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
When you're born in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and raised in both Brooklyn, New York, and Jersey City, New Jersey, it's more than likely that hip-hop is going to be a major part of your life. That was the start of Rah Grizzly's story. Adding to the non-stop hip-hop that surrounded him when he was younger were his old cousins, who were obsessed with the movie Beat Street, and always watched it whenever he was around.
These influences helped to make Rah Grizzly the man, and the artist, he is today. The gravelly voiced emcee just recently released his official debut album, Fresh Out Of Hibernation, and I caught up with him to find out more about the scenes he's from, the hibernation he was in, and what Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins have to do with his career.
Hearing a Latin infused version of the Depeche Mode classic “Personal Jesus” is the kind of thing that perks my ears up and makes me take notice. The two man band that was providing the tune was Navegante, and they were opening for last week’s Artist Of The Week, Hank & Cupcakes. I started paying close attention to their set, which was heavy with thumping bass lines that moved the crowd. I was really impressed and left with their latest EP, which is self-titled. This week I caught up with both men of Navegante, Jean Shepherd and Washington Duke (pictured L to R), to find out more about their music, their migration to being unclassifiable genre-wise, and what they’ve learned after experiencing more than their fair share of industry shadiness.
Adam Bernard: You’re a two man group. Did you ever consider adding another member? Washington Duke: Well, this band has had lots of different formats, and as many as five members at one point. We evolved into a duo last December and haven't looked back. If we were to add another member that person would have to be pretty special. I think if someone pops up that wants the gig we might take a look at him/her, but it would have to be a perfect situation, and he/she would have to bring something to the table that neither of us could. For now we're loving the duo format, though. It constantly pushes us to be creative and to learn things we might not have taken the time to learn if there was someone else there to handle it.
Adam Bernard: I’m a little rusty on my Spanish, and by “a little rusty” I mean I haven’t taken a Spanish class since the early 90’s and I still have no idea what my Latin friends are saying around me. What does Navegante mean, and how does that name represent you and the music you’re making? Jean Shepherd: Navegante means “Navigator.” I don't read or write music, but I have made my own way of making music that moves me and hopefully moves others, too. I've been given some of the greatest advice by some of the most amazing musicians I know and they all have told me the secret isn't playing a million notes that don't mean anything, but molding your sound and perfecting your tone until it penetrates people. We are navigating our way though the oceans of modulating frequencies and oscillating sound-waves. I got a bit poetic with that answer.
Adam Bernard: When I first heard the name Navegante I expected some traditional Latin music. Where does your electronic influence come from? Jean Shepherd: I've been working on the production end for years, but I never incorporated it into my live set until now. This was the right time to do that. We are creating music that maintains the live feel when we play. It is not stiff and restricted. We work hard at this to make sure the music breathes and moves. It has givin us much more flexibility. Big thanks to our sponsor Ableton Live!
Adam Bernard: Do you consider what you do to fall under the heading “Latin Music?” Washington Duke: Falling under the heading “Latin Music” is not something we necessarily considered as a goal. Both of us have Hispanic backgrounds. Jean is part Puerto Rican, part Peruvian, and grew up in Miami, and my mother is Cuban. She moved to Miami with her family when she was 15. Both Jean and I grew up with Latin music and it became part of our sensibility and therefore comes out in how we play and write. Our first album is all in Spanish, so that pretty much categorizes it under “Latin music,” but there are so many other influences at work there, like hip-hop, rock, electronic music, and so on. This new album is all in English, but I think all of our influences are still there, including our Latin influences. This upcoming album, however, is difficult to classify under one genre. It's not one thing. It's got everything. It's totally new and different. That's what we love about it. You can't really give it a name. It's just Navegante. It's for everyone.
Adam Bernard: I don’t know if this was a one time thing, but at the last show you were giving away your EP. What went into your decision to do this? Jean Shepherd: We are in the process of finishing our full length album and we wanted to get people hyped up on what is coming. We are kind of like drug dealers. We give the kids a lil’ taste and them get them hooked.
Adam Bernard: Staying with the EP, what do you hope people feel when they spin the album? Jean Shepherd: We want them to turn it way up and enjoy that shit! We realize that once the music is out there, it's out there, so we encourage people to remix it, share it, mash it up, talk about it, criticize it, whatever. We make music to uplift the people, so if it does that we are happy.
Adam Bernard: Jean, I know you were in another group, Radio Mundial, before this. What led you to go from that project to starting this one, and how did you and Washington link up? Jean Shepherd: I decided to start this group after Radio Mundial because the label I was working with at the time, Palm Pictures, which is Chris Blackwell’s new venture, totally shitted on the release of our second record and Blackwell himself stepped in and wanted my first born in exchange for a release from the contract. We couldn't survive it and I decided to move on and start something new and completely different.
Adam Bernard: As people who’ve experienced a lot in the industry, what lessons have you come away with that you’d like to pass on to other artists? Washington Duke: Build strong relationships with focused, driven, talented and trustworthy people. Don't sign a contract with ANYONE until you can trust them. Everyone will promise you that they will do this and they will do that. From my experience the proof is in the action not the words. If they don't want to show you what they can do then that usually means they can't do shit. I've had my most lucrative business relationships solidified by a handshake, and those lasted for many years and we are still on good terms and talk regularly. And no matter what you do - get a good lawyer to negotiate your contracts!
Summer's almost over, but Fresh Daily has one last summer jam for everyone, "In the Stuy (On My Mind)." The song is a smooth ode to reminiscing about a past love while taking a stroll down the block, and it creates a great summertime vibe. In fact, I could have sworn I saw the sun peek out from behind a cloud halfway though playing it.
The phrase “bad seed” gives many people visions of reckless youths, but Tomorrows Bad Seeds is hoping to alter that point of view (if the phrase “bad seed” gives you visions of a lackluster garden, there’s a chance you might be on the wrong website). Tomorrows Bad Seeds is made up of Moises Juarez (lead vocals), Sean Chapman (vocals/guitar), Mathew McEwan (vocals/guitar), Pat Salmon (drums), and Andre Davis (bass), and the rock infused reggae group has high aims to bring some meaning back to music. When I caught up with the band they told us about flipping the idea of “bad seeds,” their ultimate goals for their music, and the disturbing reason you probably won’t see them on a train anytime soon.
Adam Bernard: Why Tomorrows Bad Seeds? Why not today’s?
Sean: We always head for the future. We are always trying to progress. The name comes from statistics that say our generation is filled with “bad seeds” because we all came from somewhat broken homes, so we’ve been, through our lives, statistically shown as like “oh hey, you’re not gonna make it,” and we kind of use it in a positive way. Instead of bad meaning bad, it’s bad meaning good. That’s how we turned it into a good thing.
AB: So where are all you “bad seeds” from?
Sean: We’re generally all from Southern California.
Moises: Except for our drummer, he’s from Jersey, but he lives in Southern California with us now.
AB: Southern California is beautiful. I saw some amazing graffiti riding the Amtrak from LA to San Juan.
Moises: I got robbed on that thing.
AB: Really?
Moises: I’m not lying, dude. I was working one day, I used to do company restoration, and I was coming home late on the Amtrak from the red line. The red line is like the under tunnel one, like the Union Station one, and some dude just sat next to me and squeezed me in and another dude had a long, what looked like an ice pick, and just kinda held it to me and went through my pockets and took my shit and got out at that stop and I kept going. It happened really quick.
AB: WOW! Does anybody else have any horror stories from riding the train?
Andre: I used to take the train from San Diego to LA all the time. I’d get on the thing at 11 o’clock at night, not a single person in the whole Amtrak service but shady looking people, and I had like a $3,000 bass on my back, just like aw damnit.
AB: Those are some crazy situations. Do you have any advice you could give based on what you went through?
Moises: If anybody’s trying to rob you just give it to them, don’t fight em back. My feeling is, you need it more than I do, obviously.
AB: Let’s move to your music now. Why don’t you tell me a little bit about your sound and what people can expect from you when you hit the stage?
Sean: We play reggae rock, but we also mix it up with a lot of other things. We’re highly influenced by a lot of other music. It’s really high energy, groovy, good rhythms, good beats. It’s chill, but it has its high points, for sure. We dynamically go up and down in our set.
AB: OK, so lay it out for everybody, who are some of your biggest influences?
Sean: The whole punk scene, Black Flag, Descendants. Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, a little bit of hip-hop.
Moises: We grew up in a predominantly punk rock area, but hip-hop also started making a big impact. My mom listened to a lot of Motown and a lot of old school classic rock. Sade, Rolling Stones, The Beatles. I like a lot of Spanish music. I like The Gypsy Kings. I’m into old school hip-hop. I generally like everything, I even like country music, so my influences are anything and everything I’ve ever heard.
AB: What would you say Tomorrows Bad Seeds is all about?
Moises: A good message is the main thing that I think my band is portraying because a lot of music nowadays, Mat always says this and I always steal this from him, is watered down. There’s rarely any substance. A lot of people write about love. Love’s a great thing. All you need is love, like John Lennon said, but the truth is there are a lot more things that are happening in our time that people need to be aware of, so with our music we try to submit some sort of consciousness to what’s going on and have a kind of an awakening. Our first album came out in 2007 and it was called Early Prayers and the way I looked at the name of the album was that this is our prayer for humanity. We’re not necessarily religious people, but we are spiritual, we do believe in the kindness of humanity for each other, and that we are here for each other. So the first album was called Early Prayers, like prayer for humanity, a prayer for our brothers, our people, we’re all the same. Our second album came out May 25th, it’s called Sacred For Sale. We’ve already said the prayer for our people, now it’s like the ones that are still taking what’s sacred and selling it, they should realize that’s not right.
AB: You mentioned you feel a lot of music nowadays is watered down.
Moises: A lot of songs are watered down. A perfect example is, I like her music, I think she’s cool, but that girl Ke$ha, how many little girls in high school that are on cheer team are dancing in every competition to that song. And what’s that song really saying? I get up in the morning, I feel like this black dude that raps, I brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack cuz when I leave, mom, I ain’t coming back. Alright, well fuck, how many moms are at home crying to that shit.
AB: Whenever I go out to a show I’m like, God, don’t give me a daughter, because I know half of these girls here walked out of the house dressed totally differently than they are now.
Moises: Oh yeah. Exactly. And they’re so young now and they get so influenced so quickly. To have that kind of power on somebody, not power, but influence, use it in a good way.
AB: Staying in the vein of influence, what do you hope people to get out of your music?
Moises: We’d like for people to spread the seed and just be conscious of what’s going on in these times because you mean a lot more than you think you do in the big scheme of things.
Prolifik is a bit of an anomaly when it comes to local emcees. While the vast majority of our state’s rappers are focused on the underground scene, Prolifik has spent his time there and decided that if he wants to make an impact he’s going to have to be commercially viable first. His latest mix-CD, Verbal Thoughts 2, is a perfect illustration of this. People who’ve followed Prolifik for a while may have noticed his transition, but thankfully it’s not a full one as there are a few non-mainstream songs on Verbal Thoughts 2 that show Prolifik’s dynamic storytelling ability, and songs that feature the likes of Marty James from One Block Radius, and Sullee from VH1’s White Rapper Show, mixed in with the songs that sound like they could fit into any major radio station’s playlist. Also, the hilarious T-Pain spoof “Broke” shows Prolifik isn’t afraid to have fun at the mainstream’s expense. Verbal Thoughts 2 is an album that shows an emcee that’s willing to do what it takes to see success while at the same time make sure that he doesn’t lose his soul. The mainstream will have to watch out for Prolifik.
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 what might be in Ricky Martin’s upcoming autobiography, to Bono’s news regarding the next U2 album, to how much Jersey Shore’s The Situation is taking home this year, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Hip-hop has consistently been at the epicenter of what’s new and fresh, which is why it’s so odd that certain terms and phrases have stuck around longer than many artists have. In a culture that normally sees so much linguistic turnover that once anyone over the age of 35 has heard of a term it’s already been replaced, we still have some slang that has stuck around like gum on the bottom of a sneaker. This week I’m taking a look at some of the terms that won’t seem to go away, but that we could really do without.
Hater - Hater has become the catch-all term for artists to describe anyone who doesn’t like their work, and for fans to describe anyone who doesn’t like their favorite artist. This has made it so that in hip-hop the concept of constructive criticism is almost as foreign as an album without skits. In fact, I’m convinced many people have no clue what Common was talking about on “The 6th Sense” when he rapped “if I don’t like it, I don’t like it, that don’t mean that I’m hatin.” There is an in-between, an in-between most people are at when it comes to most artists, where they may not like their work, but they’re not actively hating on it. Just because someone doesn’t like an artist doesn’t mean they’re a hater, but in a time when egos are so large that everyone thinks they’re the greatest of all-time, anyone who says otherwise gets the hater label. It’s not correct, and it’s time for the term to fade away. There are still some haters out there who think certain artists can do no right no matter how great a song they may create, but those people are few and far between, and truthfully, for as difficult as it is to have a conversation about music with those folks, it’s equally as difficult to have a conversation with someone who thinks everyone who doesn’t like their favorite artist is a hater. You’re allowed to not like an artist, or an album. You’re allowed to have a differing opinion. This doesn’t make you a hater.
Keep it real - So many people define “keep it real” incorrectly at this point that it’s lost all meaning. “Keep it real” has nothing to do with dealing drugs. It has nothing to do with carrying guns. It has nothing to do with jail time. It has nothing to do with being shot. It has nothing to do with having stories about the streets in one’s rhymes. At it’s very core, “keep it real” is supposed to mean being true to oneself, whomever you may be. The Fresh Prince kept it real when people told him he couldn’t sell records being a clean rapper, but instead of listening to those critics he kept his lyrics clean and became a huge success. Keeping it real is supposed to be about honesty, but it’s morphed into this concept of a macho ideal that’s both unnecessary and more than a little dangerous to be held up as an example to the youth. Until artists actually keep it real, let’s retire “keep it real.”
No homo - Has any phrase been more overused in the past five years than “no homo?” Originally meant to be a fairly unwitty way of signifying the sentence, or action, one has just said or done is not meant to be taken in a homosexual way, “no homo” turned into an epidemic to the point where it’s now impossible to get through conversations with certain people without hearing it half a dozen times. The one thing I find interesting about “no homo” is that it shows that a lot of guys who don’t want to be thought of as homosexuals sure do find ways to construe nearly everything said to them, by them, or done around them, in a homosexual way. Never before has a phrase shown us people’s homophobia, and total obsession with homosexuality, simultaneously. How about we get rid of the phrase, the fear, and the line of thinking? Is that too much to ask?
You know what I’m sayin? - Although I love the poetic irony of the fact that when a rapper closes a sentence, or a statement, with “you know what I’m sayin” the answer to that question is almost always “no,” it’s that fact, and the fact that the phrase has become nothing more than verbal time filler, like the word “like” was for Valley girls, that puts it on this list. There’s no need to fill every moment silence with words, and most of the time that’s what “you know what I’m sayin” is doing. Take a moment and think about what you want to say, don’t just keep talking for the sake of talking. If you give that a try people might actually know what you’re saying. You know what I’m sayin?
I rarely plan on going to events on back to back nights, but it just so happened that it was unavoidable last week as Tah Phrum Duh Bush and Coole High had their dual album release party on Wednesday, and Foul Mouth Jerk and TopR were performing around the corner from me on Thursday. Both events were filled with some special moments and one even included some unexpected nudity. Here’s what went down.
I'm hittin ya with a half hour of dope hip-hop and me being an idiot with this month's ABX podcast. So basically, you're getting exactly what you expect from The Adam B Experience. Seven never before heard on The Adam B Experience songs make up the playlist, and the show also includes a few interesting stories, as well as a few interesting noises, because I made the very poor decision to leave my window opened while recording. No wonder they don't have windows in studios! Enjoy!
A few weeks ago I made a trip into the city to see Hank & Cupcakes. I’d heard, and dug, their self-titled EP and figured they’d be a good time live. With Hank, bass in hand, hitting the stage in sunglasses and unbuttoned coveralls, and Cupcakes taking her place standing behind her drums, wearing a shiny silver half jacket over a cropped top and also donning shades, I knew the performance I was about to see was definitely going to be different. In this case, different was good. Very good. Funky, vibrant, and just plain fun, Hank & Cupcakes are dance music with an attitude, and within one song they had the entire audience, myself included, moving to their beat. I caught up with the duo soon after the show to find out more about who Hank & Cupcakes are, how Cupcakes fell in love with the drums, and where they feel the unintentional sex appeal of their music comes from.
Adam Bernard: Start me off with a little bit of background info. How did Hank & Cupcakes come together? Hank: Hank & Cupcakes was officially born at Tel Aviv in mid 2008 out of our conclusion that we wanted to leave Tel Aviv and come NYC. The initial idea was to build a solid bass and drum section and then add band members once we get to NY. We ended up staying with the bass / drums format, first of all, because it was too much fun! We also were, and still are, rehearsing every single day, and didn't think musicians would be down for doing such a thing without any compensation. Starting from scratch as one of thousands of Brooklyn based bands was very hard in the beginning, and at one of our early shows at The Delancey we played in front of an empty house. When we got on stage and started playing the bartender went away, too, but we killed it, seriously! People came in later on and in the end we even got offered another show. At that time we where extremely fortunate to have been invited to play by a lot by people who liked the band and believed in us. Six months after we got to the city we we were playing two to three shows a week in the tri-state area.
Adam Bernard: What attracted you to each other's musical personalities? Hank: We were a couple before we started creating music together, so the first attraction between us was a personal and a physical one. On the pure musical level, we have been playing and creating together for ten years and our musical worlds evolved and matured in the same environments. To say the truth, it's hard to segregate between our musical attraction and personal attraction, or between our musical personality and personal personality. In our current way of living it's all mixed up since we are friends, a couple, and the two members of Hank & Cupcakes. We are not even really sure that we are two different human beings! So to answer your question, everything attracts us to each other.
Adam Bernard: Cupcakes, female drummers can be hard to find. Sheila E. and Lenny Kravitz' drummer being noted exceptions. What inspired you to pick up some drumsticks and learn the craft? Cupcakes: The inspiration came from a beach in Tel Aviv called the Dolphinarium. I stumbled into a huge spontaneous African drums jam one Friday when I was 18 years old, only to later discover it was a weekly ritual with hundreds of drummers feverishly jamming as the sun set, and crazy hippies fire twirling and smoking pot in the background. This was my first real experience with drums. Up until then I was a singer, a pianist, a composer, a bit of an actor, a bit of a dancer but definitely not a drummer! That day I was completely taken and found myself drawn to one particular big African drum who's owner was playing with a pair of sticks. He must have seen me moving closer and closer because finally he asked me if I would like to play. I was beside myself! Of course I readily agreed and literally fell in love. I came back to that beach almost every night that summer to jam with beautiful strangers who became my friends on the pier.
Adam Bernard: With the exception of Genesis I don't know of a lot of bands where the drummer is also the singer. Did this make it difficult to put together your live show? What were some of the ideas you scrapped when first coming up with how you'd perform live? Hank: When we started rehearsing initially we weren't actually thinking about the live show at all, but were focusing more on creating a new kind of music that would inspire us. We didn't even plan that Cupcakes would remain the drummer. We envisioned a full band with Cupcakes as the singer. The more difficult challenge was actually how to make music with only bass and drums without it sounding like, “hey! Where's the rest of the band?” We researched and experimented with the combination of the two instruments and figured out how to make them sound like a full band without the feeling that something is missing.
Adam Bernard: A lot of reviewers find a lot of sex in your music. Do you feel that this is a big element of what you do? Cupcakes: If there is a lot of sex in our music it's because of the energy that comes out of us on stage, it has nothing at all to do with the music we create. Sex appeal was not something we planned on, or thought should be incorporated in our music. It must have happened naturally and we embraced it. The feeling we have on stage is one of complete freedom and no boundaries. There is also something very raw and almost tribal in what we are doing and it is very important to us to squeeze out powerful energy coming from our gut on stage, so expressing sexuality is actually a very natural thing in this context if you think about it.
Adam Bernard: What do you feel are the most important elements of your work? Hank: In general the most important element is our complete devotion to what we do. It means that all of our resources, physical and mental, are focused on this band. Some people will say that it's hard, but we really feel that it's a blessing and that it's something that gives meaning to our lives, sort of like what religion is for a religious person.
Adam Bernard: In addition to being hard working, you’re also funky dressers. Cupcakes, you especially have a very unique fashion sense. How did you develop it and in what ways do you feel it represents you and your music? Cupcakes: Both in fashion sense and music sense we're looking to keep ourselves interested and stimulated. It would be really boring to always be wearing the same things! Being in New York is very inspiring and gives the feeling that you can be anyone. We try to reinvent ourselves all the time and on all levels. Of course, fashion is the way we translate this into something visual. It's a lot of fun. We usually shop at second hand stores, mainly Beacon's Closet and Buffalo Exchange, and have recently been very lucky to have a few stylists dressing us up, too. You could say my hobby since age six is alive and breathing!
Adam Bernard: Speaking of what you wear; Hank, what was with all the lipstick marks you were sporting at the show I attended? Is there something we should know about? Hank: This lipstick thing started at a photo shoot we did with Alan Lugo and Alison Li in which I was wearing lipstick and I kissed Cupcakes all over leaving kiss marks on her face (as seen above). During the week before the show we'd been shooting our music video for “Ain’t No Love” and this time we were both wearing lipstick dancing around MC Shane MauX (of Belikos) while he was doing his rap part covered with kiss marks. The show you were at was a continuation of that general vibe and mood. In general it's just a cool kinky idea that doesn't really mean anything... or maybe it does...
Adam Bernard: Finally, I gotta know, where does the infatuation with redheads come from? Cupcakes: Nobody knows it, but Hank's beard, if he had one, would be red!
I have been one of the lucky few to step into X-Plane's top secret recording location, but I was sworn to secrecy regarding it's whereabouts and actual purpose. That being said, there's no reason to keep his latest creation from there a secret as it's the fantastic song "You Too Old To Be A Thug." The video is slightly shaky, but the lyrics are what really matter with this one.
Mike Phillips describes his ascent in the music industry as “almost like a jazz version of Lil’ Wayne,” noting his numerous guest spots before releasing his first album, and then that first album, 2002’s You Have Reached Mike Phillips, debuting at #3 on the Billboard contemporary jazz chart. Since then the Mount Vernon, NY, native has seen further success with his follow up efforts, Uncommon Denominator, and the recently released M.P.3.
In addition to his contemporary jazz hits, Phillips has also taken his saxophone and turned hip-hop favorites into jazzy pieces with his Unwrapped series of albums. The jazz inspired instrumental versions of popular hip-hop songs combine two of his greatest musical loves.
Having shared the stage with everyone from Prince to Jill Scott, Phillips’ resume as a musician is unparalleled, which is why some may find it interesting that his work ethic hasn’t wavered since the day he started. When I caught up with Phillips he told me about his earliest years with the sax, what concerns him about the future of music, and the compliment Prince gave him that he’ll never forget.
The Kids in the Hall (pictured L to R: Mark McKinney, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Dave Foley, and Scott Thompson) have been entertaining audiences with their warped sense of humor for more than two decades. Their latest endeavor is an eight episode murder mystery miniseries titled Death Comes to Town, which begins its run on IFC on August 20th. I caught up with Kids in the Hall member Bruce McCulloch, who not only has multiple roles in the show, as do all the Kids, but also wrote it, to find out more about Death Comes to Town, why Death is so grumpy, and what was, bar none, the worst job on the set. McCulloch also discussed why the troupe don’t play certain characters from their sketch comedy show anymore, and the endorsement deal they’d love to see happen.
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 Taylor Swift landing in a very non-musical hall of fame, to Tila Tequila’s appearance at a concert she had no business being at, to the song that refuses to leave my head, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Tah Phrum Duh Bush isn’t just one of the most talented people in New York City’s underground hip-hop scene, he’s also one of the most important. His unwavering support of the scene, which is evident by his presence at a staggering number of shows, and his willingness to not just share, but encourage proper promotional and marketing techniques, has helped legions of artists achieve far more than they could have ever hoped. Now it’s time for Tah to achieve again, as on August 18th his latest project, Luminous Dark Alleys: The Insomniac Works, will be hitting stores. I caught up with Tah Phrum Duh Bush to find out more about the project, the real life sickness that inspired it, and the events that caused it to continually be pushed back. Tah also revealed the thought process behind one of his greatest marketing techniques, his giant Tah Phrum Duh Bush sign.
Born in Bridgeport, CT, raised in Stratford, educated throughout NYC, and now residing in New Haven, Illus is known for a variety of artistic endeavors. A veteran when it comes the pen and the pad in more ways than just one, in addition to penning his lyrics, Illus is also an accomplished comic book artist, and has led panel discussions on the topic at CMJ, NYU, and various Comic-Cons. His latest album, Feel Good Music, is a collaboration with producer J.J. Brown, and it’s already drawing rave reviews from the likes of Chuck D, who Illus notes “said it was one of the best albums of the year on his radio show.” He adds “hearing him say that was pretty amazing.” This week I caught up with Illus to find out more about his dual loves, in what ways they crossover, and the song he felt he had to make.
Adam Bernard: How did you get the name Illus? Is there an especially interesting story behind it? Illus: The name Illus is short for illustrator. You can also flip it to mean I am the illest on the mic, which, when I was younger, I was determined to be. I would battle anyone and everyone and eventually I gained a rep for being “the crazy kid” and a bit “sick in the head,” or “ill,” so to speak. My ego isn’t so large anymore, or maybe I just grew up, but I’m still confident in my talents and skills. Illus is more than just an emcee name, it’s a way of life, how I eat and survive, and who I am.
Adam Bernard: What got you started in both hip-hop and art? Illus: I’ve been an artist and storyteller all my life. I still have drawings from when I was five years old. I guess I was just born with a need to create. Luckily, I had parents and family that encouraged me to draw and write, so I kept doing it, practicing and experimenting and learning from everything around me, which included hip-hop, graffiti, and, of course, comic books. What really captivated my about hip-hop was that it was a real culture. It wasn’t just rap, it was art and graffiti, dancing, language, and tradition. When I was a kid it was also rebellious and anti-establishment, and what kid isn’t attracted to that? It was an art form that spoke out against the ills of society as well as uplifted those who it touched, empowering us with a sense of responsibility as well as pride. I found my voice through hip-hop. I connected with it both visually and rhythmically and was able to use it as an art form to express myself. Once you get a taste of that power to connect with others across the globe it’s very addictive and becomes a part of you.
Adam Bernard: Even though the art you do isn’t graffiti, do you feel there’s any crossover between your music and your art? Illus: While I don’t practice illegal graffiti anymore, I used to as a kid/young adult. My problem was I had this unwavering desire to avoid jail at all costs. I had absolutely no interest in ever being incarcerated for any reason other than my survival. So the entrepreneur in me usually found a way to do murals and commissioned pieces legally. I guess I wasn’t hardcore enough, but the graphic element and style of graffiti was a huge influence on me as an illustrator and painter. There is definitely a crossover between my music and art. Whether it’s illustrating the official Public Enemy comic book series for Chuck D, or an album cover, or the influence of hip-hop and graffiti in my fine art and paintings, my music and art go hand in hand. I also tend to think visually, so when I put my words together in my music I do so in a very graphic way to illustrate what I am feeling or the story I am telling.
Adam Bernard: How well do you think hip-hop and comic books get along? Illus: Growing up, hip-hoppers were like superheroes to me. They were strong and powerful, they had a positive message and fought against the evils of society, and they even had secret identities and code names. DMC said that he was inspired to become the Devastating Mic Controller because of his love for comic books. Chuck D also stated that the formation of Public Enemy was heavily influenced by his love for comics. Heroes like Spiderman and the X-Men were actually outlaws, hunted by the police and feared by the mainstream. They were underground heroes who did battle against evil forces despite the fact that society didn’t appreciate or respect them. So the two art forms really go hand in hand for me and I love both passionately.
Adam Bernard: You recently released an album titled Feel Good Music that was produced entirely by J.J. Brown. How did you two link up? Illus: I was a big fan of J.J.’s work with Louis Logic and I heard he was working on some new material so I got his contact info and shot him an email to see if he needed any artwork for the album. We ended up building and I found out he was a fan of comics and a lot of the same 80’s pop culture shows and movies. He heard I was going to be at a CMJ panel at NYU talking about hip-hop and comic books and said he was interested in going, so I hooked him up with a pass and surprised him with an original drawing as a thank you for all of his inspiration. We stayed in touch and he actually asked me to do the illustrations and design work for his solo project. While I was working on that we started to vibe together on some songs and it eventually turned into an album.
Adam Bernard: Tell everyone a little bit about the album. Illus: The album is the result of overcoming many struggles and hardships and finding peace and happiness and learning to appreciate the small things as well as taking all of my life’s past lessons and applying them to each song. I believe it is an album that everyone can relate to on some level. It’s a positive album that celebrates life, love, friends, family and the ability to find the inner-strength to overcome any challenge or doubt and succeed. It’s a hardcore album you can listen to with a smile rather than a frown, and I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but it really is a feel good experience from beginning to end.
Adam Bernard: The last track on the album is one that certainly hits hard. Why did you want to put so much of your life into that song? Illus: Ahhh, “Super Secret Identity” was incredibly difficult to write but incredibly important. It really does pretty much embody who I am. I wanted to write that song as a release. I needed to write it for myself more than anything. I wanted this album to take me to a new level and I wanted it to be something I was proud of. In order for me to do that I had to be completely comfortable with who I am as an artist and person. This was basically my way of saying this is who I am, take it or leave it.
Adam Bernard: Finally, what about your career are you most proud of? Illus: Overall I am very proud that I have persevered over the years and continued to pursue this dream and have maintained my passion and integrity. It is very important to me that I continue to learn, grow, and evolve, and the fact that I have survived all of the ups and downs of a professional artist and musician feels like a real blessing. Most people never get a chance to pursue any of their dreams, and few get to see any success, I’ve been lucky to do both.
Get your weekend off to a funky start with this live version of the Sketch Tha Cataclysm & Roc Doogie collaboration "No Answers Will Be Found Here." Sketch and Roc are always on point, and for those who haven't been to CT to see Sketch's new band, this is a great introduction to their work.
Everyone has become accustomed to artists boasting about how they never sleep, but for Tah Phrum Duh Bush his sleeplessness has never been a point of pride, it’s been a serious condition. For the majority of the Brooklyn, NY, native’s life insomnia has taken his nights away from him. Instead of turning to modern medicine to attempt to cure his sleeplessness, however, Tah worked to turn his pain into art, and created Luminous Dark Alleys: The Insomniac Works.
Luminous Dark Alleys: The Insomniac Works is a 15 track album (14 original songs and one remix) based on his experiences with insomnia and the ideas that have run through his head as a result of not being able to sleep. Tah describes the album as “a dark ride through the mind of an insomniac.” It’s a ride that comes with an accompanying 100+ page book that has a chapter for each song and gives listeners a deeper, fuller experience, that Tah says is “super personal.”
The project is the long awaited follow up to Tah’s 2005 release Sunshine or Pure Shade. During the five years in-between albums Tah experienced a number of extreme highs and lows. There was the triumph of touring Europe a number of times, including a three month stay there in 2009, but also the tragedy of losing his home to a fire. Thankfully, one very important item in his home was saved by a firefighter with a keen eye who noticed one of Tah’s backup hard drives on the floor and managed to kick it under a table before they finished spraying the place down, saving some of Tah’s work. The rest of his drives were lost in the fire.
For most artists, not having a new album out, and touring overseas, results in anonymity at home, but Tah kept his name alive and well through his unique guerilla marketing techniques. His giant “Tah Phrum Duh Bush” sign that he takes to shows, and the “missions” he sets up for his fans that have them promoting his name throughout the city in large groups, have become nothing short of legendary in NYC’s underground hip-hop community.
One of the reasons Tah has so much support in that community is because of all the support he continues to give. Having been involved in the scene since the days when he could be found rhyming alongside Mos Def and Black Moon in park cyphers, Tah is a regular at shows, and is more than willing to answer his phone at any hour of the day or night to give advice to those who seek it.
Tah also packs the house for his performances. Not content with having a typical hip-hop show, Tah enlivens the crowd, getting them involved in more than just the traditional call-and-response way. When he performs “Micro-PH-One-01,” a song off of Sunshine or Pure Shade in which he explains the proper way to use a microphone, he has a volunteer holding cue cards for people to read and gives everyone a diploma at the end of the song for graduating from the course.
There’s a graduation of another kind Tah is also concerned with, and it involves the kids in his community. This is why in 2005, with schoolteacher Rosaleen Knoepfel and fellow emcee Bisco Smith, he helped launch Urban Art Beat, an after-school program where local emcees, in a safe environment, mentor inner city kids in the art of crafting rhymes. After seeing initial success in the South Bronx, Urban Art Beat has expanded to other areas of New York and sees numerous emcees volunteering their time each semester.
Sleeplessness keeps Tah working when even the artists who claim to be up all night have gone to bed. As he continues to put those long nights to good use for both himself and his community, the latest result of his sleeplessness, Luminous Dark Alleys: The Insomniac Works, will wake up anyone who isn’t already familiar with Tah Phrum Duh Bush.
Writing about indie artists can be incredibly rewarding, especially when I see artists I’ve written about rise to new levels of fame, but there are also a few frustrating aspects to it. Recently, certain frustrations have become the norm and they’re frustrations that can easily be fixed. From a journalist’s, or editor’s, perspective the following is common sense, but what we feel is common sense may be something the next person has no idea about, so if you’re an indie artist looking for press, here are three things you really need to have (in addition to talent) that oftentimes get overlooked.
Bio - No matter how much of your life you put in your music, and no matter how often you use the cliche “if you want to know about me just listen to my music,” you have to give writers a reason to want to listen to your music. The answer to “who is this person” shouldn’t take a full play of your album, we should know it with a quick two minute read of your bio. Having a bio will also make the majority of your interviews more interesting because there will be no need to ask about your basic background information. Interviews will be able to be tailored around you, instead of being filled with bland cookie cutter questions that could be used for any artist.
Obviously, getting a professional to write your bio is optimal. A word of advice on that; don’t try to shortchange the writer. How would you react if you were shopping your beats, or your verses, for $300 and someone said they wanted one for $50? Maybe you don’t have the money for a professionally done bio. That’s OK, just write something up for the press to take a look at while you save up for something more professionally done. It will get your album listened to by more writers, and give those writers something to base their questions on.
Fact Sheet - In addition to a bio it’s a good idea to also have a one page fact sheet. The type of information you want to put on this includes the albums you’ve released, other albums you’ve appeared on, prominent shows and events you’ve been a part of, prominent stages you’ve rocked, TV appearances you’ve made, charts your music has appeared on, any honors you’ve taken home, and any other information you’d want the press to know. Some of it can even be quirky. If you have a pet komodo dragon that’s something I, as a writer, would love to know, and ask you about.
For your fact sheet, keep everything in bullet point format to make it easily readable. There’s no need to be super fancy here, just give us the facts. Also, make sure your contact info is on BOTH your bio and your fact sheet. Make your contact info unavoidable, so if at any point a writer says “I like this” they can easily get in touch with you.
Hi-Res Pictures - Not having his-res pictures has become my #1 pet peeve when it comes to working with indie artists. Hi-res pictures, which are 300 dpi and usually 1MB or larger in size, are industry standard, and I’m not talking about the music industry, I’m talking about the print journalism industry. We need hi-res pics if we’re going to print anything about you, and with the proliferation of powerful digital cameras (3 mega pixels and higher), it’s very easy to have hi-res pics handy. Don’t even bother seeking out print press without them because we can’t run an article with anything less.
With everybody looking for press, having these three things will help your cause greatly. And here’s the really good news, all of these items don’t have to be limited to the eyes of the press, you can also use them on your website (“a website” wasn’t on this list because every artist has one). Now get out there and make it happen!
The Xbox Kinect, which is due to hit stores on November 4th, is, unequivocally, the most talked about piece of new hardware in the video game world. The motion sensor for the Xbox 360 has been hotly anticipated for some time now, especially since their rivals, the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3, already have motion sensor technology. Recently, I had the opportunity to try the Kinect out.
The game I played that utilizes it is one that really puts the Kinect to the test - Zumba Fitness, which is scheduled to hit stores this holiday season.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week, with everyone’s favorite reality TV mess Jersey Shore back in full swing, Pop Shots is hitting you with a special edition dedicated to the scholarly lessons we can all learn from the show. The worldly wisdom of JWOWW, and the spectacular smarts of The Situation, are something that should be taught to the masses, and Pop Shots has invented a school, and a curriculum, that will do just that. So break out your notebooks and sharpen your pencils, it’s time for a Jersey Shore education! Of course, since this is Pop Shots you know everything is going to be seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
On Thursday, August, 19th, two of the country’s best, and oftentimes most unheralded, hip-hop scenes will converge at the Acoustic Cafe in Bridgeport when New Jersey’s Foul Mouth Jerk co-headlines and shares the stage with the Bay Area’s TopR.
Both emcees are well established veterans of the game. TopR is currently working on his seventh solo album, and he’s done numerous projects with other artists, as well. Foul Mouth Jerk is readying his fifth solo album, and has been working with his GFE (Granola Funk Express) crew for the past dozen years. The crew, which currently has eight members, has had as many as thirteen.
The style of hip-hop that the duo share is a bit of a throwback to the glory days of rap music. “My generation grew up on 80’s rap for the most part, and early 90’s rap,” TopR explains, “the highly commercialized style of rap that Puffy and all those guys brought out in 96, 97, 98, allowed people like myself and people from my generation to kinda backlash against that because in recent memory we had this traditional rap music that made us feel a certain way.” The backlash, TopR says, is something that barely exists amongst today’s artists. “Now what you have is a generation of kids who grew up on that commercialized music from the late 90’s, so now there’s no backlash against commercialism in hip-hop and people don’t even remember traditional hip-hop.”
At least a few people still remember, including TopR and Foul Mouth Jerk. The duo met through mutual friends who kept telling them they were exactly like each other. Foul Mouth Jerk remembers, “we had friends in common and they were really freaked out because apparently he and I act so much alike. They were like ‘dude, you remind me of my buddy TopR from San Francisco,’ and apparently at the same time other people were going to TopR saying ‘it’s really weird, you’re like a West coast Foul Mouth Jerk.’” He says when they eventually met “it was like we were separated at birth.”
Separated at birth, but connected musically, both in ideology, and in many cases the stage as they now routinely tour together and do combined sets. Sharing the stage leads to some very high energy sets as TopR describes his live show as “kind of like LL Cool J meets GG Allin, but with less fecal matter.” There’s also some comedy thrown in for good measure as Foul Mouth Jerk notes “even if we’re complaining about the state of the world, it’s probably pretty cynically written, so there’s a punch line in there somewhere.”
Cynicism is a commonality when it comes to the work of Foul Mouth Jerk and TopR. The latter explains his style saying “there’s always an underlying theme of rebellion and talking about the futility of the human condition and the kind of activities that stem from someone who’s pretty misanthropic and sick of society to begin with, and Jerk shares a lot of those same kind of views.” Foul Mouth Jerk also has some politics thrown into his rhymes, rhymes that he says, unfortunately, haven’t needed to be altered despite the passage of time.
Even though he wrote the two political songs that will be featured on his next album a full two years ago, Foul Mouth Jerk says the ideas in them still apply today. “I thought I’d have to change a lot, or maybe just remove those songs, but honestly, nothing’s really changed that much. We kind of still have the same problems, if not worse, between all the shit that’s gone down in the Gulf, and the economy, and the wars haven’t been stopped.” He adds “I would have been delighted to take them off because they weren’t problems anymore, but unfortunately they’re still relevant.”
Relevant, yes, but you probably won’t hear them at the show. Foul Mouth Jerk understands the concept of a live show, and a lot of political talk isn’t what he’s on stage to do. “I’ve been touring since ’97, and you learn what songs are for albums and what songs are for stage shows,” he explains. “People don’t come out to the bar and drink to hear you moan and bitch about a lot of stuff. A little bit of that peppered throughout is fine, but we definitely know how to take the right songs, the live ones, the hotter songs off the album, and kill the party with them.”
When Foul Mouth Jerk and TopR bring the East and West coasts together on stage for some true school hip-hop on the 19th, with local fave The Rising Sun Quest opening and special guest Johnny Durkin in the house, one thing’s for sure, there will be plenty of partying.
Have you ever met someone who totally embodies the concept of cool? If you haven’t, allow me to introduce you to Coole High. The New York City born and bred emcee and producer is one of the coolest people around. In addition to his chilled out demeanor, Coole High has a list of credits a mile long and has been deep in the city’s underground hip-hop scene for the better part of the past decade. On August 18th he’ll be releasing his latest album, Futuristically Speaking, and this week I caught up with him to find out more about the project, the tough decision he had to make to keep his career going, and why you might find cheesecake at his co-album release party on the 18th that also features Tah Phrum Duh Bush. I also found out what makes Coole High so cool, and it turns out it’s something we can all do.
I first heard of M.A.E. in passing when someone told me about the duo while I was heading to Homeboy Sandman’s album release party in June. I stayed aware of the music they were making, checked out their video for “Fuck Dancing,” and took a listen to their free EP More. The jazz tinged production and great lyricism that showed a high level of wit and personality really impressed me. This week I caught up with the M.A.E. duo of Express The Motif and Indigo (pictured L to R) to find out more about their work, how they’re going about making sure they’re original, and how they really feel about dancing.
Adam Bernard: Why don’t you start me off by telling me what M.A.E. stands for? If it’s something really simple take this time to make up a way better story. Indigo: Well, I used to call myself the Mason, so we used to be Mason and Express, but since then we changed the meaning. Now it’s Musically Achieved Excellence Express The Motif: It also means Musically Associated Energy. Indigo: I feel like the name is mad corporate. It’s a short, easy to remember acronym.
Adam Bernard: You met in college. At what point did you realize you were going to make music together? Express: Pretty much immediately. I played Go (Indigo) some beats on my old Roland that I had brewing up. He’d come to my room through a mutual friend we had on campus. He spit some crazy rhymes and we were like "yo, let’s do this." Indigo: It was perfect. I remember saying to myself and others the week before I met Lars (Express), "I really need to lay down vocals." I just so happened to meet Lars a couple of days later, so it was like I was ready to go when I met him.
Adam Bernard: Much of your work has a jazzy feel to it. It seems almost impossible to create jazz inspired hip-hop without getting Native Tongues comparisons. How are you going about making sure you’re known as a group doing something new, rather than one copying something that was done before? Indigo: I'm glad you caught that. Our music sounds like Tribe a little bit. All me and my friends listened to in high school was Tribe, Nas, Pete Rock, and Premier. We loved that music growing up. It’s like how Kanye and Pharrell kind of make music that’s 80's inspired. That was the music that was popping when they were kids. I feel like the music you heard when you were younger had more magic to it because it was more chaotic. You couldn’t tell a kick from snare, so the brilliance of the chaos sticks with you, and whenever you can achieve that feeling, it’s like being a kid again. The lyrical content is what sets us apart from those groups, though. We talk about things that are relevant to a digital age. Me, I’m really “new age-y,” so I’m constantly putting my crackpot philosophies up as song concepts. We talk about everything from secret societies to shady girls. Express: We party, we laugh, we smoke, we are on the music grind. We like to hope that’s what people hear in the music, not just that we are inspired by groups like Tribe.
Adam Bernard: I’ve read that your rhymes are fueled by your education. Could you break that down for me? In what ways do you feel your education is prevalent in your music? Indigo: Well, me, personally, when I say “education” I don’t mean formal education. Living this hip-hop shit 24/7, you learn some interesting things about the nature of our society and reality. I'm really into the hidden esoteric meanings of songs, so I love to get cryptic and say a lot of crazy metaphysical shit. So when I say “fueled by education,” I run on the creative energy of my esoteric teachings. Express: I see it like this, we go to a school, SUNY College at Oneonta, that’s one of better schools on the East coast for music industry education. I think we exude a lot of that preparation in our music compared to other acts. I’m able to take dope audio classes every semester that teach so much valuable knowledge about Pro Tools and being in the studio. I try to soak up everything I can and bring it to the studio when we get to work.
Adam Bernard: Being from upstate New York you don’t necessarily have the same opportunities that living in NYC would present to you. That being said, I’m guessing there are some opportunities in upstate NY that those of us who don’t live there aren’t aware of. Hit everyone with the pros and cons of living in that part of the state. Express: Well, we don't really live upstate, we’re both from Long Island, but we go to school there. The opportunities aren't as abundant as they are in NYC, but we make the best of it and try to do every venue in Oneonta that we possibly can. It’s nice cuz we have a little core following in the town. Indigo: We've done every venue at least twice.
Adam Bernard: There’s also a rock group named Mae. Are you cool with them, or is there a battle in your future? Indigo: I've seen that. They gotta throw the first jab, after that we are gunning for them on the next tape. {laughs} Nahhh, we have nothing to do with those guys, we are the M(dot)A(dot)E(dot).
Adam Bernard: Finally, do you really not give a fuck about dancing? Indigo: Umm, yes, “I DONT GIVE A… I DONT GIVE A… I DONT GIVE A…” Express: "That’s Correct!" - Chris Farley
One of the most important people in NYC's hip-hop scene, Tah Phrum Duh Bush will be releasing his latest album, Luminous Dark Alleys: The Insomniac Works, on August 18th. "Randomatic Idiosyncratic" is the first single off of the album and both the song, and the video for it, are incredible. Tah is one of the original B-Listers and after one listen to "Randomatic Idiosyncratic" you'll see why I, and the rest of the scene, have been supporting his work for so long.
For more on Tah check out his Artist Of The Week feature from way back in 2006.
This is a story about a disappearing interview. As a writer I guess I’ve been relatively lucky when it comes to my interviews over the past ten years. Back in the cassette recording days I never had a tape pop, or tear, on me, and the one time I had a tape malfunction I restrung it myself and it worked just fine (there’s something to be said for being born in 1978 and knowing how to use a plethora of forms of media). Sadly, my string of good luck ran out last Friday, and it ran out in the worst way.
I was in the city to interview Lights and see her acoustic performance at Joe’s Pub. I first became aware of Lights in 2009 at Warped Tour when I stopped by the stage she was performing at and was wowed by her. I then covered her album release show in the city that October. Her album ended up ranking as my favorite of ’09 and I’d been dying to interview her and I finally had the opportunity last Friday.
The prep work wasn’t a problem since I’d been following her career, and her tweets, for over a year, so I went into the city ready to have a great interview. The MTA became my first bump in, or perhaps more precisely, under, the road. The 6 train I was on was stalled for “train traffic,” (which I’m still convinced is totally made up. They might as well tell me they’re stopped because there’s a sleeping dragon on the tracks) and once the we were moving again they announced they wouldn’t be stopping at my stop. I had to get out at Union Square and hail a cab the rest of the way (hey MTA, any chance I can get my subway fare back since you didn’t actually get me where you claimed you would?).
A few frantic phone calls to apologize for being late, and ride from a very nice off duty cabbie who happened to be going my way, later, I arrived. My PR contact with the label joked that Lights was already writing a song about my situation. I’m not sure if that’s actually true, but if you ever hear a Lights song about a manic writer who’s really upset at public transportation, that’s me!
The interview went very well. I had some great questions for her, we shared a few laughs, and it was the kind of Q&A that was evergreen, meaning it was going to be just as interesting and relevant six months from now as it would be today.
After grabbing food and roaming around the city I came back to Joe’s Pub for the show, which was great, and then headed to Karma to meet up with a few friends before heading home. I caught the 1:12am train back to CT, ready for a nice nap. I was actually asleep before we started moving and the conductor had to wake me up to take my ticket, at which point I made sure all my proverbial ducks were in a row in my bag, that everything was still in there and nothing was turned on, and went back to sleep.
My cell phone alarm went off ten minutes before my stop (how people slept on trains before cell phone I have no idea) and I went through my bag again to make sure everything was still in order. It was at this point that I noticed the green light of my recorder was on. I thought this was odd since I’d made it through all of Warped Tour with it in my pocket, and numerous shows with it in the very same bag, without it turning on, but I figured something must have jostled my bag in such a way as to get the power on key pressed down. I picked it up and noticed it was on track nine and recording. It was 53 seconds in. I started to put two and two together and suddenly my heart sank like a rock. Track nine was the track Lights’ interview was on. I desperately tried to do whatever I could to try to reverse what was going on, but it was all in vain, as there’s no “undo” on my recorder. I hit play to hear what I had. There was about 30 seconds of Lights and I saying hello to each other and then train noise.
I slowly started to piece together what must have happened, and to say it was bad luck would be an understatement. In order for track nine to be recorded over my recorder had to turn itself on, select track nine, start playing track nine, and then hit record. Since the track was at 53 seconds and running, all of that happened in the minute before I woke up and checked my bag.
I was mortified. I’ve done over 1,000 interviews in the past ten years and I’d never lost one... until now. Even though this was a true Gene Snitsky situation (it wasn’t my fault), I felt like I had wasted everyone’s time. I was also extremely depressed that this happened with one of my favorite artists, and someone who I didn’t know personally so I couldn't just call them up myself and re-do it the next day. Just three days earlier I had interviewed longtime B-Listers Coole High and Tah Phrum Duh Bush in a noisy bar and they both noted that even if the recording didn’t work out because of all the noise we could always just do it again during the week. For Lights I have to go through her label, and I knew how awful it was going to feel to have to tell them I lost the interview.
When I got off at my stop I noticed a Dasani machine in my path. I was pissed. I punched it. Hard. I’m pretty sure it scared the bejesus out of everyone around me, but I didn’t care. And yes, I know the possibility that I’m “gonna have to answer to the Coca-Cola company” (a bajillion points to whoever gets that classic movie reference. It’s one of my all-time faves).
I walked to my car and slumped down for a bit. I tried to figure out why the universe would have done this to me. I thought I had built up some good karma. I even found a lost iPhone at the show and helped to reconnect its owner with it. In the end, however, the last feeling of the night for me would be one of being Charlie Brown (and I don’t mean the dude from LONS). We all have that moment at least a few times in our lives.
Currently I’m working on fixing the situation and setting up a phoner. I’m still upset that the great Q&A I had with Lights will never be known by anyone other than us and the two or three people who were listening in, but now that I’m attempting to find the potential brighter side of things, perhaps the universe has a bigger plan and erased our original interview because the second one will somehow be even better. Who knows?
What I do know now is that no matter how professional you are, and no matter how hard you try to be perfect, sometimes life simply won’t allow it to happen, and how we deal with that realization, and those situations, is what’s really important. This was a pretty harsh way to learn that lesson, but the lesson has been learned.
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 big shakeup at American Idol, to the presidential aspirations of Wyclef, to Dee Snider’s turn as a reality TV star, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Upon first glance Eyes Set To Kill is an exercise in juxtapositions. When most people think of bands that are classified as screamo, or metalcore, the image is one that’s filled almost entirely with testosterone, but Eyes Set To Kill’s screamo sound has a decidedly female backbone with Alexia Rodriguez, who is a vocalist and plays the guitar and keyboards, and her sister Anissa, who plays the bass. The intense sound they create with guitarist Greg Kerwin, drummer Caleb Clifton, and new screamer / keyboardist Cisko Miranda, has given them a unique spot in not just the screamo scene, but the music scene overall.
Then there’s their label situation. They’re on Break Silence Recordings, which is a label that was created specifically for them by Suburban Noize Records, a rap-rock outfit known most for being the home to acts such as Kottonmouth Kings.
Being different, however, has proven to be a very good thing for Eyes Set To Kill as the band has become a force on the rock scene. They’ve hosted Headbanger’s Ball, were listed in Alternative Press’ 100 Bands You Need To Know feature in 2009, they’re on the cover of issue #54 of Outburn, and they’ve been drawing huge crowds throughout the country on this year’s Warped Tour.
I caught up with the band before a show and found out more about their juxtapositions, how they’ve worked out perfectly for them, and the t-shirt they almost had to make for Cisko Miranda.
Juvenile’s name doesn’t really fit him anymore. When I sat down with veteran emcee I found him to be one of the most mature artists you could hope to come across, and that’s in ANY genre of music. Juvy latest effort, Beast Mode, recently hit stores, and I asked him about the album, as well as his place in southern hip-hop history. He also told me about the bold prediction the Cash Money crew made that came true, and how the BP disaster is affecting his hometown.
As I’m sure you all know by now, I’m very open to recommendations when it comes to music. When my homegirl, super talented fine artist Blair Urban, told me I should link up with her friend J Ross Parrelli I added her on various social networking sites and we started talking. I also started listening to her music. Months passed and I came back to her work a number of times. There was really no defining it. With elements of reggae, soul and hip-hop Parrelli and her band have created something original, and I love when artists can still do that in 2010, and do it with instruments rather than a computer.
This week I caught up with Parrelli to learn about her musical history, how she’s been livin since she moved to NYC, and the three places you’ll never find her.
Adam Bernard: Start everyone off with the J Ross Parrelli story. Where are you originally from and what’s your path in music been like? J Ross Parrelli: The roots of the Parrelli family lie deep in the Hundred Acre Wood... No, actually, I grew up in Northern Cali, out in the foothills of Placer County where gold was discovered back in the ‘49 gold rush days, four brothers deep, with names all starting with Js. We thought we were the J5. Eventually this lead me to be in a band with one of my brothers. He rapped, I flavored it with some soul. We played reggae festivals all over California from the Sierra Nevada to the Northwest World Reggae Festival, but eventually it was time to “move it on up” and experience some culture, so I transferred to CSULB (California State University, Long Beach) and moved to Long Beach. There I got a degree in Human Development, participated in the CSULB Slam Poetry team, was awarded with the Best Political Poem in the nation, and began my career as a battle emcee. I got a band together in 2005 - Tulasi, a five piece band Dread I, the keyboardist and producer, and I started and eventually evolved in to ADACA Soul, a seven piece band that includes a female DJ, Mighty JuneBugg, female violinist, and back up singers, the Dreadetts.
Adam Bernard: And you recently made quite the move. J Ross Parrelli: You get to a point in your career where nobody takes you seriously unless you give up everything you own to follow your dreams. I have an amazing support team, and with the encouragement of my man Yanski we decided to go to the east and see what it has to offer. Thus far it has been gracious. Entering battles and competitions and winning first place out of 25 emcees at Hot 97’s Who’s Next competition. Opening and hosting with Rah Digga. Participating in 50 Mics, Elegant Hoodness, End of the Weak, Braggin Rites... this has been an amazing experience and opportunity, to be in NYC and actually taste the difference in music here.
Adam Bernard: How different is NYC from Cali in terms of music? J Ross Parrelli: Dramatically different. Of course there is the more laid back flow of West coast music. There’s a different bump to the music even in our gangster rap, it is a slower flow, you know... Ice Cube, B-Real, Snoop. 2Pac is universal but really displays the highest quality of West coast, as well as Dre. On the East coast you got Supernatural, Wu-Tang, 50, Jay-Z... it’s a faster flow, it’s tighter knit. This is not to say one’s better than the other, but you know the difference.
Adam Bernard: You sing, you rhyme, and you have reggae influences. What are the plusses and minuses of being so diverse? J Ross Parrelli: No one knows how to categorize you. Everyone automatically associates musicians like “ohh she sounds like Joss Stone, Jill Scott, Christina, Lauryn.” We want to box musicians in to a genre and really, I’m genre-free when it comes down to it. I want to invent my own genre called “fresh.” “Oh that, that’s that fresh music. Everybody’s doing it.” On a positive note, you really can’t just be one thing anymore. You gotta sing and rap, or play guitar, or dance, or do poetry. Being diverse, especially being a light skinned female, the shock value is priceless. Being able to jump on the stage and sing, flip familiar reggae tunes, as well as emcee writtens and freestyles, folks kind of trip out.
Adam Bernard: What projects are you working on right now? J Ross Parrelli: I’m always recording. I want to be like Pac, MJ and Marley and leave my footprints in about 300 tracks. I have three mixtapes in the making. I am really looking for that one producer that is willing to challenge my sound to a whole new rhythm. I’m currently working with an amazing network called Soar Nation, where we can change the way people buy. I’ll be one of the first musical artists participating in their “Philanthro-capitalism” campaign. The website and campaign will launch in September for a West coast college tour, and the re-release of my EP Lov’n Mak’n Music (which Blair Urban did the cover art for) will be available in October.
Adam Bernard: What are your passions outside of music and how do you find time for them? J Ross Parrelli: To me music is like a way of life. I work out to make my breathing stronger. I practice daily to be the best I can be. Part of being a musician is a responsibility to share and teach your gift, so my main passion is the community and the youth. I am constantly finding inspiration in the youth with the workshops that I teach, and the workshops that I take. Knowledge is my passion and I am always looking for it.
Adam Bernard: Finally, everyone likes their privacy, but hit me with three places where people will definitely never find J Ross Parrelli. J Ross Parrelli: 1) Meat market. I'm a vegetarian. 2) Drake's dressing room... unless we are going to battle, in which case I will meet him anywhere. 3) Bilderberg meeting... unless we have water balloons in hand, bull horns and good gas masks.
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.
