RMLLW2LLZ

Rmllw2llz
The Monastery
In a backyard garage in Germantown, there is a fully-functional recording studio, which acts as the homebase for Derrick “DJ DS” Smith — DJ for rapper Romell Weaver, known as Rmllw2llz. It’s been completed for about five months now, and they said that a lot of people pulled together to build the studio — helping to paint, sand and anything else needed to pull the project together so that Weaver’s label, Kr8vn8vs Records, can record there. “Once people start believing you and see what you’re doing – they start to help out,” Smith said. The goal of the new space, Smith and Weaver said, is to help the talent signed to the label not have to pay big chunks of money to record albums. “We got it all right here,” Weaver said. “Everyone has little bedroom rigs, but we have it all in this room that we all made together.” - Nik Vechery

Rmllw2llz — ‘We Up’ (feat. Rob Lee)
The pair flex a little on haters, giving static where static is due, something that anyone and everyone can relate to. Like with “Evolution,” from his previous work, Rmllw2llz raps about his struggle in balancing making his art, with his love for family, using hip-hop as a vehicle to potentially achieve greater success and economic stability. - Syd Bishop

39. RMLLW2LLZ - thismelanin.com

The homie from Louisville by way of Racine Rmllw2llz (Romell with 2 L’z) just dropped off this new video. Politically conscious and lyrically vicious the kid is going in. I recently did a tour stop in the Lou with the homie so I had to show his video some shine. - Blaxlife.com

Everybody at The Drinkery in Cincinnati on Friday, November 13th had a great time. It was a stacked lineup headlined by RMLLW2LLZ who has been spending nearly every weekend in a different city as part of his Mic'd Up tour. When I talked to him Friday he told me that he's touring and trying to make connections in the hopes of playing at SXSW this year. So if you're reading this and you have a connection let's help this guy out! It's inspiring to see him out performing his ass off and working on his craft with a set goal in mind of how to take it to the next level. If you're an artist you might want to take notes.
The show started off with Mr. Goodbar aka Thur'good Bar'tholomew who I was pumped to see perform his solo set. I feel like this guy is criminally underrated for his skills in Louisville, and that needs to change. The crowd at The Drinkery was universally impressed with his set. He tore the stage up with classics, new favorites, and unreleased tracks. It will be fun to see where his career goes now that Skyscraper Stereo has officially wrapped up their last show.
Next up were Sons of Silverton out of Cincinnati. They had the club dancing and feeling good with their old school hip hop feel. Their dj...well, just watch the video.
Wip, a Lexington artist, performed a solo set before RMLLW2LLZ's came up to do his thing, properly closing out the evening. Everyone on stage that night was on fire and having a good time, but bost importantly, the vibe in the entire building was something I haven't experienced in a long time. It had the feel of a hip hop show in the late 80's. Like we were at a house party and people were going to start breakdancing out and rhyming off the top. The show had an entirely different feel then the hip hop shows in Louisville, and I had a great time watching the artists from Louisville put on for their city. - Never-Nervous.com

11/13 @ The Drinkery (Cincinnati): RMLLW2LLZ & Mr. Goodbar
It was great seeing Louisville Hip Hop get so well represented and well received in a different environment. The vibes at the show were so good and it felt like the people at the show that night formed their own smaller community. - Never-Nervous.com

In anticipation of his album, set to release in 2014, RMLLW2LLZ has released his newest video “Light Up” featuring Mrs. Nicole Simone. The video starts out with and highlights Louisville,KY landmarks and is filled with conscience hip-hop lyrics and a soulful vibe motivating listeners and fans to set fire to their abilities and make a difference! Watch the video and listen to more of RMLLW2LLZ music on www.rmllmzk.com - Rapcine.com

Some albums just make me happy for the scene. RMLLW2LLZ is instantly a player in hip-hop. With a name and voice that are hard to forget, his time is now. - The Leo Weekly

official video interview for Maxwell Sounds Feat. Artist of the Week!!! - Maxwell Sounds

Romell pays homage to the city he’s from and brings you back to the days before he rocked the mic while paying homage to the site giving artists exposure!! - Rapcine.com

Rmllw2llz — “So Amerikkan”
There may be no higher compliment that I can pay than to say a song has replay value — a track that you can rock over and over, and still want to listen to it again. Rmllw2llz did just that with “So Amerikkan.” This song is an unflinchingly political stance on race relations, the police and a climate of overall ugliness. If you relate to that, this track is your anthem, and if not, maybe your anathema. Rmllw2llz plays no favorites here, taking shots at Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton all the same, spitting his truth in the realest way imaginable. This is the kind of banger that you play loud and proud to freak out the baby boomers and suburbanites, heavy and confrontational, and with the kind of production that most only dream about. This is Rmllw2llz’s giant middle finger to the institutions that have caused turmoil and strife, and the world is better with voices that stand strong, without apology. - Syd Bishop

Poorcastle Festival
July 7-9
Apocalypse Beer Works
As the “festival for the rest of us,” Poorcastle plays the lighthearted foil event to Forecastle, but more importantly it’s three days of local music where the proceeds are injected into area organizations that aim to strengthen the Louisville community. With more than 30 local bands (including Joann + The Dakota, Rmllw2llz and Maximon), it’s a great way to discover bands, while supporting numerous good causes, all while hanging out at a great brewing company. - Scott Recker

If anyone deserves a warm coat for this cold-ass winter, it’s the refugees at Kentucky Refugee Ministries and the victims of domestic abuse from The Center for Women and Families. Bring a new or gently-used coat to this coat drive/kick-ass party. And for your beneficence, you get to see a concert with Rmllw2llz, Bendigo Fletcher, Billy Nelson and late night DJ sets by McKinley Moore and Sam Sneed. Admission is $5 with a coat donation, $10 without, and each coat donated enters you to win gift certificates and/or LP gift sets from Guestroom Records. - Ethan Smith

The opener to Concerto No. 9 Movement II, “Evolution” is exactly the inspiration you need to be your best self. It’s hard to deny the infectiousness of his message here, an earnest story about survival as an artist, mixed with the demands that art places on your life, especially in a digital age, where less and less value is placed on that art. - Syd Bishop

Rmllw2llz — “Evolution”
When Rmllw2llz raps, “You be ballin’, I’ll be reffin’ in the game, cousin,” he speaks to his assumed (and well-earned) position as elder statesman in the scene. With “Evolution,” Rmllw2llz captures that hustle, that love, required to keep your head above water. For Romell, that’s about finding a balance between getting his art into the world, and spending time with his wife, which says a lot about the nature of making it as an artist. Culturally speaking, making a living at music is no small feat, and one that often requires a tremendous sacrifice to succeed. How do you strike up that balance between following your dreams and living your life? That’s the struggle for Romell, and one that’s easy to relate to, packaged here with the remarkable ear candy of producer extraordinaire Yons. - Leo Weekly

RMLLW2LLZ — ‘So Amerikkkan’
“So Amerikkkan” is my idea of the United States being that one person in the office who has enough going on in their own life, but they always have advice or an answer for everyone else’s problems. What you have to understand is it’s actually really hard being black in America. Regardless of the social status, we are always reminded that we are black, which spawned one of my favorite lyrics in the song: “It’s getting harder to cope with bullets, instead of ropes.” Let that sit on your conscious for a day or two. How would you cope? It’s truly quite simple — all we want is justice, accountability, equality and somewhere warm to lay our heads. That’s all. Keep the rest of that bullshit over there. It seems as though hate is the new American way, and if you disagree with that hate, then you are considered the problem — “un-American.” I can only write from my own perspective. I can’t speak for everyone, but I know I speak for quite a few when I say hate, in any fashion, is not the American way. “So Amerikkkan” was written as a marker in this country’s horrible history, that is seeming to continue in a sickening display of racial injustices and backwards politics.
—Romell Weaver - Leo Weekly

Guestroom Records Louisville
1806 Frankfort Ave.
Guestroom Records is celebrating all day with an afterparty. You’ll find the exclusives and over 500 used LPs; specially-designed T-shirts, Against The Grain Brewery’s collaboration beer, Listening Party Pale Ale; and live vinyl sets by a rotating set of DJs who include White Reaper, Rmllw2llz and Night Visions Radio. - Ethan Smith, Scott Recker

Mighty Kindness Hoot is a celebration of… you guessed it… kindness. Expect booths and workshops focused on health, sustainability, spirituality and community. And live music by bands that include Danny Flanigan & The Rain Chorus, Villa Mure, RMLLW2LLZ, Tez of 2Deep, HPK Threshold, Poppa Stampley, The Juggerloos and Gavin Caster. - Leo Weekly

Poorcastle Festival
Apocalypse Brew Works
July 6-8
A response to the corporatization of Forecastle, which primarily books big-name national acts, Poorcastle is a Festivus for the rest of us, a home for the little guy, so to speak. But don’t take that as an insult to the talent involved, as some of the best and brightest acts in the city — from hip-hop to indie and beyond — are featured every year. Highlights for this year’s lineup include Touch AC, Rmllw2llz, GRLwood and Julie of the Wolves, and great beer provided by Apocalypse Brew Works, the annual hosts of the event. - Syd Bishop

Vinyl Nite Poorcastle Appreciation Month
Galaxie
Free | 8 p.m.
Vinyl Nite is hosting a full month of Poorcastle Appreciation-themed nights. Guest DJs/Poorcastle performers include Mosquito and Stagecoach Inferno on June 12, RMLLW2LLz and DS on June 19 (also a Juneteenth celebration) and Future Killer on June 26. But don’t let that stop you from bringing your own favorite records to spin. - Ethan Smith

Louisville Waterfront Fourth!
Waterfront Park
Free | 5-11 p.m.
The biggest Fourth of July celebration in town is taking place at Waterfront Park, with fireworks and performances by The Spinsters Union of Louisville, RMLLW2LLZ, Carly Johnson and The Pimps of Joytime. The music starts at 5 p.m., and fireworks go off at 10 p.m. There are also plenty of activities for both kids and adults, including a youth stage with Jecorey Arthur aka 1200, a “create your own instrument” activity with the National Jug Band Jubilee, a drum circle, and presentations by Waterfront Botanical Gardens and Louisville Metro police and fire departments. - Ethan Smith

The annual “festival for the rest of us” once again brings three days of local music to the outdoor area of Apocalypse Brew Works, with 36 Louisville bands/solo musicians performing. Bendigo Fletcher, Joann + The Dakota, GRLwood, RMLLW2LLZ, Bleak Birds of Hell, Julie of the Wolves and many more solid acts will be there, providing, as always, an affordable to see some of your favorite area bands, while also discovering new ones. - Scott Recker

Louisville Waterfront Fourth
Wednesday, July 4
Waterfront Park
Before the fireworks, catch sets by the DJ collective Spinsters Union Of Louisville (5 p.m.), hip-hop artist RMLLW2LLZ (6:15 p.m.), jazz musician Carly Johnson (7:30 p.m.) and Pimps Of Joytime (9 p.m.).

Poorcastle
Friday, July 6-8
Apocalypse Brew Works
The annual “festival for the rest of us” once again brings three days of local music to the outdoor area of Apocalypse Brew Works, with 36 Louisville bands/solo musicians performing. Bendigo Fletcher, Joann + The Dakota, GRLwood, RMLLW2LLZ, Bleak Birds of Hell, Julie of the Wolves and many more solid acts will be there, providing, as always, an affordable to see some of your favorite area bands, while also discovering new ones. - Scott Recker

FRIDAY
Poorcastle Festival 2018 (July 6–8)
Apocalypse Brew Works
$5 day, $10 weekend | 2 p.m. daily
The annual “festival for the rest of us” once again brings three days of local music to the outdoor area of Apocalypse Brew Works, with 36 Louisville bands/solo musicians performing. Bendigo Fletcher, Joann + The Dakota, GRLwood, RMLLW2LLZ, Bleak Birds of Hell, Julie of the Wolves and many more solid acts will be there, providing, as always, an affordable to see some of your favorite area bands, while also discovering new ones. —Scott Recker - Ethan Smith

FRIDAY — 21
Linqua Franqa, Rmllw2llz, dave.will.chris, Quinnette
Kaiju
$8 | 9 p.m.-midnight
Linqua Franqa — rapper, linguist, social activist, Ph.D candidate and newly-elected commissioner of Athens, Georgia where she took her oath on a Malcolm X biography — is from rural Kentucky, and she’s coming back to play a concert at Kaiju. Also on the bill are Louisville hip-hop artist Rmllw2llz, dave.will.chris and Quinnette of The Spinsters Union of Louisville. - Ethan Smith

SUNDAY, Oct. 7
Hideaway Fest
Art Sanctuary
$15-$35 | 12:30 p.m.
There’s a lot going on at Art Sanctuary for Hideaway Fest: A networking event (with all-you-can-drink mimosas!), a panel discussion, vendors and several bands: From Appalatin to Rmllw2llz. It’s “a day full of community awareness, giving back, entertainment” and learning from Louisville’s tech experts. Proceeds from the event go to the Americana World Community Center’s youth programming for Louisville refugees and immigrants living below the poverty line. - Danielle Grady

Rmllw2llz w/Fiji Waters — ‘My Way’
Rmllw2llz has the answers to the questions you weren’t asking. Working with Fiji Waters, who offers a remarkable hook, there’s an elegance to this track that cannot be ignored. Romell capitalizes not only on his own well-earned cred, but the experience that he’s lived as an emcee who’s been hustling for a minute. This is not only classy, but classic, a throwback in many ways to simpler times, like the very best of late-‘90s hip-hop. As such, you can draw comparisons here between elements of the Wu-Tang Clan meets the soft croon of Mary J. Blige, incredibly cool and offering up the kind of wisdom worth contemplating. - Syd Bishop

First Annual 2llz 1luv Coat Drive
Zanzabar
$5 | 7-10 p.m.
Come to donate a gently-used coat. Stay for four musical acts, including Kim Sorise of the The Spinster’s Union of Louisville, Barrel & Biscuit, Rmllw2llz and Kendall Elijah Dynamite’s new hip-hop collaboration. Admission is $3 if you bring a coat. - Danielle Grady

Kaiju’s 4th Birthday Celebration
Kaiju
$5 | 6 p.m.
Your favorite, quirky bar has been open for four years. Of course, it’s celebrating with two days of music. On Friday, listen to Bird Zoo, Navajo Jenkins and five other bands. On Saturday, musical acts from Rmllw2llz to Mosquito.Ky will be playing. - Danielle Grady

Obviously, having a diverse and talented pool of musicians that consistently releases new material is the most integral part of a local scene, but not far behind is having solid, eclectic venues of all sizes. The oddball, dive punk club that punches above its weight and champions under-the-radar bands is an important part of that equation, and in Louisville, that’s Kaiju. It celebrates its fourth birthday this weekend with two days of bands, including Bird Zoo, Rmllw2llz, Pleasure Boys, Belushi Speed Ball and several others.

“If it was any bigger, I couldn’t curate it the way it’s curated,” Kaiju’s promoter McKinley Moore said of the small space and the wide range of bands that perform there.

“When I hear somebody playing music, I like to hear the sounds come from the actual instrument or the amplifiers, instead of everything through some big speakers,” Moore, who also fronts Pleasure Boys, continued. “To hear the drums being hit, as opposed to just hearing drums coming through speakers, and you really can’t do that in a room much bigger than that.”

Kaiju gravitates toward underground punk, indie and hip-hop, which is reflected in the 16 bands that were booked for the 4th Birthday Celebration. And there’s a certain energy about the place that makes it a pivotal venue. It’s great for discovering new music, while having the feel of a house party.
“It’s a smaller, more intimate venue that makes your performance feel big,” Romell Weaver, who performs under the moniker Rmllw2llz, said.

Kaiju’s 4th Birthday Celebration takes place on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 23-24. Each day is a $5 cover. - Scott Recker

The first collaboration between emcee Rmllw2llz and guitarist/vocalist Kendall Elijah Dynamite, Tooth & Nail is a call to arms to never surrender. Opening with the title track, the duo issues a major key affirmation that they will fight on. The album is anchored by a stripped-down production style that gives room for Dynamite to maneuver with his blues-inflected guitar licks, and for Rmllw2llz to spit his message. This is upbeat, thematically conveying the importance of being the best you can be in spite of the odds. When Rmllw2llz raps “A little love wouldn’t hurt,” he’s talking about so many things, but the message is clear: Just be kind to each other. - Syd Bishop

Barrel & Biscuit — ‘All I Got’
At just shy of four minutes “All I Got” is the longest track on the Tooth & Nail EP by the newly-formed Barrel & Biscuit, a duo of Rmllw2llz and Kendall Elijah Dynamite. “All I Got,” the most hooky of the four extremely catchy tracks, is a departure from Dynamite’s experimental pop and Rmllw2llz’s smooth electronic hip-hop style. The fuzzed-out bass and crackled drums make for a soulful track that would be at home between Saul Williams and Cedric Burnside on a warm summer night playlist, with its contemporary Delta juke beat and sing-along style vocals that proclaim: “Spending all I got just to get back to you.” It’s a near perfect neo-classic pop love gem. —John King - Leo Weekly

A free hip-hop jam session and celebration after hours at the library. Some of the city’s best hip-hop artists, DJs and entertainment groups will perform, including RMLLW2LLZ, DJ Scz, The Mixtape Ensemble, Safiyyah Dance Co. and young, up-and-coming artists from RhythmScienceSound’s Mixing Matters program. - Aaron Yarmuth

Rmllw2llz ft. Otis Junior and Willé (Saxophone) — ‘Your Hair’ (2017)
Pop culture more often than not focuses on the chase in romantic relationships, the will-they-won’t-they that drives dramatic tension, but Rmllw2llz has a history of defying that trope. Joined by Otis Junior and Willé, captures the magic of a long-term relationship, without ever explicitly stating as much. Knowing that this is about his wife is magical — that their love is still such an intrinsic feature of who he is after the chase that he still longs for the comfort of her presence. Marriage doesn’t have to be the end of lust and romance, and Rmllw2llz and company prove that on this beautiful piece of music.—Syd Bishop - Leo Weekly