Baltimore City Paper | Al Shipley | Music | AAN.org

Gary Barrett and the Notions Plug Ahead With Their Idiosyncratic Guitar Popnew

As the frontman of Gary B and the Notions, Gary Barrett has been refining the expression of his personal quirks and neuroses with the accompaniment of jangly guitar riffs for the past five years. He knows exactly how to project his own personality and unique way of looking at the world.

Baltimore City Paper | Al Shipley | 01-05-2010 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Charles Village, Gary B and the Notions, Gary Barrett

Baltimore's Rapdragons Smoke Up and Breathe Firenew

"This band could never have started on some Craigslist thing like 'Hey, do you wanna play music?'" says Nick Often about Rapdragons, the hip-hop duo he co-founded with Greg Ward earlier this year. "It's really out of the fact that we're friends, that's what feeds it."

Baltimore City Paper | Al Shipley | 11-24-2009 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Rapdragons, Ten Stories High

R&B Flower Child Lynee Michelle Spreads a Message of Peace, Love, and Happinessnew

Lynee Michelle makes a living recording love songs and sexy dance tracks, but has built her career from within Baltimore's male-dominated hip-hop scene.

Baltimore City Paper | Al Shipley | 05-19-2009 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Love, Lynee Michelle, Lynee Michelle, R&B

Baltimore Hip-Hop's Biggest Outcasts Find Their Niche As Mania Music Groupnew

"We're like a gang of misfits, people that nobody wanted," says Dwayne "Headphones" Lawson, 28, describing the group of musicians whom he brought together to form Mania Music Group.

Baltimore City Paper | Al Shipley | 09-09-2008 | Profiles & Interviews

Tags: Baltimore, hip-hop, beatmakers, MCs, Mania Music Group, Mania Music Group Sampler

Ron Rico Summons the Ghost of J Dillanew

In the space of just over half an hour, Music in Me Instrumentals runs through 20 tracks, most of them playing out as simple loops with occasional variations.

Baltimore City Paper | Al Shipley | 09-02-2008 | Reviews

Tags: hip-hop, Music In Me Instrumentals, Ron Rico

Usher's Maturity Makes You Long for His Childish Waysnew

He even reprints Corinthians 13:11 ("when I became a man, I put away childish things") in the liner notes, just to beat you over the head with the point.

Baltimore City Paper | Al Shipley | 07-08-2008 | Reviews

Tags: R&B, pop, Usher, Jermaine Dupri, Here I Stand, Laface, Sony BMG

Michael Dante Wilson, Jan. 23, 1973-June 5, 2008new

To fans and peers in Baltimore music, he was Mr. Wilson, a charismatic rapper with the long-running group JI-900 and the organizer of countless concerts and events. But to perhaps an even greater number of people, Michael Dante Wilson was simply a warm and genuine human being.

Baltimore City Paper | Al Shipley | 07-01-2008 | Music

Tags: rap, Baltimore JI-900, Michael Dante Wilson

Dru Hill Announces New Membernew

A few weeks after the we-re-back-now-we're-not radio debacle, the group held a live audition at local nightclub Suite to pick a fourth member to fill Woody's spot and move on with the comeback as planned.

Baltimore City Paper | Al Shipley | 04-01-2008 | Music

Tags: Dru Hill

The Turntable Club Turns Its Camera Onnew

A few years ago, the big novelty in the touring industry was instant live albums, CD recordings of a concert that were available almost immediately after the show was over. And it would make sense that instant concert DVDs would follow.

Baltimore City Paper | Al Shipley | 03-11-2008 | Music