Stalley

Ohio’s been asserting itself as a prominent player in rap. Alongside artists like P. Blackk, Blueprint and Chip the Ripper gaining notoriety in the national rap community, Stalley firmly places himself in the mix. Collaborations with legends like Rick Ross, Kendrick Lamar, and Pharrell boosted his career; all the while he hasn’t forgotten his Midwest roots. Tonight’s show at the Grog is one of many stops on his No Place Like Home Tour, a tour solely comprised of Ohio appearances. His latest record, Honest Cowboy, features swanky and soulful beats beneath his sharp-tongued lyrics. Channeling Super Fly-era urban funk, “NineteenEighty7” kicks it with syncopated riffs featuring additional rhymes by Schoolboy Q. Ohio love aside, Stalley’s providing a unique voice in hip-hop, mixing the poetic hip-hop nature with a harder edge. (Stoops)