Name: Adam Bernard Home: Fairfield, Connecticut, United States About Me: Entertainment journalist w/ over a decade of experience. Lover of good music, fringe movies, day baseball & chicken shawarma. Nerdy, but awesome. See my complete profile
This was a weird year for music. There was a ton of fun pop music on the radio, but unlike in previous years, no great pop albums. This disposability of singles was at an all-time high, so even though there was a lot of enjoyable music, truly great music was hard to find.
Before I put together this list I thought I was becoming disillusioned with hip-hop. After putting the list together, however, I can see that I’m into hip-hop more than ever, it’s just become a much more specialized version of hip-hop. Now more than ever I care about my music actually speaking to me, personally, while at the same time being universally relatable. That’s a tall order, but when putting together this year’s year end top ten that was one of the key aspects I considered along with the quality of the music, songwriting, and the replay value of the albums. As usual, I am only considering albums that were released in the physical format, and they had to have been full length, official (i.e. no mixtapes), releases. With all that in mind, here are my top ten albums of 2010.
10) Eyes Set To Kill - Broken Frames
I know what a lot of readers must be thinking; "how the heck did a screamo album make Adam B's list?" I’ll be the first to admit that I never thought much of the genre that revolves around guttural screams. In fact, I thought it was crap. Then I saw Eyes Set To Kill at Warped Tour and was blown away by the sheer emotion of their performance. I also loved the way Cisko’s screams were bounced off of Alexia’s vocals. Hearing a female’s voice in the midst of all the aggression, even though it, at times, could be an aggressive female voice, creates an overall sound that’s surprisingly enjoyable. When I popped in Broken Frames it was a wrap. It’s screamo with pop sensibilities, which is a win for me.
9) Foul Mouth Jerk - The Oldest Trick In The Book
Hip-hop for hip-hop heads. How many times have we heard an album, or an artist, described in that way? In Foul Mouth Jerk’s case, it’s absolutely true. A while back I asked what happened to rap music; it turns out it’s residing in Asheville, NC. Personally, as a 32 year old who loves the advancement of hip-hop music, but also still spins the classic albums I grew up on and rocked out to in high school and college (92-00), I love how Foul Mouth Jerk combines the best of both of those words with The Oldest Trick In The Book. The album has a classic rap feel to it, yet doesn’t sound dated. He can switch up from rapping about cyphers, to rapping about the stories of the people sitting next to him, all the while making you feel what he’s saying. When I’m in the mood for what I call traditional rap music, The Oldest Trick In The Book fits the bill.
8) Billy Drease Williams - Good Morning Amy
When artists attempt to make a positive, inspirational, album they usually fail miserably by either coming off preachy, or corny. With Good Morning Amy Billy Drease Williams side-stepped those musical land mines to create an album that, at it’s core, is simply great to listen to. I don’t know how anybody else feels, but personally I think it’s nice to have a hip-hop album that you can play in front of anyone that you also respect the lyrical and musical content of. We can’t say that about too many records, but Good Morning Amy is true feel good music that hits the mark every time.
5 - tie) Coole High - Futuristically Speaking
When I say “future hip-hop” some really horrible thoughts may come to mind. Put all those fear away. Coole High’s future hip-hop utilizes his top notch production skills to create a vibe that’s true to Coole’s laid back musical style, but also futuristic without resorting to corny sound effects. I can imagine this is the music that’s playing in the lounges and clubs Judy Jetson sneaks out of her parents house to chill at (you’re welcome for that visual). In addition to his skills behind the boards, Coole is also one heck of a lyricist who can hit you with lines so dope, and so multilayered in meaning, it’s well worth it to take the time to give his work multiple listens to get the full impact of everything he’s saying.
5 - tie) Tah Phrum Duh Bush - Luminous Dark Alleys: The Insomniac Works
Luminous Dark Alleys: The Insomniac Works is less an album and more of a complete immersion into the mind of Tah Phrum Duh Bush. With 15 songs on the CD, 14 original and one remix, and an accompanying 100+ page book which features a chapter dedicated to each song that further explains the inspirations behind them, Tah’s 2010 effort sets the bar for artist revelations. The music of Luminous Dark Alleys: The Insomniac Works is fantastic. Tah has always been lyrically gifted, and with this album he finds a way to have the listener memorize his sometimes complicated choruses after just one listen. “Randomatic Idiosyncratic” is a perfect example of this. The book provides the kind of added insight most artists are either too afraid to reveal, or aren’t adept enough to.
5 - tie) Homeboy Sandman - The Good Sun
It seems every year Homeboy Sandman comes out with a new album and every year you find him on my list. The only difference this year, with national distribution and a stint as a coach on MTV’s Made, is that he’s finally on a lot of other people’s lists, as well. Am I taking a second to pat myself on the back in a “you heard it here first” sort of way? Yes, but at least I’m honest about it. Sandman’s latest, like his previous efforts, shows a nice amount of growth while still being in true Sandman style. At times fully utilizing his quick flow and his quick wit, with songs that require repeat listens to even hope to catch half of what’s going on, to more metered rhymes when he wants to make sure his point gets across, Sandman still does it all. Plus, he’s the only rapper in 2010 that name dropped Marquis Grissom in a song, and for that alone he deserves to make every list (I wonder if MLB Network loves hip-hop?).
4) Lee - Naked
There’s something about Lee’s music that has always spoken to me. I dug The Square Egg, the band he fronted, but his solo work has always had an added personal nature to it that I, the vast majority of the time, completely relate to. Whether he’s discussing the starving artist lifestyle, or his thoughts on love and God, I always find myself saying “amen” to everything he’s talking about. Naked is a double album, and in true Lee form it’s equal parts singing and rapping with a huge band backing him. There’s a lot of heart and soul in Naked, and although I’m going on and on about how much I relate to it personally, I think there’s something on it for everybody. In fact, it may even tap into places you didn’t know you had. I know his music has done that for me.
3) Sade - Soldier of Love
What can I say about Sade that hasn’t been said already? Heck, what I can I say about Sade that I haven’t said already? I can’t think of another artist that could take ten years off and upon their return be just as on point as they were when they left. At the age of 51 Sade continues to define sexy musically. From her lyrics to her delivery, it’s almost as if time stopped for her. This has nothing to do with listeners, myself included, longing for the past, but rather an artist staying true to themselves and knowing their audience. While everyone else has been running around trying to emulate what’s hot at the moment Sade knows she’s been hot since day one and her continuing to just be her gives the R&B world exactly what it needs.
2) Pigeon John - Dragon Slayer
Pigeon John’s Dragon Slayer is an album that snuck up on me and totally took me by surprise. I expected a good hip-hop album from the LA Symphony veteran, but Dragon Slayer turned out to be a lot more than that. Pigeon John sings for the vast majority of the album, and the vibe has a classic pop/soul feel to it. I know that sounds like a strange combination, but think of a more pop version of Raphael Saadiq’s solo work and you’ll start to get the idea of the feel of Dragon Slayer. It’s the closest thing to a pop album on this list, and as it jumps from deep lyrics to the occasionally humorous joint, Dragon Slayer slayed me from the first spin.
1) Dessa - A Badly Broken Code
I love every album on this list, but when it comes to #1 nothing was really close to Dessa’s A Badly Broken Code. A Badly Broken Code is one of those albums that has a huge impact the first time you play it, and the impact only becomes greater with each spin. Dessa can sing with the best of them, and spit with the best of them, as well. Melodic when she wants to be, and aggressive when she needs to be, I feel like A Badly Broken Code is the album everyone wanted Lauryn Hill to make, but she never did (perhaps that’s an unfair comparison since their styles differ, with Dessa being much more poetic, but you catch my drift). Everything about this album will stand the test of time as even right now at the end of 2010 I have it penciled in as one of the best of the decade. If you get the physical version of the album it comes with the lyrics, which is great since Dessa is also a poet.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. With this edition of Pop Shots running just a few days before New Year’s Eve I’ve decided to put together an invite list to the official Pop Shots New Year’s Eve party. Much like our one year anniversary party, it’s a hypothetical one. This way we don’t have to rent out a nightclub and we don’t have to worry about no-shows. Of course, as Pop Shots readers you’re all invited. Now it’s time to see who else made the list, as well as who didn’t make the list, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything will be seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
Christmas is over, but I have one last gift for you to unwrap - the final ABX podcast of 2010. This one has something for everyone. Well, everyone who loves hip-hop. There’s high energy music, a smoothed out track, some dope lyricism, and two posse cuts of epic proportions. All in all it’s 40 minutes of great music you don’t wanna miss.
I gotta admit, I was late to the game when it comes to finding out about Foul Mouth Jerk. A buddy of mine who’s the saxophone player for Deep Banana Blackout hipped me to Foul Mouth Jerk’s music when Jerk and TopR were playing a show by me at the Acoustic Cafe. I was blown away by how great their live show was. All of the call and response moments were honest, rather than contrived, they were fantastic lyrically, and, most importantly, they were having fun on stage. Cracking jokes with the crowd, and each, other in-between songs, and even accidentally inspiring a young woman to expose some skin, they gave the crowd serious hip-hop, but didn’t necessarily take themselves too seriously. I loved the vibe they created and caught up with Foul Mouth Jerk after a return performance a few months later that was a celebration of the release of his new album, The Oldest Trick In The Book. During our conversation we discussed the new album, as well as the culture shock of moving from New Jersey to North Carolina, and his linking up with one of Jersey’s most celebrated underground hip-hop duos.
Adam Bernard: You are originally from New Jersey, which is home to some of the most legendary acts in the history of hip-hop. Were any of those acts your original influences to start rhyming, or was there something else that led you to music? Foul Mouth Jerk: As far as influencing me to “start” rhyming there weren't really any NJ artists out at the time. We're talking the mid 80s, so it was stuff like Run DMC and The Furious Five that originally made me want to start, but once I did start I was listening to a lot of NJ artists like (Queen) Latifah, PRT (Poor Righteous Teachers), the Artifacts, Naughty (by Nature), and all of them had an effect on me. But undoubtedly the one who influenced me the most was Redman.
Adam Bernard: Did you experience any sort of a culture shock, or musical shock, when you moved from Jersey to Asheville, NC? Foul Mouth Jerk: Moving from the tri-state area to anywhere in the South will always be a huge culture shock to anyone, but that move from NJ to NC was during the start of my long-standing nomadic musician lifestyle, where I would spend as much time on the road all over the US as I would at home. My outlook on that has always been to incorporate the best parts of what I find in each area and sub-culture into what I do, so I enjoy that culture shock.
Adam Bernard: How’d you end up with the name Foul Mouth Jerk? Does it have anything to do with your travels? Foul Mouth Jerk: Actually Foul Mouth Jerk is kind of a standard insult my mother used to use in reference to any loud, obnoxious asshole. At some point I realized that was possibly the most befitting stage name for a person of my dubious moral character.
Adam Bernard: You are launching something called Gurp City South. You told me a fantastic story about this at the show. Tell me again about the creation of Gurp City South, both the company and the name. Foul Mouth Jerk: The term Gurp means to get wasted to the point of retardation, and the central home of Gurp City is San Francisco, CA. The crew based there are known as the Gurp City All Stars; acts like Grand Invincible, Eddie K & Brandon B (aka Trunk Drank), TopR, Zman, Conceit, Fist Fam, etc. A few years back some of the GC cats came to Asheville for shows and we got them so torn up they dubbed it Gurp City South. TopR and I have been working as a team from across the country for several years and once he moved to Asheville we decided to set up the business end of it and the website as a central hub to tie together this crew of people that are connected between SF and Asheville, and any ventures they’re involved in.
Adam Bernard: One of the first Gurp City South releases is your new album, The Oldest Trick in the Book. The album has a classic rap feel to it. Was that the goal going in? What were/are you hoping to accomplish with The Oldest Trick in the Book? Foul Mouth Jerk: The “classic rap feel” is kind of a default setting for me. I'm in my 30s and the stuff I grew up on is from the 80s and early 90s, and that old school style is just in my blood. It's how I dress, how I talk, and how I approach my music. It's not that I don't like any of this new shit that's coming out, but I'm not a kid doing the new hip shit that these younger cats are doing. I'm grown and I tell the stories of what I'm doing and going through for people that can relate to that. As far as what I was trying to accomplish with The Oldest Trick In The Book album, my only real goal was to make quality, timeless, music that would stand up over the years; songwriting that would have substance and some depth, as well as humor and a voice of its own.
Adam Bernard:You have a song with the Artifacts on the album. How’d that come together? Was it a Jersey thing? Foul Mouth Jerk: I've known both Tame (One) and El (Da Sensei) separately for about eight or nine years now through touring, doing shows, and recording with different people, and have always stayed in touch. Recently Tame had told me that he and El had been speaking again about a possible reunion of the Artifacts, so I asked him if they might be interested in doing a guest spot on the album I was finishing up. They were into the idea so we went to a studio that a friend of mine owns in Brooklyn and recorded the song. It came out so well we decided to shoot a video for it, so we booked a few shows in North Carolina and South Carolina and shot the video in Asheville.
Adam Bernard: In your estimation what IS the oldest trick in the book? Foul Mouth Jerk: Actually the point of the title The Oldest Trick in The Book is just the way that no matter what bullshit you fall for somebody's gonna tell you “you just feel for the oldest trick in the book.” I just like the ubiquitous dickishness of that expression and felt like my material kind of had that overarching vibe to it.
Adam Bernard: You are also a part of the Granola Funk Express. How different are your musical personalities when it comes to your work as Foul Mouth Jerk and your work as a member of GFE? Foul Mouth Jerk: All my music is as Foul Mouth Jerk, so it all comes from the same place, but the difference in doing music with GFE is that I’m a part of a team effort in the song writing process. Every member of that team is an incredibly talented musician, so we have to find the way that all those pieces fit together. In any solo effort you are more or less the singular voice of that project, and as the most cynical member of the group, you hear a bit more of that in my solo songs, but it's just one piece of the puzzle in any of GFE's music.
Adam Bernard:Finally, if people could only know one thing about you what would you want it to be? Foul Mouth Jerk: If there's one thing I would tell people right now, it's that TopR and I also host an internet radio program on ashevillefm.org every Thursday from 10pm-Midnight called the Worst Case Scenario. It's a talk/music/comedy program and it's some funny shit. It's a drunken, nerdy, rowdy mess, so check it out, and if you miss it live you can go to the website every week and check the archives.
“No Tears” is one of my favorite songs off of Top $ Raz’s 2009 release, Spilled Milk. With production by Thinker, and lyrics that show a maturity that far exceeds Raz’s mere 22 years (21 when he wrote it), the song is exactly what music needs right now. I’m even prone to believe that Raz really did “turn 30 at the age of 16” as he states in the second verse. This one’s a winner.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week, in honor of Christmas, Pop Shots is hitting you with a very special Christmas song that I wrote in an attempt to capture the spirit of the holiday season. It’s a spirit I attempted to capture in the spirit of Ke$ha. So kick back by the Yule log and enjoy my holiday interpolation of Ke$ha’s infamous introduction to the world, “Tik Tok.”
Astute readers will recognize the name Ceschi as the artist who was named Best Indie Rock act in the New Haven Advocate’s 2010 Grand Band Slam. A multitalented individual, Ceschi is also an emcee, and his latest hip-hop release, The One Man Band Broke Up, follows the life and times of the fictional Julius, who has a rise to fame followed by a crashing down. Some of the songs are personal, and all of them reflect the way Ceschi was feeling about hip-hop at the time he wrote them. The variety in the music of The One Man Band Broke Up shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as Ceschi performs nearly every genre of music. There’s the incredibly fast rapping on the title track and “Half Mast,” the David Bowie tinged “Lament For Captain Julius,” and the folk inspired “For My Disappointing Hip-Hop Heroes,” just to name a few. It’s multifaceted music for a multifaceted listener and it’s both easy and enjoyable to get wrapped up in the tale of Julius.
On Saturday night I went to my friend Erica’s birthday party in NYC. It was being held at a trendy spot called The Blind Barber, which has nothing to do with any brother of Tiki or Ronde. As is par for the course with me, I was there early. Thanks to Metro North I usually have two options when it comes to events in the city: super early, or too late to bother. Being super early I arrived to a sparsely populated bar (it would later be packed wall to wall, including a few girls on tables). Figuring someone else there might also be waiting for my friend I was very open about walking up to people and asking “hey, are you here for Erica’s party.” This is when I met three distinctly different types of people - the uninterested, the fun, and the super creepy.
First there was the uninterested group of people who simply said no they weren’t here for any party, and went on about their business. Second I met a fun group where one girl said “if Erica doesn’t show up I’ll be Erica” (yes, that’s one helluva good line and had Erica not shown up I probably would have acted on it). Third was the super creepy dude I overheard tell a friend that whoever they were waiting for wasn’t there yet. Figuring they might have been waiting for the same person I was I said “hey man, you guys waiting for Erica, too?” The response I received from the most diminutive member of the trio was not what I expected.
“Who’s Erica? Is she hot? If she is I’ll be leaving with her tonight.”
Slightly disgusted, I simply replied “I doubt it” and then walked away. The Napoleonic wannabe Situation in the Baby Gap sized black button down shirt wasn’t done yet, though. I sat down to chill and wait and a couple minutes later he sat down next to me, opening with the oh so classy line “so this Erica, is she hot?” I replied “that’s really creepy, man.” He said “hey, you brought up the subject.” I pointed out “no, I asked if you were here for someone’s party, you immediately asked if they were hot. You don’t even know this person. That’s really creepy, dude.” I told him that I wasn’t judging who he was based on the exchange (although I was), but, again, reiterated that he was being really creepy. He seemed to get the hint and rejoined his two male friends, who I'm sure he later high fived about how cool he was as they all went home without female companionship.
There really isn’t that fine a line between confidence and creepy and this guy was so far into the latter category I’m not sure he even knew how to act appropriately in public. He also seemed like the kind of guy who doesn’t realize reality TV isn’t all real and was doing his best to act like he was on Jersey Shore, even though the guys of Jersey Shore only act that way for the cameras (at least most of the time).
When Erica did arrive, with numerous gorgeous friends in tow, I warned all of them about the creepy short dude in the black shirt. I know with his lines he wouldn't have gotten anywhere with them, but he seemed like the type of dude who had “Roofie Aficionado” on his resume and I wasn’t about to let any of my friends, or their friends, get mixed up with someone like that.
The moral of the story is don’t be a creepshow, because you’re not attracting anyone, and I WILL tell you about it to your face.
If you’ve bounced along to Jesse Abraham’s “Yoga,” and if you frequent this site there’s a good chance that you have, you should know that the reason you were bouncing was one part Jessie Abraham and one part Spills. Spills is a producer who’s been working in NYC’s underground hip-hop scene for a number of years and his infectious sound, and long list of artists he’s been working with, is beginning to catch people’s attention in a major way. A handful of days ago, while Spills was on a flight to India, we shot emails back and forth for an interview. During this conversation that could only happen due to the wonders of technology Spills discussed his long history as a musician, how his ethnic background has affected his time in NYC and his music, and the very unfortunate way he came to be known as Spills.
Adam Bernard: As we do this interview you are on your way to India. What’s in India and how often do you make that flight? I hear it takes damned near 24 hours to get there. Spills: My cousin is getting married. I'm also going to be recording / collaborating with some local musicians. As a child I used to go to India every year, but I haven't been there in about five years. The non-stop flight from New York to New Delhi is actually only about 13 hours.
Adam Bernard: What do you do to stay sane on a flight that long? Spills: To be honest, long plane rides are one of my favorite things in this world. I love having that much uninterrupted time to make beats, watch movies, eat plane food, which I LOVE, write answers to interview questions - from awesome bloggers - and nap. If I could live like that forever, never going outside, always in the air, I would. In fact, since I was a kid, every time I'm on a plane I fantasize about never landing, about how a gas-plane would have to pull up underneath us and fill us up so we could keep going, around and around the world forever, never stopping. I'm kinda weird.
Adam Bernard: So your goal is to live in the air, but where are you originally from and how did you first get into music? Spills: I was born in Kerela, India. Spent my first six years there then moved to the UK, then to Florida, then to Lexington, Massachusetts, where I spent most of my childhood. Lexington High School has one of the best arts programs in the country - I played flute, tuba, flugelhorn and guitar with orchestral and jazz bands. I realized I wanted to spend my life making music when I saw a scene in a Ken Burns documentary where John Coltrane was playing his version of “My Favorite Things.” I had never seen or heard music that was so spiritual, so pure, so transcendent… my mind was utterly blown. Also, being surrounded by incredibly talented kids motivated me to practice hard. I've always loved learning and developing as a musician. I love being inspired.
Adam Bernard: Have you encountered any tensions due to your background while living in New York City? Spills: Not at all. I did encounter subtle racism while growing up in the UK, and a little bit in Boston. In NYC, my background, and more importantly, my beard, has gotten me nothing but discounted halal food and cab rides.
Adam Bernard: That settles it, I have to grow a beard! Moving from food discounts to music, have you found your ethnic background having any effect on your work? Spills: I suppose so. My early years were spent listening to Indian music, so I guess what I think “sounds good” will always be influenced by that. I especially enjoy using world percussion. I'm also into Arabic sounds and melodies; I find that they capture a deep, aching sorrow in a beautiful way. However, I think in this day and age, anyone can listen to, and be influenced by, any kind of music from all over the world. My background, or anyone's background for that matter, therefore doesn't really make that much of a difference. I think that's a beautiful thing.
Adam Bernard: Let’s talk more about your music. What’s your process like and what are your favorite pieces of equipment to use? Spills: Usually I'm inspired by something I hear. We live in an age where it is possible to create any sound you can imagine and to share that with the world. There is so much amazing music and art coming out of Brooklyn, which never fails to get my juices flowing. In terms of equipment, all I really need is my Macbook Pro and my DT770 (beyerdynamic) headphones. I use a variety of different MIDI interfaces, depending on the situation. I run Reason 4 and Ableton Live through Logic Pro 8.
Adam Bernard: Jesse Abraham’s “Yoga,” which you produced, is a certified hit in NYC’s underground hip-hop scene and on YouTube. Where else might people have heard your work, and what are you working on, and who are you working with, next? Spills: People may have heard Alphabutter, a project I dropped with Jesse Abraham early this year. They may have heard a joint I just dropped with Oveous Maximus via GlobalGrind called “Mr. Bustelo.” People may have heard some of my beats via BAB Collective. I think there are a bunch of other tracks floating out there, but its hard to keep track. I got a few projects lined up that I'm REALLY pumped for. I'm releasing a series of five song EPs with different artists. One will be with Cavalier of New Rap Order, who just got back from Japan where he destroyed the Tokyo Music Festival. That's going to be some straight 2015 hip-hop shit. I'll also be dropping an EP with Backwordz aka Baxter Wordzworth, tentatively titled Art Break, early next year. Listening to Bax on that project is like freezing your heart, shattering it into a thousand pieces, and having Salvador Dali rearrange it into a surrealist sculpture for you to put in your bedroom. Other than that I got some, one or two, beats on upcoming projects by some of my favorite NYC artists, including but not limited to: Warren Britt, MC K. Swift, Jesse Abraham, YC the Cynic, Top $ Raz, Dru the Monster, MC Faceman, BS and Albert Rhymestein aka Dollar Coffee, Otis Clapp, Truth Now, BAB Collective (Miz Metro, feleciacruz, Adrienne Mack-Davis & Erin Barra), and Final Outlaw.
Adam Bernard: Finally, how’d you end up with the name Spills? Spills: I knocked over a glass of liquid while performing, destroying a $10,000 sound system.
Both a supremely talented emcee and fine artist, Billy Drease Williams combines both of those loves in this visually stunning video for his latest single, “Run.” The video is simply gorgeous, which isn’t easy to accomplish with a song that’s about a break up. If there was any justice in the industry this would be a video of the year nominee.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week Pop Shots is hitting you with thoughts on everything from year end honors for Ke$ha and Bon Jovi, to a year end disappointment for the Black Eyed Peas, to a huge year end accomplishment for Jars of Clay, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
New Haven’s Illus has two distinct fan bases. He has his hip-hop fan base that knows him from his work as an emcee, including the EP he released earlier this year titled Feel Good Music, and he has his comic book fan base, which has enjoyed his work as an illustrator, and seen him speak about the topic at various Comic-Cons, as well as CMJ and NYU. Illus is hoping he can bring both of these fan bases together in support of his latest project which, thanks to some ingenuity on Illus’ part, incorporates both worlds.
The project is a new album titled For Adam, but for those who are early supporters of it, and help to fund the project, Illus is writing and illustrating a special limited edition comic book. “I wanted to give the people that support a special treat that no one else can get,” he explains. “If they contribute more I’m actually giving out original pages from that comic book.”
Through his self-publishing company, American Mule Entertainment, Illus has published every kind of comic over the years, from superhero, to horror, to humor, to non-fiction, as both standard comics and graphic novels. His last major project was a series he did with hip-hop legends Public Enemy. The special limited edition comic he’s offering to supporters will feature stories that relate directly to Illus’ experiences in the music industry, as well as introductions to new properties he’s created that he’ll be publishing as graphic novels in 2011.
When Illus speaks about creating the comic for supporters, he’s talking about those who lend support of the financial variety. This is because Illus started a Kickstarter.com webpage for For Adam. What Kickstarter does is allow artists, or any creative people, to ask for funding for a project in return for specialty items the artist offers up. According to Illus, “being an independent artist, and not signed to a major label, I don’t have to anyone to answer to except myself. Basically the fans and the people who listen to my music are my boss, as well as the people who read my comics, and I wanted to get them involved in the whole creative process.” He notes that paying something upfront creates that involvement. “If they make a pledge they get the CD, but it’s also helping out with me paying for the studio fees, and production costs, and mastering, and pressing up the CDs, so they’re actively involved in it.”
Illus, who’s Kickstarter campaign lasts through January 7th, is also offering up a lot more than just an album. Not only does he have the limited edition comic book for people who want to donate a little extra, but for folks who want even more unique Illus artwork he’s also designing skateboard decks, sneakers, t-shirts, and other forms of original artwork for different increments of donations. For a $3,000 donation he’ll even invite the donor into the studio and write and record a track especially for them. Illus admits “it’s highly unlikely anybody’s gonna be able to afford it, but I thought if there’s any really wealthy Illus fans out there that want a song I could basically serenade them in the studio.”
The goal for Illus is $7,500, which he knows is a lot during a recession. “I completely understand that aspect of it,” he says, “but also people do tend to justify spending money on other things and then they forget the value of music at the same time. Hopefully with something like this they can see where the money goes to, how it’s spent, and that it’s not just some guy in his room recording music on a computer, there’s actually a whole process to it.”
Currently about halfway done with that process, For Adam is an album that features a topic that’s weighed heavily on Illus for quite a while, like since he was seven years old. It’s why the album is titled For Adam. “It’s not an egotistical thing,” Illus, who’s government name is Adam, states, “the opening song goes back to 1981, which was kind of an awakening for me as a child because that’s the year that Adam Walsh (son of America’s Most Wanted creator John Walsh) was murdered. I remembered that because I was the same age as him, I was seven years old, and I happened to be down in Florida, where it happened, and it was the first time I had seen the news and actually been aware, or awakened to the fact, of how evil people can be.” Illus knows he may be dating himself by talking about something that happened nearly 30 years ago, but he says “it still plays a big part in my heart and it was very important for me to do that.”
Illus also felt it was very important to make an album that was about everyday people. “I really wanted it not to be an album about a rapper rapping to other rappers,” he explains, “I didn’t want to come out saying I’m the best and all the bragging raps. I wanted to focus on stories that people could connect with universally.”
For Adam will feature a handful of guests, including Homeboy Sandman and Gift of Gab, and, like Feel Good Music, the album will be produced entirely by J.J. Brown.
Illus hopes the combination of hip-hop fans and comic book fans who’ve connected with his work can help support him in this endeavor. He adds that if anyone has any doubts about his authenticity in looking for funding, “they should see my sneakers. I got these New Balances in 2004.”
If all goes well, fans will be able to say they got a new Illus album, and perhaps some original artwork, in 2011.
You may not instantly recognize the name David “Boom” Pinks, but there’s a good chance you’re already very familiar with his music. Having worked with R&B legends and Hip Hop superstars alike, Pinks has cemented himself as one of the top producers in the urban music world. Additionally, he’s done a plethora of production work for television shows on MTV and E! Basically, if you’ve turned on your TV, or your radio, anytime in the past few years, you’ve probably heard the work of David Pinks.
Not just a man behind the boards, Pinks is also a vocal talent, and he created a philanthropic organization earlier this year called The David Pinks Foundation, which helps kids who’ve been sexually abused. The cause is one close to Pinks’ heart as he was a victim of such abuse when he was younger.
Soul Train caught up with the producer/singer/philanthropist to find out more about the work he’s doing, both in and out of the studio, what Kanye West is really like, and if any of the Kardashians are keeping up with him. Since it’s the holiday season we also spoke about great holiday gifts, and how Pinks plans on ringing in the new year.
Eboi, aka Eboi Da Rebel, is an emcee I’ve seen rock Bondfire’s open mic a handful of times and been impressed by more and more with each performance. At the September show he brought a chair up with him and rapped a deep, heartfelt song as he rose from a seated position. The performance left the entire crowd in awe. More than just an open mic act, Eboi has released a mixtape titled It’s Time 2 Get Live and is putting the finishing touches on his official debut album, The CrossRoads, which he plans on releasing in March. The Brooklyn native has also formed a duo called Real Deals with longtime friend Rahleek. This week I caught up with Eboi to find out how music, and good friends, saved him from the troubled path he was on, what his name is all about, and what dog food has to do with his music.
Adam Bernard: You were born and raised in Brooklyn. What were some of the biggest influences in your life growing up? Eboi: Church, music and the street life, in that exact order. Growing up I lived with my very religious grandmother, she enforced and made sure I was in church. She also made it her business for me to join the choir. I definitely thank my grandmother for that because joining the choir introduced me to the beautiful sounds of music. As I got older my choice of music switch from gospel to hip-hop. I started being attracted and drawn into that “lifestyle” these rappers talk about, feeling like if I could learn how to survive in the streets it would be considered my “right of passage.” After that my life switch from church life to the street life.
Adam Bernard: It sounds like you’re not as interested in that lifestyle now. In fact, your name, Eboi ,stands for Energy Based On Intelligence. How did you develop this nickname and what does it mean to you? Eboi: Before I was E.B.O.I I used to be Eboy (Young Energy). The name was giving to me by my peers growing up in the part of Canarsie known as the 80s. Back then I was going by my birth name, Emmanuel, but there was another Emmanuel around my way. The common nickname that would be given to someone named Emmanuel would be Manny or E-man, but being that the other Emmanuel was being called E-man, plus he was older than me, as a joke they called me Eboy. It’s said when you’re named something you give it its own nature, little did they know that by giving me that unique type of name they helped me to be more of my unique self. Back then my style was so explosive and all over the place, sort of like a child, so in a sense they kind of named me right. I then started learning and understanding more about myself both as an artist and as a man. I knew my capabilities and I felt like I came into existence, so I dropped the Y and replaced it with an I and created an acronym Energy Based On Intelligence. I call myself that because that’s what I believe, I believe that everything in existence is energy based on the intelligence of the creator.
Adam Bernard: That’s the Eboi part of you, but I know your full name is Eboi Da Rebel, so what’s the Rebel part of you, and how much trouble has it gotten you into? Eboi: Well, my rebelliousness started as a resentment for authority, then it just grew into me just being myself. I feel like all of us are unique and different, but yet something is forcing us to conform to what society is saying is the norm, so by deciding to be myself it seemed like I created a lot of enemies, some of them secret, because I had upset what was considered to be for them the social order. Just being a rebel without a cause led me down some dangerous roads where I've experimented with and sold drugs, I've been arrested for promoting prostitution, credit card larceny, and identity theft. I was going through it around those times, which was greatly needed because I saw who my true friends were. I had to stop rocking with certain people, but at the same time I gained a whole community of people who I saw really truly loved and supported me. They all scrambled up money to pay for my bail, which was ten thousand dollars by the way, and they put me through it for weeks with their lectures on staying out of trouble. I took heed to it and listened to their advice and started focusing on what I loved the most, what I had forgotten about during my stage of trying to get money illegally - I got back to the music. Six months after I came home from Rikers Island I created my first mixtape, which I titled It’s Time 2 Get Live, symbolizing that it’s time for me to get back to life. I started hitting the underground scenes performing in different clubs, and now a year later I'm here answering questions about my life on AdamsWorldBlog. Holla back! {laughs}
Adam Bernard: You know it! We met through Bondfire’s open mic where I saw how intense your live performances are. How do you go about preparing to hit the stage and what do you hope the audience gets out of each performance? Eboi: I have a little ritual that I do before each performance where I drink hot tea to soothe my voice and keep my throat clear. I visualize how I want the audience to react to me and I pace back and forth visualizing myself already on stage. I like to use props and create audience interactions and I drop many jewels in my songs because I want the audience to leave my shows not only entertained, but inspired and motivated to go out there and live out there own dreams.
Adam Bernard: Is this the “pill in the dog food method” I’ve heard you talk about? What do you mean by that? Eboi: It seems a lot of people love the music that’s out right now, songs that are about the money, hoes and clothes, the flashy life, and you already know we all love that gangster shit. I don't necessarily think that’s a bad thing because I love some of that music, as well, but it can get kind of annoying when it gets redundant. So even though I may indulge in creating those types of songs, in my own unique way, sometimes I like to introduce my audience to something fresh, unique, interesting, totally out the box, and at the same time try to keep it hip-hop. So I say I make the “pill in the dog food” music because I feed the people what they want, but then I slip them what they need, which is new information from a different perspective.
Adam Bernard: Finally, I know you feel hip-hop is in a stage of transformation. Any ideas on what it’s transforming into, what may influence it, and what it may influence, next? Eboi: I like this question and I want to get very metaphorical with it, but I'm just going to keep it simple to not go over some people’s heads {laughs}. Nature shows us everything has its season and if you know your history about hip-hop then you'll see that it is going back to the state in which it began, when it was all about peace, love and having fun.
L.I.F.E. Long was one of the first artists I met way back when I started covering New York City’s underground hip-hop scene. A decade later his rhymes have never been sharper, as evidenced by “Veteran” which features pure lyrical fire and DJ JS-1 killin it on the ones and twos. This is hip-hop for hip-hop heads, and it’s fantastic.
Since 1998 it had been El Da Sensei and Tame One, solo artists. The Artifacts were a thing of the past. A part of underground hip-hop history. Known for their two albums, 1994’s Between a Rock and a Hard Place and 1997’s That’s Them, and their biggest hit, “Wrong Side of Da Tracks.”
Their breakup wasn’t a bitter one, they just decided to record separately. A little over two years ago, however, at the Rock Steady Crew’s 31st anniversary party, they found themselves together on stage again, and they really liked it. After a few more performances as a duo at the Rock Steady Crew’s 33rd anniversary show, and at the closing week of the legendary hip-hop record store Fat Beats in LA, something became apparent to both of them - it was time to bring the Artifacts back.
Tame One feels the closing of Fat Beats affected them on a subliminal level, saying “it wasn’t like we heard about it and then were like oh wow, now we have to do this, but on a subliminal level, yeah, kinda. The current state of the music game made us want to try to make a difference somehow. Neither of us wanted our past to just be for nothing.” El Da Sensei adds “I think us growing up and realizing, I won’t say time is short, but you only have so many chances to do certain things, and when hearing what everybody was saying I was like we had already been talkin anyway so let’s get it done.”
With the reaction the duo were receiving from their live performances in mind they decided the first step in their reuniting would be a tour “We wanted everybody to know it was real,” Tame One explains. “Rather than having people just thinking it was a rumor we hit the show circuit to show them, to make it live. It’s different than ‘oh, I heard they got back together.’ No, ‘I SAW them at a club rockin.’”
El Da Sensei says another reason they decided to hit the road right away is that they realized “a lot of people have never seen us live. They only know the vinyl, they only know the YouTube videos, and stuff like that. We had to introduce ourselves again just to reinforce what we started and get the new cats to know this is what we did, but we also have some new music coming. A lot of times you don’t get to do that. It seems like you gotta always put a record out first just to reintroduce yourself, but I figure why not go on stage? That’s a better way to do it.”
The next stage they’ll be rocking is the one at the Acoustic Cafe in Bridgeport on December 11th, as a part of Foul Mouth Jerk’s Oldest Trick in the Book album release tour, which also features Foul Mouth Jerk, TopR and The Problemaddicts.
From their recent time on stage together both Tame One and El Da Sensei have noticed they’ve changed a bit as artists. According to Tame One, “we both got better, and whatever chemistry we had that made people want to see us in the first place, there’s more of that, but there’s growth, it shows some progression.” El Da Sensei adds “we got different styles as far as how we used to rock back in the day, it’s a different atmosphere, and a different industry.”
What the Artifacts will sound like when they start recording new songs is a mystery even to them as El Da Sensei says “I don’t even know what it’s gonna sounds like, but I know it’s gonna sound hot.” He added “I’m more excited than anything to see how everything is gonna turn out.”
There’s currently no timetable for a reunited Artifacts album. Tame One says the duo have a strict rule about releasing work, “we will sell no rhymes before it’s time.”
In the meantime they plan to leave no stages unrocked as they tour the country and show audiences nationwide that may only know them as Tame One and El Da Sensei what the Artifacts are all about.
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week, with Christmas fast approaching, Pop Shots is hitting you with a holiday themed column. Don’t worry, we haven’t gone all nuts like that radio station thats been playing nothing but Christmas music since Thanksgiving ended. This is all about putting together the right soundtrack for your Christmas, Pop Shots style. The five songs on this list are a mix of classic tunes sung by pop artists and wholly original tracks that were conceived especially for the holidays. Some you’ll definitely know. The last two, however, might not have been on your radar. It’s Christmastime, people, and since this is Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
A couple of weeks ago PreCise sent me a whole lotta music and a whole lotta information about himself and his company, Illicit Visionariez Entertainment. When I started listening to his music it turned out he was a whole lotta dope on the mic. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, PreCise is a self described “full time employee, full time student, and full time artist.” Somehow he still found the time to sit down with me to discuss his music, as well as one of his most embarrassing freestyle moments, and the project he’s working on with two prominent former Artists Of The Week.
Adam Bernard: To start things off, due to the spelling of your name I have to ask, are you before, or Pre, Cise, and if so, what is Cise and why you are before it/him? PreCise: {Laughs} I have to commend you on asking me the most genuine and original question I have been asked to date! My name was originally Malishez (pronounced “Malicious”). I was in the department for a name change due to the surfacing of the hip-hop group The Clipse, one of the members of which was named Malice. His rise to fame left me searching for a new name. I would go out to these local cyphers and freestyle and one day after the cypher wrapped up a friend of mine approached me and said that every time I rap, I spit on-point. He said that I flow with crazy precision. He said, “yo son, you should call yourself Precise!” It stuck and since that day I have been known as PreCise.
Adam Bernard: It sounds like you’ve been rhyming for a while. When did you first pick up the microphone and put words to music? PreCise: In terms of music, I was never really interested in hip-hop until I reached the age of 10. I’ll never forget it, my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Mohammed, assigned my class a project in which we had to analyze and decipher the meanings hidden in the song “Gangsta’s Paradise,” by Coolio. From that day on I was addicted to hip-hop, and music in general. I started writing my own rhymes to industry instrumentals and began to try my hand at freestyling. To tell you the truth, I was HORRIBLE when I first started, but my lyricism grew with time. Also, I supplemented my rhymes with poetry and short stories. I didn’t actually pick up a microphone until 2009.
Adam Bernard: You noted you weren’t so great when you first started. Do you have any embarrassing freestyle moments, or demo tapes you wish weren’t floating around? PreCise: {Laughs} I do not have any disaster demo tapes afloat. However, I can remember some embarrassing freestyle moments. I recall I was taking place in a freestyle cypher with a bunch of other emcees. Everyone was really going in with their rhymes. My turn was coming up and I was trying to gather my thoughts. Mind you, I was up the entire day taking care of my niece, so all I had running through my head was daytime cartoons and children programs. I stepped to the center of the circle and started my delivery. Every punch line that came out of my mouth had a cartoon reference. People were laughing at how silly it was. I remember clear as day I ended my rhyme with “and that’s what happens when you battle dinosaurs from your imagination!” {Laughs} Needless to say... EMBARASSING!
Adam Bernard: Embarrassing, but hilarious! Moving to a more skillful time; what are you working on now and when will people be able to hear a PreCise album? PreCise: I am actually working on several projects, one of them being The Brother’s Piff, in which you will find me along side The MC Faceman and Warren Britt for what is sure to make you feel “Piff Wit It.” I am also working on my solo project as we speak. I am looking to release it in the summer of 2011 and I’m linking up with a plethora of underground, and a couple of not-so-underground, talents for it.
Adam Bernard: When people play a song of yours what do you want them to hear? PreCise: I want people from all walks of life to be able to play a song of mine and be able to relate to something in it. I want them to make a connection and hold that relevance until it reverberates in their souls. I guess what I am trying to say is that I want people to hear a little bit of themselves every time I speak.
Adam Bernard: We’ve spoken about freestyling a lot during this interview. What attracts you to the art of freestyling and keeps you doing it? PreCise: Oh man, there truly is nothing like it. You have to be clever and well poised. You’re literally thinking a thousand things in a second and trying to focus in order to formulate THAT bar, the one that is going to have the person to your right gasp or the person to your left grab their face in amazement. I don’t claim to be the best freestyle rapper in the world because that is hardly the case, but I do enjoy it immensely and will continue to use it as a tool to sharpen my written lyrics.
Adam Bernard: In addition to your music you also co-founded Illicit Visionariez Entertainment. Tell me about that venture and what you hope it will grow to be. PreCise: Illicit Visionariez Entertainment is the byproduct of several nights of sitting in a room with other talented artists and friends, freestyling and writing music. One day a very close friend and I decided that we wanted to give our crew a name. I.V. was born! It started out as a group gathering and blossomed into meetings for shows, studio sessions, recruiting, and a myriad of other things. In the short amount of time that we have been actively pursuing music many blessings have been bestowed upon us. We’ve had several collaborations with strong underground talent. We’ve performed for great causes, such as Fighting For Futures, and I’ve even been featured on the Empire State Volume 1 mixtape hosted by Hot 97’s own DJ Jazzy Joyce, which led to spins of my single on Hot 97 itself. So to answer your question, I hope I.V. will become the culmination of all it’s members dreams! Shouts to GoRDo, Gypsy, Ghetto Preacher, Juswyze, EZ and Quiet Storm for making I.V. an integral part of your life. Also, shouts to the newest I.V. additions: Lyriq and Dru the Monster.
Adam Bernard: Finally, has PreCise ever been imprecise about anything? PreCise: This is such a deep question. I am human like everyone else! I make mistakes and at times have poor judgment. However, I stand by all of my decisions. I accept my blessings and losses, and learn from them both.
Ceschi brings something a little different with his music, and that something different is great. His musical background is incredibly vast, having performed nearly every genre, and his ability to meld those genres is second to none. “Bad Jokes” is off of his recent release, The One Man Band Broke Up, and it’s a storytelling rap that’s also an allegory for his feelings on hip-hop. Enjoy!
For more on Ceschi check out our interview in the Fairfield Weekly.
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 someone deciding to go after Nicki Minaj, to why Alicia Keys has me reconsidering keeping children alive, to Axl Rose taking action against a video game company, and since it’s Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
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.
10) Eyes Set To Kill - Broken Frames
9) Foul Mouth Jerk - The Oldest Trick In The Book
8) Billy Drease Williams - Good Morning Amy
5 - tie) Coole High - Futuristically Speaking
5 - tie) Tah Phrum Duh Bush - Luminous Dark Alleys: The Insomniac Works
5 - tie) Homeboy Sandman - The Good Sun
4) Lee - Naked
3) Sade - Soldier of Love
2) Pigeon John - Dragon Slayer
1) Dessa - A Badly Broken Code
