AllHipHop

homepage

Raydar Ellis: Off the Radar

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Features

Brick Records has forged a reputation for building Boston’s independent Hip-Hop market. Having put out cult-followed records for MF Doom, D-Tension, and 7L & Esoteric, the presence goes beyond Beantown too. But after over a decade of grinding, Brick brought it back home with an unlikely newcomer, Raydar Ellis.

Ellis, a Berklee School of Music graduate, has been a fan of Hip-Hop since seeing graffiti in his travels growing up in northern New Jersey. Since getting his knowledge in New England, the dorm room student moved to the mic, and in doing so, won over the respect of everybody from Ed O.G. on down. His debut album, The Late Pass is a dynamic album that looks at Hip-Hop’s origins, its future, and everything that’s been funny along the way. Raydar spoke with AllHipHop.com about his development from fan to MC, and his academic approach to the music. Tardy or not, here Raydar comes.

AllHipHop.com: What’s up with the Raydar part of the name? Is that a M.A.S.H. reference or what?

Raydar Ellis: Raydar came from a bunch of my friends in high school. They’d go out and party and stuff, and I’d pretty much be at home, working on music or researching things. I was always thinkin’ ‘bout stuff. I could be sittin’ around, watchin’ Hollywood Squares [on TV], and all of a sudden, I’d start looking for information on the history of [the show]. They said, “Yo, you’re like a Raydar, you’re always lookin’ for stuff.” It stuck.

AllHipHop.com: Where’d you grow up?

Raydar Ellis: I was born in White Plains, New York. Then I moved to New Jersey for 13 years, and on to Connecticut for high school. I was always in the tri-state area.

AllHipHop.com: What kind of research did you have to do to make a record like “Graffiti Rock”?

Raydar Ellis: A lot of came from my homies and stuff, ‘cause I’m not a writer myself. My homies are writers. Just kickin’ it with them and really wantin’ to be a student of the culture [inspired me]. The thing about Hip-Hop that separates it from so many other genres is that you can never play a note and still be Hip-Hop. It always struck me like, “Where does this come from?” I understand what hieroglyphics are, and I understand what Sanskrit is, and what graffiti is, but how does that all come together? “Graffiti Rock” gave me that opportunity.

AllHipHop.com: New Jersey has more graffiti today than a lot of places. Was it prevalent in your growing up?

Raydar Ellis: I was always seein’ it and everything. My first real understanding of it was when my mom would go to get her done. I came from a mostly white, middle-class neighborhood. There weren’t a lot of kids throwin’ stuff up on walls. When my mom got her hair done, she went to black neighborhoods – that’s where the salon had custom graffiti stuff on the side of the building, just ridin’ around the city. When we went into New York, as well, in Harlem, I was always on the lookout for it. Before I made music, I was painting. So from a color perspective, [it interested me too].

AllHipHop.com: Does one writer really resonate with you?

Raydar Ellis: Hmmm. My boy, Broma. I shouted him out on the beginning of the song too. He was the catalyst for that. The kid, he’s an all-around great dude and such. He pulled me aside and [taught me everything]. He opened me up to the individualism that graffiti can bring.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve got another interesting record in “S#### Song.” Last year, that was a hot topic with Little Brother’s Minstrel Show album. From an independent situation on Brick Records, not being forced into the cookie-cutter role, do you see that syndrome playing into your career?

Raydar Ellis: Oh yeah, definitely – in life. Growing up in a mostly white, New Jersey neighborhood, [I went] to an all-black college, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. When I first got down there, kickin’ it with MCs and all that, they were like, “Why you talk like that?” – things of that nature. “Can you send a lil’ bit more urban?” It was like actors on casting-calls. It’s funny that you brought up the minstrel thing and Little Brother, because I didn’t really wanna compare myself as an MC doing it, I wanted to talk about the actor’s element. A lot of people equate “s####” as slang for sellout.

AllHipHop.com: In underground Hip-Hop right now, there is a sense that it’s largely white audiences buying these albums. Approaching your audience right now, what element does race play to you?

Raydar Ellis: I’m not really gonna sit there and be like, “Man, he’s not black, so he shouldn’t be buyin’ my record!” That doesn’t make any sense. I’m just happy…ears are ears. Shoot, the human race is the only race I’m tryin’ to reach. I don’t segregate. Berklee [School of Music] definitely taught me a lot about different cultures, and different ways to connect to people.

AllHipHop.com: I interviewed Edan before, a Berklee dropout. He said that it’s hard for Hip-Hop to be taught in a higher education system. Would you agree?

Raydar Ellis: No. [Berklee] taught me a lot about the other side. I wasn’t born inside Hip-Hop. I came up first on Rock & Roll and Jazz. I got into Hip-Hop in the mid-‘90s and then had to backtrack and learn a whole bunch of stuff. When I came to Berklee, I tried to build up as much understanding as a student of the culture, and one thing that it taught me was the other side. I’d be sitting there playing a De La Soul Stakes is High record and the kid to the next of me, maybe two years younger, would have no clue. I was in eighth grade when that record came out. But this kid next to me, wasn’t. That taught me a lot about the life-span and the gaps, as what happens with the culture. My parents have siblings that are all spaced out in years, but they all know Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On? The time gaps for there weren’t as significant as they are now. Berklee taught me that. Hip-Hop is like a candy bar. You [consume] it and you’re still hungry. You forget that you ate it after a while.

AllHipHop.com: MCs complain about the diminishing following from female fans, especially in independent Hip-Hop. With a song like “Fat Chicks,” do you think that encourages women or chases them away from the record?

Raydar Ellis: The weirdest thing… and I didn’t expect this at all, is skinnier girls are like, “Where’s my record?” I’m not kidding. I’ve played [“Fat Chicks”] for fat chicks, I’ve played it for skinny girls, and the impression that I’ve gotten the most is, “Why do fat chicks get a song?” [Laughs] We were just havin’ fun one day in a rehearsal, and we made the song from there.

AllHipHop.com: When you’ve got a crew called Short Bus, people know it’s a lighthearted experience. But when you’ve also got records on Late Pass like “S#### Song” that mean something to you, is it hard to be taken seriously?

Raydar Ellis: That was a battle at one point. On one hand, it’s part of being human. No one’s gonna feel the same all the time. We’re gonna wanna party sometimes, others, we’re gonna wanna be serious and everything. Where would I be if I only tried to make one side of myself? I was really feelin’ a certain mood when I wrote “S#### Song.” Especially since this is my first record, I really wanted people to have a clear understanding of who I am, and not just a one-sided view. To show the 360 degree perspective, I said, “Shoot, I wrote a song about it, I’m puttin’ it on there. ‘Cause, s**t, I felt that way.”

AllHipHop.com: I’m really starting to appreciate what Ed O.G. means to Hip-Hop. You’ve got him, 7L & Esoteric and different pillars of Boston Hip-Hop on the album. What does that veteran presence mean to you?

Raydar Ellis: Aw man, let me tell you! I think it was Ed O.G.’s “Sayin’ Something,” around ’99. There was one line he spit, the opening line…

AllHipHop.com: “If the opportunity were to present itself, I might just have to go and reinvent myself.” …

Raydar Ellis: Yeah! We all know “I Gotta Have It” and we all know “Be a Father” and stuff, but like, that line struck me. I was a freshman in college. That was a turning point for me. That was one of the first times I started looking at [Ed O.G.] like that, and started digging at where he was coming from as a writer. The same thing with 7L and Esoteric – I first found out about them online. I was bumping “Word Association” in my dorm and stuff. The writing and rhythmic patterns that Eso was using, it really struck me. I studied that. At that time, Brick [Records] was still distributed by Landspeed. Looking at the Landspeed catalog which was like The Beatnuts, Freddie Foxxx, 7L and Eso, I was like, “Damn!” That brought me towards the Boston Hip-Hop stuff, and then the Mr. Lifs and others, it helped me deal with what was going on at the time. Most of my campus was coming into the Crunk era at the time – the “Bia’ Bia’” and Cash Money and all of that.

AllHipHop.com: Five years ago, you were in a dorm room discovering your present-day peers. Today, you’ve got a premier record on a respected independent label. For those closet-MC dreamers out there, got a word of advice?

Raydar Ellis: You have to live it, but living is learning. For people trying to get into this industry, one thing that is key is to immerse yourself in it. There’s kids out there that write 16 bars, write a hook, and get a beat, and think that’s it. There’s kids out there that do a flare [scratch], do some stabs, and think, “I’m a DJ.” There’s kids [relying] on Serato. It won’t be long ‘til some kids have no clue of what vinyl is. You gotta love this culture! When you’re worried about your single charting, your show booking, your distribution, that’s all you’ve got to look to, like “I love this.” br>

Sandman: Illadelph Stronghold

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Features

You think it’s that easy? Just show up on a pair of Clinton Sparks-backed mixtapes with Clipse and get glowing write-ups in national publications, then scores of year-end props? It takes years to get to this point, takes years to make opportunities fall into place. Talk to Northeast Philly native Sandman, and he’ll tell you it all funnels back to his hometown streets. Or, as he calls them, “the asphalt.”

Sandman grew up in the rough neighborhood of Germantown before moving to Northeast as a teenager. He spent Saturday nights at a local skating rink with a cousin, rapping in cyphers and getting tight with the rink’s DJ and owner. By the time he was 16, Sandman was a paid performer ($400 a weekend) who was doing radio spots on local station Q102 FM.

But roadblocks were up ahead. Like his fellow Re-Up Gang members Clipse, Sandman built career momentum only to be sidelined by label setbacks (his was with Interscope Records in 2001) and learned quickly to trust his own instincts, not those of others outside of his crew.

On a late night by phone, Sandman talked about staying close to Philly, why he prefers to stay independent, and what the future holds for the Re-Up Gang.

AllHipHop.com: I was at Power 99 when Clipse played Philly back in May, and all you guys freestyled on the air. The DJ was saying, “I’m so glad you guys did that. Nobody freestyles anymore.”

Sandman: I don’t even know what the term “freestyle” means anymore. When you come up to the radio, it’s not kicking a freestyle, because a freestyle means off the top of the head. What we were doing was just spitting over instrumentals live. All that s**t was just rhymes — we all got rhymes galore.

AllHipHop.com: What are some of your first memories of Hip-Hop?

Sandman: My mother was actually my liaison to Hip-Hop, when I was like seven years old. She had all the records that was the s**t back then: [Gransmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s] “White Lines,” and “The Message.” When I was doing my chores on Saturday, this was what I was growing up to. It was the soundtrack to my life.

AllHipHop.com: How did you get the name Sandman?

Sandman: Ah, man. A female gave it to me. I was in high school and I had this girlfriend. We used to kiss every morning and every time we would finish kissing, she used to start humming the song “Mr. Sandman.” I was like, “Why you be doing that?” And she said, “Because you’re my Sandman, your kisses make me sleepy. They make me wanna be where you’re at.” So she started calling me that. But I played football in high school, too, and they used to say, “Yeah, Sandman!” when I made a good hit. So it rolled over to the field.

AllHipHop.com: At what point did you hook up with Clark Kent and start taking rap seriously?

Sandman: I was recording with my man Artwork; he had a studio, and Clark got a hold of all my s**t. I was into song-making very early on. Like, when I was 17, I sounded like I was 28. They were comparing me to great n***as at an early age.

AllHipHop.com: So you could actually write songs, not just rap?

Sandman: Man, I’ve got hundreds of songs that no one’s ever heard. I got six mixtapes, heavy mixtapes, in the street right now.

AllHipHop.com: When did you start doing mixtapes?

Sandman: I think it was ’99 or ’98. It was with my man Filthy Rich; he’s another rapper from uptown [Philly]. He’s locked up right now; he’s got 20 [years] in the Fed. It was me, him, my man Cheech Myers, and my sister Housewife, who’s on my label, C.A.N.N.O.N.S. Inc. We did a mixtape called “Uncut Entertainment.” But me doing my solo mixtapes, that happened after my deal went bad. I was signed to Interscope when [record executive] Steve Stoute got fired. I was lookin’ at nothin’, for real.

AllHipHop.com: When were you signed to Interscope?

Sandman: It was around 2001. It was me, Eminem, and Ms. Jade on the label. [Interscope] was making they shift to Hip-Hop. I got signed off of four songs. We did an album — Trackmasters was on it, Clark Kent was on there. But the thing I was most proud of is that I put so many Philly producers on there, dudes that ain’t really get they light [before]. We gonna release that album [eventually].

AllHipHop.com: You had the album done and they dropped you?

Sandman: Yeah. When Steve Stoute got fired, it was a wrap. Eminem had Dr. Dre, so Dre would push him forward; Jade had Timbaland, so he would push her. I had Clark Kent, who was making his re-emergence [at the time]. But without Steve, everything was a wrap.

AllHipHop.com: So what happened between then and 2005, when you hooked up with Clipse?

Sandman: After all that bulls**t with the label, my love for the music had me wanting to record [again]. I knew a lot of hot MCs [in Philly], so I formed a crew, C.A.N.N.O.N.S. Inc. I had a team when we were making my album, but my dream of being a C.E.O. and having people come up under me — to be big as the Wu but fly like Junior M.A.F.I.A. — that got pushed to the rail when I did my album. It was like, “No, you’re gonna sign here, we gonna do this with Interscope, and then you gonna blow and come back and get them.” So when it didn’t quite go like that, I said, “I’m gonna do it my way now.” I went and got the company done up and started hittin’ the streets. Heavy mixtapes, all crazy – f**kin’ with dudes I respected, some known, some unknown. If you respected by me, you need to be known, because I don’t like nobody. I think everybody is wack.

AllHipHop.com: Who are some MCs you respect?

Sandman: DMX was a n***a I definitely felt he gave his heart…The L.O.X. been ridin’ for awhile. I always respected their rhyme status but I also respect the business, like, “I’m not suckin’ nobody’s d*ck. If it takes long for me to get on but I [still] get on, then I’m with that.”…Always been a fan of Nas…B.I.G is probably my favorite rapper; I always thought he was extra slick and clever with his s**t, just like, real, real cocky. I like that.

AllHipHop.com: Being from Philly and being around Hip-Hop, you know what the scene is like there. You see people: Beans, Eve, Freeway, The Roots, Will Smith; they break out of Philly. But why do you think the Philly scene hasn’t taken it to the next level? Why hasn’t it caught on more?

Sandman: I’ll answer that for you in a real thorough way. Everybody you just named — name me one Philly rapper, outside of The Roots and Will Smith — that doesn’t have their name associated with a company that’s either out of town or with a company that has a lead, number one rapper. Name me one MC. Besides myself.

AllHipHop.com: [laughs]

Sandman: This is real s**t. And you can say, “Well, Sandman, you’re with the Re-Up Gang.” But then I can say that when I met Pusha, he had four of my CDs in his hand. That meant I was on my f**king grind. So that don’t count [laughs].

AllHipHop.com: I’m trying to think of rappers from Philly, like Kurupt, but he was with Death Row…

Sandman: Listen to me: you can’t answer that question. You have to go back to the early ’90s and late ’80s [to find someone].

AllHipHop.com: [laughs] What, Schoolly D?

Sandman: Now you went damn-near mid-’80s.

AllHipHop.com: So you’re saying anyone who’s coming out of Philly already has a bigger connection outside of the city?

Sandman: Nah, that doesn’t even matter. It’s just, if you’re not the focal point of the situation, there’s something bigger than you. You got to want to be the biggest in the situation, and the situation has to want to make you that big. Unfortunately, nobody from Philly has been in that situation. I can honestly say that 50 Cent makes it where his artists blow the f**k up. I haven’t seen Philly dudes get that shot. My thing is I want to be a focal point. I don’t wanna ever rap on another rapper’s f**king label. That is bulls**t.

AllHipHop.com: So if Interscope wanted to pick you up again, or Shady/Aftermath, G-Unit…

Sandman: Nah, I’m not takin’ none of them deals. An Aftermath deal is something different because I believe Dr. Dre has a creative vision and he knows what it takes. I think 50 Cent got a vision, too, but the G-Unit movement is more of a brand, like a team within itself. I’m not willing to succumb to another man’s team. I got my own team. When you hear me say, “Yeah…Cann-ons!” — it’s like me puttin’ a bat light in the sky and everybody know when I’m comin’. And that only represents the asphalt of Philadelphia. That’s it.

I’m on some cold independent s**t. Like the Re-Up Records thing with Clipse: those are my n***as first and foremost. We have a brotherly bond. We ask how each other’s mothers is doing, check on each other’s kids. It’s real with us. Them brothers been through the same thing I’ve been through as far as the label limbo. And me and Liva had a rapport before both our camps came into existence. We knew each other just from being Hip-Hop dudes.

AllHipHop.com: Everyone wants to know about the next “We Got It 4 Cheap” and the Re-Up Gang album. What can you say about those projects?

Sandman: You can expect a volume three in early September. The Re-Up Gang album, look out for that in the first quarter [of 2007]. We not gonna rush nothin’, ‘cause the Clipse have a classic — quote me when I say that — a classic album coming out.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve heard the whole album?

Sandman: Yeah, I’m on it. The Clipse ain’t playin’ no games. “Mr. Me Too” is a fluffer. They just snuck back in the game with that. But, man, when they turn the f**kin’ heat up on y’all … you gonna understand what I’m tellin’ you. We gonna ride the success of that and “We Got It 4 Cheap, Vol. 3” into the top of the year, then give y’all the Re-Up Gang album.

AllHipHop.com: It looks like things are finally coming together for everyone.

Sandman: Hell yeah. The snowball is beginning to build. It’s comin’ downhill full-steam ahead. As far as my solo thing, all my [mixtape] CDs is getting ready to be available on MixUnit.com. I’ve been making a lot of DJ-friends on tour, too. Dudes that feel me and love what I’m doing. I’m gonna be poppin’ up [everywhere]. Plus, I got my company and my squad. We just gonna keep floodin’ the streets. While the Re-Up Gang s**t is buzzin’, I’m always gonna be pushin’ Sandman.

Ab-Liva: Big Brother’s Watching

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Features

The monk. Big brother Abdul. The man that would be king.

North Philly son Ab-Liva is different things to different people. To Pharrell Williams and the Re-Up Gang, he’s a reserved philosopher, pen in hand, waiting for inspiration. To his younger brothers Hassan and Anwar, who are both incarcerated, he’s a tower of hope, a glimpse at the good life that comes with timing, smart choices, and a little luck. To himself, Liva is a rapper with untapped potential, a street corner sage ready to claim his throne with a smirk and say, “Told you so.”

Since his guest turn on Clipse’s “Cot Damn” in 2002, Ab-Liva (his moniker combines his birth name, Abdul, with a boastful superlative) has rhymed with shocking comfort, adopting a husky swagger that falls somewhere between confident and cautionary. His lines on last year’s “We Got It 4 Cheap” mixtapes were highlighted by thrilling metaphors and pop culture gems that showed a working knowledge of more than just rap music.

With his tone alternating between deadly serious and surprisingly friendly, Ab-Liva broke down his game, from choosing music over sports and writing for Dr. Dre to comparisons to Jay-Z and dealing with the mainstream’s embrace.

AllHipHop.com: How did you first get up with Malice and Pusha?

Ab-Liva: It was in ’99. I was in a group called Major Figgas, from Philly. One of my homies was signed to Suave House, and they were tryin’ to sign me as a solo artist. They sent my man down to [Virgina] to work with Pharrell, and they sent me along with him to structure some songs. We were at Chad [Hugo’s] house, and Pharrell put a beat on. We was in there rappin’, and they looked at me, like, “Damn, you hot. [laughs] Who you signed to?” I told them Suave House was hollerin’ at me, but it wasn’t definite. Pharrell didn’t have a label at the time, but he was like, “Whatever you do, we wanna work with you.” So me and Pharrell and Clipse hit it off right then and there. I ran into them [again] at a video shoot with Philly’s Most Wanted. That’s where they met Roscoe P. Coldchain.

I hadn’t seen them in maybe a year and a half, and then Pharrell and Pusha came to Philly for a New Year’s Eve party, and I just happened to be there. Pusha was like, “We workin’ on [Lord Willin’], and we was just talkin’ about who we can get on this song, and your name came up.” I hadn’t seen them in a year and a half, so I was kinda skeptical. But they called me the next day and booked me on a flight to Virginia, and that’s when we did “Cot Damn.”

AllHipHop.com: What first drew you to Hip-Hop?

Ab-Liva: I just remember being a fan of Big Daddy Kane and Kool G Rap. Kool G Rap, for the most part, was my biggest influence. His wordplay was so crazy. I used to be intrigued by how he could put all them words together and make them flow. I remember my first summer job, having a Walkman and this Kool G Rap tape. [laughs] No other tapes, just Kool G Rap, goin’ to my summer job. That’s when I really thought about writin’. Up to that point, I was just a fan of the music.

I came into the game with a group called Major Figgas. We got together in ’97, in Philly. We started makin’ our own little mixtapes in our neighborhood. We was cool with Beanie Sigel, and right around the time he got on, Cosmic Kev at Power 99 had us come up to the radio station and bust some freestyles. So we just created a buzz in Philly and it went from there. We almost signed with Roc-A-Fella, but the money wasn’t right. I was runnin’ with Dr. Dre and them for a couple of years, too.

AllHipHop.com: Did Dre wanna bring you to Aftermath?

Ab-Liva: Yeah. I was in the camp for about a year and a half, two years. I did some writin’ for Dre. I wrote his verse on “The Watcher 2” [from Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse].

AllHipHop.com: You mentioned Beans — is everyone really tight in Philly or are there pockets?

Ab-Liva: It’s somewhat territorial. [laughs] I’m [originally] from North Philly, and North Philly kinda sticks with North Philly. Beans is from South Philly, so in South Philly, they hold him down. They rep for him. Me and my group, we rep for North Philly hard. It’s like any hood, though. You gotta learn fast, be on your toes. Try to stay away from the dumb s**t, try to make your way.

AllHipHop.com: Now, I’ve seen you in person, and I’ve seen your MySpace page. You’re a pretty tall dude, right?

Ab-Liva: Yeah. I’m 6’9”.

AllHipHop.com: So you had to get pulled into sports at some point, right?

Ab-Liva: Yeah, yeah. [laughs] I played basketball in high school. What’s funny is, I played sports but I didn’t look at it like a career. To me, that wasn’t my calling. It was for fun. After I graduated from high school, I knew music was it for me.

AllHipHop.com: You mention a younger brother who’s in prison on “Nothing Like It” [from “We Got It 4 Cheap, Vol. 1”]. Can you comment on that?

Ab-Liva: I actually got two brothers that’s in prison, both of my younger brothers. My youngest brother, who I talked about on Vol. 2, on the “Hate It or Love It” beat, he has life. We’re appealing it. He’s locked up for a murder he didn’t commit. He got caught in a stolen car with his homie. The police came, and they got out and ran. Cops catch him, come back to the car, find a gun. His prints weren’t on the gun or anything, but they charged him with the crime [it was used in]. Just to see him railroaded by the judicial system…cops lyin’ on the stand and it’s obvious…It was crazy when the verdict was handed down. To see such a miscarriage of justice…I just looked at the whole system as f**ked up. It can’t work. If you can get charged with something you didn’t do, and a muthaf**ka can hand down a sentence of life on somebody — to me, that just f**ked up everything.

AllHipHop.com: What’s that brother’s name?

Ab-Liva: Anwar. He’s been in jail since he was 15. He’s about to turn 25.

AllHipHop.com: So he’s already put in ten years. And you have another brother who’s in jail, too?

Ab-Liva: Yeah, Hassan.

AllHipHop.com: With two brothers in jail, did you ever worry about getting caught up like that?

Ab-Liva: Yeah, man. Me and Hassan are close in age, and we was runnin’ in the streets at the same time. I’m lucky to say I didn’t get incarcerated while I was hustlin’. There came a point in time where I started doing this music thing, and I put all that other stuff to the backburner. I’m glad I did, because I’ve been able to make my way with it. We got a lot of things poppin’ off right now, and it’s f**ked up that they couldn’t be here with me [to celebrate].

AllHipHop.com: In between “Cot Damn” and when you re-emerged last year, what was your career like?

Ab-Liva: I was still out in L.A., doing some work with Dre. He produced some songs for me. Then I went on tour with Clipse. We were on the road for about two and a half years straight. We did Europe with Jay-Z; we were on every tour through 2003 and 2004. In 2004 was when the Re-Up Gang took shape. That’s when Clipse was workin’ on Hell Hath No Fury and goin’ through all the label drama.

AllHipHop.com: What did you think when the mixtapes came out last year and publications like Pitchfork Media and Village Voice embraced them?

Ab-Liva: It caught me so off-guard. I got a call from Pusha one day. He was like, “Yo, we in the new Blender magazine.” They put our mixtape as one of the top 50 albums of 2005. I’m like, “What?” It was just a mixtape and they put it as one of the top 50 albums [of the year].

To me, it let us know we were going in the right direction. We couldn’t say on the mixtapes, “Yo, we doin’ this like an album,” [just] so people would get it. [laughs] We said, “Let’s just do the music right”; make sure the ad-libs are tight; the verses are tight; the hooks are tight. We wanted it to show.

AllHipHop.com: So what’s next for you? I know there are some big projects coming up.

Ab-Liva: The Clipse album is coming. The song that features the Re-Up Gang is crazy, absolutely crazy. It’s called “Ain’t Cha”. It’s so g###### hard. We workin’ on the Re-Up Gang album right now. For the listeners, we got some s**t lined up. [laughs] It’s gonna be some great ridin’ around, volume turned all the way up, just zonin’ music. I’m workin’ on my solo album, too. That should be out after the Re-Up Gang album, hopefully next summer. And I still got that window open with Dr. Dre. I’m supposed to do some writin’ on the Detox album. I went out there end of 2004, beginning of 2005, and was workin’ on it then. I wrote on a couple joints, but he [ended up] scrapping the album. About six or seven months ago, he had me come out there [again] and listen to some of the beats he was pickin’ out.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve worked with Pharrell and Dre, two of the most innovative producers ever. What can you say about the way they work?

Ab-Liva: Man, listen. I’ve worked with a lot of producers. Those two guys, they have different approaches to making music, but they fine-tune what they do so well. Pharrell, his inspiration is just crazy. He’ll start hummin’ and then flesh out a whole song — chorus and everything. And Dre, his ear is crazy. He’ll be workin’ on a beat, and you’ll be there listenin’ to it. He’ll give you the look, and you’ll give him the look back, like, “Yeah, this s**t is crazy.” And then he’ll be like, “Hold up.” And he’ll change something around, and when he plays it back it’ll be twice as good as it was before. It’s been a pleasure workin’ with both of those guys.

AllHipHop.com: In some of your lines, you talk about being a king. That’s a word that catches everyone’s ear when they hear it. What do you mean by that?

Ab-Liva: I’ve always said that. If you look at the “Hot Damn” video, which was 2003, it says “the man that would be king” on the screen, right before I rap.

I was working in a studio in Philly with these engineers: Mark, a real cool guy, and another guy, Otto. These guys were Rock engineers [laughs], not your usual rap engineers. But they would always tell me that they really felt my flow and how I put words together. I ain’t know how good their rap ear was, but they knew music, so I told them I appreciated it. One day we was sittin’ around, smokin’. Otto looked at me and he goes, “I got a title for you. The man that would be king. That’s how I look at you.” And when he said that to me, I was like, “S**t, that’s hard.” [laughs]

Lyrically, I don’t think a lot of cats can f**k with me. Not sayin’ that to be cocky; I just know I’m good at what I do. That’s why it’s “the man that would be king” — as soon as I get my shot to really show ’em, they’ll see the light.

Clark Kent: Super A&R

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Features

The fictional character of Clark Kent has super powers allowing his alter ego to rescue and protect what he sees fit. The DJ Clark Kent we all know within our spectrum possesses similar super powers when it comes to music and not just Hip-Hop. And after a career spanning twenty years, experiencing multiple countries and interactions with nothing but thebest,Clark Kent isat a place where he wants to do him.

DJ, Producer, A&R are all avenues walked, working with “Brooklyn’s Finest” to grooming the platinum success of pop sensations 98 Degrees; his resume reeks of nothing but metal, the disc variety. Now it’s time to groom and nurture his own roster. Setting up his own company, Clark World, with partner Andre Council, the time has come to have his protégé step up to the plate.

With the F.D.N.Y (Five Defenders of New York) , a collective of lyricists from New York, prepping their joint project as well as solo ones and The Re-Up Gang’s Sandman working on his individual project, Clark Kent may be looking at another twenty year run in the game. He understands the importance of a great song, he gets that we have to move with the times and he damn sure knows what makes our feet tap, therefore being on his team is about victory. This interview is the thoughts and opinions of a man who has been there, seen it and done it…successfully.

AllHipHop.com: It’s the ten year anniversary of Reasonable Doubt. Had Protools been around when you were creating that project, what difference would it have made to making that album?

DJ Clark Kent: To me, the music, Protools doesn’t change the music; Protools changes the way you record music. Had there been Protools back then, the album would have been done a lot faster, but it would have been the same music because at that point that’s what was needed, that’s what was real.

AllHipHop.com: Is Dame still looking for production credit on “Brooklyn’s Finest”?

DJ Clark Kent: [Laughs] You know what, how about this, Dame can have credit. I don’t care about that as everyone knows who made the beat. I had made the beat before for one of his groups for a remix and he was just like, “Use it again.” If he says use it again, that can warrant production credit so I won’t argue with that. There are other producers that get production credit that have never touched a machine before in their lives, but if they can say what they want to hear done, that is considered production credit. That’s why I never argue with it, the whole world knows who made the beat. I am cool with everyone knowing who originally made the beat.

AllHipHop.com: Hip-Hop purists say that if you go from producing Hip-Hop to Pop, you are selling out. You went from working with the likes of Biggie and Jay to 98 Degrees, how do you respond to that?

DJ Clark Kent: If someone can say I am not pure, then they are not looking at the fact that I am a producer. I am a DJ first and before there was Hip-Hop. I played Pop, R&B, Disco; those were the basis of what rappers used to rhyme too, what the DJs played with a certain rhythm. It was Pop records, it was Disco records, and it was Funk records, it was whatever, so who gauge what is pure anymore?

AllHipHop.com: I watched a documentary the other week I am…Choke, No Joke, which showed the break down at Roc-a-Fella Records. You were A&R at the Roc at that time, how did that divide effect employees?

DJ Clark Kent: It affected employees because they generally loved everybody there; then when you have a split you have to decide where you want to go, that is a pretty hard or harsh reality to come to. I think, basically that was what it was. The people that worked there loved the idea of Roc-a-Fella, but when the split came, it was almost the idea that these three guys who were friends who had built themselves up, it is a hurtful thing for people to go through.

AllHipHop.com: Did people know what was going on before it became common knowledge?

DJ Clark Kent: I think they knew, I think they felt but no-one knows until it actually happens.

AllHipHop.com: So what are you up to now?

DJ Clark Kent: Right now, me and my partner Dre, we have a company called Clark World Entertainment, where we are building artists, that we are, who we were building solo; we built a group and called it The F.D.N.Y. We are putting their album together right now and shopping.

AllHipHop.com: How involved are you in that, are you producing?<br<

DJ Clark Kent: We are producing, we are using outside producers, but we are 150% on top of the whole album.

AllHipHop.com: So do you think that you are at a point in your life after doing so much for other labels and other companies, that you can be comfortable doing your own thing?

DJ Clark Kent: Definitely. We had to do our own thing as giving it away the whole time, it doesn’t really add up.

AllHipHop.com: Do you think there is a cut off age for when people should really give it in and stop trying to get a deal?

DJ Clark Kent: I don’t think so. Jay-Z was rapping from 14, and I was aware of him by 15, and his reality happened at 27. So what do you say, “I’ve been here for twelve years and now I am going to stop?” No, it’s just that it was his time. You got to look, LL Cool J is still rapping and he is still rapping and being good, still rapping, making great records and having an impact on music. Jay-Z, if he puts another album out this year, he will be 37 with probably the best album out this year; so when is the cut off age when you have that talent? The thing is that people equate rap with youth instead of associating rap with talent.

AllHipHop.com: Is that where we are right now?

DJ Clark Kent: That is where we are at right now, as the youth are dictating what is right and wrong. You know I am sitting around watching some 20 year old dude say some raps that we think are ‘whatever,’ and they are going to accept him before they accept the dude who is 36, because he is 36. How about if this 36 year old said some of the best lyrical content you ever heard? I would rather have that than have some 20 year old dude that is only going to be good for a year and a half or two years. Look at Jaz-O, he is up there and lyrically he is one of the best MCs I have heard in my life. He is in my Top Five still and he is 41. He is untouchable, lyrically.

AllHipHop.com: As an A&R, do you find Hip-Hop goes with an image now though instead of lyrical capabilities?

DJ Clark Kent: When an image plays into a record, or into an artist, that artist has to pull that image off and if that doesn’t happen, if you don’t pull that image off, no one is going to buy into it. So like with a guy like Jeezy, you know you might think he may not be the best rapper, but he is one of the most believable rappers and people take it when they listen to his records, people feel like they know him when they listen to his records so it makes it easier to buy him. Like T.I, he is believable. His swagger talks before his rap and then he raps really well. So you buy that because you buy that because you believe it. You can tell whose swagger is phony, just look at the record sales.

AllHipHop.com: You talked about talent, what else does it take to impress you?

DJ Clark Kent: [Laughs] I would love to hear a rapper make a record to minimalize his lies to one lie a record, because if you didn’t do it and we can tell in your rap, don’t say it because you are not going to be able to pull it off. There have been rappers who have lied, who rhymed, or have said their rhymes with so much conviction, affection and believability that you may believe he killed these people, so you are lucky. But when you are in front of me, I really want to believe what you say and you don’t have to be a killer for me to think you are good. You don’t have to sell the most crack to be good, because 85% of the rappers who said they sold crack are so scared of crack that you can tell right through them, so I am not listening to you. Most crack dealers, can’t rap real good because they are too busy selling crack. Unless you are a prodigy; they are so busy trying to get money, they don’t have the ability to rhyme real well.

AllHipHop.com: So what makes a hot song?

DJ Clark Kent: You know it when you hear it. It’s not something that makes a hot song, it is something that happens when you hear it. There is no formula to it, you know perfect hook, great rhyme and an infected beat; just something that hits you when you hear it. When you heard “What You Know”, it automatically was a hit record to you and you are not even paying attention that he is screaming or rapping for the whole song because it was just so good. Like when you heard “I Just Wanna Love You”, you didn’t care that some dude was saying “Give me that stuff, that funk,” you just didn’t care because it just felt perfect. When you heard Biggie’s “Juicy”, we were in the studio together and Big was like, “I hate this record,” and Puff was like, “Just trust me, this is your first record,” and he was like, “I hate this record, I want my first record to be ‘Unbelievable.’ I said, ‘Unbelievable’ is hot but it isn’t ‘Juicy’,” And we were going on tour and he didn’t want to do the record and half way through the record and he was telling them to cut the record on stage and the crowd is going “Nooo” and he’s not understanding how that record is perfect. That record told the perfect introduction, it made you feel like you actually knew him in three verses. It was a perfect record, perfect hook, perfect music, perfect rhymes. It is hard to get that, but when you do.

Kanye Signs With William Morris Agency, Launches West Brands LLC

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Kanye West has been announced as the newest addition to the William Morris Agency, the firm that also represents Sean “Diddy Combs.”

William Morris will oversee and negotiate all aspects of the Chicago rapper’s recordings, production, publishing, touring, and endorsements.

“We’ve always believed that Kanye West is one of the most talented, driven, important artists to emerge in a long time,” said West’s manager Gee Roberson, of Hip-Hop Since 1978. “William Morris clearly shares that vision, and we’re inspired by their creativity and energy. We look forward to working together to maximize Kanye’s limitless potential as an artist, a personality, and a brand.”

West will also pursue different business ventures through his newly formed company West Brands LLC, which will be overseen by his mother, Dr. Donda West.

A former college professor, Mrs. West has helped guide her son through a career that has earned him six Grammy’s based off his critically-acclaimed albums The College Dropout (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) and Late Registration.

“We’re

EPMD Plotting World Tour, Group Reunites With DJ Scratch

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

The reunion of rap duo EPMD during VH1’s Hip-Hop Honors Week won’t be the only stop for the group, according to their DJ, Scratch.

The pair is also in the early stages of planning a world tour.

But in the meantime, EPMD will perform their first concert in eight years on Oct. 14 when they grace the stage at B.B. King’s in New York.

The group will complete their reformation by re-teaming with their former turntablist DJ Scratch.

“I’m so anxious to touch that stage,” DJ Scratch told AllHipHop.com, adding that 2007 will mark EPMD’s 20th year in the rap game. “We’re blessed to still be able to contribute to Hip-Hop. [EPMD group member] Erick Sermon and I alone have generated the sale of over 100 million albums for our production in the game. We’re going to take it back to the Hit Squad tour on this one. No holds bar, and you know what’s going to happen when I touch those turntables.”

Sans EPMD, DJ Scratch has still thrived over the years, producing hits for artists such as 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and Busta Rhymes.

The EPMD concert is one of two events on deck this month for Scratch, who returns to TV as the resident DJ for Hip Hop Hold’em, a new weekly, one-hour program that combines poker with celebrity lifestyle and music, as five celebrities compete in a high stakes game of No Limit Texas Hold’em.

Although the game is intended for fun, Scratch said fans might witness some verbal sparring from players who are motivated to win.

“When you put five Hip-Hop artists at a table with cards and money, no one wants to lose,” Scratch said. “Your reputation is on the line because America is watching. So you’re going to see a lot of trash talking at that table–but all in fun. [There’s also] great performances and me cutting up golden era Hip-Hop to make the cipher complete.”

Hip Hop Hold’em premieres Saturday (Oct. 7) on the CW network.

And with a new show and a return to his former group, Scratch may have to field an obvious question for curious EPMD fans.

Is a reunion album in near sight for the legendary group? ”

As far as a new EPMD LP, who knows?” Scratch himself wondered. “It can happen, I’m ready.”

Ludacris Scores That ‘Number One Spot,’ Hosting and Performing on SNL

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Disturbing Tha Peace chief Ludacris has two reasons to celebrate this week with a new album and single atop the charts.

Release Therapy, the rapper’s latest disc, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, selling 309,000 copies while the album’s lead single “Money Maker” featuring Pharrell also scored high, as the No. 1 song on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Mainstream Songs and the Rhythmic/Top 40 charts.

The Neptunes-produced track, Ludacris’ fastest growing pop radio single to date, has been selling more than 100,000 ringtones a week and is a top five song at AOL Music.

The album narrowily edged out Janet Jackson’s 20 Y.O., which was expected to top the album chart but instead landed at No. 2, with 296,000 copies sold.

Release Therapy finds Ludacris exploring topics ranging from politics to child abuse on the “therapy” side, while having fun on the “release” portion with songs like “Girls Gone Wild” and “Money Maker.”

“To me, part of being a complex person is a balance of many things. On this record I talk about striving, silliness, sadness, sex, and salvation amongst other things,” Ludacris said. “I’m not knocking anybody’s hustle, but many rappers only talk about one side of their lives. Personally, I’m trying to be a more three-dimensional storyteller, and I hope that comes through on the record.”

The rapper’s double No. 1 occupancy is the latest in a string of accomplishments this year for Ludacris, who hosts his own XM satellite radio show, Disturbing Tha Peace Presents Ludacris’ Open Mic.

The lyricist earned positive reviews for his recent appearance in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, collected a SAG Award for Best Ensemble, a 2006 Critics Choice Awards for Best Ensemble, and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporter Actor in A Motion Picture for his role in the Oscar-winning film, Crash.

In addition, his Ludacris Foundation has spearheaded charity efforts concerning cerebral palsy while providing food and shelter to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

With musical, charitable, and acting achievements under his belt, Ludacris has proven to be “a vital member of the Island Def Jam family,” according to Def Jam president and CEO Jay-Z.

“Not only is he a phenomenal artist, he is a visionary businessman as CEO of his Disturbing Tha Peace label,” added Jay-Z. “He is one of today’s most talented lyricists

and a very important piece to why we are successful.”

Ludacris will make another small screen appearance Nov. 18 when he hosts and performs on NBC’s Saturday Night Live.

Tupac-Related Lawsuit Dismissed

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

A

Washington Supreme Court declined to reinstate a libel lawsuit that was initially

filed by C. Delores Tucker, the deceased Civil Rights Activist and foe of the

late Tupac Shakur.The

lawsuit was directed to a pair of Philadelphia papers–The Philadelphia Daily

News and The Legal Intelligencer–for reporting that Tucker’s sex life

had suffered due to the lyrics of Shakur.After

the 1996 death of the rapper, Tucker sued his estate for his rhyming of her surname

with an obscenity on a track from his 1996 album All Eyez on Me.On

the song "How Do U Want It?", Tupac rapped "Delores Tucker you’s

a motherf***er / Instead of trying to help a n***a you destroy your brother."William

Tucker, the spouse of the well-known rap critic, attempted to revive the libel

suit, according to the Associated Press, but Pennsylvania state courts

dismissed the case on Monday.The

legality of the case honed in on the context in which the word "consortium"

was used in Tucker’s original filing against Shakur. The

Philadelphia papers took loss of consortium to mean a loss in sexual activity,

but Tucker said it meant an absence of other familial matters like the "family

union."Past

libel suits against Time and Newsweek magazines were dismissed,

as was the 1997 legal move against Shakur’s estate.

KRS One Takes Temple of Hiphop OnThe Road

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

KRS-One

and The Temple of Hiphop will embark on a tour of Florida during the I Am HipHop

Preservation Tour, which will feature KRS-One offering what he dubs "edutainment,"

where he will educate and entertain crowds. The

pioneering South Bronx rapper will teach crowds the art of emceeing and will focus

on the strength and mission of Hip-Hop music in the 21st century. The

I Am HipHop Preservation Tour will feature a concert at Revolution in Ft. Lauderdale

featuring Method Man and Saigon, A B-Boy jam at the 21st Street Recreational Center

in South Beach, a talent showcase, a lecture by KRS-One and a tribute concert

and fundraiser for slain Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay.KRS

One founded the Temple of Hiphop in 2001, with the aim of inspiring fans of rap

to raise their self-worth by utilizing Hip-Hop culture. For

more information log on: www.templeofhiphop.org.

Kandi: Money Maker

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Alternatives

Atlanta native Kandi Burruss and her city have a lot in common. Both are laidback, stress-free and moving along at their own pace. It’s the lifestyle – opposite to the one that New York is renowned for – that has seen Atlanta’s music scene thrive beyond everyone’s wildest imagine. It also explains Kandi’s years of guilt-free absence from the limelight since her 1993 introduction to the masses with girl-group Xscape.

Being in the center of such prime location has allowed Kandi to connect with some of the South’s budding Hip-Hop stars for her next album. Her solo debut Hey Kandi, which birthed the club hit “Don’t Think I’m Not,” was released over six years ago, but Kandi’s new audience probably won’t know this. Her certified-platinum songwriter status, which includes the hits “No Scrubs” for TLC and “Bills Bills Bills” for Destiny’s Child, has kept her busy collaborating with everyone from Mariah Carey to Lil Jon.

So when a platinum singer and songwriter who has written some of the best female R&B anthems ever says she’s got a hot new album full of singles, do you believe her? After seeing Kandi in E-40’s new video “U and Dat”, we had no alternative but to get the scoop.

Allhiphop.com Alternatives: What have you been doing for the last six years?

Kandi: I’ve been writing for other people and I had a daughter. I was being a mom.

AHHA: When Hey Kandi was released, were you looking at having a solo career?

Kandi: Honestly, no. The solo record came about because when Xscape was breaking up – I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. At first Tiny and I were talking about to a duo project, but the label wasn’t interested. However, they told me I could do a solo project. So that’s how I ended up doing the solo album, but it wasn’t planned.

AHHA: Was the album successful in your eyes?

Kandi: The single did well at radio, but the overall album was not a major success. It was disappointing. That’s when I decided to totally focus on writing for other artists and basically just chill. I chilled for a year and half, and then I was going to start another solo record, but I got pregnant with my daughter.

AHHA: Why did you choose to come back now?

Kandi: I had thought about doing it before, but I felt like I had let too much time pass. When you let too much time pass, the industry gets fickle. I felt like labels weren’t seeing me as an artist anymore, they were seeing me as a songwriter. Then Devyne [Stephens] approached me, and I had seen what he had done with Akon. He was like, “Yo Kandi you need to come out of retirement.” I said “ok,” but I was content with idea of being totally focused on writing, producing and maybe even developing my own artists or something like that.

In the meantime I had been working with Lil Jon, and he had been putting me on some of his records like E-40. I’m on Trillville’s next record too. I guess its timing – everything is starting to come together.

AHHA: Who have you been writing for?

Kandi: Well over the last four years I’ve worked with everybody from Whitney, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey.

AHHA: Who has been the most memorable?

Kandi: The person who I had a connection with, or who I really keep in touch with, is Alicia Keys. That was years ago, but we still communicate and it doesn’t have to be about the industry. So many of us industry types – I call it the ‘industry friend syndrome’ – see each other at industry events and act like friends. But then we never see each other again unless we’re at another industry event. But Alicia and I are actually cool on another level.

AHHA: Tell us about the relationship you have with girls from Xscape now.

Kandi: Tiny and I talk all the time. But the other two [LaTocha and Tamika Scott] – I don’t talk to them at all.

AHHA: Do you regret what happened?

Kandi: No. When the group first broke up; we weren’t seeing eye-to-eye on business at all. One of the member’s boyfriend was managing the group. She [LaTocha Scott] decided she wanted to go solo, and that’s when the rest of us had to figure out what the hell we were going to do.

AHHA: She didn’t consider the rest of the group….

Kandi: That’s how I felt. I felt as if we weren’t considered. I’m not knocking her. I just couldn’t understand how she felt the need to go solo when we were still successful as a group. Our album went platinum. The next time around I felt like they had waited to long. Besides, if we are coming together then, I want to at least be able to write a couple of songs on the record. If I can write hit records for other girl groups and help other girl groups be successful, then why wouldn’t you let me write a couple of songs?

Everything in our group, I felt like, was always a competition. Last year when they did come back together, people thought I left them hanging or something. But we’ve been separated for a while now. People don’t really know what happens behind the scenes. They’ve replaced me twice already. And the last time they did their thing; they had a single on the radio. I was happy that they were doing well. But then they broke up again – and I wasn’t even in the group this time, so can’t nobody blame me!

AHHA: On the net it says you’re married to Kevin “She’kspere” Briggs…

Kandi: I’ve heard that rumor too. I have never been married. She’kspere and I used to date around that two years ago. He’s married now, but to someone else.

AHHA: What do you like better – being in the public eye as an artist, or behind the scenes as a songwriter?

Kandi: I’m one of those people – I’m cool either way. I’m cool as the artist and being recognized, but I do like being low key too. I feel like when you’ve written great songs, you get more respect from your peers. You have executives that want to take meetings with you, and take your calls because they know you can deliver what they need for their other artists.

Executives in this music industry couldn’t care less about artists. They know that artists come and go. There are those select few people who can be 70-years-old and still be successful artists. But it’s not realistic for everybody. A majority of artists are not going to be on stage for the rest of their life. I promise you, if it wasn’t for my songwriting, it would be real crazy for me financially. Xscape didn’t even make any real money.

AHHA: Why is that?

Kandi: When I was in the group, we didn’t write any of our own stuff. They allowed us to collaborate just a little bit on the second album and a little bit on the third album. And when I say a little bit, I mean you may have 3% on a song or 5% on three or four songs on an album. So you really weren’t making much from publishing.

You never recoup. That advance the label gives you to make the album – they find all kind of ways that you owe them money. So no matter how many records you sold, you’re still in debt. Don’t expect any royalty checks. And then we didn’t tour a lot because we weren’t getting along at the time. That’s where artists make their money from, and we were doing one tour for each album.

AHHA: Isn’t that what happened to TLC?

Kandi: Yeah, and they sold millions more than us. If they can sell millions and go bankrupt, then imagine what we can go through!

AHHA: Let’s talk about your new music. It’s got that Southern Hip-Hop feel all over it…

Kandi: Well, being from Atlanta that’s all I hear. That’s all I really like as far as Hip-Hop music. I love the Southern rappers the most. As far as beats, those are the tracks I can bump to. Lyrically, I chose to be more detailed with songs on this album. I guess that’s the difference between a rapper and a singer. A rapper gives you detail information about his life whereas R&B songs are a bit more general.

With Xscape, Jermaine Dupri was our producer, so I always loved to have a beat that was hitting. I let 8-Ball & MJG use my studio to record a lot of their new album. So when I was looking for somebody to get on my song, I asked them and they showed me love. And with Lil Scrappy – he’s on another one of my songs – I had been working with him on his record so he returned the favor.

AHHA: What would your album have to do to be successful?

Kandi: I think it’s about being with the right major. It’s all about the push behind it. There were a lot of opportunities I didn’t take advantage of the first time around. So all the things that I didn’t do before, I plan to do this time.

Dolemite: Rudy Ray Moore Looks Back

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Features

Do your homework, Rudy Ray Moore is an icon. The singer turned comedian propelled himself into the spotlight with using four letter words way before Eddie Murphy. Most known for his leading role in the cult film Dolemite, Moore trademarked a rapping style of delivering classic lines such as “Dolemite is my name, and f**king up muthaf**kers is my game.” Comedy and Hip-Hop merged long before Prince Paul skits and Fat Boys scenes in Krush Groove.

Moore’s new album, Rudy Ray Moore & Friends is a great entry-point to younger fans looking to understand the ‘70s icon. Moore personally speaks on his role in the Hip-Hop generation AllHipHop.com, citing everything from Big Daddy Kane and Eazy-E to Halle Berry along the way. The man who inspired Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Got Your Money” considers himself the Godfather of Rap, see if you agree.

AllHipHop.com: Let’s talk about the early stages of your career. You started off as a singer before you became known for your comedy.

Rudy Ray Moore: Yes, I was singing songs in the ‘50s going into the ‘70s. I did not have the money to get these records played like every one else. If I did have the money, I would have been a much bigger draw. I stood in the shadow of Pat Boone. White artists like him stole our material and just ran with it. He is the imitator and I am clearly the originator.

AllHipHop.com: Your first comedy album Eat Out More Often was the first album to have profanity in it, which was pretty much taboo back then. Did that hold you back?

Rudy Ray Moore: No it did not. It actually helped me stand out amongst everyone. I was the first one incorporating those four letter explicit words in those party records. Redd Foxx was using words like “ass,” but I really brought the “MF” or “F” words to comedy. No one was going that far with comedy back then, but I did. I was getting calls from record stores all across the country. As soon as that happened I knew I was going to have a special career.

AllHipHop.com: Yet the masses don’t really know that you influenced the Richard Pryors and the Eddie Murphy’s with your dirty humor…

Rudy Ray Moore: Yes. At first Richard had a clean act. When I popularized it, he started doing the explicit stuff too. But Richard never gave me my just due. He just ran with my act without ever giving me my respect and that hurt. I’ve met Eddie before, and he told me he loved my work and I was a big influence on him. Also you got Steve Harvey and Cedric [The Entertainer] calling themselves The Original Kings Of Comedy. I find that insulting. They were all cussing on that show and call themselves the “Originals!” Me and [Redd] Foxx were the originals!

AllHipHop.com: Are you still doing shows?

Rudy Ray Moore: Yes, I still tour. I do shows here and there.

AllHipHop.com: What are the crowds like now opposed to the when you at your peak?

Rudy Ray Moore: The crowd is mostly White now. Back then, things were still segregated, so it was mostly Black. White people wouldn’t come close to my work because of the cussing I was doing and the album covers.

AllHipHop.com: Dolemite is clearly your biggest film, I heard you funded that movie your self…

Rudy Ray Moore: Yes, a lot of people ridiculed me when I was doing that movie. Everyone doubted me. I would run into other actors and performers, and they said I had lost my mind. But that movie turned out so to be a big film during that time. My name was everywhere at the time. That is the only movie besides Superfly that is constantly reprinted and re-released.

AllHipHop.com: Yes, Dolemite is definitely a staple in the Blaxplotation movie genre.

Rudy Ray Moore: I really don’t like that word. It was just a really good movie. Those movies during that time didn’t exploit anyone. We all worked hard and put out timeless material. We were doing nothing different than the White actors and actresses.

AllHipHop.com: How did you feel about the love you received from rappers who sampled your work on their records?

Rudy Ray Moore: It feels good. 2 Live Crew sampled me in early on in their career. At the time, I didn’t have anything new out there. People would come up to me and say that they love my new record. I found out through a DJ that it was the 2 Live Crew that everyone was talking about. After that, I got work based off that record. I did shows and performed that record. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg have also sampled me. That stuff put me back in the mainstream. I was on [The] Arsenio [Hall Show] because of my resurgence through rap.

AllHipHop.com: You also did a record with Eazy-E correct?

Rudy Ray Moore: Yes, I did a Christmas record with Eazy-E called “Merry F**kin’ X-mas”. He was a real good guy. Out of all the rappers, Eazy-E and Too Short were the best to me. Both of them would send limos to my house to pick me up if they needed me to perform with them or go to the studio. They really took care of me and showed me respect I deserve. When I heard the news of Eazy-E’s passing, it hurt me a lot. God bless him.

AllHipHop.com: How was your session with Big Daddy Kane when you did “Big Daddy vs. Dolemite”?

Rudy Ray Moore: That was fun because he copied me so much. So as soon as I got in there, I dissed him on his own record! I said “I was through with it before you learned what to do with it. I’m the king so I’m staking my claim in the rapping game!”

AllHipHop.com: Do you still feel like you are the “Godfather Of Rap”?

Rudy Ray Moore: Yes. I have influenced too many rappers not to be crowned the godfather! I did my comedy in the form of rhyme and popularized it. I have rapped live with Busta Rhymes. They took my movies and put in the Old Dirty Bastard video [“Got Your Money”] when he was going through his things. I have been in sessions with Eric B. and Rakim when they were in their prime. I was in Snoop’s first video as well. I have been sampled countless times. I am the “Godfather of Rap”!

AllHipHop.com: Do you still listen to Hip-Hop now?

Rudy Ray Moore: No. It’s at a point where rap is too much for me. I really wish these rappers would stop using the “N” word. I find it very disturbing and offensive. It seems every other rap has [the “N” word in] it. That word should have no place in music or entertainment period. With that word, rappers are only setting our people back. You are degrading yourself and more importantly, all those people of color who suffered and bled for our civil liberties. I used to use the “N” word in my act, but I stopped a long time ago. The one thing that I will give to Richard [Pryor] is that when I stopped using that word in my act, I bumped into him and encouraged him to stop it as well, and he did.

AllHipHop.com: Let’s talk about your new project.

Rudy Ray Moore: It’s called The Best Of Rudy Ray Moore And Friends. It is a compilation of my best work. You have all the classic skits on there, so make sure to pick it up. It is a must have.

AllHipHop.com: You also were in the movie BAPS with Halle Berry, did you try to mack on her?

Rudy Ray Moore: No, I did not. She was a very sweet lady. She was very professional and greeted me with respect every time we crossed paths. When she won the Oscar, I was very happy for her. She works hard and deserves the acclaim.

AllHipHop.com: I was speaking to the Arch-Bishop Don Magic Juan not too long ago, he mentioned that he was known as the Bishop, but you crowned him the “Arch-Bishop.”

Rudy Ray Moore: Yes, that is true. I had met Don before and saw how he had come up in the world. He was doing so well I said you should call yourself the arch-bishop because that is the highest bishop that there could be. In this world everyone needs to recognize their full potential and run with it. That’s what Don did and that’s I called the arch-bishop.

AllHipHop.com: Do you want to get into your health at this point in time of the interview?

Rudy Ray Moore: We can get into that now. I am a diabetic so I have medicine I have to take everyday. The day we were supposed the interview, I had just taken my medicine. I took the medicine on an empty stomach and it knocked me out right before I was supposed to speak to you. If you hadn’t called [my publicist], she would of never called the paramedics. The paramedics came to my apartment and rushed me to the hospital. If I had been asleep a little bit longer I would have been brain dead. I want to thank you for that from the bottom of my heart.

AllHipHop.com: My pleasure sir, I am glad to hear you are okay.

Rudy Ray Moore: Yes, I am okay. Thank God.

AllHipHop.com: With so many years in the game, how do you want to be remembered?

Rudy Ray Moore: As the originator and the father of explicit comedy. Back then, nobody even thought about using four letter words in their comedy. I am the pioneer of what everyone is doing now. I also want to be remembered as a God-fearing man who loved his family. I never thought that Dolemite would be so big and I am very thankful for that.

Sky Balla: Sky’s the Limit

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Features

Aside from the obvious legal problems, any financial advisor can give you a laundry list of reasons why pimping and hustling are bad options for diversifying your portfolio. Yet, when faced with the prospect of finishing high-school and waiting for royalty checks to slowly trickle in, that’s exactly what Sky Balla did. The result was a few well-documented run-in’s with the law and a substantial amount of cash, all of which were documented on Sky’s independent debut Mobb Report.

Like any good street corner entrepreneur, Sky Balla knows the importance of keeping ample product handy. As the native of San Francisco’s heralded Fillmore District gets ready to take his new album Every Penny Counts to a major label, he’s decided to flood the streets again—this time with mixtapes. Sky Balla’s latest offering, “Lifestyles of the Hoodrich and Famous,” finds him joining forces with New York’s own DJ Sickamore.

Wall Street may frown on his high-risk financial strategies, but the streets have already spoken. Having been endorsed by everyone from The Diplomats to Bay Area luminaries such as E-40, Mac Dre, and JT the Bigga Figga, Sky Balla may very well be the biggest thing to hit Fillmore since the 1906 earthquake. Sky gives his take on his music, his hometown and, of course, his many hustles; you can follow his monetary advice at your own risk.

AllHipHop.com: You hooked up with DJ Sickamore for newest mixtape, how did that come about?

Sky Balla: Yeah, we’ve got the streets going crazy. Me and Sick got connected through my man Animal Steele, he linked us up. Sick flew out to Las Vegas and it’s been on and poppin’ ever since.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve had a few mixtapes out before this one, do you see any major difference between them?

Sky Balla: Nah, I’m just keeping it street with this reality rap ain’t nothing really changed. We’ve just got a new and improved me.

AllHipHop.com: When I was checking out your bio the rapping and the pimping made your story seemed like a real-life version of Hustle & Flow.

Sky Balla: Yeah, it really is.

AllHipHop.com: Did you have any similar thoughts when you saw the movie?

Sky Balla: Yeah, I was like, “They could’ve picked me to play that part.” I felt like they based that movie off me man.

AllHipHop.com: You were 17-years-old and featured on Master P’s West Coast Bad Boyz Pt. 2. Looking at those times begs the obvious question. Why would a rapper on a platinum album take it back to the streets?

Sky Balla: I was just more focused on financial stability so I had more time to develop myself as an artist. You can’t be a broke artist with no financial backing when you’re trying to pay for studio time, engineers, and producers. I was in that zone trying to get my paper right, and once I got my cake up I got focused back on the artist side of things. Once I did that it made me a force to be reckoned with ‘cause I had the ability to be independent.

AllHipHop.com: So in business terms it was more startup capital than street credibility?

Sky Balla: Exactly. You gotta get that startup money, nahmean?

AllHipHop.com: It sounds like those were some dangerous times. Did the FBI really get you for $23,000 and a quarter-ounce of crack in 1998?

Sky Balla: Yeah man, you know how it goes. You take wins and losses in the game, its just like an elevator. But that was nothing but a minor setback for a major comeback, ya’ dig?

AllHipHop.com: Yeah, from the looks of the jewels and cars in the video I’d say it was a major comeback indeed.

Sky Balla: Oh yeah, we’re major without a major deal. It is what it is, I had everything I wanted before I came into this game so right now I’m just doing it for the respect and for the love of the music. It ain’t like I’m in it trying to get a quick shine, because I had the shine, the jewels, the whips, the b*tches and everything before the deal. Once the deal comes, it’s just time for me to grind harder and take it up a few notches.

AllHipHop.com: Considering how good the independent hustle is going, what does a major label have to offer you at this point?

Sky Balla: It’s like a system. You’ve got to get in the system as far as distribution and major promotion. They have an outlet and a machine behind the movement that will make it that much stronger. It’s like a snowball effect and once it starts rolling its just gonna get bigger and bigger. With the majors, we really just need that worldwide distribution. I’m already marketable, I’ve got the streets on smash and everybody in the industry already knows what it is. It’s just time for that TV look and that full radio promotion and some tours. Once they see the visual then its pretty much gonna be a wrap.

AllHipHop.com: How are you splitting your time between shopping this deal and getting your Strictly Business imprint off the ground?

Sky Balla: Right now I’m putting my main focus into myself as an artist. I’ve got my management company where I manage producers, so I’m shopping their beats to other artists because I’ve got some really strong relationships with other cats with major deals. I’m just going off of those relationships to do business and network to get my producers some placement with these other artists. I get my cut off of the top and they get their cut and get their name [known] while we split the publishing and what not. I’m not really focusing on signing any other rappers right now though. If anything I might sign an R&B cat or an R&B female or something like that.

I’m going to be the forefront of Strictly Business. S.B. that’s Strictly Business, that’s Sky Balla—that’s the imprint.

AllHipHop.com: True. A lot of West Coast music is stereotyped as being producer-driven as opposed to raw lyricism, but you seem to have your metaphor game in tact: “I’ll have you sent for / I’m in the hood with two big nines on me like the 99 cent store…”

Sky Balla: Yeah, I’m just trying to come with that raw reality rap that every cat who’s really in the streets, on the grind and doing the damn thing can relate to and feel 100 percent. When I rapping I want them to visualize it. They can walk with me and spend a day in my shoes once they hear the music.

AllHipHop.com: In line with that, you mention some of your favorite albums being Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt and T.I.’s I’m Serious, does that go against the “I’m Not A Rapper” movement?

Sky Balla: Nah, my whole thing is quality control. I know I have a good ear for music and I keep cats around me that are real music critics. They’ll give it to me raw and uncut—if it’s wack its wack and if it’s hot, it’s hot. Ain’t nobody gonna’ be smiling in my face if I have a wack record and lying to me telling me, “This s**t is hot.” I make sure that the block feels everything I drop before I put it out. It’s got to be fit tested and block approved.

AllHipHop.com: There are a couple different generations of Bay Area Hip-Hop: Too $hort and E-40, down to Hieroglyphics and the Luniz, and this new generation with people like yourself and Keak Da Sneak. Do you see any similarities or differences?

Sky Balla: There’s really no differences because the whole Bay Area’s culture is a movement. You really have to come to the Bay and get a glimpse of it. Once you get a get a glimpse of it, everybody wants some of that Bay-ism up in ‘em. After you leave the Bay and go back to where you’re from, you’ll have a little bit of that Bay Area swagger in you. We set a lot of trends and we’re like pioneers of the street game, the slang, the rap game, the pimp game all that.

It’s not really a whole lot of separation, that’s the older generation and we’re the younger generation. They we’re the ‘70s babies and we’re the ‘80s babies. Cats like me, Messy Marv, San Quinn, Jacka, Mistah F.A.B.—it’s too many people to name, but there’s a whole lot of talent coming out of this area. Oakland, Vallejo, Richmond, San Francisco and the whole bay is pushing a hard line on the forefront of this West Coast movement.

AllHipHop.com: Fillmore has a pretty rich history, in addition to that hustler mentality…

Sky Balla: Just the whole culture. If you do your research you’ll see that “Fillmore Slim” is the most legendary pimp in history. You already know it’s in my bloodline and in my veins. That’s why I say this street game is in me and not on me. A lot of cats just put on a fitted cap, a chain and a white t-shirt with some Air Force One’s and think that they’re Hip-Hop or think they’re street. It has to be in you, it ain’t on you.

AllHipHop.com: There’s a whole aspect that people outside the Bay Area never get to see internment camps, urban renewal, the ‘50s Jazz scene.

Sky Balla: Yeah, like the whole Black Panther movement: Huey P. Newton, George Jackson.

AllHipHop.com: So when you mention that “game being in you” do we get some of that too?

Sky Balla: Yeah, it’s real political too man. This is where Tupac got his game from. This is where he was pushing that hard line too. A lot of people don’t recognize that he was up out of the Bay Area too. Tupac did his thing down in LA, but them real old cats that were lacing him up were from Oakland, San Francisco and Marin [County].

AllHipHop.com: So if I’m down in the Fillmore District, where would you direct me to get some good food, get my ride detailed or mingle with the ladies?

Sky Balla: Ah man, if you’re in Fillmore the first spot you need to hit is Brother-In-Laws Barbeque. They’ve got the best barbeque in the city. It’s right on the block, off Grove Street at the intersection.

AllHipHop.com: When you hear about the Bay Area, one name continually comes up. Everyone gives it up to the late great Mac Dre.

Sky Balla: Oh yeah, hands down. He is the center of the Hyphy Movement. That was one of my closest homies, not even on no music or rap business. He was just a real cat that I idolized and grew up listening to. Once me and him met, it was a strong bond. We used to f**k with it hardcore and push that hard line, we was ridin’ real tough on that real pimp s**t. We would just get to the music whenever we got to it. He put me on about two or three of his albums and we did some other music up in Kansas City with Rich The Factor. I got to work with the cat numerous times and he really inspired me and gave me that motivation. Once I lost dude, it made me want to push harder. Mac Dre was a fine, good-hearted person and everybody loved him. He was a real legend.

Spike TV Cancels ‘Blade’ TV Series

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Despite a successful

launch, Spike TV has canceled the Blade television series which starred

rapper Sticky Fingaz. Blade

was Spike TV’s first original scripted action-adventure series, which featured

Sticky Fingaz as Blade, an immortal half-man made famous by actor Wesley Snipes

in the movie of the same name. The

series drew record ratings for the cable TV network, pulling in 2.5 million viewers

when it debuted in June 2006, but Spike reportedly declined a second season."What

can I say," Sticky Fingaz told AllHipHop.com. "It was a great experience

while it lasted. The show is being pitched to other networks, so it’s possible

that it might return in some form."Blade

the television series featured Blade (Sticky Fingaz) joining forces with Krista

Starr (Jill Wagner), to help her get revenge on another vampire that killed her

twin brother.Wagner

also confirmed the show’s cancellation on her Myspace page. "I

was informed today that there will be no second season of ‘Blade’ the series,"

Wagner wrote. "Thanks for the support. Hey, there is always the DVD right?"Sticky

Fingaz, who rose to fame as a member of rap group Onyx, will continue his career

in the film world. He

is planning a pair of upcoming movies being developed by his production company,

Major Independents which will be released in conjunction with Lions Gate.A

Day in the Life is Sticky’s directorial debut and features an all-rapping

cast of Faizon Love, Omar Epps, Michael Rappaport, Anthony ‘Treach’ Criss Drena

De Niro (Robert De Niro’s daughter), Kurupt, Malinda Williams, Bokeem Woodbine.The

movie centers around a street war between two opposing crime families, one led

by Sticky Fingaz (Stick), the other headed by Faizon Love ("Black" Ike

Smith). Caught

on Tape is also an all-rap movie, which features Cedric the Entertainer, Vivica

A. Fox, Kel Mitchell, Joe Torry, Malik Yoba. The movie tells the story of a little

boy who uses a video camera he received as a gift, to film his mother’s boyfriend

plotting a crime. "Both

of the films were shot digitally and are in post-production," Sticky Fingaz

said. "We are working on our third film now, titled Stick Up Kids.

We are also acquiring other movies for distribution. We want to start with six

movies this year, grow to 12 next year and so on." The

rapper is also recording a new solo album, which will feature production from

Ess Man, who also scored A Day in the Life and Caught on Tape. Ess

Man has produced tracks for Proof, KonArtis, Obie Trice, Bizarre, Slum Village,

Young Breed, DMX and others."Once

I feel like I have what I want, I will take it to a few of the major labels,"

Sticky Fingaz said of his album. "I am not in a rush, I’m in a different

situation now, so we will see what happens."

Peanut Butter Wolf Presents Chrome Children

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Reviews / Music

Artist: Various ArtistsTitle: Peanut Butter Wolf Presents Chrome ChildrenRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Alex Thornton

In the five years since its debut on Cartoon Network, Adult Swim has not only become famous for their brand of off-beat animated programming, but has more recently earned acclaim for their string of hip-hop releases (The Mouse and the Mask, Occult Hymn and the recent Chocolate Swim EP). As part of their trademark style, Adult Swim bookends its shows with beats from some of the most prominent names in independent Hip-Hop, and with Chrome Children (Stones Throw), they once again carry their appreciation of the art into a daring full-length album.

While presented by Adult Swim, Chrome Children is more of a Stones Throw mixtape than Cartoon Network promo; the artists are allowed to breathe and be themselves rather than attempt to force out songs about drunken mice and redneck squids. Whether its Guilty Simpson’s tough-talk on “Clap Your Hands,” Georgia Anne Muldrow’s bubbly optimism on “Simply a Joy,” or the low key instrumental groove of Aloe Blacc’s “What Now,” the compilation’s greatest success is its ability to remain true to Adult Swim’s sensibilities without an abundance of references to the cartoons. Those who follow the independent scene know that J Dilla (RIP) and Madlib can be trusted to run with the ball, but it’s remarkable to see them given freedom to roam on a project indirectly sponsored by Ted Turner.

Predictably, the downside to a list of artists this diverse is that the total package may be difficult to digest, especially for those who are being exposed to these acts for the first time. Several of the 19 songs are only around two minutes long, and with many of them deserving more time (such as Jaylib’s “No $ No Toke” or the aforementioned “Joy”) an equalized distribution of material may have served as a better showcase for the label’s talent, even if it meant hearing less of it.

While Chrome Children isn’t as far out in left field as Mouse and the Mask, it’s refreshing to see a small label get big money backing without having to sell its soul. Peanut Butter Wolf and Stones Throw have crafted a well done addition to the family of Adult Swim albums, and while it casts a wide net over the genre, just like the Adult Swim shows, the mix manages to provide something for everyone without necessarily trying to aim for anyone in particular.

Foot In The Door

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Reviews / Music

Artist: OddiseeTitle: Foot In The DoorRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine

Washington DC producer/MC Oddisee stays busy. In two years, he’s released several instrumental mixtapes, produced on Kenn Starr tapes, and official and unofficial remix tapes. For his lyrical talents, he consulted the legendary Jazzy Jeff to get on the CDJs to take it a step further. Foot in the Door (Halftooth) shows the more impressive elements of Oddissee’s body of work, with production from Kev Brown and Nicolay with J-Live and Freddie Foxxx sliding through on the mic.

Despite his catalog of work, Oddisee may be a more interesting MC than he is behind the boards. “I Am Not Him” is an assertive criticism of Johnny-come-latelys, which succeeds over a mellow, much more passive beat. Jazzy Jeff blends this perfectly into “Nothing Sweet” as if it’s merely a second verse over a new beat. “Gentrification,” produced by Kev Brown, shows Oddisee tackling more concrete topics. He compares the Starbucks and Pottery Barn’s arrival to the relocation of Magic Johnson Theaters and Bojangles in this lyrical show-stealer. When he’s got something to say, Oddisee can hold the listener’s attention tightly; when he’s aimlessly bragging or criticizing the game, the music can be numbing.

Having previously been generically lumped in with soul-sampling producers, Oddisee’s music appears to be finding its identity. “In Check” utilizes a chop-style that cannot be compared to 9th or Kev Brown. He knows this too, as the lyrics on “Butcher’s Back” chronicle Oddisee’s growth as well as the less able producers aiming for the sound. “Real Music” brings in live vocals in lieu of recycled vocals, suggesting Oddisee’s ear for the R&B sound. “Four Seasons,” relying on minimal piano keys and horn accents, also uses the soothing vocals from Olivier Daysoul to layer the image-driven love song.

For three years, Halftooth Records has resorted to the same personnel for their mixtapes and albums. Jazzy Jeff’s cosign, along with his mixing abilities show Oddisee’s body of work in its best light yet. This 34-track journey reveals an MC more commanding than many of his peers, and an evolving producer hungry for more work. Though an album remains unseen, Oddisee has affirmed he’s got beats and lyrics to go.

Live 1999 Public Enemy Album To Go To Highest Bidder

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

One

lucky person could walk away with the full rights to their own Public Enemy album,

as a live disc by the legendary group is scheduled to be auctioned off Oct. 26

by Ocean Tomo, an intellectual property asset management firm. The

24-track set was recorded in Helsinki, Finland, during Public Enemy’s 1999 European

tour, and is part of a 1992 settlement that arose from a lawsuit in the Supreme

Court of the State of New York.In

1999, Public Enemy producer Hank Shocklee and frontman Chuck D were ordered to

pay PPX Enterprises over $100,000 in back royalties, attorney fees, and accounting

costs over failure to pay royalties."It’s

not actually Chuck D that’s selling the album," Ocean Tomo’s Wendy Chou explained

to AllHipHop.com. "PPX owns the rights, title and interest, and ownership

in this album. Chuck D does not own this album. The person who wins the bid, or

who buys the album will receive the digital master recording, the original artwork,

and all associated rights."The

live album, which features Public Enemy group member and TV star Flavor Flav,

includes renditions of many classic PE songs including "Fight the Power,"

"Bring the Noise," "Can’t Truss It," "911 Is a Joke,"

and "Night of the Living Baseheads."PPX

Enterprises is a Manhattan-based production company best known for its 36-year

legal war over early recordings of superstar guitarist Jimi Hendrix that started

shortly after the singer died.Ocean

Tomo will manage the auction of the Public Enemy rights, as well as an auction

by Hendrix, who signed a one-page agreement with the company in 1965.Over

15,000 Hendrix assets will be auctioned off with the Public Enemy live album on

Oct. 26 at the Capitale in New York.

Crooked Lettaz’ Kamikaze Spurs Student Boycott

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Anti-Bush

statements still don’t fly these days. The

latest target is Jackson, Miss., rapper Kamikaze, who was recently banned by student

representatives at Mississippi’s Millsaps College after he criticized the war

in Iraq during a performance.Kamikaze,

one-half of rap group Crooked Lettaz with David Banner, was invited to speak and

perform at Millsaps as part of the college’s sexual awareness week. During

an interlude in his set, the rapper made comments about current U.S. president

George W. Bush, infuriating members of the audience."I

prefaced it by saying ‘I know that a lot of you, or some of you, won’t agree with

what I’m saying and you’re entitled to your opinion, as I am entitled to mine’,"

Kamikaze told AllHipHop.com. "There is a real strong Young Republican contingent

at this school."In

his speech, the rapper accused Bush of pursuing oil and engaging America in a

senseless war in Iraq, and also insisted that the government lied to start the

war. "The

Bush thing was a piece of it [but] the other part was ‘get out and vote,’"

Kamikaze reasons. "The end of it is what probably p##### the Young Republicans

off. I was like ‘you guys need to register to vote, so next November we can get

somebody in office that’s not like Bush. I feel like an orangutan could run the

country better than Bush right now.’"Kamikaze,

whose latest single "U Sked" is featured on NBA Live 2007, added

that his show was profanity-free, although some members of the crowd did yell

‘f**k Bush’ at one point. According

to him, however, members of the Young Republican Party later complained about

the show. He received a letter from Millsaps College the next day, chastising

him for his comments on President Bush.In

the letter, Student Body Association president Stephen Bradford Yakots stated,

"While the students at the college rightfully supported sexual awareness

week at the college…some were treated to no other than a tacky, senseless

and an absolutely astonishing, explicit blasphemy of the sitting President of

the United States; an act that represented the worst that Millsaps College could

offer to its students and alumni that were present, wanting to enjoy an evening

of the performing arts. The Student Body Association and the Socializing Activities

and Performing for Students Board (S.A.P.S.) has no use for your shameful, adolescent

and worthless view point of our leader and therefore will not be supporting any

more visits made by you to our campus."Yakots

was not available for comment at press time.Ironically,

the latest controversy to besiege Bush’s White House involves former Republican

Party member Mark Foley, of Florida, who recently resigned after emails expressing

his interest in a 16-year-old male page rocked the GOP.Foley,

who was founder and co-chair of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children’s

Caucus, served six terms in Congress. Investigators

believe he repeatedly emailed the boy, making conversation and seeking pictures,

which the boy said "freaked me out."While

Kamikaze admitted that the Foley scandal had nothing to do with the comments he

made about Bush on Sept. 28, he claimed the boycott was rife with hypocrisy. "They’re

trying to be so holier than thou, and they have to be married with the 2.5 kids

and go to church every week, when they know when they get home and get on their

computer, they’re emailing young boys, and they’re pedophiles," Kamikaze

told AllHipHop.com. "It’s just crazy to see the hypocrisy that exists within

politics."Me

and Banner came into this game and we always said we were going to use music to

make some kind of change. We have always put something socially related into it,"

he continued. "And whenever we have a crowd in front of us, we address. If

you have fans that you have that you can influence in one way or another, it’s

an obligation for you to say something. We have to let folks know we aren’t up

here to just rap. We are artists who are concerned with what’s going on in our

communities. Anytime I do a show, I am speaking on social issues."Millsap’s

Student Body Letter To Kamikaze – Page

1

All Access DVD To Spinoff On TV; Features Young Dro, Lupe, Rick Ross

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

All Access DVD

has partnered with Starz In Black to produce 12 original episodes of All Access

TV, a monthly television show that premiered two weeks ago.The

joint venture calls for Starz to air 12 episodes once a month as a part of the

network’s In Black Original series production.The

first episode, which has been featured in reruns, follows Young Dro on the road

as he promotes his debut album Best Thang Smokin’. The

show also includes segments with Lupe Fiasco and Rick Ross."We’re

trying to take what we do on the street level, but increase our production value,"

All Access DVD founder James "Kraze" Billings told AllHipHop.com.

"It’s not totally different than what we do on All Access, but as far as

bringing it to TV for the masses to see, that’s the triumph–to make that appealing

on a commercial level."It’s still raw and gritty as far as environment, but

we have some things that’s gonna make it compete with TV shows," he concluded.Kraze

and his popular DVD series gained notoriety primarily through outlandish interviews

with artist such as Joe Budden, who was paired with former model-girlfriend Gloria

Velez. Based

in part on the DVDs, Kraze envisions the program as "All Access meets 106

& Park.""There

will actually be videos," he explained. "It’s different because the

artists are still in their element, but it’s uncensored. Unlike BET and MTV, they

can really be themselves. With certain cable networks, they give you the polished

version. This is polished, but it still gives you the raw, in your face. It’s

still gritty in terms of where we go, but the production competes with regular

television. You gonna be like, ‘Oh s**t, they definitely stepped up their game.’"Next

for Kraze, who also struck a licensing deal with Starz and owns the show, is plans

for episode two. He recently confirmed Lloyd Banks and Young Buck as participants."I

think the format in particular will keep people interested," Kraze said.

"[For example], when Rick Ross says: ‘All my life I’ve been hustling,’ then

we cut to the video, then it will come back to him talking about how his life

changed. I’m proud of it, I think they’ll respect the value of the production,

but we kept it real to what we do, which is rare."A

new All Access DVD is set drop in November. The

DVD will debut several new segments, including one on popular ‘hoods and interviews

with Gillie Da Kid and Maino.

Chingy: All Ballers Don’t Bounce

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Features

Some critics of Chingy would’ve never believed that the former St. Louis teen-star would be one day delivering a third album on a major label. Perhaps like Cassidy, Chingy has evolved from a rapper birthed in a bubblegum fanbase, driven to the battle, then returning to his Pop sensibilities. As “Pulling Me Back” became a hit single of the star, Hoodstar may pull Chingy back to the forefront of mainstream rap.

Since he burst onto the scene in 2004 and 2005, Chingy has suffered some internal questions. His entourage-turned supporting rappers, Ghetto Boyz, claimed that the rapper had taken their publishing. Meanwhile, as the Nelly conflict resolved, others have whispered that many of Luda’s nameless jabs may be directed at the Disturbing Tha Peace defector. Chingy gets a chance to comment on these issues, as well as speak his peace about a widely discussed stage scene at the Adult Video News Awards. While Chingy’s music has often been kid-friendly, this feature’s for grown folks. Peep.

AllHipHop.com: Between Powerballin’ and Hoodstar, there’s a two-year gap. What was going on with you within that time?

Chingy: I still was working, man, I still was on the road and we just had to get some business straight like between the label and management. But I still was on the road working. I did a [Scary Movie 4] and I was setting up my record company Slot-A-Lot Records and getting business straight. I still was workin’ I was never just off doin’ nothin’.

AllHipHop.com: Would you consider making a transition into acting?

Chingy: I like the acting, but my thing is that I’d be trying to put together movies of my own. Like with the experience I had auditioning and not getting the part, I hate that. I would continue to do that if it’s a role I liked, but like right now, I’m in the development of writing scripts with my people and putting together scripts of my own.

AllHipHop.com: For you first two albums you focused on being at the forefront but do you wish that you had known more when you had put out your first two albums? Because then maybe you wouldn’t have felt the way you did when that situation happened with DTP…

Chingy: I wish I knew more about the business side then but I was just getting in it. I was more [about] enjoying having fun [and] living my dream. I didn’t understand [for the first album, but around my second album that’s when it became me being more involved and wanting to understand the business, because I didn’t want to get jerked around. If something [were to] go wrong then I didn’t want it to go to somebody else who is making me do wrong, I want them to blame me. I would rather be blamed for my mistakes rather than somebody else be blamed for my mistakes.

AllHipHop.com: When it came to your personal mission statement, did it change with every album that you made?

Chingy: Jackpot was really about makin’ some money and sellin’ some records ‘cause that was my goal, and it was one on them “introducing me” albums. Powerballin’ was more “okay, now that I’ve had a little success, lets have a lil’ fun and splurge a lil’ bit, and just enjoy the success I’ve been havin’.” And with this album, the third album, Hoodstar, [it’s] really about “okay, I come from the hood and dealing with my trials and tribulations with comin’ from the hood, and jugglin’ success.” It’s just basically all about not forgettin’ where I come from. I don’t try to compare each album I do, I don’t go to the studio and try to be like, “Well, I need to make this album better than the last album.” I just try to work hard and try to come up with good music and put out a good album you know? ‘Cause if I focus on trying to make this album better than the last one, I might not make it better than the last one because I’m focusing on that too much. I just go in there and do what I do and pretty much try to come out with some hits.

AllHipHop.com: Besides the business, is there something else that you would have done differently?

Chingy: I didn’t really have a lawyer. So that’s one thing I would have changed, I would have had an entertainment lawyer. And I would have been more involved in my career from the start. That’s the only thing I would have changed at that point because everything was going fine but I wasn’t more involved in my career to know what’s goin’ on, so that was basically the problem.

AllHipHop.com: In the entertainment business, there’s the highest peak and then there’s the lowest of the low. Would you say that you’ve seen both sides of the music industry so far?

Chingy: I can say I’ve seen both sides because the highest is you enjoying your success and trying to reach your high point. The lowest is someone trying to bring you down and try to take advantage of you, and not want to see you get to the top. So I can say I’ve seen the highest and the lowest as far as my mind is concerned.

AllHipHop.com: Let’s talk about the feud between you and Ghetto Boyz. What happened?

Chingy: They weren’t the real Ghetto Boyz. They were some friends of mine that I been known, and basically they were talking to somebody… I don’t know what they told em. Some guy they didn’t even know had put in their heads that they [were] supposed to be gettin [a certain] amount of money. But they didn’t have a record deal or nothin’. I was trying to get ’em a record deal and I was payin’ them a fee. The thing is like, with ASCAP and your publishing [as an artist], that’s something they didn’t talk care of in the beginning. I told them to take care of that because I don’t take care of that for them. Just like I took care of my ASCAP and everything before I got a deal so it was already there. And that’s the same thing they supposed to did. And they thought I owed them money. It’s not my fault that if a song played on the radio that they’re featured on they don’t get their publishing or ASCAP or whatever because they didn’t register they names with the company. So somebody got into their heads and they tried to do a lawsuit and it didn’t go through for ’em ’cause they was in the wrong. You know what I mean? They messed up a good situation all over that and [they] was friends of mine. So that’s basically what happened right there.

AllHipHop.com: They did say that when you were making x amount of dollars per show, that you paying them below minimum wage…

Chingy: You on the road and there’s five people on stage. I’m paying them like $500 a piece, a show. Now for one, I had the record deal and you shouldn’t even be in my pocket. It’s average people that don’t see $500 a day, they don’t even see $500 a week. So that was all bull crap ’cause they was doing fine. I’m the one that brought you in this. You can’t try to be like me and you don’t even have a deal yet! You can’t be in my pocket. I surprise you with a job, keeping you off the street you know what I’m saying?

AllHipHop.com: Basically, you were making them apart of your expense when you didn’t even need to…

Chingy: When we go out, everything they do is paid for and not even counting the money I was giving them for not even doing shows. You know what I’m saying? So they was just real ungrateful and they just messed a good situation up and I believe they know that because they doin’ nothin’ now.

AllHipHop.com: One last question. Do you remember a chick named Vanity at the Adult Video News Awards?

Chingy: [That was] just some bull crap. I performed at them awards, and the director had told me before I went on stage to just call all them p#### stars on stage while we performing. ‘Cause that’s the thing they always did at them award shows. That’s what I did while I was performing. And for them other things they said while I was performing, that was some [other] bull crap. I don’t know what they talkin’. They was talkin’ about some transvestite and all this bull crap… it’s a gang of women on stage, I wasn’t paying no attention to them, for real. I was just performing. All that other stuff, I don’t know what they talking about.

Born Hustlers Inc: Snap Star

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Features

Hate or it or love it, snap music has consumed this country. When the percussion finger-snap sounds and the bassline drops, anyone who is near the dance floor is moved to join into the crowd’s cycle of leaning, rocking, and snapping their fingers. Although this sound was born in the impoverished community of Bankhead in West Atlanta, its influence can be seen nationwide, especially in the recent production of Top 10 billboard hits. Many consider the movement of snap music to be the death of Hip-Hop, but in actuality, it rejuvenated nightclubs all over the country with one of the biggest dance floor revolutions in recent years making it okay again to go out and have a good time…Now, let AllHipHop.com introduce you to the founders of this movement: Yung J, Hard Head, Skeet and K-Rab better known as BHI (Born Husslers, Incorporated).

AllHipHop.com: Now I know it’s not really called the snap dance. That sounds more like something the media came up with. What’s the real name of the snap dance seen in videos like your own “Do It Do It” and Lil’ Jon’s “Snap Ya Fingers” ?

Yung J: The dance…is really called “doin’ it”, nahmean? Everything that’s going on [in our videos] no matter what, it’s really called is “doin’ it”. So that’s how the saying “do it, do it, do it, do it” came about. No matter if you leanin’ and rockin’, “Westside walking it” out or whatever you doing, you’re “doin’ it.”

AllHipHop.com: What’s the background on the dance called “doin’ it”?

Yung J: First off, it was originally started in Westside Atlanta, Southwest Atlanta. It was like five…six different communities at one club vibin’ all together and of course, it was at the club, you know what I’m saying, where everybody showed what they did in their own communities and presented that to the people. So it pretty much started out that way…It all happened off Bankhead, at the Pool Palace.

AllHipHop.com: So the Pool Palace is where the whole movement began?

K-Rab: Yeah, it was the Pool Palace, bruh.

Yung J: That’s where it all started. That’s where the dance started. That’s where everyone was doing the dance at. Didn’t nobody just bring the dance to the club. Everybody started it right there in the club. The Pool Palace is where all that dancing and snap music started at.

AllHipHop.com: What’s the significance of the Pool Palace to y’all and Atlanta as a whole?

K-Rab: It’s like home man. It’s like where everybody start off doin’ their shows at. It’s where everybody you used to hang out with at. It’s just like that live spot.

Yung J: You got everybody coming out from across the world from city to city like it’s Freaknic or something, nahmean. But everybody come to ATL to come to the Pool Palace. It’s crazy…Worldwide, people come to Bankhead, you know like the straight hood, to come to this one club just to see what’s it’s like and go right back home.

Hardhead: You know, coming from the N.O. to Atlanta, I had to adapt but if I can jump right into it that let’s you know what’s going on.

AllHipHop.com: How long has the Pool Palace been open?

Yung J: The Pool Palace used to be the Silver Fox still doing the same thang for the older cats. It was something that you know what I’m saying that our parents might have went [when they were young]. Generations have did it at the Pool Palace, bruh.

AllHipHop.com: Isn’t there a dance called the Pool Palace too?

Skeet: Yeah, It’s a whole lot to it. Right now, in the A, chicks really dig when the n***as do it [laughs]…

Yung J: It really just started off as a beginning to a song that BHI put out called “Do it Do it”. And the song got real big and it started spreading worldwide. And everybody so quick to point fingers and say they the creators of this and they the creators of that, but Atlanta is our city and the city created this with no point to prove. We was just doing us trying to make it. If you wanna see what’s up, come to Bankhead. Come to the Pool Palace, and we’ll let you know what it is, and you ain’t gotta ask.

AllHipHop.com: Now that snap music is catching on, do you think that Crunk music will die out?

Yung J: I know for a fact that Crunk music not gon’ die out. A lot of people say a lot of things. Crunk is not dying, it’s here to stay…forever. Crunk music ain’t goin nowhere. Everybody can do Crunk, but who can do it like [Lil’] Jon. Everybody can do snap, but who can do it like us.

AllHipHop.com: Did you ever think this movement that started off at the Pool Palace in Bankhead would make it worldwide?

Yung J: Yeah, mane…If you get the opportunity for the whole world to hear it, you already know it’s gon’ do its thing. It’s just getting the opportunity. Once you get that, it’s not a surprise. It’s what people like. It’s that shine, that flavor, and that swag that people come to Atlanta for. It is what it is.

AllHipHop.com: What dances came before “doin’ it” and “doing the pool palace”?

Skeet: Eastside stompin’ and that crunk s**t…

Yung J: Really people still was “doin’ it.” It’s just getting out there. We been “doin’ it.” We been “doin’ it” since like ‘94, ‘95, ‘96. But you know we just wasn’t snapping. We was doing the same type of dancing you know and if you wanted to see it, you couldn’t go nowhere but Bankhead on the Westside [of Atlanta] and the Pool Palace. Like the motorcycle dance that Yung Joc got [in his video], it’s really a dance called “Westside walk it out,” and we started that dance too. It’s like everybody stealin’ our dances. Nobody in the music industry from ATL ain’t came to the Westside [of Atlanta] and use something that we got going on over here. That’s why we always shout out our side of town because everything jump off here from the snap to D4L to the [Dem] Franchize [Boyz]…everybody come right from the Westside [of Atlanta] and even T.I…It all started in Bankhead, in that same community. That’s just how we do.

AllHipHop.com: How does it feel to be apart of a movement that is putting Bankhead on the map?

K-Rab: It feels amazing, bruh. It’s something so bad turning into something so good. It’s turning a negative thing into a positive thing.