The New Barter System:
Trading Bling for Brilliance

As the "Dirty South" was rising, an underground hip-hop movement was forming in our backyards.  At house parties, dj's would spin dusty vinyl on brand new Technics and young emcees would gather around a mike, testing the waters.  The backyard was their arena and the moon was their spotlight. Eventually, some of the young emcees emerged from the microphone gangbang and went on to open and headline local shows.

God Awful, formerly Gray Area (Ruin, Soapboxx, and Clayton Awful) was one of the leading forces in the movement.  They've opened for acclaimed underground groups such as Anticon, Mystic Journeymen, and Hieroglyphics, just to name a few.  Bionik Brown was another leader, opening for the Roots, Common, and the legendary KRS-One.  Later on this musical timeline, DJ's Kinetik, Quickie Mart, and Lady Fingaz, and groups The Blank Space (DamNathan and Know-One) and Illucid (Baxter, Takami, and Sleek) emerged.  Quickie Mart has played the Zen Fest in Dallas, and opened for Camp Lo and DJ Logic.  The Blank Space made their debut opening for God Awful.  It was obvious that New Orleans was ready to support local hip-hop.  The next logical step was to organize all of this talent and to promote quality music. 

Enter Jeff Chambless and Nathan "DamNathan" Tape.  The two met while slinging records at a local music store. Jeff eventually introduced Nathan to his roommate, Roan "Know-One" Smith.  A friendship and The Blank Space formed.  During the late night Space God (God Awful and The Blank Space) sessions, Jeff, Nathan, Roan, Clayton Awful, Ruin and Soapboxx discussed in length how invaluable a record label would be to all of the aspiring hip-hop artists in New Orleans.  But in order to have a successful New Orleans record label, they agreed that one must embrace the "Big Easy" mentality.  There should be very few rules and even less stipulations.  The label should be a vehicle for all the artists involved.  It should be a label created by artists, for artists, and it should be called Media Darling Records.

Media Darling Records, LLC is an artist collective whose main objective is to produce, market, and distribute progressive underground hip-hop from New Orleans.  At Media Darling, no one is bound with a contract. It exists as an organized force to keep the groups motivated and focused.  The primary objective is to produce a compilation, showcasing the artists that represent the values of the label.  Profits from the compilation will be used to produce albums for the artists on the compilation.  Albums already released are, Ruin's "Joy"; Space God, "Awfully Spacious"; Blank Space, "Blank Space"; Quickie Mart and Mr. Tibbs, "NY  NO Connect"; and Clayton Awful, "Ghost Limb Syndrome".  And with future releases by, DamNathan, Bionik Brown & Know-One, Quickie Mart, and Illucid, there is much to look forward to.

Media Darling Records will put Louisiana on the map, but finally not for scantily clad blonde divorcees or for poor football contracts negotiated by rappers.  Media Darling Records will put Louisiana on the map for pure, unmitigated talent.  Talent that hangs like forgotten Mardi Gras beads on lampposts.talent that is waiting to be lifted away by hurricane force winds, or more simply, Media Darling Records

article written by, Katie Clark

 

Sample Music

Track 1 Click Here Space God -  "OOZE"

Track 2 Click Here Space God - "Jerk Explosion"

Track 2 Click Here Bionik Brown & Know-one

Weeklies

Every Monday Clayton Awful & Quickie Mart @ Nicks Bar on Tulane Ave.

Every Thursday Media Darling Presents DJ Quickie Mart & Lady Fingaz, plus special quests every week @ the Attic, 703 Tchoupitoulas.

Every Friday Quickie Mart & Lady Fingaz @ the Shiloh, 4529 Tchoupitoulas St.

Every Saturday DJ Kinetik, DJ Know Know, DJ Wizdum, @ the Shiloh, 4529 Tchoupitoulas St.