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“…refreshing, comfy and genuine old‐school hip‐hop.”
Hear Nebraska
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(Los Angeles, CA) Omaha‐based rap artist, Conny Franko, releases the music video for his first single, “Half Stepper Kings,” from his upcoming album, La Maga. The video finds Franko telling a story of cultural exploits, including abuse of authority, systematic oppression and substance abuse on top of a smooth piano‐centric beat produced by Sm‐Grims aka Oscar Carrillo. The LP is set for release June 24th. The emcee first took to rapping in 2003, finding the art form to be a suitable outlet for his ideas and emotions. The following year, Franko gained popularity after taking up residence at the “Hotel Frank,” a bohemian venue known for fostering local Omaha talent. Living alongside a diverse set of artists, Franko crafted his freshman LP, Calm Kids.
Next, the rapper joined forces with a pair of like‐minded musicians and became the first signee to Make Believe Recordings; the label eventually drummed up enough capital to release the album on vinyl. As his music career developed, Franko continued to follow his second passion, skateboarding. While at a skate park in Denver, the rapper struck up a friendship with Oscar Carrillo, a hip hop producer hailing from Mexico. The two discussed collaborating on Franko’s sophomore album, La Maga, but before the project could begin, Carrillo was deported to Mexico.
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Undeterred by this setback, Franko spent the past two years travelling to and from Mexico in order to create and complete La Maga. The finished product stands as a unique body of work influenced by politics, culture, money, time and ethnocentricity. Keep a lookout for La Maga, set to drop in July!
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