Maxilla Blue V3

Emcee Asphate Woodhavet is currently in SF with producer Aeon Grey recording what will be the 3rd release for Iowa based hip hop act, Maxilla Blue.  Personally I haven’t been this excited about a future release in years.  Maxilla Blue’s debut release was my personal favorite of the two.  MBV2 was a great album but I just didn’t think it raised the bar.  It was an amazing album but I was hoping that it would be a giant leap forward and it just wasn’t.  I am keeping both fingers crossed that their 3rd release won’t be their last and it will be not just a giant leap but a catapult forward in their musical progression.

Don’t sleep…Maxilla Blue is good.

Skylar Johnson Live (YouTube)

Spicoli’s Bar And Reverb Rock Garden

01.15.2011

This video contains the tail end of “Its The Way The Wind Blows”, all of “Cedar Falls Or Bust”, and a little scratching on the ones and twos.  There was a great turnout for this show.  I opened up for J Trey for their “Blue I Soul” CD Release party.  Good times.

Skylar Johnson live at Spicolis Jan 15th, 2011

J Trey – Lover Lover Remix

Just finished remixing J Trey’s Lover Lover off their first album (which I was a part of).  It will be released on an upcoming remix album the group is putting out.  I felt a glimpse of past excitement working with JT again.  Life takes over but once in awhile it lets you have some fun…

They seemed to have updated their site recently

SJ

Skylar Johnson Update May 2010

I’m not dead yet.  Shortly after I bought my first MPC 10 years too late I started my own business.  My life has become consumed by it.  Or at least all my time free and paid.  I made a few beats on the MPC that I like and hope to make songs out of.  Right now musically I am in limbo.  I was too old to rap yesterday but still love making music and plan to keep doing so. 

On another note…You should buy Maxilla Blue’s new album when it comes out. 

SJ

Skylar Johnson – Cedar Falls Or Bust

Download or stream Skylar Johnson – Cedar Falls Or Bust.

I never really wanted to write a song about where I live. But Cedar Falls is my city and  I plan on dying here so why not.  I made the beat and did the cuts for what its worth.

Verse 1:
Hock spit on blocks that ought not hop to this
This is my city I give props to kids
From the 50613 who box and hit
Just like any metropolis
Talk sh*t and get your optics clipped
I promise we’re its realest we rock the sticks
I’m an optimist
This hip hop will be popular with all the populous
From big cities to the small and monotonous
They all wanna cop a lis
Even Schnack says the dopplar blips
Every time Skylar Johnson drops a hit

Chorus:
Its Cedar Falls Or Bust
I love you too much

Verse 2:
Some say we got ghettos get a grip
North Cedar got grits but no crips
You bitch if grass clips aint bagged quick
Get a hold of your nose its orbitting globes
Cops with an itch wanna empty clips
No lines for crimes speeding fines is it
Its nice to know its nice to grow kids
But don’t assume we don’t know what hip hop is
Go to a show when I show up at a show with
Two turntables and a microphone
I’ve been on these home grown micro I own
Since my own life was put in a poem
Songs and on those tones for phones
I go round the world and still stay home
So why leave
Best believe Cedar Falls til the Western Home’s heavy one emcee
I rep it til my last breath is blown
From the village to the Dome this is my home
Who’da guessed locals know whose next
Cedar Falls birth’d the best

Cuttin and Scratchin’ Outro

Skylar Johnson – DJ Scratch Practice

Got a few new records and recorded myself practicing with them.

Cedar Falls, Iowa what.

Click HERE to watch it at YouTube.

Des Moines, IA – Where Good Hip Hop Goes To Die

The Current Situation

Somewhere between 2006 and 2009 hip hop died. Or so some would like you to think. The masses that drive the pop machine may be avoiding hip hop in its catchier form but genres don’t die from less exposure, they usually get better.

Somewhere in Des Moines

Aeon Grey - Primate Curriculum

Its been a decade in the making. Aeon Grey sits in his brick and morter studio working on mixes and crafting a sound all his own. This Des Moines, Iowa emcee and producer has been pushing hip hop boundries his whole career. Now he sits atop the DMI with Maxilla Blue, Gaiden Gadema, and a small circle of talented artists wondering what do they gotta do to get noticed out here.

A steady output of albums and a local live schedule of shows on a near weekly basis has built a strong local following. Close outsiders keep an eye out for Aeon Grey and his friends, but when and how will the rest of the world catch on?

Musically, Aeon Grey has been the best unknown producer ever. With Pete Rock sampling abilities and a Kanye West ear for the right sound, his beats are as good as it gets. Aeon Grey’s gritty hip hop drums have their own recognizable sound that proves to be his greatest acheivement as a producer. With all this talent he should be an indie darling, yet hip hop’s over saturation has turned most yuppie music lovers off. About 5 years too young or maybe he’d had been able to ride the Anticon movement. Now he’s trying to make his own in a state no one wants to take seriously.  Working through his own independent label, Central Standard Records,  Aeon Grey and label mates have released quite a few breakthrough albums.

Remember this name…Maxilla Blue

The Best Hip Hop Album by an Iowa Artist

Most notably, Maxilla Blue, which consists of Aeon Grey‘s beats, Asphate Woodhavet‘s words, and DJ Touchnice‘s cuts.  Maxilla Blue is currently in the process of wrapping up their sophomore release.  It should be the most anticipated follow-up album in recent memory considering their self-titled debut is not arguably, but is THE best hip hop album from an Iowa artist ever.

With that said, Aeon Grey keeps moving forward trying to make a noise someone will hear.  Taking it one show, one album, one new artist at a time.  Be on the lookout. He may prove to be the final link to some sort of path out of here.

Visit AeonGrey.com or Central Standard Records for more info.