Grind Time Presents: Locksmith Freestyle
GT Battler and established Locksmith spit some heat for the crowd at Battle Of The Bay 3 in Oakland, Cali on February 28th 2009.
Bennie’s Blog Bennie Sieg & Locksmith freestyle
Locksmith w/ E-A-SKI live at the World Famous EOW in NYC
FreshCoast/Grind Time Presents: Frontline Interview
Locksmith is testing his mettle with a solo career. While putting the finishing touches on his debut LP “Frank the Rabbit”, Locksmith is releasing the single “Therapudic” which is already making its rounds on mixshows and getting regular spins on KMEL and Sacramento’s KBMB.
The Richmond-born emcee hasn’t lost his trademark raw lyricism, precise delivery, or stinging critiques of the status quo. Whether it be industry games or governmental corruption, Lock calls it how he sees it on the new track. With his lyrical prowess over super-producer E-A-Ski’s lean, menacing beats, Locksmith transcends all Hip-Hop boundaries.
From his studio in Oakland, Lock expresses his excitement about his solo release and claims that “Frank the Rabbit”, which features Royce the 5′9, Jake One, Left of the Frontline and E-A-Ski, might surprise heads.
“Sonically, it’s very different from what I’ve done in the past” Locksmith adds. “There’s lots of instrumentation, a little reminiscent of old school Hip-Hop.” As for the concept, it’s a wild ride into the darker, uncensored side of his brain, an idea he got from one of his favorite flicks, “Donnie Darko”.
“Frank the Rabbit” will hit stores this summer.
-Article by LilJay of dubcnn.com
[Music Player Coming Soon]
WE GOT THE CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH BALANCE AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT HIS HISTORY IN THE MIXTAPE GAME HERE IN THE BAY, HIS UNSIGNED LEGEND PROJECT, AND HOW HE IS NO LONGER THE MIXTAPE KING OF THE BAY AND WHO HE IS PASSING IT OFF TO. MUST WATCH TO FIND OUT! ALSO PREVIEW AND DOWNLOAD BALANCE NEW SONG “HEARSE MUSIK” PRODUCED BY LIVIN PROOF.
-Demolition Men
01 Balance – Nuthin But Slap Intro
02 Balance Ft Beeda Weeda – Get it, Get It – Prod. By Midi Mafia – (Super Exclusive)
03 G Stack Ft Dotrix 4000 (Mekanixs) – I’m Just Sayin (E A SKI DISS)- Prod. By CMT
04 The Jacka, Fedx & J Pistol – Rap Shit – (Exclusive)
05 Ya Boy, E- Gunna, Dip & Big Rich – Gangsta On Grove – Prod. By Tha Runt – (Super Exclusive)
06 Beeda Weeda Ft Keak Da Sneak – Stuntin On Em – (Super Exclusive)
07 E-40 – Tell It Like It Is – Prod. By Rick Rock
08 Big Rich Ft Mike Marshall – Live How I Live – (Super Exclusive)
09 Balance Interlude
****FREE DOWNLOAD****
10 Balance – Hearse Musik – Prod. By Livin Proof – (Super Exclusive)
****FREE DOWNLOAD****
11 Balance Speaks About Unsigned Legend
12 J Jonah, Mistah Fab & Shady Nate – Crackk Music – Prod. By DJ Fresh
13 San Quinn – Rockin Up Work
14 Guce, J Stalin, Killa Keise, Shady Nate & Young June – You’s A Bitch – (Super Exclusive)
15 Young Moses, Sleepy D, Getcha Gotcha & D Lo – I’m On Leanin – (Super Exclusive)
16 J Stalin, Balance & Beeda Weeda – Bay Aint Dead – Prod. By Mekanixs – (Exclusive)
17 Balance Interlude 2
18 Balance – Pen & Pad – Prod. By Fingaz & Money Mike – (Super Exclusive)
19 Ap 9 – My Swag – (Super Exclusive)
20 Spark B – Shoot – (Super Exclusive)
21 Peoples & Balance – Lonely People – Prod. By Slap Boyz – (Super Exclusive)
22 AG Cubano Ft C-Bo – Hustler – Prod. By Traxxx – (Super Exclusive)
23 Laroo Ft The Jacka – Never Be The Same – Prod. By Traxxx
24 Dem Hoodstarz – I’m Cool
25 Balance Ft Clyde Carson – U Dont Want None – Prod. By Icon – (Super Exclusive)
26 Shill Macc – Spot Light – Prod. By Indecent – (Super Exclusive)
27 Balance Nuthin But Slap Outro
**Bonus:**
28 Jimmie Reign, Big Rich, The Jacka & Balance – Can’t Go – Prod. By Traklordz
01 The Taking
02 Geek To The Beat
03 TakeOver
04 DJ DJ
05 Antenna
06 Caged Bird Part 1 (Ft. Brother Ali)
07 In The Mornin’ (Caged Bird Part 2)
08 Radio
09 Gumbo
10 Country Backed Yams (Ft. Devin The Dude)
11 Coastin’ Zion I (Ft. K. Flay)
12 Juicy Juice
13 Peppermint Patty
14 Bring In The Light
15 Legacy (Ft. Ty and Jennifer Johns)
Release Date: February 17 2009
By Kevin Fairbanks
When Zion I cut their debut release, Mind Over Matter, in 2000, they garnered the respect of an underground community looking for the next sound. Since that debut, the combination of un-earthly production from AmpLive along with mutating lyrics from their dread-locked MC, Zumbi, has yet to fail.
Since Mind Over Matter, Zion I has put out five LPs marking their dominance in Hip-Hop as the advocates of spirituality and freedom in our world of beef and violence.
Now, after lending their efforts to a project with The Grouch of Living Legends entitled Heroes of the City of Dope, they are back to the original recipe as the group prepares to take over Hip-Hop with the aptly titled The Take Over, dropping February 17th.
AllHipHop.com: Why The Take Over? What is going in your minds at this point that you feel you need to swoop up the entire game?
Zumbi: It’s not so much like a military takeover of Hip-Hop or something like that. It’s not physical either like, “We’re gonna take over!” It’s more us taking it on a spiritual vibe, you know? When people get possessed by the spirit it takes them over and you got to do whatever you are given to do. We looked at it more like the traditions through out Rap music history in terms of being in America. We are basically paying homage to the music traditions that the ancestors layed down and that’s why we called it The Take Over.
We also called it that because we feel like this is the complete and best work we can do as Zion I. It’s like the pinnacle of what we are capable of because we really took our time on this record and put the best foot forward, so to take over in that way too. Also just to take over Hip-Hop and bring it back to being just creative and fresh, not really chipping off convention but just being original. The principles this culture was bounded on in this day and age, they are a lot of times forgotten so we are just taking it back like that.
AllHipHop.com: As we push farther into 2009 Hip-Hop has been pushed in many directions, some being not appreciated as much by the purists in our culture. How has this affected Zion I?
Zumbi: I feel like it’s forced us to stay on the cutting edge of what we do and be grounded and humble in our lane that we follow in terms of the style we create. Also, staying true to ourselves and why we even formed the group in the first place is important. We chose the name Zion I because we knew that it would help us maintain the focus in terms of us being uplifting and bringing a positive message to people and being inspiring. What everybody is really into is like escapism in the moment most of what they call “commercial” Hip-Hop. Fans like stuff that represents the street and it’s like, “I don’t give a f**k basically, if it’s about a woman or my money or my lifestyle.”
I’m out of that system and that’s all cool because in this climate it kind of reinforces what we do. There seems to be a lack of people trying to drop something for the head. We want to entertain people and keep them moving and just make stuff that hits hard but we’re also trying to sneak some jewels in there so people can smile when they are at the show. We don’t want people throwing up fists the entire time because that’s not really what we are about.
“That’s the challenge of always being an artist, just staying hungry to the game and not sitting back and saying, “Oh I got this.” As soon as you say that there is a youngster coming up that is hungry who will outshine you.” –AmpLive
AllHipHop.com: The Zion I sound has been ever changing for the past decade. What are you trying to achieve differently that shows your fans you are on a new level of music?
Zumbi: We included other aspects of our personality in the concepts of this album. The way we come off on a record usually is serious and there’s not too much humor. Most of our stuff has a social political tone and all of it is us, but I feel like this record is the most rounded in terms of actually who we are and how we are in real life and how we get down. It’s not like we’re straight hella militant all day long, we chill too and have a good time so I think this record really represents all of those facets.
AmpLive: I thought it was more a combination of all the albums. I think we went back to how we did Mind Over Matter because when we did that we didn’t really care about what was going on we just did music and brought in natural things that we listened to.
AllHipHop.com: Is it easier now that you have such a strong following to convey your strong messages and ideas?
AmpLive: I think as an artist it’s always a challenge man. I don’t think as an artist you can sit back and say that it’s easy to do this. My opinion is if you do that you might get soft and you might not try as hard. And when you do that people will feel it and music is always about energy and potential when your doing it and how much your feeling and how emotional you are about your message. That’s the challenge of always being an artist, just staying hungry to the game and not sitting back and saying, “Oh I got this.” As soon as you say that there is a youngster coming up that is hungry who will outshine you. Then all of a sudden you’re second rate and you got to make up ground. You always have to be on that edge of being creative and you know just being humble.
AllHipHop.com: “DJ DJ” recently surfaced on the Internet. Obviously the track has a “Planet Rock” essence which was also conveyed by Common’s single “Universal Mind Control.” What do you think of his efforts compared to your own?
Zumbi: We did “DJ DJ” before we had heard it [“Universal Mind Control”]. I was on the Internet one day and I saw “Universal Mind Control” and I heard and it is kind of in the same direction but it’s kind of a different thing too because we are paying homage to the DJ culture and how essential it is to Hip-Hop. A lot of times in Hip-Hop it’s all about the MC and the producer. Graffiti artists, DJs, and dancers don’t get as much recognition so it’s paying homage to them. Also that song went through a lot of changes. It’s started out one way and then it continued to evolve and Amp kept putting on different layers to it. I think Common’s joint is tight too it’s just that Hip-Hop is moving and there are different aspects to it. People can be on the same wave length and they catch that vibe and they just create.
“Hip-Hop is the culture we exist in but we grew up in it so it’s life. Looking around and looking at the world, the people I see aren’t rich and they don’t have 15 women hanging on them and they don’t kill people everyday.” -Zumbi
AllHipHop.com: Is Afrika Bambaataa an inspiration to the music you make being that he represented peace and all of your music has those same positive images/themes?
AmpLive: I mean I even went further then Bambaataa, Kraftwerk was the real machine behind that stuff. Like a lot of those songs were straight off of their albums. I listened to a lot of that and I’m really heavy into electro music so I wanted to combine all those elements. Then when the song [“DJ DJ”] came together I sort of saw how it was relating to what Afrika Bambaataa was putting out. In terms of the inspiration, it was just electronic music and where it came from including the Hip-Hop and the electronic Hip-Hop sound from the 80’s.
AllHipHop.com: Positivity, spirituality, and freedom are important topics that you push in your music. Why do you feel these are so important especially when we are in such a negative state in Hip-Hop?
Zumbi: Well we make music about life. Hip-Hop is the culture we exist in but we grew up in it so it’s life. Looking around and looking at the world, the people I see aren’t rich and they don’t have 15 women hanging on them and they don’t kill people everyday. Hip-Hop is very much an extreme caricature of real life. People have those experiences and then Hip-Hop glorifies a certain aspect of our reality as people of color, Black folks specifically. I don’t necessarily have that experience and I don’t uphold that. I look at life and what people are really living and that’s kind of where the music comes from. Just because everybody in Hip-Hop is doing the same thing doesn’t mean I should follow that. I’m still Hip-Hop and can be totally different, I can dress like a punk rock dude and still be Hip-Hop just because it’s my culture. I don’t think Zion I is built on following anybody else, I feel like we’ve always stood on our own to make good music.
Interview By: AllHipHop.com
Yukmouth – “Fresh Out”
Words: Evan Kidera
Photography: Underhill
Visuals: UNO Designs
It’s been 13 years since he kicked off his career with the Luniz, but after his recent departure from his long time label Rap-A-Lot Records, Yukmouth is more excited about his career than ever. Now as a free agent, Yuk is in the driver seat and plans to take his career to new heights. Already a West Coast legend, Yuk has always had his eye on the prize and he continues to have his hands in all types of hustles. He also continues to be surrounded by controversy as he sticks by his words, “The Worlds Most Hated”. Some things just don’t change, but after his release of Million Dollar Mouthpiece, Yukmouth plans to change a lot of things.
You just dropped the Million Dollar Mouthpiece album, tell me how that’s going.
Niggas is saying that it’s the best I’ve dropped so far, so I’m enjoying the feedback. I still think Thugged Out: The Albulation is the best one.
Are you still with Rap-A-Lot?
Naw, this was my last album with Rap-A-Lot, I’m off. When this album dropped, it completed all my requirements and ended my contract. That last thing was this drop and I was officially released. I signed my release papers last year, but I had to wait “til the album dropped to officially end the contract. Now I can drop an album with a bigger label.
How you feeling about finally ending that?
I feel great man! It’s time to get at that money, that real money. That’s the reason I left Rap-A-Lot. I mean look at this album –“ no fuckin’ promotion! They don’t promote shit, they just put the shit out. Luckily I got a fan base from going platinum with the Luniz and from doing my own thing. I still sell a hundred, two-hundred thousand from word of mouth and I’m fortunate to be one of those artists. But at the end of the day, imagine if I had the push of a big artist, even an artist with a medium push. Imagine what the result would be then coming from no push. I left “cause I know that me on a better label, me with a better engine, means that the car gon’ run and its gon’ win Indi-500’s cause that engine will push it. Rap-A-Lot had no engine, they was just a good stepping-stone. It’s more of a family orientated type of label than a label like Def-Jam or Interscope that puts real money into their artist and millions into each album. They don’t do that at Rap-A-Lot. I mean my advances were coo and they had me when I went to jail. That nigga J-Prince bailed me out at $150,000 on a Sunday night, which is something a regular record label wouldn’t do. So there was a lot of shit that was beneficial at Rap-A-Lot, but as an artist you want to put an album out and blow.
How’s your relationship with J-Prince now that you left?
Oh it’s wonderful. It isn’t like I got dropped or I left. We came to the conclusion together and J gave me the permission to leave. I owed them more albums after this one and I was like I can’t do it, I gotta get my independent thing going. I can’t keep putting these albums out and ya’ll just throw them out like a fuckin’ Frisbee. I need my shit to be pushed right and taken to the next level. They do mediocre everything and in this day and age where albums ain’t selling any way, you gotta have a hit ringtone or a million niggas on one song for it to sell. That’s just where we at right now and if I’m not with a label that’s ready to step up with that type of money, I’ll drown. So I’m ready to go to the big labels. I did the independent thing but at the end of the day the only thing beneficial was the money, but I ain’t in it for the money, I’m in this shit to blow up and be famous and to really be a master with this craft. I’ve been getting money, that shit ain’t nothing to me.
What “big” labels have you been talking to so far?
I don’t wanna pull a rabbit out the hat just yet, cause I don’t want nobody to call up from my old label and start playa hatin’. I want this shit to be inked before anything and then I’ll start shouting out names. But I got a few big labels and its gon’ be a motha fuckin’ surprise with who ever I go with. All I know is I’m already doing songs with T-Pain and shit, which the label I’m trying to fuck with is trying to get cleared and they already talking about a million dollar budget for the album.
What’s the situation with you and Numskull? At times I’ve heard you say fuck Num and at other times you seem to be cool wit him.
Maaaaaan. Cuz the nigga will diss the shit out of me and then I’ll see the nigga in person and he’ll be like, “Oh wassup man, I’m sorry, let’s hook up and do this album, I need the money.” But I don’t need to do no fuckin’ Luniz album, I’m getting this Yukmouth money. I got a career, I don’t gotta do the Luniz shit, my shit is poppin’. If I was to do it, I would do it to help him as a favor. Like the Silver and Black shit, we wasn’t really clickin’ when we did that album but I did it because the nigga begged me. That album dropped and we did a couple shows, then after that the nigga went on a rampage. I seen the nigga at the B.A.R.S. Awards and right when I’m pulling up in the parking lot I hear the nigga on stage like “Fuck Yuk!” and “Let’s fight!” Why you on stage saying fuck me? What did I do to you nigga? That nigga got a problem. I don’t know if it’s the drugs the nigga snorting or what, but he got a real problem against me. He literally hates the shit out of me and I don’t know if he can ever get over it, so until that nigga get his mind right, I’m good. That nigga can starve. The only way he can get back in the game is a Luniz album. Nobody checking for a Numskull solo album but they will check for a Luniz album. I’m not stuck on that old shit. I don’t give a fuck about it and if I do it, it’s gonna be for the fans and that nigga gonna really have to kiss my ass and apologize. But other than that man, fuck that dude. Just like he said fuck me at the B.A.R.S. Awards, fuck him and a fight go with it.
So nothing happened at the B.A.R.S. Awards?
Man, right after that we linked up with the nigga he apologizes and we ended up starting to work on a Luniz album. That’s why you seen little ads in the magazines that there was going to be a new Luniz album coming, but the nigga flashed again. He called me out the blue one day on some bullshit, talking bout “I hate you man, fuck you, you a bitch.” That nigga must have been high off a million snorts of cocaine or something, but he called and vented out on me like I stopped his whole future when I went solo. Come on man. I’m done with this shit. And after all that talk about when he see me he gonna beat my ass, when he see me in person there no punches thrown or nothing. That nigga’s not a piece of my life right now, I don’t give a fuck what he doing.
Are you getting good money off them pornos?
I’m fucking with this porn out here in L.A. They break a nigga off, so I’m fuckin’ wit it. The porno movies and them mixtapes is how I’ve been surviving these last four years. Off Yukmouth and Regime mixtapes alone I made like a quarter million from 2005 to right now. I didn’t give a fuck about dropping an album cause I was making 6 dollars a mixtape and I had distribution for my mix tapes. That’s unheard of. Niggas with big label deals ain’t even getting 6 dollars.
What else are you currently working on?
Right now I’m working on that Thug Lordz album Part 2 with C-Bo titled Thug Money, the United Ghettos Vol. 3, and that new Regime album titled Regime Life. Also look for my next album The West Coast Don
source: stashonline.com
With all the attention focused on bay area legend The Jacka right now, we had to get a piece of the action and get The Jacka on the phone for an interview. The interview is available in audio and text for those of you that actually still read..
The Jacka: Check it out man, it’s the Jack man, you know what im sayin the J. A from the Mob Figaz and this TheBayMusic.CoM you know!
TheBayMusic.CoM: Alright so I’m sure you’re pressed for time so let’s go ahead and get started, Everybody wants to know about the upcoming album “Tear Gas” what can you tell us about it and is there a slated release date for the album?
The Jacka: Tear gas is comin out in the End of August, but uh, It’s definitely coming out in the end of August we don’t have a set exact date but its definitely comin out in the end of August for sure.
TheBayMusic.CoM: Can you tell us a list of features that we can expect on the album?
The Jacka: Man, I got uh Messy Marv on there, I got Keak on there, I got uh Devin the Dude, I got Freeway, I got The Mob Figaz of course, You know what I mean, man you name em I got em on there if they from the bay, F.A.B you know what I mean, the pack…
TheBayMusic.CoM: Are you going to have Cormega on there too?
The Jacka: Yah I got Cormega, I got mega.
TheBayMusic.CoM: And are you planning on doing more than one video for that album?
The Jacka: So far I already got like 3 videos done for the album. I got “All Over Me”, I got “Shooters”, and I got “Fuck Everybody”, that was on the myspace page, but gotta add a few more finishing touches to it.
TheBayMusic.CoM: So are you gonna have a nationwide distribution deal for Tear Gas, or how are you guys doin that?
The Jacka: Uh you know, hopefully I can do it the same way I been doin it you know what I mean, going through Select-O-Hits you know what I mean, but I been talkin to SMC about the project and everything you know, I might go through them if its worth it to me you know what I mean.
TheBayMusic.CoM: Are you at all worried about too many compilations out there taking away sales from Tear Gas?
The Jacka: Nah, Heck Nah, I mean I don’t really got that much stuff out, I mean it aint like its just me, they gotta get it how they can get it you know what I mean, so I might do a collaboration with somebody or something you know what I mean because I mean I don’t ever really have a problem whenever it comes out its gone be the best shit out, it’s really not gone be like they not gone want it, I mean I could come out with an album everyday and they gone want it, cause they already know what it’s gone be you know.
TheBayMusic.CoM: So we had heard about an album that Cormega was gonna put out for you what can you tell us about that?
The Jacka: Man, you know I’m ready you know what I’m sayin, I live in the studio man you know what I mean, so I got projects ready, whenever he ready im ready ya feel me? We could do it tomorrow and it’d be done know what I mean, I just work, I constantly work namean, around the clock.. Im in Ohio I aint even at home im in the studio right now workin on Devils Reject part 2 with Ampachino.
TheBayMusic.CoM: You kinda touched on a couple other questions I got right there, we heard about one with Lee Majors, Guce, and now your sayin theres gone be a Devils Rejects 2, is there anything else you got out there or what can you tell us about those projects?
The Jacka: Man im just tryina keep it comin know what im sayin, whatever I could do to keep it poppin cause Im not no major artist or nothing like that, so I gotta do what I gotta do to be heard, you know what I mean? I aint trippin off of the, I wanna eventually get a good deal where its hella people involved, and it’s a big thing, big deal namean, as for right now I just gotta keep a bunch of stuff rollin, I got the Shooters Mixtape with Rick Lee, I got that, I got the Devils Rejects 2, Nick Peace is gone put it out under million dollar dream, Then I got uh, the Mob Trials 3, that’s already out, then I got the Tear Gas, that’s the biggest thing, that’s what everybody wanna hear. We wanna see wassup, everybody after a while they wanna hear somethin that’s really gone stick with em, that’s gone grow with em, like the music our parents used to listen to namean, its still around we still listen to it they want that music again names, so that’s what im into, Im into makin real good stuff, especially when it’s a solo album or something like that I can really be myself and do what I wanna do, because even on collaborations, they be coo, I mean people like em, I don’t even get complaints, they like em, but they don’t like em like how they like my solo stuff cause I get a chance to do really what I wanna do really. And um that’s all they want that, so that’s all ive been tryin to give em, im still out here im still hungry, im still tryin to just make dope music, I aint trippin off no Hollywood ass mess, I aint trippin offa bein in Hollywood or nothing like that, we already eatin, we already livin life you know what I mean, It feel good to be able to just make dope music and do what you wanna do you know what I mean, you don’t got no A&R’s on your back you doin your own thing its pretty good you know?
TheBayMusic.CoM: So you had mentioned the Mob Trial 3, what are your thoughts on the Mob Trial series, and which one did you enjoy working on the most.
The Jacka: Umm, we really did em all at the same time so. You know they all had the same feel, they all had the same emotion or whatever it is that you get when your makin an album, we was all down there at Nick Peace studio SMOKIN, goin crazy, you know we pretty much just finished those in a few weeks, not even that like two and a half weeks, all three of those albums was done, You know what I mean, we pro’s at it, we just get in the lab and really just do stuff, because you know that’s what we do.
TheBayMusic.CoM: Out of all the projects that you have out, what are you the most proud of so far?
The Jacka: Prolly all my solo projects, because those are the ones that I really just put out on my own and uh, had to do whatever I had to do to get it together and get it out there, you know what I mean I didn’t have no help besides the people that work with me you know, Golden Mean, Portia and them. Those are the ones that im the most proud of. So far right now the Tear Gas is definitely the new one, the one I’m most proud of because it’s the best one, it’s the best music, you know what I mean, it’s the titest one because times is different you gotta make stuff better, you don’t wanna have your last project better than the project still you just putting out, namean, this is definitely better than all the other stuff I did, not taking away from all the other stuff I did, but this is just what it is you know.
TheBayMusic.CoM: That’s a good look. So what artists have you not worked with that you want to work with some day.
The Jacka: Mmm, I always wanted to work with Sizzla, he a Jamaican artists, I always wanted to do a track with slick rick too you know what I mean, but uh you know, other than that I feel like I can get a chance to get to some people. I would definitely wanna do a song with like Face, Jay-Z all them dudes is raw. But you know I just like to check it out, check the game out and see whos gone be around, cause alotta these guys they do a song or two and then they don’t be around, not because they wasn’t tite, but just because the business aint right and they didn’t have the avenues to get they shit out there, but you know it’s a few people that I would like to work with you know.
TheBayMusic.CoM: So what do you feel about the current state of the bay area rap scene?
The Jacka: Uhh, from a guy who lives in the bays point of view’ or from the industry point of view?
TheBayMusic.CoM: Whichever you wanna touch on.
The Jacka: I’d rather touch on the one from a guy whos really out there. Its still. I mean its poppin its big, namean, the #4 market in music sales is the bay namean, so anyone of these cats goin platinum or gold or whatever they doin 25% of they sales come from the bay, that’s how come a underground artist such as myself could be such a big dude out there because they love music, you know what im sayin, the scene out there is ridiculous, our rappers out there where we from is famous out there, know what im sayin they big out there, I mean its lookin good for us, of course on the industry point of view they don’t want nuttin to pop but what they ideas is, because its like all they want is a lot of money and shit, but they don’t know whats poppin, we know whats poppin its big out there, its always been big, the bay always had a big music scene, its always been huge, basically if you a big artist from out there who known on the street, man, BIG.
TheBayMusic.CoM: So how do you feel about all the attention your getting right now, I mean its obviously real big right now with the upcoming album, all the radio play?
The Jacka: Yah its big man you know what I mean, doin a lot of shows, doin alotta everything, everything I been doin by times 10 you know. It’s cool though cause im still independent, and uh, to get that type of attention is good, cause I can continue to do it, you know we know how to do it, we been doin it for a while, I guess it kinda paid off right now, its payin off, we just gone continue how we doin it hopefully, I don’t have to sign no big record deal or nothing like that and we could be the next big record label out here on the west coast.
TheBayMusic.CoM: So what music did you listen to when you were growin up, and what influenced you, and what made you the style that we hear today?
The Jacka: I listened to all kinda stuff growin up man, I mainly listened to rap though you know what im sayin I got a lot of family members, lotta cousins older than me and stuff you know so, they laced me on everything I had a lot of records namean, pretty much the whole hiphop era whatever it was I kinda pretty much know something about it accept like where it very first starts you know what I mean im still learning a little bit, as far as myself I listened to a lot of reggae when I was a kid, my mom and them was into reggae, so that’s what we used to listen to in the house, and you know music from the early 80s that wasn’t hiphop I guess it was Funk or whatever it was, late 70s or something you know what I mean, you know shit like that, i guess that’s what it is probably the reggae cause that’s all I really like, its got a lotta substance to what they talkin about and shit in the music, kinda tough to understand but you know I been listening to that all my life, and I really understand it like I understand rap, you know what I mean, but for a person that don’t listen to reggae its little bit different for them, cause its not easy on they ears you gotta really listen to understand the accents, and hear through the accents, they really be sayin some raw shit, doper than alotta these rappers though, its like seriously man, if it was English they was sayin man and they could say the shit like that, they be monsters, it is English but with an American accent be unbelievable, its like listening to some metal, some soft metal or something you know the kinda shit that they say you know its crazy.
TheBayMusic.CoM: So you had mentioned you’d like to do a big project and have something that’s kinda mainstream, by doing that you mean you wanna keep your same style but just touch a big fan base, or what did you mean?
The Jacka: Yah you know what I mean, I don’t necessarily have to be all on television, I mean pretty sure gotta be on television but, I wanna do something different man, you know what I mean, I wanna do what i wanna do, and mostly just putting out alotta videos, and distributing videos like on dvd’s and stuff like that, just constantly, constant visuals, but its stuff I want the world to see, not some other shit because if I let the major labels decide, you know I be played out in a couple years or so, but If I keep doin me and and making my own decisions on the music we wanna do, and the type of shit we wanna do, we always be good you know we go out how we wanna go out, you know what I mean, we wont have a label playin or something and forcing us out, because you know they just milk the artists, they milk em for what they milk em for, namean, and use they image, use em all the way up man until the artist is all the way Hollywood and he play hisself out or you know he fuck up and they just don’t fuck with him no more or something, I don’t really know, im happy with the current situation actually.
TheBayMusic.CoM: So if you could do an album with any rapper right now who would it be?
The Jacka: Any Rapper? An Album?
TheBayMusic.CoM: Yup
The Jacka: Hmm, I don’t know we was talkin bout doin one, me and Mess was talkin bout doin one, I think that’d be a dope album right now, you know we was already talkin bout doin it so, that’ll probably be a shocker for the people we’ll come with that shit
TheBayMusic.CoM: We put out some feelers out there to see what people wanna know, seems like everyone wanna know bout Husalah, you have any idea when hes getting out, and any plans for an immediate project when he does?
The Jacka: Yah he uh, he got an album comin out right now that he did before he left, him and b-luv its called the tonka boys, he’ll be home in 2010 though you know what im sayin so he’ll be ready to do his thing so man…
TheBayMusic.CoM: That’s not too far off
The Jacka: Nah that’s not too far off, So yah, I just gotta just keep it lit, do what I gotta do to keep getting heard, cause like I said we aint major artists, we underground artists, but we could keep putting out shit, we could keep doin shit cause people don’t hear it, you know what I mean it aint like its ever gone get oversaturated cause it aint like everybody heard it, I could see if it was comin out and the whole world was getting it, you know what I mean, only certain few niggas know what this shit is, this is aint like, this is the type of shit you gotta put niggas up on, your boy put you up on this shit, namean, you don’t just automatically know who jacka is like that, namean, your partna put you up on it, or you heard it somebody playin it, and you asked em who it was, or some shit like that, so the more shit I get out the better for me, so that’s why I put a lot of shit out, the more I be able to get heard you know what I mean?
TheBayMusic.CoM: So are you happy you didn’t jump on the whole hyphy bandwagon since that’s really fadin.
The Jacka: You know, I don’t really, I wasn’t like on the bandwagon, but we was already hyphy, I didn’t understand the label, like who labeled it, who labeled the whole thing hyphy? Like who said that was a style of music we make, everybody just jumped on that shit, and im kinda happy, I’m definitely happy I didn’t do it because I just never really, everything sound the same, when one person do it, its done to me already you know, I don’t wanna make a song like fab or keak you know, or you know what im sayin, let them niggas be them, and let them do them, if they woulda let them do them you know what im sayin it woulda been big, its like right now me and Matt Blaque got a single out on the radio in the bay, everybody want a Matt Blaque hook, you know what im sayin? Everybody want Matt Blaque on they chorus they think its that’s whats gone save em but whats gone save you is creativity, and being creativity and comin with your own style and your own sound, and that’s gone save you, whats gone make no one wanna hear you is when they hear your song, or your album and you sound like the rest of the niggas shit, you know you not settin yoself apart even though you might be hyphy out here just let your own sound with it you know what I mean?
TheBayMusic.CoM: So what can you tell us about the group album that you just did with 12 guage shottie?
The Jacka: Yah that’s just pure hard madness right there, that’s just like a street album for the hood, you know what I mean, for the projects, for street people, you know what I mean, just another underground album that some niggas with respect put it out, did it on they own, they came up with all the dough, all the shit, and they got serious about it, you know what I mean, and I respected em for that, and they some real cats you know what im sayin, they aint fuckin around they bangin and all this shit, they come swoop me from the airport in the new what s63 or what was it, that young shit, im like ya, ya’ll niggas out here livin life, they doin what they talkin about in they songs, you know, alotta niggas did some of the shit they talked about in they songs, they just live a little better too, but when I see people that’s really doin they thing and they tryin to make their way with this music shit I respect em man, you know so, we was fuckin with it, we made some real hard as shit, motherfuckas gone like it, they got some fire beats, they got some dope ass tracks you know.
TheBayMusic.CoM: So one of the other questions I have you kinda already touched on, but uh, what advice can you give to the up and coming rappers right now?
The Jacka: You know only thing I can say is just keep doin it, you know, if you up and coming and you serious and you know you tight, invest in yourself, you know invest every penny into yourself, you know what im sayin, or if you believe in what you wanna do go get that big single, or get that big feature and do a song with a big dude, and put it out if you really believe you can really do it you know what I mean, and really stop lookin for too much help, cause I realize alotta niggas be like finally help me do this for us, do that for us, the whole thing is man, if you got a studio and you makin songs, you doin everything for yourself, what more do you, all you gotta do is keep putting it in people ear, and don’t make nobody not like you man, so you know don’t really follow no bandwagons, if somebody eatin off something they doin, LET EM EAT, you just come up with the next new thing, you know what im sayin, lets keep that rockin, its enough of the copy shit, the copy cattin shit, lets put that to a halt man, cause that’s how muthafuckas get played out, you know what I mean, too much shit sound the same after a while, don’t do that focus on being yourself, and you know what I mean it’ll definitely happen for you, namean, you stick with it.
TheBayMusic.CoM: Good advice, the Last question here, what goals do you have left in your rap career?
The Jacka: Really man, I just wanna get my label poppin. Poppin Poppin, know what I mean, I wanna get it just goin fat, like how def jam started, cause I see we takin all the steps as niggas like master p, niggas like puff, niggas like russ, know what im sayin we doin all the shit, the shit we doin now is the same shit they did when they got started, know what I mean, all we doin is just keepin it rollin mayne, and its lookin good so, that’s the big thing for us right now is just getting our companies goin, and rollin man and keep putting out good talent and good music man.
TheBayMusic.CoM: Any shot-outs you wanna put out there?
The Jacka: Yah man you know, shot out to the Mob, you know the whole mob figaz and all that man, all my boys out here in akron ohio, know what im sayin, the whole bay, the whole California, the west coast, everybody, all my folks, everybody who keepin it lit, all my boys doin time, free the huss you know what im sayin, my boy young cozzy we see you man, know what im sayin hope you come home on appeal, you know, everybody, jim, shout outs to Portia, my boy PK, that’s it.
Check it out man, it’s the Jack man, you know what im sayin the J. A from the Mob Figaz and this TheBayMusic.CoM you know!
For more information on The Jacka, check him on myspace at www.myspace.com/thejackamobfigaz
Hope you all enjoy the interview, and look forward to more exclusives from thebaymusic.com soon. Shots out to PK, Portia, and Steph for making this happen.
–Cory of WwW.TheBayMusic.CoM
Recently in XXL Magazine, The Jacka was placed amongst about a dozen or so artists from California who were marked as the ones who will bring the West Coast back. On that list was Aftermath prodigy Bishop Lamont and Universal Republic star Problem among others.
What was the one thing that separated The Jacka from the rest? Well, he doesn’t even have a record deal. He was the only unsigned artist to make the list, which speaks volumes about the Bay Area artist. Having sold quite a number of albums independently, The Jacka is the epitome of what an independent artist should be and I doubt his title will stay as such for long.
He is a Bay area legend and with his experience and record sales, it’s just a matter of time. Sixshot.com caught up with Jacka to discuss the Bay Area, his independent status, and where he plans to take his movement in the future.
Sixshot: Sup man, so you’re from the Bay right, where at?
Jacka: Oh man, all over the place. We had been in Richmond but we all really got discovered in Pittsburgh, California. We got whole cities on lock down here man. Some people got they neighborhoods locked down, we got the whole city locked down, you know what I mean?
We definitely got Oakland, Richmond, and Pittsburgh. That’s where my family is from and those are the three cities that I rep.
Sixshot: You were recently featured in XXL as one of the artists who’s bringing the West Coast back, how does that feel?
Jacka: Yeah man, I mean, it was out and I didn’t even know it was out. I thought they were talking about some local magazines or whatever. When I found out it was XXL and I was the only independent artist listed there, the only artist without a deal, it was real exciting for me. I was actually surprised people were even paying attention to me like that.
Sixshot: You’ve put out albums and you’ve moved some serious units independently, how did you pull that off?
Jacka: It’s good for independent; it isn’t my dream come true. (Laughs) It was good though as far as independent especially putting them out the way that we put them out and people aren’t really selling records right now. We definitely did a good job on the first joint, self titled, you know, The Jacka, that did over 25,000 units. The second album didn’t do as well. I couldn’t promote it the way I wanted to and it didn’t have that money behind it. Times were lovely during that first album but some people went to jail and situations changed and I didn’t really have that support so we did about 15,000. I’m definitely not satisfied but everybody keeps telling me that’s good.
Sixshot: Are you looking for a major label deal?
Jacka: I mean one day I’ll probably get a shot at it. I don’t just wanna sign any deal, I’d like to get some money out of it. They’re gonna use you and wear you out so I might as well get some dough out of it. I wanna get one but I wanna be in control and do what I wanna do. I wanna still be able to use sample and stuff. I don’t wanna get a deal and then have an A&R picking out my beats and hooks and making do things that just aren’t me, you know?
Sixshot: The Bay seems to be real tight knit in terms of the hip-hop scene, are you guys?
Jacka: For me, definitely, because I’ve been doing it for so long, since like 1998 or 1999. I seen everybody come up. When we came up, we came up together. Me personally, I have a real good relationship with all the artists out here.
Sixshot: In your opinion, who would you say did the most for Bay Area hip-hop?
Jacka: Too Short, E-40, Master P, cats like that. Master P started out in Richmond California, people don’t know that, he was big out here. They did the most for the bay, guaranteed.
Sixshot: How do you feel you’re making your mark over there?
Jacka: I’m bringing a lot to this rap shit, period, not just the Bay, it’s worldwide. It ain’t nothin’ but a bunch of suckas rappin’ man. When I see certain dudes and I see certain cats I wonder what this sucka talkin’ about? I’m from the streets man. They wanna get you on their tracks; they wanna pay their way to the top and all of that. What happened to comin’ dope and bein’ raw? Remember auditions? When you wanted to rap a dude would tell you to bust something right there. I would have 20 or 30 raps in my head ready to go. That was raw. Nowadays they can make anybody a rapper. As long as he’s got a grill and a few dollars, they put him on. He ain’t gotta be dope because they found a new way to make money off of it. I’m gonna bring the pride back to this shit and everybody I mess with is serious. I’m always trying to come with a new sound and always trying to be the best.
Sixshot: Do you think it’s possible to still come out and sell some records with the CD sales down so much?
Jacka: I don’t know about major artists. I don’t know because 50 Cent is really the last dude to sell some real units in the rap game. He’s a real dude from the street so of course if you give him a shot he’s gonna blow. 50 is a dude who was really in the streets, really doing his thing, and he got a major deal, that’s how it’s supposed to be. Personally, I think I would do real good right now as long as I promote it right and get in the areas I need to be. I could help change the state of hip-hop.
Sixshot: “All Over Me” is doing real well, are you happy with the response you’re getting?
Jacka: Yeah man, I mean, we just mixed the song down and sent it out and they put it in rotation instantly. It’s because they like the song but it’s also because of the dedication and all of the hard work that I do to make them even wanna mess with me like that. They handed a lot of dudes the ball in the Bay but I’m here and I’m really doin’ it. I spent so many years in the studio just making songs, I really practice my craft. I make good music and a lot of these cats just do it because they wanna be famous. When they got the ball they dropped it because they’re not as raw as people was making them out to be, you know? I always had to prove myself and I never had anybody to just hand me anything, I was always putting in that work.
The only dude who gave me a shot was my boy C-Bo and he’s an underground artist. He’s really just starting to get his shine with Young Buck and them now. I never had a major deal with nobody so I always had to prove myself. I’m just constantly proving myself to these people so I make sure I put out the best music.
Sixshot: The labels must be calling though, right?
Jacka: Yeah they callin’ but they don’t wanna do nothin’, ya feel me? They don’t really care unless you got somebody behind you like 50 Cent or somebody to say that you’re nice. They don’t know what’s good for them until they hear the next cat come in and say that you’re raw.
You could go in there today with the same music but they wont mess with it until the boy 50 Cent or somebody with their respect comes in and says it’s hot.
After that they get on your balls but they don’t really know what’s good for them so you just gotta keep proving yourself. Wait until a real nigga goes in there and say they been fuckin with Jack then they’ll jump on my dick and act like they been in my corner the whole time.
I been in this shit for a long time my nigga, ya feel me? I seen my boys get signed to major deals and they ain’t really got shit. They can’t come out with their album when they want to, they on hold, and they really just getting held back with them deals. If I get a deal they gotta put a hundred percent into me because I already know what I’m ready to do.
Sixshot: As a successful independent artist, has the internet been useful to you?
Jacka: Man, has it? Probably in ways that I don’t even realize. When I first started doing it, wasn’t no internet, wasn’t no digital sales or nothing like that. The internet was just kickin’ on so watching it evolve has been kinda dope. It helped me a lot, especially Myspace and Black Planet. It gives people a chance to hear me. Even if they stopped making CD’s today, the internet would be a great way to get paid. People could just download your shit, no matter how they sell the music, it’s gonna live on. The internet is raw and it definitely helped me out.
Sixshot: Overall, are you feelin’ hip-hop music today?
Jacka: Man, at first I wasn’t but I recently went to Seattle and they loaded my Ipod up with all types of shit and it’s serious. I used to go into the store and if the cover looked hot I would give it a shot and there was usually something on there that I liked.
Sixshot: Tell us about Tear Gas.
Jacka: That’s my third solo album man. I named it Tear Gas because it makes people cry man, it makes haters get mad. Everybody knows that I’m a real person and when you listen to the music it brings tears to your eyes, its real music. Tears of joy, tears of pain, whatever, this is the good music we’ve been needing. I put my heart into this, I really did. I put it all out there. They put a few songs on the radio but I didn’t make it for that, I made those because I knew the hood chicks would like them. I didn’t do it to be a famous rapper or nothin’, I did it because the chicks in the hood love me. I had a single before called “Hey Girl” but they didn’t really play it on the radio because that’s when people was sleeping on the Jack. I put my all into this, its just music, a new sound. When you hear it you’re gonna love it. It ain’t no radio jingles, it’s food for thought.
Sixshot: Anything you wanna say to the fans out there?
Jacka: Hit up the Myspace and cop that Tear Gas album. Big shout outs to all of my boys out there; I don’t mess with no clowns. Keep stayin’ tuned for more good music. http://www.myspace.com/thejackamobfigaz
Courtesy of TheBayMusic.CoM and GoldenMean Management, preview the following songs from the Jacka’s upcoming album “Tear Gas” Including the Smash Hit Single: “All Over Me”
Some of you may remember a certain little diddy by a man called Mac Dre and it was titled “Thizzle Dance”. Well…the man behind the track on the production side was Portland Oregon’s own Syko. Syko has been on the Bay area and Northwest Hip-hop scenes for years and has major ties to the bay music scene.
To keep up on what’s good with Syk and to hear his latest slap’s, check out his myspace at www.myspace.com/syko12 and check out the website at www.themanbehindthepill.com.
Me an Syko chopped it up to let y’all know what the latest is with the man…here it go!
Syko: Aight what’s up wid it?
Nick: Man…just tryin’ to see what’s been going on with you latley. Give me the scoop on the latest in Syko’s world.
Syko: Ah man…the latest? Were just gearing up for this whole promotional shit for the summer man. Taking over the town with this S.O.S, the summer of Syk. Were droppin’ an album every month of the summer. June, July, August. In June we got The Movement gone drop. You know that’s a double CD. All my artist’s with this Syko production. I’m probly featured like 2 or 3 times on the whole Shit!
Nick: Wow!
Syko: And then we got um…In July we got (The man) Behind the Pill finally!
Nick: We been waiting for that one.
Syko: Yeah, the double CD. It’s way different from that Internet shit. It’s got 16 new songs ya feel me? So it’s just like a whole big ass stockpile with some new shit. And then to end it off we got the Taliban which is my group. They got they album comin’ in August called Taliban Action. We got a video that’s gone be hittin’ youtube and I’mma have all the albums for download on iTunes so you can just buy the tracks you want…all that! I’m just…I’m really gearing all this shit for internet ya know what I mean? Because it’s the best way for a mothafucker to get his shit off. Plus I got a gang of fans on the net, and on the street… Other than that man I just been producin’ my as of man. From LA to Colorado to Virginia man, all over the damn place.
Nick: So I was reading online about a possibility of you hooking up with THIZZ ent. for one of your projects coming up. Anything come of that yet.
Syko: I’m not gonna say for sure. I mean aint nothing really materialized accept for the fact that me and Dunna is doin’ a album you know what I’m sayin’? But they was gonna fuck with my album. I had a little time within myself to really think is that the best move for me and my label imprint and what I’m tryin’ to do myself so, I really don’t think, like, at this time I’m gone say %85 don’t look for it to be on THIZZ Entrtainment. Look for the solo SYKO album to be on Makin’ the Grade Entertainment and I’m looking through a gang of companies right now tryin’ to get my straight. I hollered at Select-O-Hits, I done hollered at Koch, I done hollered at a lot of mu’ fuckas’ man so It’s gone get that distribution it’s just really who I want to fuck with.
Nick: It’ll get it! If they do there homework they’ll see theres a lot of people waiting to hear it!
Syko: Plus I got my guy Bootz up at 95 like really pushin’ for me and fuckin’ with me and making sure I get spin and making sure I’m getting the kind of
exposure I need now. I think everything is gone catch on like really really really big this summer.
Nick: So, youtube video? You guys are shooting a video.
Syko: Yeah, we already shot a video for “Drop, Rock and Roll. That’ll probly be on youtube at the end of this month. Basically it’s a two in one video. Then sometime next month in May were gone wrap up this Taliban. Oh yeah I got the Taliban, American Taliban mixtape comin’ in May. So it’s really like we takin’ over the whole summer. We got May, June, July, August.
Nick: Damn! I guess!
Syko: I’m not really givin’ nobody else the oppertunity. I mean people gone try but everybody been waiting for this Syk shit for the longest. So now I’m just gone overdose em’ on shit. Like…alright, you don’t like this album then go get this one. You don’t like that one, go get this one. You like all of em’, buy all the mothafuckas’.
Nick: Buy em’ all right?
Syko: Yeah, cause all together it’s really six CD’s cause the first two, The Movement and The Man Behind the Pill are double CD’s! And then the Taliban is the only single album that’s gone have about like 16 slaps on there so.
Nick: Are we looking at a fat list of features or is it a lot of Syk?
Syko: It aint really…the most features you gone get is on my album! I got Luni on there, I got Dubee on there, and I got Dunna, and everybody within the camp. But I tried to stray away from getting a gang of features on there. I’m tryin’ to wrap it up with this song with Fab that sampled that old ass car song “Who’s gonna drive you home tonight”. So I’m thinkin’ about throwin’ Fabby on there. I got a pretty good relationship with all them cats. That’s probly the last little element I’m gone add to the album. But the Taliban, they don’t got no features, the Movement, the only features that’s on there is everybody out my click and then Dubee made a guest appearance on there and then that’s pretty much it.
Nick: Cool man! Keepin’ it SYKO, I like that.
Syko: I’m tryin’ to let people know that it’s okay to be yourself, you don’t need everybody else to sell your reacord.
Nick: Right! Right!
Syko: Then it aint really an individual anyways. People look at me as my own entity so I gotta give people me, I can’t give people me with Snoop Dogg, and me with Mack 10 every album, or Too Short…you know what I’m sayin’? People get sick of that shit so…
Nick: Right! Absolutely! So…production. You been producing! Are we gonna see a lot of Syko production on there too?
Syko: Ah yeah man. I’m hadling everything accept uh, accept for maybe 2 or 3 tracks out of like 80 songs man so you gone hear a whole lot of that Syk sound from a lil bit ago and you gone hear that new shit and then I’m workin’ on that me and Dunna album. Me and Nonstop are probly gone split the production down the middle and we gone start workin’ on our album in like the ass end of August. We already got like 5 or 6 songs done. Now that he down in Atlanta he hookin’ up with a gang of major mu’fuckas. He got a couple deals on the tablke with Geffen and some other mu’fuckas for our project. It’s as a production team also so not only just artist’s, we gone be producing for a lot of other people so.
Nick: So your going to be showcasing your skills not only as an MC but production wise as well.
Syko: Exactly!
Nick: Especially this summer. That’s a lot of tracks man!
Syko: Man, I’m tellin’ you bro. It’s compiled with, I’m gone say the ass end of 2006 to now. It’s a whole lot of shit that I aint been able to put out that’s why I been just givin’ away like here go the mixtape, here got the Internet version of my album cause people been waiting and waiting and waiting and I gotta give mu’fuckas what they want.
Nick: We’ll Syko…I appreciate the time fam.
For more of my interviews check out my page at www.myspace.com/nlrwriting
NLR: Live with Ya Boy, thebaymusic.com whats good?
Ya Boy: Chillin man, happy to be here?
NLR: Whats the latest with the Prince of the bay man?
Ya Boy: Oh man I aint the prince no more man, I aint the prince no more, Imma just let the people give me my title, the prince, I aint the prince though, I probably was the prince bout 2 years ago.
NLR: So i was reading stash, and I read a quote in there that said we shouldnt expect the next album until you got a million people waiting to grab it, you getting closer to that?
Ya Boy: It feel like it, It feel like I am, I mean the buzz is gettin bigger, know what im sayin, my mixtapes are sellin out faster, like everything I touch is… like everything I put out there is gettin out there in hours, so i mean the buzz is definitely gettin there, I’m workin on the album right now, Im workin on the album right now, this shit is comin out crazy, so yall expect the album pretty soon.
NLR: Any title for it yet, or release date or anything?
Ya Boy: Nah no title, no release date. Really im just waitin to get the right situation you feel me? I dont wanna just throw out no album and the shit aint got the right push, aint got the right people workin it, It just goes nowhere, we wanna put the bay on top when we drop this album so gotta make sure we got the right team around, the right push, the right everything ya feel?
NLR: I know the buzz is gettin real big, especially on the myspace. So how do you stay on the top artist list on myspace?
Ya Boy: I mean really somebody just told me yesterday that i been on the top list, the top artist list for the past 2 years.. I mean i dont really do nothin except have somebody change my music every once in a while, put out some good music, and thats it. I mean myspace is just people goin on the internet and typin in your name lookin for you, so i mean thats just a result of the buzz, they probably see me in this magazine or heard my name hear in the streets, or heard from they friend so they just look for me and they keep checkin for me and that keep me on that top of the list.
NLR: So you got a team that runs the myspace for you?
Ya Boy: Yeah, yeah, i got a few people runnin it for me it’d be too much for me to do that all by myself.
NLR: Whats up with Tila Tequilla, that your girl at one point? Whats up with that?
Ya Boy: Oh thats my homegirl
NLR: Ya so you guys know each other then?
Ya Boy: Yah, thats my homegirl shot out to tila tequilla, thats my homegirl shes doin her thang..
NLR: So whats up with MTV show? Anything materialize as far as that goes yet?
Ya Boy: Ah naw, we just figured that’d be the wrong route, for a reality show, i mean we gone keep doin the road to riches thing on the internet, showin em a day in the life of ya boy and his career to the top, and his voyage to the top, but the reality show on MTV not gonna happen. Not as of right now, maybe someday when im on to my flava flav shit or somethin.
NLR: So your sellin like 100,000 mixtapes everytime you drop?
Ya Boy: Everytime
NLR: Man thats a grip, its time then!
Ya Boy: And if you aint got that new one it dropped yesterday its called “Im Bout to Murdah this Shit” go get that.
NLR: What about optimus rhyme, when that dropped there was a huge buzz and nobody couldnt get it, are you controlling the release of the mixtapes?
Ya Boy: Ahhhhh I mean we got a whole bunch of people pressin em up, Namean, i might have somebody press up 25,000 in LA, 25,000 in the Bay, 25,000 in new york, i just flood it around, and then you know mixtapes have babies and shit, you know the bootleggin is heavy right now so mufuckas can find it if they want to find it.
NLR: Now i know alot of stuff droppin right now is bein marketed towards like the teenage girls and the myspace boom and all that, I mean should we expect to always hear the same hard gangster style sound and thought provoking analogies in your style or are we ever gonna see you makin tracks to appeal to the teeny boppers, the tweeny boppers, the ringtone generation, you know what i mean?
Ya Boy: Yah definitely, I mean the only time you will hear Ya Boy doin the gangsta street shit is on the mixtapes and the street tapes know what im sayin? But when it comes to this album its gonna be alotta different on there, alotta shit for the girls, alotta shit for the teenagers, But i mean I do shit like that now, and I throw that shit out there and it seem like they hate my guts for a week, then I throw out some more of that street shit and then they back on me, and it seem like people hate when i do that type of shit, but you know its just all about what makes the money man so, im just making good music, thats all imma do, Imma just keep makin good music, but when you hear that hardcore gangsta rap shit, i mean i just do that for the streets, you know what im sayin, I came from the streets and I just do it for the streets for my mixtapes, but the album wont be like that at all, You know that i switch it up. If you a Ya Boy fan, you know that i switch it up, I could switch it up and do anything, i could do a mutha fuckin soulja boy song, or i could do a 50 cent song, or i could do a eminem song, imma muthafuckin chameleon.
NLR: Okay, anybody you wanna work with right now in particular?
Ya Boy: Uhhh…. Michael Jackson
NLR: There you go, I havent heard that answer yet. Thats a good answer
Ya Boy: Me and Michael Jackson’ll kill em
NLR: Man shoulda just thrown a new thriller album then uh?
Ya Boy: Definitely, Thriller part 2, imma call it Realer though.
NLR: Any shot outs to the fans man anything you want the fans to know when they listen and read this?
Ya Boy: Oh man, shot out to the whole precise gang out there holdin it down, yaboymusic.com, myspace.com backslash yaboy, get your internet game up, shot out to everybody in the bay, you know what im sayin its good, we finna take over asap, holla at ya boy.
NLR: How bout a drop for thebaymusic.com homie?
Ya Boy: Ayy, check this out you already know who it is, it’s that boy Ya Boy, the bay area bully, givin a shout out to thebaymusic.com the realest site on the internet, PUSSY!
For more interviews visit www.myspace.com/nlrwriting and always remember to check back at thebaymusic.com
Kenny Mack…the new face of the west!
In case you didn’t know, Kenny Mack has been holding up his part of the Northwest on the Hip-hop scene for a minute now and has big plans to take over the entire industry. With the wit and style of a true Northwest MC, Kenny has never failed to deliver top shelf spit!
Kenny just dropped a new single called “Make it clap” feat. Snoop Dogg and has leaked a sick track on his myspace off his upcoming album called “Face in my lap”! Plus he’s got a mixtape, and a DVD in the cooker right now too. Somehow while doing his thing on the music tip, he also finds time to give back to the city he reps…Portland Oregon. Home of the 503 area code and my own fellow Oregonians. I got at Kenny to see what the buzz was about. Check out what Kenny had to say!
Nick:
Whattup wit it Kenny?
Kenny Mack:
Yeah, yeah…what up wit it man. It’s your friendly neighborhood Kenny Mack. West coast bad boy. What’s good wit it west coast?
Nick:
Man, I know you got some things poppin’. You been real gung ho lately man, ready to go, ready to take over the whole joint. Let me know what’s comin’ up. What’s crackin’ with you?
Kenny Mack:
Yeah you know, defiantly. Man I been holdin’ down this west coast sh*t. I’m one of the faces of the new west coast and basically what it is is I got a new album comin’ out. It’s a mix album. It’s called “The Bizznezz”. It’s featuring me and my people 6ix. It’s comin’ out on the 25th of this month. Also I got Kenny Mack “The streets aint safe” album and DVD. It’s gonna be coming out in the next couple months featuring Mac Dre, Keak da Sneak, Cool Nutz, and basically a whole lot of me. Basically I’m just holdin’ down my scene you know…the 503…the 503 star general. I got this clothing line too. It’s called ” Product of my environment”. It’s a custom clothing line, urban, all custom stuff you know what I’m sayin’? Dudes, chicks, kids, whatever. You can check it out on my myspace at www.myspace.com/mshrecords, or just google ya boy Kenny Mack. That’s what it is right now.
Nick:
As far as the future. I know you got the mix comin’ out, the record and DVD, the clothing line. Any other big plans?
Kenny Mack:
Right now I’m doing this clothing drive in our city out here in Portland where I’m gonna clothe 100 families. It’s called the First annual Good Look clothing drive. Basically I’m just giving back cause years ago whatever I was doin’ in these streets and taking, taking, taking…wanting everybody to buy my CD’s, you know all the people that been supporting the Kenny Mack Nation, Planet Kenny Mack, I gotta give back. I gotta give something to the people that I want from and also um…at the same time I didn’t have anything when I was comin’ up which made me have to hustle and grind and make it happen. A lot of times that puts us in positions where we can’t actually concentrate on school and doin’ the right things. Music, school, employment, know what I’m sayin’. A lot of us have kids, were young, we got kids, so we need to concentrate on that type of sh*t ya know what I’m sayin’?
Nick:
Where can we get into that?
Kenny Mack:
Actually, by the time this comes out, it might be over actually, but it’s going on right now and it’s to the 25th and you can drop it off. We got a lot of sponsors like Toyota, the radio station out here 95.5, Jordan, Scion…we got a lot of people helpin’ out man. They kinda seeing to that we spendin’ money with them and they gotta give back to the streets cause we walkin’ around with they shoes on.
Nick:
Get at Kenny’s myspace to keep up on what he’s got going on and drop him some love and be sure and check out his weekly video blog!
To read more of my interviews hit me at myspace.com/nlrwriting
ONEHUNNID
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