This New Orleans hip-hop veteran is only beginning to get things rolling with music in his blood, a milestone on the books, and a Grammy in his sights.
To Eastside Flame, born Mark Anthony Barthelemy, on the Eastside of New Orleans, Louisiana, music was not an option. It chose him. The Barthelemy name is a heavy burden in the business and being born into such business was not only an inspiration but also a calling. Since 2006, he has been responding to it in a loud and unrepentant manner.
Almost 20 years in the game. Section 8 projects. A family with a long musical history. And a milestone last year, 250,000 streams. His voice is as shot, as vigorous, and inviolable as his name. Eastside Flame is not only the representative of New Orleans. He embodies it.
Born Into a Legacy
The Barthelemy family is a pioneer in the history of music. Everything was inspirational, at dinner table, in each house, in the family cloth. He says his family was the first to start music. The family of Barthelemy is famous in the world of music.
In the case of Mark Anthony, music was not rebellion but continuation. It was a burden to add his chapter to a legendary tale and that legacy has kept him plodding along two decades of his good times and bad. He was a child of a single mother with four children who grew up in the Section 8 projects in Louisiana and has seen the hustle with his own eyes. The lessons were the core of his music and the model of his career.
Learning the Game
Eastside Flame has an inside-out understanding of the business before becoming a headliner, as he handled Wingstoofunny at the very beginning. It was that outlook which gave him understanding many artists spend years to learn, and which has influenced all his independent decisions ever since.
His debut single was released in 2007 and since then he has created a discography as rich and full-bodied as the city of New Orleans is, which it is hard to shun once you have fallen in love with it.
The Sound: Energy Meets Substance.
The music played by Eastside Flame is a lit, high-energy party music, yet not hype. It brings true tales of true streets, told by a man who has been to every bar. His creative process starts in silence, meditation and creation and then bursts into music which causes crowds to forget their woes. That juxtaposition of calm concentration and thunderous intensity is what his style is and it makes his listeners hold on.
Never Change: A Personal Statement.
His most personal song, Never Change is a hymn to faith and honesty. The song starts with Niggas change, b**hes change / Never change on the fame/ It’s the same but I never change on you, like Eastside Flame has its origins, family issues, and desire to succeed.
It follows the story of life in the 9th Ward, the hustle of a single mother, and a vow to return her payments: “Momma, it feels good to know that I am good / First milli, you gone get a house. Each line is hard-won. In the background of the energy and party-ready sound is a man who has seen his worst days and is not going back: “Heart getting colder, f**ing the game over / Don’t ever wanna go back to my lowest.”
Landmarks and Historical events.
The achievement of 250,000 streams in the previous year justified years of struggle. That number is an indication of natural growth and commitment in an age of algorithms and oversaturation.
In addition to figures, Eastside Flame was the first artist to play on a beach during Cruisin the Coast. It was one of those moments that showed that his energy is not limited to the streets of New Orleans, but can reach any audience.
Grammy Ambition and Eastside Lifestyle.
Everything he is and embodies, loyalty, hustle, authenticity, and not wanting to sacrifice to be mainstream, can be found in his current chapter, Eastside Lifestyle. And his destination? The Grammys. Since the work of Louisiana to historical stages and 250,000 streams, it has been a directional step, a calculated move, and the Grammy is the next point in a map he has been tracing all his life.
To the first-time visitors, the slogan is straightforward: visit this place to get the energy and remain there to experience the authenticity. Eastside Flame is a good vibe, true story and a man who has earned every word he has ever rapped. The flame is now brighter than before, almost 20 years later.
Eastside Flame is a New Orleans based independent hip-hop artist. Listen toStream “Never Change” and his entire discography on all the big streaming sites.
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