As a follow up to their previous EP, HelloGoodbye, Stik Figa & D/WILL bring us their latest project, Alive & Well. With their last release being themed as a suicide note to Stik Figa’s son, Alive and Well provides a much different perspective on life, yet equally thought provoking. The EP is filled with substantial lyrics, and serving as a true concept-related project, each song is significant to the overall message: Stik Figa & D/WILL are alive and well. Entirely produced by D/WILL, the beats on the EP show expansive variety, equipped with unique flips on soul samples and steady loops as a soundtrack to Stik Figa’s thoughts. “Alive and Well picks up right where the last one left off,” says D/WILL, continuing, “then it leads into a blast of soulful feel goodness!”

The project leads off with “Alive”, a song with chronological rhymes of Stik Figa’s own birth, followed by the birth of his son. As the album continues, Stik Figa keeps it personal, addressing everything from his native Topeka, Kansas in “Be Like That”, to his female encounters in “Fone Tag”. “I’m very well-rounded for being a square,” says Stik Figa on his versatility as a lyricist and songwriter. While he demonstrates his ability to rhyme about anything and everything, D/WILL demonstrates similar dynamics on the boards, providing an array of mood-altering beats. The combination brings listeners deep into the hearts of both Stik Figa & D/WILL.

Stik Figa will also be releasing a free EP with Oddisee, in the upcoming months.

Alive & Well is available for free download here: http://www.mediafire.com/?r2ykj2d2sdct441

The Background:

“From a small Kansas town in the county of Shawnee……”–Stik Figa The Midwest landlocked state of Kansas brings a few images to mind: yellow brick roads, tornadoes, cornfields and a dog named Toto. But rapper Stik Figa hopes to change the perception of the plain state with good, honest hip-hop music. Born in Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, John Westbrook, Jr. grew up in Topeka, the capital city of Kansas. While he lived in Topeka’s central neighborhood of Elmhurst friend Tiwanne (RIP) gave him a copy of GZA’s “Liquid Swordz.” Stik found the record abrasive, dangerous, introspective and smart. The experience changed how he viewed hip-hop and made him want to contribute. And contribute he has. Independent heavyweights El Da Sensei, Blackalicious, MURS and Phat Kat have all chosen Stik to open shows with his energetic flow. He’s a member of many respected crews such as Fyte Club (Memphis) InnateSounds (Kansas City) The O’s (Topeka) and Fly Boy Club (Wichita). Stik draws on a southern style mixed with a Midwest flavor. His first southern influence came from his parents who are from Arkansas and Tennessee. His mom even contributed to his moniker after she commented on his thin frame. She told him he looked like a stick figure. His other southern roots come from experience. Stik has performed in Virginia Beach, Va., and Tampa, Fla., where he won talent shows and battles. His southern stint honed his craft on the stage and molded him into what he is today. Stik claims Memphis, Tenn., as his second home. He says places in the south like Memphis helped to develop his style as likeable, down-to-earth and honest. “My music is meat and potatoes with a focus on skills and honesty, something sorely missing from today’s current market,” Stik says.

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