Remember a few months ago when I said Blak Mic was too good not to release an album for our listening enjoyment? Well, he was either listening or my wishes were granted purely by coincidence, because in December Blak Mic released a free 13-track album at blakmic.bandcamp.com. Blak Mic has also released 14 singles on his Bandcamp page (also for free) during the past two months. That's another album's worth of material. Noo and Mic Blaque supply notable guest verses on Blak Mic's new material. Listening to the new record, Blak Mic's beats have an extra ounce of street and grit mixed in with the smooth sounds that make his jazzy, funky treats - making his work stick out a bit more than the work of the rest of the producers around here.

There are many ways to "make-it" or be successful in the music industry. Some of the most influential people in Washington state music the past 10 years work behind the scenes. We're talking producers and sound engineers, whose faces are not always seen but whose impact can be major.

The biggest name behind one of the biggest acts to come out of Washington hip-hop is Erik Blood. He recorded, produced and engineered all of the Shabazz Palaces discography. Blood is also from Tacoma. The Truman Middle School and Wilson High alum has been The Man behind many of our region's biggest and most popular music releases of the past ten-plus years. Check out erikblood.com to learn more about one of the most successful musicians to ever come out of Tacoma!

Another highly successful yet unsung hero from Tacoma is Stasia from Thee Satisfaction. The group is signed to Sub Pop, the label that also released the Shabazz Palaces albums. Thee Satisfaction is set to release a highly anticipated full-length professional album in February. Until then, check out theesatisfaction.bandcamp.com to hear the rest of the group's discography. Stasia has one of the most syrupy, fun, sweet and fly voices one could ever hear on wax.

South-Sound native Sarx recently formed up with Seattle artist Graves 33 to form a group called Wings and Wounds. They've released a self-titled EP on fatedempire.bandcamp.com. Graves is a highly skilled and talented MC and producer. The EP is incredibly experimental and innovative. And Sarx can also sing. This, combined with his groundbreaking delivery, takes the listener on quite the head-trip journey.