Sage Francis is widely considered one of our generation’s greatest lyricists. His career derives mainly from gifted wordplay which creates vivid narratives to instigate as well as inspire, but since it often derives from an accumulation of public disdain and personal turmoil, it’s made abundantly clear that it’s more about storming the castle than watching the throne.
 
Dubbed as the “forefather of indie-hop,” Francis originally earned acclaim in the early 2000’s by winning the most highly coveted titles of the emcee battle circuit. With little to no funding, Francis sustained himself by selling his innovative “Sick of” mixtapes, all made by hand on the floor of his Providence, RI apartment. These were essentially bootleg compilations full of select recordings from his 12” vinyl singles, demo sessions, live performances and radio freestyles. The popularity of these tapes birthed Strange Famous Records (SFR); a meager, one-man operation in 1999.
 
Despite having no official distribution, Francis’ unique brand of music spread like wildfire via the advent of file sharing networks. This resulted in him attaining a massive cult-like following around the world, creating a demand for his albums and live performances at which point the bigger labels took notice. With his first studio album, Personal Journals (2002,) Francis daringly set aside the more boastful side of rap by catering to his poetic leanings and scathing socio-political commentary.
 
In 2005 Sage Francis was the first hip-hop artist signed to Epitaph Records and soon became one of the highest selling independent artists of his genre. Rather than abandon his day-to-day grind at SFR, he channeled all of his newfound resources into it, allowing the label to expand in staff as well as roster. Having fulfilled the three-album contract deal with Epitaph, Sage Francis has returned to releasing music independently as he gears up to defeat the odds once more.
 
The “SICK TO D(EAT)H” mixtape dropped on in December of 2013, which will be followed up by the next official album, COPPER GONE, in June of 2014.

METERMAIDS, a Brooklyn-based duo consisting of emcees Sentence and Swell, often refer to themselves as “the Bad News Bears of hip-hop.” However, after teaming up with the X-Ecutioners DJ ROB SWIFT, receiving production from Grammy Award Winner 9th WONDER, and pulling in vocal contributions from indie-hop legends SAGE FRANCIS & BUCK 65, their “ROOFTOP SHAKE” LP is set to turn that self-deprecation on its head.
 
Sentence, originally a veteran of Denver’s burgeoning indie-hop scene, collaborated with a slew of high profile artists before migrating eastward and making NYC his home in 2005. This is when he met Swell, a BK resident (via NJ & CT,) who was already operating under the group’s current moniker. A mutual respect led them to joining forces on tour, at which point they decided it was more fun to operate as a unit rather than as solo artists.
 
Regardless of the pensive lyrical content, having fun really does seem to be the motive here as they playfully bounce off of one another’s vocals and slam each chorus in unison. DJ Rob Swift essentially acts an honorary member of Metermaids, accentuating each track by doing what he does best; handling the cuts and adding the stylistic cherry on top.
 
The lack of chest thumping bravado on this record is a breath of fresh air in a music scene that’s been drowning in fantasy rap for over a decade. However, don’t confuse the Metermaids’ too-honest-to-fake-it approach with one of ambivalence. At its core, the “Rooftop Shake” LP is an upbeat homage to a more grimy NYC aesthetic sans the overt braggadocio. The main theme of the album deals with two Brooklyn transplants coming to terms with life in the Big Rotten Apple, which is one of beauty as well as grit.
 
NINTH WONDER (Jay Z, Little Brother, Murs) provides the soulful sonic backdrop for half of the album and even pokes his head into the vocal booth to make some incredibly rare appearances on the mic. The songs that aren’t produced by 9th are handled by M. Stine, the main contributor to the Metermaids’ previous EP efforts which garnered them over 100,000 downloads as well as the attention of Sage Francis, ultimately leading to their signing on Strange Famous Records. As head of the label, Francis confidently assures the audience that, “If Bill Buckner rapped, it certainly wouldn’t sound like this. They should stop saying stuff like that.”
 
Metermaids official site
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For over a decade, B. DOLAN has built a reputation for himself as one of the smartest, most energetic and surprising shows in Hip-Hop and Spoken Word. He keeps his loyal, homegrown fanbase coming back with a continually shapeshifting presentation, outsider perspective, and masterful execution.
 
B. Dolan official site