And so it begins.. again

About  a week ago I started a post about the down time between albums and how Ive been enjoying the peace of no albums being worked on or shows being scheduled. No sooner than I saved that post to write on later, the hotline started blinging. lol Conversations started about albums, meetings to start writing, venue talk and all the other things that come with being a musician. So here I am, ear hustling on phone conversations taking mental notes so I will be able to piece together dates I may or may not need to schedule stuff on.. I have no idea what album, song or project we are working on, but what I do know is theres a buzz happening, so it begins. ...again

Week 1 in Space

As mentioned before, I have joined The Space Campaign along with a few other people to start doing music reviews of indie artist submissions. All songs have the opportunity to get 10 rockets and the reviews are about the length of a tweet. You will find the link to songs and the artist twitter page in the review, along with the handles of those who took time to listen and share their thoughts.  Please feel free to follow any and everyone mentioned on the blog and leave a comment about what you thought of the songs. We would love you hear your thoughts!!

Week one submissions came from Church Friends, Dom Belafonte and Yung Beezy


The first submission we reviewed was In my mind by Church Friends
Overall score 7 out of 10 rockets


The reviewers:
Grapic/Comic Artist: @maceman489
Video game critic/Youtuber @tgraysawyer
Hip hop artist @spaceghostyons
Hip hop artist @airjordanjetson
Hip hop fan @shrugs2u

With this being the first submission/review, the format has changed from sharing small pieces of thoughts about the songs to a tweet size review of the song by each individual. Thoughts about In my mind include:  "Lead has a good southern rock voice."  "Nice dirty guitar intro/" "Vocals are too clean and the mix is inconsistent." and "the music is real good."  Although there inst much else to add, you can read the entire thread of this review here:

https://twitter.com/Spacecampaign/status/956389248046911488


The next submission we had as Arnold Palmer by Dom Belafonte.
Overall score: 7/10 rockets
https://twitter.com/Spacecampaign/status/956599583127293953

The Reviewers:
Podcast host @vinnie_the_fox 
Audio engineer @cbowmanmusic
Blogger & Yours truly: @mrs2lls
Hip hop fan @shrugs2u 
Hip hop artist @airjordanjetson

@vinnie_the_fox said: "The song composition is put together very well. The comparison of day turning into night and the blending of an Arnold Palmer is very creative and original. AT first listen i assumed it would be a song about hittin the block, but i was completely wrong! This song represents anyone with a hustlers mentality!  Not only is there a positive overtone for working hard but there is also no curse words, I respect the hell outta that."  7/10 rockets.

@cbowmanmusic said: "I dig the vocal production on this one, but the composition is a little off. The lack of kick against the bass synth in the verse leaves a hole in the track for me. From a mix perspective, seems its lacks depth. Good flow, good message." 6/10 rockets

@mrs2lls said:  "I thought his voice favored Kendrick Lamar. I thought the comparison of the night into day and Arnold Palmer was creative. The beat had me bopping, id bop this in teh car during the summer time with the windows down." 7/10

@shrugs2u said: "I really like the uniqueness of the lyrics. And i could understand everything he was saying (which is what i sometimes have a problem with rappers.) But he has to be careful not to sound like a Kendrick clone/" 7/10

@airjordanjetson said: "Def a good vibe to it. Love the way he flipped that chorus, hard to make sumn like that not corny. Vocals sounded like a loud whisper in some places, thats my only gripe fr." 7/10

Submission #3 is Wake and Bake by Yung Beezy
Overall score: 6/10
https://twitter.com/Spacecampaign/status/956999662145343494

The Reviewers:
Blogger @mrs2lls 
Hip Hop Fan: @shrugs2u
Audio engineer @cbowmanmusic
Podcast host: @vinnie_the_fox

@mrs2lls thoughts: "The beat is definitely one for the smokers. The vocals of the first verse arent as crisp as the rest of the song. I can appreciate the screw at the end/" 6/10

@shrugs2u thoughts: "Pros: Smooth. I got lost in my thoughts while still bopping to the beat, so its definitely a song for a smoke session. It lets you drift away. Cons: The second background voice needs to cut out and the ending shortened a tiny bit." 7/10

@cbowmanmusic thoughts: "The beat is tight, but the instrumental is ducking in the first verse. I liked both verses, didn't care for the sampled vocals before the fade out.  Its a song to smoke to, and I like the vibe. Let the beat breathe more, interesting reverb on the doubled vocals in the beginning." 6/10

@vinnie_the_fox thoughts: "It lacks originality. I feel like you have to put your own spin on a weed song so that it stands out. The vocals on the first verse are low. I also feel its hard to understand what he is saying from bar to bar. Its decent "background music." 5/10


If you would like to submit your music for us to listen and review, please send it to The Space Campaign via twitter

I have joined forces with The Space Campaign in doing music reviews for indie artist. I am one of  13 who are listening to songs submitted via twitter and giving a tweet size review. The goal is to have a weekly recap of the songs and some of the reviews from the crew posted here, so make sure you're checking back for those updates and of course any and all things Rmllw2llz related! 

Keeping Secrets

Have you ever found out some exciting news and wanted to share it with the world but couldn't? Yeah, that's what its like when you are the wife of a musician who is doing great things. Whenever you land a big show and are notified, 9 times out of 10 the announcement from the venue/promoter hasn't been made yet, so you have to bite your tongue and keep this exciting news to yourself until that announcement has been made. Its like finding out the gender of your child and you have to wait for the reveal party. ITS SO HARD.

The email came through saying "Good news!! Finally got the green light, We can 100% add you to the bill for the Big Boi show next Saturday." This came through on a Friday, the announcement wasn't made until Monday. It was crazy, because when the Mercury Ballroom made the announcement, it was like finding out all over again. Rmllw2llz is the opener for Big Boi on his Daddy Fat Saxx tour on his Louisville stop. How crazy is that. 

As the wife, I go into brag mode, which I shouldn't do, but I cant help it. I've been with this man since the beginning of his career here in Louisville and to see him go from Solidarity (which is now closed) to opening up for names like Rakim, David Banner, Raekwon and now Big Boi. Yeah Im going to give my man some shine. Hell he deserves it. He works a full time job, part time job, is a father, husband, radio personality, and emcee. Tell me that he isnt out here working and I have some swamp land in Nebraska to sell you.

Needless to say, if you're reading this and in the city of Louisville or surrounding area, come out and support someone who is putting on for the city and see Sir Lucius Left Foot while you're at it.

New Music Friday

Ok so yall know I dont do crap music. Im spoiled, I grew up in an era of good music and since being with 2llz Ive been introduced to so much more. This new generation of artist confuzzle me and hurt my ears, so I dont even attempt to try and listen to any of it. Just this morning I was checking the new releases because its Friday and there is usually some good music dropped on Friday. Unfortunately there hasn't been anything worthwhile since Jay-Z dropped 4:44. Which by the way was a dope response to Beyonces Lemonade. But like I was saying,  I was checking for new music this morning and it was a new album from someone called Moneybagg Yo. Um... where did this name come from? Did no one in your camp say waymin? I guess. That wasnt the point of this post, but I had to put my concern out there.

Today I decided to  listen to someone that Ive never heard of and see what their new release was about. Todays first artist was Salva and the new album Clips


To my pleasure this actually turned out to be an instrumental album. It always makes me happy to find one of these because sometimes you just need sound without words. When I heard the person speak on the first track talking about needing more ice, my first thought was here we go.. Im in trap land, but as the album went on and I heard no lyrics, I was happy. lol The beginning of Stranger Things Have Happened sounds like the theme of the Xfiles, which I guess makes sense based off the title (that I didnt read until now.) Overall it was a decent album 7/10, something Ill add to a roadtrip playlist.



The second album I listened to was Manna by Fashawn. Apparently he was part of XXL freshman class in 2010. I havent paid attention to the freshman class list in quite sometime since it endorses crap music (imo) so when I saw he was on a list, I was a bit hesitant to listen to this. Favorite song hands down on the first listen through was Proud. The intro alone to it gave me life, children being quizzed on great melanated people of our past.  The self titled song reminds me of the aggression, emotion and power 2llz displays  in Medal Stand on that Summers In Spain album. Shout out to new music Friday, today has been a jackpot of unexpected good music. Manna gets a 8/10 from Mrs2llz.

Im that crazy wife

I'm that crazy wife that may  be a bit extra at times. One of my biggest pet peeves is to have someone say 2llz name incorrectly. Nothing grinds my gears more than hearing someone say Romell with 2 double lls. WHAT?!? Or as of recent, Romell with 2 zs. Uh no. This man who has been going by the name Rmllw2llz for a couple of years now. If your not sure how to say the name, then you should ask someone. Just like I tell our boys, ask if you're  not sure. Yeah I get that Rmllw2llz is something that will make you scratch your head, hell there have been people who have done reviews on albums even mention that they didn't know what that spelled and had to lay it out for the readers.  To me, and this is just my opinion, because I am that crazy wife. To me its a level of disrespect to mispronounce an artist name, especially if you have been introduced or have a paper with their name on it in front of you. Recently when 2llz opened up for Raekwon (yes Raekwon The Chef) the dj of the night said his name wrong a couple of times. I screamed the correction out once, and then ended up stomping my behind across the venue to ask security to let me at him. lol Fortunately for him, our wonderful DJ Divine Struggle met me at the door and took my concerns to him in a more calm manner. I wasn't trying to cause a scene, but bruh what you wont do is mispronounce the name like that, multiple times. I am that crazy wife that will correct you, and it may or may not come out nicely, just depends on if I've been given drink tickets. So to anyone reading this, Rmllw2llz is pronounced Romell With 2 LLs, lets make sure we get it right the first time so you dont have to meet Josie2lls mmkay?

Making a come back

It is I, the long lost wife of the one and only Rmllw2llz. I'm slowly making a come back on the scene now that sweet baby Rza has made her arrival. My last post was around the time we found out we were adding to our tribe of #Team2llz and now she is here. And yes, you read that right, her name is Rza, just like Bobby Digital from the Wu. How did she get her name? How else, 2llz. Even though the second child was supposed to be named by her mother, somehow he managed to pull this one off. We wanted her to have a name that meant something, something that would give her strength, and something that wasn't overly saturated. It started off as a joke to name her Rza because 2llz had a boss that loves any and all things Wu-Tang, hell one of his kids is a member of the Wu. Because we wanted her to have a name with meaning and I am obviously not a devout follower of the clan, I had to look up the meaning of our daughters name. 


RZA:
I'm sure follower of the Wu know that's what it stands for but where does this come from and what the hell does it mean?  Because Rza is a very insightful man and grew up being taught under the Nations of God and Earth aka the Five Percent Nation, you would have to look up the meaning of the letters in the Supreme Alphabet. 
Ruler: To rule is the nature of the Black man, for the reason being that to rule means to be a ruler. The Black man was not made to be ruled because the Black man’s knowledge must build in order to make all things known. Rule is to rule something wisely the way the king does because he gives it to the understanding. Rules are given to those who are living a righteous way of life and those rules are given by the king who is Allah god is the only ruler there is, by acknowledging his building powers and making it born to all the planets of the universe, so that they can go according to it and bear witness to who the true ruler is.
Zig-Zag-Zig describes the path “from Knowledge, to Wisdom, to Understanding” and is a reminder that this path is not straightforward, but cuts back and forth, and can pull the seeker’s life with it. Zig-Zag-Zig is symbolic of change and personal growth. However, as the final letter of the alphabet, it also connotes finality-someone who has matured greatly between beginning their study of the 120 and mastering it may be said to have “zigged, zagged, and zigged back” to Understanding of the Lessons.

Ruler - Zig Zag Zig - 

Allah: The Arabic word which, in English, translates to “God.”
Allah is described by 5 Percenter teachings as the “Asiatic Black man”-“Asia” is the body, “attic” is the mind, and “man” is the higher intelligence. Allah (A.L.L.A.H.) is also a acronym for “Arm, leg, leg, arm, head”-or a rough description of the components of the human body.

And so it was, Rza is now not only a member of the Wu-Tang Clan, but she is also a member of #Team2llz as well. Now that she is here, you will see more of both 2llz and the wife of since we are making a come back. 

Peace and blessings.