Self Devine

The best Twin Cities concerts: 4/10-4/16

If you can brave the weather, there's plenty of music going on this week. Thursday, twenty one pilots play a sold-out show at the Triple Rock while Boz Scaggs makes an appearance at the State Theatre. Friday night, Zoo Animal will be at the Icehouse, Ex Nuns rock Cause, Edward the Confesso ... More >>

The Micranots at 7th St Entry, 3/30/13

The Micranots reunionWith Mundo Libre, I.B.E., Meta, Greg Grease and Muja Messiah7th St Entry, MinneapolisSaturday, March 30, 2013It was a historic night at the Entry as the legendary DJ Kool Akiem and I Self Devine once again joined forces after a decade to become the Micranots, the pioneering rap ... More >>

Top 10 must-see Minnesota music videos this week

Local Frames is a weekly column spotlighting the best new music videos featuring musicians and directors with Minnesota ties.This week we lead off with an Alice In Wonderland nightmare clip from the atmospheric Minneapolis garage rock quartet, Crimes, taken from their new record, Thin Sunlight, whic ... More >>

Micranots rise again

After nearly a decade apart, I Self Devine and DJ Kool Akiem talk about their seminal album, Obelisk Movements

Best Twin Cities songs 2012: Staff lists

Okay, so there are a few songs out of the Twin Cities that were completely inescapable in 2012. (Nudge.) But when you're talking about a music community that's blasting in clubs, basements, garages, warehouses, automobiles, record stores, Soundclouds, public radio stations, college radio stations, a ... More >>

Best Twin Cities albums 2012: Staff lists

The waterfall of opinion flows s'more today with a collection of the best albums released locally in the Twin Cities in 2012. As opposed to the list that appeared in this week's issue, these are 14 distinct opinions on what was impressive in the past year, and a bunch of links to the related stories ... More >>

Best Minnesota albums of 2012

From Big Cats to Chastity Brown, local gems showcased their talents

Picked to Click 2012: #10. Audio Perm

#10. Audio Perm: 32 points"We haven't done one photo shoot where every member has been in it," says Audio Perm rapper 80H20 with a laugh. That's because the AP crew, which has risen to prominence putting in work and a fresh approach to the Twin Cities rap sound, is more than 10 members deep. Each Au ... More >>

Atmosphere unveils remaining 2012 U.S. tour dates

See Also:I Self Devine: Rhymesayers legend returnsTop 20 Minnesota RappersAtmosphere has had a pretty epic summer. They've spent the past few months touring around Australia and New Zealand and hitting the festival circuit hard, from Summerfest to Forecastle to Camp Bisco, but for hip hop's hardest ... More >>

I Self Devine's The Sound of Low Class Amerika track-by-track (VIDEO)

Related:I Self Devine: Rhymesayers legend returnsI Self Devine at 7th St. Entry, 5/4/12Brother Ali: I Self Devine helped me love my realityIf you watch one video today, make it this one featuring Minneapolis rapper I Self Devine sitting down with Gimme Noise over the weekend at Rhymesayers' re ... More >>

I Self Devine at 7th St. Entry, 5/4/12

I Self Devine7th St. EntryMinneapolisFriday, May 4th, 2012Midway through his set Friday night, I Self Devine lifted the cap off his head and wiped the sweat off his brow. "People have been coming up to me all day and asking, 'Hey Chaka, isn't tonight your release party?'" he said thoughtfully. "Well ... More >>

Brother Ali: I Self Devine helped me love my reality

Note: Brother Ali is a Minneapolis rapper signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment and is one of our 20 Best Minnesota Musicians. Here, he speaks about his longtime mentor and labelmate I Self Devine, who celebrates the release of The Sound of Low Class Amerika at the 7th St. Entry tonight. The album is ... More >>

I Self Devine: Rhymesayers legend returns

The Sound of Low Class Amerika gets personal

Soundset 2012 videos: Brother Ali, MaLLy, I Self Devine, & Aesop Rock

Related:Soundset 2012 lineup announcedWith Soundset 2012 less than a month away now, the Rhymesayers Entertainment folks have launched a rapid-fire barrage of new videos.Conveniently enough, the guys featured in these fresh clips -- Brother Ali, MaLLy, I Self Devine, and Aesop Rock -- will all take ... More >>

I Self Devine drops another free mixtape, video

​The third out of a total of four mixtapes preceding I Self Devine's sophomore album was made available recently, along with another video, directed by Dave Wilson. This is the last free mix available from the Culture Series, as number four will come along with a pre-order of the album The So ... More >>

I Self Devine drops second The Culture Series mixtape

​Rhymesayers vet I Self Devine continues his onslaught of new music with the second of four free mixtapes dropped at the front end of every month. The Upliftment Struggle was released on Soundcloud this week in anticipation of another 7th Street Entry takeover on February 19.

I Self Devine at 7th Street Entry: The Culture Series Part 1, January 22

Facebook.com​I Self Divine's LA State of Mind EP Release PartyWith Brother Ali, Muja Messiah, and Alicia Steele & the Endevours7th Street Entry, MinneapolisSunday, January 22, 2012Better than: The sounds of high-class America.Three of arguably the top five local rappers were on the bill at 7th ... More >>

TC Hip-Hop Awards plagued with Taser-fueled violence

​What a difference 48 hours can make in the life of the Twin Cities hip-hop community. Sunday night welcomed a positive showcase of local talent headlined by I Self Devine, but Friday night's sixth annual TC Hip-Hop Awards proved to follow a now-familiar theme of violence during its event at First ... More >>

Twin Cities rap mixtape roundup, Vol. 8

​Welcome to the first Gimme Noise mixtape of the new year! As usual, we're offering up 8 new songs from Twin Cities rappers for your listening pleasure.Stream below or download here.

I Self Devine drops new video, free mixtape, and announces new album

​Though he's been relatively quiet on the music front since dropping his solo debut Self Destruction in 2005, Minneapolis rap legend I Self Devine is back in a big way with the first of four free mixtapes in anticipation of his sophomore album, The Sounds of Low Class America, due in May.

Semi.Official offer graffiti writers' anthem 'Nocturnal Terrorist Squad' [DOWNLOAD]

​I Self Devine, frontman of the rap duo Semi.Official (with DJ Abilities), took time out from preparing for his new album to talk with Gimme Noise about the graffiti anthem he penned,"Nocturnal Terrorist Squad."

Audio Perm Block Party

Audio Perm Block Party showcases Twin Cities hip-hop, offers up free mixtape

​It's not uncommon to find a rap act sharing a bill with a bunch of rock and pop acts at one of the Twin Cities' many block parties, but aside from mammoth outdoor fest Soundset you're hard-pressed to find a summer shindig that caters specifically to the local rap scene. Next weekend, thanks to a ... More >>

Twin Cities Hip-Hop Awards at First Avenue, 1/28/11

Photo by Autumn ComptonSick performing "Purple and Gold"​Twin Cities Hip-Hop Awards with Maria Isa, I Self Devine, No Bird Sing and moreJanuary 28, 2011First Avenue MainroomThe Twin Cities Hip-Hop Awards is kind of an odd event. On Friday night, the First Avenue mainroom was full of hip-hop fans r ... More >>

The 5th Annual TC Hip Hop Awards

Video: Muja Messiah, "Gary Coleman"

​A few weeks ago we wrote about Muja Messiah's new single "Gary Coleman" off his forthcoming mixtape M-16's, and now Muja has dropped a video to accompany his new song. "Has the era of no money and free music liberated something in local rap?" writes Peter Scholtes in the Critics' Picks preview of ... More >>

Muja Messiah Mixtape Release Party

Muja Messiah announces record release, debuts 'Gary Coleman'

​I was introduced to Muja Messiah when I saw him open for GZA's "Liquid Swords" tour some years ago (two? three?). Expecting so much out of Gary and getting so much from Muja was a complete letdown and lucky surprise in equal turns. Muja's wry and lithe stage presence, crux, and flow haven't y ... More >>

Rhymesayers Presents: A Benefit for Haiti

Gimme Noise's Gimme Shelter Haiti benefit, Rosanne Cash, and more

The 4th Annual Twin Cities Hip Hop Awards

Slideshows: Maria Isa, Crystal Method, and Get Cryphy

Photos from First Avenue this weekend.

The Popstream's Soundet '09 A/V Supplement Super-Spectacular

A brief selection of just a few of the underground rap superstars who'll rock Canterbury Park this Sunday.

Soundset line up announced

Pharcyde and MF Doom? Looks like the 500 pound gorilla of hip hop festivals put on some weight over the winter.

Muja Messiah: Thee Adventures of a B-Boy D-Boy

Doomtree CD-Release Show

Muja Messiah

Web Extras: Twin Cities Battle League

Big Quarters: Cost of Living

MCAD hosts free I Self Devine concert Friday night

Mazta I: Thank the Lord and the Sword!

Truth Is

Top 10 Albums of 2005

Local Music Yearbook '05

Rappers were hot. Smokers were cold. Rockers were on Myspace. And sometime after the last Katrina benefit, we wrote it all down for you.

Give Me the B-Boys and Free My Soul

20 weird moments from the Twin Cities Celebration of Hip Hop

Remember your troubles

Your Bad Self

Micranots rapper I Self Devine finds clarity in 'Self Destruction'

In Da Club: Rhymesayers at First Avenue

Slug, P.O.S., Eyedea and Abilities, MF Doom, and others celebrate ten years of Rhymesayers

Meet The Musicians

Checking in with some Minnesota music makers

One Nation, Invisible

The untold story of local hip hop: 1981 to 1996