When you think of places that appreciate good hip hop, Oslo probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind. Well, you’re wrong! How could you be so wrong!?
Anyway, Ivan Ave is a product of Oslo’s knowledge and appreciation for golden age hip hop, blues, soul, disco, and jazz (a good chunk of golden age hip hop is really just an appreciation of those things anyway). Unlike a lot of the rap stars you’ll find on stages at festivals and arena shows across the world, Ivan Ave knows that good hip hop draws influence from the past. Still, Ivan makes it clear he’s know hater of the new shit.
Being (probably) the best rapper in Oslo has its perks. Whenever a big-name act comes over there, they call on Ivan Ave to get the crowd moving. He’s opened shows for guys like Mos Def, Murs, Talib Kweli, and was scheduled to open for Bishop Nehru until a last minute illness forced Nehru to cancel the show.
A few months back Ivan Ave was in NYC and stopped by the Newtown Radio studio for a special edition of MXD SGNLS, which you can check out in the video below.
Follow MXD SGNLS on Twitter and Facebook, and check out more videos!