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
“I dance to the beat of a different drum / to spread peace, love, unity and havin fun.” Those are the words of Illus from his song “Have Fun, Will Travel” off of his latest album, a seven song EP titled Feel Good Music. The album lives up to the title as lyrically Illus provides something positive for listeners, and production-wise J.J. Brown, of Louis Logic and J.J. Brown fame, lays down some amazing beats. Right from the start the boom-bap feel of “Ready” sets the tone for album. It’s followed by the fun and funky “Beautiful Day,” which is perfect for a summer ride with the top down. The title track is an incredibly soulful one, and on the creative, and intensely personal, “Super Secret Identity” Illus tells the story of his childhood through superhero allegories. The references give Illus’ childhood stories both a childlike innocence to them, and show how growing up can sometimes take a superhero-like attitude. As a whole, there’s plenty to feel good about with Feel Good Music.
If you happened to have shopped at the Whitneyville Food Center in Hamden back in the early 90s there’s a good chance you may have seen Notar working there. Back then he was a young man simply taking part in the family business. Now he’s an accomplished emcee who’s signed to Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz’s label, Tyrannosaurus Records.
Notar’s family’s grocery store is local icon of sorts. His great grandfather on his father’s side started it and now, over 60 years after it’s opening, Notar’s mother is running things. “It’s still a small family business,” Notar explains, “really quaint, really cool.”
From his time at the store there was a work ethic Notar’s family instilled in him at an early age. In addition to that, his parents also made sure he was active in music. His father was a trumpet player and Notar remembers, “my dad handed me a trumpet mouthpiece (when I was a child) and he was like ‘go upstairs and try and make a sound out of it.’ I kinda wanted to have nothing to do with it. I wasn’t really interested in it. I liked to watch him play.”
Across the street from the grocery store, however, was a trumpet instructor, Richard Greene, who Notar says educated him on the ways of the trumpet. “I studied with him a long time, and I played in high school and kind of used that to get into college.” He also used it to continue a connection with his father after losing him to Leukemia in 1991.
Hip-hop was ever present in the background for Notar, again, thanks to his family. “My older sister used to jam out to Slick Rick in the car,” he remembers, “as far as hip-hop was concerned, she kind of schooled me in that.”
School then helped to school him even more, as during his freshman year at the University of Dayton Notar would find his calling as an emcee. He still remembers the exact moment it happened. “I saw these guys hanging out by a turntable at this party, this keg party, down in the off-campus housing at UD, and they were rappin and I was like you know what, this is what I want to do. I put my beer down, I walked all the way back up to my freshman dorm and put on the Wu-Tang ‘Triumph’ instrumental, and went at it.”
Then came the hard part - actually getting good at it.
“I was just trying to do whatever I could to hone my skills,” he remembers, “I met a great kid. His name’s Jay Schmidt. He’s one of my best in the entire world. He was hanging up a Liquid Swords GZA poster in his room and I was bangin out some instrumental in the back of my dorm room.” It turned out Schmidt shared Notar’s love of emceeing. “He was a really seasoned writer and emcee who had been doing it way longer than I had, so we started going to battles together around the Dayton area.”
While it may seem like fate dealt Notar a bit of a cruel hand having him figure out he wanted to be an emcee after he left the New York City area, he feels a little differently about things. “You’re ready in life to do certain things at certain times,” he explains, “and I brought that definite east coast flavor out there, so it was kind of even cooler because I stood out.”
Notar did stand out, and after returning home and moving to NYC, one of the ears his music happened to catch was Duritz’s. A mutual friend had played Notar’s demo for Duritz and he dug what he heard so much he decided to work with Notar and sign him to his label. The two recently recorded a song together titled “Stranger” and they performed it together at Notar’s EP release party at R Bar in NYC last month.
That wasn’t the only big moment of the night for Notar, though. At another point during his performance, Notar, who almost always performs with a live band, saw legendary freestyle emcee iLLspoKinN in the crowd. The two met years ago at Freestyle Mondays, a weekly event ILLspoKinN hosts in the city with singer Mariella that Notar says “changed my life.” Seeing him in the crowd, Notar pulled him on stage and had him join him for a quick freestyle session. “If I was at the VMAs or Grammys and he was in the front row I’d probably still pull him up.”
From working at his family’s grocery store to performing on stage with Adam Duritz in front of a packed house, it’s already been quite the journey for Notar, and it’s only going to get wilder. His full length debut, titled Devil’s Playground, is scheduled to drop in March.
Mystere Jones has a theory about how his music should be; “we grow as people everyday, so I show that growth in my music with every project I do.” This is why while he says his album True Playa is “grown folks music with a little street element,” his next project, No Identity, will reveal more about himself, and the album he’s currently working on, Love Jones, “explores a more mature me.” Music isn’t the only way Mystere Jones expresses himself, though. Also an actor, he recently completed shooting his first two films, Hood Boogas, and The Trouble with Cali, the latter produced by Paul Sorvino. This week I caught up with Mystere Jones to find out more about his music, his movies, and is he has any mysteries that lay beneath the surface.
Adam Bernard: Why don’t you start everyone off by revealing a few of Mystere’s mysteries? Who is Mystere Jones? Where are you from, and what should people know about you? Mystere Jones: Good question. I'm still trying to figure that one out myself. I have a mixtape coming out called No Identity which hopefully will give people an idea of who I am, and what kind of artist I am. I'm also a producer, writer, and actor. I'm from Flatbush, Brooklyn. My background is Jamaican. I'm a down to earth dude. I love people, exploring new territories, and embracing all cultures, that's why I'm called “The International Man of Mystery.” I get my Tupac on... I get around!
Adam Bernard: Is there any special reason you spell your name the way you do? Mystere Jones: My name actually comes from my government name. My initial starts with an E and my last name is Jones, so Mister E. Jones translates into Mystere Jones with my twist on it.
Adam Bernard:You recently released a video that’s an ode to the old school. What about the old school do you wish was still a part of the hip-hop scene of today? Mystere Jones: Man, when you talk about the old school you’re talking about history. I remember back in the day when KRS-One said “rap ain't even 20 years old” Now it’s over 30 years old! I grew up listening to these classic records. Starting out as a DJ I used to cut and scratch these records, find the dude in my hood that had the illest flow, and began making my own sound. One thing you will find from me as an artist and producer is that I'm gonna continue to reach back and dig in the crates and incorporate the old school with the new school. I want the up coming generation of beat creators, emcees and DJs to know where this all came from. We need to bring that positive energy, that feel good music, back to hip-hop! We need to have fun again with the music. Even the battles were fun back then. No one got hurt at the end of it all. Even if they shot up the block party, which happened from time to time in my hood, they shot in the air, people ran, the music came back on, and we acted like it never happened! {laughs}
Adam Bernard: Flipping things, what elements of the current scene are you glad are here now? Mystere Jones: One thing that I am glad for is the musical aspect of hip-hop. It’s no longer beats and rhymes and samples. I started out as a “sample” producer, then in the later 90s when it became more musical I teamed up with cats that could really play like my homey Delite from Ghetto Pop, and my dude D Sorce that I currently work with. It even forced me to pick up the keyboard and begin to play. I'm also an R&B fan, so I love to hear the blend, like the kind of stuff Drake is doing. My team, Noe Doe Network, has been doing this kind of music since the late 90s.
Adam Bernard: Now that you’ve told everyone about your sound, what else should people expect when they put on a Mystere Jones song? Mystere Jones: When you put on a Mystere Jones song be prepared to hear nothing but the real, whatever the topic is. I rap about what I know and what I see, not what I want be, or wish I was. I don't talk about drugs cuz I don't sell drugs. You will hear about real life experiences in my songs. If I talk about it, I lived it! You will also most likely hear something that all ages can listen to and relate to. My music is universal!
Adam Bernard: In addition to your music you’re also working on an acting career. What have been some of your most interesting on-set moments so far? Mystere Jones: One of my most interesting moments on set was working with Paul Sorvino! Good Fellas is one of my favorite movies, so to be in the same room with him was an honor. My lines were all improv. Paul said “we’re gonna do this with no script.” He gave the scenario, said exactly what he was looking for, and I had to deliver right on the spot. It was cool cuz I was able to pull it off. Paul is good guy and his daughter Amanda (who wrote the movie) is real cool, too. We remain good friends.
Adam Bernard: Who have you learned the most from, both in music and acting, and what were the lessons they taught you? Mystere Jones: Acting-wise, Paul Sorvino gave me my first crash course acting lesson on set by telling me what to do, and while doing that movie we were already in production with Hood Boogas so it helped to get thru some of the kinks of doing things on the fly. In music I have learned so much from many different people. I have studied this biz like how a kid studies in school. I’ve learned that you must know the business. I’ve learned how to take control of my own biz and the value of music publishing. I’ve learned not to be afraid to reach out to people, and not to be afraid to fail. I’ve learned that there is a big world out there and to not just make music for my hood, or for the people around you that thinks everything you do is dope. This is why now I make music that everyone can relate to, music that will reach the masses.
Adam Bernard: Finally, how many mysteries are left about Mystere Jones, and will they ever all be revealed? Mystere Jones: I wouldn't be Mystere Jones if I told you everything {laughs}. Like I said, I'm still on a quest to find out who I am. I know what I'm capable of, but I'm still a work in progress. And for the things that people don't know, maybe one of these days I'll write a book and break down the mystery of Mystere Jones.
You’ve already seen him as a yoga instructor, now Jesse Abraham is ready to tell you everything else he is, which is, essentially, everything. This extremely witty video that showcases Abraham’s personality to the fullest is a perfect example of hip-hop that’s both dope and highly entertaining. Don’t cut this one off when the music stops, either, you definitely want to watch till the end for Abraham’s not so helpful guidance to a tourist. It’s hilarious.
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 some Turkey Day music specials, to a turkey who can’t seem to keep himself out of prison, to news on a group that’s likely to routinely dine on early bird specials, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Banks are, for the most part, sterile places. Their walls are adorned with corporate artwork, and the employees quietly work at their desks while a barely audible “lite” radio station plays in the background. These are not places one would say are conducive for musical inspiration. Bridgeport singer/songwriter Darian Cunning, who is well known for his work with Cosmic Jibaros and The Durkins, as well as for being the man behind the boards at the Acoustic Cafe in Bridgeport, found an exception, and it’s on the second floor of the now defunct Black Rock Bank and Trust in Fairfield.
At this particular bank deposits and withdrawals have been replaced by drums and guitars, and, quite frankly, anything else one can fit into the rentable room Cunning says, at 200 square feet, is “ridiculously small.” Small, yes, but for Cunning, very effective, as he recorded half of his just released solo album, The Lost and Found Channel, there. The opportunity to rent the place was one he practically fell into.
“Tim Walsh from The Stepkids was in that spot for a good while, (but) he got an apartment at the Read’s Artspace building. He was going to vacate this spot, so he handed it over to me.” The rules were pretty clear. “I could play from six o’clock at night till about about six o’clock in the morning, and I did.”
Utilizing the space to its fullest potential, Cunning found the hallway to have great acoustics, so he had one mic inside the room and another outside of it. He also “did a lot of the drums out there.”
The space above the old bank was actually the second step in the recording process for Cunning, who explains four of the songs on the album were done earlier out in Los Angeles. “I got that done and I really wanted to make another record, but didn’t have the money to, so I kinda passed those out as a demo and waited.” Opportunity knocked in the form of the bank, and it knocked again a little while later. “A friend of mine had just started working at Carriage House (Music) in Stamford a little while ago, so he got me a good deal on some studio time, so I went in there and did six tunes.”
At the end of all of the recording Cunning had a lot of music he had laid down in a handful of different places. Putting it all together for one album was partly the inspiration for the album’s title, The Lost and Found Channel. “It was kind of like going through a lost and found box when I realized I had enough tracks to put out this record now. I was looking at my computer and rummaging through everything.”
The result is an album that Cunning says will be “familiar for a lot of people that already know me,” but also “the introduction to everyone who doesn’t know me yet.” He adds that he hopes “this is the record I’m gonna tour the country with.”
Cunning currently has dates throughout Fairfield County lined up over the next three months, so perhaps it’s Fairfield County today, tomorrow the world. One thing’s for sure, with The Lost and Found Channel, Cunning has an album he knows he can bank on.
This month's edition of The Adam B Experience is a veritable Thanksgiving feast of great hip-hop. If you're looking for a soundtrack for when you're in the kitchen fixin up the turkey and stuffing, or just want something to enjoy for after the meal, this podcast will fit the bill. Enjoy!
godAWFUL - One Nation Undergod Absent Minded & Q - Doom iAreConscious w/ SumKid - We Sort Glass F. Stokes - The Band J.O. & Showtime - Fresh Prince Line Johnny Voltik - Do You Propaganada Anonymous - Agit-Prop PreCise - The Grind, The Hustle Kalil Kash - Delorean
Born in New Haven, CT, Notar’s had two huge influences that have affected him from day one. First there’s his family’s work ethic. Having owned a grocery story in Hamden for generations, Notar’s never known a time when his family wasn’t doing for self. Second is his family’s musical side. His father was a trumpet player and it wouldn’t be long before Notar followed in his musical footsteps. Half Italian and half Lebanese, Notar went his own route musically, and it’s done him well. An emcee backed by a full band, Notar recently caught the ear of Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz, who started a label and quickly inked Notar to a deal.
Now residing in NYC, Notar has made a name for himself in the hip-hop scene there, as well, most notably at Freestyle Mondays. This week I caught up with Notar to find out more about his music, how the closing of Sin Sin, which was the longtime home of Freestyle Mondays, affected him, and how seriously we should take his blog’s title of Notar for President.
Adam Bernard: How does a kid from New Haven link up with Adam Duritz and land on his label? Notar: A pretty crazy series of events. I recorded a demo about a year and half, two years, ago, and played it for a mutual friend. He played the demo for Adam and Adam dug what he heard. I don’t think he had any intention of making a label. I think he wanted to work with me and it was more one artist appreciating another artist and wanting to school him into the rules of how to go about this and how write great songs and come into your own. That’s how it happened, but I’ve been doing music my whole life. My dad was a trumpet player and after he died I picked up his trumpet. It was a way for me to connect with him and stay close to that until I figured out what I wanted my own tool to be, and that was to be a lyricist. I feel like I can get my message across better through my vocals than through the trumpet. I’m not saying I don’t have a huge love and admiration for it, but I just wanted to relate my message that way.
Adam Bernard: And with that you became a Freestyle Mondays veteran. Freestyle Mondays is going to continue at Bar 13, but it recently had its last event at Sin Sin, the spot where it started and spent many years. What does the closing of Sin Sin mean to you? Notar: The closing of Sin Sin means more to me than I can probably sum up in a few words. That placed changed my life. The emcees there, people that were there when I first started going there, to people that were there up until the last show at Sin Sin... I consider them family. I’d help any single one of them out. There have been numerous occasions where I’d sat in the back of that place and talked to someone who was having a hard time. It was about more than just rapping, there was a camaraderie in it and an energy in that place that is unmatched. I met some of my best friends there. As you saw at the show (at R Bar on November 3rd) I saw iLLspoKinN (in the crowd) and didn’t think twice about calling him up on stage and ripping with me. If I was at the VMAs or Grammys and he was in the front row I’d probably still pull him up. There was just a really big respect between emcees there, it was never “I’m better than you,” this that and the other, it was the way that community should be and the closing of it is something I’m going to hold dear to my heart and I wish them all the luck at the new spot.
Adam Bernard: Let’s get into your EP. Tell me about the song “Alcoholic.” Notar: The thing about “Alcoholic” is it’s been getting a lot of attention. It’s really a song that is meant to be, and will be, on my full length, Devil’s Playground, which encapsulates temptation, drug use, sex, anything that the devil would laugh at; death, war, things of that nature. I think once the full length comes out and people go back and hear “Alcoholic,” and hear what the theme of the record is, they’ll better understand why I decided to come out with that and write it.
Adam Bernard: You also have some pretty deep songs on your EP to balance out the more party inspired joints. Tell me a little bit about “Stranger.” Notar: “Stranger” was a song that I had written that ties in three people that are really close to me; two very dear friends, one being my best friend who passed away last May, and my brother in law who was in Iraq at the time my sister was pregnant with her second child. I wanted to take the letters I was getting from them, and images from the news, seeing things that were going on not only in Iraq, but Afghanistan, as well, and places out in the Middle East particularly, and I wanted to form one character, so I made one character, and I spoke as if I was him, and took him through different situations and different scenes, if you will, of what my friends and family were going through at that point in time. I called Adam up and asked him to sing the hook. He loved it and sang it and that’s how that song came about.
Adam Bernard: How much does your ethnic background factor into your music? Notar: Not as much now as it will. There’s definitely stuff that I'm holding on the back burners for future things; some issues in the Middle East that I’m pretty passionate about, and my Italian side a little bit, as well. As of yet it hasn’t really infiltrated. Right now it’s kind of like me as a person. It’s a good intro to where I plan on heading artistically.
Adam Bernard: You noted earlier that your father passed away, and I was reading a post on your blog where you mentioned it was from Leukemia back in 1991. You were very young at that point. Did you have any other father figures in your life to guide you after that, or were you more on your own? Notar: As far as men in my life guiding me, no, I was on my own. I touch on that on the full length that’s coming out. I actually lost him and his father within the same month, so I didn’t have many men around growing up. I had myself, for the most part, and my mom was kind of like my dad and my mom. It definitely shaped me to be who I am today, good and bad. It was definitely tough, and it’s definitely an issue I still think about every day.
Adam Bernard: Without a father figure around I’m sure you had to teach yourself a lot, like how to shave. Is there anything else you had to teach yourself that people might take for granted? Notar: I taught myself how to fight. I did pretty well. I pulled a couple kids out of class for calling my sister names a few times and I can’t even count how many times I was suspended for sticking up for my little sister in school.
Adam Bernard: So your little sister got you into a lot of trouble. Notar: Definitely. For sure. hands down, or hands up, any way you want to look at it. You go through it and you learn. I had great women in my family. I had great role models. My mom is a workhorse. When my dad died and she took over the store. She’s a huge person within the leukemia / lymphoma society. She volunteers her time, she runs the store, she works 12 hours a day.
Adam Bernard: Wow, that’s incredible. To end things on a lighter note, your blog is titled Notar for President. Would you really want that job? Notar: Absolutely not, and I will never have that job, hence we can have a little bit of fun and say Notar for President. Whether you like it or not those are my issues, those are my views, and I guess we’re all the president of our own world, so to speak. It was something I came up with during the last election and I just went with it. I just said fuck it, Notar for president. That’s it. Definitely not a job I’m looking to have anytime soon, though. Certainly not with songs like “Alcoholic” on my album.
If you’ve been to this site with any frequency since 2007 you know my feelings on Homeboy Sandman, he’s freaking awesome and deserves every second of fame he gets. Sandman’s latest is “Calm Tornado,” which will leave you anything but calm. Raising the bar even further, there are multiple B-Lister cameos in this one. With artists like Homeboy Sandman around, hip-hop just keeps getting better and better.
For more on Homeboy Sandman check out the following features:
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 upcoming new releases from Michael Jackson and Avril Lavigne, to the new beaus of Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, to the radically new life Shyne has embarked on, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
This past week both Ke$ha and Pink completed new music videos. The songs they completed them for, however, are already at the top of the Billboard singles chart. If you’re anything like me you’re probably thinking, “then what’s the point of making a music video?” If music videos are supposed to be promotional items, but you’ve proven you don’t need the promotion, why waste the money?
This leads to an even bigger question - if an artist can do well without a music video, has the music video gone the way of the 8-track and the cassette tape? Is it a dead format?
The answer depends on the kind of artist we’re talking about. In the case of established artists who get major radio airplay, a music video is no longer that important of a tool. MTV long ago dropped music videos from their programming, relegating them to the occasional debut between reality shows, or, in most cases, a channel that’s well into the 100s on our cable boxes, and YouTube hits don’t equate to dollars. If they did that dramatic chipmunk would be rolling in it right now.
YouTube, however, is still one of the most important places for an artist to have their work, as it’s a site where a lot of people discover new music. Artists can use it without having an actual video, though. Case in point, Ke$ha’s “We R Who We R” has over nine million plays on the site and all she has is the song playing over an image of the single cover. As strange as it may sound, people aren’t necessarily going to YouTube to watch a video, they’re going there to listen to a song. “We R Who We R” debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart last week. Clearly people have discovered it, and since you can’t go any higher than number one, the song has actually peaked before anyone has seen a video for it.
Ke$ha, however, is an established artist, and what works for her won’t necessarily work for an up and coming artist. It’s those indie acts that need to continue to utilize the music video format.
Unlike an established artist, an indie act still needs to continually present who they are to listeners. They need to always be introducing themselves to the world because with everything they do someone could be discovering them for the very first time. It’s not enough for them to just put a song on YouTube with a picture of their album cover, although that’s certainly a good start. Since these acts can’t get radio airplay they need to go the extra mile for promotion, they need to do something that will create a buzz and get bloggers talking, and more importantly, posting.
Two great examples of artists doing this are New York emcees Jesse Abraham and Homeboy Sandman. Both of them recently debuted two videos that were incredibly creative and generated a nice buzz, or in the case of Sandman, continued his amazing year of great buzz. All four videos found their way onto a host of hip-hop blogs. Abraham’s two YouTube clips, one for “Yoga” and one for “Little Bit of Everything,” are both heavy on the humor while staying within a budget, and currently have more than 4,000 views between them, while Sandman’s “The Essence,” which features a story told completely in reverse, and “The Carpenter,” which has plenty of fun with camera angles and perspective, have both been in heavy rotation on MTVu’s site. People are discovering these artists because of their videos.
This is the new path of the indie artist. They’ve always known everything they do should be about getting noticed, and that’s what music videos have always been about. When TRL was in its heyday having a video in their top ten meant constant rotation on MTV’s most watched show, and a huge boost in sales. It had replaced the radio as a tastemaker for a generation. The post TRL generation, however, doesn’t turn to MTV for their music, they turn to the internet and the old standby, commercial radio. Since the latter is not an available option for independent acts, they have to do what it takes to catch people’s attention by creating something for the former. Established acts, on the other hand, catch people’s attention on the latter, and can get by doing the bear minimum with the former.
The music video has become part of the due paying process for success, just like mixtapes and performing at open mics. It’s something an artist has to do to reach the next level. Once they’ve reached that next level there doesn’t seem to be a pressing need, or financial advantage, to creating music videos. Could you imagine Jay-Z dropping a mixtape, or Lady Gaga signing up for an open mic? It sounds ridiculous because those are phases of an artist’s career that they advanced past long ago.
So to answer the question - is the music video a dead format? It is as we used to know it. It no longer has to be a part of an established artist’s plan, while indie acts need to keep churning out creative clips to generate the kind of buzz that will get them noticed.
Pruven is a talented emcee with a voice and flow that is very reminiscent of MF Doom, and a knack for being able to fill a single verse with a wide variety of ideas. His debut LP, 1st Words: Earn Everything, showcases that ability, but also has a few flaws. The first major issue with the album is its length. At 23 tracks, and clocking in at just a shade under 80 minutes, 1st Words: Earn Everything is simply too much to take on in one sitting and probably should have been broken up into two distinct LPs. Also, having a delivery like MF Doom, which is fairly monotone, means the production has to provide some of the excitement. Unfortunately, like his voice, the production never really wavers, which, again, would be fine if the album was 30-40 minutes, but after that mark it starts to drag. Despite its flaws, 1st Words: Earn Everything is a positive step forward for Pruven, who’s ability to shine on songs with prominent guest emcees like Copywrite and L.I.F.E. Long show that as he grows as an artist he should become a force in the years to come.
Substantial was one of my original Artists Of The Week when I started this feature back in 2006. Since then he’s gotten married, moved from Brooklyn back to his original home of Maryland, release a couple albums, and had a child. The one thing I don’t think he’s done is sleep, because even with all that going on he still found the time to link up with Seattle producer Marcus D to create Bop Alloy. This week I caught up with both Substantial and Marcus D to find out more about the Bop Alloy project, including how they came together for it, the musical direction it goes in that will have longtime Substantial fans cheering, and why they’re so big in Japan.
Adam Bernard: How did a Maryland emcee and Seattle producer link up? Is this a story that involves the glory of the internet? Substantial: Internet FTW (for the win)! Specifically, MySpace about three years ago.
Adam Bernard: What originally attracted you to each other’s work? Marcus D: I gained my passion for hip-hop through listening to Substantial's music before I had even started creating it. He and a Japanese producer named Nujabes were a pillar of the type of music I wanted to create and they helped mold my sound. Substantial: His production style reminded me of Nujabes' earlier work on my first album, but with a more modern approach; harder percussion, more layers, etc. I was amazed at how much potential he had considering he was only 17 or 18 when we first began working together.
Adam Bernard: Why do you think you work so well together? Substantial: Both of us work at a quick pace and have similar interest and taste. Although our schedules are fairly hectic, the process never really feels like work, and Marcus is one of those producers that genuinely seems excited about the music we're making, which is inspiring.
Adam Bernard: What do you feel the Bop Alloy project brings out of each of you musically that audiences haven’t heard from either of you before? Substantial: Over the years I've moved away - a little, but not completely - from the jazzy hip-hop, AKA “Jazz Hop” people are use to hearing me rhyme over. Our sound is what a lot of old fans, and some of my new fans, have been waiting for, but it isn't an attempt to meet their expectations, it is our goal to surpass them. Marcus D: Being more known as a battle producer in Seattle, this project allowed me to showcase my versatility and ability to produce a musically cohesive album, not to mention where my passion for hip-hop actually lies.
Adam Bernard: To make things even more far reaching, you’re promoting this project heavily in Japan. What makes Japan the right audience for the debut of Bop Alloy? Substantial: Japan has been a long time consumer/producer of Jazz Hop, so needless to say it was much easier to find a large audience there and a label to back our project.
Adam Bernard: What are some of your favorite aspects of the Japanese hip-hop scene that you’d love to see adopted by America’s? Marcus D: The atmosphere. It's a broad statement, but to fully understand it you have to experience it. The crowds appreciate good music, and it's apparent. They're attentive, involved, and definitely there to enjoy themselves. Not to mention they actually buy CDs/vinyl still, which is always a plus.
Adam Bernard: What do you have in store for American audiences? Substantial: We dropped the digital deluxe edition of Substantial & Marcus D are Bop Alloy via BopAlloy.Bandcamp.com on September 7th, and the regular digital album is also available worldwide, on sites like iTunes and Amazon, to name a few.
Adam Bernard: Finally, how’d you come up with the name Bop Alloy. Please tell me it isn’t a combination of the two famous tween brands. Substantial: That's exactly it. No, seriously, I just came up with a few ideas based on our sound. I ran them by Marcus and we both agreed that it was the most unique and the best fit. It simply means jazz fusion.
Fans of that good old fashioned boom-bap are gonna love G.T.P’s “Next Up,” which is very reminiscent of the great hip-hop of the 80s while still being modern enough to not sound dated. The clip is one part live footage, one part produced video, and the juxtaposition is nice as it gives viewers a full taste of what G.T.P is about.
Riding the success of his mix-CDs, the single “O Let’s Do It” introduced a nation Waka Flocka Flame, and it didn’t take long for him to capitalize on that notoriety as he followed it with the even bigger single “Hard In The Paint,” and album, Flockaveli. His music has been at the center of the never ending “but is it good for hip-hop” controversy. Waka Flocka Flame isn’t worried about any of that, though. His concern is putting out music his expanding fan base wants to hear.
With Waka Flocka Flame being one of the fastest rising superstars in the rap world, I caught up with crunk’s latest kingpin to find out what he thinks of his detractors, why he follows so many women on Twitter, and what’s really going on between him and Gucci Mane. Waka Flocka Flame also revealed why he doesn’t like to reveal very much about himself.
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 Demi Lovato checking into rehab, to Lil’ Wayne checking out of jail, to Marilyn Manson’s fans checking out on him, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Rarely does a band come around that’s as polarizing as Brokencyde. Their self-defined crunkcore sound has earned them a dedicated fan base, and hordes of angry critics who deride the band as one of the worst things to ever happen to music. With that in mind they named their first official LP I’m Not a Fan, But The Kids Like It! They’ve followed that album up with the just released Will Never Die, and are currently on the road with Millionaires in support of the album. This week I caught up with Brokencyde’s Mikl to ask what it’s like to be the most hated group in America. What I found was a very different side of Brokencyde.
A lot of folks may recognize WordSpit from his appearance in the Dollar Van Demos McDonald’s commercial that ran earlier this year. Believe it or not, it was an instance where a billion dollar company was recognizing the impact of underground hip-hop. WordSpit is not a corporate shill, he’s a veteran emcee in New York City’s underground hip-hop scene, and this week I caught up with him to find out what kind of effect the ad campaign has had on his visibility, who he is as an artist, and where he gets his insane amount of energy from.
Adam Bernard: You are a rare breed in that you’re an underground emcee with national visibility thanks to the Dollar Van Demos McDonald’s ads that aired earlier this year. Heck, I saw your face during American Idol! Is there any way you have of quantifying how much those ads have done for you in terms of recognition? WordSpit: I've been featured in a lot of different media outlets from newspapers to websites, as well as various radio stations. There have been times that I've walked down the block and someone would whisper “that's the guy from the McDonald’s commercial.” Around the time the commercial aired my online views went up. Some people viewed the online trailer of the ad and then researched me and found my music. Let’s just say it helped out a little. {laughs}
Adam Bernard: Did you sense any jealousy from any of your peers when the ads ran, or was it all love? WordSpit: For the most part I received all love. I don't think any of my peers were hating because they know my struggle and the persistence of my grind. I feel it's a victory for all underground artists. It's a reminder that we can make major moves without the backing of a label. Some people understand that, the ones that don't I just smile at and keep it moving. #WeTheILLest!
Adam Bernard: Now that you’ve done an ad for a major company have your views regarding emcees doing commercials changed at all? WordSpit: Honestly, it was a little weird seeing major companies use hip-hop as a marketing platform. Now I think it's dope that companies want hip-hop artists to represent their brands. It shows me the culture has, and is, progressing. When hip-hop first started, music labels didn't want to touch it. Hip-hop was thought of as the new disco, but now it's embraced not only on an urban, but a corporate level.
Adam Bernard: For those who ONLY know you from those ads, tell em what you’re all about musically and lyrically, so they know it’s not all about a burger! WordSpit: My music is built off witty concepts and raw emotions. I pride myself on being able to construct vivid pictures while being as versatile as possible. I’m not afraid to bare my soul and share my life because I want people to find comfort in my music and know that we relate in so many ways. Also, I'm known for my freestyle ability, so check out some of my links and tell me what you think.
Adam Bernard: What projects are you currently working on and when can people expect to hear them? WordSpit: All I'm going to say is new music is coming soon. I'm still writing and building on ideas, but expect something in the near future.
Adam Bernard: You have some interesting outside interests. Care to share them with the masses? WordSpit: Outside of music I'm into Manga and Anime. I love how the artwork and the storylines compliment each other. I'm also into video games. Growing up I wasn't into sports so my Playstation quickly became my favorite pastime. Also, I draw from time to time. I can go on and on, but I'm going to let those marinate. {laughs}
Adam Bernard: Do those interests work their way into your music, or are they completely separate? WordSpit: I have songs like “Joystick Madness,” which is heavily influenced by my love of video games and brings the arcade directly to your ear. “Hello Good Morning” builds off surreal characters like Godzilla, aliens, and King Kong and relates it to everyday life. Basically, it depends on the mood of the song and how I want to approach it. It's like my version of Super Flat Art. {laughs}
Adam Bernard: Your brother gave you the name WordSpit. Do you know how he came up with it and why it stuck? WordSpit: Honestly, I couldn't tell you. At the time my name was Word From The Streetz ,so I guess it spawned from there. He prolly thought Word From The Streetz was too long and not catchy enough. Who knows? But then again he always said I was spitting that shit {laughs}. The name WordSpit had a ring to it, it stuck in my head. I could see it on the Billboard Hot 100, and that's why I stuck with it.
Adam Bernard: Finally, when you perform live you have A TON of energy. Do you have Red Bull running through your veins or something? WordSpit: Actually, my blood stream is sponsored by Red Bull {laughs}. Seriously, I'm just glad to be able to perform for people who enjoy my music. It's a real adrenaline rush to step on stage and either be loved or hated for what you do. All in all, I love it.
Sell his soul for worldwide fame, or finish up his college degree? That’s the question Soce The Elemental Wizard faces in his latest video, “Not Ready,” as he takes a look at the pros and cons of both possible avenues. Even if you don’t have a manager on the phone with you trying to sign you to a contract one can easily replace the quandary Soce puts himself in with one of their own, making “Not Ready” a completely relatable, and very dope, song.
Don’t let anyone fool you, there’s no such thing as a big break. The ladder to success, however, is a very real thing, and few hip-hop artists in Connecticut have climbed higher on that ladder than Enfield’s Big Stat.
Local fans are already familiar with his story from his years with Hushh, which were a major part of his now 13 year career. People around the country are learning about him now because of the major tours he’s being featured on, most recently wrapping up two weeks on the road with Ghostface Killah of Wu-Tang Clan and Sheek Louch of The Lox. The people involved with the tour would have loved to have seen him travel with them even longer.
“They wanted to keep me going,” Big Stat says, “Sheek’s tour manager was mad when he found out I wasn’t doing the rest of the dates, but it wasn’t in the tour’s budget to keep me going, so I couldn’t do it.”
The reality for Big Stat is even when he’s on the road, he still has other responsibilities. “Some of these tour dates,” he explains, “I’ve been coming back and working in-between. I got a mortgage to pay.” His work ethic comes, in part, from having do to a lot for himself since his mother was murdered when he was 12. When Big Stat was 14 he got his first job, working on a tobacco farm. The money he earned at that job went to buy a used car, turntables and recording equipment.
Big Stat’s cars have always played just as major a part in his career as his recording equipment. Case in point, Big Stat’s relationship with Ghostface. It didn’t exactly happen overnight. The two met in 2004, backstage at Hot97’s Summer Jam event in New Jersey. Kurtis Blow actually made the introduction. Fast forward to this year and Big Stat logged some serious miles to further things, going to both the New York and Washington, DC, Rock The Bells shows, driving back to CT in-between. “We kinda locked it in down there (in DC)” he says.
This wasn’t a random happening, though. “I’ve always kept in touch,” Big Stat explains, “that’s how I got invited to these shows. I didn’t go there with intentions of doing this. I love going to Rock The Bells anyway. The opportunity to be backstage and be chillin with Lauryn Hill, or Nas, or whoever is back there, and Wu-Tang always lets me go on the stage with them while they’re rockin, so to be on the stage and watch a sea of fans and just envision that being myself in a couple years, or however much time it is, it’s inspiring.”
The tour with Ghostface and Sheek wasn’t Big Stat’s first proverbial rodeo, he’s hit the road with Method Man and Redman in the past. “It was cool with Red and Meth before,” he says, “but now I’ve grown a lot and I have an understanding of how to do this and after every show I would have fans lined up for autographs and buying merch and all that stuff. It kinda solidified that I’m going in the right direction.”
Big Stat also says he learned a lot from being on the road with Ghostface and Sheek, and made some powerful connections with fans. “I did the show in New Hampshire with them and this kid came up to me, he’d had surgery and he wasn’t able to walk anymore and he was saying our music helped him. The doctors told him he’d never be able to walk and he said that hip-hop music inspired him to just keep fighting. It was really dope to hear his story.”
The final night of Big Stat’s time on the tour turned out to be one of his most memorable. It was Friday, October 22nd, and he found himself at BB King’s in NYC with Ghostface, Raekwon, and a host of other legendary artists. “I remember copping (Ghostface’s) Ironman album, (Rae’s) Only Built 4 Cuban Linx album, when I was 12 years old. I was like an obsessed (Wu-Tang) fan. To be rockin a show with them in a sold out BB King’s in Times Square... it’s amazing.”
Up next for Big Stat is a December tour of California with Method Man and Redman, and a music video for his next single, “No Problems.”
With all the time he’s spent on tours that feature Def Jam artists there might even be a chance Def Jam has their eye on the Enfield emcee right now. At the moment all Big Stat will say about any potential deal is “I’ve been talking to some people there,” but he adds “who knows, I might stay independent and have the right people behind me to make it work, but if the right situation comes along I might run with it.”
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with some Billboard singles chart analysis. This is something I’m going to do every time there’s a change in what’s being played on the radio as it’s always fun to take a look at what we’re listening to and how good, or bad, it really is. Due to deadlines, the chart positions I’m using are from the Billboard Hot 100 as it was listed on Billboard.com on Monday, November 1st, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Hip-hop fans in the States may not realize it, but Dan-e-o is one of the most successful independent artists of the past fifteen years. He’s been releasing music since the mid-90s and one of his songs has a video with over seven million plays on YouTube. The reason his accomplishments aren’t so familiar in America is because he’s from our neighbor to the North, Canada, and far too little Canadian music makes it into the States. This week RapReviews caught up with Dan-e-o to find out about the Canadian music scene and how the government is involved with it. Dan-e-o also opened up about some of his career defining moments, his latest project, which is J Dilla inspired, and a few of his endeavors outside of music.
In 1996 I graduated from Fairfield Prep with Johnny Voltik. Don’t try to find him in the yearbook, though, as his current name is one for the stage. As with many high school friends, we lost touch after graduation, but last week we finally linked up again thanks to Elizabeth Allen directing me in Voltik’s direction at Conscious’ monthly Bondfire show. As it turns out, Voltik is an artist in the scene now, and after listening to his music I can say he’s a damned good one. To be honest, this doesn’t come as a huge surprise to me, as he was always a talented dude, even back in the day. This week we reconnected for a convo about his music, as well as our times at the all boys high school in Connecticut, and what from those days still has an impact on him today.
Adam Bernard: What have you been doing since 1996? Johnny Voltik: Oh man, it’s been crazy. I ended up going to Curry College. I was studying theatre there, theatre and communications. I ended up leaving and I started this hip-hop/reggae group called Three Kings, out of Boston, and it was really successful. We got some serious press right away. Within the first two years we were opening up for Busta Rhymes, we had a little mini tour, we were making some waves, but I think we grew out of it. I wanted to find my own voice so I sort of backed out of the project. I think all of us sort of did. Everybody had a little something else that was going on, that they were pursuing. I started a production team with one of the guys from that group, Chuck Brewer, his brother Nick just started a band (The Memorials) with Thomas Pridgen of The Mars Volta. I wanted to try something new, so I just up and moved out here to New York and I was like I’ma do something that really characterizes me, so I started this project Johnny Voltik, which is basically a nickname that my father gave me.
Adam Bernard: When did you make that move to NYC and become a part of the scene? Johnny Voltik: I got here at the end of ’07 and I didn’t perform for almost a year. Everyday I was just writing music and at the time I was also a personal trainer. I would write music and I would train. I did that for a year straight. I met Tasty Keish from going to Sucia parties and when I was there she was like “I want to put on a show,” and she put me on the gig. That was the second gig that I played. The first gig that I played was at Birdland. I ended up doing this anthology of black music, but I wasn’t really doing my thing, I was doing a bunch of old school stuff, breaking down the history of hip-hop music. When I got with Tasty it was like the first real gig that I played.
Adam Bernard: Your music incorporates a lot more than just hip-hop. How would you describe your style and what are some of your influences? Johnny Voltik: I think my biggest influences as far as musicians are Wu-Tang Clan, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, a lot of the classic music that I listened to when I was really young, when I was in my sister’s bedroom when I was like six or seven years old jumping around acting like it was me on the stage while listening to these other artists. Everything that I listened to from a young age coming out. I’m just realizing that. The world itself is a big inspiration to me, as well, and true stories, true life stuff. When I decided to go into this I really wanted to be able to speak about a song that I wrote and say this is what happened that made me write that song. In my previous projects I didn’t have that, it was more ideas and the idea of being something.
Adam Bernard: What are you working on right now? Johnny Voltik: I’m working on an album that I hope to release in December. When I first got here I released a mixtape called The Missile Factory Vol. 2. It was just hard copies at that time, but I’ve been releasing singles constantly. I’m trying to fill the water balloon up, if you will, so when it’s time to throw the album it gives a big splash. I have so much music. I write constantly. I’m working on some licensing deals and producing for some other names. I get up in the morning and practice all day, pretty much.
Adam Bernard: Since we went to high school together, let’s take it way back to those years. Name a few Fairfield Prep teachers that had an impact you. Johnny Voltik: Ms. Scoville because she provided that space for me to act silly and do theatre. Dr. Andrade was like the prophet of Fairfield Prep. She brought all the different cultures of people together and she provided a safe space for us to process our lives. Mr. Hanrahan would study with me outside of school cuz I had a tough time with history. Mr. Magdon was the shit. You couldn’t really hide from him because he was kinda like hood, a little bit. He would say “hey, I saw your dad the other night” and you’d be like aw shit, what’s he doing with my pops? Fairfield Prep was a serious experience because to go to a school like that, as a man, I think it had a big impact because you got to be yourself and you weren’t really showing out for women and it was really raw. I don’t know if it would have been the same going to a coed school. I think it kept me out of a lot of trouble, too. It was a good experience.
Adam Bernard: In retrospect, when we’re between the ages of 13-18 we really shouldn't be seen by that many people. Johnny Voltik: I think you’re right. It’s good to get through that awkward stage, because 13-16 is awkward as a muthafucker. If you add girls you’d get yourself into a lot of things. A lot of kids I know became teen parents. I remember the first couple weeks I didn’t want to be there, though, because there were no women.
Adam Bernard: Plus we had to dress a certain way. Johnny Voltik: That had an impact, too. I teach music production from time to time at different schools and I have this one school I visit frequently where the students wear lab coats, it’s a school of science and medicine, and it’s a grade school. I tell them in so many words that this is going to have a big impact on them when they get older because your professionalism is going to be on another level. Just on a subconscious level they’re ingraining that professionalism in them without them even knowing it. I think it sets you apart. When we graduated we wore tuxedos. That was cool, like graduating from a country club, or something.
Adam Bernard: What else should people know about Johnny Voltik? Johnny Voltik: I guess people should just know the music. I think that's what’s important because the music is the reflection of me. I feel great to be able to share and inspire people and I feel like it’s really gonna make an impact on the world. Not to sound hippyish and shit, but I really do.
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.
