Jenelle Uppman is not as hip-hop as her new album might suggest. The local R&B singer-songwriter sparked a buzz in the underground hip-hop scene when she linked up with Spokane producer Isaiah Moss, aka Mozez Beats.

After settling into motherhood and refocusing her music, Kari Marguerite is taking a less-is-more approach into the new year. “Since I had my daughter, Lucy, it’s not that music is on the back burner, but when and if I can perform it has to be fun for me otherwise I don’t want to play for four hours,” she said. “That is taking time away from my family if I am not expressing my creativity and doing my own music.” Deciding between babysitting money and gig money has caused a shift in priorities for the bandleader of local jazz-pop powerhouse Kari Marguerite and the 76. And she’s resolved to the idea that sometimes the smaller show carries more weight.

Bad Penmanship isn’t just about the words. From the very beginning, the local hip-hop collective has represented both the beats and rhymes side of hip-hop.