Cory Graves
This Week, Spinderella Cut It Up One Time.
Each week, we take a survey of the local music scene and try to determine which acts in town are really putting in work and seeing it pay off. Which bands have the most intriguing shows coming up? Which bands are getting the most press around town? Which bands have accomplished the most notable feats of late? Based off these criteria, our music writers submit a list to be weighted and compiled into a master list revealed each week in this here space. We like to think it's fairly revealing. Check out our previous Buzz Rankings here.
As badly as the odds are stacked against females in the hip-hop game in 2016, things were exponentially worse 30 years ago. To make moves like Salt-N-Pepa did in the early '90s was huge — defiantly so, even.
That's why the group — along with its legendary DJ, Spinderella — was recognized at this year's VH1 Hip-Hop Honors revival.
During the broadcast, Spin talked about this while addressing the crowd. And she shouted out the next generation of female DJs — something there's still far too few of — as she did. For her groundbreaking efforts and much-deserved recognition thereof, Spinderella tops our weekly, local music power rankings for the second time. It is her first No. 1 since June of 2014.
Speaking of badass women, Erykah Badu made some power moves this week, too, vowing to donate the proceeds from an upcoming Detroit concert to a nonprofit that tests the city's huge backlog of rape kits.
Moving down the list, Leon Bridges, with his surprise pop-up at The Prophet Bar last night, made us realize it's OK to start going out again. And XXL Freshman producer Sikwitit will gave us more places to go this week with his celebration at High & Tight.
Toadies continued to rack up press, too, not only for its two new beers, but for the new record it's currently making, as well as the announcement that the band will be headlining this year's Smoked festival.
Moving on, we just can't speak highly enough of the video Honor System put together, featuring footage from the Dallas Strong vigil following last week's attacks, set to his own music. And rappers like David Morgan, Paris Perhsun, Bobby Sessions and Mic Stewart penned songs about the recent tragedies as well.
Elsewhere: Ishi, Quaker City, Seryn, Oil Boom, Son of Stan and Sealion are all playing the Granada this week; Pageantry is releasing a new EP; St. Vincent covered the Golden Girls theme; and Blake Ward caught more Pokémon than you did.
(Also receiving votes: Zane Williams, Jack Freeman, Pearl Earl, Picnic Lightning, Paris Perhsun, Coffey Anderson, Dead Mockingbirds, Gensu Dean, Claire Morales, -topic, Jake Paleschic, Rhett Miller, Konscious Konnect, Jonathan Tyler, Stumptone, Ronnie Fauss, Grey Matter, Alsace Carcione, Charley Pride, Kevin Aldridge, Cure for Paranoia, Sam Lao, Jacob Furr, The Longshots, Missing Sibling, Seryn, Deep Blue Something, Ishi, Slobberbone, Dead Flowers, Pat Green, Paul Slavens, Natural Anthem, Poppy Xander, Silas Nello.)
