Pretty – “Chops 4 Breakfast”

West Baltimore producer Shantele Pretty has gifted fans of golden era-hip-hop with a brand new beat tape: “Chops 4 Breakfast.” For those unfamiliar with hip hop, a beat tape is a project of instrumentals from a producer, usually given to a rapper for them to have a selection of sounds to write to. Producers often release their beat tapes as full projects. 

“Chops 4 Breakfast” opens with a vintage tutorial recording defining the word “steady” on “Steady Wins the Race.” Keeping that pace, Pretty provides a full meal for any hungry emcee who has the skill to create introspective storytelling, metaphors, wordplay and entendres. With rare samples, beat breaks, and head-nodding bass drums, “Chops 4 Breakfast” is also a great backdrop for workday productivity.

Pretty began her musical journey by learning to DJ at the age of eight and mastered the saxophone by age 13. She has worked with veteran Baltimore rapper Greenspan, and producer Kariz Marcel’s Blackwater Production House. She is also the curator of “SESSIONS,” an ongoing creative series where she brings artists together to create songs on the spot in real time. She is currently working on a project with female emcees Kay L.A., Illy, and Lyrikal Miracle. 

Pretty, being influenced by producers like J Dilla, DJ Premier, and Q-Tip, delivers tracks that flow together smoothly and are reminiscent of favorites from Slum Village to Rapsody and Nas. “40” gives a nod to her love for instrumentation with a smooth, driving horn sample, followed by the final track “Don’t Stop Now” which fittingly made this listener want to run the whole tape back from the beginning. 

“Chops 4 Breakfast” is available on Bandcamp and all other streaming platforms. 

Astronaut Symphony – “Cloud Nebula”

Afro House, a Baltimore-based production company, has released “Cloud Nebula,” a debut album from the collective Astronaut Symphony. 

A futuristic, multimedia collaboration, the album was recorded in late April of 2025 before a sold-out audience at The Voxel in Baltimore. It’s the sci-fi story of Jakub, a cosmic star in human form, tasked with guiding the refugees of her dying planet to the Golden Cloud Nebula. On “Ship Announcement,” the album’s opener, the voice of a Black woman flight attendant invites the listener to store their luggage and tap in for the ride. 

“Welcome to the Spaceship Third Eye. We will begin boarding shortly. Please ensure that all your belongings are with you and can be secured in your pod,” she says.

“Cloud Nebula” does what the perfect live album should do: make you wish you were one of the lucky people in the audience that night. Yet, the mix and mastering by Max Bent is such that you can forget you’re listening to a live album until the enthusiastic applause appears at a song’s ending. 

The album is a collaboration of immensely talented musicians. Composed by Scott Patterson who also appears on keys and vocals, it also features Elise Jenkins, R. Joshua Reynolds, and Darius Sanders on vocals with Ray Winder holding down alto saxophone, electric guitar and vocals. Ra Patterson is also on alto saxophone, Judah Patterson plays electric guitar, and Philip Thomas is on drums. If you’re not lucky enough to witness them at the National Aquarium for the sold out edition of Voyages on July 17, keep an eye out for future performances. 

Check out “Cloud Nebula” on Bandcamp.

Mowder Oyal – “Prefigurative Musics”

“Imaginary. I imagined I chewed Bmore soil and spit out ancestral bones,” Mowder Oyal’s drummer and co-founder Bashi Rose calmly intones in a spoken word piece that begins the band’s sophomore album. Adam Holofcener’s guitar greets us as does James Young’s bassoon, joining Rose’s work setting the scene for a journey of organized calamity through tracks “Aw Fuck!”, “Clutch,” and “Container.”

By the time you reach “Goblin” and hear a voice yelling mixed in with Rose, Holofcener and Young’s composition, the album has already offered a taste of nearly everything from hardcore to jazz in a fusion of self-described “Tuff Music from Baltimore City.” 

“Prefigurative Musics,” for the most part, is fairly different from their self-titled 2022 debut album showcasing musical growth, vision, and cohesion between the members of the band. They close the album by revisiting the piece that began it, but this time it’s flipped by Baltimore producer Mighty Mark into a club music remix. Catch them live with new front vocalist Sun Lynn Hunter, who isn’t featured on the album but brings a whole new creative energy to the stage. 

Check out this must-have Baltimore project on Bandcamp.

If you would like your music to be considered for Baltimore Beat’s Best Beats, send us your project, along with a short bio (no more than 100 words) and a photo of yourself (with the photographer’s name) to music@baltimorebeat.com.

The post Best Beats 7/2/25 – 7/16/25 appeared first on Baltimore Beat.

Chipelo – “Sirena”

It’s no secret that Baltimore’s Latino population has grown substantially over the past two decades. So, it should be no surprise that the sounds and vibes are here as well. Chipelo is currently a student at Towson University. His single “Sirena,” however, can be seen as a crash course master class in making a hit. The dark, seductive intro grabs you immediately in anticipation for the beat that does not disappoint once it drops. Chipelo, taking a thoughtful stroll down by the harbor in his music video, speaks candidly about the universal experience of dealing with a toxic lover and we’re dancing to every second of it. 

dime que te pasa (pasa)
Tell me what’s wrong with you/

sirena en el agua (agua)
Siren in the water/

me cantas cosas falsas, yeah
You sing me lies, yeah/

para atraerme a ti
To lure me in/

las bichas me atrasan
Girls slow me down/

y siempre termino en sus camas
And I always end up in their beds/

salís del mar y me cantas
You come out of the ocean and sing to me/

pa’ atraparme y ahogarme baby
To trap me and to drown me, baby/

Sirena is streaming on all platforms. 

DJ AAVE ft. Kayden Chloe – “So Baltimore” 

We can never have enough Baltimore anthems. The city is so multifaceted and limitless in terms of creativity that you have to ask yourself “Should there ever be just one anthem?” Absolutely not. Enter DJ AAVE, a Baltimore-based DJ, producer, drag performer, and seamstress. This brand new original piece “So Baltimore” is just as fun to listen to as it is to watch. In the Spitcam University video, AAVE and Kayden Chloe give all that is needed to be given and leave not a morsel to be desired. All of the elements of a Baltimore Club banger are there from the catchy hook, the claps, and choreography to the mandatory unfiltered, shit-talking verses.

“I’m that bitch, looking like a dish/

Eating up Charles Street struttin my shit/

Hardcore whore. Steppin on the floor/

Everyone adores so I serve it up more/

Stream the song on Apple Music and Spotify and run the YouTube numbers up. We got one for the summer playlists. 

The Bysons – “Kathmandu”

Mike and Jadie Byson may be your typical, modern-day life partners. In love with each other and making music together. But, look a little deeper and see The Bysons are quite an intriguing couple. These two Baltimorean world travelers are working on an EP that is full of songs spawned out of their 2023 travels throughout Asia. Jadie is a documentary photographer and Mike is a mixed media artist who has had work featured in several parts of the globe. 

If I hid their new single “Kathmandu” in a ’70s music playlist full of songs themed for cross-country drives, letting your armpit hair grow out, and welcoming the freedom of defying rules and swimming in rivers during normal business hours, you’d be none the wiser. Kathmandu reminds us how simple it can be to make a positive change and just get away. This first single is a solid offering in anticipation of their upcoming EP “Meet the Bysons.” 

“Kathmandu” is streaming on all platforms. 

Bashi Rose “Ritual of Rebellion”

Drummer, curator, and multifaceted visual artist Bashi Rose is no stranger to Baltimore’s music scene. He is the backbone of the band Mowder Oyal and the brains of his abstract free jazz group, Konjur Collective. This offering comes by way of Detroit’s “Ornette Coleman Fiend Club” on Bandcamp. In just under an hour, Rose takes us on a journey between the past and the future. The two tracks, “Side A” (28:09) and “Side B” (28:43), seamlessly weave in and out of spoken word, improvised jazz, hip hop, soul, and beyond. With Rose leading with vocals and drums, the project moves in and out of peace, chaos, history, and funk. He features Brandee Younger on harp, ELDER RA on electronics, King Solomon on percussion and vocals, Tracey Beale on vocals, Jamal Moore on saxophone and electronics, Michele Blu on singing bowls and percussion, Jeron White on upright bass, with Mitchell Ferguson and Rose’s father Conal Bashiri Rose contributing spoken word poetry. At one point the collective covers John Coltrane’s “Equinox” with Conal Rose doing the melody with his voice. There’s so much to unpack in this, it’s clearly meant to be enjoyed again and again.  

A highly recommended Bandcamp listen and support. 

Plant Dad – “i can be ur lady”

Musician, teacher and curator Ralph Bernabe aka Plant Dad flexes some serious songwriting skills with his newest single “i can be ur lady.” Joined by producer Matt Hurd, this track feels good from start to finish. Once you delve into these lyrics, you find a freeing message of gender fluidity. Redefining what kind of power is held in embracing femininity. It’s hard to escape the soothing vibes of a straight forward talk over spliffs and tea.

“Blunt for Blunt and you can leave the blow/

You’re moving like a sinner just for show/

Curious you want me to ignore/

The reason that your Mama’s broke/

“I can be ur lady” is now streaming on all platforms.

If you would like your music to be considered for Baltimore Beat’s Best Beats, send us your project, along with a short bio (no more than 100 words), and a photo of yourself (with the name of the photographer) to music@baltimorebeat.com. 

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For this edition of Baltimore Beat’s roundup of the local music we love, we’re looking back at 2015, when Freddie Gray died while in police custody. The uprising that followed was a moment in history that sparked literal and figurative fires in the city. 

Bop down memory lane with us real quick as we listen to a few tracks that Baltimore musicians released during that time. 

Tate Kobang, “Bank Rolls (Remix)” 

It’s hard to think of Baltimore in 2015 without Tate Kobang’s “Bank Rolls.” The song coincidently  dropped on the exact day Freddie Gray died. Kobang released the song as a tribute to his late mother and as a promo for an upcoming mixtape. The song is a remake of Baltimore rapper Tim Trees’ radio hit “Bank Roll,” which originally dropped in 2000. Kobang’s track was produced by OG Baltimore Club veteran Rod Lee, who also produced the original track. “Bank Rolls” turned out to be a viral hit, landing Kobang’s words in the ears of people around the world right around the time it may have been needed. He couldn’t have opened the track with a more perfect braggadocio line of an emcee boldly repping his city: 

Bitch I’m from Baltimore, you say you was, I never seen ya / What part you on? I got some family on the Alameda 

This remix, like the original, is stamped as a Baltimore anthem. 

Young Moose/Martina Lynch, “No Sunshine”

This gem dropped in 2015 and is still getting views on YouTube. Featuring a sample of Bill Withers’ classic “Ain’t No Sunshine,” the video opens with clips of scenes from the Uprising, including one of a young man being sprayed in the face with what appears to be tear gas or mace, as Baltimore police officers pull him to the ground by his locs right on the corner of Pennsylvania and North Avenues. 

Moose, who would later become instrumental in bringing light to the horrific practices of the Gun Trace Task Force, calls out harmful rumors that were spreading at the time about the way Freddie Gray died: 

They say he killed hisself they really spreading the rumors

They say he died in the alley, they say he died in the paddy

Man them bitches assumin’, them bitches assumin’

Lynch, who has since built a solid name for herself as one of the top lyricists from Baltimore, raps: 

Look, the police don’t know me but they wanna take out my homies

And my ni**as on the streets they shootin too. No Sunshine, they bulletproof 

So we don’t get no sunny days. Feeling like a slave I wanna run away

But I’m up in the hood tryna find a way. Rest in peace Freddie Gray

Joy Postell, “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” 

The chant “Hands up, don’t shoot” became popular at protests after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. This song, which features Joy Postell accompanied by guitarist Steve Francell, echoes the chant as a call for the end of police brutality. Postell is still creating beautiful music. Her most recent releases have been a string of singles, including “Have Mercy,” “showme” and “Many Men,” that can be found on all streaming platforms. 

Living Classrooms students, “Believe in Baltimore” 

This adorable and upbeat anthem came out of a collaboration between Baltimore City students and members of Baltimore bands Future Islands, Lower Dens, and Celebration. It was powered by the workforce development and education nonprofit Living Classrooms and the music education nonprofit Believe in Music. Believe in Music has since folded, facing major funding cuts during the pandemic in 2020. In 2015, many collaborations like this took place as funding poured into youth programs particularly focused on the arts and recreation for young people. The video is still up on YouTube. 

Comrade, “Right Back” 

Comrade began to blow up locally in 2015 with this single “Right Back.” The song expresses the relentless nature of Baltimoreans to push back against injustice. Most recently, he dropped an album in 2024 titled “Comradery” with features from King Midas and King Los. 

Prince, “Baltimore” 

The Baltimore Uprising attracted the attention of many Black celebrities. Some came here looking for clout while others, like music superstar Prince, seemed much more sincere. The musician held a “Rally for Peace” concert that featured appearances from then-State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, Doug E. Fresh, and Miguel. He also released this beautiful ode to Baltimore. The music video ends with a quote from Prince himself: “The system is broken. It’s going to take the young people to fix it this time. We need new ideas, new life…” 

The post Best Beats: Baltimore Uprising Edition appeared first on Baltimore Beat.

DJ AyyMello: “Kendrick Lamar Squabble Up (Baltimore Club Mix)”

Don’t say you’re a fan of Baltimore club music if you don’t know who DJ AyyMello is. He won the eighth annual “King of Baltimore” club dance competition created by Bmore Than Dance and was a featured artist in TT The Artist’s musical-documentary “Dark City: Beneath the Beat” (that’s currently streaming on Tubi, by the way). He has ingrained himself in the city’s culture. 

His most recent release does what Baltimore club music does best, marrying our homegrown sound to mainstream hits. Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up” was one of the most anticipated songs of 2024. The single, which samples the 1983 Debbie Deb freestyle “When I Hear Music” had us all dancing in our best West Coast impression. But Mello’s remix will bring you right back to The Avenue with the hard hitting claps, loops, and sirens that Baltimore club is known for. 

Check it out on his Soundcloud. 

Love Nova feat. President Davo: “Die For” (Mighty Mark remix) 

Mighty Mark continues to wave his Baltimore flag high with this remix of R&B singer Love Nova’s “Die For” featuring the late President Davo. An upbeat approach to the love song, the remix plays well for those who miss Davo’s unique voice while giving a glimpse into what we can expect from Love Nova’s upcoming EP, slated for release this year. 

Listen to the song on your favorite streaming platforms.

Nina Gala: “Honey” 

Baltimore-based singer/songwriter Nina Gala dropped a new single “Honey” on March 6. The song is cinematic in its dramatic ambience, inviting you into her hauntingly seducing vocals and harmonies. The gritty production creates a backdrop perfect for any relaxing baecation playlist. 

Check out Honey on Spotify or any of your favorite streaming platforms.

Eyas: “Quiet-loud” (EP)

Baltimore Filipina musician/producer Jenna Balderson AKA Eyas has released a beautiful six-song EP that feels almost too fitting for the current times, when we all may need to sit back, turn the world off, dance in our spaces, and do some self-reflection and checking in. 

The EP is produced alongside Bartees Strange of the record label 4AD. Balderson and Strange do an excellent job of traveling in and out of songs, switching tempos without losing a calming therapeutic theme and sound throughout. “Admitting I’m Not Well” is a heartfelt song any recluse can identify with. On it, Eyas Sings: 

I think in film 

I speak in frames

I love in all

I live in pain

Oh, you know I tried giving you a call

I thought we’d talk about it

But I guess that I’d thought wrong

Yes, I know its hard, when I don’t say a word

What do you know?

Tell me what have you heard? 

This project is one of those that make you question why some of the best stuff comes out in short EPs while less desirable albums are drawn out and long-winded. We’re definitely looking forward to more from Eyas.

Check out “Quiet-loud” on Bandcamp. 

If you’d like to have your music featured in Best Beats, send it to: music@baltimorebeat.com. To be considered, please email us a short bio (no more than 100 words), a photograph of yourself, and a link to your new project. Please include the credit information for the photographer.

The post Best Beats: 03/26/25-04/09/25  appeared first on Baltimore Beat.

DJ Dolla, “2.22FM” 

Released on February 22, 2025, in celebration of his birthday, DJ Dolla’s “2.22FM” EP is a vibrant testament to the energy and diversity of Baltimore club music. Dolla opens the EP with a dynamic remix of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Scenario,” setting the tone for the lively and deeply talented cohort of collaborators that follow.

DJ Dolla, who started DJing with a controller gifted by his girlfriend, has become an undeniable force in the Baltimore music scene. His Dolla Sto Parties at venues like Phlote and 1722 have become legendary.

The EP features a wealth of familiar faces from the Baltimore music scene. “Drop It Low for Jesus,” a hilarious and infectious club track with a traditional hook — “drop it low for Jesus, in the club” — was co-produced by DJ Beast. The drum-and-bass-infused flip of Doja Cat’s “Agora Hills” showcases the talents of Tromac, and the entire project was expertly mastered by Kade Young. 

DJ Dolla emphasized, via email, that “2.22FM” is best experienced in its intended order. In a digital age dominated by streaming, TikTok virality, and fleeting soundbites, this directive serves as a welcome reminder of the artist’s intention and the artful construction of a musical project.

Following a raucous New Year’s Eve DJ set at Royal Blue (where he played alongside Cash.liss and Jourdan) that kicked off 2025, it’s clear that Dolla’s passion for music, particularly club music in all its forms — from juke to Baltimore club — is boundless. This EP, like his energetic live sets, showcases the expansive possibilities of the genre. Compiled from six club remixes created over the past six months, “2.22FM” further solidifies Dolla’s status as an exceptional producer and DJ.

As Dolla himself proclaims, “Shoutout Baltimore! Shoutout club music!” (Teri Henderson)

Buy “2.22FM” on Bandcamp for only $2.22 (you can also pay more). Follow Dolla on IG.

Megazillion, “Don’t Get Sick/Clout”

When Baltimore punk band Megazillion released their double single “Don’t Get Sick/Clout” back in November, they couldn’t have possibly imagined that three weeks later, the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson would take place, sparking widespread conversation about the vicious and predatory American health care system. “Don’t Get Sick” speaks to exactly that:

don’t get sick

don’t check that lump

just bet your life

another body to the dump

The 42-second song delivers the message with morbidly sarcastic quickness and is followed by the power-packed “Clout,” a song about the current lack of quality in almost everything as clout has become a more valuable commodity than friendship or love. 

If you’re a fan of much-needed unapologetic, socially conscious music, check out these great tunes from the self-proclaimed “wild punks.” (Eze Jackson)

Buy “Don’t Get Sick/Clout” on Bandcamp for only $2 (you can also pay more). Follow Megazillion on IG

Giant Wave, “Part of Me”

Giant Wave’s “Part of Me” is a shimmering, dreamlike single that pairs evocative visuals with introspective lyrics. The music video, shot on an iPhone in late summer and early fall 2024, is an experimental travelogue, expertly embellished with animations by Brendon Sullivan. It seamlessly blends familiar Baltimore scenes, like the purple-hued lights of Current Space’s Garden Bar and Charles Village porches, with evocative shots of deserts and mountains, creating a captivating visual journey.

“Part of Me” is the first single from Giant Wave’s debut full-length album, “Year of Space,” a multi-genre experimental project led by William Rockwell Ryerson.

Ryerson is a Montana-based musician with deep roots in Baltimore’s DIY scene. He has contributed to bands like Other Colors, Chiffon and Outer Spaces, and his solo work on Bandcamp showcases a wide range of styles, from ambient synth to experimental pop.

Ryerson’s vocals, with their steadily delicate and almost whispered quality, serve as an inviting introduction to the textured soundscapes of “Part of Me.” The introspective lyrics, such as “Part of me is closed to function, Ready for the next thing on my list,” are woven into the music’s fabric, creating a sense of both vulnerability and anticipation. The layered melodies create a hazy, ethereal soundscape, with Ryerson’s vocals weaving in and out of the instrumental textures. The song builds with a gentle, driving rhythm, as guitars and keyboards create a warm, enveloping atmosphere. The song’s melancholic beauty is both comforting and cathartic, a perfect soundtrack for those yearning moments, and evokes the feeling of a perfect Baltimore summer day. (I recommend you listen to it anytime you feel the last tugs of seasonal depression pull at your heartstrings.)

This marks Ryerson’s first full-length release since 2016. “Year of Space,” created in studios in Baltimore and Billings, Montana, is an ambitious collaborative effort featuring a diverse cast of Baltimore-based musicians, including the rising experimental hip-hop duo Infinity Knives + Brian Ennals, shoegaze band Jupiter Rex, and members of the new-music collective Mind on Fire.

And although Ryerson has relocated to Montana, he frequently returns to Baltimore to perform with collaborators like Chiffon (with Amy Reid and Chase O’Hara). You can catch Ryerson with Chiffon on Thursday, March 13, at Royal Blue.“Year of Space” is set for release on June 1, 2025, via North Pole Records. Don’t miss the chance to experience “Part of Me” and preorder “Year of Space” on Bandcamp today, available in digital, vinyl, cassette, and CD formats. (Long live print media!) (Teri Henderson)

Knika, “It’s My Body”

Baltimore entertainer and arts activist Knika is climbing some charts with a timely anthem. “It’s My Body” is a social justice song about bodily autonomy, climate change, gun violence and the right to vote. The song placed number 6 on Amazon.com’s “Movers & Shakers” list and 28 on Pop Vortex iTunes Top 100 Pop songs list. Both the original version and the remix are infectious dance tunes that fit perfectly on a gym workout playlist. Why not work out your mind and body with affirmations of self-worth and protest? (Eze Jackson)

We hope you enjoyed reading this first edition of Best Beats. Send your music (or your friends’ music) for a chance to be reviewed: music@baltimorebeat.com.  

The post Best Beats: March 2025 appeared first on Baltimore Beat.

Last year, hip-hop turned 50. As the culture around hip-hop has grown — powered by commercial success and the money that comes with it — it has branched out into subgenres and overflowed into film, fashion, and corporate America to become more than just music. And while men might sometimes take up the most space, women have always held hip-hop down.  

Presently, we are living through a golden era of women in hip-hop. Don’t forget that Megan Thee Stallion first rapped “real curvy, no etching” way before “BBL Drizzy” burrowed itself inside our brains. 

So, Baltimore Beat couldn’t wait to check out some of the city’s most talented rappers at “RegE.ruckuS & Sistah Dee Present: Hip Hop at the 8×10 – Beauty & Barz at the 8×10.” It was held on April 12. 

The show was divided into three rounds, with each performer rocking a set during each round. The show included Martina Lynch, Si Notes, Lyfe the Oracle, Omnia Azar, Finesse Da Illa Emcee, Eva Rhymes, and Sistah Dee, who also co-produced and promoted the event.

The 8×10 in Federal Hill has been a Baltimore staple since its opening in 1983. They started the “Hip Hop at 8×10” series around seven years ago with Promoter RegE.ruckuS at the helm.

“We love to mix up all the genres,” 8×10 owner Abigail Janssens said. “The only way you’re gonna build the audience is by having diversity in the lineups.” 

Though the hip-hop-focused series has been running for years, “Beauty & Barz” was its most successful, with its lineup of only female emcees. 

“A lot of that had to do with the way the show was set up,” Janssens said. “Having the three rounds meant people stuck around longer for the artist they came to see as opposed to leaving right after their set.”

“The culture right now is very female-driven,” RegE.ruckuS said. “I thought it would be important to have a moment to highlight the women of Baltimore hip-hop. We also wanted to bridge the gap of ages so we had someone from almost every age group on the bill.” 

Sistah Dee co-curated the show. It was her first show partnering with RegE.ruckuS, and she said she knew she wanted to make it something very special. 

“Because there were so many dope women on the bill, I wanted to make sure that this platform stood high enough for the light to shine like in them that they deserved to have it,” Sistah Dee said.

Omnia Azar, who announced the show would be her last one for the foreseeable future, started her set with a heartfelt speech of gratitude to the city for its support. 

Azar, who moved to Baltimore from Michigan in 2013, said she had been honored to be an artist in the city.  

“I’ve been truly seen, supported, respected, felt, and honored as an artist in the greatest city in America,” she said.

Azar said this artistic calling is not something she takes for granted.

“Every move, every connection, every space, and opportunity has organically transpired. I’m blessed to have worked with some of Baltimore’s most legendary artists,” she said.

It was important for Azar to close this chapter of her career at the 8×10 with “Beauty & Barz,” and alongside her fellow performers. 

“It was SO MUCH LOVE in the building,” she told Baltimore Beat via text.

Lyfe the Oracle opened her second set with a hilarious monologue about the state of hip-hop. 

“It’s nuffin’ but a bunch of fake asses,” she told the crowd. She spaced the words out to sound like she meant phony people, then flipped it so the crowd understood that she was also referencing BBLs. 

“Only thing fake on me is this hair. I got this shit on because this the shit ya’ll like. I don’t be wearing this shit. This is a special occasion.”

DJ King Freeman held down the decks for each artist, and each emcee kept the crowd engaged.

Sistah Dee said that her work with “Beauty & Barz” and the strength and talent of the performers help highlight the unity within the scene. 

“There’s a saying, ‘there’s nothing new under the sun.’ There was a time when there was a consistent, strong presence of women in hip-hop … and for the most part, they stood collectively, even in their different squads. I’m talking Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Yo Yo and more,” she said.

“I believe even with the different types of women that rap, those that embody emceeism (lyricism, respect, and honoring of the art) are now again more open to working together and creating platforms that spotlight us, just as much as our male counterparts,” she said via text. 

The next Hip Hop at the 8×10 is July 12. 

The post Beauty & Barz appeared first on Baltimore Beat.

Drive north on Sinclair Lane, just past  Federal Street on your right-hand side, and you’ll see Claremont Freedom, an attractive, fairly modern community with plenty of colorful houses. It looks like someone took a neighborhood from Montana and sat it in northeast Baltimore City. You’d never think it was once the Freedom Way housing complex, home of one of Baltimore’s most unsung heroes — the rapper, producer, actor, and entrepreneur Tim Trees, aka Wayne Jones. 

If you were to ask any Baltimore artist alive in the early 2000s (whether they specialize in hip-hop, club music, or anything else) what comes to mind when they hear Trees’ Rod Lee-produced “Bank Rolls,” the Paula Campbell anthem “How does it Feel,” or his classic “We Don’t Love ‘Em,” you’ll immediately learn the weight of Trees’ impact. In the early 2000s, Trees was one of the only artists from Baltimore that you were guaranteed to hear several times a day on local radio stations and in clubs throughout Baltimore and the DMV.

“When I hear the original “We Don’t Love Em” by Tim Trees, my favorite childhood memories instantly resurface,” local rapper and recording artist Miss Kam told Baltimore Beat. “As a youngin, I memorized the whole song because if you didn’t know the lyrics, were you really from Baltimore?”

“Tim Trees’ music feels like Baltimore culture,” songwriter, producer, and director StarrZ says on a call from a recording studio in Los Angeles. “It’s a sound we originated when it comes to Baltimore rap. Unapologetic, beautiful sounds.”

But just a few years before his music became widely known, Trees was one of the Freedom Way residents pushed out of their homes due to redevelopment. Fifteen-year-old Trees, living with his grandmother, was forcibly uprooted from the neighborhood he’d grown to know and love.They would move to what felt like worlds away — the Bel Air Edison community.

“During that time, I was starting to rebel. I didn’t want to move. I just ended up going back around the way. It was only a 10-minute walk,” Trees tells me with a laugh. The Freedom Way’s surrounding neighborhoods still housed friends and family, so communing there during early redevelopment was easy.

His story is a typical Black Baltimore story. But only if you leave out his music’s legendary impact on the city. Trees, unlike many legendary street rappers, has survived the ugly parts of street life and continues to talk his shit with hunger. Paired with the amount of love and support he still receives, moving through the city as a fellow working man, his story is untold by the ‘once you get on, you gotta move away’ narrative. He’s still here, very much still working.

Growing up in East Baltimore, the rapper was surrounded by his family’s love for gospel music. His mother, grandmother, aunts, and even his great-grandmother sang for the St. Francis Xavier Church choir. The church choir produced an album. A young Trees saw members of his family and people he knew on an album cover for the first time. The environment planted seeds of exploring his own musical abilities.

“Every Sunday, if one of them had a solo, it was a thing, and you had to hear about it that week leading up to it and the week after,” he said.

The rhythm and soul, often found in that old-school gospel, mixed together with his reality, would naturally translate into his affinity for hip-hop. After all, the entire culture is built heavily on the braggadocio of an emcee and their authenticity when storytelling, but also, most importantly, the ability to ride a beat and deliver the soul of the track. It’s no surprise his early influence is N.W.A.

“I just liked the way they put the bars together,” he remembers.

Trees and his close friend and collaborator Dynamite Lay met with me on a fairly warm Saturday night in January at Bloom’s, a swanky Mt. Vernon bar inside the Ulysses hotel.

“I’m always trying to top that guy,” he says of his younger self, sipping a pineapple-based mocktail. He’s a Muslim now, and he does not drink. He’s also a brand new grandfather who recently starred in the movie “Check Please,” an Alvin Gray film slated for a May 1, 2024, release. The film also stars other homegrown celebrities like Paula Campbell, Walter Maxfield, Tesehki, Desi Alexander,and Erica Kane.

In 2023, Que Pequeño, producer, D.J., and co-founder of the Tew World Order collective, set out on a mission to curate 100 shows. The culmination of this project would be having Tim Trees headline the 100th show at The Crown. The Saturday night crowd would be made up mostly of people who were babies in 2001 when Trees first had the city in a chokehold.

“With the combination of it being my 100th show and 50th “808” show, I thought it would be dope to have him because he laid the groundwork for us,” Pequeño told me.

Trees hit the stage, accepting an explosion of applause, cheers, and enthusiasm. He would repay the crowd by performing a jubilant set of new, rare, and classic tunes with sincere gratitude to the younger heads who came to see him.

Consider rapper StarrZ’s 2017 video “Wayne Jones” and Tate Kobang’s 2015 “Bank Rolls Remix,” both created with help from legendary producer Rod Lee. You not only hear the influence and obvious tribute to Trees; you also see a pioneer who deserves to get more credit. Or does he? The better question is whether he wants it.

In conversation with Trees, you quickly find out that he’s an artist and that it was never about fame. The displeasure of meeting artists who had a similar run or legendary moment is that sometimes they still live in that place. That’s all they want to talk about. But you have to ask Trees about it. He wants to talk about now and tomorrow, if he talks to you at all.

“At first, I didn’t learn how to be a people person. I’d only deal with my circle because I was taught when you get too friendly, you know, that mean you kinda loose, and that’s when things happen. But as I got older, I realized everybody not tryna get you”

Today, Baltimore rappers like StarrZ and Kobang live on a growing list of artists who have experienced success outside of Baltimore. So, remaking a Tim Trees song as part of their catalogs is a choice, and a respectable tribute, not easily approved by the originator.

“When people bring ideas to me, a lot of times I don’t like it. But when shorty [StarrZ] holla’ed at me, I was just like, ‘This sounds good. The idea sound good.’ And when I actually heard the song, …it sounded different.”

But Tate Kobang’s remake of “Bank Rolls” came to him differently,

“The hood told me about that. I didn’t hear the song at first, but people were talking about it. His cousin hit me up, and I was like, ‘What, he said something slick on there?’” He laughed.

“It was Ramadan 2015. So, during Ramadan, we’re not supposed to beef or get into any type of altercations or anything like that. So the way that my brain was when he was coming to me with the information… I was open to it.”

Kobang’s remake would place the younger rapper in the national spotlight, gaining commercial placements and taking his Baltimore sound worldwide. Earlier this month, Tate Kobang stepped onto the stage of a packed C.F.G. Arena for Nicki Minaj’s “Pink Friday 2 World Tour.” Kobang is signed to her record label as an artist and producer, but many of Tate’s out-of-state fans are unaware of the origin of his 2015 breakout hit, making it an exclusive Baltimore gem to those of us who know.

Trees’ style epitomizes Baltimore’s comfort with the unadulterated truth. Vulgar, yet comical and relatable, he’s always been able to weave in the “one up” on his opponent and tell the heartbreaking vulnerability of city life through his lens.

On his 2020 single “Whispers,” he raps, “Same ’ole Tim Trees, different flow/ Lyrical exercise recognize the difference though/ I aint ya average or typical/ I’m once every blue moon/ niggas dress like bitches but act like they true goons.”

“I was, like, 12 years old when I wrote my first verse. That’s when I was still around the way, but I couldn’t really cuss in front of my mother and my grandmother, so it was something I had to keep secret,” he said. “My homies didn’t even know till like 3 years later. Like, my area, you couldn’t display certain talents back then. You know how it is, when you like, in a project area, niggas will get out on you.” He says this speaking on how being a rapper is trendy now. In the ’90s, it was not as trendy to rap.

Baltimore, like many American cities in the ’90s, was caught in the violent grip of the war on drugs. We were worlds away from New York, where the genre originated, and which was home to more outlets for rappers. It was not a realistic thing to pursue here. The internet was still a new thing and not quite accessible to everyone. There was no Instagram or TikTok for artists to reach fans outside of the city. Radio stations like 92Q and the late V103 played no local rappers. The best you could find was on Morgan State University 88.9FM’s Friday night “Strictly Hip Hop” from midnight to 5 a.m. Even then, it would only be a part of the “Test Bin” segment, where local artists submit their songs, and listeners call in to confirm it as a hit or trash it live on the air in real-time. I asked Trees where he was the first time he heard himself on mainstream radio.

“It was 2001. On a Saturday. I was at my man Dresta’s house. Anticipating K Swift to play “Bank Rolls” as part of a segment on 92Q.” He recalls.

“Dresta was ⅓ of Bdamore Records. That’s the label that I was with when I created Dalton Volume 1 or whatever. It was about a good 10 of us in there. We was sittin’ around waitin’ for it and once that shit played, it was exciting but I knew I had to get on top of my game, you feel me? I knew it was on because of how everybody was actin’.”

It’s a moment every artist dreams of, but so few get to experience. Hearing your song being played at a prime time to the entire city alongside the likes of Jay Z, Eve, D.M.X., and Missy Elliot.

He recalls mainly listening to “The Dynasty,” Jay-Z’s fifth studio album that served as a Roc A Fella records compilation, introducing the world to future legends like Beanie Siegel, Freeway, and a young Kanye West on production. Like most of Baltimore, though, he was also listening to a then-still underground Three6Mafia; notably, Project Pat’s “Mista Don’t Play…”

Yet, and still, “Bank Rolls”’ sounded nothing like any of it. It was undeniably Baltimore. The heavy bass drum, a slowed-down Baltimore club tempo, crisp claps, a jazz sample also used by A Tribe Called Quest trickling throughout, and the commanding voice of an East Side boy at the helm. The song rippled through the region.

People of all ages embraced the then-22-year-old’s proclamation “Bank Rolls, you think you gettin’ half of my dough you ain’t tho/ I got a Benz six oh oh you can’t roll/ Can I pay ya bills? hell no/ more paper, more cheese, more dough.”

Twenty-three years later, it’s still a party and festival favorite during sets by both veteran and up-and-coming DJs. But, in true artist form, Trees has long left the period he calls short-lived. He’s never stopped making music, works with longtime friends and local rappers like Dynamite Lay, and genuinely wants to be there for any younger artists he can.

“Definitely home first, and whoever’s up and coming that needs a hand that I can lend,” he says.

The list of dope rappers from Baltimore who are slain by gun violence grows bigger and bigger every year, and it becomes easy to follow a narrative of fear that the city isn’t a safe place for rappers to grow old. Tim Trees is an exception and a representation of our true nature as people in this city. To show love to those who show love. Do your thing and stay out of the way.

I asked him, “What’s next?” and he responded with what I imagine to be the same enthusiasm about his craft that he had at 22 years old.

“More music, more merchandise, more movies.”

The post It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over appeared first on Baltimore Beat.

On Monday Jan. 15, 2018, a holiday celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,  a coalition of union and non-union workers, activists, elected officials, and small business owners gathered in Annapolis to kick off the “Fight For $15” statewide campaign, calling on elected officials in Annapolis to raise the minimum wage during the Maryland Legislative Session, which began on Jan. 10 and will end in April.

The event was led by Montgomery County senator and gubernatorial candidate Rich Madaleno, Baltimore County State Delegate Shelly Hettlemen, and the Maryland Fight for $15 Coalition. Democratic elected officials took to the microphone in the packed-beyond-capacity room in the House of Delegates to promise the crowd that they’d work tirelessly to pass a minimum wage bill. Madaleno and Hettlemen are the primary sponsors of the Senate and House Bills, which call for a gradual increase to $15 an hour by 2023.

Critics of raising the minimum wage say that doing so would hurt small businesses. Emily Ennis of MOM’s Organic Market, a growing food market chain, and several other business owners were on hand to show their support for an increase. They said the increase would help grow business in Maryland. “We know that workers are also customers. So the more we pay them, the more they can spend and grow the economy,” Ennis said from the podium.

Recent studies by the National Employment Law Project say that raising Maryland’s minimum wage to $15 an hour would provide 573,000 Maryland workers with a raise.

“Co-owning two small businesses, I understand that investing in workers yields the highest return on investment. Trust the workers that they will buy in when you do. Look your team in the eye and join workers with skin in the game;”  said Ava Pipitone, a worker-owner of Red Emma’s Cafe and Bookstore and executive director of The Baltimore Transgender Alliance. Pipitone is also the co founder of HostHome, which provides donor powered housing to LGBT folks.

Capitol Police shut the rally down an hour before it was scheduled to end due to the overwhelming turnout.

“They weren’t ready for this kind of turnout,” one rally attendee said to me as we stood in the cold, slowly being admitted into the House Office Building after security checks.

After an attempt to open up an overflow room lead to that room also being beyond capacity, the fire marshal made the call to shut the event down.

The Maryland Fight For $15 coalition is comprised of Labor Unions, including 1199 SEIU, SEIU 32BJ, AFSCME;  advocacy groups such as Jews United For Justice and Progressive Maryland; and many others, totaling over 60 groups and organizations, some representing the business community. Workers and activists traveled from all over the state to voice their support for raising the minimum wage.

Ricarra Jones, political organizer for 1199 SEIU, which represents healthcare workers, said that the abundant turnout was due to the overwhelming statewide support for the issue. Over 200 people were present.

“We put the word out, but once people knew the event was happening they jumped on buses and even organized carpools from Eastern shore and Western MD,” Jones said via text (Full disclosure: I was scheduled to perform spoken word at the event, but due to the early closing, I did not get the opportunity to do so. I also used to work as an organizer for 1199 SEIU).

Last year’s efforts to raise the minimum wage fell short in Annapolis. The movement took another blow when Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, who ran her campaign partly on a promise to raise the minimum wage in Baltimore, went back on her promise and vetoed the bill that the city council put before her.

Pugh gained financial support from several unions by boasting her support for a wage increase, but later changed her mind after consulting with business owners. Mayor Pugh said she would support the statewide effort but has yet to make a comment about Sen. Madaleno and Del. Hettlemen’s new bills.

The Baltimore Brew reported that Pugh gave a man a “thumbs up” when he asked her about raising the minimum wage from the crowd earlier Monday during the MLK Day parade in Baltimore.

Visit therealnews.com for companion videos to this story and more independent local, national, and international journalism that examines the underlying causes of chronic problems and searches for effective solutions.

The post The Fight for a $15 Minimum Wage in Maryland returned with force appeared first on Baltimore Beat.

At the end of last year, I hosted the release show for Skarr Akbar’s album “Fear, Love and Respect” at the Ottobar. He brought his collaborators EJ and Tony Bosco on stage to perform ‘Black Flamingo’ to the packed house. Skarr and EJ traded verses while Bosco took the hook: “Bmore vs. Everybody/ You go tell everybody/ … we gon bring trophies home.”

It was dope—but nobody expected the crowd to demand them to play it again. But they did. And a-fucking-gain. They played ‘Black Flamingo’ four times before the show went on.

Technically, that was still 2016, but that sense of forward motion— and, weirdly, hope— has characterized the music of the city for me this year. But the people at Skarr’s show weren’t just pumped for the song—it was the context of the song, a winner’s anthem.

In thinking about all the music I’ve heard since that night, it’s stuck in my mind and made me not want to do just a list of songs. I wanted great singles on great albums. So here is a list of my favorite Baltimore artists who have released dope singles that are also on dope albums, EPs or mixtapes this year—offered with the full disclosure and all of the conflicts that come from the fact that I also released music this year, and have been on a couple lists and have performed with some of these people, and know most of them.

And like that night at the Ottobar, who you bring makes a big difference too. Some of the projects here are strong collaborations, or are helped out by notable features. Tate Kobang’s ‘Ello’ features Swizz Beatz, Skarr Akbar’s ‘House of Flyin’ Knives’ features Wu Tang Clan’s Raekwon the Chef. Josh Stokes opens his CD with a Blaqstarr feature and TAGMG is one sick collab after another over Street Scott production, bringing back that rap-crew feel we’ve been missing. Whether you’re looking for a city anthem like ‘Black Flamingo,’ Greenspan’s infectious party anthem ‘Cool or Whateva,’ mellowing out to J. Pope’s smooth vocals or Bobbi Rush’s Micah E. Wood-produced ‘Island,’ this is what the artists in your city are putting out and most of it is not on your local radio station.

Skarr Akbar, ‘Black Flamingo,’ feat EJ and Tony Bosco from “Fear, Love and Respect”: See what I said above about this song. Yeah, technically, the album came out last year (Dec. 24) but the video and song, as a single, dropped early 2017. The video is a balance of darkness and positive energy in its own right taking place in a boxing ring. Directed by Akbar, it opens with an interview of Baltimore-bred boxing champ Gervonta Davis. “So this is for Baltimore?” the interviewer asks. “Of course, we been through a lot and umm, Baltimore due for a win,” Davis responds.

Greenspan feat. Breezaay, ‘Cool or Whateva’ from “Never Gon’ Die”

Produced by Michael J.R. who also sings an altered high-pitch “stuck in your head” type of hook, “Cool or Whateva” hits with a melodic upbeat tempo from the start and keeps going at that pace as it ushers in West Baltimore’s Breezay. “It’s only right this got a West Side feel/ ‘cause when you look at me and see this how the West Side feel/ All these dudes with these jewels ‘round they neck got chill/ I be with Green but that’s it, all the rest not real.”

TT the Artist, ‘Yo Bxrthday’ from “Bxrthday”: Whatever day your birthday lands on from here on out, you owe it to yourself to listen to TT the Artist’s EP “Bxrthday” at least three times that day. You should probably play it at least once for every close friend’s birthday as well. They’ll run it back themselves. This year, TT dropped music that has appeared on HBO’s “Insecure” and that brought her some much-deserved acclaim, but I think a lot of people missed this fun project that she threw out earlier this year. It’s got all the makings of classic Baltimore club music. ‘Yo Bxrthday’ is sexually honest, as much of club music is, with a straightforward hook: “I wanna fuck you on your bxrthday.” She’s currently working on a documentary titled “Dark City Beneath the Beat” that shines a light on Baltimore’s Club Music scene. Think of “Bxrthday” as one of the best previews possible for that project coming from the reigning Club Queen.

J. Pope and The HearNow, ‘How Long?’ from “Soul Searching”: “Soul Searching” is the long-anticipated album for fans of the band formerly known as J. Pope and Funk Friday with production from Wendel Patrick. ‘How Long?’ the only song done without Patrick, shows almost all of the talented band’s range, giving J. Pope the chance to showcase both her singing and rhyme skills. “Soul Searching” is definitely a push-play-and-let-it-rock type of project, giving you the pure, funky, soulful musicianship that can only exist among these friends who started out playing shows at Goucher. Their album release at Creative Alliance brought out a wildly diverse crowd of people, a reflection of the band’s fluidity and crisp execution.

Bobbi Rush, ‘Island’ from “Miles”: It’s almost impossible to watch the Audrey Gatewood-directed video of “Island” without wanting to watch it again. The simple yet beautiful peek into nature compliments the strength and sensitivity of Bobbi’s song—and her being. We’ve all been where she is in the first line: “Call you, makin’ my way to the bathroom/ I love you but I been drinkin too/ Sent you a message, didn’t get no reply/ I wonder why, I do this every time.” From there, you can just find yourself walking with her for miles of human experience on this appropriately-titled EP.

Movakween, ‘Gold Honey’ from “Florescence”: If you’re going to start a song off with a Sade sample, you’d better be coming with some fire. That’s exactly what Movakween does on this one. Haunting organ chords sit behind an orgy of harmonies and background vocals as Movakween delivers a Sade-esque performance that somehow is also all her own. In the the video, directed by Movakween, Keem Griffey, and Kyle Yearwood, three different versions of herself stand swaying and singing in the three open windows of a brick pagoda. Then, suddenly you realize it’s switched up to an Afro Futurism vibe, gold body paint and glowing eyes that touch and grab your anxiety, telling it to have a seat and listen. The mixtape “Florescence” backs up the notion that Movakween can sample or cover whoever the hell she wants, because she knows exactly what she’s doing.

Dyyo Faccina, ‘See me with the hands’ from “People Are Scared…”: “See me with the hands” is a phrase I grew up hearing. It was a street negotiation, a way to prove strength or solve an argument. “My rhetoric is heavenly/ I’m better than you’ll ever be,” the young Dyyo taunts his enemy in this song, following up with trash talk and threats like you would follow up the first blow in a fight with punches and body slams. In a day when a lot of men are quick to pick up a weapon—and against the backdrop of our city’s murder rate—this song fits perfectly on an album called “People Are Scared…”

Tate Kobang, ‘North North (Still Hangin’)’ from “Tate Ko”: This production collab between Tate and YG! Beats had a bunch of us rockin’ this summer with its dark yet upbeat and playful energy, “North North” is the bragging of triumph and continued pursuit of victory. Part of the video is shot in front of what’s probably one of the oldest Chinese food stores in East Baltimore, and Tate delivers loveable ex-coke dealer, ex-perc-poppin bars. “Nigga got famous still gang bangin/ Still with the same click nah I aint changin/ Same jeans for a week, no bitch I aint changin’.” He’s no new Black Thought, but we don’t need him to be. Tate Ko gives you that dark Baltimore, where we can dance to morbid shit.

TAGMG, ‘Whole Lotta’ from “Don’t Worry Now (The Flood)”: If I were to make a playlist, “Whole Lotta” would definitely be near Tate’s “North North.” The songs aren’t similar but they both wear that Baltimore shit-talk and swag like a badge of honor. Street Scott, King Dro, and Jase Kevion drop some witty, pretty laid-back verses over a track and hook that somehow still keep you hype. The crew love on “Don’t Worry Now” is something I personally miss from rap, where it seems it should always be that Nelly and St. Lunatics formula where everybody gets behind one dude while we just count money and stand behind him with our guns out. Everyone gets a piece on the album and if you ever get to see them live on stage together, the energy definitely translates as they trade center stage, delivering bars and almost effortlessly transferring the bounce to any onlookers.

Josh Stokes, ‘Say Word’ from “Who is Josh Stokes?”: ‘Say Word’ gives you a feel reminiscent of both Prince and George Clinton with synths that take you back to the mid ‘80s a bit. Josh Stokes is no clone, though. His voice and subject matter are all his own. Josh nails the writing, lead and background vocals, and production all over “Who is Josh Stokes?” Other favorites are ‘Higher Than Ever,’ and the light-hearted, inspiring ‘I Know a Place.’ Stokes can handle almost any tempo or topic with the soul of a freaky Southern Baptist choir director who hits the city on the weekends to drink whiskey and party with harlots. His energy is almost Jimi Hendrix-reminiscent in that you wouldn’t expect someone so young to sound the way he does, belting out aged runs and harmonic backgrounds that you find yourself repeating over and over again.

The post Year In Review: Eze Jackson’s top 10 singles and albums of 2017 appeared first on Baltimore Beat.

At around 1:50 a.m. on Aug. 8, just two days after Baltimore’s first 72-hour Ceasefire, Dejuane Beverly was shot near a house on Liberty and Tulsa roads. He died. Police found no motive. No suspect was arrested.

Naturally, Dejuane’s mother Dedrah Johnson was caught completely off guard. It was the last thing she expected to hear on that Tuesday morning.

“It’s like, you become shut off from people sometimes because you feel like nobody understands what you’re going through,” she said.

After taking time to mourn, Johnson has been actively volunteering and spreading the word about Baltimore Ceasefire 365.

“I want to put it out there. This has to stop,” she said. “I really want to do whatever I can to stop this from happening, but some days are harder than others. So I go to my therapy group on Tuesdays.”

The therapy group is Mothers of Murdered Sons and Daughters (MOMSD), which meets every Tuesday and Sunday at St. John’s Alpha and Omega Church.

In that group she connected with other mothers dealing with the same kind of grief—and one whose 15-year-old son was murdered just 30 minutes before Dejuane, in almost the exact same way, in the same part of town.

Daphne Alston founded MOMSD in 2008. She knew firsthand what these women were going through. On July 14, 2008, her son Tariq was on the phone with his girlfriend at a party when someone shot and killed him. When Alston got the call, she was devastated. She was living in Harford County and tried a couple different groups, but she says they were predominantly white and the members were mostly parents who had lost their children to drug addictions, motorcycle accidents, or suicide. She says she eventually felt uncomfortable speaking in the groups.

“It would interrupt the group every time,” she said. “So I stopped coming because the women would be so overwhelmed with my story. How could I live through something like that? Many of them had lost homes, marriages broken up, got addicted and all kinds of stuff while going through their grieving process.”

But there was one woman, Mildred Samy, whose son Samuel had also been shot and killed during a dispute at a Waffle House one night.

At the time, Alston and Samy felt they were the only women in Harford County that had this shared experience of losing their sons to gun violence.

“That year I think it was only one murder for the whole county,” Alston recalled.

But when they watched the news at night and talked to one another, Alston says they saw so many women in Baltimore City who were going through the same thing. They felt their pain. Without knowing any of them, they still felt the loneliness these women may have felt. No one was paying attention to people like them, the mothers left devastated by the bullets that snatched their sons.

They decided to start Mothers Of Murdered Sons and Daughters in the city. A co-worker introduced Daphne to the pastor of St. John’s Alpha and Omega, a church in West Baltimore. He gave MOMSD space to operate out of their building and the group has been meeting there ever since. MOMSD officially became a non-profit 501(c)3 two years ago. Daphne says the group has been predominantly self-funded, only receiving their first grant this year.

“The majority of black people who live in this city, when they walk out they door, they don’t see hope,” she said. “Broken bottles, trash, blunt guts. How is somebody supposed to be hopeful living in these conditions?”

The conditions of poverty are heightened by the trauma of living in what she calls “homicide density.”

“We just went to a boy’s funeral the other day . . . Dante,” Alston said as she took a pause, thinking about him and his mother as if they were her own family.

Today, the group has around 65 active members who regularly attend the meetings and more than 300 in their extended network.

“A lot of the mothers don’t come out much, but we have a lot of phone conversations,” Alston said.

The group reaches out to every parent or grandparent when someone is murdered. They attend the funeral services and try to keep in touch with the family of the deceased. They also have two liaisons who work to follow up with detectives to be sure that cases are consistently being worked on.

“Look, I’m on the phone seven days a week, still talking to who I can about what happened to my son,” Alston said, “but everybody can’t do that.”

Dedrah Johnson knows the kind of support that these mothers need through her first-hand experience.

“Sometimes they just need someone to sit in the courtroom with them while they have to relive this over and over again. Some of them have the killers walking the streets again in the same neighborhoods because the courts didn’t have enough evidence to convict them. How are they supposed to live with that?”

Johnson paused.

“We are abnormal. Losing a child is hard regardless, but let’s be real, losing a child to murder is different than losing a child who is sick,” she said. “Sometimes my husband has to point things I do out to me and say, ‘Baby, that’s not normal.’ These women need to know that it’s OK to be abnormal. You can come on over here and be abnormal with us . . . together.”

This piece runs courtesy of the Real News Network.

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