| Final Fantasy: French Montana “Don’t Panic” | October 2, 2014 |
Evan Nabavian will run through your team like Jerome Bettis Years past there came a rapper from lands distant who landed in America to reap the bounty of the South Bronx. He adopted its manners and dress, partook in the wares of its bodegas, and mimed local bards like Slick Rick and Tim Dog. He […]
If you touch Evan Nabavian, you’ll get shocked Janelle Monae endeared herself to everybody and their moms with the sassy brass of “Tightrope” and its surrealist dance party video. The Tightrope, her tuxedo, and her hair landed her on festival and award show stages. But the video for “Electric Lady” states her star power like […]
| Another Bronx War Story: $amhill “The $amhill Story” | August 14, 2014 |
Evan Nabavian is everywhere like Soundview For all the characters we have in rap today, there are few street corner sages. $amhill raps about life in the Bronx as if from stone tablets. Relayed in a father’s baritone, his stories about wonder years in the projects take the shape of urban folklore. His erudite performance […]
Art by Glenn Francis Evan Nabavian played the triangle for So So Def from 1994-1999 If you needed a duet of feminine brass this summer and you weren’t humbled by the cosmic event that was Beyonce and Nicki Minaj’s “Flawless” remix, then we should talk about “100” by Demetria McKinney and Da Brat. Its […]
| The Rockwilder: MPA Shitro and Casey Veggies “#FSO” | July 31, 2014 |
In shootouts, Evan Nabavian stays low and keeps firing MPA Shitro seems to have mixed up his rap signifiers. He crip walks over beats by Metro Boomin and 808 Mafia, he calls Young Thug and Casey Veggies family, and he has a track full of hi-hats called “Bacc to Slauson”. While on tour with Kid […]
| Pull Chickens like Kim Fields: Tuamie “199993” | July 24, 2014 |
Evan Nabavian will splatter your melon like some Attica felons Imagine Madlib born 15 years later, ensconced in late 90s hip-hop and PlayStation games rather than Spinners LPs and issues of Down Beat magazine, his music sooner found on SoundCloud and Bandcamp than CDs or retro-chic gatefold LPs. I can only guess at Richmond, VA […]
Evan Nabavian will be battling Stalley live on UHF In a coup for investigative journalism, I’ve obtained a copy of Meek Mill’s “2011 Maybach Music Group Weed Carriage Employment Agreement”. I know it’s authentic because it’s on MMG letterhead and because I got it from Gunplay in exchange for a mason jar of cocaine — […]
First it was Nasty Nas, now watch Evan Nabavian turn an apple into MacIntosh I notice when I hit shuffle that little of the rap music I listen to features rappers who can actually rap. There’s a surfeit of style, bluster, charisma, and swagger, but few dazzling constructions of wordplay. I have no right to […]
| Summer Mixtape: Evan Nabavian | July 3, 2014 |
Just like T.I., Evan Nabavian was born in the trap The trap is easily the most rewarding source of rap music in 2014. Guys with names like Skippa The Flippa and Purp So Cold give no thought to restraint, convention, or bodily health as they howl and ululate over beats from some garish dystopia. A […]
| Thug Motivation: Cash Out “Let’s Get It” | June 11, 2014 |
Evan Nabavian has your condo in his condo Making a hit is unteachable and ever-elusive. As much as we deride cookie-cutter radio songs, it’s nigh impossible to divine an idea that can reach a mass audience, so it’s curious when someone like Cash Out does it. The Atlanta rapper has little to his name besides […]
