Isamu Jordan

Jenelle Uppman is not as hip-hop as her new album might suggest. The local R&B singer-songwriter sparked a buzz in the underground hip-hop scene when she linked up with Spokane producer Isaiah Moss, aka Mozez Beats.

After settling into motherhood and refocusing her music, Kari Marguerite is taking a less-is-more approach into the new year. “Since I had my daughter, Lucy, it’s not that music is on the back burner, but when and if I can perform it has to be fun for me otherwise I don’t want to play for four hours,” she said. “That is taking time away from my family if I am not expressing my creativity and doing my own music.” Deciding between babysitting money and gig money has caused a shift in priorities for the bandleader of local jazz-pop powerhouse Kari Marguerite and the 76. And she’s resolved to the idea that sometimes the smaller show carries more weight.

Bad Penmanship isn’t just about the words. From the very beginning, the local hip-hop collective has represented both the beats and rhymes side of hip-hop.

The Mayans couldn’t have imagined the end of the world would be such a rockin’ affair. Y2K ain’t got nothin’ on the hype behind the planet’s latest predicted deadline.

Snoop Dogg, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Snoop Lion, the Doggfather, or just plain Snoop. Regardless of the alias he adopts, or how ridiculous they may seem, Snoop remains arguably one of the coolest cats, err, dogs, err, lions ... whatever. It doesn’t matter if he is fighting a real-life murder trial or haunting hoods in cheesy horror flicks, Snoop is the guy you call when it’s time to resurrect 2Pac as a hologram.

True story: Katelyn Shook was leaving a hockey game in Seattle when she spotted a man with a giant golden egg under his arm. She asked him about it. He replied that a woman gave it to him, made him sign it and swear to pass it on for the next recipient to do the same.

Typically this time of year cues songs about a certain jolly fat man, jingling bells, and yuletide cheer. But for The Grouch, the winter season means it’s time to saddle up with his bag of goodies for his annual Christmas tour, spreading his message of peace, good will, and thumpin’ beats.