steady watchin.

Download: Skent Dukes – “Steady Watchin”

Here at nappyafro, we are committed to being the BEST HIP-HOP SITE…EVER. The latest person to be featured in our Independent Spotlight is a female reppin Harlem named Starr. You might have heard of her you might have not, but she is the lone female on Juelz Santana’s Skull Gang Records. If King Jerm is cosigning it…YOU KNOW IT HAS TO BE HOT. Check out the bio, then check out her song “Rockstarr”, featuring Juelz and Lil’ Wayne. Props to my girl Aaliyah over at RA Management!

Who’s the girl holdin’ down Juelz Santana on the hot new SKULL GANG single “ROCK STARR”, featuring Lil’ Wayne? Her name is Aqueelah McCummings, better known as STARR, the “first lady” of Juelz Santana’s SKULL GANG label. STARR grew up in Harlem USA, with all of the benefits of a loving family, an early realization that music is her life and all of the cultural stimulation a budding young artist could ask for. She began performing at the age of 8 inspired by SWV, Mariah Carey, Xscape, and Aaliyah. She studied dance, drama, and trained vocally from the age of 12 until she graduated from Performing Arts Repertory High School. At 15 she began writing songs, while still in high school, STARR auditioned to sing the National Anthem for the 76ers in Philly and beat out thousands for the honor. A packed Wachovia Center witnessed an undeniable performance; their enthusiastic applause confirmed for us all that Aqueelah was truly a STARR.

STARR’S ability to write and arrange music attracted industry talent scouts, and management companies. She began writing for hit making recording artist, but her real passion was in writing/arranging and singing her own songs. After all, her goal is to be a Platinum selling hip-hop/R&B/pop/rock artist. Starr says, “when I’m not in the studio I’m listening to music…music is my therapy” Being in the “matrix” as Starr calls it, led her to record with Cassidy in 2005. 2006 bought countless performances, and a feature on Juelz Santana’s hit single “Secret”. In 2007 STARR featured on the Jim Jones’ Pray 4 Rain album. In 2008 Starr was a cast member of Jim Jones Hip-Hop Monologues, featured with Julez on the Jim Jones Christmas album on “Jingle Bells” and signed with SKULL GANG. Now at the top of 2009, “Rockstarr”  has radio listeners asking; who’s’ that girl?

You haven’t seen her? Brown eyes, dimpled smile, long black hair give Starr’s pretty face an angelic appeal. She’s young, hot and sexy! 5’9 and quick to put on thigh high boots with a 6 inch heel, a little tee or hoodie and some Robin jeans. She has the look every young girl wants, she’s a guys fantasy girl. But Starr is all business and very serious about her music. When I asked what’s the one thing she wants the world to know about her, she replied “I want people to know that I’m a hard worker, I always give 100%. Being the only girl in a all boy camp (Skull Gang) I get looked at in a certain way. But I write and arrange my own songs and far from what everyone thinks about a girl around a bunch of guys in hip-hop and no, I don’t get disrespected, I’m not a sex toy to the guys, please! They are very supportive and protective”

STARR looks forward to working with Timbaland, Luda, Dream and Missy in the near future and to putting her dramatic training to use in films; we look forward to watching her journey.

Download: Starr feat. Juelz & Lil’ Wayne – “Rockstarr”