S

traight out of Wilson, North Carolina, K-Hill is one of the state’s brightest talents of today and tomorrow. The producer and MC gained notoriety from producing throwback-minded joints on Kaze’s Spirit of ‘94 project three years ago. While he says he wasn’t aware of the theme at the time, this is an artist with a deep appreciation for Hip-Hop’s past. For proof, just get K-Hill talking about Big Daddy Kane.

Early this year, K-Hill released “Stamps of Approval” a pre-album mixtape that features guest production from 9th Wonder and Khrysis. Despite those two very significant nods, K is out to set himself apart from the pack. With Memoirs of a Premature Legend… in the making, K-Hill wants to cultivate his fan-base now, without compromising the image that he’s so carefully crafted from non-fiction. AllHipHop.com found K-Hill in our spotlight of North Carolina, and so should you.

AllHipHop.com: Your pre-album/mixtape is called “Stamps of Approval.” On the insert, you portray food stamps. At this point in your career, what ‘stamps of approval’ are you really after?

K-Hill: Basically, they kinda represent the same thing. Coming up in certain financial situations, you had food stamps so that you could eat. To get to the next day is to get to the next situation. That’s why in naming my project, “Stamps of Approval,” for anything you want to go and do, somebody gotta go and give you that head nod. On that project, I’m [working with] some cats that got a couple of things goin’ on in the game theyselves, I’m tryin’ to draw in some of they listeners. When you look at the project, you’ll be like, ‘Dag, K did a song with Pumpkinhead.’ Any fan of the Brooklyn Academy movement might want something. That’s where it all came from – just tryin’ to get in.

AllHipHop.com: When the Justus League arrived, the media really portrayed a group that was in sync with Little Brother’s own movement. Khrysis is often perceived as an understudy to 9th Wonder the same way that Alchemist was to Premier, or Daz to Dre. You’re affiliated with some of these guys, yet you’re not lumped in. How do you find that balance?

K-Hill: I want to make it clear that I do know Justus League, I do know 9th. I met those guys a couple of years ago. I was doin’ music way before then – the exact same music I’m doin’ now. At the same time, I gotta give credit where credit is due: Little Brother and 9th Wonder are responsible for breaking down the door and getting ears to listen to us. We had a couple pioneers come through before though, like Ski [of Jay-Z/Orginal Flavor fame] – but they didn’t really represent North Carolina. He got in the game at a time when it wasn’t cool to represent N-C. When the fellas came out, they went against the grain and did the music we was feelin’, that we wanted to do. My main thing is to definitely distinguish myself as an individual, but at the same time, I’m gonna always give them credit as the ones to break down the door and providing me for doing what I’m doing today.

AllHipHop.com: I haven’t heard a lot of negative messages in lyrics coming from that area. Because of that, do you think the kids growing up around the way that idolize you all – do you think they’ll grow up different than kids, say, growing up listening to Harlem cats?

K-Hill: It’s definitely not like that here. In fact, on the outside here, there’s people who consider me, Little Brother, Kaze, Supastitution, they consider us like a circle. They think we’re one big circle. To an extent, we are, because we know each other, we kick it, and we can relate to each other on a lot of things. Everybody in this area does not agree with our sound. It’s a big melting-pot. But since we’re pure, we are the ones that people can relate to the most. Street cats can relate to what we’re doing. White-collar workers can relate. The average Joe, religious cats, they all relate.

AllHipHop.com: The fact that there’s resistance in favor of negative or more street imagery, how does that sit with you?

K-Hill: As far as the cats rhymin’ ‘bout cocaine and guns and stuff, I don’t knock them, it’s just the life that they know. If they know that and they rhyme about that, I don’t condemn that. If they never seen a key in their life…if they never sold crack in their life, and they rhyme about it, that’s when I have something against it. In North Carolina, we got a thing for bein’ humble. We keep it real, and talk about what we really know about. There’s a lot of followers here. But there’s a lot of people that stand up for what they really know. There’s people that can’t relate to K-Hill songs.

AllHipHop.com: What did it mean to the North Carolina Hip-Hop community when Big Daddy Kane moved down?

K-Hill: I’m gonna speak from a personal point-of-view…

AllHipHop.com: Well, I know you worked with him…

K-Hill: I did. I had produced Spectac’s single [“One Day remix”] with Kane. But for a long time, I thought [Kane’s living in North Carolina] was an urban legend. I had been hearin’ that he was stayin’ out here for a couple of years, but I’d never seen him. Ironically, I moved to the same area where people was sayin’ he was stayin’ at. I lived there for a year – no Kane. Funny enough, I was out in the world one day, at my job, and Big Daddy Kane comes walking in [laughs]. I spoke to him, but it took me a long time to get my manhood up to even speak. I didn’t wanna come off like a groupie, but this cat is the reason I started rhymin’. After that, I started seeing him a lot. I remember, M.O.P. came down here to do a concert, and Kane walked out on stage, and the crowd went bananas. We love Kane down here! It means a lot to us as Hip-Hoppers. I wish he’d just come on back out.

AllHipHop.com: On “Legends,” you said, “My grandmother a day after my birthday / I know the real meaning of joy and pain / I lost my grandfather the same day I met my wife.” What destiny and purpose do you have? You call yourself a “premature legend.”

K-Hill: Exactly. It’s funny that you pick out those two lines, then ask me about the meaning of “premature legend” at the same time. To me, it’s just that. My grandfather for example, I always knew that she wrote music. I always she knew she sang in church. But I never knew that she recorded music. I found out that after she passed. That was a career she wanted to pursue, but she had kids – life issues. This album is dedicated to her, [and] a couple of cats [Sick-L and Dirty Needles] I used to rhyme with who passed away. I thought these cats were some of the nicest cats I ever got to rhyme with, but they didn’t get to fulfill their dream. They had a potential to be legends! Where’s the term come from? It’s a legend that didn’t get to mature. They had legendary capabilities, but they didn’t get to act on it, because of situations. That’s the whole meaning.

AllHipHop.com: In order to reach that status, do you let things float, or do you take your steps carefully?

K-Hill: Hmmm. I try to do a little bit of both. Now, seein’ where I’m at, and that people are really checkin’ for what I’m doing, I really try to be careful. When I say that, there’s a lot of things I wanna try, musically. But I don’t want to lose what fan-base I have right now. I want to be real careful and selective on the type of material I choose to do. Any situation that comes my way, I review it real carefully, more-so than even a month ago. Any bad move, that’s it, it’s a wrap.

AllHipHop.com: Jean Grae is an incredible artist. There’s been speculation that both Jay-Z and Nas are huge fans. You had worked on Jeanius. Knowing the kind of response that album was likely to get, how did it feel when it was leaked and subsequently deaded?

K-Hill: I still, to this day, man… even with everything that’s goin’ on, I’ll still never be able to understand that night. It was so random. I had the pleasure of actually bein’ there while Jean was recording. She’s got a work-ethic like I’ve never seen in anybody. I’ve seen her write an album in like a week’s time. That track, “Smash Mouth” wasn’t planned, man. 9th was in there recording. I was outside kickin’ it with Joe Scudda and Cesar Comanche. He was like, ‘Yo K-Hill, come in the room and drop something for the Jean Grae project.’ At the time, I was only there tryin’ to get a [mixtape] drop. I try to be really careful with artists, especially when they’re working with somebody else. I don’t like to intervene. For that to happen, and for her to approve of it, it was just like…damn! I think she’s incredible too.

AllHipHop.com: When 9th came and said that to you. Were you pressured? I mean, I’m guessing you didn’t have a sweet 16 just sitting around, collecting dust…

K-Hill: It had to come right then. 9th’s the type of guy, he wants it right now. You have to be quick on your toes, man. When he said he wanted us on the track, me, Edgar Allen Floe, and [Joe] Scudda, rushed to the car to go and bang this out. We were just goin’ at it. For them, it might’ve been like, ‘Okay, we ‘bout to get another guest appearance, man.’ For me, it was like, “Damn, I’m ‘bout to be on a track with Jean Grae. A lot of people are ‘bout to hear me for the first time, so I really gotta make this pop.” I felt pressured, but honored at the same time.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve got a track on the record, “Pay Attention,” that seems to be inspired by a conversation with a homeless man. Who is your muse? How often do you write from personal experience?

K-Hill: 85% of my writing is personal experience. “Pay Attention” is a true story. I was outside, waitin’ on a concert to start. This guy comes walkin’ up to me, and he asks me for 35 cents. I’m like, “Man, what the hell you gonna do with 35 cents man, straight up?” He said he was tryin’ to buy a beer. Since he was straight up with me, I gave him a dollar. Since I gave him a dollar, he gave me a story [which became “Pay Attention”]. At the same time, the whole song is really like a letter to my girl. I’m tellin’ her not to get discouraged with me goin’ for now, because eventually it’ll pay off. Just stick it out with me.

AllHipHop.com: On your records, you reference the people like Mister Cee, Large Professor, or obscure AZ lyrics. How smart do you think your audience is when it comes to Hip-Hop knowledge?

K-Hill: Wow! Paine, you really threw me on that one. [laughs] [AZ’s] “Rather Unique” is one of my favorite songs. It was just something that just came to mind. Because of my age and the era I came from, you’re always gonna be guaranteed to catch those lines from me. It’s not ‘cause I’m tryin’ to slide it in, it’s ‘cause it’s comin’ natural. I’m not saying I’m stuck in a time-warp or anything. But when these people are your heroes, and you’re listening to them everyday, you just subconsciously mention these things in your song. But is important to educate the listener on who these people are. For example, Kane did the same thing that Jay-Z is doing now. Kane had that swagger, Kane was dressin’ nice, Kane had the crazy collabos. It’s just that when Jay did it, he got paid for it. It’s important to teach [about] the originators. But a lot of people don’t know that Jay-Z and Kane almost came out at the same time!

AllHipHop.com: Last words?

K-Hill: Shouts to my girl, Kris, my right hand man, Jarred Jeffrey, my right hand MC, and the Gyphted, my right hand producer, and I’m good.

For more information visit www.kick-a-verse.com.

W

hat MC dare call himself an educated thug in this era of Hip-Hop? J.Bully represents a new breed of lyricist and a movement he deems “Educated Thug Muzik,” an interest group that intends to balance the genre a bit. In many ways, Bully represents the paranormal to rap though. He teaches a Hip-Hop course at Duke University, where students actually record a rap demo. His main aspiration is his music and he’s got the weaponry to create change. There is his team, which consists of vets like DJ Toomp and former Jay-Z producer, Ski. J also has experience in heated competition, like the Blaze Battles of old. One of these battles led to the then-known, Jugga Da Bully to attack DJ Clue in a popular diss, “Clueless.” Several years and a handle-change later, J.Bully’s back on the block, a changed man. Like Carlito, a man with an illustrious past returns for greater good: education. But as AllHipHop.com’s feature with J.Bully shows, don’t ever ask North Carolina’s self-proclaimed king what a thug about.

AllHipHop.com: What’s the purpose of calling your type of Hip-Hop “Educated Thug Muzik”?

J.Bully: Its really simple, mane. I’m educated. I have my degree. I can’t even front like a dummy, but I thug it. I’m comfortable around anybody. I’m good, wherever I go. I have internal checks and balances that keep me from glamorizing the things that are killing our community, but I don’t hate. I understand that everybody is dealt a different hand. I just try to give n***as something to think about between MC murders: “Educated Thug Muzik.”

AllHipHop.com: In your bio, you make it a point to note you were an excellent athlete and student. Most rappers look to conceal their smarts, but you did the opposite. Give me you thoughts.

J.Bully: I don’t know who started that whole ‘real n***as ain’t smart’ s**t. When did we decide it wasn’t cool to be smart? Not to be a cliché, but ironically I’m just keeping s**t trill. I can’t be nobody but me. There were times in my career when I consciously kept the ‘Hip-Hop’ me separate from the ‘public’ me. I guess I was that being someone who had goals, a good woman, and actually gave a damn about how my parents and professional acquaintances perceived me, would be a detriment to my street cred. So I focused on the Hip-Hop image.

But then when I started working with my n***a, DJ Toomp, he put it all in perspective for me. He told me, “Bully, you nice with that battle s**t. You can do that all day and no one can touch you, but until you start letting people know who you are as a person and make them wanna be you or feel like they know you, they not gonna feel your music on the level you deserve.” I said back to him, “Mane, I haven’t had the hardest life people ain’t tryin’ to hear about a dude with both parents who’s a Morehouse grad. I did and might do a lil’ dirt, but I’m nobody’s gangsta trap star murder murder pimp type character.” Toomp told me then “People wanna hear that too. N***as wanna be you too. Give it to them.” So that’s me. I gotta do me, because if I’m lying on my records about I did this and that and I didn’t, n***as will investigate and dig up the truth anyway, dig?

AllHipHop.com: Do you ever fear yourself giving listeners mixed signals?

J.Bully: Honestly, life is a mixed signal. It takes intelligence and a gritty side to survive and move up in this world. If you think for one minute that life is gonna allow you to be all brains or all brawn, you dumb. Balance is the key to life. You can’t have balance without mixed signals. The goal for the listener is to take from Bully what they need to apply to their life and make it better motivation and introspective thoughts are universal. Or you can just enjoy the music.

AllHipHop.com: Speak on your duties at Duke University.

J.Bully: I’m currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Duke University Department of Music. That’s similar to an artist in residence who teaches. I’m blessed to be able to say that’s the day job. I teach a course I designed called “Hip-Hop/Rap Music Appreciation.” I’ve been teaching it for almost two years and I’m proud to say its one of the more popular classes on campus and it’s a great opportunity for me to give back to our music genre by teaching it from a practical and artistic perspective. At the end of my course, I take students into the studio and they record Hip-Hop and rap songs in groups. It definitely gives all involved a new appreciation of MCing and an overall better understanding of Hip-Hop culture as it relates to the music, and vice-versa.

AllHipHop.com: Are any of the locals rapping or really talking about the alleged Duke rape in the local Hip-Hop community?

J.Bully: I haven’t heard much from the local MC’s yet, but it may not have filtered to me yet. The incident has certainly on the minds of my students and really everyone I know. The New Black Panther Party held a protest near Duke’s campus. But there’s still more to come out and folk in the Cack [Carolina] read both sides of the story. We are thinkers here. There is a process by which criminals are brought to justice. Right now, its still moving in the right direction: towards the truth. As long as the community doesn’t feel like justice hasn’t been served. In my opinion, let the system handle it. If this rape occurred, it’s disgusting and unforgivable. As long as Durham, North Carolina, and Duke handle the truth appropriately, we can’t expect more. We have to remember there’s a Judge upstairs that always gives the right verdict and sentence in the end.

AllHipHop.com: Why do you call yourself a “bully?”

J.Bully: The name came about to add character to my MC name when I started doing The Source and Blaze battles in Atlanta. The “J” stands for JuGGaNauT, which was my early handle. When I battled, I was real physical with cats on stage – all up in they face and mad disrespectful. My folks said I was ‘a bully,’ and it became the nickname. It used to be Jugga the Bully, but everybody kept mispronouncing that, so now it’s simply J.Bully. But I don’t call myself a Bully. I am the Bully. I bully MCs. I bully beats. I bully most of the time. What it means is that when I walk in the room, you have to acknowledge my presence. I take up space. Being a bully means you command respect. I do that by any means necessary. Straight up.

AllHipHop.com: What’s the scene like in Raleigh Durham and who are people checking for? How about overall in North Carolina?

J.Bully: All the MCs on the scene here are dope. I’m trying to work with everybody

and bring our market together. As far as around in Raleigh and Durham, there are so many dope crews and MCs. I’m working with North Carolina’s own Ski Beats [of Jay-Z/Original Flavor fame]. Ski is getting a lot of cats signed. People of course check for Little Brother and 9th’s projects. Shelly B blacks the f**k out on stage, so she’s been making noise. I hear there’s a cat named Bow Boa in Raleigh doing the damn thang on some Crunk type s**t; Jozeemo just got out so the streets are waiting for his s**t in Durham; Twip got that funk; M.O.S. got that gangsta s**t on lock; K-Hill is dope; Language Arts are dope and have their corner of the market. Damn man, there are other cats I don’t even know about puttin’ it down. You have Hotwright and Brandon D outta the Triad, a whole other scene in Charlotte, Fayetteville has a scene So it’s endless.

AllHipHop.com: With such a diverse music scene, why hasn’t North Carolina broken out more?

J.Bully: Because nobody understands us unless you’ve spent time in North Carolina. The

world has really only seen two sides of North Carolina, which are really polar opposites – [Petey] Pablo and LB [Little Brother]. Pablo being the extreme Southern side, and LB being the East Coast crème de la. The labels wanna hear south s**t from us, but North Carolina is a unique blend. Until somebody from North Carolina comes out balanced, it’ll be hard to market us.

Also, we’re too cliquish. Artists and labels are the only folks who do shows here, so if you not down with the clique doing the show, you not getting’ on. And each clique controls a lil’ piece of the market, so you have to fight for exposure to that portion outside of your regular crowd. I mean, it’s a slow process. I feel everybody doin’ the damn thang, so I’m trying to do music with everybody. Until we all do music together and build the market, we’re gonna be moving in slow motion. I have the advantage of being gone for a while and coming back to reclaim our sound that’s why I’m the “Return of the King of North Carolina.” I’m here to unite all the kingdoms. I’m the most balanced MC here. It’s my time.

AllHipHop.com: Being an educated thug, can you speak on your thoughts on the whole music game right now and historically?

J.Bully: I think the game is at another turning point. We saw similar points with Rakim, with Public Enemy, with [A Tribe Called Quest], Dre and Snoop, Nas, B.I.G., OutKast, Busta, Jay, Eminem, Nelly, 50, Kanye and so on. These were points when the top artists raise the bar when it seems like the art is stagnant. Our problem right now is that the

Hip-Hop we hear on mainstream is unbalanced. Too much “Laffy Taffy” not enough Immortal Technique, feel me? I feel like every artist has a right to put out the kind of music they feel comfortable with, but the listener deserves more respect from these labels. I feel like the public is gonna start demanding more artistic Hip-Hop and better content. The themes in the hood are defined for us, but how artists approach these issues and lifestyle separates fads from records, the impactful from the impotent, the fresh from the wack. We like to call it the movement.

AllHipHop.com : Any other thoughts on what people can expect from J.Bully, when he comes out?

J.Bully: You can expect some s**t you haven’t heard before. Banging production, big beats. I’m working with Ski Beats, Black Jeruz, 88 Keyz, DJ Toomp and a gang of up and coming producers like Pocket, Phrequincy, and Picasso. I’m also looking to get in the lab with 9th Wonder and to get back in the lab with Nitti. I’m coming with airtight

lyrics, balanced content and that serious swagger. And although this may be the first album you hear from me, its not my first, so expect polished flow and song writing. I make records not raps. I have over 300 songs and counting, so when you get a Bully album, it’s the best of the best.

For more on J.Bully, go to www.myspace.com/bullycity or Jbully.com.

T

he female Hip-Hop head appears to resemble the Black man at first glace: an endangered species. However, upon deeper analysis and sincere study, it’s apparent that they are flourishing in some ways, while languishing in others. DJ Chela may not be a household name, but the spin-doctor seeks to change that notion and marshal in an alternative image to the Hip-Hop female. The Durham, North Carolina resident has been an activist for several years and melded that into her musical platform. Coupled with her naturally striking looks, DJ Chela may just forever change the female Hip-Hopper and get them off that damn endangered species list.

AllHipHop.com: Explain to the people who DJ Chela is for those that might not know.

DJ Chela: I’m a DJ based out of Durham, North Carolina. I run with the Murda Mamis and Justo’s Mixtape All-Stars. I’m your average girl that cooks, cleans, plots to overthrow the system, and DJs. I’m the “New Girl Order” —remember that! It’s coming.

AllHipHop.com: How long have you been DJing, and what sort of DJ would you consider yourself?

DJ Chela: I’m a mix DJ, a party rocker, I do mixtapes, live shows, I’m in radio and been in a couple battles. So I have experience in a few areas, but my main focus is mixtapes, clubs and radio. I’ve been DJing seriously for almost four years now. Beyond that, I work as an organizer, an activist, a revolutionary – to use music as a soundtrack for the struggle and success of the Hip-Hop community and all oppressed peoples.

AllHipHop.com: From what I’ve seen, you mix a fair amount of consciousness and commentary in your mixtapes. What makes you take that approach to music?

DJ Chela: My folks are a definite inspiration to me—they’re visionary people and get things done. I lived in Nicaragua for a couple of years when I was growing up, and it opened up my eyes to live amongst such extreme poverty and then watch the United States’ coverage of what was going on. Then I learned that the Contras were funded in part by crack cocaine the CIA brought into South Central LA in the 80’s, and seeing that direct link between US imperialism abroad and racism and oppression at home was powerful. I feel like I have no other option but to stand for what I see to be the truth in my own way, and right now it’s through music. Having a message in music is a lot similar to having a conversation with somebody—when you’re done talking about something, what are you going to do about it? But when you look at mainstream rap right now, we can see how influential these messages can be in society. So it’s kind of backwards thinking, but if we take the lead from politicians, the army, corporations and everyone that’s using Hip-Hop to push their agenda, we can see that it is possible to influence people through music.

AllHipHop.com: As a woman in Hip-Hop, how do you feel about the blatant misogyny and can you offer any solutions?

DJ Chela: Misogyny is definitely a complex issue, and there are a lot of levels that need to be addressed to see a real change. As long as women in the workplace are getting 75 cents per every dollar that a man earns, the scale is already tipped. What I see as missing in the Hip-Hop industry is more female artists, DJs, and executives to really have their say in what’s hot. Female MCs are almost always promoted poorly, and that denies a woman’s voice from the beginning. Regardless, women are doing their thing every day, who are strong, focused, and work together, and we need to amplify that movement to really set an example and be interruptive of what’s going on.

AllHipHop.com: You have a radio show and act as the urban music director at WXDU, Duke University’s radio station. What is your take on the alleged rape of a North Carolina Central University student and part-time stripper?

DJ Chela: Man, this has been a big past few weeks for Durham. The whole alleged rape has raised a lot of issues in our community. I’ve been hearing a lot of people saying that it’s not a race thing, and I think that there is a fear on both sides, black and white, that this could spear some kind of race war. I feel like we can’t really make that call if it was racially motivated or not, but from what I’ve heard about the story, the lacrosse team was yelling racial slurs at the woman and other people on the block that night. White men have been raping black women since the foundation of this country; it’s as American as apple pie. The DNA evidence didn’t implicate any of the players, but that doesn’t really mean anything, because they could have been wearing condoms. Whatever happens, I just hope the truth comes to light.

AllHipHop.com: How about the media? It seems like they act suggest she deserved it for being a stripper and they certainly don’t mention that she’s a student and mother with equal frequency as her night job.

DJ Chela: The media stressed that she was a mother and a student that worked at night because of her schedule and hadn’t been stripping for very long, so I don’t know, maybe we’ve been looking at different sources. I had a conversation on my radio show though, where my guests were putting the blame on her for what happened, saying that she shouldn’t have been stripping in the first place. I feel like that argument doesn’t have a place in this discussion, because there’s no circumstance under which rape is excusable. Her story is common—a woman stripping to pay tuition and support her family. I know Jesse Jackson recently said that his coalition would pay for her college tuition, even if the case ruled that she had fabricated her story. He is taking the initiative to help lessen the burden on her so she can focus on her studies and not have to do that type of work, which will be good after what she’s been through so she can get back to her life.

AllHipHop.com: Moving along, how would you explain the Hip-Hop in North Carolina?

DJ Chela: They call North Carolina the Middle East—not just ‘cause it’s a war zone–where it is, right in the middle of the East Coast, there’s musical influence from up top as well as the Dirty South. You hear a mixture of a lot of styles. There are a lot of hot producers and MCs out here—the scene is really strong. The local shows out here get a lot of support. It can be trife at times, like any local scene I guess, but it’s definitely a lot of fun and there’s a lot of talent here.

AllHipHop.com: Most people only know about emcees like Little Brother and Petey Pablo, but who are some of the underground rappers that the rest of the world should know about from your homestate?

DJ Chela: Jozeemo out of East Durham is that dude, he’s an amazing storyteller, and he’s got a huge following. Shelly B is a big artist out here, she’s got crazy talent. Kaze is a beast. K-Hill is amazing. J Bully moved back here not too long ago, he won The Source Battles back in the day. He’s sick. Twip sings, raps, produces, and he’s started a whole movement, the new funk, it’s crazy. P Wonda and Othaz Records are on their grind heavy. Seven, “Mr. F**k the Police” brings it. There are so many cats out here to look for.

AllHipHop.com: How is a company going to properly tap into North Carolina’s talent? I personally feel it’s a hotbed of talent.

DJ Chela: I definitely agree with you. I think an important move for a label that signs an North Carolina artist is to promote the artist hard in the Carolinas, so that people here are familiar with them and their movement. That hometown support is crucial, not just for the artist but also the community, because people will have something in common and someone that represents them. That makes the scene hotter, people want to come here, and more artists get exposure.

AllHipHop.com: Have you started to produce? I say that because I heard a few remixes that melded Biggie and Lil’ Kim verses into a new song.

DJ Chela: I’ve been doing some blends and leaking them out, and other DJs have been rocking them, which is cool. I do some turntable production—basically scratching and sampling and layering things on top of each other. I’m not producing beats–yet. I have a few tracks up for download at myspace.com/djchela.

AllHipHop.com: What is the New Girl order and how did you come to be a member of the Murda Mamis?

DJ Chela: I joined up with the Murda Mamis about a year ago. I had crossed paths a few times with Remy, First Lady El and Lazy K, and I had a lot of respect for the movement. Justo Faison of the Mixtape Awards cosigned for me with First Lady El last year, and it was a go. Those are my girls, the movement is crazy. The New Girl Order is a movement I started that asks the question, “What will be possible when women have an undeniable and respected voice in Hip-Hop and society as a whole?” I think sometimes we focus on the obstacles we face and not the end result, and that’s why we don’t get to where we need to be.

AllHipHop.com: What’s next for DJ Chela?

DJ Chela: I will be moving up top this summer, so I will be based out of New York City soon. Look out for new mixtapes! I’ve been on a Lauryn Hill-type leave of absence from the mixtape game for a few months, and I’m sorry to keep y’all waiting so long. That new mixtape, “High Treason” hosted by the soldier, M1 is out now. If you think DJs don’t cut and scratch no more, and Hip-Hop doesn’t stand for anything these days, go pick it up, and enjoy yourself! Thanks AllHipHop.com… one love.

N

orth Carolina’s agents are always on their grind to get quality Hip-Hop out to the masses. Little Brother’s sophomore album The Minstrel Show dropped this past September, and since then, the trio hasn’t stopped working. Most recently, they linked with DJ Drama for a “Gangsta Grillz” mixtape that connected the group to Mos Def and even Bun B.

AllHipHop.com builds with Rapper Big Pooh and Phonte as they’re getting on the bus, kicking off yet another tour. The duo discusses the aftermath of 2005 and The Minstrel Show, a completely different experience than The Listening in 2003. With 9th Wonder locked in the studio, the two MC’s give a candid reaction to the ups and downs, the critics and supporters, and even make some interesting talks of kings and courts.

AllHipHop.com: How has life been treating you since The Minstrel Show dropped?

Big Pooh: Pretty well. Since that time, we’ve pretty much just been working from the crib. We’ve been in chill-mode, but we’re back in action now.

AllHipHop.com: Since the album came out, I see you guys are getting a lot more exposure. I see you on TV, a couple more magazines. Do you feel like your notoriety is beginning to pick up?

Phonte: Not really. My life ain’t changed; I’m still the same dude.

Big Pooh: Yeah. Slowly, the wheels are turning. It’s been a slow grind, slow process. That’s how it is sometimes. I always heard that if it comes fast, then it won’t last long. So hopefully, this is a good sign for us.

AllHipHop.com: In one rhyme, you rapped, “Most of your albums are poorly promoted and all the magazines probably won’t even quote it.” The majority of the feedback on The Minstrel Show has been so positive; it looks as though anyone that seems to know what they’re talking about, loves it. How does it make you feel knowing that, but at the same time it’s not reflecting on the sales?

Big Pooh: You kinda feel confused about it. Like, a lot of people hear it, but then you go look at the numbers and it’s like, ‘Okay, so a lot of people don’t hear it.’ But I attribute that to the fact that today’s basic selling and marketing tools are television and commercial radio, and those are two things that Little Brother has never really appeared strongly in. So that can explain our lack of sales. If we were heavy on TV and radio, and we still had the same amount of sales, then the people spoke and it’s a problem with Little Brother. But because we’re not heavy in those two areas, you kinda have to attribute that to our sales. Basically, we have a lot of word of mouth, a lot of old fans turning people on to us, and we’re on the internet. That’s basically where all our marketing has been. Slow pickup on the video, slow pickup on the radio so hopefully, I pray that’ll show some change in numbers.

AllHipHop.com: I have seen the video on TV a couple of times, and it’s really nice to see you guys on TV. It just seems like it’s not on where everybody’s ears are…

Pooh: Yeah, that’s been the story of Little Brother thus far.

Phonte: It’s kind of to be expected. When we made this album, at least in my mind, it wasn’t a ‘Yo, we about to blow up’ album. It was just an album that either a lot of people were going to flock to because it was something different, or it was going to be a long f**king time to catch on. I think there was some problems with Atlantic in the beginning: I think they kind of over thought it. I think they looked at the title and the cover and were like ‘How are we gonna market this? How are we gonna promote this?’ I mean, it’s a f**kin’ rap album, how would you market or promote a rap album? Step 1, put up posters, and let people know there’s an album actually coming out in a store. Step 2, put a song on the radio to let people know that they make music and the people can actually hear it, you know what I mean? So I think in the beginning, they over thought things and they were trying to be too different. But things are starting to come together now. I wasn’t expecting this album to make me rich. I don’t expect any of my albums to make me rich, honestly. I just expect to be able to maintain and take care of my people. I’m not doing this to get rich; I’m just doing what I do.

AllHipHop.com: I know it’s not about the money and I understand that. But at the same time, we see so many less talented people getting rich making so much mediocre music…

Phonte: And that’s just the industry we’re in… the s**t ain’t about talent. I can’t really say if it ever was… probably ten, 15 years ago, you had to have a little something with you… more-so then you do now. But even looking at the people that we’re compared to the most; Tribe, De la Soul, even Geto Boys… they were never top of the chart phenomena. I don’t think Tribe ever had a Platinum record. I think Midnight Marauders may have hit platinum a couple of years ago, but groups like that generally don’t sell a lot of records, but they have careers. De la Soul: other than their first two albums, I don’t think any of their albums went Gold… but 15 years later, they’re still here.

AllHipHop.com: The Minstrel Show has Elzhi of Slum Village as the only out of house appearance on it… What made you guys decide on him?

Big Pooh: That was just somebody that we really wanted to work with. That wasn’t the only person scheduled to appear, but due to time constraints, we couldn’t get some of the other people we wanted. He was just a guy that when we told him about the track, he was in North Carolina two weeks later. All the people you see us working with are people that we admire musically; they’re people that we want to work with.

AllHipHop.com: The album is like quotes upon quotes. Are there any lines or any songs that you have heard people mention that particularly stand out or that have gotten a bigger reaction from people.

Big Pooh: When people come up, they mostly talk about certain songs on the record that touched them in a certain way. Like, “All For You,” where we talk about the fatherhood issue. I know for me, a lot of people talk about “Sincerely Yours.”

AllHipHop.com: You both have very strong solo albums—are you thinking about working on anything else like that?

Big Pooh: I know as far as I’m concerned, I started recording some stuff once we got off the last tour. I’ve been playing around with things, some ideas in the direction I wanted to go with my next album. I’ve been throwing around some titles, getting different producers to throw some tracks at me… just going through that process. I’m just taking that really slow because I have no idea how this Little Brother thing is gonna go in ‘06. I’ve got to find a balance between them… I have to make sure Little Brother’s taken care of first before I can go on and do my own thing.

AllHipHop.com: And Phonte…?

Phonte: Not really. Me and Darien Brockington will probably go into the studio and work on some more of his project. Right now, I really don’t feel the need for a solo album. Everything I wanna say I can say in Little Brother. Ain’t no need for me to make another album and say the same s**t. I’m just focused on Little Brother, and steadily working on building Little Brother up into a force to be reckoned with.

AllHipHop.com: Phonte, you’re pretty eloquent on your blog. I was reading one recently about Lil’ Wayne and Southern rap in general. I know a lot of people aren’t on MySpace, but I also know that you said some things that people might be interested in hearing… wanna talk about that a little bit?

Phonte: Yeah. It was just my thoughts about Lil’ Wayne’s renewed popularity. I made a post on MySpace called “Lil Wayne Speaks So Well.” It was basically a joke playing off the whole Chris Rock s**t… he would joke about how white people say s**t talking about, like Colin Powell, ‘Oh he speaks so well.’ White people say some dumb s**t like that, and not even realize they’re being racist by saying that, you know what I mean? Like, what the f**k do you mean, ‘he speaks so well’? He’s an educated man. N****s ain’t supposed to speak that way? So pretty much, that little essay I wrote, it was about how a lot of New York n****s and cats outside the South look at Lil’ Wayne like he’s a freak of nature. Like, ‘Wow, he’s from the South but he’s can really spit for a Southern n****a… oooh he speaks so well’… you know what I’m sayin’? It was just me getting at those cats. I support Lil’ Wayne and I think it’s kinda f**ked up that if he was from New York or whatever, cats’ll just look at him like “Eh, whatever,” but because he’s from the South, then all of a sudden Wayne is incredible. It’s like a reverse discrimination we get. I know a part of the reason that Little Brother has been so successful, and that’s a question mark after ‘successful,’ up until this point, is because we’re from North Carolina. If we were just some n****s from Brooklyn, it’d just be like ‘They aiight, they just doin’ some New York s**t. But the fact that we’re three country ass ‘bamas that we sound three Brooklyn n****s, they just… ‘Ooh, they speak so well!’ It’s the same s**t.

AllHipHop.com: I’ve read articles and things mentioning you guys and I remember one instance that they actually called you “New York Minded”… is that bothersome to you?

Phonte: It don’t really bother me. People call it “New York Minded” or whatever, because the way the South is viewed. If it’s not Jeezy, T.I., or six degrees from Lil’ Jon, then it’s not the South. What people think the South is versus what it really is… it’s two different things. You’ve got n****s in the South listening to Tribe and all that s**t, you’ve got Jazz musicians in the South, you have a whole range. We have all these Black colleges in the South, so it ain’t everybody in the South trappin’ and shootin’. You’ve got a lot of spectrums. I really want to let people know that we are Southern artists but there are more sides to the South then what you see on TV. When you see Little Brother doing the Gangsta Grillz mixtape or you see T.I. coming out to a show… it’s because real recognize real. I may not have ever sold an ounce of dope in my life, but I can listen to T.I.’s music and be like “Damn, he can spit,” and and he can do the same with our music. People said the same thing about Outkast when they came out with ATLiens.

AllHipHop.com: And finally… are you guys still the most slept on since codeine?

Big Pooh: Hell yeah… look at the numbers.

Phonte: Pretty much. That’s the thing about me though; I don’t mind that. I’m perfectly fine being the best kept secret. I have no problem with that because once you get to the top, there’s nowhere to go but down. As frustrating as it is and as f**ked up as it can be sometimes, I’d rather have a long slow grind to get to number two or three rather than overnight success. Once you on top, you got everybody gunnin’ for you. I don’t wanna be the king… motherf**kers try to assassinate the king. I’d rather be the n***a that’s best friends with the king and secretly controls the kingdom.

H

ailing from North Carolina, Edgar Allen Floe has made a name for himself, writing and producing as one of 15 members in Hip-Hop’s ‘Knights of the Round Table,’ the Justus League. One might think that by having more members in your group than the Wu-Tang Clan, he would get a case of middle child syndrome. However, Edgar is carrying a torch as one of the League’s most recognizable MC’s.

While starting off as a producer and engineer, Edgar put writing to the side ten years ago. Today, his most recent mixtape, “Floe Almighty” reveals the multitalented artist. As 9th Wonder, and now Khrysis, become Hip-Hop household names, will Edgar Allen Floe follow suit? The patient veteran told his story to AllHipHop.com in our series on North Carolina’s brightest acts.

AllHipHop.com: How’d you get the name, Edgar Allen Floe? Obviously, it’s a play on Edgar Allen Poe…

Edgar Allen Floe: I got the name back in ‘96. One of my boys that I rhyme with, Mal Demolish from The Undefined, gave it to me. It was a play on words. I tried to negotiate how Edgar Allen Poe was a well-respected writer and storyteller. I tried to incorporate that into my standpoint. He was a dope writer; I’m trying to be a well respected and dope writer, so it all goes and in hand.

AllHipHop.com: On the “Floe Almighty Mixtape,” with the opening track, “Skyward,” you mentioned that you used to hold back. Was that lyrically?

Edgar Allen Floe: Yeah, it was kind of lyrically. When I first started, around the time that Justus League started; I felt like I wasn’t really delivering [my best]. Back then, we weren’t really getting respect. When we were working on tracks, it was out of respect for one another, and we and the same musical tastes, but we were just doing joints. It was a time in the game when things were really crazy, and there wasn’t a lot of good material out. We kept ourselves motivated. Slowly, but surely, people started checking us out, but even now, we’re trying to still grind it out and build. People are looking our way, so it’s serious. We have to step the game up. We have fans from all over the world and even pioneers who we looked up to when were coming up, giving us props. They’re taking us under consideration as great MC’s and producers. With all of that, you have to really dig down deep.

AllHipHop.com: On the mixtape, you obviously worked with the usual suspects, 9th Wonder and Khrysis. But what’s up with your alter ego, SliceMysta?

Edgar Allen Floe: When I started writing seriously, it was the name that I had for myself. For the most part, I used to do beats back in the day and write at the same time. ‘Edgar Allen Floe’ was another moniker that I had. ‘SliceMysta’ has developed into the producer side of me, and ‘Edgar Allen’ is the lyrical side. It’s just a way of showing people that I’m a man of many hats. I do it all, and now I’m really working hard, first for myself, but then for other MC’s. Hopefully, they will see that and I can get the kind of respect that I’m looking for.

AllHipHop.com: In writing versus producing, how do you approach each? Is it like a right brain, left brain situation, where one takes over depending on the job at hand?

Edgar Allen Floe: That’s how I try to come. I actually try to write in the same way that I make beats. When doing beats, I make sure that the drums are in a certain area, or that the break down is in a particular spot. When you deliver it to the people, it stands out a bit. My writing is similar. It’s very strategic. I think that cats appreciate my writing as being straightforward, when a lot of the time it isn’t. You have to sit back and think a bit. People respect that because that’s how the game has always been. Some cats have been the ones where you check them out, and have to listen to the track a second time to get the full picture. You catch things that you didn’t on the first go around. It makes you keep listening.

AllHipHop.com: When you write solo material, do you try to do in a different direction than when you’re writing for the Justus League?

Edgar Allen Floe: When it all started out, 9th was doing 90% of the mixing. Now that we’re all getting busy, we have to do our own thing for the most part. I definitely go to the studio to produce and engineer my own, as well as other Justus League artists. My solo material is pretty much Justus League material, so it’s not all that different.

AllHipHop.com: Is the criteria to be a Justus League member to be versatile?

Edgar Allen Floe: It just happened. We started off with ten or 11 members. By 2003, there was 15 of us, producing, MC’ing, and engineering. It just happens that with so many members, certain cats specialize in specific areas. You’ll never see 9th rhyming on a track. He’ll tell you that himself. Khrysis doesn’t rap. For the most part, we have producers that do their thing, or MC’s and DJ’s – the same. You definitely have a variety of minds to get a different perspective. We all know what we do best and focus on our strengths.

AllHipHop.com: You hear the good sides and bad sides of others’ opinions. Does it get overwhelming having so many people in the group?

Edgar Allen Floe: With any group, no matter how large or small, you’ll always have differences. We’ve always been the type if group that when we need to discuss something serious, we have a meeting and talk it out. That’s something that we’ve always done and it’s helped us stay focused. We don’t want to be that group ten years down the line, falls apart. We have so many cats that we have to stick together and keep going or we would never would have made it this far.

AllHipHop.com: How has the development of Hip-Hop changed your perspective or even your abilities to create?

Edgar Allen Floe: Back in the mid to late 90’s, when I was doing a lot of writing and developing, you had so many dope albums that it would motivate you. As soon as you’d check something out, you wanted to write and be on that level. I don’t really feel that as much today. As far as new material, I’ll say the past six to seven years have been really crazy. It hasn’t been as strong as it could be, but things come back around slowly. I’m trying to step it up and say, “I’m a dope MC, and I can keep the game going.” You have cats like Ghost that have been doing it for a long time, and still reinvented themselves. A lot of them rely on their legacies, which are respectable, but you have to look forward and not back. There are a few MC’s and producers out there that really motivated me into doing my best. This year has been good for new material that’s been coming out. I’ve been getting motivated to pick up an album and not question its quality. It used to be like that for years, but now I can have some sort of confidence in a lot of the MC’s.

AllHipHop.com: Why have so many older artists forgotten to step up their game?

Edgar Allen Floe: Different cats handle their business differently. A lot have forgotten. They rap about, “I’ve been doing this for over a decade. Respect me.” You have a lot of cats that do, but the younger generation doesn’t know who they are. Kids that were born when they were dropping those tracks don’t know who the best MC’s to ever do it were. You have to step it up and reach them somehow. You can’t be screaming about how you have classics from ‘89 to ‘94. Again, that’s when they were born, so how can you expect them to relate? These are kids that will be doing it from now until 2015 or further. That’s how time works, things evolve. The only way to reach them is by being brand new or changing your style. Don’t forget who you are or take away from that, but you have to meet them on a common level. Give them something that will have them following you around for the next five to seven years.