Mr. Blakes if you're Nasty...

"in the southwest, the story will forever be told/
the texas tea, bubblin' underground BLACK GOLD!
Jed and Jethro sold it for so many Millies/
Ellie Mae and the whole gang went from Hill Billies/
to Big Willies, mansion and swimmin' pool, got 'em!
now Bush an' Bin Laden got so much they rotten!
cats are robbin' each other for this rare resource,
i ain't even gotta drill it spill it par for the course"

-Bavu Blakes, excerpt from "Black Gold"

i've been following Mr. Blakes since 2001, when i lived in Austin, going to the Hip Hop Humpday every wednesday (as you might expect), watching this incredible emcee freestyle rhyming with other local cats for hours with a fresh live band (aaahhh, austin. gotta love it.) and had bought a couple of his records, and been impressed with his wordplay and presence on the mic...
anyways, i bought Bavu's Spring 2006 Collector's Edition compilation a few weeks ago (which came in handy, because i've had to suffer through the horror of commuting to my temp job)...

this cat is AMAZING!!! he does exactly what i want a rapper to do: write thoughtful, serious rhymes and spit 'em over diverse beats. he is as prolific as they come, doing guest shots on albums and mixtapes all over the state, and he's worked his way into the favor of Bun B, Paul Wall, the D.O.C. by writing smart rhymes that don't go over the heads of his listeners, while still pleasing the educated ears of rap-nerds like yours truly!

anyways, this cat is the TRUTH!!! i mention him all the time, but right now, i'm TELLING you... check him out NOW. his music is getting better and better! he is a LOCK to blow up eventually, and you wanna be one of the ones who knew about him before it happened.

holla!
samax.