A new kickstarter program from North Carolina songstress Carlitta Durand, support at kickstarter.com.
“First off, I just want to express my appreciate to anyone who is reading this and has ever supported me in any kind of way. Thank you so so so so so so much! Since 2006, I have been trying to make it as a professional musician, it hasn’t been easy but it for sure has more pro’s than con’s. I love what I do, I love sharing music, meeting new people, traveling, and most importantly creating music! I am very blessed to be able to do what I love:). This project “I’LL Be Gorgeous When I Die”, is my most important and matured project to date. I have grown as an artist and learned so much from working with so many amazing artists. I am making sure i do everything right this time, from recording to packaging, and everything in between. I have put everything i have into making sure this project is this the best Carlitta Durand.

The title of the project is special to me, in the industry and in everyday life it gets easy to forget about your purpose. I find myself getting caught up in material things or looking a certain way, or trying to please others. I forget about my duties as a human being, or as a child of God. So i have been focusing on being a better me all around; spiritually and physically. I would much rather be a gorgeous soul in the eyes of God after i leave my physical body. I’ll be gorgeous when i die. I have to credit the 1960′s British-American rock band, Fleetwood Mac, for the inspiration behind the title from their song “Sara”. I hope I can inspire someone to be a gorgeous soul.
In this album, I bear my soul, completely transparent. I am just fortunate to be able to share who I am with you, through exactly what ! love to do the most.
Hope you can join me in making this project GORGEOUS!!!!”
- Carli
Follow Carlitta on twitter at twitter.com/CarlittaDurand.

Kinda late on this but a dope video from Kixxie Siete [@KixxieSiete] and Artie McCraft [@ArtieMcCraft].
Download: Kixxie Siete + Artie McCraft – 4/20 BOGO Flow.

Directed by: Y Kaptain [@YKaptain].
Original track by: Afu-Ra – Whirlwind Thru Cities.
A new video from Artie McCraft [@ArtieMcCraft].
Download: Artie McCraft – Mental Violence.

Almost a year ago, I was introduced to the Dope Boy Anthems mixtape and let me be the first to tell you that I played the hell out of that mix.  I can rap it all in order as it appears on that mix, when I heard that Speakerfoxxx was doing it again but this time she was doing it for the Dopegirls… I was skeptical.

As I sit at my corporate job blasting “Dopegirl Anthems” in my headphones praying that my other coworkers don’t hear “Pretty Pussy Lips,” I can admit… I was stupid for being skeptical.
Every track that has ever been a guilty pleasure of mine is on this mix and while I may be Puerto Rican born, I am ALLLL THE WAAAAY ATLANTA RAISED!!! I loved the mix from the beginning but things got REAL when I heard Drama’s “Left, Right!” I stood up at my cubicle and spelled out “AYE-TEE-EL-AYE-EN-TEE-AYE” Thank God I sit in a secluded spot.
Any mix that can make me forget my surroundings and get all the way Atlanta on these hoes… Gets a 5. I’ve never given it out and this mix deserves it!
*A-town stomps outta here*
Download: Speakerfoxxx – Dopegirl Anthems.

Shot + edited by: Andrew Kurchinski [@AKurchinski].
Music by: Duke Westlake [@DukeWestlake].
Some new episodes from “The Hotbox” from Dumbfoundead featuring Kixxie Siete [@KixxieSiete] and Pigeon John [@dothepigeon].

Directed + edited by: Isaac Ravishankara.
Produced by: Brooke Kennedy.
The first video from Aesop Rock [@aesoprockwins] off his upcoming project “Skelethon“.
Download: Aesop Rock – Zero Dark Thirty.

Directed by: Corey Davis + Zimbabwe Kev.
Produced by: Asston Kusher.
New Mach Five off the “Ratchet Shit Vol. 2” project.

“Mama, I want to saaaannnng”

In a land over saturated with “rappers” (Atlanta), I was pleased to hear that there was a night dedicated to singing R&B to be more exact.  The place? Aurum.  In attendance?  The beautiful people.   I’ll be honest, I didn’t care for the opening acts.  No offense, just keeping it real.  Now granted, I have met and talked with Siergio [@Siergio] on a personal level several times and he has always been a dream, but this night was different. THIS night, I wanted to see him as simply a performer out to win hearts.

Granted there are always issues when it is a new venue for an act, either the music is too loud, too low, the mic doesn’t work like it should, or the band has an “off” moment but through it all Siergio and his backup singers pulled through and pulled it off.  Song after song he gave his all and it was obvious, not just from the sweat dripping from his face but the females in the audience fawning over him.

While he did do a few covers, he made sure to make them his own.  There was an added flair to his performance and I laud him on that.  I hate when artists do covers and perform them EXACTLY like the original artist.  The idea is to be better or different.  Not a carbon copy.  Siergio did that.

I left the show and genuinely was proud that Atlanta (by way of Chicago) might actually have an R&B act that is WORTH listening to without having to be a feature on a “rapper’s” track.  Siergio definitely has a future.

On a sidenote: I LOVED the beautiful plus size backup singers! Shout out to Kandii and Keia, hold it down for us out here! .

Download: Siergio – Whatever.

Download: Aramis – OU2.
Produced by: Jeo Jetson [@JeoJetson].
A new leak from Aramis’s project “Motion Addiction“, which drops this week
Follow Aramis on twitter at twitter.com/ThisIsAramis.

Directed by: Peter Sobat [@mrsobat].
New video from Phaze from his upcoming project “Dead Memories“.
Follow Phaze on twitter at twitter.com/officialphaze_.