2 minute read
Music: Dew Dirt
DEW DIRT
Veteran of the Evansville hip-hop scene drops two new fantastic singles, keeps hyping the "812"
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Let it be said that local hip-hop artist Dewey Jones - aka Dew Dirt - has come a long way from the days of recording improvised raps with his cousin LowKeezy by way of a karaoke machine and a cassette. "We were making a real mixtape back then," the veteran of the Evansville scene laughs. He can joke about it now, having emerged from the dark ages of technology years ago to produce a run of singles and albums that have only grown more assured and professional with each subsequent release. The Bosse High School grad even scored a regional hit with 2016's "And They Say (Evansville City)," a five minute-plus shoutout to the community that he dearly loves. Yes, sir, Jones is always eager to plug the "812" - which just happens to be the title of an early Dew Dirt track. "I've always wanted to rap about Evansville the way that rappers name-checked the South Bronx," he says. And though Jones is admirably all about representing our fair city, he may be headed for bigger things with the release of his two most recent singles - both produced, mixed and mastered by Moe Z MD, an industry great who's worked with such iconic artists and bands as the late Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, New Edition and Morris Day. Which is to say that the quality of the tracks more than meets today's hip-hop standards. But most importantly, Jones' writing lives up to the production, showcasing incredible range as he swings from the irresistible R&B flavor of "Love Come Down Pt. 2" (feat. Moe Z MD, William Brown IV, LowKeezy & Warchi7d) to the menacing paranoia of "Watch the Company You Keep." Throughout, you can hear a slew of 80's and 90's influences, including Dew Dirt favorites like the aforementioned Tupac and Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B.I.G. and Big Daddy Kane.
While opportunities for performing live hip-hop in Evansville remain few and far between, Jones has been receiving plenty of spins on local radio station 99.9 WJCB; he's also been busy sending his music off to all corners of the globe, seemingly, rightfully stoked for anyone and everyone to enter Dew Dirt's world. But it's just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to the new singles - and 2020's unstoppably optimistic groove, "Don't Give Up," also produced by Moe Z MD - Jones has a record label about to jump off as well as a track to be included
on Sean Cole's (aka NUTT-SO from Tupac's Outlawz) new compilation Makaveli Rydaz Pt. 2: Roadkill. He also hopes to release "Put the Guns Down," a call for peace in the community directed at today's youth. "I want to bring awareness to what's going on - maybe the youth won't listen but hopefully somebody will care."
