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.

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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.

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!

#PrayForLove: Visit Loring Cornish’s #ICantBreathe Exhibition at How Great Thou Art Gallery

On another walk around Baltimore, I came across another outside art exhibition like the Black Lives Matter Mural in Patterson Park in September. This time in Baltimore’s Fell Point to get out of the house for a bit and visit Sound Garden to browse some vinyl and old flicks. A trip well spent because I bought some cool new socks. But also set my eyes upon a beautiful exhibit at the How Great Thou Art Gallery worthy of a PrayForLove highlight on Doc’s Castle Media. Baltimore Mosaic Artist Loring Cornish creates I Can’t Breathe outside exhibition to bring attention to police brutality.

Last month, we were hit with the devastating news of Breonna Taylor’s verdict. And just like when I scroll my social feeds, days later, I strolled by a reminder, in person, that we’re still in the midst of a war with police policy and reform. I’m tired.

Cornish exhibit is a pause in time. It makes you think. I took a moment of silence before I visited the Sound Garden next door. I saw all the names of victims fallen by police brutality represented by burning candles just under the “I can’t fucking breathe” sign. George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s pictures displayed large as day with words of frustration and “I will never understand” written in all caps all around them. This case is the loudest breakthrough we’ve had in recent years. Two pictures of Breonna Taylor stand directly along side the burning candles. The exhibit makes me upset. The build-up of all of this has gone on far too long. I don’t understand, either. So I pause to take it in.

The exhibit is getting quite the buzz as people share their experiences on their social media using the hashtag #LoringCornish. On Instagram, there are over 500+ shared posts of Loring Cornish’s exhibit.

Cornish had many other exhibitions focusing on race and police in previous years. In 2015 following the death of Freddie Gray, Cornish decorated a police box in Station North “to bring attention to police operating practices that have made millions of Americans uncomfortable.” He also received national attention for his Black “lynched” doll exhibition in response to Eric Gardner, Walter Scott, and Michael Brown. Cornish used his passion and talent to raise awareness of police brutality throughout the decade.

The How Great Thou Art Gallery is owned by Cornish and is the home to a plethora of beautiful creations made by the Mosaic artist himself. Check out more art at the Loring Cornish website.

“I will never understand,” either. Would you visit this exhibition? Leave your comments below.

The Lost Kings Series Premiers at Baltimore’s Charles Theater July 24th

Has Baltimore found it’s new Wire series? It’s possible to say after viewing the premiere of the Lost Kings Series this week at the Charles Theater July 24th.

Terrence Smalls, director at 89 Crowns and writer of the independent film, may be onto something with his new series because it’s been a long time coming since Baltimore had such rich production embedded with its culture. In Lost Kings, Smalls shares his perspective of the city trenches, finally giving a glimpse of the inside from an insider of Baltimore City.

Any Baltimorean can tell the world is ready for more insight into how we live our lives whenever our radar flashes anytime tourists compare the lifestyle of the residents in Baltimore City to actors in the phenomenal HBO Series The Wire. Watching the Lost Kings at its premier made me realize it could have the same potential. From people’s accents to the infamous dirt bike riding in Baltimore streets, this fictional story portrays our city life artistically instead of, in recent years, the common factual documentary.

Through Smalls’ enactment of Max, played by Baltimore’s dirt bike Wheelie Queen, we watch her journey to avenge her brother’s death and thrive in an arena full of corrupt men. According to the premiere’s Facebook e-vite, Lost Kings’ purpose is to “bring Baltimore Culture to the forefront, while also highlighting and examining factors that contribute to psychological trauma.”

The film did great in portraying its purpose. Many artists throughout Baltimore’s art scene had a part in the production of the film. So it was easy to pick up on the city’s culture naturally as we watch the native actors. The film also highlighted characters having Post Traumatic Stress in situations highly aggravating and aggressive.

The series premiere is broken into 3 chapters in a total length of 30 minutes. It didn’t feel like 30 minutes at all with its many break in-between scenes acting as identifiers for the audience to refresh their attention on a new direction the story will take lead. We can see Smalls create a signature of his artistry while implementing this playwright style into the first episode. It also sets the series apart from independent “hood films” of its time, labeling a little more cinematic than that of what I can find “googling” indie hood films or come across on YouTube. So let’s say in three chapters Baltimore’s rawness is indeed depicted authentically and successfully in a swift 30 minutes.

I also did my part as I was a production assistant for the film, which is always great. Woo! I enjoyed having met many of the cast a crew since last year in 2017 at the start of shooting. Other participants in the production took to social media to share that they felt the same.

Terrence Smalls shares his appreciation for the turnout of the Lost Kings Premiere:

Last night was amazing: packed out the Charles theater for the Baltimore premiere of @lostkings__ thanks to everyone that made it possible! #baltimore #director #goodvibesonly

A post shared by 89crowns Media (@89crowns) on Jul 25, 2018 at 12:03pm PDT

Justin Moten posts a picture with other cast members.

Hell of a time last night with my cast mates @bmore_lucky_lilman @justcallme_smoove

A post shared by jmo1305 (@jmo1305) on Jul 25, 2018 at 8:48am PDT

Ramona Rideout shares a scene of her character at the premiere:

OMG 😯…..seeing myself on the screen in the #movie #theater for the VERY FIRST TIME!… Was thee #BEST feeling in this whole world !!!! Lol I can’t even type the words on this screen to explain … there’s only one way from here to go…👆🏽UP ….I pray I work and I don’t give up 🙌🏽 #thankgod #alwaysbegrateful This project involves so many AMAZING people but @tonyasays you are the real #MVP and @4th.eye.diaries there’s no other like you… you guys are the epitome of #friends turned #family #lostkings #2018 Annnnd @smallroomzsuck @36seagulls this project is so freaking dope Annnnnnnd I couldn’t have done it without @bmore_lucky_lilman guidance and greatness! And I had awesome scene partners @jmo1305 ! Lol this was just so great !

A post shared by Ramona Rideout (@rideout365_) on Jul 25, 2018 at 10:30am PDT

Does the Lost Kings series look like a series that you’d tune into? Leave your comments below.

If you missed out on the Lost Kings Series first premier, you have the opportunity to check it out really soon. The producers are expecting for the Lost Kings Series second premier to be held this August 2018.

Join 20th Anniversary Million Man March Bus Trip w/ @DocsCastleMedia, @Beyond_Shae, & @AMN_Press

Will you be participating in the 20th Anniversary Million Man March this year?

So here’s the scoop.

Doc’s Castle Media has decided to team up with Baltimore Blogger Shae McCoy of Uncommonrealist, Baltimore Entrepreneur Cortez Page of AMNGlobal, and NHENT to show the interweb our contributions, support and love towards our culture, our purpose, and our history by participating in the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March.

What’s the Million Man March?

Twenty years ago on October 16, 1995, Minister Louis Farrakahn, leader of the Nation of Islam, called on a march to the National Mall in Washington, DC to present a different image to society of what the Black Male represents. Civil rights leaders and organizations came together to unite in self-help and self-defense against economic and social issues faced in Black communities around our nation. This movement was mainly in works to gain politicians attention on matters happening in urban and minority environments, and also to encourage Black Americans to seek seminars and worship services for the betterment of the wellness of the black communities.

Why the Million Man March is Important today?

On April 12, 2015, twenty-five year old Baltimorean Freddie Gray was arrested by Baltimore City police on weapon charges. Seven days later, Gray died of spinal injuries which later sparked community protest and accusations of police brutality. Baltimore city witnessed its worst riots yet to be seen since the Baltimore riots of 1968, following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The April 2015 riots gave way for Baltimore blacks to say, “Helllllllllll nawwww! They done fucked with the wrong city now!,” and sparked a revolution for a new generation to make a choice on whether they were ready to end a war that’s been on the outskirts of social ills for decades upon decades of Black lives. Now we’re here, seven months later, with a drive that seems to me has slowed down since then.

The Baltimore Riots earlier this year had me worked up. I went to protests back-to-back for a week and a half straight. Now that all of the hostility from the Freddie Gray case is slowly turning down from the media’s hype, it’s evident that people can quickly lose interest in the importance of remembering the reasons why Black people fight so hard for fair opportunities, something our culture cannot ever get a break from doing.

You see it’s the 20TH ANNIVERSARY of the Million Man March, right?!

It makes no sense that black men and women should have to dress and look a certain way in our society to prevent ourselves from being killed by the very people who are meant to protect us. I guess, it’s become all about being out of sight and out of mind because now that the news isn’t putting images of police brutality on the television screens of Americans, mass majority of civil protest regarding Black Lives Matters have decreased.

Why Doc’s Castle Media will be participating in the Million Man March?

As I briefly stated in my previous post “The Real Revolution Will Not Be Televised. #ILoveBaltimore,” I mentioned it being my duty to record the history in the making of a new revolution for black people. It is my job to talk about these things the way the mainstream media does not, so that people will be able to judge accordingly to what they find fit for the justice and fairness of how they’ll live their lives.

Well, I’ve stirred up some motivation with some of my peers. Now we’re inviting you to get involved with remembering why it’s important to fight for the rights against social injustice. So here’s how you can join the march with us:

Visit the AMNGlobal Eventbrite webpage.
Buy a $20 bus ticket used as donation to secure a seat for attendance.
Invite a friend to come with you and have them buy a ticket.
Arrive at the School Board of Education before the 6 AM bus departure. (200 E. North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202)
Take lots of photos of the history you’re sure to take place at The National Mall.
Post them online to motivate your friends.
Return to School Board of Education at 8 PM arrival.

It’s simple and worth your time and presence. Just think about your children.

If you have any further questions regarding this day trip, you’re invited to call 443-943-3309. You may also email your questions to either of the following emails.

The Uncommonrealist: Uncommonrealist@gmail.com

Doc’s Castle Media: Docscastlemediainfo@gmail.com

AMNGlobal: Amnpage@gmail.com

Have you read about the aftermath of the Baltimore 2015 Riots by Doc? Read “Life As A Black Baltimorean After the 2015 Riots” on Doc’s Castle Media.

YTube Vid of the Week: Young Moose “No Sunshine” Feat. Martina Lynch

Baltimore’s turmoil due to riots and protests for Freddie Gray have blossomed a hefty amount of creative masterpieces from independent artist of all sort. The Internet is buzzing of colorful opinions, many pale and others vibrant, depicting artists’ perception of peace and violence; justice and injustice; and moral or immoral.

I even had the opportunity to vent: Read “#OpinionEssay: The “Real Revolution Will Not Be Televised”

This week’s YTube Vid of the Week Is from Baltimore Rapper Young Moose.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggU4t0ZFVbA]

Many of Baltimore’s youth look up to local independent rappers Young Moose and Lor Scoota, who recently reconciled musical differences in February over disputes of competition at a local rap summit.

Encouraging words from these rappers are expected since so many young people support these artist. We need them to inspire our kids to do better; to seek success and progression instead of lawlessness and turbulence, as the world watched Baltimore Youth as they rioted and looted as a result of police brutality towards Freddie Gray.

“Dumb Dumb” artist scratched the surface of reaching the you by releasing “No SunShine” in honor of Freddie Gray. Unfortunately, I do not believe he took this opportunity by storm. So much more could be done. So much more could be said.

“No SunShine” doesn’t get much praise from me because there’s more to be said than what these children who live in these neighborhoods already know. There are ways to get a message across without stating the obvious of what’s happening in our city’s black communities. We know of what our state’s governmental policies enable and forbid us from doing. We know about the “slums” that blacks have systematically become accustomed to. My concern was for artists like Young Moose to do a bit more, maybe lead more as an example.

I guess, I’m expecting too much in such a short amount of time. Huh?

Where are the programs they’re continuously supporting. As I look at each artists background and choice of brand for their music, I’m a little concerned about outsiders not understanding what’s needed to be said for our city. It could easily be misinterpreted if someone would listen to more of Young Mouse’s discography as his music is majority about drugs and trap life.

We need more “substance.” We need more positive messages young people will enjoy and support.

What do you think? Did you like Young Moose’s “No Sunshine?” Leave your comments below.

Do you think that some children’s toys are too inappropriate for kids to be playing with? Watch “YTube Vid of the Week: Tree Change Dolls” on Doc’s Castle Media.

The HashTag That Lasted All Week: #ImSoBaltimore

Is it over yet?

For the past two days, I’ve watched my city shine with pride as people participating in a game online through their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts. My online friends shared memories of growing up in Baltimore by posting photos and statuses about moments they remember while living in Baltimore under the #hashtag #ImSoBaltimore.

I recall there being other hashtags, like #ImSoDC and #ImSoHarlem. But because majority of my time lines are recipients of Baltimore City, I rarely saw those posts. So like a throwback Thursday turned into an entire week of nostalgia, I was swimming in Baltimore pride all week.

Just the other day, we complained about how we hated where we were from. Two weeks ago, we screamed of how no one will ever make it out of this city with the lack of support from other people who live here. But what I see, with the addition of support from people who attended Artscape, we’ve gain quite a supportive presence by showing our pride in where we come while simply posting statuses about things done in and only in our city.

I spent most of my Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday liking other people’s posts, thinking to myself: I remember doing that or saying I wish that place never went out of business. We aren’t just the home of the Wire. We’re more. We just needed to let others know for a sec.

I miss Baltimore the way everyone remembered it. We talked about it like we don’t do these memorable activities anymore. It opened up my eyes into looking for new memories to capture while I continue to live here. Although, I already have started picking up the habit of doing things that can only be experienced here, I hope that others developed that sense to do the same. We can create more of these Baltimore memories.

Check out some of the things people said while participating in this week’s popular #hashtag. (All these status updates were taken from my Facebook time line. These were not submitted to me. I simply stumbled across them.)

We had a few downers who complained about this online burst of Baltimore pride, of course. It never fail to have someone representing that “crab-in-a-barrel” mentality. I’m glad someone chose to speak up about it, though.

IKR! Just log out because it’s not over yet. Baltimore for life! We’re SO BALTIMORE!

What are some of your memories about Baltimore? Share some in the comments below.

Did you participate in the #TwitterPurge? Read WTF #TwitterPurge on Doc’s Castle Media.