Some of y’all might have wondered why I’ve been largely absentee from this website in the last year. There’s a couple reasons for that, but the main one is that I’m in graduate school now and my free time to do music and post it online has been basically non-existent for the last 9 months or so. But it’s (just about) summer vacation, and I’ve got some biz to take care of. So with that in mind, I’ve got four goals for this summer, and can’t nobody stop me:
1. Everything must go.
I’m sitting on a big back catalog of pretty damn good beats that people have expressed interest in but never used. Eff that. If you’ve got songs, I’ve got beats. It helps to have a previous relationship with me, but I’ll entertain offers from anybody. Twitter is a good way to reach out to me, but make it clear that you’re interested in doing business. If it looks like spam, I’m gonna treat it like spam. Nothing would make me happier than to clear this old crap out.
2. New Chop s**t.
In January, I started work on my debut solo album, which I’m currently calling Polite Society. I’m going to get that finished in the next few weeks and in your hands by fall. Yell at me if I don’t have a progress update by about mid-July. To whatever extent I have fans, I think they’re really going to be impressed by this one.
3. Conspicuous consumption.
Still working with @thehonestape on a promotions company that’s largely focused on dance music. We already pushed a soft launch with DJ Diamond Tip‘s Energy Crisis mixtape and you should expect more soon.
4. New collaborations.
I got heat in the chamber with Crew54, and everybody’s been real supportive of my work with the League of Extraordinary G’z in the last year, so expect more projects with them. Still in the process of laying some stuff down with Feddi Man, and I also plan to work with Tip some more.
There’s a lot on my plate, but I’m resolving that this summer will be full of new music. Let’s get it.
Peep this video of LA producer, Exile, as he discusses making beats using samples he lifts from the radio, and freaks a really nice track. Spotted at Kevin Nottingham’s blog.
Apparently taking a page from KFC’s playbook, minus the dancing, izotope has decided to make it rain VST plugins and is giving away their new vinyl processor. Haven’t had a chance to see it in action yet, myself, but if it’s izotope, you know it’s going to be good. Spotted on Alpha-bet’s blog.
In a good idea that I fully intend to jack someday, Dutch producer Nicolay, of Foreign Exchange fame, has decided to run a series of features on his blog entitled Inside the Producer’s Studio. The blogs will, in his own words, provide an indepth look into the process behind his music production while breaking down specific tracks from his catalogue. With the prologue and the first full entry up, this is definitely one that will be going on my RSS reader.
Foreign Exchange – Daykeeper (prod. by Nicolay)
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Today thru Sunday, the Austin Record Convention returns to the Crockett Center. Over 300 dealers pushing over a million records. $5 admission good for tomorrow and Sunday. $25 if you want to show up today too. This is one of my favorite places to find new material to sample. Let’s get it!
Mama would be so proud. This week, I made my debut appearance on The 54 Reality Show, the video blog of Killeen’s Crew54. G Christ, C HOV and I talk some ish outside of Poise’s video premier party last Friday night. I would never advise anyone to miss a minute of these, but if you want me to show you what top-form hat game is all about, skip to 5:40.
Jacked from nodfactor, this is a little snippet of an interview with legendary soul music producers, Gamble & Huff. They masterminded The Philadelphia Sound record label, and produced records for some of the most respected artists of the 70′s and early 80′s, names such as Teddy Pendergrass, The Spinners, Phyllis Hyman, The Stylistics, and others.
They talk here about their views on hip hop and R&B producers sampling their tracks, and have a positive outlook toward it. Speaking as someone who has chopped up some of their tracks, I’m glad to hear that they welcome artists bringing new vision to their classic ideas.
say what?