As Portland’s all-ages scene bubbles, few are as involved as Trust No One Entertainment. The Eastside promotions company has been amazingly active with 22-year old DeAndre Woods at the helm, and their all-ages shows at Hawthorne Theatre have pumped excitement into an often over-looked section of Portland’s larger rap scene, proving that there are fans hungry for youthful rap in town.
The rise of SQD has been fun to watch, and tomorrow night they’ll headline the latest showcase at the Hawthorne, brought to you in conjunction with We Out Here Magazine. The high-energy collective – led by solo artists A-Ru$$, Heff and Tugg – has been making moves all year, collaborating and releasing music at a staggering rate. The youthful crew seems to have found their target demographic and the kids come out in droves to support.
Need I say anything about STRAY? After tearing it up at TheTHESIS in June, Chris Lee, Chief and G6ix reunite with the LA-living Donte Thomas for what’s sure to be a monster homecoming performance. Hot off the run-away release of Lemonade The Movie, expect to see Lee turn up extra hard as well. But don’t count out Chief and G6ix, polished performers who will keep the energy and the bars coming.
Keith Canvas and Reckless are a duo worth watching as well. Far from traditional, they push the envelope with a emotionally heavy production and a combination of rap and song that resonates strongly with their young fans. Keith has expanded his reach this Spring, lending his unique voice to other rappers, while Reckless has shown that his moody production can stand on its own. Their latest release, 19, is an ode to their age and a legitimate slap. You’ll want to check them out.
Prince Hyph hails from the North, St. Johns to be exact, but takes a different approach to rap than most of the local stars from the peninsula. Originally a member of Turf Noize (alongside Mic Capes), Hyph stuck to the street raps and has developed his base in the less publicized regions of Portland’s rap scene. A talented rapper with a strong following, Hyph looks to up his stock with his performance and I’m personally interested to see what he’s got in store.
I see Laine as one of Portland’s most promising young rappers. The talented spitter caught my attention with his recent single Gatorade and I quickly found that there’s more to this New Portland rapper than I originally thought. Only 19, Laine fills his dense bars with intelligence. Not sure I’d call him a conscious rapper, but he clearly has a knack for translating his deeper thoughts into fire raps. His beat selection and daring hooks don’t hurt either. I haven’t seen his live show yet, and I’m expecting to see him turn some heads.
Openers Jay Wy & Mack Trell will get the show started at 8pm, so show up early and avoid the line. Hosted by D3 and DeAndre Woods, the show will also feature merch from Bro Pluto as well as Chris Lee’s new Lemonade Gear, as well as raffles to benefit the Blazers Boys & Girls Club, and a few other surprises.
Trust me, you won’t want to miss this. Get your tickets today at www.cascadetickets.com for $10 or pay $15 at the door. Your choice. #OutHere