Arts & Entertainment
“A Side of Darkness” Releases New Album in Mineola
Local artists and Mineola High School alumni release new album.
The Mineola-based hip-hop group “A Side of Darkness” released their first self-titled album on Saturday after nearly 3 years of work on Long Island.
Former graduates Raul Gonzalez (Roger Gunz), Manuel Villalobos (The O.G. Manny G) and Charlie Molina (Chuck Nasty) each bring an individual uniqueness to an act that isn’t necessarily all hip-hop.
“We’re not timid to touch certain tracks or certain beats,” Gonzalez said. “We’re open minded. We get vibes from all different types of music.”
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The group cited musical influences from Guns N’ Roses, Jimi Hendrix to Wu Tang Clan and Mos Def.
“A Side of Darkness” came together after the trio started collaborating at Gonzalez’s home before recording their music at Music Farm, a recording studio in Elmont. Gonzalez had been writing and performing the lyrics while Molina produced the tracks. The two also produce and engineer work for other local artists on Long Island through the recording studio.
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“We build the song around the production,” Molina said. “It’s a sound that you haven’t heard and a sound that gets you thinking a little bit.”
The group’s name was reflective of the content of their music; rather than make music that is always happy, the three men pointed out that everyone in life has their dark side and a lot of that is made apparent through their music.
“We went through a lot of trials and tribulations to get the music out,” Gonzalez explained. “It’s not easy.”
Continuing to record and perform locally in Queens, Long Island and Manhattan, Saturday was their first concert back in Mineola. The members stressed the importance of sending a message through their music because as first-generation Latin American immigrants, the group’s music reflects the transitions of living in a new country.
“Lady L.I.berty talks about how Latin American people came to this country,” Gonzalez said. “How they go through different struggles in life both hard and easy.”
The group is already in the studio producing more tracks for a mixtape that is expected to be released in August.
For more information on “A Side of Darkness” and their music, you can visit their Facebook page.
