VTHH NOTES: 1/11/23 — Vermont Hip Hop

L to R: Emerge, NewDawn, Hybrid (stretching), Wish (headspin), Zing (headspin props) at Swan Dojo

Eleven days into the new year and there is already a metric shit-ton of news and updates. 2023 is going to be unforgiving that way. Staying relevant, or even just visible, is going to require more work than ever before. (And good management, too, but that's a whole other conversation we will have. Soon.)

First up, the end of a legendary era. Swan Dojo, the dance studio and DIY music venue that has hosted hundreds of memorable shows now, will be closing up shop this year. Huge props to Lois Trombly for putting up with years of chaos and creating space for hip hop culture.

Meanwhile, the Skylab is opening up again for recording sessions. Most readers are familiar with SkySplitterInk, aka Zach Crawford, a music teacher, recording engineer, and prodigiously talented producer in his own right. He's been the ringleader for tons of classic sessions and he's an "executive producer" in the old school sense: good guidance based on deep experience and a great atmosphere for artists to be their best.

Two great features in local media this week shining a light on Vermont hip hop. Boomslang got featured on the "Vermont Made" podcast, a product of the Vermont Arts Council. It's an extensive conversation with Sed One about the group's history, vision, and future after the death of producer and superhero JL. Highly recommended, for longtime fans and future fans alike.

The latest episode of Golden Hour TV, surely one of the greatest homegrown platforms in the history of our state, features Humble, something of a legend in these mountains. A serious threat with the freestyles and one of the best rhyme writers in the state, he's been a foundation of the scene for damn near two decades now. Equal parts illuminating and hilarious.

2023 has been a tsunami of new releases. THE FEED can barely keep up. This week, I want to spotlight three standout videos & we’ll call it a wrap. Deal?

First up, SINNN is back with yet another visual knockout. Credit due: the man has been dropping absolutely perfect product for years now, an unbroken streak of high level creations. This latest joint features longtime collaborator Herm_BH, an immaculate light room setup, and some sharp bars. Props to Isaac Rafael for delivering the goods.

The Holy Smokes team had a damn strong 2022, rapidly building a portfolio of beautifully photographed video work for local and regional talent. This week, they dropped a lush winter visual for FĀBŌ, a name I expect to dominate 2023. In terms of sheer talent on the mic, he’s one of the best emcees we’ve had since 99 Neighbors stormed the scene, bridging the gap between 90’s lyricism and ultramodern flows.

This ran on THE FEED two days back but I have to mention it again here. “Shine” is the best music video that Konflik has done so far. It’s fun, smooth, and packed with details. There’s also a feature from New Jerusalem underground godfather El Da Sensei. All in all, a perfect start for what is guaranteed to be a strong year for the After Lyfe Music team.

Finally, for those of you unfortunate enough to be using Instagram, the VTGRAFF account is worth the follow. Few of us are still alive to remember this, but there used to be a site called "vthiphop dot com" that attempted to give a complete introduction to a growing, proudly independent scene. It also had a massive archive of graf photography, and that is exactly what is being mined in 2023 on IG. A lot of memories and tons of great throws and walls. Dope work.