Mane Rok

Stay Tuned

Murder He Wrote
Self-released

Stay Tuned prepares to tour Pacific Northwest, putting its WESTAF's IM Tour grant to good use

Stay Tuned, the outfit formerly known as MainLine, is preparing to hit the road in the next few weeks, taking advantage of the $3000 Western States Arts Federation Independent Music on Tour grant Mane Rok was awarded last year. What makes this jaunt particularly noteworthy, beside the fact that loca ... More >>

A unicorn bumping and grinding -- I never thought I'd see that. Thanks, Artopia 2013!

With Artopia's dense schedule, it's important to get limber. You can't rush into things. Pulling a muscle or getting a cramp early could mean missing all too many things. Much like a herd of wildebeests in migration, there is no forgiveness for being slow because time -- like a lion -- is unforgivin ... More >>

Discover ten stars of Westword's Artopia 2013

Now in its 18th year, Artopia is a signature event showcasing a wide array of Denver's music, art, performance, food and more. At several venues along Broadway this Saturday, February 23, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., dozens of the city's cultural components will come together as they share their creative ... More >>

"New Beginning" a brand new track from Mane Rok, A.V.I.U.S, Rhias, Es Nine and Riley Boone

Like life, some of the best moments in music just happen, unplanned, unscripted and completely serendipitous. Such is the case with "New Beginning," brand new cut just dropped by a collection of talented friends from Denver's hip-hop scene. According to Mane Rok, who collaborated on the track with J ... More >>

Black Mask slated to issue its Death By Thr33's compilation at the Funky Buddha this Friday

Over the course of its existence, Black Mask has been a full band and had numerous MCs from across the nation pass through its ranks. The prolific hip-hop outfit has played shows on the Warped Tour and put out nearly two dozen releases -- all for free. After seeing many independent artists selling j ... More >>

Colorado Crush block party brings graffiti art and music together on Saturday, September 8

Update 8/17/12: The complete Colorado Crush schedule has been added below. See also: The third annual Spirit of Hip-Hop celebrates the four elements and keeps the culture alive Original item 8/9/12: Colorado Crush is upon us. The giant summer graffiti block party founded by Dread is back for its t ... More >>

#WMS 2012 recap: City Hall Upstairs

Every year, for the Westword Music Showcase, we enlist our army of Backbeat wordsmiths to host various stages, and, in addition to their emcee obligations, we ask them to pull double duty (or triple-duty in some cases) and also write up the acts that appear on their individual stages. Nicole Cormier ... More >>

That's a Rap: Westword Music Showcase edition

Happy Westword Music Showcase weekend, friends, Romans, hip-hop heads! This weekend promises to highlight all the reasons why the music scene in Denver houses some of the best talent in the country. With the hip-hop scene, in particular, the styles and profiles of the MCs, DJs and singers have been ... More >>

Download Dyalekt's single from Death by Ego, "Tequila and Lime"

Dyalekt's first single from his new album, Death by Ego (free with a Tweet), is called "Tequila and Lime." The perfect feel good joint produced by the MC, it's all about every day being a shot at making the life you want and seizing every chance to become better. Sound poetic? It is.

Saul Amore: For Mane Rok, it's the love that makes the struggle worth it

When he released The Ugly Truth last year, Mane Rok (aka Sam Baron) vowed to create an EP with each of the producers he worked with on the album. Staying true to his word, he released the hip-hop purist joint En Stereo with Es-Nine, whose production was stellar, Santanamation with renaissance produc ... More >>

V-Day hip-hop from DJ Chonz and Mane Rok, plus new Iman S., Myke Charles tracks and more

Happy Valentine's Day! In this heart-shaped edition of That's a Rap, we have a ton of local hip-hop goodness for you to fall in love with, including a DJ Chonz mixtape entirely dedicated to Valentine's Day, new joints from Mane Rok, Iman S., Myke Charles, A. Fox and Boy Davey, and a new video from P ... More >>

Download Mane Rok's "Mama Said" remix with Zome and Bravo One

​Mane Rok is continuing his quest to work with each producer who crafted sounds for his album, The Ugly Truth, released last year. The remix for "Mama Said," originally featuring Zome and produced by Mr. Bostic, has taken on an entirely different feel and sound. The addition of Bravo One of On ... More >>

Beyond Occupy: An MLK Dialogue for 2012 set for 3 p.m. today at Redline Denver

​Today as the country honors Dr. Martin Luther King, a consortium of local hip-hop artists and community activists is getting together this afternoon at 3 p.m. at RedLine Denver (2350 Arapahoe Street) for Beyond Occupy: An MLK Dialogue for 2012, to engage in dialogue about the bigger picture o ... More >>

Denver's best music releases of 2011

Jonny 5 of Flobots reflects on the Occupy Movement and talks about the act's new album

Emily Crenshaw, Mary Grace Legg, Sole

Mane Rok and Dyalekt of Diamond Boiz present Santanamation, a tribute to Carlos Santana

​When Mane Rok released The Ugly Truth last year, his goal was to follow up that full-length album with a series of EPs and shorter pieces, working with each different producer who worked on the project. Fresh on the heels of going head to head with authorities in his provocative video for "Th ... More >>

Photos: Es-Nine and Mane Rok immortalized on a train by pair of industrious local graffiti artists

​If you're a rapper, what's better than being on the cover of XXL? Um, yeah, not much, actually. Well, maybe being the centerpiece of a mural -- and still being around to appreciate it -- that has to come pretty close, right? Ask Mane Rok and Es-Nine, whose mugs were recently immortalized on t ... More >>

Mane Rok tackles police brutality from a different angle on the video for "This One's"

Make up by the GeneralUpdate (7/25/11): Full video added below in its entirety. Taking one of the most compelling cuts from his album The Ugly Truth, Mane Rok enlisted a small army to help him create a video for the song "This One's," a track dealing with the timely and incendiary topic of police ... More >>

A sneak peek of "This One's" by Mane Rok

​ Earlier this week, we posted an item about Mane Rok releasing a provacative video for "This One's" on Saturday at Casselmans, and now, as promised, we have a sneak peek of the joint for your viewing pleasure. The version of "This One's" featured in the video is Time Line's remix of the origi ... More >>

New Music from the One Eyed Kings featuring Molina, Akir, Big Samir of the ReMINDers

​Inspired by Philip Bailey's song of the same name, One Eyed Kings, the MC/producer duo of Bravo One and Mr. Bostic, have produced a new track called "Children of the Ghetto," which is built around a sample of the Bailey tune and features Molina, Akir, and Big Samir. The outfit will be debutin ... More >>

Dual release party at Cervantes' tonight featuring A.V.I.U.S., Mane Rok and Es-Nine

Tonight at Cervantes' A.V.I.U.S. is releasing his sophomore solo effort, For Better or Worse, in a dual release party with Mane Rok and Es-Nine, who are dropping En Stereo -- a tribute to the deejay and MC collaboration. We already gave you a sneak peek of A.V.I.U.S.'s new joint, now we've got an ex ... More >>

DJ Vajra wins Denver DMC DJ battle at Casselman's, 4/30/11

Brandice RobinsonDJ Vajra proving his prowess on the wheels of steel DMC DENVER World DJ Championship 4.30.11 | Casselman's Bar & Venue The DMC's went down last night at Casselman's, and DJ Vajra won after enduring massive attacks from underling DJs with lesser talents and a gripping face-off with ... More >>

Weekend Dance Card: Unified Field, Whomp Truck and more

Lexi Fey.​Looking for somewhere to shake your ass this weekend? We've got you covered with events in both the mainstream and underground dance worlds. Tonight, several old-schoolers -- including LL Bishop, Smyl:E, Om, Lexi Fey and Chris Irvin -- man the DJ decks at Chances Grill. Late night f ... More >>

Spoke in Wordz

Power of Wordz
Self-released

Download two tracks from Molina's forthcoming album, Name & Town, due out next week

​Molina is an MC, lecturer and artist who is rooted and steeped in hip-hop from a purist and cultural point of view. Having spent most of the year touring and building his brand from his many multi-faceted projects, including a poetry/hip-hop fusion project with female voice and artistic pheno ... More >>

Freeway and Jake One at the Bluebird

Rachel Romero​ Freeway & Jake One • Mane Rok 07.22.10 | Bluebird Theater The evening began with a soulful performance by longtime LIFE Crew ambassadors, Mane Rok and DJ Tense, who performed tracks off of Mane's first solo effort, The Ugly Truth, as well as a few throwback tracks from his e ... More >>

Mane Rok's The Ugly Truth: Backbeat presents an exclusive advance listen (CD release party tonight!)

​ This Friday night at Cervantes' Other Side with his ManeLine co-hort Deejay Tense, Mane Rok is set to drop The Ugly Truth, his eagerly anticipated solo debut. Recorded, engineered and mixed by 3 the Hardway's Es Nine over the course of the past six months at his House of Waxx Studios, the a ... More >>

Last night: Put Yo Money Where Ya Mouth Is preliminary

The art of freestyle can be ugly and difficult for even the most seasoned rappers. A necessary evil for street cred, if not lyrical exercise, it's the easiest way to separate the the Pros from the Joes. The battle that took place last night at the Walnut Room emphasized the ugly, the difficult and ... More >>

Mane Rok and DJ A-What prepping mixtape

Even though ManeLine is continually doing shows around town and the Pirate Signal is hard at work on its new album, rapper Mane Rok and DJ A-What have found time to connect and put together a mixtape project called Mane Rok and DJ AWHAT! Present Rok Stars Mixtape. The project will feature appearance ... More >>

ManeLine performing on The Deuce tonight. Again.

Last month, ManeLine was the first hip-hop act to hit Channel 2 The Deuce's Guitar Center Stage and now we're getting an encore tonight. The group's first appearance was early the morning while people were getting up and getting ready for work, but Mane Rok, Inkline and DJ tense have been asked back ... More >>

Westword Music Showcase reviewed: Vinyl

Brian Landis FolkinsFresh Breath Committee kicked things off at Vinyl. See more photos from Vinyl at westword.com/slideshow. Fresh Breath Committee, 12:00 p.m. The day started off nice and sunny and Club Vinyl's rooftop, but I was a bit late in catching the set from the Fresh Breath Committee. The ... More >>

'Catch the Buzz 3' Mixtape features Spoke-In-Wordz, Playalitical, DJ Chonz

Just in time for the Westword Music Showcase, Spoke-In-Wordz and his folks put the finishing touches on his newest mixtape Catch the Buzz 3. The mix is a collection of freestyles, collaborations and unreleased material from the last few years. Mixed entirely by DJ Chonz, Spoke-In-Wordz and Playaliti ... More >>

ManeLine breaks in the Deuce's live stage as first local hip-hop act

During the morning and night newscasts on Channel 2, the station has been showcasing local acts on their Guitar Center-sponsored stage. All of the acts thus far have been rock-oriented with nary a hip-hop artist -- until last week. On Friday morning, the Deuce reached out to ManeLine and asked the c ... More >>

A useless apology to the Pirate Signal

Chad Fahnestock A brief story: Our Best of Denver issue came out this week, and among the winners was the Pirate Signal, for their hip-hop mixtape Of Gods and Gangsters, Vol. 1. So as the lowly web editor, I included their photo in a slideshow I put together of the arts and entertainment winners. H ... More >>

Over the Weekend: The Pirate Signal at the Marquis Theater

Photo by Chad FahnestockDJ Beretta, D. Allie, Dante, Air Dubai, Mane Rok and the Pirate SignalMarch 13, 2009Marquis TheaterBetter Than: Puking up green beer outside Scruffy Murphy'sEntering the Marquis Theater on Larimer Street on Saturday night was like stepping into a warm, dry bungalow after bein ... More >>

Over the weekend: 3 the Hardway at the Marquis Theater

3 the HardwayFebruary 28, 2009The Marquis TheatreBetter than: The Talib Kweli show the night before at Club Vinyl where you could have had your jaw tapped.Diamond BoizIn celebration of the release of their debut album, Set in Stone, rapper A.V.I.U.S., producer Es-Nine, and DJ Cysko Rokwel, collectiv ... More >>

3 the Hardway earns Denver hip-hop a second look

Sometimes finding fans requires crossing over

Last night, I threw back some drinks and bounced some ideas around with Mane Rok. In addition to being the MC for Denver's ManeLine, Mane Rok is also one of the masterminds (and de facto reluctant leader) of L.I.F.E. Crew, a community of like-minded Denver hip-hop heads that includes Ichiban, t ... More >>

Rap-Up: 3 the Hardway drops new single featuring Defari

When buddies A.V.I.U.S., Es-Nine and DJ Cysko Rokwel formed 3 the Hardway last year, fans knew that this hip-hop collective would be putting out some hot music. And for good reason: With A.V.I.U.S. on the mike, Es-Nine on the beats and Cysko on the wheels of steel, how could the music be anything bu ... More >>

Rap-Up: The Pirate Signal offering up mixtape for download

The Pirate Signal are finishing up their nationwide tour with 3OH!3, along with own shows, and will be heading home in a week or two. In the meantime, the group has made their new mixtape, "Of Gods and Gangsters" available for download on Datpiff.com.All you have to do is register and download the m ... More >>

Friday Rap-Up: ManeLine, Hip-Hop Stars React to Obama win, Shakir Stewart Suicide, Mos Def

ManeLine

...& Sew Its Seams
Self-released

Rearview: The Week in Review (7/12/08-7/18/08)

Friday Rap-Up: The BoomBox, Lil Wayne, Young Buck, 50 Cent and Queen Latifah

Moovers and Shakers 2007

Backbeat scribes sound off on their favorite local releases of the year.

Moovers and Shakers 2007

Backbeat scribes sound off on their favorite local releases of the year.

Last Night ... The Pirate Signal, Digitata, Sims, and Mel Gibson and The Pants

Maneline

This crew delivers a straight shot of hip-hop.

Life Crew

The Life Crew Compilation: Volume 1 (Self-released)