Cleveland’s hip-hop scene is on the rise
From Kid Cudi to Chip Tha Ripper and now MGK, Cleveland’s hip-hop scene is garnering national attention. While these MCs are now on a larger stage, there’s a local entity that aims to expose other local acts on the rise. It’s called Rebel Army Radio and for the last four years it’s been highlighting Northeast Ohio’s best.
Part of the online radio station’s added exposure has come in the form of self-promotion (after all, we are talking about hip-hop artists) with its annual Rebel Army Radio Awards ceremony, which this year takes place Sat 10/1 @ the Grog Shop. Award winners have already been announced: Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s Flesh-n-Bone (Rap Icon), Mz. Crazy Tee [pictured; top] (Best Female MC, Best Song, Best Female Record, Best R&B Collab, Best Female Collab), Proph the Problem [pictured; bottom] (Best Male MC, Best Male Lyricist, Best Lyrical Record, Best Male Collab), Rhyme & Reason (Best Group), Nova the Rebel (Artists MC, People’s MC) and more.
Cool Cleveland talked to local promoter George “Pooman Chew” Goins, who not only owns Nappyhead Entertainment but also is an MC in his own right with local act Go Live Grizzlies, about the awards show and Cleveland’s signature rap sound.
Cool Cleveland: First of all, what is Rebel Army Radio and how did it get started?
George Goins: It’s an Internet radio show playing a lot of indie artists from Cleveland. It was started by Gezus Zaire, a Case Western Reserve University radio DJ who was a writer for the Call & Post as well. He used to do the weekly Rebel Army Radio show on Case radio station 91.1 WRUW that aired so late at night nobody could catch it. So he started doing [something] where everyone could hear it all of the time. This is the fourth year. You can go there right now and listen to music. It’s not a podcast. It’s a jukebox where you can go and pick different artists; it’ll let you click on it. Currently the playlist, which changes weekly, has a variety of 25 to 30 songs.
What’s your role with Rebel Army Radio?
I’ve been helping him do the promotion, getting venues and being a co-sponsor. I liked what he was doing and with my experience in promoting shows he wanted to give out awards. So that’s how I got involved in it and this is our third year of sponsoring it.
How important is Rebel Army Radio?
It’s really important because locally you’re not going to get much exposure on the radio. With more people basically turning off the radio and going online for music, it’s a vital outlet for the artist to have their music posted.
As for the Rebel Army Radio Awards ceremony, what makes it unique?
What’s cool about this show is you don’t have to wait to see who won. The winners are already posted. I think it’s cooler that way because there’s not any disappointment. You already know before. It’s not a gimmick to get everybody there and then they’re like, “Oh, I didn’t win” and “It’s fixed.” People complain when they don’t win. As for the performers, they’re all local artists and a lot are past award winners or current award winners.
Considering Cleveland’s hip-hop artists are now being taken more seriously, what exactly is the Northeast Ohio sound?
I think what makes Cleveland kind of cool is there’s not one signature sound. With us being geographically kind of in the middle between New York, Los Angeles and the south, you kind of get almost a gumbo of styles where people can kind of take artists that they like and not emulate them but be influenced by them. So there are no rules in Cleveland, like you have to sound like this or that. And the artists are still hungry, so it’s still open for anyone to actually make a come-up out of Cleveland.
Finally, do you think Cleveland’s amalgamative style will lead to the scene breaking nationally?
I think it’s starting to break, but it’s just a slow break. You have artists that are getting there. Every so often someone like Kid Cudi does it. We have a few artists on the brink but the scene really hasn’t broke through like other cities. I think in three years hopefully we’ll be at that point. Until then, we just have to keep working at it.
The Rebel Army Radio Awards ceremony takes place at 9PM on Sat 10/1 @ the Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights. Tickets are $10. Call 216-321-5588. This year’s bill includes performances by D.O.C. Showstoppaz, Mookie Mo’Tonio, Proph the Problem & D-Bunk, Lil Chico, Indica Spitts, Rain the Quiet Storm, Mz. Crazy Tee & Cristo, Beateffeck and Aaqila.
Freelance writer John Benson spends most of his time writing for various papers throughout Northeast Ohio.
When he’s not writing about music or entertainment, he can be found coaching his two boys in basketball, football and baseball or watching movies with his lovely wife, Maria. John also occasionally writes for CoolCleveland.com.