South Seattle-based musician/educator/entrepreneur Jerrell Davis makes laid-back hip hop under the name Rell Be Free. For his KEXP session, Davis brought in a number of musicians from Mead Streat studios, the South Seattle recording studio he runs alongside a bevy of important local artists. In this episode, we hear a bit about the studio's influence on the community and Davis’ intentions for his art before he and his cohorts jump into four songs from his latest album Sow What? (Phase 3).

Recorded 04/08/2022.
Fax
Find Tha Light (w/ Talaya)
paythefEEE
$freemunny

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube

South Seattle-based musician/educator/entrepreneur Jerrell Davis makes laid-back hip hop under the name Rell Be Free. For his KEXP session, Davis brought in a number of musicians from Mead Streat studios, the South Seattle recording studio he runs alongside a bevy of important local artists. In this episode, we hear a bit about the studio's influence on the community and Davis’ intentions for his art before he and his cohorts jump into four songs from his latest album Sow What? (Phase 3).
Recorded 04/08/2022.
<ol>
<li>Fax</li>
<li>Find Tha Light (w/ Talaya)</li>
<li>paythefEEE</li>
<li>$freemunny</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r61hDgt25E0">Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube</a>

Live on KEXP brings you the very best of KEXP’s world-renowned live in-studio and remote performances. Each week, we’ll bring you a new live session, from emerging artists to well-established acts, spanning styles, genres and cultures. Full video of all Live on KEXP performances available at youtube.com/kexp.

Live on KEXP brings you the very best of KEXP’s world-renowned live in-studio and remote performances. Each week, we’ll bring you a new live session, from emerging artists to well-established acts, spanning styles, genres and cultures. Full video of all Live on KEXP performances available at youtube.com/kexp.

Live on KEXP

Rell Be Free

On the show this time, it's a very special throwback episode, featuring a live performance from the Detroit legend - Rodriguez.

Detroit, Motor City. It churned out all those classic cars, but it is also one of the great American music cities.  Motown obviously, which is enough all on its own. Punk from Suzi Quattro, The Suicide Machines, The Romantics, and the MC5. Pop and R&B and Hip Hop from Was Not Was, J Dilla, and Anita Baker. Sufjan Stevens, Bob Seger, or Eminem. And - from the quiet streets of Woodbridge came the psych-rocking songwriter Sixto Rodriguez. He released 2 studio albums with little success in the US, but he did well in Australia and New Zealand, and South Africa. In fact, he was a huge hit in South Africa. He didn’t know it at the time. He lived a simple life, working hard for very little money. It wasn’t until his daughter discovered a website about him in the late 90s that he realized how many fans he had in other parts of the world. His records were re-issued by Light in the Attic in 2009 and he toured - including to Seattle. He played many packed concerts to adoring fans - finally getting a taste of the success he deserved. He died in 2023 at the age of 81.

Recorded 06/23/2009.
I Wonder
Forget It
Crucify Your Mind
Can’t Get Away
Inner City Blues
To Whom It May Concern
Sugar Man

Watch the full Live on KEXP performance on YouTube.

On the show this time, it's a very special throwback episode, featuring a live performance from the Detroit legend - Rodriguez.
Detroit, Motor City. It churned out all those classic cars, but it is also one of the great American music cities.  Motown obviously, which is enough all on its own. Punk from Suzi Quattro, The Suicide Machines, The Romantics, and the MC5. Pop and R&amp;B and Hip Hop from Was Not Was, J Dilla, and Anita Baker. Sufjan Stevens, Bob Seger, or Eminem. And - from the quiet streets of Woodbridge came the psych-rocking songwriter Sixto Rodriguez. He released 2 studio albums with little success in the US, but he did well in Australia and New Zealand, and South Africa. In fact, he was a huge hit in South Africa. He didn’t know it at the time. He lived a simple life, working hard for very little money. It wasn’t until his daughter discovered a website about him in the late 90s that he realized how many fans he had in other parts of the world. His records were re-issued by Light in the Attic in 2009 and he toured - including to Seattle. He played many packed concerts to adoring fans - finally getting a taste of the success he deserved. He died in 2023 at the age of 81.
Recorded 06/23/2009.
<ol>
<li>I Wonder</li>
<li>Forget It</li>
<li>Crucify Your Mind</li>
<li>Can’t Get Away</li>
<li>Inner City Blues</li>
<li>To Whom It May Concern</li>
<li>Sugar Man</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu5W-po-cLI">Watch the full Live on KEXP performance on YouTube.</a>

Rodriguez [Performance Only]

Rodriguez

New York

Better Days

Baby Says

On the show this time, it’s a stripped down performance from post-garage rockers The Kills.

The Kills met back in the late 90’s when singer Alison Mosshart was staying in London during a tour with a previous band, and met her upstairs neighbor Jamie Hince. She loved his guitar playing and insisted that they be in a band together. That didn’t happen right away, but they kept in touch, and began writing together, and sharing 4 track demos of stuff, from when they were apart. Once her band broke up, Alison moved to London, and the band that would become The Kills formed in 2001, recording as VV and Hotel until they picked the band name. They play hard hitting heavy music, with one foot in bluesy garage rock, the other in epic cinematic noir-pop. It’s glitzy and dirty and always so dang cool. Their latest album is 'God Games' and it is available on Domino.

Recorded 02/07/2024.
New York
Better Days
103
Baby Says
Fried My Little Brains

Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.

On the show this time, it’s a stripped down performance from post-garage rockers The Kills.
The Kills met back in the late 90’s when singer Alison Mosshart was staying in London during a tour with a previous band, and met her upstairs neighbor Jamie Hince. She loved his guitar playing and insisted that they be in a band together. That didn’t happen right away, but they kept in touch, and began writing together, and sharing 4 track demos of stuff, from when they were apart. Once her band broke up, Alison moved to London, and the band that would become The Kills formed in 2001, recording as VV and Hotel until they picked the band name. They play hard hitting heavy music, with one foot in bluesy garage rock, the other in epic cinematic noir-pop. It’s glitzy and dirty and always so dang cool. Their latest album is 'God Games' and it is available on Domino.
Recorded 02/07/2024.
<ol>
<li>New York</li>
<li>Better Days</li>
<li>103</li>
<li>Baby Says</li>
<li>Fried My Little Brains</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_NbKcuTU1E">Watch the full Live on KEXP session on YouTube.</a>

Rell Be Free

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