DXA

The sounds of DXA vs. The Rhythmonster EP exemplify the timeless aspect of Hip Hop sound which resonates in your consciousness with depth and meaning, a classic sound which I'm sure most of us die hard listeners for the most part are probably looking in some places of current times and wondering where these great elements went? The four-man crew of DXA (DFACE, CALAMITY CHRIS, DOAM PEACE, and ICEROCKS) hailing from the heart of NYC have perfected the art of projecting deep, meaningful messages of life over gritty, soulful instrumentals crafted exclusively from none other than the SP1200 drum machine. Each MC delivers on the mic with great pride and unbiased restriction, crafting songs to leave you with a feel good, inspirational vibe reminiscent of the feeling of a park jam combined with writing skills which are thought-provoking, uplifting and competitive. - Collectors Item by JR

I’ve been DXArmy for about 5 years, since the day I met Calamity on the UWS. These guys exactly what the NYC/global creative scene (music, hip hop & beyond) needs. You’d have to chill with them to realize how authentic they are as individuals, partners, and friends. Whether they’re tagging walls or writing pages, their productions come from the heart. You can’t fake what they have going on, because it’s 100% organic self-expression, grown in the LES of Manhattan. The depth of their lyrical content and the timelessness of their sound (love the saxophones) immediately let me know that I’d found some real cultural engineers/designers. I’ve never seen anyone rock the Knitting Factory like DXA. It feels great to know that they’re finally getting some of the props they deserve and that other ART/CULTURE connoisseurs are listening to them as much as myself.

Jeremy
Founder & Executive Director
Socialseed.org - Brooklyn Art Project by Jeremy Weaver

Is it 1992 in here, or is it just me? Blunted Astronaut is quickly moving up my list of best underground hip hop labels out right now, and with the release of DXA’s self-titled EP, they just keep on moving up and up. Comprised of four talented hip hoppers, DoamPeace, Dface, Triple C and IceRocks, DXA has the right amount of genius minds to conjure up a project so fine, you’ll overdose with nostalgia for the 90s hip hop era as you thank the hip hop kings that groups like this exist.

IceRocks, the producer of the crew, handles the entirety of the production, and I cannot express enough how great that is. IceRocks has an extremely jazzy sound to his music; honey pours out of the horn samples and raw emotion seeps through supporting bass lines jotted key notes and other jazzy sounds. Bonafide boom-bap drums kick and clap on every track, with acoustics that make the drums sound live (I would not be surprised if they were). IceRocks is everything you love about Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Havoc and Marley Marl, but in a compact, single offspring. Not that Ice is better or just like these guys, but there is a notable influence from each one of the aforementioned producers in the sounds of this awesome beatsmith.

Each emcee sprinkles the tracks with their original spices to add the pizzazz to this project that makes you want to savor every minute of it. And if these puns aren’t doing it for you, give the album a listen and then wipe the drool off your face and come back to finish this review. These are TRUE lyricists. Storytelling, complex, intelligent rhymers who use entendres, multi’s, internal rhymes and the whole lot in each of their verses sets the standard for the emcees in DXA.

Gritty, rugged and raw; everything you know you love about 90s, New York hip hop, DXA personifies it. DoamPeace, Dface, Triple C and IceRocks are an amazing quartet and do hip hop justice. It’s hard to point out a single track that stands out as the entire EP is fantastic. Late-night moods and vibrant rhythms dominate the soundscape of the DXA EP and each and every listener has the obligation to check this project out – if they truly love hip hop, that is. Stream the project in its entirety below.

9/10 - Hip Hop Speak Easy by Stone

I’m going to admit that I was supposed to listen to a couple projects last night but never got to them because I ended up listening to DXA‘s self-titled EP/12? three or four times in a row from beginning to end. The project combines Certified fresH production provided by DXA member IceRocks (who handles the whole project) with just as Certified fresH rhymes including features from Meyhem Lauren, Too Deep, Meta, ArtOfficial, Lewis Parker and Masta Ace. I swear this album will be on repeat for the rest of the year at the least. I love this album. Period. - Kevin Nottingham by Jeremiah

The 22-track mixtape, available for free download here, features a number of laid back, introspective artists such as ArtOfficial, Amor Jones, DXA, Emilio Rojas, Epsilon Project, Hawdwerk & Jansport J, L.E.G.A.C.Y., Mach Five, MaG, Stevie Crooks, and Tunji of the group Inverse, as well as HiPNOTT artists Cymarshall Law, Has-Lo, E Reece, Spectec & Amiri, Jermiside & Danny Diggs, WEB and The Movement Fam (Cee & Bekah, Notion, Tommy Gunnz).

“The artists that we work with and those signed to HiPNOTT have the same things in common -- they want to be put on, they want the masses to hear their voice, they want to share their story,” said HiPNOTT Records COO, Kareem Fort of those involved with the project. “We created the 2010 Takeover mixtapes to showcase a variety of artists who each have their own unique interpretation of what Hip Hop is to them, and we stand behind their perspective 100%.” - Hip Hop DX by Slava Kuperstein

Hopefully you all are just as excited as I am to finally get the new mixtape from DXA! KevinNottingham.com proudly presents The Movement… 20+ tracks of raw unadulterated hip hop from New York’s DXA. No other introduction is needed. Grab it after the cut! - Kevin Nottingham by Kevin

No, I didn’t spell anything wrong at all. Here are the latest set of visuals from the NYC-based crew, directed by Court Dunn. - 2 Dope Boyz by Meka

"Every now and then there is an artist/group or album that REALLY catches my attention and I like to put the spotlight on them for a sec on the site. I gotta thank my man Jonathan for turning me on to this 4 member group out of NYC… DXA. I’ve been playing their album, Progression, non-stop since I got a hold of it a few weeks ago. The album actually dropped a year ago in August 2008, so allow me to take a late pass, but if you have yet to hear it grab your pass here and take a listen after the cut. If you’re into that 90s NY Boom Bap, as well as dope lyricism, I guarantee you will not be disappointed!" - Kevin of KevinNottingham.com - Kevin Nottingham by Kevin

"This isn't something new, but it's something dope. The homie Jonathan put me on to a group by the name of DXA reppin' NYC. In August '08 they put out an album entitled Progression, that I had yet to hear until last night. This album is laced with that '90s NY boom bap sound that we all lament the absence of in today's rap music. If you're not already up on these dudes, check out a few tracks below, and learn more at Kevin's spot." -Shamz OkayPlayer.com - Okay Player by Shamz