The Asbury Park music scene is awesome. But just because something is awesome, that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. It’s no secret that hip-hop music has been grossly underrepresented in this famed music community. However, there are artists, record labels, promoters, club owners, DJs, and journalists out there trying to fix this glaring problem.
And the hip-hop in Asbury Park is absolutely off the charts good. Last year, we were all blown away at the Asbury Park Music Awards when Black Suburbia Music Group came onto the stage and absolutely tore the Stone Pony down. This collective came out with a purpose — to show the musical community what they’d been missing. Since that fateful night progress, albeit slow, has taken place in the scene. Garden State Hip-Hop has produced shows at House of Independents, Wonder Bar has played host to the Asbury Park Hip-Hop Festival, MCs have found nights at The Saint and APYC.
For Black Suburbia Music Group, they’ve adopted their own night — Fridays at the Asbury Park Music Foundation — to showcase not only their own work, but local artists who haven’t had the opportunity to get stage time. BSMG along with Rodney Coursey of Garden State Hip-Hop, Chris Rockwell, and others are blazing much needed, and long overdue trails to give hip-hop its proper due in this thriving music scene.
We recently caught up with Black Suburbia Music Group to talk about the Rap-N-Rock Tour, that fateful night at The Stone Pony, and the current state of hip-hop in Asbury.
Black Suburbia Music Group Is (Members of the Group and their Roles): Rachel Barkley aka DJ Rachel (also the stage manager), Drew Barkley aka Drew the Recluse (artist), Miles Winfrey aka Miles Nxbxdy (artist), Morgan Barkley aka Momo Da Gawd? (Artist), Jazz Graham aka Jaz. (artist), and James “Pops” Barkley (business manager).
Year We Formed In: 2013
We’re Based Out Of: Formerly based out of Jackson, New Jersey, and now out of Freehold, New Jersey.
The Story Behind Our Name: Originally firmed with Drew the Recluse and producer Jon Soul (Bayville NJ). That was the name of the duo. Drew and Jon went in different directions musically and Drew created Black Suburbia Music Group as the entity that curated show in the Asbury Park area. The rest of the team signed on to help Drew grow the brand.
You’ve Seen Us Perform in Other Bands/Groups Before Such As: Miles Nxbxdy is a member of Trulogy and Beautiful Scumbags And Momo Da Gawd is a part of MOJA Experience.
A lot of people believe that Black Suburbia Music Group is just a music group, but it’s so much more. Can you explain the totality of Black Suburbia Music Group?
We are artists, show curators, producers, DJ and “family” some literally and some figuratively.
Can you also talk about why you came together to form the Group?
We realized that Hip-hop music was underrepresented in the Asbury Park Music scene. We had an established relationship with Scott Stamper of The Saint so we started to curate show at that venue.
When I first or even heard of Black Suburbia Music Group was the 2018 Asbury Park Music Awards. Quite frankly you blew me away. Can you talk about that moment on stage?
I said to the group that since we were given the opportunity to perform at the awards shop where Hip-Hop was not properly represented we needed to bring the best hip-hop in the area to that crowd. Despite the pressure to boycott I felt it was important to let the music scene see what we do best. We killed that shit as we always do.
The lack of an Asbury Park Music Award for hip-hop was a major issue at that show. Do you feel since that day in 2018, that things have changed for hip-hop in Asbury since?
It has changed a little for Black Suburbia but not as much for our other brothers and sisters in Hip-Hop. So we are trying to do our part and partnered with the Asbury Park Music Foundation to do Suburbia Friday Nights. It is our effort to bring different genres of music into the hip-hop sphere.
And what do you think needs to change about hip-hop’s place in Asbury Park going forward?
We need opportunities to attract bigger acts to the various stages in Asbury.
You’re a part of the Rap-N-Rock Tour. Can you talk about the importance of this tour, and how it’s gone so far?
I believe we started the movement to have mixed genres shows that featured hip-hop artist. I am glad that trend is growing. We are having a good experience with these shows and it is giving us an opportunity to make some connections out side of AP.
What is a definitive goal you have for Black Suburbia Music Group in 2019?
We have several new projects going and we want to get our DJ spinning in more and more places. Over all we are looking at ways to expand our reach.
What are you most excited for in 2019?
Getting our plan of action into place and taking things to the next level.
Black Suburbia Music Group performs as a part of the Rap-n-Rock Tour as a part of Happy Mondays.
