(RAS) Riders Against the Storm

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THURSDAY, MARCH 15

5 PM – East x NorthEast – https://www.facebook.com/rashiphop#!/events/268035196600682/

8:30 – Re-Mix America Dance Party – https://www.facebook.com/rashiphop#!/events/353124428060851/

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

3:00-5:00 PM – Happy People – Film Premiere – 1161 Angelina St. – George Carver Museum

11:45-12:15 – Planet Hip Hop SXSW Showcase – 409 Colorado St. – Ten Oak

SXSW is back again, and RAS will be showcasing again this year with a FULL BAND!  Check the link to find out more: http://schedule.sxsw.com/2012/events/event_MS18588

For those that might not know, RAS is venturing on its first official tour this July.  Our journey will take us to the Northeast for two weeks (God-willing)!

We are in the process of finalizing venues/dates right now.   Check back in soon for official tour dates.  In the meantime, all of our Austin/Dallas/Houston people should come to this JAM!  It is set to be one of the best events you may ever experience!  PEACE!

FRIDAY, MARCH 18

THE MARQ – 422 Congress Avenue

9:30 pm

Also performing:

Homeboy Sandman

Blacklisted Individuals

Crew 54

Labtekwon

Sage Francis

Kosha Dillz

Zeale

and more…

WORDISBOND.COM – August 12, 2010

Found out about Riders Against The Storm (RAS) yesterday, through twitter as they showed us a lot of love. Decided to check their website. And was overwhelmed by the talent and positive vibes that this talented duo transmit in their music and videos

Today after listening closely to the EP “Speak The Truth” I am officially a fan…with banging beats and super sharp lyrics how can you not…

It looks like they’re fighting. Or at least engaged in a confrontation marked by heightened passion.

Not with each other, mind you. These two couldn’t be more together.

Jonathan Mahone is on the right, microphone in his left hand while he crouches and jabs the air with his right, inches away from his wife, Ghislaine Jean-Mahone, who’s similarly crouched and antagonized while her husband asks atop a skittering drum beat, “Is it Katrina or Bush that brought waste to New Orleans? Is it we that gotta starve so the rich can overeat?”

The song is “Is It?” The scene is the rapidly filling outdoor stage area at Mohawk last Friday , where an hour later Chicago rapper Kid Sister knocked out the crowd that Austin rap newcomers Riders Against the Storm softened up with a mix of empowered and enlightened rhymes that’s getting the pair noticed all over town.

How noticed? Over Memorial Day weekend they opened for backpacker icon (and Hieroglyphics alum) Aceyalone at Chupacabra. On Wednesday they’ll headline the Stubb’s afterparty for Nas and Damian Marley. And later this month, they’ll take the stage at Emo’s ahead of Wu-Tang Clan veteran Raekwon.

All this in not quite seven months since relocating to Austin, after exhausting all creative opportunities in never-been-an-anything-hotbed Providence, R.I.

“People see us and say that we’re inspiring and refreshing, and they tell us that we’re really needed here,” says Mahone, rap name of Jbro. “They see our drive and how much we believe in what we’re putting out there and they just want to help, and we love that.”

The pair’s beginnings are rooted in community organizing and educational nonprofit work in Providence, where Pittsburgh native Mahone stayed after graduating from Brown University and Jean-Mahone (rap name Tiger Lily) settled after growing up in Brooklyn. Activism and assorted social justice projects provided the foundation for their marriage as well as their music, which blends the playfulness of Pharcyde or Digable Planets with the social awareness of Dead Prez and the Fugees.

That’s the mix all over the pair’s sophomore album “Speak the Truth,” stressing healing and upliftment without chastising and finger-pointing.

“We want to emphasize ourselves as hip-hop healers, because we look at the ceremony of being an MC as being someone who facilitates an energy with the other performers and with the crowd,” Jean-Mahone says. “You get up there and do it right and everyone is moving together as one organism regardless of culture, race, gender or whatever they’re bringing in with them.”

Though still relative newbies to Austin, the couple have quickly made themselves at home. Their first months saw them working with a slew of local nonprofits and arts organizations before the realization that making headway with their music meant scaling back at least a little bit.

“We moved here to make the most of our art, and so we had to honor that commitment to ourselves even though we still stay involved with different groups as much as we can,” Mahone says. “I want to be known as a great artist, not just a great hip-hop artist. I want to be able to play with the best artists that are coming through Austin, so if that’s Willie Nelson or whoever, I want to be able to be up on stage with them.”

Photo by Jamal Williams

“Conscious” Hip Hop has been typically defined as a positive alternative to mainstream Hip Hop. Of course, the use of the word conscious means many things according to the listener but the artists who lay claim to being conscious artists (or have had the title forced upon them) have been varied. The use of positive messages via the Hip Hop vehicle is not a new concept but it has seen its popularity wane over the years. The Providence, Rhode Island husband and wife duo of Jbro and Tiger Lily, collectively known as Riders Against The Storm, are doing their best to add on to the conscious Hip Hop legacy with their new LP Speak The Truth – an album the duo has been working on for four years.

The album begins with “Notebook” – a delightful introduction to the group and a pleasant mix of old-school beat boxing and straight-ahead rhyming. Jbro and Tiger Lily trade semi-autobiographical and confident rhymes with Tiger Lily’s astounding verse being the high point of the song. “Move,” featuring DJ Tek, is another Tiger Lily showcase, as her verse is the strongest portion of the song. The production is average at best and while the MCs do their best to enhance the beat, it is far too stiff for the nimble, capable flows of the rappers. “Reminiscence” is an early misstep as the plodding track doesn’t work in sync with the MCs earnest lyrics. The song does not fail from a lack of effort but more so the audible discomfort in the voices of the MCs. To be fair, the song’s message is necessary and timely. After a quick skit, “Is It” is a great improvement and the energetic track is a perfect platform for Tiger Lily and Jbro’s verses. Thus far, this is the album’s strongest track. The title track is another fantastic melding of funky production and fantastic rhyming. The hook is a triumphant chant that brings together the song’s positive aim.

The album runs into an epic snag with the clunkers “Danger Zone” and “Never Alone” featuring a forgettable performance from Mista L. “Danger Zone” suffers again from underwhelming production and the strong verses from the duo does nothing to bolster the song. “Never Alone” is a torturous listen and while the positive theme of the song is welcomed, this is a poorly executed track. Thankfully, “In The Light” corrects those earlier efforts. This fast-paced track compliments the rhymes of the MCs perfectly. Sticking to the theme of struggle and victory, the song succeeds on all levels from beats, verses and the excellent hook. The album’s closer “Energy” is an odd selection. The production is pop music fluff and the duo, clearly in the mood to dance, curiously inject rhymes that do not fit with the overall themes present on the LP. Riders Against The Storm have good moments present throughout their debut album but there exists many huge snags that will hopefully be addressed in their next release. There is a great deal of potential in the duo. In the future, one would hope they will employ better production to go along with their strong rhyming ability.

- D.L. Chandler