Meet Who's Bringing Real RnB Back | D.Lylez

Do you remember waking up on Saturday mornings to your mom blasting music that made you want to do the two- step as the house was being cleaned from top to bottom? Some of those family favorites could’ve been:

Superstar by Usher

Let Me Love You by Mario

So Beautiful by Musiq Soulchild

Understanding by Xscape

So Sick by Neyo

Or maybe you’ve seen the frenzy behind the internet’s conversation on who is the king of R&B. Well, I’d like to introduce a new face in the music industry who is definitely making noise when it comes to bringing back that soulful yet raw energy to R&B music! Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to D.Lylez. 

Darious Lylez, widely known by his stage name D.Lylez is a Chicago Native who has always embodied and displayed not only a love but a passion for music. Although his childhood was under the framework of a preacher’s kid, Lylez stood firmly withhis personality, stage presence, and emotions when it came to falling in love with R&B! By age 9 music lessons and recitals became his daily routine with the support of both his parents despite church culture. Everybody knows that no matter if you sing in a choir, are a deacon, or can recite many bible verses; they bump to New Edition, Bobby Brown, and Jodeci, here and there. 

You may be squinting your eyes trying to figure out just exactly where you know this cat from. The answer is the hit talent show The Voice season 18 with judges John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, and Nick Jonas. It’s no secret that his soothing yet confident voice blew the judges away but that was not the start to his journey. From being in a boy band called Changes, auditioning for the Voice, and becoming a signed solo artist, D.Lylez's musical journey has been quite eventful. He has tapped into what he wants his legacy and artistry to represent: authenticity, story-telling, and a groundbreaking powerhouse when it comes not only to his vocals but also his performance. The superstar’s two latest singles “24 Hrs” and “Is It Time?” are a direct visual buffet of how truly captivating his artistry is. 

As I watched the video of “24 Hrs” it instantly took me back to the hit single “Sensitivity” by Ralph Tresvant (Yes, one of the cuties from hit group New Edition). The two videos have several similarities when it comes to color stories such as Midnight Blue and Harvest Orange. They both also showcase scenarios that male artists deal with when it comes to the challenge of balancing their career in the spotlight but also having someone very dear to them in their personal lives. In the video you see him wanting his girl so passionately and thinking of her but he’s in the studio doing what he also loves: creating stories and music. The leading woman begins thinking that she’s being ignored and stood up for a romantic dinner date but he’s thinking about her just as much. Lylez is bringing back the R&B that reunites couples when they go through ups and downs, makes you fall in love all over again, and at other times he lets his audience know that they aren’t the only ones dealing with the harsh realities when it comes to dating, loving a person unconditionally, and any other curveballs this life throws at us. Before you know it brothers will be singing and dancing in the rain while us sistas live for every moment of it. 

I love how there’s now space being created again for vulnerability, soft love in the black community, and raw emotions when it comes to a black male artist and he is one of the individuals becoming responsible for that. His music indeed celebrates and uplifts women in the most beautiful light but Lylez's next single “Is It Time?” also is a friendly reminder that everyone can be heartbroken and played; no matter the gender. The video will showcase him in a more painful and distraught light after finding out his partner may be entertaining other men in these streets. I feel very few artists are extremely transparent while still being entertaining and that's a gift he utilizes to a tee when it comes to creating music. 

A catchy chorus and beautiful lyrics that will sound good on the radio or in the club is not his top priority; rather it’s creating a versatility quality music catalog. Neo-soul vibes and the heart is coming back to R&B. Music that makes you feel like you are on cloud 9 when thinking of your boo or last romantic partner has a different energy bringing people of all communities as one because who in this life doesn’t want to experience good ole lovin’ or as Mary J. would sing out, “Real love”. 

Tune into both of D.Lylez’s latest videos if that sultry yet heartfelt R&B makes those car rides a vibe before work or if you just love love.

Comment down below which is one is your favorite out of his latest songs. Follow the talented young star on all platforms as well. [@dlylez]

Desriana Gilbert | Entertainment & Social Journalist for /CW

AdventuresofQue- Quincy Vs Que Album

you tired of everyone standing around at the club looking at each other with such boredom and there being nobody on the dance floor? Or maybe you’re over those 5 songs that your replay button hates to see coming. A hidden gem caught our attention last week that’s the answer to both those problems: ‘Quincy Vs. Que” by the laidback yet lively entertainer, AdventuresofQue. No question this is one of the most anticipated albums of the year. 

It’s only been 4 months since he served up nothing but heartfelt melodies and voicemails with edgy verses in Loser/Lover 3; but I don’t think the city is ready for the growth in not only his sound but also his lyricism. 

No matter your gender or favorite genre of tunes; everyone is going to bump this album from beginning to end. “Quincy Vs Que” makes you feel like you're entering an escape from reality. His cadence and adlibs will have women feeling like the baddest in the room while having men feel on top of the world at any party they step in. He constructed a masterpiece that provides the perfect balance of chill easygoing bops and intergalactic songs that would make even Barack and Michelle Obama jump out of their seats. 

I was surprised at how many different voices I heard and to my surprise, they were all coming from AdventuresOfQue. Whether you’re blasting some of my favorites such Uncle Phil, Are You Happy?, Buckle Up or the #1 Single Quincy Vs Que, you’ll definitely feel like the world is in the palm of your hands and confident that each and every single dream you have will come true. Like this post if you believe this upcoming album will save the club scene! 

Desriana Gilbert/ Entertainment & Social Journalist for CW

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Lik "Popeye's on Center"

If you’re like most of us, you’ve been OUTSIDE making this summer count! On time with the vibes to match as usual, TRP has yet another drop that can take you back to a July Summer in the early 2000s! Co-Founder and In-House Producer Lik gives that feeling with the summer anthem, “Popeyes on Center,” a shout out to one of the hundreds of directional pinpoints used by Us in the community, ha! 

This single from his latest Album, “Auteur Theory,” which has been exclusively released on his Ghetto Griot website for purchase, features his right hand, Big P. Released as a music video directed by Cream. and shot by Carter Green, the lyrical, instrumental, and especially, the visual context is so Milwaukee and gives a nostalgic ’outside from sun up to sun down’ type of feel. The vision was for the editing style to become another character of its own- the “third side to the story,” as Lik put it. The vibrancy of the colors seen and worn, the upward camera angles to fully capture the grit of what still remains of our own unique culture (the businesses AND the beautiful young Milwaukee Men coolin’ in front of them), and the contrast of what may not be anymore, but is still core to the identity of this part of the city, and therefore, is worthy to be celebrated.

The setting changes and cuts to Lik sitting by himself in a restaurant. The imagery is more fab and luxurious and his words are more future-tense with a little bravado but just like the brick and mortar of the Milwaukee Mall, his identity in Milwaukee remains. Good One Lik!

Naomi-Re’a for /CW

"Renaissance" | Milwaukee Film Screening

Beyonce’s “Renaissance” film proves to be the model for all concert films! This grand, 3-hour production masterpiece was four years in the making and as I sat in the third row from the big screen at The Oriental, I could tell that not a day was wasted.

“Flaws and All'' & “Dangerously in Love” was the opener and despite its history as a declaration to a lover, in this particular performance, Beyonce allowed herself to be in awe of the moment and sang it as a ballad to her growing audience of almost 30 years and shared some words of affirmation along with it. She was dressed in an ethereal black gown in the first scene which complimented the romanticization of the mutual admiration between herself and the fans, yet it also could be seen as a tamed contrast to the otherworldliness of her later outfits- symbolic of her growth from a pop star to world declared icon. Through her catalog, she humanizes this journey with flashbacks of behind-the-scenes development consisting of aches, pains, hands-on construction, harsh hours, and properly giving out flowers to all who had a hand on this tour. Even to those whose smaller parts have had a great impact on her, like her daughter Blue Ivy, who did not shy away from the stage nor from having a creative opinion. The standard was the method for all to adopt and this large collective crew of artists and otherwise showed true to it by their results. There was positivity depicted in wins of all magnitudes and mishaps that only highlighted the true nature of teamwork and leadership; Trust. However, with being human comes the not-so-great reality as well. A piece of that reality, which may easily be overlooked by many whom it may not concern, is that no matter how many victories your method has produced, being intelligent as a black woman creative doesn’t put one out of range from having ‘them’ (yes ‘them’) attempt to try you mentally. When approached with such bravado, Beyonce’s only response was fearlessly remembering to choose to stand in her own authority rather than giving into the regret of the so-called stigma of being assertive with high demands. Who's to say how long it has been that Beyonce has truly felt within herself the courage to see through to getting her way at all times and at all costs but mastering that commitment can make an established art form to those on the outside feel renewed to the one inside.

As narrated and depicted through and through, the Renaissance is not just an era or a stage, it's a transcendence of a culture and the individuals in it. As the most catered-to audience (haha-wink), the African Diaspora, whether they be man, woman, straight, LGBTQIA+, adult, child, African or Black American, and so forth, vicariously experienced the glamor of our multifaceted culture through time via this tour. It is a great hoorah! moment for all leaving no question that Beyonce is a voice for every creed and that the modern approach is historically unapologetic.

/Naomi-Re’a CW

B. JUSTICE + NO STUDIOS PRESENTS | IF YOU NŌ, YOU NŌ TV SHOW

*Info provided by B. Justice

Nō Studios and B. Justice are proud to present the If You Nō You Nō TV Show, a groundbreaking and immersive experience that is set to take place at Nō Studios.

Showcase Dates:

Friday, August 11th

Friday, August 25th

Friday, September 8th

Friday, September 22nd

Final Show: October 23rd

This event marks the taping of a captivating live open mic competition, where locally talented artists from diverse genres will vie for the opportunity of being featured on our highly anticipated compilation album: Nō Album.

We encourage participants to watch these performances!

Experienced judges with expertise in the music industry will carefully evaluate each performance and will ultimately determine the deserving winner(s) of the competition.

If chosen, Nō Studios will provide studio time and the legal fees to arrange the revenue sharing agreement for the upcoming album. With the dedication to fostering artistic diversity and inclusivity, this competition welcomes participants from all musical genres, ensuring a rich tapestry of talent and a harmonious celebration of music.

Music on the Beerline” Lineup Release Party | Why You Should Come Out For This Summer Series

Although the last week of June in Milwaukee was covered with hazy fog, and slight smell of smoke that caused eye burning and breathing problems [like “be so for real”}, the 30th seemed like the sky shined through just in time for the “Music on the Beerline”- Lineup Release Party.

Riverwork Development Corp has kicked off a lively, diverse, and family-oriented release party at Amorphic Beer for their 5th annual “Music on the Beerline,'' summer series. A welcoming music and community oriented festival in Milwaukee which RDC also has added a V.I.P experience and a very tempting 50/50 raffle too. The drinks, food, music, and individuals interacting created an enjoyable time in this urban environment.

Walking into the event the smell of food lingered outside bringing joy to my heart seeing others were pleased as well. Fox Den MKE [Food Truck] was the provided business to feed anyone who came to the event. That day's menu had the options of burgers, and loaded fries with vegan options included. Some food options you either loved or hated, but based off of the vibe most who ordered, loved the food and good service. RDC knew that good food provided would lure people in and put smiles on peoples faces!

To get us all excited about these events, the release party announced the performance line up, which includes some exciting acts that are gaining heavy traction locally, nationally, and in some cases internationally. RDC has Twan Mack, Love, Peace and Soul [WHO DON’T COME TO PLAY] on July 21st. DJ Bizzon on August 18th , with the phenomenal stage presence of Browns Crew, and Salsa Brosita on September 15th. How could you not come out, support your community and listen to wonderful music while eating some yummy food [because you know the food trucks will be in the mix]! Plus, you get this unbelievable feeling just across the street or around the corner from your homes. It’s right on the “block” at the Beerline Plaza [Holton & Townsend], so pull up!

“It's not easy to have longevity with a festival included with funds,especially with other great festivals in the city,” Kennita Hickman, Event Producer said.

The “ Music on the Beerline” festival is and has been an incredibly safe music festival where those from across the street, cars on road, and those on the beerline trail stop by creating a wonderful audience for the local musicians. It is essential to take note that the artist will be paid what they believe they should be paid [& that is rare].

“Music on the Beerline” celebrates 5 years as of 2023, with a new edition. The V.I.P experience with diversified local music to HEAR and FEEL in your soul. “You could have fun on a date, literally experiencing something other people want. It is a legit V.I.P experience in your neighborhood,” Sara Czamecki-Reynolds, Neighborhood Development Manager was excited to announce.

Get out the house, enjoy something new and enjoy what your city provides this summer! This Festival will continue to create a temporary youthfulness, recognition, and safety across the city and you can be a part of that!

Come Out And Vibe & remember /CW invited you!

Jazale Hill /CW Summer Intern

“Music on the Beerline” Celebrates Five Years as Official Announcement Party Kicks Off June 30thth

*Info provided by Kennita Hickman [kennita@cateraomnivision.com]

The Riverworks Development Corporation is kicking off the fifth annual “Music on the Beerline,” a free outdoor music event in Milwaukee. RDC is continuing in its new format as a series versus a one-night event, an upgrade to the event structure that has proven to be successful. The concert series set record attendance numbers in 2022, a feat that organizers hope to mirror in 2023.

This year’s “Music on the Beerline” performers will be revealed at the official announcement party at Amorphic Beer a local brewery located in Riverwest, on June 30 th from 5:30pm-8pm.

“We’re really happy to showcase local artists 5 years running at The Beerline Plaza for all connected to the trail to enjoy,” Darryl Johnson, Executive Director of Riverworks Development Corporation.

The series, which highlights local musicians and performers, will showcase a diverse range of music, with prior concerts offering a mixture of Hip Hop, Soul, Jazz and more. Last year featured hometown favorites like vocalist and guitarist, Roxie Beane and DJ Bizzon.

The 5 th annual “Music on the Beerline” will take place on the following dates on the Beerline trail:

July 21

August 18

September 15

To learn more about each concert date, join us at Amorphic Beer, 3700 N. Fratney St., on June 30 th and visit the Beerline Trail Events Page.

SnapShot Press Release: Milwaukee Pull Up, It's a "Partyat4" | A Milwaukee 'Ish interview with Partyat4

I believe the phrase “renaissance man” is overused.

Where it is defined as, “a person with many talents or areas of knowledge” that theory of humanism has long been surpassed by the reality we call the 21st century [You know the era of social media, Artificial Intelligence, BBL’s, Catfishing, & fake “real” N*gg*s]. 

But with that critique also comes the opportunity to coin a new phrase for a man who embodies various talents, has an authentic aura, and carries his grace with just enough posturing to appeal to a mass audience of tastemakers and fan like dreamers. Maybe we should call him a “virtuoso of the era” or maybe we can just make the moniker fit the prototype.

Let’s just call him . . . Partyat4.

Now everybody knows that I firmly believe [& I have the receipts] that Milwaukee breeds creative genius [I said, what I said. So fight me!]. However, that creativity is usually mystified by the infantile infrastructure big money has mishandled. So our talent usually sees a need to leave our “little big-city” to make things pop. The problem with that is some never come back and totally disown their 414 roots. So when we were informed that Partyat4 was repping his native land and showing his face around these parts, we were pleasantly surprised [& also curious what part of town he is from, where his grandma stay, and what he rep when “Who You Wit” by Lil John come on LMAO].

Lexi S. Brunson asking Partyat4 where his “grandma stay” Lol. Just Playing, but she did ask where he is from in Milwaukee.

So when your /CW Fam was invited to his Meet & Greet / Listening Session happening at Scene 1 Restaurant & Lounge MKE [5526 W North Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53208] on April 27th, 2023 we accepted [with the caveat that we would like to chat with the man of the hour]. What follows is that very casual, “Let’s just do a Milwaukee a** interview” we had standing on the block in front of a red sprinter van covered in images of Partyat4, with all his people around [What a mutha f’n sight to see LOL].

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CW: “First of all, why are you HERE?”

Partyat4: “It was my son's birthday. My first born, London. Then after that I had the listening session. So I felt it was more conducive to stay the whole week instead of flying back.”

Back to ATL that is. With a buzzing music & creative market, Atlanta has become the base camp for many Milwaukee linked talents [Including K Camp, Lakeyah, and Josie Thompson]. With one of his good friends from high school [S/O B] moving to Atlanta and him feeling Atlanta to have a strong music culture when he made his decision to move three years ago, it just felt right. 

CW: “There is this idea that people don’t make it out of Milwaukee or that there is no talent in Milwaukee. . .”

Partyat4: “It’s a stigma.” He said with a playfully smug look on his face.

CW: “It is a stigma. It’s definitely a thing. But you are a multifaceted talent. Of course, I have interviewed many recording artists before. But I was really intrigued [that, that's not all you do].”

His creative punch card includes, Fashion [yep, he can design & sew], visual arts [like drawing & painting, somebody get this man in the gallery], culinary arts [his PR team informed us he was once upon a time a Hyatt chef], and his music lexicon includes rapping, singing, song writing, and production [get’er done then!]. With those skills fitting several of CopyWrite’s pillars of focus [Art, Music. Fashion, Community, and Culture], we could do a whole magazine issue on him.  

*wink wink, nudge nudge* 

Partyat4: “Yea, I just hate to put myself in a box. I’m all about expression and creativity in general. So I paint, I sew, I am definitely into fashion. I just hate everybody wearing the same sh*t, so to speak. Excuse my belligerence and what not. . .”

Belligerence, Sma-lligerence! I have heard and seen some crazy sh*t in my time covering the creative scene. One of the craziest is that cookie cutter, straight off the mannequin style that these “sheeple” try to pass off as originality. Speak your truth my guy! No apologies needed here.

Partyat4: “I just try to be unique the best way I can. It’s 2023 everybody is doing their own thing. Whether it’s podcasting or selling something or cosmetics. . . I just try to be me to the best of my capacity.”

And that's not that easy to do in an industry that is known for making individuals “more marketable”. But maybe that’s just it. Maybe there is really a space for someone to fit the mold and break it at the same time. 

CW: “How did you figure out that you had all of those different types of talents?”

Partyat4: “Just being bored really. I had a sewing machine a few years ago. But I just got another one [a gift]. . . I was kind of board at 3AM and I had just smoked my last blunt and the weed man was sleep. . .” [That’s what we call a tragedy lol]. “So I just got the f*ckin with the sewing machine. I probably watched a minute and a half video on how to thread my particular model. After that I just got to freakin’ sh*t.”

But hear me out though, ya man's is cold! I checked out a few of his pieces on IG and he takes that DIY steez to a whole different universe. [Those Beatles and Mushroom Booty carpet pants go crazy!]

Partyat4: “I think people, as individuals, we get stuck at the learning curve. We be scared to initiate things. But once you get past that and jump off the porch, if you will, you can be surprised at what you can do. Like ingenuity wise you can do anything.”

Partyat4 & Lexi S. Brunson, editor-in-chief of /CW | /CW image

Now of course I didn’t stray away from the big question of “Why” leave milwaukee when his talents would allow him to probably make it anywhere and he was honest that something just didn’t make this space feel like the catalyst.

Partyat4: “I just felt like in Atlanta the culture was more music oriented. People there are helping each other. They are more intune with what is going on and on an individual level it feels like people want to see each other win. Not to say anything negative or cognizant of Milwaukee culture. But I just feel like something here, whether it's gate keepers or something, it keeps us in a shell.”

Are y'all listening out there? Hello, is this thing on? *pats imaginary microphone hard*

The narrative is repetitive. We have heard this story and thus, it holds weight. A weight that is quite costly in an era that no longer relies on manual labor but on the contrary Culture [Big C], Community [Bigger C], and Capital [C.R.E.A.M. , Biggest C]. 

Partyat4: “I appreciate [Atlanta] for that. I mean I be low down there. But still.” He laughed humbly. 

There is nothing wrong with being low. It actually allows you to analyze a space, then ebb and flow as you desire. Its strategy and it creates the spark of greatness.

CW: “I think it's okay to be low down there and then somewhere like here [in Milwaukee] you could be a star. I think it's also about cultivating that love at home, and look, you’re here. There are a lot of people from Milwaukee that don’t rep Milwaukee. So the fact that you are even here we fux with that.”

Partyat4: “On the low, not to say no names but there are alot of people from here and they act like they are from where they got poppin at.” [Read between the lines this whole article is a smoke signal].

CW: “Ohhh you noticed that too?”. I said sarcastically. Because, yall funny and we see you!

Partyat4: “Yeaaaaaa!”, he said with the same sarcastic cadence. “That's cute or whatever. But like for me, I moved away but it was more for stimulation of what I had going on. And n*gg*s show love here and I had a great turnout tonight so I’m blessed for that. But it's something about when you can move away and I’m very competitive. . . but it just feels really good to not only come home and get support but be somewhere else, where you're not from, and get that same support where people come out because they believe in what you are doing. It makes you go that much harder.”

Partyat4 performing a live set a Scene 1 Restaurant & Lounge MKE | /CW Video

We believe that Milwaukee definitely has the fandom to pour into its talent but the creative infrastructure is still on the rise. We know big labels have been tip-toeing into our showcases, parlaying with the DJ’s, and sitting in our clubs looking for hungry MKE acts to sit on their rosters before the door burst opens and we are permanently on the map. It’s noted but transparency would probably feed more of us. Just sayin’.

The work Partyat4 is doing is a part of that story. It is a part of a bigger picture that has been shadowed by the decline of the industrial revolution in the midwest, the “I didn’t know Black people lived in Milwaukee” foolery that comes from the ignorance of our rich cultural history, plus the beer and cheese motif that disregards how many of us have more girth to us then that. 

CW: “A part of my job is holding people accountable. So you are HERE. I am HERE. The request was to show up & show out. So I showed up & I’m showing out.”

Partyat4: “And I appreciate that.”

CW: “So I really want our audience base to know who you are and that is our Milwaukee Creatives. That’s who I serve. Since you are this multifaceted talent, you have something to share. That means you have to come home every once and a while for that to happen.”

Partyat4: “My kids are here so I have no choice but to come back. I’m blessed to have other obligations so I am on the road a lot but I’m here fasho. I’m only an hour and half away flight wise.”

CW: “Okay! And we are going to make sure of that!”

Real. Rap. Raw. It’s not a threat but a friendly promise. With a network of community supporting Partyat4 [like our media family at Hyfin and all the CORE DJ’s who showed up that night] and other creatives that blossom from “The Good Land”, we can change the game. Oh and trust, these ways we play to win.

CW: “We want to see you at the radio stations. We want to see you on our stages. So get you a** in there. You have to get acclimated. I think it's really important that when we have talent that is making the waves that you are making, we make a notation and vice versa. So we will be on the lookout. We will be watching for you. We want to see more of you. Bigger venues. Bigger turn outs. Let's make it happen. Let's make it pop.”

Partyat4: “Oh man, I’m trying to turn sh*t up. I’m Party for a reason.”

CW: “Emmm hmmm. Partyat4! Why didn’t this party start at 4? We were ready then!”

We all blurted out in laughter. “Noooo…it ends at 4!”said one of his guys standing nearby, peeping our whole conversation. 

But my “still young enough to take risks, but too old to know better” aged self had to leave around 11:30PM LOL. But not before asking the classic journalistic question of “What can we expect next?”.

Peep the strategic timing of this write up with Partyat4’s remix of “To Da Moon” Ft. Toosii, dropping this Friday, May 12th, 2023, with Its original release honored on Billboard Top 30 hit singles. [Like I said, we are going to make sure that Partyat4 is on our community's radar, so go check that out].

Partyat4: “Y’all can expect my kids to grow. . .”, [Now everybody knows /CW loves a proud parent #CWLovesDaKids]. “Y’all can expect a project coming soon. I’m ready to rap y'all mutha F*ckin heads off. . .”

CW: “You got bars. I ain't even going to lie.”

Partyat4: “I appreciate that. Y’all can also expect some singles and I’m trying to get the song “Touch Down” dropped. I should have played that tonight. But I’ma get back to it. There's a lot of stuff coming down the pipeline for me. My mind is like a stock exchange board. It just ticks all day. . .I’m also going to put out a capsule of clothes that you can buy. . . we got all that coming. I’m just trying to captivate and entice the audience. No offense to anybody but sometimes music gets on dry spells and it has high notes but we are trying to be all falsettos. A whole lot of high notes.”  

Ohhhhh dude said that! LOL 

And we rock with it. Whether it's Rap, R&B, Country, Rock, or whatever he can do to hit y’all eardrums he is game for it. 

Partyat4: “So respectfully, and again excuse my belligerence, we are here to stay!”

Now somebody gotta shake my hand folks because I got the commitment of a lifetime on the strength of me loving my city. . .

CW: “I have to put you on the spot now. Would you consider collaborating with some Milwaukee artist? And not just music, but art, fashion, all that?

Partyat4: “Indubitably. Yes. Absolutely. . . I mean I be talkin’ sh*t too. So we can get a stand up set and crack some jokes”. 

Word? Well let’s do the damn thang! Because if you stay ready, you aint gotta get ready.

& Milwaukee, well . . . we been ready.

Love & All Things Urban,

Lexi S. Brunson | Editor-in-Chief /CW

SnapShot Press Release: A Web worth Tangling | Spider Creek 7

Community & Collaboration is undervalued. 

[Did that statement sting a bit? If it didn’t then you must be oblivious to the power of social capital.]

You hear the overtone of these words in many spaces but their merit in the creative realm changes everything. It can be the difference between success and sabotage. Which is why Spider Creek, “a music collective based out of Milwaukee Wisconsin full of an eclectic group of artists ranging from musicians and producers to visual artists”, is prolifically moving through today's scene. SAINTRÈ, .IanJames., Makatà, Lizzie Kay, Keyba, and LOVEPeso, are the full time members of the crew that are growing a relatively large communal family. 

in tymless studios “no face no case” | /Cw image

If you're a music lover in Milwaukee then of course the formula sounds familiar. [Don’t say their names, we don’t have time to go down that rabbit hole. But clearly that’s the point of me bringing it up]. With so many artists making waves as a unit but still posturing as vivacious forces in their own right, how can Spider Creek maintain their positive trajectory?  

“We are actually like a family”, said Saintrè, while catching the reggaeton vibes of a song being recorded by producer Keylime, for duo Gego y Nony featuring Cam Will at Tymeless Studios. 

Sneak peak of Cam Will & Keylime in the writing room [ Gego y Nony not in frame | /CW video footage

[Wait, but why are we here?]

Spider Creek 7, aptly named for its seventh installment of collective recording sessions meant to inspire “artists of all genres and skill sets . . to create great music with other talented people they may have never worked with before”, brought your /CW Fam right into the heart of creative genius on April 22nd, 2023. The two day recording session [which ran from 12:00PM to 12:00PM on both the 22nd & 23rd] was filled with a nostalgic energy that reminded us of our own origin story, just reincarnated into new era tastemakers, creatives, and dreamers.

“It started with the four of us and now it's like the whole city of Milwaukee”, Saintrè noted. 

Is that an exaggeration? Not really. Including the core members of Spider Creek, 32 artists [& counting] were invited to the “lock in sessions” including some heavy hitters that almost every MKE based artist would want to hop on a track with, and even some of the /CW Fam [like $hunmillion$ who was featured in CopyWrite Magazine Issue 10, The Surge]. But of course we have the receipts so you can be the judge of that.

Spider Creek 7 Invite List

Makata - @makata.888

Saintrè - @aka.saintre

Keyba - @itssolowkey

LOVEPeso - @7939peso

.Ian James. - @the.ianjames 

Lizzie Kay - @_lizziekay_

Ja dubb - @ja_dubb

Adrienne - @spell.Adrienne 

Ash - @ashouttafocus 

Darylanne - @darylanne.music

Felix Ramsey - @felixramsey

Zonk - @zonkrolan

Aya* - @ayainthesky

Quies Terry - @quiesterry

Cam will - @_camwill

NileXNile - @nilexnile

Lake - @lakehomie

$hunmillion$ - @shunmillions

Odiefromthego - @odiefromthego 

Grey genius - @grey_genius

Eli $tones - @elistizzy

Mocity - @mocitysw

Shadi - @th3_shadi

Gego y nony - @gegoynony

Fred the black kid - @fredtheblackkid

Holly Mae -  @iamhollymae

Paperstacks - @bigdog_stacks

Duwayne - @Duwayne.mp3

MeloChld - @calvinlharmon

2 hi - @im_2hi

Dj the Jenius - @djthejenius 

Keylime - @officialkeylime 

And they only want the list to get bigger.

“This is definitely a dream. We are going to always try to get this feeling”. Saintrè said, and was followed by Cam Will’s testament to not knowing what to expect when invited but being pleasantly surprised. “Everybody has egos but if you put everyone in one room they become connected”, Cam said while jotting down lyrics to another beat.

The social capital that comes with being a part of something bigger than yourself is indispensable in our underfunded, overlooked, and under reprepresented market. Building relationships, letting down walls, and creating opportunities is a narrative that weaved through every conversation that we overheard while at Tymeless Studios. “But it's also about execution”, someone chimed in. 

Shadi, Keyba, Makata sitting in a studio session | /CW Image

The execution is natural for this bunch. With space to vibe, the skill to perform, and the technology to “put it on wax”, the formula Spider Creek originally intended for their own creative stimulation is being put to communal use.

When we arrived the scene was already set. We walked into three active sessions. Three active sessions, with three different vibes. 

One was giving Reggaeton. . .

Cam Will was getting spanish pronunciation lessons from Gego y Nony in the writing room, “You can say, De eso…” and “Or you can make it just one word like Desso”.  

The next was giving Indy, alternative. . .

NileXNile was held up in the booth trying to get his verse just right, “One more time” he repeated ten times until the imperfections became the nuanced perfections the track needed. “This is my favorite kind of environment. All good energy.” Someone reassured, as they waited for their turn. 

The other session was giving classic Hip Hop, turned all the way up. . .

Deshun Jetson was cooking up fire [ask him about the Spacecraft track], while 2Hi commanded the booth [crazy bars],  LOVEPeso [such a lively persona] geeked up Keyba [whose cadence mixed with the requested autotune had this sonic playfulness we really enjoyed], while preparing to do a “deep voice” overlay of the hook, “So I should put the base in it like I’m in my bag?!?”, type vibes. 

Keyba in the booth | /CW Image

“This happens every time.” - .Ian James. , said when I questioned if the aura of each space was intentional. 

But the vibes [I need to coin a new word for vibes smh] are natural. Everyone finds their space, and the rotation ebbs and flows. They intrinsically are guided by what calls to them, and they zone in as if nobody's watching [& you know WE were watching, with inquisitive eyes, and the most eavesdropping of ears. LOL it comes with the journalistic territory].

Well, they have done this six times already and if Ian’s math is right, the last three times they had multi-studio locations where the subtlety of genre came into play. [We think it's a good formula for musical magic.]   

“This just keeps getting bigger. The [Spider Creek] collective keeps growing. And as it grows we get to [see] what the city can create”, Lizzy Kay said [& I’m paraphrasing because yall know I don’t believe in voice recording in the stu. We are not the feds!”

Lizzy kay in the booth | /CW Image

The things we witnessed are inspiring. The discussions being had were noteworthy for all stakeholders and gatekeepers that intersect with the music industry around these parts. The rhetoric of professional music makers was present and robust. 

Milwaukee is beyond talented and Spider Creek sees it beyond their own contributions.

So I guess what I am really trying to convey to any one who may read this is that YOU should really want to be a part of this legacy. You should show up & show out for your city. You should pour into the talent that is here. You should collaborate when able. You should contribute monetarily, with resources, with SOCIAL CAPITAL, or use whatever skill you may have to be a part of the positive shift so that ten years from now Spider Creek is not just “one of those things” that used to be. But instead are seasoned vets in the game championing collaboration and a fraction of the creative industry that has more legs to stand on then a . . . spider.

See y'all at Spider Creek 8 [Speaking it into fruition].

Love & All Things Urban,

Lexi S. Brunson | Editor-in-Chief /CW

P.S. - Send me all those tracks! I need it in my life.

Introducing, Spider Creek 7

Spider Creek 7 is a 2 day recording session bringing together an eclectic group of artists from across the city of milwaukee. With recording artists of all genres and skill sets. The goal of Spider Creek 7 for each artist is to create great music with other talented people they may have never worked with before. We ask that if you would like to support you repost the flyer for the event on instagram. It will be posted on Spider Creeks account ( @spider.creek). If you would like to get involved you may either DM @spider.creek on instagram or email spidercreekarts@gmail.com .

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Spider Creek is a music collective based out of Milwaukee Wisconsin full of an eclectic group of artists ranging from musicians and producers to visual artists. Sonically, the group enjoys the term “Genre Fluid” to describe their sound. On any given night you may hear rock, blues, hip hop, R&B as well as many other genres. The collective’s inception took place in March of 2020. In an attempt to escape the insanity of the early stages of the pandemic the 4 original members, SAINTRÈ, IanJames. , Makatà and Lizzie Kay rented a house in northern Wisconsin on a body of water called “Spider Creek”, with the intent of writing a collaboration album. At the end of the week they had finished the project and went their separate ways as artists. Over the course of the next year and a half they continued to have Spider Creek recording sessions while maintaining their solo artist status. It wasn’t until January of 2022 that the 4 decided to focus on creating a collective. Since that time the group has invited new artists to each session, and added two new members into the collective full time, Keyba and LOVEPeso, only intensifying the complexity and eclectic nature that Spider Creek embodies.