Some of Missouri's best hip-hop will ring through Rose Park at IndyFest
Track by track, record after record, from the Midwest to the wider world of hip-hop.
For more than 15 years, Indyground Entertainment has proved its weight as one of the truly consistent independent labels in hip-hop, delivering quality and quantity from a deep artist roster. Indyground began in Columbia, the brainchild of Ray Pierce aka Steddy P.
"Indyground latched on to the remnants of what was left of a local scene and blew it up," the label's website notes. "... After the success in Columbia, Steddy was feeling the pull back to his hometown and uprooted an already established label to Kansas City."
The label's influence continues to grow, and hip-hop appreciators can gain a panorama picture — one performer at a time — of its range later this month at IndyFest, a two-day affair at Rose Park that will also include visual art, vendor booths and more. Here are just a few of the acts that will be appearing.
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Steddy P
The Indyground mastermind cuts a compelling presence at the microphone, delivering his resounding rhymes over innovative production. True to his name, Steddy P sounds unfazed by trends or turmoil, standing firm to speak his mind in a voice that persuades without pushing too hard. Steddy P absolutely sets the tone for his label and cadre of collaborater, consistently creating with excellence.
Tef Poe
Tef Poe remains one of hip-hop's true prophet-philosophers. Entrenched in the arts and activist community, his music tells the true stories of St. Louis with a volatile balance of insight and righteous indignation. Poe has also taken the testimonies of Ferguson to the United Nations, and molded the minds of young creators through teaching and public speaking stops at Harvard, Berklee College of Music and more.
18andCounting
St. Louis-based musician/visual artist/visionary Stan Chisholm, aka 18andCounting, often sounds as if he's thinking a few paces ahead of the rest of us. That sense rings true again with this year's "Some Sort of Future," a seven-track record that unites a visceral, almost industrial style of hip-hop with thoughtful, jazzy flourishes and musical release valves. If Chisholm indeed knows the future of hip-hop, the sound is in great shape.
Van Ghost
Columbia's own Van Ghost, sometimes referred to as Mason Van Ghost, unites various eras of hip-hop, evoking the jazz-forged styles of the 1980s, the conversational style of artists who dropped in the '90s — think Atmosphere or Aesop Rock — and a sure-footed stand on the genre's present tense.
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Dom Chronicles
Dom Chronicles, hailing from Kansas City, never forfeits a measure's momentum, keeping a subtly insistent pulse through his songs. On this year's "Still Learning," Dom Chronicles and collaborator House Party create sizable grooves, then glide through them. The resultant sound is open and breathable, accommodating Dom Chronicles' quietly compelling monologues.
The Abnorm
Kansas City artist The Abnorm masterfully unites style and substance on his latest EP, "Return of the Renaissance." He opens with "Dock Ellis," a track named for the pitcher who, as baseball lore goes, threw a no-hitter after taking LSD. The Abnorm takes a languid stroll through his own mind, considering career, conflict, drugs and more while warping the sound to approximate the effects of acid.
The Abnorm maintains a methodical, soulful vibe as the album goes — reminiscent of the laid-back vibes of '90s West Coast hip-hop, but shaped with a little Midwest strange.
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IndyFest takes place Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at Rose Park. Day One tickets are $10-$15; Day Two tickets are $18-$20. Visit https://rosemusichall.com/ for details, including a full lineup.
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. Find him on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How to hear some of Missouri's best hip-hop at Columbia's Rose Park
