Terrierz on Channel U Album

Yorkshire Terrierz will be making an appearance on the new Channel U album due
for release on the 23rd July and will be available from your local HMV

Alex Mills Signs Record Deal

Alex Mills is the 3rd camp member to sign a major record deal. Having featured heavily on the Roll Deep album 'In At The Deep In' and has worked with Audio Whores, Faithless, Tricky & many more big names. Alex has travelled the world to perform and has recently had a song signed to a film starring Bob Marley's daughter and Elliot Gauld.

Alex has signed to a label called 'Brown Punk' which is owned by Tricky 'Massive Attack' and Chris Blackwell (the guy who started Island Records, signed U2 and Bob Marley and the Wailers!) So she's in very good hands. Keep an eye out for Alex, she's gunna be huge!

(Look out for an exclusive track on Leeds City Vol 2...coming soon)

NEW KOCKEE VIDEO

Look our for Kockee's new video for 'F**k Wid' - Coming Soon..





For details visit KMediaLeeds.com or myspace.com/kockeek

SoL CHAT TO BEN BRADFORD

SOL chat about signing a major record deal, producing, the Scene and more with Ben Bradford.

Check the website for the interview - Take me to the website!

IT'S A LEEDS THING!

Below is a article written by Ryan Maxwell for HipHopKings.com

Hip-Hop Kings FEATURE

City Review – Leeds

Welcome to the first edition of “City Review”. Each month I will be researching, and collecting material from various city's and states across the world. This is basically an attempt to raise awareness for the city I choose, and reveal the talent that so many fans are missing out on. So why should you be interested? Well it's important to realise that hiphop is a global sound, and we are far past the days that New York and California are the only two states with quality artists. If you feel your city or state should be nominated for review, please email r.maxwell@hip-hopkings.com for more information.


This month we will be covering the city of Leeds. I have selected my hometown because I feel the talent in the city is as good as the next, and the artists involved aren't being recognised for their efforts. For those who don't know, Leeds is based in the North of England, in the county West Yorkshire. We have various reasons to visit the city, Gate Crasher and Oceania are two of the city's biggest clubs, which attract the like of DJ Tim Westwood and DJ Trevor Nelson amongst others. UK's leading rappers Skinnyman and Braintax were born in Yorkshire, and Skinnyman, Leeds itself. Plenty of gigs are held in various clubs, acts such as Roll Deep, Dizzie Rascal, El-P, Peanut Butter Wolf, and Klashnekoff have all performed, and of course the Northern Light Club hosted the Leeds night of the “Hip-Hop Kings Tour 2006”.


So lets get to the artists. In an era where everybody wants to be a rapper, and nobody supports the UK scene, it's difficult for groups and acts to gain any sort of recognition. However the likes of Yorkshire Terrierz have their video “What's Ya Life Like” on Channel U, and their debut album “Blended In West Yorkshire” can be found on the shelves of HMV and iTunes. They also hold their monthly event “Urban Mondays” at the Mixing Tin, where a live set from various local acts proves one of the highlights of the month. More information can be found on their myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/yorkshireterrierz).


They are extremely dangerous, and it's advised you don't listen to their material alone. The name is Double D Dagger. The duo are signed to Cryogenic Records, and are arguably the most notorious name from Leeds. Danger and D Bizzy are ever present when people speak of their favourite Leeds bands, and deservedly so. The “Packaged Fear EP” is available to purchase from retailers across the country, and online from www.fatcity.co.uk. Tracks such as “Batteram” and “Twisted Funfair” are the fans most popular, which is shown on their official myspace page where the duo have just under 50,000 plays (www.myspace.com/doubleddagger). Fans of Rising Son were blessed when the duo appeared at the Hip-Hop Kings Tour 2006 event at the Northern Light.


One of the most hard-working networks for the city is LHHS (Leeds Hip Hop Scene). The team at LHHS are dedicated in networking fans across the city and having the related content on one website. Www.leedshiphopscene.co.uk proves to be the website to visit, for the latest reviews and news on Leeds artists, and truly reflects the amount of talent that is arising from the city today.

Joined at the top with LHHS, is our good friends at Kmedia. Designed to promote quality unsigned artists, Kmedia works with, and represents the largest names in Leeds hiphop. As previously mentioned, both Double D Dagger and the Yorkshire Terrierz are affiliated with the company, with the likes of Bianca G, Kockee K, and Stay Focus. Their website can be found at www.kmedialeeds.com and also features the latest news and releases throughout the city. The Kmedia mixtape was a huge success, and featured artists throughout the city on one compilation. The mixtape can be purchased on the official website.


The basics have been covered, so now it's your duty to expose yourself to the scene, and check out the artists and companies mentioned. The acts might not be household names (just yet), however the quality is present, and the connection in the city is like no other. As Ras Kawme says “Don't Sleep On Leeds”.


Written by Ryan Maxwell

APRIL'S OFF THE HOOK

On the back of another OTH: If you missed it, you really missed out! April saw Rikke Normann with her full band all the way from Norway! This girl is very special!....nuff said!
Faro - The New Age Rock Star, rocked the place! with a feat from Solja, the Manchester MC making big moves!
Manky Movement managed to chat up the ladies while performing a big set! & Ash King a singer from London town, blessed the place with his soulful set, all improvised on the spot with the OTH house band!!

Below is a short video and pics from the night! - Enjoy

Pic's are here! Just click on the thumbnail below!

COMIC RELIEF FINAL TOTAL

We can now let you know after running the RND campaign and donating the proceeds from the sales of our mixtape and collecting donations. Our final total ready to send to Comic Relief is £102.50!! - Every little helps!

A big thank you to everyone who donated to this worthwhile cause!

What's Ya Life Like?

The debut single from YT is now on Channel U! Please keep supporting..Txt '392' to 81700 to vote for Terrierz

What's Ya Life Like?

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LAST OTH PHOTO'S

Hey peeps, a few pictures from March's Off The Hook had been added to the gallery! We will be uploading all the pics to the site and the gallery in the coming days..




Why not catch up with the artists you missed in March: K-Sol, Evets & The Pusher Team, J.Bravo & Appleseed!


www.myspace.com/offthehookentertainment

K? MEDIA DOES COMIC RELIEF

We are trying to do our little bit... from Monday 12 March- Friday 23rd March we will be donating all the proceeds from the sales of our mixtape 'Leeds City Vol 1' to Comic Relief. We will be matching the amount that we receive! - So far we have raised -

£11.50 +
Sarah - £10 = £21.50
Hitman - £2 = £23.50
Amanda - £5 = £28.50

K Media to match - £28.50 = £57

That's - £57!* .. so far..

So here's the deal! You donate any amount above £1 via paypal or Postal Order - We'll send you a link to download the mixtape! Then ALL of your donation is added to the RND fund..You name will be posted on our blog if requested!

Postal Orders can be sent, made payable to 'Red Nose Day 2007' to:

email us for postal address! Click Here for Address

Thanks Sarah for the £10 donation
Thanks Hitman for your £2 donation
Thanks Amanda for your £5 donation

* Total to be sent to RND.


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EVETS JOINS THE CAMP!

Evets is a little British boy from Sheffield.
He has been involved in music in one way or another for as far back as he can remember, and loves nothing more.

Starting out as an MC, before developing an interest in production and sound engineering, Evets became a jack of all trades within any studio environment. After setting up ' The Lab ' studios in Sheffield Center, and honing his skills as a producer, Evets found himself reaching for the microphone once again...

Check the K? Media Artist section for full Evet Bio also remember to check myspace.com/evetsdiggy

MARCH'S OFF THE HOOK

Here's some footage from March's OTH! Was a very, very, very big night! Next OTH: 1st April!


















www.myspace.com/offthehookentertainment

THE BIG SHOTTA!

10Shott was one of the 4 artists featured on the K? Media Mixtape based outside Leeds, A good friend of K? Media, look out for more 10Shott & K? Media collaboration's.

One of the best British emcee’s to date’ is the words HHC Magazine chose to describe rapper, singer, songwriter and producer 10Shott. Since he debuted all those years ago with the now classic ‘Bagged Out’ album with his crew Vicious Circle, 10Shotthas really put himself on the UK Rap map with support on Kiss FM, HHB Radio, BBC 1Xtra, Galaxy FM and Conspiracy Radio.

10SHOTT began rapping in the mid-nineties where he teamed up with SIZE8 to find VICIOUS CIRCLE and dropping the classic album Bagged Out. The album was well received with support from Westwood, Skitz, Disorda & DJ Excalibah as well receiving 5/5 in Hip Hop connection. The video for the VICIOUS CIRCLE video Told You was showcased on MTV Base, Rapture TV and MTV France, also bein the LAST british act on YO MTV rapps, as well as featuring on a DarknCold DVD.

His anthem "BIG BATTY" which features on the "LENGENDARY STATUS album by Wolftown, received a feature on a porn movie in the USA.....this can also be heard on the "Ghetto Brick Road" mixtape. 10SHOTT has played live all over from Plymouth to Leicester, to Frome to London, to Bristol to Birmingham, to Wolverhampton to Jamaica as well as being asked to perform live at the Carlton TV Awards in 2004. 10shott flew out to Jamaica, where he recently recorded tracks with numerous artists.

These tracks asewll as The Ghetto Brick Road mixtape are now currently being played on IRIE fm and LINKS fm Jamaica... the dvd of 10shott in Jamaica will be out soon. Since then 10SHOTT has been working hard building his home studio and getting into music production as well as perfecting his totally original flow and style. He also featured on mixtapes in the UK and US, as well featuring on album releases by Lyrical Lizard (Midwest, US), Souljah Clique (Bristol, UK), Doyen D (Sheffield, UK), Cee-Rock The Fury (New York, US) and LATE (Wolverhampton, UK), Prayer Mantice (Jamaica), Iya lazer (Jamaica) 10SHOTT played live for BBC 1XTRA as part as there Midlands Special, where he blew up the airwaves as he preformed Haters and Guy Inside The Ghetto live, aswell as being asked to be the guest P.A at this years Jump OFF (Midlands Mayhem) These tracks have been supported by Mista Jam & Twin B from BBC1Xtra and DJ Skully from Terra Firma & Kiss FM, Neisha (BBC1Xtra) and ashante (Galaxy fm) Dj Springa (Smooth fm) and Jamie dread (underground fm) Ghetto Brick Road is a collection of thirty freestyles.

Here you really get to see how 10SHOTT has developed since his early days setting standards with flows and sung hooks making his tracks infectious. The mixtape received 45 from Hip Hop Connection, quoting.... ("10Shott is the best up and coming UK hip hop artist to date") The mixtape is hosted by Wolverhamptons Number One DJ S PRINGA who is known all over the Midlands for his excellent radio shows on FRONTLINE 106.3FM and various rammed-out live dates. 10SHOTT and TRICKSTA put together the mix well adding another ingredient in this winning formula.

This mixtape features some excellent solo joints as well as hefty collaborations with label mates SIZE8, BIG WAYNE, CONMAN, LATE, TRICKSTA, A1 and vocalists NADIA PEARSON and INNER SANCTUM. This is an insight to what we can expect from his full solo debut album on in 2006. There is no doubt that 10SHOTT is one of the hottest in the UK right now and this mixtape proves it. So please jump on the "Ghetto Brick Road".

Ghetto Brick Road mixtape out in stores soon!!!!! Look out for more collaboration's with 10 Shott and the K? Media family, coming soon!!...

www.myspace.com/10shottwolftown

NO APRIL FOOL!

We just seen the back of one big OTH time to prepare yourselfs for another!..For details click the poster!...




MYSPACES:
RIKKE NORMANN
FARO
MANKY MOVEMENT
ASH KING

THE THROW BACK PODCAST!

As promised this week we uploaded our first podcast! We thought we'd start with a little look over our shoulder at the last few years, well from 2002 to be exact. On this podcast you'll find old skool freestyles (which actually are freestyles, (one of our gripes) and some old skool tracks for ya pod as well up some recent tracks....here's ya tracklist!..

OFF THE HOOK ADVERT
INTRO
TDP PRODUCTIONS - COME SUPPORT ME
DJ PROLIFIC
YORKSHIRE TERRIERZ - DANGEROUS
WEEKSIE (STAY FOCUS) – FREESTLYE 2002
D.BIZZY (DOUBLE D DAGGER) – FREESTYLE 2007
D.BIZZY –
MANCHESTER FAM – OLD SKOOL JOINT
STAY FOCUS – MESSED UP WORLD 2004
KOCKEE – SKIT
KOCKEE & SOL – I KNOW U FEEL..
J.BRAVO – PANDEMONIUM - 2005
KOCKEE – LEEDS ROLL CALL - 2006
LP – TIME IS NOW! 2005
YORKSHIRE TERRIERZ – MESS WID MA CREW
DJ GQ – SHOWCASING SOME SCRATCHIN SKILLS - 2004
KOCKEE & WEEKSIE – FREESTYLE - 2003

CLICK HERE FOR PODCAST

OFF THE HOOK

If you missed March's OTH you missed a big night! With performances from London's K-Sol, appleseed (although now he's reppin Leeds strong) J.Bravo - Nuff Said & The Pusher Team - J.Needles, Evets, Young Licks & Toddla. Big Big showcase....below is a review of J.Bravo's performance from the one and only Ben Bradford..Enjoy.

J Bravo @ Off The Hook, Bar D-Fusion, Sunday March 4^th

There’s something about J Bravo! Something just that little bit extra. Kaiser Chiefs might think that everything is average nowadays; everything is average nowadays maybe apart from J Bravo. Its Off The Hook time again, the first Sunday of the month has rolled around AGAIN, if you haven’t been to it yet or heard of it then WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, LIVING UNDER A ROCK? Or just too busy watching crap on TV maybe? Anyway up at Bar D-fusion its suitably chilled and laidback as usual, people chatting, instruments being tuned, PA being checked, drinks being drunk, and K-Sol looking slightly nervous about their upcoming performance which later on leaves people struggling to pick their jaw up from the floor, as their acoustic soul proceeds to pierce peoples hearts.

But there seems to be a certain air of anticipation, which is suitably fulfilled when Mr J Bravo enters the building and walks across the building in what could quite possibly be the biggest coat in the whole wide world….ever. It even puts Marcus-Romelle’s- whose in the audience - equally huge coat to shame. By the way we haven’t even come to his performance yet.

J Bravo seems to be used to opening up shows and leaving a long lasting impression. He was the first act on at last years BYT event at the Faversham, which for me, at least, was memorable and seemingly also for tonight’s co-host Nadine too. J Bravo’s best known track is probably the violin and soul drenched ‘At My Best’ which was on last years BYT CD but can also be found on his site www.myspace.com/easybravo. You might also know J Bravo as part of Invisible Circle Junkyard Tactics particularly on ‘Takin Ova.’ These of course are a few of the different projects that J Bravo has been involved in over the years.

So then too describe J Bravo’s- whose first on tonight also - style is quite difficult to pin down, basically its hip-hop but with elements of consciousness, electro, and experimentalism. But even that description doesn’t sum up J Bravo. But they all crop up across the 3 tracks that J Bravo performs tonight, particularly on track 2 ‘Future’, before ending on the hyper final track, which even gets peoples hands up in the air and warming the room up somewhat. Basically J Bravo has more ideas across 3 tracks than most people do over their entire careers.

Watching J Bravo perform is akin to watching a meteorite land on stage and as J Bravo himself might say explode, there’s just so much energy and enthusiasm as he takes over the whole floor and uses the space like he owns the place. At times he also comes across like Bez (Happy Monday’s famed dancer) except with more rhythm, presence and style.

Not many people have it but it seems that the little bit extra that J Bravo has is star quality which he has in spadefuls. Just watch J Bravo’s star shine.

Ben Bradford.

Find out more about OFF THE HOOK the monthly r n b, soul and hip-hop showcase at www.myspace.com/offthehookentertainment

Find out more about J Bravo at www.myspace.com/easybravo

MYSPACES:

EVETS - PUSHER TEAM

K-SOL

J.BRAVO

APPLESEED

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NADINE!

LSRFM's Nadine had her 21st birthday party recently! -

Good night was had by all!!! -

Especially the birthday girl!

K? MEDIA WHO?

K? Media Leeds.

There’s a lot of hip-hop, R n B, and soul acts that are up and coming in and around Leeds, a lot of it unsigned, a diverse range of talent with something different to give and to promote, as well as having something to say about where they’re from. And someone needs to look after them, promote them, and help get their music out there and heard which is where K? Media Leeds, the K as Sesame Street might inform you stands for Kalamazoo Media.

K? Media Leeds has collected together a range of artists and production crews, there are hip hop acts such as Kockee K, Yorkshire Terrierz, Double D Dagger, Yes Boss and recently 373, soul acts such as Sons Of Light, R n B acts such as Bianca G and Vixxen and the UK Garage crew LS7 Battlers, as well as production teams such as Menza Productions (who are responsible for the Terrierz, and the talented 373, check their track ‘Dirty Down South, Filthy Up North’), Slickhanded Productions (who have produced Kockee’s forthcoming album ‘53^rd Degree’, and for the a recently acclaimed mix album featuring the cream of Leeds talents), and TDP Productions (who recently lost producer Live Wire, who died tragically earlier this year).

A lot of the artists are already, slowly but surely, gaining underground recognition around the rest of the country, Kockee and Witty of the Battlers both have recently been on the BBC’s 1Xtra radio station, Yes Boss have become NME favourites and have released a couple of well received singles on the Dance To The Radio compilation, their debut single ‘Get Dropped Quick’ becoming a dance floor favourite at indie and hip-hop clubs.

Also the Terrierz have had positive feedback by several publications, including a review on music-news.com for their debut album ‘Blended In West Yorkshire’ which that title sums up what K? Media Leeds is about supporting new artists not only blended in West Yorkshire but throughout the rest of the country too.

K? Media Leeds give the artists a platform, and provides them with marketing and distribution as well as putting on events and gigs throughout Leeds and the north of the country, hopefully the rest of the country will follow suit soon.

You can check out information on all the artists and production crews/teams and find links to their individual websites on the K? Media Leeds website www.kmedialeeds.com. Where you can also find out news, listen to tracks by some of the artists; find out information on how to get hold of upcoming releases from the artists and when they’re going to be released.

Also you can find out about upcoming events and gigs that are set up by K? Media Leeds and gigs that K? Media artists are going to be doing.

Ben Bradford.

Up coming events include:

OFF THE HOOK @ Club Geisha at Bar D-Fusion on Sunday 1st April with performances from Rikke Normann (Full Band), Faro, Ash King & Manky Movement

Plus Urban Mondays which features Yorkshire Terrierz, Kockee K and 373 plus guests on the first Monday of every month at Leeds’ Mixing Tin.

LEEDS CITY VOL 1 REVIEW

We gunna kick you off with a review of our recently released mix cd or has been pointed out the us by many - compliaton album!

Various Artists

Leeds City Volume1: K Media Mixtape

K Media Leeds

There is a line on ‘Leeds City Volume 1’ that explains what this mixtape is trying to do which is ‘Leeds is a deep place, there’s a lot of talent, its just that a lot of people don’t get to expose this talent’.To quote a recent Off The Hook flyer, Leeds has it bands (check), Leeds has Corinne Bailey Rae (check) but Leeds also has this lot on the K Media Mixtape ‘Leeds City Volume 1’ (check). This as its title suggests deals with life on the streets of Leeds, both the good and the bad are examined throughout the mixtape, although the tracks could relate to any of the UK’s inner cities.

Although really the Mixtape is more of a fully fledged not too mention a fully realised compilation album, with some high quality and diverse tracks. This is only the tip of the iceberg of what’s going on in the Leeds Hip-Hop and r ‘n’ b scene. Which much like the tracks on this mixtape is reaching out to something else, with many of the tracks mixing up various sounds and styles to try and create something new.

The 25 ingeniously hook ridden and head nodding and unique tracks on ‘Leeds City Volume 1’
starts with the funeral march stomp of ‘Target’ courtesy of J Bravo, D Bizzy, and Kockee, which informs us of what Leeds is about. Then on Stay Focus’ ‘Your Life Ain’t That Hard’, amongst other subjects covered on the track, they sum up what Bush and Blair have all been about ‘look at all the destruction that Blair and Bush cause, talking about peace when they really about war.’ This could be in reference to Bush and Blair’s eagerness to carry on their wars on terrorism but equally it could be a reference to their lack of understanding of what’s really going on in the streets of their own respective countries, and that they’re not really doing anything
about it. As Kockee says later on ‘the record stays the same, but right now things have gotta change.’ All the while immense strings and beats build into a dramatic and beatific crescendo.

The next 2 tracks couldn’t be any more different in terms of tempo,
style, and messages, but they sit perfectly together. Firstly there’s ‘See About Me’ from Bianca G, which quite frankly fucking rules, as the feel good samba vibes are urgent and tight and all of a sudden your transported from the sullen and rainy streets of Leeds to down a bottle of tequila and partying in Rio De Janero, with Bianca G informing us ‘be who you wanna be.’


Then sobering us up and bringing us right back to the streets of Leeds is heartbreakingly good and soulful ballad ‘The Streets We Live’ from Alex Mills with some down to earth lyrics such as ‘I can see both sides of the track/ I can see good but also bad’, these simple lyrics are covered in a neon glow and it makes you feel like your floating over the streets of Leeds.

There’s also Rage’s ‘Real Life’ who sounds like across between Sway and Ty, which is no bad thing especially with the message that its trying to get across, and detailing his real life, relationships, peoples problems with drugs, and a cutting critique on the government, with too many fine lyrics to choose from, basically you need to listen to this track.

Then there’s the sick track with fairly sick lyrics of ‘Hospital Time’ from Yes Boss.

Bringing things back up to a very high quality is the mighty Yorkshire Terrierz with ‘Hero’ which seems them on a broken glass classical tip, courtesy of TDP, where a broken piano has a buzzing bass line wrapped round it which works its way through the song. This see’s the YT at their best yet, sounding more confident and more importantly more unique than ever, no one but no one can touch this experimental and powerful crew, if this doesn’t get you crying then there’s clearly something wrong with you and you don’t have a soul!

There’s the widescreen, 2pac-esque ‘Rise To The Top’ from the London based Cyclonius, followed by the deep down and dirty grime mode of Team Depps Productions on ‘The Jump Off.’ And then there’s ‘Keep Pushing’ from J. Needles who gets us too kick back and makes us feel good as the rocky reggae calypso beats take over, hey as the man says ‘keep on pushing whatever the whether.’ Just imagine the sun is shining and you’re in Miami perhaps. Well that is before we’re rudely awaken by the hyperactive sound of G Double telling us ‘Dats Wot I Wear.’ Before Stay Focus are back on our asses and teaching us ‘Lessons.’

The mixtape starts getting pretty heavy on the tracks, first there’s ‘Why You Wanna Klash’ from Witty Boy and Devilish, which see’s Black Sabbath and Cypress Hills rock and rap riffs get mixed up, and see’s Witty Boy ask ‘Why you on a hate tip’ amid some unsavoury lyrics about your mum farting on the bus amongst others. This puts Yes Boss’s sick lyrics to shame, genius.

Then there’s arguably the heaviest track on here with ‘Gangstaz’ from Kockee and G Double which is HEAVY in capital letters and has a message and lyrics that needs to be listen too, with them trying to dispel the myth of gangsta’s and the misrepresentation that all rappers and hip-hop artists and Black people in general are gangsta’s with them questioning ‘why every Black male in the whole UK considered to be gangsta’s?’, and the fact that ‘we look so good must mean that we’re gangster’s’ and ‘cause you from the hood must mean that we’re gangsta’s’, its hypnotic and makes you hit the repeat button over and over.

Also there’s the dark and grimy brilliance of the underrated 373 and ‘Setting Up Shop.’ And then theirs SOL’s track ‘Never Hurt You’ which is laden with some serious violin, cello, and double bass action, and has Number 1 hit written all over it.

Hopefully this mixtape it won’t be overlooked and people will discover more about the individual artists once they’ve listened to this mixtape.

This is only 25 tracks, but its proof that there’s more happening in Leeds, than just Kaiser Chiefs and Corinne Bailey Rae.

Ben Bradford.

Welcome

Welcome to the new K? Media blog page! Yet another way for us to keep you up-to-date with what's going on within the camp!