MRG Live Presents: Chris Webby

Christian Webster (born October 13, 1988), better known by his stage name Chris Webby, is an American rapper from Norwalk, Connecticut. Chris Webby has released many mixtapes such as the DJ Drama-hosted Bars On Me (2012) and his EP There Goes the Neighborhood (2011), which peaked at number 101 on the Billboard 200. He has worked with various artists such as Freeway, Mac Miller, Joell Ortiz, Big K.R.I.T., Method Man, Prodigy, Gatzby, Bun B, Tech N9ne, and Kid Ink. In 2013 he and his label Homegrown Music signed a deal with E1 Music. He then released Homegrown, another EP, in November 2012. Webster released his debut studio album Chemically Imbalanced on October 27, 2014. Most recently, Webby has released the compilation album, Next Wednesday, that features some of the many tracks he released throughout 2018 as part of his Webby Wednesday series.

Jarren Giovanni Benton is an American rapper from Decatur, Georgia. In early 2012, he signed to rapper Hopsin's independent record label Funk Volume and released a mixtape called Freebasing with Kevin Bacon in June 2012. A year later, on June 11, 2013 he released his debut studio album My Grandma's Basement, which received positive critical reviews and debuted at number 152 on the Billboard 200. After the Funk Volume split up, Benton created his own record label under the name Benton Enterprises. From his early youth, Benton aspired to be a rapper.

Ekoh is not like anything you have heard before. Branded with the label of HEART HOP by loyal fans who saw something different in his style of hip hop. True emotional lyrics along with hard-hitting delivery, intricate production, and a high energy live show, Ekoh has something that hip hop music hasn't seen in a long time, TRUE PASSION FOR THE ART OF HIP HOP MUSIC. A song writer who can blur the lines between genres to create a truly amazing music experience. Blending hip hop with alt rock and everything in-between, Ekoh has a sound that will appeal to almost any music listener. "My music is about embracing REAL LIFE, the struggle, the good times, the frustration, the anger, the heartache. It's all real because its all true. I have felt and experienced it all." His unique sound and voice has gained a loyal following, and has taken the scene by storm. At only 23 years old, this groundbreaking MC is destined to make his mark in hip hop music. Ekoh has performed with acts such as WU TANG CLAN, KOTTONMOUTH KINGS, EVERLAST, TECH N9NE, DILATED PEOPLES, AHER ROTH, GRIEVES, JEDI MIND TRICKS, ILL BILL, IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE, WATSKY, ANDRE NICKATINA, LOUIS LOGIC, SLAUGHTERHOUSE, SAGE FRANCIS, POTLUCK, GLASSES MALONE, MISTAH FAB, BIG B, SUNSPOT JONZ, MC CHRIS, ABSTRACT RUDE, and many others. He has performed at venues such as House of Blues, Hard Rock Cafe, Knitting Factory, Electric Theatre, Cal-Neva Resort, Beauty Bar, LVCS and more. He has also performed on festivals such as the VANS WARPED TOUR and the EXTREME THING SPORTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL. One listen and it is impossible to deny his lyrical skills. After paying attention to the lyrics, it's impossible to deny his ability to put feelings and emotions into words and relate with his audience. We have only seen the beginning of what will be the next big thing in the music industry, his name is EKOH.

Dashorn Whitehead, better known as ANoyd, is a 22 year old rapper/artist from Bloomfield, CT. As the son of Chuck Fenda, a well-known reggae artist, ANoyd inherited the ability to effectively express himself through music. ANoyd didn't begin to take music seriously until he met his producer, RichBreed, about a year or two after he graduated high school. RichBreed's production inspired a pure, original sound for ANoyd that took his music to the next level. Their song creation skills led to ANoyd's first official release the "ANoydwithLife project" followed by his second project, "Summer In Sinsinati". ANoyds music is built around four main things: storytelling, clever/creative verses, his life, and life in general. While continuing to gain new fans from his past work, ANoyd is currently working on two new projects that he plans to release in the first half of the new year. With new music, new fans, and new opportunities to look forward to, we know that 2015 is going to be a big year for ANoyd.

Kapok is een van de meest opvallende jonge bands in de huidige Nederlandse muziekscene. De band staat bekend om hun ritmische vuurwerk en aanstekelijke interactie, en om de knetterende, onvoorspelbare energie van hun live shows. Kapok jat naar hartelust uit allerlei muziek, waaronder funkrock, klassieke muziek, vrije improvisatie en Afrikaanse muziek – een verzameling invloeden die onwaarschijnlijk klinkt, maar in de muziek heel natuurlijk samengaat.

Het eerste wat opvalt aan Kapok is de instrumentatie. Er is geen bas, Remco Menting klinkt op een zelf ontworpen drumkit als geen enkele andere drummer, en Timon Koomen roept op zijn gitaar rijke klankwerelden tot leven. De hoorn staat bekend als instrument uit de klassieke muziek, maar in handen van Morris Kliphuis ben je dat snel vergeten. Als een van de weinige jazzhoornisten ter wereld zingt, scheurt en funkt hij op zijn instrument alsof het gemaakt is voor de jazz. Op het podium gaat Kapok elke keer weer met de muziek aan de haal, wat ervoor zorgt dat geen twee concerten hetzelfde zijn.

Sinds hun eerste ontmoeting in de opnamestudio in 2011, waaruit het debuutalbum Flatlands ontstond, heeft Kapok opgetreden op alle belangrijke festivals in Nederland, waaronder twee keer het North Sea Jazz Festival. De band is ook internationaal actief, en won in 2012 de Dutch Jazz Competition, in 2013 de European Jazz Competition, en ontving in 2014 een Edison voor haar tweede album Kapok. Het derde album Glass to Sand werd uitgebracht in september 2015 en het vierde album wordt verwacht in februari 2018.