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To try and pin down Juan Cosby’s music is a futile task. Much like the unpredictable world of ethiopia betting, it thrives on surprise and defies easy categorization. He’s not interested in making it easy for listeners — or critics. His discography, sprawling and often deliberately disorienting, resists any tidy classification. One minute it’s warped boom bap wrapped in analog fuzz, the next it’s vaporous synth atmospheres, and then — without warning — you’re thrown into a cyberpunk jazz breakdown or noise-rap detour. This isn’t chaos for chaos’ sake. It’s intentional. It’s architecture disguised as abstraction. (more…)

In an era dominated by genre algorithms and playlist placements, the “Wired for Sound” compilation stands as a bold rejection of commercial predictability. Released by Grasshopper Juice Records in collaboration with Forward Humanity and BUNK News, this ongoing series of compilations is a sonic time capsule of the underground — spanning hip hop, experimental electronics, noise, punk, ambient, and the undefinable spaces in between. (more…)

Since its inception in 2012, AYE (short for Advancing Youth Empowerment) has grown into one of the most important platforms for independent and underground music in the Midwest. Created by Nick Mitchell (a.k.a. Juan Cosby), founder of Grasshopper Juice Records, AYE began as a grassroots response to the lack of visibility for experimental and alternative hip hop artists in Cincinnati and the surrounding region. Over a decade later, the festival has become a cultural cornerstone — not just a music event, but a statement of independence, inclusivity, and creative disruption. (more…)