yU is most known for his work demolishing microphones as 1/3 of Diamond District, but he is adept behind the beat machine as well. This joint is actually a cut off his humbly titled ‘A Garbage Beat Tape‘. One MC’s “garbage” can be another one’s banger. The faceless Black Opera collective bring life out of the rumbling kicks and neck-snapping drums in yU’s production with two strong verses that seesaw between the glamour of being a Black Superstar and the perils of being perceived as one. The Black Opera reminds us that “we still killing over Jordans,” and how balling so hard could make the police try and fine you.

Stimulating to the mind as well as pleasing to the ears, The Black Opera, yU, and the entire MMG collective continue to prove that great music can serve a higher purpose. Not just filling your trunks with bass and your head with ill rhymes, hip-hop still has the power to push you to re-examine the world around you.

You may have first heard of Mach Five, when they collaborated with Detroit based emcee Danny Brown with the track “Molly On My Tongue,” or with their prior video “Breaking My Heart,” featuring Bilal and Hollyweerd.  However, the Atlanta based duo is definitely making a name for themselves and you should pay attention.  

Here are the latest visuals from the duo’s latest release, Ratchet Shit Vol. 2 which was premiered by 2dopeboyz. The track/video “7 A.M,”  has become known as the stoner anthem, where the two Corey Davis and A.Ware talk about girls, drugs and partying.  The very funny visuals were directed by Mister Corrupt and Zimbabwe Kev. The song was produced by Asston Kusher.  Make sure to download the project for free here.

“Even though technology rules our lives these days; many people still appreciate the artistry of festival posters and that is the reason we’ve commissioned a respected Detroit artist to create ours,” said Jason Huvaere, Movement Festival Director.

The art that Pardo has created over the years can be viewed all across Detroit, and a considerable amount of it is present on our freeways at any given moment of the day. Most recognized for the design of the Ford GT, Pardo put verve in the steel curves and reminded us that a car’s first internal combustion takes place in an artist’s mind. His paintings and drawings bespeak both his love for linear perfection and his fascination for the manner in which those “lines” deliver aesthetic satisfaction to the viewer. More information about Camilo can be found at http://camilopardo.com

Movement Electronic Music Festival is partnering with Pardo, 1xRUN and 323East Gallery to make 50 limited edition prints available for only $65. They can be purchased at http://1xrun.com/runs/Movement_2012_Official_Print on Thursday May 17 at Noon EST. Each print will be signed and numbered by Camilo and come with a certificate of authenticity from 1xRUN.

About Movement Electronic Music Festival

Movement Electronic Music Festival takes place May 26-28 in Detroit and features: five technologically-rich outdoor stages; more than 100 artists; free Wi-Fi access on the grounds; a posh VIP setting located behind the main stage; dozens of official afterparties; an interactive technology center featuring the hottest gear in the industry; and several art displays to stimulate the senses. Nearly 100,000 people from across the globe attended the 2011 festival.

A limited number of three-day VIP passes are still available for $200 per person. Three-day general admission weekend passes are currently on sale for $80 per person. Pre-sale one-day passes are now available for $45 per day. For more details and to purchase festival tickets visit www.movement.us. For more details about afterparties and to purchase tickets visit, www.movementafterparties.com.

About Paxahau

Producers of the Movement Electronic Music Festival since 2006, Paxahau was established 14 years ago as an online resource to promote both Detroit and electronic music, and has earned the respect of their peers and formed a very strong network of alliances throughout the music industry. Today Paxahau is recognized across the world by artists and industry executives as a premier promotions, production and management organization. To learn more, visit www.paxahau.com.

About 1xRun.com

1xRUN.com is the premier online destination for exclusive one of a kind artwork in any and all forms. Working with leading and emerging artists from around the world, 1xRUN is focused on bringing limited-edition time released artwork to collectors across the globe. Here at 1xRUN, our artists are a special breed and so are our customers. We strive to offer a one of a kind product that suits both and is unlike anything else in the marketplace.

About 323East Gallery

323East is a collection of creative energy materialized in a mashup of art, culture, lifestyle and creativity. Located 20 minutes north of downtown Detroit in Royal Oak, MI; 323East is home to over 400 artists with rotating works in a variety of mediums. Recent exhibitions include local and international artists Glenn Barr, John Dunivant, Ron Zakrin, Audrey Pongracz, Yumiko Kayukawa, and many more. Punk Rock Meets Counter Culture. To learn more visit http://323East.com

In preparation for her highly anticipated Summer release of a brand new project entitled ‘Hunter‘, slated for the 13th of June, Baiyu is getting geared up through yet another visual created by director Eif Rivera. For this first video off of ‘Hunter‘, Baiyu hit the studio and the set with Rotimi, whom more than a musician, is also an accomplished actor on Starz channel’s award-winning television series ‘BOSS‘, as well as the new face of T.I.’s AKOO line of apparel.

To download ‘Invisible‘, as well as to listen to Baiyu’s existing projects, click here.

TTK: Well, I never tell anyone what it really means but it represents a kid from around the way with so much ambition. The world is his and he’s trying to get it.

GC: A lot of people know you from your sneaker designs. How did that all get started?

TTK: Back in like 03′ or 04′. I started seeing custom sneakers rising and people were getting known off it. But the designs I saw weren’t that great. Honestly, its just another canvass and I’m definitely not a one trick pony. Its just another outlet and I did that for people to take notice of who I was.

GC: Would you be open to designing your own sneaker line?

TTK: Yea I’ve been approached, but nothing really materialized.

GC: what is your biggest inspiration for your style?

TTK: I’m a fan of old album cover art and the aesthetics behind it. It comes from the era of pure creativity. So alot of my work is inspired by old album cover art. For me, I feel in order to be a master of your craft you gotta understand where it came from.

GC: I saw you did a piece about Mike Tyson. That was kinda different, cause you really don’t think of Tyson with soft colors and birds (laughs). What’s the story behind that?

TTK: That painting is called “A Moment of Peace” and I painted that when I was living in Connecticut. I’m a big Tyson fan, he’s like the black superhero of our era. The young Champ! I wanted to portray him in a way people don’t normally see him with a calmness and peace that we don’t see in the media.

GC: It was cool to see how you used the pigeons as part of the imagery. It made me think about when I was a kid living in East New york (Brooklyn). My Uncle use to have a pigeon coupe with homing pigeons up on the roof of his house racing and signaling them to do all kinds of crazy tricks and aerial acrobatics.

TTK: Yea and knowing how much Mike Tyson loved his birds, I felt it was the perfect element to separate him from all the other influences and misconceptions that the media reinforced about him. Also, most people don’t know but I was in the navy on a submarine for a few years. Everything on the sub was sea-foam green and machine grey. But the sea-green was more calming, so this was all part of my personal influence creating this picture.

GC: In a few of your pieces there is a reoccurring theme with the Storm Trooper helmet. What’s that about?

TTK: If I could put a method to the madness, I was like the biggest fan when Star Wars came out. The Storm Trooper was the first action figure I had that actually was mine, not my cousin’s or anybody else. I just like the way they look. The costumes are simple, but very detailed. It definitely brings me back to my childhood though.

GC: There were a few live installations and show’s you’ve done collaborating with artist like the show you did at the Union Square Best Buy with Skyzoo, getting your rockstar on. How was it compared to the traditional way you create?

TTK: It’s always a dope experience to do live shows, cause you have the energy and the vibe from the audience live and in your face. You can feel it and it comes across in your work.

GC:How has things changed for you with your career as an artist? Are they showing you love?

TTK:Well first of all people see me and they don’t even ask how I’m doing, they ask about my next event. The fact that you can bring people out that normally wouldn’t come out says and means alot. When its all said and done, I just want people to feel good when they see my work and be inspired. At my events you see a mixture of people most wouldn’t expect at events. The hood even supports! I just want people to understand they don’t have to limit themselves. Money is cool, but I can’t take it with me after this life. The clothes are cool, but its about the character. If your not a stand-up person, it doesn’t matter what you acquire in life.

GC: I can imagine your art has taken you to places you probably would never have seen otherwise?

TTK: Definitey. It’s brought my dreams to life. Its got me sitting here talking to you. I’ve met alot of good people coming to me and wanting to work with me. I could have been in alot of other situations, but art was my gateway. Funny enough i knew it would be even from a youth. But the art world is a fickle one. There are no set rules, you just do what you feel. And those that truly have a love for it you can see it in their work.

GC: So whats next for TTK?

TTK: I’m working on more gallery exhibits, playing around with new styles. I definitely wanna work more in the community with mentorship. “Forward movement” that’s the motto I live by. I never say “I wanna do this by this time” because things pop up, its unpredictable. Life isn’t a race, its a marathon. The question is can you handle it? But I’m definitely looking forward to doing more work in the community, hopefully some mentorship too.

GC: TTK for the Kids?

TTK: But of course, you already know!

GC: I seen you rocking out on your iPod on the way here, what’s on your play-list?

TTK: I can’t really tell you the real shit cause heads might start hunting for it. (Laughs) But I like Big Krit, he’s a producer that can rap and has content. It’s not about how much he smokes or how flashy he is. I like that his music has lyrical content. The music is for the people, not so much the love of the money. I also listen to Madlib. I like his production, he’s like a scientist. I also listen to Chaka Khan, and the original Pete Rock album.

GC: You mean ‘All Souled Out‘ with CL Smooth? Yea, that’s that classic pork-chop-with-the-mac-n’ cheese-greens-and-the-candied-yams-on-the-side-hip-hop.

TTK: Yeah exactly!

GC: So, how can our readers get in tune with you and see more of your work?

TTK: My website is always up 24/7 or follow me on Twitter. And if you want to see my music selection, all the random-ass artists I listen to when I’m getting in my zone, you can check me out on Facebook!

Promoters are encouraging fans not to miss out by unveiling the majority of the diverse line-up for 2012 and offering an early-bird 2-Day pass for $36.00, plus surcharges for a limited time. 3-day passes begin at $90.00 and include all shows at Humboldt Park, Congress Theater and after-parties. VIP passes are available for $155.00 and include private stage-viewing areas, a sectioned off VIP area in the park with a private bar and drink tickets. Tickets are available at riotfest.org.

Riot Fest & Carnival is expanding to its new location Humboldt Park–which is flanked by a handful of hip neighborhoods including Wicker Park and the Division Street corridor–in order to accommodate a large carnival atmosphere featuring three main music stages, thrilling rides, games, vendors and gourmet food trucks thoughtfully arranged on the gorgeous park grounds with stunning views of downtown Chicago for an enjoyable experience. With temperatures averaging around a perfect 75°F/24°C, September is one of Chicago’s most popular months for travelers from all over the world.

A wide array of confirmed talent is on tap for Riot Fest & Carnival, including RISE AGAINST, IGGY & THE STOOGES, ELVIS COSTELLO, THE OFFSPRING, A DAY TO REMEMBER, COHEED AND CAMBRIA, DESCENDENTS, GOGOL BORDELLO, THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN, DROPKICK MURPHYS, NOFX, THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM, ALKALINE TRIO, AWOLNATION, THE PROMISE RING, GWAR, AUGUST BURNS RED, FRANK TURNER, BUILT TO SPILL, LESS THAN JAKE, REVEREND HORTON HEAT, FISHBONE, NOBUNNY, A WILHELM SCREAM, SCREAMING FEMALES, TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET, OFF WITH THEIR HEADS, DEALS GONE BAD, WHITE MYSTERY, LARRY AND HIS FLASK, THE STORY SO FAR, JAPANTHER; and the first show for a reunited CHIODOS (original line-up) as well as a reunion for SLAPSTICK.

More acts and events will be announced in the coming weeks leading up to the festival.

As previously announced, Riot Fest enjoyed a successful east coast expansion to Philadelphia in 2011 and on Thursday, July 19, the music fest will return to the Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing with REFUSED, THE PROMISE RING, AUGUST BURNS RED, OFF!, GAMEFACE, BOY SETS FIRE, HIRS and more. Although initially planned as a three-day event in Philly this year, RIOT FEST promoters have come across a exciting new opportunity for the East Coast and have decided to focus their efforts on making this a special late-summer event. Expect a full announcement soon. For all questions regarding tickets, visit Ticketmaster.

Riot Fest is the brainchild of promoters Michael Petryshyn and Sean McKeough who launched the first Riot Fest in fall of 2005 throughout multiple music venues in Chicago, IL. Riot Fest brings fans of all ages together to celebrate rock, indie and punk from every era. The fest has become well-known for reuniting influential underground artists and has quickly become one of the top music destination festivals in the U.S. for fans. The goal for Riot Fest & Carnival 2012 is to create the best live experience possible for everyone from 14 year olds to those over 40. Check out the Q&A below with Riot Fest founder and promoter Michael Petryshyn.

How did the concept of the Riot Fest & Carnival, which is new this year, come about?

My partner in Riot Fest Sean McKeough and I have been tossing around the carnival aspect for quite a while. It first originated in 2009 with the idea of starting a new festival or taking Riot Fest outside. That’s when we first started talking about adding some carnival aspects to it—ultimately to make it a better overall experience. When the decision was made, we wanted to differentiate ourselves from every other festival that’s going on right now, whether it’s something as massive as Lollapalooza or something smaller like Pitchfork. The carnival aspect is more fun and lighthearted. There’s a certain romanticism we have with state fairs and carnivals here in the office, so we got this notion stuck in our heads a few years back that it would be great to see The Descendents play on a Ferris Wheel with corn dog in hand. I’m sure there will be some detractors, but we’ve always tried to make the fest more about having a good time the trying to obtain any kind of scene points. What it comes down to is that we’re all about good music and people having a good time. It’s really that simple: Good bands of every generation, carnival rides, throwing darts at balloons in hopes of winning a knock-off Stewie while devouring a funnel cake. Also, Humboldt Park is one of Chicago’s largest and most beautiful parks. It’s so scenic with the lake and tree lines which provide shady areas and from the stages you can see the Chicago skyline. Humboldt and Logan Square are great places in Chicago right now–a lot of life exists in this area. We think we hit the nail on the head with picking Humboldt Park as the home for Riot Fest for years to come. We’re not moving. We love Humboldt Park–walking through it is just exciting. I did walk-throughs at other parks but when you enter Humboldt Park the beauty of the setting sinks in and it plays just as much of an instrumental role in the festival as some of the artists do. Humboldt is its own little being. With us taking Riot Fest outside this year, people will finally see our vision for the first time. It took a few years to develop.

How do you approach booking the festival and giving it a life of its own?

I think there are two ways people approach booking a festival. Obviously, no matter which way you do it, you have to count on numbers. You can’t just book all your “favorite bands” and hope that everybody will show up. Granted, we still handpick all of the bands from openers to headliners, so in fact, we are in essence booking bands we’re really into, but you do need anchors that make sense. With that said, bands like Iggy and The Stooges, Elvis Costello, Rise Against, Descendents and the entire bill represent who we are better than any branded logo or long-winded explanation of why we book the way we do. The proof is right there in the lineup. Every band on here from Dropkick Murphys to A Day to Remember, all the way to The Jesus and Mary Chain and Gogol Bordello, represents unique aspects of what Riot Fest was, is and will continue to be. We will never be pigeon-holed into something that doesn’t attract fans of every generation. That’s not fair to fans of music and especially the bands–and the consequence is that you become predictable and stagnant.

For the layout itself, there will be three main stages and one side stage. When we drew up the site, we took into consideration how sound was going to project to avoid any bleeding. We’re pretty safe on that. Also, if you want to you can check out every band on the line-up you can. There is some minimal overlap of 5-10 minutes, but there won’t be the same kind of conflicts as when we did it during club days. Also, we’re not using the entire park–only a quarter. But that one quarter is still pretty massive. To put it into perspective, you can fit three Union Parks into one the section of Humboldt we’re using. With the extra space, we’ve created the carnival aspect, side show attractions and a few more surprises. Humboldt is set up so there is a lot of leisurely space. You can sit by a tree, hang out and have a beer. You can go on the Ferris Wheel. You can eat food at tons of cool food vendors. You can go shopping with the artists we have onsite. There will be tattoo vendors, everything. Another big thing for us, is that people want to sit down every now and then. The one part of festivals I don’t like is that that there is nowhere sit where you’re being taken over by foot traffic and music. We set up Humboldt so there is plenty of space to just hang out. If people need to escape from the sun or whatever, it’s all there.

Talk about the evolution of Riot Fest from multiple clubs to going outside at Humboldt Park.

Riot Fest traditionally has been a venue-based festival. We started off pretty small the first couple of years. We had one big show and a couple of side shows. During 2009, we incorporated a lot more venues such as Congress, The Metro, Double Door, SubT, Beat Kitchen, AAA; so at any given time there would be two or three shows going on. Which provided a cool hub and spoke feel; especially for the out-of-towners who came and got to explore Chicago through the clubs. However, it came to the point where we were cannibalizing our own market a little bit, i.e. a Congress, Metro and Double Door show at the same time. Ultimately, it put people in a bad position to pick shows. We decided to avoid that altogether and put everything into one or two days. With that, at least in our eyes, we’d have a great fest. And doing the trial run in Philadelphia last year was a validating factor that taking this outside is the right move. We never saw so many smiling faces at a show before.

How did Riot Fest start?

I was working on my PHD and working at a law firm and it hit me one day, it would be cool to get all of my favorite bands together to play at one show. I remember jotting down on a piece of paper what would be a funny, quirky name for a festival and I jotted 50 down before Riot Fest–which was tongue in cheek–slipped from my pen. In May of 2005, I started reaching out to bands and about five months later the first Riot Fest was born. Basically, I was running everything, all the day-to-day. The first time I walked into the Congress Theatre to rent it I tried to play off like I knew what I was doing, but I was completely green. I hadn’t done anything on a large scale at all before I started doing Riot Fest. I had no intention of doing it again. I had enough of the stress of it and everything on my shoulders. A couple months passed and I missed it. The next year in 2006, the Naked Raygun reunion happened at Riot Fest, which was a big deal for Chicago–the most legendary punk band ever to come out of here and that’s when it kind of took a life of its own. Up until 2008, it was a year-to-year thing for me. And it wasn’t until a good three-and-a-half years in that we decided to see it through.

For more and up-to-date information about the Riot Fest & Carnival, click here.

“In November of last year I had an idea. I shared this idea with James Lotter, Matthew Vannelli and Doug Louiselle. Nearly 7 months later, the idea has come to life more beautifully than I could have imagined possible. We have NO major music industry hands aiding our progress and our pockets are far from deep. We DO have a voice and a vision that refuses to be ignored. We may not have “arrived” yet, but let this video serve as a warning: we are coming and we are on FIRE. Kevin Kramp, Hannah Eustis Mua, Braden Lee, Xavier Marquis, Lance W Conrad + the rest of our amazing crew. Thank you. TERRIBLE MIND. ♥”

We’d like to share a new dance-inducing banger titled ‘Big Journey‘ by Carli. This track is a part of the new compilation released by Robotberget. Robotberget is the new label from Miike Snow’s Karlsson & Winnberg. Listen to the compilation track by track on their Facebook and listen to Carli’s ‘Big Journey‘ here.

Active Child is currently on the second leg of his tour supporting his debut album, ‘You Are All I See‘. He returned to New York City last week with sold out crowds at The Bowery Ballroom, The Mercury Lounge and an after hours DJ session at the Mondrian Hotel. Everyone wants a piece of this guy and it’s easy to see why.

Grossi’s musical combination of the acoustic harp, electronic sounds and R‘n’B vibes, is one of the most original in recent years. The moment Grossi opens his mouth to flex his choirboy vocal chords is where the shock settles in: the song’s subject matter takes place in the bedroom and not in the church.

The live shows consisted of Grossi, bass player: Stratton Easton and drummer: Brennan Rhodes. A few Roman statues adorned the stage. The trio played songs mostly from his latest ablum, along some gems from his first EP, Curtis Lane. Grossi was channeling Aphrodite while belting out the erotically charged, Playing House. Everyone shared his heartbreak with Hanging On, along with Shield and Sword. It was as if you were entering the confessional alter of Pat Grossi: where he wears his heart on sleeve and has nothing to hide. If you think the songs sounded great on the album, their live sets will blow you away. You have to hear Grossi’s vocals in a live setting to truly appreciate the effect his music will have on you.

One audience was stunned by his voice, he wondered if any vocal effects were used during the concert. Another audience replied, “No. It’s all Pat Grossi”.

You can see the full set of photos from the Active Child performance at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City.

Image: courtesy of May Young