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
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from the trials and tribulations of Lily Allen, to pathetic exits for Diddy and Ashton Kutcher, to a Baywatch babe gone big, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
All writers have certain publications they will never forget writing for. For me, Soak magazine was one of those publications. Soak was a men’s magazine that was in existence from 2003 – 2007. I linked up with them in 2005 and after landing a few music interviews in the mag I made a request of Editor in Chief Dave Chen to let me expand my range and take on an entertainment feature. He said yes, but I had to seek out and get the feature myself. It was a fantastic test and I relished the opportunity. We talked about potential television shows we’d love to get an actor or actress from, agreed on one, Entourage, which was only in its second season at the time, and I made it happen. From that point on I was assigned entertainment features and landed five cover stories for the national mag. It was a time of great growth for me professionally. Soak, in an effort to get some of their archives online, has some of those old features of mine up on their website. Today I want to share a few of my personal faves, my interviews with Jerry Ferrara, Amber Smith, Vanessa Branch and Candice Michelle.
My interview with Jerry Ferrara, aka Turtle from Entourage, was special for me for a number of reasons. Not only was he my first non-music related entertainment feature, the interview was also my big trial for whether or not entertainment features were going to be in my future with the magazine. Jerry actually called me late for the interview, very apologetic, and we rescheduled for the next day, which was a Saturday. That day he called right on time and we had a great convo that was like new friends talking. Perhaps that came partly from the call the day before, or maybe it was just an NYC thing since we’re both from the area. Whatever it was, he definitely ranks as one of the really good people I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with and I’m always happy when I hear about his accomplishments.
Amber Smith was my second cover story for Soak (my first was actress Paige Peterson) and interviewing her was awesome for me because I still remember her pictorial in the March ’95 issue of Playboy. Eventual Playmate of the Year Stacy Sanches was also in that issue and if you want some real Soak symmetry, Jerry Ferrara and I actually spoke about Sanches during our interview. That part of the conversation didn’t make it into the final edit, though. Anyway, Amber and I had a great extended convo that led to an equally great feature story. I was saddened to see her on Celebrity Rehab, but if she needed help it’s good to know she recognized that and made it happen.
Vanessa Branch was my third Soak cover story and the Pirates of The Caribbean actress and Orbit gum pitchwoman turned out to be a bright, fun, individual and the eventual feature was a really solid one that I was very happy with. And in keeping with the six degrees of my Soak interviews theme, she also had a guest role on Entourage that we discussed. I actually reconnected with Vanessa earlier this year thanks to an interview I did with actress / singer Gina La Piana that was featured here on Adam’s World. It turns out the two are best friends and when Gina added me on Facebook I immediately saw Vanessa on her page and, much to my surprise, she remembered me! Sometimes people can be pretty awesome.
My fourth cover story interview for Soak was with then WWE Diva Candice Michelle. This was one of my all-time favorites. We had a lot of fun on the phone and it was during this interview that I really started to hone my “professional flirting” techniques. That’s what I call it when I have to flirt for a feature (I know, such hardships!). At the end of it all, Candice, who is married, told me how great a time she had. Even though she referred to me as “like a brother” once all was said and done I didn’t hold it against her as I’d be perfectly willing to let her “hook a brotha up” with one of her former in-ring rivals. We actually ended up both being interviewed about the story for the WWE’s website.
Those four features are just a small sampling of my Soak career. I had a lot of fun and grew significantly as a journalist, both from an interviewing and a networking standpoint, during those years. Now my entertainment features have a home here on Adam’s World, and I am extremely proud of that fact.
Well, I hope you dug this trip down memory lane... and I hope you dug the interviews!
It’s a safe bet that nearly every veteran of Connecticut’s hip-hop scene has come into contact with Logic at some point during their career. Personally, I was first introduced to him back when I was co-hosting a radio show called In Da Mixx with DJ Cue and he came through as a part of team of artists. That was a good half decade ago. Since then the scene has experienced its fair share of turnover, and while Logic has seen it all, he’s been forced to watch much of it from the sidelines, unable to perform or release any of his own work due to a painful medical condition. This week, on the heels of the release of his very long awaited album, The Business of Gods and Men, I caught up with Logic to find out more about the life and death situation that kept him out of commission for so long, what his music sounds like now, and who’s been with him every step of the way.
Adam Bernard: Start everyone off with some background info on who are you, where you’re from and what inspires you to pick up the mic. Logic: That's a weird long story. Here is the brief version. I started rhyming in seventh grade. It started with performing "Slam" by Onyx at my middle school’s spring show and after hearing the crowd’s reaction I knew that this was what I need to do. I started entering open mics, hitting up 10 x Dope (a local hip-hop shop in New Haven, CT), and going to other hip-hop events around New Haven. I basically went wherever I could rock the mic. 98% of my rhymes back then all the way until I was 20 were complete freestyle right off the top. I used to rock with TC Islam and Zulu Nation when they were stationed in New Haven, which is the place I hail from. I live in Wallingford now, though. I’m like Danny Tanner, the suburban Dad. {laughs} Right now life, my fans, the current state of hip-hop and the lack of the emcee element is what inspires me most to pick up the mic.
Adam Bernard: For someone who’s never heard your work before, what is Logic’s style? Logic: I would love answer this like Ol' Dirty Bastard by saying "There ain't no fatha to my style, son," but seriously, I think my primary influences molded me and helped me create a unique style that can adapt to any type of song. I tend to switch up rhyme schemes and flow pace throughout each verse. My only rule to writing is to not sound like anyone else.
Adam Bernard: You have FINALLY released The Business of Gods and Men. To say this album has been long awaited would be a vast understatement. What took so long!?!? Logic: First let me apologize for that to the fans who have supported me. I can't even believe that they still care about my music, man, but they do and I want to thank them for that. I wanted to release this album a few times, but I am a perfectionist and the track listing was missing something, so I let it sit and kept recording, then when I was supposed to actually release it my health got in the way. I got up to 472 pounds and the circulation in my legs got bad. I had sleep apnea and my oxygen level was at 74 (normal is 94 -100), so they gave me this surgery called the MNM procedure, which is sort of a bariatric surgery, just not gastric bypass or any of that. They rerouted my blood through my better veins and had to do this surgery to protect my body that wasn't processing all the nutrients from my food, which was causing all sorts of problems, but since April I’ve lost 140 pounds, my oxygen level is up to 91, and the apnea is gone. I was medically cleared to rock again in August and I did the Onyx show at Toad's Place as sort of an "I'm back" celebration. The turnout was crazy. Now my camp, Skitzofrenik Records, has six mixtapes and four albums planned for release between now and the new year. We have over 150 tracks recorded collectively and we record three to six songs a week, so we got the material.
Adam Bernard: That’s an amazing and inspiring story. I almost hate to go back to talking about music after that, but I have to, so what should people expect from your album, both lyrically and music-wise? Logic: I used to write music for the fans, or for my group to respect, but this album I wrote for me. You can expect honesty and good ol' fashioned hip-hop aggression and passion.
Adam Bernard: I noticed quite a bit of anger on the album. If you don’t mind me asking, why are you so mad? Logic: {laughs} Tell 'em why you mad, son! My wife tells me I should see a therapist! I don't know why I’m mad. I have a clinically psychotic mother, I have witnessed a lot of death, I have been locked up, shot at, stabbed by my own mother, almost burned alive, but I don't know why I’m mad, to tell you the truth. I think I like making aggressive music. I have a bit of a temper and I vent through music. Without it I’d probably be a mass murderer or something.
Adam Bernard: Thank God for the music! In addition to your life stories you’ve also been through, and seen, a lot in Connecticut’s hip-hop scene. What have been some of your highest highs and lowest lows there? Logic: Highest of highs, as far as CT, has got to be winning the King of CT battle at Kangaroo's a few years back. Stezo hosted it and Kendra G from Hot 93.7 was his co-host. That was insane. There were like 60 emcees there and I had to face almost half of them. My lowest of lows is probably ever associating my team with Joe Ugly.
Adam Bernard: Throughout everything, what do you think are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned thanks to your music career? Logic: I learned a few years back that publishing is everything. No matter what, publish and copyright your music. I wrote a song for this R&B group that ended selling pretty well, but I had no clue how this business works so I got nothing. I am fully educated on the business side of this industry now and everything is legal and legit. I also learned to trust my instincts more.
Adam Bernard: Finally, who’s been with you every step of the way? Logic: Wow, good question. I would have to say, outside of family, my producer Swift Ikarus is one. He’s been there since 2000, through my 2001 Scribble Jam attempt and fail, our meeting with Bad Boy… we went through a lot. Also, Alley Hood, my right hand man and fellow mc, that's my brother right there. It’s rough, man. In hip-hop I haven't really met any genuinely loyal people. Everyone has their own agenda and nine times out of ten they’re just fake people, man. You have to weed them out along the way. Here is my PSA {laughs} - If you have never lived somewhere don't represent that place because you feel where you are from isn't hard enough. God I hate that. That will cause me to not work with you. You have to be 100% real man. C'mon, be a grown up.
Mix one part hip-hop, one part surf rock, and throw in a healthy dose of pop culture movie influences, and you have the recipe for the fantastic Spork Kills video "Night of the Hip N Dead." Spork Kills is the creation of Louis Dorley, who may be better known to some as Louis Logic, and this clip is one wild ride you don't want to miss. Check it out!
The other day I had an interview with Taryn Manning for an article I’m doing for 101Distribution.com. That feature will be running next month (BTW - it’s really dope. I should know, I just wrote it), but today you can check out some bonus content from our convo, including news on her current film, television and music projects, which Manning jersey she owns, a possible plan for old age, and why if you want to attract her cracking your freshly broken nose back into place in front of her is possibly the worst idea ever (side note – even if you aren’t looking to attract anyone, cracking your freshly broken nose back into place isn’t exactly a mark of genius).
Adam Bernard: Music, television shows, movies… I know what I’m about to ask probably has one heck of a long answer, but what are you currently working on vocally and acting-wise? Taryn Manning: Acting-wise I have a couple offers in the works. It’s been really funny lately with the industry. There have been so many projects where I’ve literally been like packed up and walking out the door (to start them) and we get this call saying financing fell through. Honestly, my whole summer was like that. It’s just a really wild ride for the entertainment industry right now. That being said, being the kind of artist that I am I can’t just sit around, I’ve always worked since I was 13, so I’m a working girl, almost blue collar. I have to work, whether it be in a movie which is glamorous, or working on my clothing line, Born Uniqorn, which isn’t as glamorous sometimes, when I’m down in the factories and laboring over the silliest thing for hours. I sing and I spend a lot of my free time writing music. I DJ, as well. It’s always gotta be artistic for me. I have a few movies lined up coming out. There’s Love Ranch with Joe Pesci and Helen Mirren. That was directed by Taylor Hackford and it’s gonna be out, hopefully, in the fall. I got a really cool movie called The Perfect Age of Rock n Roll that has Peter Fonda and Jason Ritter that I did a year ago. I have a part in Bonnie and Clyde, and in the meantime I just keep moving forward. I play lots of shows with Boomkat. I was just on an episode of Melrose Place where I played myself and I was actually singing one of my new songs off of my solo record
Adam Bernard: A solo record? Will that be coming out before another Boomkat album? Taryn Manning: Yeah, it’s lookin that way. My brother and I are starting to write the next Boomkat record, but like I said, I’m just feverishly driven and I just love making music and sometimes my bro can’t keep up with me, so I’m like alright, while you’re taking your time I’m gonna go do this. We still play Boomkat shows, we just did a show where we were on a bill with Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Shiny Toy Guns, LMFAO and Shwayze and that was awesome, that was so cool for us. What I do on my own as Taryn is kind of a different vibe. It’s like dance music. It’s colorful, flamboyant, if you will. It’s pop, because I want it to be popular, but it’s still different. Boomkat’s a little darker, experimental, like Portishead kind of stuff.
Adam Bernard: You mentioned your guest spot on Melrose Place. Diving further into the TV world, if you were able to create a recurring role for yourself on any television series which would it be? Taryn Manning: I’d like it to be for a show like Dexter or Nurse Jackie, just one of those weird, left shows. Weeds, stuff like that, HBO, Showtime, FX driven stuff. I had a role on Sons of Anarchy last season, so that kind of vibe.
Adam Bernard: Since you have your own clothing line you’re obviously into fashion. With that in mind I have a very important fashion related question for you - do you own either an Eli or a Peyton jersey? You have to own at least one. Taryn Manning: Oh, I don’t, actually. It’s so bad, but that whole thing just started happening where everybody thinks that we’re related. It’s like fully on Wikipedia and the whole nine. To be totally honest, this is so bad, I’m kind of a Redskins fan. I was born in Virginia, so my brother is and my dad was and it’s kinda like a rule for me.
Adam Bernard: I’m going to get you an Eli Manning jersey and get you thrown out of your own family. Taryn Manning: {laughs} I know. Do it. I’ll take that. Definitely.
Adam Bernard: You were involved in an incident that made headlines on the gossip sites earlier this year when your then boyfriend Mams Taylor punched Jesse Metcalfe outside of a nightclub. How did the rest of that night go? Taryn Manning: He got severely jumped later that night, which wasn’t caught on camera, and had his nose broken by the guy he punched. My boyfriend at the time cracked his nose back into place in front of me and it was really disgusting and it bled and I couldn’t believe what was happening. It was pretty gross. I don’t really like talking about that. We’re not together anymore and that’s not a very happy memory for me. I was pretty traumatized and didn’t really understand what the heck was going on. It’s just like we were out for a nice night and we had just kind of gotten to know each other and I was completely shocked. I had never ever been in a situation like that and I did not know he had that in him and it was not cool to me at all, even though a bunch of guys thought it was cool the way he knocked Jesse out like that I found it to be very immature and very uncool and very low life trash, to be honest.
Adam Bernard: Are you single now? Taryn Manning: I’m actually in a new relationship and I’m really happy and he’s a really good guy.
Adam Bernard: Our time is almost up, so close out this interview by telling me one special skill you have that nobody knows about. Taryn Manning: I personally think I make the best breakfast ever. I’ve even had people who call themselves cooks be like oooh, OK, look at you! That’s kinda cool, I think.
Adam Bernard: So when the singing stops, the movies stop, the fashion line stops, in your old age you’re gonna run a bed and breakfast. Taryn Manning: {laughs} Totally, that sounds fun.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Avril Lavigne’s split from Deryck Whibley, to Fall Out Boy’s latest project, to a Jonas Brothers nightmare, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Back in the late 90’s, when Khalid El-Amin was leading UConn’s men’s basketball team to new heights in the NCAA Tournament, Buddha LuvJonz was enjoying his fair share of campus fame, as well, it just happened to be for something completely different. While his good friend El-Amin was becoming known on a national level for his skills on the court, Bridgeport native Buddha LuvJonz was becoming one of UConn’s busiest DJs and most talked about poets.
According to LuvJonz, diversity and the art of self-expression are the key elements to everything he does. The latter can be seen written all over him in the eleven tattoos that cover his arms, while the former can be found in the topics of his poetry, which deal with everything from stereotypes to relationships, and his choice of music while behind the turntables, which can include everything from classic hip-hop to James Brown, to Etta James, to Def Leopard. There’s even a bit of diversity in the way he became Buddha LuvJonz as the name actually came to be in stages.
LuvJonz earned the Buddha part of his name during his high school years when the Laotian artist appeared in class one day with a shaved head. The LuvJonz part of his name, however, happened thanks to a famous film that was released while he was in college. Love Jones was the movie and 1997 was the year it hit theaters. “A lot of people were tagging me as that Love Jones poet,” LuvJonz remembers, “always trying to woo the ladies with some poems. One day when I was up on stage somebody just called out ‘Buddha LuvJonz’ and from that point on it just kind of stuck on me and I’ve been rockin that tag ever since.” Rockin the tag, yes, but was the assumption that he was always trying to woo the ladies true? LuvJonz laughs when he thinks about it. “I didn’t know any better. I thought that I could woo the ladies, try to seduce them some way some how through the art of words. It was good maybe 30% of the time.”
While the attempts at wooing may not have worked as often as he might have liked, LuvJonz’ talents have earned him far more than a few hookups as they’ve launched him into both the local and national poetry scenes. For the past three years he’s toured as a part of The Male Ego, which is a show that features five male poets from different backgrounds breaking down the male perspective on a number of topics, “issues such as racial tension, struggles, political views, relationships, sex, and so forth.” There’s also an added element to the show as LuvJonz notes “what makes it interesting is that it’s in spoken word format, not just strictly poetry. There are little scripts here and there which segue into the poems.”
Although he’s a lifelong hip-hop head, LuvJonz chose poetry over rapping due to the added freedoms it affords him as a writer. “With rap you’re kind of limited sometimes,” he explains, “with poetry, with that freestyle kind of vibe, you can just go on from the top of the head and there are no boundaries, it’s just releasing stuff on that paper and keeping on going until you’re done.” Once he’s done releasing onto that paper LuvJonz hopes he’s made a point and made it clearly. “I’m trying to make a change,” he says “to motivate and educate folks, especially with Asian history because there’s not too much that’s being explained within the school system.”
When people see LuvJonz perform his poetry it generates a healthy amount of applause. When those same people see him perform as a DJ they applaud, as well, but many do it with a look of shock on their face. “When they see me up there rockin the ones and twos it’s like ‘oh shit, I can’t believe this Asian dude knows our music!’” Because of this, LuvJonz has realized how important his role is when he plays out. “As a DJ,” he explains, “I’m able to draw that cultural connection and overcome certain barriers.”
LuvJonz hopes he can continue to break barriers in an even bigger way with his company, LuvJonz Entertainment (luvjonz.com), which is a collaborative effort involving LuvJonz and his friends Travis Bivans, Mitchel Noel, Ajani Housen and Bridgeport emcee Chase Davis. The goal, according to LuvJonz, is to “diversify the game.” “I felt there was a need for an outlet to really try to do something new, to provide some kind of platform for people to explore their inner thoughts and release themselves.” LuvJonz hopes to do this through coordinating events such as fashion shows, talent shows, parties and showcases, all with the main focus of “providing some kind of eclectic avenues for people to really express themselves through art.”
Whether it’s putting together an event, DJing a set, jumping on a stage to recite a poem, or getting a new tattoo, hip-hop has always been at the backbone of it all for LuvJonz. “Hip-hop has no boundaries,” he states “it has no color, so me being born into the hip-hop generation, I’m just trying to change the game, have a good time, share my feelings and share my love for the art of self-expression in any way I can.”
Many in the area are connecting with Bridgeport native and already have quite the love jones for his work.
A quick note regarding my podcasts, I will now be doing them monthly so I’ll be able to hit you with more new music with each episode (and spend more time promoting them). September's edition is a great example of this as it’s jam packed with great new songs from some of your favorites, like Sketch Tha Cataclysm, Homeboy Sandman and Vinnie Scullo, and in addition to the artists you may already know I also have the ABX debuts of Plus and Logic and a throwback joint from an NYC underground legend that's gonna get you REALLY hyped.
Sketch Tha Cataclysm - Words and Numbers Homeboy Sandman - Food Glorious Food J.Monopoly w/ Top $ Raz & Kalil Kash - Right In The Kissah Vinnie Scullo - Domino Effect Hopie Spitshard - Trunk Plus - So Addictive Poison Pen w/ C-Rayz Walz - Top Of The Food Chain Logic - Gennerique Big Stat - Don't Quit Your Day Job Conscious - Latchkey Super King Armor - The Most Precious Jewel Reload - Johnny Rockets Waitress Jern Eye w/ Guilty Simpson - So and So Kaz-well - Take Me Home
Hollis, Queens has been home to a number of hip-hop’s legends. From Run-DMC to LL Cool J, the small section of NYC has always seemed to produce great emcees. J.Monopoly has spent his entire life in Hollis. Want to take a guess at what he’s great at? Yeah, he can rock the mic. For J.Monopoly the obsession started early and he pushed all other potential hobbies and distractions to the side to focus on music. “When I did well in school,” he remembers, “my pops would reward me with a trip to Tower Records and I got to pick out anything I wanted and for Christmas I always got CDs and cassettes.” Now, at the ripe old age of 21, J.Monopoly is poised to be one of the leaders of the next generation of NYC hip-hop artists and this week I caught up with him to find out more about his music, his history, and if there’s anyone in the game that the “Right In The Kissah” emcee would like to give a “boom, pow” to.
Adam Bernard: The term Monopoly deals with exclusive control, so what is J.Monopoly monopolizing? J.Monopoly: That's what it means? I just liked the board game. {laughs} Just joking. J.Monopoly is monopolizing a new era in music, starting with hip-hop. I love this culture, and the music, and I think it's time somebody brings something new, something exciting back to the culture. I figured since I grew up doing this and I understand it so well, why not let it be me? I want to usher in a new breed of artists who understand music and its importance, as well as hip-hop culture in all of its aspects. So for now, I'm monopolizing a new sound, a new era.
Adam Bernard: What are some of the pros and cons of being J.Monopoly in 2009? J.Monopoly: Man, where do I begin? The cons are you don’t get as much sleep these days. You're always out, spending money. When they said you had to “pay dues” I guess they were being literal. Another thing is that you have all of these events you have to try to make. No lie, I find myself sometimes going to like two to three different events a night! Now the pros are that you get to experience the life you've always wanted, you get to meet new people, you always hang out and everywhere you go people know who you are… that still trips me out a little.
Adam Bernard: When did you first get into Hip-Hop and how quickly did you go from being a listener to an emcee? J.Monopoly: I'd like to say I was into hip-hop from the womb but we may never know that to be true {laughs}. My earliest memories stretch back to when I was around three to four years old. My pops was a DJ so there was always music around; LL, P.E., Nice and Smooth, Run-DMC, Tribe, Ice-T. I said my first cuss word listening to “New Jack Hustler.” Before I was in school my mother used to sit me in a room and leave the TV on Video Music Box or Bobby Simmons’ Flava Videos. I was so taken by what I saw that I started running around the house freestyling to myself and beatboxing… at three and four years old! I knew since then that's what I wanted to do. I started DJing at a young age and at seven I wrote my first rhyme.
Adam Bernard: You’ve obviously been doin your thing for a minute now, but what really inspired me to hit you up was your fantastic collaboration with Top $ Raz and Kalil Kash (both former Artists Of The Week), “Right In The Kissah.” How did you link up with them and how did the track come together? J.Monopoly: Raz and Kalil, those are my dudes right there. I met them at End Of The Weak (EOW) a few months back and we have a mutual respect for each other's work. We'd always see each other at different venues to the point where we just started hanging together. “Kissah” was Kash's idea. We were chillin' after the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival and he said "yo, I have an idea for this song and I think it's gonna be crazy!" So he told me the hook and the idea and I went crazy! I was hyped. So I got J.EazeeMayxDaBeatz (O.I.S.D.'s main producer) to produce the track and the three of us went in the studio and knocked it out. We wanted to capture an old school feel, like go back to '92, '93, with that track. J.Eazee did a perfect job at making that happen.
Adam Bernard: Is there anyone right now, famous or not, that you’d like to “boom, pow, right in the kissah?” J.Monopoly: {laughs} No, not really, not at this moment.
Adam Bernard: Aside from that collaboration I know you have a crew you do work with. Tell me about O.I.S.D., who’s in it, and what makes each one of you unique as artists. J.Monopoly: O.I.S.D. AKA Operation Industry Shut Down, is a crew I started back in high school in February of '06. It's myself, J.Monopoly, E.Y.E. Q, who is also the co-founder, Khid 2Che, J.O. and Showtyme. Every member has something to bring to the table. Q is poetic and lyrical and he has that BK flavor. J.O. has aggression, attitude and he's good with concepts. Khid 2Che is witty and comical with crazy wordplay. Showtyme is the laid back member of the crew, but he's clever with his lines. Myself, I have the flow, lyrics, delivery, concepts and energy. We are all versatile, well rounded individuals. We all have different elements that make us unique and when those elements come together, brace yourselves.
Adam Bernard: You also have a solo project in the works. Do you have a tentative title and release date for it? What can people expect from it musically and lyrically? J.Monopoly: It's actually a mixtape entitled Everybody Wants To Be An MC Vol. 1. I'm pushing for a fall release, hopefully late October the latest. Just expect overall good music. I don't want to say "hey, expect hardcore music, or hey, expect clever concepts and dope beats," because if the people don't get that, then what? I'll be at a point where I feel like I have to make this type of music, or fit that kind of mold. I don't want to hype everybody up, I just want to make what I feel is the best possible music I can make and hope everyone enjoys it. I want people to say "hey, that dude J.Monopoly is nice, man! He's got something. He's next."
Not a lot of people can imagine an emcee rhyming off of a flow provided by a violin, but with his rapid fire, high energy style Chip Fu manages to break new ground by making that idea come to life and absolutely killin it. There’s no way you can watch this clip and not say “Daaaamn!” It’s no wonder he titled the song “Ridiculous.” Enjoy!
The other day I was enjoying M.O.P.’s latest album, Foundation, when I realized something - there are very few artists out there making rap music today. There are plenty of people claiming to be hip-hop artists, but very few rappers. Being someone who likes good rap music, this disturbs me, but taking a look at things, I can see exactly where it’s coming from and sadly, hip-hop is in large part to blame. That’s right, Hip-hop is doing what the government in the 80’s tried so hard yet failed to do, it’s killing rap music.
A little back story to explain this; somewhere between the early 90’s and today rap became a dirty word in hip-hop circles. People tried to differentiate rap music from hip-hop. Most of the time it ended up an exercise in an individual talking about what they liked, dubbing that hip-hop, versus what they felt was wack, calling all of that rap music. Even though those kinds of categorizations caught on, they were never actually true. All they really did was work to push rap music, and people who called themselves rappers, into a corner. Ironically, it was that same corner rap music was originally put in by older folks and a government that wanted parental advisory labels on albums and age limits on who could buy such albums. So in a very cruel twist of fate, hip-hop has become the tool the government never had back in the day to shut rap music down.
Now we have a bevy of hip-hop artists, some of whom are very talented individuals that I happen to like a lot, but a large number of those claiming the title aren’t talented at all. In fact, whenever I read a press release about a “dynamic new hip-hop artist” my first thoughts are that the artist can’t rap and the beats are going to be too artsy for their own good. Sadly, nine times out of ten I’m right (that’s how the assumption developed!). Oh, and “hip-hop artists” can’t stand to be called rappers. To be fair, many hip-hop artists don’t know how to rap, but that’s not why they shun the classification. They shun it because of the negative stigma associated with the title. The negative stigma that they themselves helped create. According them rappers supposedly aren’t as talented as “hip-hop artists.” Hmmm, doesn’t that sound dangerously similar to the “it’s not real music” argument many of the elitists had about rap music back in the 80’s? Once again, we have become them.
The worst part about the loss of rap music is the way hip-hop opens itself up for a type of commercialization that rap music never did. Most people would agree that commercialization, while bringing money to a handful of artists, hasn’t been good for the culture. Rap music would rarely pop up in advertising back in the day, but now a toned down version of it, a toned down version that’s been brought to us by “hip-hop artists,” is in damn near every commercial we see. Major corporations would never think of touching rap as a way to sell a product (except Sprite. Old school heads know!), but hip-hop? Hip-hop is easily approachable thanks to a breed of artists who are, for lack of a better term, cuddly. Mos Def will always be allowed in company that wouldn’t ever dream of letting NWA through the door and a large part of my issue with hip-hop today stems from the fact that said company are the types of people that NWA would have never wanted to associate themselves with. Now, however, too many artists are looking to be in those circles and it’s hurting the music, badly.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have a decent percentage of our artists with a foot in the door of mainstream society, but far too many have a goal to be there. Because of this the intense emotion that I hear in M.O.P. is becoming harder and harder to find. The social commentary that was once so scary to a nation has been made palatable for a much wider range of people and while that’s great for getting a message across, and we do need artists who can do that, where are the artists who want to follow in the footsteps of the great rappers of the 80’s and get in people’s faces about what’s going on in America today? Where are the artists who want to craft the best possible rhymes and wow people strictly with their words? Where are the artists who don’t care about mainstream society?
The culture of hip-hop wasn’t built on assimilation, but for some reason over the past 15 years we’ve done an amazing job of doing just that. Our music is played alongside Miley Cyrus on pop radio stations and featured in mainstream publications. The majority of artists no longer have that same lust to throw their words in the face of authority and cultural norms, they want to be the cultural norm, and that’s no way to make a real impact.
So while I do have love for what some hip-hop artists are doing, I think we need a balance. We need good rap music to make a comeback. Without it we’ll lose the edge that created the culture in the first place, if we haven’t lost it already.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Kanye West’s “outburst” at the VMA’s, to American Idol’s newest addition, to VH1’s interesting definition of diva, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Have you heard about the Albino Muslim emcee? Of course you have. At this point you’d be hard pressed to find any underground hip-hop fan who wasn’t aware of Brother Ali. On September 22nd he’ll be releasing his latest effort, Us, and this week I sat down with the Minnesota lyricist to get his thoughts on all things hip-hop, the unexpected ways in which he’s connected with his fans, and what he has in store for Us. In addition to all that, Brother Ali also opened up about the very personal master plan he came up with that’s totally changed his life. Here are some of the highlights from the interview:
On changing his life: I made sure that my life and my art express what I believe in. I don’t think either one of them imitate each other. I have this picture in my mind of what life is supposed to be and I’m trying to get my art and my life to make that a reality.
On the lyrical content of Us: All the stories on here are true, they’re just not my stories anymore. I wanted to give people a slice of life, a glimpse into the lives of working poor people.
On mainstream rap: I think there’s a lot of value in the leaders of that music. Like Jay-Z, T.I., Kanye West, 50 Cent, there’s a lot of truth there and there’s a lot of important things being said there if you understand them in the context of society.
Rakim once stated “I know you got soul,” and although he said that line back in the 80’s it would be no surprise if he repeated it upon meeting Jd Webb. At first glance Webb may look more like a pop singer, but if you choose to judge this book by its cover you’ll miss out on one of the freshest voices to hit the R&B/soul scene in a long time. After listening to Webb’s solo debut, The Introduction, I sat down with him to find out more about his musical history, which essentially dates back to his birth, why he decided to go indie after having label deals as a part of two groups, and his interesting choice in hobbies that would make Evil Knievel proud.
Adam Bernard: Why don’t you start off by telling everyone a little bit about yourself and where you’re from. Did you grow up in a musical household? Jd Webb: Yes, I grew up in Hawaii, Oahu, in a very musical family. My mom and her sisters had a group, The Davidsons, and every summer my mom and my sister and I would head to the mainland and hop on a tour bus. We’d go from church to church with my mom and her sisters performing, so music was a huge part of my family and huge part of my life growing up. I did my first concert when I was three. I started playing piano at six and I started playing drums for them at ten. I think they knew pretty early on that it all came pretty naturally to me.
Adam Bernard: I would have never guessed you’re from Hawaii. What you do is not Hawaiian music in the least. Jd Webb: No {laughs} and that’s why I had to move. I had two choices, I was either going to sit around with a ukulele and play on the beach, or at a hotel, for people, or I was gonna do the kind of music that I love. Even though I love and miss Hawaii I had to make the choice. Now I live in LA.
Adam Bernard: It seems like you had some opportunities to release your solo debut, The Introduction, with a major label. Did you make the decision to go independent because you didn’t like anything that was being offered, or was it a control issue? Jd Webb: It was a combination. I had already been in two major record deals. I was an EMI artist when I was in a band called Raze and then I was in a gospel group on Warner Brothers called Oasis Praise. When the bidding war started for my solo project I was just like, if I could just do it the way that I know in my heart and soul that it would be right, if I could have a team of people that have all of the experience and know-how of the majors, but the creativity and the freedom of an independent, then that’s the route I’m gonna go. So that’s what I did.
Adam Bernard: Musically, what were some of your initial goals when you were putting the album together? What did you want to get across? What kind of album did you want to make? Jd Webb: The reason for the title The Introduction is even though it’s not my introduction into the music world I really feel like it’s the introduction to really see my artistry and the kind of music that I want to do. I wanted to make a CD where it covers the gamut. You can put it on if you’re getting ready to go to a club, if you’re chillin at the house, or you want to put on some music to romance the person you love. I also really wanted to have an album that you could listen to from beginning to end and not be like “oh, there are only two songs that I like on this whole thing.” So that was really the goal, to create music that would be around and that would basically stand the test of time.
Adam Bernard: Other than timelessness, what do you feel you’re bringing to people that’s gonna make em be like “I really need to hear Jd Webb sing this,” rather than somebody else? Jd Webb: I really feel like I’m bringing back true artistry. What you hear from me is all 100% real. There’s no auto-tuning, there’s no fluff. It’s music that I produced, arranged and sing, and I play most of the instruments, as well. It’s the same thing when you come to a concert, everything that you hear is going to be live. It’s really bringing back the musicality of the old Motown days where you knew that what you listened to on the record was how they were gonna sound when it was live and you weren’t wondering if it was all pre-recorded and if there was a whole bunch of bells and whistles. It was all organic. That was really my mission and I think that’s what a listener can take away, knowing that it’s really a return to artistry.
Adam Bernard: What are your feelings on the “blue eyed soul” tag you will inevitably get? Jd Webb: I’m definitely a soul/R&B artist and I’m completely happy with the blue eyed soul title. I totally welcome it. There are some amazing greats that were considered blue eyed soul. To me that’s a compliment.
Adam Bernard: Very cool. So, finally, outside of music, what do you enjoy? Jd Webb: Right now it’s pretty much entirely music, but I’m definitely an extreme sports junkie, so anything that’s risky or daredevilish I’m all about. The next lull that I have I definitely want to go and do something extreme in a foreign country, just live on the edge.
Adam Bernard: I want to see you on Ninja Warrior. G4 holds tryouts. Jd Webb: {laughs} I’m gonna have to totally look into it. That would awesome. I’d be all about it.
Ever seen a funky ass mannequin? Well, thanks to brokeMC you’re about to! His video for “Doom Days” doesn’t just feature the stiff that was too cool to be in those creepy Old Navy ads, though, it also has some really dope rhymes and cool imagery. Click play and it give it a couple minutes of your time, you’ll be glad you did.
On Wednesday night I was at the 40/40 Club (and yes, ESPN was on the screen) for an event that Jay-Z was hosting (big ups to Berk Communications for the invite). First off, I have to give Jay props for being at both this event and doing a concert somewhere else on the same night. I don’t know too many other artists that would even attempt to pull that off, let alone actually make it happen. Secondly, seeing Jay-Z up close and personal, albeit not for any sort of extended period of time, has left me with the idea that through all the fame and money and everything he says in his lyrics, Jay is very comfortable in the role of the everyman.
I know, I haven’t exactly been the biggest Jay-Z supporter in the past. In fact, many have even labeled me a hater for some of my previous blogs about him and although I am in no way going back on anything I have said before, seeing the total nonchalance with which he maneuvered his way through the crowded club really impressed me. I’ve seen a lot of big stars host events, or be special VIP guests, at nightclubs and most of them do their best to make a scene every time they move a muscle. If they’re ordering a drink, they want you to see. If they’re dancing, they want you to see. If they’re going to the bathroom… OK, maybe not every move, but you catch my drift. In Jay’s case, with the exception of the red carpet entrance, which even the former America’s Next Top Model contestants got to walk, he slipped in, made his way around, and made his exit without causing very much of a stir at all. Perhaps he saw everyone having a good time in his club and just wanted to let the vibe keep going. Whatever the case may be, it really upped his cool factor in my eyes because he wasn’t making any attempt to draw all the attention to himself (the people who came just to see Jay may feel differently about this, but hey, you can’t please everyone).
Jay-Z, for all he fame he has, is lucky he can still pull off the everyman role. He seems comfortable in it. I think, and obviously this is just me hazarding a guess here, but I think he knows what he’s accomplished and he’s comfortable enough in what he’s done that he doesn’t feel the need to be the center of attention everywhere he goes.
I may not be a fan of his recent work, but as far as his demeanor goes I gotta give Jay his props. Even though he may give the opposite impression with a lot of his music, he seems to know the definition of cool has nothing to do with being a show off.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Michael Franti’s happy new ditty, to two bands hitting the stage that you probably never imagined you’d see perform again, to the new greatest video ever made, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Twitter has become one of the most popular ways for artists to let fans into their lives. While it may seem beyond mundane to hear about what your co-worker did on a random Thursday night, when that kind of information comes from a celebrity it makes it infinitely more interesting, especially when you can comment back about it.
As we continue to build our hip-hop scene here in CT one issue that continues to plague us is the lack of information disseminated about the scene. People are more likely to say “I had no idea we had a hip-hop scene” than be able to name a favorite local artist. Twitter can help with this. All it takes is for people to add a few CT hip-hop artists for the information about shows, albums, and everything else going on in the scene, to really start to flow. With that in mind, this edition of The B-Side is dedicated to the CT hip-hop artists that you should consider following on Twitter today.
Dirt E. Dutch (twitter.com/Dutchman) – Dirt E. Dutch is one of our state’s true superstar producers. He is a part of two dynamic duos, Troublemakers with Breez Evahflowin and Workforce with Hawl Digg, and he runs IndieFeed, which is one of the most popular underground hip-hop podcasts around. His Twitter updates range from links to his podcasts and music, to info on what the rest of the AFA crew, of which he is a member, is doing. Dutch is also good for a number of humorous tweets throughout the day. As a frequent replier, Dutch is the perfect person to follow for anyone looking to learn about the scene. With all that being said, it’s really no surprise that Dutch is one of the most followed members of the CT hip-hop community.
Sketch Tha Cataclysm (twitter.com/sketchtc) – Sketch Tha Cataclysm may have moved to Minnesota, but he’s still true to his Connecticut roots, making him one of our state’s most important representatives in hip-hop. Hey, not a lot of artists leave and rep. Through his Twitter updates Sketch does a great job of letting people know where he’s going to be performing and also gives away free music to followers in the form of download links. Much like his AFA compatriot Dirt E. Dutch, Sketch is also very conversational, replying to dozens of tweets on a daily basis. Sketch is one of our state’s brightest stars and following him on Twitter will give people a great view of how hard he works to keep that distinction. It’s also really cool to have a Connecticut artist talking about performing all over the country. Big Stat (twitter.com/bigstat) – No one in Connecticut’s hip-hop scene works with bigger names than Big Stat. He recently completed a tour with legends Method Man and Redman and his latest mix-CD, Don’t Quit Your Day Job, is hosted by Redman, as well. The former co-founder of Hushh, Big Stat is well known for his incredible hustle, sometimes sleeping as little as two hours on any given night just so he can drive to shows to network and/or perform. His Twitter updates reflect this hustle and oftentimes come at all hours of the day and night. Big Stat also gives his followers tour updates and news on his upcoming projects. If you want to know the definition of hustle, follow Big Stat.
Plus (twitter.com/PLUSISHIPHOP) – Plus, who teamed with Eclipse and SolStorm to form the Connecticut hip-hop trio Nervous System, is fairly new to Twitter, but the addiction didn’t take long to kick in. Follow Plus to get updates on his music as well as his thoughts on all things hip-hop, both local and national. Plus is the kinda guy who shoots straight from the hip, so the 140 character format of Twitter suits him very well when he’s commenting on the latest songs and releases. With his solo debut almost ready to go, this will be the place to get all the news on the project and probably some sneak peaks at the music, as well.
Is this a be all and end all list of Connecticut hip-hop artists on Twitter? Of course not, I only have one page for this column. If you follow these four folks, however, you’ll start to get a much better view of our local hip-hop scene, who the movers and shakers are, and where you can hear their music and see them live. This really is a case of the old saying “it’s now what you know, it’s who you know” ringing true, the only difference is when it comes to Connecticut hip-hop knowing (or “following”) the right people can lead you to knowing a heck of a lot.
The spreading of information is how a scene develops. Maybe Twitter can help us develop ours. It can all begin when you click the follow button on these artists’ pages. Get in the know and get into the scene.
“La Schmoove, the real got nuttin to prove!” If that lyric brings a smile to your face you are of a certain era that remembers the greatness of the Fu-Schnickens. Chip Fu was one third of that powerfully fun trio and over the past few years he’s made a name for himself as a solo artist thanks to his creative use of flow. His “Love Mi Sensi,” which was done over the beat to Collie Buddz’ “Come Around,” turned out to be more popular than the original and it inspired him to get back into the studio and start collaborating with a host of artists. This week I caught up with Chip Fu to find out more about what he’s been working on, how he felt with hip-hop started shunning fun, why he doesn’t totally miss The Golden Era, and the likelihood of a Fu-Schnickens reunion. Here are some of the highlights from the interview:
On what he’s bringing to the table: There’s a song that I dropped called “Ridiculous” where I was battling a violinist. Then there’s the Figaro joint that I got going on. I’m basically just making sure people see that it’s about being creative, man, it’s not about just doing records, you gotta showcase something about yourself.
On coping w/ the death of fun in hip-hop: It was the hardest thing because me being the type of person that I am and being around people that just think that you need to be serious 24/7, I couldn’t really operate around that sort of stuff.
On the intense focus on The Golden Era: Do I miss The Golden Era age? Sort of, but not really because if you’re stuck in an age you can’t really blow as an artist.
Boston emcee Sullee is probably most recognizable from his time on The White Rapper Show. The VH1 program put him in a national spotlight until he became fed up with what he was being asked to do and packed his things and left, pride and self-respect in tact. Sullee’s musical journey, however, started long before that experience. Born in 1985 to a young mother and an incarcerated father who didn’t fully become a part of his life until after Sullee’s sixth birthday, Sullee had a budding music career as a member of a kids singing group before he even hit double digits in age. After the group disbanded Sullee focused on sports, but at about 15 he realized his NBA dreams weren’t going to become a reality and decided to pursue music full time. This time, however, it wasn’t about singing - Sullee was focused on being an emcee. Now with The White Rapper Show behind him and an album ready to be released in the fall, Sullee is poised to take the next big step in his career, which is why this week I sat down with him to find out more about his music, where he and his fellow Bostonians get their defiant attitude from, and the impact a traveling cartoon mouse had on him.
Adam Bernard: If someone’s never heard your music before what are they in store for the first time they put on one of your songs? Sullee: I pride myself on being versatile. If you put on a Sullee record it could be anywhere from a very underground, lyrical, song with a grimy beat, to a semi-pop club song. Somebody I really like, in terms of the way he does it, is Fabolous, to give you an example. His commercial shit is really commercial and it’s really for chicks. But his mixtapes are really street. I like to do that. I like to keep my albums more on the commercial side and my mixtapes on the grimy, lyrical side of things. I like to do both because let’s not act like it’s not fun to do a club song and have girls jumpin up on stage, that’s a great time, but it’s also a great time to be in a cipher and spit a hot 16. I like to say I am an entertainer. If the show calls for it, I’ll do it. I’ll do metal if that’s what I need to do. I just like to do shows and make music, as long as it’s good.
Adam Bernard: I’ve noticed that over the years a lot of Massachusetts emcees get a nice local buzz going, but rarely go further than that. What is it about the scene that so often keeps it in its corner of the country? Sullee: I feel that Boston is a very talented place. New England in general is a very talented place, but we won’t put out records that contradict our Hip-Hop to make money. If it’s to advance my business and my family then we can talk, but we’re still not gonna play me out and that was evident on The White Rapper Show when I was like no, I disagree with what you’re trying to get me to do, so I’m not doing it. It doesn’t matter if it’s wrong, right, or indifferent, it’s what I believe and as an American I can have all the beliefs I want and I’m gonna follow em. Maybe that’s what it is. Maybe Boston still remembers the American Revolution and we’re just like nah, we’re just gonna do what we want.
Adam Bernard: It’s in your blood. Sullee: It really is, man. I’m a history dude and Boston is one of those places where we told the biggest empire in the world, the English empire, they used to say the sun never set on the English empire because there was always somewhere that it was daytime that England owned, and we told them get your fuckin tea, get the fuck out of our harbor, we’re gonna throw the shit in the ocean, and we started a war with the biggest country on earth and that attitude is definitely still in Boston, absolutely.
Adam Bernard: Obviously you showed a bit of that attitude while on The White Rapper Show. After all the edits were done, how did you feel about the way you were portrayed? Sullee: When you watched me on that show, that was me. If I’m drunk and I’m bein loud, that’s how I am drunk and if I’m tryin to get in Misfit’s bed, that’s the way I am when I see a pretty blond girl. I actually just got an email today from somebody saying “I really respect how you left the show, it takes a real man to say no to money.” That’s really dope to me because I pride myself on being a man.
Adam Bernard: What was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back for you that made you just pack up your things and leave? Sullee: It was the snitching thing. I was raised that you don’t tell on people. Serch tried to say that snitchin’s a legal activity and I was like nah, man, c’mon, you’ve never been slapped for saying cousin Paul did this, or cousin Joe said a swear? Like “hey, stop being a fuckin tattletale.” The way it was put to me was for $100,000 go in the back and tell me why it was your teammate’s fault. What kind of bitch move is that? That’s how I looked at it. I came here with nothing and I can leave with publicity and nothing else and be happy.
Adam Bernard: You certainly left with a good amount of publicity and now you have an album coming out in the fall titled An American Tail. Is it safe to assume you’re a fan of the movie? Sullee: Yeah, that movie’s intense! He’s an orphan, there’s all these orphan’s everywhere, there’s drunks, the mob, they’re all smoking, it’s like holy shit man, it’s a little mouse, he’s just trying to be a mouse in America and get away form the cats, he’s not trying to deal with all this mafia, smoking, orphan shit. That shit is crazy.
Adam Bernard: Do you see any elements of your own life in it? Sullee: Yeah, actually I do. My father was locked up, so when Fievel was looking for his father, I knew where my dad was, but why didn’t he come home? I had questions like that.
Adam Bernard: It’s pretty crazy that we were shown a movie like that at such a young age. Sullee: And that’s dope. That’s why my generation is so ahead of the curve because we were watching stuff like that. We were raised in a very easy time, but we were raised by very hard people. The people who were teenagers and adults in the 80’s had my generation. I was born in ‘85. My mom was born in the 60’s. Her generation was raised by people that were born in the 40’s and 50’s, so they were raised very hard which is why they raised us very hard, but then the way society changed it got very easy, excuses were made and things like that, so it’s easier today, but we were raised by hard people, so we’re hard people at our core with a soft exterior.
Señor Kaos is the definition of dope Atlanta Hip-Hop. WAIT! Don’t run away, it’s not what you think! He’s not all about being a trap boy, sellin drugs or pimping out either his car or his women. Señor Kaos is all about having skills on the mic and a providing a fantastic vibe. Click the play button on "Automatic Classic" and see for yourself.
Whether you know her as Alison Sudol or you know her as A Fine Frenzy, you know her as the singer/songwriter who pens some of the most beautiful and affecting music being made today. Personally, I can list all the artists that have ever made me feel a lump of emotion well up in my throat on one hand and Sudol’s one of them. Her sophomore effort, Bomb in a Birdcage, will be hitting stores on Sept. 8th, and after getting a sneak peak of the album I caught up with Sudol to talk about the project, as well as her decidedly non-pop star lifestyle, what some of her redhead emotional qualities are, and her reaction to having over 1.2 million Twitter followers.
Adam Bernard: Let’s start by talking about Bomb in a Birdcage. First of all, that’s a very interesting image. I know it’s also a line from the first song on the album, but if you could expand on it a bit, why did you feel Bomb in a Birdcage was the right title for this album? A Fine Frenzy: I think, at the end of the day, it just felt right. As I was writing the album I felt both incredibly vulnerable and yet increasingly more and more rebellious and explosive. Most of the time, I was torn between curling up in the fetal position and karate chopping everything. Bomb in a Birdcage felt like it pretty well summed up that feeling. Strange days, but never a dull moment!
Adam Bernard: Artists oftentimes suffer a sophomore slump when it comes to their second albums. Were you worried at all about following up the success of One Cell In The Sea? A Fine Frenzy: I was and it gave me writer's block, so I had to stop it immediately.
Adam Bernard: Musically you go in a couple new directions on Bomb in a Birdcage. Tell me about your inspirations for the very pop “Electric Twist” and the intense “Stood Up.” A Fine Frenzy: “Electric Twist” felt almost like a joke when I first wrote it. I was like, "what the **** is this wacky business? Where is this coming from?" However, I couldn't get it out of my head and neither could anyone else, so we thought, "why not? Let’s check it out!" It's now one of my favorite songs on the record. Figures! “Stood Up” was similar, except instead of laughing at it I was kind of freaked out by it. It's certainly not typically “Frenzy,” that's for sure. It came about during the months before the election. There was this marvelous electricity in the air, quite unlike anything I've ever experienced before. People were so excited and yet it was pretty terrifying to care as the stakes were so high and people were scared to be let down, and yet, they did care, they united, they spoke up and they took action. It was such a powerful feeling, and I couldn't help but be inspired by it.
Adam Bernard: Going back to “Electric Twist” for a moment, it’s one of the most faced paced songs on the album, yet it’s also the song on which you choose to talk about the decidedly non-fast paced-ness of your life. Was that some planned irony on your part? A Fine Frenzy: I don't know that it was particularly planned, but I guess it is pretty ironic. I just try to write about what I know and that first line (you should be wilder / you're no fun at all) came instantly and dictated the rest. I can't tell you how much teasing I've gotten for being so un-rock and roll. I know grandmothers who party harder than I do.
Adam Bernard: Let’s talk a little bit about that non-pop star lifestyle of yours. You avoid the parties, nobody knows about your love life and you’re never seen lying out on exotic beaches. What do you do instead? A Fine Frenzy: I read! Hurrah! {laughs} No, that's not all I do. I go out with friends, I watch movies at home, I go running, I go to the beach... sometimes I go to a bar or go dancing, but I get extremely drunk ridiculously fast, so I stick to water, though people usually think I'm drunk anyhow, I'm pretty klutzy and I don't mess around when I dance - all or nothing!
Adam Bernard: Redheads are notoriously feisty. Since you aren’t a crazy party animal, where does your feistiness lie? A Fine Frenzy: I have a temper. It’s not a bad one, and I try not to let it run wild, but sometimes I just explode. Usually people think it's funny, which makes me madder for a second and then I laugh, too, because I know I'm ridiculous. Also, as I mentioned before, I love to dance, and I have the worst mouth out of everyone in the band. Salty language galore!
Adam Bernard: I would have never imagined you curse like a sailor! Moving back to your music, you close Bomb in a Birdcage with “Beacon.” The song is a classic example of your ability to emotionally affect the listener. Shoot, I damn near cried when I heard it and I don’t cry for anything (except for the end of Field of Dreams). Can you promise you will only use this power for good and not evil? A Fine Frenzy: Oh man, thank you so. That means so much to me. I solemnly swear to use that power only for good, scout's honor - not that I was a girl scout, but I wanted to be one!
Adam Bernard: At this point I think your other biggest superpower might involve Twitter. What inspired you to become an early adopter and how do you think having over a million followers will affect your album sales? A Fine Frenzy: I became an early adopter because it seemed like a novel idea and a way to keep track of what I was doing and where I was going since everything was happening so fast. I honestly didn't think anyone would give a hoot about what I had to say. It's insane how much it's exploded! I am stunned and grateful, though it still baffles me how big it has gotten. I don't know how it will affect album sales. I guess it's extra exposure, which is always valuable, and a way to remind people that the album is actually coming out, which I think a lot of people tend to miss unless they're told directly. We will certainly see! Fingers crossed!
Adam Bernard: Finally, reveal one thing about yourself that you think might shock people. A Fine Frenzy: I have twenty one tattoos, the majority in places that simply can't be shown in mixed company… {laughs}… NOT!
When your roommate drinks all your beer, usually all you get out of it is a trip to the store. When Dude Offline (pictured here next to a little slice of Heaven) found his roommate had committed this heinous crime against him, he skipped the store and instead made a song that became one of the longest running hits in college radio history.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from Chris Brown’s almost instantaneous probation violation, to Britney Spears’ songwriters’ insane concept of rhyming words, to the strangest new pairing in all of music, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Although many of them haven’t hit the mainstream airwaves yet, the Bay Area has been producing some of Hip-Hop’s most talented artists for years. Jern Eye has seen this both as an insider, as a current resident of Oakland, and an observer, as a former resident of the Bay’s southern counterpart, LA. Jern, who in addition to being a solo artist is a member of the group Lunar Heights, has earned a spot among the Bay Area’s Hip-Hop elite and on October 13th he’ll be releasing his second full length solo album, Vision. Today (Sept. 1st) the first single from that album, “Get Down” b/w “So and So” featuring Guilty Simpson, was released to radio and I caught up with Jern Eye to find out more about his music, how many hours without sleep it would take to cover the entire Bay Area Hip-Hop scene, and why if you see a girl on his arm it’s highly unlikely that she’s a Hip-Hop head. Here are some of the highlights from the interview:
On how his love of Hip-Hop developed: In high school I’d sneak out in my dad’s car before I even had a driver’s license and hit up these shows. I think being around the scene at that time really inspired and helped me jump start what I wanted to do with myself in terms of being an artist and being an emcee.
On the Bay Area’s Hip-Hop scene: It’s very community based. You don’t go being out here in the scene without either getting a chance to work with another artist or doing a show with another artist and/or breaking bread with another artist.
On the differences between Authentic Vintage and Vision: Vision was more of a conscious effort. I really sat there and was like OK, it’s time for me to make another record.
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.
Jerry Ferrara
Amber Smith
Vanessa Branch
Candice Michelle
