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

/ Amorphic Beer/ 
*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 | To Be Seen [Milwaukee Film Festival 2023]

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We love the Milwaukee Film Festival, not just because it's the one time of year we can do our job while sitting around eating popcorn [yes, we will mention popcorn every year because we trying to get a popcorn stipend too lol]. But because every year it gets better. More films we love, more screenings of things we are interested in, and more programming that makes us feel seen. Being seen is something that is undervalued. But we know that representation changes how the world engages with differences. It is how we find understanding in the unknown and clarity in a vision that is not our own. CopyWrite explored the Milwaukee Film Fest 2023 through the joy of being SEEN, and here is what we found. 

BAD PRESS [Directors: Rebecca Landsberry-Baker & Joe Peeler]

We take our profession seriously!

Where it is in CopyWrite’s nature to bend the rules, redefine tradition, and grapple with the culture of “Media” we do so with care [& strategy], that is thoroughly directed by research, transparency, grappling with the woes of disenfranchisement, and engrained with the responsibility of Free Press. So when these ideologies were at risk of being dismantled in  Directors Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, “Bad Press”, my soul jumped out of my chest and I felt that my own livelihood was on the line. 

If you look up the saying, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything”, a picture of Angel Ellis should be attached. Her controversial approach to defending Muscogee Nation against press censorship is GAWDS WORK, okay! To not only go against a political institution, but also the corruption that is unnerved by the historical rhetoric of Native American need for sovereignty, had everyone I saw in the film screening break into mass hysteria [or was it just me?]. 

With this feverish concept that the press is a unneeded, sh*t show of falsity in today’s society, running at an all time high, to note that my freedoms as a “media maker” are seldom called into question, had me in tears for Angel and her other “native” press counterparts. How dare anyone try to put their hyperbolic feet on the necks of truth [just because it's not always pretty]. How dare you use the tactics of your oppressors on your own people [my Choctaw, Blackfoot, and Cherrokee blood was boiling]. How can you not see that the historical lack of information to these people has left them all traumatized by genocide and the true ills of treason. 

Lexi acting like she wasn’t just crying after the screening of bad press

Every time Angel's anxiety shot her into a frenzy that sent her running to the door to spark a cigarette, [I don’t smoke] but I felt the need to light one up with her. The attempt to get protection of the Free Press as an amendment to their nation's constitution was unprecedented in “Indian” Country but with Angel, and the true staff of Mvskoke Media, the fight was on. I think “Bad Press” should be a reminder to all that what is privileged in your reality is not inherent in all futures, cultures, and lands. 

Just know at CopyWrite, if we have to fight for our rights, we absolutely will. They will never take our voice!

Lexi for /CW

BLACK LENS SHORTS: BLACK REMEMBRANCE

Somebody clap for this year's Black Lens Programmers, because THEY - DID- THAT!

You don’t even know how good it feels to be SEEN. Not that fake “lets hit this quota” monotony most institutions try to pass off as diversity & inclusion [Y’all are shamefully fake] but the real attempt to dig into culture as a reflection of its genius as nuanced as a day in the life of some, not all, and more, not less. The Black Lens shorts at Milwaukee Film Fest 2023, did that for me.

proof we were there!

Eye for an I [Director: James Grisom]: To be seen Vulnerable. This short is a music note of the burden of Blackness & the beauty that straddles that space. If you love hard it may mean death comes with vengeance. If you forgive easily, that puts you at risk. It is a trauma we did not create but a lexicon that gathers a dark cloud above our legacy. The rules of engagement simply mean we never win.

By Water [Director: Iyabo Kwayana]: To Create a sense of seeing. This short had me like, “What in the Black art school?”. And that tickled me. It tickled me because in my life that was the space I felt the most unseen. Where representation is not only willed by those inhabiting the space, it is disregarded by the work that they make. The characters seen in “By Water” of curly fro like beards and fluffy naturals on well groomed women are not common. Nor do they ever allow for the Black image to be whirled into the figurative where nature is as natural as the city and black memory is championed by Black creation of new or different worlds. I like that space of little clarity and big exploration.

Port of a Prince [Director: JR Aristide]: To never Unsee. This short is the moment when you finally can stomach that you too are desensitized. Desensitized by violence, corruption, and the ills of capitalism. You can't unsee the first death, and somehow every death of innocence, youth, friendship, family. . .it all just becomes a thing you live with. This is the untold truth of the African Diaspora, we have suffered so now we still suffer, at the hands of many and even our own. Don’t you ever put a gun in the hands of a child, for that is the moment they will unsee what joy life can bring.

T [Director: Keisha Rae Witherspoon]: To be seen Vividly: It is the cadence of art. It is culture and freedom. It is neon lights and innsense. It is memorial tee’s and talking spirits. It is to live beyond the time you are alive. Now without context you probably have no idea what this movie is about, but everything in me said this was for homegoings and healing. This is for my people and after looking at the shorts description, everything in me was right.


We Were Meant To [Director: Tari Wariebi]: To be seen in Flight. Why are we great like that? The metaphorical thought of rite of passage for Black men as the first time he takes flight sent me! It was clever in its social commentary, “The No Fly Zone”, is everywhere you are Black man. To have your wings clipped is a way to keep you down, without, undervalued. And the production was clean! It was thoughtful and nuanced beyond need [the Vitruvian man with wings] but because it was I bought into it like it was a thread of reality that was beyond plausible. It had me grappling with the surveillance of Black bodies [is this body not my own?]. It had me checking for my own super pours [& as a Black woman I know I have many]. This was by far one of the best films I have seen in my life because I know what it feels like to fly without wings.

Lexi for /CW

DEAR THIRTEEN [Director: Alexis Neophytides]

The world has changed a hell of alot since I was thirteen. That was circa *cough cough* LOL, social media was in its infancy, my mother was still trying to hide our working class poverty from me, and there was no wifi [first world problems]. So to see life through the eyes of today’s thirteen year old is an unsavory pill to swallow, yet it comes with a glimmer of hope that this generation is not lost, but very much misunderstood.

Being Thirteen is weird!

You're in this inbetween space where you're not a little kid anymore but you still don't have the full blown privileges of a teenager. It’s like being in limbo and that purgatory at minimum lasts a full calendar year [Yikes!]. But the issues of the world are noticeable at that age. The fears of the future strike you and thus it is a period of grounding oneselves, as depicted by the film, that gets lost in translation. Who narrates for this age? Only someone in the thick of it can. So the lack of adult commentary [besides editing] was vital to noting, thirteen year olds have something profound to say!

We brought our fifteen year old “intern” to see the film and she too had to reflect on who she is and why she is in this space in time. Too see that reckoning kindled by a global perspective of young reality, she murmured, “That was good to see”, which is more than enough in our book.

LEXI & /CW YOUTH INTERN JAZALE AFTER SCREENING OF DEAR THIRTEEN

“Dear Thirteen” is something that everyone, but especially everyone who has a child should watch. Often, adults tend to feel like teenagers don’t have problems.There is this belief that since a child is free from the burden of finances and large responsibilities like mortgages and car notes, that they live a worry and stress free life. But on the contrary, “Dear Thirteen” narrates how society impacts the lives of children in the same ways they do for adults. Each of those 9 children, whether they were a gun-toting American boy or an Australian trans girl starting her first day of puberty blockers, will all experience things that will transcend race, gender, socio-economic class, or geographical location. I appreciate the lengths Alexis Neophytides went to to establish diversity. I believe it really helps the claim that although we all come from different places, there are life experiences we all share. Australia, America, India, Europe, no matter where you are, adolescent years come with similar trials and tribulations. This film wasn’t a tearjerker, it wasn’t a comedy or a horror, it was the reality of adolescence and a voice for the unheard 13 year olds around the world.

Lexi & Peazy for /CW

LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING [Director: Lisa Cortés]

“Tooty Fruity” was the first song that I ever heard by Little Richard before I knew who he was. It was considered “grown folks music”, the stuff you can’t listen to because it has too many foul words or because they’re talking about some that isn't appropriate for your age. But that only increased my fascination which ignited the interest to find out who Little Richard was.

Lisa Cortes’ documentary puts to bed everything you THINK you know about the true King of Rock and Roll. Richard was labeled as “the one of a kind icon that shaped the world of music” and throughout the story that claim has been supported a thousand times over. But she also focuses on the imbalance Little Richard faced, which truly intrigued me because I think this a battle we’ve all faced: the battle between secular and sacred. On one hand, Little Richard is a worldly icon, doused in glitter and gold from his wardrobe to his makeup, he is the king of a people yearning for soulful music. On the other hand, in his heart he knows he should not conform to the desires of this world because he’s called to be a servant of God and create a new foundation not built on sex and fame but the love and obedience to God. I think it’s these details that fans don’t know that allow them to create the idea that celebrities aren’t human. Some of the most notable names recalled the best and worst times with Richard: Billy Porter, Tom Jones, Paul McCartney, John Waters, Pat Boone, amongst others.

Richard Wayne Penniman is not unlike many other queer or trans people who’ve been outed by the ones that they love and forced to create a new family through a talent like music or art. He is one of the blueprints to androgyny and queerness, one that has even now, in 2023 remained relevant because so many people can now be comfortable in their identity because of artists like Little Richard. Lisa Cortes accurately depicted each phase of Richard’s life. In the church where it all started, to the stage where he grew into an icon, back to the church where he renewed his faith and restored his relationship with God, and then the end of his story.

I appreciate Cortes’ understanding of representation in music, not only do I believe this greatly directed documentary re-established that Richard was the true originator of rock but it gave space for his intersectionality. Richard Wayne Penniman was a queer, black, Christian, rock and roll artist and creator. He walked so our generation could run, and “Little Richard: I Am Everything” depicts that in the most notorious way.

Peazy for /CW

RISE AND REBUILD: A TALE OF THREE CITIES [Directors: Asako Gladsjo & Sam Pollard]

We chose, “Rise and Rebuild: A Tale of Three Cities” as our community partnership film because when the world see’s Black America it often sees what we don’t have and not what we have had that has generationally been taken from us. Where the film captures Wilmington's Brooklyn, Atlanta's Sweet Auburn, and Chicago's Bronzeville, those localities might as well be Tulsa’s Black Wall Street, Detroit's Black Bottom [Lafayette], and Milwaukee’s original Bronzeville. But with Tulsa being a trendy storyline Directors Asako Gladsjo and Sam Pollard thought it best to highlight these other narratives that hold just as much weight. The pivot to black communities that once prospered, were harmed, and now are looking to reinvigorate their communities as they rebuild are stories that should be cautionary [as gentrification is at an all time high] and inspiring as now more than ever before the Black dollar, the Black education, and the Black voice has leverage.

The quote, “It's not about politics. It’s about people”, that Mayor khalid kamau of South Fulton said during the film, was one of those notes I don't think enough people comprehend. At the end of the day the value of our quality of life is not determined by the parlor tricks of politics but the people who enforce politics as a tool in which one secures the value of that quality of life.

I saw my city in that film. I saw our hardships like a mirror. I know what is at risk if we don’t carve out the infrastructure and let “them” take the wheel. We don't want a repeat. We want ground breaking change. This film shows us exactly what that can look like.

Lexi for /CW

THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER [Director: Bomani J. Story]

Viewing “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster”, a top-tier thriller/suspense film that in my opinion personified the pain of a Black child’s trauma surrounding death, was a pleasure. Although inspired by Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”, this film provokes deep thought about the trauma of experiencing death at a young age and how death is disproportionately in closer proximity to Black children more than it provokes goosebumps. Vicaria, the main character, is almost stalked with gun violence as it has plagued her family, killing her mother and her big brother. Meanwhile, on the opposite end her father is still alive but fighting the battle of addiction that will ultimately lead to an untimely demise. Life hasn't always been like this for Vicaria, we see this through Bomani J. Story’s allusion to better times during the intro of the film. Evidence that Vicaria has a loving relationship with her father and a pretty normal life outside of her mad science lab is pretty clear; the only thing that is truly wrong with this seemingly normal teenager is her perception of death.

Because of the randomness and aggressiveness of her mother and brother’s death, Vicaria is convinced that death is a disease, one that can be cured through science. Through the doors of her abandoned science lab, Vicaria takes the body of her slain brother and attempts to revive him to prove that death can be cured. She connects every source of power to his lifeless body, hits a switch, and after a citywide power outage, the monster awakens. But things start to get out of hand quickly, “Frankenstein” has no concept of life, he only knows death and to destroy.

As the plot thickens, Vicaria’s invention has taken his place as a true monster, [& here is the part where I am tempted to give the full story away]. In the end, she has no brother, no mother, father, family or even Kango and his henchmen, which in my opinion validated her hypothesis that death is in fact a disease. Once it claims someone close to you, the cycle continues until there is no one left to kill. I wouldn’t categorize this as horror, this film falls more on the suspense spectrum but the suspense kept us at the edge of our seats at every turn. Bomani took a classic horror story and turned it into an attempt to fix and cure what we have all deemed as incurable, and it worked. The ending scene shows a scientific genius grin into the camera as she brings her sister in law back to life using the same tactics she used before only this time…they WORK! I loved this film and I truly believe Bomani J. Story has earned his flowers.

Peazy for /CW

BLACK LENS PRESENTS WRITING IN COLOR [Event]

Santana Coleman, Paulina Lule, Derek Jay Garlington DURING WRITING IN COLOR PANEL

I love to write, but I’m not sure if writing a movie is the best place for my skills. However, after attending, Writing In Color, I might just change my mind. Because the word from the judges is i [& my random collaborative team] are pretty good at it. Well, at least that little trophy sitting on my desk says so.

Being at Radio Milwaukee [my media home away from home] for an event that showcases film through the writer's lens was fascinating. Did you know that there are local & Black filmmakers accessible to you in Milwaukee? I Stan [as the kids say Lol]. The panel to bless us with insight about the film industry at a micro and macro level included Milwaukee’s very own Emmy Award winner, Santana Coleman, the amazing Paulina Lule, and Pitch It To Me, game designer Derek Jay Garlington. They told us their perspectives of the tumultuous realm we call Hollywood, the glory of having Milwaukee [a non permit film city], and the nuance of being Black in the world of film. When creatives get to speak no holds bar, I live. You can always learn something worth holding on to.

But it was the game for me! Pitch It To Me, is a fun way to get those gears turning in your head. The game is noted to be “your chance to pitch the next hit film or tv show! Pitch It To Me is an entertaining card game that builds collaboration and creativity through the journey of storytelling”. And it did just that. My team won the pitch competition by putting together a new era story of Isis and Osiris set in dystopia Milwaukee. We named it, Gods of The Eastside. We set Tyana Taylor as Isis and Damson Idris as Osiris and it was a rap!

“If you're scared just say that!”, was my snark at the competition [but I don’t talk sh*t unless I can back it up].

Like I said, the trophy is sitting on my desk.

Lexi for /CW

To be seen in film is to be seen in mediated reality. We love it. Please keep it going!

Love & All Things Urban,

/CW Fam














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

/ Scene 1 Restaurant & Lounge MKE/

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].

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].

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

/ Tymeless Studios/

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.

"Your Favorite Press" is Back at Milwaukee Film Fest 2023 | Join us!

/

We’re Backkkkkkkkk!

We are so excited to kick off our Milwaukee Film Fest 2023 coverage, where “Your Favorite Press” [Us, its us. CopyWrite Magazine LOL] will be bringing our “special interest” [you know #AllThingsUrban, #SupportTheLocal, #RootingForEverybodyBlack, #ArtIsLife] perspective to the mix. This year we are inviting you to share the experience with us, as we share our lineup of movies we will definitely be checking out, including our Community Partner feature, Rise and Rebuild: A Tale of Three Cities. So grab a friend, and get your snacks. It's time to get “mad ethnic right now” in the theater. 

OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER FILMS

RISE AND REBUILD: A TALE OF THREE CITIES

Rise and Rebuild: A Tale of Three Cities portrays individuals in Atlanta, Chicago, and Wilmington, North Carolina, who confront the historical destruction of Black wealth in their communities and devise strategies for building a more equitable future. 

Saturday, Apr 29 | 12:15 PM | Avalon Theater 

Wednesday, May 3 | 3:45 PM | Times Cinema

Keep up with us on Instagram @copywritemag for your chance to win tickets to see this film!

 

FILMS WE PLAN TO SEE

Little Richard: I Am Everything

Like a quasar burning past the gaslight, director Lisa Cortes’ eye-opening documentary explores the whitewashed canon of American pop music. Little Richard: I Am Everything clarifies the Black, queer origins of rock ’n’ roll and establishes the genre’s big bang: Richard Wayne Penniman. 

Saturday, Apr 29 | 6:15 PM | Oriental Theater: Abele Cinema 

Thursday, May 4 | 1:30 PM | Avalon Theater

 

BLACK LENS SHORTS

BLACK LENS SHORTS: BLACK REMEMBRANCE is a collection of short films that explores, interrogates, and engages how cinema can be used as an active archival tool to process grief and loss. Join us as we discover what honor could look like on the silver screen. 

Tuesday, Apr 25 | 7:00 PM | Times Cinema

 

BAD PRESS

Angel Ellis, a reporter for Mvskoke Media, just wants to give her readers transparent and truthful access to news relevant to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. But when Angel and her colleagues challenge the integrity of tribal officials, they set off a whirlwind that ends in the dissolution of their independent media. BAD PRESS is a nuanced, empowering tale of a modern Native community fighting for transparency and access to information to hold their government accountable.

Saturday, Apr 29 | 5:00 PM | Avalon Theater

Wednesday, May 3 | 1:30 PM | Avalon Theater

DEAR THIRTEEN

DEAR THIRTEEN lends insight into the perspectives of nine thirteen-year-olds across the globe. Told through gorgeous cinematography—with no adult commentary but the filmmaker’s— these diverse and far-reaching stories will inspire younger teens going through the similar task of coming of age amidst urgent challenges to their generation. Older teens and adults will have a poignant dose of nostalgia through the film’s meditation on the endless and universal quest of self-discovery.

Saturday, Apr 22 | 12:45 PM | Oriental Theater: Lubar Cinema

Tuesday, May 2 | 6:30 PM | Times Cinema

JASMINE IS A STAR

JASMINE IS A STAR follows a determined sixteen-year-old with albinism (lack of pigment in the hair, skin, and eyes) who makes it her mission to become a professional model in her hometown of Minneapolis while attempting to go unnoticed in every other aspect of her teenage life. Director Jo Rochelle (writer for Freeform’s GOOD TROUBLE) creates a sensitive depiction of a different category of teenage angst.

Saturday, Apr 22 | 9:30 PM | Avalon Theater

Wednesday, Apr 26 | 6:45 PM | Oriental Theater: Lubar Cinema

THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER

THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER follows anti-hero Vicaria, a brilliant teenager who believes death is a disease that can be cured. After the brutal murder of her brother, she embarks on a dangerous journey to bring him back to life. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN, the film’s writer and director, Bomani J. Story, crafts a thrilling tale about a family that will survive and is reborn again despite the terrors of systemic pressure.

Friday, Apr 21 | 10:00 PM | Oriental Theater: Lubar Cinema

Sunday, Apr 23 | 8:00 PM | Times Cinema

EVENTS WE WILL BE AT

Black Lens Presents Writing in Color

As creatives, our minds are always buzzing with story ideas. But more often than not, they tend to stay in our imagination. It may be the web series you’ve been plotting. Or the next great action flick you’ve cooked up! Or even that documentary you’d like to take to the next level? Join BLACK LENS at our storytelling workshop and game night, Writing In Color, and discover what it means to graduate your idea from your mind to the silver screen. 

Saturday, April 29 | 6:00 PM | Radio Milwaukee

Love & All Things Urban,

/CW FAM