Just Dance

Just before the bass drops into the thumping drumbeat on an electronica track, it’s easy to rush towards preconceived (and often negative) notions about popular “dance” music.  But lend brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence enough time and you’ll start dancing without even noticing. The Lawrences, better known as the English electronic duo Disclosure, have received Grammy nominations in the dance album category for their two studio releases, Settle (2014) and Caracal (2015).  Continue reading 

Coldest White Rapper

G-Eazy talks to EW about being poor, being rich and being white in the rap game

G-Eazy

G-Eazy is such a big deal that iconic rapper Lil Wayne remixed a song from his new album last week and NBA superstar Kobe Bryant greeted him at a recent Lakers game. On Billboard’s website, Nielsen Music charts hip-hop and R&B songs using a metric that calculates radio airplay, streaming and music sales. Each week since Feb. 20, G-Eazy’s “Me, Myself & I” ranked higher than any other rap song save Drake’s “Summer 16” and Rihanna’s “Work” (which also features Drake). Continue reading 

Rising Young Hip Hop

Young Florida rapper Denzel Curry

Denzel Curry

Young Florida rapper Denzel Curry — he turned 21 in February — is returning to WOW Hall as a headliner after his last stop in 2015 opening for Joey Bada$$ and Mick Jenkins. The evolution to headliner in one year makes sense: Before releasing his debut album Nostalgic 64 in 2013, Curry appeared on BBC Radio and performed at Coachella. His hard-hitting track “Threatz” has a phenomenal, psychedelic music video that has racked up 6.5 million views. Continue reading 

Hip-hoppapalooza

Vince Staples

Vince Staples

The “Rocky and Tyler” tour features A$AP Rocky and Tyler the Creator, but Vince Staples is the rising star to watch. Staples, who supports two of the biggest names in rap on this tour, says he’s glad to make his “contribution to hip hop” and “do these nice little shows.” But shows like the gig at Matthew Knight Arena are going to be the furthest thing from small. This is a huge hip-hop lineup, especially for Eugene.   Continue reading 

(B)east Coast to the West Coast

The Underachievers

The Underachievers

It’s Brooklyn rap at its finest, sprinkled with philosophical musing and psychedelic influence.   Often mentioned with Joey Bada$$ and Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers are at the forefront of new-wave rap from the other side of the country — known as the “Beast Coast” movement. When Issa Gold and AK spoke with EW, they briefly forgot Oregon was in the U.S., but, more importantly, they remembered there is “good weed” in nearby Portland, which is enough for me.  Continue reading 

Built to Last

Built to Spill

Built to Spill

When you close your eyes and listen to 2015’s Untethered Moon from Built to Spill, it’s like nothing’s changed.  The guitars still wail. Singer Doug Martsch still applies layers of distortion to his vocals. The band still writes songs about rock music and the state of Idaho. Continue reading 

Summer Knights

Joey Bada$$

Joey Bada$$

Born Jo-Vaughn Scott to parents from the Caribbean, Joey Bada$$ cofounded hip-hop collective Pro Era in 2010. He was just 15 years old.   “It started as a progressive movement,” the Brooklyn-born emcee tells EW. “Yeah, we was all into hip hop. But it just started with a group of friends with a bunch of similar interests: positivity for the youth, being anti-corruption. The simple shit, man.”   Continue reading 

Folk the System

Mischief Brew

Mischief Brew

Mischief Brew still makes music for the same reasons they did in high school. According to lead singer Erik Petersen, his guitar and the road are as addictive as a bad habit. “You’re angry; you need a release,” says Petersen, who also jams on guitar and mandolin for the folk-punk band. “We’re older now. We have jobs, houses, some of us have kids. But it never gets old, and it keeps coming back to you.”  Continue reading 

Jungle Rock

Glass Animals

Glass Animals

The meteoric rise of Glass Animals was unexpected, especially for frontman Dave Bayley. In fact, the success of the indie-electro rock band feels much like a dream. Bayley produced many of the band’s early original recordings in his bedroom in Oxford, England. He tells EW that he never expected anyone to hear his music, adding that he was at first “too shy” to sing over his instrumentation. Continue reading