One Time @ Bandcamp With... Jus Moni

I've been spotlighting a number of talents found via Bandcamp, until now they've been from outside of Seattle. Last week I sat down at the Faire Cafe with Jus Moni to talk about her debut project and her life here in the six. Tonight she releases the project with a special celebration at Chop Suey. If you are still in town you should definitely check it out.

You grew up in Seattle?
Yeah.

Where abouts?
Central District and Becon Hill, between the two.

What were your parents playing, what did you grow up hearing in the house?
Oh, well I've always stayed with my grandmother and she is Cambodian so we've always listened to Cambodian music. But what I gravitated towards Pete Rock, CL Smooth, Pac, Biggie, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, just a mixture.

Do you still listen to the Cambodian music?
Yeah always.

When did you start signing?
It's really corny because people are always like I started singing as soon as I could make sounds, but I probably did. But when I started singing and taking it seriously was probably when I was like 12 or something.

How did you connect with the heads you have on your record?
Me and Lace met early last year, not sure how we met but we just did. It was probably through mutual friends. We finally got the opportunity to work with each other and put out the single and that was great.

With Khingz, he is like my brother, he has always been like my older brother. So finally got the opportunity to make music with him, that's awesome.

Cripsy I don't know that well, I met him through Khingz.

In the days when Laced Up used to be open on Pike and we all just kicked it in the shop and SOTA Boys would come through, well Thad was working there and we didn't know he could rap for hella long. And then Parker and Nate just came along. That was some years ago. I knew that Parker had skills when it came to recording and engineering and all that stuff so I was like let me hit up Parker before I make this project.

With Kuddie, it's funny we have never even met in real life and Kuddie listened to a song I was on the hook of with Thad, Good Sin and Tay Sean. So he heard that and hit me up on twitter saying can I send you some beats? I was like yeah whats up. I was sleeping on his beats for hella long and when I finally got to a point where I was ready to start creating music I hit him up asking for permission and he sent me even more. That's why the majority of the project is all Kuddie.

Your Relationship with Sin goes back too?
Kellen is also like my brother, they all consider me like their little sister but we are really close. He has been in my life for a couple years too.

What can you tell me about the session for that track, "Turn Me On"?
Nooo… Actually, let's see. We were all in the studio and Tay Sean is hella funny. In the studio, even in life he is just hella funny so we always have a good time when we get together. Then Thad, The Good Sin, it was just funny. We came together and wrote our verses together, laid it down, it all came together really quick.

Is that you rapping next to The Good Sin on "Almost Lover"?
Yes.

Are you gonna be rapping more?
I do rap. Sometimes. I only rap for a verse, even half a verse. But I do rap. And I do have a side project called the Game Show Winners. It's Khingz, DJ WD40, Amos, Belicia, and Hollis from Canary Sing. We are called the Game Show Winners and I'm rapping all in the Game Show Winners.

Is that gonna out at some point?
Yes, at the release party we have something special.

Did you have the whole project done in your head before you sat down in the studio with Parker?
Not all of it, most of it was like party music that I had written out to all the beats and when I came to Parker there was still some production that I hadn't written over and that's where he came in, started giving me ideas. I really trust Parker's judgement and his musical genius and so we would go back and forth and stand on tables in the studio and come up with ideas and start spitting out words and it just came together.

So he was providing more than just being a technical recording engineer?
Definitely, that is why he is executive producer on the project. He had so much input with how things sound, what kind of harmonies can I use, how should the song be arranged, can we cut this verse here and put it here, he was all into it. So I appreciate him. I've never been in the studio with somebody who can help me and guide me in the direction I need to go to make an incredible song, so it worked.

What are you working on now, after this?
Game Show Winners stuff. But also I want to travel with Ready For Life, like next year. But I'm sure I'm gonna get back in the studio and start working on the album Spring time next year and it come out early 2012.

Growing up were you hearing Seattle rap?
Probably when I was younger it was like Absynian Creole. It was probably just because I knew Gabe and Khalil. Other than that not really, I wasn't really checking for Seattle rap either. A lot of Seattle Rap is wack.

A lot of what you mentioned was rap, were you listening to much 90s R&B?
Oh Monica? Me and Monica go back, that was my girl. I didn't mess with Aaliyah that much but I sure did know all of her songs lyrics. Not really. I so much gravitated towards just hiphop and rap as my influences and even what I listen to daily. De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest. Tribe Called Quest is probably the biggest influence in my whole music career into even what I do, how I perform, everything.

Have you been doing shows for awhile?
I have, I started doing shows when I was like 12. Seattle young people's project used to host the MLK hiphop show that happened every year in Seattle and we used to have our shows at the Vera Project so we'd rap at the Vera Project or have a guest appearance at like Chop Suey or something for Gabe. It's been a minute, I haven't locked down the town yet but it's been a minute.

What's your set like?
For the release party I'll be performing the first half of my set with DJ WD40 and the second half of my set with Big World Breaks, the live band. So it's gonna be a whole different feel, atmosphere.

Have you rocked with them before?
No, I don't think I have. Maybe with Aaron Walker-Loud just playing drums before at Lo-Fi or something but not with the whole band and just me singing.

So are you trying to get to performing with a live band?
Yeah definitely. I want to travel with the live band shit. I love my DJ, Waylon, he is awesome and he plays cuts. But just the sound of the live band, it's a different experience. You are able to bring people in and take them there.

Are you gonna be getting any DJ WD40 beats in the future?
Well that's the Game Show Winners, all him and Amos.

Is there any modern stuff you are listening to?
Helladope, I fuck with Helladope. SOTA. Now with the modern stuff I really listen to local, modern shit. I fuck with Wiz, not heavy but I fuck with him. Currensy, love that guy. U-N-I, Pac Div, Kendrick Lamar, Diamond District. Those are some cats.

What's your favorite album of the year?
Oh shit… Album of the year would have to be Bilal. The album he just dropped, Airtights Revenge. Album of the year.

Who would you like to collaborate with outside of Seattle?
I really want to work with Exile and Oddisee. Filthy. My whole dream, like I'm living to work with Lauryn Hill one day. If that ever happens, I don't know what I'm gonna do, that's what I'm living for is that opportunity. Also on a lower scale, I'd love to work with Blu, I think that would be incredible. Such talented artists.

Last words?
Come to the show, Dec. 22nd!

---

Thanks to Moni for sitting down with me!

One Time @ Bandcamp With... Bodega Man

As per usual with the Bandcamp interview, if you missed Bodega Man's album check out the review of it from Monday! I came across this album just as it dropped in February, I'd just gotten a job and was starting to feel a little more on my feet. The job was serving students at my alma mater which didn't excite me much. One perk was I got to play music all night long, can't ever be mad at that! Bodega Man got a few spins there and a few in the whip, his lyrics about the struggle for a dollar mean something.

Introduce yourself? What should people know about Bodega Man?
Well the name is Bodega Man from East side of Long Beach. I’m a very humble emcee and a college grad with a lot to spit for the masses.

You grew up in the same area that Snoop Dogg did, what can you say about this community? Do you still live in that area?
Well, its a multi- racial community which includes Latinos, African Americans, Asians, and Samoans. Everyone in the community has different culture values and conflicts occur when the different cultures clash. The neighborhood is still rough but after a while, you learn to cope with the environment. I don’t live in the area anymore but I still hang around with my friends who live there.

Your first album never saw release due to it's poor recording quality, what did you change in that process to make your second album, The Jazz Album: Recession Thinking, of high enough quality to let the public hear?
A.T. (Average Thought) recommended me to his boy Matt who has a recording studio in his garage after hearing The Bodega Album. Once I recorded a few tracks from The Jazz Album, I kept in contact with Matt from there on. Matt knew what he was doing and gave me some direction for the album as well.



Your producer is A.T., how did you two meet? What is the collaborative process like between the two of you?
A.T. was trying to sell his MPC for 900 bucks and his beats. I didn’t really pay attention to it for two weeks because I had finals. Until one day I looked at his ad again. I wrote down his myspace page info, then I checked it out... man, I was speechless. You don’t come along around people like A.T. His style of beats is what i was looking for because I’ve always admired Jay Dilla beats, Pete Rock, Primo, and Madlib and A.T. had that style. I gave him a call and left a message on his phone. It took him about two days to call back but I had missed his call. He was selling his beats for 150 a pop but I didn’t have that kind of money so we talked it out and managed an agreement. Before he gave me any of his beats, I had to freestyle in front of him at his homeboys pad. When he started to freestyle, I stayed my ass quiet hahahhahhaha. Ever since then everything has been history.

The way A.T. and I handle our collaborative process is by feeling each others idea out or I tell him about the song that I’m writing and he makes a beat or he has a beat ready.

You are a college grad working in the service industry, how does this situation feed your creativity?Well I look at what I have and figure out how I’m going to make it. Even though I’m a college grad I still struggle to make ends meet. Thats when my creative juices start to drip and I’m able to write better music. I feel like people who start from the bottom have that hunger to show the people what its all about.

What did you grow up listening to? Who inspired you to start flowing?
I listen to everything from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, 2Pac, Snoop, Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, Nas, Wu-Tang, MC Hammer, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, oldies music, salsa etc. The people who really inspired me to flow were Mos Def, J-5, Nas, Common, and Talib kweli.

You mentioned that your next album, tentatively titled The Love Album may be your last. Is it still in the making? Still planning to have it be your exit? What would be next for you after that?
Yes, The Love Album: Love In Love Out will be my last album. I am working on it right now and I’m about three songs deep into already. After this album I’ll work on little tracks or throw out songs here and there when I get inspired to write. After this album I’m planing on producing with my boy Tech Advance and see where that goes. I wouldn’t be the greatest at it but I’ll try my best.

What is the overall vibe of Hip Hop in LA today?
In my opinion I feel like LA has lost its touch in hiphop. Most cats are stuck on their selves trying to make it with corny songs. Don’t get me wrong, I respect the hustle but dudes lost that touch. Once in a while you find true gems and say damn, thats hip hop. Overall, the vibe is alright.

Who are you listening to today?
I’m listening to the new Roots album, John Legend, Jose James, Mayer Hawthorne, Dam Funk, Aloe Blacc, Jay Electronica, Little Brother, Nas, 2Pac’s old material, Kindred The Family Soul, Eryka Badu, Stalley, Bilal, Black Keys, Black Spade, Corinne Bailey Rae, Fashawn, Currensy, Incubus, J. Cole, and Blu.



Outside of music, what are your other hobbies? What do you like to do for fun? Believe it or not one of my hobbies is running long distance. Running makes me clear out my mind and forget about everything and its soothing. For fun, I like to go out and find low key food places to eat, drink good beer, and cruise on my beach cruiser.

Are your parents fans of the music? Supportive of the creativity?
My mother loves the material but doesn’t understand some of my tracks. Sometimes I take my mom to my shows and she enjoys them. She’s very supportive in my creativity. I love her dearly.

What's the story behind the name Bodega Man?
Back in college when I did track and field, I was the run to guy if anybody needed anything cheap. If they needed clothes, cheap food, furniture, drugs... I was the run to guy. So that’s when I started telling people to call me Bodega Man because you could find anything cheap at bodegas. For those who don’t know what’s a bodega, it's a small store in the hood where you could find anything from food, shirts, etc except illegal drugs hahahhahha depending where you go.

Have you been to Seattle? Heard any modern hiphop from the town?
I’ve never been to Seattle but I would like to visit. As far as hiphop from Seattle, I’ve never heard of anyone.



Last words? Advice? Shout outs? Words of wisdom?
My last words are for the people who are struggling and that’s to keep your head up through this recession. They say its over but its only over for the 1 percent who rule over us. The advice I would like to give to any emcee is to believe in your craft, never wait on people, and invest your money on yourself. I would like to give shout outs to my whole family, my sugarr, my friends, A.T., Tech-Advance, Flipa, Kiki iz Da Man from France, Young Dub from Arkansas, Daniel Funaki for his bomb pictures, Ashley Caprice and you could catch her at kbeach.org on Wednesdays from 10am-12pm, the whole Dirty Politicians camp, XP from the Rhyme Addicts, DJ Underground from the big ATL and you could catch him at djunderground.podomatic.com, Young Hype, Onwon, Bad Fish from the LBC, State of the Art, Unitus, DJ Yeraflavor, DJ Joni from Spain, Buddah from Reno, Dr. Ebony Utley and all the people who downloaded my craft... I would like to thank every single one of you who supported me either from youtube or my bandcamp site...Thank you.... my words of wisdom would be believe in yourself. peace out!!!!!!

A Conversation with A Dope Boy

What is there to say about 2DopeBoyz? You love it or you hate it. They changed the blog game, the music industry and are delivering a new generation of emcees to the masses free of any overseer. If you've been following Meka since his days talking shit in editorials you probably expect a loud and outspoken asshole. He couldn't be further from his online persona. After he traveled to DC for a show that didn't happen he hoped on a plane and joined us at the HG Lodge to rock an Almost Famous set. Those in attendance heard a set full of great tunes that definitely veered away from his blog rap world. Before he went on I sat down with him for a few minutes on the upstairs deck to learn a little bit more.

You grew up in LA?
Yeah, all over. I was born in Fresno from Carson to Long Beach to Inglewood to Korea Town before moving out to New York last year.

What was your first exposure to hiphop?
My first exposure was actually MC Hammer around the Please Hammer Don’t Hurt Em era. That was my very first tape, as soon as I popped that into the walkmen I fell in love with it. Always listened to it from front to back, when the tape snapped ended up getting my second tape which turned out to be Please Hammer Don’t Hurt Em. My third tape turned out to be Ready to Die and that’s when everything changed though.

So it was the East coast shit that flipped it for you?
Yeah, cause I had never heard anything like that before. First off it was my first dirty album. I wasn’t used to, you know MC Hammer is very clean. Then I got Ready to Die it was cuss word this cuss word that, first I was like I didn’t even know they could do that. To be honest I hated it when I first heard it because it’s too much cussing but after awhile I started enjoy it and it started me to look more into East coast sounds. It’s werid because I was born and raised in Los Angeles but I spent so much time focusing on New York music from like the Illmatic’s, to Only Built 4 Cuban LInx to 36 Chambers and everything in between. I felll in love with New York before I even had a chance to go see New York for the first time. Like I knew as early as my 10th gade year I wanted to live in New York just off the strength of their music scene.

You eating it up being out there now?
It’s not what I thought. I used to always go out there and visit for like a week or so cause I have family and it was basically the tourist thing. But when I moved out there and had to live it was totally different from what I was used to in Los Angeles because Los Angeles is very laid back, slow and has a very chill nature. New York is just hustle and bustle, I wasn’t used to that, public transportation, wasn’t used to the weather, wasn’t used to the people. I wasn’t used to anything out there. Literally for the first six months I hated it and wanted to move back home until I went back to Los Angeles for the holidays and realized oh it’s not as bad as I thought because the same reasons that I left Los Angeles are still there. So now at the moment I can dig it., I don’t like the weather but who does?

When did you first start writing?
I started writing around High School, I just really liked to write. Prior to that I used to draw, it was never very good some people liked my drawing skills back in the day. I always knew there was something different with me from my family cause all of my sibilings, I have four sisters I was the only male in the house. All of my sisters are into law and medicine, became lawyers and doctors and I’m here drawing and writing. I started writing probably around the ninth grade but I didn’t take it professionally until I got out of college and I started freelancing for a local magazine out in Los Angeles and started writing for hiphopDX but because of my job, previously I was a production assistant and an entertainment production company, I didn’t write for two years until I got bored and started picking it up again. I’d say on and off for six or seven years but straight threw for four.

When you and Shake sat down did you ever envision 2DopeBoyz becoming what it is today?
It’s actually funny, we never really sat down. It was because I was writing for hiphopDX that I ended up meeting Shake through that. We ended up meeting for the first time physically at a Rock the Bells in 07. HiphopDX came with the idea of essentially making a Nah Right competitor and put the two of us in there. They were gonna start the whole thing but a couple months passed and nothing happened. In the writers strike a lot of people lost their jobs, I was one of those peoples. After I lost my job I asked Shake when are they gonna start this site, he said we will just start it ourselves and roughly two weeks after I lost my job 2DopeBoyz was born.

Recently On Smash and Splash’s sites got shut down by ICE, what has been your guys reaction to that?
I haven’t really said much because that issue is very touchy and I have to pick and choose my words carefully around it. I was just as shocked and scared as everybody else. We could of been on that list. In my opinion both Splash and On Smash were both wrongfully chosen. Because of it we are just really on our toes now, just being really careful about what content goes on the site. We don’t want to be next on that list. It’s like a witch hunt now. Nobody who is in our field of work knows who is going to be next. We are all just trying to be very careful. We are all hoping this type of shit won’t continue. It’s really a damn shame how it happened cause they got their sites pulled but then the bill to pull it got approved the day after. There is so much wrong, I’m just trying to keep quite. We were pretty much shocked, it was Thanksgiving. Some of those folks, those were their jobs and I feel they are being wrongly profiled and now they don’t have a job because of that. It’s a lot. I’m just trying to stay quite and work.

Out of the artists you guys have broken who are some of your favorites?
I have a couple favorites. Pac Div, TiRon. There is an artist out of Compton named H.O.P.E. - really really dope, of course Kendrick Lamar. It’s funny I started really liking West coast music when I left. In terms of New York there is Tanya Morgan and the Lessondary crew. It’s a lot, I can’t pinpoint just one particular artist.

What is your favorite album of 2010?
There is one thing, it’s not like what everyone’s favorites is. I’ll see TiRon’s MUSTRD is the first thing that comes to mind. Von Pea of Tanya Morgan Pea’s Gotta Have It, Dom Kennedy From The Westside With Love is really dope. Kendrick Lamar’s OD is really dope. Those are the four I can think of right now, I’m freezing cold [laughter breaks out between us].

Ok you are about to go rock Seattle, what’s on your mind?
Thank you. Seriously that’s all I can think of. Thank you to everyone who has shown support in anyway shape or form because if it weren’t for you I wouldn’t be here period. I don’t even think I’d be in New York. I’m just very humbled by everything that has been happening to Shake and I and it’s because of the people. Thank you.

--

Thanks to Meka for sitting outside and answering my questions thoughtfully!

One Time @ Bandcamp With... Poetik Force

The bandcamp discoveries keep flowing here at the MO HQ. On Monday I dropped off the funky and blunted debut album from Poetik Force called The Mary Jane Project - read the review here. As a young new voice emerging out of LA he isn't hopping on the coat tails of anyone, just steady doing his own thing with his team. Breath some fresh air and read up on who this kid is.

Introduce yourself? Who is Poetik Force? How long have you been making music?
Peace Peace. This is Poetik Force, Reppen from The COV 626 "The Cov' Originals"
I been Making Music for about 4 years going onto 5 now. Its been a bleesing creating music for the globe and for our fans.

Where did you grow up? How old are you?
I grew Up in West Covina, California, Beautiful West Coast. Im 21 Years old with a Mastermind, and a successful future.

What inspired you to make music? Was rapping your first attempt?
Everything Inspires me to Make Music, and everything from my past inspired me to make music. Mainly for myself and to get up out of the streets. Before Rap I was into Graffiti Art, thats when i studied Hip-Hop Music and all of Her Roots. And Realized this is what i wanted to do forever.

Who did you grow up listening to? Who are you listening to today?
I grew up listening to alot of different elements of music in tha 90's. From Punk Rock. to Reggae, To classic Rock, and Hip-Hop. I looked at music as a way of life, so i did a lot of listening. Today i' am listening to everything from The Beatles To Curren$y, from Jazz to Nas, from Bob Marley to Jay-Z, from Erykah Badu to Kanye West, etc. To much to Name um all, but theres alot in my books.

What producers are you working with?
I am working with alot of producers right now; Jansport J. Josh G, Spok Beats from Chamber Records, Kaleem "Sincere" Wasif, Salute Tha Gawd from 92Fam. Its been a Blessings to work with Producers like them, They all are way to ILL!!

Do you have a day job?
FUCK A DAY JOB!!!!!!!!!

You put Ms. Botwin on your CD cover, Weeds fans or was it more about the theme of the tape?
Yes my album cover is something unique. Shoutouts to PhillMatic for doing my cover art, and tha idea of havin her on my album cover. im not really a "Weeds" show fan, dont watch much T.V, so it was more about the theme of my Record! (metaphorically)

What is your preferred method to smoke? Favorite chronic strain?
I really dont have a preferred method to smoke, i mainly be rolling blunts all the damn time but, im a universal weed smoker, so anything is good. but my Favorite Chronic Strain, or i should say Kush Strain, would have to be AK-47 or some OG! or some Chronic shake, we in a recession so sometimes it may get expensive!! hahahah


What is the connection between you guys and blakface?
My Connection with "BlakFace" is family! No other words to explain that! They my mathafuken ride or die brothers! Word. They are my Executive Producers by the way on "The MaryJane Project" so its always something special when im with BlakFace. I wouldn't be the artist who I am today with out Funk Logik and Kaleem "Sincere" Wasif!

You familiar with any modern Hip Hop coming out of Seattle?
I'm not really up to date with the modern Hip Hop movement in Seattle right now. I'm definitely shure there some great artist coming out!!

What is in the works right now for Poetik Force?
Im working on a few things right now before the year comes to an end. I'm shooting a couple music videos from "The MaryJane Project" so definitely look our for that. I'm also working on a lil branch on the side of The Cov Originals called "THE ELEVATORS" which include, Myself, BlakFace and Sean Wyze. We are droppin a EP this December and will be droppin a LP early next year 2011!! Keep ya eyes and ears open for that. its going to be something EPIC!!

Any last words? Words of wisdom? Advice? Shout outs?
Last Call! Toast for a new beginning to Hip-Hop. Shoutouts to my whole Team on the Rize - BlakFace, SeanWyze, Hawdwerk, Jansport J, Keon Supreme, Avi The Most Ill, DKing! Knowledge is Self Determination, Follow Your Dreams and Never Give Up "One Team One Dream" ..... "PEACE ONE LOVE"

One Time @ Bandcamp With... 80's Babies

I found Sonic Music early this year via the 80's Babies Bandcamp site. Like so much of what I download I didn't know anything about it, but after it came on in the shuffle a few times I knew I needed to get into it a little deeper. After just one listen I was shocked that this was an album being pushed through their site and by no other means that I'd seen. This is the beauty of Bandcamp and why I've been doing these reviews and interviews. Sure Kanye West may have made the ultimate pop document discussing the current state America has found itself in, but there are a lot of people with things to say, struggles to work out and thoughts to share. Tall Black and Dee Jackson are two of em and Sonic Music deserves your ears.

First up can you introduce yourselves? Who are you, what do yall do, how long yall been at it?
We’re a Chicago bases hip hop group named “ 80’s Babies” consisting of 2 memebers. Dee Jackson is the emcee, and Tall Black Guy is the producer. The groups been together over 4 years now.

Is this your first musical endeavor?
No, we released our debut album 80’s Babies LP in 08. T.B.G is a member of Pathfinders and they have a project out, and Dee Jackson has solo efforts previously released.

Are you guys born and raised in Chicago? What part?
Dee Jackson is born and raised on the south side then moved to the burbs. TBG is actually from Detroit but grew up in Chicagoland.

When did you know you wanted to rhyme/make beats?
Dee Jackson has been rhyming since 97 and TBG has always been a hiphop head, but starting making beats around 2001-02.

Are yall 80s babies? Or is it more about being in line with a sound from a different era?
We are both 80’s Babies, but it’s more about the golden era of hiphop.



How did Rookie films get invovled with yall? Are there more videos in the works?
We are fans of each other. We always loved what they’ve been doing and they have always enjoyed our work. So it was only right, plus those are the homies anyway. Technology video coming soon by Rookie Films.

When did you officially release the album?
Sonic Music was released on May 18,2010

How has the response been locally?
Very positive, lots of love from the home town

How often are you guys playing shows?
We perform on a weekly basis now. For booking hit up 80sbabiesmusic@gmail.com

Who are some artists that inspire you?
Nas, Common, The Roots, J Dilla, DJ Premeire, The Roots, Pete Rock, Mos Def, Slaughterhouse, Blu, Tribe, Lupe, and the list goes on…….

Who do you view as peers within the Chicago hip hop community? Is the scene supportive of each other or are cats all doing their own things?
Chicago hiphop scene is very segregated, but there are some talented cats that we have mutual love and respect for, such as The Pathfinders, Thaione Davis, Primeridian, Kazi the Blak, Yng Sin, K Sera, Allegra Dolores, Kenny Keys, Rashid Hadee, 1773, Fam Squad, Jelify, GQ the Teacha, Radius, Coolout Chris, Amina, Midflex, and many more. Chicago is in good hands.

One Time @ Bandcamp With... Kendrick Lamar

On the first of October I was kicking back at the Batkave, listening to some tunes contemplating the Das Racist show going down that evening at the Comet. Out of no where I got a call from an unknown number. The conversation went something like this.

ME: "Hello"
Caller: "You wanna talk to Kendrick Lamar"
Me: "................... Yes"

Details were flushed out and what went from being a phone conversation became an in person interview prior to his show at Sodo opening for Tech N9ne. Random pairing, you are telling me.

If you didn't read the review of O(verly) D(edicated) at least get the tape cause this is one of the best albums of the year and deserves your ears.

Kendrick Lamar is an intelligent cat who was personable and very honest. He reps his home hard and I learned his CPT heritage has gotten him on the road in the past with The Game - even visiting our city before in 2008. Certainly not your average twenty three year old rapper. Read up.

Introduce yourself, who is Kendrick Lamar?
Kendrick Lamar is Compton, California. Kendrick Lamar the oldest of four. Both parents, from Chicago, came to Compton in ‘84 had me in ‘87. I like to say Compton a lot because that’s what I represent, I represent everything that it holds. You listen to my music it represents a kid that’s trying his best to duck the influences of the city. That represents everyone that’s living in the city. The influence can be police, peer pressure, gangs, drugs, whatever. That’s me.

You say on one song “Half of yall don’t even know Kendrick” - what should people know?
I think one of the misconceptions is that I’m this overall angel at heart. I tell my stuff from the inside looking around rather than the outside looking in. So when I talk about all these ills and these situations, I’m not knocking it or saying it’s bad because I go through the same shit that everybody else go through. I think that’s one of the biggest misconceptions right now, they put me around this whole conscious thing, but I’m just like every other person that’s living in the city. I’ve been through some shit, negative situations where it’s not cool to glorify the shit. I just gotta show people I’m more like them.

Where did you go to high school?
Centennial High, it was cool too.

When did you start rapping?
I started rapping in 8th grade, matter fact 7th grade I was 13. I got inspired by the DMX album because Pac had died, I felt like there was a void missing in hiphop, DMX came with that same type of motherfucking energy and I just got inspired and started writing. Then I went back and studied all the greats, Pac, Biggie, Nas, Big Daddy Kane, everything, just perfected my craft.

That was a lot of East coast names for a West coast head...
Yeah. I grew up on the West coast, I know it. Truthfully I didn’t like Biggie until after he died. I think everybody can say that but they just too scared to say that shit. I didn't give a fuck I was a downright Tupac fan, fuck everything, Bad Boy killa all that shit. Yeah that was me. I was nine years old, I didn’t give a fuck ignorance was a bliss to me. Shit I seen Tupac in person, in Compton, on Rosecrans. You couldn’t tell me shit. I didn’t give a fuck if Biggie new how to rap good. It was all about Tupac. That was just me being a child not knowing shit. After he died, then i started rapping, then I started realizing this is the shit I like to rap about, same shit Biggie, Jay-Z is kicking. Then I went back, got out of my naive ways, studied that shit. Shout out Biggie rest in peace, Pac all legends.

Your parents grew up in Chicago?
Yeah born and raised.

Did you hear a lot of music from Chicago growing up then?
A lot of oldies, just a lot of oldies. My parents, it’s like... The best way to describe my upbringing is, you ever seen Menace to Society?

Yeah.
Remember when Cain is a kid? They had parties every motherfucking Friday. Drunk, smoking, I got tons of motherfucking cousins and older uncles. There was always music in the house, everyday. They played rap, R&B, oldies, so I grew up on a variety of shit which basically is musical influence for me because that’s how I pick my music as far as instrumentals and beats, a lot soul samples, snare drums. It all comes from that.


Who are some of the producers on OD?
I got mostly in house. Soundwave, King Blue, TaeBeast, Willie B. I got a major producer on there named Wyldfire - he produced the Nas and Jay-Z “Black Republican” track. That’s about it right there.

When you say in house, what is that? Is it your company?
Top Dawg Entertainment. It’s the company I signed with at 16 or 17. The CEO is a dude, Top Dawg himself, I put out a local mixtape when I first jumped in the booth at 16 and I spread it locally. It caught the ear of him and he’s believed since and we moving on.

So OD came out for free, then was gone and only on iTunes. What’s the situation with it?
It’s still floating around there for free. I was batteling my company on putting it out for free from the jump. I felt like everybody wasn’t a believer in Kendrick Lamar yet. The Kendrick Lamar EP did great, better than what I thought it would do but i felt like I still need to put out this free music, I ain’t touched everybody yet. They was like nah. It’s a good thing my people believe in me, think I can actually sell. But I was like let’s put it out for free. So we came to a compromise, we put it out on iTunes, put it out for free for a few days and just let it float and see how many people pick it up and make their own links. At the end of the day it turned out a good thing, it still got out to the people that need to hear it, you can search for it if you really want it, and for the people that bought it, it’s letting me know people still buy music and are looking for it.

Who would you like to work with?
People ask me this all the time... It’s cliche to say like Jay-Z, Nas, Andre3000.

Are there some young cats coming up you are into?
I like a lot of neo soul stuff. India.Aire, Bilal, Floetry. That’s the people I want to work with. I think they so musically inclined that they will take me to that next level that I haven’t been. Even though they doing a whole other genre of music I feel they can open up another motherfucking part of my brain where it’ll make me rap better, or make me put together my music as a whole on another level.


What’s the deal with the Black Hippie project?
Ah the Black Hippies, you know what that whole project and that whole idea was just some shit we were sprinkling out and it just caught motherfucking fire as soon as we threw out a couple tracks. We are everywhere with it right now. We working on a mixtape, album shit. We got a whole lot of motherfucking music in the chamber. We can throw shit out anytime but we just want it to be right and get all the artist projects out and let everybody see each individual artist as their own entity so they will know where we come from. Then see it as a group, Ok here is how it all meshes together.

How did y’all come together?
You know we just fell out the motherfucking sky. Schoolboy Q is from LA, Rock from Watts, Ab-Soul from Carson, I’m from Compton, you know those are all local motherfucking cities. We all around the same age group, high schools ain’t but 10, 5 minutes from each other - LA is a small as a motherfucker man. Everybody know each other. So I fall through the Top Dawg studio one day and see Jay Rock, seen him come through Centennial with his gang, his hood or for a female. Ab-Soul, same with him, knew him through a mutual friend, we just all came together at the end of the day.

What’s next after the tour?
Oh yeah I got the album done. I’m just gonna push this motherfucking OD until the wheels fall off and then hit em across the head with the album shit.



What’s the story with the video you dropped today?
You caught that? That’s crazy, we were just talking about that. You heard the “Heaven & Hell” record? I wanted to go totally left field. The “Heaven & Hell” record is basically a description on heaven and hell, on how I think heaven look from an imaginary perspective and hell being the today world we live in today. So the guy cruising from the first point of view in the car is basically saying through all the red lights in life he never stops. That can be one perception. The second one could be everything that’s going on around him he’s still speeding through. That can be the hell perception. It could be all types of violence, type of shooting, extortion, he’s still getting through to do whatever he has to go do. And then at the end of the video he meets a significant other, somebody that he loves and supports him. The whole process of me making the “Hevean & Hell” record I want people to think, the ultimate high is god. But on a spiritual level sometimes people can’t meet them standards, pray and actually believe he is real. So you need somebody in actual life, in physical form to keep your serenity inside of you. So that’s where you see the lady at the end. The lady can be your brother, your sister, or your pops. You always need somebody at the end of the day to keep you sane in this motherfucking world. That’s actually a piece from 1975 and probably the world is just now seeing that shit, I felt it went right with the music.

You got any last words?
Oh shit go cop that Kendrick Lamar OD, that’s all it’s about right now. Just spreading the word about good motherfucking music. Got G Malone in here. He got this Drive By Music. It’s all motherfucking West coast shit, we just trying to bring it back to where it’s suppose to be, the respect we need.

---

Thanks to Alex for hitting me up while in town and making this happen!

One Time @ Bandcamp With... Leonard Dstroy

On Monday I dropped the review for a project by Leonard Dstroy called Higher Vibrations available for free at his bandcamp. I shot him a few questions and he had alot to say. Get familiar with this KC based beat stomper.

Who is Leonard Destroy? How old are you? Where are you from, is it still your home?
My real name is Kyle Dykes. I am 30 years old and I'm from the middle of the map, Kansas City, MO - born and raised.

When did you start making tunes? Were your first music making endeavors in the same vein as what you're on today?
I started DJing in 1994 when i was 14 years old. I didn't start producing til 1999. I actually started playing with a couple bands (Sevenfold Symphony and the Jesse Jackson 5), later on I formed the group Deep Thinkers with my partner Brother of Moses in 2001. We went on to release 4 full length albums and we are still very much active to this day. Since day one, I've always been interested in progressive hiphop and electronic music.

What were you hearing as a kid? What were you digging into as you grew up? Did your parents influence your music listening?
As a kid, I was exposed to a wide variety of music via my father who is an outstanding guitarist and singer. Growing up my dad had a very extensive vinyl collection and I was fortunate to cut my teeth on lots of Soul, Jazz, Rock, Reggae, Dancehall, Funk, Afrobeat, etc... As it turns out he gave me his entire collection as a wedding gift, so now its mine. When I got a bit older, around the time I started middle school, I started getting into hiphop and other things. The first record I ever bought was Coolio's Fantastic Voyage on vinyl haha. I was really into the early beat stuff , like the earlier Ninja Tune catalog. To this day, artists like Amon Tobin, Clifford Gilberto, and Coldcut are still huge inspirations to the work I do. I was also really into Venetian Snares, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher and stuff like that too!!!

Do you have a day job?
Yes, I still hold down a part-time job, but hopefully not for long.

Outside of music, how do you like to spend your time?
Outside of music I like to hang with my wife, friends and family... eat good food, play basketball, watch movies and enjoy the great outdoors. But honestly, I'm a hermit and I really do spend most of my free time in the lab creating.

What's your goal with your music? Are you looking for vocalists to get on your tracks?
My goal with music is to pay the bills doing something I love and also to use it as a opportunity to travel and meet new people. As far as vocalists are concerned, I am always down to work with people who inspire and push me to be better.

How are you as an artist dealing with the changing face of the music business?
I am just trying to go with the flow of things and adapt to the ever changing landscape of music today. I think it is important to embrace all the technology we have at our fingertips and use it to our advantage.

Favorite record label?
Right now I'm really feeling a few different labels.... proboably on my top ten list would be Alpha Pup, Error Broadcast, Elm and Oak, Warp, Brainfeeder, All City, TokyoDawn, Hyperdub, StonesThrow, AND Planet MU.

Are you a vinyl collector? Do you play out either DJin or doin a live production set?
I am a vinyl collector and when I play out I usually DJ, but I am actually making the transition to doing more live production sets in the future.

Are you happy with music today? What's in your ears?
I am very happy with the state of music today. It seems as if there is a renaissance happening right now with progressive beat/bass music in general. There is so much good music coming out every week that it is hard to keep up with sometimes. All over the world people are pushing the boundaries and it is a beautiful thing indeed!

What's next for Leonard Destroy?
Hopefully this year you will see quite a few things from me. I am currently in the process of signing with a label and you should see a full length album and a E.P. in 2011... more information to come on that real soon!!! (Ed. Note: Leonard Dstoy and Elm and Oak Records made the official announcement earlier this month, congrats man!)

Also doing a collaboration album with my right hand man HeRobust that is gonna be absolutely insane, that should see the light of day in the near future. It is gonna melt faces for sure!

Also gonna be releasing a few remixes on a few different labels, and a project with Reggie B that has been in the works for awhile now. Also working with a few very talented Kansas City emcees, and I am planning on getting back in the lab with Brother of Moses sometime this year to start working on the next Deep Thinkers album as well.

You hearing anything coming out of the Northwest?
Yeah Ive heard of a few things coming from the Northwest, but I am still kinda in the dark. I am a big fan of the homie Devonwho's stuff and I really think the Frite Nite guys kick major ass. I would love to get up there sometime this year and check it out. I hear nothing but good things.

Last words? Advice? Shout outs? Words of wisdom?
Be excellent to each other and party on dudes!!!

One Time @ Bandcamp With... TassNata

This week for my bandcamp adventure I went to the North for an emcee out of Canada who goes by TassNata, he makes heartfelt rap that is fully inspired by the mid nineties classics far to few are growing up on these days. If you didn't catch the review or give the album, Between Planets, a listen do that while reading.



Introduce yourself? Where are you from? How old are you? What do you do? How long you been at it?
Yo! I go by the name TassNata, or my goverment is Justin Nerling either is cool haha. TassNata is a play off of latin "Veritas Dignitas" which is truth and dignity, two values i hold very important. Also truth > Justice > Justin > and I'm a libra so my sign is the scales! I recently turned 24, from Vernon BC, spent some years in Victoria as well. I currently work in Kelowna as a mental health worker with autism, and for the schoolboard here as well. Oh yeah, I rap too I guess haha... I been busy writing since at least elementary when I heard Big L, but never recorded until someone showed my how to do it myself when i was 16.

What was your introduction to rap?
I'd say Tupac in Grade 4. My friends older brother bumped it alll the time when I'd be at their house, so I was a big fan until I heard East coast shit, I was obsessed with Biggie, Big L, Jay-Z, and Wu-Tang. I just liked the style more, and how it felt generally.

Does Canada have it's own hiphop history that ran parallel to the growth of the culture in the states?
Of course! Obviously not as internationally dominant as American hiphop became but I mean we had dudes doing it big still! Maestro waddup! The first emcees in Canada I became BIG fans of would have been the Rascalz and Kardinal. But I mean Michie Mee killed it and so many since the 90's.

What is the feeling of the hiphop scene around you? Is it vibrant?
It's cool, where I live there ain't a lot of rappers or artists but MAN, EVERYONE around here is a fan of hiphop. So I appreciate that, and all the support I get at shows. My friend SonReal is from here as well but lives in Van now. Also everyone around here has branched into different things so its great in the sense I'm surrounded by career driven people all the time, they keep me inspired!


You have some Detroit connections on your record, how did those relationships develop? Were you in the lab with them?
Yeah, Detroit is one scene in particular that has me really excited about hiphop in a time when I will admit I was losing faith in the genre. Slum Villa and JDilla were always a major influence to me, before I started rapping. Black Milk came out and dude was incredible, Danny Brown, Apollo Brown, so many people coming out of that side its crazy. We connected through a homie of mine, sup B! who is a promoter and was reaching out to Milk and El for some shows, it just went from there really... dudes were easy to work with and we came out with some crazy tracks! Unfortunately we were not in the lab together but in the near future I'll be heading to Detroit to link and hopefully come out with some new music. We are also starting to lay the groundwork on some videos for the songs as well.

I read through the credits on "Between Planets"... Who are the beatmakers you are working with here?
SOME CRAZY TALENTED INDIVIDUALS!
Big Pops(Northern Profit - Drake, UGK, Dr.Dre,Styles P,Alchemist)
Tone Mason(Grammy Nominees with Fantasia, Jay - Z, Drake, Sean P, AZ)
DJ Crown from France
Neenah from Amsterdam
my homie Lew Ashby
Ominous
Neo Tempus, him and myself are working on an EP right now actually.


Who do you want to work with musically?
TOUGH question, so many people man, I'm such a fan of all music but I'll give a top 10? No specific order. Jay-Z! Ghostface, Lupe, Alicia Keys, Jake One, Premier, Santogold, The Roots, Bilal & Andre 3000.

Are you listening to anything from the Seattle hiphop community?
Blue Scholars, J. Pinder and Jake.... wanna work with ALL 3 as well.

What's in your ears right now?
To be honest for some reason I hardly listen to hiphop in the Fall. I don't know why but I think I blast so much in the summer, I like to switch it up for a bit and come back fresh when all the biggest records come out later in the year. There is a FEW hiphop records im bumpin still though, so I'm listening to The Black Keys, Nina Simone, Big Boi's new album, an old Coheed and Cambria record (Second Stage Turbine Blade), Album of the Year - Black Milk, and Apollo Brown & Boog Brown - Brown Study.

How long was "Between Planets" in the making? Is it your first release?
3 years man. I took a hiatus when my first daughter was born in 2008. I probably did 100 tracks in the process at least and the majority of the songs on there were all made in 2010. Lullabye, Intro, Why, are all three years old.. and the hidden track caled The Everwonder.

What is next?
8 track untitled EP with my homie Neo Tempus (he produced Stars Fade and Between Planets on my album) The EP is going to have some HEAVY tracks, with a more electronic - melodic vibe, something I think will be different than alot of shit out right now.

Last words? Advice? Rants? Words of wisdom?
Thanks for the love! I hope to visit Seattle soon!!

---

Thanks to Tass for taking the time to answer my questions, next week it's a beat head from Kansas, Leonard Dstroy. Till next, thanks for rockin.

One Time @ Bandcamp With... Crispus McFly

Alright, by now y'all should know the deal. On Monday I wrote about Crispus McFly's EP The Wake Up! and now it's time for the conversation with the man. If you still haven't given him a listen, check out this new track he gave us for the interview, it's called "Flavius Valerius."



First up who are you? Where do you live? How old are you? How long have you been making tunes? What are you working with?
I go by Crispus McFly. I'm a 26 y.o. beatmaker in Boston, and I've been makin beats for about 3 years.

Samples sound present in your music, are you a digger/vinyl collector?
Yeah, I dig records.

What music did you grow up on? Who are you listening to today?
I grew up listening to a lot of Moments, Little Sister, Breakwater, mainly Funk, R&B and Jazz with some Gang Starr. I still listen to it and Dilla, Jeru the Damaja, etc.

Do you have a musical background? Play instruments?
I used to play the drums, but stopped after my first year.

What's your day job?
I work in a record shop, buying and selling records.

What kind of downloads are you seeing off the bandcamp? Are you doing this for fun or is it something you are trying to make a career out of?
I make beats for fun, but if it leads to profit, I'm down for that too.

Are you interested in getting vocalists on your tracks? If so, singers rappers? both?
I'd be nice to work with some artists, but I'm good right now on my own.

Do you DJ or perform you tunes out in some capacity?
Naw, I haven't really done any of that yet.

How did you find Choclate Chuck's Goodnight EP? What made you want to reinterpret it? Has he heard your take?
I found Chuck on myspace. We talked through some emails and he liked my beats. So, we did remixes of eachother's EPs. It was good times.

What are you working on today?
Just beats and my job.

Favorite pizza?
Pepperoni

Favorite drink?
Beer.

Favorite book?
Reason: The Manual

An #Almost Famous Conversation w/ DJ Platurn

This weekend we have DJ Platurn of the Oakland Faders joining us at HG Lodge for Almost Famous. The Faders are one of the most respected DJ crews on the left coast and Platurn is well known for his killer party rocking blends and pushing the limits with his creative live sets. I will be joining him on the tables for the opening set so expect nothing but the best jams on party mountain.

For booth and guestlist reservations hit us at: membersonly206 [at] gmail [dot] com

Had to bring this back to the top as I chatted with Platurn this week and wanted to give y'all fence sitters that added push to realization that Platurn is not to be thought about lightly. Come out tonight! Get a booth and go ham to a soundtrack you won't find playing at another club in the town.

Have you played Seattle before? If so do you remember where, who with, any details?
I have, a few times. Mostly at The War Room but some other joints with the homie Marc Sense. Always a blast up there and the food and digs are excellent.

Do you make time to dig for vinyl when you hit new towns? Do you go out when you are home looking for vinyl?
Always. #1 priority - i've been collecting records for 15 years so at this point it's not a daily occurrence like it used to be but I still try to go almost every week, usually to the flea markets around the Bay or to Amoeba Records.

Do you ever play vinyl sets these days?
Most definitely. Pretty frequently actually. I also throw an all 7" monthly called "The 45 Sessions" at The Layover in Oakland. Amazing party and we've had everyone from Kon & Amir to Shortkut come rock it. The 1-Year anniversary is next month and i'm very proud of its success.

You are originally from Iceland, when did you come to the states? Was you exposure to Hip Hop and DJin something that happened when you made the move? Does Iceland have a hip hop scene?
Came to the States for the first time back in '83 and officially in '88. Def exposed to Hip-Hop on a real level when I moved but the culture has existed in Iceland since the mid 80s. Interesting to keep in mind that Iceland is one of the first inhabited countries just out of NY when crossing the Atlantic so a lot of the trends and music landed there before it even hit mainland Europe. They have a thick scene nowadays too.

Who were the first DJs to inspire you and make you get behind the tables?
JAM.....MASTER.....JAY!!! Then Jazzy Jeff, Aladdin, DJ Scratch and so on...

How did you and DJ Spair join forces? Are you guys still collaborating?
I've known the homie Spair since '95 and we started the Faders in 2000. We are still holding down the collective and have some things in the works but he's killin' shit in Vegas these days so it's not always as easy to collab when you're states apart.

Tell me about the Scion mixtape and what that did for you guys?
Got us a lot of exposure for sure. Good amount of press and half a million copies of the CD we made helped get the name out there quite a bit.

What will be playing in your ears on your trip to Seattle?
I actually don't listen to music much when traveling - not the car either. Not sure why that is - prolly cuz i'm around music constantly because it's my work/life that I take little opportunities like that to get some peace. If you're asking what i've been listening to as of late, well i'm loving these "Back To Peru" comps, Moses Hightower from back home and a bunch of random Steel Drum joints i've gotten my hands on.

What can the crowd expect from a Platurn set in 2010?
Hard to say - I'm all over the place these days. I tend to lean towards the obscure but energetic and funky remixes, edits and blends but it really has to do with the crowd and the vibe -- classic Hip-Hop and samples, etc. I played a bunch of house in SF the other day - haven't done that in hella long.

Are you excited by modern music? Do you find yourself more inspired by tunes that are older?
I like a lot of the stuff coming out but it is and always has been the music that pays homage to and recognizes the past that I dig the most, even the newer Electro stuff. I love a bunch of the new funk and any Rap or new Disco with a sample in it is gonna perk my ears up rather than something that doesn't. It all depends - there's good and interesting music from every genre and time period. I guess if it sounds genuine and soulful then i'm widdit -- a nice funky breakbeat always helps too.

Last words? Advice? Shout outs? Rants?
Big ups to the Members Only crew for having me out and to the homies Marc Sense, Zac J. and Mike May for taking care of a brother when I roll to town. Oh, and be sure to check out djplaturn.com & oaklandfaders.com on the regular for all things funky. Peace and all that!

A conversation with the Engineer: Benamin

A lot of people are involved in the creation of a record. Of course the artist and his guests, the producers to a lesser extent, are the stars of the show. They are far from where the process ends however. On Monday I ran a review of Fresh Daily's latest offering Mothership/Land and on Friday we will be hearing from the man himself. Today I want to shed some light on the guy who rarely gets the exposure yet puts in just as much work on a record: the engineer.

Towards the end of the summer Parker of SOTA took a little vacay out east to visit NYC, catch up with friends from college and just relax. Benamin was a peer of Parkers in school and while blowing some dutches in the Zoo it became clear to P that their was some music being made he wanted to see exposed in Seattle. Upon his return he hipped e to Fresh Daily's album. The rest could be called history I suppose. I chatted with Ben via email about what he does, his involvement in the project and more.

Introduce yourself? What do you do? How long have you been at it?
I’m Benamin, a music producer/engineer/mixer. I was born and raised in New York City on the Upper West Side. My passion in life has always been creating and sharing my creations with people. It began with visual art, but I quickly realized (at some point in high school) that my passion is more fulfilled by music.

I have been making music for about 8 years now, and actively working fulltime as a producer/engineer for 2 and a half years.

Was production on your mind prior taking on the technical side of recording?
Yes. I definitely was more in the creative side of music before discovering how music was even made. Prior to attending NYU where I studied recorded music, I had no idea about the world of engineering, mixing etc.

I began making beats when I was about 14 using garageband and quickly realized I was meant to be a producer. Then I learned about all of the other aspects of music production, aside from beat making, and realized it could be a real profession.

How did you and Fresh meet?
I was working on my capstone, thesis project at The Clive Davis Dept. of Recorded Music and was having a really hard time locking down rappers for an album I was trying to create, which I was to be produce, record and mix.

Most of the rappers I was trying to work with flaked on the studio time I booked at the state of the art studios we had at the school, and it became evident that finding an artist who is easy to work with is half of the battle.

I contacted a friend, Alice “Wonderland” Grandoit, of Homebase, because I knew she worked with a lot of rappers.

At the time she was managing Fresh. So I went to a show he had at the Blender Theater to check him out. He smashed the show and I thought he had great stage presence, he could definitely rap, and his image, (fresh streetwear, colorful style and what not) was strong. So I approached him after the show and said I was going to set up a meeting with Alice.

We met at the studio at my school and immediately hit it off. He was looking for production that happened to be the exact direction I was going with my music. Spacey, laid back, synthy, hard drums etc…

I played him a bunch of beats but it wasn’t until our first session, when I played him the beat for "Apollo 13" did he really realize that he wanted to work with me. From there we recorded the whole project “The Times E.P.” at the school and that became my Capstone/Thesis.

Having recorded Mothership/Land, what was your roll if any in the creative process w/ him?
Fresh would bring me a beat, that he may or may not have written to yet, but he would always have the song planned out to the t, making my job a lot easier in that I only had to translate his ideas to a recording. We would play the beat so he could run through the song a couple times (if he hadn’t written anything) and then would record whatever he had. He usually laid the verses in one take, rarely I would give some input and help him arrange the verse.

My input into the creative process really came with mixing and arranging the songs. Because I was responsible for the way the entire project sounded, Fresh and I would talk about the song structure and figure out the type of song is was. Usually with a stereo track of the beat I would do drops here and there to accentuate different lines or to differentiate hooks from verses. In mixing every song I tried to allow his voice to sit in the beat, adding delays in gaps and attempting to fully recreate his vision for the song through the sound of his voice, blended with all the ill beats he had lined up.

Talk about "Space x Time" from you, the producer's, perspective...
I made the beat using logic, it was one of the first beats I made using the software. I used my own drum sounds and first had the drum pattern to which I made a different beat completely. The next day I came back to the drums and added the wider synth pad. I gave fresh the beat and the next time he brought it to the studio he already had the concept/verses written. He explained the Trezure the Empress was going to drop by The Zoo (the recording studio in the Bronx where we recorded the entire project) to sing the hook.

She arrived before Fresh and we had some time to build/brainstorm. She wrote the hook and by the time Fresh arrived she was already recording. The key was mixing the many layers she added. She has a super dope style of using non-traditional, funky harmonies, which made her fun to work with.

Fresh’s verses were recorded soon after and we had the first mix finished by the end of the session.

Will you and Fresh be working on music for the foreseeable future?
ALMIGHTY! Is the name that we take on when we come together as the entity that will be bringing you new music soon!

We are working on a project which I will produce, with Fresh co-producing some tracks.

For the first song we have “Supreme Imperial” Fresh brought me an ill drum loop, which I proceeded to slow down, chop, sequence and then flip. I recorded some epic strings/synths over it and Fresh’s verses came the week after. It’s a smash, but we’re holding off on releasing it until things are more solidified.

Are you employed by a studio? Interning? Is it your own space?
The Zoo recording studio in the Bronx has become my home for the past few months. I recorded, mixed and mastered the entire project, Mothership/Land, there. The environment at this studio was one of the crucial factors that allowed us to finish this in a timely, yet creative manner.

Are you living off music related endeavors? If not, what is your day job?
Im doing music full time. However I work for a marketing company part time where I do everything from street promo to events. I find ways to make money, and will never settle for working an unfulfilling job out of fear that I cannot do what I am passionate about.

You went to college with Parker from SOTA, he keeping you hip to some sounds from out here in Seattle?
Yeah, he sent me the SOTA mixtape, which was really dope.. Since Sophomore year at NYU people were telling me about his beats. It was only closer to the end of the college experience did we meet and realize our common interests.

What's the hip hop vibe like in NY today?
Theres a lot of fucking music going on in NYC right now.

It feels like everyone and their mothers are starting a band and trying to be more different and cutting edge than the rest. There’s even more rappers than bands, but most of them will never get any exposure or recognition, partially because the majority of them are wack. But many of the dope people are underrated also. There is always hip hop shows to go to and it seems as though people are becoming more open to new sounds and innovations rather than expecting a uniform style/sound.

However, it is a very small few right now in NYC that are considered well known throughout various circles and many aren’t even from NYC. New York has always been the breeding ground for millions of emcees daily.

Last words? Shout outs? Advice? Rants?
Mothership/Land will be released in its album form soon and hopefully everyone will cop it to hear the new joints Fresh has sprinkled on as well as the original remixes of songs that initially had unoriginal beats.

There are also some doooope Mothership/Land t-shirts and custom flash drives available to cop designed by the man Fresh To The Every Day himself.

ALSO…

I have been consistently working on my own personal project for the past year or two, in between projects and thangs. It will feature songs I have composed entirely on my own as well as many songs that feature lyrics and various collaborations with other artists.

To anyone in Seattle, or reading this anywhere in the world, follow me TWITTER.COM/BENAMINMUSIC in order to stay updated on my latest music.

I feel a rush of creativity, of songs that have been in my head for months, that need to come out; of beats, drums, chord progressions that will be translated into the first music you will hear that is entirely my vision.

Just stay tuned, promise you won’t be disappointed.

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Thanks to Benamin for the time, peep Mothership/Land here! Stay tuned for the final piece of this weeks Bandcamp investigation - an interview with Fresh Daily!

1982: A conversation with Statik Selektah

Termanology and Statik Selektah came into the world in 1982 and both developed a love for Hip Hop. Their careers developed on their own but the connection never faltered. As Term climbed the ranks as an east coast emcee worth watching via sharp punchlines and vivid depictions of the ills society has to offer. Statik was busy impressing everyone with his monstrous beats that bring back to mind the days of old when NYC ran this rap game and boom bap was the name of the game.

Statik dropped his third solo album, 100 Proof: The Hangover, full of his production with verses from a who is who of the rap biz. Term makes a few appearances and has stayed on his mixtape hustle since the release of his debut album Politics as Usual. The time was finally right for them to do a collaborative project. But when you have history like these two, a love for the culture and skills to back it up you don't just throw something together. You join as one, they call it 1982.

I chatted with Statik Selektah this morning about the music, their history and some other things, check it.

Tell me about the album?
It’s about me and Term’s chemistry. We got an all star line up, but we wanted to take it back to what we grew up on, Black Moon, EPMD, dynamic duos of a producer and emcee.

When did you two meet for the first time?
1997 or 1998 north of Boston, 16 or 17 years old. I was DJin at a club Term would come rock the open mic, battling anyone.

So from the jump you two were collaborating on music?
We were just kids enjoying it. I started to take production more seriously, he started to do his thing rapping.

Term has said he feels Hip Hop is in desperate need for an album like this. What do you think he was getting at?
It comes together as one album, a whole vibe. Just bringing back that classic sound. That’s what i think he means.

You two have been playing a lot of dates building up to the release is there plans for a nation wide tour after the album drops featuring you two together?
Well we are kinda on one right now, we’ve been playing dates. And we'll be playing a few shows in New York, and hitting Salt Lake City, LA and Boston.

Tell me about the new mixtape series?
Taking it back to the streets. I’m partnering with a guy who gets all the dealers on the streets. But you go down the block and you don’t see any of the independent stuff. No Skyzoo’s, 1982’s, etc. I’m gonna bring the independent hip hop back to the streets. But mix it with the mainstream stuff.

Shopping a lot of beats?
I’m looking at probably about 40 songs in the next 6 months. Sheek Louch, Nore, Styles, Consequence, Evidence, Nas.

How did you hook up with Nas?
I DJ’d for him in Hawaii. I played him stuff and he picked the beat in the first 10 seconds. I don’t know what he’ll be putting out first, I got a couple with him.

Are you going out and digging some still?
Yeah I try. Don’t have a lot of time. Sunday afternoons. I’m pretty close to the LES so i can hit A1, Sound Library, check things out.

Got another solo record lined up for 2011?
Yeah. It’ll be all new cats. Freddie Gibbs. Mac Miller.

So you are watching the blog rappers?
Yeah, I’m always looking for the new cats. I was the first one to put Mac Miller out there putting him on the radio show.

What’s you favorite restaurant in Boston?
It always changes. Bill and Bobs roast beef, they make the best roast beef sandwich.

Teebs "Ardour" + Interview

Ardour is music to fly to. Music to ride the bus home late night with. It's music that has depth and feeling, doesn't overwhelm with power and intensity. Sometimes you need loud and in your face, but sometimes subtle is better. Take a track like "Lakeshore Ave." where all you got is a repeating loop, but it's beautiful and you don't mind listening to it fade in and out for a minute and fourty five seconds.

Teebs lived with Flying Lotus and Samiyam for a period of time. I can't even imagine what kind of devastating sounds you would hear on the daily being around those two. Teebs seems to have taken it his own way crafting distinct pieces of music that scream bright colors, kinda like much of the artwork I've seen by him.

Instrumental music is tricky to capture people with, some people have to have words. Some can hear words in the colors of sound. Teebs paints with a brush and he paints with his music. Ardour is epic and cool. Unlike anything I've heard all year. His crew stays elevating, why should he be any different.

Teebs will be rocking Neumos with GLK and Daedelus Wednesday the 20th. It's bound to be a night to remember. I recently chatted with Teebs via email, trying to get to know the man behind the art. Take what you will.

Who is Teebs? How long have you done what you do? What is that? Do you have a musical history or background?

Teebs would be me. I've been living for roughly 23 years now. Living. Besides listening to it, nope.

How old are you? Where did you grow up?

Few seconds older then before. Grew up in a number of places but I've been in Chino Hills for the longest now.

Do you create tunes expecting them to be used strictly as instrumentals? Do you want to work with vocalists? Emcees?

Yeah for the most part it's instrumental stuff. I'm always open to work with people if I find something I like in a voice or person.

Break down your history with Brainfeeder and Low End Theory?

Used to frequent Low End and then played it a few times. Kev is a great person and the whole Low End Family.

I joined brainfeeder in late 08 I think. Still happy and here today :)

Who were you listening to growing up? First record bought? Latest record bought?

Lots of people... My mother for one. First record wasss.... hmm some crappy indie band. I bought it for the cover and it was terrible. Last record wasss... Shuggie Otis maybe. I'm not too sure.

The first time I listened to Ardour it was on a late night bus ride home, it was pretty haunting and fit my mood perfectly. Do you make your tunes at any particular time of day or for a particular setting?

I usually start making my music in the morning when the sun comes up... Usually between 8am-12noon. And its rare that i start out with a mood in mind. Whatever comes out comes out.

I recently interviewed Kendrick Lamar who is a young emcee out of Compton. I asked him if he had heard of FlyLo, Low End Theory, etc, etc and he hadn't . Have you heard of him? I listen to much of the stuff from your camp in the same vein as hip hop, it seems like what emcees should be rapping on, to me. Is their an interest their for more collaboration or is it more self contained by choice?

Never heard of him but I think with every producer its different. If I happen to meet a great rapper to my ears and he likes my stuff I'll instantly work with him. I'm just not looking for it... to me its not a necessity.

What do you try to do with your live set to make it captivating for an audience?

Jump through hoops of fire.

Favorite book?

Don't have a favorite but I do enjoy this short story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez called Light is Like Water.

Can you talk about Dublab? What is your roll within the collective?

Dublab is amazing. A creative hub that streams so much good music its scary. I DJ for them, help with events, make art when they need it. It's a nonprofit so it's a very special thing we have here.

Are you rocking any music coming out of the northwest today?

At this very second no but there's a lot of great producers coming outta there. I've had moments hooked on things.

TEEBS

Teebs, Gaslamp Killer & Daedelus at Neumos October 20th. Ardour is out on the 18th. Cop it at the show!