Cecil Otter is a compelling musician for the same reasons he’s good with cards. The technique runs on charm, patience, intuition, and precision. Cecil is one of the founding members of Doomtree. As an emcee he’s admired for his lyric, cinematic style. He writes about love, vengeance, and redemption—and the spaces where the three convene. His narratives ride on his imagery: sepia flickers of loners, beauties, ghosts, and vagabonds. As a producer, his sound is nostalgic. He features swooning guitar lines, masterful drums, vinyl crackle, and distant voices.

Guante & Big Cats! are a hip hop duo. Guante raps and Big Cats! produces. Sometimes they perform as a duo, and sometimes they play backed by a full band. Their new album, An Unwelcome Guest, is a concept album that mixes radical politics, superhero mythology, zombies and a continent-spanning love story. Buy it here. Guante is a rapper, spoken-word artist, activist, writer and educator. A 2008 City Pages Artist of the Year, URB Magazine "Next 1000" pick, multiple Independent Music Awards nominee and 2009 National Poetry Slam champion, he is signed to Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records.