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Music

Aaron Lacrate's 'Lil Crizzle' Tape Brings Baltimore and the DMV Together

His new tape showcases rap from Baltimore, DC, and Virginia's rising stars.

With the DMV region gaining more traction over the past few years as an area to start paying close attention to, cities surrounding it have teetered between attaching themselves to the wave and establishing their own identity. It makes sense. To outsiders, Baltimore and DC are grouped together due to their mere 38 mile distance from one another. But from the inside, the two cities couldn't identify themselves much more differently. That distance in culture is even further when you consider DC's relation to the Seven Cities region of Virginia that sometimes get lumped in with The DMV.

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Still, unity among the cities could result in many more wins than losses. That would explain why Baltimore native and seasoned DJ and designer Aaron Lacrate has come up with the concept of his new Lil Crizzle mixtape, which we are premiering today. Lacrate is credited by many as someone who helped introduce Baltimore club music to a global audience; in 2009 he produced Dizzee Rascal's "Road Rage," the first platinum selling Baltimore club single. Informing the world of the city's culture has always been his biggest source of fuel. But with Lil Crizzle, he's invited artists from The DMV, Baltimore, and the Seven Cities to provide an up-to-date primer on Mid-Atlantic rap music.

"It's been 10 years since B-more Gutter Music put Baltimore on the global scene, and I'm always looking for the next local talent," he said in an email conversation. "I met this young 20-year-old super new, super talented female artist named Yahliyaah randomly one day downtown Baltimore through a mutual friend. I was blown away by her she reminded me of a mix of Left Eye, Lauryn Hill, and like a few iconic females but reincarnated. Her voice her flow really stuck with me. So we began producing a few records and it evolved into the Lil Crizzle project which features literally the who's who of the DMV and Baltimore." The tape features DC rising rapper WillthaRapper, Baltimore's Bandhunta Izzy, Virginia's Young Crazy, and more. Listen to it below.

Lil Crizzle Tracklist:

  • Izzy x Young Crazy- Other Side
  • WillThaRapper ft Aaron LaCrate- Bands Up
  • Yaliyaah ft Aaron LaCrate - Up Next
  • Tate Kobang ft Aaron LaCrate - Aint A Damn Thing Change (rmx)
  • Voice Mail interlude
  • Bucky Malone - Wish List
  • Bun B - Murrylanders Interlude
  • Lor Jugg ft Izzy - Rumors
  • WillThaRapper- 21
  • BandHuntas (Lor Jugg & Izzy)- Back at it
  • Raekwon - B-more Gun Runner Interlude
  • President Davo - Pardon Me
  • Rico Nasty - Hey Arnold
  • Bali Baby- Burg Bag
  • Izzy ft. Blue Benjamin Sleepy- BBB
  • Jay Idk - I Picture
  • Young Crazy ft. Doeski - Molly Talk
  • 3ohBlack- Whoa
  • Dyson Alexander- TMP
  • Va Beach Voice Mail
  • Stanley Austinn- Vibe
  • Taco Outro

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