.:The Solution w/ DJ Low Key & Lazy Eyez:.

Meet Yonas Michael aka Y-O, formerly of U-N-I, our featured out of town act for The Solution Showcase #12 on 1/26 at the Meadowlark…

.:Download Ro Blvd & Yonas Michael “Cyst”:.

Denver, meet LA’s Yonas Michael aka Y-O (formerly of U-N-I), our out of town featured act for The Solution Showcase #12 on Saturday, 1/26.  Maybe you know him from his recent project with mixtape titan Mick Boogie, The Mixtape Before Blvck Swan Theory, maybe you know him as the guy with the mohawk who used to be in the exceptional rap duo U-N-I (who also happened to host our The Solution Tape #1 mixtape), maybe you heard him on “Cyst”, (his insane collab with producer Ro Blvd from last year, we play it at a lot of our parties) or maybe you’re not familiar with him at all.  Either way, we’re excited to have the super talented, eclectic rapper/singer/etc back out to CO for his first solo show.

.:Download Yonas Michael & Mick Boogie – The Mixtape Before Blvck Swan Theory:.

Years ago, we first heard Y-O’s music while he was in his former group, U-N-I, right around the time that him, his former partner Thurzday, and Ro Blvd (also former Solution Showcase guests) first linked up.  While U-N-I had received a lot of attention from earlier projects, their album with Ro Blvd, A Love Supreme, proved to be one of 2009’s best releases and garnered some of the attention that an incredible, modern day cult classic deserves.  After that, U-N-I & Ro Blvd released a retail version of A Love Supreme (2.0) with more live elements and new songs like the “Land Of The Kings” remix with Houston legend Bun B to even more props.   Following the success of A Love Supreme, U-N-I surprised us and parted ways with Y-O changing his rap moniker to Yonas Michael and he keeping the momentum going with his diverse Lost In Hollywood project, an ambitious collections of tracks with influences from a kitchen’s sink of genres, all while maintaining his hip hop roots.  More recently, Yonas Michael & Mick Boogie’s fresh The Mixtape Before Blvck Swan Theory and collabs with Ro Blvd, Casey Veggies, Polyester and H.O.P.E. have kept the vibe of exploration going with a hip hop mentality as Yonas remains one of the more forward-thinking voices in the progressive LA scene and nationwide.

.:Download Yonas Michael – Lost In Hollywood:.

Above: “A Short Film Called Lost In Hollywood” by Yonas Michael.  /// Below: “Open The Door” by Yonas Michael

Above: U-N-I (Y-O & Thurz) & Ro Blvd “Land of the Kings”/// Below: U-N-I (Y-O & Thurz) & Ro Blvd “Hollywood Hiatus”

Catch Yonas Michael making his solo Denver debut, along with Denver up and comers Team Latchkey, BLK HRTS/Pirate Signal producer/mastermind Yorrissey, Solution co-founder DJ Low Key & Solution Boulder alum B-Money for what promises to be another dose of the best in hip hop at the Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).   9pm/21+/$5 pre-sales at all 3 Family Affair locations or only $8 at the door.

Tags: The Solution Showcase, U-N-I, Y-O, Yonas Michael

Saturday, 1/26 -> The Solution Showcase #12 w/Yonas Michael (aka Y-O, formerly of U-N-I), Team Latchkey, Yorrissey, DJ Low Key & B-Money at the Meadowlark…

SATURDAY, 1/26 -> For our twelfth edition, The Solution Showcase kicks off 2013 by importing one of our good friends from Los Angeles, Yonas Michael aka Y-O (formerly of U-N-I), as our out of town featured act.  Y-O’s gonna be joined by super hype Denver up and comers Team Latchkey, BLK HRTS/Pirate Signal producer/mastermind Yorrissey, Solution co-founder DJ Low Key & Solution Boulder alum B-Money for what promises to be another dose of the best in hip hop at the Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).

Even if you’re not familiar with the name Yonas Michael or The Mixtape Before Blvck Swan Theory, his recent project with mixtape monster Mick Boogie, you should know Y-O his work in critically acclaimed (and former XXL Freshmen feature) group, U-N-I, including being one of the hosts of our mixtape, The Solution Tape #1, a few years back.  Featured Denver act Team Latchkey has two producers who’s names should ring a bell, as both DealzMakesBeats & J Gunna aka Black Jordan were featured at the party last year.  They’ll be joined by the rest of the crew (Morning After, Big Keim, B Smith & DJ Hobo) in the six man group’s official Solution Showcase debut.  Yorrissey, producer for recently signed Denver heavyweights BLK HRTS and award-winning Pirate Signal, will be rocking beats as our featured producer for this month.  DJ Low Key and Denver favorite B-Money will be holding down things on the turntables and making sure things are just as much a party as a rap show and that should round out another top notch lineup for your listening, dancing and drink pleasure.  9pm/21+/$5 pre-sales at all 3 Family Affair locations or only $8 at the door.

Tags: B-Money, Black Jordan, BLK HRTS, DealzMakesBeats, DJ B Money, DJ Low Key, Family Affair, J Gunna, Mick Boogie, Pirate Signal, Team Latchkey, The Meadowlark, The Solution Showcase, U-N-I, Y-O, Yonas Michael, Yorrissey

Meet LA’s Ro Blvd, one of our out of town guests for The Solution Showcase #9 on 9/22…

SATURDAY, 9/22 at 7PM -> In one of the great tragedies of hip hop, LA’s Ro Blvd somehow remains one of the most slept-on producers out, despite having produced the entirely of U-N-I’s modern LA rap classic A Love Supreme, working with both members (Thurzday & Y-O) post U-N-I-breakup, crafting the cult classic Laffy Taffy Rots Your Teeth with his BrekFast Club crew, as well as producing jams for LA favorites El Prez (“Gone”), Skeme (“I’m So Cold”), Krondon, Shawn Jackson & more.  If you’ve been paying attention to The Solution for a while, you might also recognize Ro as one of the hosts of The Solution Tape #1 (along with fellow Solution Showcase #9 guest Thurzday and Y-O, back before U-N-I split up).  We were first introduced to his earlier works in 2004 or so by one of his first collaborators and fellow Solution Showcase #9 guest Free Speech and have since watched Ro develop a progressive, diverse but still signature sound that just oozes California smoothness.

Above: Ro Blvd feat. Thurzday “Great Going Good” from Heart Pounding Panic /// Below: Thurzday (produced by Ro Blvd) “Colors” from L.A. Riot.

A few weeks ago, Ro released his official solo debut and one of our favorites of 2012, Heart Pounding Panic, featuring collaborations with Thurzday, Y-O, Micah James, Krondon, Cali Cush, Shawn Jackson, former Solution/Goodness guest Theo Martins & more.  The lead singles; the super banger “Great Going Good” (check the video above), the dream-like “Cyst” & laid back BBQ-anthem “Summer Solstice” are all ridiculously good and have been getting steady spins at Solution & Goodness events all year, so you’re probably familiar with them even if you don’t know the tracks by name.  Hit the links and videos in this post to get more familiar with Ro’s music, the quality it exudes is far more telling than anything I can type in a post.

Above: Heart Pounding Panic Advanced Listening Party Video /// Below: Ro Blvd’s remix of Common “The Corner”

Now that you’re a little more familiar, don’t miss Ro Blvd at The Solution Showcase #9 with LA’s Thurzday & Free Speech, CO hip hop icons Prime Element, elusive DJ/producer Fast Forward, DJ Low Key & more on Saturday, 9/22 at the Meadowlark (2701 Larimer St).  We know there are a lot of other events going on the same night, so we’re starting early at 7PM sharp and giving anyone who shows their ticket/ticket stub from another 9/22 event $3 off cover (only $5 for this crazy lineup instead of $8) to help you maximize the last official day of Summer.  21+ /// $5 Pre-sales now available at all three Family Affair locations & get you 15% off your entire purchase /// $8 at the door /// Doors at 7pm.

To get more familiar with Ro Blvd, check out a few more videos for Ro-produced songs below, this fantastic Smoking Section interview with him Y-O & Thurz from when A Love Supreme dropped, and the great inset interview with Andrea 3Stacks after the jump to get familiar with one of the best young producers out.

Above: U-N-I & Ro Blvd “Land of the Kings”/// Below: U-N-I & Ro Blvd “Hollywood Hiatus”

Above: U-N-I & Ro Blvd feat. Miguel “Lately 2.0” /// Below: U-N-I & Ro Blvd “Desha Dayana”

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Tags: Ro Blvd, The Meadowlark, The Solution Showcase, Thurzday, U-N-I, Y-O