KEENAN STONE
7.22 7PM
Tupelo, Mississippi native residing in Austin, Texas, Keenan Stone is an up and coming local Hip-Hop power house. Keenan is a classically trained musician with roots in gospel and alternative music. His lyricism is best described as conscious, yet catchy, and his stage presence is nothing short of explosive. Being a black belt level, multi disciplinary martial artist, Keenan incorporates killer moves into his live performances. He treats the musical stage has an extension of the dojo when he performs, giving him the title "Hip-Hop Martial Artist."
ANASTASIA HERA
7.22 8PM
Rap artist, songwriter, vocalist, model and actress Anastasia Hera is widely considered a standout, a true innovator amongst her peers and is using the microphone to step proudly into her destiny. Her new EP “This is Anastasia” dropped on May 20, 2021 and her latest single “Big Tuna” (composed by producer Ty on da Track) has already made its way to the Billboard charts for “mainstream R&B/Hip Hop indicator most added” and continues to garner national attention. The single is in rotation on several popular FM and digital radio stations. For Anastasia, “Big Tuna'' is about projecting confidence, “swangin’ out wide in the intersection.” It’s about being a big fish in a small pond, and completely owning that.
With a catalog of five well-received projects, several successful genre-bending collaborations, multiple “Best Female Artist” nods (Austin Hip Hop Awards), recognition from respected media (KAZI, KUTX, Austin Chronicle, Austin American-Statesman), dynamic performances (Sound on Sound Fest, SxSW, Urban Music Fest, Fun Fun Fun Festival, BabesFest, Hollins University Mayfest), Anastasia has worked to design and define her own niche within contemporary music.
Always one to go big, Anastasia has teamed up with a world-class team. The EP was recorded over the course of three years at TrakMajors Studio with Tim “T-Mo” Moore and at Pleasantville with RJ Maine. The album features production from uber-producer and frequent collaborator Ty on Da Track. She also performs live with her band The Heroes, who help her showcase her artful, energetic musical pieces for the live stage. ‘Anastasia and the Heroes’ consists of Anastasia on vocals, DJ Porter on the keyboard, Tevin Keeton on drums, Chip Belton on bass, Josh Garcia on guitar, and Luis Efren Hernandez on percussion.
With an eye to the future, Anastasia has recently aligned with So Bold Ent./Sony Orchard for consulting and content distribution, and RajiWorld LLC for live bookings, a firm step on her journey to the top. According to The Austin American Statesman, “She’s a force to be reckoned with on her own, but her squad also goes deep.”
Anastasia has now expanded her presence into the beverage and spirits industry, teaming up with Local Choice Spirits (North Charleston, SC) to launch HERA Tropical Rum, her own premium liquor brand.
About her new body of work, Anastasia said: “I felt the need to capture the reality of this particular moment in my life; to document this period in my evolution as a human and an artist. When I'm writing, I start by asking myself some crucial questions: Where am I in life? How do I feel about it? What do I have to say about it? What stories do I have to tell? The songs on "This is Anastasia" came about the result of this kind of self-evaluation.
Raised on groundbreaking acts like A Tribe Called Quest and Jay Z, Anastasia discovered her passion for rap as a young girl in Austin, TX, where her father taught her to deliver MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech with a rhythm and clarity designed to get an audience on its feet. Learning the confidence required to deliver such a powerful message can take a lifetime. Anastasia found it as soon as she stood before a microphone.
Because she was fortunate enough to grow up in an environment of free thinking and creativity, Anastasia was able to develop her adeptness with words and concepts over the years by constantly reading, writing and hearing new material. Lunchtime cyphers in high school became an opportunity to debut a new rhyme, study the boys’ delivery, or just say something clever.
“The artist I am today is brought to you by the culture, vibe, art, music, and people of Austin, TX,” Anastasia said. “Growing up in this city meant easy access to so many flavors and textures of thought and expression. This city is absolutely crowded with sound, but I see an open lane when it comes to Hip Hop and R&B music. How does Austin's contemporary Rap/R&B scene sound? This EP, fully composed and written by two Austin originals (Ty on da Track/ Anastasia Hera) is an attempt to establish a solid precedent for contemporary Urban music here.”
Her four previous projects were also very well-received. “Pretty Color Bad News" (2011), "The Unkind Summer" (2012), “CAKE” (2016), and Kale & Yoga” (2016). Anastasia has worked hard to establish herself with fans and followers as a true force and a new direction for Hip Hop. She has worked alongside legendary artists, perfecting her performance by opening for acts like Tink, Dead Prez, Raekwon, Boosie, GZA, Scarface, Aesop Rock, Azizi Gibson, and Astronautilis. She has also been honored to share the stage with megastars like Diddy (Tribute to the Troops) and Big Boi of Outkast (Sound on Sound Fest).
Always full of fresh ideas for herself and her community, in 2015 Anastasia launched her non- profit organization (CAKE) which seeks to empower women and girls who have an interest in musical performance. She has continually grown outside her role of emcee, organizing neighborhood festivals and showcases in the “Live Music Capital of the World.”
Understanding the importance of development and education to her artistry, Anastasia has taken time to study the details of studio set-up, recording, sonics and microphone dynamics. This experience has laid the foundation for her official sound, which is also reflected in her lyrics and cadences: clean, direct, and artful. She has also allowed herself to open up to raw critique and listen to the feedback of her producer and trusted ears.
Anastasia has been a longtime employee of Apple, Inc., and as a single mother its been the stable foundation which has afforded her the time and opportunity to pursue music and care for her family. In addition to the release of her new EP, Anastasia Hera & The Heroes are planning a series of live and taped performances over the Summer/Fall of 2021 and are currently developing a live album, translating their dynamic energy and raw creativity from the stage to the recorded track.
Anastasia simply believes that the art of creativity should never take a back seat to any other element. The principles of beauty, truth, freedom, and love are recurring themes. She enjoys the mystery of metaphor. Her purpose is her voice. Her voice is her music. Her music is for the world.