It's A Cleveland Thing....

It's Friday, I ain't got no job, I ain't got shit to do...might as well write a blog entry right? I have been excited to write this post all week, so ladies and gentlemen, here it is. Good hip-hop music is everywhere if you work hard enough and search for it, and I am proud to have discovered that there is good hip-hop music being made right in my hometown of Cleveland Heights. I went to school with both of these guys at one time or another in my life, and was privileged enough to witness parts of their musical beginnings. From makeshifts studios to freestyling in the backyard, both of these guys are working hard to get their music out there. The least I can do is promote them, and promote my city. Let's get it started.



Wesley Ingram a.k.a Wes Blaze- Although I went to high school with Wes for four years, I did not know him personally. It was not until my good friend Colin became his roommate at the University of Akron that I really got to know Wes. I remember being at a party over the summer my freshman year when all of the sudden a circle formed in the next room. Who was in the middle of the circle, spitting a hot sixteen? None other than Wes Blaze, spitting dope lines about being a college student and the financial difficulties it brings. In other words, talking about real life. All the heads in the circle were bobbing in unison, and when Wes finished he left the 360 degree crowd in awe. From that point on everyone that knew Wes knew he came vicious with the lyrics. I can remember countless summer nights in Colin's backyard trying to cypher with Wes, but he would always kill us. Every now and then he would give us some new material, and it always left me with my head shaking. Wes now has his own MySpace, complete with about five or six tracks that go as hard as you would expect. With great wordplay and clever metaphors, Wes reminds me a little bit of Wale, addressing issues in his life but at the same time showing off his lyrical talent. Below is the link to Wes' MySpace, please check him out and show some love. Wes has been on his grind all year and it will be no different this summer, with Wes working on an album to showcase his talent.

Wes Blaze's MySpace:
(http://www.myspace.com/wesblaze)





Chase Ford a.k.a Tony Starkks- I have to go all the way back to middle school for our next artist. The only thing I knew about hip-hop is what Eminem was giving to me on the Marshall Mathers LP (the first hip-hop CD I ever bought), and that was a combination of killing wives, a lot of profanity, calling his mother a drug addict. Anyway, I remember one day my friend Patrick Belinson invited me over to his house after school, along with Chase and a few other guys. I sat in awe as they guys got together and cyphered for a good hour in Pat's basement. With one guy playing the drums for the beat, the mic was passed from Patrick to Chase to another of of their buddies, each spitting for minutes at a time. After the cypher I was shown the makeshift studio in the basement, and actually worked up the courage to freestyle over a beat. It wasn't any good, but I loved hearing myself after they recorded me. We were just young kids day dreaming about being big time rappers. Well, now Chase Ford is following that dream. Recently releasing a mixtape with fellow Cleveland rapper Keith Hawk and others, Chase's story of trying to make it in the streets of Cleveland is relateable to anyone who grew up in the Heights. Dope metaphors make you stop Tony Starkk's tracks and rewind them and gives his mixtape and songs a definite replay quality. At the bottom are the links to his latest mixtape, entitled "The Takeover" and his MySpace. Please show Chase some love, and support both these Cleveland artists. Who knows, one day when they make it big you can say you knew how sick they were before they blew up. Enjoy and comment to let these guys know what you think! Cleveland we in here!

Links to listen to Tony Starkks:
Mixtape link:
(http://www.datpiff.com/Fresh_Produce_Fresh_Produce_Presents_The_Takeove.m41265.html)

Tony Starkk's Myspace
(http://www.myspace.com/starkks)