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J.Bizz Enlists The Entire City For New Project Greetings From Virginia

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Southside emcee/shop owner/philanthropist J.Bizz has returned to the scene with the compilation Greetings From Virginia Vol. 1, featuring all Richmond artists. With production handled by Sutta Homz and a roster that includes Radio B, Michael Millions, Noah-O, Joey Gallo, Nickelus F, OG Illa, Nick Verses, 3WaySlim and a host of others, the compilation is a great display of the talent the Cap City has to offer. With Greetings From Virginia, Vol. 1, J.Bizz shows love to the homegrown talent even as he sheds the “local artist” stigma. 

Listen below:

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

VA Shows You Must See This Week: July 3 – July 9

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FEATURED SHOW
Friday, July 5, 9 PM
SeeYouSpaceCowboy (Photo by Marte Rowsam), Heavens Die, .gif From God, Nature Freak @ Wonderland – $10
Oh boy, I am super-stoked for this one! And not just because SeeYouSpaceCowboy, one of my favorite metallic hardcore bands of the past few years, is coming to town, but because for once, they’re playing a legally-sanctioned venue rather than a house party. That means I can tell you all about it, and in doing so, point out the underground hotbed that is Richmond’s metallic hardcore/noise/screamo/etc scene — something I rarely get to talk to you guys about, since it mostly takes place in basements and living rooms around the less gentrified parts of town. So don’t just go to this show to rock out — go to this show to learn. If you talk to the right people, you’ve got a good chance of hearing about all the underground spots that host shows like this on a weekly basis — spots I can’t tell you about, because there are hella narcs on the internet.

But none of this would have any purpose if it weren’t for how great of a show this is truly gonna be, and how great all the local shows like this are, no matter the venue. This one is particularly exciting to me because of the arrival of SeeYouSpaceCowboy, a Cowboy Bebop-referencing metallic hardcore band hailing from California and bringing serious pedal-to-the-metal spastic energy on their recent Pure Noise Records debut, Songs For The Firing Squad. This release collects all their early EPs and splits, along with a couple of new songs, to hit you with all the frenetic blast beats, stop-on-a-dime tempo changes, and brutal breakdowns that make this band such a standout.

The fact that SeeYouSpaceCowboy have hit the (relative) bigtime by signing to Pure Noise Records means that, like other screamo-associated bands of the past few years, they’re now in prime position to disassociate themselves from the scene that birthed them. But while Vein publicly insulted Richmond’s own .gif From God on their way up, SeeYouSpaceCowboy are playing with them at this show, so that’s certainly a positive sign. It’s also a benefit for you, the showgoer, since .gif From God is probably the best spastic noisy metalcore band in America other than SeeYouSpaceCowboy right now. The bill is rounded out by Heaven’s Die, who will travel down from VA’s Shenandoah Mountains to bring us some serious low-end mosh brutality, and local newcomers Nature Freak, who have some strong death-thrash DNA and are sure to get your head bangin’.

Wednesday, July 3, 8 PM
Alexander Mack (Photo by Cory Hammons), Ryan Com @ The Dark Room – $8 in advance/$12 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Sometimes midweek brings us big bands stopping through RVA on their way from one huge city to another. But when it doesn’t, you can always count on local venues like The Hofheimer and Vagabond to spotlight some deserving locals and give us some good music to spend our hump day evenings with. This show is actually part of a weekly series called Underexposed, presented each Wednesday at The Hof’s Dark Room, and while the combination of Underexposed with a rapper named Alexander Mack makes “secret world” jokes nigh-irresistible, I have to wonder if the young rapper, who named his most recent album ’91 Two Forty after a Volvo that probably seems ancient to him, is even old enough to get those jokes.

It doesn’t matter to you, the listener, though — what’s important to you is whether this young rapper and producer has a good enough sound to make it worth your while to go see him tonight. The answer from me is a resounding “Yes!”, especially if you like jazzy hip hop with breezy, upbeat flows from a talented lyricist who isn’t above dropping a perfectly-sung hook on ya every now and then. Based on what I’m hearing, it doesn’t seem as if Alexander Mack will remain a secret for long. Meanwhile, Northern Virginia rhymer/singer Ryan Cam has more of an R&B energy on his recent Star Power EP, which will add some contrasting flavor to this evening of fine music you probably haven’t encountered before. It’s the perfect time to get familiar.

Thursday, July 4, 7 PM
He Is Legend, The Native Howl, Vegan Llamas, The Huntrs @ The Canal Club – $15 (order tickets HERE)
I know, I know, it’s America’s birthday, and there’s a ton of Independence Day-themed stuff going on around town on Thursday night. But, can I be honest with you? As a socialist trans woman in the age of Trump, I am about as sick as could be of all the rah-rah flag-waving bullshit I encounter each day. And don’t even get me started on the “Blue Lives Matter” flags I see stuck to car bumpers and flying from trucks every time I leave the house. Fireworks are cool, but where the Fourth of July is concerned this year, I mostly just want to stay inside and get it over with.

Fortunately, there is one show happening in town tomorrow night that’s themed around kickass music. He Is Legend are coming back to town, and only a couple months after I last wrote about them, I’m sending you to see them again so that all of us can escape the jingoism and bang our heads to killer tunes from the band’s sixth and latest album, White Bat. He Is Legend are definitely Southern boys, hailing from Florida and letting some of that swampy blues-sludge energy shine through on their latest material, but this veteran metalcore group has always been obsessed with occult matters, so I’m hoping they don’t stop the show mid-set to demand that we pledge allegiance to the flag or anything. God knows I get enough of that bullshit at car shows these days. Shut up and mosh.

Friday, July 5, 7 PM
Genosha, Ruin By Design, Vulcanite, The Donalds, Illist, Eliza Battle @ Sound Of Music Studios – $5
As Virginia bands go, neither Genosha nor Ruin By Design get enough attention. Genosha definitely proved their worth on last year’s LP, Our Conspiracy, which showed that these Orange County boys have a strong command of blackened thrash, metallic hardcore, and brutal mosh riffage. Meanwhile, veteran quartet Ruin By Design showed off their melodic hardcore chops on last year’s From Ashes To Empowerment, bringing us a tough yet catchy and politically informed sound totally befitting a band featuring former members of none other than Avail.

Now, on Merger, a new split EP on Settle For It Records, these two bands have combined forces in an attempt to take their sounds twice as far as either have gotten on their own. And they’ll be celebrating the musical excellence they’ve created together with this release show at Sound Of Music Studios, right here in good ol’ RVA. You’re going to want to be there, and not just to be blown away by the amazing musical power and performance fury of these two bands, either — they’ve brought together a murderer’s row of fellow Virginia bands to act as support, from punk rockers the Donalds to metallic hardcore maniacs Eliza Battle. This one’s gonna be outstanding; those of you who haven’t caught on to the brilliance of Genosha and Ruin By Design need to get your asses to this show.

Saturday, July 6, 9 PM
Sadistik, Nickelus F, Elucid, MTFR @ Wonderland – $10
I’ve been doing this column for too long. You know how I know? Because sometimes I’m looking at a facebook event page and feel like I’m being personally called out. It’s probably all in my head (seriously, writing about ten shows a week for over five years starts to get to you), but regardless, I will admit it — OK, OK, Wonderland isn’t just for punk and metal shows (anymore). Sadistik is coming through town to prove this to me and anyone else who hasn’t gotten the memo yet with a unique sound that I’d have to describe as gothic hip hop.

On his latest album, Haunted Gardens, Seattle’s own Sadistik raps about dark, heavy subjects overtop of ambient goth beats and funereal melodies, which is kind of what he’s been doing throughout his career. If you liked the downcast melodies of that Soundcloud emo-rap movement that sprung up a few years ago, but really wished for more lyrical skills to go with them, Sadistik is here to grant you that wish. And he’ll be joined on this bill not only by Richmond’s foremost practitioner of rhyme skills, the almighty Nickelus F, but hard-hitting, intelligent New York rapper Elucid and MTFR of South Florida’s Nobodies. They’ll prove you can enjoy an outstanding show at Wonderland without ever feeling the urge to headbang.

Sunday, July 7, 7 PM
Party Nails, PRXZM, Rodes Rollins, Museum District @ The Camel – $10 in advance/$12 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Are you ready to dance? You better be this Sunday night, because Party Nails is coming to town, and this LA singer/songwriter/producer has some incredibly catchy electro-pop for you. When she starts dishing out tunes from her latest LP, Past Lives And Paychecks, you’re going to find yourself moving whether you’d planned to or not — so you’ll need to be prepared.

The synth-pop sound she cultivates in her music will definitely appeal to those among you who appreciate an 80s-retro good time, but if your aesthetic is firmly based in the 21st century, no worries — Party Nails has a modern appeal that comes through not only in her multilayered grooves but in the way-too-real subjects she deals with in the lyrics of songs like “So Broke” and “The Luxury Of Love” — seems like all of us are spending are last dollars to have a good time these days, and Party Nails knows that feel. Drop your last couple bucks on a ticket to this show, and dance your cares away.

Monday, July 8, 8 PM
Enforced, Gazm, Deviant, Itch @ Cary Street Cafe – $10
It’s time once again to bring some serious rage to the unlikely confines of Cary Street Cafe, as your Monday night gets exploded with some extremely heavy metallic thrashcore courtesy of Enforced. This RVA quintet has brought major heaviness to the mainstream-hardcore scene, and is about to demonstrate the fullness of their powerful talent on debut full-length At The Walls, coming later this month. Get an in-person preview at Cary Street Cafe this Monday night, and be prepared for some decidedly non-hippiefied mosh.

This show will also mark the final date of a weeklong tour that pairs Montreal’s Gazm with Richmond’s own Deviant. Gazm just released an LP entitled Heavy Vibe Music, but if you think that means they’re gonna hit you with some laid-back psychedelic haze, think again — this Canadian crew manages to mix heavy hardcore riffs with a snotty punk attitude and even, yes, a little bit of psychedelic weirdness to create something rather unique in today’s hardcore scene. Meanwhile, Deviant plays fast, angry hardcore that is primarily focused on a dark, nihilistic, and self-abnegating approach to the idea of sexuality. It’s fascinating, and a bit disturbing, but ultimately riveting, especially when they get that maniacal speed going. Local demo-core heroes Itch will get this whole thing started, apparently for the last time ever — so don’t miss a moment of this one.

Tuesday, July 9, 7:30 PM
Ghost Ship Octavius (Photo by MetalTitans), Rising Revolution @ The Camel – $13 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
This is a great one for all you fans of progressive metal. Whether you prefer the erudite approach taken by Opeth and Porcupine Tree or the operatic occult stylings of Borknagar and Arcturus, you’re sure to find an appeal in Ghost Ship Octavius’s music. Formed by members of Nevermore and God Forbid, this group brings quite a pedigree to their symphonic heaviness.

But it’s vocalist Adon Fanion that really takes them to the next level; his soaring vocal melodies are the most overtly beautiful element of their sound. Meanwhile, the group’s lyrical approach brings majestic, haunted thematic elements to complex songs made up of multiple movements and intriguing dynamic textures — exactly the sort of thing that lends itself to such dramatic lyrics. This group is going to take you on a musical journey when you enter into the Camel on Tuesday night — have the courage to set sail with them. The trip will bring tremendous rewards.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Thursday, July 4, 8 PM
Pelicanesis, Walkie Talkie, Secret Ninja Death Squad @ The Golden Pony – $7 ($5 with space suit)
This truly unique July 4th show all but defies description. However, as one who is never at a loss for words, I will sure give it the old college try. Pelicanesis is a band from Harrisonburg who were active in the earlier part of this decade, releasing an album entitled A New Sun back in 2011. That album detailed the story behind Pelicanesis’s origin, one every bit as complicated as the plot to the Star Wars series, and which I will not even attempt to recapitulate here. The important thing you need to know is that Pelicanesis’s music is intended to act as a recruiting tool for an intergalactic mission to the Pelican Nebula to save the civilization of Sarmantia from future apocalypse.

That’s why you’ll get two bucks off the admission price if you show up to this Pelicanesis reunion show in a spacesuit: the band needs you to join with them and fight off an alien apocalypse. Or something like that — all I can tell you for sure is that you’ll be graced with an evening of digitally-infused progressive metal that somehow manages to be equally reminiscent of Thrice, Squarepusher, Grandaddy, and Iron Maiden. And how often does the opportunity to enjoy such a unique sound come around? Clearly not that often, so instead of worrying about the petty concerns of a self-congratulatory nation on a tiny blue planet, you really might want to consider spending your Independence Day with these heroes from another galaxy. The mission is critical.

Saturday, July 6, 9 PM
Bato, Worn, Raw Breed, Kept In Line @ Studio 239B – $5
Saturday night brings raw hardcore rage to a random studio in Norfolk, courtesy of Brain Hemorrhage Records. Bato, who stand among the fastest and angriest bands Hampton Roads has to offer, are joined on this bill by Pennsylvania’s Worn, who mark themselves as devastating practitioners of His Hero Is Gone-style D-beat hardcore madness on their recent EP, Not Your Game. Expect these guys to unleash a whirlwind of circle-pit fury when they take the stage.

They’ll be joined on this excursion to the 757 by Raw Breed, a Colorado-based collection of ragers who go for more of a straight-up tough-guy HC power on their most recent EP, Collected — which combines two different two-to-three-minute demo releases onto one vinyl 7 inch that still clocks in under five minutes. These guys get straight to the point, and do so with a vengeance. The evening is kicked off by a performance from Chesapeake’s Kept In Line. This band is not only straight edge but named after a Left For Dead song, so I am on board for their furious, noisy attack. Get on board for this show by showing up at 25th and Llewellyn in Norfolk Saturday night. All will become clear once you arrive.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected]

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

A Day At The Races

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While the history of NASCAR may lie in the bootlegging, blockade-running days of Prohibition in Appalachia, today’s races marry the sport’s moonshining, outlaw-racing origins with the modern world. Racing in 2019 invites folks to fly their own flags alongside the colorful and checkered symbols of its own, encouraging fans old and new to experience the excitement from all walks of life.

With a group of our own first-timers and favorite Richmonders, RVA Magazine took to the track last Saturday, April 13, for Richmond Raceway’s Toyota Owners 400, right here in our own River City. WWE star Mickie James, Municipal Waste’s Tony Foresta, rapper Nickelus F, Valient Himself of Valient Thorr, and rapper Michael Millions joined our team with a common purpose: Fast cars, big thrills.

PHOTO: Stuart Mauck

No two tracks may be the same, but Richmond brings something special to the table for both drivers and fans. Our track, smaller in comparison to multi-mile raceways like Talladega or Daytona, makes for tighter turns and higher difficulty (i.e., more fun). On the other side of the fence, Richmond Raceway has a yellow brick road of sorts, manifested in an access tunnel for the public that lets lucky fans catch the race from inside the track.

Among the lucky, our crew got to walk the “road under the road,” stepping out on the other side of the tunnel into the center of the infield.

PHOTO: Stuart Mauck

The newest adaptations of the cars, whose glory days of the 60s and 70s only pushed out about 250-300 horsepower, have more than doubled: Richmond Raceway’s track allows for cars that pack around 750.

Gearing up for the race, fans piled in from around the country as early as 6am last Tuesday morning. Campers, trucks, tents, and golf carts lined the fields around the raceway to tailgate and celebrate, with the same excitement that sparked with the sport decades ago.

RVA Magazine – Nascar 2019

With a special mural dedication before the race, NASCAR honored a treasured local artist, Sam Bass, who called Richmond his home and worked with the organization for years before passing away earlier this year. The mural, which can be found in the raceway’s media center here in town, drives home the importance of Bass to the racing community throughout the years.

The Richmond Raceway grounds are home to more than the track; they hosted events all weekend, including public Driver/Crew Chief Meetings, Toyota Thrill rides, Virginia Lottery giveaways, and a Craft Beer Fest full of breweries from around the state.

If you’re planning to hop in the Toyota thriller next time around, make sure you’re not weak of heart or stomach — in stock Camrys, fans can hop in with professional drivers to have the guts scared right out of them in twists, turns, burnouts, and close calls with the wall, all designed to bring your breakfast back up (and still have you jumping back in line for another round).

PHOTO: Branden Wilson

Down in the infield, pit crews line the track, while fans full of beer and Larry’s Lemonade gather at the gates to watch the action. Each car and driver are unique to their own specs, but experience reigns supreme.

PHOTO: Branden Wilson

“While the entry point for NASCAR might seem intimidating for first-time race-goers, the experience is unlike any other sport,” wrote RVA Magazine managing partner Landon Shroder following last September’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at the track. “And unlike other forms of motorsports, NASCAR is unique in that there is a certain level of egalitarianism to the way the teams are structured. What this means, in real terms, is that unlike Formula-1, the NASCAR team with the most money is not always likely to win.”

“For instance, NASCAR regulates just how big the engine can be, limiting the size to 358 cubic inches, restricting the amount of horsepower an engine can produce. This ultimately makes the racing experience more about driver competency, rather than dollars spent on high tech racing gear. Because of these rules, the leaders of the race change frequently – sometimes with multiple race leaders on a single lap.”

PHOTO: Stuart Mauck

Every point of the track during a race brings a unique experience to the table. From the infield, the behind-the-scenes area gives a personal look at crews working while drivers rush on around you. The Richmond Raceway has tickets for regular seating and infield access to open the thrill to fans of all kinds, and from above the track and along the straightaway, the speed of the cars can feel unbelievable as drivers accelerate by in colorful blurs with each passing second.

PHOTO: Stuart Mauck

Until you’ve seen it in person, the excitement of the days-long party that surrounds professional stock car races is hard to imagine in its full fire — and like all things Richmond, the raceway holds a part of our culture that can’t be found anywhere but here. With a case of beer in arm and a ticket in hand, a day at the track is an experience like no other in the River City.

The 400 race is returning this fall. We’ll see you there.

PHOTO: Stuart Mauck
PHOTO: Stuart Mauck
PHOTO: Stuart Mauck
PHOTO: Stuart Mauck
PHOTO: Stuart Mauck
PHOTO: Stuart Mauck
PHOTO: Branden Wilson
PHOTO: Branden Wilson

Whitesburg, Kentucky

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*This article originally appeared in RVA Mag #36, on the streets now at all your favorite spots.

After being on the road for more than a week, Nickelus F and I left Chicago for the midwest leg of our tour and headed south to its final shows. After a short stop in Lexington, Kentucky for a pop-up show, the next day we found ourselves riding through the hills of eastern Kentucky, headed to a small city called Whitesburg: population around 2,000. Surprisingly, when the tour was first organized, this small Kentucky town was the first city to book Nick and I. Having never been to Kentucky for anything — let alone music, let alone hip-hop — I knew the tour stop was going to prove interesting.

Watching the country roll through hills and windy roads, I kept wondering why people would choose to live in such a rural area. The closer we came to Whitesburg, the more I realized that normal city attributes like neighborhoods, shopping centers, restaurants, and gas stations seemed to disappear and reappear like mirages — harbingers of civilizations.

This was offset by small houses dotting the countryside; in one of the valleys, we even found a Lee’s Famous Fried Chicken. I came to the conclusion that during our tour through the heart of America, I had finally reached the place that had triple bypass surgery. This place has been here long before me and Nick, and it will be here long after we depart. Maybe when everything goes up in smoke, Whitesburg will still be standing, among the rest of the small-popping cities of America.

With almost no cell service, I began to look up Whitesburg. I learned that, of its population of less than 2,000 people, only one percent of that population was black. Yet, apparently, it was one of the most progressive towns in this all-red State.

Smiles.

As if being in a city with virtually zero black people wouldn’t be interesting enough, our road manager decided to pull over at a local grocery store as we entered it. Wanting to see what type of time this city was on, Nick and I hopped out of the van, Nick pulling up in his dark sunglasses. None of us were prepared for what happened next.

Photo by Michael Millions

But first, let’s set the scene. Two black hip-hop artists from Richmond, Virginia, with long hair and nice clothes, just pulled into Whitesburg, Kentucky and walked into a very busy local grocery store with our black-haired, tattoo-sporting tour manager, Phil Shive.

Know that scene in the movie when the record scratches, stops, and everyone turns to look? That happened. So quiet did the grocery store get, we could actually hear the generic music playing in the background, mixed with the sound of the sliding doors opening and closing — a weird silence for that many people at midday.

Following Phil to the beer aisle, we noticed customers had stopped their transactions to look in our direction. In the beer aisle, one employee stopped mid-motion as he placed a box on a shelf; everyone in the store was still frozen in place. As we made our way to the registers, all the eyes still looked back at us. I could see their faces from where we were standing. The feeling was so crazy that I actually burst out laughing, and bent over to hide my reaction. I heard Nick mumble, “Shit’s crazy around here, yo.”

Our check-out clerk tried to act as normal as possible, but it was clear she had never seen black people in her life before. I didn’t sense danger, and these people were not racist — they’d just never seen so much color in their small town. We might have been just as rare as the Fugate Family of Kentucky, who had indigo blue skin due to genetics. This was probably one of the most awkward five to seven minutes of my life — like the Fugates, I felt like I had blue skin (and horns coming out of my head).

Walking back to the van, I think we almost caused a couple of parking lot accidents due to people rubbernecking our accidental trip to this store. Safely back in the van, we cracked up about the whole experience, but this made us even more excited to see what the show would be like.

Photo by Landon Shroder

Ten minutes later, we pulled up and parked on a block that happened to be the city’s downtown, maybe one or two city blocks long by Richmond standards. Phil blurted out, “Welcome to Downtown Whitesburg! The city that has earned its name today!”

Our host, Tom Sexton — co-host of the Appalachian’s best-rated show, The Trillbilly Worker’s Party podcast — had a real fly spot: walls full of classic hip-hop posters, interesting books on his coffee table, movies. I noticed he had a big poster of Dr. Cornel West, one of America’s most prestigious black academics, on the wall leading to the bedrooms. In this moment, I instantly understood what they meant when they said Whitesburg was progressive. Maybe, I thought, this city would be behind the rest of us. But, nope, the rumors were spot on. For me, it was like visiting one of America’s lost cities. One that had never lost track of the world.

I rolled a joint, and they walked us over to the building beside theirs where we would be staying. A couple doors down from our loft was the show venue, Summit On Main. We actually stopped there (and took five fireball shots) when we first pulled up to scope the venue.

Talking with Tom, it was apparent that he was a well-respected person in the community, and he was excited for us to perform. This was more than just a random show for him. We heard there was a record store at the end of the block, and I thought it was strange that a town this size even had a record store. We finished our joint and walked over there. On the way, we saw big posters for our show in all the store fronts. “Yo, tonight’s gonna be fire yo, watch,” said Nick, nodding and smiling.

We walked into the record store, Roundabout Music Company. One of the owners, Ben Spangler, was playing some old Wu-Tang records, along with some other deep-underground hip-hop records. Lacy Hale, the other owner, is a painter, and one side of the store was filled with bins of art supplies and paintings. Nick broke the ice by asking about some records. He ended up buying a few albums.

We observed looks of slight confusion on both of their faces before we told them we were in town for the show at Summit. Then it clicked; we were the artists on the bill, and we were headlining this diverse bill in their city.

After leaving the store, Nick and I took some random pictures and kicked it until show time.

Photo by Landon Shroder

Naps are essential on tour, and sometimes they slow you down. We got to the venue a bit late and started setting up our merch tables. A short time later, we started meeting a bunch of locals attending the show. There were only two other black people there — a grand total of four, including Nick and myself. In Whitesville, we shared the stage with Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires and a few others.

When it was time for me to go on, the whole crowd, previously spread out around the venue, pack into the front for our sets. I still couldn’t understand what connected Whitesburg to hip-hop, but it was clear, at least in that moment, that the music was bringing their town together. Of course, playing locations like Brooklyn, Philly, or Boston are super cool, but the most amazing part of tour is to have such a rare cultural experience in a new city.

Sometimes it’s not about about the big cities with lights, but the small ones in the shadows of the country; these rare, remote places that give you a glimpse of a better America — not the one you expect when you recall the history. I wonder how many other hidden places around the country sit under the radar like this. And, hopefully, to more artists: consider Whitesburg the next time you sit down to plan a tour.

Top photo by Michael Millions

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

Grace Under Pressure: The Rise of NameBrand

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Richmond hip hop producer NameBrand has worked with many of the city’s top rap talents, including Nickelus F and Michael Millions. But his story is about a lot more than just beats and rhymes.

NameBrand is a staple figure within the hip-hop culture of Richmond. Known for his versatility and dynamism as a sample-based producer, he has worked with some of Richmond’s top talent, including Michael Millions, Nickelus F, and Radio B. Now, with his latest release, Grace, NameBrand is continuing to develop his sound and career while simultaneously paying tribute to his past and his city.

“Richmond has an amazing crop of artists that any producer should appreciate being able to work with,” NameBrand said. “And when I say ‘any’ producer, I’m not just talking about local producers, I’m talking about producers throughout the world.”

Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, NameBrand moved with his family to Germany shortly afterwards, where he spent the first five years of his life.

While living in Germany, NameBrand’s mother would often take him to the local bakeries and open markets. Even today, certain scents still remind him of Germany and trigger a sense of nostalgia.

“Certain things that I remember, like certain smell of breads and cigars… It definitely takes me all the way back,” he said.  “That’s kind of [what] my experience with Germany is. I was so young, there’s only bits and pieces that I remember.”

NameBrand’s family relocated back to the United States and he briefly lived in Petersburg before moving to Chesterfield County in the third grade. It was after moving to Chesterfield that he was introduced to music production, and began to lay the foundation for the rest of his career.

“[I] was introduced to a host of artists and a host of different people who just had a passion for the music,” NameBrand said. “It was a really cool point for me, just being around so many artists and being so young.”

His older brother, Michael Millions, was the person who first sparked NameBrand’s interest in music production. As a kid, Millions figured out how to make a microphone out of a headset and a vacuum tube. He used this device to sample instrumentals from the radio to create a beat with. After the beat was created, Millions would rap over the music.

However, the cord on his homemade recording device was a bit too short, so he would have to lay on his stomach to record his raps. Watching Millions’s innovation and dedication to his craft motivated NameBrand to get involved. Fascinated with computers, software and beats, NameBrand naturally gravitated towards the production side of music.

“I’ve always loved beats,” he said. “When I listen to music, I listen to the beat first. If I like the beat, then I’ll go back and listen to the lyrics. In order for me to really appreciate [a song], I really had to love the beat.”

The first production software he bought was Hip Hop DJ, when he was 13. Even though he described the software as “trash,” he is still grateful that it allowed him “to get his feet wet.”

Soon after he acquired the program, Millions noticed his him working with it and invited him to come along to his recording session with local artist Illa Styles. Illa, who was working with a more advanced production program, noticed NameBrand looking over his shoulder at the software and gave it to him.

“That’s when it was like ‘Okay, now I have a tool that I can use,’” said NameBrand. “Now all I need to do is really, really study this particular tool.”

As a child, NameBrand’s passion for music was furthered by a fascination with various “real producers,” such as Dr. Dre, Puff Daddy, and Quincy Jones. In fact, the first album he ever bought for himself was Puff Daddy & The Family’s No Way Out, when he was about 12 years old. This album beget a lifelong fascination with talented producers, which started even before he began making music himself.

“I remember when I bought that album, all I could think about was how dope it was that . . . although he didn’t produce every record on there, he worked with the production team who helped to produce that particular record.”

In addition to Puff Daddy (aka P. Diddy), NameBrand also greatly appreciates Quincy Jones’ musical originality and his holistic approach to projects.

“I was introduced to [Jones] via Michael Jackson,” NameBrand said. “The way that [Jones] put those albums together with him . . . that’s how you put together an album sonically. All [those] other producers that I was fond of kinda had that same approach — they paid attention to the bigger picture.”

One of NameBrand’s favorite of his own projects is The Color Purple, an album he  released in 2011 alongside his brother, Michael Millions.

This was the second project that the pair had released together, and the first project NameBrand produced completely. For the brothers, there was a sense energy and excitement that surrounded the creation of The Color Purple that felt new and meaningful.

“It was just the mindset at that particular time,” said NameBrand. “We were new to it, but we knew that we were capable of doing it. There was this fun element there…. It felt like the beginning of something”

Another career highlight was his collaboration on Stretch Marks with Nickelus F. They first met to work at Nick’s house and wrote six or seven songs together. However, the songs were never released. Years later, NameBrand revisited the project and felt the songs had timeless sound — so he contacted Nick to discuss releasing them. Nick’s response was, according to NameBrand: “Let’s take these songs and turn them into a full-fledged project.”

Today, Nick and NameBrand are close, but when they were working on Stretch Marks, they did not have a ton of experience working together. However, they did have mutual respect for each other’s work.

“When I was first introduced to Nick, I was definitely a fan of who he was and his talent,” NameBrand said. “Being able to work with Nick was like a milestone.”

For his latest project Grace, NameBrand drew inspiration from Grace Street — more specifically from the time he spent at Donland Entertainment studio, which used to stand on Grace Street.

“That was where [my] foundation was solidified, and I started really honing in on some of the skills,” Namebrand said.

It was also at Donland Entertainment that NameBrand met his mentor, Architect.

“He was the older guy, like the vet,” NameBrand said. “He was the work horse, he made all the beats.”

During this time, NameBrand was able to focus on developing his technique by observing and learning from the different artists, engineers and producers that he was surrounded by. It was through this experience that he acquired the skills to further his own musical style.

“Production wise, I don’t really have a sound or style of music, per se,” NameBrand said. “I just enjoy making music that I like. If it sounds good to me, if it feels good to me, that’s the type of music that I make. I can make anything.”

To NameBrand, creating a beat is about creating a vibe and sparking a “constant transfer of positive energy” from creator to listener.

“I literally start from nothing, and it’s my energy being transferred into whatever,” he said. “Then that energy ultimately inspires another person to write this amazing song to it. And then that energy gets transferred out into the world, and people ultimately have whatever feeling that they receive from it.”

The biggest challenge in NameBrand’s career is figuring out how to pave his own path in the music industry.

“There is no real guideline on how to become what you ultimately want to be,” he said. “You’re making decisions every day that you hope puts you in a space that’s going to be closer to that goal.”

That ultimate goal for NameBrand is not only to succeed as a producer, but to reach out to inner-city youth and encourage them to pursue their passion, as well as higher education.

A software engineer during the day, NameBrand has a bachelor’s degree from Norfolk State University and a Master’s Degree in Tech from the Florida Institute of Technology. He hopes that he can be representative and show kids that the pursuit of education and a music career does not have to be an either-or situation.

“I feel like often times kids get posed with this idea that you have to pick one or the other,” he said. “I want ultimately [for] them to know that you can do both. You can do your passion and excel at your passion as well as achieve academically… You don’t have to just stop at high school.”

His career has grown exponentially over the past several years, and NameBrand is not slowing down. A pillar of Richmond’s vibrant hip-hop culture, NameBrand continues to flex his influence. Not only does he always have a new project in mind, but he strives to keep sight of the larger goal: to be a Grammy award-winning artist with a Master’s degree.

Photos courtesy NameBrand

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond

The 40 Most Essential RVA Albums Of 2018 (Part 1)

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Richmond’s always been a great city for music, and that didn’t change one iota in 2018. If anything, it became a bit overwhelming — indeed, even the most comprehensively-minded local music nerd was likely to overlook a few things. While putting this list together, I found a few that I overlooked myself — and I’m sure you will as well.

This list features our best shot at the most essential and noteworthy albums that our city birthed this year, from any and all genres. Since so many different genres and scenes are thriving in this town, we had to include 40 just to feel like we weren’t leaving anything crucial out. And let’s be real — we probably still didn’t catch everything. The best advice we could possibly give you about following this town’s vibrant musical community is this: always dig deeper. Your new favorite record might be right around the corner.

These 40 albums are a good place to start. Today, we’re presenting the first 20 — in alphabetical order by artist name, so it doesn’t seem like we’re playing favorites. We’ll have the other 20 for you tomorrow. Happy listening!

Ant The Symbol – The Motions (Gritty City)
Over the past decade or so, Ant The Symbol has consistently remained one of the most talented producers in Richmond hip hop. His layered beats are jazzy, funky, and have a lot of emotion built into them, and it’s always interesting to see what rappers do with them. The Motions is full of classic grooves that both present a smorgasbord of Richmond MCs in the best possible light and make clear that, as always, Ant’s beats are the star of the show.

The Ar-Kaics – In This Time (Daptone)
This retro-garage heads return to the spotlight after a year or two of woodshedding with a new LP that is a must for the Nehru-jacketed 60s nerds who sleep with the Nuggets box sets under their pillow. That can’t be comfortable, so maybe this 21st century slab of meat-and-potatoes rock n’ roll can help y’all sleep better. Then again, these songs are so full of fun, snotty energy, there’s no way you’re gonna sleep at all with this record on the turntable. Just get up and dance.

Bad Magic – What’s Wrong With My Eyes (badmagic.bandcamp.com)
This union of three talented RVA music veterans (Julie Karr, Tim Falen, Jimmy Held) produces music that seems to split the difference between their various musical backgrounds (in everything from folk to grunge to post-hardcore) and bring us the best possible distillation of heartfelt, driving, melodic rock music. Vaguely psychedelic and obviously descended from punk rock in at least a spiritual fashion, this album gives us a glimpse at what ruled the university-station airwaves before Nirvana came along.

Saw Black – Water Tower (Crystal Pistol)
This supremely laid-back album comes to us from one of RVA’s foremost purveyors of country-Americana slackness, and has some downright beautiful moments that’ll shine bright for fans of artists like Sturgill Simpson or the Drive-By Truckers. You could probably also play it for your uncle who thinks music has sucked since Garth Brooks, or to expand the horizons of your little cousin who only knows about bro-country. But really, you should probably play it while you’re relaxing on the front porch on a Saturday afternoon with a cold beverage in your hand. That’s when it sounds best.

Scott Clark – ToNow (Clean Feed)
Drummer Scott Clark is a leader in the mostly-overlooked world of RVA jazz, and with his recent work, he’s made quite an impression beyond our city’s borders as well. Clark’s been tapping into his Native American heritage for his recent full-length works, and that continues with ToNow. This album is a contribution to the ongoing protest movement in Standing Rock, in the form of a musical clarion call, an ambient yet intense musical exploration featuring some of the leading lights in Richmond’s jazz scene. Immerse yourself.

Kenneka Cook – Moonchild (American Paradox)
2018 was Kenneka Cook’s year. This singer with the powerful, hypnotic voice put the entirety of Richmond under her spell, and Moonchild was the way she did it. The songs on this album move back and forth between soulful, jazzy R&B ensemble pieces featuring a bevy of talented local backing musicians and intriguing solo pieces constructed from electronic beats, synth hums, and massive stacks of multi-layered vocal loops, all constructed by Cook herself with electronic sequencing tools. It’s hard to say which of these two aspects of her music are more pleasing — in the end, it’s probably the combination of the two that gets best results.

Cruelsifix – Dark Snake (cruelsifix.bandcamp.com)
RVA metal is alive, well, and raging as ever. Cruelsifix finds some leading lights from the local scene coming together to fill their downtime with yet another rip-roaring contribution to the local metal landscape. They made their mark this year with a six-song debut EP that shows off their thrashing blackened death metal sound, and, with song titles like “Rabid Christ” and “Satan Earth Fuck,” makes clear that they aren’t just kidding around with the whole evil-as-hell-name move. Bang your head.

Lucy Dacus – Historian (Matador)
Certainly the RVA album of 2018 that got the most attention outside RVA, singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus has gone from house show sensation to international bright young thing in the space of two years, and has given us all yet another reason to be proud of our hometown. Dacus’s gorgeous, heartfelt tunes — which pair her smooth, beautiful voice with powerful melodies driven by a surprisingly tough rhythm section — took a leap beyond her already-assured debut album on Historian. Kudos to her.

McKinley Dixon – The Importance Of Self Belief (Citrus City)
In a city with a variety of different hip hop movements taking place, McKinley Dixon exists in a class by himself. He simultaneously brings a multitude of talented friends of various musical backgrounds together to take his music to a higher plane, and remains committed to first principles: those being strong rhymes, powerful beats, and most importantly something real to say. Even as he’s telling hard truths about oppression and struggles, he’s also uplifting your spirit with positive messages — look no further than the title track.

Fly Anakin & Ohbliv – Backyard Boogie (Mutant Academy)
Fly Anakin has been on fire lately, working hard to get himself and his crew, Mutant Academy, established in RVA and beyond. You can hear how much energy he’s bringing to the struggle in the hyperkinetic rhymes he spits on this album, which zap your ears with their sharpness even as they leave Anakin himself gasping for breath. Celebrated production legend Ohbliv contributes all of the production here, bringing a unified feel and a deep mood to Backyard Boogie, and providing a much-needed contrast with Fly Anakin’s manic intensity.

Gumming – Human Values (gumming.bandcamp.com)
The name of this group always makes me think of nursing home residents mashing down soft foods without benefit of dentures, but if you turn your back, rest assured, Gumming will show you just how much bite they’ve got. Human Values is a wall of angry noise that splits the difference between experimental psychedelic weirdness and pure punk rage, like the Butthole Surfers if they were fronted by X-Ray Spex’s Poly Styrene. Oh values, up yours.

Cole Hicks – May Day (colehicksva.bandcamp.com)
No one really wants to talk about this, but the fact is that hip hop tends to be a very masculine genre. It’s rare to hear a female MC spitting rhymes at all, let alone one that can stand toe-to-toe with the best in the game. On May Day, Richmond’s Cole Hicks adds her name to that list, contributing one of the best albums to come out of the genre in RVA this year and landing a top spot in what was already a banner year for Richmond hip hop albums. The beats hit hard, her rhymes hit harder, and her lyrical flow is unmatched, so quit tripping and start bumping May Day now.

Andy Jenkins – Sweet Bunch (Spacebomb)
Kinda country, kinda indie, and very Southern — that’s local singer-songwriter Andy Jenkins in a nutshell. The latest overnight sensation from the world of Spacebomb Records, Jenkins’s debut full-length, Sweet Bunch, has a laid-back, smoothly rolling feel that’ll put you in the frame of mind to rock contentedly in a porch swing as the lazy river rolls by. Some moments hit upon a sort of pastoral Van Morrison-ish feel, while others bust out the sunbaked twang of the Bakersfield sound. All of it is easy to enjoy.

Large Margin – Large Margin (largemargin.bandcamp.com)
Anyone who caught Brief Lives when they were around is bound to have thought the same thing I did — “that guitarist really goes off!” Brief Lives is gone, but the guitarist in question, Chris Compton, has moved on to becoming the frontman for Large Margin, joining up with a variety of local post-hardcore luminaries to exhume the spirit of Fugazi’s classic early 90s work and infuse it with a massive amount of frantic energy and 21st century political fury. One listen to this LP and you’ll want to rock out as hard as Compton does onstage.

Lipid – Freak Beat (Vinyl Conflict)
The growth of out-and-proud LGBTQ hardcore punk in this town has been one of the best things about 2018, not just for “representation” but also because it’s brought us a lot of great music from voices we weren’t necessarily hearing before. Lipid is probably the closest to old-school punk of this new crop of RVA queer-power bands, with a sound that mixes the sarcastic punk snarls of the Dead Kennedys with the sort of burly stuff that was coming out of NYC a while back — think Crazy Spirit, or The Men before they became a dad-rock bar band.

Love Roses/The Donalds – split (Tired & Pissed)
These two local punk bands are mainstays of the Shockoe Bottom punk scene that orbits around Wonderland, McCormack’s, and other venues the downtown hipsters aren’t necessarily clued into. They’ve both got a ton of anger to work through, mostly at the pathetic state of the USA today, and they do so with rage, melody, and humor. The Donalds are more midtempo, Love Roses more melodic, but both bands are a ton of fun.

Manatree – Engines (manatree.bandcamp.com)
This band of teenagers has really matured on their latest album, which reflects the stripped-down sound Manatree’s increasingly taken on as the lineup shrinks. Frontman Jack Mayock’s considerable talent on guitar and keyboards gets a lot of room to show itself on Engines, as does the sort of growth he’s done as a vocalist since his high school days. Manatree’s math-rock roots are still clear on this album, but as a band, they’re getting weirder, more cerebral, and more fascinating. I guess this is growing up.

Michael Millions – Hard To Be King (Purple Republic)
Dropping back on January 2, this LP acted as the starting gunshot for an amazing year of RVA music. Michael Millions brought the realness from the opening moments of this one, working with some of the most talented hip hop producers in town to create the perfect instrumental tracks for his powerful lyrics and rock-solid flow. And Millions clearly had a lot to say, filling all of these tracks with powerful declarations of what it’s like to be a working class African-American man in the neighborhoods of Richmond that the Scott’s Addition hipsters don’t even know exist. You can’t afford not to listen to this one.

Nickelus F – Stuck (AGM)
From one AGM heavyweight to another. This year saw incredible statements of purpose and power from all of that formidable crew’s leading lights, and Nickelus F’s Stuck was the hardest-hitting of them all. It’s only fair, considering how long he’s been working to advance his sound; that said, we’re all reaping the benefits, because Stuck proves that after a decade and a half of steady grinding, Sweet Petey is better than ever. If you didn’t catch him on tour with Lil Ugly Mane, you need to at least grab this. It’ll twist your head around.

Ostraca – Enemy (Skeletal Lightning)
People are starting to notice Richmond’s thriving screamo scene; Noisey even wrote about it this summer. If you’re not hip, Ostraca is the first name you need to get familiar with. This scorching trio has been honing their sound for over a decade, arriving on their third album at the strongest and most assured collection of material they’ve brought into the world yet. From harsh screams over furious lightning-speed metallic rage to long, slowly-building post-rock epics, Enemy displays the full range of Ostraca’s considerable talents. Dig in, and remember — there’s plenty more where that came from.

That’s the first half of the list — tune in tomorrow for the rest!

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond