A year ago we were preparing to throw our 5th edition of TheTHESIS on a motherfu**in’ boat, and while this month’s plans are not quite as nautically ambitious, best believe WOHM and XRAY.FM have an amazing show in store for you at Kelly’s Olympian this Thursday.
We know it’s not Four-Twenty quite yet, but this is Portland, and the decision to bring native Portland artists Calvin Valentine (Green Team Official) and China-Marie out from their Los Angeles laboratories seemed like a rather LIT occasion. Throw in Portland’s Stevo The Weirdo, Matty from Salem, our house DJ, Verbz, and a few surprise guests… Trust me, this is not the installment you’ll want to miss.
Hailing from State Capitol (and the birthplace of WOHM!), veteran rapper Matty has built a model for grinding out of a small market. In case you haven’t heard him pushing it on your local radio station this past week, you should know that Matty’s 8th studio album, Immortal, drops tomorrow (April 5th) and he’ll be debuting new music for us at TheTHESIS before his official album release party at Kraftworks Taphouse in Salem on the 16th.
Nearly 10 years in, and the DIY kid is still getting better. Immortal is shaping up to be his best project yet, and if you’ve EVER seen Matty live, you know he works. Expect theatrics, energy, polish and clever bars as Salem’s most prolific emcee storms Portland this Thursday. Check out this clip of him barring out on WTTN w/ Portland’s own DJ Klyph.
Stevo The Weirdo made his mark on the city in 2015 dropping a bevy of stoner music, including the STW EP and his full-length album iNFLUENCED (both of which still get play in the whip). Known for mostly lighthearted tunes, hanging with baddies, occasionally dropping buckets, and exuding the fresh smell of smoke, Stevo boasts a dope tonal quality that lends to his vibe-heavy music.
Following a coastal tour with Roach Gigz and Ezale and a solid showing at SXSW, Stevo looks to show out for an intimate audience this Thursday and show off his improved crowd control. Far from a lazy smoker, the NEP pretty boy has been showing off with the bars as of late, and he seems to be having a ton of fun in the process.
Since hearing China-Marie’s lead single, I’ve been trying to get her out here for TheTHESIS. The stars aligned and we made it happen, and since announcing it, I couldn’t even tell you how many of her fans, friends and cousins in town have thanked me for putting her on the show. I get giddy every time it happens.
The angel-voiced starlet is carving a path to success for herself down in LA, but she truly is a hometown talent with a fanbase right here in Portland. I’m excited to see who comes out to see her. Word has it the lovely songstress has a new single on the way, so I’m also excited to know if we’ll get to hear it this week. Only our third R&B guest in 18 shows (shout out to Blossom and Jai Kelli), China-Marie brings a different vibe to our hype little event and you won’t want to miss it.
Last but far from least, Portland’s own Calvin Valentine will be coming out to vibe with his EYRST family and TheTHESIS crowd. Valentine’s history with rap is deep and storied. Before NaS and De La Soul were rapping on his beats, he was the standout producer/DJ for legendary Portland group TxE and maker of dope beats for pretty much every reputable Portland rapper. Somewhere in there he also produced a rather fresh album for Planet Asia, toured Europe, and dropped some solo rap stuff. Before that, he was part of underground creative collective Fang Tshida. Not bad for a guy just approaching 30 years of age.
The move to LA really seems to be working out for the hip-hop creative, putting in work with Team Backpack and using his well earned connections to create opportunities for himself and others from the region. It’s always great to see G (as we call him) in town, and it’s LITerally an honor to have him out to rock with his old buddy Verbz. Word has it they have a few tricks up their sleeves…
Just as much as our performers though, we really appreciate the fans and friends that make TheTHESIS the premiere hip-hop concert series in Portland month-after-month. Definitely one of our most complete concerts to date, we’re expecting a packed house so don’t dally! Doors at 9pm every First Thursday, and we tend to hit capacity around 10. $5 at the door, and if you want to secure your spot, CLICK HERE. Can’t wait to see all of your smiling faces! #OutHere