704 Poppin with Cashmerely

 What's Popping with Cashmerely

Its always refreshing to hear new instrumentals dubbed with dope lyrics. Nothing gets a party started like booming bass and hard kicks of sound from 808 drums and beats. And those are exactly the sounds you'll hear on Cashmerely's newest release. Cashmerely is a rapper based out of Charlotte, NC. He recently joined forces to collaborate as a new member of Brick Squad Boyz. Some of his newest projects include "Road To Riches and Diamond Rings" and "Don't Forget the Dots". Some of his collaborations include work with Jus Joose and  J Pierce, to name a few. Want more details on what's really popping?  Check out the video to see what happened when our host, "Rae" had a second to catch up Cashmerely. Rae even asked questions on how politics effect HipHop. Watch the video but be sure to grab your drink and popcorn first!

Like what you just saw? Loved it? Hated it? We want your feedback in the comments below:

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Charlotte Comicon featuring Wolly V.

Check out the action packed art displayed at this special convention for comic book fanatics. The Charlotte Comicon convention was held at the Embassy Suites hotel On August 7th,2016. We got a sneak peak of the action heroes and villains coming to life! Vibrant dressed cosplay performers were fully energized and ready to take on the mission. The awards ceremony would later decide which cosplay character had best embodied the comic book spirit. DC Comics and Marvel Comics are two of the most popular comics brand. However there are few new kids on the Block - such as Wolly Vinyl.  In this issue we were well prepared to capture every villain behind our camera lenses!

The crowd was blown away by this cosplay character ingeniously disguised as Mystique from Xmen.

Up first, viewers get a chance to hear first-hand from a local comic book artist. We got an opportunity to interview Wolly Vinyl live and direct. Hear what he has to say about the status of historic art districts with regard to city developers.

 

To contact Wolly visit www.rebelstarstudios.net

 Above: A full view of Wolly's illustrations at the convention.

Next, Wolly shows our Host a sketch he's doing commissioned by a parent for an ill child.

 

On our way to Wolly V's display our host bumped into a well suited StarWars character.

Above: Video shows political showdown between the Joker and The Penguin.

Marvelous costume execution by this Walking Dead cosplay character.

A Virginia based artist displays his Anti Trump art illustrations.

To our surprise many of the attendees were not Charlotte residents. Shown in the photo above, one artist had traveled all the the way from Virginia for our comicCon. If you like polictical art stay tuned for more commentary on "Anti Trump" Art. As the election date grows closer we will continue to give you more insight to how art and life impact each other.

Plus in our next blog we'll explore costumes to give you a head start on Halloween 2016 trends. In the comment section below tell us which cosplay characters you liked the most - or as Wolly calls them "Champions."

Written by: SM Editorial Staff @rae_desgisns on Instagram
Photography by: Shotbydb @ShotbyDB on Instagram
Featured Artist: Wolly V @wollyv on Instagram

Listening Party For Kings in the Queen City -

     EP Release Party In the Queen City

The Queen City has been hiding a secret in its underground world. Several lyrical kings came out  from hiding this past Sunday night.  A plethora of dope MC's graced the stages of NoDa with rhymes sharp enough to pierce even the coldest hearts, ears and minds.  The crowd was tough but the  lyrics were smooth.

The "Awakaned King" EP Release event put on a diverse showcase of talent. There were performances by local artists including, Jerell, Phaze Gawd, Jay Pluss, Quent Young, Moe Reese, Hollywood, Yung Citizen and Sani Solo. A jazz band known as "The Free Will Project" also provided musical variety throughout the evening. Early in the evening King Callis set the mood as the host of the show.

 Jerell headlined the event but being the cool collected king that he is, he saved the best for last. Quent Young and Jerell are members of a group known as "The Port" Click below to hear these artist on Soundcloud.

True music lovers can appreciate The Ports strides in soulful music which instruments and lyrics pay respect to earlier forms of HipHop that have fallen by the way side. The lyricism displayed in the two songs above are in stark contrast to mainstream trap music. Although hood inspired trap anthems may serve a purpose in their own right, there's no comparison  to creative lyrics that uplift a community. ... Stay tuned for more footage from this event.

Mint Museum's The Dog Days of Summer

Like most new comers to Charlotte, North Carolina you may be caught off guard by the sweltering hot temperatures the region is experiencing. In the last few days temperatures soared in the upper 90's with heat indexes ranging from 100-105. According to Local Weather on Fox WCCB .  It's official these are the dog days of summer.  It can be a challenge to find events that are both fun and cool - in the literal sense staying cool and being "cool" in the month of July is almost impossible. But if you ask a few local families how they find refuge on Dog Days you may be surprised to hear that they do anything but lay around in the dog house. This past Sunday many families took to the Mint Museum for fun indoor activities. The Mint Museum is located on South Tryon Street in Charlotte NC. The Museum hosts many interactive events throughout the summer to encourage creativity during the dreaded summer heat.

Pictured here: A local art Instructor,  Raed Al- Rawi, teaches dog sketching techniques.

There were many hands on craft activities for patrons to try out.  Kids and adults choose from activity stations including a drawing class and picture frame making. Participants were shown how to create miniature picture frames adorned with dog motifs. Colorful paints, stickers, and shinny buttons were scattered along the table. Moms and dads, sisters and brothers can be seen creating arts and crafts. Trips to the museum can be a fun way to enhance family bonding.  A large crowd of over 100 people were busy moving to and fro the many activity stations in the atrium.

Nearby, in a separate space next to the atrium, little yoga enthusiasts could be found practicing poses. The yoga instructor, Margaret Maurice, was very patient when leading the youth in exercise and meditation. She gave a demo on breathing exercises that the kids really enjoyed. Considering the animal theme, its no wonder the "Downward facing dog"  was everyone's favorite yoga pose. After the yoga practice, the instructor led a children's story time.

Seen here: Margaret Maurice, the instuctor shows a young girl the Downward Facing Dog pose.

Children take a breather during story time.

After exploring the activities the museum goers were encouraged to go on a scavenger hunt to find dog themed paintings throughout the gallery. The Mint museum's collection has four floors full of art ranging from contemporary paintings to classic ceramic sculptures. Various styles and perspectives from artists of all backgrounds can be found in the collection. Anyone who is looking for a different way to cool off this summer should definitely consider taking a look at the Mint's current exhibit.

Following the crafty activities patrons flock to the upstairs galleries.

A glimpse of the sculptures on the 3rd floor.

A patron admires a life-size sculpture on the 4th floor at the Mint Museum.

-Southern Miss

Too Saxy for the Sidewalk

If you live in a big city chances are you have been stopped by the pushy panhandlers and sidewalk beggars on your way to work. Perhaps you were speed walking across a busy intersection during rush hour, while bombarded with the nerve wrecking sounds of car horns and angry taxi drivers. With so much commotion, somehow you didn't notice that one sidewalk musician whose tunes created harmony amidst the bustling traffic. Of course, when you're running late for a meeting or a Carolina's Panthers Game  it's easy to have tunnel vision, and even tunnel hearing, for that matter. Cautious drivers like myself might turn the music volume down when they're parallel parking. But if you have ever been lucky enough to be cruising in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina when Will "Saxman" Smith is performing its almost impossible not to stop and stare when you hear his vibrant melodies.

Will "Saxman" Smith is a multi-talented artist with inspiration ranging from Prince and John Coltrane, to Kenny G. His roaring saxophone horns have been known to literally stop traffic like a 18 wheeler.


 He carries his favorite instrument with him almost everywhere he goes.  Saxman plays an array of classic jazz and old school R&B melodies but he doesn't rest there. In his spare time he also produces music and writes catchy lyrics. One of the best qualities about Saxman is that he never limits himself to any one particular style. In-fact, when he's not performing he can be found in the studio engineering dope EDM and House tracks.  He is a producer at heart who loves to perform his remixes with saxophone accompaniments masterfully over familiar pop hits. He ingeniously plays his saxophone over popular rock and hip-hop beats that captivate and shock unexpected passerby's time and time again. Its no surprise that quite a few party promoters and talent scouts have hunted him down for bookings at esteemed venues. Will Saxman has performed at many places in Charlotte, NC including: Celebs, Evening Muse, Kalu, Spirit Square, The Chop Shop, The  Holtan Theatre Arena, Red@28th and other highly sought after stages outside of the Carolina's, just to name a few.

SaxMan performing on stage  at Evening Muse.

Although he mainly appears as a solo act Saxman doesn't shy away from opportunities to collaborate. He's been featured on many projects including Power98 radio station, Eric Benet, Maya Angelou, Shina London and the poet Blues. This list is only a fraction of the immense platforms this artist has touched.