Rap Jones » editorials

Why I Bought Into J.Cole

Ct — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 03:44:48 +0000

Hip Hop as an art form is still a yougin in comparison to its musical counterparts. It has transitioned through the societal shifts and has still been able to maintain its prominence through its gritty in your face west coast gangsta rap to the shiny suits of the late 90s.

Despite the continual formulas that industry insiders conjure up in order to calculate who will be hot and who will flop, every once in a while there is an artist who combines the lyrical capability and art form of the genres heavy weights and the humility and down to earthiness that makes them one of us…a fan.

J. Cole is that artist…with acclaimed mixtapes in his catalog, tours with some of the biggest artists in today’s music scene, and offering production talent to boost, Cole’s several year journey has reached a definitive apex with the release of his “debut” album,”Cole World: The Sideline Story”.

I am a fan of his music, a fan of his story, and fan of the fact that his music which relates to the average broke undergrad or graduate has found way to spurn the norm or the need for a top ten radio hit with a predictable hook and find its way to the top of the charts. This is a victory, this is a moment for all fans of the underdog and the unexpected champion.

Whether this is the beginning of historic career or just a fond moment in time no one can say,but fans of his music and of music in general can take this as a moment to celebrate and realize that an artist that offers great content and character will always get a chance to get off the sideline and into the game. Props to @jcolenc . 217k sold first week.

-Respect

[VIDEO] XXL FRESHMAN 10 BEHIND THE SCENES

Ct — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:57:08 +0000

Related posts:[Video] Ludacris x Nicki Minaj – My Chick Bad (Behind The Scenes) [VIDEO] DJ Khaled – Put Your Hands Up Behind The Scenes Jay-Z Is bigger than just a rapper Related posts:

[PICS] Drake’s March 2010 GQ Fashion Spread

Ct — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:00:24 +0000

Drizzy is in the March 2010 GQ Issue with Kobe Bryant on the cover. Drake has his own Fashion Spread inside and here are some of the scans for you.

Beyonce Earns Most Successful Artist This Decade

Ct — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:52:13 +0000

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has released a tally of the decade’s highest Gold and Platinum award achievements, and the artist with the most total certifications in the decade (including cumulative album, digital song, master ringtone, and music video certifications) is Beyoncé with a grand total of 64. The Eagles also racked up 48 awards, and Michael Jackson had 44.

“We’ve seen a decade of major music milestones and extraordinary artist achievements as part of our historic Gold and Platinum program,” said RIAA Chairman/CEO Mitch Bainwol. “The names, songs and albums on our list are the decade’s best and are etched in our music DNA. As the way fans access and enjoy music continues to evolve, so has and will the G&P program in recognizing the highest commercial and artistic success. As a community, we’ve endured our share of challenges, but the new decade brings reasons for hope and optimism. The appetite for music is stronger than ever and the breadth of innovation is amazing. In this ever-evolving landscape, we’re grateful that the RIAA’s Gold and Platinum program continues to be the music industry’s recognized brand for success.”

In the past decade there were a number of significant milestones. On May 10, 2001 *NSYNC’s No Strings Attached became the first album of the decade to earn an RIAA Diamond award marking more than 10 million in U.S. sales. Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory and Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me later reached the Diamond sales mark. Several of the decade’s best awards were presented in 2009, including the best-selling digital download of all time, at 5x Platinum, for Flo Rida’s “Low,” as well as the highest certified ringtone ever for Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop,” also 5x Platinum.

[Interview] Birdman Ozone Interview

Ct — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:21:39 +0000

Birdman sat down with Ozone mag recently and talked about the goings on…check it out.

He’s seen the rap radar come and leave his New Orleans stomping grounds on more than one occasion. He’s seen his records fly off shelves as well as leak months in advance. He’s been called a joke. He’s been told he simply can’t rap. He’s been accused of being a thief.

But guess what? 18 years later he’s still here and stunting as hard as ever.

With his fourth solo album Priceless in stores now, Birdman could care less what people say about him. He’s living life and overseeing the careers of two of the biggest rap artists on the planet (Drake and Lil Wayne) and has crossed over into pop territory with the recent success of Jay Sean. While his rapper/CEO peers have been busy buying restaurants, nightclubs and clothing lines, Birdman’s been getting money in the oil industry.

He’s outlasted some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars and has the scars (under his uncountable amount of tattoos) to prove it. Unfortunately for his detractors, it doesn’t look like he’s going to stop anytime soon.

While in Atlanta promoting Priceless, OZONE’s Eric Perrin caught up with Birdman to talk about life, business and the things that matter most to him.

What aspects of this music game still excite you? Is there anything left for you to do?
Man, I think we’ve got a lot of room [to grow]. I still ain’t never put out an R&B act. I’ve only got one pop act, so we gotta double up on all this shit, homie, and we’re gonna do it now. We’re just going for something that ain’t never been done. I got a strong staff and I know we can do this.

I was talking to Jay Sean earlier and he said your dedication to the music is the main thing that attracted him to Cash Money. Is it true that you really live, breath, eat, sleep, and shit music?
Yeah, when he came down here I guess he saw how we worked, and I just want motherfuckers to know, to be a part of this you gotta have these same ethics. I don’t like that lazy shit, and everybody that’s a part of it is the same way. That’s how I know, when you come to Cash Money, that’s what you gonna get.

I know you said you’re not satisfied with your lack of R&B acts—
Not just R&B, I wanna do everything.

What about Country?
Of course. Country is where the other money at. I just ain’t found me a Country act yet, but as soon as I do, it’s on. We’ve already had some Country records; my son rapped with Kid Rock and shit and it blew up, so I’m just waiting to find the right Country act to sign so my son can do a song with him and blow him up.

You seem to find money no matter where it is, from the Lugz shoes, to videogames, to music…
I’m trying to buy some of the [Miami] Dolphins next.

How did you become so business savvy?
I was just born with that shit, brah. When you have a business you need to know to budget, spend, and manage. I think those are the three hardest things to do in business. If you don’t do those things, your business is gonna go under. I was just blessed to know how to do those things [as well as] hustle. Honestly, you gotta hustle and know how to flip money. And to flip money, you’ve got to always get new money. Niggas be trying to hold on to old money and they don’t spend it, but you’ve gotta keep flipping that shit.

What’s the worst business investment you’ve made throughout your career?
Probably the worst investment I did was fuckin’ with R. Kelly. That was a waste of my time. I could’ve made money if I wasn’t fuckin’ with that clown-ass nigga.

I heard the tattoo on your head represents an oil rig. Is it true you’re an aspiring oil tycoon?
I’ve been in the oil business about 4 or 5 years now. That’s something me and my brother decided to do outside of music. I read about oil a lot and I was able to get in business. [My company] is called Browner Oil, and I’m making good money off that; that’s something for my kids and my kids’ kids. They can live off that money forever.

Not to get in your pockets too much, but I heard you’ve made over $100 million off oil.
I did a few different deals. That was just one of them. When you’re dealing with oil, you buy in different areas. Right now I’m active; I got pumps and shit that are getting money monthly. I like that oil shit. I’m gonna put some more time into it.

Getting to your new album Priceless, what are you trying to say is priceless? The music, the lifestyle, or are you just borrowing a term from the MasterCard commercials?
I feel like life is priceless, but the term Priceless has a lot of different meanings. What means the most to me outside of God is my family; that’s priceless. Loyalty is priceless. Love is priceless. Life is priceless—once it’s gone it’s over. That’s what Priceless mean to me.

How has your music been able to evolve so well over the years?
I’m talented. I stay around talent, and I’m able to adjust to the time. You got niggas who still think its ’98, man. It’s not ’98, it’s 2009! I did the “Bling Bling” era, but that shit is over, and you’ve gotta let that go. I think niggas be caught up in the past and then you’ve got older niggas who are still trying to rap, still trying to make hits, and can’t. You’ve got to be able to change. I was fortunate enough to know to let my son go, and to just fuck with him. It’s his world. I’m gonna rock with him and these young niggas, support what they’re trying to do, and make them more successful.

Speaking of working with new, young artists, what did you see in Drake early on, and what made him sign to Cash Money?
Man, that nigga Drake is cold as a motherfucker! That boy’s bad, man. That young nigga’s got some wordplay. He’s gonna be around for a long time. I was more than impressed, I wished I would’ve been knew [about him]. My son been knew, but I didn’t. Drake’s a bad motherfucker. That nigga can rap his ass off, and he can sing. He’s not just an artist; he’s like Wayne, he’s all around with it and what I love about him more than anything is [that] he understands the leadership. He know who’s the Kobe, who’s the Phil Jackson, ya heard me. And we’ve got everything on our team.

Why do you think he chose to sign with Cash Money?
Well, you gotta understand Drake comes from us, yaheardme? He came from over there with Rap-A-Lot. Lil James, whose daddy is James Prince, put us on to Drake. He was birthed through Young Money/Cash Money, so it was only right. That was his heart’s place from the start. How can you go wrong when you’re with Young Moola? You can’t. And that nigga is talented as a muthafucker. The boy got what it takes and then some.

Does Drake write for Wayne?
C’mon, man. Wayne don’t even write, man. Honestly Wayne don’t write. I don’t know how he do that shit he do, but don’t no nigga do it for him. Wayne don’t play that shit, he never did. We ain’t with that shit. That’s cheatin’ to me, when you’re trying to be great. When you’re just an artist that wants a hot record, that’s something different, but when you’re trying to be great you ain’t bout to let no nigga write for you, cause you don’t wanna lose none of the credit. Wayne wants to be the best to ever do it. To be the greatest ever takes your skillful thoughts, not another person’s.

Why do you think people make such a big deal out of the relationship between you and Wayne?
I think it’s a symbolic situation for everybody, and it’s a family thing, you know, father and son. Maybe that’s it. Or maybe it’s the business and how successful we’ve been. I really don’t know why muthafuckers care so much, but I’ve bred him through it. We came up together and we did everything together. Maybe they just wish they had a father-son relationship like we’ve got. But [people’s opinions] don’t bother me. I been stop letting shit a nigga say out his mouth bother me. It’s the music industry, and people are gonna make good and bad statements about you. So I hear no evil, see no evil.

If Wayne does end up doing some time behind his current legal issues, do you feel any benefit could come from him sitting down for a little while?
Shit, I don’t even look for a benefit from that, that’s just a fucked up experience that we’ve all probably had someone close to us experience. I don’t look for a benefit from jail, I don’t look for that, yaheardme? I’d rather him not even go in that muthafucker at all. Ain’t no benefit from that shit. He’s a man, so there ain’t too much to it. Just do it and come home. That’s all I can tell him.

VIEW FULL ARTICLE

Kid Cudi’s Time Out New York Cover

Ct — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:15:17 +0000

Showed you the behind-the-scenes and online spread, but here’s Cudi’s cover.

[Interview] Gucci Mane Checks In From Jail

Ct — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:21:53 +0000

It’s been a few months since Gucci Mane was sentenced to prison for a probation violation, but he’s been able to reflect upon his actions his short time in jail.

In a recent interview for XXL, the Atlanta rapper looks back on his quick rise in music over the past year, the journey leading to his heightened buzz, and his new outlook on sobriety.

Here is a snippet of some of the interview:

XXL: Did you ever think this is how you would be doing press for your first major-label release, from prison?

Gucci Mane: My status right now, with my album out, is that I’m very grateful, very thankful. I had been out of jail for eight months, and in that time, I’ve gotten to work with a lot of artists I’ve always wanted to work with. I put my record label together; my new situation with Warner went well. I built a lot of anticipation, I worked hard in those eight months, and I’m pleased with the recognition I’m getting. I’m at the height of my career so far. It’s a blessing just to have people who would want to buy your stuff and to be anticipated. But in the little time I got here, I really can handle it. It’s just a small,
little stepping-stone of where I’ve got to go.

XXL: After your most-recent arrest, your lawyer said that you had tested positive for cocaine and marijuana. But when I visited you, you said you have had clean tests for months and those charges were old.

Gucci Mane: My urinalysis was from, like, six months ago. I think it was for marijuana. But it definitely wasn’t from cocaine. I have never used cocaine. That’s just not true. Then I stopped smoking and stopped drinking. For the last six months, I haven’t used any drugs, and I will continue to claim sobriety. That’s why
I said that at the BET Awards and made that PSA. Because that’s something I took to and made a part of my life. So even when I do get out of here, I plan on continuing that, and I’m proud of myself for that. That gave me peace, even in the situation I’m in now. I know you have to be optimistic. Even if you’re going through something that you expect to be good and it turns out bad, you know it will get well.

XXL: What do you think it was, during those eight months, that built up the anticipation for this album?

Gucci Mane: I think, over the years, when I first started my career, a lot of situations that I was in made people kind of shy away from me. It kind of made people have a curiosity about me but a slight fear to work with me. So as people have gotten to know me and spread word around the industry that I was a stand-up guy … that I was a great businessman and I always hold my word in every business transaction I do — that made people open to wanna work with me. And once they got in the studio with me or we handled some business together, that went well. But compared to what they were hearing, because people were kind of blackballing me. So it took years and years just for that to die down. But once people opened the door for me to work with them, it just took off from there. I did have the talent. And that whole time, while they were scared to mess with me or work with me, I’ve been getting better. So I guess things just happen … Can’t never question how things happen. Even though it was hard to struggle all the time, doing it on my own independently, once I did break through that door, I just came straight through there.

Gucci Mane on Jay-Z, T.I., Lil Wayne and other artists self proclaiming themselves the best…..

Gucci Mane: I just feel like no one person can do that. No one can say, “I’m the best up north,” or “I’m the best down south,” or I’m the best on the West Coast.” You have to let the fans do
that.

Gucci Mane: And I’ll say the same about him, or anybody. Or T.I. saying he’s the King of the South. Or somebody saying they run the West Coast. Its no shame, really. A lot of the people that
I’m naming are great entertainers and great rappers. They ARE that. But
to self-proclaim yourself to be something, as the undisputed champion,
it’s not true. You’ve got a short life to live. And if you’re a rapper,
rap. Get in the booth, kick that shit. Do what you gonna do. Do your
interviews. You don’t even have to go about that lane about, “I’m better
than everyone else.” You can sell more CDs than everybody, you can have
more wealth than everybody, you can put out more records than
everybody. That’s something that can be researched and be found to be
true. But to say, “I’m the most swagged-out rapper.” What the fu*k you
mean? Who told you that? You told you that! Because I bet you there’s
somebody who don’t agree with you. And I’m not scared to say it. I
wasn’t saying it to get no response back from him [he's referring to
disagreeing with Jay-Z calling himself the "Best apper in the game" ]
dont want it, because I don’t know him. But from what he said, I’m
saying I don’t agree with him. You go out in East Atlanta and they’re
not playing Jay-Z’s music. So I’m speaking for me and a lot of people
who think like me.”

More of the interview over at XXLMag.com, with the full interview in the March 2010 issue of the magazine.

Dame Dash Interview With D.D

Ct — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:26:09 +0000

Dash recently chopped it up in a interview with Dazed Digital. He talked his old projects, new objectives and his love for music.

Dazed Digital: What were your fondest memories growing up in Harlem?
Damon Dash: Shit, I had so many. Harlem defined my business, my aesthetic, my swagger, the way I carry myself and the way I carry other people. I was a real participant of Harlem. I remember roller-skating at the rink, The Apollo on Wednesdays, amateur night, everyone went. We just needed an event to get dressed up and be fly. I would throw parties at the Cotton Club, we had a crew called The Best Out. Roc-A-Fella was adapted from The Best Out, we used to give the first 100 girls a bottle of champagne, it wasn’t about making money, it was about having fun.

DD: What’s the deal with the Blak Roc project?
Damon Dash: I’m going to tell you a story. Birthdays to me are very important. It was Raquel’s birthday (who works with me) and they were going to The Black Keys concert. I was like, what the fuck you going to a concert and I’m not invited? They said it was sold out. I was like, who are these Black Keys that you all played me for? I started to listen to them and it became my theme music. I became a fan. Not in a business way but a genuine – I wonder what they do every day? – fan. I was like, yo, find them.

[FULL INTERVIEW]

Jay-Z Covers Kingsize Magazine

Ct — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:25:57 +0000

[singlepic id=38 w=540 h=600 float=center]

Check Out International Jigga

[MORE PICS]

Lil Wayne On Rolling Stone Cover

Ct — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:58:33 +0000

Wayne covers issue 1098 of RollingStone. The issue’s on newsstands today, but here’s a excerpt.

“I don’t like to stop,” Wayne tells RS‘ Chris Norris. “I believe you stop when you die.” So in the weeks before he reports to Rikers Island, Wayne is keeping busy — recording tracks bound for Tha Carter IV (the album Cash Money staffers call “C4″ because it’ll be the bomb), shooting videos with his Young Money protégés, spending time with his growing family, and deliberately not asking anyone for advice about life on the inside. “This is Lil Wayne going to jail. Nobody I can talk to can tell me what that’s like,” he says. “I just say I’m looking forward to it.”