Hilarious, brilliant, and unpredictable, Reggie Watts’ improvised sets are created using only voice and a looping machine. No two songs are the same.

Janelle Monáe captured imaginations with music like “an epic James Bond film in outer space.” She explains it elegantly: “just all the things I love, mixed with albums I adore.”

“Master your art and rise to the level of royalty.” Some would be satisfied there, but Badu is ambitious and grounded enough to conquer new territory with superband The Cannabinoids.

Gym Class Heroes combine snappy guitar rhythms, booming bass lines, hypnotic beats and conscious, witty lyrics to create a self-described “indie/hip-hop” fusion.

With Alexis Brown’s versatile vocals riding a bed of thunderous guitars and pounding drums, Knoxville metal quintet Straight Line Stitch is the perfect mix of melody and aggression.

I began DJing back in the summer of 85’.By the summer of 86’ a friend and myself would bring the equipment outdoors to play for block parties, house jams, school dances, etc. As the years past I constantly practiced, honing my skills and discovering various styles of music along the way. By the early to [...]

Joe Jordan is a contemporary troubadour whose charisma, optimistic attitude, and electrifying personality embody all those around him. With a 6-string in his hand and a mind for innovation, Joe’s flow can resemble that of a blues man, a folk player, a raunchy rock rifer, or a very soulful blend of all of the above. [...]

The SupaSonics are a record production trio consisting of Joel “Deasel” Dean, Sir Roan “Nerve” Thompson and Chad “Surreal” Simon, who are credited with contributing to such successful music acts like Cassidy, Gucci Mane and upcoming artist Doxi Jones (SRC Universal) & J Rand (Geffen/Interscope). Also creating music we all hear daily on networks like [...]

Grits & Biscuits is a jam-packed, no-frills affair. The trio behind the down-and-dirty affairs is partygoers known as E.Z.Mo Breezy: Erika Lewis and brothers Alzo and Maurice Slade, who hail from Raleigh, North Carolina, Tallahassee, Florida and Houston, Texas, respectively. While Grits & Biscuits parties are markedly carefree, E.Z.Mo Breezy takes what they do very seriously. Erika [...]

Purple Ferdinand is a 23-year-old singer/songwriter hailing from East London who combines her sweet vocals with her ukulele, matched with poetic and heartfelt words. This nostalgic soulstress explores an elegant folk avenue on the acoustic version of her promo single, ‘Beautiful Anomaly’. Purple Ferdinand treats us to a brand new visual for her debut promo [...]

(retrieved from ) The Brooklyn crew comprised of Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice, and Erick Arc Elliott made their Internet debut as Flatbush Zombies with a video that celebrated two of their favorite things: weed and waffles. The duo flashed gold fangs at the camera, smoked L’s like its legal, and ate waffles next to Sour [...]

Sinkane is the project of the Sudanese-born musician Ahmed Gallab. Gallab cut his own teeth as a youngster in the punk DIY landscape of middle America, and then found himself touring far and wide as a member of Yeasayer, Caribou, Eleanor Friedberger, Born Ruffians, and Of Montreal. He has emerged from it all as Sinkane, [...]

Venus X GHE2O GOTH1K grew up in Washington Heights. She described style in a NY Times article, “I do sampling, chopping-and-screwing live and remixing on the spot, so if something is playing the crowd likes, I will interrupt it heavily to break apart the process of continuity.”

TV on the Radio is an American indie rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro to soul music. The group has released several EPs including their debut Young Liars (2003), and four critically acclaimed studio albums: Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (2004), Return to Cookie Mountain (2006), Dear Science (2008), and Nine Types of Light (2011).

Winners of Battle of the Bands

Alice Smith wields a soulful, four-octave vocal range and an old-fashioned sense of songcraft to expertly deliver an instantly addictive sound.

TESS is a singer/songwriter who is here to stay. She aims to flood the R&B scene with a sound she’s coined “Hip Rock & B”. Over the past few years the young artist has toured internationally with Deemi, JT Taylor (of Kool & the Gang), Atlantic Star, and has worked with Nona Hendryx, Musiq Soulchild, and [...]

Undeniably rock–which they like to play hard, loud and often– Radkey are a St. Louis, MO trio, made up of brothers Dee, Isaiah, and Solomon

Toshi Reagon and her renowned band–BIGLovely, launched in 1996; In some ways, singer Toshi Reagon is a throwback to classic R & B artists, like Stevie Wonder or Prince, or an old school rock group like Led Zeppelin; she can take any style, update it, and make it her own with incredible ease. Despite (or [...]

Ninjasonik mixes hip-hop with a punk energy and pop sensibilities. MCs Jah-Jah and Telli have been causing trouble since 2007. Their latest album, the No Swords or Masks EP came out in March 2012.

Spearheaded by Thomas Pridgen, The Memorials are a comfortable- yet-intense collaboration between friends, with a resulting sound and electricity fans both expect and at the same time still can’t believe.

If Spank Rock was “one of the most under-sung harbingers of post-millennial…non-trap rap,” sophomore album Everything Is Boring and Everyone Is a Fucking Liar finds him poised for the limelight.

“Everything they do sounds the way you want a hard rock album to sound. It is intimidating, mysterious, sensual and mostly just a glorious expression of the art.”

Born screaming in East New York’s grimy core, Cerebral Ballzy works to restore something golden to New York’s punk history.

Gordon Voidwell is the alter-ego of Bronx born rap geek, Will Johnson. His subversive, silky, reverb-drenched pop & funk is a brilliantly skewered vision of championed 80s R&B crooners.

“We been doin this in a VAN for 10 years. What’s next?” – Bad Rabbits

Having spent his formative years in punk and indie rock acts, the protean Toro Y Moi project is ChazBundick’s vessel for deeply personal and captivating musical exploration.

Initially dismissed as joke rap, Das Racist have established themselves as an urgent new voice utilizing humor, obscure references & unconventional style to grab fans and music critics alike.

Every member of this collective brings something essential to the table. The result is a thoughtfully crafted sound, encapsulated by a fan as “13 tracks of smooth.”

Brooklyn trio Body Language giddily blends neo-soul, disco, electro-funk, and a touch of indie for an infectious dance party filled with giant harmonies and glockenspiel.