TOWN LOVE is an online art museum dedicated to celebrating the vibrant past and present of Northwest Hip-Hop. You can browse by artist or browse by year.

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Tag: L.S.R.

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A film about Northwest hip-hop from

50 Next: Seattle Hip-Hop Worldwide

50 Next: Seattle Hip-Hop Worldwide drops you into a literal roundtable conversation between Town legends old and young. James Croone of The Emerald Street Boys tells the story of discovering how “poetry on top of music” could carry a message. Spyc-E shares how she first learned to write rap verses, at age 11, and is kindly teased by the group into performing her first-ever childhood rhymes. Later, Khingz thanks Vitamin D for mentoring him early in his career, and for how it helped him achieve his own success. This half-hour documentary captures several charming, rambling discussions about the long history of Northwest rap. The whole thing is a delight.

Eazeman from ’90s group L.S.R. reflects on how major-label rejection shaped the scene early, saying “If you don’t want to show us for who we really are, then we don’t need you. We’re going to make our own party.” Rapper Candidit adds, “Don’t come if you’re not prepared.”

The group passionately rails against the evils of what they describe as “capitalist hip-hop,” which divides communities and makes local artists into commodities to be bought and sold. There’s a need today for more love and mutual respect and not so much focus on money and fame and numbers. Instead, they explain how everyone making art in the Northwest has a responsibility to fight back against the mainstream, “intended to pacify society” adds CPS da Scientist. Rapper DICE encourages artists to follow their imagination, saying “who cares what is new and cool now. Figure out what it’s going to be cool next, and then be the first to do it.”

50 Next was released as part of a larger online interactive experience by Aaron Walker-Loud and Avi Loud, “a multi-media time capsule of what was, what is, and what’s next…” The whole project is still online and is viewable here.

50 Next: Seattle Hip-Hop Worldwide was created in and features appearances from:

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A film about Northwest hip-hop from

Town Biz Mixtape

No list of essential Seattle hip-hop compilations would be complete without the inclusion of Jake One’s 27-track opus, the Town Biz Mixtape. He dug deep into the crates, surfacing lost hits, deep cuts, and the finest local hip-hop spanning more than 20 years. (From 1989 to 2010, when this CD was released.)

The mixtape is an essential playlist that surfaces forgotten gems and unexpected bangers. My favorite track here is Vitamin D’s “Who That??” feat. The Note (from Narcotik), but there are so, so many solid tracks. Everyone’s on this, from Blind Council to Mash Hall, The Physics, Tay Sean, J. Pinder, and Shabazz Palaces. Listening to Town Biz will leave you realizing how blessed we are to have so much musical talent in our own backyard. But we knew that already, didn’t we? Thanks to Jake One for compiling this so we can spin it on a sunny summer afternoon and feel hella proud.

Town Biz Mixtape was created in and features appearances from:

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A film about Northwest hip-hop from

Comin' Out Stompin'

Seattle rap group Love Sick Rhymers (aka L.S.R.) emerged from the fray during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Through dogged live performances and old-fashioned street credibility, L.S.R. gained wide recognition and accolades. In 1991 they put out a cassette single “Hold Tight 2 Da Rhythm” on Blakstyle Records. It was successful, and the label subsequently released the song on a vinyl twelve-inch in 1992. Love Sick Rhymers recorded at least two unreleased albums before breaking up, Yesler Shot and Comin’ Out Stompin’. The Comin’ Out Stompin’ project sat waiting on a DAT for 31 years until 2023, when DJ Eazeman dusted it off and released this amazing album for the first time.

Comin’ Out Stompin’ displays an upbeat, high-energy style of hip-hop, which is influenced by Jamaican and other Caribbean musical styles. “Turn Up The Volume” and “Hardcore Hip Hop” immediately spark the fire, setting the tone for the rest of the album, and both songs are rousing to get your body moving. “Jam Session” slows it down a little with a freestyle cypher vibe, where everyone gets a turn to spit a verse. I particularly enjoy the way “Jam Session” interpolates patterns from the famous French nursery rhyme “Frère Jacques.”

“Goin’ 4 Gutz,” and “Nuthin’ Like The Real Thang” are about getting freaky with sexual encounters. Both songs contain some clever metaphors, including a reference to a slogan for Ball Park brand hot dogs. Title track, “Comin’ Out Stompin’,” is rock-solid in every way, and it dares other crews to step to L.S.R. and get defeated. The last song, “Keep Ya Movin’,” drops numerous quotable lyrics over a relaxed beat. “Downtown Seatown, kickin on 3rd Ave, in front of Mickey Dee’s, the only boys that’s bad.”

Guest appearances from other Seattle artists DLD, Ruthless Mellow Funk, and Dope Style Productions bring extra flavor to the recipe here. Each song is a little bit different, showing the easy versatility of Love Sick Rhymers. Eazeman released Comin’ Out Stompin’ on CD and lathe-cut vinyl, both in limited edition quantities. This is a true-school, absolutely classic 1992 Seattle rap album, and hopefully L.S.R. will drop more music in the years to come. Eaze, if you’re listening, Yesler Shot, wink. Written by Novocaine132

Comin' Out Stompin' was created in and features appearances from:

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A film about Northwest hip-hop from

Hold Tight 2 da Rhythm

Love Sick Rhymers came together as 8th graders in 1984 when DJ Eazeman met Kid Mix (who was also going by Z-Rock or Playboy Z) and a third member named Ace One. Kid Mix had seen a graffiti piece with the words Love Sick Bombers, and so he named their group Love Sick Rhymers. They recorded many tracks throughout the 1980s, and by the early ’90s they had an album finished called Yesler Shot. The first single from Yesler Shot is this dancy cut called “Hold Tight 2 Da Rhythm.”

The 1978 song “Hold On Tight” by Lakeside is used as the main sample for “Hold Tight 2 Da Rhythm.” Love Sick Rhymers are joined on the cut by guest rapper DLD (Dee.aLe) from another Seattle ’90s rap crew called DMS. At the beginning of the track Eaze introduces the rest of the group, and then they take turns getting loose on the mic. The raps include some speedy verses and wordplay alongside some more laid back styling and profiling.

Yesler Shot was never commercially released at the time, and it wasn’t until 2019 that DJ Eazeman uploaded all the group’s content to Youtube, where it can now be experienced. This is the only listing on Discogs for their record label Blakstyle Records, apparently no further releases ever came out on the label. Love Sick Rhymers were a prolific Seattle rap group that had such accomplishments as opening for Tribe Called Quest in 1991 at the Oz nightclub, and also performing at several stops on Sir Mix-A-Lot’s Mack Daddy tour in ’92! “Hold Tight 2 Da Rhythm” is a great party cut, and the raps keep it real. This is a classic 206 jam and it was rightfully included on the Goods/Stussy Jake One Town Biz Mixtape back in 2010. Written by Novocaine132

Hold Tight 2 da Rhythm was created in and features appearances from:

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