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Rapper RoQ’Y TyRaid Channels Pulp Fiction in Latest Single

One of the brilliant things about collaborative music groups is that there's always work to be done. Accounting for half of the super group Writer's Guild, Mr. Miranda and Random a.k.a Mega Ran hit the road earlier this month to tour with fellow local emcee Mouse Powell, allowing group member...
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Blaze Rock: Arizona Hip-Hop Veteran Shares Words of Wisdom

Editor's Note: We'd like to welcome local hip-hop artist and writer Jaron Ikner to Up on the Sun. You're probably familiar with his Black One project, and now he's bringing his voice to the music blog here at New Times. Salute! Longevity and consistency are two things that are considered...
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Elzhi and RoQ’y TyRaid, Chasers Bar & Night Club, 8/1/12

Elzhi, RoQ'y TyRaid, So Realistic Chasers Bar & Night Club Wednesday, August 1, 2012 See also: Elzhi Gets Elmatic See also: Writer's Guild: Don't Call Mr. Miranda, MC Pennywise, Mega Ran and RoQ'y TyRaiD a "Super Group" "Is hip-hop in the house?" was the rhetorical question of the evening when...
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Mr. Miranda Commemorates Rick James with Tribute Album

See also: Mr. Miranda Spits A Freestyle Over Nicolay's "Tight Eyes" Beat See also: Writer's Guild: Don't Call Mr. Miranda, MC Pennywise, Mega Ran and RoQ'y TyRaiD a "Supergroup" Channeling the late, great funk doctor Rick James takes a lot more than throwing on a wig, and screaming, "I'm Rick...
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Mega Ran Drops New Project in Time for Phoenix Comicon

The Avengers may still be kicking plenty of ass at the box office, but don't get it twisted -- superheroes are not easy to come by. As luck would have it, though, the closest thing to a hero Phoenix has will be making an appearance at this weekend's Comicon. He...
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Three Nerd Concerts to Celebrate Phoenix Comicon

Hey, nerds! Don't worry. We're not going to break your glasses this time. We just want to tell you something. You probably already know Phoenix Comicon is going down next week at Phoenix Convention Center. You probably have your costume already planned out, and you're in luck: So do some...
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Phife Dawg at Club Red, 6/22/12

Phife Dawg Club Red Friday, June 22 If there was one point that was made clear in last year's documentary Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, its that the members of the influential hip-hop group won't be staging a reunion anytime soon. Although Q-Tip is...
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Top Ten Arizona Political Ads of 2012 (So Far)

I don't think anyone will bemoan the end of the 2012 election cycle, except perhaps the TV execs and political consultants who're making a killing off the political ads bombarding us through the boob tube. Still, quite a few are memorable, and there is nothing more American than reducing your...
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Ten Must-See Parties During Phoenix Comicon 2012

Officially, the exhibition hall at Phoenix Comicon this weekend only stays open until around 7 o'clock on Friday and Saturday evening. But that doesn't mean that geeks have to call it a night. A slew of after-parties, nightlife events, and costume balls (both official and unofficial) are scheduled to take...
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Open Mike Eagle on Indie Rap’s Breakthrough Year

So there's punk-rap, nerd-rap, avant-rap, and . . . oh, only about a gazillion other hyphenated hip-hop sub-genres. Open Mike Eagle describes his style as "art rap." At least for now. "I'm unable to replace it," he laughs, speaking with me via phone from his home in Los Angeles. "And...
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Level Up: Seven Musicians With Geeky Backgrounds

Say what you will about our sustainability, the heat, or our wretched politicos, but Phoenix is a haven for nerds. We have The Minibosses, who play heavy covers from video games like Super Mario Bros. and Double Dragon; and Mega Ran, who raps over Final Fantasy and Mega Man soundtracks...
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Christmas Songs That Don’t Suck: Part IV

Folks, it's just a few days more until that jolly old elf slides down your chimneys, so we at Up On the Sun have been loading you up with a ton o' tunes to get you through the season. For instance: Are you in a grinchy mood? Check out our...
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Random and Mr. Miranda Team for “Planet Silk”

I don't want to get too hyperbolic here, but this year Jay-Z and Kanye teamed up for one of the year's biggest albums, and I can't help but make the comparison when I think about Phoenix emcees Mr. Miranda and Mega Ran hooking up for a combo album. Titled The...
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Phoenix Rapper MegaRan Creates 8-Bit Hip-Hop

Man quits day job. Spends hours a day playing video games. Speaks in rhyme. Travels country for weeks, never settling in one place. This could be a cautionary tale. This could be a diagram of a man's descent into unemployment, antisocial behavior and, ultimately, madness. This could be game over...