k3ko sat down with Carbon Sound’s host Sanni and talked about upcoming music, her On The Radar experience, BandLab, and more.


The Message - k3ko

moonlight

The K3ko "On The Radar" Freestyle

John Kueppers | MPR

Interview: k3ko

We're proud to have UNBOTHERED as our next resident DJ curator. 

Dedicated to celebrating life and music through dance, UNBOTHERED is the brainchild of Yasmeenah, a DJ and event organizer based in Minneapolis. Through careful curation, UNBOTHERED has celebrated the Black roots of electronic music. Living legends such as Kai Alcé, modern mainstays like Ash Lauryn and Akua, and rising stars, local and national, have had some of their first-ever appearances in Minneapolis thanks to UNBOTHERED bringing them to town for unforgettable events.

As a DJ herself, Yasmeenah is a fixture of the Minneapolis scene with a healthy list of superlatives. Her DJ in the Park series last summer brought warehouse ravers (and their dogs and kids) into the sunlight. She has played nationally on lineups legends like Marcellus Pittman and even opened for Fred again.. when he came to town last fall.

Yasmeenah will represent UNBOTHERED during its residency on Carbon Sound. Expect deep explorations through the annals of house history every fourth Wednesday from now until July on Carbon Sound.

We chatted with Yasmeenah about her background and intentions for the mix. Read a transcript of the interview edited for length and clarity below:

This is your second time in the studio. How has the last year treated you?

It's been busy, but a good busy. I'm really excited for what's to come

A little recap - You had your DJ in the Park series, you opened for Fred again.. How did that come together?

The Fred again.. show was really random. They hit me up, like, two days before the concert and were like, “hey, do you want to open for Fred again..?” And I was like, why not? It was a great experience. I've never played for that many people, and Fred again..’s team was really accommodating.

DJ in the Park was probably one of my favorite things that I did the past year. I really liked being outside and playing music for people outside of the nightlife setting. It was cool seeing  fellow party goers bring their children, family, and friends who normally don't come out at night. It will be coming back this summer.

UNBOTHERED is just a lifestyle. I feel like there are lots of things in this world that make us feel bothered. With UNBOTHERED parties, I want people to feel free to express themselves and release from their body. I think in order to do that, you have to allow yourself to be unbothered. 

Stay tuned for new mixes on Carbon Sound every Wednesday. If you’re a DJ and want to be considered for the series, email a mix of yours to jgreen@mpr.org.

Julian Green built and manages the music library for Carbon Sound and oversees content creation.  


Julian Green

House and Broken Beat from the UNBOTHERED boss.


UNBOTHERED Presents: Yasmeenah (4/23/25)

House & Broken Beat mix from Yasmeenah | Carbon Sound x UNBOTHERED

Each week, we add new music, older tracks, which are known as “Gold adds”, and tracks that might not fit our general format, but still deserve a place in rotation because they serve our mission of showing the depth, breadth, and influence of Black musical expression - These are known as “Variety adds.”

. If you make music and want it considered for rotation, 

 If you want to give feedback directly, reach out to me at jgreen@mpr.org.

Tune in to hear our host Sanni B. live on The Message from 10 AM to 1 PM Monday through Thursday!

Keep all these tracks in one place with the 

 Spotify playlist. This playlist is updated weekly with all the new adds. When that playlist is cycled with new tracks, the tracks live forever on the 

 playlist. That playlist contains all of the music that we've added since the week of July 11, 2022 in chronological order of when it was added. All of the tracks available on Spotify, at least.

All of the tracks added to rotation on Carbon Sound the week of April 21, 2025.


Image for New on Carbon Sound Spotify playlist

Natalia Toledo

New on Carbon Sound

Old on Carbon Sound

New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of April 21, 2025

Performing as a DJ and live PA, Ross Hutchens, AKA Lonefront, is one of Minneapolis’ best and brightest. Raw and hypnotic, Lonefront aims to arrange and orchestrate textures to illicit dance and introspection, depending on the event. As a producer and label head of 

, his talents have taken him across the country to warehouses in San Francisco, Phoenix, Detroit, and New York City. He’s played in Säule, a club in Berlin’s legendary Berghain dedicated to experimental dance music. Lonefront’s works have been played by DVS1 and other techno heroes from around the world. Recently, he won a 

. Not one to rest on his laurels, Lonefront stays busy producing new works and live sets late into the night.

We chatted with Lonefront about his background and intentions for the mix. Read a transcript of the interview edited for length and clarity below:

I studied violin when I was in elementary school and always wanted to play guitar. I moved to Minnesota from the Bay Area when I was 18 to study at Macalester in St. Paul. I didn't know what I wanted to do at the time, but , music was what I wanted to do once I got there. I decided to study guitar while I was there. I kind of always wanted to be a performing artist. 

After a while, I started getting into electronic music from acts like DJ Rashad and Teklife. I started messing around with Ableton since a lot of my friends at the time had it. A different friend noticed I was getting really into making beats, so they invited me to Future Classic. That was my first time hearing techno out for real, for real. It changed me overnight. 

I went home and wanted to learn everything about house and techno. I watched all the documentaries and switched up my approach with music. Instead of trying to make more modern stuff, I was listening back to older sounds and trying to learn more about how those styles of music were created. I learned about different drum machines like the [Roland TR] 808 and 909. Around that time, I started working at the store that sold modular synthesizers. I was surrounded by a lot more people involved in all that and started learning more about synthesis. Through working at that shop and getting really familiar with synthesizers, I started using a modular when I performed live, and it's kind of been my thing.

That was the first thing that I started getting into after going to 

. I wanted to start collecting records and figuring out how to beat match and DJ. I had friends at the time who had controllers and we would hang out. I learned how to DJ that way.

Eventually, I got a record player and would casually beat match here and there. Once COVID hit, my roommates and I would spend like all day long beat matching the same 30 records. All of us got our chops through that period of time.

A lot of people describe it as raw, hypnotic techno. For the sake of convenience, I tell people it's hypnotic techno. From a musician standpoint, though, I feel the songs I create are sonic explorations of textures. Orchestrating textures to illicit dance and introspection into the nature of sound. I feel like the sort of raw, hypnotic side of techno is a really open ended genre to explore.

When did you start to notice that people around the country and world were paying attention? Do you feel that way?

Yeah, definitely, over time. I feel very grateful to have been afforded the opportunities that I have. A lot of that success came around 2021 after I 

 got started, a lot more people are paying attention to what's happening with dance music in Minneapolis, specifically.

How do you describe the Minneapolis scene to people when you’re abroad?

I like to say it's the best kept secret in the country. When Future Classic was still around I would say that Minneapolis has one of the best techno clubs in the world, especially when we look at North America.

I always tell people about the legacy that's been here this whole time, even if the industry came and went and focused on other places. Roots of dance music here that tie to the early 90s Midwest rave go even further back with funk, hip-hop, and all the other styles that feed into rave music. There’s a rich history and I think a lot of lot of things have changed really recently, too. 

I really celebrate the newer generation that has showed up. Not just being attendees, but taking it in their own directions. Getting inspired and sharing things with others. There’s a rich tapestry with what we have going on here. We don't have the same infrastructure as a lot of other cities to go late hours, there aren’t a lot of places in downtown that facilitate a lot of this, but there are a lot of good things going on.

You were recently awarded a grant from the McKnight Foundation. How did that come about?

I’ve applied to grants handful of times over the years and it's never worked out. The big difference this time was that I had a lot more experience behind me. When I went to write the application, I had a story to tell based on everything I had worked on and achieved up to this point. I think that that played a big part in resonating with the judges. It’s great to be recognized for creating music in the space of culture that techno resides in. A lot of legacy music institutions, especially in academia, don't recognize dance music as a valid, authentic form of musical expression — Maybe because they don't quite understand how it connects to their framework of Western music. But that blanket statement that doesn't apply everywhere, and it's cool that Knight Foundation can see the vision.

I'm gonna play a collection of stuff that I  has been influential the style of music that I produce and play live as Lonefront. A snapshot into what I really love about this music.

Lonefront (4/16/25)

Man with beard and beanie smiles in Polaroid photo

Raw, Hypnotic Techno Mix from Lonefront | Carbon Sound

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Bump Opera

Moments from Carbon Sound’s Minnesota Music Month event in downtown St. Paul.


Bump Opera for MPR

Photos: papa mbye + Friends at Amsterdam Bar & Hall

Ahead of her Minneapolis stop on the 1 of 1 Reflections of Lyte Tour, legendary hip-hop artist MC Lyte chatted with Carbon Sound’s host Sanni Brown. In her interview, she talked about her most recent album, her esteemed career, and more.

So you are out on tour for your most recently dropped album, 

, and just judging from the featured artists, I feel like this is credibility, this is clout. This is Queen Latifah, Common, Lil Mama, Mary Mary, Muni Long. You got old school, you got new school. Could you just give us a little bit of insight on how that all came together, this album?

, the multi-platinum award, Grammy nominee, winning, he has just accomplished so much. And so with working with him, we kind of think alike. We weren't thinking about the guest until the song was done. And as the song started to be developed, we said, "Oh, you know, this feels like so and so would good be good on this" or the song with Common and Stevie Wonder, that music just calls for both of them. And so it was pretty simple, thinking of who we wanted. Now getting who we wanted just fell into place because most of the people are actually friends, people that I know, people we grew up in this business together. I think the only person that I didn't know was Ghostface Killah, and when I reached out to him, he was like, "Oh queen! Oh my god! Can I tell you — ‘

’ got me through." When he was in prison, he was listening to MC Lyte. And he had a certain amount of admiration, just as I do for his work, and so it was pretty easy to make all of the guest appearances happen. And for the second installment, we've got Toni Braxton, we got Slick Rick, Anthony Hamilton. So we already have songs lined up for the next go round.

I think the whole album is just a spiritual reflection of what it is that I've gone through for the last 10, 12 years, and I just tried to encapsulate it in some lyrics, so that people could really understand not just where I am — as fans, people want to know where are you in your life, because it leads to some sort of inspiration, or can lead to some inspiration for others. It was also just me coming to terms with where I am in hip-hop and what I am allowing myself to be or call entertainment. It was just a whole new way to approach a record and to let God be the guiding light for it.

I really have questions about your earlier career. What do you feel like you were determined about earlier on in your rap career? And right now during this album, do you feel like you've accomplished that?

Well, in the beginning it was just letting my generation know about drugs. I had seen drugs take many people out, members of my family, people on the street, people I went to school with were killed selling drugs, taking drugs, being involved with someone who sells them or takes them. It's just a downward spiral. And so I knew from the first song, "I Cram To Understand U," that I wanted to be able to impart that to young people, to my generation. And for this album, yes, I think for all it is that I addressed, it's really up to the listener. You know what I mean? There are Bibles everywhere, but does everybody pick them up? And those who pick it up, are they actually able to decipher the parables? Yes, there is something in there for everyone, but will everyone get it? I don't know. So I kind of feel the same way about musically and lyrically how we approached this record. There's something for everyone, but you got to be in an open state of mind in order to be able to receive it.

You said you let the listener determine that. And I hear from artists that that's difficult. I see some artists get upset or get offended. Have you always been like that, where you just let the art speak for itself? Or is that something you've had to develop throughout your career?

No, I let the art speak for itself. I can't make you get it, you know? It's up to the listener. You either get it or — I can't make you (laughs), you know? I think it's great that there are some universities out there that really have taken a deep dive into hip-hop and lyricism, and their main goal is to decipher and break down every part of a song, which I think can be beneficial for those who enjoy that part of it. But some people are not — they're all for what's on the fascia. If that's the case, then they get what they get to please them. And others who are looking for more can be fed because there's food under the food.

Right. Can you please give us insight into what hip-hop was like earlier in your career and the challenges that women had to face? What did that culture look like?

I think for the most part, and I can only really speak for me and my experience. A lot of the guys, they looked at me as their little sister, which was great — until you start making some kind of moves, and then you face we're all on a show, but the guys don't want to go on before me, even though the promoter has billed me high on the bill, they're like, "No, I think it's better if Lyte —" and they never tell me. They always go to the promoter, and then the promoter has to come back and tell management "so and so would like to go on after" or either they don't show up to the venue, which makes me go on, and then I go on, and then they go on after me (laughs). So whatever they have to do to not go on before me is really funny. But for the mainstay of it, it's been a wonderful experience as a woman. Honestly, if I weren't, I don't know that I'd be in hip-hop, because it's so many men and it's such a competition amongst them, even when they're friends. I think I saw some interview with Jay Z and he was saying, when DMX got on that stage, nobody wanted to go after him. All he had to do was grunt in the mic and the whole crowd would just go crazy. So it's so much competition for men in the business. It has been, and it still is. And so I think the lane was kind of open for me and what it was that I was bringing.

MC Lyte - Ruffneck (Official Video) [Explicit]

What are you the most excited to see about women in rap, modern day women in rap? What are you the most excited to see?

Right now? I just love that there's so many, and they're so different from one another, you know? What I really want to convey is that just because mainstream locks on to one or two, that just shows you how limited they are in their thinking. We can say, "Oh yeah, I'm like this one and this one and that one and that one!" We have a plethora of women on the mic that we enjoy at this present moment. And so I just don't want the others to be deterred in thinking that you're not hitting your mark. You're hitting your mark. Do what you do, the best way that you do it, run your lane, because everybody's got a separate lane right now, which I think is really exciting.

I think it's exciting. So the 1 of 1 tour, what type of vibes can we expect?

People just show up in your best 90s gear, we’re taking it back. I'm really excited and honored at this stage in my career to be able to say, "Let's hit the road and let people know what this record is about." Because it's easy to say "The record is done. We put it out. It's over." And I'm like no, it's not over. I hear so many times from people that my generation doesn't like to explore new music from the OG artists. And I'm like, "I don't know that if I believe that." They say, "Yeah, they want to put on their playlist, and when they're looking for MC Lyte they're looking for the stuff that they already know."And I tend to think that my fan has a bigger capacity than that, so let's get out there and let them know that it exists. And so it's been fun so far. We've hit everywhere from Philly, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, a whole lot of places in between. We just came from Canada with Toronto and Ottawa, on the list we've got Chicago and Michigan and Louisville, Kentucky and St. Louis. We've got a lot of places to hit, and I'm just excited that Minneapolis is on the list.

I love that. I love that so much. What's been your most enjoyable experience on tour so far?

Oh, goodness, I enjoy period, the level of intimacy. You know, it's a smaller crowd. Most times when I'm performing, I'm with three or four acts. We're in bigger arenas. It could be anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 people. But now we get to scale this down, and we're in city wineries that are like 300 people, and then we're in other spots where capacity is somewhere between 500 to 1,000 and so it just lends itself to me being able to show a side of myself that people rarely get to see in those big arenas.

To listen to an artist that's been in the game go, "Nope, I want something more intimate" and to say that it's about the music, I'm really hoping that young people catch that. That you've done the 10,000, done the 30,000, and that you're working towards a more intimate crowd to really connect with people on a musical level.

I consider myself blessed because I'm one of those that can go big and I can go small. It's a lot of them that are big that can't go small. It would look to people as a failure. When in fact, Prince didn't care if he only had 10 people in his house performing.

Exactly. If anybody knows, y'all know right?

And that wasn't just at Paisley Park. When he came to L.A., I remember him playing in places that only held 150 people. I saw him in New York City, where the place only held 75 people. So it's like, who are you as an artist? Are you ready to be exposed on another level? The crazy thing is, you can feel great in a house party with 500 people, because you can hide, but when there's only 50 people in the house, you're gonna be seen and you're gonna be heard, and you will leave yourself open to judgment. And so I like this level of intimacy because we get to talk.

We are so excited to have you. And just again, thank you so much for taking time off to talk to us and talking to a woman in rap. I am so inspired by you. I'm so excited that you are coming to Minneapolis. And honestly, I can't wait to see you when you get here.

I look forward to meeting you and thank you for the platform. And thank you for the line of questions. I look forward to seeing the city. God bless you.

God bless you too. Thank you, MC Lyte. Thank you so much.

Legendary hip-hop artist MC Lyte chatted with Carbon Sound’s host Sanni Brown about her most recent album, her esteemed career, and more.


Ahead of her Minneapolis stop on the 1 of 1 Reflections of Lyte Tour, legendary hip hop artist MC Lyte chatted with Carbon Sound’s host Sanni Brown. In her interview, she talked about her most recent album, her esteemed career, and more.

The Message - MC Lyte

Paras Griffin

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

I Cram to Understand U

MC Lyte - Poor Georgie (Official Video)

Interview: MC Lyte

We're proud to announce Tim Wilson as our first resident DJ curator! Tim Wilson is the owner and proprietor of Urban Lights, one of the few remaining Black-owned record stores in the US. 

Wilson has been a longtime pillar of hip-hop in Minneapolis through his work at the store, artist management, and hosting Faders Up - a weekly session for hip-hop DJs and turntablists.

Tim selected the four DJs that will be featured in Urban Lights' residency. Urban Lights' mixes will air every second Wednesday for through May.

Behind the decks this week is DJ IntenZ, whose connection with Urban Lights goes all the way back to his childhood when he would visit their weekly record pools with his father.

We chatted with DJ IntenZ about his background and intentions for the mix. Read a transcript of the interview edited for length and clarity below:

It ran in the family. My dad is a DJ. My uncles, my cousin is Big Reece, who’s also here today. So, it's just kind of in the blood, you know? 

Definitely a student of the game when it comes down to learning turntable tricks. But I'm open for anything. 

What are some of your favorite gigs that you’ve played?

Probably Bar Mitzvahs for the kids. Partying with the kids is a whole ‘nother energy. Besides that, just kicking it with the OGs at Faders Up every Saturday at Urban Lights.

How did you get involved with Tim and Urban Lights?

I used to run around Urban Lights back when it was Northern Lights as a kid with my dad. Every Saturday he would go to the record pools there to get music for the club. So, I kind of grew up there. I used to ask the DJ when I was younger, trying to get involved with it. Now,  actually being involved with it is fun.

I got a lot of fun hits, probably some B sides, some stuff that you probably won't hear on regular radio. Just bunch of good energy. Make it intense for you.

Stay tuned for new mixes on Carbon Sound every other Wednesday. If you’re a DJ and want to be considered for the series, email a mix of yours to jgreen@mpr.org.

Modern Hip-hop from an Urban Lights Faders Up resident.


Modern hip-hop from an Urban Lights Faders Up resident.

DJ Intenz (4/9/25)

Hip-Hop Mix from DJ IntenZ | Urban Lights x Carbon Sound

Urban Lights Presents: DJ IntenZ (4/9/25)

Omari Eternal is a multidisciplinary artist with roots in the Twin Cities and talent that takes them around the country. Thinking of DJing as a way to paint a picture, Omari Eternal’s mix shirks genre in favor of a message for liberation and unity.

We chatted with Omari Eternal about their background and intentions for the mix. Read a transcript of the interview edited for length and clarity below:

Music has always been a huge cornerstone of my life. I met my partner, Pauli Cakes, in 2020 and they showed me how to mix and blend music. It changed my perspective, and that's how I got into DJing. 

Very eclectic, sporadic. I like to use many different sounds. I'm not afraid to bend genres. I'm not afraid to bend social norms. 

What have been some of the most gratifying moments for you as a DJ?

The most gratifying moments have been when I'm DJing and I look up and see people having a good time. Dancing, not on their phones, just present in reality. That's a really hard thing to do in this day and age, to get a person to pay attention to something. It's the attention economy, after all.

You're an artist in a lot of different rights. What are some of the other media that you like to express yourself in?

I'm a tattoo artist and I also draw. Pretty much any medium that I can get my hands on, if it can make a stroke, then I probably will use it.

It's all connected. I see myself as a painter. No matter what I'm doing, whether it's making music, DJing, or tattooing, I'm putting a painting together for people to view. That's how I see it.

Today, we're gonna be going into my mind a little bit. I also want to draw the parallels between the struggle in Palestine to liberation in general. There's a parallel between the Black struggle and the Palestinian genocide that's happening currently today. That's something I want to try to convey through my set, if possible.

An intentional mix from a multidisciplinary powerhouse.


Omari Eternal (4/2/25)

House, Electro, and more from Omari Eternal | Carbon Sound

Every 1st of the month, we’re creating a roundup of our favorite tracks, projects, and music videos that were released by Minnesota artists from that previous month. 

Keep our favorite tracks in one place with “Carbon Sound’s 1st of the Month” Spotify playlist. Expect an updated 1st of the Month Playlist on……every 1st of the Month.  Mark your calendars accordingly.

Minnesota is lucky to have a collective of talented artists like Ozone Creations. They have consistently released jam after jam. “Feel It” is the latest single from Mack OC and I have been genuinely obsessed. The production and vocals are top-tier, and it’s a perfect tune for the upcoming warm weather. - Natalia Toledo

I'd pay good money for a vocal chain reveal from REVII, who lays down an angelic performance on their new track "Take me as I am." Great vocals, a killer hook, and a powerful beat come together to make this special track. - Julian Green

There’s so much to love about Jesirae’s new track “Intuition.” The production that feels like a sunny day stroll, her storytelling, and throw in a catchy hook as well. My intuition tells me to expect more great vibes like this from Jesirae all year. - John Kueppers

Chanelmarie Brooks - A Soulful Silhouette

XINA - PURE POTENTIALITY (Official Video)

Fat Twin - Can't Even Tell | Presented by No More Heroes

14HunnitVon - Woah Shawty! (Official Music Video)

Mack OC, Ozone Creations “FEEL IT” Lyric Video

Mack OC, Ozone Creations - FEEL IT (The Only Lyric Video)

LASALLE "That Was The Moment" | Pardon the Noise (S6, E05)

NUNNABOVE’s Red Noise performance at Green Room

NUNNABOVE- Red Noise (tribute to The Wiz)

Brother Ali “Immortalized” On The Radar Performance

Jovonta Patton’s “When the praises go up” with Maya Marchelle and Jazze Pha

Jovonta Patton - When the praises go up ft. Jazze Pha & Maya Marchelle(official Video)

Dwynell Roland and P.O.S’ song featured in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

Author

John Kueppers

Highlighting Carbon Sound’s Favorite Minnesota made tracks, projects, and music videos released over the month of March, 2025.


Carbon Sound's Best Minnesota Music from March 2025 graphic

Natalia Toledo | MPR

Carbon Sound's 1st of the Month

NEW ROAD AND GUAVA TREES

A Soulful Silhouette

SECRETS

SEASON SIX

FURFANTE

Selah C.- Doctor Bills (Official Video)

Minnesota Music Releases to check out from March 2025

SYM1 stopped by to talk to Carbon Sound’s host Sanni about all things pop music.


Stories

Interview: k3ko

UNBOTHERED Presents: Yasmeenah (4/23/25)

New Music on Carbon Sound - Week of April 21, 2025

Get the Carbon Sound app

Lonefront (4/16/25)

Photos: papa mbye + Friends at Amsterdam Bar & Hall

Interview: MC Lyte

Urban Lights Presents: DJ IntenZ (4/9/25)

Connect with Carbon Sound

Omari Eternal (4/2/25)

Minnesota Music Releases to check out from March 2025

Interview: SYM1

See more stories →