Quad Cities emcee Soe Heartlesz — “The Gorgeous Gangsta” and “Rap President of Peoria” — is a 36-year-old mother of five who recently won the Iowa Music Awards Female Rapper of the Year. After performing on dozens of stages around the Midwest over the past two decades, she’s maintaining her momentum with Cardiac Arrest, a […]
Iowa hip hop
Posted inAlbum Reviews
Album Review: Rahlan Kay — ‘An Ode 2 Hip Hop: The Boom Bap Letters’
Rahlan Kay’s An Ode 2 Hip Hop: The Boom Bap Letters plays like grown folks’ music. It’s mature, grounded and built on experience. Across the project, Kay shares wisdom and encouragement in a way that’s direct and easy to take in.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Ahzia Hester is still rendering
It is hard to say where someone will find Iowa City-based artist Ahzia Hester on any given day. Maybe he’s opening for GZA at the Englert Theatre, or Cautious Clay at the Iowa Memorial Union. He might be at Gabe’s, performing his own songs and DJing the artists that influenced them, all over the same […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
The hip-hop horizon: Iowa rappers’ fall releases explore drug culture, punk and ‘ascension music’
This fall will see a wide range of releases from Iowan artists spanning the diverse rap and hip-hop spectrum. While this is far from a comprehensive list of what’s on tap for the next several months, here’s a cross-section looking at five releases from young, up-and-coming artists who have new projects on the way. Up […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Raunchy rapper Schäffer the Darklord is cleaning out his closet
Schäffer the Darklord, a.k.a. STD, is a 47-year-old rapper who’d probably have a few words to say to his 20-something self if he had access to a time machine. “I feel like I made an impulsive decision to adopt the stage name in 2003,” Mark Schaffer said, “and all these years later, I do have […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Battle rappers are making a scene in Des Moines
“Sometimes, it’s real beef or real grudges that need to be settled on stage,” $ANTHI said of the rap battles he’s been part of over the past two decades. “Sometimes rappers get called out, egos clash, shade is thrown. Some people are picky about who they battle. Some don’t care, and will attempt murder on […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Blair Christian of ‘Wild N’ Out’ performs comedy at Gabe’s
Blair Christian, a member of MTV’s revived Wild ’N Out comedy series, headlines a showcase of comedy and hip hop at Gabe’s this Saturday at 9 p.m. Though she’s worked successfully in the entertainment industry for years as a dancer and choreographer, Christian began performing stand-up comedy in 2012. Christian has done well for herself in the mean time, most recently being cast in the sixth season of Wild ‘N Out, where she has had a chance to regularly show off her improv and comedy chops.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Cedar Rapids’ Super Fresh Culture Fest enters its third year
On a scale of 1 to 10, how “fresh” would you say you are? 1 being “not fresh at all” and 10 being “super fresh?” If you answered with any number other than 10, you need to check out the Super Fresh Culture Fest in Cedar Rapids, coming up this Saturday. Entering its third year, […]
