Tag: Baltimore artists

The Power of Art: How We Saved the Creative Collective Art Gallery

I initially came as a vendor for Doc’s Castle Media to participate in a pop-up shop. Little did I know that my adventure would transform into an act of activism to save a beloved community space for Myrrh Made Queen and numerous artists in Baltimore.

The Creative Collective Art Gallery was on the brink of closing when I saw a Facebook post by Myrrh. She was offering a pop-up show space to any artist willing to participate in a protest to save the gallery. For the past year, the gallery had been a vibrant hub for artisans in the city, showcasing their creative talents and handmade crafts.

Creative Collective

The Creative Collective Art Gallery is the home and artistic haven of the Creative Collective Commyrrhnity, founded by Myrrh Made Queen in 2024 as an artist collective in Baltimore specializing in crafts such as body art, face painting, and canvas and mural artistry. The gallery provides a vibrant platform for artisans from all over the city to collaborate and showcase their talents alongside Myrrh Made Queen’s brand. 

The Creative Collective has become home to a plethora of canvas art events in the emergence of Sips and Paints, sparking excitement within the creative community. Events such as Sip and Paints, lively Karaoke and Paints, and even the energetic Twerk and Paint sessions are a testament to the lively and inclusive atmosphere the space fosters, which has kept the gallery full of life.

Myrrh Made Queen

MyrrhMade, pronounced like mermaid, is a freelance artist and owner of MyrrhMadeArt LLC. 

She specializes in a diverse range of painting techniques, from body and face paint to canvas art and murals. MyrrhMade isn’t just an artist—she’s an inspiration. Hosting a series of art events that champion self-love and liberation, her creations are designed to heal and uplift.

I love to dive into the lives of my fellow artists through social media, and Myrrh Made Queen stands out as one of the most genuine and raw talents you’ll encounter. If you’ve ever watched her Instagram stories, you’ll know she shares her authentic self daily, offering followers a glimpse into the life of an artist in Baltimore City. She doesn’t just create art—she lives it, embodying the essence of a true MyrrhMade.

What I admire about Myrrh is her uniqueness and resilience. She has built a dedicated following despite the challenges she’s faced. Her journey hasn’t always been smooth, but she exemplifies tenacity and the power of carving out your own path. As we watch her continue her journey, she inspires us all with her story of survival and success as a full-time freelance artist.

Saving The Creative Collective

When I walked into the Creative Collective, Myrrh shared her grievances about losing the gallery due to her business partner’s decision not to continue renting the space together. The landlord was unwilling to renew the lease without both partners’ signatures and planned an open house on President’s Day for potential tenants to tour the building.

In response, Myrrh transformed her impromptu pop-up shop into an act of activism to save her gallery. The creatives hoped that prospective tenants would be more interested in the art rather than renting the gallery. The idea was that if the landlord saw how the space brought life and vibrancy to the community, he might reconsider and lease the gallery solely to MyrrhMade.

When the prospective clients arrived that day, their curiosity turned towards the artists’ activities. They visited artist tables, inquired about creative works, and showed a genuine interest in the art rather than the lease. The open house ran for an hour before the landlord made an offer to Myrrh to lease the space for the rest of the month of February and March in the Charles Village community. The protest was a resounding success for MyrrhMade Queen.

Being part of the activism to save the gallery felt incredible. My son got to transform into his favorite Marvel character, Spider-man, and watch his mommy in action at work. Plus, I had the opportunity to sell some Doc’s Castle Art!

If you are an artist looking for a venue to host your event, the Creative Collective offers a welcoming space for the month of March. Just reach out to MyrrhMade Queen for inquiries.

Have you watched Last Call: Ex-Factor? Read Exploring Last Call: The Trivia Show That Unites Friends on Doc’s Castle Media.

*Article was reedited and republished March 4, 2025.

Exploring Last Call: The Trivia Show That Unites Friends

Well, well, well. We meet again, Mr. Karlito Freeze. This time, in a thrilling challenge thrown down by another Baltimore artist, Symone Hardy of Graphite Pulse.

In 2017, Doc’s Castle Media featured Karlito Freeze because we collaborated on a podcast when he was a former “intimate.” Whiskey Girl hosted the podcast back then, and things were a bit different with Mr. Freeze and me.

Listen to #LoveandHipHop Baltimore Featuring #StrongWayRadio and #DocsCastleMedia on Embrace the Crazy Podcast by Whiskey Girl (Gallery)

After years of silence over obvious things (our breakup), I reconnected with songwriter and aspiring multimedia mogul Karlito Freeze on a few art projects this year, with Last Call being one of our standout collaborations.

The chemistry between Freeze and me is unmatched and worthy of celebration. It’s why we return for Last Call Season 1 to showcase the same fire we exhibit on Ex Factor. It’s an exceptional example of building bonds beyond emotionally impactful differences we may have faced in the past. As a story may appear to end one way, it doesn’t mean it has to be the end all be all.

Sym’s, the host of Last Call, work is already so inspirational in Baltimore City. She captivates me because she’s a Baltimore Creative, just like me. You know, I love our people. I heard of Last Call from Freeze when he told me Sym was creating an experience bringing people together that I haven’t seen many people in Baltimore do before. I’m walking into the experience blind, not knowing what to expect, and only being told my opponent is my ex in a Trivia game. All that’s next came a gesture of the birdman hand rub and a declaration to Freeze that it was now, “Game on!”

Who knew I’d be such a trivia beast? Not me! It’s all thanks to the countless hours of Wheel of Fortune playing in the background at my grandparents’ house growing up. Trivia knowledge whispers to me even in my sleep. Freeze didn’t have a chance. The Graphite Pulse Last Call experience brings people together for a good time and plenty of laughter. I had a blast and would do it again if invited.

Who is Graphite Pulse?

Graphite Pulse is an art platform run by multimedia artist Sym, showcasing her art practices and the events she attends due to her incredible talents.

Follow Sym’s Instagram!

Last Call

Last Call is a lively trivia game show that brings people together for a night of fun, laughter, and mystery! With three exciting rounds, each featuring five random and entertaining trivia questions, players are tested on their knowledge across a wide variety of topics. But there’s a twist—the contestant with the lowest score at the end of each round must drink a mystery shot, adding an element of surprise and humor to the game. Perfect for families, friends, and communities, Last Call is all about creating connections, sparking friendly competition, and building camaraderie.

Watch Last Call: Ex Factor

How do you feel about couples collaborating on projects for their brands? Do you think it can be done? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Doc’s Castle Release The Official Doc’s Thumbs Up Playlist Vol. 1

Doc’s publishes the first Doc’s Thumbs Up Playlist, six years after the Doc’s Thumbs Up segment first premiered as an additional commentary segment highlighting artists on Doc’s Castle Media. 

It’s a long time coming, but honestly it never crossed my mind until I realized I was already creating my playlist without noticing. The IG algorithm was strong this year pushing way more musical artists than in the past, and I’m not mad at that at all because I love my ears being immersed in absolute originality. What I did that was so different this time was search Spotify for artists who I thought were cool and saved their songs for “later.” Boom, now I have a list.

I spent an entire year saving songs for later. Beginning Fall 2020 to Fall 2021, I added songs that got me through my days.

Aye, Baltimore! I summon you to stand up first, here, as I’m a native and understand the “Baltimore struggle,” I have to use my first Doc’s Thumbs Up Playlist to highlight the artist I love hearing from my hometown. Just to drop a few artist names that I included in the Doc’s Thumbs Up Vol. 1 Playlist, we have Abdu Ali, Kaotic Couture, Kariz Marchel, Kay LA, T.Ali, Miss Kam, Butch Dawson, Hazmat Caz, and so much more.

I’m certainly not the master of curating playlists. I simply like what I like. When I want to listen to a song for a while, I make it a habit to add it to my own track list like I used to make mixtapes back in high school. So this isn’t that much of a big deal than what I’m about to gas this up to be. But anyway…Doc’s published her first Doc’s Thumb’s Up Playlist. Woot woot!

I’m uncertain if I’ll make another Doc’s Thumbs Up Playlist. I did enjoy creating this one. It takes a lot of work finding local artists to include on this list. I spent many work days searching social media and Spotify to find songs I liked to listen to while working out, creating in my art studio, or to include on my daily drives.

Maybe, if I decided to create another playlist, I’ll do a collaboration with someone else. What do you all think? 

Shout outs to these two brands that inspire me to curate my very own playlist. They are themselves Baltimore talent and the few media outlets I subscribe to when keeping up with what’s hot in the DMV region. These local media specialists are a great start if you’re looking on where to find out who’s worth listening to locally.

Karlito Freeze, host of and Rides with Freeze, and former host of Strong Way Radio.

ParkMag, underground hip-hop online publication and curator of 8 Baltimore Playlist via Parkmag.space.

Doc’s Thumbs Up Playlist Vol. 1

Listen to Doc’s Thumbs Up Playlist Vol. 1 via Spotify.

Why not just be Cancel Culture for Halloween?… Again

The Doc’s Castle Media Halloween 2021 costume is a spinoff from a previous costume from 2019 when I wanted to be “triggered” for Halloween. So it’s considered part two. It’s what happens after a group of people take heed to a “triggered” person’s opinion and make it into a fact; the reaction. After someone is triggered, things get canceled.

I am Cancel Culture for Halloween 2021. It does feel a little redundant to do this again, but this year I decided to make my costume an interactive experience. Take the fake gun out of the picture, decorate my black shirt with a few quotes from a few canceled celebrities, and BOOM! I’m now an interactive game for people to play at my best friend’s Halloween game night.

I was “triggered” for Halloween 2019

[Read about me as a Covid-19 Germ for Halloween 2020 on Doc’s Castle Media]

I didn’t know what to do this year. Unlike previous years where there is a common theme that occurs in pop culture that’s easy to point out as a potential idea, this year was tough coming up with a costume. I don’t know whether it’s because Donald Trump isn’t president anymore, so the news seems quieter than the last 4 years he was in office, or if it’s just slow because the world is still coping with living in a Covid-19 era. News and current events in pop culture are a little dull. So it took some time to get the ideas flowing.

Cancel Culture is Alive and Thriving

There’s nothing that stood out more than the continued and non-stop outrage that people have on Twitter. It’s recurring and well alive online. People get angry over everything and anything. Everyone has a platform to share their anger. Those people who have an influence on these sites have more power than we think. Online angry mobs form having the say-so in killing multiple people’s careers. What once felt like it started with just the #MeToo movement is now a show stopper for everything wrong in society. Cancel Culture sweeps in sabotaging many people’s lives. We’re just living here like it’s okay.

It concerns me to think we’re living in a society that is sensitive to hearing opinions. How can we learn to live in a world where people think it’s better to cut ties with someone because their opinions differ, rather than to learn to accept to disagree and live peacefully and respectfully amongst each other? It’s now where someone could even cancel themselves if they aren’t too careful with the things they say or have said in the past.

There are many cases where celebrities can make comebacks from being canceled. Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, and the list grows with every celebrity who powers through. Therefore it is possible to make it out of the storm of online shaming.

[Read Cancel Culture Is Alive and Well in 2021 on Distractify.]

My Cancel Culture costume took part in highlighting 7 celebrities who are still canceled in 2021. I wrote the actions and quotes of these celebrities that caused them to be canceled on note cards and stuck them to my shirt to turn my costume into an interactive game for a Halloween Game Night.

Gamers capable of guessing who the quotes of these canceled celebrities belonged won candy because, of course, it’s Halloween night.

7 Celebrities and the Quotes that Got Them Cancelled in 2021

  • Bill Cosby
  • Da Baby
  • Derrick Jaxn
  • Ellen DeGeneres
  • Kathy Griffin
  • R. Kelly
  • Tory Lanez

Doc’s Thumbs Up: Five Artists on Frequency’s Ripple Effect DMV Playlist Not from Baltimore

Spotify’s Frequency Playlist highlights the music of artists from the DC, Maryland, and Virginia regions. Some of the DMV’s well-known hip-hop artists Rico Nasty, Pusha T, and Ari Lennox come together on Spotify’s Frequency Sunday Dinner podcast to discuss the Ripple Effect: DMV Playlist. I had the time to listen in and wanted to further give a Doc’s Thumbs Up to the artists in the DMV who made this dope hip-hop playlist. So I list five artists to listen to on Ripple Effect: DMV Playlist who do not live in Baltimore city.

The DMV is finally getting its well-deserved flowers from major folks in the music industry. I always knew our region had a spark about it. Too many of my talented friends were going unnoticed in the last decade. But I believe major industry folks are seeing how DMV artists are able to hold their own without traditional media backing. In the new area of social media, everyone has a platform and most of these artists have a loyal following that they work hard for.

[Read about Who’s Behind Spotify’s Frequency’s Playlist on Spotify Newsroom]

Spotify’s Frequency consists of 4 playlists that were ”created in response to a climate in which Black voices in music, fashion, business, and more continue to be left out of the narrative, their contributions left underappreciated and underrepresented.” The Ripple Effect playlists’ mission is to uplift artists who are unknown, unsigned, and from underserved genres. So this playlist was specifically tailored to serve our people!

As savvy underground listeners, we have uplifted these artists through online streaming services. We added their songs to our playlists on services like Spotify and YouTube Music. Supporters followed their Soundclouds. Fans attended their local shows. I’m so proud to see Spotify highlighting dope artists from the DMV, and it’s because of the buzz that’s created by supporters of these talented individuals. It’s a great thing to see, especially coming from where we come from. When we work hard, we elevate to new levels. Some of the Baltimore artists to make the lists, I watched constantly at work for years. Now they’re getting recognition past the borders of the city.

[Read: Busting Out of The Crab Barrel: How to Support Baltimore Artists on Doc’s Castle Media]

I woke up to expressive Instagram posts from Baltimore artist and last month’s Doc’s Thumb’s Up feature Miss Kam and Baltimore MC Deetranada excited about being featured on Spotify’s Frequency Ripple Effect: DMV Playlist. Rico Nasty also gave shoutouts on The Frequency Sunday Dinner podcast released on July 29th to Miss Kam and Baby Kahlo. Such awesome talent emerging from the DMV area. Other Baltimore artists to grace the ears of listeners of the playlist are DDm, Kotic Couture, CalvoMusic, YG Teck, Ernest Third, and Mighty Mark.

http://www.instagram.com/p/CSCnaGdFZTz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Artists of Baltimore definitely get the top pick of the litter here on Doc’s Castle Media when it comes to highlighting talent. It’s because of my Bmore pride, I want to give my hometown its well-deserved recognition. There’s over 40% of our views coming from Baltimore readers. So I give people what they’re used to seeing and what they like to see represented in the city. But today, I decided to check out a few more artists from The Ripple Effect: DMV Playlist because everyone on it deserves a good listen. 

I’m pointing out five artists whose songs feature on the Ripple Effect playlist that I heard for the first time thanks to Spotify. Take note of these artists’ names and tracks as we may hear more from them in the years to come.

Five artists to listen to in the Ripple Effect: DMV Playlist who don’t live in Baltimore:

Dreamcastmoe – Washington, D.C.

Soul Belongs 2 U is a cool love song by Dreamcastmoe that puts you in a new atmosphere. It might sound a little creepy, but I can Digg it. Just think of speaking to the love of your life than telling them that their soul is now yours. That’s the type of effect I want on my man. “You’re mine,” said like Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat. Yeeeeeeeah, that’s the vibe I got when I heard it. Haha! Dreamcastmoe got a dope song there.

Leeto – Woodbridge, VA

Broken reminds me of songs by Juice World and what’s funny is in Leeto’s YouTube bio, it’s said that’s who he grasps musical inspiration from. He’s only 16 years old and I can already pick up on musical influences in his tracks. That’s a skill that many artists at that age aren’t able to hown. Good job! You’ve got my attention, young grasshopper.

Kelow Latesha – Prince George’s County, MD

Let’s add some girl power to this list. Charizard made the Ripple Effect Playlist and it came on with a punch. Let me tell you I did not put this list on any particular shuffle so I wasn’t expecting Charizard to come on after hearing IDK and Young Thug’s PradadaBang. This is something fast-paced that I’ll consider adding to my workout playlist while I’m getting this Thirsty 30 Body right. Kelow is also one of the two female rap artists to make the playlist that does not live in Baltimore. Rico Nasty is the other.

Shaolinn – Virginia Beach, VA

It’s very rare that I find an r&b/hip-hop artist that I like. So it feels good to come across Heavy Heart on the playlist. It gives off an R&B/alternative kind of vibe. Very calming to my ear after hearing so much rap at the start of the playlist. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not the entire list. Shaolinn is one of those soothing voices to subscribe to because we aren’t all hard here in the DMV area. There are some dope vocalists here, too.

Shy Lennox – Richmond, VA

Shy Lennox is another smooth-sounding alternative R&B artist coming with his song Poolside. He’s an actual vocalist who studied vocal performance at Virginia Commonwealth University. But his song Poolside projects for me “audiovisuals,” similar to if I closed my eyes and started seeing what is being sung vibrantly. It’s relaxing.

There are 58 tracks on the Ripple Effect: DMV Playlist. Nearly three hours of original content from unsign and unheard-of talent from the Washington metropolitan area. These five artists shared today are only a snippet of the full list.

Listen to Ripple Effect on Spotify:

Other mentions on the playlist that we head nod:

Mya -Worth It

GoldLink – White Walls

Baby Sosa – Money Shower

Jabb – Fvck Dat

Shy Glizzy – Ridiculous 

Share what songs you like from the playlist in the comments below.

8 Baltimore Independent Media to Watch for Artist News in 2021

Where do you find information about artists and entrepreneurs in Baltimore, MD? A question I get from my friends who aren’t truly into the things that I’m into. I have groups of friends that differ in taking many interests such as the medical field, the military, and even family life. I get questions often about where I find out news for local entertainment. It doesn’t cross my mind how it can be hard for people to find exhibitions and performances from local talent if they aren’t frequently visiting areas creatives roam. 

I must keep track of where I get my art news just like how I get a high from keeping abreast of regular news updates. Every so often I refresh my feed for who to look out for information because social media algorithms can be a pain. But as an artist myself, I’m submerged in all things artistically that interests me in this city. So it comes naturally when finding what’s good art I enjoy.

[Read Today’s Issue and Subscribe to the Doc’s Castle Digital News Paper]

In addition to following artists directly on their social media, these are the platforms that keep me tuned to everything that is Art in Baltimore and DMV. This is a list of 8 Baltimore Independent Media where anyone who doesn’t know about art from Baltimore and DMV could find out about local talent.

BmoreArt

Platform: Website

BmoreArt is the only outlet on this list that may give the most variety of the kinds of art highlighting mediums from photography, paintings, music, and more. They’re diverse. But if an artist were to be considered reaching “mainstream” status, I’d say we’d find them being highlighted on BmoreArt because they don’t play around about who they feature. I’ve discovered some very dexterous creators and designers simply being subscribed to the BmoreArt newsletter. Out of the box originator of all sorts, exhibitions are promoted through their events calendar.

The Orange Pop Show

Platform: YouTube- Visual interviews

Countdown to their 50th episode is one of The Orange Pop Show’s most recent campaigns published on their Instagram. A very eye-opening campaign, at that, because The Orange Pop Show definitely introduced some new faces on my radar. They conduct visual interviews via their YouTube channel. Interviews of artists from across Baltimore and DMV. A few Baltimore artists that have blessed The Orange Pop Show’s mic is Shwaze Collins, Elle Cook, and Jasmin Manning.

The Demo Tape 

Platform: YouTube – Visual interviews

The Demo Tape interviews of hip-hop group The Creek Boyz and MC Detranada were brought to my attention and place this Baltimore underground media on the map. Both interviews grew a combined viewership of over 7k views. The Demo Tape has the most reach out of all podcasts included in this media list, and why they are someone to watch for more content in 2021.

Liquor with Friends Podcast

Platform: YouTube – Visual interviews 

Baltimore Hip-Hop artist Rickie Jacobs uses his camera, charisma, and care to give us a put merely podcast Liquor with Friends. Authentic conversations with artists sipping spirits in his car. His style of podcasting is pretty “chill.” I often picture myself pulling out my bottle of spirits to relax alongside him and the guests each time I listen to the car conversations. (I’ll settle for making Tipsy Decor.) Rickie also brings us Carcerts, a short series of concerts in his car featuring live performances straight from Baltimore artists. Watch Carcerts featuring Al Rogers Jr., Zadia, and Mike C via the Liquor with Friends channel.

The Working Title Podcast

Platform- Apple Podcast | Spotify 

What I like most about The Working Title Podcast is that it is always expected to be sweet and straight to the point with their conversations and consistency. The hosts bring consistent content since 2018, episodes are always expected to be between 30 minutes to an hour and a half show. Podcasts are published almost 2 to 3 times a week and maybe the most binge-worthy on this list because of the amount of content archived. Episodes have topics from society, culture, and music. They are THE talk radio of this 2021 Baltimore media to watch on this list.

Breaking Through Glass Ceilings by Brian H.

Platform – Apple Podcast | Spotify

Breaking Through Glass Ceilings gives us a broader range of topics from medical advances in science, highlights of influential entrepreneurs, and sports talk radio. Brian’s gives us Sunday Morning show vibes for the yearning professional’s ear. His podcast is my more newsy channel to gain content other than arts and entertainment. So I seek his podcast when I need to level myself out. My favorite interview on Breaking Through Glass Ceilings is Baltimore’s own news journalist Ashlee Banks, who is also featured as our most recent YouTube Video Alert on Doc’s Castle Media. Read Protect Your Mental Health During Covid with Ashlee Banks and Brandon Johnson.

True Laurels

Platform – Magazine | Website

Shout out to True Laurels for their magazine and website highlighting artists in Baltimore and DMV. But I suck at keeping up with music like I used to. Lawrence got me, no doubt. Other than the very rare occasion that I get to see platforms sharing playlists, I just knew I could count on getting an update of the 2020 Tracklist from True Laurels. If you know nothing about Baltimore Hip-hop artists, finding them featured in True Laurels’ playlists A Decade in Baltimore Music is a good place to start. See True Laurels’ 2020 Tracklist below.

Source: True Laurels Instagram

Untitled Interviews by Ryan Chance

Platform – Apple Podcast | Spotify

Chance, the man with the roses. I love Ryan Chance’s latest promo for DreamsFindYou delivering roses to a bunch of deserving ladies at the beginning of the pandemic, and the massive DreamsFindYou hat and hoodie wave promoting DreamsFindYou Radio, another talk radio podcast hosted on the ZenoFM App. But his podcast Untitled Interviews, though matured and sophisticated, brings me back to vibes of what was formerly Vivid Vision, a blog Ryan hosted highlighting local talent in 2014. Untitled Interview features interviews with artists in Baltimore, naming two; Zadia and John Wells.

There are numerous other podcasts, websites, and media platforms emerging in Baltimore and DMV that deserve recognition on this list. But these are who I subscribe to that I enjoyed in the year 2020. I look forward to following these platforms for more about local talent.


Let’s work better to support local and follow these platforms. Have you heard about Doc’s Castle Media’s Best of 2020? Read now!

Doc’s Thumbs Up: Rewind by HazmatCaz Official Music Video

I love the Hazmat Chicks; Caz and Remy! We go way back to kicking it in former recording studio The Dugout Dojo in Baltimore, MD. Whenever I see my girlies making things happen, definitely will share what pride I have in their work. This week’s Doc’s Thumbs Up is Rewind by HazmatCaz Official video.

[Watch Doc’s Thumbs Up: Hazmat Remi “Evolve X” Official Music Video on Doc’s Castle Media]

hazmatcaz
Photo from Hazmatcaz Instagram

Hazmatcaz, since having gone viral in early 2019 for her “Hood Siri” interpretation, has been featured by multiple news outlets such as Yahoo News, Fader, ViceTV,  and even snagged an interview with Kings of Comedy mogul and talk show host Steve Harvey. Caz’s blow up even caused her to start her own web series on YouTube to keep up with the hype of her newly found fame as Hood Siri.

But…Caz is a rapper first and has expressed plenty of times that she’d rather be recognized for her music. So I want to bring it back to highlighting the official video for Rewind because it’s dope like her.

Rewind is visually vibrant! Like the rainbow in Caz’s hair, every color of the rainbow appears in this video. Life looks great. It’s a life anyone who’d enjoy having a good time would want. Caz personally directed the video and did well creating that very visual of being young and fun. She talks about rewinding back to a time she’d love to relive “over and over.” Take her back to a time where she’d bask in the idea of doing these things “again and again.”

Rewind is an exclusive video from Hazmatcaz that can be found on her SoundCloud and YouTube channels. Watch the full video.

Hazmatcaz also released a new music video over the Christmas holiday for her new single Me. Watch the video via Hazmatcaz YouTube Channel.

http://www.instagram.com/p/CJRuNDIjjmN/?igshid=7z1p6bp48ier

So what do you think about the song? Is Hazmatcaz someone you want in your playlist?

Doc’s Thumbs Up: Faded by T.ali Official Music Video (Halloween Release)

Yes! Yes! Yes! I’m still sharing Halloween treats well into November. That’s what you’ll get, and should expect from me anyway when I share in the spirit annually participating in the holiday each year. For Halloween 2020, I chose dressing as a Covid Germ. But the Halloween treat featured as Doc’s Thumbs Up this week is hip-hop artist T.ali’s official music video for Faded. 

[Read: Baltimore Artist Contracts Coronavirus on Halloween and Infects 2 Seniors at Owings Mill Red Run Stream Valley Trail (Halloween Recap)]

T.ali, formally known as Kaseo, released visuals for his single Faded from his April album Since We’re Being Honest this Halloween. Finally! Listeners anticipated the video dropping as early as mid-September when casting calls for extras were first mentioned. A month and a half later, we can now feast our eyes on what’s been cooking. I just couldn’t wait to write about it because I already knew T.ali would push some greatness.

I was tuned into the hype posted every couple of days promoted on T.ali’s Instagram and other social media feeds. Mini clips of the mini horror film that advertised to us, the audience, as the official music video was finally pieced together into a full masterpiece. 

The video is relatable and reminiscent of growing up watching short, but somewhat lengthy-for-a-music-video, films. Music videos like Thriller and Bad created by the King of Pop Michael Jackson always come to mind as the greatest short musicals ever made. So when fresher artists take on the challenges to carefully create references that skew inspiration within their work to reach heights many other talents have previously succeeded in completing, pure greatness is bound to shine through. That’s what’s seen in T.ali’s performance; an artist who’s challenging himself to own and exploring those heights a plethora of talented people blueprinted. And he’s doing it while collaborating with many other dope artists, bringing them along for the ride too.

The video was produced by filmmaker Juba Productions, styled by Al Rogers, and makeup by Yeah Shae the MUA and Kay L.A.. The team of artists putting this project together is phenomenal. It’s right to assume that Faded would be a hit amongst the listeners because of the magnitude of dopeness. It’s not many times a group like this can come together and not produce great art. Some other Baltimore artists, just to name a few, featured in the video were Forty the Plug, Doowy Lloh, Da’Rious, Brandon Woody, Teddy Alexander, Miss Kam, J Lovey, and various others amazing dancers, actors, and singers. These guys really put on a show.

There’s a second release for the album Since We’re Being Honest this week Friday, November 6 for the deluxe edition. Listeners can get an even deeper listen to other tracks from T.ali and hear a few features from some of the artists spotted in the video.

Watch the full video to Faded:

Would you say this video is creepy? Would you bump this in your car? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Baltimore Artist Contracts Coronavirus on Halloween and Infects 2 Seniors at Owings Mill Red Run Stream Valley Trail (Halloween Recap)

Halloween 2020 is a little different this year because of what’s happening all over the world. People are being more cautious celebrating because of the country’s current status and are uncertain when making decisions navigating how to live during these covid times. Times are crazy and I decided to be a visual representation of what’s causing chaos around the world in 2020.

[Read I Wanted To Be Triggered for Halloween on Doc’s Castle Media]

I dressed as a coronavirus germ this year because it was literally all that was talked about in mainstream culture. I started hearing about Coronavirus towards the end of January before the virus reached the United States. At the time, I wasn’t so sure that disease would reach Americans. It seemed so far removed from my life as Wuhan, China was shut down on the opposite side of the world. Every day I rode public transportation during peak hours to work at the office in Downtown Baltimore. But now, 7 months later, sitting on a packed train never seemed so dangerous in my life.

[Read timeline of how coronavirus got started on ABC News.]

This world being consumed by Covid 19 affects not only human bodily functions. It’s infectious to our everyday lives affecting us in every area and physical function. People are seeking ways of dealing with mental stress and financial hardships. I’ve even seen churches battle with government policy to continue having Sunday service. This disease affects everyone everywhere even if you don’t contract it. 

The holiday season is here. It doesn’t come as a surprise that many people are finally peeking out of their doors to explore the new world. We’re ready to socialize with our friends and family after being quarantined for nearly a year. Sadly, covid cases are still rising. Earlier in the week, American’s were warned of a third Covid 19 surge taking place as predicted. So I chose to be a walking reminder of what’s lurking in our atmosphere ready to penetrate our respiratory systems if we decide to ignore the rising cases.

The makeup artist behind this masterpiece is Nelli from GlambyNelli on Instagram. Nelli is a Baltimore Artist well versed in a multitude of talents but she wow’s us away with this project! I told her my vision and boom! She turned my head into a covid germ and still made me look pretty!

Nelli began taking her Halloween makeup artistry seriously just a year ago in 2019 while doing makeup for family and friends and sharing images of her work on social media. But she’s always had a love for art. While visiting her art studio for my appointment, I found she surrounds herself with inspiration from her own creations. She told me she’s an artist for many years. I learned she’s a makeup artist, painter, and photographer. She absolutely loves creating. I could tell from the creative aura that surrounds her studio.

I was drawn to contacting Nelli for my services after seeing her recreation of the 2009 science fiction film Avatar. The makeup was done so well, the client looked exactly like an actor from the movie. I had to see if she would accept my challenge to make me germy. I believe she had it in her to do it. She definitely succeeded.

Afterward, I went to find a safe socially distanced park where I could take pictures of me infecting others with my germs. It was so funny to hear people murmur to each other their guesses of my costume. “She’s so pretty,” was not what I intended to hear but it’s nice to know that I’m an attractive infectious disease. I continued my stroll through Owings Mills Red Run Stream Valley Trail with CtrlMyCamera taking shots of me jokingly pretending to spoil the other walkers on the trail. 

View more from my Coronavirus photoshoot in the slideshow below. *I do not own the rights to this music. The song is titled Coronavirus by Imarkkeyz on YouTube.*

I hope that people remain cautious while celebrating the holidays this season. These are crazy times we’re living in. We should have empathy for human life during these times as always. Even though it sucks as our more thankful and merriest time of the year approaches, we’re pressured to keep socially distancing. We should remain vigilant in protecting ourselves physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally as best as we can while socially distancing. We can still be there for one another. Humans need to stay connected. But we should be extra cautious and remember what steps to take to remain safe as we visit and spend time with the people we love.

Are dressing up for Halloween? Have you seen any cool costumes? Let me know in the comments below.

Catching the Beat at Beet Trip Episode 60 (Photos)

Baltimore has some of the most unique artsy events any art lover could love. One worthy of being mentioned a second time on Doc’s Castle Media is the Open Mic Series named Beet Trip. This was not my first time attending Beet Trip, but my 3rd time and years later from when I first stepped into experiencing the open mic in 2014. Back then, Beet Trip was brand new, and when I first saw the name, I was turned off because I intentionally thought of the disgusting purplish vegetable beets, thinking it was some veganism attempt to push their health agenda to me using hip-hop. But I digress…

Beet Trip was established over five years ago by a group of beatmakers and rappers seeking to find a place where music artists could share their gifts over crafted beats created by local producers at a nontraditional open mic. Beats from the producers are heard for the first time, just like the freestyles from rappers who spit over the tracks. It’s a true “freestyled” event. For 6 years, the open mic series has ran in numerous art venues across the city.

I thought it would be nice to peek into the festivities to catch some of the vibes and check out some of the talents. It’s been so long since and spectatorship has definitely grown.

Gatherings like these are reminders for artists of the many possibilities and things they can achieve, even while it’s such a small event. Artists start off wanting to take part in something small because they believe in it. They participate in it because it’s an original idea. They support it because it looks cool. But we don’t realize how the pure fun of it manifests into opportunities for so many local artists creating names for themselves.

[Read about another open mic series in Baltimore called Baltimore Beat Club on Doc’s Castle Media.]

Beet Trip is where I discovered a style of rap called Basement Rap, a genre coined by a couple of local hip-hop artists, to name a few Butch Dawson and Zheep DZ, two artists who frequent attending and getting involved in Beet Trip over the years. Since taking part in the open mic series and collaborating with other local talents, the rappers build combined followership of over 24,000 monthly listeners on Spotify from just being their authentic Baltimore rapping selves and enjoying creating art.

Beet Trip Episode 60 was hosted by local talent Al Rogers, who’s currently making waves with his very own Ice Cream flavor that can be purchased at Baltimore ice cream shop The Charmery, artist & curator of underground collective showcase 808s and Sadbois Qué Paqueño, and rapper & founder of The NASA8 Bito Sureiya. All artists put in work or had some kind of influence in Beet Trip historically. It’s inspiring to see these guys continue to work hard to make ways for other talents that’ll come episodes later.

In Episode 60, I saw lots of new faces and lots of new artists paving a way for their manifestations. Make sure you check out Beet Trip’s Instagram to view more pictures of highlights from the night. 

What are some open mics you’ve attended in your hometown? Have you ever experienced something like this? Leave your comments below.