Songs From Da Dugout Archives - Doc's Castle Media

Throwback: Doc Releases Song Pushing Domestic Violence Awareness

Today, we share some unreleased content from out of the Doc’s Castle Media Vault. Are you a fan of conscious music?

In 2014, I recorded a track that speaks on the life of a girl who’s a victim of domestic violence. It’s not your average Eve’s “Love is Blind” type of track. It’s my version of a story of a girl who was my best friend. Our relationship changed when I saw her transform before my eyes into a woman who believed in lies from a man full of broken promises to never hurt her.

I thought I’d share this song after I posted about Walk A Mile In Her Shoes, a GBMC’s SAFE Domestic Violence program 5K walk geared to help raise money and spread awareness about abuse because domestic violence is a subject that shouldn’t be glossed over. A victim of domestic violence doesn’t deserve to feel like they’re being looked over. It’s a serious matter that sometimes ends in unfortunate death for many men and women around the world.

Passion Peace is a narrative of what I saw my friend becoming after dating a guy who isolated her from everything she already knew and loved. It was my stern affection of love for her and my eagerness to tell her that she was and still is beautiful while her boyfriend profusely abused her.

It was recorded at the Dugout Dojo in Fall 2014 by engineer and Baltimore recording artist Flu_x. The Dugout Dojo is where I also recorded my hip-hop mixtape Songs From Da Dugout.

I made Passion Peace while we were no longer friends but used it as a message to tell her I still loved her more than the person who placed her in dangerous situations. I sent it to her in hopes that she would one day realize what she is worth.

If I knew any better, I would have contacted the many different domestic violence programs that could help her escape an unsafe situation. Programs like the SAFE program or My Sister’s Place Women’s Center both located in Baltimore City, could have helped stir my friend away from what was keeping her bound in her relationship.

Today, her and my relationship are far from what it used to be. What she went through torn between our bond. I don’t know how someone can change everything a person stands for and still claim to love them. But I saw it happen. I watched her change. She’s no longer with the guy who was abusing her and she’s no longer the same.

Do you have a domestic violence story to tell? Leave us a snippet in the comments below.

Have you read about GBMC’s Walk A Mile In Her Shoes 5K Event? Read GBMC Working to End Domestic Violence Through Gender Role Reversal on Doc’s Castle Media.

#SongsFromDaDugout Released from the Chambers To The Public March 2015

It’s here. After the wait, I can no longer say “Sorry for the Wait” like I’m Mr. Weezy F. Baby, himself. My first EP is here for you to take a listen to. It’s about time!

As part of my list of tasks to complete on my bucket list, I can say this is one of the most lengthy projects I completed thus far. However I caught myself not wanting to finish it a few times, and the production process was bumpy along the way. Anyway, I said “eff it” to my woes and decided to drop what I had anyway. It’s the first of what I hope will be more music projects, so I won’t beat myself up for how it sounds. I know I’ll produce way better material in the future. I’m just glad to have the opportunity to do something like this. Writing music has become one of the many creative activities I do to keep my mind busy.

It’s now official; I will scratch off release mixtape off my Bucket List! Yay!

You may download my EP “Songs From Da Dugout” via my Bandcamp page or Soundcloud at Alissa Feré. So it’s easier for you, take a look at the Playlist below and download it. Thanks for listening!

Special Thank You to the lovely staff of people who helped me with this project:

Producer and Engineer: FLuX; Album Cover Art: Boutzie; Photographer: Rebellious Rebel; Promotional Art: Alissa Fere; Creative Consulting: K.A. Walker and Tony Bonez Sinatra; Featured artist: Quinn Shabaz, Leon Dominick, and Boutzie; Studio Production: The Dugout Dojo

Do you think I should make more music? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

To check out photos from my “Songs From Da Dugout” photo shoot, read “Alissa Feré Takes It To The Field For The Release of 2015 Mixtape “Songs From Da Dugout” on Doc’s Castle Media.

Alissa Feré 2015 EP “Song From Da Dugout” Artwork Finally Released

With less than two weeks away from my EP “Songs From Da Dugout” release, I am pleased to finally release the official cover artwork for my project to the public. The EP is expected to release March 21, 2015 via the Alissa Feré Bandcamp and Soundcloud music pages.

Like many of my other projects, Briana Ragler was given the pleasures of handling majority of my visuals. Starting from taking on the responsibility of styling my creative persona to designing my cover of my first musical project, Briana, also known as recording artist Boutzie’, utilizes all her creative abilities to make sure Alissa Feré was ready for the world to take in. She was my photographer, stylist, and graphic designer.

Ayeee!

I’ve decided to take the Rebellious Rebel approach while working on my EP because Briana’s creative style is that “clear and clean” image I was aiming for that steers away from the average look associated with sports and hip-hop. I commonly see a more “rigid and rough” images used for things associated with both hip-hop and sports. Both are hard topics dominated by men, which I am not. So my thoughts for my project already being assumed as “hard” had to be challenged to seem more “fluffier” for Feré’s sake.

By creating a more cleaner representation for this project, I hope to promote interests that’s grabs the onlooker’s eye. I want my listeners to know from the moment they see the cover that there’s meaning behind being left in the Dugout for women. This clear and concise illustration captures the beauty behind what I believe this game we call love really is. It’s a cloudy, mysterious, dangerous, and very uneasy to understand, but it continues to be alluring, mesmerizing, and worth taking. Briana captured that we’ll in this very simply put work of art.

On top of it all, it’s very professionally presented. *applauds*

Along with the help from Baltimore artist FLuX, who’s the owner of the Baltimore brand The Dugout Dojo and the engineer of “Songs From Da Dugout,” I was ensured that each song would sound superb. I had no doubt about how my EP would turn out because listening to FLuX’s previous works, I was already blown away. (Listen to The Sky Is Blue by FLuX, here.)

The EP’s track listing is also finalized with six semi- complete songs ready for me to share.

José (Liquor Talkn) ft. Boutzie (prod. Doowy Lloh)
Rufus Bush (prod. mjnichols)
Only You Ft. Quinn Shabaz
Tonight (prod. Cmbeats)
When The Stars Align ft. Leon Dominick (prod. Davinci)
(Bonus Track): Pleasant Nightmares (prod. André 3000)

“Songs From Da Dugout” is expected to release this month March 21, 2015. For more updates on Alissa Feré, subscribe to Doc’s Castle Media social sites.

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View photos from my “SongsFrom Da Dugout” shoot on Doc’s Castle Media.

Alissa Feré Takes It To The Field For The Release of 2015 Mixtape “Songs From Da Dugout”

As an insider for the release of my 2015 mixtape Songs From Da Dugout, I decided to give my readers a few snapshots to look at while they wait for my project to drop next month.

I decided to get a little creative for this release. I thought Why should I leave you guys with only an expected date for my project? I should give you a little more, and maybe some more background to what to look forward to. So I partnered up with my favorite photographer/blogger to give something extra as we wait for my dropping day.

Songs From Da Dugout is a representation of my emotions. Often I feel I’m left in limbo on a lot of issues when I’m dealing with guys. I think lots of women can relate. It can feel like I’m sitting in a dugout waiting to be called on for the next play. It can get restless waiting on these guys, and they should know that I don’t wait very long for my moment.

Women have so many questions that could be left unanswered while waiting on their next call in a partnership; there’s so many expectations that should be fulfilled on the behalf of the man that aren’t met in relationships. I relate to those women because when someone’s left in the dugout, how is anyone expected to win the game? How is anyone expected to conquer the battle?

These brothers got us yelling to the coach like, “Come on. Call me, coach! I’m ready to play.”

The photo shoot was conducted by Briana Ragler of Rebellious Rebel, also known as hip-hop artist Boutzie’. She did a great job. What do you think?

Look out for “Songs From Da Dugout” dropping in March 2015!

Have you heard “Pleasant Nightmares,” single from 2015 tape Songs From Da Dugout? Check out “Alissa Feré Releases Title & Promo Art For Spring 2015 Project” on Doc’s Castle Media.

Watch behind the scenes of my photo shoot via Briana’s Blog, Rebellious Rebel.

http://youtu.be/1uU6n3zTuko

Alissa Feré Releases Title & Promo Art For Spring 2015 Project

Something new had to be brewing in the Doc’s Castle Media kitchen for there to be such a long and lasting silence. It’s been almost a month since my last blog post….sorry, guys.

My silence is partially justified with the new goals I’ve acquired throughout the last two quarters of 2014. While I’ve aspired to become a master resumé and songwriter, I’ve neglected my original hobby for writing blogs. But as you can see, I always come back of course.

Since May 2014, I took on a mission to complete my bucket list, which I thought would be easy to do. I was sadly mistaken, and since then, I’ve even added more tasks to my bucket list. I can’t help the feeling I get from accomplishing a new goal. Though sooner or later, I’ll have to set limitations on these goals because I don’t know how much of my list I’m willing to take on now. Haha.

One of the tasks I’ve added to my lengthy list is the release of my 2015 mixtape. It began another duty on my list the moment after I released “José (Liquor Talkn).” Eight months later, I give you the promotional art for my project!

Songs From Da Dugout is as general as it sounds. It’s a project compromised of multiple tracks about my life, or emotions I’ve experienced, between the time period of May, when I released José (Liquor Talkn), and January. All the songs were recorded in Baltimore city studio The Dugout Dojo with head producer and artist FLuX.

Songs From Da Dugout is an EP formulated to speak on the thoughts and emotions of a woman in heartache. Feel the agony and scornful words of Alissa Feré as I speak upon situations every girl can relate to, and every man probably heard of before. Listen to a new rhythmic style only sure to be found in underground Baltimore hip-hop.

Are any of your favorite indie artist releasing any projects that you’re anticipating? Let us know about it in the comments below.

Have you seen my Bucket List? Read “Bucket Listing It Up” on Doc’s Castle Media.