Todd Sykes & EvergreenOne -CITYHALL-

One of those who has revealed himself to prefer the late hours is Todd Sykes. The City Hall producer/MC is Tacoma’s MPC insomniac, following in the baggy-eyed footsteps of the aforementioned to the corner store for coffee and cigarettes, or maybe in his case catching Frisko Freeze before it closes at 1:30, before heading back to his bedroom to work. His latest release, While You Were Sleeping, is a beat tape of nighttime head-nodders available for free download. Put together over the course of a weekend with a good chunk of the beats made in one night, some of the snippets are under a minute long while only one, the lead title track, features rhyming. Loops of old jazz and soul records unite for something much more hazy and understated than anything off Milk on Wax, his September collaboration with City Hall cohort EvergreenOne (and which was one of Posted in the Parking Lot’s top Northwest projects of the year). - membersonly206.com

A beat tape (with one vocal track at the top) from Tacoma’s resident MC Serch lookalike AKA the producing half of City Hall. Good shit, way vibe-able. - raindrophustla.com

An instrumental album produced by Todd Sykes, who brought us Milk on Wax last year. This one is really nice… - kevinnottingham.com

It seems like just yesterday that we were posting the newly-released Todd Sykes video for "While You Were Sleeping." (Technically, it was actually Monday.)

Today, in our inbox but not to our surprise, EvergreenOne and Todd Sykes were back at it - pushing the new EvergreenOne video for "La La La La."

Because it's what we do, we've posted the video below. - Weekly Volcano

Ok, I think I’ve gotten my fill of good hip hop this morning. If you’re not following Word Is Bond yet, I can’t help you lol. Here’s another dope album lifted from them. man, do I love the boom bap! - kevinnottingham.com

Todd Sykes & EvergreenOne – Milk On Wax

I admit, this one took me a really long time to come around to — again, the boom-bappy retro stuff, not always my flavor. But what got me with Milk on Wax was its charming connectivity, its everyman stories from young guys scraping by who have hiphop and not a whole lot else in the way of life’s treasure. EvergreenOne and rapper/producer Todd Sykes crafted another honest Tacoma tome, but in this case one sincere in its lighter-hearted life observations. - postedintheparkinglot.com

Favorite Album?

Fice: "Milk On Wax

"I felt like EvergreenOne and Todd Sykes actually took the time to create a certain vibe for an album. I also liked that it was one producer for the entire album because a lot of people don't do that anymore." - Weekly Volcano

As far as the masses are concerned, vinyl records were eclipsed by tapes decades ago. But records still hold a special place in hip-hop culture. Producers use them to "sample," which is to cut brief segments out of a record and piece them into a beat - a common method made mainstream by producers like Kanye West and Just Blaze.

These days, finding rare records is a hobby all in itself - one many in Tacoma call their passion.

Tacoma is home to many avid record collectors, many who also happen to be hip-hop producers. "I think Tacoma is a pretty good place to be a collector," says Todd Sykes, local producer/emcee and one third of the group City Hall. "For the size of the city that it is I don't think there are a lot of people digging for records." - Weekly Volcano

EvergreenOne & Todd Sykes: 2010 was a good year for Tacoma’s rap duo. They opened for Tone Loc and Warren G. They formed a new side project, City Hall, with Olympia’s DJ Slimrock. And they released a tight album, “Milk on Wax,” that you can download free at evergreenonetoddsykes.bandcamp.com. Expect bigger and better things in 2010.

Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/01/02/1485850/news-brief-02bucketlists.html#ixzz1A7GBT5tt - The News Tribune

Brand new video from Tacoma’s Todd Sykes & EvergreenOne (directed by Erik Soderquist), providing yet another example of the dope talent we have up here in the Pacific Northwest. I really dig the music I’ve heard from these guys so far. Fun loving, boom-bap inspired hip-hop from the heart. You can’t go wrong. - Audacity Of Dope

Tacoma’s duo of EvergreenOne and Todd Sykes drop the highly anticipated (at least amongst my folks, ha) “Milk On Wax” ep. If you’re a fan of boom bap hiphop, do yourself a favor and download this album. Todd Sykes’ beats will take you back to a time when you used to love hiphop, and he does his thing on the mic. EvergreenOne’s personality, delivery and unadulterated energy on the mic are on display… look forward to seeing these cats grow. Until then, peep this album! Direct download: EvergreenOne & Todd Sykes – Milk On Wax LP - Slackskidsnbeats.com

Recognition in the universe of hip-hop rarely comes easily, if at all — but following their 25360 Award for Best Video (“’90s Shit” directed by Erik Soderquist), the duo known as EvergreenOne and Todd Sykes have been christened once more by the South Sound hip-hop community as Tacoma’s Best Hip-Hop Artist or Group in the Volcano’s 2010 Best of Tacoma Readers’ Poll. The duo is known for its organically Tacoma, gritty, blue-collar sound — original, creative and loyal to the soil. “Being selected as the best hip-hop coming out of the city is a great feeling,” says EvergreenOne on a busy Sunday afternoon. He’s cleaning his house on a nearly 90 degree day, just hours after rocking a dope show at Hell’s Kitchen where he and his team, City Hall (including Todd Sykes and DJ Slimrock of Olympia), shared the stage with Fice and the legendary MC/Producer Warren G. “I’m glad our work isn’t going unnoticed,” says EvergreenOne. “Although we’re a little overshadowed by the Seattle scene … I feel honored to be given this award and just want to keep Tacoma rooting for us.” Tacoma has been rooting for EvergreenOne and Todd Sykes (as has Olympia) for years now, despite the duo’s relative youth. EvergreenOne feels the love he and Sykes have received is just an inkling of what is yet to come from and for Tacoma’s hip-hop community. “There is a lot of talent lurking in this city,” he explains. “Out of all the Tacoma hip-hop I hear, it always seems to sound honest and gritty as fuck.” Of course, in that vein, he’s also honest about where the 253’s coming from. “I think we could use a little more unification between artists, promoters and clubs,” he notes. Todd Sykes and EvergreenOne first hooked up by chance, meeting at KUPS 90.1 FM in Tacoma, the University of Puget Sound’s college radio station. They both appeared on-air during a show hosted by Amy (thanks for repping hip-hop on-air, Amy!). According to EvergreenOne, he and Sykes began “chugging Busch tall cans in the parking lot” and ciphering during the show. After a while a cohesion and chemistry grew between the two, and they recorded a track here and there. Before long, BANG! EvergreenOne and Todd Sykes made it official. They were a duo. But that wasn’t good enough. They wanted more. A DJ was sought; and very recently a DJ was procured. Though, as a duo, EvergreenOne and Sykes emerged victorious this year in the Best of Tacoma Readers’ poll, from here on out they may make the most noise as the trio City Hall, which includes the super-talented DJ Slimrock. Their sound as a threesome remains similar to the foundation built by EvergreenOne and Sykes, but with a DJ thrown in for good measure, adding some Bay Area flavor and a love for the imperfection of hip-hop. “We had been bugging DJ Slimrock for such a long time. We had seen him spin and really like what he was doing,” says EvergreenOne. “He and Todd like to collect records, he knows his shit, stays humble and is damn talented.” From the get go, it’s been obvious that City Hall is prepared to go hard — not surprising considering the established hip-hop work ethic of all three members. Expect action from City Hall this year, including a project called “Milk On Wax” at the end of August, and (if all goes as planned) an official EP by the end of the year. Basically, more of the best from City Hall — and your winners this year, EvergreenOne and Todd Sykes — is yet to come. - Weekly Volcano

One of the more lighthearted area rap efforts of late is the freely downloadable "Milk On Wax" album by Tacoma men Todd Sykes and EvergreenOne, community college hooky-players who think deep thoughts but also just love to horse around. Sykes and Evergreen imagine themselves as Tacoma city council members on "City Hall," with offices where they read the paper, drink beer, talk to each other over an intercom, and make important decisions like "hats are OK in the courtroom." It's pretty childish, but pretty fun, even though EvergreenOne orders a bailiff to lock up all area "rappers acting fruity." C'mon, bro: fruity rappers still can't catch a break, even in your nerdy imaginary clubhouse? Sykes (aka Tacoma's MC Serch) produced the track in his classic sample-stitch style, with rolling pianos and a guitar stab making an easy swing.
- Seattle Times

Speaking of Tacoma, I just got ahold of that Milk on Wax album by EvergreenOne and Todd Sykes. Fiercely repping the Taco on tracks like "The Nicest," the two MCs bubble over classic-sounding, jazzy boom-bap (provided by MC/producer Sykes), sharing a singular goofy wit and music-loving everydude sensibility, but with contrasting flows and personalities. Just starting out and sounding it, there's something both refreshing and familiar in their loose-to-slightly-shambling brand of Grit City shit-shooting and charm. Hella talent brewing in the 253 scene these days—Fice, Doughkain, Leezy Soprano, and John Crown all come to mind, and we need new tunes from Jay Barz and Spaid—and these two are definitely among my favorites. Download Milk at www.evergreenonetoddsykes .bandcamp.com.
- The Stranger