ATSIC S05E06 - Do It Yourself

Sometimes I write a lot about these episodes, this isn’t one of those times. The week slipped past without me finding/making the time to sit and write about this trap flavoured mix that DJ Dice and I put together this week, featuring new songs from a wide range of artists across the country. A couple were collecting some dust in the vault for a month or two but for the most part, it’s all freshly released to the world, all indie, and all dope.

I had some shit to get off my chest, so I yelled back at the whispers, but I said what I need to and I know that I sleep well and feel good about what I’m doing on ATSIC and FiF. We put on for dope Hip Hop, every fucking week, and we’re going to continue to. I guarantee that at the end of the day; and at the end of the month, year or decade, I will have done more for the scene and the people in it than the folks sitting back criticizing the show ever will. Haters gon’ hate.

Check the “Making of #ATSIC” stream down below if you want to see what I thought about the mix or what motivated my chest thumping.

This episode is followed by a Fly in Formation interview with Hamilton based longtime emcee and community hero Lee Reed. The guys truly been an inspiration to me since I first heard his revolution raps around 2013 or 14. Just consistently on point and speaking up for his fellow citizens. Super easy to talk with too! Really looking forward to hearing his multiple albums due in 2024. That’s also available on YT. Check the FiF playlist for an archive of all the past guests.

Season 3 of my interview series Fly in Formation continues rolling along. The Jan/Feb schedule is posted down below, and it’s full of artists I’m excited to talk to. Check the promo below to see who else is coming up, and stay tuned for the schedule going into March and April, which is almost all locked in right now. Make sure to hit follow on Twitch or subscribe so you don’t have to watch the ad breaks during interviews! Help build a community by popping up in chat and asking questions to me or the guests.

Every week, I buy every song I play, unless the artist sent it to me, saving me a buck. I believe in buying music to support independent artists. Making music is time-consuming and expensive. Streaming doesn’t pay much at all, and since streaming has become the way most people consume music, it’s even more important to make sure to buy tickets, buy music (physical or digital), and buy merch from artists you want to hear more from. Streaming pays next to nothing, so if you want artists working on more music instead of working more shifts at their day job, you need to show them love by opening your wallet and giving them financial support.

Independent shows like After the Smoke is Clear also need support. If you enjoy the music; if you enjoy learning more about artists; if you want to see the Canadian Hip Hop scene documented; if you enjoy discovering new artists without digging and navigating the algorithms yourself; please consider supporting the show.

If you don’t have the funds to support right now, that’s fine. You can listen for free because other people who do have the money have donated. You get a free weekly show, I get paid for the work I spend the hours of my week doing.

Telling a friend is another great way to support the show, I appreciate everyone who helps spread the word immensely.

For those wanting to support the show financially, you can donate through PayPal. It's safe, requires no recurring sign-up, and puts money directly in my pocket. I use these funds each week to purchase all the music featured in the show. Supporting ATSIC is supporting indie artists, and that includes me personally. Thanks to the folks who help out.

Stay Up.