Last Week
I'm tired, slightly hung over, and feeling very uncreative, so this could be rather half assed. We will see how I feel once I start getting into this. With four hours of voting still to come for last weeks 3 Feet High & Rising Vs. Stakes Is High, it's still too close to call. Only three votes separate the two albums. I'm actually kind of surprised, I figured that 3 Feet High.... would run away with it, although Stakes is High is my favorite De La album. We'll see what happens when it's up in four more hours.
This Week
Part two of the De La Soul "tournament" comes into play this week pitting their sophomore release of De La Soul Is Dead against the groups third album, Buhloone Mindstate. As I mentioned last week, I didn't get into De La Soul until Stakes is High came out. I thought 3 Feet High and Rising was just plain weird, I liked a couple jams on De La Soul is Dead, but still saw no reason to check it out. Buhloone Mindstate just went over my head like it did a lot of people back in those days. After purchasing Stakes Is High, I started to go back to their catalog and De La Soul is Dead was the first album I went back and checked out. My tastes in hip hop was open enough by that time I could appreciate the beauty of De La Soul Is Dead. It would be later though until I could grasp the complexity found in Buhloone Mindstate, but now I can appreciate the greatness of the album. As I write this now, I'm not totally sure which way I'm going to vote.
De La Soul is Dead Vs. Buhloone Mindstate
De La Soul is Dead
Positives
- Much more accessible in nature than their lead off album, 3 Feet High & Rising. De La Soul tried to kill all that noise of hippies and the daisy age by basically reinventing themselves. ....Is Dead is a more mature effort, yet still plays and has fun.
- I thought the skits that tied this together through out the album was excellently executed. We get to hear the demise of Jeff as dicksnot and his boys beat the fuck out of him and jack him for the "new" De La Soul album. I never get tired of hearing them and still laugh out loud at certain sayings.
- The singles from the album were great. I had "Ring Ring Ring" as my answering machine message back in the day and "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturday" is one of those tracks that you could play at any jam.
- It's just an overall cohesive effort, which is saying something for an album that is 27 cuts long. It has a vibe that flows through out the album. Tracks like "Biddie in the BK Loung" and "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa Claus" just make this album a great effort.
Negatives
- There isn't much to bag on in the album. I thought some of the focus of earlier in the album is lost, "Shwingalokate", "Fanatic of the B Word", and "Keep the Faith" (which sounds like a 3 Feet reject). So it could've been trimmed a little bit here and there.
- Not necessarily a negative for me, but if you were into their previous image, this would probably disappoint some.
Buhloone Mindstate
Postives
- One could argue that Buhloone Mindstate is the most creative album in De La's catalog. It was Prince Paul's last time working with the group and he demonstrated a more mature sound than the previous two creations. Lyrically, I think Pos & Dave were at their pinnacle. Probably my all-time favorite De La Soul song is "I Am I Be", in which Pos' first verse is a classic:
I am Posdnous I be the new generation of slaves here to make papes to buy a record exec rakes the pile of revenue I create But I guess I don't get a cut cuz my rent's a month late Product of a North Carolina cat who scratched the back of a pretty woman named Hattie Who departed life just a little too soon and didn't see me grab the Plug Tune fame As we go a little somethin' like this look ma, no protection Now I got a daughter named Ayana Monay And I can play the cowboy to rustle in the dough so the scenery is healthy where her eyes lay I am an early bird but the feathers are black so the apples that I catch are usually all worms But it's a must to decipher one's queen from a worm who plays groupie and spread around the bad germ I cherish the twilight I maximize, my soul is the right size I watch for the power to run out on the moon (And that'll be sometime soon) Faker than a fist of kids speakin that they're black When they're just niggas trying to be Greek Or some tongues who lied and said "We'll be natives to the end" Nowadays we don't even speak I guess we got our own life to live Or is it because we want our own kingdom to rule? Every now and then I step to the now for now I see back then I might have acted like a fool Now I won't apologize for it This is not a bunch of Bradys but a bunch of black man's pride Yet I can safely say I've never played a sister by touching where her private parts reside I've always walked the right side of the road If I wasn't making song I wouldn't be a thug selling drugs But a man with a plan and if I was a rug cleaner betcha Pos'd have the cleanest rugs I am
-Again, there are some great singles, most notably the excellent "Ego Trippin' 2", in which Pos and Dave do their thing and listeners soon realize that they are no punks on the microphone.
-Two years ago, I wouldn't even have to think about this decision, as I wasn't all that big on Buhloone Mindstate, but this album sounds like it could have been released last month. It's aged much better than De La Soul Is Dead.
Negatives
- It's not as digestible as some of the other albums. That was the main knock on the album when it first dropped and still to this day I pick up things every time I listen to it. They were never a group to really spoon feed you something, but this isn't an album you can just listen to the first time and figure it all out.
Final Verdict
When I started writing this very half assed post, I really didn't know which way I was going to go. I've long considered De La Soul Is Dead as my second favorite De La album after Stakes is High, but over the last two years, my love for Buhloone Mindstate has really grown on me and become one of my favorite albums ever. When my man Floodwatch posted his autopsy for Buhloone Mindstate (one of my favorite blog posts EVER), I realized how great the album really was. I would have never dreamed voting this way, but it's going to be Buhloone Mindstate
Winner: Buhloone Mindstate
6/30/2008
This Or That.....De La Soul is Dead Vs. Buhloone Mindstate
6/27/2008
New Artist Spotlight: Elemental Zazen
I tend to think that the political charged hip hop of the late 80's/early 90's is somewhat of a lost art. No longer are exposed to the strong political and socio-tinged rants of Public Enemy, Paris, X-Clan and others. Yes, we still have the likes of the Dead Prez and Immortal Technique, but in these trying times, the more the better in my book. Both society and the world is basically going to hell in hand basket and unless people wake up and see the potential problems await us in the not so distant future, it's going to be worse before it gets better. I've long been a big believer in thinking for oneself. Be active in your environment and your society. I can deal with a person's beliefs no matter what they may be if they have done their homework and explain to me WHY you feel the way you do.
This weeks artist for our New Artist Spotlight will undoubtedly get the "political rapper" tag, which I think he wears on his sleeve with pride. Elemental Zazen has been all over the world, from third world countries to the "radical" middle eastern countries. He's been through trials and tribulations that you and I could only dream about, in our nightmares. He's lost his cousin to a tragic accident, had a brain tumor and lived on the streets, all with in a few years of each other. He brings his second album, "The Glass Should Be Full", full of music that should make you think and open your eyes to issues around the world.
Elemental Zazen - "Machine" [mp3]
Elemental Zazen - "Handcuffs" [mp3]
WYDU: Thanks for your time Zazen, would you mind giving a proper introduction for the readers that might not be familiar with you or your work?
Elemental Zazen: My name is Jason, and on the mic I go by Elemental Zazen. For most of the past 8 years I have lived in Boston, but I am moving to Seattle this fall in order to pursue my PhD. Most people would classify my music as being political, but I see it as more of a platform for personal and social commentary.
W: From listening to your new album, "The Glass Should Be Full", and reading your press bio, you are bringing a political charged fervor to your music. What situations and events in your life have lead you down a path that is kind of a forgotten genre in hip hop?
EZ: Growing up in the third world obviously had a profound impact on my political and socio-economic ideas. Many of the aspects of the third world that bothered me, such as economic inequity, gender inequality, etc. are also alive and well here in the US, only they aren't as readily apparent. My view points are merely a reflection of both my experiences as an internationally raised white American, and the personal tragedies I've accumulated along the way. As far as political hip hop goes, I agree with you that in some ways it is a forgotten sub-genre. The roots planted by Chuck D and others are is still alive on the small stages and dusty shelves, but hopefully n
ot for too much longer. There is too much talent invested in it for it to stay beneath the surface forever.
W: How do you look at hip hop and it's current state in missing as a tool toward social revolution? There isn't really any X-Clan's, Public Enemy's or Paris' that are in the forefront of the music these days, how do you explain that and how do you use your music for change?
EZ: The record that really got me thinking about music was "Apocalypse '91" by Public Enemy. I remember being a 5th grader in Al Taif, Saudi Arabia, signing along with "By The Time I Get to Arizona", "Lost At Birth", and "Can't Truss It." Chuck D was always on some shit. The more I learned about history and political science through both school and my own readings, the more I understood how valuable a medium like music could be in terms of spreading a set of ideals. Through that understanding I gained an immeasurable amount of respect for all artists in all genres and all practices (literature, visual art, music, etc) that use their work to champion the cause of the common man. At the same time, the more a society becomes stratified between haves and have-nots, the more that view points that oppose the status quo will be marginalized, especially in the mainstream media. For example, anyone that supports any sort of systematic change is considered a "radical"- a word which carries undoubtedly negative connotations. This makes artists that seek national exposure less likely to speak out against those in the power positions, because if they do, both they and their opinions will be laughed off the mainstream stage. Even those that do attempt to make "protest" songs and release them on major labels are doing safe protest songs. For example, it is trendy to target G.W.Bush, so you see a bunch of major label artists from all musical genres doing tracks bashing Bush. I want to talk about the most important issues: the systematic problems that insure that whether Bush or Obama or Clinton or Reagan is in power, this country will still neglect the common man.
Sorry for the tangent. I'm passionate about this…can you tell?
W: All good man. What would you change in the American political and social system if you could?
EZ: We could be here for days…. Actually, there are two main changes I would like to see. One is for the system to change from a two party, winner take all platform to a representative democracy, such as what you see somewhere like England. Secondly I would like to completely alter the way white collar and drug related crimes are punished. White collar crimes should be, in extreme cases, treated as just as seriously as something like manslaughter, because there are instances where the aftereffects of them impact hundreds of people. For example, when a CEO knowingly uses inside information to make his/herself millions while simultaneously putting workers out of jobs, they should be punished far more severely than someone that stole a George Foreman grill from Wal-mart. Punishments levied for drug possession and distribution are similarly ridiculous in that they very rarely fit the severity of the crime.
W: You've gone through some "trials & tribulations" to put it lightly the past few years, how did those misfortunes shape not only your music, but you are as a person living in these trying times?
EZ: When you are faced with extreme adversity, all you can do is be strong. My life has been so crazy…one moment I am on top of the world and the next I am diagnosed with a brain tumor. Amidst everything, though, I've remain focused on my main goal: to have a positive impact on the world through my music and academic work.
W: Let's talk about your album, "This Glass Should Be Full," some, what can listeners expect when they are checking out the album for the first time?
EZ: I think this album is more rewarding to those that give it multiple listens, because it is so dense. I have my lyrics posted on gnawledge.com, so that will hopefully make it easier for people. I wanted to make an album that was both initially likable and got better with each listen, and I think I have done that. The producers I worked with blessed me with some incredible beats, and I think the album is very strong lyrically. It's easy to pigeonhole any artist with meaningful lyrics as being a "backpacker" or "underground", but I think quality hip hop stands by itself and can't be placed into one category. That being said, I usually describe my music as "socio-political commentary over dirty break beats."
W: You have some heavy hitters as far as underground producers go, with Maker, Kno and Joe Beats, how was it working with them and do you think it's important to have those kind of names backing the album?
EZ: I am honored to work not only with those 3 producers, but with everyone that appeared on the album. Honestly, I don't really care about the name of the producer, as long as the beats fit what I am looking for. I could have worked with other producers, some of which are more well-known than those 3, but the beats didn't fit the album. That being said, there is a good reason why most musicians in the indie rap scene get popular- mostly because they make better music than their competitors. I seek out the best producers in the scene, and am lucky enough to get a chance to work with some of them. My next record will have some other well-known names on there, but that's for another time.
W: What do you hope to accomplish in the future, both in music and in your personal life?
EZ: My main goals are to 1: Put out another record in fall of '09, and 2: to finish my PhD as soon as possible so I can get to work on making the world a better place, only this time with more effectiveness.
W: Any last words?
EZ: Shout out to Gnawledge Records for putting out my album. A big thank you to Gnotes and Canyon for all of their hard work. Also, check for my label mate Afro DZ AK's record "Elevation" which hits stores this fall.
Lyrics http://www.gnawledge.com/zazenglasslyrics.html
6/26/2008
Daily News.......
Tanya Morgan - "Hip-Hop Is Dead 2" 06.25.2008 "They keep sayin' hip-hop is dead but I just can't believe it, I just can't see it." LONG LOST ALBUM FROM BOSTON HIP-HOP PION EER AND PERCEPTIONIST DJ/PRODUCER, FAKTS ONE, FINALLY SEES LIGHT O F DAY Long Range, featuring Little Brother, Mr.Lif, Army of the Pharaohs, Boot Camp Clik, Planet Asia , Souls of Mischief and m ore hits stores July 22nd on Greenstreets Entertainment FANATIC PRESENTS: ALLTRUISMS
The days are heating up, unless you live in SoCal then the days have done already been heated up since May at least. In the summer time, people spend less time indoors reading blogs and I spend less time inside doing blogs. What I'm saying is you might not see the same volume from WYDU as you have in the past. Remarkably, I do have some sort of a life...barely. Have some good times planned this weekend, my man Dino's b-day next week along with the American Independence Day then a trip planned in July, August, and September. By that time, shit will start cooling off and I'll be back on the daily grind. Until then, just enjoy less of me for the next few months. On to the news.
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Ras Kass to drop ANOTHER mixtape?
I like Ras Kass more than the average old school head, but damn dude, can we get an album finally? (trav)
RAS KASS PREPS "INSTITUTIONALIZED VOL. II" FOR AUGUST 5th RELEASE ON
BABYGRANDE RECORDS
One of the most critically acclaimed West Coast emcees of all time,
Ras Kass is renowned for his complex lyricism, sharp battle rhymes and
witty punchlines.
1996's debut "Soul On Ice" established Ras as one of the front-runners
of the post West Coast gangsta rap movement pioneered by seminal acts
such as N.W.A. and nationally popularized by modern day icons Dr. Dre,
Snoop Dogg & more.
Marrying a hardcore street sensibility with his signature witty
wordplay, Ras built a loyal underground core with subsequent albums
including 1998's "Rasassination," featuring guest appearances by Dr.
Dre, Xzibit, Twista & RZA (of Wu-Tang) as well as multiple mixtape
releases.
Currently serving time, Ras Kass' ambition in the face of adversity is
on full display with the August 5th bow of "Institutionalized Vol. II."
Sure to satisfy Ras' loyal constituency and beyond, "Institutionalized
Vol. 2" is a testament to both Ras' resilience and the raw skill that
underlies his longevity within the ever-changing hip-hop landscape.
For more information and to sample some tracks, please visit:
www.crackspace.com/raskass
www.babygrande.com
Ras Kass
"Institutionalized Vol. 2"
In stores August 5th!
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The Song:
Instead of arguing or preaching, Tanya Morgan disproves the "Hip-Hop Is Dead" argument with a simple song that demonstrates the existence of good, living hip-hop in 2008. "Hip-Hop Is Dead 2" features fun rhymes and a beat that samples the smile itself... yet many think the art form is dead? That's pretty incongruous, if you ask Tanya Morgan: "They keep sayin' hip-hop is dead but I just can't believe it, I just can't see it." In other words, so long as heartfelt, playful hip-hop tracks by Tanya Morgan pop up, hip-hop cannot be dead.
The Background:
In 2003, Brooklyn resident Von Pea teamed up with Cincinnati's Donwill and Ilyas to form Tanya Morgan. Three years later, the group's Moonlighting LP took the rap world by storm, receiving a 3.5 mic rating from The Source and high praise in XXL's Chairman's Choice column. Donwill describes the group's uniqueness and appeal: "Instead of jam-packing our releases with different producers and guest emcees for attention, we carefully choose who we work with because we make it a priority to cultivate our own sound and identity. We look to groups like Eric B and Rakim, who honed their own sound and rarely collaborated with other artists." After a brief hiatus from center stage, the crew is back in 2008 seeking the hip-hop triple crown: the release of a mixtape, EP, and LP, all in the same year. Tonya Morgan has performed with Ghostface Killah and has had videos featured on multiple MTV channels. The Bridge EP is available now on via Bay Area label Interdependent Media.
Streams:
"Hip-Hop Is Dead 2"
http://www.audibletreats.com/download/TanyaMorgan/Hip_HopIsDeadII.mp3
"Be You" featuring Czelena
http://www.audibletreats.com/download/TanyaMorgan/Tanya_Morgan-Be_You_feat_Czelena.mp3
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ScholarMan Mixtape
Download ScholarMan's "The Pull Forward EP Vol. 1" today if you enjoy dope b eats and rhymes!!
The Pull Forward Series pays tribute to artists and tracks made famous during the golden era of hip-hop!
Download volume one today!
www.thepullforwardseries.com
Peace!
New ScholarMan album coming January 2009!!! His latest album "Soul Purpose" now available at online retail outlets!
More info at: www.scholarman.com
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DJ Fakts One was a key figure in the Boston Hip-Hop scene for many years. He got his start djing parties and breaking local acts on WERS radio in the late '90's, through t he popular "89.9 at Night" show. He dropped one of his first mix tapes (yes, on cassette) on the famed Brick Records titled "Heavy Hitters" and instantly started making noise throughout the state. Lending production to many releases by Mr. Lif and Akrobatik, it was inevitable that these three long-time friends would form a trio that was 100% pure hip-hop called The Perceptionists.
Their album "Black Dialogue" was released in 2005 on Definitive Jux to critical claim. With great sales, and a tour that was ready to kick off, this powerhouse of a rap group was about to start taking things over! At the same time Fakts was waiting on his solo record debut to be released, but the label continued to stall, delay and eventually folded into the industry abyss. Then, in a sudden turn of events, Fakts up and left his partners “Lif and Ak” stranded with no DJ at the start of their tour and vanished off the hip-hop map altogether.
Although Fakts One’s departure left fans and friends both frustrated and confused, no one could deny his musical talents. Most just assumed that his highly anticipated debut opus “ Long Range ” would just become another victim of industry politics. It would be yet another rumored release that nobody would ever hear or could prove actually existed…unt il now. Finally, five years after its completion, “ Long Range ” will be released EXACTLY how he had intended before quitting the business. The album has some of the best MC's around (Little Brother, Planet Asia, Boot Camp Clik as well as his brothers in The Perceptionists; Mr. Lif and Akrobatik) and as one would expect, the beats are that classic boombap sound, drenched with his own blood, sweat and tears.
It's a shame it took so long for this to happen but as they say good things come to those who wait. Hopefully when Fakts hears all his years of hard work finally coming to light, he can sit back (wherever he is), smile and realize it was well worth the journey.
Tracklisting and credits for Fakts One’s Long Range :
1.) Ridin' Dirty
2.) Grown Folks f/ Little Brother
3.) Life Music f/ Rocklyn & Maya Azucena
4.) OK f/ Kingsize & Outerspace
5.) Born For This f/Chan
6.) Don't Stop f/Boot Camp Clik
7.) The Showstarter f/ The Perceptionists (Mr. Lif & Akrobatik)
8.) Audiovisual f/ J Live
9) U From The Q f/ Universal
10.) Set The Mood f/ Grayskul
11.) Moments Matter f/ Tajai (of Souls Of Mischief)
12.) Selfish f/ Akrobatik & Iyadonna
13.) Longevity f/ Rasco, Planet Asia & Shakes Da Mayor
14.) The Showstarter (Walkman Remix) f/ The Perceptionists (Mr. Lif & Akrobatik)
"Grown Folks" and it features Little Brother. Fakts produced the track and Phonte and Big Pooh also added some additional arrangement as well.
DL link to Fakts One "Grown Folks" f/Little Brother:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/142732316dfc1b0a/
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Clusterbombs
(Gravel Records)
“...it’s the construction of the songs that keep Alltruisms solidly grounded in hip-hop instead of wandering off into the land of open mic night at the coffeehouse. K-Kruz gives Alltruisms the sword and shield musically to be a ‘Knight in Shining Armor’ with the kind of track Vinnie Paz or Esoteric would be proud to rip...The real question about Alltruisms’ first major album is not WHETHER he’ll be a star in the underground, but how long it will take before people catch on to his steelo. Somewhere between the overdone hype and the understandable skepticism of the new and unproven MC is the chance for one of the Clusterbombs that Alltruisms drops to make a big impact on hip-hop.” – Rap Reviews (8/10) (LINK)
“One day, I was walking with Kong Keo through a UXO (unexploded ordinance) field in Phonsavan, Laos, when the metaphor came to me: Cluster bombs are like rappers – we drop, we get spins, some blow on contact, while others... So I titled my debut solo album Clusterbombs, and filled it with stories of Southeast Asian bomb craters and bar girls, political anthems, and funny bone-tickling rants about jobs, cars an d sex lives. This record speaks not only of rap’s place in my life, but of the globally limitless reach of the culture I’m a part of.” – Ari Shapiro, Alltruisms
Clusterbombs is the debut solo LP from Gravel Records recording artist and Giraffe Nuts member Alltruisms. The album distills 16 fully-realized tracks into a 45-minute journey, guided by a man of our times, who is most of all a traveler. He is like the rest of us. Politically aware, but faced with more immediate job problems, car problems, girl problems, and mostly getting by with a dark sense of humor. He is a bit different from the rest of us. Writing songs in a Laotian bomb crater, building houses after the tsunami in Thailand, four-day hikes in New Zealand, staying with a Fijian village minister’s family. Prone to travel solo for months at a time, return and leave again, he brings this dichotomy and unsettled motion to his songs. Clusterbombs is an innovative hip-hop release that is sure to please fans of artists such as Sage Francis, Immortal Technique, Talib Kweli, A Tribe Called Quest, and Atmosphere. Clusterbombs drops July 1st via Gravel Records.
Clusterbombs features production by underground legend J-Zone (Dangermouse, Devin The Dude), and Chicago staples Maker (Glue), Kaz1 (Ill Bill, Sean Price), and K-Kruz (Modill), along with appearances by my Giraffe Nuts crew-mates Verbal Kent (Molemen Records) and Rusty Chains. Kaz 1’s “Nine-Digit Number” and Maker’s “Rockets Red Glare” are the anthems, calls for change in a time when we convince ourselves that, “Rome’s burning but don’t worry, forget it / Nero’s fiddle solos is the number 1 record.” Watch the brutally honest and remarkably high quality music video to “Nine Digit Number” HERE. “Blindfolded” is Alltruisms’ second single and has been included in XLR8R Magazine's next sampler CD. Listen to “Blindfolded” (MP3), and sample a more light-hearted side to Alltruisms on “The Birds & The Bees (MP3).”
On “Dry-spell,” Alltruisms is looking for love in his own, brutally honest way. On he and Giraffe Nuts declare war on anyone who didn’t buy “Eat Them.” “Jalopy” and “Hire Me” satirize two cornerstones of our culture, cars and jobs. And on “Nutcamp,”“Dear Hip Hop,” he and Verbal Kent examine their histories and experiences with their art. And there it might have ended, but Alltruisms thought his title track metaphor was important enough to warrant a remix. The story of a deserted dusty field becomes a meditation on pop cultur e as the defining weapon of our age, in the hands of a “freedom fighter for a new recorded world order / four corners of the globe spread the message to your borders.” The production by J-Zone, DJ PRZM, Maker, Kaz1, Earmint, Overflo and 5th Element, provides ample aviation fuel to guide the bomber to his targets throughout. Clusterbombs is a shiny object in this quiet, dusty field we call hip-hop, waiting to get picked up and hear
MP3s: “NINE-DIGIT #“ | “BLINDFOLDED“| “THE BIRDS & THE BEES“
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Black Element
You'll be seeing more of this cat in the very near future. He is an up and coming MC, about to drop his free album "A Major Minority" and is getting some love from some of the DJ's I respect, like DJ Hyphen out of Seattle. None the less, here is a track he sent me t hat was produced by another WYDU fav, 6th Sense.
Be Sure to check his amajorminority.com blog to get the full story behind this track or just to check his other stuff if you feel this.
Black ELement - The Itis (Produced by 6th Sense)
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Peace Family
Technicali Sound and Gutter Water Music would like to invite you
to pick up a copy of the new project by Ariano and Castor Pollux, entitled "In The Name Of The Father" for FREE
To begin the Download
CLICK HERE
FOR SERATO DJ's
Get The New Single "Searching" feat. Oddity
B/W "Misunderstood" feat. The Lost Art
CLICK HERE
(includes clean, dirty, and instrumentals)
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Babe of the Day......
Okay, she's not exactly a "rare" find, but she's hot. Stacey Dash has been around for awhile and is the sister(?) of Dame Dash. Not only does she have a killer body, but those eyes give me that warm fuzzy feeling in my special place.
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Video Of The Day
Johnson&Jonson - Bout It Bout It
6/25/2008
Random Youtube Videos
If you've been around the site, you all know that when Trav starts referring to himself in the third person and starts posting youtube videos, that is is either burned out a bit, busy as fuck, or just has other shit he'd rather be doing. Or in this case, all of the above. Yes, they are Youtube videos, which isn't as good as the actual thing you can download. Soon enough though, I'm going to have a SHIT LOAD of videos, which I'll not doubt share with the rest of you hip hop nerds. I'm just not sure when I'll get them, I guess whenever I get off my ass and buy a hard drive and hit my boy Brian up. Until then, you have to live with me doing the searching and watch what I post. So enjoy!
De La Soul Feat Redman - Oooh
In celebration of De La week, or De La three weeks, I go with this video I found while looking at videos for "Me, Myself, & I". I never knew they had a video for this track, which is one of my favorite De La songs. I'm not sure what to think of this video. One part of me thinks its great, the other part thinks its kind of corny and I can't believe I'm watching Pos rap as the Scarecrow. None the less, they get a free pass no matter what.
Busta Rhymes feat Ol' Dirty Bastard - Woo Ha (Remix)!
Was their ever a better pairing of artists? I bought this single just for this track back in the day. With the video and the slowed down track, you feel like you are on shrooms or some mind altering drug.
K9 Posse - This Beat is Military
Yes, I was a K9 Posse fan back in the day. The video version was different than the album version, and I think I like the video version better. A little comedy included, but what can you expect from Eddie Murphy's brother?
K9 Posse - Ain't Nothin' To It
Can't pass up their first single now can we?
Breeze - LA Posse
Wow, their are some faces in this joint. Bobcat, DJ Pooh, and a few others from the classic LA days. I loved this joint back in day. This was when videos were good.
No Face - Fake Hair Wearin' feat 2 Live Crew
We can't do videos without the influence for this blogs name. No Face, what a great group and combined with 2 Live Crew? Ahh, yeah, I played this after putting up with many a beeeyaaaatch.
Cash Money & Marvelous - Find an Ugly Woman
Ignore the DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince comparisons, this was a dope jam on the light hearted tip. I had a bitch tracking down this album back in the day, but I did finally. This was when hip hop could be fun and you didn't have to worry about it.
Everlast - I Got The Knack
Early Everlast, before the House of Pain days. He cleans up good, huh? I have to admit, I owned the Forever Lasting LP back in the day and this jam got a lot of play.
Joe Sinister - Under The Sun
My favorite artist that we've only heard on two songs. That track was freakin' amazing. I always wonder, "what if?" Oh well. Enjoy this video.
Shadz of Lingo - Mad Flavaz
Another one of my personal favorites from back in the day. E Double makes an apperence, along with Dallas Austin. I miss the hip hop video.
Casual - That's How It Is
I forgot how much I LOVED this joint. The production is just fuckin' nuts and Casual simply kills it.
Mannish - Expect That
Another one of my favorite west coast groups back in the day. Shit was good.
Saafir - Light Sleeper
I slept on this joint when it first came out. No more, Saafir was the epitome of being different and creative. He had his own style and flavor
The Nonce - Mixtapes
How can you not like this joint? I have no clue. The west coast had more than just g-funk back then.
Pharcyde - Otha Fish
I'm probably the only person in the WORLD that likes "Otha Fish" more than "Passin' Me By"....don't get me wrong, they are both classics, but I have my own personal reasons for liking "Otha Fish", it got me through a nasty break up. Great song, I still sing a long word for word when I hear it, hell I'm doing it right now as I type it.
6/24/2008
Daily News.......
Once again it's on. What is on tap for tonight? Besides cold draft beer? New track from The Game, as in the artist. I've never been the biggest The Game fan, but hey, he is relevant, correct? If not, oh well. Another midiMarc podcast (last one was dope), a beat tape from future New Artist Spotlight (just let that out of the bag) artist, DJ Blueprint, so you can get a sneak preview and more.....so ch-ch-check it out.....
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http://midimarc.mypodcast.com/2008/06/June_24_2008-120272.html
Thank you to all who listened to, enjoyed and download the first installment. I'm back again with the new new. Perfect for that long day at the office...excellent background tunes for the crib
1.Intro
2.Pete Rock feat Inspectah Deck - Tru Master
3.Pete Rock feat RZA and GZA - Head Rush
4.Rhymefest - Can't Make It
5.Fugees - FugeeLa
6.Marvin Gaye - Far Cry
7.Smiff and Wesson - Gunn Rap
8.Sean P - Onion Head
9.Juvienille - Follow Me Now
10.Clipse - Ride Around Shining
11.Roscoe P Coldchain - I'ma Kill This Nigga
12.Little Brother - Lovin It
13.Stylistics - One Night Affair
14.Snoop Dog - Doggy Dogg World
15.The Game - Compton
16.Latoya Williams - Fallen Star
http://midimarc.mypodcast.com/2008/06/June_24_2008-120272.html
--
www.myspace.com/beatsbymidimarc
midimarc.blogspot.com
midimarc.mypodcast.com
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Harlem's Renaissance:
Jelani is ready to make it a hot summer! Embrace the experience as the musician son of the legendary Dapper Dan carries the torch on the path of greatness. The apple never falls far from the tree.
Wait, You Can Rap?!?!
The Album.
Prod. 6th Sense, Frequency, & Ryan Durkin
click here for free download
PRESS RELEASE:
A product of Harlem, USA and a current Music Industry Major at Northeastern University, Jelani, also the son of Dapper Dan, brings to you his debut album for free as a digital release entitled "Wait, You Can Rap?!?!". The project has been featured on popular Hip Hop Blogs such as illRoots.com, The Smoking Section, 2dopeboyz,and Herfection.com amongst many others. The lead single, "The Proposal", was granted a spot on the prestigious "Cornerstone Mixtape" at the behest of DJ Premier of the legendary duo, Gang Starr. That same song was also a Top 10 finalist in the CMJ/CSTV Collegiate Nationals Music Championship.
Known for his lyrical dexterity, Jelani's distinctive yet remarkable abilities have translated very well on stage allowing him the opportunities to perform with Boot Camp Clik and also Kidz In The Hall. Jelani represents a new breed of MCs that defy the outdated categories within the genre. He, along with his partners at Notherground Music, will surely be making an impact on the Music Industry with their unique sound.
Jelani & Dapper Dan Interview
Jelani @ The Smoking Section
Jelani Interview @ illRoots
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dj blueprint - beat tape 01
30 minutes of blueprint beats, some old, some new
enjoy and let me know what you think
http://www.mediafire.com/?eysekm1nbjt
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New The Game Track - 2 Dope Boyz
If you like Game, then you'll like this song. If you don't like The Game, nothing here will change your mind. If you are like me, and don't really care, you can give this a listen because it isn't all that bad.
http://www.zshare.net/audio/141578906a15e9de/
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Babe Of The Day..... Rita G.
I've been on her feminine jock strap since Kanye's "Flashing Lights" video. I like the curvy girls, and darker the hair, the better, so she fits my "type".
http://www.myspace.com/ritamania
Enjoy the view!
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Video of the Day
Royce Da 5'9 - Boom
WYDU Interview With The Starving Artist: Weapon X
Every now and then, an artist kind of pops up out of nowhere. We've all been told the evils of downloading, and while I do agree with some of it, there is also a positive side to it as well. I'll admit, I'm a frequent visitor to HipHopBootleggers (peace to Krooked and Deap) to peep some of the underground/obscure joints and most of the time if Krooked recommends something, there is a good chance I'm going to feel, it's how I became hooked onto my boy Storm Davis last year. This year, he suggested Weapon X and low and behold, I downloaded his album "Portrait of a Starving Artist", and was impressed enough with the album, it stayed in regular rotation and was mentioned in my Top 20 Albums of the First Quarter. Think of it as Jedi Mind Tricks meets the Demigodz. Or something like that. Through out the year, I've been bumping the album picking up on different songs and the such. One day I get an email from X himself and after we passed some emails back and forth, I thought he had an interesting story and some good music, so we set up an interview. Weapon X is a very personable dude and very articulate. The interview went rather smoothly and we even talked off the record for a good twenty minutes or so afterwards which made me a fan of this cat even more.
Weapon X
Don't Dream Of Women
Weapon X
Road To Redemption 
the New Basic Weaponry EP Free!
WYDU: Let's start this off proper like, why don't you let everyone know who you are and some of your background?
Weapon X: I go by the name of Weapon X. I reside out here in the San Fernando Valley, 818 of Southern California. What I'm all about? I'm just a starving artist man, just like the album title says. I'm a 9 to 5 daily worker/MC that's just trying do to do music and survive at the same time.
W: You have an interesting background, being of Iranian decent and born in Brooklyn. Care to touch on your heritage and the east coast background?
WX: No doubt, I'm Iranian-American, both of my parents came out here from Iran. I ended up somehow being brought into this world in Brooklyn, New York. A lot of hip hop culture goes down out there or course. I grew up in a family that was unlike most stereotypical Persian families that are made out to have a lot of cash. My Dad did odd jobs out in Brooklyn and all that and my mom was a hair stylist. They did whatever they could to make ends meet. I grew up listening to a lot of music. One of the things my parents used to do was stick headphones on my head at the age of two. That was one of the first inspirations of music, it was one of the first things that would get me excited. They'd stick the headphones on my head and I used to bob up and down, up and down, but at the same time I'd be entrenched to the music and be zoned out to it. That was one of the very first influences that I can remember growing up with musically. I listened to regular 80's music as well as a lot of Stevie Wonder while growing up.
When I was seven and a half or eight, I moved out from Brooklyn to L.A.. My parents figured I'd have better education and opportunities out west, rather being in a closed in area like the apartments and a lot of New York is. When I came out to L.A., I can say I wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms. That's changed over the years, but kids are cruel. Coming in with a different ethnicity, a funny accent and at the time, the first Iraq war was going down and they were running around calling me Iraqi. I grew up with a lot of discrimination issues. That led to a lot of fights and anger at a young age. Somewhere a long the way though, I got into singing. I used to sing in the elementary music choir, I learned a lot about music through that. I used to have a good voice before it cracked. Once it cracked, I needed another outlet. At the time, it wasn't cool to be an R&B singer. I started doing poetry, at first it was to calm my anger, cause I have some anger issues. Eventually I started getting into hip hop, I wasn't necessarily introduced to being a lyricist in the sense, but Wu was probably the first thing I heard. Being out on the west coast, we didn't get a lot of the traditional lyrical MC's. I'd listen to a lot of gangster rap, you know, Doggystyle, The Chronic, Regulate...G-Funk Era, that kind of thing. The first two songs I really got into was "Regulate" and Tupac's "Pain" off the Above The Rim Soundtrack. I figured already did poetry, I might as well translate the rhythm I learned in singing into the poetry and rhyme. From there it evolved into what I do today.
W: How was your cultural/family background effect your life growing up in the States?
WX: My Dad when he first came over was very strict in nature, and even to this day some. There was a lot of stuff he used to "regulate" on me when he had to. He'd put a whoopin' on my ass when I needed it. He was a very strong cultural family man. He worked very hard and instilled a lot of values on us. He taught us about our culture and our heritage, as well as my mother. My mother believed we should be well educated. She taught me how to read at an early age, I was reading before I hit pre-school. I was surrounded by middle eastern music. It had some influence on me, especially during different holidays, but at the same time not forcing it down our throats. At the time, my sister and I, who is younger than me, knew exactly what our identities were and where we came from.
W: How did your parents handle your "profession", your excursion into hip hop and being an MC.
WX: That's actually a really good question. When I first started rapping, actually not even there, but when I first started to perform. When I first started, I didn't think my shit was any good. I used to write in my notebook at school, because I'd get bored and I'd zone out in class. I wasn't the ideal student. I was smart, but not motivated. I'd write rhymes in my notebook, but I wouldn't let anybody look at it. I remember one day, one of my friends wanted to know what I was writing and snatched it away from me, he looked at it and said, "Whoa, this stuff's pretty good, you should try your hand at this". I figured I would, but at the same time I didn't really want my parents to find out. I didn't know how they'd approach it. They support me in whatever I do, but in my culture, they have a very strict ideal system. You know, with a rap artist, that isn't always a high priority. They ain't no doctor or lawyer or something. They are not the people with six figure salaries that they can brag about to the family. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to tell them.
They accidentally found out one day, when my friend left one of my old, old CDs in his car, some old EP shit from back in the day. He had let his mom borrow the car and my CD was in it. So my friend's mom came was talking to my mom and said to my mom, "Your son raps nice", and they were like, "My son raps?" Everything kind of blew up from there. They took it pretty well. My dad used to clown me at first, he didn't know if I'd take it serious or not. Also, the old middle eastern mentality is that rap is crap blah blah blah, making fun of rap and stuff. But now, they are totally supportive. My whole family supports it and now my extended family knows, they are all embracing it. I never thought they'd be this much behind it, I mean I knew they'd support it, but now they are actually pushing me to do this.
W: That makes it a lot easier, doesn't it?
WX: Oh yeah, when I was hiding it and broke, I was running around to different places to record. I had to make excuses to go out and the such. This makes it a lot easier, now I can do it at the house. I got a set up at the house, I got a little studio at the house, I don't have to worry about keeping it under wraps.
W: Do you have an exact moment where you said, "Hey, I want to do hip hop?"
WX: I don't know if there was an exact moment, I think it just kind of progressed. When I first started doing hip hop, in that evolution from doing poetry to rap, it helped me vent my anger I was feeling at an younger age. Eventually when I started being told I was good at it and I was pushed to do it, I wasn't really confident at first. It just grew and I realized I was becoming legit and people were giving respect. I figured that I always loved music, I was good at it, not because I think I'm good, but people are telling me that they think I'm good, and not just my family and inner circle of friends, but people outside my inner circle, I figured I owed it to myself to give it a shot. By no means was it one of those thing I just walked into. The more my confidence grew, the more of the realization that I wasn't just some guy that can rap as a little hobby. I am an MC, that's who I am and who I'm destined to be. Once that all sunk in, there was no stopping me. At that point that's who I wanted to be. After that I focused on mastering the craft.
W: Coming from the west coast you don’t have the “traditional” west coast sound as an artist. What kind of role does the west coast sound play in your music?
WX: There are west coast influences in my music, it's just not prominent. It doesn't slap you in the face. If you hear what I'm rapping about, you can tell which coast I'm from. As far as my rhyme style and beat selection, I'm more influenced by the east. I'm east coast born and west coast raised. The east is what molded me and gave me my thought processes. I listen to all kinds of styles.
Musically, I can switch it up. I listened to east, west, south, midwest and even worldly music. Beatwise, I'll admit, as far as what you hear on my album "Portrait of a Starving Artist" and even some of the Basic Weaponry EP is more east coast influenced. I'm more comfortable over those beats and a lot the people that made those beats, come from that background. The eas
t coast beats have more room for lyricism, where as the west coast "bounce", which I can rock to any day of the week, is more "sittin' in your whip" type of music, it's stereo system type feeling. It's Cali music, slow and drawn out, and that's not a knock, that's the stuff I grew up on before I started getting into the real east coast type shit. I just feel more comfortable over east coast beats.
W: Speaking of the west coast is there still a “traditional” west coast sound?
WX: I'm going to be honest, very people are doing the traditional west coast sound. The west coast right now, to me in the terms of sound, don't seem to be solidified. It seems like ever since the old Dogg Pound, Dre, Death Row hey days, it really hasn't been solidified and the sound has been lost. There are still artists out here with that sound and still doing their thing, one would be Crooked I. I give that dude the utmost respect, he's really kept that traditional sound. He keeps that traditional gangsta rap flava with great mcing. He himself even says he created a new genre, gangsta MCin'. Others like Ras Kas also keep that sound going, but overall, even people like Snoop who back in the day created the sound, he's not doing that west coast sound anymore. He's rhyming over Pharrell and that such. Then you got the cats up in the Bay doing the hyphy sound, which doesn't have the traditional sound, not to knock any of it. The west coast is struggling to find it's sound. With a few cats like Crooked, hopefully the west will find it and be back.
W: Your debut album in titled “Portrait of a Starving Artist”, which I’m sure is an indication of the struggles coming up in the game, just how difficult is it? What have you had to go through to get to where you are at now in the game?
WX: A lot of the struggle is explained in the album, that's why I called the album "Portrait of a Starving Artist". To elaborate for the people that haven't heard the album yet and to give deeper insight to those that have, I consider myself a starving artist. I'm not getting paid for my craft, I work a 9-5, sometimes not even that, I've been laid off numerous times. I don't live a life style that is lavish. I'm lucky to have some supporters, family to keep me off the street. At the same time I've gone through my share of stuff. Everything is incorporated into that title. I've had my share of trouble with the law, I won't say what, I'll keep that low. I've been through financial issues where I haven't had more than a few bucks to my name. I've had issues with alcohol, depression, but all in all, these are things a lot of people go through, not everyone, but a lot of people can relate to these issues.
Then I've had different issues than the average person. Coming over here when Iraq and Iran weren't looked upon in a favorable light, then of course it got even worse after 9/11. Fortunately for me, I'm very light complexion and I can pass for a white person. But if a cop pulls me over and looks at my I.D., he knows exactly where I'm from. I was at O'Hare airport, I got patted down. I went to Toronto, they were checking me for SARS. I've been through racial discrimination, all that stuff. I've been harassed by cops, along with the regular day issues.
Even as far as being respected in this game. When I started doing this, it wasn't everyday that someone from the Middle Easterner pops up out of nowhere saying "I can rhyme!" I'm still earning my stripes. I'm still struggling, financially to making a living, these are the struggles of the starving artists portrayed on the album.
W: Let's discuss the album, "Portrait of a Starving Artist". Talk about recording the album…who are some of the producers and guest artists you worked with on portrait? How much time has the album been in the works?
WX: Writing the album actually took place at a progression rate. The album came out in January of 2008, after I came up with the concept and figured out what I wanted to do on the album, I started conceptionaly writing the album around September/October of 2006. I didn't me
an for it to take that long, but I had other things on the side, such as regular life issues that always slow things down. It was recorded exactly how a starving artist would record it, straight out the house! No professional studio. I was learning as I went along, which is why it comes off as real and gritty, which is exactly how I meant it to be. I started writing songs for it and I was going through a period of extreme depression. I had lost my job in that moment in time and money was tight. Beats were not easy to come by, which was another reason the writing was extended out that long. I think it was meant to happen that way. As I progressively wrote, as I was going through this, it was incorporated and added an element of realism to the rhyme. It painted a picture of exactly what I was going through.
So from about September of 2006 to late 2007, I wrote the album and recorded the early joints . In September of 2007 to about November, I started recording and mixing all the joints. From there, I just decided I was going to drop the and just go with it. I was originally aiming for release in September of 2007, but something happened, but the packaging was held up, then the licensing was delayed, I didn't want no one to jack the music. By the time all this was done it was January.
Then I suffered another setback, which I still regret. When I had everything ready, I was going to release the album on the 22nd, a Tuesday. Some other unforeseen things happened. Then unfortunately my friend and producer Clockwork, who did the majority of the beats on this record, passed away due to some screwed up circumstances. It's always been in the back of my mind, I always wished he would have heard the finished product, the retail finished product. If I only didn't have that delay and dropped it earlier. I was looking forward to sharing this with him. He would have loved to seen this appear out there and appear on the blogs, there was a magazine article I wish he could have seen. Those were some of the difficult times in trying to release this album. God bless his soul, I hope he can hear how many people are enjoying his work, cause it's his work as much as it is mine, where ever he is at.
W: So Clorkwork did most of the beats on the album then?
WX: Yes, Clockwork was responsible for the majority of the beats on the album
W: There is some nice stuff on there. Who you are some of the guest artists you have on the album? You seem to have a network of others you run with. I've seen the Basic Weaponary EP and seen you guest appear on other people's projects such....
WX: All the people that show up on the album, those are all my boys. I'm most grateful for them. Let's see, let's start from their appearances on the album. There is Mayo, Mayo actually did two of the beats on the album that Clockwork didn't do. He also lent a verse to a track. He is a young talented kid, both with his beatmaking and his lyrics. We weren't sure the track he did, "Run", was going to make the album, but it was just so dope and fit the theme of the album so well, we had to include it. He resides up, if I'm not mistaking, up in Washington state.
AnP, is from money making Manhattan, back from my home on the east coast. He has two albums out right now When is The Metabolic Chronicles Vol.1 and 2. AnP is actually a very big influence of mine. He was one of the biggest forces behind getting Portrait of a Starving Artist off the ground. He told me "You got some talent, put out an album" and once I started to working on the album, he lent his talents toward it.
Then on the track "You Can't Hide", which features Louis Mackey, Grevious Bodily Harm and Askani Son. Those dudes are all talented. Askani is from, I forget the exact city, but from around Baltimore. Louis Mackey is from Illinois. Grevious Bodily Harm is out from the UK. I forget exactly how we came together, but I guess we just respected each others work, I can say that for everybody. We recently were going to do a group project. Louis Mackey is currently dealing with some school issues, but that should work itself out. Together we don't really have a name, we just call ourselves the "Clique". We've been pretty much appearing on each others projects. Grievous just dropped an EP which I'm featured on, Askani is working on a project that I'll be featured on. Both will both be on the second project. That is like my tight nit rhyming family right there. They were people I wanted on the album, it wasn't I just reached out to whoever, they are part of the family.
W: I'm sure every track is important to you, but do have one track that means more to you or stands out more than the others?
WX: I don't know if I can pick a particular personal favorite. I can pick tracks that I had the most fun making. I loved making "Mentally Unstable" with AnP. That was just a monster of a track and we just let loose of our inhibitions and just spoke our mind. Obviously I loved "You Can't Hide", I love posse tracks anyway. Every once in a while, I can hop on those and test my skills. Actually come to think of it, my favorite track on the album is "Road to Redemption", the last track, not counting the bonus track. After all the bull of the whole concept of me speaking my mind and troubles, it's that little ray of light at the end of the tunnel. It's me opening up, expressing my gratitude at the same time letting know people that through all of this, those that stuck by me I really appreciate it. It's not taken for granted. The whole track is serving gratitude to all that I've been given despite what I've been through.
W: You also have the new Basic Weaponary EP, which out for free download with Basic....
WX: Yeah, Basic is my homie from here, in the 818. We are actually apart of another group, with Baisc, myself and Apoetnomadali. The group is called Basic Poetry X. It's also a hip hop group, but it's more focused on the Iranian-American demographic. We do stuff on that side as well. We are in the process of recording that album. That's how I got to know Basic. We have a strong friendship. The EP basically came about when our friend and partner was going through a really tough time, it was kind of difficult for him to make music. He is also down in Orange County, more than an hour away, while Basic and I both live in the San Fernando Valley in the 818. We figured to keep the name going and out there, we'd combine our talents and get together for an EP. Not just for the promotion, although it's a good way to do it, but to combine our fan bases and give the people back something. I'm not going to get rich off of my album. I'm trying to make back whatever I can, at least break even or a little extra would be cool. We really just wanted to have fun with it. Basic also happens to be Iranian-American, in case I didn't mention it. We had fun with a lot of the tracks. It's a dope project. We just wanted to make it fun, which wasn't always the case on our individual albums. So far, it's been accepted very well.
W: How does the internet affect an artist such as yourself, the "Starving Artist"? You hear a lot of debate, does it help the small artist, does it hurt the small artist, what's your thoughts?
WX: It depends on where you are in your career. Obviously, the options on the internet are ever changing. It happens on a day to day basis. For an underground hip hop artist, yes it does take a bit of money out of our pockets, alright, it takes a lot of money out of our pockets, we're not talking just a little bit. Unless you are a Canibus, or Chino XL or a well known underground artist, and even them such as the case of Kool G Rap, who has kind of been lost in the shadows, the internet helps with letting people hear music they won't on the mainstream platform, or on the radio. It gives us the exposure we wouldn't normally have.
It has made making music more accessible. Everyone with a microphone in their home can make an album these days. Everyone can be a producer or an MC now. Yes, it's hurting us with over saturation and exposing us to a bunch of crap. I don't want to be disrespectful to anyone, but you know, rapping is probably not for them. It hinders in that way. But for the established artist or the ones that sincerly have talent, it helps us by expanding the our fan base and getting our music to people who might not have otherwise heard it. They don't play a lot of music from someone like me, or Ras Kass, or even Crooked I. The internet helps keep it going, otherwise there would be no medium for people to hear some of the music. It's keeping a lot of the original culture alive, from the music aspects. Without the internet, radio would probably just wash it all away. The original essence of culture would be lost. But yes, we are taking a hit though there is no doubt about it.
W: How much has it helped you personally, because I know your album leaked on the internet as well.....
WX: Oh yeah, I certainly do. I may not be making a whole lot of money, let's face it. Considering this my first album, I didn't stand to make a whole lot of money anyway. I'm not a signed artist, I'm not even signed to an indie label. Any money I make off of grinding it, I appreciate it. At first I was like "Ahhh, the album leaked!", now I look at it and people are enjoying the music and I got a bigger fan base. Since this is an issue in the industry anyway, people are going to download your album, the real money is to be made doing shows. The more people that hear my album and like it, the more people that are likely to come to the shows and watch me rock the stage. That part is not really hurting me at all. If the album wasn't available on line and I was just hustling out of my backpack, which is no shame in that, I do that all the time, but if it was just based on word of mouth, it'd be a lot harder, no doubt about it.
W: What do you have going on the future?
WX: Obviously there is going to be a second LP. I've had enough positive feedback and people wanting the music, I feel confident going through with a second album. I mean, I'd probably would have done it anyway, but just kept it to myself, but the music is obviously being appreciated. I'm working on the details as I go along.
As far as other projects, I'll be working on the Basic Poetry X album. That's in the very near future. We are going to get started on that very soon. It'll be aimed at the middle eastern demographic, but it'll still have a very strong hip hop influence. Then there is something have in the works, in it's beginning stages. As it stands right now, Grievious Bodily Harm and I will be doing a collaborative album, going on the name of Eastern Condors. The concepts and are being worked out. In between that sometime, I'm going to release another EP for the people just for the hell of it. It'll be a solo EP, just working on it. Don't know what I'm going to call that one as of yet. Who knows what else, but you'll catch me on people's albums. I'm willing to be a '98 Canibus and show up on people's albums and just rip shit.
W: Alright, let's wrap this bad boy up, you got any last words?
WX:I'd just like to thank my family for being so supportive, My regular affiliates, AnP, Mayo, Askani, Mackey, and GBH along with my boys APNA and Basic. I also want to thank you all at Wake Your Daughter Up for giving me the opportunity to partake in this interview and speak
my mind.In addition want to thank everyone along the way thats supported me and my music this far, it's because of you I do this. Lastly for those who are just getting acquainted with me you can hit up my myspace at www.myspace.com/wxmc and feel free to download the Sleepless Sessions EP for free as well as cop the album Portrait of a Starving Artist. Myself as well as other, indy artists really put a lot of work in our craft and we don't have a whole lot of cash to do it with so every little bit of support helps. Support Real Hip Hop and lets keep the culture alive.
