Monikker's Featured Artists: The Underground Vault
Meet March 2016's Featured Artists: Doug G & Gully aka G-Fact$
Artist Snapshot
Stage Name: Doug G
Origin: Long Island, NY
Current Location: Long Island, NY
Sounds like: Boom bap with a modern twist, hardcore & jazz infused influences
Influences: A Tribe Called Quest & Nas + the intensity of rock stars
Current single: "Never Say", released 3/2/16
New project: CMPLXCTY (EP) released 3/2/16, including features from Miranda Capanelli, Robert Rosenthal [production from Doug G & Mr. Temmtation]
Lyrical content: Self-reflective, introspective lyrics on top of a wave of punchlines and metaphors
Artist Snapshot
Stage Name: Doug G
Origin: Long Island, NY
Current Location: Long Island, NY
Sounds like: Boom bap with a modern twist, hardcore & jazz infused influences
Influences: A Tribe Called Quest & Nas + the intensity of rock stars
Current single: "Never Say", released 3/2/16
New project: CMPLXCTY (EP) released 3/2/16, including features from Miranda Capanelli, Robert Rosenthal [production from Doug G & Mr. Temmtation]
Lyrical content: Self-reflective, introspective lyrics on top of a wave of punchlines and metaphors
Doug G hails from New York; a lot of his influences do too. Stream "Complex City," the first single from brand new EP, CMPLXCTY (track above). Doug G's positive rhymes & optimism shine over a soulful groove, complimented nicely by Miranda Capanelli's soulful, R&B guest vocals. He makes it easy to have a good time with his easygoing, thoughtful, & witty lines. The EP released on 3/2/16. Read Monikker's review on this great EP here. "Never Say" is the second single from CMPLXCTY. Stream it below.
CMPLXCTY is the follow-up project to last year's debut album, The Rising Son. Doug G produced all tracks on it except one. Purchase The Rising Son via Bandcamp for a great introduction to this artist before the new EP releases. Follow Doug G on Soundcloud & Twitter. He's also part of the duo The Brotherhood with Bearded Legend. Doug G & The Brotherhood are both included on the Monikker's Hip-Hop Blog Featured Artists playlist on Soundcloud, available on this page at the bottom (scroll down).
Monikker Music talked to Doug G about his new EP, influences, and goals:
MM: What is your vision for your rap career?
Doug G: I really just want to make music that people can feel. Music to me is such a unifying thing where you can be in a room and mention an artist or band and then have a debate with a bunch of strangers because people feel so passionately about what they like. Making music that people feel and can relate to will hopefully lead me in the direction of making music for a living. Performing for people and being on stage and connecting with people on the same level through your words is one of the best adrenaline rushes in the world and if I can do that for the rest of my life, I would be so set.
MM: Tell me more about your first single "Complex City" and its corresponding EP, CMPLXCTY.
DG: My current single is called "Complex City," which is the full spelling of the new EP's name. It really ties all of the songs together in a sense where, overall, you should just be yourself and do what makes sense for you despite your inner and exterior struggles. The EP as a whole touches on a lot of subjects people can connect with such as overthinking things, the current state of the world and the music industry. I also like to switch it up and do tracks that really don't have a message and just write some dope lines.
MM: What musical artists have influenced you?
DG: To really define my lyricism, I always credit A Tribe Called Quest. They have such a laid back style and always have fun with it. Of course, the legendary Nas is up there with his rawness and storytelling abilities. I love all kinds of music, and I'm a big rock guy. Zach de la Rocha [Rage Against the Machine] and Jim Morrison [The Doors] have an insane amount of energy on stage that nobody can match. I really try to match their intensity when I'm on stage.
CMPLXCTY is the follow-up project to last year's debut album, The Rising Son. Doug G produced all tracks on it except one. Purchase The Rising Son via Bandcamp for a great introduction to this artist before the new EP releases. Follow Doug G on Soundcloud & Twitter. He's also part of the duo The Brotherhood with Bearded Legend. Doug G & The Brotherhood are both included on the Monikker's Hip-Hop Blog Featured Artists playlist on Soundcloud, available on this page at the bottom (scroll down).
Monikker Music talked to Doug G about his new EP, influences, and goals:
MM: What is your vision for your rap career?
Doug G: I really just want to make music that people can feel. Music to me is such a unifying thing where you can be in a room and mention an artist or band and then have a debate with a bunch of strangers because people feel so passionately about what they like. Making music that people feel and can relate to will hopefully lead me in the direction of making music for a living. Performing for people and being on stage and connecting with people on the same level through your words is one of the best adrenaline rushes in the world and if I can do that for the rest of my life, I would be so set.
MM: Tell me more about your first single "Complex City" and its corresponding EP, CMPLXCTY.
DG: My current single is called "Complex City," which is the full spelling of the new EP's name. It really ties all of the songs together in a sense where, overall, you should just be yourself and do what makes sense for you despite your inner and exterior struggles. The EP as a whole touches on a lot of subjects people can connect with such as overthinking things, the current state of the world and the music industry. I also like to switch it up and do tracks that really don't have a message and just write some dope lines.
MM: What musical artists have influenced you?
DG: To really define my lyricism, I always credit A Tribe Called Quest. They have such a laid back style and always have fun with it. Of course, the legendary Nas is up there with his rawness and storytelling abilities. I love all kinds of music, and I'm a big rock guy. Zach de la Rocha [Rage Against the Machine] and Jim Morrison [The Doors] have an insane amount of energy on stage that nobody can match. I really try to match their intensity when I'm on stage.
Artist Snapshot
Stage Name: Gully/G-Fact$
Origin: Norfolk VA, raised in Tri-State area
Current Location: NC
Sounds like: Boom bap with southern influences
Influences: Golden age/'90s/hardcore/underground hip-hop, grunge punk rock
Current single: "Do Whateva," a hard street anthem, released Feb 2016
Upcoming project: The more boom bappy EP Pardon Me While I Come Up releasing 3/21/16
Lyrical content: Hardcore, street, anti-police brutality, pro-"black lives matter" movement, slight party vibes
Stage Name: Gully/G-Fact$
Origin: Norfolk VA, raised in Tri-State area
Current Location: NC
Sounds like: Boom bap with southern influences
Influences: Golden age/'90s/hardcore/underground hip-hop, grunge punk rock
Current single: "Do Whateva," a hard street anthem, released Feb 2016
Upcoming project: The more boom bappy EP Pardon Me While I Come Up releasing 3/21/16
Lyrical content: Hardcore, street, anti-police brutality, pro-"black lives matter" movement, slight party vibes
G-Fact$ is taking his "boom bap trap" sound worldwide. Stream current single "Do Whateva" above. It's getting a lot of spins on the Crossing Borders mixtape hosted by Canadian DJ Disspare. Between his last single "Hate More" and the brand new single "Do Whateva," G-Fact$ is gearing up for a promising EP release in March 2016. Both singles are southern street themes, more hardcore and trap than East Coast. Gully encourages listeners to "hate more" police brutality and "do whateva" it takes to make it.
Pardon Me While I Come Up will be Gully's follow-up to 2014's The Gully Tape, an effort showing his vision and huge career potential. The previous mixtape showcased his East Coast influences with complex lyrical stylings, soul samples, and quintessential boom bap beats. Gully said about The Gully Tape: "I think when people go back and listen to the old stuff they will see where I'm coming from as an artist."
Monikker Music talked to G-Fact$ about his upcoming EP, influences, and goals:
MM: What is your vision for your rap career?
Gully: My vision is to develop a following of people who engage my brand music and socially. I mean really go out to the shows and purchase the music. I really want to motivate others to go after their dream. You gotta go after it to master it.
MM: Tell me more about your first single "Hate More" and its upcoming EP, Pardon Me While I Come Up.
G: The EP is cinematic so to me "Hate More" fits as part of the larger project. It fits within the scope of a movie of an artist who will use what ever resources he can to come up. I think the titled reflects my resilience as a new artist. Many doors will close. But many will open. I'm focused on opening doors.
But the single ["Hate More"] stands alone in regards to that sound. "Hate More" is more an attention getter. The rest of the cd is lyrical with '70s style samples and beats. More a boom bap influenced cd. Taking it back to when rappers rapped. Early 2000's shit.
MM: What musical artists have influenced you?
G: I listen to all types of music. I'm a hip-hop dude to the core. People like the Lox, Common, AZ, Scarface, Pete Rock & CL Smooth. Even that whole mix tape era with Fab and G-Unit. But love Third Eye Blind, Nirvana, Taking Back Sunday - that whole early grunge punk rock scene captures me. The first CD I ever bought was Nirvana In Utero. I fucks with G Herbo and the drill scene. But right now cats like Nipsey Hussle, Dom Kennedy, are dudes I really respect because they are taking their music to the next level doing shows and tours without major label help. I think the coolest thing in the world is to say you're a rapper, not mainstream or big but 'I do this for a living' and people never heard of you. But that cult like following is huge.
For more coverage on G-Fact$, read the Monikker's Hip-Hop Blog feature post on his music.
For more on G-Fact$ and to stay updated on his new EP, follow him on Twitter and Soundcloud.
Purchase the new single "Do Whateva" here. Stream it and music from The Gully Tape on the Featured Artists playlist below.
For more on G-Fact$ and to stay updated on his new EP, follow him on Twitter and Soundcloud.
Purchase the new single "Do Whateva" here. Stream it and music from The Gully Tape on the Featured Artists playlist below.
Are you a hip-hop/rap artist? Monikker's Featured Artists series is accepting submissions from artists who want to be featured. Please send an inquiry email to submit.hiphopblog@gmail.com for more info.