Music that has a meaning and a real story behind it is hard to come across in mainstream rap. There are a number of exceptions to this, but chances are those songs aren't being played on the "Pop/Hip Hop" radio stations. Which brings us to our Artist of the Week, Kellee Maize. Maize is more than a rapper, she tells a story with her music. Giving her audience something positive and upbeat to relate to. More recently she took on remixing Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams "Get Lucky". She titled her remix "Do Something" and it's overall message is to make a difference and "Do Something".
Kellee Maize started her first rap group at age nine with her best friend. The duo went by the name 'Thunder and Lightning' and made a few cassettes for their parents. Once in her teens Maize moved to Pittsburgh and began studying at the University of Pittsburgh. During this time she nearly lost her mom to cancer and turned to writing to get through that. In 2000 Maize started singing and rapping on stage to build her fan base. She started losing her confidence feeling like she wasn't making a real change and wasn't financially stable. So, Maize began working at the Pittsburgh City Paper after college. She started out helping local artists, planning events, and learning about promoting. She later became the Events and Promotions Director.
After the sudden death of her father, Maize once again used music as her outlet. Along with music she used her work and love of bringing women together to work together on pursuing their dreams. From this she created her company Nakturnal. Nakturnal is a marketing and events organization that helps independent artists and raise awareness for worthy causes.
With her company Nakturnal growing and expanding Maize had time to focus on her music and began recording and releasing new tunes. In 2007 she released her first album, 'Age of Feminine'. She went on to release her second album 'Aligned Archetype' in 2010. The following year Maize dropped her third album 'Integreation' on 11/11/11 and a year later she released her most recent album 'Owl Time' on 12/12/12.
Albums:
Age Of Feminine - Released August 2007
Aligned Archetype - Released January 29, 2010
Integration - Released 11/11/11
Owl Time - Released 12/12/12
This is just part of who Kellee Maize is. There is so much more that I didn't even get touch on that makes her the entertainer that she is. There is the political side of her and the spiritual side. She's a feminist and she's about change. Artists like Kellee Maize have long careers in my opinion because they bring people together and have a lasting impact on those around them. She puts her soul into the music she records and it's a part of her that she is sharing with her fans. I am ready to hear what she is going to release next. I have been listening to her music since around 2009 and I have continued to be impressed with each new project. I hope all my readers check out the links below and check out the music, you may find something that speaks to you. ~Christina Peace
Kellee Maize - Do Something (Daft Punk Ft. Pharrell Williams 'Get Lucky')Remix
Kellee Maize - Third Eye
Links:
Website:
http://kelleemaize.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/kelleemaizemusic
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/KelleeMaize
YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/kelleemaize
SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/kellee-1
Thanks for checking out the blog. I hope you all enjoyed this weeks pick. If you would like me to hear your music or the music of someone you think should be Artist Of The Week leave me links in the comments below or Email me at StreetNoiseMusicTeam@yahoo.com I'm also on Twitter @ImTeamOther (Personal) or @StreetNoiseTeam (Blog)
Peace, Love & Music ~Christina Peace
