Mane Rok

SPOTLIGHT story by D Tha Man
DthaMan@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com

Maneline is bringing back that Golden Age of Hip Hop feeling. With a diverse array of musical soundscapes that are equally adept at rocking parties and sparking thought, they’ve taken the torch from crews of the mid ’80s and early ’90s and updated that vision for the “digicam and iPod” crowd. They have shared the stage and held their own with some pretty heavy hitters in the game, including The Pharcyde, People Under The Stairs, Hieroglyphics, GZA, Jedi Mind Tricks, and The Living Legends. Most recently, Maneline was nominated for the Westword Music Awards 2007 in the Hip Hop Group category.

MCs Mane Rok (formerly of Ideal Ideologies) and Inkline, along with DJ Tense (also of the Crunk Brothers deejay collective), combine
innovative music and rhymes that mix the best of battle raps and socialism. This is Run-D.M.C. for a new millennium. Mane has a history
of battling, having competed in several Scribble Jam competitions and appearing on the Showtime-produced The Next Episode. With
production by the prolific Inkline, however, Rok’s been able to tap into a well of intricate songwriting that is unique and accessible. Inkline (pronounced incline), a Coloradan by transplant, takes cues from Rok as well, honing his microphone skills to match his production ones. DJ Tense rounds out the group with his own set of experiences, which include winning the regional DMC turntable battles and the Guitar Center Battle regionals. In other words, these guys aren’t new to this – and they take their music very seriously.

This can be witnessed on their debut album Till Then…, which also features appearances by many of their L.I.F.E. Crew brethren: Ichiban
(also of the late, great 5 Style Fist); Deca (The Hedonist), whose wordplay is ferocious; The Pirate Signal; and Radio Bums affiliate Spoke In Wordz. Hot tracks like the B-Boy shout out “Footwork” – a song that has classic written all over it à la Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force’s anthem “Planet Rock” – are indicative of this group’s love of the culture of Hip Hop, not just the music. They all have extensive Graffiti backgrounds as well. Other noteworthy tracks from the album include the layered experience of “Voices” and the tension-filled
self-exploration “Come Back.” However, it’s the hypnotic melody of “Time” with guest vocals from Xencs that really catch you. A snippet from DJ AWhat!! is thoroughly enjoyable, too, and serves to break up the proceedings.

Maneline is set to go on a western region tour during the
summer months. Catch them - Colorado Music Buzz

http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2007/12/last_night_eyedea_and_abilitie.php

Eyedea and Abilities with Sector 7G, Abzorbr, and Maneline
December 3, 2007
Marquee Theatre

Independent hip-hop, like all indie music, usually falls into one of two categories: Talented, boundary-pushing, cultishly adored stalwarts occupy one corner; wanky, pretentious, self-satisfied duesh bags claim the other. Unfortunately, both were on display last night at the Marquee Theatre as Eyedea and Abilities swung through town on their “Appetite for Distraction” tour.

The show was off to a solid start as well-respected local hip-hop crew Maneline opened with a typically high-energy performance. After being joined onstage by Ichiban, MC Mane Rok informed the crowd of their participation in an upcoming documentary on the Denver hip-hop scene, the filming of which will included last night’s show as well as the trio’s brief swing through the southwest later this month. With their solid work ethic, commanding stage presence, and, most importantly, hype music, Maneline is an excellent choice to represent Denver’s hip-hop scene.

If Maneline left the crowd energized and lifted, the following act, Abzorbr, brought them crashing back down to earth. Performing a solo set that was way too heavy on cloying stage banter and embarrassing vulnerability, Kristoff Krane (Abzorbr’s MC) looked as if he would be more at home at a poetry slam than a hip-hop show. Apparently aspiring to be the hip-hop Paul Simon, Krane sampled his vocal accapellas and beats off the Djembe live from the stage, which, although great in theory, left most of the crowd in the crossed arms stance of bored impatience. Blurring the line between poetry and hip-hop has always been a characteristic of the paler shade of rap, but without any DJ or onstage support, Abzorbr robbed the music of one its most important qualities - vitality.

Sector 7G faired somewhat better, although no group whose name references The Simpsons has the right to be so dour. Looking like a skater kid gone sad, MC Impulse rapped like every verse was a cathartic release, the crowd his unwitting psychologist. And despite the angst and tumult apparent in Impulse’s lyrics and delivery, Sector 7G did a fine job reenergizing the crowd for the main event.

The artists on Rhymesayers records don’t have fans so much as disciples, and when Eyedea and Abilities took the stage, the packed house exploded. With the crowd rapping along to nearly every song – no small task given Eyedea’s dense, often double-time rhyme schemes – the Twin Cities duo ran through a blistering set pulled mostly from their excellent albums “First Born” and “E&A.” Eyedea has been a celebrated MC from some time now (he won the HBO-aired Blaze-Battle back in 2000), but the work of his turntablist/ producer partner Abilities deserves equal credit. In the grand tradition of Eric B and Rakim or even Guru and Premier, Eyedea and Abilities are a classic twosome, where the DJ and MC share equal footing. Eyedea ceded to his partner on several occasions, with Abilities delivering an amazing solo over The Roots track “In the Music,” and inviting local turntable maestro DJ Vajra onstage for a scratch session.

Still, it was the lyrical mastery of Eyedea that elicited most of the crowd’s cheers, and his skill onstage was as apparent as it is on record. Using freestyles and his dynamic voice to switch up the songs and tempos, Eyedea earned his stripes as one of the most celebrated figures on the mighty Rhymesayers roster.
In the end, Eyedea and Abilities left their lackluster openers out in the cold. Which is a great place to leave them before the next tour.

- Mark Schiff
http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2007/12/last_night_eyedea_and_abilitie.php
- Westword/Village Voice Media

Mon May 05, 2008 at 07:00:27 AM
Kool Keith, ManeLine and the Americans
Saturday, May 3 2008
The Oriental Theater
Better than: Trying to get a cab home from the Oriental Theater.

How often do you imagine meeting someone famous? Do you wonder if they’ll be nice, or a complete jackass? Likewise what about a band or musician that you think is great? Will they be awesome or will they completely blow it? Sitting at the Oriental, I imagined Kool Keith decked out in some sort of space suit or some sort of crazy spectacle, given his propensity for show. What we got, however, was something much different.

Before we get to that, there was more to this show than Kool Keith. Locals, the Americans, came out swinging with a set that fused live instrumentation with canny beats and rapid-fire rhymes. Frontman Nate Crary came at the audience with like a boxer as the rest of the band kept the grooves tight and forceful. The band, whose energy never stopped over the course of its set, set the bar for the rest of the night's acts.

ManeLine followed and took a different path to get to where they were going. With dark beats and none too subtle rhymes, ManeLine was pretty awesome. The aptly named Dee Jay Tense supplied a perfect backdrop for Inkline and Mane Rok, who for his part, did a pretty stunning freestyle regarding the recent Sean Bell tragedy, evidence that the group actually had something important to say. ManeLine is one of the better hip-hop groups I’ve seen in a long time.

When ManeLine left the stage, the anticipation grew. Anticipation began to turn to exasperation as the crowd sat and waited... and waited... and waited. After a while, I began to wonder if Kool Keith would even take the stage. Finally, after about an hour, he emerged, without a space suit or dressed as Black Elvis. With little fanfare, he whizzed through a set that contained mostly moments from his Dr. Octagon record. Looking pained to be there, Kool Keith kept it short, completely tramping out the energy created by the Americans and ManeLine, letting down those of us who hoped for something exciting.

-- Jeremy Brashaw

Critic’s Notebook
Personal Bias: I think more hip-hop groups need to incorporate live instruments like the Americans did perfectly.

Random Detail: For those who have not listened to Kool Keith, a great place to start is Dr. Octagonecologyst.

By the Way: Check out Maneline at Westword’s Music Showcase, Saturday, June 14.

http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2008/05/over_the_weekend_kool_keith_ma.php
- Village Voice Media

http://www.westword.com/2008-10-30/music/maneline/

It's no insult to say that the latest from ManeLine, one of Denver's true hip-hop mainstays, is old-school. Indeed, the refusal of Mane Rok, InkLine and DeeJay Tense to emulate the trendy production techniques of, say, Just Blaze or Danja is one of the album's strengths. The arrangements are big and busy, not stripped down and spare, on the likes of "Ain't Real Ain't Right," whose hook is reinforced by the efforts of an entire children's choir. As for "All Alone," the sound harks back to hip-hop's jazziest era via horn splats, guest star Venus Cruz's energetic wails and a chant that includes the line "C'mon, Colorado, what you want us to do?" Speaking for the state, don't change a thing.
- New Times/Westword

http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2008/11/friday_rapup_maneline_hiphop_s.php

Since releasing their debut album, Til Then... last year, ManeLine, which consists of Mane Rok, InkLine and DeeJay Tense, have been on a tear locally doing show after show and even helping get monthly local hip-hop nights going at Herb’s Hideout (Everybody Eats) and the Marquis Theater (Boombox). The crew also just dropped its new album …& SewIts Seams, which Mane Rok and company hope will give people a broader sense of who they are as a group.

“There was a general perception that our first album was ‘happy,’ which if you listen to what we say, it really isn't,” says Mane Rok. “People across the board assumed we only made music in this vein, which was lost on us since what was written wasn't happy at all. Things are never what they seem, ourselves included. We started this new album with that lighter feel but it progressively gets darker and rougher. We like to think we stepped out of what people assumed our group was like. Not super weird, but definitely ‘out the box.’ People labeled us ‘happy’ and we were like ‘...& so it seems.’”

And while ManeLine is considered one of the more well-known hip-hop acts locally, Mane Rok isn’t too happy with scene compared to five or ten years ago. Back then there were more hip-hop events where local b-boys, graf artists, DJs and MCs could come together and express themselves. Now Rok believes that the scene is split.

“I am pretty disenfranchised with the scene,” he declares. “The game has changed drastically on a world level, which has majorly affected the local level. We have been trying to really help cultivate the music scene with our ‘Everybody Eats’ and ‘BoomBox’ nights, but really, to no avail. We get decent numbers, enough to pay the artist minimums, but the artist themselves never come out to support. The artist that have performed, at best, bring their people out but never come back for the following show. There is no real scene.”

Perhaps, but it’s certainly not from a lack of trying on this crew’s part. Even on their own, the cats are working overtime to contribute: InkLine is a finishing up a mixtape called Vice Verses which will be mixed by DJ Funktion and feature appearances from Whygee, Sunken State, Deca, Yonnas (of the Pirate Signal) and others. DeeJay Tense is currently working on a mixtape with Jewell Tyme Music artist Karma as well as ManeLine affiliate, Kano. Mane Rok is working with DJ AWHAT!! (of the Pirate Signal) on his mixtape called Rok Stars, which will feature appearances from Ichiban, F.O.E., Spoke-In-Wordz, A.V.I.U.S., Dino (of Infinite Mindz), and others as well as an EP with producer Es Nine (of 3 the Hardway) and A.V.I.U.S. And if that weren't enough, the group is preparing to embark on a mini Colorado tour with indie hip-hop artist Braille, 3 the Hardway, Tetra, Food Chain, Dope Sex, Educated Figures and others.

- Westword/New Times Pub.

Moovers and Shakers 2007

Backbeat scribes sound off on their favorite local releases of the year.
Published: December 20, 2007

Subject(s): Year-end album reviews

http://westword.com/2007-12-20/music/moovers-and-shakers-2007/full

Earlier this year, I marveled at how my entire iPod playlist was devoted exclusively to the music made here. That was back in February, and considering that we were only two months into the new year, that might've seemed like a moment of breathless hyperbole. At the time, the ink was still drying on our Moovers and Shakers 2006 list, but I was already utterly consumed by three new local albums.

This wasn't a new trend, either: There's been so much amazing music produced here over the past few years that I truly haven't been interested in listening to much of anything else.

And I'm still not. Suffice it to say, the local music released through the rest of 2007 was every bit as compelling as those releases in the first two months. It was all so compelling, in fact, that I didn't need to resort to a list to recall which albums moved me. Like many of my fellow Backbeat scribes, I knew them all by heart, for they'd been the de facto soundtrack of my life for the past twelve months.

As I compiled our faves for this year, it wasn't surprising that a number of releases — from artists such as Born in the Flood, Ian Cooke, Bela Karoli, 3OH!3, Nathan & Stephen, the Wheel and Kingdom of Magic, among others — appeared on multiple lists. Obviously, we couldn't all write about the same discs. Fortunately, we all had plenty of other favorites from 2007, which we've gleefully written about here. — Dave Herrera


ManeLine, Till Then... (Self-released). Till Then... is one of the tightest hip-hop records of the year. Trading verses throughout, Mane Rok and Inkline shine, particularly on tracks like "Voices," "From This Moment On" and "Young Bux," which features the equally skilled Ichiban. DJ Tense's production is on point, as are contributions from Yonnas and DJs Illanoiz and AWHAT.
— Herrera

**Take note that InkLine handled all production for "Till Then..." except for on "Voices" which was co-produced by DJ IllaNoise** - Westword-Village Voice Media

With Colorado exports like Deux Process, Flobots, and the Procussions gaining notoriety, the Mile High's homegrown Hip Hop is getting its shine. Maneline should be the next under the spotlight. Led by MC's InkLine and Mane Rok, along with Deejay Tense, the trio exhibit the casual cadence's of Atmosphere's Slug, infused with the forceful conviction of old-schoolers like KRS-One-but with beats you can dance to.

-Dave Herrera - Spin Magazine-Malcom Campbell

http://coloradomusicbuzz.com/maincontentcmb.asp?ID=&CATID=1&SUBCATID=2&VOL=3&ISSUE=7&COLUMNSECTION=Hip%20Hop%20-%20Rap

I really had no idea that there was a group of musicians in Colorado that could embrace everything that is beautiful about Hip/Hop, but to my amazement there is. ManeLine epitomizes all the positive aspects of our music and culture. This anomaly consists of three talented individuals: Mane Rok, an MC who feels like "he'd be selling [the group] short" if he didn't step up and take on the managerial duties, InkLine, MC and the innovative producer for the group, and an amazing turntablist, DeeJay Tense. These three artists are true heads – they are businessmen, they are community supporters, and they, as a group, represent ALL that is Hip/Hop.

They Are Hip-Hop Heads. All the MCs, DJs and groups I've met in Colorado claim to be fans of Hip/Hop first. But until I met ManeLine it was all talk. Not only does this group embrace all aspects of the culture, but they also support the scene and go to other artists' shows. These cats have been part of the community since its origination. Mane Rok is formally part of a group, Ideal Ideologies, and when that group split ways he hooked up with the then new Colorado resident, InkLine. Both started off as "writers" and they understand the importance of graffiti to the music. They attended and performed at warehouse shows and house parties, and immersed themselves in the budding Colorado scene. DeeJay Tense was spinning at these house parties and came on board with Mane and Ink and ManeLine was formed. Mane Rok pulls his inspiration from graffiti, skateboarding and listening to the likes of Common, Pharcyde and Pharoahe Monch. InkLine grew up listening to Radiohead and Outkast, which is apparent in his beats and style. DeeJay Tense first started playing bass guitar and keyboard but moved onto the turntables so he could "control the whole song." His personal favorites: A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Run DMC.

They Support The Community. Though disenfranchised with our Hip/Hop community, Mane Rok does all he can to support other Colorado artists. He makes every attempt to attend shows; he reaches out to other talented artists and gives them the opportunities that he wasn't given. ManeLine has two monthly shows that Mane Rok stocks with the freshest lineups: The Boombox, at the Marquis, and a L.I.F.E. Crew Sunday, at Herbs. He is always keeping his ear to the streets for the next artist to put on, and uses his keen mind to determine where they would fit in best. Another leader, DeeJay Tense takes his immense talent and motivates others. He teaches DJ classes at local high schools, using Hip/Hop to focus impressionable teen minds on the positive elements of the culture.

They Rock a Show. My first opportunity to hear ManeLine live was at their release party for their sophomore album ...& Sew Its Seams. I had no idea that shows of this caliber could exist anywhere, much less in Colorado. This show was professional, artful and seamless – the definition of a perfect Hip-Hop event, in my mind. With animated openers, Infinite Mindz, 3 The Hardway and many special guests, the lineup was phenomenal. Besides having three dynamic DJs holding it together, VJ Dizy Pixl orchestrated an amazing visual art display, appealing to all the senses. The most monumental part of this show were the collaborations. Guest appearances by Venus Cruz (Future Jazz Project), F.O.E. (Jewell Tyme Music) and 9th Street Choir were mesmerizing, and diverse. Not only was I impressed by this unparalleled representation, but also the crowd showed their appreciation with energy and volume. Though most ManeLine shows will not be such a huge production, I find it safe to assume that all of their shows will leave the crowd moved.

They Walk the Walk. With such a well-rounded group of individuals, is it any surprise that they mastermind some of the most authentic Hip/Hop that a head could wish for? Mane Rok and InkLine possess a perceptive, rooted and introspective degree of lyricism. Their tracks flow like a story ...& Sew Its Seams sucked me in like a book I couldn't put down. With two easily distinguishable voices, the MCs, along with InkLine's creative and advanced beats, create a voluminous sound. DeeJay Tense is a poised and humble wingman. He mixes down the tracks for the albums as well as keeping the shows sounding perfect. His acute scratching and relentless speed is a pleasure to the eyes and ears. My favorite track so far, "Ain't Real Ain't Right" features the 9th Street Choir and has a deliciously simple beat and hypnotizing hook that sticks with me all day long. Besides the release of their new LP, ManeLine keeps their schedule full: Solo albums from Mane Rok and InkLine are on the horizon, and DeeJay Tense is in the final stages of completing his mixtape.

I didn't think it possible for Colorado Hip/Hop to continue surprising me, but ManeLine, with their passion and commitment, has blown me away. They are fans, they are innovators, they are teachers, and because of this, they are Hip/Hop. This group has infinite potential and is a shining light for our community. If ManeLine continues on the same path and with the same mission, I know that they will be impassable. X

Live: December 12, 2008/8pm/ Cervantes, with Pharoahe Monch

MySpace.com/Maneline
ManelineMusic.com - Colorado Music Buzz

Sam Baron fits the profile of a quintessential Gemini. Dualistic nature? Check. Contradictory? Yep. Complex? Definitely. Exuding confidence often to the point of arrogance, the MC, who answers to the name Mane Rok and is also one-third of the hip-hop trio Maneline, carries himself with an unwavering bravado that's earned him a reputation for being egocentric. And deservedly so.
In 2005, when he was nominated for a Westword Music Showcase award, the outspoken rhymesayer described himself as a quote-unquote fanfuckingtastic MC -- and followed that up with an unapologetic assertion that his skill at rocking the mike freestyle was unmatched. "I can freestyle about whatever," he noted flatly. "Everyone says that, but I really can. And if you really took the time to listen to the clever shit I write, you'd be amazed."
Of course, as the quintessential Gemini, Baron has two sides. Publicly, he's the picture of poise. Privately, however, he admits that the thought of how his music will be received frequently has him "scared shitless." As it turns out, all that grandstanding is mostly just that.

"That's funny," he says. "I get that all the time. People think that I'm really arrogant and that I'm conceited. And I know, I do give that off. I think that's directly correlated to my insecurity and my need to overcompensate."

An MC with self-esteem issues? In the rap game, where swollen egos are the order of the day, Baron is an anomaly. And the surprising duality doesn't end there. Although his ideals fall in line with the more thought-provoking hip-hop artists who typically eschew the ostentatiousness of the mainstream, Baron admits to being materialistic.
But then, he's been the odd man out for most of his life. The son of a first-generation Mexican immigrant, he grew up in a modest ranch-style house in the Swansea neighborhood, surrounded by kids who would go on to become card-carrying gangbangers. Thanks to a nurturing mother, Baron avoided a similar fate.

"We were fortunate, my sister and I, that we didn't get sucked into a lot of things that other people fell into," he says. "My mom was very strong; she was at the helm of our family and did everything. My dad was the money maker. He worked long hours and was gone at five in the morning and wouldn't come home until it was dark. So it was all about my mom, and she was very involved in making sure we didn't fall into that shit."

Being singled out early on for his precocious intellect didn't help his street cred much, either. Nothing says gangsta quite like being in the gifted program.

"I was ostracized because of that," he remembers. "I was one of a very few Mexicans around all white kids. And so I've always been separated. And it's always been that way since I was young. I've always been in programs where I was the token minority."

But at least in school, his heritage wasn't questioned. "Growing up, me and my sister were always told we were whitewashed," Baron grouses. "To boot, when I started getting more into emceeing and started rapping when I was fourteen, fifteen, all of a sudden I was black -- trying to be black. I've never been able to be Mexican. That's why I feel like I'm always stuck in the middle. I've never been able to just be accepted as me. I have friends even now who tell me I don't have my hood pass and shit."
If anyone's earned a hood pass, though, it's Baron. When Swansea got too bad -- a mailman reportedly quit his route after being shot at three times -- his family moved to Park Hill, then south near Garfield Park. Baron attended Horace Mann Middle School, then went to George Washington High School. "I've lived all over the city in all these neighborhoods," he points out. "If anyone's from Denver and represents the city, it's me, goddamnit!"

Baron's Maneline protegés, on the other hand, would have a harder time getting past the ghetto gatekeepers. MC/producer Casper Macanally (aka Inkline, pronounced "Incline") and DJ Adam Williams (aka Dee Jay Tense) are two white boys with a predilection for hip-hop. But like Baron, who was turned on to hip-hop while admiring graffiti as a blue-haired skate punk, Williams and Macanally embody the notion that it's all about getting in where you fit in.

Macanally learned how to adapt early on; he had to. A preacher's son and the youngest of five, he never lived anywhere longer than a year. In fourth grade he started listening to hardcore rap acts like Too $hort and NWA (interesting choices for a preacher's kid), but he was consumed with sports and didn't develop a real interest in hip-hop until the mid-'90s. After a stint playing guitar in an experimental noise-rock band, he decided to try making beats and rhyming. By then, he was into Wu Tang Clan and OutKast and already pretty well rounded musically.

"I've always been into different types of music, never one thing -- which you can probably tell from my production," Macanally offers. "When I sample, I sample anything, everything, and basically try to update it and translate it into my own sounds. I try not to limit myself to one type of sound. That's how I've always done it. That's why I chose the name Inkline. I'm always at an incline, never happy with where I'm at. Once cats get comfortable, they get passed by cats who want to work."

Baron and Macanally, who met through mutual friends, had already collaborated on a couple of songs when the latter moved to Denver in October 2005. Baron had just parted ways with his previous outfit, Ideal Ideologies, and now he hooked up with someone whose ideology he truly shared. "Fuck just being an MC," Baron says. "This is songwriting. You need to transcend those boundaries. I think that's the problem with a lot of MCs: They just want to be rappers and that's all. Why? You're making music. You're writing songs. People don't consider rappers as musicians. It's like, fuck that. It's really important to me that my stuff is musical."

Macanally's production on Till Then..., the outfit's outstanding debut, underscores that sentiment, with beats spanning wide on sunny, keyboard-drenched cuts like "Young Bux" -- which calls to mind Ahmad's "Back in the Day," both in tone and texture -- to such dark, brooding, soul-baring tracks as "Come Back." A flurry of tom hits lays the foundation for Baron as he fervently delivers the lines "'Bout to lose it all, really, just walking away/Tail between my legs, I crawl, no option to stay/Hella frustrated because I'm not getting paid, while idiots on the radio have you nodding like slaves/Makes me feel like this whole time it was nothing but useless shit/As far as Mane Rok goes, it's as good as my music gets." Throughout Till Then..., Macanally's unhurried, rhythmic flow augments Baron's forceful cadence.

If you ask Baron and Macanally, though, they'll tell you that Williams is the cornerstone of Maneline's sound. Williams took over for Baron's best friend, DJ AWHAT!!, who was spread a little thin as DJ for the various factions of the L.I.F.E. crew, a loose group of friends who formed an artistic collective akin to the Hieroglyphics crew. A well-regarded turntablist who's competed in numerous DMC and Guitar Center battles, Williams was also a founding member of the Crunk Bros. with DJ Cysko Rokwell and appeared regularly on Radio 1190's Basementalism during its formative years.
"Tense is a monster on the tables," Macanally says of Williams. "He just picks it up. In a year and a half, we've rehearsed twice, and I'd say nine times out of ten, his execution is perfect."

Not too shabby for a kid who started deejaying on a makeshift setup consisting of an old-school, all-in-one console with a record player and cassette deck, a belt-driven Toshiba turntable and a buzzy, beat-up $50 Jazzy Jeff mixer.

"Our show is nothing without Tense," adds Baron. "I refuse to do a show without him, because he's that integral to our music and our show."

A show that Maneline is now ready to take on the road, putting its money where Baron's mouth is.

"What I've come to realize is, rappers have the biggest egos in the world, and that's just the way it is," Baron concludes. "And we don't want to accept that maybe we're not up to par. Ever. We're always the best. We're getting old. I can't sit here and bullshit myself anymore. It's time to give the people something."

But with Till Then..., one of the finest hop-hop releases in recent memory, Baron and crew have already done just that.

Dave Herrera-Music Editor
http://www.westword.com/2007-03-22/music/maneline/full - Village Voice Media "Westword"