Saturday, December 26, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Gangsta Factor
Any ghetto will tell ya Nas helped grow us up
My face once graced promotional Sony trucks
Hundred million in billin', I helped build 'em up
Nas-Hip Hop is Dead
Once again Bill O' Reilly has pushed me to the point where I want to send him an urban dictionary, an ipod full of positive hip-hop from artists that society considers "gangsta," accompanied by a lyrical hymnal of all the classic hip hop songs that define the urban community. The hip-hop community is soooo tired of people being so quick to label rappers as "gangsta." Even my Italian "brothers" are ticked off because society has mainstreamed and redefined their term of endearment. So, Mr. O' Reilly has a lot of explaining to do.
Right now in hip-hop Jay-Z is a household name. Now I am not attacking Jay-Z, but if he were going to do a concert at Virginia Tech would this still be a problem? Jay-Z was a heavy dope dealer back in the day, but he has evolved into a hip-hop mogul that has given back to the community, started his on multi-million dollar company, and taken over Def Jam (the label that made hip hop a household name). I'm quite sure no one would say a word about Jay-Z performing, but when V-Tech asked Nas to perform it had folks in an uproar.
Yes, Nas does have a gun possession charge (that doesn't make him "gangsta"), but it was in 1991, since then Nas has evolved into one of the most conscious rappers of our time. He talks about having a relationship with his father (which you don't see a lot of in my urban community), telling kids that they can be whatever they want to be, and even questioning the state of hip hop by saying that it's dead. It's a performance people, just a performance. Personally, I would love to hear what Nas is going to say to the V-Tech students as far as encouraging them. His profound statements have made rappers squash beefs and neighborhoods resume to peace.
Man, we have got to go back and look at the definition of "gangsta"=gangster: a member of a gang of criminals/ a racketeer. Nas is not that and neither was Biggie, nor my ATL partner Ludacris who because of O'Reilly was taken off of Pepsi because of his dirty lyrics and replaced by Ozzy Osbourne (didn't he bite the head off a small animal when he performed live?). Hip Hop deserves a chance to be a great genre just like any other form of music that has had its day (R.I.P. disco). If we want to talk gangster in music lets talk about the original "I Love New York," Mr. Frank Sinatra. Sinatra was believed to be involved with the Chicago mafia but it was never proven. In the tradition of omerta (mafia code of silence), you probably knew that Frank was in the mafia, but you didn't know. Frank Sinatra…that's "gangsta." Real Talk!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Droppin Bombs! Deezil Bombs!
"In Creekwood we eat good and we aint driving Fleetwoods" -Deezil Bomb
Kaaaaaa Booom!! He enters the club…asks when is he next up and then proceeds when it's his turn to rock the mic. The audience at first gasps in awe at this 6'4" giant that has the word play of your favorite Charles Dickens poem, but then later resolves to the abundant head nodding to the giant's performance…Deezil Bomb.
"I really didn't take rapping seriously until I was incarcerated," said a confident Deezil Bomb. While interviewing Deezil he began to talk about some of his struggle and the things he went through as an inner-city youth in the Port City. "I try to talk about my struggle in the streets and let dudes know that what's going on in the Port City streets is no difference from anywhwere in the country…it's full-fledged in the Port," chuckled Deezil Bomb.
Once again, as I continue to interview local/regional artists, they seem to say the same thing as far as "The Carolinas" having their on unique sound. It places a lot of weight on hip hop artists especially in North Carolina to dig out their own niche. "I want to be known for establishing a Port City/North Carolina sound. I'm a Carolina rapper who wants a Carolina producer to touch a sound that hasn't been heard yet…something that defines us," said the 6' 4" MC.
Deezil comes from a neighborhood in which almost every housing project has been shipped to due to closing or renovations of other area housing projects. Most of the city's crime reports come from his neighborhood. He continues to press on and never forgets his hood and how rap gets the blame for some of the happenings in his hood and across America. "The media puts too much blame on rappers…they just go too far with it. I talk about negative things so that young dudes can learn from what I did. Yeah I did some bad stuff, but I also had to sit down for seven years...put the blame on the right folk, not hip hop.
As we enter the season on censorship, it sometimes become hard to promote an artist that may talk about his hardships and Deezil has no problem with promotion. "Rap is very visual. People won't buy your cd until they see you and your performance. I want people to hear and see a Port City scene when they think of Deezil Bomb…I'm separating myself from the majority by coming from a place that nobody has a made a major move in the music industry." Deezil reiterates his chance to mimic the large labels marketing schemes using street teams, posters, and videos to get his music heard.
His promotions have even landed him with a track with Hell Rell from Dipset-Diplomat Records (home of Camron, Jim Jones, and Juelz Santana). "I holla'd at M& M promotions and asked about any artist that would do a track and they linked me up with Hell Rell and so we came up with "On the Corner Grindin", said Deezil. I heard the track for the first time and it's super crazy…fo show! That track and other bangers are on his new mixtape (which is out now) "Bomb 1st" and you can pick it up at Dr. Stylez Clothing, All About Music, 2 Fifth Clothing, Nino's fashion, Hi Lo (out east) and K&Ds…the Bomb is grindin. Real Talk!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
PORT CITY QUOTABLE
“Hop out chain swangin I can hypnotize the world…betta watch ya dame I can hypnotize ya girl…Shorty bad look like Whittley long hair lil curls, got Dwayne shades on…car from a Different World…” Quote-“Money Walk”....
“Did you hear that son?” You gotta rewind that…old boy is really killin it!” Those are the responses that you usually get especially the rewind part when listening to young Mario Watson better known in the Port City as Quote. In just a small amount of time…three years to be exact, Quote has gone from being a part of a talented teenage group YBG (Young But Grindin) to the head of his own entertainment company called A.T.M. (Addicted To Money) and being nominated for the North Carolina Underground Music Awards New Artist of the Year. “Mr. Rewind” has become a household name in the Port City hip hop scene.
“I always had an interest in music…I used to bang on tables and pots in my grandmother’s backyard,” said a laughing Quote. Quote grew up in the “B.O.”, the Bottom Community on the south side of Wilmington. Quote’s love for music makes him a candidate for making good music. He knows what to listen for and that skill combined with his distinctive baritone voice makes him not just an up and coming rapper but a musician. “My motivation for making music is hearing “whack” music…(chuckles)…plus my friends, family and my crew A.T.M. “
I met Quote three years ago as he was one of the front men for YBG. His creative lingo has people in Wilmington using the same jargon he does in his songs. For example, he had a song called “So Brittany (Spears)” which meant “so crazy,” and his all time favorite saying fersure…”for sure.” On a daily basis I hear youngsters using just those two trendsetting words in everyday conversation.
Besides pursuing his dream, Quote gives back while on the road to stardom. His crew A.T.M. have thrown the A.T.M. Scholarship Basketball Tournament. This is not typical of an artist just starting…they usually make it big then give back, but Quote finds it important to give back all the time. “People have to see us grinding and that we care about where we come from,” said a serious Quote. Quote also added, “The hardest thing is getting your music heard beyond Wilmington, which takes a lot of road work and connecting with people in and across the state.”
Quote’s hard work and confident team makes him a “beast in the streets.” You can hear Quote’s music on www.myspace.com..thatdudequote, www.coredjradio.com , and his new Igrindtv.com in the works for his own channel for independent artists. People ask me all the time who is the next artist that will probably make it out the port…I say Quote…real talk…you can quote me on that!
RAY NITTI hits the Carolias!
This First Friday Oct. 2nd to kick off Riverfest Weekend...Ray "Bow" Nitti will be performing his hit smash "BOW" at Club Rox downtown Wilmington, NC Get there early! Shout out to Ear Candy Entertainment, I40 Ent. for making it happen.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Everyone Can Be Apart of Hip Hop…But Everyone Can't Be A Rapper
TIME OUT!! Everyone in the world is trying to be the next big rapper. STOP! Everyone can't be a rapper, but we all can be a part of hip hop. So often I see mediocre rappers thinking that they may be the next big thing to blow and it's not the case. Cats don't realize that all of us can be apart of hip hop. Just find your niche and you're in.
There should be no reason that because you have a Cool Edit program on your computer and a computer mic, that you now have your in house studio (stop that you sound like you are rappin in a cup). Let people (other than your friends and momma) listen to your demos before you shop them around and even turn them into radio stations. Get honest critiques and be able to take the honesty. If your song sounds like it needs to be thrown away then accept that from good critics and start over. You probably thinking rap may not be for you after that, but you can still be apart of hip hop.
Being apart of hip hop doesn't mean that you have to be an MC. You can work in other areas such as graphics, makeup, sound engineer, producer, etc. There is a lot of room for everyone in hip hop. Most folks fail to realize that rappers hardly make a lot of money unless they hit mega star status. It's the songwriters, road managers, promoters, and executives that earn the big bucks. The peeps behind the scenes are making the money…not the guy on stage.
Hip hop needs so many other things like activists that will defend the culture, promoters to bring the artists to your city, and entertainment lawyers to make sure that the MCs don't wind up like Kwame (do your research). If you got a crew…pick the best MC out of everybody and focus on them. Give everyone jobs like promotions/street team coordinator, business manager, dj, hype man, etc. People who are involved in hip hop like me, Louis T, DJ Battle, and others in the area get a hundred CDs a week and 96 of them are horrible and you could have spent your time trying to find your niche in the hip hop game. Mine is radio and breaking new artists-not rappin. I know my place. Real Talk!
