Rogue Dynamo releases On My Own video

     Anyone who has read my posts frequently knows that I have been a fan of this young artist's work for a very long time.

     To me Rogue Dynamo is everything that is right about Hip Hop... from her cadence, delivery and the raw emotion she presents - the self proclaimed anti-hero(ine) of rap is the embodiment of a true MC.

    This time out, Rogue is hitting us off with the  video of, On My Own, the first single of her upcoming EP Roses &Karma. I reviewed the single a few blog posts ago, you can check it out here.

Here's her video, On My Own. Enjoy.






You can hit Rogue up on Twitter at  @_RogueDynamo

Atlanta teacher creates Orange Barrel franchise

Darren Patterson creator of the Orange Barrels brand shows off related merchandise.

It was almost ten years ago, when Darren Patterson came up with the idea of The Orange Barrels - a series of children's books and products designed to help parents teach their children about fun facts in their respective states.

The idea all started from an innocent drive.

"We were riding down a street called Euclid Avenue in Cleveland Ohio, and I said see those orange construction barrels down - I'm going to make a book about a family of construction barrels that travel to different places and wherever they travel, they're going to teach their kids about the places they travel to," Patterson recalled.

Now, the metro Atlanta middle school teacher has two books in the Orange Barrel series published - one covering the state of Ohio and another discussing the state of Georgia. Each book contains important land marks and bits of history about each state. Plans call for Patterson to eventually branch out and write about other states.

"They're educational and entertaining," Patterson said of the books.

Donaven (left) and Danielle Barrel - the youngest members of the fictional Barrel family.

But to simply think that the Orange Barrels are a book, would be a gross underestimation of what Patterson is trying to accomplish. The Ohio native coyly admits that he's trying to establish and brand with the characters of the book, that can be used in anything from coloring books to cartoon shows.


"I want to have stickers and bookmarks, and also a coloring book which should be ready pretty soon," he said. "I also want to have an app and a board game [with the characters]. Definitely I want to have it evolve into a cartoon."

There's even a monthly newsletter to update readers about the products and how they can take part in the Orange Barrel franchise.

The drive to work on the brand actually came from Patterson's family, who set the example of hard work and going above and beyond the call of duty.

Pops and Mimi Barrel, the caretakers of the fictional Barrel family

"I think it may come from father because he worked for this Gas company back in Ohio and then I remember when he first started his own business, which was a family business. Then he started his own real estate brokerage. His mindset was not just one thing, and not just being a broker, but to have something bigger and have it grow. So I definitely don't want to be looked at as just an author."

For more information on The Orange Barrels contact Patterson via e-mail at dp@theorangebarrels.com

Hip Hop is still alive with Carolina Dirty Still At It.

Carolina Dirty

      My first exposure to Carolina Dirty was nearly 18 years ago, when the artist was going by the moniker Flower (Fly, Legit, Outspoken Woman Entirely Respected). It was the late '90s and Hip Hop was experiencing a renaissance of uber-lyrical MCs who relied simply on their ability to craft concrete rhymes around strong beats.

     Fast forward to today, and Hip Hop has changed - lyrics have taken a back seat to pulsating beats; R&B like choruses; and videos that show off assets more than lyrical prowess. It's an appropriate
time for Carolina Dirty to return to the forefront in an effort to defy the current mainstream and return to the era of the lyricist, with her latest effort aptly titled Still At It.

In 17 tracks, including skits, the South Carolina native creates a cohesive experience for the listener that puts the emphasis back on lyrics and the spotlight on the ability of an artist to carry their own project. In other words don't look for features - as Dirty implicitly states that this time out she wants to firmly re-establish herself. Features will come on the next album, she promises.

Hip Hop heads will appreciate Dirty's first single, Seers of the Truth, a track, that laments the current state of Hip Hop and wishes for the return of stronger lyrics to the mainstream.

"Like a bullet when you pull it/ my flows just drift/can't duck or dodge it/it's just too swift - she proclaims on the T-Blenda produced track.

But the true show stealer is the DJ Shakim produced track - About U. Carolina Dirty comes off as a lyrical tyrant letting challengers just what they're in store for if they ever think about thinking about .

I sell Hip Hop and they sell crack/Now I'm killing B***s softly Ms. Roberta Flack/if your mouth gets saucy I'll show you what I do/ 'cause the next rhyme I write might be about you/

Carolina Dirty has even more strong cuts on the album- whether its the mellow yet somber Eulogy, or the club induced Saturday Night Live, where she lets her hair down a bit to create a bouncy club sound, the album, which also features production from Amiri and more, does not disappoint.

So if you're looking for tight lyrics, dope beats, and an excursion from what passes as mainstream "Hip Hop" give this a try. And for those clamoring for a bit more, Carolina Dirty has told the O.A.W. Report that she's already well into the writing for the second album. Check out the Still At It below and judge for yourself.



Also check out the classic video Good Neighbor from Carolina Dirty featuring her brother, Spectac.






You can hit up Carolina Dirty on twitter at @carolina_dirty.