Throwback Thursday: “Digital Throwback” – Free Download

DIGITAL THROWBACK. SL of Repeat Offenders’ free release from 2011. The physical CD (with 3 bonus tracks) dropped in 2012.

Just click the link below for the FREE DOWNLOAD:

http://repeatoffenders.bandcamp.com/album/digital-throwback-limited-edition

You can listen to the whole thing AND download it for free, all in the same place. One-stop downloading, kids.

Featuring Pensmoke, Jadox, 8-bza, The 49ers, Jay Myers, J. Bair, along with production from Finlism, South Hill Productions, Stevie Keyz, Jae Diamondz, The Visiting/DUKES GO UP, 8-bza, and Keor Meteor.

Repeat Offenders on Youtube

In an effort to get our plays up (yeah, I said it), here are a couple of videos we have on our YouTube page:

“Runnin'” (produced by South Hill Productions)

“Work In Progress” (produced by yours truly)

Both of these tracks are from the 2nd RO full-length LP, “On Purpose”.

Check out the other videos at www.youtube.com/repeatoffenders

3 Free tracks from the upcoming “DIGITAL THROWBACK” LP

SL's 2nd solo release, "Digital Throwback", should be ready for release this fall.

Since I’ve been showing some love to a few artists lately, I thought it was time to represent myself one time…

I’ve been working on a new full-length album called “Digital Throwback” for a summer release. Unfortunately, life got in the way of making that happen, so it has been pushed to the fall – most likely late October.

This is my first solo digital-only release. OK, not entirely true. The plan is to give away (yeah, I said GIVE AWAY) a “limited edition” CD of the album. I’m not sure how that will happen, but I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, you can download 3 tracks from Digital Throwback for FREE, right here:

“‘Til The Day I Die” (produced by Finlism)

“Live And Direct” (produced by The Visiting, aka Dukes Go Up)

“Golden Age” featuring Pensmoke, cuts by 8-Bza (produced by South Hill Productions)

More Digital Throwback news coming soon, y’all…

“Summer Lover” – Trulala featuring SL of Repeat Offenders

Check out the feel-good summer jam of the season – “Summer Lover” featuring (yours truly) SL of Repeat Offenders. 

“…with SL’s strong vocals and lyrics and my strong hook and vocals, I feel we hit the right spot for this summer jam. I hope you will all enjoy this one as much as we do,” says Trulala.

You can listen for free and download the track for just .99 at this link:

http://trulala-rocks.bandcamp.com/track/summer-lover-feat-sl

Looking back at “By Example”

The "By Example" album cover

Five years ago, in August of 2005, we dropped our debut commercial release By Example.   It was truly a labor of love for us, and a learning experience as well.  We were by no means an experienced group; we were 3 cats (now 2) who were gaining experience in every aspect of album-making – recording, mixing, marketing, design, etc. – as we worked on the album.  In hindsight, there are things that would have been done differently (given the experience that we have now), but we can look back at this landmark project and see it for what it is – a powerful, honest record that took us to places we never would have been able to reach otherwise. 

We took some time and shared our thoughts about that time frame,  and the making of the album.  We also enlisted the help of some of the people involved with By Example, so they could share their thoughts and feelings: 

SL of RO – emcee, producer

Thrill of RO – emcee, producer

8bza – producer of “Street Sweeper” and “Building”

Stevie Keyz – producer of “I Believe”

Jadox – featured on “Building”

Trulala – featured on “Smooth Talker” and “The Meaning Of Life”

BY EXAMPLE…5 YEARS LATER…

SL:  Before By Example, we were just 3 friends that did music together.  We actually did an album back in the day – Lyrical Incarceration – but we never did any more than give it out to friends.  Around late 2002-early 2003, we decided that these new tracks we were putting together should go towards an album.  The album’s concept worked perfectly for us; we wanted to set an example with the type of hip hop we presented to the masses, and we also wanted to lead by example in our words and actions.  The cover (which is my mom holding me when I was about a year old) was a late choice.  We were looking for something powerful for the cover, something people could connect with.  We felt like that picture said more than we could ever create in a photo shoot.

8BZA: By Example was actually the second official release I had any production on. The first being Kast One’s Not For the Faint Hearted… back in 2003, remixing his track Mean Streets.
Around 2004-2005 I was on the verge of finding my sound.

TRULALA: I am truly blessed to be associated, to collaborate and to know these talented cats called Repeat Offenders. I enjoy their music tremendously and I am glad that they often look for me to be a part of their music. I have been and will always be available to them for any track they ask me to be a part of because of how much I believe in them, their raw/natural talent, and deep messages they convey to the listener.

8BZA: It was truly an honor to be a part of this project, and I am proud to still be down with the R.O. camp to this day.

JADOX: I want to say thanks to [Repeat Offenders] for allowing me to contribute to one of their projects.

THRILL:  Thank you for your support and for listenin’.

BY EXAMPLE…THE TRACKS…

MAYA

Produced by SL and Thrill

THRILL: This is my niece, and I had to have her on the album.  She’s very near and dear to my heart, and I appreciated her lendin’ her voice and spirit to the album.  Shawn and I often talk about family and how important and influential it is in both our lives.  Along with our everyday-people, regular-street-walker type of vibe, family is what helped inspire lots of the album’s content, as well as the album cover photo selection, all the way down to much of what we do even to this day.  Oh, and for those that are wonderin’ what Maya is sayin’…“I don’t know, Uncle Matty.  They might not be ready!  OK, Shawn (SL).  OK, Chris (Hip Hop).  What are you about to hear?  Repeat Offenders: By Example.  We make music for our people.  We’re just tryin’ to represent.  [Giggle.]  Go get ‘em guys!”

SL: This was completely Thrill’s idea.  I thought it was a great way to introduce people to us.  I like the fact that we didn’t use a “photo shoot” shot for our album cover, which kind of made the music more important than the artists doing it.  So for the intro, I thought this idea further pushed the “incognito” persona that the cover created.  Thrill’s niece is a little superstar, even at her young age back then.  We brought her in to record her parts, and she was amazing.  Great energy.  It was fun to do that session.  In fact, it was so successful, we decided to do it for every RO full-length album we release. 

UNDERSTAND

Produced by L-Pro

STEVIE KEYZ:  This is the way to set off a classic hip-hop album, a raw sounding track! I would consider this the real intro to the album of what’s to be expected.

THRILL: This one took us a long time to name.  It’s just SL spittin’ like he spit. 
It was also our show opener for a long minute.  We wanted to give cats a sense of the type of determination and intensity we bring to a project, whether it’s a live show or an album.  And as far as any questions about SL’s lyrical prowess, this shut a lot of cats up from the door.

SL: My man L-Pro had given me this beat, and I decided to spit a “radio freestyle” type of verse on it.  Thrill and Hip Hop loved it, so we decided to make it the first track on the album.  I tried to bring a lot of strong energy to this one, knowing it would be the first actual song you hear after “Maya”.  It was dope to spit this at live shows – I don’t think people expected us to come off like that.

I FOUND HER

Produced by Send

THRILL: The lead single and easily our most requested cut to date; a story of SL courtin’ a lady.  This was the song that really opened doors for us and paved the way for us to create similar cuts in the future like “Babygirl.”  Probably also helped to solidify our award-winning performance in Danbury, CT.  I remember when I heard SL’s words, I was struck by how it was a story that encompassed parts of real life events that all three of us had experienced to that point.  And when I first heard the beat in SL’s whip, it was already a problem.  A dope bassline drives the track, with the catchy guitar hook over top.  Peace to DJ Send.  Sometimes, cats come up and ask us to perform this one for their girlfriends at shows, and we’re more than happy to oblige.

SL: I love this song.  Send (Mike G) provided an ill beat (which he actually didn’t like, believe it or not), and it just spoke to me as a song about a female.  I tried to pull things from all of our lives in this track…just things we all went through with relationships and dating.  I remember when this got played at one of the Millennium Music Conferences in Harrisburg, PA.  The reaction we got from it – and it was a reaction from a room full of other artists who didn’t even know us – is something I’ll never forget. 

STEVIE KEYZ: With a smooth sound and lyrics referring to the ‘Bronx Tale’ test, you can’t disregard a track like this.

BUILDING (featuring JADOX)

Produced by 8bza

8BZA: With Building, although there was no concrete topic, I was trying to create a round-table style sound-scape with the chorus samples. Besides breaking, graffiti got a lot of artists into the music side, so I felt the clips helped express that independently from the track as well.

SL: Even back then, 8 was a problem.  An emcee/producer combo that you couldn’t ignore.  I’m glad we were all able to form a friendship, and it’s resulted in some dope collaborations.  This one is no exception.  My man Jadox represented as he always does on his guest verse.  Hip Hop’s verse is ridiculous.  Just the way he broke down the life of an aspiring artist, and the direction that artist chooses – he really was building on that track.

THRILL:  Peace to Jadox out on the west side of things.  Another stellar SL verse over the murky, unsettling background sound put forth by our friend, 8bza.  I remember rollin’ around town in the whip, recitin’ SL and Hip Hop’s verses before the album dropped.

JADOX:  I jump at the opportunity to work with talented artists.  The beat that 8bza provided was a head-nodder.  Those are usually the best kinds of beats for me to write to.  There was a Hindu element in that beat that I was drawn to, and it made for a quick verse turnaround.
My mindset when composing rhymes usually doesn’t deviate from the following: be yourself and make sure the content is relevant.  All that translates into is not attempting to sound like someone else while also striving to have meaning behind what is communicated.  Not everyone will understand it or like it, but as long as I’m happy with the finished product, that’s all that really matters.

SMOOTH TALKER (featuring TRULALA)

Produced by SL

TRULALA: I will say that the song Smooth Talker was a true delight to be a part of. The music was smooth and jazzy and the content was something I can relate to.  I think SL’s flow, lyrics, and delivery are always on the money and I enjoy listening to his cool vocals on this one.  I really dig how easy he steps up to the mic and delivers his message. He is truly a talent to [be] reckon[ed] with.

THRILL:  SL and Trulala – Central PA’s answer to Hov and Beyonce.  Concept produced and freaked by SL himself.

SL: Yeah, I admit, I did swagger jack Jay-Z for the beginning part (“You ready T?  Let’s go get ‘em!”).  I just thought it worked!  Anyway, that was a fun joint to do…Tru and I have done a lot of songs since then, but the 2 from By Example are dear to my heart.

STILL HERE 

Produced by SL

THRILL:  My first record.  Three verses – dad, brother, and mom.  The inclusion of “reminisce” and “think about it” are odes to two of our legendary influences, Pete Rock & CL Smooth and Eric B. & Rakim respectively.  An edgy cut that I had serious reservations about puttin’ on the album.  Caught lots of static from the family for puttin’ this one out, but even more props from cats at shows that would tell me how much it meant to them and spoke of their family experiences, too.  Humbling.  I remember bein’ in the studio and choppin’ it up with SL.  He was like, “Man, if people catch feelin’s about it, don’t sweat it.  If those things didn’t happen to you, and those people didn’t do those things to you, you wouldn’t have written this song!”  Also, laid the foundation for the friendship that WindChILL (from Artists Over Industry) and I have.  We had lots of good conversations about this track.  Even though it documents the truth about my family, my mom still has trouble with it to this day.

SL:  Yeah, Thrill caught a lot of heat from his fam for this one, but more love and respect from people for being unafraid to put it out there.  People STILL talk about how the words to this joint impacted them.  That’s really what we try to do – make music that everyone can relate to.  This track is the embodiment of that idea.

WINDOWS DOWN

Produced by SL

SL:  Thrill came up with this concept.  So, in preparing for it, I was driving through Coatesville, PA, looking around at people doing their everyday thing.  I started thinking about how people perceive others, what they think about them, what they assume about their lives.  So the idea is that we tend to look at each other through closed windows – from the outside looking in, or the inside looking out.  We need to open those windows to find out what people are really about.  A concept that’s still very relevant today.

THRILL: Concept is that of stereotypes, judgments, and thinkin’ that you know someone else’s story by just seein’ them around the way.  Ills that we all fall victim to, unfortunately.  Dope cut by SL.

BE STRONG

Produced by Trauma King

SL: My man Trauma King cooked up a banger.  Me and Hip Hop really liked the sound of this one, and the message that we came up with was definitely an uplifting one.  Hip Hop used one of my favorite quotes for his verse: “a setback is a setup for a comeback”.

THRILL:  Hip Hop represents again on this one.  Adversity – which way you gonna go?  Forward or back?

STREET SWEEPER 

Produced by 8bza

8BZA: I had actually made the beat to Street Sweeper right before I attended college. R.O. needed one more beat for their project, and out of a few that I sent, that one was most favorable.  It’s still one of my favorite tracks SL and I ever collaborated on. It also proves you can do a battle style track and not rely on swears and expletives as a crutch for it to hit hard.

THRILL: 8bza shinin’ again.  Really strong track that we enjoyed performin’ often.  SL pullin’ cards and crushin’ cats lyrically.  Well written with a mighty message.

SL: 8bza did it again.  I have an attraction to rugged beats, and 8 definitely provided that for this one.  This became a live show favorite.  A cool moment was when we got to perform it with 8 up in MA.  Still one of my favorite cuts to this day.

RAIN TRICKLES DOWN

Produced by SL

SL: I guess it was my turn to talk about the family thing.  The funny part is, I don’t think the people/family members I spoke about in each verse have ever heard the track.  I just needed to get it off my chest…and as the years go by, I still have a lot to get out.

THRILL: SL on the boards once again.  You can just see and hear his musical progress from track to track, as he continues to learn how to make beats.  It was a lovely thing to watch.  SL revealin’ the stormy facts about his family this time.  His strength and resilience as an artist and a man become apparent here after you hear his words.

I BELIEVE

Produced by Stevie Keyz

STEVIE KEYZ: I was working on a classical guitar type of beat at the time, and also was talking to SL. We have collaborated in the past a few times already, when I was finished with the beat I thought it was perfect for SL, I had no idea it would turn into an ‘ode to hip-hop’, the lyrics and flow are incredible in this jam!

THRILL: Our “Hip Hop Pledge Of Allegiance.”  Stevie Keyz lendin’ his talents to the project.  Often requested at shows.  SL speaks for us and any hip hop fan on this one.  The intro contains what may be the only reference to the album title found on the album.  The title just came to us after listenin’ to countless hip hop albums and seein’ so many shows.  We knew what was out there, but we knew we had a voice, too.  We knew we wanted to say somethin’.  We knew we wanted to do an album.  We just wanted to do it right and show cats how we thought it should be done.

SL: When Stevie Keyz gave us this track,  I felt like it should be a song detailing our love and dedication to Hip Hop culture.  Sort of a love letter to the music.  We owe a lot to this art form; it defines us in so many ways.  And, based on feedback we’ve gotten,  it means a great deal to a lot of people.  I love doing this track live because it means so much to me personally.

BOUNCE TO THIS

Produced by Hip Hop

SL: My first ever attempt at spitting in this style.  Hip Hop gave me the beat, and I said to myself “here’s my chance!”.  I always wanted to write like this.  Cats were shocked at hearing this track, especially when we did it live.  No one expected me to do something like this.  People always say the same thing about it – “yo, I wish it was longer!”

STEVIE KEYZ:  SL makes it clear on this track that he can spit on any type of production thrown at him, This track leaves you with wanting more, no doubt about that.

THRILL:  SL takin’ a run at the down south type style and cadence.  Yep – nailed it!  Used to rip shows up with this one!

THIS LIFE

Produced by SL

SL: This is me just reflecting on family and mortality.  My father had been sick for a long time, and this was my way of letting out my pain and frustrations about everything.  This was the first time I ever cried while writing a song. 

THRILL: Another self-contained cut from SL.  Production, words, and chorus all by the man himself.  Honesty and introspection comin’ right through your speakers.

WE THREE

Produced by Thrill

THRILL: First beat I ever made.  The beat was inspired by De La Soul’s De La Soul is Dead.  Hip Hop on the intro, settin’ the tone.  Had to have at least one cut on the album that had all three of us on it.  No chorus – strictly words from one cat after another.

SL: This is sort of a posse cut (do people say posse cut anymore?), but just the 3 of us.  Thrill’s first attempt at producing wasn’t too shabby!  I always liked how this one turned out…just RO being RO.

LINEAGE

Produced by SL

THRILL: Produced by DJ Premier or SL?  More honesty and more encouragement by SL’s example.  “Tell me dat.”

SL: I had Premo in mind when I made this beat.  The song is basically about learning lessons about yourself, and what you can bounce back from.  I thought it’s important to note that one verse revolves around a birth, and one revolves around a death.  Hip Hop and I were childhood friends with Andy Glasco, and we were both shocked when he passed. 17 years old.  This would mark the second time that I ever cried while writing a song.  I still get choked up by the end of that 2^nd verse: “Never look back, play like it’s your last game/Represent your crew like they all had your last name/And most of all – live…life…to the…fullest/I still wish I could stop that bullet.”  I love you, Andy.  RIP.

JAMAICA JAWN

Produced by Hip Hop

THRILL:  Just stories about a typical summer weekend back in the day when we used to kick it as a unit.  Hip Hop on the beat.  I remember comin’ through his crib when he made this one and just losin’ my mind.  You could feel the momentum for the album growin’, and this was another poignant moment in our growth and development as a group.  “PYT!”

SL: This joint was fun to make.  I especially like the use of ad-libs from Thrill and Hip Hop; it added a fun, authentic vibe to the storyline.  I guess you can consider this our first “club banger”.  Either way, it just feels like summertime every time I hear it.

MESSAGES

Produced by L-Pro

THRILL: SL takin’ four minutes to speak on the state of rap, male-female relations, parenthood, and police-neighborhood interactions in the hip hop community.

SL: Yeah, I just wanted to touch on some subjects.  I didn’t want to sound too preachy, but I definitely wanted to get strong messages across.  L-Pro provided a nice beat to do that with.  I actually recorded this at L’s spot, which was a dope experience.  He’s a good dude, and a great talent.  He helped us a lot.

THE MEANING OF LIFE (featuring TRULALA)

Produced by SL

TRULALA: Now the song The Meaning of Life is superb.  It really tugs at my heart and it has meaning to me.  I really thought [Hip Hop] shined on this one because he sounded so genuine and true. He put forth so much passion in his delivery and his lyrics were spot on. Not to say that SL did not deliver a stellar performance as well, But I will say that this song is my favorite out of the two that I contributed my vocals on. The lyrics that [Hip Hop]and SL put forth on this track made me really think about my life and struggles in life in general. It is a real thought-provoking track.  I will say that I am particularly proud of my hook and vocals on this one because it hit a chord with me.  I like emotional music.  I sing many emotional, deep tracks and I was drawn to this song like a “moth to a flame”  (However cliché that may sound to you all, it is very true).  I like to sing on music that has depth, and this definitely has depth.  I was able to relate so well to the lyrics these two talented artists wrote.

THRILL: Trulala, Hip Hop, and SL are back again to address the inevitable question.  Hip Hop shares his truthful and insightful letter to the Lord via two deep verses.  With SL behind the boards, he did it again!  Great piano.

SL:  Easily my favorite track with Trulala; she really shined on this one.  Hip Hop’s verses are 2 of the best that he’s ever written.  He was always outstanding on the heavy subjects.  I was more than happy to play the background on this one.  I couldn’t be happier with how this one turned out.

IT’S OUR TIME

Produced by SL

THRILL: One of my favorite RO cuts of all time, packed with all of our important moments as a group and SL’s shout out to the unnamed Millersville University hater.  We have a lot of fun when we perform this one live.  We used to call this one “Bio On A Beat,” because it’s a musical history of the group.  SL runs it all down, from how we got our start, to our first album entitled Lyrical Incarceration, up ‘til now.  It’s all in there.

STEVIE KEYZ:  From starting with a karaoke machine to doing shows, Repeat Offenders lets you know their story and the road they have taken.  [SL] thanks all the supporters and even the ones that tried to say differently.  Super Lyrical is just that, and SL is a great example of not needing to cuss and still sound raw.  I don’t have an issue with swears in lyrics though, but it’s all about style and SL has his own to bring that underground hip-hop back where it belongs.

SL:  I think storytelling is an important part of Hip Hop songwriting.  Going into this one, I thought we should tell the RO story, give people an idea of where we came from.  Plus, it gave us the opportunity to say “thank you” to everyone that bothered to give us a chance…and even the ones that didn’t.  Like the song says, it hasn’t been an easy road, but we were glad to do it.  If it’s not worth working for, then it’s not worth it.  We definitely have the battle scars to prove that, and we wear them proudly.

Listen to the entire album here: http://repeatoffenders.bandcamp.com/album/by-example

-S. Jacks

Thinking Of Kenya

THINKING OF KENYA

(written by Thrill of Repeat Offenders)

Thrill with the kids in Kenya

“Back on the scene / crispy and clean” (peace to Black Sheep and Dres who put on a powerful performance at the Chameleon a few years back.)

Fresh off the plane from the African breezes of Kenya and continuin’ to represent PA hip hop on that continent, here’s the 411 on RO’s latest volunteer work in that developing country:

In preparin’, I made sure to pack The Roots’ new How I Got Over lp, as it’s a gem, and I had the pleasure of sharin’ it wit my man Kelly during our five and a half hour bus ride from Kisii to Nairobi.  It’s such a gift to hear the Illadelph massive crew returnin’ to their jazzy ways and live drum sound that remind me of some of Organix.  (Hmm, I wonder if this steady Jimmy Fallon gig was an opportunity for them to have a more structured recording schedule, compile some consistently mighty stuff, and develop a clear, concise album, as this is perhaps their strongest release since The Tipping Point.)  I also blessed Kelly wit a listen of the much slept on Tanya Morgan album Brooklynati (another flawless release from the former okayplayer bloggers who I believe to be the current leaders of the underground sound), J.Period and Nneka’s The Madness Onye-Ala mixtape (a must pack for me on a trip to Africa, and yet further evidence that J.Period should be recognized and heralded as one of the best mixtape DJ’s), and 99’s Rawkus release Soundbombing II (quality hip hop from over a decade ago with cuts that still resonate, have impact, and are relevant today!  Rawkus was ahead of its time.)

In sharing a copy of On Purpose with Oliver and his wife at my first home stay, upon unwrapping the cd and poppin’ it into his stereo, he proceeded to play the first few seconds of each track before skipping on to the next one.  (Whoa, that ain’t right!)  As an artist, you never like hearing that people skip through your stuff, and this is the first time I’ve ever had anyone do it to one of our albums in my presence.  I’m relieved to note that he eventually played the entire cd from the beginning, and I thanked him for listening.  I also passed copies of OP to Kelly (he especially liked “Work In Progress,” which I explained was simply SL bein’ SL), Cassie, and Luke (cheers, mate!)

After spending the weekend in Kisii at Pastor Robert’s, playing football with the local youth, and feeding and praying with the street children there, the next four days were spent feeding and counseling the street children in Nairobi, painting and preparing meals for the children at an orphanage in Kikuyu, and assisting Lucy in her work with the at-risk children of Gathiga.  The entire stay was eye opening and rewarding, and if I didn’t have a deep perspective of true poverty from the RO trip to Haiti five years ago, I am clear about it now.

I cried on two different flights on the way home, just thinkin’ about the fight it took to get to Nairobi, the struggles I observed and experienced while there, and the continued battle on the way back to the U.S.  “And if you can’t respect that, your whole perspective…” (peace to Hov).

But what got me through while I prepared and traveled there, during my stay, and through my journey back to Lancaster, PA?  Aside from the pages of John Howard Griffin’s 1960 classic Black Like Me, it was hip hop and hip hop alone.  In addition to family and spirituality, this musical form has brought me so much.  There is no choice but to share and give it back.

Peace to RO listeners worldwide and to cats that understand the struggle.

– Thrill

http://repeatoffenders.bandcamp.com 

Crew54 – 54 Reality Rap

Crew54 Interview

Crew54 shines a bright light on Central Texas Hip Hop.

These cats got soul.

That might be a strange way to start this blog, but understand – this is truer than you think.  Not only does Crew54 inject deep amounts of soul into the music they create, they also feel a soulful dedication to the Central Texas hip hop scene of which they are a part. MOS (Master of Self) and G-Christ created 2 trademarks for themselves – their “aggressive soul” sound, and the landmark 54 Reality Show, a video blog covering themselves and the rest of Central Texas Hip Hop, and gaining wide recognition all over the country.

I chopped it up with Crew54 to talk about The 54 Reality Show, their latest release, The 54 Reality Show Tape, and where Crew54 is headed in the near future…

You guys have established your presence in hip hop in a very non-traditional fashion – you created your own outlet through The Crew54 Reality Show, and promoted the Central Texas hip hop scene at the same time.  Tell us how much your internet presence has benefited the group, and how you decided to go the video blog route in the first place.

G-CHRIST: Well I hate to say this (laughs) but it was M.O.S. idea. We had already started using videos in our blog covering shows, studio time, etc. It got to the point we were out every week and it seemed like a reality show, basically following what we were doing throughout the weeks. I believe we give the scene something no one has given it, an unbiased outlet that has covered almost every artist around our area.

MOS (Masterofself): Basically the internet is a gift and a curse for artists like ourselves. It gives us ways to be seen/heard that didn’t exist back in the day, but it also makes it easier for folks to instantly lump you into the “lame internet rapper” catagory. We really get out here and grind and work, so we basically started the blog so no one can say we ever lied about how we get down. We’re not selfish @ss single minded dudes either, so we took a chance to showcase the scene like we saw no one doing at the time. I’m proud of our work with this blog. 

Before Crew54 started getting critical recognition, were there any misconceptions about Texas hip hop culture?  And did any of those misconceptions change after you shed more light on what’s going on there?

G-CHRIST: There were too many to name. “There’s no hip hop scene”, “all people want to hear is money,drugs, and drank” . Texas is very diverse; we found you can hear it all. After doing so many shows and traveling with the blog, you find out that it all depends what spot you are in.

MOS: Texas has a strong hip-hop culture that was prevalent before we had anything to do with it. We’ve met so many artists across the whole spectrum of not just rap, but music in general. It still is funny when we get the “oh you guys from TX?” look but I think its dope to be able to help spread the knowledge that “hip-hop lives in the South.” If the world ever pauses for a minute to shine that proper light on the whole scene down here, I think we can shock a few folks.

Did you always have a plan to release The 54 Reality Show Tape, or did it come about based on the popularity of The 54 Reality Show?

MOS: Well, The 54 Reality Show Tape basically came about when we heard these beats from the Swiff D – Basic Cable beat tape. He called it Basic Cable and I thought since we do a reality show, lets call this the Reality Tape. That album is so dope to me because it shows what we could do with industry ready beats, still hold our own and make good music.

G-CHRIST: The EP came from straight up inspiration. We heard the production and just knocked it out. Every thing just fell into place. The tracks were a little different from what you usually hear from us, but it’s out there to show how versatile we can be.

What are the main differences in styles between you two, and what do you think creates the chemistry you have as a group?

G-CHRIST: I don’t really know if there is a difference. I think MOS is the more lyrical, which helps me stay on point when i’m writing ‘cause I know he’s going to go in. Other than that we started Crew54 with a purpose, to be heard by many, and that has been our driving force.

MOS: I like to fool myself into thinking I’m pretty deep, which usually comes off as me sounding extra spacey on tracks (laughs). G is as straightforward as it gets, but he finds ways to craft his words to make you think…yet still get the picture vividly. I think our styles interact well with each other.

Where do you see The 54 Reality Show going in the future?  Do you envision making it a larger project, or do you see it coming to end anytime soon?

G-CHRIST: There’s always a vision to make it a larger project. TV, being mentioned in the line of an Okayplayer, 2Dopeboyz and blogs like that, anything we can do to get more people watching.

MOS: There is a local channel in Austin that I’ve considered putting The 54 Reality Show on, but I want to really have the right format. I think the frequency of how often we update had to slow down, but I think the episodes are much better now, more in-depth. I want to continue to showcase the local scene in a positive light, but also add more [humorous] elements. Who knows, maybe we just need to take it to the airwaves and let the people decide.

Musically, what’s next for Crew54? Are there any plans for more MOS and G-Christ solo work in the future, or are you strictly focused on another Crew54 album project?

G-CHRIST: I aint doing no solo! (laughs) Eff that! We have many projects coming up. As far as an album we will [probably] begin working on one real soon.

MOS: Frankly, I don’t think I have time for any solo work at the moment. Just between regular life’s duties, all the video editing work I’ve picked up, and the next few Crew54 projects we’ll be working on, I just don’t see it. I actually have a title and concept for a short MOS EP, that one day I’ll probably sit down and knock out in less than a week. As far as Crew54 we’re currently working on a EP with the fam Cientifiq called Slap Rapz. We still have our Ghetto Rhapsody album to complete, and a full length project with the homie Dichter2 in Germany. Lately it’s been about quality over quantity; we’ve just been moving so much we gotta really put our effort and energy into the music, and when we do it gets no better.

Tell us where we can go to check out all things Crew54…

MOS: There is one central place to find out all about Crew54 and thats www.the54realityshow.com, but if you want we’re on facebook, myspace, bandcamp, twitter, lastfm, sonicbids, ning…sh*t, anywhere you can connect we probably got a page set up. Just go Teyanna Taylor and google me babe.

MOS, G-Christ, thanks for your time.  We’ll stay tuned in to The 54 Reality Show.

Check out Crew54 at www.the54realityshow.com and get all the music (including The 54Reality Show Tape) at http://crew54.bandcamp.com   

S. Jacks

Apollo’s Sun Interview

 

Apollo’s Sun – his debut full-length LP “Falling Becomes Great” drops on August 27th.

 

To say that Apollo’s Sun is ‘not your average hip hop artist’ doesn’t quite explain it.  Yes, there are emcees that show their emotions.  Yes, there are rappers that show vulnerability.  But rarely do you see an artist willing to consistently bare his soul on every project he releases.  After reading this excerpt from his Facebook fan page, I felt this might “bottom line” it for you: Apollo’s Sun is a breath of fresh air to the cluttered genre known as hip hop, offering an alternative perspective to the usual shoot ’em up, booty shaking anthems currently tormenting radio listeners all over the world.

I sat down with A. Sun and talked to him about his style, his new release, and what it took for him to put out his first full-length album… 

I think one of the biggest reasons your fan base appreciates you, aside from your originality, is that you take the listener on an emotional journey that many can relate to.  Did you make a conscious effort to open yourself up on your records, or was it just a natural progression to that point?

I think it’s a combination of the two. Basically, I was tired.  I was tired of being lied to by artists I respected and listening to words that I could not connect to, in any way, shape, or form. Hip hop was designed for oppressed people.  Mainly impoverished, as a way to let that pain out.  If you listen to old records, that’s what it’s about. Where it was lost, your guess is as good as mine.  So, with that said, I made a promise to myself.  I would never lie about how I feel about something on record, and I would never talk about things that only .001% of the population could relate to.  A very small percentage of the people hold a vast majority of the world’s wealth.  And for those people, I have nothing to say to.  Eventually my promise took over, and regardless of how vulnerable or sensitive I came off across as, I knew I was being honest. I am sensitive. I am fragile. I am broken. I wear those flaws proudly and want whoever is listening to my music to feel like they can take that mask off when listening to me. I walk with people, and I will never change that.

In 2006, we saw your first EP “The Happy Masochist“.  The following year, it was the “Rust” EP.  At the end of this month (August), you release your first full-length album “Falling Becomes Great“.  Before we get into the new album, there is a question that I doubt anyone has ever asked you in an interview – what took you so long to drop the full length?  Why did you decide to go with 2 EP’s as your first commercial releases?

Nope, was never asked that. You are correct, my friend.  Both projects prior to Falling, they were treated as a complete thought.  Nothing more, nothing less. I wrote until I felt I was done and each one ended with a proper period, or exclamation point, depending on how you look at it. And quite honestly, I was also scared to put a full length album out. I didn’t feel I could hold my own without becoming redundant on an album. During both of those albums, I was an emotional wreck, and even I couldn’t handle me talking about it any longer than I had to. I had a single track for my train of thought, and I just had to stop. It’s like reading a journal filled with bad memories you place under your bed. It’s there, it’s documented, now it’s time to leave it where it belongs: the past. Also, my albums I view almost like a series. They are all connected, and Falling Becomes Great is like part 3 in my book of life.

Okay, let’s talk about the new album.  What direction did you go with this project?  Are there any similarities to The Happy Masochist and/or Rust?  What is the idea behind the title “Falling Becomes Great”?

On Falling, I decided to make an album that was honest, but not so much from the insider riding the roller coaster. I wanted to be an observer this time around, or counselor. I went through it, now I’m standing up saying “wake up!! There is beauty to be found in the destruction!”. I know it makes me sound like a corny life coach, but it’s true. There are similarities in the sense of me wearing my heart on my sleeve, but that’s about it. I tried to be more uplifting this time around, and less about banging your head against a wall because your upset. You just need to let the energy flow through you, and exit when it’s time. I embraced the pain for what it was, and used it to strengthen my skin up a little bit. The idea behind the album is simple: to find happiness, you have to go through some hard times. You have to be destroyed, so you can appreciate the rise. I cut myself a lot (not literally) on The Happy Masochist, and died on Rust. Falling Becomes Great is the result of that death.

Tell us a little bit about the people you enlisted to contribute to this project.  Are there any guest appearances?  Who handled the production this time around?

As far as guest appearances, I really tried to keep it just me on the final album. I had contributions from artists who I really respect, and had some technical issues getting certain pieces to fit, and it ended up being a lot more of me than I initially thought. I have guest vocals from Ladii J, Davis Love, and Mellow Drum Addict. All in which are singing. As far as rhyming goes, it’s just good ‘ol me. Production was handled by people from all corners of the planet. David Hodges, The Boomjacks, PhiLogic, Weirdo, 8BZA, and myself handled all the production. I had additional help from Gard, The Visiting, and my brother-in-law, Kris Kostoff to add some live instrumentation.

What would you like the listener to take away from this album after listening?  Or, more importantly, what you do you want the listener to learn about Apollo’s Sun after listening to this album? 

I want people to understand that it’s okay to break down. It’s okay to be vulnerable and self-destructive at times, as long as you recognize that it can get better, and make the attempts to do so. We need to put more faith in the healing power of time…not so much in a clock on the wall, but the callous that separation from things that hurt you can bring. Eventually, it just becomes another memory, and the emotional attachment to the situation will fade, perhaps to the point of being numb. It’s also a wake up call, because we are truly facing bad times, and I’ll save the political rant, but there’s a reason why we are caught in routines. There’s a reason why we just don’t care, and I now know why and want to help pull others from their sleep.

When can we expect to hear Falling, and where can we get it?

Falling will be available to the public on August 27th. I’m starting pre-orders hopefully in the next few days, in which those people will receive the album prior to August 27th. After the 27th, I’m going to release the entire album for streaming directly on my website. Maybe earlier, if I’m feeling froggy. It will be available via my website, www.apollossun.com and all major download sites, i-tunes, amazon, so on and so forth. I am however looking for brick & mortar distribution currently with some good leads. They probably will all fall through just because I mentioned it.

Thank you for your time, Apollo, and best of luck with the new release…

Thank you SL, I appreciate everything you have done for me, and friendship we have built!

For more information on Apollo’s Sun, check out www.apollossun.com

-S. Jacks

Takin’ it back – my interview with Sean Carter of South Hill Productions (2008)

INTERVIEW WITH SOUTH HILL PRODUCTIONS – 12/29/08

Sean Carter of South Hill Productions

People might see the name “Sean Carter” and think of the well-renowned lyricist from Marcy Projects, and the former CEO of Def Jam Records. However, this is not the case – Jigga spells his first name “Shawn” anyway – this Carter is the head of the underground beat crafting imprint South Hill Productions. And if you haven’t heard of him at this point, then you need to make an effort to learn something.

South Hill Productions officially began in 2006. Carter dropped his debut album, Soul Sessions Vol. 1, in the spring of 2007, and he hasn’t looked back. Focusing on a jazz infused musical backdrop for artists to flex their creative muscle, South Hill Productions has churned out 3 more albums since Vol. 1: Songs For My Father: The Sessions (2007), Repeat Offenders: Throwback Soul (2008) and The Sean Carter Recordings (2008). All the albums were critically acclaimed for their impressive musical offerings, but taken down a few notches with questions about the “selection of artists” for the projects.

South Hill is set to drop its fifth release, Soul Sessions Vol. 2, on January 12, 2009. We sat down with Mr. Carter to discuss the new album, his thoughts on the current state of hip hop, and what he has to say to the critics out there…

Sean, we know a little bit about how you first connected with Repeat Offenders and started doing production on a serious level, but I think people want to know – why did you decide to get in the underground hip hop music game? Did it have anything to do with the rap music currently playing on mainstream radio and TV?

I have always been into music of all kinds. I went through phases when I was sick of hip hop and the state it is in and just focused on alternative music. I play guitar and I was in a band, but it never went anywhere, and the band broke up. Hip hop is and will always be my first love, nah mean? I always wanted to make beats but didn’t know how to go about getting started or what i needed – software and hardware-wise. I had so may ideas for beats but had no way of getting my ideas out. I knew what kind of music I wanted to do and what kind of style. I knew SL of R.O. from high school; we hung out and used to see him spit lyrics for us. I went to go see some shows and that’s where I met [Thrill of Repeat Offenders] (good cat) and just the feeling I got from hearing their music, the energy in the air… just to be around so many people who shared the passion for the culture like me was overwhelming. That’s when I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. It’s not even about the money; it’s about the love for the music. SL gave me pointers and the tools I needed to get started and I just ran with it, practiced and messed with it everyday and had tons of questions for my man!

You released your debut album, “Soul Sessions Vol. 1” in early 2007. On one hand, it was considered a solid debut effort musically. On the other hand, there were criticisms about the selection of artists featured on Vol. 1, and suggestions made that there should be more instrumentals the next time around. Now we’re right up against 2009, and “Soul Sessions Vol. 2” is set to drop Jan 12. Without a doubt, Vol. 2 has more of an edge to it, more aggressive than the last installment…and even fewer instrumental tracks this time around. How big of an influence were the comments made by critics and reviewers, if at all, when you started creating Vol. 2?

I don’t worry about what the critics have to say; I am just gonna keep doin’ my thing ’cause it’s from the heart. I make music that I want to make, not what people want me to make. I took what the critics and reviewers had to say and used it to keep me more focused on the music. Emcees from the first album to the second album – I have total confidence that they can do their thing and rock the mic, so I ain’t even stressin’ what the reviewers have to say about them. I would not have had the emcees on my album if there wasn’t something that I liked about each artist. As far as Vol. 2 having more of an edge – it’s my way of throwing it in the critics’ face. I just want them to know I don’t care what they think because I know I’m dope and the people I am affiliated with are dope.

Soul Sessions Vol. 2 is your FIFTH release since your debut in 2007. That’s an incredible amount of work for a little less than 2 years’ time. Tell us about what motivates you to put out so much musical product, and how you feel you’ve grown as a producer since ’06.

Just the love for the music motivates me; it’s not work, it comes natural for me. We all have day jobs and at the end of the day, you other cats might like to sit back and crack open a beer… I crack open my laptop and throw my headphones on. I usually have ideas going through my mind all day on what I need to work on or what I need to change on what beat or what kind of project I want to come up with next. It’s my way of relaxing you can say, because I have that much love for it. I am a man of few words, so this is my way of being heard you can say! I feel as though I have been truly blessed to make music, to be able to come up with an idea and make it a reality. To be able to sit back and listen to what you came up with in your mind is an amazing feeling. I feel like I learn and grow with each project. I feel like I know how to use the [music] software better and I know how to manipulate sounds and what I want to do and how to make it come across.

For those that don’t know, tell us where the name “South Hill Productions” comes from…

The name South Hill Productions comes from this section of South Coatesville where my friends and me used to play music and come up with songs (shout out to Greg) on our guitars, and just play for hours and discuss ideas. Greg used to live in this little neighborhood called South Hill, and we would be jamming away in his basement. We had the drum sets, the mics and the amps cranked.

What do you want people to know about Soul Sessions Vol. 2, and why should they make the effort to pick it up when it hits stores on January 12?

I want everyone to know that this is, in my opinion, the best work I have put forth so far, and I have the confidence that you will really dig it. I am a big fan of all the artists on this album and I was lucky enough to have them contribute. If you are like me and cannot stand listening to the same 8 songs on the radio, this album hits you. You can tell it’s real; it’s real cats talking about real topics. It’s not people talking about their cars or how long they were in jail it’s cats like you and me that love Hip Hop.

Finally, let the readers know about any future projects that you can talk about…

Well I am currently working with artists to put out EP’s. I have been working with Jay Myers, Al Morton and of course my main man 50 grand SL of Repeat Offenders on their EP’s. I am also working with Repeat Offenders on their next full length LP. Yo, keep your eye out for that album – WOW! I am also working with Bress Frame on his upcoming ep. There are even talks of [Bress] and me doing an EP…. we shall see! I have beats done for the next project in mind, but still debating if it will be an instrumental album or an ep. I have a group in mind but that’s still in the works.

Thanks for your time, Sean. Best of luck with your new album and your upcoming projects.

Thank you very much. Peace.

-S. Jacks

For more info, please visit www.myspace.com/southhillproductions