Name: Adam Bernard Home: Fairfield, Connecticut, United States About Me: Entertainment journalist w/ over a decade of experience. Lover of good music, fringe movies, day baseball & chicken shawarma. Nerdy, but awesome. See my complete profile
This clip is almost too dope for words. Great song, fantastic video, tons of B-Lister cameos… P.Casso really has something special on his hands with this one. Enjoy!
The other day I was at an underground Hip-Hop show where one emcee was totally killin it on stage. His live performance was simply incredible. He closed it, however, by saying “you can find me on iTunes.” I cringed. While having your music available digitally is a great way to reach a worldwide audience, it seems many artists are forgetting about the audience that’s right in front of their faces.
In the scenario I just gave you the people at the show, which was at a small bar that looked packed with about 50-75 people in it, all dug the performance. Had the artist in question had a CD available at the merch table I have no doubt, based solely on his performance, he would have sold at least five copies. In retail this is called an impulse buy. It’s why they put candy and gossip magazines so close to the register. It’s there, therefore people buy it, almost unthinkingly. At a concert the merch table can act in much the same way, especially if CDs are priced at $5.
So this artist missed out on a potential $25. No big deal, right? In fact some may argue that with the cost to put the CD together it wouldn’t even be worth it, especially knowing that not every show will result in sales. While those things are true, the artist needs to, at least for a moment, stop being an artist and start remembering what it was like to be a fan. When you’re a fan of an artist, especially an underground artist you feel you discovered, you don’t keep their music all to yourself, you share it with all of your friends. That CD gets played during car rides and at parties, all the while with the person who bought it gushing about your live show. Because of this, many of said person’s friends are going to end up wanting to see you live. Yes, there’s a better than average chance all those friends will be burning copies of your CD rather than buying it, but at this stage in your career that can actually work in your favor as the more people who hear your music the more likely you are to draw them to shows and get them to pick up future albums, or other merch.
Let’s continue along this line and say the five people who picked up the CD shared it with five friends. That’s 25 people rockin out to your music, 20 of whom weren’t even at the show, but are now potential ticket buyers for your next performance. Would those same five people have gone home, remembered the correct spelling of your name, gone onto iTunes, found you among the litany of other similarly named artists, and then paid to download your work? Not likely, because with an impulse buy, the longer you find yourself being able to live without the product the less likely you are to make the purchase. Every minute that passes after your performance the crowd takes one step further away from purchasing your work. Do you really want to let them sober up and sleep on it before making their purchasing decision? Or worse, have them go onto iTunes and remember they wanted to buy something else? If you offer people nothing while they’re at your show don’t be surprised if you get nothing in return.
Yes, it costs money to put CDs together and there’s a chance you won’t recoup it all dollar for dollar, but the promotional impact of having something that people can buy when they’re fully motivated by your performance and then, in turn, share with their friends, is something that can only help you grow your fan base.
Online content is for the online community, and it’s a very important part of any artist’s business plan. You shouldn’t, however, forget about the living, breathing community you have right in front of you every time you perform. In a world of new technologies the basics for building a fan base still apply and always will.
There haven’t been a lot of very good, let alone great, albums released in 2009. When I first heard Kero One’s Early Believers, however, I instantly knew it belonged with the handful of albums in the latter category. Even though he’s currently on tour, the other day I caught up with Kero One and we discussed his music, his huge international following, and the dearth of Asians in the American Hip-Hop scene.
Cavalier is the type of artist who is impossible to sum up in just one sentence, or even one paragraph. To call him just an emcee would be shortchanging him. To say he’s trying to make a difference almost marginalizes the actions he’s taken and continues to take. A lifelong Brooklyn-ite, Cavalier says he remembers a time when “you only lived in Williamsburg if you were Puerto Rican or Hasidic,” adding “I was living in Crown Heights during the riots but before Japanese take-out.” His debut record, The Breaking, gave him a nice buzz despite a small press run and his free downloadable mixtape, MC Killa, has helped him to continue to grow his fan base. This week I sat down with Cavalier to find out more about his work, his thoughts on Brooklyn’s changes throughout the years, and the interesting way in which he’s been compared to 18th century revolutionary Thomas Paine.
Adam Bernard: The word Cavalier has a number of definitions, which one do you feel suits you best? Cavalier: Many dictionaries define Cavalier as an adjective describing a haughty, arrogant attitude. Perhaps that may apply, but its historical significance can be traced to the knights of King Charles, or connects to some of its other related root words that plainly mean a knight, specifically one who rides a horse. I follow many codes, as a knight does, and believe in justice. There is also lesser known significance regarding Cavalier Moors, which also holds deep relevance with me. My motivation and inspiration in becoming an emcee definitely matches well with the archetype of a knight in many facets. I fight the good fight not just because I am a soldier, but because I am a believer.
Adam Bernard: You are not only a solider and a believer, but a Brooklyn native. From what I hear, however, you’re not a fan of the hipster infestation that has changed the landscape of the borough. Tell everyone about the Brooklyn you grew up in versus the one that exists now. Cavalier: So much has changed in Brooklyn, but I do not want anyone to get it twisted in assuming that I represent one, purist standpoint in Brooklyn, or Hip-Hop for that matter, where there is no room for anything new. People have just become culture vultures. They want to move to Brooklyn, but do not seemingly want to be a part of it. One of my neighbors is Jah Jah from Ninjasonik. He has an ill song about being a “tight pants wearing ass ni**a.” Although I am not, I FUCKS with that because I know for a FACT that he be out here riding around doing him, tight pants and all, he didn't just bandwagon a dick-riding trend. That is what I am against - bandwagonism. All I want to see is authenticity and sincerity again. There are so many blurred lines in Brooklyn now in the hurricane of cultural warfare, gentrification, and just overall understanding. I used to order my food through a bulletproof Plexiglas. Now on some of the same blocks I wasn't even allowed on as a kid, the Plexi is gone and I can get sushi and bean curd. It’s not that all the changes are bad, but the casualties get swept away without concern or consideration. It also happens in the music.
Adam Bernard: How do you see it happening in the music? Cavalier: With all these sub-genres people are acting as if they are doing something brand new, like their seemingly fresh electro-tight pants shit isn’t just an homage to 80’s, Bambaataa-esque, Furious Five inspired fashion. The refusal to acknowledge the roots damages the culture as a whole. We have reached a point where the blogosphere has hyped itself to believe it supports organic music when they are just as riddled with politricks as the so called "industry" media outlets. Everything has become a cot damn "target audience" to trick people into thinking their shit is original just so that something can be marketed to them. It has snowballed to the point where fans are alienated. They think they don't like Hip-Hop anymore mainly because they forgot what it was and think what it has become is something else. A part of me wants to resurrect the chain snatching mentality for all these fashionable dookie gold chain rockers that would have gotten clapped at out here circa '93. But hey, maybe that's just the Brookdale Hospital in me.
Adam Bernard: How would you describe your music and your style as an emcee? Cavalier: A credible music blogger described me as a "rap maximalist" when he explained that I dropped as much into a song or verse as possible. I would have to say that would accurately describe a lot of my approach, particularly on my debut record, The Breaking. Life's issues are often not black and white, so I did not describe anything that way, instead I let the emotion of my tracks and a relentlessness in the lyrics drive my point home. This is not the only way I rap. Although it may have become a signature part of my style, much of the music I made after that record and with my artistic peers shows that, like life and emotions, techniques and approaches can and will change. I have a lot of range. Sometimes it seems that emcees are afraid to show their range these days, perhaps many of them have gotten so caught up in the style wars that they do not have any range to show.
Adam Bernard: Tell me about the line of t-shirts you have on your website. You say some really interesting things through them. Cavalier: The Chief t-shirt and logo was inspired a few years ago when I would look around and see all of NYC, and many other places for that matter, rocking Che Guevara images on their chest and many of those who it adorned having no real idea who Che was. It made me question iconography, maybe idolatry, altogether. I took that motif and matched it to my community title, Chief. Being that I am also a member of the stoner counter culture I knew that the word "Chief" under that image would be an interesting pun. The Master's t-shirt was inspired by a dude named Eric B, a head shop vendor of sorts usually set up on 14th street just a ways down from the Virgin Megastore. He did a PSA on NROtv's public access show discussing the dangers of smoking Dutch Masters and cigars in general. He kept referring to them as "Vanilla Dutch slave master cigar wraps" and went on to say "Dutch masters whooped the slave's asses, they the first police. You might as well buy blunt wraps that say NYPD on it." That stuck in my mind so heavy that it motivated me to create a pamphlet called "The Chieflette" where I discuss related topics and others that pertain to the marijuana enthusiast. I decided to keep The Chieflette as a physical piece of printed propaganda when distributing it. Krayo from Iller Than Theirs / Nuclear Family told me that pamphleteering was a lost art and that it was a great American tradition similar to that of Thomas Paine's Common Sense, the pamphlet that helped spark a revolutionary attitude against Great Britain in our fight for independence.
Adam Bernard: Have your politics ever gotten you in any trouble? Cavalier: My politics have not gotten me in trouble, so far, but I do not deal with politics as much as I deal with the spirit world. Take that as you will, but the spirit of the people and the music we make is much more compelling to me than ever changing "political" pomp and circumstance. Politics is merely a mask.
This fantastic clip from Sleepwalkas is a must-see. Featuring people with TVs for heads, a Donnie Darko-like bunny, "Scenario" inspired scenes, and a whole bunch of other ish that’ll get you hyped, “Insomnia” is a five star effort from a five star group. Enjoy!
Apologies in advance, but this is going to be a bit of a rant. I’ve just had one too many conversations with people, people of all types, be they rappers, singers, writers, or publishers, where I feel like they’re talking a good game, but they really have no idea what they’re doing. The problem is they don’t seem to understand what industry they’re actually in, which is why they’re having so many problems. Let me explain.
A lot of independent musicians pride themselves on having a DIY (do it yourself) work ethic. This is great when it’s actually true, but in most cases it isn’t. A lot of artists will put together an album, get it pressed up on CD, perform at shows, even travel, and talk about how they’re all doing it themselves. Guess what, if you’re not engaging in the acts of promotion, marketing, and everything else that a label puts into an artist’s career you may be DIYing in one aspect of things, but in the grand scheme of your career you’re slackin. Those who are truly DIY know it’s NOT all about the music. You also need to be studying marketing, distribution avenues, promotions, effective uses of social networking, burgeoning technologies, and a whole host of other things that make up a career in music. If you’re only reading Rolling Stone or your favorite music websites be prepared to fail. There are a myriad of business related sites you should be surfing or subscribed to if you’re an artist. The music sites should come second. Trends in music are ones you need to keep up with significantly less than the trends in the business that surrounds it. This line of thinking applies to writers and publishers, too.
I’m always disappointed when I hear a writer, or publisher, tell me what they read and things like Folio and Ad Age aren’t on the list. Let me break it down for you, if you work for XXL your industry isn’t Hip-Hop, it’s publishing. If you work for Glamour your industry isn’t fashion, it’s publishing. If you work for Sports Illustrated, your industry isn’t sports, it’s publishing. Catching my drift? As long as the publishing world is in tact, the Hip-Hop, fashion, or sports worlds could be doing terribly and you'd still have an outlet where you could write about the peril that they're in. If the publishing world falls apart you're out of a job. Obviously it's important to keep up with the trends of the topics that you're writing about, but it’s just as important to keep up to date with the ins and outs of the media world. What’s going on with other newspapers and magazines DOES affect you and your work. If you don’t know what’s going on, why things are happening, and who they’re happening to, chances are you’re going to be the industry’s next causality.
The reverse of all this is also true when it comes to people on the business side of things. Have you ever heard of a (good) publicist not being able to tell you about the music they represent? And if you’re in sales or marketing and work for a Hip-Hop publication it only makes sense to keep up with what’s going on in the Hip-Hop world.
Personally, some of my RSS subscriptions include three print media business sites, one advertising site, one entertainment industry news site and one technology news site. As an entertainment journalist I consider all of these items work related. Putting on blinders and only seeing your goal will only work to prevent you from getting there. There are tons of roadblocks in front of us, roadblocks that can easily be maneuvered around if we just look around a bit and notice the side streets. There is no shortage of information to help us get to where we want to go. There is, however, a shortage of people who understand how to read the map to success.
A handful of years ago there was a terrible series of anti-drug commercials that made the claim that marijuana was a “gateway drug.” The inference was that if you smoked marijuana you’d be more influenced to do much harder drugs like heroin and crack. While most people laughed this off, as they should have, I think we have a very real, and very powerful, gateway drug that’s being passed around to kids today and it’s actually a potentially positive thing. That drug is pop-rap and it’s the gateway to real hip-hop.
Many of us in hip-hop like to take shots at pop-rap, and most of the time it’s because, in all honesty, it’s easy. Pop-rap is a watered down, meaningless, disposable version of hip-hop that’s safe to play on the radio at any time of day. That being said, the success of the brand of hip-hop that many would define as “real” hip-hop is almost wholly contingent on the success of pop-rap. The reasoning is pretty simple, most people, especially suburban kids, need their gateway drug. They need their Flo Ridas and their Soulja Boys if they’re ever going to find out about the myriad of talented rappers out there who actually create great hip-hop.
Artists like the aforementioned Flo Rida and Soulja Boy, despite being mediocre in almost every conceivable way, are providing a great service to Hip-Hop. They are this generation’s MC Hammer, Young MC, Vanilla Ice, etc. (and yes, it killed me to put Young MC in that list). What they’re giving the youth is essentially a Fisher Price – My First Hip-Hop Record type of experience, and there’s not only nothing wrong with that, it can lead to a lot of very good things.
I can tell you from personal experience I had Young MC’s Stone Cold Rhymin’, MC Hammer’s Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em and Vanilla Ice’s To The Extreme in my personal collection before my twelfth birthday. I also had plenty of DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince and LL Cool J in there, as well. At the time both of them were, like the other acts mentioned, firmly ensconced in the pop-rap scene. It would be a few years before I’d discover artists such as Public Enemy, EPMD and Eric B. & Rakim when I turned on my first rap video show, Video Music Box, and VJ Ralph McDaniels introduced me to them. In 1992, right around my 14th birthday, I copped Das Efx’s Dead Serious and it was on from there. So while you can hate on the poppy tunes of MC Hammer and artists of his ilk all you want, they were the reason I wanted to tune in to Video Music Box to see what else hip-hop had to offer. Pop-rap, essentially, helped to birth a lifelong love and appreciation of real hip-hop.
A few years ago pop-rap was almost non-existent. The likes of 50 Cent, Jay-Z and Nelly had taken over the pop music airwaves and although they were good for what they were, they weren’t pop-rap. They had lyrical content that required massive amounts of editing for airplay and even though they sold millions, the fact that hip-hop saw a decline in popularity directly after them only proves that as a product they didn’t work to get people interested in the culture. For as great as Eminem’s five year run was from 1999-2004, he was far too good an artist to make new fans want to dive into the culture further. I know that sounds funny, but consider this – if you’re consistently being told how an artist is “the best,” and there’s really no one saying anything otherwise, wouldn’t it give you the idea that you’ve already heard the pinnacle a genre has to offer? What would inspire you to investigate further if you think you’ve already heard the best? And even if you did investigate further, measuring everything else up again an Eminem in his prime is only going to lead to a lot of disappointment in most everything else.
Nobody has ever held a pop-rapper up as one of the greatest of all-time and nobody ever will. That’s the beauty of it. The kids love to have fun to the music and enjoy it at their middle school dances and even if we, as older, more educated hip-hop fans, know it’s not a great representation of the culture, it isn’t hurting anyone.
A lot of older folks like to hate on pop-rap. Phrases like “Soulja Boy sucks” are fairly commonplace within the hip-hop community. We really shouldn’t say that to the kids who are listening to him, though, because all it will work to do is turn them off from whatever we’d rather have them listening to. The next time you see a kid who has “Kiss Me Through The Phone” as their ringtone ask them if they like Soulja Boy. If they say yes, rather than saying “Soulja Boy sucks,” try saying “if you like Soulja Boy maybe you’ll like…” and insert the name of your favorite artist. Remember, pop-rap can be a powerful gateway drug, but it’s still on us as adult listeners to either keep that gateway open, or slam it shut.
Yeah yeah, I know, it's been three weeks since the last ABX podcast instead of the usual two, but I have a good reason for that. Actually I have ELEVEN good reasons for that in the form of eleven new songs for your listening pleasure! I have new joints from some of your faves as well as a handful of new artists to introduce you to. To top it all off, this podcast also includes news on where you can find me on DVD (no not THAT kind of DVD!).
You can download or stream the entire show at RapReviews.com.
Playlist
PreZZure w/ Niles - Go In Cavalier - Ink The New World Side Order - Bioweapons Cookbook - Reganomics Lee - Sometimes Substantial - U Can Get It Omar Wilson - Mr. Survival DJ Smutvillain w/ Domer, Kats & Jake Lefco - Leave Em Behind Coole High w/ Tah Phrum Duh Bush - Laugh Kaz-Well - Krazy Glue Sav Killz - God Like Freestyle Kalil Kash - Baby I Want It Homeboy Sandman w/ P.Casso - Wise Up The New World Side Order - Last Song
Last month I saw Kalil Kash performing at the Bowery Poetry Club in NYC as a part of Conscious’ Bondfire series. When Kash got into the chorus of his song “Baby I Want It” I suddenly realized I was rapping right along with the call and response part of the hook. I had remembered it from the last time, which was the only other time, I saw him perform. That, my friends, is impact, and it’s exactly why I felt the need to catch up with Kalil Kash to find out more about the Jersey native and his music. During our interview Kash not only opened up about his musical history, but he also shared an aspect of his master plan that should scare a lot of less talented emcees.
Adam Bernard: Start me off by telling me about your hometown of Newark, NJ and what the Hip-Hop scene is like there. Kalil Kash: Brick City! Well, Newark is Newark, man. It’s a violent ghetto. I've lived here most of my life and honestly, I wouldn't hesitate to leave. It's the people I represent here, not the bullshit and crime. As for the Hip-Hop scene, shit, it's damn near nonexistent. For the up and coming artist like myself there's really no easy outlet for performing or getting your music out there. There are no steady open mic spots and very few underground Hip-Hop shows. I guess that’s because of a few reasons; one, there’s so much crime and people are afraid to come, and two, because Jersey is a lot more laid back than New York is, so everyone who raps is just basically "chillin." That's why it annoys me to hear cats out here say "damn NYC always holding us back. We can't get no burn 'cuz we from Jersey." No, it's because you're not doing anything about it. You can't just sit on your ass and complain about how we don't get burn, make them listen. I rep Jersey heavy, though, regardless of the bullshit.
Adam Bernard: You have a really interesting history as an artist. From what I’ve read you had a bit of a late start. Why didn’t you pic up a mic until you hit 18 and what finally inspired you to? Kalil Kash: It’s funny you mention that. The reason I didn't start until so late is because at the time I sort of fell into rap. I was just bored one day after school and an old friend of mine showed me this internet rap battle site, so if figured I would write a little bullshit verse you know, just for fun. I posted it up. I don't remember if I won the battle or not, probably not {laughs}, but I continued to battle online for a while. Eventually I started recording my battles on my computer and a few months later I moved on to just writing regular songs. I’ve been with it ever since. It's funny because I never thought I would be a rapper until 18.
Adam Bernard: For those who may not understand, how different is it writing a verse for a message board versus writing a rhyme that you actually want to perform? Kalil Kash: Very different. There's no idea of structure or appeal when writing a battle rhyme. You're not sitting down thinking "okay, is this going to translate well on stage? Will females and guys like this joint?" All you care about is beating your opponent. Nowadays battles are pretty pointless for me, whether they’re online or face to face. In my mind, there’s nothing like the look on a motherfucker's face when you’re on stage killing it, as opposed to when you’re just trying to “style on” somebody.
Adam Bernard: What made you go from writing your first rhyme to having the passion to want to become an emcee? Kalil Kash: Just the pure fun of it. The more I wrote rhymes and recorded them the more interested I got. Also there was a lot of inspiration from artists that were better than me, both people I knew personally and famous emcees. It's kind of like when you learn to ride a bike. At first it sucks because you keep busting your ass for lack of balance, but then once you really get it it’s the best thing in the world. Plus after I started performing it became way more fun.
Adam Bernard: Both times I’ve seen you perform it’s been with former Artist Of The Week Top $ Raz. How did you two link up and do you plan on working on some songs together? Kalil Kash: Raz is my dog. I met him at Training Camp at Club Pyramid. He performed his joint "SSDD (Same Shit Different Day)" and I was mad impressed, so I took a CD from him. Dude is ill, man, and I kept running into him on the underground scene. We were cool from there. We actually already have a song together called "Be Gone." It'll be on mine and his upcoming albums. Shit is crack juice!
Adam Bernard: Looking at both the industry and the underground today, which artists do you feel are building their careers the right way and what aspects of their career building do you respect most? Kalil Kash: If you're independent right now you’re a smart man or woman. As far as specific artists, the person who I notice the most in the NYC underground scene has to be Homeboy Sandman. I see this guy everywhere. His own shows, of course, but also open mics, other people’s shows, the supermarket, the check cashing line. {laughs} He grinds. It just shows you how an independent hustle can set you apart. True, you may not be on MTV and BET, like that matters anyway, but at least you'll have some money that you won't have to split too many ways and you can make the music you want to make. As far as the industry, as in mainstream, I can't really say I would respect or model my career after any of them as of now. I'm not really in the mood to get musically raped anytime soon. {laughs} Oh, but that dude Drake is killing it without an album. See, independent, man.
Adam Bernard: Speaking of killing it, you’re killin it right now with the free mixtapes. Other than name recognition what do you hope to gain from giving away your music? Kalil Kash: Fans. It’s that simple. I know a lot of artists are going for some big record deal, or hoping some huge big name artists will hear it, but I'm a little more realistic. {laughs} I'm trying to do the indie thing anyway, so me giving away mixtapes is strictly for people who want to hear some good Hip-Hop music. Also, it'll give them a reason to want to hear my full album when its here.
Adam Bernard: What’s next in your own personal master plan? Kalil Kash: Same thing we do every night Pinky… {laughs} But seriously, my plan is to finish recording my upcoming album, The Exit Method, and release it in either Summer or early Fall, and before that gain enough buzz with mixtapes and performances, or whatever else, to get people to want the album. I’m going to perform as much as possible, mainly because I'm addicted to it. Oh, and I want to scare as many wack rappers as I possibly can. I get a kick out of that.
“Drunken Saturday” is one of my favorite songs off of AOK Collective member 8thW1’s Love, Money and Music album and now it finally has a video! This clip proves something I know all my B-Listers have known for years; you really can’t go wrong with a hot beat, dope rhymes and some dumb dancin. Enjoy!
In the fall of 2008 Jean Grae sold her services on CraigsList for $800 a verse. Just last week Prince Po of Organized Konfusion fame took to his Facebook status to offer up a verse to anyone who was interested and had a checkbook. Today I’m going to try to figure out if this is selling out, or simply smart business.
On the one hand I believe that artists should get paid for their work. I don’t think anyone, not even the pirates who are currently torrenting their “favorite” artists in another web browser right now (BTW – They’re not really your favorites if you refuse to purchase their albums), would argue with that. Everybody has to eat and I can definitely understand the idea that if an artist isn’t giving away his album for free then a guest appearance should be paid for since said guest appearance is, hypothetically, helping to sell the album. That just makes sense. If your services are helping someone generate money you deserve to be paid for those services.
On the other hand, where is the quality control here? Neither Jean Grae’s nor Prince Po’s posts said anything about potentially denying an artist a guest appearance. If you’re willing to work with anyone for a check doesn’t that technically lesson the impact of your guest appearance since you’re no longer a hot commodity and having you as a guest on a song is no longer a sign of ascension up Hip-Hop’s respect ladder? If you’re not a hard “get” what’s the point of having you on a track? Because you’re a name? You won’t be if you spit a 16 for any rapper who wants one. So while it’s great for MC No Name that he can suddenly have a big name guest appearance on a song, he had better get that song out to the masses quickly because once everyone finds out that anyone can get that big name artist it won’t be very impressive anymore.
Most of the artists I’ve spoken with about this don’t have to worry about such outcomes because they consider the act of selling verses to rappers they don’t know personally as blasphemous. They won’t work with someone unless they have an already established relationship with them and respect their music. This is the way it always was back in the day. You met someone and if you connected with them and you liked each other’s music you’d jump on a track together. The internet has, of course, given us new ways to meet people, but I understand the idea that even if you meet on a message board or in a chat room (they still have those, right?) artists should know each other and be familiar with each other’s work before collaborating.
In the very short term the blind selling of verses can probably work to make some established artists a couple of bucks and get a few wealthy up and comers noticed. In the long run, however, I don’t see it working as an effective business model. The lifespan of selling oneself to any and all buyers has a roof on its income potential. I’d even go as far as to say it has a severely limited income potential for the big name artists who are considering going down that path, and it will really only help out the first few up and comers who shell out the dough for said artist’s features. It’s a lose-lose proposition… but is it selling out? I don’t know, but it’s definitely selling something that’s far too valuable to put a price tag on and that’s one’s reputation.
This is something I'm really proud of. My Beyond Race Magazine back cover story on Attack of the Show was not only mentioned on air last Friday, they did a full two minute segment on it. This is a story I put together from scratch. I had no contacts at G4 and had to convince my editor it was right for the magazine. I made all the contacts, put together all the interviews, wrote the story, and pushed hard to get it the back cover. In March I then went to LA to visit the set and meet everyone I worked with for the story, hand delivering the issue to them myself. Kevin and Olivia talking about it on air was really special for me. The feeling is almost indescribable.
If the video isn't loading you can check it out at g4tv.com.
Adam’s World readers are already very familiar with P.Casso, who is not only a former Artist Of The Week, but is also a mainstay in my Adam B Experience podcasts. It’s because of those podcasts, and the huge popularity of his song “Mr. Hollywood,” which has been in rotation for months, that RapReviews.com readers pretty much demanded to know more about the AOK Collective member. This week I caught up with him so he could share his story, as well as the little known history of the AOK Collective’s founding.
With a name inspired by the Nile in Egypt, Niles describes the similarities between him and the legendary river saying “the Nile flows upstream in an unorthodox way. I'm going upstream in life in an unorthodox way. The Nile has been a provider since its existence. I have been a provider since my existence. It is of African descent. I am of African descent.” The list goes on as Niles is not just an emcee, but a huge history buff, both of the ancient and personal variety. Although he now lives in NYC, Niles is originally from Michigan, a state that he’s quick to point out was also the birthplace of Magic Johnson and Malcom X. Niles recently released a single, “This Time,” on Koch Records / E1 Entertainment and after seeing a live performance of his a few weeks ago I was so impressed that I had to sit down with him to find out more about his story.
Adam Bernard: Start me off the basics; who is Niles? Niles: Niles is a man who stands up for what he believes in and shows it through art. Since fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, he tries to live life from that perspective.
Adam Bernard: What makes you unique in this crowded Hip-Hop scene? Niles: I keep every single leader from the ancient days to modern day in mind whenever I write, perform, or do anything within the arts. Art is the last hope to change the world and I understand that. I understand the importance of being original, captivating, and well rounded, and that doesn't stop with just the music. The music has to be crafted to the best of your ability, but the whole mystique has to be intact and this includes how you speak off the mic, how you carry yourself, how you dress and what you stand for and showing it effortlessly through your art. Also, your live performance has to be breathtaking. Every time you get on the stage, that's when you take the crowd to a place way beyond earth. That's when your imagination becomes reality for the crowd to see and experience. The artists who are remembered forever are the one's who pull the world toward them. They utilize their imagination 100% and the end result is captivating and mesmerizing to the whole world. The mind is so powerful and the artists who understand that the most have the opportunity to become legendary, so me knowing all of that and not just talking it, but living and breathing it, makes me shine with a uniqueness that is my own.
Adam Bernard: You came to NYC in 2006 and all of a sudden it was like a career explosion with EOW, BET, Hot97 and Koch Records. Tell me about some of these events and how they went down. Niles: I truly believe that it was bright karma from the dues I paid before I moved here. There was so much nonsense that I could have gotten into that I dodged. When I moved to NYC so much happened so fast, it was like a dream blur. I moved here December 14th, 2006. By the summer of 2007 I had won an EOW MC Challenge, the 100 MC Harlem Rapathon, performed at Summer Jam, and won a talent search that HOT 97 and Koch Records threw. That was all within eight months. I’d heard about EOW around the way and went there to perform at the open mic. They had a cypher outside and the Dubb Crew told me I should get in it. I did the Rap Off and the crowd voted me in. I ended up getting second place. Two months later I entered it again and won it. The BET commercial, I tried to get a gig at BET when I first moved to NYC, but no cigar. So I grinded my way up, working as a camera assistant at the NYC Fashion week, doing P.A. gigs here and there on movie sets, office work at Burson-Marsteller, all of this temp stuff led me to a two month gig at CBS as a broadcast associate. Around that time the Hip-Hop Cultural Center staff gave me the opportunity to be in a commercial. CBS is in the same building as BET, so when I went up to do the commercial I was actually on my lunch break from CBS. {laughs}
Adam Bernard: I hear your Koch story is pretty crazy, too. Niles: I only had $20 on me and it cost $20 to get into the contest. That investment ended up being the best one I ever made. The finals involved me and 30 other people. I ended up winning and got interviewed on Hot97 the next day. I was thinking "what the hell is going on? This all happened within the blink of an eye." Then I vanished from the scene for a whole year. That year was trying. I went through doubt, despair, tribulations, I was unable to find a gig, I was broke, I had questions of if I should keep doing it, and this is all with a single on Koch sitting on the table. Surviving that test gave me the validation from God to go out and let my reason shine. I feel stronger because of that lost year. I'm motivated, energized, poised, king minded… I'm ready. We all can relate to struggle and triumph. I hope my testimony helps whoever is willing to listen.
Adam Bernard: You are also a part of The Hip-Hop Project, which had a documentary film made about it a few years ago (yup, saw it). How did you come to be involved with the program? Niles: I remember seeing the movie at the Magic Johnson Theatre in Harlem when I first moved here and for some odd reason I knew that I was going to be a part of it. I met the founder of the Hip-Hop Project, Kazi Rolle, at Summer Jam ‘07 after my performance. He told me he was impressed by my show. I told him that his movie was inspirational to me and that his curriculum was something that I wanted to be a part of. He gave me his card and we built from there. The next summer there was a one month session at John Jay College. He called me and asked if I wanted to teach the performance week. I said yeah. After that Kazi brought me along to teach for the whole school year at Brooklyn Academy. I can't explain how fulfilling being amongst the youth in an educational setting is.
Adam Bernard: Very cool. Let’s close this interview by talking about what’s in the works for you musically. That “Phantom of the Opera” joint I saw you perform is CRAZY! Niles: Thanks brother. That joint, I don't even know where it came from, honestly. To modernize that story and add my own theatrics was just live. I love performing that joint because it's something that’s Hip-Hop music, but it's on some ancient theatrical type stuff. That joint is going to be on my debut album entitled To Remain. I’m done with the first quarter of that. The main thing right now is my upcoming mixtape project When the Clock Strikes XII. The concept is a 12 hour day from 1pm leading to 12am. The project starts off with a bright vibe that reflects the sky at the time of day and instead of track one it's 1pm, 2pm and so on, leading to midnight. The closer it gets to track 12, 12am, the darker and more mystic the vibe gets because the time of day and the vibe coincide. It’s almost like you can tell that the sky is getting darker leading up to track 12, and when the clock strikes 12 something happens. When the Clock Strikes XII is an ancient saying for when fantasies are over and reality hits. What will happen when the clock strikes 12? You will see very soon!
DJ SmutVillain’s latest video, “Leave Em Behind,” is a guaranteed winner as it features THREE prominent B-Listers – Domer, Kats and Jake Lefco. That’s like awesome cubed! Oh, and not only is the video great, but these guys are also all about the free ice cream. Ya can’t hate on that! Enjoy!
Don’t be alarmed by the men in hazmat suits, they’re actually the time traveling Hip-Hop duo The New World Side Order and I’ll be hosting their EP/DVD release party on Thursday, May 14th at the Karma Theater in NYC (51 1st Ave between 3rd and 4th Street). The night will include…
DJ Halo and DJ Milk Money on the ones and twos
And performances by:
Bronx Uber Villain Tidal Friction 5 Foot Mafia Carpetface & Audible Mindspray The New World Side Order
In addition to all that there will also be an MC battle, a beatboxer battle and a Whose Rhyme is it Anyway? freestyle competition.
The entire night will be streamed LIVE by Chilly S at chillys.tv, so show up, get on camera and get famous… hey, it’s how Paris Hilton did it.
Doors are at 8pm with free Colt 45’s for the first hour. The damage is $10 (ages 21+, ID a must) with the first fifty people getting a free copy of The New World Side Order’s EP/DVD.
Yeah, I know, times are tough, but you can’t spell recession without recess, so come on out on the 14th and have a blast with me and The New World Side Order.
If you’re on Facebook you can RSVP on our event page.
Flyers are below (click to enlarge). I hope to see you there!
When people think of Hip-Hop the images they conjure up in their minds aren’t necessarily kid friendly. As a result, young kids and Hip-Hop aren’t two things that a lot of people think of as going hand in hand. Preconceived notions, however, are rarely parallel to reality, which is why although it may come as a surprise to some, Hip-Hop is actually the driving force behind The Greater Bridgeport Adolescent Pregnancy Program’s (GBAPP) City Kidz Got Skillz talent show, which makes its return this Friday and Saturday.
“There are negative stigmas with Hip-Hop,” explains the shows host, Pete Finch of Live! with Pete Finch fame, “but it has the power to bring all different types of people together. Hip-Hop culture is about diversity, acceptance, social progression and community.” Rai Angle, who is a part of Norwalk R&B singer Omar Wilson’s management team and is one of the members of the talent show’s judging panel, seconds these views, saying that “when shown in a positive manner the effects (of Hip-Hop) are tremendous, from the views of the adults down to the children.” The other important aspect of all this is that , as Finch points out, no matter what the older generations may want to believe, “Hip-Hop drives Generation Y,” and those are the kids GBAPP is looking to reach.
City Kidz Got Skillz is the brainchild of Sara Nichols, who is the assistant to the executive director at GBAPP. The idea came to her back in 2006 while working as a part of GBAPP’s Life Choices Project. She describes all the kids involved as “great kids, but there were unfortunate circumstances in their lives.” That wasn’t the only thing she felt they all had in common, though. “These kids are beautiful,” she added, “they are talented. They have so much to offer.” Nichols wanted to put something together for them. Her idea - “let’s give them a venue to express the talent that they have.”
At that point in time the Life Choices Project was nearly a decade old and had done a lot in the area of providing positive life skill development opportunities for the youth involved, from lessons on human sexuality and healthy behaviors to homework assistance and job skill training. What they hadn’t done before, however, was run a talent show, which is why they started small in 2006, hosting City Kidz Got Skillz at a local community center. The reaction was so great from kids and parents alike that the next year it expanded to the Downtown Cabaret Theater in Bridgeport. Now, after a year off due to Nichols’ going on maternity leave, the show has returned and is bigger than ever.
This year’s City Kidz Got Skillz event will be a two day affair with Friday, May 8th being an art exhibit and reception at the Fleet lobby of People’s United Bank in Bridgeport, and Saturday, May 9th being the talent show at the Downtown Cabaret Theater. In addition to Nichols, Finch and Angle, others involved in the show include Pressure Point Productions and Family Man Entertainment’s Rodney Moore, Paul Herman of Double Up Dance Group and Barbara Oleynick of the I Can Do That Children’s Theatre, all three of whom join Angle as judges.
The kids they’ll be judging in the talent show range in age from five to 18 with all of the Bridgeport high schools represented, as well as many of the middle schools. There are kids from West Hartford, Stratford and New Haven involved, as well. All of the talent show contestants have been pre-screened during an audition process to make sure their act and their lyrics are “appropriate for all kids, all ages.” Nichols says she’ll never censor anyone’s content, but she makes sure the event stays “a celebration of positivity.” A celebration that both Finch and Angle see a lot of good coming from.
“Sometimes these kids can feel all alone,” Finch notes, “so an event like this builds a community of caring adults and kids that can help each other.” It’s that sense of community that drew Angle to the event a number of years ago. “Something I always say to children is that the sky is not the limit. This event shows that there are options out there for them and people willing to help out. They are not alone in this world and they don’t have to settle for less.”
Although the hope for this year’s installment of City Kidz Got Skillz is that it will act as a fundraiser for GBAPP, Nichols says she has a few goals that are even bigger. “My overall goal is for kids to have fun,” she explains, “and for people to have faith in our kids again. You hear so many bad things, kids making poor decisions, doing poor things, but having the self-expression, showing how beautiful and amazing each and every kid is no matter what neighborhood, what color, or how old… we’re just really celebrating these kids.”
Bubba Sparxxx is, without a doubt, one of my favorite mainstream artists to sit down and have a conversation with. Not only is he always on time (perhaps there really is something to that whole “southern hospitality” thing), but he always has something both interesting and intelligent to say. During our latest interview (number three in the series if you’re counting at home) Bubba discussed the projects he's been working on as well what he feels Hip-Hop’s true evolution has been over the past ten years and why he says artists like Soulja Boy are at the forefront of it.
Anyone who has been to an underground Hip-Hop show in New York City in the past handful of years has, at some point in time, met the Sleepwalkas duo of Ciph Diggy and K.Gaines (pictured L to R). As two of Brooklyn’s finest, Ciph and Gaines have made a name for themselves both with their music and their tireless work ethic. Ciph explains the group’s ideology, saying “we embody that free thinking, no gimmic, Hip-Hop that you can relate to.” This week I caught up with both him and Gaines to find out more about their music, their nonstop networking, the all important “Five C’s” that make up their next album, and how dentures are a part of one of their ultimate goals.
Adam Bernard: As Sleepwalkas you are a dynamic duo, but what do you feel makes each one of you unique individually. How can people tell a Ciph verse from a Gaines verse? K.Gaines: I think what makes us unique is that we approach the song differently from your average run of the mill emcees. I try to let the beat take me where it wants to go and not limit myself, or the people that are listening, to what we are saying. Ciph brings this energy that as soon as you hear it you know that it's gonna get inside of you mentally and physically. Ciph Diggy: And lyrically my verses are a blend of nostalgia, flow and beat riding while Gaines’ verses are a blend of struggle, achievement and the pursuit of happiness.
Adam Bernard: Why do you feel you work so well together? Ciph Diggy: We bring different aspects of our true experiences. We’ve been rockin for a while now and it’s to the point where we can rhyme about the same subject or topic and still bring our own individual views. K.Gaines: We also have this natural kinetic energy that everyone gravitates towards and that vibe is what we bring to the stage, studio, party... wherever.
Adam Bernard: You are mainstays in New York City's underground Hip-Hop scene. I see you at almost every show I attend. What makes you want to keep going out there? Is it solely for networking, or are there other reasons? Ciph Diggy: It's the life of a struggling artist. If you want to make an impact you have to grind and that includes networking and just being seen a lot because if you are seen a lot you will be heard a lot. K.Gaines: I totally agree. "Seldom heard seldom seen, don’t expect to get the green." We are out there because we want it more than the next guy that’s sitting at home saying {sour voice} "why and how does Sleepwalkas get all of those shows? How come they get so much love and respect?" It's because we grind hard and you don't, nuff said!!! By the way, that’s a title for one of our songs. {laughs} Besides no one is going to give you success, you have to go out and earn it.
Adam Bernard: As people who see a lot, what do you feel are some of the plusses and minuses to NYC's Hip-Hop scene right now? Ciph Diggy: The plus side of the NY Hip-Hop scene is 55% love, 30 % quality, and 65% grind… that’s 150% and that’s what a lot of artists in our circle bring. It keeps us focused. The minuses are a lot of wack artists believe they deserve admiration and respect when they don’t want to work for it. K.Gaines: Originality is the biggest plus that I see in the Hip-Hop scene. There is a circuit that’s bubbling in NY with a bunch of new and innovative approaches to the Hip-Hop art form. The biggest minus is that nine times out of ten, you can throw a rock down any street and it will hit a "rapper" and because of that it's getting harder and harder for good music to find its way to the surface. That's why we grind so hard, to distinguish ourselves from the cookie cutter cornballs.
Adam Bernard: Tell me about how you’re distinguishing yourselves next. What projects do you have coming up in the near future? Ciph Diggy: We are working on the second installment and this is a big transition for us because now we are one emcee less from the first album, Insomnia (Vexed Lo, the original third member of the group, departed to handle some non rap related things). While we’re working on the new album we’re also going to give the people a collabo mixtape. K.Gaines: Yes, we are currently working on a mixtape we hope to have ready by late spring / early summer named Cookie Cutter Cornballs Can't Cut It on This CD! Cookie Cutter Cornballs Can't Cut It are the five C’s. It's basically a mix-CD with collaborations featuring a lot of the artists that we have come to admire along this journey to Hip-Hop infamy.
Adam Bernard: Finally, when all is said and done, what do you hope the Sleepwalkas contribution to Hip-Hop will be? Ciph Diggy: We are just here to help usher in that Hip-Hop music you love, making it cool to be a regular person and not that made up facade that most emcees project; you know, the drug dealer / hitman that parties and spends excessive amounts on money on champagne. We are just here to wake you up! K.Gaines: I just want to make music with no limits. I don't want to underestimate the listeners and I don't want to be underestimated. Let me be me and you won't regret it. I want Sleepwalkas to go down in this beautiful history of Hip-Hop as some of the best that ever did it! I want a Rock n Roll Hall of Fame statue in X amount of years. I want you to listen to us when you have a cane and dentures and have you still try to get up and boogie like "Sleepwalkas is the illest!"
Top $ Raz is one of a handful of artists really making waves in NYC's underground Hip-Hop scene right now. Check out his video for "King," which is the lead single off of his debut album, The Narrative. The song is dope and the video has some truly hilarious moments in it. Enjoy!
The other night I was at an excellent show in NYC (big ups to Conscious for his Bondfire events every last Tuesday of the month at the Bowery Poetry Club). The place was packed with people, many of whom were artists I'm friends with. I’d say, all in all, I knew about two dozen of the artists who were in attendance and/or performing. Of course, since I live in CT and have to get up in the morning, I left at my usual time of midnight to catch the train home. This caused one of the few people I didn’t know to shoot their mouth off and, whether they knew it or not, it cost them dearly.
As I was making my way to the door someone who knew me wanted to say what’s up. I had a little bit of time, but let him know I was on my way out. When I said this the guy next to him, who neither of us knew, started shouting “don’t you know they save the best for last!?!?” Figuring he meant the two main performers who had full sets after the night’s open mic I replied “yeah, but I gotta go.” This was apparently totally the wrong answer for this guy who went on a rant about himself for a good sixty seconds. It went kind of like this; “but they save the best for last! I signed up for this open mic first! My name is the first name on that list! I know Immortal Technique! I could call Immortal Technique right now and he’d come down here! People compare me to Immortal Technique and Nas…” and blah blah blah.
About midway through this rapper’s rant the friend who wanted to talk gave me a look like “what the F is this guy’s problem?” I replied with the same look and a slight head motion to go to the next room. Turning around to walk away we saw four more emcees we were friends with. Without even knowing it the guy who shot his mouth off had totally embarrassed himself in front of his peers. The entire time he was talking I was just smiling and nodding and saying agreeable things like “that’s cool.” I felt no need to discuss who’s phone numbers are, or aren’t, in my cell phone, nor did I feel the need to bring up the fact that the host of the show was wearing one of my “I’m a B-Lister” t-shirts, as was one of the artists in the crowd (thanks Conscious and Dyalekt!). I knew from his rantings that he was someone I didn’t need to deal with and, quite frankly, it was kinda fun watching him give himself an aneurism for a bit.
From a straight networking perspective, he probably should have been smart enough to see that almost all the artists there knew me and come to the realization that I might be someone he should introduce himself to, but just from the standpoint of not being an asshole, if he had just said “aw man, you’re gonna miss my performance. Hey, here’s a flyer, check out my music,” EVERYONE would have had more respect for him. Instead of being smart, though, he shot his mouth off and he not only burned a bridge with me before it had a chance to be built, but he also potentially burned bridges with any of the other artists I work with that heard his rant, as well.
The moral of the story – Don’t be an asshole. It’s never necessary or helpful.
B-Listers are a select group of artists that were featured in my Artist Of The Week series that ran every Monday from April of '06 to April of '11. All of these artists have two things in common; extreme talent, and a flight path far too under the radar for my liking. They took on the title of B-Listers as they embraced being featured by me, Adam B. Check out the AOTW Archives for all the interviews.
