“AT THE SIDESHOW” (EP) by 60 East and A-F-R-O

Cali natives, close friends, and artists 60 East and A-F-R-O (All Flows Reach Out) recently released their joint EP entitled “At The Sideshow”. The EP also includes their lead single and first visual for the project “Cali Ozone” which features another highly regarded Cali lyricist and veteran to the hip hop culture, Watts’s Ras Kass. Showcasing his beat making abilities, the entire EP is produced by A-F-R-O (with scratching by DJ Mando) and is thematically inspired by the animated cartoon and a favorite among American pop culture, Beavis and Butthead. This inspiration is also a nod to 60 East and A-F-R-O’s shared interests in film, television, and comedy, (hence the cover artwork and the visuals for “Cali Ozone”).  Per the PR blurb, A-F-R-O said this about the project – “The overall vibe is to sit back, roll one up, throw on a movie, and bump some hip-hop tunes. Which is pretty much all I do.” And there is no embellishment of the truth in terms of how laid back and chill you’ll feel while listening to “At The Sideshow”.
 

The lead track on the EP entitled “Journeymen” includes only 60 East’s verses and the track has an airy and symphonic sound that is slow, yet vibrant. On this track 60 East goes in about the journey (including the highs and lows) of his independent musical career which has sustained him over the years – “Leveled up/No more struggling/We stable now/Independent, turning labels at the table down.” I like this track because it has a very nice vibe that makes you want to keep it on replay before diving into the rest of the EP.  As I mentioned earlier, the second track, “Cali Ozone” featuring Ras Kass is a pleasingly mellow, boom bap track that includes 60 East, A-F-R-O and Ras Kass. On this track, the artists muse over California living and their experiences – “Three Tonys sang/How it never rains/But it’s humid now/And the temperature changed/Gotta a lot of lames/Moving -here chasing fame/And some of the natives act strange.” The lyricism from all three artists is thorough and DJ Mando displays his turntable abilities with some scratch breaks throughout the song. Next up is the track entitled “Funny How?” and DJ Mando gifts us with more scratching on the production of this slightly more animated track  that includes another solo by 60 EAST where he delivers verses about trust and fake friendships and relationships – “Money comin’ in/Family acting funny now/Look surprised/When I hit them with the “funny how?/Yo’ they green like my weed shit is dummy loud/Ride ya’ highs but not around when you comin’ down.” “Funny How?” will resonate with listeners as I agree with DJ Mando – “fake folks need to retire”.

The fourth track “Americxn Ninjas” encompasses a more serene sound with a slow, jazzy tempo and cinematic feel from both the horn laden track, the kung fu movie snippets and 60 East’s lyricism. The lyrics are more of a brief biography on 60 East’s come up as an independent artist – “We here now, I ain’t never gonna back track/Fuck a stream, buy my shit on Bandcamp/I need my ASCAP, I don’t care if the ass fat/My life a movie, every scene is like a cash grab/I get the last laugh, I’m the hero and the villain/And I’m chillin’, went from zero to holding a quarter million.” On this track I like how 60 East takes his time with his flow and maintains the continuity of an EP that has an overall sound that gives you peace and relaxation. And, at this point there is still not another lyrical feature from A-F-R-O. I think we got “Power ghosted” by A-F-R-O’s lyrical prowess on this project but trust, 60 East held it down (I wouldn’t expect anything less) and we got A-F-R-O as the producer and beat maker on “At The Sideshow” thus, it’s a win/win from start to finish.  The last song on the project is entitled “Czech” which basically serves as an outro for the EP and, yes it’s another dope solo from 60 East where among several things he touches upon on the track, he graciously gives thanks to A-F-R-O for his creative production – “Check the speech out, All Flows Reach Out/I’d like to thank you for laying the beats down.” Sound wise, “Czech” starts off with more of that cinematic appeal that feels more suited for a drama scene, which I love. Then A-F-R-O transitions and balances the song out with a tone that is more reminiscent of a sound that is right out of a “Happy Days” jukebox which is the perfect arrangement for 60 East’s signature measured flow. Now, don’t ask what the song title has to do with the lyrics as I couldn’t quite figure that out, but it doesn’t matter – if you are a fan or a new listener, the track is dope. Overall, this EP is definitely playlist worthy and will compliment those moments when you just want to unwind. “At The Sideshow” (EP) is now available on your favorite streaming platform. Support, listen, and enjoy!

 “At The Sideshow EP link and merchandise.