True Laurels

Apr 2, 2024 | truelaurels.com | Lawrence Burney

There’s something so intoxicating about Chelly The MC’s “Northeast Baby,” that any fan of contemporary rap would be hard pressed to not—at the bare minimum—look into what else the Washington, DC native has in her catalog after hearing it. That’s at least the reaction the song got out of me when I came across it doing my usual digging for music out of the Baltimore/DMV region some time back in 2018.

Apr 2, 2024 | truelaurels.com | Lawrence Burney

A celebration for the release of the fifth issue of Baltimore + DMV-focused music and culture magazine, True Laurels. The event will provide the public with the first look at the new issue. Magazines and True Laurels' "—just to live—" hoodies will be available for purchase. A few surprises in store as well. Where: SOMEWHERE®1239 First Street SoutheastWashington, DC 20003When: Sun, February 23, 20202:00 PM – 5:00 PMRSVP HERE.

Apr 2, 2024 | truelaurels.com | Lawrence Burney

Photos by Diamond DixonOne thing 2021 taught me is that moving by yourself in certain situations is key. For an artist a strong team is what can make or break you. As an independent artist once you get to a certain level where you're getting recognized by established artists and A&R’s you have to remember that you got their attention by being yourself. You created something that sparked their  interest and you need to keep going.

Apr 2, 2024 | truelaurels.com | Lawrence Burney

Sometimes I feel helpless. Like I’m in a fuckin time loop. On some prisoner shit. There’s certain aspects of me that aren’t there to benefit me and it gets hard to deal with. Sometimes I just don’t know what to do about it.  I hate that shit. I really love everyone. Genuinely. But sometimes I can’t find that same love for myself. Sometimes I wish my dad never got sick so he could’ve had the chance to give me some tough love. I wish he beat my ass a few times so I wouldn’t have ended up like this.

Apr 2, 2024 | truelaurels.com | Lawrence Burney

Deetranada isn’t concerned with proving herself to anyone. Just a few months shy of her 21st birthday, the West Baltimore phenom has reached a level of maturity that’s manifested deeply in her music. The enthusiastic, bold rhymes she so effortlessly spit as a 14-year-old have slowly evolved into the razor-sharp lyrical adroitness some of her peers can’t hold a candle to today. She’s not the same little girl people still compare her to from Lifetime’s The Rap Game.