Illustrations by Yung Mulatto
In an effort to connect the artistic communities of Pittsburgh's "big city small town," Reviving Real, a local clothing brand and collaborative platform, releases a music mix to showcase the city's thriving musical talent. The tape features unreleased music from underground champions who are bound to get the recognition they deserve. Reviving Real gives the artists on the mix momentum and exposure to grow the artists' audiences in the 'burgh and beyond. Also, "VOL 1" by R.R. diversifies the clothing label's content.
Additionally, music producer, cartoonist, and visual artist Yung Mulatto designed the cover art for Reviving Real's mix. To date, Mulatto is responsible for the artwork for several different projects. Most recently he helped young local rapper Blackboi with an interstellar doodle for his "ASTRO O2" album, a record about love and an end to Earth. "Cover art is the visual connection with music. [You] can't see sound," Yung Mulatto says. His drawing, a style that takes cues from Danny Phantom and anime, provides creative direction for much of Pittsburgh's hip-hop scene. He says to look out for work with Benji, a rapper with a great live presence and band. Listeners can hear both Blackboi and Benji on the mix.
Moving forward, pay attention to the effort Reviving Real put forth as they support the music community in the Steel City. Watch for your ears because the mix they put together is entertaining thanks to the aforementioned characters and more like Mars Jackson, Isaiah Small, and James Perry. Peep the tracklist and do your research on the musicians.