Since its humble beginnings on the streets, hip-hop and its antecedents have been blamed for nearly every imaginable social ill.
Gang violence? Blame rap. Misogyny? Blame rap. Parachute pants? Well, OK. You’ve got a point there.
Rarely does the genre get credit for positive social change. A crew of Denver hip-hoppers, however, is setting out to change all that with events like next weekend’s R’Evolution, benefitting , a teen suicide prevention project sponsored by the .
On the surface, — which starts at 9 p.m. on Friday, May 21 — looks like any other hip-hop show. There’s a seemingly endless list of artists performing, along with more than one video premiere and CD release. The first half of the night is in an established venue () for folks 18 and up, so the younger folks can get down. Then, around midnight, the party swerves to an underground venue ( for the after-party. It sounds like a familiar formula, but the devil (or, in this case, the heart) is in the details.
To understand what’s going on here, you probably need to know at least one of the gentlemen behind it. The first half of the night is built around a CD release for a bright performer, promoter and supporter of the scene, . Though Baron — who has been more than — was known as the driving force behind noteworthy Denver hip-hop act , Friday night’s extravaganza marks the release of his first solo album, “The Ugly Truth” — as well as his birthday. Fresh off opening for Murs last weekend at the Bluebird, he’ll be performing tracks from the new record with backing from DeeJay Tense.
Known to his grandma as Sam Baron, Mane Rok has long been a booster of Denver hip-hop in his unofficial role as chairman of Denver’s LIFE Crew, a loose affiliation among ManeLine, the Pirate Signal, Deca and Ichiban. Once, when this writer made the mistake of calling him Mayor Mane Rok, Baron politely disagreed. “I consider myself a concerned citizen,” he said.
There’s no argument, however, about Baron’s tendency to turn CD releases into major events (the release of “…And Sew Its Seams,” ManeLine’s final record, reportedly drew a crowd of 800). But it’s not all about self-aggrandizement. “I like to tie all of my release parties to a non-profit,” he tells me.
“The Ugly Truth” includes a track called “Once (K)Night Falls,” produced by of . The song is dedicated to a friend of Baron’s who took her own life a decade ago, and includes a number of statistics about teen suicide’s impact on young women of color. The connection to Voz y Corazon — a program run for and by teenage girls to promote positive self-esteem and community while preventing suicides — seemed natural. Baron briefly considered connecting the night to another theme on the record — police brutality — but decided to shy away from the controversy and negative shadow that might be cast on his first solo effort.
Originally planned as an EP, Mane Rok’s new album has grown to a full-length, with production help from 3 the Hardway’s , , , , , the Diamond Boiz’s Dyalekt and others. Filled with vitriol, intelligent insights and foundation-shaking grooves, “The Ugly Truth” is the artist’s most mature artistic statement to date.
From the existential angst of “Troubles” to the should-I-stay-or-should-I-go sentiments of “California Dreaming” and the police brutality indictment of “This One’s,” Baron and his collaborators never flinch while facing complex issues and avoid making the mistake of oversimplifying them. The diversity of producers on the record leads Mane Rok into many different rap styles and saves the record from the common hip-hop pitfall of homogeneity. Fans of hard-hitting raps and soulful grooves will find plenty to like about “The Ugly Truth.”
Friday night’s festivities will begin with performances by the Casuals, and , with on the decks, as well as the release of ‘ video for “The Vista,” by Denver crew the . The track was picked up by the much revered for his “2010 Takeover Mixtape.” Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door.
As the party moves to Denver Co-Op Studio, the spotlight will shine on Paradox’s and his ambitious new CD, “Ronin,” as well as another video debut: ‘s “Never Let Go,” also directed by Heights. will tickle the Technics to warm up the late night crowd for additional performances by and newcomer . If you’re wearing your wristband from Cervantes’, you’ll get in for $5. Otherwise, it’ll cost you $10.
The cover at the after-party includes all the beverages you can pour down your gullet, so you’ll be able to party, hear some great local hip-hop and contribute to a meaningful cause, all for less than $12.
Eryc Eyl is a veteran music journalist, critic and Colorado native who has been neck-deep in local music for many years. Check out every Tuesday for local music you can HEAR, and the every Friday.
