Stix and Fate Eastwood are together again as usually, prepping the release of the upcoming mixtape Eternity, which is currently slated to release in March. On “Her Story,” Stix breaks down the tale of a young girl turned out by a baller over a mean (bold, italics, all caps for emphasis) Gladys Knight & The Pips sample flip Read the rest of this entry »

Nashville had an entertaining week from Sunday, October 9th to Sunday, October 16th and experienced great live performances due to tour routing that led to several Hip-Hop acts converging on the city in a seven day span. One Sunday saw our LivexDirectTN stage – a merger of the Hip-Hop & Love (Murs, tabi Bonney, Ski Beatz, e. al.) and L-R-Generations (9th Wonder, Freddie Gibbs, etc.) tours – followed by a Thursday night show featuring Das Racist and Danny Brown Read the rest of this entry »

Stix Izza delivers the Rayzate-created visual for “Killer Instinct,” the fourth track from Stix & producer Fate Eastwood’s Highway 2 Mars mixtape to receive Ray’s magic touch. Read the rest of this entry »

Every rapper has a life full of experiences at the ready to share and here three key Nashville emcees – Stix, Dee and newcomer Brit – each take a turn using their storytelling skills and flair for the melodramatic over the Fate Eastwood-produced track, titled “Run.” Read the rest of this entry »

Stix and Rayzate create rap cinema using a the Fate Eastwood-produced track “Atrium” and broad who’s gone psychotic to co-star in the video. Read the rest of this entry »

Stix Izza and Fate Eastwood working together in near perfect harmony once again for “Transparency,” which finds the Nashvegas MC cutting the grass so the snakes will show. Over some of Fate’s finest production, Stix declares that “if you really don’t know now, you’ll feel it in a minute.” Personally, I’m inclined to agree since Izza’s reach and fanbase are expanding right alongside his increasing mastery of how to slice and dice bars with precision.

Stix Izza – “Transparency” (Prod. By Fate Eastwood)

“Rappers need they groove back, somebody go see if Stella’s home, I swear these kids don’t stand a chance man, Eddie Long…”

A fresh Rayzate directed video for Stix Izza’s “Annie,” produced by Fate Eastwood and DJ Crisis and appearing on The Highway 2 Mars mixtape. Read the rest of this entry »

I spent part of my evening watching a film I’ve been waiting several months to see in full, Stix Izza’s Building The Highway 2 Mars produced by Rayzate. When I met with Dolewite months back and they showed me the trailer, I was floored by the quality and cinematography Ray brought to the project. We, as online travelers, get flooded with shoddy material passed off as good work. Not here. Read the rest of this entry »

At least once or twice a week, Stix’ Mars… mixtape comes up in the rotation and I won’t even front. Most times I’ll let the tape roll just so I can get to track 17 with Young Rell. Read the rest of this entry »

“This Way” serves as a complimentary piece to the previous movie trailer, revealing more of the pieces that make the man and artist. The track catches Stix shifting from “just rapping” to actually using Fate’s beat as the paper for which he pens a three minute portion of his autobiography. Read the rest of this entry »

My good chum and fellow music scribe Sean Maloney at the alternative weekly Nashville Scene has been entrenched in all sides of Nashville’s music culture but with even deeper roots in the Hip-Hop community. After many here watched rap culture seemingly lay dormant here for several years, a newfound vitality & support system have emerged and Maloney documents the growth for today’s online edition of the Scene, Read the rest of this entry »

Quick reminder for any and all in the 615 area. Hip-Hop will be in the building tomorrow at the Cannery. Come drink and be merry while live music plays in the ‘Ville. Read the rest of this entry »

How often have we heard artists recite the cliché “My album is going to be like a movie, dog”? At this point, it’s safe to deposit the phrase into the bag of catchwords to avoid, dulled and devalued by overuse. It’s also part of the reason Nashville artist Stix partnered with Zate Entertainment to help tell his story – and the story of producer Fate Eastwood – to the world at large in full-fledged, theatrical documentary as a complimentary piece to his next drop, The Highway 2 Mars. Read the rest of this entry »

Cinco de Mayo madness of the Hip-Hop type as Blacksmith emcee Talib Kweli brings his Gutter Rainbows tour to Nashville. Live at Cannery Ballroom on Thursday, May 5th. Alongside him will be opening act Jean Grae and local support provided by DJ Wick-It, Openmic and Stix Izza. Read the rest of this entry »