Blowout-rocking South Sider Romaro Franceswa, fairly mum since joining the hitter-heavy Black Umbrella roster, dropped his best single to date with "No No No," featuring Ariana DeBoo. Floating on a gossamer production from Elan Wright and Nima Skeemz, who've handled a bulk of Sol's material for some time now, Romaro dulls his pen tip not a bit as he barrel-rolls through a feather-touch sing-rap clinic (Chance the Rapper is basically Rakim to the under-25 set—I'm not mad, though). He's as gifted with that flow as anybody. He even tells a hater to "play this in your new Beamer." Frosted with vocals from frequent Sam Lachow collaborator DeBoo, "No No No" is smoking-gun proof that Romaro is beyond merely showing us that he's "not going anywhere"—no, he's really planning to make a break for it. Who can't relate?


Now, when I see a crew or label full of rapping talent picking up steam, I always hope that they will just bottle some lightning and put out a compilation or crew album—Cabin Games, I'm looking at y'all. And while I ain't gave up on the Moor Gang, I'm sure they're tired of me asking. The only ones I can think of right this moment (besides the more producer-minded FFU, who do it three times a year) that pulled it off in recent local rap history—and rather flawlessly—was BeanOne's Yuk Mob mossie (on 2014's napped-on 199YUK), which Romaro himself has an integral part of. I would looove to see him play a similar linchpin role on a Black Umbrella Chronic LP. Ro, Raz, Fatal, Chino'o, Leez, Sam? Hard to see it not being a big fan-galvanizing move. Big ups to Black Umbrella either way, seeing as they're literally the only label in this one-horse, three-saddle town that's ever bothered to trust my taste.

Which reminds me: I hope all y'all rappin' asses showed up to vote like y'all show up, dick-beaters out for dap, for a clickbait-ass Wale tweet looking for Seattle talent. (I know you saw that "He say he fuck with the movement! #WeWorking" meme. Um, that's you.) Just kidding: I have as much faith in Wale's benevolence for the Northwest's best as I do for the two-party system.

Who the hottest producer in Seattle? Hottest singers? Rappers? Talk to me. Let's get this 🌙 thing poppin here

— Wale (@Wale) July 26, 2016

Speaking of: HELL yeah, Hillary Clinton is gettin' my vote, because you know the fuck why. The fact alone that the next prez will decide who gets to fill up to FOUR seats on the US Supreme Court means that the shit is way too crucial to sit out, for this and future generations, who deserve to live in a world unbowed by the "mangled apricot hellbeast" Donald J. Trump. As much as I wish I could write in Shirley Chisholm or Michelle Obama, there's no room to play, for me or a lot of my friends.

Speaking of: It's been honestly really bugging me, as I peep the different encampments of social media, how many specifically Black women's and women of color's voices rightfully decrying Clinton's history of racist bullshit are summarily ignored by a Lemonade-loving white feminist vanguard that is all in. Clinton's nomination (and—ugh, please GOD—inevitable win) is nothing short of historic and no doubt inspiring to millions of people who've idolized her brand of badassery. There's no missing the misogynist pitch of a great deal of anti-Clinton rhetoric (and the Seattle Times' and a hundred other papers' erasure of splashing Bill on what should have been her fucking cover)—and ya know, maybe I'm just playing into it now—but that doesn't explain why, when it comes to issues that pertain particularly to those living at the intersection of "woman" and "of color," I see-hear from the #WithHer crowd a withering silence: telling ass, same-ol-shit-ass silence.

This ain't nothing new, just ask the suffragettes. (Note that I'm a cis het Black man who doesn't presume to think I speak for any women—so feel free to check me how you see fit.) I know that Clinton *looks at watch* just started to name and address "systemic racism"—though I don't think she's at all owned up to how she's played into it in the past. Still, I'm sending her cookie to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

I just pray she gets it.