The Hip-Hop Tyler Perry

“Ya’ll get ready, I am the underground Tyler Perry. I use my heart and soul to create good movies that will give Southern artists a boost. My movies are tangible and bring color to everyday life in today’s southern music mecca,” explains Kaspa The Don

Hittmenn Djs Pres./Founder & Zone 4 VP of Marketing Is The New Tyler Perry of Hip-Hop
By Kandis Knight

If you know Polow Da Don, you know Robert “Kaspa the Don” Smith. Kaspa has a long decorated career in the music industry he has worked up close and personal with many artists including the major players such as Puffy, Biggie, Jermaine Dupri, Dr. Dre, Ciara, Lil Jon, Mr.Collipark, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Eminem and Young Jeezy. Currently, Kaspa is the VP of Marketing for Polow Da Don’s Zone 4 Inc., home of Rich Boy, Keri Hilson, Ester Dean and the Hemphill Kids.

In addition to his thriving career in the music industry, Kaspa has been building a budding film career and is currently working on his 3rd movie. Filming began in Atlanta this BET weekend for Kaspa’s third movie, Shawty. “I have been in the industry for years, right now the climate has changed there are so many artists,” explains the marketing guru from the Zone 4 Office/Loft in Midtown Atlanta. The walls are filled with plaques and awards. “So I started going for the Tyler Perry thing. I have been writing and producing underground level movies about music in the south so that artists will have an additional platform for building their careers.”

Kaspa teamed up with Macadocious Films and started writing and directing and executive producing films two years ago. “We are kinda like Dr. Dre and Snoop of film. I am Spike Lee 2.0, I write and I direct,” explains Kaspa as he rocks in his executive leather chair and flips through his cell phone. Kaspa utilizes real Southern star power when creating his films. His movies feature heavy hitters such as Terry Brown, Aj Jewell (Kandi Buress’s fiancé who recently died R.I.P), Greg Street, Big Bank Black, Lil’ Chuckee(Young Money), Bigga Rankin and Rich Boy.

“Off Da Hook" is my latest film. It is a movie about a dope dealer(Terry Brown) from Mississippi who came to ATL from having problems in the delta and started moving up and forward in life, a regular street cat with a story to tell,” Kaspa explains. "Off Da Hook" The Don's most recent film, took nine months to complete. “We wanted to brand this one like Master P.,"Bout It Bout it,”concept." Kaspa laughs. “Rich Boy blessed us with a couple hot singles for the mixtape and it hit the streets like crazy.”

We just did our movie premiere for Our VII Hittmenn Dj Reunion B.E.T Hip Hop Weekend Oct 11th, 2009 @ South Dekalb Movie Theater. We had live performances from Rich Boy, Mr. Collipark new ensemble "Mr. Hit Dat" ,Bertell (Capitol Records) and Prynce- Def Jam Konvict. When Kaspa is not busy producing movies, he runs a multi state disc jockey crew, The Hittmenn Djs. Hittmenn Djs are directly responsible for breaking chart topping Southern artists. Kaspa was able to mobilize his crew to distribute the movie using street channels nationwide. “I didn’t want to do distro (distribution) without a buzz so we took it viral, gave it to bootleggers and the movie spreaded like crazy. Hittmenn DJ crew receives notoriety for the movies we are putting out and so it makes sense to break new music in my movies and it makes sense for the artists. They get high dollar branding,” Kaspa explains.

"Shawty", was inspired by all of the work Kaspa has been doing in the community for years. Kaspa is founder of the Bank Empowerment Tour. This B.E.T Hip Hop Weekend Hittmenn Djs kicked the tour off in 3 different schools in one day.

Zone 4, Ester Dean, Collipark's "V.I.C", and Grand Hustles "Rich Kids",Pretty Ricky CG, and Money Bound Entertainment helped put the concert on. This program teaches urban youth classes about financial institutions Hittmenn Djs are working in conjunction with The Royal Bank Of Canada(RBC), Decatur First Bank(DFB) and Best Bank. Through this Hittmenn Dj Crew, Kaspa leads an annual School Supply Drive.

Also, in conjunction with his business partner and good friend, Greg Street, Kaspa runs the biggest Southern Toy Drive for the Holidays, "Toyz N Da Hood, (Google it) a well established Atlanta-based non-profit movement “I love doing things with the kids, things that will empower them. I decided to have children play key roles in my film this time. I was inspired by the movie Drum Line because of how children were empowered and allowed to co-create. I wanted to give kids a chance to have important roles in my movies.”

"Shawty" may very well be the film that propels this “Hip-Hop Tyler Perry” into the big leagues being that the movie was well received by a packed house at a pre screening held during the BET/Hittmenn Djs Reunion Party in Atlanta this weekend. Kaspa is also currently taking musical submissions for his Toyz N Da Hood Soundtrack from artists of all genres and for more information about "Shawty", the movie email Shawtythemovie@gmail.com

Interview: Young A.C.

Young A.C.
Words By Kandis Knight
Photo by Hannibal Matthews

“TJ (Chapman) watched him grow, Tony Neal watched him grow, Kaspa (The Don) watched him grow, Bigga Rankin watched him, now everyone can see he is ready,” explains Teddy T. “No matter where we go, he steals the show.”

Miami’s legendary radio disc jockey, Wildman Teddy T, is a longtime fixture in the Southern music scene, a well-respected record breaker (Pretty Ricky, Jackie O) and the father figure to a young Broward County artist who he has been carefully grooming under his wings since 1997. When Teddy T first met ten year-old Allen Crew, a.k.a. Young A.C., he banked on the preteen and began doing everything he could to train him for the spotlight.

At nine years-old, A.C. began freestyling and made a name around the neighborhood. A year later he became disciplined enough to start writing rap verses and poems then he quickly graduated and learned how to count bars and measures like an expert.

"I like that I started at a young age because it made rap like a language for me, I became fluent and now I speak it well and all the time," explains the wildly charismatic teen. While Young A.C. attended William Dandy Middle School he was surrounded by many other talented classmates who constantly challenged his abilities. Singer Sammie was one such classmate and an inspiration to every student interested in the musical path. Young A.C. quickly found his path and signed his first contract when he was eleven years-old. Performing all across the south has made A.C. a favored up and coming artist.

Teddy T signed A.C. up for school tours and began thrusting his protégé’ into the spotlight via his nightly radio show, Teddy T and Lucy Lopez on Miami’s Power 96. “I had him doing intros when he was fourteen for my radio show and people always were calling in and asking who he was, he was hot.” However, Teddy kept the young Tiger at bay until the time was right.

“Once I got into the craft, I could not get enough, I was always trying to find my style. All I wanted to do was music,” says the young powerhouse. “I got my own story to tell, I got new swag I am the voice of the struggle. When it comes to the struggle I done seen it all. I never had nothing but I always been told I would make it. I am going to speak for the struggle. I am a small town thug who will go international with it.”

Young A.C. was raised by the streets of Broward County and his grandmother. His father was serving a lifetime sentence for murder. When A.C.’s grandmother passed, Teddy T became A.C.’s role model, friend, music mentor and biggest fan. In 2007 A.C. signed a deal with the young and aggressive record label, Deepside Entertainment, whose charismatic CEO, Silk was immediately impressed with A.C.

Everyone quickly noticed A.C. was on the fast track. “He was not a regular ten year-old kid. He was calling the girls little mama even back then,” Teddy laughs then turns serious. “He had “star” written all over him. He was so young but he was like an old soul. He reminded me a lot of myself when I was his age. Another thing that struck me from day one is that he always used adjectives and pronouns for everything he said. There is no question, he is lyrically gifted. He is a mutant. I am like Yoda and the force was with him.”

Music is what kept A.C. focused while the streets of Broward County, Florida voraciously consumed young black men. “There were people doing worse than me, but I always had everything it was rough though. Broward County is the murder capital, the cocaine capital,” explains Young A.C.

Now, at 19 years-old, A.C. is smack dab in the center of music industry cross wires spending weeks on end traveling across the south from music conference to record pool to show dates as Deepside Entertainment’s fledgling artist. “I signed my first contract when I was eleven. I am turning twenty. It is finally that time. I feel like I am ready.”

Silk wants the world to watch A.C.’s ascent closely. “This is how you can watch a broke man turn rich. It is possible for everybody to make it. It is a good thing to graduate, but you don’t got to in order to make it. Where there is a will there is a way. And we are about to show you.”

Team A.C. is gearing up with high artillery ammunition. A track called The Flyest, produced by Grammy Award winning Super Production Squad, The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. “They got a different swag. They brought a different swag to production and their team is tight, it reminds me of my team. So putting us ALL together is gonna be a problem,” says A.C.

“The growth is definitely there, everything is happening so fast there ain’t no franchise without a face, so A.C. is the face. We gonna hit the world by storm. All us got fifteen years in the game. It’s fourth quarter it’s fourth and long, and we are throwing the ball to AC and I know my little brother is going to catch it,” Silk explains.

Young A.C. has performed extensively and shared many stages with Hip-Hop’s best and brightest for the last seven years. He has also received recognition for his appearance on BET's 2007 "Spring Bling Freestyle Battle", where he was runner-up against winner Pluck from Jacksonville, Florida in the Championship round.

A.C. is currently working on his solo album and promoting his hit single, THE FLYEST and also check out his mixtapes "One Way Vol.1", and his "Hello Mixtape" (Florida's Most Wanted) Hosted by Hittmenn DJ Frank Luv.

September 9th, 2008 be on the look out for Young A.C.’s hit single THE FLYEST to be distributed digitally through Industry Works/Universal Records!

Young A.C. Music:

RADIO: The FLYEST, Young A.C. Deepside Featuring Blaze produced by The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League distributed digitally by Industry Works/Universal http://www.zshare.net/audio/167200949b260994/

The FLYEST INSTRUMENTAL, Young A.C. Deepside produced by The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League distributed digitally by Industry Works/Universal http://www.zshare.net/audio/167201319b4f0a23/

Here is the placement I got for my client in Right On Magazine February 2009!!!

Interview: The Mixologist

The Mixologist’s
Slaughterhouse: Presented by...
Written by Kandis Knight

The “Mixologist” is at it again, and discerning Hip-Hop enthusiasts are awaiting the release of Slaughterhouse: Presented by… International Dj and Tastemaker Dj Reeg a.k.a. “The Mixologist”.

In preparation for the release of the full-length Slaughterhouse album, (Summer 2009), The Mixologist will jump start the buzz with his 20 track rendition released May 1st, 2009.

The Mixologist chose the Slaughterhouse project because he is a fan of the group and the group’s international popularity is at an all time high. Slaughterhouse; Crooked I, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz & Royce Da 5'9", are multi-dimensional, multi-talented, experimentalists who are widely being compared to Hip-Hop legends, WuTang Clan.

“I was inspired to create this Slaughterhouse mix because I had heard a prior compilation that wasn't mixed and I personally thought the track selection didn't reflect each individual artist’s talent the best,” explains the Midwest’s Mixologist.

The Mixologist is credited with the wildly popular and ground breaking mixtape series called “Check the Blend,” which has received acclaim from fans and DJ’s across the globe.

The Mixologist, an old school turntabalist, has been known to "mix" a mixtape in the past, make sure to check out "Life After Retirement Pt. 2" an all Jay-Z project produced by The Mixologist in 2008. For Slaughterhouse, The Mixologist meticulously chose his own track selection, then added tons of his personal touches throughout the project. The Mixologist’s flawless track selection, innovative remix taste and complete vinyl control makes Slaughterhouse: Presented by The Mixologist a must have for Hip-Hop aficionados. This solid piece of work is already being called a classic.

“For the title track "Slaughterhouse", I used the NMC remix produced by Veterano. The NMC is The New Music Cartel (newmusiccartel.com) who is responsible for the best hip hop blogs on the net, along with ChecktheBlog.net,” explains The Mixologist.

Slaughterhouse: Presented by “The Mixologist”
Tracklist:

1. Move On (Slaughterhouse Remix)
2. Crack A Brooklyn Bottle - Joell Ortiz
3. Stand Up - Joell Ortiz ft. Novel
4. They Call This (Hip Hop) - Royce Da 5'9"
5. Part Of Me - Royce Da 5'9"
6. Crooked Go Hard - Crooked I
7. I'm Still A MC (Fuck Dumbin' Down) - Crooked I
8. If You Ever Hear Me - Crooked I
9. Wack MC's - Slaughterhouse
10. Air Ya'll - Joell Ortiz
11. Bout My Money - Joell Ortiz
12. Freestyle w/ Busta - Royce Da 5'9"
13. Slaughterhouse (NMC Veterano Remix)
14. Hottest In Da Hood - Joe Budden
15. Warfare (Al Sween Remix) - Joe Budden ft. Joell Ortiz
16. Homage To Premier - Royce Da 5'9" (Produced by Focus)
17. Onslaught - Slaughterhouse
18. Fight Club - Slaughterhouse
19. Jackin' For Beats 2009 - Crooked I x DJ Wicked
20. Covering The Classics Pt. 1 - Joell Ortiz

Free Download

http://www.zshare.net/download/59418806d7e63dbf/

Interview: David Banner

Interview: David Banner (Mississippi)
Published in Indie Street Magazine
By Kandis Knight

“Levell Crump is a college graduate, a philanthropist and a long-time community activist. Sup wit’ all those beautiful nice things that people have a tendency to call me?” asks the Mississippi-born, black, superhero better known to the Hip-Hop world as David Banner. “Like Hulk, I can be a very rambunctious person and like David Banner, I am very intelligent.”

Banner, recently known for his political taunts loves to express his opinion. “The biggest issue facing America is how the International community perceives us. America has been such a bully for so long. You know and we are going to have to pay one day for our wrong doings. We have pushed so many people around, if anything was to happen to America we are going to have to serve for it because no one else is going to come to our rescue. Why should they?”

Banner a.k.a. “Big Face” graduated from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana however we all know Banner is 100% hood-certified and always will be. That is why we can’t get enough of him.

“I intelligently talk gangsta’ shit!” explains Banner (laughing hysterically). “I grew up in a gangster environment. I think President Bush is a gangster. When I was growing up Jackson Mississippi was the murder capital of the United States, do I need to say anything else?”

Banner’s decorated music career began the day his Uncle James Edwards, a northern DJ, brought a stack of records to Mississippi. “He brought Mantronix, Stetsasonic, you know, and my life changed ever since then.”

Soon after Banner became part of a group called Crooked Lettaz (released the album Grey Skies, 1999). When Crooked Lettaz disbanded Banner released his first solo album which sold over 10,000 copies. (Them Fire Water Boyz, Vol. 1, 2000). Banner’s first major album went gold thanks to hits like, "Like A Pimp” with the help of Lil’ Flip (Mississippi: The Album, 2003). Banner has since released two major albums (MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water, 2003 and Certified September 2005). His latest and highly anticipated album, The Greatest Story Ever Told will be released October 2007.

No one will ever doubt Banner’s prolific music industry track record, just when he had reached all of his goals in the music game, Hurricane Katrina pushed him into yet another public arena. Most recently Banner has been making headlines on the political front. Since Hurricane Katrina Banner has been busy blasting and shaming community leaders who he feels have dropped the ball when it comes to the plight of the African-American community.

The majority of Banner’s work with Katrina victims was largely a labor of love and went unrecognized until he was awarded the Visionary Award by the National Black Caucus in November 2007. When Banner’s award was questioned by conservatives and some civil rights leaders, who object to the lyrics in his music, Banner naturally fired back. He’s David Banner.

Although the white media (sometimes using a black face) loves to crucify him, he continues to stand for what many marginalized young African-American youth feel and remains loyal to the thousands of voiceless fans in urban ghettos and slums.

“Sharpton can say what he wants, because what I said is true. . . Oprah should listen to Hip-Hop music, it might put some more black back in her. I would say they don’t know me, it amazes me how people have opened their mouths and they have not done research. I’ve always been an activist. I was student government president in school, I have always been active in the community. I have always been outspoken. . .The thing is. . .They don’t know me and that is fine with me. I go to God at the end of the day. As long as he knows my heart I am fine because my only goal is really to be with him in the end. I don’t give a fuck what people say. I care less.”

Heal The Hood is yet another example of Banner’s philanthropic endeavors. Heal The Hood is community program founded and directed by Banner that has been assisting people in neighborhoods that are usually over looked by mainstream organizations since 2005. “I do all kinds of things, I do scholarship programs, I take kids out of the hood on trips. . .the better question would be, what don’t I do? I think children know that I tell them the truth and that I don’t cut corners on them, I just love kids,” his mood changes.

“I used to love black people but now I just love kids. Niggas don’t give a fuck about nobody but themselves for the most part. People want you to step out there so they can watch you get killed. Fuck it, kids are my main focus now.”

With all the misogyny, violence and materialism Hip-Hop is notorious for, community activists like Al Sharpton have been challenging artists to take responsibility for their lyrics however Banner believes that Al Sharpton and others who are attacking Hip-Hop are wrong for trying to interfere with a way of life that has afforded many young African-American’s a way out of the ghetto. In addition, Banner staunchly believes critics are wrong for attacking Hip-Hop and Freedom of Speech when parenting should begin at home.

“I think parents should raise their own m*therfucking kids. And women should stop having children in situations when they know they can’t even take care of their own situation and stop looking for people to raise their damn kids! Raise your own f*cking kids. We need to stop having kids when we know we ain’t ready. Move away from the dick, move away from the dick, it’s dangerous!” Banner adamantly screams.

Banner, the elder son of esteemed firefighter and strict disciplinarian, Zeno Crump Jr. (who passed away in June 2007, R.I.P.), definitely believes in old school principles of child-rearing.

“Yeah, my parents were activists too, they were very active in beating my ass!” laughs the animated emcee who admits, outside of reprimanding, he and his father exchanged few words growing up.

Banner’s unyielding spirit, his gift of music, his father’s discipline and his college education have brought him a long way. On September 25, 2007, Banner exchanged a few words to Congress about the way African-Americans are portrayed in American media (aired nationally on C-Span 2). "I can admit there are some problems in Hip-Hop but it is only a reflection of what’s taking place in our society. Hip-Hop is sick because America is sick," Banner explained to Congress and the world. He went on to comment on the attack on Hip-Hop (The First Amendment). "If this is not a sign that we need to stand together nothing is. It started with homeland security and now the 1st Amendment. Everyday we are moving closer to a dictatorship."

Although he has found himself comfortable speaking before the masses Banner sometimes feels misunderstood. “I am not really a conflict oriented individual, as much as people would like to think I am. I really just like peace. I like being by myself, I like reading and being myself. I like sitting by the lake and watching the fish. But m*therfuckers want me to bust they ass!”

In addition, to music and politics, Banner’s Hollywood acting career is also running in overdrive. He recently starred along side Christina Ricci and Samuel Jackson in the movie Black Snake Moan, where he played the role of Ricci’s personal black booty call, Tehronne. Sadly, Banner lost out on a role in Batman to actor Michael Jai White but with one of the best Hollywood agents on his team, Sarah Ramaker, it will only be a matter of time before we see Banner bring home an Oscar and some more of his special flavor to the big screen.

These days, Banner is doing tons of press interviews daily, while sticking to a strict diet and recovering from a near fatal depression. “I eat five balanced meals a day, no sugar, no salt add a gallon of water, vegetables and chicken breast and nothing fried. . . I went through a very bad depression last year, near fatal. A lot of people go through this shit and they don’t know that they depressed. They don’t know what’s going on with their mind. I want to be one of the first to tell people that it is real I don’t care who you are, depression is some fucked up shit.”

Some may attribute Banner’s depression in part to the loss of his father. “It is crazy for me because me and my daddy, just started getting tight. Like we didn’t even talk much growing up me and my daddy didn’t have five hours of normal conversation outside of him reprimanding me. I realized I had been looking for friends in my life and now that I see who my best friend was, he died.”

To overcome his debilitating depression, Banner began analyzing all of his relationships. “I started kicking a lot of negative shit out of my life. I really separated myself from a lot of negativity…ain’t no arguing, or negative vibes or hanging around negative people. I don’t give a fuck if you my momma or my girlfriend if you become negative in my life you got to get out.”

All of the rebuilding has paid off. “It was a time in my life when I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but then I realized I accomplished all of my goals. Maybe not to the level that I thought I should, but shit I got on and produced platinum records, I got gold and platinum plaques. I done worked with just about everybody, I done, done everything. Anything else was excess. I didn’t know what else I wanted to do because I never would of thought I would of made it here. That is the problem, people don’t know what they want to do and we are already so blessed. People are so blessed and they want more and they done already forgot that God already blessed them.”

Banner has successfully reinvented himself in time for the release of his new album The Greatest Story Ever Told.

“Expect hits, not no fillers or experimental bullshit. I am trying to be what the fuck people want. Like McDonald’s, do you know why they are the number one seller? Because you know what the fuck you’re gonna get.”

Speaking of knowing what you are going to get, Banner has a few choice words for the bloggers.

“That is America’s problem, everyone is so obsessed with each other’s personal lives, mind your own damn business!” Even though he did make sure to mention he was single and wants to have seven children, and that he currently has none.

“I think there are too many people talking too much shit that they don’t know about. You don’t have to have no experience or no say so in nothing in order to blog and talk shit. People don’t talk nothing but negative shit. I want to hear something positive. We don’t do nothing but tear each other down and complain and bitch and moan. And the news don’t do nothing but report negative shit. That shit is depressing.”

On a lighter note, Banner is always willing to talk about the music industry. With so many Southern artists successfully chilling at the top of the music charts, Banner seems to be in a great position to really make this album his biggest. However, Banner remains an astute student of the business.

“Southern music didn’t take over the industry, the South was the new region that the music industry raped, Southern niggas ain’t getting nothing out of it. I think T.I. will be the only one who gets anything out of the Southern movement. If you look at any other region, look at Eve, look at Ice Cube, DMX, Snoop Dogg, 50, Jay Z, Puffy they were able to use this rap shit and rise to another level with commercials, endorsements, clothing lines that will last way past their duration in the music industry,” he explains.

“You tell me what a Southern rapper controls? You don’t see Southern rapper’s on commercials. We ain’t doing nothing but “cooning” and rapping. I said it. We ain’t doing shit!”

Call that a challenge or an honest observation, Banner’s love for the South should not questioned. He is quick to praise his fellow Southern brothas’ in the game.

“(When growing up) I was really trying to choose the right or wrong path, you know which direction I was going in, and to see young brothers (Goodie Mob) really stand up and believe in something, I know two of them were thugs, but they chose to represent something different in their music. And that really helped push me in that same direction. UGK, for the way they repped the south and the way that they stood for what they believe in. They were proud for being Southern people. Outkast because they always sat on the edge of music without threatening the mainstream. They always pushed the envelope. Pastor Troy for the way he repped Georgia.”

Through it all, Banner loves the music industry when everything works the way it is supposed to and compares making a hit record to making love to a woman. The things Banner hates about the music industry are the things most of us hate about it. “I hate money hungry record label executives and bitch ass niggas. . .The hardest lesson learned I had to learn about the music business is that it is just a business and nothing else, as much as we as black people want music to be something else, it is just a fucking business, just like selling guns, or selling dope, just like selling bread or electricity. It’s a fucking business, as soon as we realize that and treat it for what it is we will probably be a lot better off.”

To David Banner, “getting money” should be the agenda for young black America, however he does think it can go too far. “I think that is fucked up and I think she (Superhead) should of kept that shit to herself. It ain’t they fault that she was weak and gave her pussy away. That’s terrible to me, but who am I to say, she is making money, fuck it.”

Banner’s advice to aspiring artists, is short and to the point. “Read a fucking book get some knowledge into your head about the business, find God before you find music.”

After you go out and buy your copy of The Greatest Story Ever Told, make sure to turn to the Adult Swim Network and catch Banner’s new cartoon, Crook'd Sipp. Banner is the creator and executive producer of the cartoon, and he also produces all of the music for the off-beat cartoon that takes place in Banner’s home state, Mississippi.

“It is wonderful to be a part of that process and to watch the cartoon process come together and to see my ideas come to fruition is wonderful.”

You can catch Crook'd Sipp airing Sunday nights at 12:15AM EST. The cartoon follows the lives of the Beauregards, a white family who think they are living in the 1800's but are stuck trying to navigate in today's racially integrated world. Banner plays the main character, Virgil; a restaurant owner and the manager of a rap group.

As always Banner is also hot in the studio right now producing music for heavy hitters such as Jim Jones, Lil’ Wayne, Chris Brown, Quincy Jones, Pimp C, UGK.

For more information please visit http://www.david-banner.com/ or visit www.myspace.com/davidbanner .

Interview: Lexi

Lexi
By Kandis Knight

Alexus Whilby a.k.a. "LEXI" is a bubbly Atlantan teen sensation with an 80’s throw back swag constantly sporting all things neon, and girly. Her fashion sense and her sparkling eyes cause her to stand out immediately when she enters a room. However, when she belts out a tune, all eyes remain fixed on her.

Lexi, represents the third generation of the Bob Marley family and her Jamaican roots make it all the more interesting that she is a pop artist. Singing for her family at every family reunion since she was four years-old, Lexi’s deep musical roots were evident from day one. “As soon as I could write, I wrote my first song called “If Everything Was Anything” when I was six years-old,” she confidently bursts into song. As a child Lexi spent five years in Lyon, France where she became fluent in the French language.

With more than just aspirations, the sixteen year-old “triple threat” has her family backing her every step of her way to the top of the charts. "In my 20 years of experience in the record industry, I have never seen anyone so focused and driven at such a young age," explains record promotor extra-ordinaire Ms. Arlinda Garrett. "Lexi is young, innocent, fresh and vibrant not to mention drop dead gorgeous, just what the industry needs right now."

Garrett will spearhead Lexi’s radio campaign in the fall of 2008.

Lexi is not the typical sixteen year-old. When she finds free time away from drama classes at school and hanging out with her friends, she is either writing music, in dance classes or learning choreography for her performances or busy in the studio with producers such as Armando Colon (Busta Rhymes, Lil Kim, Cam'ron, to name a few) or Phyzikal (Def Jam's newly inked artist/producer).

Her single “Homeboy Hookup” described as a pop hit produced by Phyzikal will began hitting the streets late September.

Expect Lexi’s debut album to hit stores Summer 2009.

Visit Lexi's Myspace Page!!! CLICK

Bio: Donks R Us

Donks R Us
By Kandis Knight

While serving a stint behind bars, the future CEO of Donks R Us began envisioning the framework for how he would change his life upon release. After much thought, the idea for Donks R Us Entertainment, a Brunswick Georgia record label was formed.

“The label was founded in 2000 in U.S.P Atlanta. Doors opened for business in 2006. I was in prison dreaming of millions,” explains BG, the young CEO of Donks R Us.

When BG left prison, he focused all of his attention on making his vision a reality. Quickly signing artists YJB, Mr. Mid, Black Dre, Young Corleone and producers Too Smooth and Young Quan to his new label.

Once the team was assembled, it did not take long for them to start making noise. They came together with a shared vision, opened a studio and started promoting their own concerts and events.

Inpired by artists such as 8 Ball and MJG, Tela, Outkast, Goodie Mob, Scarface, T.I., Cash Money, Trick Daddy, Jay Z, Biggie and Tupac, the young crew quickly connected with many chart topping artists in and around Atlanta.

Since the label’s debut, Donks R Us artists have gone on to perform with and open for artists such as Lil’ Boosie, Plies, Young Dro, Trick Daddy and Blood Raw.

“The music talks about life and being surrounded by the things that influence it, money, pimps, players, prostitutes, drugs, street hustling, cars, clothes and women,” explains Corleone.

Through Donks R Us Entertainment, BG has watched his dreams come true for himself and his artists. “Someone told me I couldn’t do it (rap) because I was hustling part time and rapping part time and I was told to be successful I needed to concentrate on rapping fulltime. I started recording my first mix tape “36 Ain’t Enough” in my boy’s home studio. When I dropped my mixtape in the streets, people started taking notice,” explains Mr. Mid.

With the entire group poised to release projects in 2008 and 2009, the momentum is high within the ranks at Donks R Us.

“I made a vow to myself that I would hustle as hard as I could to never have to worry about issues like money,” says YJB, who is currently attending Georgia State University studying Communications with a concentration in public and political communication.

“The idea of my label is to provide quality music we have the right to be called DONKS-R-US. Donks R Us don't lie! We getting it 4 real,” says BG.

For more information please visit www.myspace.com/donksrusent

Interview: Qui

She’s Got that Angela & Vanessa Simmons Swag
“Qui” Rice
By Kandis Knight

In early June, Jerry Rice’s daughter Qui (pronounced “Kwee”) turned 21 years-old and with her father’s blessing, she is stepping out into the world in a major way.

The young wiz kid, who is currently a junior at Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown University maintains a 4.0 grade point average, is no doubt a triple threat (dances, sings and acts). Qui is releasing her debut album LUV ‘N LIFE on her mother’s label, JJR Entertainment/Koch Records this summer.

Growing up, Qui listened to and sang in Church during summers she spent in Mississippi with her grandmother. Her parents introduced her to Marvin Gaye, Temptations, Billie Holiday and Elvis very young.

Qui, began playing the piano at the age of five and told her family she wanted to be a singer when she was ten. By eleven, she found herself singing the National Anthem before a stadium filled with 62,000 people and she was hooked. “I found I love performing in front of crowds. It’s an adrenaline thing,” she explains.

Growing up the daughter of a famed football star came with its highs and lows. She fondly recalls the family packing up and heading to the football stadium to watch her father play football every Sunday. “We did a lot of moving when I was young. I was very overprotective of my father but I think I got my drive from him,” explains the bubbly young songstress. That drive may very well be what it takes to make a touch down in the music business.

Ala Angela and Vanessa Simmons type swag, Qui is a fresh faced do-gooder who seems oblivious to all the trappings so many young stars fall victim to. “You are only as strong as the people you have around you, supporting you, I feel very sorry for them (young, troubled celebrities) but I have so many people around me, and on the team taking care of me, I have not even met some of them yet.”

For musical inspiration, Michael Jackson is the artist Qui most looks up to. As a result, her album promises to be a dash of urban, a little pop and a few ballads sprinkled here and there, much like the old Mike J albums. With David Banner lacing Qui’s debut single Rev It Up, the album is coming out of the gate in overdrive.

“The video is fresh and I show case my dancing and it is fun, it is about having a good time partying, it is really cool and it was so much fun working with David Banner,” explains Qui.

Qui and Banner both are from Mississippi and share that bond, the two were introduced by a mutual connection, songwriter, Frankie Richards a few years back.

The follow up single, “Girl Child” written by Qui is about female empowerment. “It is an inspirational song, anyone can relate to it there are so many things young women face nowadays.”
Jerry Rice’s good stock may very well transcend the sports arena in generation two and land smack dab on the music charts. All eyes are eagerly watching.

CLICK FLOR MORE INFO.

Interview: Raine Supreme

Meet Miss M. West a.k.a Raine Supreme
By Kandis Knight Published in http://www.grpmag.com/

Check your favorite album, pop out that J-card, peep the credits and chances are you will realize you are a fan of a mysterious ghostwriter going by the name of “M. West”. Savvy industry insiders know her better as Raine Supreme, Trina’s twenty-four year old protégé signed to her Diamond Princess label.

“A lot of people think I am just an artist named Raine Supreme, however my alter ego is off tha’ chain, M. West has written a lot of heavy hits, go check the credits,” giggles the self assured young “mogul in the making” as she scans tracks in the deck of her custom Daytona Blue Nissan 350Z while zooming 50 miles per hour down Peachtree enroute to her luxury $600,000 Midtown Loft.

“Being a ghostwriter to the stars kinda sucks because you get all of the money but you don’t get to be the star,” she laments as we pull into her heavily secured underground parking deck.

As we walk through the compound Supreme talks about growing up in Seattle Washington and packing her bags at twenty to move to Atlanta to pursue the music business.

When we arrive at the massive penthouse condo, Trina greets us at the door. It does not take long before Trina is doting on her favorite up and coming artist. “I met her awhile ago through my makeup artist, I saw a lot of potential, so I was interested in working with her.”

This year will be Raine Supreme’s break out year, with Trina’s backing, Raine Supreme’s singles will begin hitting the streets in a big way. “She is out of her mind with the writing skills, she is all over the place and that is good because you want to bring something different. She will take some crazy techno beat, mix it with Hip-Hop then put some real intellectual raps on the beat. She is a great up and coming artist just waiting for her break,” she explains.

Raine Supreme has been busy grinding in the studio with Trina of course, Kane Beatz, M16, Steve Obas, Attitude, Big Kuntry King, Young Joc. “I have been working with everybody who is anybody, you know? Right now most of my bank comes from my successful song writing company, Ghostwriterz, Ink,” she gleams.

Trina looks at Raine who is now dancing on her roof top balcony. “Raine has a lot of consistency, she is very spontaneous, very different, adventurous. That is what drew my attention to her and I saw the hunger in her and I have watched her grow. Raine is willing to do different things and try whatever it takes to make it, even if I wasn’t paying her any attention she would constantly have that push, she was constantly like, you gotta hear me, you gotta listen, you gotta, you gotta so I did and I took her under my wings.”

Interview: Kaspa (Hittmenn Djs)

ATL’s Got a New Spike Lee
By Kandis Knight

Hittmenn Djs President, Rob “Kaspa Da Don” Smith is already a veteran among Atlanta’s elite “movers and shakers”. Ask anyone about his vigorous work ethic and you will get an ear full. In 2008, Smith is going to take the same hustle that made his name big in the music industry to the big screen.

Smith is on an all out “grind mission” that will include directing the movie he wrote and produced titled Off Tha Hook, and producing and starring in a comedy DVD.

“I am free. Everything that I want to do and anything that I want to create, I feel as though I can attain it,” says the mogul, reclining into a lush leather chair while feverishly texting on his Side Kick. “I am a writer and a visionary. So when it comes to production, I am able to conquer whatever I set my sights on.”

Off Tha Hook is the second movie written by Smith and his first production. “The film production crew came to me with the movie because they wanted to take it to the next level. Off Tha Hook is basically a street oriented movie featuring Rich Boy, Dem Franchize Boys, Stacks, Polow Da Don and Greg Street, we have a few others, you know surrounded around the music industry? You will get to see some of your favorite artists showcasing their skills in the acting realm.”

Smith is not new to film production, he has been known to pen entire scripts in a days work. “I am a blessed writer. I write fast once I have a vision.”

Off Tha Hook is a contemporary urban story about karma. It is the story of “BP” played by actor Terry Brown. “It is about a drug deal gone bad. The main character, BP, is a guy who doesn’t care. He is an assertive persistent character from the street that doesn’t understand no,” explains Smith.

“I think it is time that Atlanta grows, not so much in music but on a bigger level such as film industry. The film industry is just now getting ready to take off. True, we have Tyler Perry and Ryan Glover at Turner Broadcasting. However, I think Atlanta as a whole is ready to grow, we have the scenery and the people, let’s draw a niche in that way and give the world more films made in Atlanta.”

Smith has been a pioneer in the music industry for many years, and his transition into film will be no different. “I believe I am a pioneer, my writing and directing techniques are different. People are going to appreciate my editing techniques and the unique angles I choose. With this film I will be able to touch a lot of people.”

Smith admits it was difficult to teach hip-hop artists the fine points of acting. Despite the hurdles, the strength of Smith’s production team pulled the project through. “It is all about creativity and the team you have on the creative side. You want to take the person that is most creative with dialogue, location, wardrobe, production and props to get the best results.”

Among the stand out first time actors, is V-103’s star Dj, Greg Street. “Greg Street really did his thing in the movie as far as he had to bring a whole element to the movie. His part was so powerful that it ushered in a direction change in the entire movie.”

Smith is quick to explain the movie was created to “touch the streets”. “It is what it is, it is Off Tha’ Hook, there is something for everyone, murder, mystery, comedy and drama.” Off Tha Hook will be distributed in March presented to a hood near you by Smith’s sprawling International Hittmenn Djs network.

Please visit THEIR SITE for movie trailers and additional information. Or go directly to the movie site. CLICK

Interview: DJ Bigga Rankin

Interview: DJ Bigga Rankin
By Kandis Knight

Let’s count down……the top ten things according to Dj Bigga Rankin we can do to make the music industry better in 2008.

10. Artists get to the city you're performing in early to do street
promotion, and visit stores. This will help promoters with the success
of the show.

9. Promoters are looking for riders and not wishlists. Artists be
considerate, don't ask for 10 bottles of Rose', and 10 Bottles of
Patron.

8. If an artist charges $20,000 to perform in Atlanta, they shouldn't
charge $20,000 in Waycross, Ga. All markets are not the same!

7. Independent artists, stop emailing tracks to DJ's and telling them
the track isn't mixed so don't pay attention to that. 1st impressions
are the only impressions.

6. Promoters make sure you have an artist's back end money when they
get to the city. Also make sure the person who makes the pick-up takes
a bath.

5. Independent artists, when opening for a major Please! Please!
Please! do your single and leave the stage.

4. DJ's need to play more independent music. Don't be afraid!! If the
music is hot give it a chance.

3. Independents stop putting out albums with no single or advertising.

2. Managers & Indie Label CEO's, spend your budget on promotion and
advertising instead of strippers and cars.

1. This is to all artists that shit on DJs that help them. "Time is
longer than rope. Who God blessed no man can curse."

Bigga in Raw Report....what's up Jason C.!!!!!!!

Interview: Xtaci

Interview: Xtaci (Grand Hustle)

By Kandis Knight

Part 1 of 4

It’s been nearly decade since the day fifteen year-olds Bola Akanni (a.k.a. Bola) and Jennifer Willis (a.k.a. Sunshine) sat restless in a 9th Grade English class in inner city Atlanta. Having many things in common, including both having recently relocated to Atlanta from Decatur with their families, these pint-sized young phenoms had a mission since day one.

As Hip-Hop versus, often Tupac and Outkast, flowed through their creative, young minds and fell from their tender lips, school became more and more a distraction. They both knew what they were destined for. . . Hip-Hop was their passion. As the teacher matched students together to work on a class project, she matched Akanni with Willis. This is where Grand Hustle’s adored, yet often misunderstood “femhop” duo Xtaci was born.

Xtaci is not what or who you think, a lot has changed. With a dense catalogue and polished features with top shelf artists such as Young Joc, Lil’ Scrappy, Princess (Crime Mob) and more, their upcoming Mix Cd hosted by DJ Drama and their debut album will prove they have grown into women while patiently waiting in the glaring spotlight of ATL’s Grand Hustle camp.

Often in the shadows however close to T.I., the King, they are apart of ATL's royal family for a good reason, in time you will understand. Soon music industry insider’s will begin cosigning as they emerge from the sidelines and head for center stage. “People underestimate these ladies, so they are the underdogs and I always fucks with the underdogs. They got a bunch of surprises for your asses, their music is fly and they were well groomed for this, this is their year!” explains veteran DJ and record breaker Bigga Rankin.

It is true, Xtaci is different from many girl groups in this manufactured era of Making of The Band. They have been tried by fire and proven that in the face of tribulation, they remain head strong keeping their label mates encouraged while waving the battle flag through the label’s most turbulent time.

The one thing that stands out most about Xtaci these days is that these ravishing ATL cele-butants are all grown up, and have grown close to each other through the process that refined their skills and their business savvy. Their unity is often demonstrated by the way the pair repeat after each other, often finishing the other’s sentences, they know exactly what they want to say and they find a way to say it together, through their music as well as in their real lives. They are a dual power on one accord.

“We have seen a lot.” They repeat over and over again and laugh, they bubble with excitement. They also admit they have grown into women while carefully being groomed by T.I.’s Grand Hustle family. “People don’t realize it but there wasn’t even a Grand Hustle when we first got with the guys, it was all of us, together rolling PSC,” proudly Bola pounds her fist on the table and smiles, her Southern accent is melodic, her personality magnetic. “And there was no studio back then. The studio was in Tip and Jay’s apartment,” laughter erupts. The entire restaurant is empty. I wonder if it was arranged.

Sunshine sits up to explain. “Back then people thought they were using us, you know, they heard we were down with Pimp Squad Click and they didn’t know, you know? But they raised us right. They used to tell us everything we needed to know, they would always tell us, “fuck them niggas!”
Bola adds, “Even though we saw what they did with women, we sat back and watched everything and learned.”

“They taught us how to be women. They taught us, this is how we treat women that act like that, so if you don’t want to get treated like that, don’t act like that. Kuntry, Dro, Mac Boney, they watched us grow as women from little fifteen year olds to now. When they met us we wasn’t even having sex,” explains Sunshine.

Through the year’s rapper Young Dro, developed the closest relationship with the ladies, and Grand Hustle’s super nova, Hannah Kang has also played an integral role in developing Xtaci as a product but also as strong women who have to fight insurmountable odds to make it in Hip-Hop.

Watching them sip their shots of Patron at the uber-chic Pearl Restaurant in Downtown Atlanta, their presence speaks volumes, these two ladies, who are very well the Queens of ATL’s Hip-Hop scene are cool under pressure and they are fun loving, light spirited down to earth Georgia peaches. “Just call me Miss Patron,” laughs Bola. Everyone can agree, Xtaci has a busy year ahead of them and the good thing is they are ready to make us all believers.

And in an industry where females are often shelved and duos crumble under the pressure, this duo vows to bring the heat in 08’ and emphasize their friendship is more important than stardom. “The Crime Mob girls look up to the girls (Xtaci). The girls will have longevity in this industry. Not only rapping, they will definitely branch into commercials, movies, you name it. Their new music is very grown and sexy! Now the world can get to see Xtaci in their full potential and I'll be there every step of the way,” said their quasi-manager and Bola’s sister, Shay Akanni.

“I have watched them involve from young girls to grown women. The experiences they been through have only made them stronger. . . they will be huge stars. They have always been stars and always very talented, that was the one thing that Jason seen in them. They are very different, their style is different as well as their music. It’s always about timing when it comes to super stars.”

The first thing fans will notice, is that Bola and Sunshine have truly come of age and regardless of all of the drama their new album has many features that are upbeat party starters. Their catalogue proves not many women in the industry are on their level. They have hundreds of hits stashed and their sound is unique and even groundbreaking. If you want an inside peek into their lives, make sure you check out their Youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/bossbola) if you don’t believe me. They are reality television already and have even been offered some reality television opportunities. This year, we will all witness the X Girlz step out from the shadows, their swagger speaks clearly, it is their time to shine, much like the day they met T.I.

To be continued.....

Interview: Snook

Interview: Snook (Southern Dynasty)
By Kandis Knight

“Limewire and other file-sharing sites prevent the good artists from moving units. However, artists, also share the blame in a sense because you can’t expect to make one hot single and leave the consumer to purchase fifteen so-so tracks.”
-Snook

In the quiet moments of his father’s last days, a young black man learned the true meaning of manhood. Solemnly swearing “to go hard and never show pain” he emerged from the shadows of a dreary hospital room with a new credo.

“I took care of my father those last days, I bathed and fed him and he never showed pain.”

Snook was forced to search inward.

“My father and I never had the best relationship but thankfully before his death we were able to mend our relationship and take the situation for what is was, he was my dad and I was his son.”

Snook, never wanted to be a rapper, even though his older brother began pushing it on him when he was young as a way to escape the ghetto. “I went to Benedict College and I majored in Business management and minored in Mass Communications.”

Snook is currently signed to Southern Dynasty Recordings, his own label and he has a very equipped business staff working around the clock to push his product. “My older brother, Ray used to always try to get me to rap in my early childhood days but I never wanted to be a rapper so I guess you can thank my brother for getting me at this point.”

Following the death of his father, Snook matured in every area and so did his rap game. He retired from battle rapping and become a disciplined writer.

That was when his artistry and business savvy was ignited. He put out 4,5,6, New Banker and sold eight thousand units out of his trunk. He sold eight thousand more in South Carolina Stores but then yet another road block stood in his way.

His business partner caught a case which caused everything to come to grinding to halt.

He moved to Atlanta and stayed with Grand Hustle’s Beat Maker, Khao. He networked, he hustled and when things got rough, he even slept in his car.

All of the grinding and sacrificing paid off. Snook is back on top right where he needs to be. The King of Breaking Records a.k.a. the Vice President of the Hittmenn Djs, Dj Bigga Rankin, is hosting his next mix cd effort, “From a Minor to a Major Volume II” and Snook is gearing up for the release of his debut album in 2008 with features from T-Pain, Yo Gotti, Lil’ Boosie, Gem Star and production by notables such as Khao, Polow Da Don, Shawty Red, Showstoppa and Twin D …Snook is bringing it like none other!

“I got a lot to say, a lot of rappers claim to be from the hood, and I don’t knock where anyone was born and raised, but what I will tell you is take a ride down my hood or look up Newark NJ aka “Brick City” and you draw your own opinion.”

Regardless of where he is from, no one can deny, Snook’s name has been buzzing in industry circles for along time now, he has opened for Young Jezzy, Lil’ Wayne, Trina, Mike Jones, Ciara, Rich Boy, The Young Bloodz, Crime Mobb, and he is currently on tour with Plies.

“I do music because it’s a way for me to express my thoughts, feelings, and what’s going on in the world at that time. My drive is unexplainable!! I go so hard for the people that go hard for me and stand in my corner supporting me from the jump, my drive is fueled. Lastly, my drive starts and ends with me so if I don’t push myself I damn sure can’t expect the next man to do it.”

Snook looks forward to the day when he will work with Lil’ Wayne, TI, Young Jezzy, Swizz Beatz, Cool and Dre, DJ Toomp, and Dr Dre. However his dream collaboration has already become a reality; check out “Untouchable” feat. T-Pain. “That is one of my deepest and most real tracks ever.”

And you don’t want Snook to get deep on the music business, because he can definitely go there.

“Labels give out dollars to back an artist and to them that’s very risky, but when they see you can move units the risk on their end decreases while your stock increases. Labels are no longer developing and growing the artist that’s up to your management team, publicist, and agent then and only then the major label comes in and funds the entire operation. It’s still a multi-billion dollar industry and labels are still signing artists. But, on the flip side the record sales are in the basement while the ringtones are through the roof so go figure how vital has the technological influence affected the music industry?”

Although most artists blame file sharing sites, Snook thinks artists have to accept responsibility for the decline of the music industry also. “Limewire and other file-sharing sites prevent the good artists from moving units. However, artists, also share the blame in a sense because you can’t expect to make one hot single and leave the consumer to purchase fifteen so-so tracks. Now, those same consumers that were in a sense forced to buy the album for the single can now go to I-Tunes and download that hot single for $1.99 while the $9.99 album sits on the shelf.”

In the beat department, producers who want to work with Snook should submit tracks that have a rock feel. Snook has even been known to rap with a live band. “I look for something with a little rock feel to match my swag when I’m in that mood. When I’m not on my rock shit I look for beats with a lot going on; a lot of different changes from the drums to the horns. I like beats with a nice little melody because I write a lot from real life situations and these beats provide a hidden story in which I can hear and instantly think of the direction I want the song to take.”

“The major lesson that I’ve recently learn is don’t trust everybody that sells you a dream; make your own dream a REALITY and you’ll enjoy the memories a whole lot better in the end.” -Snook

www.sonicbids.com/snookdarokkstarr

www.snookmusiconline.com

www.myspace.com/snookmusic Add Snook as a friend!!!!! Lots of contests!!!!

www.youtube.com/snookcontest

Bio: Snook

Artist Biography: Snook (Atlanta)
By Kandis Knight

From the unforgiving streets of Brick City, a.k.a. Newark, New Jersey, to the bowels of the South, hails hip-hop’s latest phenom, Snook.

Born and raised in a system in which only the strong survived, Snook grew up in a drug infested reality to excel. His drive and determination is evident in every track he lays.

Snook graduated from high school and enrolled in Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina to pursue a career in Business Management. However, with his music career on the fast track, Snook left college, to focus more on his music. He formed Southern Dynasty Record Label with college friends and he never looked back.

In 2004, Snook completed his freshmen album “4.5.6 New Banker” with the help of Kevin “Khao” Cates (Grand Hustle/Intraprize Records) and Polow da Don (Zone 4 Ent.).

Snook’s 2005 single, “Meet Me at Da’ Bar” produced by Khao was a hit in Columbia and surrounding areas. The single featured Sean Paul of the Atlanta group, YoungBloodz. The second single from this album featured Lil’ Moe on the track rightfully named “Could it Be” which was also considered a Southern hit.

In 2006, the tragic loss of his father caused Snook to become more determined. His lyrics would become more meaningful and the way he worded his punch lines became more “in your face.” The passing of his father elevated him to another plateau in his music career.

Snook has been featured on a host of mix tapes from DJ Cleves “Drought Over”, DJ B-Lord “From a Minor to a Major”, several local artist mix tapes, DJ Ames (London), and DJ Michelin (Toronto).

Snook has hosted and performed shows for Ciara, The Ying Yang Twins, Lil’ Wayne, Young Jeezy, Mike Jones, Slim Thug, Trina, Crime Mobb, Lil’ Scrappy, Young Buck, Jody Breeze, Trey Songz, and The YoungBloodz.

Snook has also hosted and performed at Benedict College’s homecoming concert and step show and performed for Hot 103.9 Back to School concert with thousands in attendance.

Snook’s new album (currently untitled) is set to be released in the spring of 2008 and will include tracks from T-Pain, Lil’ Boosie, Yo Gotti, Scrilla, Princess (Crime Mobb), Mista Raja and Gemstar da Golden Child.

The new single features Lil Boosie called “Models” and it currently has the streets and soon the radio airwaves on fire.

For more information:

www.myspace.com/snookmusic

http://www.snookmusiconline.com/

http://www.thebookingagency.net/

www.sonicbids.com/snookdarokkstarr

Bio: Jaylyriq

JayLyriq pronounced J-Lirik (Atlanta)

By Kandis Knight

JayLyriq born James Michael Cohen Jr. is an up and coming Tallahassee based R & B crooner whose edgy, hardcore street tracks and deeply spiritual harmonic vocals have captured the ears of many music industry heavy weights including Matthew Knowles and Convict Records Recording artist T-Pain. It is no surprise the music industry is buzzing with the anticipation of his debut solo album to be released in 2007 on T-Pain’s label, Nappy Boy Entertainment.

JayLyriq began mastering his vocal gifts young. “I was real into Sam Cooke. My grandmother always played the Temptations and Otis Redding. I also sang in Church for as long as I can remember so did my mother and her mother, I come from a long line of soulful singers.”

The young soulful vocalist was trained by the Church of Christ which sternly requires spirituals be sung acapella. “We didn’t have choirs, pianos or guitars because we believed that we are to sing using your own instruments given to us by God, our own vocals.”

At twelve years old, the hunger to perform caused JayLyriq to venture outside of the Church walls to form a five member R & B group called Ob’Cession. “We entered all of the talent shows we could find and we never lost one.” Eventually Ob’Cession became known as Next Level and in 2001, the group lost a key member.

With all of the personal changes the group encountered, JayLyriq felt a bond with the rising yet “embattled” female group, Destiny’s Child. “One day we got the address off the internet and jumped in the car and drove to Houston without stopping. When we arrived, Matthew Knowles just happened to be standing outside and welcomed us in, we blew him away.”

Singing in front of Matthew Knowles was an honor, however at the time, Music World was going through growing pains of its own as each member of Destiny’s Child began working on solo projects. A recording deal never manifested.

In 2004, Lou Pearlman invited Next Level to Orlando to perform at Fashion Rock. Next Level won the competition and was offered a recording contract but walked away from it. “We felt there were other opportunities brewing at the time so we kept our options open.”

In 2005, the group disbanded and JayLyriq considered a solo career.

JayLyriq confided in his old school friend T-Pain before deciding to go solo. “He told me not to worry that I would be his back up singer and that he was gong to release me as his solo artist.” At the time T. Pain’s single “I’m Sprung” began to set the charts on fire.

“One day T. Pain showed up at my construction job and told me it was time to go. I threw down my construction hat and walked off the job, just like that and never looked back. The next thing I know we were opening for Brian McKnight and traveling the world.”

For more information about Jaylyriq or for booking please contact nappyboyentertainment@yahoo.com

www.myspace.com/jaylyriq

Interview: Alfamega

Alfamega (Grand Hustle)
By Kandis Knight

He is a giant part of the biggest Southern hip-hop empires, literally. At 6’4 and 275 pounds, it is no wonder Alfamega has been labeled the muscle of T.I.’s Grand Hustle Records. Alfamega towers way above us mere mortals and his presence can never be denied. “I am a King!” screams a very adamant Alfamega from the booth at Grand Hustle’s studio, in Atlanta, GA. You can’t deny his booming vocals either. You have no choice but to feel him. Here comes the truth.

“I used to walk around the prison yard everyday rapping. Everyone would be like, “Won’t you shut the fuck up?” They was all saying my versus’ by the time I left,” laughs the energetic rap star. “Six months out of prison I had a deal. It could have been 2 weeks because I could of signed with Beanie Siegal but I signed with Universal Records instead.”

Just like Tupac and Biggie, Alfamega will be the third Gemini to complete hip-hop’s Gemini trilogy. As we all know from Tupac and Big, Gemini wordsmith’s are adored by hip-hop fans across the world. Alfamega has booming lyrics, political commentary and club bangers all mixed in one extraordinary package. The first Alfamega product you can expect is an eighteen track mix cd hosted by DJ Burn One, called The Grand Hustle Muscle set to hit the streets in late September 2006. Alfamega’s debut album, tentatively titled Hunger, Greed and Ignorance and will be released in 2007. We can expect a long career from this guy whose business savvy is going to carry him for the long haul.

“I ain't trying to blow my money, I remember what it was like being broke. I can relate to being without. I can’t see myself spending ten thousand in the club in one night knowing I got five children to feed, a brother who is locked up who depends on me and my mother. I’d wake up the next day and want to shoot myself in the head if I did some dumb shit like that. I ain’t hating on the dudes who do, more power to them,” says Alfamega.

“I spent seven years, four days, five hours, thirty-two minutes and sixteen long ass seconds in the Federal Penitentiary system,” said Alfamega. “I have a lot to say.” On this day, Alfamega is a free man on a relentless pursuit of his dream. Tonight we are locked in the studio from mid afternoon until the crack of dawn, Alfamega’s work ethic is non-stop.

In addition to his rap career, Alfamega started his own company, Kotu (Kings Of The Universe) Global which consists of charitable organizations, political empowerment programs, international real estate holdings and media. Among Alfamega’s charitable organizations is his non-profit called 100 Kings, which is a “Rites of Passage”, mentorship program for “disadvantaged” young men. Alfamega is enlisting the most talented business professionals, entertainers and professional sports stars to mold these young men into future leaders.

“It’s more than hip-hop, I know and understand the power of my words and I am going to use this power to influence people’s lives for the better. I will be going on tour to many different places and it is important for me to visit the juvenile detention centers and talk to the young men,” explains Alfamega. “It is important for me to buy real estate in the places I travel to and help create economic livelihood in places where other rappers only want to go to get paid, I am going to give back. God continues to bless me by bringing the people into my life who can help make this a reality.”

http://www.grandhustle.com/
http://www.myspace.com/alfamega

Bio: Alfamega

Artist Biography: Alfamega, (Atlanta)

By Kandis Knight

Alfamega’s dynamic music career started in a small USP federal Atlanta prison cell. Despite being locked away from society, incarceration caused Alfamega’s creative spirit to soar. He completed seventeen hundred songs, three screen plays and penned a non-fiction book.

In 2002, upon release, Alfamega met Beanie Siegal through Siegal’s mother and young sister, “Fat Baby”. Alfamega rapped for Siegal and was offered a recording deal. However, he turned the recording deal down. Six months later, Alfamega recorded a song with David Banner that led to a deal with Universal Records.

In 2003, Alfamega began working on his own album.

Also in 2003, Alfamega recorded “South of the Mason Dixon”, “Holla” featuring Jody Breeze (Boys in Tha’ Hood), “A Town Stomp” featuring Lil’ John and he has recorded with The Southern Boys, Tip, Slim Thug and Trina. He also signed an endorsement deal with PACO Jeans.

In 2004, Alfamega was released from his recording contract with Universal Records due to undisclosed reasons. However, that did not deter the driven emcee.

For the rest of 2004 until 2006, Alfamega was featured on over three hundred and fifty mix cds and hosted over one hundred mix cds across the country. He was also featured in Smooth Magazine (twice), XXL (twice), The Source (Off The Radar), Lap Dance (Cover), Juice Magazine and Crunk Magazine.

In 2005, Alfamega signed to Grand Hustle Records.

Most recently, Alfamega toured ten cities with T.I., and he also formed his own company, Kotu Global. Kotu Global is a worldwide corporation to be comprised of real estate holdings, music and entertainment endeavors, charities, community programs, publishing, multimedia productions, and political empowerment organizations.

Alfamega’s 100 Kings program is a mentorship program for at risk youth. Alfamega also started a grassroots campaign to get people to make sure their voting machines were upgraded for the 2008 election.

Today, Alfamega is still working on his highly anticipated “double” debut album expected to drop in the first quarter of 2007. His first single to be released is called Westside O.G. featuring, T.I., Macboney and Killer Mike.

Industry insiders are comparing Alfamega to the late Tupac and Notorious B.I.G., because of lyrical content, style and the fact that all three share the Astrological sign, Gemini. Alfamega is quickly being dubbed the final chapter of the “Gemini Trilogy”.

Interview: MURS

Murs (Los Angeles)
Published in The Pulse of The Twin Cities
by Kandis Knight

It was another chilly Saturday in the Twin Towns, and according to my watch, the doors for the RJD2 and Prince Po concert at the Triple Rock were soon to open, I felt torn. I knew it was going to be a sold out show.

I promised my friends that we would all go down to the show together. But I knew I could make it up to them by the end of the night, I had something spicy brewing. My interview for this week was a once-in-a-lifetime spontaneous type of occurrence and I didn’t get to really tell them what I was up to. I just went with the flow because it was a blessing.


7:45 p.m.

I found myself frantically rushing around my house getting ready to go to the studio for what would soon become one of my favorite interviews of all time. I almost cried when I burned a hole in the skirt I was going to wear and tripped over my cat three times.

Maybe it was the universe trying to remind me to slow down and it ain’t April any more. I didn’t let it get me too frazzled, hey, I thought, I was just going with the flow. As I applied makeup and did my hair, the call I was expecting came in. “Hello,” I said.“Hello ma’am,” said a charming voice on the other line.

“We can do the interview at the studio.”

“What time?” I gulped.

“Now,” he chuckled.

Exactly what I didn’t want him to say. But I was still anxious to meet him especially after we had talked a little online. I frantically put everything into overdrive. But I had to chill out when I got outside. It was getting rather frigid to say the least. When we finally arrived, things were hot and steamy at Joe Mabbot’s Hideaway Studio snuggled in a warehouse near the mighty Mississippi river.

On a night when most of us are getting ready to go out and check out a show or getting our drink on, the Rhymesayers were getting busy doing the things that keep them on top of the game. As I pulled up to the studio, a dark mysterious car, resembling the batmobile approached; the way the lights were shining down on the warehouse made me feel like we were in a comic strip scene. A mysterious silhouette emerged from the shadows. It was Ant with his game face on.

8:14 p.m.

As soon as we opened the studio door, we were greeted by a black dog being pursued by a gentleman who was bent over and looking down with the concern of a very loving owner. “Taffy, come here Taffy, Taffy I love you, I love you Taffy.” Wow I thought, watching this man tenderly petting Taffy. I never saw a black man so into his dog. Then he stood up, wiped his hands off and greeted me.

“Hello, I’m MURS.” Yes, it was him, Definitive Jux’s all-star and superhero to many, the rapper from the Living Legends crew who guested on roughly 20 albums (all of them hugely influential in the rap underground) until finally releasing his own solo record, The Beginning of the End, in 2003.

We shake, our eyes finally meet and I laugh. I guess I wasn’t prepared for such an on-the-spot welcome. But, as I soon learned, it’s hard to know what to expect because MURS is pure comedy. “Come on in,” said MURS. I follow, thinking what a charming introduction, despite the fact that somehow my hands now smell like Miss Taffy.

8:21 p.m.

“Hello Kandis, come on into the smoking room,” said Slug.

I smiled. MURS followed. We eventually decided I would write the story from the position of an observer and I would let them continue working. MURS and Slug are in the studio working on the follow-up to their 2002 collaborative EP, Felt, dubbed a “tribute to Cristina Ricci” and an indie-rap classic. My larger plan is to hopefully tag along to KFAI where MURS and Slug are going to be on RSE Radio with Prince Po and then hopefully we can all go down to the RJD2 show at the Triple Rock. I cross my fingers. Once things are settled, Slug, whose work ethic never seems to slacken, heads right back into the booth. “8,7,6,5,4, and 3 and 2 and 1 and when I’m on the mic the women cum, down with A.N.T., MURS and your not and I got more rhymes than California got cops.” He’s relentless.

8:30 p.m.

I look to my left, and MURS is there smiling and talking shit about sports. Slug is in the booth laying shit down. To my right is Ant calmly bobbing his head, surveying. Joe is busy on the computer.

“This is great,” I think to myself, life is good and I’m surrounded by some extremely great energy here. MURS can’t help but bust a few good jokes every time the music stops. His energy level will never taper off for the duration of the night. It must be his vegan diet and new drug and alcohol free way of life.

Murs is truly high off life. His energy practically makes the room buzz.

“Sean Daley is in the house!” he screams. I’m slowly getting used to MURS’ sudden unexplained outbursts—it’s obvious he likes to stir shit up. I wonder if our Minnesota-ness makes him antsy. Despite his jokes, MURS is still paying careful attention to what’s going on with the music. He exchanges tips and speaks up when Slug is having a problem with a verse.

“You played with the word beaver last time when you said it and maybe that’s what’s setting your buzzing off,” says MURS. “I’m feeling you MURS,” replies Slug, and he proceeds to nail the verse.“That was it right there,” says Ant authoritatively.

Music magic I think, this shit sounds dope!Watching these two interact is like watching two brothers, of course Slug is the older, more “refined” veteran and MURS is the hyper “fun loving” younger (regardless of their actual respective ages). Their synergy in the studio is amazing and tonight I have heard two tracks that are definitely going to break some ground.

10:30 p.m.

We arrived at KFAI. Rhymesayer’s Radio was blazing (KFAI 90.3 F.M. Saturday’s from 9 p.m.-11:00 p.m.). Prince Po was just getting ready to hit the booth. Everyone was in the zone to say the least. Prince Po hit the mic ferociously, his freestyles were raw and his veteran confidence was interesting to witness in such an up close and personal setting. Everyone just stood there bobbing our heads in unison looking on. Kevin was keeping the tables hot and Siddiq was holding down the hosting and fundraising side of things.

As soon as Slug and MURS hit the booth RSE Radio was instantly transformed into “The Slug and MURS show.” The two wildly charismatic emcees easily fell into their roles as radio show personalities. I don’t think there’s anything they can’t do and rapping may just be the beginning of it. By the end of the night I decided MURS would make a great comedian because he kept everyone laughing every chance he got.

He let me know that 2005 may mark his acting debut so that means his career can take off in more than one direction. Once we left the studio, MURS realized he left his Pizza Luce brownie behind. We waited close to 10 minutes for someone to bring it down. Sweets are really important to this guy.

11:30 p.m.

We arrived at the Triple Rock and were greeted witha capacity crowd for progressive turntable maestro RJD2’s headlining gig. People were being turned away and didn’t look very happy about it. The place was so crowded it was hard to even find a good place to stand. MURS opted to go for a more incognito look. He donned a skull cap, a mesh hat and a hoodie. The Living Legends logo on the back of his jacket probably made some people curious but he didn’t get asked too many questions.

The guys from Hanger 18 were selling T-shirts but I didn’t bring enough money to buy one, I was pissed. All at once it was like a trance fell over everyone. RJD2 was going on. I forgot about MURS and the interview (no disrespect). I forgot about my friends. For a moment I forgot about where I was, we all just sort of kicked back and enjoyed the ride.

When we left the show it was very late. I left my car two blocks away in the Radio K parking lot so it was nice of MURS to walk us to our cars even though it was so cold outside. We agreed to meet for breakfast to wrap things up. I was still processing everything he had to say.

DAY 2

As soon as we entered Bryant Lake Bowl, MURS heard the sound of pins crashing, he looked over my shoulder and said, “Only in Minnesota do you see white people bowling this early in the morning!”

I think he liked the concept.Over breakfast we were finally able to talk. “I’m about as street as [the indie rap] underground gets and Slug is about as Emo as it gets so we are the last two people you’d think would be doing an album together.”

MURS humbly admits he plays the role of student when he gets in the studio with Slug and Ant. “They teach me so much, I’m not the best rapper and hopefully I teach them something too. Probably not though, because they’re really good at what they do. The first album I did with Slug I learned a lot and I recorded stuff with Ant and I learned a lot from him also.”

For someone as busy as MURS (he’s guested on more than 20 albums and is constantly in musical demand) the demands made by the music industry might seem overwhelming, but he’s managed to remain level headed in the midst of his daily chaos.

“I don’t know anything about the music industry,” he claimed. “I would be a poor model to follow. I just do what I want. I like money but there are some things I won’t do for money. Do what you feel. I can’t tell anybody anything about the music industry. It’s a hard life—how about that?”

I also found out MURS is a huge fan of Disney movies. “I bought ‘Aladinn,’ I got to buy ‘Mulan.’ I know all the songs by heart. I loved ‘The Little Mermaid.’ Do you know the words to that song?” He starts singing. In the future MURS would like to do a song with DJ Quick and other legendary West Coast rappers. For now he is focusing on wrapping up Felt 2 with Slug, his tour and getting back in the studio with 9th Wonder in North Carolina. Murs’ blog site on Myspace.com says he never goes home, and I believe it.

This man is truly devoted to his craft. If you don’t have a MURS CD in your collection make sure you fix that. His ties to the local scene are evident and his talent is worth way more than the cost of a CD. He’s got lyrics that will have your mind spinning for days!

Interview: Juelz Santana

Juelz Santana (New York)
by Kandis Knight

It’s rare when a national Hip-Hop artist signed to a label as large as Roc-A-fella comes to Minneapolis to “chill” out. Last week, Juelz Santana, the 21-year-old vice president of Cam’ron’s Diplomats crew, was in Minneapolis on an official mission. To “chill out,” meet as many people as he could, shake as many hands as he could, hug as many fans, take a boatload of pictures and flood our streets with his new mix CD, More Crack.

The Diplomats are geniuses at colonizing cities like Minneapolis and finding out what the lay of the land is like here for the next project their crew may have in line. This is the basic formula for how the Diplomats have started an underground movement in city after city. Although the Diplomats founder, Cam’Ron is no longer signed to Def Jam, Santana and his large entourage of bejeweled New York City hood stars is no less confident then when Cam’ron was at the top of the charts with “Oh Boy” and “Hey Ma”.

Kandis: You brought a new mix CD with you today called More Crack. When is your next album due?

Santana: We will be setting a release date soon and all that so stay tuned.

Kandis: On this mix CD, I hear constant promotions for your next album and I really like the way you did that. Not a lot of emcees in Minneapolis are hip to dropping mix CDs to promote their albums. What else have you been up to?

Santana: I’m very excited, it’s beautiful right now. I built my own studio, I got so much music that people have never even heard. I feel like I totally stepped my game up and took it to the next level. Now I’m just ready to prove it to the world. I’m going to be releasing another mix CD a month before my album drops. Know what I mean? I got one record that’s real big in the city (New York) and it’s already on everybody’s countdown. It’s a record called “Mic Check.”

Kandis: Have you been to Minneapolis before?

Santana: I have been here once before but I didn’t get to enjoy it like I really wanted to (Smiles).

Kandis: We’ll definitely make sure you have a great time. So what else do you want people to know about you?

Santana: Basically that I’m here to take over everything first of all, not be the King of New York, not be the King of Minneapolis, I’m here to take over everything. I have been working so hard and I don’t think there are too many people out there fucking with me. I got three mix CDs out and one album From Me To You, which did fairly well but was not up to my standards. I feel like I can be where other people are at, especially with the work I have been putting in this last year and a half. I’m up here with a mix tape and it’s not even my album. Ya know what I’m saying?

Kandis: You’re definitely doing your thing, not many people are grinding like that. DJ Green Lantern is hosting this mix CD. He just won a big award out in New York last week for the mix cd he did with Jada Kiss, Mix Tape of the Year?

Santana: Yup, shout out to DJ Green Lantern.

Kandis: How did you feel about your last album, From Me To You?

Santana: My last album was real personal, I enjoyed making this mix CD, I was able to be more creative and just have fun. My love for music was always crazy but now it is ridiculous. Before it was like, If I make it then I make it—I know I’m good. But now I’m just determined. If it ain’t this album, and if it ain’t the next album, it’s still going to happen. I promise that. That’s what I’m feeling right now. I’m comfortable with my work ethic.

Kandis: If there’s anything that you could do differently what would you change?

Santana: Nothing, I like the way everything is going down. I never really wanted to take off fast, people got to know me from my first album and it solidified my spot in the game. I didn’t overly commercialize myself the first time around. People want to hear what I got to say with my next album. People want to know what’s up with Juelz Santana. We make music for the hood, we the only “real” people who have not totally crossed over but we got urban on smash. We kinda stay in our gangsta music Dipet Anthem mode.

Kandis: How do you explain your cult like following? I heard the kids at The Perpich School for The Arts got a little out of hand when you and your crew showed up there.

Santana: We have a movement, even though we may not have five million people messing with us, we got loyal fans. They love us, they want to be Diplomats. I have saw girls with Diplomats tattooed on their necks. People don’t go out and just buy our records, they feel us. They travel to come to our shows, state to state.

Kandis: Do you want to speak up about all the beef going on in the Hip-Hop community?

Santana: Not really, it’s not affecting me or anyone in my crew. Us as rappers, our opinions are effective. Even if I didn’t like this person or that person, it’s not fair to just come out and say that on wax. My word people listen to and if that is how you feel you keep that to yourself. What’s going on now doesn’t concern us but everybody knows how we get down. When it’s time to man up, we man up. I’m just comfortable with making my music now.

Kandis: What about tour plans?

Santana: There’s a big tour being planned but I’m focusing all my attention on my next album. A lot of people haven’t gotten to know me as Juelz Santana, they got to know The Diplomats. That’s why I’m doing my run early before my album comes out so people can know. I put out this mix CD, it ain’t no label, I put this out on my own. I currently don’t even know what label I’m on because so much shit happened with Def Jam. But I got it so crazy in the city that everybody is trying to sign me right now, everybody. Without the help of any label I got regular rotation on Hot 97 and other major radio stations. When labels are paying to get their artists regular rotation. I’m doing what I got to do.

Kandis: What’s it like being the Vice President of The Diplomats?

Santana: It’s cool because I love everybody on the Diplomats like I love myself. I’m working extra hard. I’m so focused on what I’m doing. When I leave here as soon as I get home I’m back in the studio. I just had my first son so he’s my drive now. I don’t never want my son to have to depend on anybody even though I’m always going to teach him morals and how to be a independent man. I want him to have the kind of life I didn’t have.

Kandis: With all the stuff you saw go down with Def Jam, what are your feelings about the industry?

Santana: It’s shady, everybody. You got to make sure you keep good people around you. Everybody is trying to get you and everything is not what it is cracked up to be. These labels are just wack now, they forgot how to put artists out. You just get one hot song and they think that’s putting out an album. When Jay Z came out he was not the biggest rapper but the people around him believed in him, and they made people understand that this guy is going to be somebody. Labels forgot how to do that.

You can find out more information about Juelz Santana by visiting RockAFella.com or Juelz.com and you can pick up your copy of Juelz Santana’s More Crack mix CD at Digital City or Urban Lights.

Interview: Trina

Interview: Trina
Published in Word on Tha Streetz
By Kandis Knight

Before the interview began Trina made it clear. “Don’t ask about my personal life because it just opens the doors,” she didn’t look too happy. On this day, the Diamond Princess laid curled up like a panther in her crushed velvet tracksuit.

Instead, she wanted to keep things positive and focus on business. “I am working on my fourth album, it is more of a comfort zone for me,” she reclined into her velvety throne, alone on a posh love seat in her suite at the Buckhead Intercontinental Hotel in Atlanta.

She was obviously referring to her “on and off” again relationship with Lil’ Wayne. In July, gossip website Mediatakeout.com reported that Trina was engaged to Lil’ Wayne who is rumored to be romancing Supahead (see Supahead’s controversial video at www.karrine.com).

Her royal badnessss has been experiencing her share of struggles as of late. In addition to her personal life, she severed ties with her distributing label, Atlantic Records in 2006 (Slip-N-Slide is still her label home). According to Trina she was not dropped from Atlantic as people have speculated. “It was a mutual decision, I had the choice to record another album with Atlantic or not to.” Atlantic representatives were contacted but refused to comment.

Trina’s fourth album is tentatively called Baddest Bitch 2 and is slated to be released December 19th, 2007. “I do have a deal in the works but I am not allowed to speak on it until it is finalized,” she smiles and makes faces while typing vigorously in her diamond encrusted blackberry.

“I am in charge. I can work with the producers I like, Scott Storch, Cool and Dray, Swiss Beats. I can do what I want versus what the label wants me to do. I go to the studio without the label.”

Trina’s most recent album, 2006’s Glamorest Life reached it’s height at number 11 on The Billboard 200 and sold close to 400,000 copies in the US, according to Soundscan.

“The project before (The Glamorest Life ) I don’t think they (Atlantic) did everything they should of done. I didn’t see the vision they saw in it.” Trina has generally released an album every two years since 2000. “Everything didn’t gel together. Do I stay with them or do I gamble. Or do I take the chance? I had to ask myself,” she explained.

Even with her toughest game face on, it was easy to sense her insecurity about the decision. “I didn’t know if it was the right decision to ask to be released. Most of the work on my project didn’t get done. It was very disappointing to me.”

Another thing that disappointed Trina was the way Khia came at her in the media. “I don’t even know her (Khia) and at the time that beef was serious. In my mind, a true beef should be about money or a fall out but I don’t know her.”

Trina alludes to the beef being more about gaining publicity than genuine. “It all happened around the same time she was trying to get a name. The business is about being competitive. Everybody wants to win. I am good, I am content, there is not an insecure bone in my body. I have never had to say anything negative about another woman. She came out and she was just talking shit about me and you don’t know me, you never held a conversation with me.”

Although feminists would be slow to accept Trina amongst their ranks, Trina expresses a sense of responsibility despite the fact that she did fire back at Khia’s attack. “I am not cool with the woman bashing thing. I want to see other women prosper. I am cool with every female in the industry so there has to be a problem and it is not coming from me.” Trina has a message for Khia. “The little bit of press you got is all you are gonna get. It’s over.”

Then in a very polite manner, she admits to stepping out of character for a moment. “I had to tell her I hear her. But she needs to do her. She don’t know nothing about Trina. She is supposed to be a mother so she should carry herself different. It is foul to me,” she crosses her legs and straightens her back, still holding her head high.

“When you are a female you are the underdog. You got to stay level headed. It is a lot to take. The guys in the industry can say anything, whatever guys do and say it is acceptable but when a girl says something everyone judges. There are girl groupies and guy groupies. I put myself in the frame where I am thinking like a dude. I am ten steps ahead of whatever they do. The game is hard. It is a hard grind. It is still like having a 24 hour job. When you are a female, everything is critical. People don’t understand that.”

Her blackberry lights up but she doesn’t miss a beat, she begins rapid fire-texting and talking. “You have to accept bad photos, video, everything. You got magazines and the public and fans, everybody is criticizing everything you do. I am still a human. I have great days and I have horrible days. I am human I am not a robot. I am happy most of the time sometimes I get sad, sometimes I cry. I go through things like any female. I just have a special job, it is rare, there are not as many female rappers as there are singers. I don’t want to be 100% perfect. I have industry friends, and regular friends, I have some that are just regular it makes me stay regular, I want to go to Wal-Mart, I want to go to the movies, I don’t want to seem untouchable.”

The door bell rings, it is room service rolling in carts of fancy food and drinks, she puts her blackberry down and stands up, then sneaks a peak in the mirror.

“It is hard to always be up. If I walk out of this building and anything is not right I am gonna hear about it in the media. I can be having a great day and then hear something in the media and it may mess with my spirit. I just like to let it go and move forward. Whatever I did yesterday it is done. I am starting over today. I am not trying to go back. Mentally for me I like to close my eyes and see myself going forward and I don’t like to doubt myself.”

As she settled into her dining experience she had one last thing to say. “This is me, I am only hype when I am on stage, the rest of the time I am mellow. This is me.”

Interview: K-Smith

Interview: K-Smith
Published in Indie Street Magazine
By Kandis Knight

“I can actually rap and make good records,” laughs the “soon to be everywhere” 17-year-old Philadelphia emcee K-Smith, when asked what distinguishes his music career from that of his “uber” famous uncle’s. If you have not heard by now, Will Smith’s nephew turned protégé K-Smith a.k.a. “The Real Fresh Prince” is already beginning to make the industry stir.

If you don’t believe me, check out his first debut single titled Better Man, featuring none other than the King of teenage crooning, Omarion. -Was that a torch being passed in that video? K-Smith is perfectly positioned and aiming for teeny bopper super stardom.

“We didn’t go to a label yet, I am fortunate enough to know someone who can fund my project,” laughs K-Smith, the former basketball shooting guard. “I called “O” (Omarion) up personally and asked him to get on the record,” says Smith, exhibiting full strength Smith family swagger.

K-Smith’s debut album, titled Streetz to Hollywood will be released first quarter 2008 on Overbrook (Will Smith’s label)/The Coalition (The Coalition is also home to rapper Eve).

The title is a reflection of the storyline of Will Smith’s popular 80’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Just like elder Smith’s former sitcom character, K-Smith was “rescued” off the ruff and rugged streets of Philadelphia by his rich Hollywood uncle. If art imitates life, this is a case book example.

“They wild ‘n out in Philly right now! I go back to Philly, to see my little brother, family, and the rest of my friends. In Philly, they show me the most love, its crazy, I think they are happy that I am from Philly and I got a cross over record because every time I go back to Philly they show me so much, love, the radio stations, the people,” chuckles the up beat young charmer.

K-Smith quickly admits life prior to his uncle’s intervention was typical for an inner city African-American male. “My real dad, I didn’t know him…I was around the wrong crowd, I was raising myself, I was getting into fights, little stuff with the law. I went to juvie (juvenile detention).”

Today things are a lot different for Smith whose business savvy can easily be traced back to Big Willy himself. “We were like, let’s go ahead, get the first single poppin’, get it number one, make it a smash then labels will offer more.” Smith promises once his music career slows down he will be heading to college to major in something music business related.

For now, team Smith is loaded and poised for supernova status. It is a good thing this Philly kid is not lacking any confidence. “I feel like the only time there is pressure is when you are insecure or unsure of yourself, when you are not sure if you can come through in a clutch,” he interjects. “Me (pauses) getting into the music industry, they call me “Will Smith’s protégé”, so it makes him relevant again in the music industry.”

It will be interesting to see K-Smith’s talent emerge from behind his uncle’s “larger than life” shadow. However, K-Smith is quick to explain, that what we will hear on Streetz to Hollywood is genuine to him as an artist.

“He doesn’t dictate anything to me, so I have all control over my project as far as the creative process, but he definitely is working with me on the business side of things. He is helping me to set myself up as a brand and not just as a musician, setting myself up so I have a long career.”

And to the “nay sayers” who are already forming their opinions, Smith promises he is not a fly by night artist. “A lot of artists don’t know how to set themselves up as a brand. They are misled. There are a lot of artists who can make a hot song but they are not stars.” His eyes twinkle. “You can see a star…you can see them, when they walk in a room they light it up. They draw people to them.”

Drawing people in is not difficult for Smith, definitely a family trait, like rising straight to the top. Thanks to his uncle’s rolodex, K-Smith is already well known in music industry circles and is excited to work with everyone, especially the young hit makers. “I will work with everybody, Lil’ Mama, we are in talks to work with now, Omarion, Bow Wow, B5, they are all my people, everybody in the whole young movement.”

Like his uncle Smith is covering all ground, so he is also working closely with music veterans also. “I just got out the studio with DJ Drama and Cannon, I was in with T.I.’s people the other day. I have really been working, getting it popping. My uncle tells me you can’t just get into the music industry, now it is like a three year run and you have to go hard, you have to constantly be in it. You have to constantly give it your all. It is hard work.”

So what has been the biggest lesson Uncle Will has taught? “The greatest lesson I have learned this year is patience. It is not overnight success. I promise you that…I shot my video four months ago and we are just now getting to release it. Everything is a process, you got to set everything up the right way.”

Although this is K-Smith’s debut album, he has been trained by the best to be ready for this moment. “The music industry right now is missing artists that can make full albums. You have hot singles and hot songs on the radio but there are not a lot of people who know how to make a full “hot” album, you know, a good album. And a lot of artists don’t know how to brand themselves, it’s not about the record, it is about the artist. Their record is bigger than them.”

As for his album, K-Smith says it will be “young, sexy with a little bit of edge to it. I got a lot of records for my ladies because, you know, I am a lover boy. I am a ladies man.”

Speaking of ladies men, we can expect Will to dust off his emcee skills and bless us with a few hot versus somewhere on Streetz to Hollywood. “My uncle is a busy man, his schedule is crazy but we get in and do some things in the studio,” he laughs. “We got some things on the album for y’all, trust me, me and Jeff (DJ Jazzy Jeff) are going to get into that also, there might be a couple big shows that we got working on where Jeff might be my DJ since I am the real Fresh Prince. Who knows?”

For more information visit: http://www.myspace.com/ksmithmovement

Interview: Atmosphere

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Atmosphere (Minneapolis)
by Kandis Knight

I recently had the chance to sit down with Slug of Atmosphere, aka Seven, aka Sean Daley, at his Uptown Minneapolis home, just before the release of his group’s highly anticipated new album. The undisputed reigning group of the Rhymesayer’s Empire and Twin Cities Hip-Hop, Atmosphere’s latest long-player, Seven’s Travels, was released this Tuesday to hordes of anxiously awaiting beat-heads.

When I arrived at Slug’s humble abode, his cat Lucy greeted me at the door, looking at me quizzically and sticking her nose into the air. I had heard her name (or was that namesake?) immortalized in more than one Atmosphere tune, but I resisted the strong urge to ask the animal any questions.

As Lucy led me up the stairs I heard multiple footsteps and suddenly found myself faced with the smiling visage of Atmosphere affiliated local turntablist Mr. Dibbs. I introduced myself and we begin chatting a little about his upcoming tour plans with Atmosphere. He’s an incredibly sweet, nice and well-spoken guy. Suddenly, I hear Slug’s voice. “I didn’t get a chance to take a shower, is that OK?” “I don’t mind,” I reply.

Lucy kind of smirks at me and it’s obvious she doesn’t mind either. In walks Slug with no shirt on. “Do you mind?” he says. Lucy looks at him and then back at me for my reaction. I take a look at him and see an interesting fusion of JFK Junior’s boyish charm, George Clooney’s GQ factor and Sean Penn’s bad boy appeal that’s instantly riveting. I bite my lip.

“No, be comfortable in your own house,” I murmur.

“Do you mind if I smoke?” he asks.

“No,” I quickly respond—flattered by his consideration.

“Never mind that I’m here, just be you.”

As Slug shuffles through the house, Lucy is still busy trying to keep my attention. Slug sees what’s going down and doesn’t hesitate to tell me that Lucy’s a slut.

We settle in to Slug’s kitchen as the interview begins.

Kandis: So do you think you’ve blown up?

Slug: I can’t tell. Some people tell me that I have and some people tell me that I am about to. Some people tell me that I won’t because I’m “underground.” What is blown up? Selling a million records? OK, well I’m nowhere near that.

Kandis: Do you consider yourself a local celebrity? Do people walk up to you on the streets?

Slug: More people walk up to me on the streets of Los Angeles, Chicago and New York than they do in Minneapolis. I’m bigger in those cities, but I think that’s because people are used to seeing me here. So if someone sees me walking down the street at four in the afternoon drunk they’re like “there he is again.” But if they see me at a restaurant in Los Angeles people are kind of like “Oh my God.” I get more attention in those cities.

Kandis: Do you like the fame?

Slug: No, (obviously annoyed to the point that he gets up and begins shuffling around). As good as I am at talking to people and being social and all of that stupid shit I’m very neurotic about fame. I want money, though. Don’t get me wrong. I want to make enough money to provide for my grandchildren. But if the fame comes with [the money] I’m a little wary. It’s weird saying things like that, though, because I’m [actively] taking steps to become famous, so it’s almost like “What are you doing if you don’t want the fame?” So the whole thing kind of freaks me out. I know why I’m taking these steps to become famous though, because if I can get famous—even just for 15 seconds—then it gives me an opportunity to help some of my friends realize their dreams. (He jiggles his leg in excitement and his pitch heightens.) Eyedea wants to be fucking famous and he can do it completely on his own—I believe in that—but at the same time if I can get a big Rhymesayer’s foot in the door it’s just going to help him and Brother Ali and Musab achieve [widespread success] that much sooner.

Kandis: What do you think of other local Hip-Hop acts?

Slug: I like everyone. I really don’t think anyone sucks. Two years ago I thought a lot of people sucked. I don’t think I’m anywhere near the best emcee in the city right now. I see other people that perform better and write better—but I can’t say names. To me Brother Ali is the best emcee right now and the rest of us are like three feet behind him. I think all that’s left for him to achieve what I have right now is just more grind. He just needs to get on the road as much as he can and he needs to go rap for peanuts. The only thing that separates me from anyone else on the scene right now is just the time and the drive [I’ve already put in]. People don’t realize I quit working a job five years ago and lived off Ramen noodles and women so that I could put all of my effort into [music] 24 hours a day. That and a little bit of luck is the only difference between me and anybody else.

Kandis: What would you tell my little brother Brandon who wants to be an emcee?

Slug: The sacrifices are the part people don’t see. To this day I’m unable to maintain a normal relationship because I’m on the road six months out of the year. I’ve had a girlfriend for the last six years and we break up every time I tour. She can’t handle the fact that I’m on the road all the time. We get back together when I come back home but now I only come home for two weeks. (Searches for next comment, his tone deepens and his demeanor relaxes). And I’m a very. . . woman motivated person. I’m a very relationship motivated person. But am I sacrificing it to go be this little rap guy? The sacrifices are deep—you can’t be a weekend rapper. If you’re going to do it you have to do it all the way. I’d tell a fifteen-year-old to go to college. If my son even looks like he wants to get into Hip-Hop I’m going to do everything I can to persuade him to play golf instead.

Kandis: What happened to the Interscope deal?

[Ed. Note: Atmosphere was rumored to be signing a distribution deal with Interscope (one of the few remaining major labels in the industry and a company with tremendous financial clout) but eventually signed on with prestigious California-punk imprint and indie stalwart Epitaph Records for the release of Seven’s Travels.]

Slug: We changed our minds and realized we didn’t need to do it. We were trying to do it to secure distribution for my friends but we realized we didn’t need to. We were dangling Atmosphere as bait to get [the major labels] interested in giving [all of Rhymesayers] full distribution and everyone bit the bait, everyone was down. Interscope was the strongest with the best offer. At the end of the day though, Siddiq pulled me aside and said, “Are you sure?” and I said “No I’m not” and so we were like fuck it we’re not going to do it.

Kandis: How would you describe your relationship with Siddiq [the overseer of the business end of Rhymesayers entertainment]?

Slug: Siddiq kind of goes back and forth between the roles of big brother and den mother. He gives me the tough love when it’s big brother time and he nurtures me when it’s den mother time. I think he’s one of the few people that understands I’m not crazy or scattered—it’s just that I honestly have no fucking idea what I’m doing or what’s going on. He’s really good at steering me through life. He doesn’t touch the artistry of anything I do, he doesn’t touch my music, but he believes in me.

Kandis: What’s the biggest misconception about you out there?

Slug: For some reason I have this image of being a womanizer. Guys think I’ll make out with their girlfriends. People think I’m very promiscuous and I don’t know how that came about. It could be because I don’t defend myself when people ask those types of questions, or maybe it comes from the music. I always thought it was obvious sarcasm when I talked about stuff like that in my music. I don’t mind people thinking that way as long as it allows me to continue feeding them vegetables underneath all of that stuff.

Kandis: What events in your life were influencing the songs on Seven’s Travels?

Slug: I write a lot of songs and there are some older songs on Seven’s Travels that are about traveling and touring, every story on there is about what I experienced on the road. God Loves Ugly was about me freaking out because I was getting a lot of attention and I thought God must appreciate me for some reason because she was allowing a lot of people to like me. So now Seven’s Travels is about me trying to accept and embrace what I do for a living.

Kandis: What message do you hope your fans get out of Seven’s Travels?

Slug: Be careful what you wish for.

Kandis: How would you persuade someone to buy this CD?

Slug: I don’t know, I would probably tell them not to buy it because I don’t like to toot my own horn. Hypothetically I would tell them to buy the record because it’s [like] vitamins. And I would tell them not to listen to it. Don’t even open it—tuck it away and wait until you have a kid and then when your kid turns sixteen years old, pull it out, unwrap it and tell them to go and listen to it.

Kandis: What do you do to prepare for a tour?

Slug: Drink.

Kandis: Does that help?

Slug: Drinking helps everything. I drink, I fight, I fuck, I do all of the things that I’m not supposed to do to prepare myself for how ungrounded I’m going to be living on the road. I’m sure I’m doing it all wrong. A lot of people do a lot of different things and I would never knock what they do. I lose such a big piece of myself when I’m on the road. I become very unstable, very chaotic. I scare people in the band.

Kandis: What’s life really like on the road?

Slug: It’s very unnatural. Every city becomes the same city, every batch of kids becomes the same batch of kids and every club is just like the last club. [Life on the road] becomes this strange recurring dream because you go through basically an acid trip of emotions every night. You have your highs and lows smashed into a four-hour period [at night] and then when you’re done you’re emotionally exhausted. You go to the hotel room and you stare at the fucking stucco on the ceiling and think about how it looks exactly like the room you slept in last night and you don’t even know what city you were in two days ago. Before you know it it’s three months later and you’re back at home and [the whole time spent on tour] is just this blur and you’re wondering what you missed back home. It’s a strange zone and I wouldn’t suggest anybody [tour the country] for a living. It seems like I’m complaining, but I’m not. I love what I’m doing or else I wouldn’t do it. I’m explaining this [kind of lifestyle] so someone else can read this and get an idea of what it’s like. That way when they go into it they’ll be more prepared. Anyone who travels as much as I do goes through this. It’s a very unnatural thing and dealing with it isn’t taught in school.

Kandis: So you made a video for “Trying to Find a Balance”?

Slug: Yes and I’m scared.

Kandis: Why?

Slug: Because it turned out really good. I mean what’s a video? It’s a commercial. So I made a video for my album and if it works it might get pretty neurotic around here.

Kandis: Do you plan on continuing to live in Minnesota?

Slug: Yes, it’s my foundation, my son is here and my family is here. If I ever get rich I would have one of my friends set aside some room in their home for me and I’d go and stay there for the weekend or something.

Kandis: What famous people have you enjoyed hanging out with?

Slug: KRS ONE, Jack Black, Guru [from the legendary Hip-Hop group Gangstarr]. Guru actually took time to talk to me about [the record industry] and that was really cool. They’re all cool but they’re not as cool as my friends. Wait until after I’ve made love to Christina Ricci and maybe I’ll have a different answer for that question.

Kandis: Would you say local hip-hop is resurging?

Slug: I wouldn’t say resurging because we never really had that initial surge. I think right now we are looking at the real surge. The previous surge was just people doing it, but now when I go to other cities people are talking about Minneapolis and the Minneapolis scene. That’s been going on for a little while but now people are talking about it very seriously. I think since the Brother Ali album people are really starting to look at this place. I can’t wait for these other kids to get famous because we at Rhymesayers appreciate carrying the weight and we’re glad that you guys allow us to—but come on! Someone come and help us carry the fucking weight! I mean this shit is mad heavy; our shoulders are tired.

Kandis: What’s your advice for local crews who dream of attaining your level of success?

Slug: Get in a van and go play free shows. Be ready to sleep on floors and couches. Start with the Midwest. Get your ass down to Kansas City, Lawrence, Chicago, Champaign, go to cities you never heard of, go to all of the festivals and hand out your music for free. Basically understand that for the next year you’re going to lose, lose, lose, and lose. You are going to lose money, food, girlfriends, sleep – you’re going to lose everything. But if you really want it you’ll do it and the best way to decide if it’s what you really want is to go and give everything up for it and see what you can obtain.

Atmosphere
Published in The Source Magazine
By Kandis Knight

TRANSCRIPT

Kandis:

Hey Sean?

Slug:

Yes this is me.

Kandis:

Hey it's Kandi.

Slug:

What tha fuck! How did you get this job?

Kandis:

(laughing)

Slug:

Hold on a second.

Kandis:

Okay.

Slug:

(Talking to someone in the room) "You leaving?"

Slug:

Okay, I'm back.

Kandis:

Humm...got some company bad boy? (Giggling)

Slug:

Yeah....

Kandis:

Of the Australian kind? (snickering).

Slug:

Laughs, no, thats my girlfriend.

Kandis:

Oh, cool, moral support is good. Ready?

Slug:

Yup.

Kandis:

Can you give The Source readers a sense of the indie market and how it differs from the mainstream market?

Slug:

There is more money in the indie market because there are less middle men to pay. There is not too many differences besides that. I think fans generally want to separate the independent and the mainstream markets more often than not because that is how they form their identity as fans. Kids that consider themselves underground kids are usually anti-mainstream because that is how they stay like minded and stay with their friends who also feel the same way. As far as the artists go all of us are just fucking clowns for hire. It doesn't matter who hires us to come and do our thing we are just happy that someone wants to come and hear us. Mainstream or indie, whatever the hell you want to call it, what it all comes down to is everybody is just trying to make some music that they want people to feel. I really do not consider there to be a different set of rules that I get to play by that mainstream artists don't. I think that I generally don't ever feel like I am exploited or manipulated or like there are other people getting rich off of me. Which is something I would have a lot more issues with if I were on a major label.

Kandis:

You do not aspire to be mainstream?

Slug:

I do aspire to have as many people hear me as possible. But I aspire to do it naturally, I aspire to collect those fans on merit not through marketing.

Kandis:

Oh, thats good.

Slug:

That just has to do with my personal beliefs, it has nothing to do with what is better than the other. I want everybody who likes what I do to like to honestly feel like they would like me as a person too. I am not trying to trick people into believing in me or to like my shit by acting a certain way or because I have my shit pumped into their ear hole once an hour 24 hours a day. I believe the people who do listen to me feel like they have a pretty good grasp on who I am as a human being and generally feel like they like me and the people who dont like my shit are probably on point for not liking it because if you do not like my music you would not like me as a person and I don't really want you as a fan.

Kandis:

What was your day like today?

Slug:

Um, you got to understand it is only 1:30 p.m. here. We are sixteen hours ahead of you. I woke up this morning around eight. Went downstairs and got an egg sandwich. Had a couple cigarettes, got on a charter bus which brought us to the airport. Got on a flight from Melborne and came to Adelaide. Just got off the plane, just got on another charter bus and just got to this hotel thirty minutes before you called.

Kandis:

Getting ready for the show?

Slug:

Yes, the sound check is in life four hours. I got to sit through a few more interviews.

Kandis:

(laughs)

Slug:

Oh! I am sorry, I mean let me refrain that, I got to impress a few more journalists.

Kandis:

(laughs)

Slug:

But no, I got to go and set up merch, because I am the merch man on this tour, so is my girlfriend and BK-1 (Brother Ali's Dj).

Kandis:

Oh, tell him I said hello.

Slug:

Ok, I will.

Sounds

Kandis:

What do you have the party room?

Slug:

(Laughs) No, my room is not the party room, my room is the chill room. Ant's room is the party room. I got low lights going, Ant's room is the disco room.

Kandis:

How is the weather there?

Slug:

Oh its beautiful, its only in the sixties, but that is like perfect for me.

Kandis:

So this is like your second time in Australia?

Slug:

Yes, this is the second time.

Kandis:

Alot of people are being introduced to Minneapolis, through your music, how do you feel about that?

Slug:

There is nobody in Minneapolis who is qualified to properly introduce the world to Minneapolis hip-hop because there are 150 different sounds going on as far as hip-hop is concerned. There are so many different types of heads in Minneapolis but they all have to network with each other and be amicable and have respect for one another because we all have to work together in one form or another.

Kandis:

Do you notice this in other cities as well?

Slug:

Yes, there is alot of polarization between the different kinds of hip-hop scenes all over the country. When I go to New York and I walk into the club, they see you, they know you, but they don't really acknowledge you or talk to you and I don't really talk to them. We all acknowledge eachother but it is just not the same, in Minneapolis, everyone has a healthy respect for eachother. There is competitiveness but it is not the kind of competitiveness that becomes detrimental to everyone. Instead it just pushes us all to out do eachother.

Kandis:

So, according to you, there is no real Minneapolis sound?

Slug:

There is no real sound, there is no real Minneapolis sound because there are many different sounds and I think that is fresh but at the same time when you have a publication as large as The Source looking at us there is no one group that can best represent what our sound is because there are many. There is no one in that city that can be picked to best represent our sound. Everybody's got a different thing. Just look at our label, I don't sound like Los Nativos, Los Nativos don't sound like I Self, I Self don't sound like Eyedea, Eyedea don't sound like Ali, you know. But I think that is kinda one of our strengths. I think alot of labels get caught in this cookie cutter sound. We have a sound that represents Minneapolis.

Kandis:

Where do you see your music going in five years as you continue to evolve as an artist and settle deeper into your niche?

Slug:

My whole thing with music and the development of our music is that me and Anthony (Ant, Slug's producer) are just trying to make our version of a Brand Nubian record, we are just trying to make our version of a BDP record, it is not about us trying to bring you that new next shit that ain't nobody ever figured out yet. Instead we try to stay traditional with boom bap and with the way I rhyme I am not out there trying to come up with crazy rhymes about what its like to be a tree on fire. You know what I'm saying? I write about my life.

Kandis:

(Laughs)

Slug:

I write about what is in front of me, and what I observe. I keep it as real as I possibly can. That's all I know. Your not going to get rhymes from me about the streets and having to duck bullets, you might catch a little of me talking about smoking weed. But that is really as close to street shit as I am going to touch. I play with politics a little, as you know. We are just trying to pay our respects to what we grew up on and every album we make is like an ode to the type of hip-hop we grew up on which is conscious rap.

Kandis:

Oh really? Like X-Clan?

Slug:

Quite honestly I do consider myself a part of the conscious hip-hop evolution. The difference might be that with me, and quite a few of my contemporaries, that the revolution is not so much a social thing anymore but it has become an internal thing. Its a personal revolution, because let's face it you can't really save your neighbor if you ain't figured out how to save yourself. Yes we are like the long lost children of X-Clan, or the long lost children of BDP, Big Daddy Kane and alot of these emcees that were a part of this Black Nationalists movement but aside from them teaching me about that, they also taught me alot about self-respect and self pride and how to take care of yourself. Which is kinda of in some weird, bizarre way the direction that my records go.

Kandis:

Your work ethic is remarkable, are you working on your next project already?

Slug:

Me and Anthony started the formal beginnings of working on a new album. We are trying to cultivate a sound that we have both been really interested in. We are trying to see how close we can get to that sound.

Kandis:

Are you and Murs going to do another Felt?

Slug:

Yes, we are, but I am really not at liberty to announce who it is going to be a tribute to, nor am I allowed to say who is going to produce it. I can tell you that it won't be produced by either of the people who produced Felt 1 or Felt 2. In the process of deciding who we were going to dedicate the next Felt to, your name did come up.

Kandis:

Oh God no. Sean, you better not, I would kick both your asses!

Slug:

(Laughs)

Kandis:

How do you feel about being in The Source from an indie rapper's perspective?

Slug:

Well, I just have to say, them being open minded to this, a half of a million records later and selling out tours for years around the country. You can definitely tell there is a new guard taking over and I appreciate that. Not so much because it is good for me, even though it is, but it is good for the readers. They have kinda been going so strongly in one direction with blinders on for so long that anything to shake it up right now is a good thing just because that is going to shake up the readers. Even the readers who are into the direction it has been going in, this is going to be productive for them because they are going to have to think about and deal with some new shit. Regardless of the fact that they are interested in me, regardless of the fact that they are mega late, I would say that I am proud of the fact that they are still trying to evolve and still trying to hold down the title that they have had for so long. Its like them people over there could have become complacent and even if Benzino hadn't had gotten ousted, they could of still remained complacent and kept going in that same direction. The fact that they are trying to push themselves and grow and evolve, to me that is important especially because they are vets. Vets can get complacent they can continue playing that same hit over and over again. To see The Source trying to flip right now, is inspiring to me.

Kandis:

You have been labeled your own genre within hip-hop, called EMO (short for emotional) rap. How do you describe your market?

Slug:

It's not just me, but there is a whole movement of us. We have alot of conscious things to say, we are in tune with society, we are in tune with our surroundings, with politics. The reason why the masses do not know who we are is because we don't allow ourselves to be marketed that way. We are interested in getting people to take us more personal than that. I think the hip-hop nation is distracted by their video games and their playstations and I would really love to see hip-hop go back into that mode where it is searching for its own identity again. I feel like my music is like vitamins for my listeners, this is why they constantly come back.

Interview: Kadalack Boyz

Kadalack Boyz (Atlanta)
Published in Grip Magazine
By Kandis Knight

The Kadalack Boyz, Tex James, Skinny-P, Tok, Sphidaman and JLuke met as kids and eventually started throwing parties, shows and making music together. “Loyalty brought us together, we are a brotherhood. When we move, we move in numbers. We have the look of a gang, but we are just a group of ‘brothas’ responsibly working together in unity and making good music. There is strength and power in loyalty,” smiles Tex James, the group’s official muscle.

At the height of ATL’s famed ‘Freaknik’ days, the Kadalack Boyz became well known for their “freeway exit” parties and their pimped out Cadillac’s that rolled low in the back on Daytons and Vogues, and featured fresh candy paint and ghost patterns every summer.

“The girls eventually started calling us the Kadalack Boyz when we would roll up at the park and the name stuck.” The group that has always been aggressive at branding their name eventually proved they are just as aggressive at making music. “Coming from the south our music is more aggressive. It has real street appeal. Think of it as a soundtrack of the streets from a group’s point of view,” Tex explains.

It didn’t take long for things to take off for The Kadalack Boyz. In 1999, around the same time Pastor Troy’s first album came out The Kadalack Boyz released a track called “Get a Lac” produced by Jerry Smokin’ Beat and CoCo Brother (both of Hot 107.9), it took off.

“It’s the originality, and the realness of our music that people like. We talk about what we really do and what we have been through. This is not studio rappin’ this is what we have been through in our life. We all grew up together so this is not a put together group from Macon,” explains Skinny P. They all laugh.

“Yeah, the picture we paint is exactly who we are. We want you to catch the beat and listen to the words. Many rappers say whatever they feel like saying or something other people said. We are saying what is really going on, what happens in our life,” interjects Luke.

“Back then, we were making so much noise in the streets and people were hearing about us but everybody was like who are they with? We started working D-Lo, he was our business partner. Then one day Mr. Collipark (a.k.a. DJ Smurf a.k.a. Beat-n-Azz a.k.a. Micheal Crooms) called my phone. Mr. Collipark has worked with the likes of Lil' Jon, Ying Yang Twins, BG, YoungBloodz, Trick Daddy, Mike Jones, Pitbull, Young Jeezy, Avant, David Banner, Bun B, Wyclef Jean and Bone Crusher.

“I want to do business with y’all” he told me,” explains Tex.

Mr. Collipark is a super producer who likes to learn from other artists. “He is cool he just lets us do our own thing he is the type of producer who does him and lets you sit back and do yours he is eager to see what you do on his tracks.” They all nod their heads in agreement.

Sphidaman eagerly chimes in “Never slippin’ it is a lot of stuff going on right now so you can’t be out here slipplin, there is a war going on and people are dieing every day, never slippin to me is telling me to be on our grind every day . This year is OUR year. They been hearing about us we got a nice buzz but we are more than just a buzz in the street. This is the year that we get in.”

Never Slippin is a new track on The Kadalack Boyz latest project, a full length album titled Street Related to be released in March 2007 on Collipark/D-Lo. Dope Boy Bounce, will be the first single to be released off the Street Related album. “Dope Boy Bounce is a summer jam, it is about that ATL swagger cause its tempo is slower but females can get wild on it and the trap boys will really appreciate it,” says Tok.

www.myspace.com/kadalackboyz

Interview: J. Carter

J. Carter (Atlanta)
Published in Grip Magazine

By Kandis Knight

Around the corner from the trendy Slice Pizza on Peters Street is the swanky Midtown loft that houses Atlanta’s premiere entertainment company, Sol Fusion. Walking into the art deco loft is a fresh and exciting experience. Much like the cutting edged events the group is well known for producing.

From the art on the walls, the vibrant colors and the ethnocentric music, the Sol Fusion mantra is evident. It is all about a “progressive urban” vibe. “I am from Harlem, Sugarhill is an area in Harlem that is about real progressive, urban culture. You meet everyone from corner office executives, to thugs who can pass for attorneys,” explains J. Carter, the young, charismatic owner of Sol Fusion.

J. Carter brought that “progressive, urban” culture with him to Atlanta in 1990 when his father’s job relocated. Carter, a Business Economics graduate of Florida A & M is not new to the entertainment game. His promotions career started while in high school and followed him through college where he threw parties for his fraternity Omega Psi Phi.

“When I came to Atlanta, I didn’t understand the lingo, the style or the music. Once I understood it, I loved it. I will never move back to NYC.”

Another reason why Carter will never move back to New York is because he has been busy carving out a niche in the entertainment market. Since 2002, Sol Fusion: An Intercontinental Lovefest has been capitalizing on Atlanta’s rich diversity. A carefully selected mixture of music styles; hip-hop, funk, soul, reggae, the classics, Latin vibes and alternative rock are what attracts the multi-ethnic broad of partygoers, up to 1500 monthly.

To add to the success of his company and monthly events, Carter recently became part owner of Sugarhill and Motions nightclubs in Atlanta’s Underground. Carter lives a lifestyle many of us can only dream of. “I don’t call myself a promoter, I am more like a social politician.” His phone rings and he jumps up to wheel and deal, then promptly comes back to interject a thought.

“You know, the best thing about having my own venue is now I have more creative control over some of the things I want to do,” he explains. “Before I had to wheel and deal with venue owners and restaurants as far as how far I can take it and what I can do and what I can’t do. Now there is no cap on the creativity.”

Within a four year period, Sol Fusion has touched over 100,000 people, and was voted the #1 club event in Atlanta in 2005. All of the success has impressed big name sponsors, such as Heineken who sponsored Sol Fusion for an entire year.

“If your intentions are genuine your rewards will follow,” says Carter. “Put in the hard work and keep your intentions pure,” he smiles.

The constant flow of money, beautiful women, and hot parties has not changed Carter. “A lot of new promoter’s get into it because they think there is going to be a lot of ladies, cash and opportunities to meet celebrities,” he explains.

“That’s cool but I think you should just keep it humble. If you are in it just to make money, after awhile that poison will kill you.”

Another company under the Sol Fusion umbrella is Diamond Lounge Creative. Diamond Lounge is a very visible Atlanta marketing firm that recently produced all of the creative branding for the Shirley Franklin campaign.

Looking into the future it seems like the sky is the limit for this young ATL hustler. “For 2007 we are going to renovate Motions and expand Sol Fusion to four more cities, we are looking at Charlotte, Orlando, Birmingham and possibly LA.”

For more information please visit http://www.sol-fusion.com/

Interview: I Self Devine

I Self Devine (Minneapolis)

Published in The Pulse of The Twin Cities

By Kandis Knight

Kandis: What does an artist like yourself currently bump in your CD player? I Self Devine: I am listening to the instrumental beats for my next album. Beyond that I would say anything from De La (De La Soul), Curtis Mayfield, Coltrane. I collect a lot of records, I listen to a lot of older music, mid ’80s rhythm and blues, early Hip-Hop.

Kandis: How long did it take to complete The Emperor and The Assassin?

I Self Devine: The Emperor and The Assassin went through different phases. First and foremost Akiem and I weren’t living in the same city so we had to go back and forth with all of that, actual recording time two weeks and a month or so of actual mixing down and mastering. The album has been finished for a year and a half though.

Kandis: Why did it take so long to release it?

I Self Devine: Just trying to observe the interworkings of RSE [local Hip-Hop record label Rhymesayers Entertainment]. We were trying to get more qualified staff. RSE has a small group of people.

Kandis: What would you say sets The Emperor and The Assassin apart from your other releases?

I Self Devine: I would say Obelisk Movements was more commercial in that it reached more people outside of Minneapolis and Atlanta. Obelisk Movements was made purposely for the heads who check for Hip-Hop though. Obelisk Movements was an album that was made in 2000 but could have been made in 1988. Those were the aesthetics of that album, it was definitely more dense, more complex. Obelisk Movements was more like Marshall Law. With Emperor and The Assassin we were more interested in individual people who made up the movement The Emperor and The Assassin will be more personal to people. The original title of the album was The Emperor and The Terrorist but prior to 9/11 we changed it because we didn’t want people to think we were trying to tie the album into that event.

Kandis: For those who are not necessarily “old school,” The Micranots have been around for a long time. As you watch Twin Cities Hip-Hop evolve what are your hopes for the local scene?

I Self Devine: There is a lot more division now versus how things were here back in the day. Now you have your white Hip-Hop and you have your black Hip-Hop, it is not as cohesive as it once was. In the early ’90s people were performing everywhere because there was more support. I have saw a lot of emcees go crazy and loose, emcees who were really good and should have made it. They just burned so bright and so fast and their fan base couldn’t catch up to them, they were literally ahead of their time and the city was not ready for them. That was one of the reasons why we left for Atlanta. It was good that we left because there was a glass ceiling here and artists could only get so far.

Kandis: What is it like being a part of RSE?

I Self Devine: It is a family. We left for Atlanta in 1994 and when I came back in 1996 the vibe at RSE was different, it was like a second coming. Things changed you could tell it was changing. The age range, the class and the color of Hip-Hop changed in this city, the entire climate changed. When I came back in 1996 I made a conscious effort to become a part of RSE. I said to myself “These people right here are going to play a big part in shaping Minnesota Hip-Hop.” And we wanted to be a part of that, a lot of things had changed and we wanted to add to that “cultivation” of local Hip-Hop.

Kandis: Who were some of your favorite old school local crews?

I Self Devine: Eloquent Pheasants, there was a collective called Rap Steady, there was The Metro Unit, Mixed Breed. Mixed Breed and Metro Unit were the groups that Eloquent Pheasants and the Micranots came out of. At the time Truth Maze, Society, Much Words, Hidden Rhythm and Ground Zero were all in the Mixed Breed and in the Metro Unit it was Akiem X, Squeek, Baby Professor (Ace), Fulfeel and myself. Truth Maze came to The Metro Unit and joined Akiem and myself and we formed the Micranots. These groups were as good as national acts back in the day they just didn’t have the market or a scene to support their work.

Kandis: How old are you?

I Self Devine: I will be 32 this year.

Kandis: What messages do you hope people derive from The Emperor and The Assassin?

I Self Devine: I wanted to show the conditions we grew up in. I came to Minneapolis in 1989 from Los Angeles. People ask me why am I Afro-centric or why am I so political. It has a lot to do with the things we saw growing up that shaped our ideals and goals. I grew up in L.A. the epicenter of the crack trade and gang warfare during the Regan era so naturally I have a lot to say. I witnessed shit firsthand and I saw how it destroyed lives and killed people. Hip-Hop was an alternative to gangs for us. Through our music we always want to show our background.

Kandis: What is your favorite song on the album?

I Self Devine: “Amerikology,” I like the mood of that song. I like the message behind the song. I am an optimist but I am also very skeptical. The song is about the perceptions of our government and how people are not informed as to what goes on in the world. Basically everyone outside of America seems to know more about America than Americans. People need to read between the lines. For example, a Senator dies in a plane crash, I don’t see it as an accident but an assassination. This song deals with how I feel about America.

Kandis: So what is the future for the Micranots?

I Self Devine: Well, the way things are looking this will be the last Micranots album.

Kandis: Why do you say that?

I Self Devine: Many reasons. Space, different ways of working and the love is not there basically. If the love is not in something you are doing then it becomes really twisted. I feel trapped by the Micranots right now to tell you the truth.

Kandis: Will you go solo?

I Self Devine: Yeah. I feel like the Micranots are an entity that are larger than Akiem and I. It is hard to do conscious Hip-Hop nowadays because you either have to prove how conscious you are or how street you are. Right now there are plenty of emcees to talk about this and that and the other. First and foremost I am an artist. Back when we hooked up with RSE, and I was putting out the Semi-Official album, I felt that album captured what Hip-Hop was to me. Now Akiem will go and do production so all you emcees out there looking for production, contact him, and I am going to work on my solo project.

Kandis: Good luck with your future endeavors and we will look forward to seeing you and Akiem reach your next phase.

Interview: Oktane

Oktane (Atlanta)
By Kandis Knight

At nine years-old Georgia artist Oktane put down his G.I. Joe action figures and picked up an MPC, mastering the recording studio before puberty. Music is in his blood and you don’t want to underestimate his marketing power or his connections.

Oktane is not a newcomer, he is a second generation musician. Oktane’s father, Ronnie Meyers was signed to RCA Records, of course he recognized musical genius in his son. “My dad had a little studio built in the backyard and I just started writing and going in the studio,” smiles the twenty-five year-old flame spitter. “He would play around with me and help me record. I started rapping about Nintendo and Atari.”

Oktane has come a long way from those days, he now records in a million dollar, state of the art studio facility and is quickly making a name for himself in the industry. This due to his high adrenaline, high pitched, “crunk” verses and his determination to grind. “The name Oktane was given to me by a friend who was describing how I deal with haters and set backs. It all fuels my fire.”

Regardless of roadblocks, Oktane is on the verge of major things. He is gearing up for a twenty-two city tour, and you can catch four of his tracks on the Grand Hustle Muscle Mix Cd. “Being a part of the Grand Hustle Muscle Mix Cd was a blessing, because it also featured Young Dro, T.I. and Alfamega. There were a lot of Dons on it, so it was definitely a blessing to be a featured artist on that Cd.”

Oktane is currently working on his debut album, which features So So Def’s Young Capone and EDI Don from the Outlaws and there will be many more. “I’m trying to get good features on the album, but at the same time, I’m trying to get the album it’s legitimate chance, because it’s such a great record,” explains Oktane.

“I am a beast, like a tiger and I’m hungry right now. The door is cracked, so I am gonna to kick it off the hinges. They’re not going to hold me back anymore.”

Oktane’s new album features stand out tracks such as Warrior which may be considered controversial by many. Oktane was inspired to write Warrior after seeing the movie The Passion of the Christ. “People ask, “How you going to talk about the Lord on this song, and the next song you’re going to curse?” I say, “I’m a real man and there are two sides to every man, there’s a good side, and a bad side. I’m just real, I show both sides.”

“Before it’s over, I just want to be remembered as someone who did something well, in addition to making music, for example a fan contacted me and told me that one of my songs helped get his sister off crack, and that really meant a lot to me. I want to have an impact in music and on people in general.”

http://www.myspace.com/professorakaoktane

Interview: C-Side

C-Side (Atlanta)
Published in Grip Magazine
By Kandis Knight

Life before Myspace.com can best be compared to the “Dark Ages” for hungry, independent artists worldwide. Myspace has single handedly helped to level the playing field by giving artists marketing tools, including a free database to promote themselves.

For groups like Atlanta’s hip-hop trio, C-Side, comprised of group members Kenny Kole, 21, Gator, 23, and Bo Q 21, Myspace has been a career maker. Afterall, many of us would have no clue who C-Side was if it wasn’t for their “novelty” hit Myspace Freak featuring Jazze Pha.

“Gator came up with the song concept. It blew up on Myspace and a lot of internet publications took notice,” explains group member Kenny Kole. To date, C-Side’s Myspace page has received over 346,721 plays and they have over nine thousand Myspace friends, freaks and all. The group has already been featured on many websites and in many magazines.

When the idea for a remix came up, the group thought it would make sense to get Jazze on it since they sampled his voice in the original song. “When we got in the studio with Jazze he was like, “Oh, y’all thought you was gonna have that “Oh Boy” on a hit song without me? That’s my trademark,” laughs Bo Q.

“C-Side is a group of guys who have a crazy knach for catchy phrases and choruses; on top of that they can really rap. They are a breath of fresh air from the South,” praises Jazze.

C-Side received co-production credit for Myspace Freak and if you think they are one hit wonders, think again. Wangin is another C-Side/Jazze Pha track that is promising to be another big hit for the young group.
So what exactly is a Myspace freak? “A Myspace freak, is someone who is obsessed or crazy about Myspace. These are people who are on it all hours of a day, ya know? Can’t get enough of it,” laughs Bo Q.

True some people are Myspace freaks, apparently Bobby and Whitney’s daughter can be counted in that group, however millions of people do conduct business every hour of the day on Myspace. “If you are on there networking and trying to handle business, Myspace is very good,” explains Gator.

In addition to working with Jazze, C-Side group members have worked with the likes of Dem Franchize Boyz, Pimp C (UGK); 12 Gauge and Keisha Cole, Young Capone. They insist they are not one hit wonders, but just in case, they are also branching off into other ventures. The group members own their own sneaker company called Two Straps and they also own a production company.

“We got a big fan base because we have been doing this for along time. Every song we do, people are like “that should be your single”, says Bo Q. Kenny Kold interrupts, “We are also song writers and labels are bidding on our songs and trying to buy them for their artists.”

Look for C-Side in upcoming issues of Right-on, Blackbeat Magazine, The Urban American Fanzine and check them out on BET Radio, Launch Radio and MTV Radio and News.

Visit www.myspace.com/csideonline for more information.

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Interview: Charlie Mackenroe

Charlie Mackenroe (Atlanta)
Grip Magazine © 2006
By Kandis Knight

Walking into the recording studio of super southern producer Shondrae “Bangladesh” Crawford is like stepping into a totally different world oozing with musical stimulation. Polyrhythmic percussions vibrate walls. Piercing snares accent crisp highs. And the entrancing, futuristic flavors involuntarily make heads bob, fingers snap and hips sway.

Making a name for himself constructing sonic soundtracks for Ludacris’ breakout hit “What’s Your Fantasy” and Kelis’ saucy single “Bossy,” Bangladesh is now using his production expertise in promotion of four-man collective Charlie Mackenroe, the first group from his Bangladesh Productions imprint.

“I am working toward producing only my artists and not working with other artists,” reflects the twenty-five year old CEO. “Soon when people want to hear that Bangladesh sound, they have to go to Bangladesh Productions to get it.”

Made up of rappers D.O. Deville, Polo Joe, Eldorado Redd, and Tom Foolery and reminiscent of mismatched duo Outkast, each member of Charlie Mackenroe has a distinct character that emerges from track to track to captivate your imagination and drag your mind into their world.
“Our music is what you would have if Dolamite got some action from Halle Berry,” explains Redd, “and then met up with George Clinton or Curtis Mayfield to do a record; it would be a Charlie Mackenroe record,” says Redd, whose words flow in conversation, just like they do on hot wax.

D.O. Deville, the quiet one, interjects, “Our music is different because Bangladesh is different. It is foreign to the ear.”

Together as a crew since the tenth grade, most of Charlie Mackenroe’s members met while attending Tri Cities High School in Atlanta. Back then, Eldorado Redd was the only group member seriously pursing a music career. In 1999, Redd put out a mix cd called “Who You Calling Country?” produced by Bread & Water and signed a distribution deal with Freeworld before the company went bankrupt.

Like a funky Frankenstein creation, they combine elements of 80s gun-toting big screen vigilante and one of the illest tennis players to crush rackets on his opponents. “Charlie Mackenroe is a combination of Charles Bronson, the gangster,” explains an ever animated Tom Foolery, “and John Mackenroe, the tennis player, who has a mean back hand slap.”

That hybrid beast will be unleashed with the release of their debut album (untitled at the time of publication) which is slated for a November 2007 release. “Our music will satisfy,” Polo Joe sums up their unique sound, “We got Swag 101 going on over here we also got a lot of lessons people got to learn,” explains a the debonair emcee. “On our album you will learn about what 285 all through Georgia is all about. It’s a one way ticket so you should buy one. It is like a buffet. You can finally get a full meal. We are going to give you what has been missing in music: the creative genius.”

http://www.myspace.com/charliemackenroe
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Bio: Black Boy

Artist Biography: Black Boy (Atlanta)
By Kandis Knight

In 2005, Black Boy made a name for himself as Atlanta’s Freestyle King when he won Hot 107.9’s freestyle championship. Black Boy defeated SoSo Def’s artist, SunNY, as Jermaine Dupri watched. Since that day Black Boy has held the title as the undefeated champion of freestyle in Atlanta.

Black Boy (formerly Reggie P) is known by friends and family as Reginald Parrott, Southwest Atlanta, Georgia is Black Boy’s home. Black Boy began embellishing in music when he was 8 years-old. “I grew up listening to Outkast, Scarface, Geto Boys, Notorious B.I.G, Tupac, The Fugees, A Tribe Called Quest, Digital Underground and many more.”

Black Boy’s style has been described as raw, hard and poetic. His commanding stage presence, punch lines & his witty use of metaphors are what motivated former G-Unit member and hip-hop artist, The Game, to sign Black Boy as Black Wall Street’s fledgling artist in 2006.

Often compared to The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac, Black Boy is currently working hard on his debut album, featuring high profile collaborations with Killer Mike, Young Dro and Lil’ Wayne. In the future, Black Boy desires to work with producers such as Pharrell Williams and Just Blaze.

“I am motivated by rocking shows and moving the crowds, at the same time being able to reach everybody on a personal level,” describes Black Boy. “I go against the grain. I want people to like Black Boy. I want to become an icon.”

To date, Black Boy has been featured in Juice Magazine, Rolling Out Magazine and The Source Magazine. He also has won many accolades including repeatedly winning ATL’s Most Wanted Showcase and the MC War Battle Competition.

In the first quarter of 2007, look for Black Boy’s new street single “Chill Bump Muzik” produced by Monopoly Product. Also look for Black Boy’s album single “Lay It Down” feat. Young Dro & Killer Mike produced by Nu Jerzey Devil. Black Boy’s mix cd will also be released in the first quarter of 2007 titled “You Know What It Is” mixed & hosted by DJ Skee.

Interview: Switch

Interview: Switch (Brooklyn)
By Kandis Knight

“Ladies Keep Ya’ Legs Closed” -Switch

On a whim, I decided to catch a flight out of ATL for a little rest and relaxation. I was going to visit one of my favorite females in the music industry.

A few hours later, relaxing in a rooftop Jacuzzi in Manhattan, I decided it was time to formally interview the lady I am betting will be very big in 2008.

As she sipped her pricey Bordeaux from pricey crystal she was elegant like a swan, all while she carefully tucked her legs neatly under her body so she could sit erect, like a stalking lioness.

“It’s hard to not get distracted by the money, negative energy from people and remain prayerful, I am epic in character and with my music, I am the rose that grew from a rock,” she calmly explains, as she swirls her wine in rapid circles while gazing up at the stars.

Welcome to Switch’s world. She is called the “BK Empress” for a good reason.

In 2000, Nicole “Switch” Harding was a young ambitious female emcee hustling her way into the music industry in Brooklyn, NY.

“I went to high school with Inga Marchand a.k.a. Foxy Brown. I was real popular in High School, people know me. My first foot in the game was in 2000, in front of thousands I opened up for Foxy Brown, Capone, Nore and the Lox at the Audubon Theater (the historic theatre where Malcolm X was murdered) in NYC,” explains the 5’9” (no typo) exotic Amazonian beauty who is holding down a Modeling contract with T-Pain’s company DreamStar Talent in Atlanta, GA.

“I know I was scared to death like before that I never did open mics or showcases,” she explains in her thick BK accent.

“I was fresh outta’ BK and my first show was with DJ Kay Slay on the wheels. I felt like I had on cement boots, I actually froze up I can’t lie,” she lets her bun down and her long straight hair plunges to her chest, she glides across the water and up the ladder.

Later that evening, during Sushi at some swanky Uptown joint, Switch dawning a stunning Gucci gown under a fur coat tells more.

Her stage fright did not last long and she emerged to do what she was born to do. “I believe I was destined to meet Kay Slay that night. We are such good friends to this day, call it fate.”

Switch had no other choice but to shock and awe the crowd. “I totally transformed into this beast I was hyping the crowd and I got a great response. Kay Slay later told me, “I thought you were an R & B singer when you first walked out because you’re a pretty girl”, he liked the shock value I guess,” she laughs.

“After performing I handed him my demo as I passed it to him he said all I needed to know, “If I feel it I’ll call you right away if I don’t you will not hear from me deal?”

Switch was positive she would get a call back so she waited. Exactly eight hours later. Switch looked at her watch and picked up the phone Kay Slay was on the other end. “Yo you’re hot!” The following week, Switch’s freestyle premiered on Kay Slay’s mix tape.

“I screamed like Michael Jackson. I was jumping around acting crazy I’m sure when he reads this he is going to be surprised because I totally played it cool,” she laughs.

Kay Slay kept his word to Switch. “The first Kay Slay joint I was on was hosted by 50 Cent, I thought, bingo, I have officially made my introduction to the game. At the time 50 Cent was tearing up New York. Before Eminem and Dr. Dre tapped him on the shoulder.”

As we headed for the nightclub later that night, Switch told me how close she and Kay Slay had become through the years. Switch refers to him as her mentor. “Kay is one of the realest djs I’ve ever met. He has always showed me love and included me on things to network and meet different people. I will never forget one time he was like it is no problem putting you in the right circle but it’s up to you to network and build relationships on ya’ own.”

Switch seemed to have taken Kay’s advice because her Blackberry reads like a “who is who” of the entertainment industry from film, television, fashion to music, her networking skills are to be admired. I have met

Switch has also been featured in a few Kay Slay videos. “I’m actually in the Kay Slay video with Three 6 Mafia “Who Give A Fuck Where You From” I’m all through out that joint.”

As we jumped out of our limo to make an entrance at the club, Switch began listing off the mix cds she has been featured on as I tried to take notes in my Blackberry. Switch is a regular on many Kay Slay mix cds some were hosted by many notable emcees such as, Nas and Busta Rhymes.

Switch even had the honor of being on Kay Slay’s “The Drama Hour” on NYC’s Hot 97.

“Girl, I remember the competitive spirit was heavy the night of “The Drama Hour” taping,” she recalled as we strutted to our booth.

“It was so every chick for themselves but over all it was fun I met a ton of people and got respect from everyone was like “Yo Switch is hot she gotta’ keep it going.” I got to hit the booth with Remy Ma, Lady Luck, Amil, Glaze Ny, and DJ Lazy K and Funkmaster Flex. Many music industry heavy hitters were in the building. People got to see me shine that day.”

Since that day her star has shined brightly in the New York underground scene however she has struggled to complete a debut album until this year.

“It is very hard for a female to make it in the music industry, especially if you refuse to fuck your way to the top.”

Or maybe since she is so Petey Greene-ish her time is only now ripe?

“I feel like from day one up until this very minute I’m always misunderstood. People say “Oh she’s pretty she might be easy, oh she’s from Brownsville she’s a thug, oh she’s a female rapper so she’s hard to work with. These are just a few examples of things I go through on a daily basis on top of that, my business was so not right I was clueless to how the industry works, I didn’t have proper representation like I do now.”

Regardless of the obstacles she has had to encounter, Switch is expanding her stock daily. She has hosted two New York television shows, NYC Underground and Video City. She is also a radio personality for the Chris and Chris Show (produced by Hot 97 Executive Producers), by the way, you can also get your Switch fix and peep Switchy’s modeling skills featured in the new Straight Stunting Magazine and check out Switch’s You Tube channel, where you can watch as the pilot for her reality based-entertainment talk show Switch on The Scene which is being developed for a major network.

Just like the Notorious B.I.G., Switch was raised in a half Jamaican, half Brooklyn household so her swagger is 100% organic Switch promises to fill a void in the industry she may very well become the face of the lucrative Carribean hip-hop generation.

“Growing up my family was like the black Brady Bunch minus three kids we were raised on Bob Marley and Buju Banton. My parents are from Jamaica, but I was born in Brooklyn. Hello Brooklyn!” she shouts and pumps her fist in the air. “My city is birth place, without my city there would be no hip hop!” she taunts as she orders all the stuff on the appetizer menu, the waitress knows her by first name. “Anything else hot mama?” she asks Switch.

Switch replies, “A fucking Oscar and a Grammy!” We all laugh.
Like any true BK born hustle-ress Switchy is always quick to talk business. “Currently I’m working on my first official album due out May 2008 it is called MISS UNDERSTOOD I also have more mixtapes due out February 2008 and an EP done waiting for an angel investor, holla at me! I’m feeling like I’m in the best position of my life I have amazing people around me who are working with me to build this empire. I am going to work harder and smarter and not let things or people distract me like before. I am coming, consider me competition,” she slides out of her fur.

Switch is an emcee who also has great vocals and she sings. You can check out her versatility on her new album which will consist of fourteen tracks, and intro and some skits. “It’s going to be the story of my life. I do know for my first effort this album will change my life and allow the many layers of Switch to shine through as always.”

Miss Understood will also feature some Reggae anthems for the new music generation.

In the future Switch wants to work with everyone from Dr. Dre to Scott Storch. Currently she is working with producer Hassan Shareef who produced Boss Bitch (has also produced for Benzino, Ghostface Killah and Karl Thomas). “Actually I am going to link up with Chris Styles. Chris produced Amusement Park for 50 Cent,” she laughs then she turns smug.

“I hate the politics of the music business. The hesitancy people have when it comes to working with a female artist. I have had an A & R tell me that people are reluctant to work with female rappers because we cost to much to market and we don’t want to spend that kind of money but they will invest in dudes who they kind of know wont generate any sort of interest or R.O.I.”

Switch also takes a great interest in the hip-hop industry as a whole. “Right now hip-hop is in a messy state. Vets don’t want to usher in new artists. An old vet will be out for ten to twelve years and refuse to let go of the mic or to mentor others who look for that mentor type. I can tell the fame and fortune is a drug that some just can’t get off.”

On top of everything she does in the entertainment industry Switch is the quintessential business woman, did I forget to mention she is the CEO of her own record label called M.OB.A.N. Entertainment? Switch is also a sales manager for a finance magazine, a licensed Real Estate Agent, a licensed Phlebotomist and EKG Technician. She represents everything today’s black woman should be.

“I love to travel, cook, shop and invest in stocks and real estate when the time permits,” she perks up and looks at her watch. “I’ll be right back mami”.

As a man brings a mic over to our table, Switch stands to her feet. She didn’t even tell me she was performing. That says something, Switch’s is always going to shock us. I also must also add this is one lady who sure knows how to party. She jumps on the stage, the crowd cheers.

As the sun was rising over New York, our adventure was coming to an end. But not before we got back to her place to cook a little soul food breakfast.

Over turkey sausage, grits, scrambled organic eggs and Mimosas, we get to the heart of the matter. Switch switches to an early morning reflective mood after we do a few yoga vinyasas together.

“I have survived a lot more than the average female rapper running around these streets both personally and professionally and I can’t wait to make it official with the release of this album. I’m always about making music for the masses for all the misunderstood souls who can relate all around the world.”

Yes she is always thinking big.

For more information visit www.myspace.com/switchbk


Switch’s Music Industry Survival Tips

1. It’s important to find that life changing outlet who will believe in you and your product and make that major move whether it be cracking your single to radio or helping you to secure a recording contract.

2. Never ever mix business with pleasure. No one in this industry is your friend.

3. No one gives a fuck about you the person they only care about your product.

4. Be driven by the non believers. Closed doors should make you work harder. Not curl up in a little ball.

5. It is not what you earn it is what you save that counts.

6. Watch you’re the people you surround yourself with. You got to keep people around you who want you to win everyday separate yourself from the ones who don’t. Simple.

7. And for my ladies keep ya’ legs closed!

Interview: Musab

Musab
Published in The Pulse of The Twin Cities
by Kandis Knight

On a cold rainy evening I ventured to the cozy home of Musab, Rhymesayer's "Smoothest Brotha' Number One." Over the course of three hours we relaxed, watched a basketball game and had a little local rap talk. As I entered Musab’s pristine, decked out South Minneapolis condo, I couldn't help but notice the walls, a smooth maroon color befitting Musab's smooth laid back character.

I took a seat on a plush couch, with a big fluffy pillow and enjoyed my beverage and the game in the background. Musab eased up next to me and became an open book. At 14, Musab converted to Islam. “I don't like to involve my religion in my music,” claims Musab, 28. “They’re two different things. That’s my personal life. My music is entertainment. I don't take myself too serious as an artist. I'm only human, I'm not trying to change your life, I'm trying to entertain you. If you want to change your life read that Koran down there, that’s how I look at it."

Nowadays, Musab seems to live a peaceful and positive life. “I coach my son's basketball team, I’m training my kids in sports, I’m making Salaat (Muslim prayer) everyday. I'm fasting right now, it's Ramadan. I live better than some, worse than others,” he readily admits.

Musab’s life wasn’t always as serene as it is today, it was only after witnessing lots of crime and violence that Musab decided to pursue music. "I went through a lot of dramatic situations with my life," he claims. Glancing to the floor, Musab pauses and then continues, "I lost a cousin, he was killed. We were roommates he got killed in our apartment in St. Paul. I was 19 when I decided I wanted to go into music seriously. I always rapped since I was in fourth grade, I got into music to keep me out of trouble."

After graduating from The City Inc., a Minneapolis Alternative School, Musab attended Music Tech as something to do. "I went to Music Tech for about six months. I liked it enough, it was just that I felt like I didn't need it." Although he didn’t excel academically we all know from his lyrical track record that Musab is no doubt an intellectual. "I'm a genius. I took the test so I can say that. I didn't like school, I used to skip school and go read books at the Library. Some of my favorite books were ‘Pimp’ by Iceberg Slim and ‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X.’

These books gave me hope."Maybe it’s Musab’s superior intellect that helps him craft his insane rhymes, but he also has a formula for that. "My song writing routine is very organized, I'll show you.” He dashes off and comes back with stacks of notebooks. "There is a science to making songs up. I write in bars. See, this is the song I did called ‘I Got Problems’—you know, the song I did with D. Tekh. You were there when we recorded it."

I nod and smile, remembering the "female bashing" hook but deciding not to comment. Like a kid in a candy store, he flips through pages and pages of lyrics. "I wrote it, I titled it, it was written in bars, so therefore I know how long I want the verse to be and my hooks are in back (of the note book). Usually I write the hook first when I'm just sitting around. I like my hooks to be like how I talk kinda like I'm saying something and it’s catchy. I’m very organized.I got stacks of notebooks. That’s how you got to be when you’re making music. Writing a song is an art to me.

"When it comes to production, Musab only likes working with the best producers. "Of course my man Ant, D. Tekh of course, locally not that many cause most of the producers I mess with are like national cats. I mess with Ant, D. Tekh, I like Big Jess from the Unknown Prophets. My man Brother Ali whenever he cranks something out for me overall though I think the state lacks in production."

It’s no surprise Musab even has a routine he runs through before going on stage to perform. "’I'm the greatest,’ that’s what I say, that’s what I repeat before going on stage." Musab’s prolific musical output is nearly as immense as his stacks of notebooks. "I have hundreds of songs that are recorded but unreleased. Some of them I don't like, some are for my own personal listening. I won't release everything because I want to be known as a certain type of artist. That's just the business, you got to uphold your little image to sell records. People have to relate to you and grasp on to what you're saying. Therefore you won't hear Snoop Dogg do something that Dead Prez does. But he won't do that because it's not his job. He's selling hot dogs, they’re selling hamburgers. You know what I'm saying?"

He continues, as I recline in the lazy boy. "That’s how I feel about my thing. So I record a lot of songs about a lot of things, but that doesn't mean I want everybody to hear it all." So what’s on the horizon for this wildly creative Minneapolis emcee? We can all expect something from Musab coming summer 2004. "I'm recording an album right now called What's The Skinney? it’s going to be like ‘Playboy Mansion-ish.’ If that’s not enough to spark your curiosity I don't know what else can. There aren’t that many ‘Playboy Mansion-ish’ albums coming out of Minneapolis and I can't wait to see how it comes together.”

Musab's image has always been adored locally. When describing his public persona, Musab stares off into space and leans far back into the couch, the image of a silk robe clearly forming in his mind’s eye. "I'm the black Hugh Hef," he says smiling. "Yeah, I'm a different type of Hip-Hop then Slug but as far as how we do our music, we got the same format. We’re two different people. You know what I'm saying? So of course we’re going to have a different sound."

As far as national comparisons go, Musab is quick to respond, "I'm more edgy than 50 Cent I believe. I'm more like an underground Snoop and I don't do my music to sell eight million records. I do it because I love the art. I'll do other things to get rich that triangle into my music. If I can be critically acclaimed musically, I'm happy."

Musab is clearheaded when it comes to laying out his aspirations. "I'm going after Snoop's fan base. Snoop has put himself into a good position because he is doing what he was doing when he first came out but now everybody buys him. He is a household name. Even white kid's grandparents know who Snoop Dogg is, when I get there I will be cool."

Despite having many friends around town, Musab still feels he’s misunderstood by the majority of the local Hip-Hop scene. "People think I'm a chauvinist, insensitive and heartless because of my lyrics,” claims Musab. “I'm not the first person to talk like I do. I talk about pimping and people seem surprised sometimes. But when these same people see 50 Cent doing it and they see it on television they’re singing along."

I have to agree with him on that note because despite my own feminist belief system, 50 Cent can be appealing in his own pimped out way. Musab is indeed no different, he wields a unique charm and is extremely polite and respectful. "I'm a male feminist,” says Musab. “I love women. I respect people. I think society is very contradictory, though. Some women want you to treat them like they’re a nun, but they act like a whore. I'm going to call you what you are. Some women call themselves bitches. Lil' Kim ain't offended."

I don't know if he heard my thoughts, but he interrupted them nonetheless. "I like bitches,” continues Musab. “They’re just feisty women to me and I don't say bitch out of hate I say it out of love. That’s the kind of woman I like. I like Lil' Kim, I like Pamela Anderson, I like Carmen Electra. I don't want nothing to do with a square women. There’s nothing she can do for me."

Musab is entitled to his views, so I decide to let the sexual politics battle rest and change the subject. I give him a look he won't forget and we switch gears. "My favorite television show is Howard Stern,” admits Musab. “I look up to Howard. I’m very Howard Stern-ish." I tilt my head and try to imagine the similarities. "I love porn. I’m a porno connoisseur. I write all of my music to porn. It’s a known fact that sex sparks creativity. It’s primal. Everything a man does is for a woman. Every job, every attempt to look good, every haircut, everything is to get a woman and take care of her and have good sex.

It’s simple like that."By this point in our conversation Musab’s way with words almost has me convinced he’s in the right, but I still can't believe all the strange twists our talk has taken. Musab is clearly a strong-willed individual, and I’m still a fan regardless of any different personal convictions, his music makes my hips swirl.

As Musab said in the beginning, he’s an entertainer, so I decide to allow his comments to entertain rather than annoy. "My advice to new talent—first of all—never fuck with me. Second, make the best music you can and be honest with yourself. Be your best critic. Artists tend to get caught up in their own little world thinking they’re better than they are a lot of times and it’s easy to do.

Don't be scared to hate your own song. That’s the problem with Hip-Hop now a days, people take it too seriously. It's music man, it’s entertainment. I want to be Sammy Davis Junior, I want to be Frank Sinatra."

Musab performs at the Cabooze on Wed., Nov. 19, with Kool Keith, DAPO, Doom Tree, EPL and Snakebird. 8:30 p.m. $15. 18+. 917 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. 612-338-6425.

Bio: Nukki Andrews

Artist Biography: Nukki Andrews

By Kandis Knight

There is no denying, Nukki Andrews, is the rapping black Marilyn Monroe, with more attitude but all the class. Her style is described by many as “classy hood” however unlike other femcees, Nukki is a classically trained singer and often sings the vocals on her own tracks.

Nukki started singing and performing in the Church when she was four-years-old winning talent shows and showcases across the country. As her art began to blossom, her mother enrolled her in the Emerson Visual Performing Arts School in Gary, Indiana.

From an industry perspective, Nukki offers fans the best of both worlds. “She is what you would have if Mary J. Blige and Trina became the same artist,” explains Atlanta super producer Darin “Super Power” Baker. Super Power produced four tracks for Nukki and continues to work closely with her project.

This Scorpio admits she struggled with fitting in while growing up, “I knew I was ahead of my time, music has always been my refuge, through music I feel connected,” says the headstrong diva.

Nukki’s distinct taste in music stems from the musical palatte of her youth which included lots of Prince, Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, and gospel. You can hear it in the masterful way she delivers every phrase.

Although the road has been very rough, Nukki has been performing for over ten years and is focused more than ever as she finalizes her album and prepares to bring her music to the people. “I am just me. I say exactly how I feel, and I try to make sure the song has meaning. I talk about everyday life experiences, dealing with guys, being a woman, paying bills, partying, giving thanks and being grateful, and even being ungrateful.”

Nukki is an extremely driven artist who is proven, strong and determined. Her gritty natured style is honest to her experience. Nukki endured a very difficult life from running away from being a pregnant, teenaged runaway to having her mother and a close friend murdered. Nukki is filled with experiences and has never been afraid to write about it.

Confident on the stage and in business, Nukki is the definition of bossy. Among current female artists who Nukki would share the stage with is Shawnna. “Shawnna, she from the hood, she from the Midwest, she from the crib, its a few ladies I like, we all doing our thang.”
“I have a message. I am so blessed to be here but God has spared my life many times but I wouldn’t regret anything I have been through or who I am.”

Nukki will be releasing her mix CD, Volume 1 Nukki Andrews in February 2007. Volume 1 Nukki Andrews will feature six original songs with her first complete studio album to follow in winter 2007 on Upgrade Music, Inc.

Three years ago/ I told my daughter I’d never quit/bitch so you betta spit/everythang they come up wit/run up in/hit you from ya neck to ya tippy toes/pretty hoes/don’t get their hands dirty but I’m different tho’.
-Nu Nukki, by Nukki Andrews

For more information please visit: http://www.myspace.com/nukkiannfansofficialpage

Fashion Article: Prep Swag

Dap Rugget
Published in Grip Magazine
By Kandis Knight

If you find yourself rocking the simple white tee, jeans and sneakers five days out of the week, it’s time to upgrade playa!

Prep swag is synonymous with some of the best dressers in the music industry like Andre 3000, Farnsworth Bentley, Bobby Valentino and Jazze Pha all clients of Atlanta based fashion house, Dap Rugget. “Prep swag is not a passing fad, it is a lifestyle with deep traditions,” according to the fabulously preppy CEO of Dap Rugget, Cedric King.

Prep style stems from European aristocrats in the 1930’s. However, King has expanded the meaning of “prep” for the contemporary fashion connoisseur.

Prep Swag Musts:

Be Prep-ared. King has revolutionized the concept of “prep”. Prep came from the term “prepatory school” and was used to describe the garb affluent kids would rock. But to Dap Rugget, the term “prep” is all about being prepared. Preps are people who stay prepared the good life, for wealth and power by being image conscious to the point that even your argyle socks must make a statement.

Cashmere is a must. Your cashmere sweater or vest should be Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers or Dap Rugget of course. To preps, a “handed down” cashmere sweater has more prestige than a three hundred dollar throw back jersey. If you can’t afford cashmere, try worsted wool. Nevertheless cashmere is the staple of a true preps wardrobe no doubt.

Color is very important. To preps, being able to assemble your color palette in layers that “pop” is an art form. For example: start with a pink polo, then layer it with a plaid shirt that has pink accents, to make your colors pop. The plaid shirt may compliment other aspects of the pink. A true prep really understands how to put together color combinations that work.

Also, keep the seasons in mind. When it is turning fall, bright yellow colors and earth tones are hot. Add heavy trousers with a light blue camel hair blazer and some type of oxford shirt and your bold statement is made.

Quality is more important than quantity. Quality is more important to preps than quantity. Most preps get their polos and cashmeres handed down from their preppy fathers and grandfathers, with careful care the items maintain their esteem. When talking about quality cottons to preps, it is all about thread count. Pima cotton, comb cottons and mercerized cotton are prep favorites. It’s all about how the cotton is loomed and knitted.

Swagger. Your prep swagger will take you along way. It is important to understand how to put a bow tie with crazy patterns together with a gigham check, a polka dot bow tie and a pair of poplan trousers or jeans. Add the tetron sneakers and maybe a web belt or a braided belt and you are in the game!

PR: Mental Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kandis Knight
LuCreative Group PR

770-***-****

Smacks Records Fledgling Artist Mental Case:

New Jersey's Got A New Voice


Newark, NJ ­–Your new favorite rapper, Smacks Records' bold new artist Mental Case, recently got heads buzzing following his appearance on the The All Out Show hosted by Lord Sear and Rude Jude on Shade 45 (Eminem’s Sirius Satellite station). During the segment Hate it or Love It, Mental Case debuted his new single "Flashback" (video available on Youtube.com) from his new album titled I Go Hard (to be released June 2007).

“The response was overwhelming, nine out of ten callers loved the song. In today’s fickle hip-hop climate, that speaks volumes, the song has a dope segment that sounds like some dope Teena Marie stuff,” explains Smacks Records CEO and veteran hip-hop artist, Dj and producer, Mr. Len (Company Flow).

Industry insiders agree Mental Case has been diligently building a buzz for a couple years now. Most notably, in 2006, Mental Case became an undefeated contestant on Fight Klub (the most fierce emcee competition in the United States) and he has been busy in the studio working along side Mr.Len, Akai Pros, and Sam Scarfo.

"Mental Case is bringing a street freestyle and real powerful lyrics, not like alot of emcees who be rhyming using hypothetical words. He is real, new, clear and his voice is very distinctive," said Lord Sear (www.myspace.com/thedrunkmix).

Like a box of fluorescent color crayons, Mr. Len has collected a vibrant cadre of musical personalities to form the Smacks label. “I want to make sure that people from New Jersey were being represented in the right way. From gangsta music to backpack, we represent all that is here, hopefully with this Mental Case project, fans will realize sky is the limit for Smacks Records.”

While Smacks Records calls New Jersey home, their cyber home base, Dummysmacks.com, is where it all goes down. “Our fan base is more music enthusiasts, versus underground heads. They are way more open minded and savvy when it comes to buying their music. They want the total package they respect the fact that nothing about the music we put out is contrived. We are not trying to appeal to any audience because we are only into making music that we like. Honest music.”

For sale now on dummysmacks.com cop the following projects to make your cd collection complete:

Kice of Course “New Experience” debut album ,
The Dix "The Art of Picking Up Women", Prince Paul Project
Bullymouth Debut EP "Back To School"
Mr. Len Presents Smacks Records New Songs from Murs, Jean Grae, Mental Case, Kice of Course, Bullymouth

Interview: Kice

Interview: KICE (New Jersey)
By Kandis Knight

“My producer, Mr. Len (Company Flow), never took my vision away. If I say I thought about this. . .this and this, he never made me change my mind.”

In light of the bad economy, it is not a surprise that many music fans and artists such as New Jersey Hip-Hop phenom, Kice, are tired of “bling-bling” and “shoot em’ up” rap songs. “Rapping about “bling-bling” is like taking the easy road. It is easy to rap about fancy cars and jewelry and get people’s eyes to open wide,” says Kice, who grew up listening to Phil Collins every morning before Church.

So Kice went into the studio with legendary producer, Mr. Len and formulated his latest album, New Experience. “New Experience is about life experiences, different things I have been through. I consider it stepping outside of the norm.”

Kice felt hip-hop’s contemporary messages were missing something. “I made this album because I felt like there was something missing, just real music.”

Although Kice’s musical mentor, Mr. Len is best known in old school indie circles, Kice is definitely a step in the commercial direction. However, Kice’s music, may very well change our perception of what commercial music is and it is about time. “You rarely hear about someone having a bad day in a rap song, but we all have them. I would love to have the finer things, the ideal life but there is the other side of it. Everything isn’t perfect.”

Growing up in Elizabeth, New Jersey can be bad for your health. “I saw The Wire, every night. Drugs, abuse, family members in and out of jail, poverty, only thing is it was just real life.”

For these reasons, “bling-bling” is not Kice’s style. “I don’t knock the “bling-bling rappers” but when you’ve seen what I’ve seen mixed with what I’ve been involved with. It’s different when it’s your family. I had an aunt pass and when I saw her face it affected my music. A cousin pass, shot two times, and that affected my music. That’s the outcome.”

Kice’s lyrics are based on many life experiences he has encountered however sometimes, he just lets it all flow as every true artist has to do at some point.

“My lyrics come from everywhere. It depends on what I went through that week. If I had a bad week nothing will come. My mind would go blank. I used to think I lost it for a minute. I get lost in music a lot.”

Although writing generally comes easily for Kice, he is not immune to writer’s block. “When I have writer’s block. I can ride til’ the tank is damn near empty. My mind gets cluttered and it becomes routine step outside the box and do something different. It makes you get back to where you were.”

Kice is used to working out side of the box, he has no choice, he works along side Mr. Len, a bona fide creative genius who is known for pushing the envelope. “When Mr. Len says he doesn’t want things to be the norm, he is more so saying that on a production side. We are an artist and a producer not wanting to follow. I think that is what makes you an artist. When I do shows he will pull me aside and say “Don’t do what everyone else does.” Mr. Len doesn’t want me to be like everyone else.”

Kice will be the first to tell you about Mr. Len’s dualistic Gemini personality. “Working with Len is hard. Len don’t care about how you think it might be. He is methodical. I thought he was icing everything that I did. I was struggling to get words out I thought I did good and he will say rewrite the whole song. Len taught me a lot, I know now that I don’t have to get my whole point across in one line.”

Sometimes stepping outside of the box even includes diving deeply into foreign territory for Kice. “I zone out and listen to no Hip-Hop for weeks. Sting, Phil Collins, Sade, Cold Play, Maddona and I will go and watch performances.”

If you are looking for that piece of thought provoking riding music, Kice’s As The World Turns is just what you are looking for. Another one of my favorites is the R.I.P. song, inspired by a funeral Kice attended that affected him deeply, he actually shares that pain in this song.

“I don’t care if radio doesn’t accept me. I am happy that I did what I felt. It sure feels good for people to say I was hoping for a miracle and all I thought about was your song. And then they come back later and say, I got my miracle but still all I do is listen to your song.”


WHO IS Mr. Len?
Company Flow

Full Lengths:
Funcrusher , 1995
Funcrusher Plus , Rawkus Records - 1997
Little Johnny from the Hospital , Rawkus Records – 1998

EP/Singles:
"Patriotism", Soundbombing, Rawkus Records – 1999
"DPA (as seen on TV)", Def Jux Presents Company Flow, Definitive Jux Records - 2001

Video:
"End to End Burner", Rawkus Records - 1999

Roosevelt Franklin
Full Length:
Something's Got to Give , Third Earth Music- 2003
Bare Food -2006

Mr. Len
Full Lengths:
Pity the Fool: Experiments in therapy behind the mask of music while handing out dummy smacks , Matador Records - 2001
Class X, A Tribute to Company Flow , Smacks Records – 2004
Mix CDs:
Mr. Len, Rhettmatic, DJ Drez, Hidden Jewels, Polygram – 1999
Mr. Len & Bobbito, Kick A Dope Verse/Scratches For Your Anal Crevice, 1999
Mr. Len, Vibe With The Crowd Live from Club Harlem (Japan), 2000
Mr. Len, Oven Roasted Beats, Room Service/7 Heads - 2003
Production/Album Appearances:
Armand Van Helden, "Rock Da Spot", 2 Future 4 U, Armed Records - 1999
Roger Sanchez, "Buffalo Gals Stampede [S-Man's Spicy Buffalo Wings Dub]" Maximum House & Garage, EMI Int'l - 1999
Bill Laswell/Material, "This Morning" feat. Juggaknots, Intonarumori, Palm Pictures Audio -

1999
The Masterminds, " The Fast Way", Live From Area 51: The Extraterrestrial Project , Exodus Entertainment - 1999
Twigy, Seven Dimensions Remix LP (Japanese Release), 2000
MC Paul Barman, "School Anthem", It's Very Stimulating, Wordsound - 2000
DJ Krush "Vison Of Art" feat. Company Flow/Scratches by Mr. Len, Zen, Red Int / Red Ink -

2001
Princess Superstar, "Trouble", Is, Rapster - 2002
Jean Grae, "What Would I Do" and "Knock", Attack of the Attacking Things, Third Earth Music - 2002
Prince Paul, "Ralph Nader" skit, Politics of the Business, Razor & Tie - 2003
Indelible MCs (El-P, J-Treds, Juggaknots), "Weight", Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1, Priority Records - 1999, Re-released 2004
Jedi Mind Tricks, "Words from Mr. Len 1 & 2", Violent By Design, Landspeed - 2000, Re-released 2004
Mass Influence, "Analyze" (Single), Boulevard/Nonstop - 2000
Various Artists, "Hip Hop for Respect" (Single), Rawkus Records - 2000
Murs, "Take Yo Ass to the Store" (Single), Smacks Records - 2003
Mr. Dead feat. Sayyid (Anti-Pop), "Dynamic Tension" (Single) 2005

Interview: DJ Dynamite

Interview: DJ Dynamite

Interview: DJ Dynamite
By Kandis Knight

It was the night of Lil’ Scrappy’s Bred to Die Born to Live album release party in Atlanta. I arrived at the venue early enough to scope out the crowd and enjoy the soul food buffet.

Before long, I spot Petey Pablo’s Philly born, South “Cack” (Carolina) raised dj, Dj Dynamite, “Did you try a Crunk Juice Bomb?” he asks me.

Several bombs later, I get the full scoop on Dynamite, who started djing in the late 80s due to his affinity for the late Jam Master J. “I liked the simple fact of the matter that he was so cool with the art of djing,” Dynamite adds before taking one more “Crunk Bomb” to the dome.

Dynamite fondly recalls the day he first saw the video Walk This Way and fell in love with Jam Master J’s scratches. “That was like the coolest thing I ever seen. I was fascinated then I saw Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick The Show and I loved the hip-hop game from that point it became my following.”

When Dynamite was twelve years-old the young hip-hop fanatic received a mixer for Christmas. “Then my cousin suggested I get two turntables. I got one turntable, a component set. It had two tape decks, the receiver and one mix table at the top. I had to go inside the component system to plug it into my mixer.”

As Lil’ Scrappy enters the room we are briefly interrupted by all the commotion. We stop to say hello and take pictures and congratulate Scrappy on his album.

Back in the day Dynamite was in a dj crew called the Boulevard Rockers, Dj E Ski was instrumental in shaping Dynamite’s career. “He showed me the ropes and how to be a dj and go from record to record, when to scratch and when not to scratch.”

Dynamite quickly began his search for vinyl. “I would take my little money and I would go buy records. The first records I had was the Beastie Boys, Paul Revere and New Edition Cool It Now, then LL Cool J Radio and from that point on there was no turning back.”

But life was not always happy hip-hoppy for Dynamite, who lost his mother when he was an infant. “My dad raised me with a sense of purpose and being. My dad taught me right from wrong it was not easy.”

Dynamite realized young that he had his biggest supporter in his dad. “I always knew that when my time for school was up, I was going to be a dj. Early on my dad used to always tell me to get my education but I had a different belief.”

In the summer of 1996, Dynamite’s career was in high swing. “I gigged for Teddy Riley and Black Street in Miami. It was their White Linen and Platinum Mansion Party on South Beach right across the street from Tony Montana’s house, Gloria Estefan was on her yacht checking the party out,” he laughs. “I got a $1000.00 bonus that night.”

He also picked up Teddy Riley as a main client. “After that I did most of Teddy Riley’s parties, I met Pharrell and The Neptunes, Timbaland and many more over the years. The more parties the more people knew me, like a chain reaction.”

In 1999, Dynamite started rocking with the hottest entertainment company in Charleston, South Carolina, Raw Dogg Entertainment. We were a dj crew. One of our members, Ricky Lee actually landed a job at Hot 98.9 in Charleston and he brought us all on board and we were there doing big things. We had the number one show on the radio in the market, along with a kid named Charlemagne Tha God, who works alongside Wendy Williams.

“By 2001 Hot 98.9 brought in a new Program Director, but I was already busy in the club circuit doing parties across the east coast.” Around that time, Dynamite’s career hit overdrive, he received a tap on the shoulder and a nod.

“I got a phone call from Dj B-Lord who was Petey Pablo’s Tour dj he had some misfortune and asked me to go with Petey Pablo on tour.”

At the time Petey Pablo was on top of the game, and standing right behind him was Dynamite. “I was nervous the Sugar Hill Gang was opening for us. They were up performing and they did Rapper’s Delight and I am in the back thinking I was dreaming.” I finally have to retire from the Crunk Bombs, Dynamite and I both look over at all the action on the dance floor, the entire room is bouncing. Dynamite nods his head across the room, DJ Drama and Lil’ Scrappy are looking back. I had to snap this picture.

“Now a days a dj is not just a dj anymore he is an artist. Djs now a days get more money than the actual artist themselves. You got to be an entertainer. It is a digital era, someone like me goes to Germany and overseas.” -Dj Dynamite

So back to the story, two months later B-Lord called Dynamite again and asked if he could go back on the road again. Dynamite was Pablo’s dj on the Same Eyes on Me album tour. “There were some classic joints on that album.”

Before long, Dynamite was on television. “I have been on Rap City thirteen times, I’ve been on 106th & Park, I’ve been on the Apollo.”

With all his experience, Dynamite is still just a normal guy. “New djs coming along stick with it, practice makes purpose you got to perfect you craft and believe in yourself. I believe all djs should have real wax roots before they jump into anything digital. If you go to a venue that doesn’t have a digital set up you have to be able to jump on the ones and twos.”

Some people think turntablism is becoming extinct, but to Dynamite it is fundamental. “You can be a dj and fly around the world, however any kid can grab a lap top, some turntables then undercut you on the money. At the end of the day they can have all the music they want but if you don’t have the art and craft side of it you are missing the essence of djing.”

Zing!

Interview: Sota Fats

Sota Fats (Minneapolis)

Published at Hip-Hop Club

By Kandis Knight

Sota Fats is the contemporary, ultra smooth, college-educated, community activist, hip-hop business impresario from the same gutter and grime whence rappers like The Notorious B.I.G. emerged. With similar swag, Fats delivers music that picks up where the late, great B.I.G. left off. (R.I.P. Biggie).

This is music that is guaranteed to make you hit your back button.

Yes, you heard me, Minneapolis, the North Star state, with deep musical roots, is offering the music industry the long awaited epitome of the Rap/Rock Star. “I have a one album retail deal with Koch Records, I will be in Best Buy, FYE, you know? I got my own bins. I retained all my publishing,” explains the hyper-savvy emcee.

Sota Fats, born Jason Brown grew up in Minneapolis. His single Rock Star Sh*t featuring Dipset’s Jim Jones has a solid budget behind it, a music video produced by Dan Kimmura of Adfx LLC (Minneapolis) and is already getting rotation on both coasts.

“I am the best looking big nigga this side of the Mississippi River !” proclaims Fats from his upcoming album The Perfect Candidate Bricks & Politiks distributed on Copycat/Koch Records, which is packed full of hits for every taste.

However, the road to success included loosing his best friend and the second half of his duo. Famis Franklin was murdered in early 2007 on a blustery cold night. “At first I was driven by the entrepreneurial side of the rap industry. Since Famis got killed the goal is to make our life long goal a reality, we are all Famis now,” whispers the passionate 27-year-old, with a determined glare. “It is no coincidence his name was Famis.”

Fats is definitely both thought provoking and grimy but at the end of the day, he is the man everyone wants to party with. His music reflects his complicated nature and daily struggles as a black man in America. One side of his persona many people will appreciate is his business savvy.

His mother was an astute business woman who insisted her son learn everything there is to know about hustling. Fats naturally grew into a contemporary business man, who often raps about his former life as a notorious street dealer however a lot has changed.

Famis was murdered as he lay on his sister’s couch in crime ridden North Minneapolis , the murder is still unsolved, leaving the wound gaping for Fats and his entire crew. “His murder was a call to action for me. It caused me to step up my game and use this talent for something that will change the way things are.”

With his best friend Famis at his side, Fats and the Weon Records Crew has been busy in their studio since 2002, making over four albums (Nation Business, Radio Mix Vol. 1-1, The Baller Street Journal, Citiology, State Rehab and MN Fats) and being featured on fifty albums. Combined, the crew has sold an estimated ten thousand albums in the upper Midwest.

For more information www.myspace.com/mnfats

--By Kandis Knight

Interview: Rock City

Interview: Rock City
Published in Indie Street Magazine
By Kandis Knight

When Minnesota Timberwolves point guard, Troy Hudson opened the doors to his posh Minneapolis studio, he hired a 24-year-old producer to his in house staff, a decision that made many question.

“Rock City is one of the most all around talented and creative producers out there, that’s why it’s great to have him on the Nutty Boyz team,” explains T-Hud.

Rock City has released several of his own albums, Rocky Vol. 1 & 2, Rocky vs. FiC, Beat Bang and Who Made the Beat Bang vol. 1. "A beat should take an artist on a journey. I want people to feel my music before an artist puts lyrics to it," says Rock City, a music prodigy who grew up making music and was teaching music to his classmates by the time he reached junior high school.

The young producer has come a long way since teaching peers how to play instruments. His long list of credits include work with many artists such as, Memphis Bleek, Freeway, 36 Mafia, David Banner, UGK, Trick Daddy and countless other Midwestern artists. Rock City is known to many in the Midwest as the young Kanye West.

When Def Jam artist, Freeway heard Rock City’s Beat Bang he immediately hit the studio to do a remix. “This kid is focused!” says Freeway.

“His sound is different so national recording artists take a big interest in him. Rocky’s beats go hard to the core of your soul,” explains Mark Webster, Rocky City’s manager and Midwestern Def Jam representative.

Rock City helped to secure big name features for T-Hud and produced the majority of the tracks on T-Hud’s newest album, Drafted, which was released on July 17th, 2007 distributed by EMI/Capitol Records.

Rock City also landed his first album placement this year with Def Jam/DTP Recording artist Small World, whose album is slated to drop September 18th 2007. “Rock City is gonna be on every album I drop,” says Small World.

Artists from all across the country are getting in line to get their Rock City beat before the young producer reaches critical acclaim, for more information visit: http://www.myspace.com/rockcityproductions.

Bio: Rock City

Artist Biography:

Rocky City (Minneapolis)
By Kandis Knight

Rocky a.k.a Rock City, grew up on the south side of Minneapolis, MN. His sound is uniquely different from that of his fellow Midwestern peers. Many people know him for his drive and hustle. "A beat should take an artist on a journey. I want people to feel my music before an artist puts lyrics to it," says the young producer.

As a child, Rock City’s musical ear and talent for using sounds was noticed by many and it developed into his lifelong passion for making music. At the age of 10, Rock City began teaching himself how to play the keyboard, key by key, until he perfected his skill. Rock City was eventually involved in jazz band, he learned drums and percussion while in Church.

In the 8th grade, other students watched Rock City's musical talent flourish. He became a popular member on the drum line and eventually started teaching his fellow classmates how to play various instruments. Rock City also made a hobby out of writing music, this only added to his multifaceted background.

As a teen, Rock City learned how to create his own beats, from rap songs and television shows and was extremely passionate about orchestras. As a High School student, Rock City began marketing and street promotions with a Minneapolis based entertainment company called The Pharohs Entertainment.

By grinding hard and proving himself loyal, the company invested in studio equipment so Rock City could pursue his musical passion. Today, Rock City has produced numerous albums and songs. Including Rocky Vol.1 a producers mixtape with acapellas featuring Jay-Z, Nelly, Lil' Flip, MOP.

The success of Rock City Vol. 1 caused Minneapolis to quickly warm up to the young producer. Instantly his telephone phone started ringing. Everyone wanted a Rock City beat. In less than 12 months every track from Rocky Vol. 1 was sold and Rock City’s talent caught the attention of an A&R from Interscope, who seeks out tracks from Rock City to this day.

Recently, Rock City signed a deal as inhouse producer with Minnesota Timberwolves Troy Hudson "T-Hud" who recently started an independent record label, Nutty Boyz Entertainment. Rock City has since helped to secure features for T-Hud including 36 Mafia, Freeway, David Banner, UGK, and Trick Daddy.

T-Hud’s album Drafted is set to drop July 17th, 2007 distributedby EMI/Capitol Records.

The Minneapolis City Pages recently wrote up Rock City’s latest production, Rocky vs. FiC, which received great reviews. FIC (Rapper/MC) who Rocky battled on this project with his tracks, caught the attention of a Rocafella Recording Artist Freeway. Freeway heard a track entitled Beat Bang and immediately wanted to hit the studio and do a remix.

After the Freeway’s remix released the entire Twin Cities was cheering for Rock City as the hometown’s most adored producer. The Beat Bang project led to Rock City’s second project entitled Who Made the Beat Bang featuring a musical mixture of industry accapellas from Lupe Fiasco, Cam'ron, Young Buck, Bubba Sparxx and also highlighted local Twin Cities talent such as, Street Kingz (Featured in Cocaine City and Ozone Magazine), T-Hud (Troy Hudson of the MN Timberwolves, Nutty Boyz Ent), and FiC with a track from Memphis Bleek.

Rock City landed his 1st album placement his year with Def Jam/DTP Recording artist Small World, whose album is slated to drop September 18th 2007.

Musical Influences: Neptunes, Justblaze, Timbaland, scott storch, Dre, and Hi-tek i guess who ever is popping at the time.

Equipment used: Protools, Acid 4.0, MPC 1000, sample cd's, TritonKeyboard Fantom, Stanton turntable, and live instruments.

Discography:
-Rocky Vol. 1 (all tracks produced by Rock City)
-Rocky vs. FiC (all tracks produced by Rock City)
-Who Made the Beat Bang vol. 1 (all tracks produced by Rock City)

Produced by Rockcity:
-FiC ft. Freeway,
Beat Bang (remix)
-FiC ft. Memphis Bleek,
Timing-Chuck Wooley ft. Freeway,
Out-T-Hud ft. UGK,
Good Weather Music-T-Hud ft. 36 Mafia,

Accolates:
Gangsta Awards Producer of the Year,
Twin Cities Hip-Hop Awards 2006 Producer of the Year,
KMOJ 2006 Song of the Year, "I Rep MN" produced by Rockcity, Twin Hip-Hop Awards

Interview: A & R

Interview: A & R (St. Paul)

By Kandis Knight

In 2003, a Minnesota artist started traveling to the south to promote his music. Unbeknownst to many 24 months later he succeeded in getting regular radio rotation on V 103 in Florida, thanks to Sony representative Brandon Kemp who took an interest in a St. Paul native, going by the name of Street and his single, So Fresh.

Coming from a small town in the Midwest, Street was floored when his single started taking off and pressure started to build. “I remember when it happened, I was chilling at the crib and I just came from my radio interview in Tallahassee and my boy calls me on the phone screaming in the background and then I heard my song playing.”

However with the national spotlight shining brightly, Street quickly ran into legal issues. The name Street was already trademarked by an Atlanta artist. He had to change in order to get to the next level of his career. “A & R is the initials of my government name Antonio Richardson. I knew A & R would make people curious, people always think I am referring to a representative from a label, but I am just me,” says the humble musician.

For A & R music comes naturally. “Sometimes I will think of the whole song in my head. Sometimes I will get into the feeling and really I don’t think about it when I am making it, I just let it come out. I don’t force my music. That is how you get the worst kind of music. I just let the beat come to me and I let the rest come out. I don’t write on paper anymore.”

So Fresh was a song that Jawn Blaze produced using a Jill Scott sample. Blaze and A & R finished the beat and laid the vocals in 45 minutes.

Although music comes rather easy for A & R, life has been difficult. A & R had to overcome debilitating poverty. “The closet in the living room was where we kept all of our pallets to sleep on,” he interjects before quickly changing the subject. “Obviously we didn’t have a lot of company growing up.”

A & R was born and raised in St. Paul, MN (Selby Side). “There was no other place like it in the world. It was like The Wire. I lived on Marshall and Milton. Back then my best friend got shot on two separate occasions in one day. I wrote a song called 6 In The Morning, about the shooting and the next day, when my house got raided.”

Despite the families economic plight, life in his home was generally upbeat. “My mother listened to the GAP Band, Switch, Bar-Kays, Earth Wind and Fire, that kind of music influenced me.”

With a shoe string budget, putting out full length albums has been challenging, so A & R consistently releases mix cds to keep his name hot in the streets. The end of April 2007 A & R will be releasing 3500 copies of his fourth mix cd, Do It Like We Do It For T.V. Do It Like We Do It For T.V. is the follow up to Greenhaven part 1 and 2 and All Eyes on Me 2007 and will feature 20 tracks produced by 2yn (St. Paul), Tek (St. Paul), Rock City (Minneapolis).

“One of my favorite songs on Do It Like We Do It For T.V. is Niggaville, in response to the Kramer fiasco. I explain the reason behind the word Nigga and how it is like a state of mind that a lot of people are in and the pros and cons of the word.”

In June A & R’s fifth mix cd, a compilation called The Best of A & R will drop. In 2008, A & R’s debut full length album will drop.

In parting, A & R has this advice for aspiring artists. “Stay consistent. A lot of people will put out an album that is really hot and then you won’t hear form them for three years and they expect to have that same buzz when they decide to come back. It don’t work like that. I also when an artist puts out a new project it should always “out do” your last project. If it is not close to it in quality then you should not even put it out. You should show progress project after project.”

Bio: A & R

Artist Bio: A & R (Minneapolis)

By Kandis Knight

With a name like A & R, Minneapolis rapper Antonio Richards (where A & R is derived from) wants everyone to know he is 100% artist and nothing more.

“I am very complicated, very original, very focused,” says the gleaming twenty-five year old, who is poised to take Midwest music to a new plateau.

“The name A & R best sums me up. Music, is what I do, it’s what I live, it’s what I breathe.”

One listen and you will know this is an artist who is not afraid to take chances and has a keen sense of style and what sounds good.

For A & R, music began when he penned his first song. “I was 9 years-old it wasn’t really cool to rap back then,” he explains. “I remember hiding my notebooks from my boys so they wouldn’t make fun of my raps.”

With no label backing, A & R has received national radio air play (Atlanta 100.3, St. Louis 100.3, Tallahassee 90.2 etc.) “I have been making a name for myself with no label backing, no promo team just straight hard work and the strength of my music.”

“A & R has some serious support, a top notch production squad and the business organization in place that will propel his career far past the competition,” says Mark Webster, Jr., A & R’s manager and CEO of Rock City Productions (Mpls).

“I don’t look at myself as a rapper. I look at myself as a quality brand, that will give people a certain type of product consistently for years to come.”

Interview: Cheap Cologne

Cheap Cologne (Minneapolis)

Published in The Pulse of The Twin Cities

by Kandis Knight

Minneapolis Hip-Hop producer extraordinaire Cheap Cologne’s roots are deep. At 32, he’s watched Hip-Hop evolve from its very beginnings, soaking in Chaka Khan and Grandmaster Flash when they first hit the scene. These days he appreciates all the different styles of modern Hip-Hop, from the underground (Pigeon John) to the mainstream (Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott) his diverse tastes are abundantly evident in his production. Cheap Cologne surveys the scene.

Cheap Cologne (aka John K. in the work-a-day-world), a former break-dancer and DJ, is now comfortably situated on the music production side of Hip-Hop, attending classes at the Institute of Production and Recording in Minneapolis to continue polishing up his skills. All his hard work is paying off—Cheap Cologne recently inked a recording deal with San Francisco based Bomb Hip-Hop.

I recently sat down with Minneapolis native Cheap Cologne (http://www.broke-ass.com/) to get the scoop on his new recording deal and album, Just A Little Sample (released this week). “I’m happy that the label took it upon themselves to put [the record] out,” said Cheap Cologne.When talking about his aspirations for Just A Little Sample, Cheap Cologne remains humble.

“If 2,000 of them are created and 500 of them are given away for promos and the other 1,500 of them go into the 99-cent bin, people are still going to have the music—I’m not too concerned about the money,” said Cheap Cologne. Toph One, a writer for XLR8R Magazine (http://www.xlr8r.com/) called Cheap Cologne’s music “part indie rock/hip-hop with turntablism and jazz licks and MCs.”

The description is fitting yet doesn’t quite properly convey the unique aesthetic value of the album. Minneapolis musicians have always broken new ground, especially when it comes to fusing diverse genres of music, and Just A Little Sample is no exception. Just A Little Sample is a groundbreaking collage of vocal social commentary over an expert jumble of up-tempo Hip-Hop beats with snappy high hats, kicks and poppy snares.

Kind of jazzy and a bit movie soundtrack-ish at points, Just A Little Sample’s blend of ambient styles has something for everyone. “Girls and boys, this is listening time” says the ’60s-style schoolteacher on “Operation,” the opening cut of Cologne’s 16-track album. The introductory song does a great job of preparing the listener for the sonically adventurous ride ahead (which features cameos by popular underground Hip-Hop artists including, Pigeon John, Paul Z, Slug, Circus and Awol One). “Believe Me” is a sinister track featuring the vocal clips of Charles Manson complaining about his treatment behind bars and letting listeners into a few of his diabolical thoughts. Just when the gloom and doom of “Believe Me” is about to become overwhelming for listeners, the hopeful and upbeat “Seventy One” comes to the rescue, with a helping of Bob Marley style happiness.

An instrumental track, “Seventy One” could very well be a song about the highs and lows of life or love. “Floating Away,” featuring Elias, has a hook that is reminiscent of a jovial seventies television show theme song coupled with matter-of-fact inspirational lyrics (“I’m floating away, up on a cloud one shiny day.”) “Faustus’ Diary” featuring Gentle Jones is a downer, providing another jarring dose of sad reality a la “Believe Me.”

The song sets forth a grim tale (Dr. John Faustas mutiliates a prostitute and then ends his own life) guaranteed to make the listener reflect on the darker side of life. Just when the exploration of the insane psyche is beginning to become wearing, you’re brought back to reality, well “Dreality” (with special guest DJ T-Rock)—a title derived from the words “dream” and “reality.” The suitably surreal music captures that Saturday morning hangover feeling exceptionally well.

“City vs. Soil” featuring Gentle Jones and Unsung is a hodgepodge of environmentally conscious punch lines and phrases certain to raise the anxiety levels of anyone concerned with the earth’s well being. Or at the very least inspire Jane and John Doe to start thinking about the issue. Set to a near trance-like musical accompaniment “City vs. Soil” requires close following in order to fully comprehend the gurgle of different sounds and thoughts that make up the track.President Bush (senior) also makes a cameo describing the Gulf war in “Sound Familiar?”

The similarities between the sampled speech and his son’s recent speeches surrounding the Iraqi war are downright eerie, oozing with all of the same egotism and political venom. Paired with a haunted, sci-fi beat, the track expertly captures the feel of the escalation of warfare and probably should have been titled “De Ja Vu’.”All of the tracks on this diversely styled album are vivid constructions, fitting of the colorful cover design provided for them by graffiti artist Charlie Kraft. Cheap Cologne isn’t afraid to venture into challenging territory (musically, politically or psychologically) and seems intent on daring his listeners to follow him throughout the winding trip that is Just A Little Sample.


Cheap Cologne V. The FEDS

Published in The Pulse of The Twin Cities
by Kandis Knight

The last time I hung out with Cheap Cologne I didn't notice all of the tats. Also there appears to be a certain "rock star" quality about him now that I hadn't noticed before. Being in Cheap Cologne’s presence is akin to listening to his music—meaning it’s a laid-back, cool and intellectually elevating way to spend some time. Maybe these changes have something to do with all the shit Cologne’s been through this past year, I think we can all agree that being chased down by the feds is no joke.

Cologne has made it through seemingly unphased, weathering the storm only seems to have made this local Hip-Hop super star's chi stronger. Cheap Cologne mulls over the fed’s next step. I was cruising Dunation when I first caught wind of the “feds vs. cologne” ruckus. The feds were cracking down on people who distribute pirated music from the internet and Cheap Cologne had became one of their targets. “One man versus the federal government—there’s a losing argument,” I thought to myself.

Cheap Cologne had made an album called The Double Black Album in which he put Jay-Z's lyrics to Metallica's music and created a new album. "I bought the Metallica Black Album on vinyl so I could scratch it and add it to part of the project," said Cheap Cologne. "I started with a couple songs using just loops, the Metallica whole parts as loops. Then I decided to break it down even more and sample just the individual kicks and snares from the drum kit and make my own beats behind it and still add their guitar melodies behind it. So every sound on there is from the Metallica record, even the scratches."

Almost immediately after Cologne decided to go public with his creation things began heating up between him and the authorities. "No later than one week after I got the CDs back I received an e-mail from the anti-piracy division at the RIAA threatening me with a $250,000 copyright infringement suit per copyright," said Cologne. "Basically I thought, ‘oh shit the whole project is shut down, at least I got some copies out there so people could listen to it before I got into trouble.’ I took it off my website."

A true musical genius loves to share his discoveries with the world, though. Before long I started seeing Cheap Cologne's name in Rolling Stone, then in Entertainment Weekly. Finally, I thought. A local producer has generated a national stir. I was delighted despite the fact that Entertainment Weekly didn't give Minneapolis any shine!

Nevertheless this is good for the Twin Cities Hip-Hop community. Cheap Cologne is constantly getting better at his craft and expanding his knowledge about the music industry, he is an artist who can make us all proud.

Something else Mr. Cologne is interested in—besides dodging federal prosecutors—is the local Hip-Hop scene. He's worked with all of the best. Anyway, shortly after the publicity surrounding The Double Black Album hit the national press, Mr. Cologne's website began to receive hits. "I had 150 thousand people on http://www.broke-ass.com/ in March,” recalls Cologne.

“My server was calling me saying ‘you're going over your limit this is going to cost you a fortune’. So I had to pay more for my hosting service so I could handle the hits and the transfer rates."

Cologne’s press schedule has been busy (The New York Times were his most recent interviewers before yours truly). It will be interesting to see how Cologne's career goes from here. For now, it looks as though the fear of prosecution has passed. Just recently, Cologne got a phone call from someone at The RIAA saying the warning e-mail they sent out was a mistake.

The feds made a mistake? Cologne explains, the agent said ‘I'm not telling you anything, I’m just letting you know that from our standpoint it was a mistake.’" “I said, ‘Well what does that mean?’ The agent said, ‘Sir I’m just letting you know that it was a mistake.’ After that he wouldn't tell me anything more. And I was like, ‘What are you telling me?’ And he said, ‘Well I’m not your attorney I’m just telling you it was a mistake.’

And I thought ‘Oh well, I'll lay low for a little while,’ but I didn't get any calls or anymore letters for a couple days and then I was like, ‘Screw it—I’m going to get it out there!’”

For more information about Cheap Cologne please visit http://www.broke-ass.com/. To listen to The Double Black Album you can go to http://www.bannedmusic.org/ (who estimated four to five weeks ago that 100-150 thousand people had downloaded The Double Black Album). Cheap Cologne has a new CD out called Sexy Grandma Remixes.

Like the true pioneer he is, he’s got an interesting CD cover (you’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it).Also, Cologne also has an instrumental CD coming out that he says emcees can do whatever they want with. Primarily though, he wants people to realize he makes good music and there’s more to him than the scandal surrounding The Double Black Album. “I want people to recognize me as a producer, not just a guy who did one of those remix albums.”

Bio: Cheap Cologne

Artist Biography: Cheap Cologne (Minneapolis)

By Kandis Knight

Midwestern producer, Cheap Cologne While growing up, to become one of The Midwest’s most prolific hip-hop producers, Cheap Cologne’s young musical tastes were molded by groups such as, Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC, BDP, Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys, whom he enjoyed breakdancing to as a kid.

Always a lover of fine music yet still too young to be able to stay up late, Cheap Cologne would set his tape player to record late night hip-hop shows so he could listen to them the next day.

In the 80’s and early 90’s Cheap Cologne would branch off to enjoy other genres of music only to add more depth to his growing musical repertoire. In high school, he listened to bands like Metallica, KISS, Motley Crue, and Slayer. He soon was beckoned back to hip-hop music when groups like Tribe Called Quest, House of Pain and Pharcyde broke onto the scene in the mid 90’s.

In 1991, Cheap Cologne began making mix tapes and DJ’ing house parties across the Midwest. His ascent was slowed when he was involved in a serious car crash in 1997. While on the road to recovery, he bought a MPC 2000 and never looked back.

To date, Cheap Cologne has produced and recorded tracks with The Lordz Of Brooklyn featuring Busta Rhymes, Slug, I Self Devine & Musab from Rhymesayers, Z-Man, Slim Kid Tre (Pharcyde) DJ Quest, The Shapeshifters, Pigeon John, Braille, DJ T-Rock to name a few.

Cheap Cologne has played festivals such as Canada's North By Northeast (NXNE), VANS Warped Tour, Bomb Hip-Hop’s “Return of The DJ Tour” and released his debut album "Just A Little Sample" on the California based Bomb Hip-Hop label.

In 2004, Cheap Cologne was pulled into the RIAA witchhunt for hip-hop producers using “pirated samples” along with New York producer Dangermouse. That experience thrust Cologne into the national spotlight. He received national media exposure from many publications including Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone and The New York Times.

Cheap Cologne’s brand of production, infusing the best of rock and hip-hop in his production, is as organic to Minneapolis as Prince who infused Rock with blues, funk and r & b in the early 80’s. Cheap Cologne’s unique production will make him an industry icon representing the rich musical city of Minneapolis for years to come.

Cheap Cologne is the quintessential poster boy of hip-hop/rock fusion. Listening to his music gives you a taste of what can happen when rock music meets hip-hop then explodes at the seams, something industry insiders have been predicting for years. He may well be one of the first in waves of true hip-hop/rock producers to come along who will redefine hip-hop through rock music, he is master of both genres.

Bio: Nikki Millions

Artist Biography: Nikki Millions (Massachusetts)
By Kandis Knight

Nikki Millions a.k.a. Richie V. was born and raised in Dorchester Massachusetts. Million’s music career started when he was 14 years-old. “I grew up listening to Scarface and Tupac,” explains the driven 25 year-old emcee. “I also grew up listening to the oldies station with my pops. The Temptations, The Ojays, Otis Redding.”

In 1998, Millions made a name for himself when he landed a coveted spot on the Hook Masters Mix Tape hosted by Tony Lopes. Million’s style has been described by one music industry insider as having a “street gritty feel that is mixed in with the right amount of thought provoking urban philosophy.”

In 2006, Millions was signed to Pentagon/Panama Strip Records. “I heard his music and I thought, I could combine north and south hip-hop together with this artist,” said Shawn Simon, Million’s visionary manager.

Millions is currently working hard on his debut album called Diary of Destruction, featuring collaborations with Gietnam Vetz, Icy Squad, and two features with Vicious of UGK Records. With heavy hitting talent like that, one must employ a carefully skilled production team so Tony Lopes (Boston), hooked up with Pistal P (Louisiana), Spitty Mic (Boston) and Lingo (Rhode Island) to put a golden seal on the Diary of Destruction project.

In the future, Millions desires to work with producers such as Dr. Dre, 9th Wonder and Swizz Beatz.

To many people Millions is more than just rapper. “People know me in my community. I used to work for Cityyear. My mission was to teach kids about HIV and AIDS Prevention.”

In addition to going all around the city talking to kids HIV/AIDS, Millions used to be the guy who jumped off 7 block wide water gun fights with his sons in their Boston neighborhood.

On New Year’s Day 2007, look for Millions’s new mix cd to drop (untitled). “I got all of this animosity out on the mix cd because the album is really civilized. I didn’t want the streets to think I got soft. Other emcees are not talking about anything,” describes Millions. “They are rappers, I am a poet.”

For more information and tour schedule: http://www.nikkimillions.com/

Fashion Article: Urban Dwellers

Urban Dwellers (Miami)

Published in The Pulse of The Twin Cities
by Kandis Knight

Fort Lauderdale natives Haj Sanchez, 31, and John Ska One, 28, founded Urban Dwellers in 1990 while Juniors in High School. As kids they were immersed in Hip-Hop culture for fun, they didn’t know that it would become their life’s work. Fourteen years later their merchandise, mainly T-shirts, mix CDs and swanky hats, can be found in stores across the Midwest, as well as on both coasts and all major cities in between.

This month the company shipped its first order overseas to a tiny Hip-Hop store in the Balkans. “We represent the underground world wide. Urban Dwellers is like a group of political artists who promote public awareness by putting out subliminal messages through our work that grab people’s attention and gets them to think about the world we live in,” said Ska One in a recent Pulse interview.

“Everything we do is ingrained in Hip-Hop culture, from our clothing, to our artists, to the social programs we support, it is all about the elements,” said Sanchez. The inherent difficulties of having such a huge vision tied to only a shoestring budget necessitate both partners keep day jobs at a publishing company.

“We work day jobs at Urban Dwellers Publishing Co. where we furnish the clubs down here in Florida with their fliers and brochures,” said Sanchez.These young Hip-Hop entrepreneurs definitely know how to diversify more than just their livelihood. Urban Dwellers is more than just a clothing company. Like many Hip-Hop clothing labels, it’s a way of life for both the producer and the consumer rooted in a Hip-Hop lifestyle that now even transcends musical genres.

If you look at who’s wearing Urban Dwellers clothing you will quickly realize that it appeals to all people who willingly embrace Hip-Hop culture, including punk rockers, skateboarders and cyclists. In this type of diversity, Urban Dwellers has found strength.“We are not trying to satisfy the masses, we are just focusing on those who can see the same vision we see. The brand represents a level of consciousness shared amongst people who listen to hard core (rock) or skate, or surf, or break or listen to Hip-Hop.

Urban Dwellers separate the people who think (like us) and the people who don’t,” said Ska One.“We also represent people breaking boundaries, people can’t look at someone with a Urban Dwellers hat on and stereotype. You can’t say ‘She listens to punk because she has that Urban Dwellers hat on’ because many different people wear our stuff,” said Sanchez. As for all of the logos full of armed men with assault weapons, don’t be afraid until you know what they represent. “Arm yourself with knowledge,” said Sanchez.

The pair admits sometimes deciphering the codified messages can be tricky but promise there is always a deeper message and sometimes you will only learn that by speaking directly with the artist who created it.Respecting their artists’ work as well as their business peers is also important to the two. While striving to constantly put their best foot forward, sometimes they are called to go beyond the call of duty. When Sanchez recently visited the Twin Cities to survey the market, I volunteered to be a guide and I was able to see firsthand the Urban Dwellers business ethic at work.

Upon learning that a local Hip-Hop store was recently robbed, Sanchez made a personal visit to extend his apologies to the owner but also to replenish his shelf free of charge. In today’s cut-throat business world it’s nice to see that some companies, especially a Hip-Hop based businesses, still have old-school values. Urban Dwellers is currently striving toward having more of a presence in the local Twin Cities market and are interested in sponsoring local artists for shows and tours.

Their music branch is also busy creating mix CDs and they are always open to receiving musical submissions. You can purchase Urban Dweller’s merchandise locally at Balance and Mindstate Distribution and you can also purchase merchandise and contact the owners directly at UrbanDwellers.org .

Fashion Article: Wone Vang

Wone Vang (Minneapolis)
Published at Twin Cities Night Clubs.com
By Kandis Knight

Wone Vang conquers barriers for a living. In 1981, Vang immigrated from her beloved homeland, Laos to the United States. Like many immigrants, the pursuit of the American dream was vital to her survival. However, life in America brought many new challenges. Vang had to deal with the constricting traditions that most young Hmong-American women face while seeking out a new life in America and the pursuit of their life’s calling. Vang rose to the occasion.

Vang, a first generation Hmong, had to quickly learn American cultural nuances, while preserving her proud cultural identity. She studied American trends closely while tightly clinging onto her cultural roots. She eventually developed her own individuality and a passion for American fashion. Breaking into the highly competitive world of fashion can be a tad bit intimidating for even the most talented designers. Small start up fashion houses often have trouble gaining the acceptance of their “sometimes” snobby more established peers and finding channels to expose their designs to the public.

Vang, who has faced obstacles her entire life, was up for the challenge. She genuinely sympathized with struggling artists, but she took it a step deeper. She developed a plan and took action. To conquer the barriers in her path, Vang formed Ethreemn.org in 2004 and never looked back. Ethreemn.org’s mission is to educate, enlighten, and expose local artists and talents. Thanks to Vang’s trials and tribulations early in life, she was prepared to take on any battle and committed to helping others along her way, like aspiring designer Tiffany Paulson. Paulson’s designs were showcased at Vang’s Narcissism Fashion Show held November 2nd 2005 at The Downtown Radisson Hotel, it was Paulson’s first fashion show. “Wone is innovative in her approach and dedicated to providing local designers and clothing labels platforms to display their creations. I am very excited about the upcoming show,” said Paulson.

Paulson is one of many local aspiring designer’s Vang has helped along her way. Vang has worked with a host of local designers including, Underground Music and Fashion (www.umandf.com), Blame It on Hip-Hop (www.biohh.com) and Vandalism Designs who were all able to make a big impression on the local fashion scene by participating in two of Vang’s highly successful events, Live Wire at Bar Fly and the First Annual Narcissism Fashion show at the Fineline Café. “Wone is a very professional person who treats designers, no matter how large or small, with the respect they deserve. She respects designer’s wishes and helps them turn their visions into fashion shows,” said Underground Music and Fashion’s (UmandF.com) CEO, Matt Meyers.

Vang is recognized locally as a genius when it comes to bridging local culture together. Her fashion shows are an outlet for aspiring fashion designers but she also has a format at all of her shows to showcase aspiring artists and musicians. Vang’s shows are a big hit with a diverse and sophisticated cross section of Twin Cities movers and shakers.

Please support Ethreemn.org in its mission to uplift our local artists August 9th, 2007 at Trocaderos Night Club. This year’s show is packed full of entertainment and fashion. Ethreemn.org also commits a percentage of all their proceeds to charity. “If we can create an organization without artistic limitations, we will be able to reach those artists who might never think of asking for help.” Wone Vang

Fashion Article: UM & F

Fashion Article: Underground Music & Fashion
Published in the Pulse of The Twin Cities
By Kandis Knight

Matt Meyers and Jamar Hardy are not your typical business executives. As they approached me in their big, bright orange bomber jackets I realized the dainty table in the cute little coffee shop was probably the wrong setting to select for an interview with 6-foot-plus, 200-lb. Hip-Hop professionals.

Nevertheless, we somehow settled in for the interview about music and fashion. Meyers and Hardy are literally the muscle behind Underground Music and Fashion (UM & F), a local Hip-Hop generation company that has been around since late 2000.

Meyers, aka DJ Squire, is the former host of "Everlasting Beats", a Hip-Hop show on 91.7 FM. Hardy is a former buyer for a major retailer who is now a local high school basketball coach and a metro area realtor. Meyers and Hardy are not the only ones in charge at UM & F. Additional partners include DJ Kamikaze, aka Eric Pugh, who heads up the company's West Coast branch and is the former DJ of Wolfpack One, and James Houston, a retailing industry professional.
The company's founders were in their early 20s when they landed a huge deal to promote Adidas at the Final Four. "We contacted Adidas, and were like ‘we can do street promotions here in the Twin Cities.’ The next thing we knew we were getting like 20 boxes of clothing and promotional materials. It was big for us," said a smiling Meyers.

The company has grown and expanded since, even withstanding the post-9/11 national economic downturn. This week UM & F's first musical product will hit the streets. It’s a 16-track remix CD titled DJ Kamikaze First Strike featuring remixes of some popular Hip-Hop songs alongside some original material.

The only downside of First Strike is that it’s more or less a remix CD featuring national artists, there’s a distinct lack of a local presence on the disc. The music, however, is good and the blends are pretty interesting for those of us who pay attention to aesthetics like that.

"We let Kamikaze have creative freedom on the project because he’s in L.A. and he’s there to tap into that market,” said Meyers. “There wasn’t a lot of local talent represented on this project, but on our next release we will be tapping more into local talent."

In the meantime Kamikaze is busy making waves in L.A. on behalf of UM & F and the Twin Cities in general. First Strike is his new calling card and it it will only help out since Kamikaze is now rubbing elbows with industry A-listers such as Swiss Beatz. Meyers and Hardy remain behind in the Twin Cities, working at getting a store and studio up and running for UM & F before year’s end.

Prior to 9/11, UM & F had investors lined up and planned to open a store in Dinkytown. When those plans fell through, the young entrepreneurs had to put everything on hold until now. "Our new store will focus on our fashion and our music,” said Hardy. “It will be a place where people can gather and we will incorporate a studio also. The store will help us promote our idea of what underground music and fashion is and we’re going to want to be able to make the clothing in house. It will be like a base," said Hardy.

The music production side of the company is actively soliciting material from local emcees to be featured on their follow-up compilation CD (slated to be released in late summer). The company is also interested in signing local emcees to their label as their business expands. "There is no shortage of talent here in the Twin Cities,” said Hardy. “It’s just hard for local emcees to get on here—hopefully our company can help that."

Although it’s difficult for local artists to gain national fame, Meyers and Hardy are proud of recent advancements of Twin Cities Hip-Hop and seek to support the local emcees in any way possible. On a recent visit to L.A. Meyers was shocked to see another Twin Cities Hip-Hop artist making big waves on the West Coast. "All the way down Hollywood to Venice Beach there were Atmosphere signs at every bus stop."

For more information about UM & F, to purchase clothing, buy CDs, submit demos or simply show love and support log on to http://www.umandf.com/

Interview: Cinnamon Brown

Cinnamon Fusion for Global Hip-Hop Soul
By Kandis Knight

When East Indian, Asian and Afro – Caribbean cultures meet, the exotic fusion is nothing short of dynamic, enter 26 year-old Amsterdam songbird, Cindy Limon, a.k.a. Cinnamon Brown. This spicy hip-hop/soul singer’s cultural identity is no doubt a beautiful, exotic fusion. Wait until you hear her unique melodies over saucy beats.

“Cinnamon’s music creates a combustion that is so dynamic, many cultures will be fused together under the sound of her music, much like the way the spice, cinnamon, joined people together in the ancient world,” explains her manager, Karl Sutton. “The spice was once valued more precious than gold, so will be her gift to the world.”

Cinnamon’s Myspace mantra reads “I am so focused” and this multi-lingual (English, Surimese, Dutch), multi-talented songstress has proven time and time again that she has what it takes to “explode” out of the box, like the taste of cinnamon explodes in your mouth.

“I think that Cinnamon was 2 years-old when she started singing. By command she would sing and dance. At this age she also sang Indian songs. It was our grandmother who taught her songs by making her watch Bollywood (Indian Hollywood) movies. When she got older she would only sing English songs,” explains her sister, Sharon Blijd -Limon.

At just 8 years-old, while kids in her region were singing Dutch nursery rhymes, Cinnamon was busy writing her own R & B songs and translating them to English so she could bring her talent to the world.

“I never wanted to put myself in a box. I did not want to limit myself by singing exclusively in Dutch. English allows me to reach the world market, I want the entire world to hear what I have to say and I knew that when I was just 8 years-old” smiles the potent diva.

“I have been studying artists like Aretha Franklin, Minnie Ripperton, Lady Saw since I was a kid, I also really admire Faith Evans, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige.”

Much like Mary J. Bilge, Cinnamon Brown is a powerful hip-hop/soul singer with a vocal range that will expand your ears, like the spice does on your lips, all she needs is her own “Puff Daddy” to propel her to the next level. However while she awaits that day, she has been busy recording hip-hop collaborations that already straddle continents as the spice trade did centuries ago.

“When Mary J. Blige released her first single Real Love, Cinnamon had her first real idol. In her bedroom and at school festivals she would sing Mary’s songs,” her sister fondly recalls. “She even performed one song, Sweet Thing, for Boys II Men whom she was introduced to at an after party in Amsterdam when she was real young,” recounts Blijd-Limon.

With all the American influence in her early upbringing, it is no wonder Cinnamon Brown has her eyes firmly planted on the U.S. market and so far, the US market has been showing her love in return. Cinnamon is receiving a great response from her US fans including some globe trotting A-list artists and celebrities who are first introduced to her flavor on foreign shores. Counted among her adoring fans is actress Meagan Good, a big fan, whom Cinnamon mutually admires.

If you have never had a taste of Cinnamon Brown, all of that will change, summer of 2007 when her entire camp will be relocating to Atlanta, GA. There will even be a Youtube channel set up to broadcast her adventures as a young international artist courting the Atlanta music industry.

"I am relocating to Atlanta because the music there really inspires me, not just the music but the scene keeps you motivated because people are constantly on their grind, I look forward to finding work and working with artists like Lloyd , Monica, or T.I. because they inspire me and they sound different from the rest."

Although she will be a new transplant, Cinnamon is no newcomer to the music industry. She has been penning songs for BMG Europe under contract for some time now, however she admits there are roadblocks in Amsterdam when it comes to breaking into the industry.

“We have major companies like EMI and BMG but I want to be released worldwide so I have to make some major noise first,” says Cinnamon, who has been making noise since 1993 when she gave her first live performance.

It was an explosive rendition of Real Love by Mary J Blige that sent shocks through her Dutch high school and knocked down doors for her ever since. Only four years later, the preteen was on national Dutch television singing Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers for a captive national audience of thousands.

Cinnamon kept her career on the fast track and in 1999 she was on a Dutch high school tour with Organized Mastaz. “I was at a radio station and I helped a couple djs out with their show and the radio host asked me to freestyle and they liked me.”

Next thing she knew she was a featured artist on The Social Life Tour. The tours did not stop and performing before crowds of thousands became an addiction. In 2003, Cinnamon toured Europe with the RMXCRW. In 2003, she hosted Innercity (The biggest international dance event on the planet).

“Hosting Innercity 2003 was a great experience, there were hundreds of thousands of people in one place. To be on a stage that huge and to see my face on a huge billboard was an incredible experience. I even had a chance to interview Biz Markie and DJ Kool,” she giggles.

While only in her teens Cinnamon was making major contacts with the music industry and Amsterdam radio, she was also making connections with European scenesters, producers and musicians such as QF, Pimpaclawz, Mr. Probz, Odessah, as well as Dutch rapper SugaCane and many others. Most recently Cinnamon has been laying vocals in the European studio of THEprinceOFbeatz.

With so much promise, ambition, talent, life and business experience, Cinnamon Brown’s unique style, taste and lyrics are destined to make their way to an international audience real soon. “I feel that I am a human being first and an artist second. My music reflects that. I can’t and won’t make a whole album with just party tracks. I want people to know who I am.”

From, Dancehall, Reggae, Afro-Caribean, Hip-Hop, R & B, Alternative, Rock, Pop, the flavor of the new millennium is Cinnamon and she will take hip-hop soul musical fusion to the world market, representing many styles, Cinnamon Brown is the spice of the new world, a true world class citizen, after all who does not like a little cinnamon spice?

Also featured on:

Da Social Life album - Sugacane ft. Cinnamon - Ghetto Star
RMXCRW - " Da Soundtrack "
The Ultimate Urban Invasion
DJ Law's mixtape - First Assignment Mixtape
DJ Vicious mixtape
DJ Waxfiend vol. 4 & 5 - Waxtrax 5
Black Mosart's 4 Da Streetz part 2

Check out Cinnamon's Sonic Bids Page
Add Cinnamon as a friend on her Myspace Page

Invest in Your Local Hip-Hop

Invest in YOUR Local Hip-Hop
by Kandis Knight

As I write about local Hip-Hop every week I have to try to reach out to the business community, especially young business owners. I witness my share of talented local Hip-Hop artists. These artists are unsung heroes just waiting for the opportunity to hit the road and never look back. Hip-Hop is a part of the Twin Cities economy: every day local CDs are purchased, merchandise is sold, events are being planned, business-to-business transactions are taking place ... and Hip-Hop’s legion of a fans is growing.

Your company can garner huge returns from Hip-Hop with minimum investment. So before you "mis" judge Hip-Hop and write it off as some nemesis to the community, please take some time out to think about the Twin Cities Hip-Hop market. Twin Cities Hip-Hop "heads" (fans) encompass a large market, people from the ages of 14-35 (and expanding) of diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds consider themselves Hip-Hop fans.

Does this sound like your target market or a market you'd love to tap into? Listen, this demographic is very brand loyal and supportive of those companies that acknowledge and support Hip-Hop culture.Much like fans of independent rock music, the Twin Cities has a very young, vibrant Hip-Hop community. The Twin Cities has a sturdy Hip-Hop infrastructure; there are Web Sites, journalists, radio shows, stores, festivals and events all focused solely on Hip-Hop.

For a large or small investment your company can sponsor a local Hip-Hop show, CD release, Hip-Hop newspaper column, radio show or weekly Hip-Hop event. Your corporate identity can be associated with a local Hip-Hop artist who reaches regional or even national success—positively impacting your bottom line for years to come. And to think we aren't even talking about celebrity endorsements yet! You might be thinking. “Why would I want my company associated with a Hip-Hop show or group?” There are myriad reasons. For starters, Twin Cities Hip-Hop groups are reaching national and even international fame. In fact, the next major superstar(s) to come out of Minnesota may very well be of the Hip-Hop genre.

Now close your eyes and imagine a local band that is looking for businesses to sponsor their music shows and invest in a movie pilot they are developing. Would you see the benefit in supporting this group? What if the band was called Prince and The Revolution and the movie they were developing was called “Purple Rain”? I know I’m reaching here, but the point is that there are hundreds of talented local Hip-Hop artists who have the same desire and ambition as an early ‘80s Prince and The Revolution. The difference—there are no financial supporters in the business community stepping up to the plate.

I say this even though everyone reading this article knows the city would benefit greatly if we were once again thrust into the national entertainment spotlight like we were back in the days of “Purple Rain.” So back to Earth, there are many young creative Hip-Hop entrepreneurs who have created a community here in the Twin Cities all around Hip-Hop culture. If your company is a small neighborhood business you can truly benefit by sponsoring a local Hip-Hop show simply by having your marketing message reaching outside of your neighborhood on the back of fliers promoting a Hip-Hop show or event.

Who doesn’t want their company or brand to be considered cool by thousands of young people across the Twin Cities and the Midwest? Here’s a real world hypothetical if you still don’t get it. Do you own a restaurant, clothing, music or shoe store? A coupon on the back of 10,000 fliers promoting a local Hip-Hop show will cost you as little as two hundred dollars and will reach your target market quicker than you can say "P. Diddy". And there’s no need to worry about distributing your coupons or fliers because Hip-Hop promoters employ street teams full of young, passionate, troopers ready to paper the town for their love of Hip-Hop.

Let's say Pappalo's Pizza Company sponsors MC John Doe's Hip-Hop show by giving away coupons for a free slice of pizza. After the show 300 hungry kids jam into Pappalo's with their coupons in hand and each kid buys a soda and maybe an extra slice of pizza. By the end of the night Pappalo's Pizza made a huge profit, the fans and customers are happy and Pappalo's helped a local Hip-Hop artist further his career.

Most importantly is the residual effect of sponsorship, these kids are going to remember Pappalo's Pizza is a cool place to hang out and it is open until 2:00 a.m. and supports local Hip-Hop shows and MC John Doe whom everyone loves.If you need more examples, look at Pizza Luce, the all around "cool" pizza place. Pizza Luce has followed the market trends for years. They have sponsored more than their share of rock, Hip-Hop and alternative events. No wonder the company is raking in over $5 millon a year! So don't be skurred (scared) to invest in local Hip-Hop.

The summer is coming and last year the Twin Cities was bustling with plenty of Hip-Hop events and only the savvy business owners realized the potential and helped "the cause" by offering sponsorship dollars and only the savvy venue owners opened their doors to begin building relationships with this Hip-Hop community. Can you envision your logo and coupons on thousands of fliers, T-shirts, stickers, album covers, posters, hats, Web Sites, newspapers, radio shows all related to Hip-Hop? Now you're thinking!

If you’re interested in investing in local Hip-Hop shows I encourage you to do so. There are thousands of events that go on yearly and I have a long contact list if you'd like to get started on this today.

Prince doesn’t have to be the only Minnesota artist to make it to the national spotlight when there are hundreds of talented young Hip-Hop artists, producers, DJs, journalists and promoters looking for that break to make it to the next level. We’ll all benefit if the next big Hip-Hop star emerges from our hometown and takes the world by storm. It’s going to happen!

Interview: Detekh

Interview: Detekh (Minneapolis)
by Kandis Knight

The corner of Chicago and Lake Street belongs to Detekh of Supreme Beat Recordings. Detekh or "Tekh", is a veteran of local Hip-Hop. He has recorded nearly every emcee in the Twin Cities. Detekh has an underground buzz as untouchable, whether you are attempting to contact this elusive producer or get on the same level as his production. Along time ago he would answer my telephone calls. Now everything goes through his management.

Kandis: How do you tell the difference between a really good emcee and an "OK" emcee?

Detekh: Some emcees have developed techniques for writing and when they come into the studio and hear a beat they can adjust their lyrics to match. Sometimes an emcee will have prearranged formats that are ready for different types of beats. These emcees are ready to go in less than 15 minutes. Muja Messiah can write a song and then he can automatically change his flow to match a beat right on the spot. Not too many cats can do this but the ones who can are the true masters.

Kandis: So how do you explain this process to new emcees?

Detekh: You can't explain it. It’s like telling someone how to be cool. It should be inside of the emcee naturally. You can go to school for certain things, but if the talent isn’t there you spent four years in college for nothing.

Kandis: Do you encounter emcees that are stuck in a box even when they hear a hot beat?

Detekh: Yes, I think a lot of people don’t fuck with enough stuff. They need to expand and that will help their flows. They need to experience life on Chicago and Lake Street, or visit New York to see how people really grind. Everything starts in the streets, all trends. Some emcees hear a hot beat and freeze up.

Kandis: Who are some of the best local emcees you’ve recorded?

Detekh: Muja Messiah is right under Nas and Jigga. He is just in the wrong environment and market, kind of like a [great] basketball player who comes from the ghetto and can’t overcome his environment and make it [to the NBA]. I have recorded Slug and recently I have been working with Musab. They are both really hot in the booth.

Kandis: So how does an emcee conquer their environment?

Detekh: This is not a game, this is life. No one can just try to be an emcee, this isn’t something you go to school for. You can't just say “I want to be an emcee.” A lot of cats that are rapping do it because it looks fun or they want to meet girls. If you’re not really living this shit, then you probably will never be a hot emcee. A lot of emcees know that they are never going to make it; they’re just playing games and wasting studio time. The hottest beats I make are for the cats I feel are going to go somewhere with my track.

Kandis: How can you tell when an emcee is serious about their career?

Detekh: Out the gate, when they enter the booth. Their attitude tells on them. Some cats hit the mic and are in a whole different zone and they rip it, some cats get in there and play.

Kandis: What is your advice to young aspiring emcees?

Detekh: Just go far at everything that you do. Try to be as creative as possible. Make sure everything you do is joyful and fulfilling. You got to ride off of those little things; they boost you to the next level. Remember the music business is 90 percent business and 10 percent music.

Kandis: What do you think about the evolution of the local Hip-Hop scene?

Detekh: It’s cool that more cats are putting out full albums and a lot of hating has seemed to slow down. Cats are getting Web-Sites, business cards, T-shirts, doing shows that are better planned and I am starting to hear tighter tracks.

Kandis: What is a typical day like for Detekh?

Detekh: It’s a hardworking day, I work all day and don’t get much sleep. I’m an urban entrepreneur trying to make it. I have a lot of things going on. I check my pocket PC every morning and check my e-mails, there are a lot of appointments, meetings and stuff that I have to do everyday.

Kandis: What artists are you known the most for working with?

Detekh: Raw Villa, HAP, Slug, Muja, Musab to name a few…only classics.

From City Pages:

One Nation, Under Ground

Out of Balance: Lars Larson in Hennepin Avenue's premier hip-hop shop

by Chuck Terhark
August 4, 2004

Could it be that, after years of tussling over our stages, radio waves, and speaker boxes, the battle between local rock and hip hop has finally been settled in a downtown Minneapolis storefront? It's definitely possible. Despite its deceptive moniker, Balance, the new Hennepin Avenue hip-hop shop that recently took over the building where Sun's Rock 'N' Roll Items once was, may represent the decisive tipping of the scales in the long and bloody bout over the title of the Twin Cities' favorite music. The sweat and grime of Sun's has been scraped from the walls; the vintage KISS T-shirts, AC/DC posters, and assorted rock 'n' roll bric-a-brac have disappeared; and everything save the store's own support beams has been flushed from the building's bowels in one colossal hip-hop enema. Where musty butt-rock memorabilia once were, there are now sparkling displays of fashions by Zoo York, Triple 5 Soul, Drunken Monkey, and a new local brand called UM&F (which stands for "underground music and fashion"). On the whitewashed walls, someone has painted a series of teary, graffiti-style eyes, as if to ask, If these walls, which have so long sheltered rock monuments, could see, would they be crying?

Okay, probably not. But they'd certainly be eyeing Lars Larson.

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Sitting in a cozy little chair in the rear of the store, right in front of a T-shirt display that reads "Money Makin'," Larson kicks back with a hat on his blond head, a grin on his jovial face, and a raspberry blush in his cheeks. "This is the first day we're open--the real grand opening isn't for a couple weeks," the 25-year-old Robbinsdale native explains with a quiet assertiveness. "But it's been okay. We made three sales, and lot of people have walked by and stopped in."

One of Balance's three employees, Larson is the creator of DUNation.com, a plucky local hip-hop site which he updates regularly with breaking news, show listings, MP3s, video feeds of concerts and MC battles, photos of local graffiti, and a lively message board that's visited by nearly every MC and DJ in town--and which is also prone to bouts of endlessly creative (if cringingly homophobic) shit-talking (sample closing signature from a message poster: "True fact--you're wack, with beads in your anus"). As DUNation celebrates its three-year anniversary this week with a concert at the Cabooze, its traffic is peaking, making its dutiful warden a principal soldier in the great hip-hop takeover of Sun's.

Outside of Balance, there isn't really a major cultural tug-of-war going on, at least not musically. While the closing of Sun's is certainly the end of something, it's not the end of rock 'n' roll. Genres aren't like buildings: They don't get renovated, remodeled, or torn down and rebuilt. They tend to evolve. Just ask local rapper Brother Ali, who performed at the Texas indie rock orgy known as South by Southwest this year to find legions of fans singing along to all of his songs. Or ask Minnesota freestyle champ Eyedea, who, in the past three years, went from winning an HBO battle contest to signing with Epitaph, a punk rock record label. The underground just keeps branching out, like trees, or human beings. Like websites.

"It's really amazing how popular DUNation has become," Larson says, noting that the site began as a collaboration with his high school friend, Clayton Chelmo. In the summer of 2001, the duo created Division Underground, a double-edged web community devoted, on Larson's side, to hip hop, and on Chelmo's side, to techno. (This is where DUNation gets its mysterious initials. It is not, as some have ventured, a French pronoun or a reference to Digital Underground, nor is it pronounced "doo.") Larson eventually broke from Chelmo's site, and today he co-owns DUNation with his cousin, John Palm.

Today, the part-time Balance employee is dressed for work: nice slacks, black shoes, and a blue buttoned-down shirt with prominent vertical stripes--a fashion that south Minneapolis producer Dtekh will later describe as "his Kanyes," a reference to rapper Kanye West, whose debut album, The College Dropout, is one of the hottest hip-hop releases of the year. Larson is himself a college dropout, having attended Hennepin Tech and the College of Visual Art in St. Paul before opting to spend more time working on his ever-growing website. "It's all been word-of-mouth," he says. "We've never advertised or anything, and now we're getting 36,000 hits a day. It's insane."

Actually, it makes sense. Larson's cool demeanor never quite gets in the way of his ability to network, and he carries on in the manner of a man who's used to getting what he needs by making sure everyone else gets what they want. That drive to continue the unpaid responsibility of maintaining DUNation is the reason the site has become so successful. As a consequence, Larson sleeps little, he doesn't have a girlfriend (he blames an abundance of hot male friends), and he's awful with names. During the course of the evening, he occasionally forgets my name is Chuck and calls me "Derek," and he later e-mails me messages addressed to "Chris."

"I'm sorry," he says. "I was up till five last night in the studio with Dtekh. We were supposed to record this radio show yesterday, but he didn't call me until 11:00, and even then we couldn't do it because he was driving down Lake Street in his underwear."

Larson has been on the phone all afternoon trying to get a hold of Dtekh, who runs Supreme Beats studio. Tonight, he and Larson will use the studio to pre-record the first installment of Beats and Rhymes, a new weekly hip-hop show featured on the all-local Internet radio site MisplacedMusic.org. As Balance nears closing time, Larson gets restless. He picks up the phone again, and learns that Dtekh is eating dinner with onetime KMOJ DJ Travis "Travitron" Lee.

"You know where Soul City Supper Club is?" Larson asks. "We'll just meet him over there, then go to the studio. Maybe you'll get to meet Kandis."

Kandis Knight writes most of the news and interviews for DUNation and contributes a short news spot to Beats and Rhymes. Larson's also got a hunch that she is the reason Dtekh was driving around in his skivvies last night.



As he makes his way into Supreme Beats, Larson is thinking about the DU message board. He rubs his lips, shakes his head, and sighs, reluctantly admitting that the board's gossip and in-group fighting is one of the reasons his site gets so much traffic.

"I should moderate it more, I guess," he says. "I don't want to censor it--y'know, free speech and stuff--but it's just insanity. They're a bunch of haters. It's like a reality show for the whole scene."

Like any good reality television show, the message board counters its disagreements with a dose of romance. Two babies have already been born as a result of hook-ups made on the board. And the content runs deep: DJ Aaron Money regularly posts essayistic threads with titles like "The Cost of Poverty." But in the end, it's the beef that keeps people reading.

"Everybody reads it," says Larson. "I ran into Brother Ali the other day at Davanni's, and he told me about how [Rhymesayers rapper] Siddiq had called him up just to tell him about a thread."

That's when it strikes me that Larson knows everybody. His website isn't just a resource for the underground; it is the underground. He's gelling an entire scene--which makes it hard to blame him for mixing up a name or two once in a while.

That's why, when he does it again an hour later, I don't hold it against him. "What's up everyone, we got Derek in the house!" shouts Larson into the microphone as he glances over at me. Sitting on a red velvet couch in the production booth at Supreme Beats, I don't remind him that my name is Chuck. Instead, I check the song list that Larson and Dtekh have already laid down. It's a solid hour of local hip hop: Los Nativos, Musab, Traditional Methods. "That's the best album of the year," Dtekh tells me, pointing to the Traditional Methods track. Even off the air, Dtekh speaks like a radio DJ: fast, articulate, and purposeful. When he tells you something, you buy it.

While Dtekh and Larson continue working, I find Kandis Knight sitting by a computer in an adjacent room. A colorful paint job runs up the high walls to the ceiling, and Knight researches her news spot by scouring the DU message board. She looks at some announcements for the local hip-hop festival "Yo! The Movement" and DUNation's birthday party before giggling at a post titled "Unknown Prophets and Big Quarters, July 22." Three pages into the thread, the discussion gets reduced to a verbal sparring match between a local amateur MC named A-lib and Jay Bee, the baritoned co-host of Radio K's The Beat Box. In the post that Knight is reading, A-lib says that his adversary is "whiter than baby powder" and makes highly dubious claims about Jay Bee's sexuality.

"You little twerp," Jay Bee writes. "Anus-stabber. Stop giving me your white friend's celly, queer. Pussy bitch." Knight giggles again as Larson walks up and reads the post. "This is getting out of hand," he says.

But there's no time to read the rest of the message. He has a radio show to record, and after he returns to the mic, it comes off without a hitch. Dtekh is such a hyperactive co-host that the program sounds a little like a B-96 house party without the commercials. And the tracks the two DJs play make for a fine capsule of the local music scene. Listening to the show, it's tempting to believe that with someone like Lars Larson at its helm, local hip hop just might snuff out local rock 'n' roll after all. But I've got my doubts. So does Larson.

"When Sun's closed, they threw away a bunch of their leftover stuff, and people were lined up to dig through the garbage for that shit," he tells me. "People keep coming into Balance thinking it's still Sun's. Three kids came in today looking for Motörhead T-shirts."

He laughs. Maybe he'll carry a couple in the store, he says, just in case the kids come back. There's symbolism for you: Motörhead shirts and Triple 5 Soul under one roof. Maybe there really is some balance in this music scene after all.

Interview: Purest Form

Purest Form (Minneapolis)
Published in The Pulse of The Twin Cities
by Kandis Knight

The first time I saw Purest Form (http://www.purestform.com/) perform was at my own event, Tha’ Tunnel this past September. I remember when the group hit the stage a friend approached me and said “They’re really good, are they really from here?” “Yes,” I replied as we bobbed our heads and submerged ourselves into their performance, which was a breath of fresh air to the Twin Cities Hip-Hop community.

Purest Form takes Hip-Hop seriously. Purest Form is a local group that stands out because of their national-level-group focus and commitment (which continually tricks locals into thinking they’re from out of town). Listening to their music, observing their business etiquette, seeing their performance, one can tell Purest Form is serious about their work.

“As Purest Form we’re trying to preserve the Hip-Hop culture from when we were growing up and strive to elevate it. I don’t mean we want to keep it how it was in 1987 and rhyme like Kane (Big Daddy Kane) and Rakim but we want to be influenced by them and take their similar mental states and elevate it with the time lyrically and address issues that are prevalent today. That’s why we call ourselves Purest Form because we are trying to keep that purest form that is coming from the heart of Hip-Hop,” said A-Ron.Purest Form’s first full-length CD, Perfect Balance, was released September 2003 (available at Electric Fetus or online at CD Baby.com) and if there’s one thing these guys represent, it’s just that, a perfect balance of creativity, principle, skill and intellect.

The members of Purest Form, Alibi aka. Alex Leonard, 23, A-Quil aka. Anthony DuBose, 24, Dialek aka Anthony Powe, 24 and A-Ron aka Andy Winger, 22 are all St. Paul Central graduates and currently engage in professions from teaching to Web Site development, photography and, of course, music. These emcees are clean-cut and have a schoolboy image that’s backed by real-life post secondary education, an image befitting a Midwest Hip-Hop group.

With so much going on in their lives, they do struggle to find a perfect balance. “We can’t be as involved in the local scene as much as other groups and I think that’s misunderstood as cocky or elitist but it’s strictly the time factor because we all just graduated from college. We would love to spread ourselves out there but we don’t want to spread ourselves too thin because our major goal is providing quality music no matter how long it takes,” said Dialek, who also is the group’s music producer.

Since the release of Perfect Balance the group has been busy performing around town. To date they have performed six local shows, most recently headlining Try D’s “The Fu!@# Fund Raiser” on November 28 at The Red Sea, featuring an all star lineup of who’s who among local Hip-Hop artists.The members of the group have all paid dues even though many locals consider them a young, new group.

“We viewed ourselves as being old in the local scene because we’ve been doing this since high school, but when we released this album we realized although we’ve been doing this for a long time, we’re young and new to the local scene as compared to many local Hip-Hop artists,” said A-Ron.The group’s debut, long on quality music with no filler, is the kind of album that makes me proud to be a Twin Cities Hip-Hop fan. I could tell from listening to Perfect Balance that The Purest Form would provide an interesting interview and they didn’t disappoint, providing a conversation packed with lots of commentary on the local scene.

“The biggest problem with the local Hip-Hop scene and what I would like to see change is the level of respect for true artistry,” claims Dialek. “It’s almost turning into a comedy show here. To a lot of people, rap and Hip-Hop is entertainment and to other people it’s really a way of expressing what’s going on in their real lives with the intent of inspiring others to reach greatness. I’d like to see more people take pride in their craft regardless of who they’re performing in front of.”

“I’d like to see local Hip-Hop coming from the heart and there should still be a sense that you have to show and prove your skills that was how it was when we were growing up. People should push themselves more so that we can have a local scene where people aren’t trying to be like other places but other places are trying to be like us—because we do have a lot of talent here,” said A-quil.

“People rap around their friends too much here and of course your friends are going to tell you that you are good. I want to see people push themselves more, criticize each other more, constructively you know. I want people to tell me how to get better. I want to see the purest form of Hip-Hop return to the Twin Cities where we’re socially critiquing society and Hip-Hop to make it an art again,” said A-ron.

Interview: Edupoetic

Edupoetic (Minneapolis)

Published in The Pulse of The Twin Cities
by Kandis Knight

I don’t venture into St. Paul often but on this gray Minnesota day it was well worth the ride across the river. I was going to meet Frank Sentwali one of the founding members of The Minnesota Spoken Word Association and lead artist of the Twin Cities most eclectic spoken word/Hip-Hop crew Edupoetic.

While the vibe around the Selby and Milton Avenue area was pretty gloomy, it was bright inside the Golden Thyme coffee shop filled with a diverse cross section of African-American professionals. I didn’t have to wait long because Sentwali was right on time and never missing a beat, true to form. As he walked through the door everyone knew his name and wanted his attention.

“Hey Frank, can you come and put on a show for the kids at our church?” said one older gentleman. “Hey Frank, how is the program doing at Central?” said a younger woman. Frank Sentwali is one of the founding members of the Minnesota Spoken Word Association, and he is a man of the people. His passion was instantly ignited by the flurry of attention and his face lit up as he graciously responded to his community.

Before I introduced myself I sat back and watched each exchange. After Sentwali found his way to my table he sat down and took a deep breath, fulfilled for the moment, but ready for what would come next.“I am getting old around town I won’t be news soon," said a joking Sentwali, his deep voice simultaneously exuding confidence and consciousness.

Although Edupoetic has been gigging sparsely as of late it’s with good reason—the group just finished up recording a new album, Patriotic Duty, due out this month and featuring all live band music. “We got our start at Jazzville on Robert and 10th Street in downtown St. Paul back in 1997,” recalls Sentwali. “We had an open mic there on Monday nights you may remember. The place was really just a little hole in the wall and many people were afraid to go there except on a Monday night, but we groomed our talent there.”

Jazzville was the premier spoken word spot before spoken word even became trendy here in the Twin Cities. "In addition to our regular poets and artists, we attracted drug dealers, crackheads, alcoholics, homeless mainly because we were spitting this conscious based, socio-political poetry that identified with the struggles of your everyday people. It was more than just some poetry spot—it became like a church. It was Monday night service through poetry.”

The crew recently began a spoken word night on Sundays at Arnellia’s nightclub in St. Paul hoping to recreate the vibe of Jazzville. It features music by DJ Chuck Chizzle and Big Reese and an open mic. “Last weeks energy at Arnelia’s reminded me of the more popular Jazzville nights and we only had five poets show up.” In addition to promoting events, doing educational programs for youth, recording and being a family man, Sentwali is also the co-host of Urban Griots Fridays at noon on KMOJ, 89.9 FM.

The radio show features spoken word from artists around the country and a smooth jazzy vibe. Through the years the Edupoetic collective has seen members come and go. Currently the crew seems rather cohesive. “Right now our active members include Ahanti Young on vocals and percussion. Ahanti is also an actor with Penumbra Theater Company. Tiyo Siyolo is our lead vocalist and songwriter. Andrea Reynolds (Queen Dre) vocalist and songwriter, Jason Murray our bass player and myself,” smiled the modest Sentwali.

“We also do the Dinkytowner the second Saturday of every month. Last Saturday we did a rocking full band set. We did a lot of jam band music and a lot of instrumental. The month before that we did percussion and an upright bass poetry set.”

So you may be wondering exactly what is Edupoetic? Edupoetic is socio-conscious, politically conscious poetry and entertainment in all formats according to Sentwali who makes no distinctions between spoken word and Hip-Hop.

“It is all Hip-Hop. Rap was influenced and created as an offspring of spoken word poetry or performance poetry. Now we are starting to come full circle, thirty years later. The spoken word poetry of today is taking on the influence of rap and Hip-Hop culture. We are dealing with a younger generation of people who are getting burned out in the whole ‘gangsta rap,’ ‘bling-bling’ style of entertainment. Spoken word is giving people a voice that is acceptable amongst their peers that is their own as opposed to a voice that is fabricated by commercial entertainment.”

Sentwali also has a few words in parting to those heads who are reluctant to check out a poetry set. “If you are interested in Hip-Hop but you won’t go to a poetry reading, that is like disrespecting your ancestors. Before they called it rap they called it poetry and rap is simply rhythm and poetry, it is an acronym R-A-P. Understand what rap is. If you are a rapper you are a poet and if you understand you are a poet then you understand you have a responsibility to be versatile in your format.”

Interview: Out of Bounds

Out of Bounds (Minneapolis)

Published in The Pulse of The Twin Cities

By Kandis Knight

I met a zealous Stephen Wayne from local Hip-Hoppers Out of Bounds while hanging out a few weeks ago at Tonic in Uptown. He was a ball of excitment and eager to chat about his group and their album, Hedfonmuzik. Wayne co-produced Hedfonmuzik for Twin Cities Hip-Hop group Out of Bounds. Although they released their first CD in 2003, Out of Bounds has been performing underground for several years.

I heard of the group from several friends and so I was also excited when Wayne disappeared into the nightclub and came back with a copy of Out of Bound's freshman offering. "It’s electronic Hip-Hop, kinda it's own style," says Wayne, trying to explain the group’s unique sound. Chris Caesar, 27, is the front man for Out of Bounds.

His voice is hard-core and full of passion yet also capable of pulling off more reflective low-key moments. Throughout the course of Hedfonmzik his lyrics charge hard, coming across with an energy rarely seen outside of Red Bull addict circles. As I listened I had to ask, where does he get all of that intensity? The beats and samples complement each other like Hip-Hop set to a sci-fi movie soundtrack or Music Choice Soundscapes if you like that kind of thing. If not, trust me, it’s all good. I chose to listen to the CD while running around the lake so I could focus all of my attention on the lyrics and aesthetics.

Although it’s difficult to decipher all of the lyrics I was thoroughly satisfied with this project. I found myself listening to “Song For A Friend” four times, mesmerized by its rawness. “Wake Up Call” was another standout track. The lyrics on that track are dope, "Your beats are corny, your whole style bores me to death, I slept cause it's done so poorly. . ."

"We recorded on a Roland MC 505 Groove Box and so sometimes we got a cheesy sound," said Wayne. "Eventually we upgraded to an MPC 2000 and recorded into sonar, at a basement studio called Profile Music in St. Paul."Wayne graduated from Music Tech and is also working on his own Drum and Bass/ambient trip-hop album. "So far we have 30 beats finished for the next Out of Bounds Album. It took us four years to complete Hedfonmuzik," said Wayne. From track to track, Hedfonmuzik has a lot to offer, including cameos from Try-D, Josh Johnz, Dessa Darling, Zai and Joe Keith. Instrumentally, Out of Bounds collaborated with the likes of Cheap Cologne, Bill Collins, Anders Sonnenberg and Tom Lewandowski from Wookie Foot.

At the end of the CD comes a proper Twin Cities anthem, “Twin Towns,” featuring the scratches of Cheap Cologne. On this track Caesar gives Twista a run for his money with rapid flows destined to make everyone get up and get loose. Keith Goya, aka KG, 26, is the DJ for Out of Bounds.

While listening to the breaks and scratches you can almost visualize the intense energy it must have taken to achieve the sound Out of Bounds accomplished. If every Twin Cities group had a first CD this good, Minneapolis/St. Paul would be guaranteed to stand out on the national Hip-Hop scene.

So far the group has their CD in all stores that sell consignment and the group has sold thousands of CDs out of their backpacks. Wayne is currently doing the promotions for the group and is trying to launch an on-line radio site that features the music of Out of Bounds, Unification Theory, Medida, Pleasure Pause, Negative One and Josh Johnz to name a few. For more information about Out of Bounds please visit http://www.outofbounds3000.com/ .

Interview: MadSon

UNDER CONSTRUCTION....PHOTOS, FORMATTING COMING SOON!

By Kandis KnightThe Unknown Prophets, MaDSoN and Big Jess, recently released their latest contribution to Minneap-rap, MaDSoN's Peace Amongst The MaDness, and it’s an extremely timely project.The CD begins with a poem called “Desiderata” performed by Marigua + Childs. I was impressed because I had found the same poem about two years ago at a thrift store. I liked it so much I retyped it, framed it and hung it in our studio. Although Marigua's voice is a tad on the rough side, it’s the power of the words that truly inspires. "The intro was the last thing to be completed. I needed an alternative to my original idea for the intro when it fell through. My Dad loves that poem and would always tell us (Unknown Prophets) we should use it on our CD somehow. As I read the words I knew that it was perfect for the intro to Peace Amongst The MaDness," describes MaDSoN, aka Mike Madison. When Marigua finishes her recital, moaning strings lead the listener into the next track, “Peace Amongst the MaDness.” The song captures a personal struggle between good and evil. Every lyric fits perfectly into this tale of light and dark in a post 9/11 world. "Aye Yo, I'm trying to reach the masses/ but I remain lost here in this cold and frozen sea of blackness/Drowning in this sadness/ I'm just praying that God can help me find some peace amongst the madness/Trying to reach the masses/ But I remain lost here in this cold and frozen sea of blackness/ Drowning in this sadness/ I'm just praying that God can help me find some peace amongst the madness."The inspiration for this song came from every experience MaDSoN has had to face in his life. "Every person and event in my life (inspired this song),” he claims. “I also wanted to create an album that would reflect the inner battles we all face within ourselves. In a sense, Good vs. Evil."MaDSoN takes us to the old school in track No. 3. “Times Like Those” is a track about all of the things old school Hip-Hop and life used to be. "Will we ever live in times like those again?/ If we don't kill our roots we can grow again/ Will we ever live in times like those again?/ The holes in our souls we can still sew and mend/ Will we ever live in times like those again?/ Can we find shelter from all the cold and wind/ Will we ever live in times like those again?/ If we believe in ourselves then I know we can."If that hook doesn't catch you, the hook for track No. 4, called “Impress You,” will. "Joia Senser [the daughter of ex-Vikings player Joe Senser] sang the hook on that song. She has an amazing voice. Her work on the Unknown Prophets’ upcoming Against the Grain album is gonna blow people away," says MaDSoN. Living up to its ambitious title, Peace Amongst The Madness offers songs that are lyrically rich and positive. "It's difficult at times (being positive) because you see so many negative artists with no content getting all the attention and radio play. Unknown Prophets have always been positive. Jess and I both work with kids and see first hand the effect the music has on the youth today and we feel it's our calling to change that. Our time will come."“Ten Days Left” is the fifth track, and a prime example of the Prophets’ handling of dark subject matter with positivity. It’s a song about a soldier with 10 days left before going home from the war field—and it’s a party song. Ironically gun shots are heard just before the song ends."Each song is special to me in its own way, but if I had to chose [a favorite song on the album] right now it would be ‘Paradise.’ The instant Big Jess played me the beat I knew I had to have it. From the opera singing to the strings, the beat itself is a masterpiece. The hook was the last thing I wrote to it. I struggled trying to come up with a hook that would be worthy of the beat. One night, I woke up at 3 a.m. out of a dead sleep and had the hook in my head. I sat up, turned on the light and started writing it down."From listening to Peace Amongst The Madness, I was intrigued by MadSoN's spirituality, and he’s very open to discussing it. "I was born and raised Catholic,” he readily admits. “I owe a lot of my spirituality to my grandma who I believe shaped and guided my faith throughout life. As I got older I felt like my faith was slipping along with the world around me though.After completing the album and listening to it from start to finish I felt like my faith had strengthened and I was more at peace. I get a peace from the album that I can't quite explain." Peace Amongst The Madness took this Edison High School graduate nearly six months to complete, although he and Big Jess had the idea to do solo projects since last November. "With a full-time job, shows, and handling all the management for the Unkown Prophets ourselves, it was hard at times to meet certain deadlines we made for both our albums.""There's so much on my mind. My music's future success, the war, my career, etc. Every day that passes I ask myself ‘What should I have done that I didn't?’ ‘Did I waste another day or opportunity?’”MaDSoN has soared to heights most don't reach by being himself and remaining true to the game. "I wanna be well known for my passion like Wellstone. I want the listener to feel my soul in each song. I want people to question their actions, their faith, their heart. Most of all, I want people to enjoy each song as much as I do and find peace amongst their own madness."Peace Amongst The Madness is available locally at Mindstate, Cheapo, Fifth Element, Electric Fetus and the Connect.Visit The Unknown Prophets’ website for shows, forums, etc.

Interview: DJ Stage One

DJ Stage One (Minneapolis)
By Kandis Knight

As told by the legendary Dj himself.

When I was in Junior High I moved to Minneapolis from Dayton, Ohio. I’ve been back to Ohio, but basically I’ve been living here, Northside! I was first inspired to DJ because my mom and dad had this huge record collection back in the ’70s that I inherited. I grew up listening to everything—funk, jazz, rock—everything.

One day I was watching Beat Street on the late night tip. I was heavy into graffiti at the time (my tag name was Stage One) and I saw my man playing some records and all that so I was like, I could do that. Back in the day everyone had turntables in the house you know? I started grabbing old stuff and putting it together. I did it for the neighborhood back then and it blossomed into gigs.

I was in the clubs DJing when I was 18 even though you were supposed to be 21.A lot of things that have helped me nurture Hip-Hop here although it was hard to obtain certain things. Coming up I remember it being hard. Like you want to see certain Hip-Hop concerts but they wouldn't come here, so all you had was the record. Sometimes you'd have records that didn't have covers so you had to imagine it. It’s hard here for Hip-Hop artists in Minnesota.

Living out here in Minnesota we had to build our own set of standards and rules. I’m proud of the fact that Hip-Hop here started from nothing and now it’s a big thing. We didn't have videos and there was nothing to derive the culture from. It had to be built from scratch, like any other middle America city in the early ’80s.

Back in 1984, the one thing we had was the Hip-Hop Shop with Travitron, Freddie Fresh and DJ Dev Tronic on KMOJ and I got tapes from New York. I'd listen to tapes from radio shows like WBLS and 98.7 KISS with DJ Red Alert and Chuck Chillout. I did some work on the radio with Smoke and Delite and we had a show called “Strictly Butter” on KFAI back in 1995-1998 or something like that.

Those were formative years because a lot of artists were coming through at a time when the underground scene we now know was just starting to come about. The Rhymesayers were just getting started, they were called the Headshots, and they would come through and get on, Common Sense came through, Def Squad came through, a lot of artists came through. I feel I helped the local Hip-Hop scene.Some of the old school crews I miss, IRM, Truth Maze aka B Fresh, Kel-C, Curt, TLC, I miss all my old grafitti crews, Wild Style Crew, EB, Viper, the Juxtaposition Crew, I miss all of the crews even the ones we didn't get along with because there isn't a Hip-Hop machine like that anymore.

Now it’s a little more Millennium-driven as far as the technology. People are making an album in a day with Protools and people don't need to do graffiti when they can do art on their computers. I miss the old state of mind but I’m not trying to go back. It was more pure and raw because it was harder to get information, now we got the internet and things are easier. I don't want to sound like I’m a purest because I’m not. I’m for change and all of that but you have to admit that the whole way Hip-Hop is perceived now is different than what it was then. Look at fashion, fashion is driving it now it seems.

You don't even got to like Hip-Hop music but you can dress like a b-boy or b-girl. You know instant Hip-Hop, just add water or add the video. All you got to do is watch one video and you got a little game. The other thing that has changed is the fact that the DJ does not get represented in the new era. We got to do it ourselves and we got to be a soloist. Like CB4 when they broke up and it was just a dude by himself, it's corny. It's cool in a sense, it’s just that rap music and DJing are spreading thin between themselves right now versus the ’80s style when it was Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and Cash Money and Marvelous.

I got love for everybody here because they show me love. I deal with a lot of record labels, I get records and I’m trying to break records here, locally. The community wants to hear the music but there are not many DJs here supplying what they should be supplying. You hear people saying things like, “I got the new DJ Clue mix tape” or, “I got the new Sickamore” but they don't got the new Micheal Mack, or Disco T, Stage One, or Brother Jules. We are not really nurturing our own homegrown talent as far as the DJing thing.

I’m trying my best to expose people to as much new music as possible instead of only playing the top 40 hits that the radio is playing. I try to be an ambassador to the game when I play music. I try to let labels know that there is a community out here. They know about Atmosphere but they don't know about the others or that there is a fan base for their music. Like Saturday there was a show for an artist named Approach.

I was hip to him months ago, his label sent me the CD and the wax. So I just figured that the underground community knew about him, but no one came. We need to promote a little more and stretch our arms out and network to people in other cities and let people know that we have a community here that would like to hear your music. Something that does bother me is the fact that a lot of record stores are prejudiced against Hip-Hop.

They will stop selling records, or move the records around their stores, or they hire employees who do not know about the music so they are ordering hundreds of Lil' John CDs that never fly off the shelves and then they want to stop selling Hip-Hop all together. We need to strengthen this whole community and everyone needs to do a little more research.I feel like my career is growing, I‘m getting a little busier and making a little more money. It never started out being about the money, but one day someone handed me some money after a gig and then I was just like "I got to get that." It’s nice, I can make money doing what I love.

Being a DJ in Minneapolis is interesting. It’s always something new, it’s never the same atmosphere and that’s what’s fun about it. It’s a challenge every time, going through the crates getting ready for a show. I don't just have a set crate, I can't do a crate and leave it here and come back next Saturday and use the same crate. I’m always in a different mood and it’s fun to go off of who is going to be at a show performing. I'll build my crate off an artist’s character or the type of crowd they draw. I'll just start building. I may bring James Brown one night, then Portishead, sometimes rock, alternative, whatever. I like playing off people's emotions in a club. Sometimes they dance, sometimes they lounge. I can still put people into a state of mind.

Compared to a big city where they want the music now, they want to hear their song, and, if not, they are ready to rush the DJ. Here people know what to expect from you. I dig that.In my free time I’m also interested in activism. I’m trying to help fathers get more rights when it comes to child support and I want to help former prison inmates get their lives back together.

If Hip-Hop didn't influence me to be the person I am I wouldn't be into activism or as sentimental as I am. A lot of people I have dealt with have had a positive effect [on ther personal values] from Hip-Hop. I want to urge DJs to stop playing so much new stuff and start playing more classics because we are forgetting. There is a generation gap starting in 1988 and the story needs to be told. Hip-Hop here emerged in North Minneapolis.

Now it seems like Hip-Hop in Minneapolis is more of an entertainment thing—MTV versus a lifestyle. I urge people to come out and kick it. Everyone is in their own little worlds and their own little chamber. And for the record, I use a Stanton Mixer but I like Vestax Mixers and I’m using the Technique 1200 for life. I check in with http://www.allhiphop.com/ everyday. Also, Freddie Fresh has a book that everyone needs to cop. You can catch up with DJ Stage One at the Dinkytowner every Saturday and at Soul City Supper Club on Wednesdays and at The Red Sea on Thursdays. You can also e-mail Stage One at djstageon@aol.com.

Interview: Dj Kool Akiem

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

by Kandis KnightAs the summer drags on and the city seems lifeless, I thought I’d catch up with someone who moved out of this city for some inspiration. Although the Micranots sadly are no more, we still got mad love for DJ Kool Akiem who is currently in ATL (Atlanta, Georgia). This one I had to do out of love and respect ‘cause this brotha’ has paid his dues here and he has moved on. I know his thoughts expanded my horizons. Pulse: What’s playing in your CD player right now? Akiem: MM Food by MF DOOM. He got some of my favorite cuts on there. “Hold Hot Shit,” love that one. Pulse: How long did it take to complete The Emperor and The Assassin? Akiem: It was a long process, I started the pre-production in Brooklyn, then stayed in Minneapolis for a couple weeks to track the vocals then a I did all the post production, arrangement and interludes back in Brooklyn, Pennsylvania and Atlanta. Originally I planned to mix it in New York, but that didn’t work out, so I went to Atlanta to mix. Really I would have liked to mix it in Minneapolis but that wasn’t going to work. Pulse: How Does The Emperor and The Assassin differ from your other Micranots releases? Akiem: I think it’s a lot more solid album, everything fits almost like a story. But at the same time there are more singles to choose from, it’s a little less esoteric then other albums. Pulse: Are you from Minneapolis? If not where are you from? Akiem: I grew up in San Diego, then my family moved to Minneapolis where I spent my teenage years. So Minneapolis is an important city for me, where I became an adult. Then I moved to Atlanta. I never really felt at home in Minneapolis. There was like a personal tension between myself and the whole city. Not to mention certain people or elements of the city. It was probably just shit I went through as a teenager. Still, it’s cold as hell and dominated by some liberal white culture shit. Things have changed a little. I still hate the MPD for too many reasons, individual pigs, too. So when I left, I felt like I was escaping. I still remember leaving the city limits in a packed up U-haul, like “damn I finally made it out that place.” When I got to Atlanta, even as an outsider I felt more at home. It’s nice and warm, the police didn’t bother me if I didn’t bother them and plenty of black people doing real well. The opposite of Minneapolis. At least that’s what it felt like at the time. Pulse: How do you feel the city you were raised in affected you? Akiem: That’s a hard question, DNA, or environment? Besides causing me to hate the snow and cold weather, possibly more than if we stayed in Cali, I think that coming up in Minneapolis has taught me about a particular mode of racism: that special liberal progressive racism that seems to control the city. It’s different than in the South, ATL, where the racism is separatist and disengaging, “I don’t like you, you don’t like me, do you want to do business? Yes. okay fine.” While in Minneapolis it’s more engaged and complicated “Yes I like you people, of course we should do business, I’m sure you need my help right?” Then, If you’re not white in Minneapolis you get seen as being “other then normal,” like white is regular and anything else is “different.” You go to other cities like NY and that feeling is hardly there, white isn’t the default. The “flesh” colored crayon isn’t necessarily pink other places. Then you have this thing where too many black people in one place is cause for alarm, it doesn’t matter what they’re doing, they could be campaigning for Bush and white people will still be all spooked (scared). I still don’t get over the strangeness of being in a mall with nothing but black people, shopping, running all the stores, and what not. But then you have a white family, kids and everything come in and shop like nothing’s wrong. You know god-damned well they were not raised in Minneapolis, because they would have been running out the place and calling the police. Pulse: Now since you’ve left, what are your hopes for the Twin Cities Hip-Hop Scene? Akiem: Honestly I’m not too concerned with the Twin Cities Hip-Hop Scene, except for its relevance to my good friends. I mean, I’ve started to focus more on personal relations with people, rather than scenes. People outlast scenes and even movements these days. Pulse: Why did the Micranots break up? Akiem: That would be a riddle, wrapped in a question, locked inside an enigma so to speak. I think it was more of one person quitting rather then a breakup. If I tried to answer why, I would invariably be incorrect in whatever answer I give. I have my interpretation, but I will leave that be. It’s just kind of a shame, and somewhat laughable to see a crew disintegrate on the official release date.Pulse: Are you still down with RSE? Akiem: I’m still down with RSE and I left Minneapolis like ten years ago, it’s too long ago to be missed. I don’t feel “home sick” or anything. ATL or even Brooklyn is more my home now. You know RSE ain’t only Minneapolis anymore, we got crews from other cities on RSE now. Pulse: Were there any life-changing events for you in 2003? Akiem: Probably going on the Seven’s Travels tour. I’ve toured before, but not 60 cities. The main skill I acquired from that was being able to get on the mic. I did all the back up vocals for the show, not something I ever did.Pulse: What were your most memorable shows in the last year? What shows are you looking forward to in the immediate future?Akiem: The most memorable was the very last Micranots show at the SXSW in Austin, Tex. last March. Even if fools weren’t even speaking [to each other within the group] we pulled off a really good performance for professional reasons. I played with Musab and MF DOOM that night. I’ve done some more shows with Musab, like opening for Ghostface. And I also went with DOOM on the Talib Kweli tour around the country. And I should be with DOOM on the “MM Food” tour with RSE.Pulse: Do you have any shows booked? What are your plans for the summer 2004? Akiem: I was going to go in the “And 1” basketball tour for Scion cars, but they ended up booking someone cheaper. Someone observed that they just wanted a DJ at their booth for visual reasons rather then for the commercial set I was going to give them. Shit, I would rather stay away from that corporate stuff anyway, but I do have to put money in my pocket still. So for the summer I will be taking care of a lot of family things, traveling and probably make it back up there soon. Pulse: Which company handles your publicity...management? Akiem: None, right now. I mean the Micranots broke up only a couple months ago. If/when I put a project together for RSE, they will do that stuff. Pulse: What do you think you have learned about the business that you’d wish others knew? Akiem: That even small independent labels will try to fuck you over just like the majors. Its all a game.Pulse: Who are some of your favorite national Hip-Hop artists and how have they influenced you? Akiem: Marley, Premo, and the RZA. Marley for blending loops and song structure with scratches and shit. Premier for chopping shit up real good and rearranging shit. And the RZA for bringing out that rugged off beat shit, cutting tracks on and off in ill places.Pulse: Any advice for Twin Cities artists?Akiem: Not really specifically to the TC, but I’ve got a lot of advice. It’s more specific, and less general, you know, there’s no magic route into the music industry. I wont say “Hip-Hop industry.” Hip-Hop is a culture. Pulse: What did you hope to achieve by moving out of the Twin Cities?Akiem: I achieved them a long time ago, escape, renewal and building. For more information about our beloved DJ Kool Akiem, please visit his official website.

Interview: Lyrasis

Interview: Lyrasis (Minneapolis)
by Kandis Knight

Depending upon how diverse your Hip-Hop taste is, or how long you’ve been kicking it around the local Hip-Hop scene, you may remember two local females going by the name of Lyrasis and Link (collectively called Double L) from back in the day. I recently caught up with Lyricist a.k.a. Tracie Barber, who is now solo and poised to drop her new album (currently untitled) sometime this year. We discussed her former career as the first lady of Clientele Records (formerly home to Lil’ Buddy) and the new direction her career is taking as she prepares for her “come-back.”

Kandis: Where were you born?

Lyrasis: I grew up on the southside of Chicago.

Kandis: When did you start rhyming?

Lyrasis: I was out when Salt ‘n’ Peppa were out.

Kandis: That’s all you ever need to say! Nuff said. Who are some of your music industry influences?

Lyrasis: I would say Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah. Because they’re not just artists, they branched out into other areas of the Hip-Hop business. They’re multitalented. I would want to follow their path into acting and producing. I co-produced some of the music on my new album.

Kandis: Did you go to college?

Lyrasis: Yes, I went to business school in Chicago. I got a two-year certificate. Kandis: Tell readers about your career, the highs and lows.

Lyrasis: I’ve pretty much done it all [in the Twin Cities Hip-Hop scene]. I’ve opened up for Jay Z, MJG, Twista, All For One, Jodeci. On the high end of my career, I can say I have done a lot of performing here and I have learned how to work the crowd. On the low end, I was signed to Clientele Records and some things went on and I was released from my contract.

Kandis: How long were you with Clientele?

Lyrasis: For two years and we were released from the label about two years ago due to the difficulties. Our album was next in line to drop. [Unfortunately], it was never released.

Kandis: You mean the Lil’ Buddy situation?

Lyrasis: Yes, but it was still a good experience. We got to shoot a video in New York that actually was playing on BET. It was a very good experience I didn’t know it took that long to shoot a video. It took almost like 24 hours [of shooting to complete]. By the time it came on BET I was like, “I don’t even want to see it.”

Kandis: So what’s up with Link?

Lyrasis: She’s still my girl but she decided Minnesota was not for her and she moved off to Detroit and St. Louis. She’s also getting back into the studio. Hopefully we might do a reunion project.

Kandis: Even though you’ve been doing your thing for a long time locally this forthcoming album is your debut solo album, right?

Lyrasis: Yes. I was on the Vibe Compilation and we recorded with Sounds of Blackness in 1999. We had singles out getting air play on the radio, our debut project, however, was never released because of the trouble at the label. So I’m starting fresh, new material, new team, new producers. I went through a lot but everything made me a stronger individual.

Kandis: What are your goals?

Lyrasis: Everyone says you can’t blow up or make it out of Minnesota. A lot of people try to establish themselves here and then they move out of town thinking that they can do better elsewhere. I want to prove them wrong by getting organizations to work together and look out for local artists. There is a lot of talent here. All the artists need is a solid platform. I have a strong relationship with KMOJ and B96 and I think they really have a forum to get local music some exposure.

Kandis: Why do you feel it’s so difficult for females to make it in Hip-Hop?

Lyrasis: I think a lot of it has to do with males not seeing females as being “hard” enough. There are some females that come hard, but it’s hard for females to get on because men run most of the labels. Big ups to Queen Latifah. It’s a male dominated industry, all the guys are putting their buddies from college and high school on. It’s hard for a female to get heard.

Kandis: Describe your style?

Lyrasis: I don’t put myself into any categories, however, people say I fall somewhere in the Eve and Foxxy Brown category. Kandis: That’s a dang good category to be in. (laughs).
Lyrasis: I love them both, Foxxy please come back.

Kandis: Who would you like to collaborate with?

Lyrasis: I love Kanye West and we’re from the same hometown. Also Twista, I know him personally.

Kandis: Didn’t Twista used to hang out in Minnesota in addition to doing shows here before he blew up?

Lyrasis: Yes. He’s also doing some work with Crucial Conflict—they would all come back and forth up here doing work. I met Twista when we opened up for him about two years back before he signed to Rocafella. I used to see him at The Regal in Chicago when he would perform there.

Kandis: What label are you on now?

Lyrasis: There are a couple deals on the table. Nothing is finalized but everyone will hear about it.

Kandis: Which producers are you working with?

Lyrasis: I’m working with Flinch Productions and we have a clique called Ill Saga.

Kandis: How many tracks will be on your new album?

Lyrasis: We have eight tracks done and we are shooting for 14.Kandis: What’s your favorite track so far?

Lyrasis: It’s a track called “Kitty Kat.” It’s a feisty little song.Kandis: Meeeeoooowwww. (laughs). I guess that’s the proper ending to an interview with one of The Twin Cities more established female emcees.

Interview: T. Hud

T-Hud (Minneapolis)
Published in The Pulse of The Twin Cities
Take a listen
by Kandis Knight

Many of us only know one side of Troy Hudson and that is as a basketball player for The Minnesota Timberwolves. I recently sat down with Mr. Hudson in hopes of learning as much as I could about his other side, the side that is set to debut in July 2004 when he will be releasing his first album, The Stress of Both Worlds. Sure we talked a little basketball (our interview took place in the midst of the T-Wolves playoff drive on May 20), however, due to his ankle injury and the excitement this superstar had about his album we dove head first into the business of his music business.

Kandis: So what was the highlight of the game for you last night [the T-Wolves game No. 7 Western Conference Semi-Final victory over the Sacramento Kings]?

Troy Hudson: The highlight of the game, we were up by four points the game was going back and forth. We were making a run and KG hits the three pointer over two people, puts us up by seven. I think that was when the momentum of the game changed. It gave us an edge.

Kandis: You’re an extremely driven person, what was your childhood like?

Hudson: Poverty, but not to the point where I couldn’t eat. I’m not going to say I had a great upbringing but my family was always behind me. My mom was always there, my grandmother. I had the things I needed, not the things I wanted. I didn’t have as much as a lot of kids had. That’s why I worked so hard to get them out of the projects as well as myself. Everything wasn’t always easy.

Kandis: What lessons have you learned from your ankle injury?

Hudson: I learned that one day it can be here and the next day it can be gone. When you’re coming up coaches always tell you to get your education because you never know when you could break your leg and never play again and that never happened to me until now. My ankle is healing now but it is still not a guarantee that it’s going to heal completely. The doctors say I will be fine, but it’s all up to God in the end. You just learn to take advantage of the blessings and the opportunities that God gives you and always look forward to seeing each day. With this ankle injury I wake up every day and I want to play in the next game [but I can’t] and it’s tough. You learn that on a day to day basis when you’re healthy you take a lot of things for granted.

Kandis: What were your thoughts when KG was elbowed [referring to the flagrant foul by Sacramento’s Anthony Peeler, a former Timberwolves player for six seasons, in game 6]?

Hudson: What was I thinking? Well I had just watched the Roy Jones fight the night before so I was kinda impressed that KG didn’t go down. He has a stronger jaw then Roy Jones but I thought that would really fire KG up. He’s the type of guy that gets fired up off of stuff like that. I really thought we had a stronger chance of winning that game, I thought he was going to come out and hit like 40 points in the next quarter.

Kandis: What was the overall mental journey like finishing this CD? I know it takes a lot out of an artist to put out that much creativity.

Hudson: It takes a lot out of you, a lot of time a lot of effort. You know finishing the album was great for me because you might do 60 or 70 tracks and you have your album completed until you turn on BET and you see a song and you’re like, “Man, I need a song with that type of feel on my album!” So you go back to the studio and try to create a song with that type of feel. It takes awhile until you’re satisfied with your album. It’s a relief that I have it all done.

Kandis: Are all of the tracks complete, mixed and mastered?

Hudson: They’re all complete besides the two tracks left that need to be mastered. I’m saying that’s it right now, I don’t want to listen to another track. You keep getting tracks from producers and you listen to them and you start thinking, “Man this would be hot on my album!” I don’t want to listen to any more tracks I want to be satisfied with the album.

Kandis: How many tracks are there?Hudson: There are 18.Verb: What type of feedback did you receive when you initially told people that you wanted to put out an album?

Hudson: What was their feedback? Their feedback was “Uh do you think you can be successful? Kobe tried it, Shaq tried it, a lot of athletes tried it.” All that feedback did was fuel me. That fueled me to the point where I was like I’m gonna prove them wrong. I’m going to prove that an athlete can do more than one thing if he has the love for something, and I have the love for music. That is what I set out to do was prove people wrong and at the same time prove to myself that I can make a successful album, you know, make something that sounds real good.

Kandis: What label are you signed to?

Hudson: I have my own independent label, NuttyBoyz Entertainment, a label that I started because I didn’t want to be in a long contract where they are taking all my money out of my pockets. I had the money and the finances to do it myself, that’s the way I wanted to do it, you know, so I could reap the benefits.

Kandis: What company will distribute your album?

Hudson: A group called BCB out of Houston, Texas, an affiliate of FYE. I’ll have a bunch of stores that will be distributing my album, they gave me a great deal. Like I said, I want to benefit from the hard work that I put into this album.

Kandis: When is the release date set for?

Hudson: July 2004 and the album is called The Stress of Both Worlds.

Kandis: Do you know how many units will be released?

Hudson: I haven’t got to that point yet but I am definitely planning a regional strategy as well as promotion starting with the Midwest area. I feel it is the type of music that will catch on and spread across the country and world. It will catch on in the Midwest region first.

Kandis: How long did the album take to complete?

Hudson: It took probably six months. It took that long because I’m a writer and a performer, not a producer or engineer. I had to book studio time and I had to wait for people to mix my CD. If it was up to me it would have been finished in a month because that is how hard I work. I can write a song in like an hour. I go in, I write the song

Kandis: In addition to Twista and Crucial Conflict do you have any other collaboration on the CD?

Hudson: Yes I worked with Devin the Dude from Rap-A-Lot who has done things with Dr. Dre’ and Jay Z. He is one of those artists they call up for a certain type of song. I have a song with Bizzy Bone from Bone Thugs in Harmony, he’s a great artist. I did songs with my artists, Mounique (Philadelphia) and KK (Milwaukee).

Kandis: What’s your favorite track on the album?

Hudson: That’s tough. I can’t really narrow it down to one because I have so much versatility on the album. I have some crunk songs that are really good down South. If I’m riding around and I really want to be in that mood I can do that. I have love songs for the females because I really enjoy that type of music. I have some really serious songs that deal with some serious subjects, it depends on what mood I want to be in.

Kandis: What song will you release first?Hudson: “Killanoiz,” because I’m from Illinois. I’m from Southern Illinois, Carbondale, about five hours south of Chicago. Crucial Conflict, Twista and Belo from Do or Die are on that track. Those are three of the top Illinois acts, and I wanted to put them on it to create an anthem for Illinois.

Kandis: Are there plans being drawn up for a CD release party?

Hudson: Yes we will definitely have one here. We will probably have three parties, one in Illinois.

Kandis: Which producers have you worked with? Hudson: S. Francis, he’s out of Philadelphia and he’s done work for Beanie Segal, State Property. He’s done work with Jigga. I have an in-house producer named Baco, he’s done stuff with Public Announcement and a lot of guys from Chicago. A guy from Minneapolis named Benobi. Naki, The Beat man, he had the evening slot on WGCI radio as well as production.

Kandis: How did you meet Twista?

Hudson: Mounique, one of my artists, did a nation-wide song with Do or Die in 1997 called “Can You Make it Hot Like This?” She had a video to it and the video did well, now she’s signed to my label. She’s originally from Philly but she lived in Chicago for 10 years and she was in the Chicago music scene and she knew Do or Die so we got Belo from Do or Die to come do the track first. Belo knew Crucial Conflict, they came down and showed love. Crucial Conflict knew Twista and they told Twista “Get over here it’s hot!” He came down and he showed love and it was just a blessing that all them guys showed love when they really didn’t have to.

Kandis: What do you hope people learn about you from your music?

Hudson: That it is serious. It is not a hobby. I spend a lot of time doing it. I can really flow. I really put thought into my music. I am a creator. I want people to know that I am a creator. I want people to know that they can come to me and be like “Hey we need a hot hook or we need a hot 16.” This is serious, this is not just a hobby because I’m in the NBA and I got a lot of money to waste, cause I don’t. I want people to know that I am really pursuing a dream, my music.

Kandis: What other types of music do you listen to?

Hudson: I listen to R & B, rock, gospel. My favorite is Blues. I like B.B. King, Bobby Bluebland, Tyrone Davis. I’m real old-fashioned. I don’t listen to new school R & B, I like Luther, Teddy P., Levert. That’s the type of music I listen to cause I have like an old soul.

Kandis: What CD are you bumping in your Range right now?

Hudson: Um mine. Mine. Naw, I might have something like some R. Kelly, some Tupac, some Scarface. I might get criticized later on if I don’t say Jigga. I like all music but if I’m really going to sit down and want to think and want to really listen to some music, I’ll throw in some Tupac. I’ll put on the mix tape and let it ride.

Kandis: Where do you hope to be in five years?

Hudson: A couple platinum albums of my own, platinum albums of the other artists on my label. I want to have a label that doesn’t only consist of rap and R & B, I want a label that has every genre represented. I want to be behind a desk making decisions as CEO, I want to go on tour and make music also, but I also want to be making decisions.

Kandis: Have you worked with any other artists from Minneapolis?

Hudson: I worked with a guy named Jabba, he does Jamaican music, a girl by the name of Timotha Lanae, she’s real jazzy and soulful, and the producer Benobi.

Kandis: Do you know any other professional athletes who are working on albums?

Hudson: I don’t know any that are doing albums but I know a lot of them are really into Hip-Hop. This is a Hip-Hop generation, these guys grew up with Hip-Hop. A lot of the guys coming in now are really talented when it comes to Hip-Hop. I want to be the first person to really kick that door down.

Kandis: What city do you represent most?

Hudson: Illinois. I’m not from Chi-town but I do rep the Chi because it’s part of Illinois. I grew up listening to Do or Die, Crucial Conflict and Twista you know? Chi town is like a second home.

Kandis: Do you battle rap?

Hudson: No, I don’t battle rap. Actually a couple people and me had a discussion about this yesterday. It is great if you can battle rap but the songwriters who can make a hit song can make the money. There are a lot of battle rappers who are real good, they can eat you up, but when it comes to writing a hit song, they can’t do it.

Kandis: Do you have a video completed?

Hudson: I’m working on the storyboard right now for a video for my song “Killanoiz.” I want to be the one who directs my video. I think I have the talent and ability to do everything. If you want to be the head honcho you got to know how to do everything. If it was up to me I would make a video for all 18 tracks.

Kandis: In what ways do you feel your music is groundbreaking?

Hudson: First of all, I’m a professional basketball player so I’m going to bring it like no other. It’s going to be different, Shaq brought it and he went two times platinum, Allen Iverson brought it but it was never released. I think when people hear this they are going to be like, woah, finally a guy who plays sports is bringing it like he is really from the block.

Kandis: How would you describe your style?

Hudson: It changes from track to track. I have let people hear it from outside of my clique and a lot of people love it. Most people don’t know it’s me from track to track because it changes so much.

Kandis: Do you have a website?Hudson: http://www.nuttyboyz.com/ it should be up by the time people read this. You can click on there and learn more about me as a person, a basketball player, a rap artist, the CEO of a label, clothing line all types of things.

Kandis: What’s the clothing line called?

Hudson: I don’t know yet but once people read this it should be up and running. I have so many ideas for a clothing line, I just need to narrow it down to one.

Kandis: What’s your advice to young people interested in careers in the NBA and in Hip-Hop?

Hudson: Keep your dreams alive. Continue to work hard and don’t listen to people who tell you what you can’t do. I came from a small town and I was the first person in my town to ever make it to a professional sport. I was always told “Man, nobody has ever made it out of here.” Cause they had never seen that but I always knew I would make it. I worked hard and I never took no for an answer.

Kandis: What’s a lesson about the Hip-Hop business you wish you would have learned sooner?

Hudson: There are always things you wish you would have learned sooner. I’m still learning, I’m still going to make a lot of mistakes. I’m not going to look back on my mistakes and say I wish I wouldn’t of did that because if you didn’t make a mistake you wouldn’t have learned a lesson. There are always going to be things you can learn from. I’m just learning each step at a time. You never know when you are going to make the wrong decisions. I remember when I first came out I was pressing up posters and doing all types of things months before I knew when my album was going to be released. Not knowing that people are going to forget about that before the album was finally released. I learned lessons like that but you are always going to learn more as you go on.

Interview: Contac

Contac (Minneapolis)

Published in The Pulse of the Twin Cities

by Kandis Knight

“I don’t talk about no guns. You’ll never hear me saying I’ll shoot ya. I don’t talk about no dope slanging. I don’t got no keys. I don’t got no homies coming in from Guatemala. I don’t talk about none of that. I’m mostly a party oriented type of cat, I talk about a lot of kicking it,” said Contac, Minneapolis’ most nationally recognized “crunk-tified” emcee.

His style is definitely for those who love to party and get “crunk-alated” and I am sure we all have it in us from time to time to just scream out “Eeyeaya!”

“I’m still from the hood, you can’t take that from me,” says Contac, obviously already used to defending his style of music. “To me it’s not about being hard, it’s about being thorough and real with yours. I keep mines moving, I don’t judge people. Y’all might not like me telling a girl to shake her ass or telling the homies to hit that and pass it, you might not like the whole party thing, but everybody parties. I’m