June Appal’s Groundbreaking Appalachian Hip-Hop Album

On August 2, June Appal Recordings is releasing No Options: Hip-Hop in Appalachia! Even better, you can preorder it through Bandcamp now and hear Gardenn’s single “Sun-Flower.”

No Options

According to Queen City Nerve out of Charlotte, North Carolina, the album “beckons listeners to tune their ears to a truer Appalachia, one that represents the vibrant multicultural contours of a region oft-cited and rarely understood.”

Why is this album so special? While previous hip-hop compilations have focused on more urban areas, the 24 original tracks on No Options purposefully celebrate the unique perspectives of small-town and rural hip-hop artists. Artists hail from throughout Appalachia, including Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and New York. Stunna T’s track “Show Up” was recorded via phone in Wallens Ridge State Prison in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.

As executive producer JK Turner writes, “Hip-hop in Appalachia is a testament to the enduring power of music to forge connections and give voice to the marginalized. The fusion of hip-hop culture with the rich cultural heritage of the region has resulted in a unique form of artistic expression that speaks to the resilience and creativity of the people of Appalachia.” 

James “Sparky” Rucker, 2022 winner of the Black Appalachian Storytellers Fellowship Award, notes, “June Appal has always been ahead of the curve, and No Options: Hip-Hop in Appalachia proves it. Fans of hip-hop will not be disappointed.”

Order your copy now through June Appal’s Bandcamp!

Letcher County Arts

Looking for things to do in Letcher County this summer? Don’t forget that FREE Levitt AMP concerts! This week closes out the 2024 summer concert series with TWO shows you won’t want to miss.

Thursday’s Levitt AMP performance is by Kyshona. Angelic harmonies in songs of redemption and perseverance define a Kyshona performance. Over the last few years she’s released a collection of recordings and videos in collaboration with Centennial Park Conservancy. A song written with ZG Smith called “Nighttime Animal” was named among American Songwriter’s Top 25 Songs of 2022. She is also featured in a 2023 PBS television show called “Ear to the Common Ground”.

But the fun doesn’t end there! Friday, July 26, Kelsey Waldon plays. Across four acclaimed full-length albums full of both “heavy twang and spitfire pedal steel” and “coffeehouse confessionals,” she’s brought listeners into her world and shared her own experiences and perspectives. Featured in this year’s American Currents exhibit at the Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville.

The Whitesburg Farmers Market opens at 4:30, opening acts hit the stage at 6:30, and headliners on at 7:30pm. See you there!

Also, save the date for a FREE literary workshop and reading by Arwen Donahue, artist and author of Landings: A Crooked Creek Farm Year (2022, Hub City Press) on August 8! The event takes place at Groundswell (229 E Main Street, Whitesburg, KY 41858). At 6:00 pm, Arwen will lead a workshop on graphic narratives (while free, this portion does require registration). At 7:15, she will read from her graphic memoir-in-progress, How I Met My Mother.

Appalshop in the News

Interim Executive Director Tiffany Sturdivant and Operations Director Roger May recently sat down with the Aging With Grace 55+ podcast to chat about our newest AARP grant to improve sidewalks and add a mural in Jenkins, KY. Have a listen!