Editor’s Note: This piece was developed from an extended conversation between Reppa Ton and Chauncey “Chance Fischer” Jenkins. The new album drops tonight at midnight HERE. Sitting outside at Common House talking through Memento Vivere when the conversation drifts...
I am very grateful for this job, purely for the amount of new music I become aware of. This week, we got some softer stuff that I normally would not have been hip to, but now it's going into regular rotation.If you’ve got any tips, send them my way. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at...
TROY and Fan Ran link up for a joint that’s less a track and more a cipher carved in concrete—an underground testament to Richmond’s hip-hop lineage, equal parts street sermon and boom-bap baptism. The energy is straight off a dubbed Maxell cassette, that golden-era grit where the drums snap like corner store gossip and the bassline hums like an...
On February 27, 2025, Richmond's hip-hop community converged at RVA Boombox to honor the legendary J Dilla during Dilla Day VA. The event, which was also joined by Ma Dukes, Dilla's mother, transformed the venue into a sanctuary for beat enthusiasts, including a beat battle judged by heavyweights Bink and Nottz with sets by ProducerPlugUni and...
Maybe it is a facade but the weather is nice and life is returning to the streets of Richmond. The parks are full, the lines for ice cream are long, and hopefully the venues are packed. Check out one of these shows, enjoy the weather, and pretend you are in a movie.If you’ve got any tips, send them my way. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply...
Few artists in Richmond’s hip-hop scene have made as much noise in recent years as Chandler Matkins. From viral moments to sold-out shows, his rise has been marked by constant evolution and increasing recognition. His recent Going Away Show at The Broadberry was a showcase of homegrown talent, featuring performances from Lunch $pecial, O-Z, TMA,...
It’s the kind of connection that would’ve been unthinkable in hip-hop’s pre-internet days, when geography was everything and a Virginia MC had to drive to New York just to get in the right room. But in today’s digital-first landscape, persistence is currency—and Chandler Matkins has been spending it wisely. For years, he’s kept himself in the...
The streets are buzzing with whispers of new releases from some of RVA’s favorites, and I’m stuck in the present, waiting for them to drop. The only thing keeping me grounded is the constant rotation of shows at The Camel, Banditos, Gallery5, and beyond. If you’ve got any tips, send them my way. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply...
Lately, I’ve been in a serious rap mood, and with that, I’m continuing my quest to dive deeper into the local scene. If you’ve got any tips, send them my way. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your guy at griffin@rvamag.com. Basic City Beer Co. Thursday, February 13th, 2025 Tennishu, Eras, Crenshaw,...
The close of the year. Maybe this week your old buddies from high school will be back in town, maybe your coolest cousin is visiting for the holidays, whatever it is, go make some memories together. To quote the Specials, “Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think.” Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? I am your...
