It's a big week for Fashawn.
His album "Boy Meets World" drops on Tuesday. His CD release show with Talib Kweli is Saturday at Tower Theatre. The rest of the week, he's on tour with Ghostface Killah. He's even featured on the front page of MySpace.
He's also turning 21 this week.
(Sidenote: Read my feature story about Fash from Sunday's paper, if you haven't yet)
In honor of his milestones -- both career-wise and personally -- I wanted to revisit some of the music he's put out over the last few years.
The result is "21 To Grow On." It's intended to be a "best-of" all his pre-"Boy Meets World" material. It's 21 tracks, pulled from all seven of his mixtapes. If you're looking for either a refresher course or your first introduction, this oughta do it.
DOWNLOAD: Fashawn - "21 to Grow On" (.zip) - WARNING: Language NSFW
FASHAWN - 21 TO GROW ON
1. The Phenom
from: "The Phenom Vol. 1," 2007
2. The Phenom 2.5
from: "The Phenom Vol. 2," 2008
3. Streets of Fresno
from: "Grizzly City Vol. 1," 2006
4. F.A.S.H.A.W.N.
from: "One Shot One Kill," 2008
5. The City is Mine
from: "The Phenom Vol. 1," 2007
6. F.C. (feat. Planet Asia & Turbin)
from: "The Phenom Vol. 2," 2008
7. Prima Donna (feat. Bravo)
from: "Grizzly City Vol. 1," 2006
8. King of Grizzly City
from: "The Phenom Vol. 1," 2007
9. Pretty Thing (feat. Diego Redd)
from: "The Phenom Vol. 1," 2007
10. Strange Love (feat. Rob the Voice)
from "Grizzly City Vol. 2," 2007
11. Wall to Wall
from "Grizzly City Vol. 2," 2007
12. Come on Baby (feat. Planet Asia)
from "Grizzly City Vol. 2," 2007
13. Fash Plays it Cool
from "The Antidote," 2009
14. Got It Sewn
from "The Antidote," 2009
15. Back to the Block
from: "The Phenom Vol. 1," 2007
16. Relax (feat. Thurzday)
from: "One Shot One Kill," 2008
17. Missing You
from: "The Phenom Vol. 2," 2008
18. Day 'N' Nite
from "Higher Learning," 2008
19. Sunday Morning
from "Higher Learning," 2008
20. Shut Up and Let Me Go
from: "One Shot One Kill," 2008
21. We Taking Over (feat. Planet Asia, Diego Redd & Shake Da Mayor)
from "Grizzly City Vol. 2," 2007
[photo: RC Jones]
Good to see that someone holdin down the No. & Happy B-Day too
Mike,
Just wanted to come through and offer up an apology to you for my comments towards the Beehive on (2)dope. I do recall an article I read of yours wondering aloud about the lack of rap concerts and promotion in Fresno (maybe 2 years ago?). On that same idea, I don't understand why I've heard more about an upcoming November concert from an artist who could care less about the Central Valley, rather than the homegrown talent we have (ie: PA and Fashawn to name just two). Outside of your articles and my visits to the barbershop, seems like I've heard practically nothing to elevate local awareness, which is a shame.
Again, my apologies Oz.
No worries, man.
If you're looking for local happenings I'd suggest checking out The Beehive a little more often. We're don't cover just hip-hop stuff in the Valley, but local artists and concerts of all sorts. Hip-hop is a part of that, as is all the great stuff that happens around here.
On a whole, I do agree that the hip-hop artists in town could use a better push and better support from their hometown, but sadly a lot of venues won't host hip-hop shows and our local radio (college radio included) doesn't do much to cultivate a hip-hop scene here.
this is gonna be big, i'm excited for the release and i hope the tower theater packs up for this awesome local artist. congrats to fashawn.
Dope mixtape. Thanks, Mike.
Props to Fashawn. He deserves it.
~Rell.
CRAZY wordplay.
Still listening...
I'll definitely buy the album.
~Rell.
@Mike Re: no love for local hip-hop on local college radio.
As a volunteer DJ for the Evening Eclectic on 90.7 KFSR, I have asked multiple times for radio edits from Fashawn and his many people for nearly a year and they repeatedly have not provided any. "Make your own" seems to be the usual response. If I had ANY Fashawn tracks that were clean, I guarantee that I would play them on my show. I imagine that the other EE DJs at KFSR would be open to consider playing them, too. Same goes for the other big Fresno rappers. Send those radio edits to the station so we can check them out.
The only exception to this: Planet Asia's recent record with DJ Muggs. I brought a clean copy of that into the studio because Mike Oz himself gave it to me!
I know that Evening Eclectic mixes in hip-hop songs and that's cool. I encourage that, don't stop doing it. But I was referring more to KFSR's lack of dedicated hip-hop programming (there's one show, right?).
I know pre-Internet, when I was in high school, that's how I discovered a lot of below-the-mainstream artists by listening to KZSU (Stanford) and KSJS (San Jose State).
Obviously times have changed and what used to happen on college radio now happens on blogs and mixtapes -- but I still wish KFSR had a little more hip-hop programming. Especially programming that was dedicated to breaking artists and records (local or otherwise) the way EE does.
I think the need is definitely there when you consider the homogeny of corporate hip-hop radio in Fresno.
Great points, Mike. I understand your comment better now. Yes, KFSR does have one hip-hop/R&B show--The Soul Spot on Sunday nights. There's also some hip-hop on the EE, on the Soul Freedom Lounge with Mr. Leonard, and on Thrift Store Records with James and Raina. But I see what you're saying.
As one volunteer, I obviously don't speak for the station. But I'm sure that KFSR would be open to programming pitches for a hip-hop show, just like it's open to anything else. It just takes dedicated people that the station can count on, coming up with a sustainable idea. Maybe a little Mike Oz programming?!
I tried that once. Didn't quite work out.
Well. I'll just have to settle for Mike Oz mix tapes then!
Indeed. Hopefully some young hip-hop head will see this and get inspired though.
thank you mike. this weekend will hopefully be a memorable one.
jeff fresno, the person who hasn't got you the music is me. im sorry. i used to dj there for 3 years so i understand your position. you asked for the whole cd clean edited which is not as easy as it seems. email me at aren@theiangroup.com and i can send some singles we got in.
thank you and hope to see you guys saturday.