Interview: Tha Soloist

1. Peace family! Who are you & where are you from?

Peace. I go by Tha Soloist, and I’m from Jersey City, New Jersey.

2. What inspires you?

I’m inspired by so many things. Inspiration can come from anywhere…

but if I had to choose a few of them it would have to be film,

instrumentals, and everyday life. The good and the bad times.

My music usually comes from a deep place, so I’m always inspired by

the events that are life changing. One more thing that inspires me is

the fans that hit me up every day to tell me that I inspire them.

That’s the best feeling in the world, just knowing that they can

relate to the joy and the pain. It makes it all worthwhile.

3. If you could work with any producer who would it be & why?

I’d have to pick two, not one. Mr. Green and Apollo Brown.

They both have mad soul. You can’t fake that. My stuff is soulful too,

so it’s only right. Green is very talented, and Brown’s beats fit me

just right. Check out my track with C-Lance, “Heart of Justice”

so you can get a better idea.

4. Top 5 Dead or Alive?

I don’t really like to pick five flavors out of the melting pot,

but I’ll give you a list of five emcee’s that are great to me.

Nas

DOOM

GZA

2Pac

Eminem

and I gotta add ODB!

5. Greatest musical group of all time (outside of Hip-Hop)

I like Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, and Elton John. As for groups though

I’d have to say The Beatles. I also like Aphrodite’s Child, The Beach Boys,

and Green Day is up there as well (I grew up listening to all their stuff)

As for soul singers, I really like The Stylistics, The Miracles, and The Isley Brothers.

I almost forgot Johnny Cash! Sorry, I could go on for days.

I know I’m forgetting a lot of them.

6. Who is your favorite upcoming MC right now?

That’s a tough question. I like what Focus is doing right now.

Ron-Ron was dope too, but he disappeared. But yeah, Focus got lyrics.

The boy can spit. Trust me. I gotta throw Coal in there. I know he’s been

doing it for a minute, but he’s extremely gifted. Shout out to Dead Rabbits.

7. I admire your drive. Do you have any advice to give other artists?

Thanks. I’m always busy. I’m dead if I’m not creating. It’s as simple as that.

My advice is this…NEVER get too personal with anyone right away.

Take your time. A lot of these guys are out for blood. A lot of them want

to see you fail. It’s that crab in a bucket mentality. Just do your thing,

work hard, and be kind. Never give up on your dreams. And remember this,

a lot of the artists you admire are watching, so handle yourself like a

professional. Don’t do anyone dirty in this game. There’s enough of that

going around anyway. Try not to jump the gun, paying for verses right away.

Earn your respect and pay your dues first. Let them come to you. I’m not

saying it’s bad to support the artist, but try to build a catalog.

8. What project’s should we be looking forward to in the near future?

I’ll be on Disturbia Music Group producer Sultan Mir’s debut album dropping

in the winter (Sultans Empire)

I’m working on an LP with Focus (untitled)

I got an EP with Tone Liv on the way (Spill Ritual)

Rated R is another emcee I’ve been working with.

Me and Trilian need to get back to work on our LP (Exit Thru Gift)

and I got an album already out (The New Terrah) with Mark Deez,

Edd Bundy and DJ TMB

You can download my free LP on Audiomack (The Glorious Bastard)

Last but not least, got some tracks with Joell Ortiz, Planetery,

Death Star and more.

9. Any last shout outs?

Shout out to every DJ, Emcee and Producer that’s keeping Hip-Hop alive.

I had a good time answering your questions. “Be kind, for everyone you meet

is fighting a hard battle.”

P.S. Appetite and Mister Digital are two of my favorite producers right now!

Plus massive respect to Billy Ballantine for putting me on stage last minute

at Diabolic’s listening party. Shout out to Ixion Form, Pryme, Godilla, Eff Yoo,

Ghetto MC, UG, Lord Digga, Maze, Cliff, Coal, Tabs, Grim, Dro, Mercy Gang,

and Tones.

Peace to TMB, Madhandz and Trickalome

Interview: AWKWORD

  

1. Now for everybody out here in the digital universe, what’s your name & location?

AWKWORD. I recently moved from NYC to Upstate NY to be with my new wife and kids.

2. What inspires you to be who you are?

My mental illness, my mom’s (RIP) heart and activism, my love for nature and the innocent youth, my lifelong guttural disdain for injustice and inequality, my allegiance to and love for Hip Hop culture, and my need to write and record rap. And ILL BILLand Remedy helped me realize this could be possible.

3. Before the age/era of “super producers” most Hip-Hop album’s were handled by a DJ/MC & one “producer” (occasionally being the DJ themselves). If you could do a whole project with one producer who would it be and why?

Because he’s the GOAT, DJ Premier. But because he’s the future and a long-time friend and collaborator, I would choose the incredibly talented SRFSCHL captain Harry Fraud.

4. Where was the first show you ever rocked?

I performed at my high school when I worked with the Anti-Defamation League to create and host the first-ever/now annual Diversity Day. I performed in my hometown in Connecticut for MLK Day. I rocked mad parties and entered freestyle battles at Vassar College, while earning my degree in Sociology and English. But my first REAL performance was probably Don Hill’s in NYC or Tuxedo Junction in Danbury, CT. Can’t really remember. But I ended up doing shows a lot, opening for BLESTeNATION and The Cool Kids, J Live, Masta Ace, Grandmaster Caz, and many others.

5. How did the collaboration track “Bars & Hooks” (Produced By Harry Fraud, and featuring Sean Price, Shakespeare & The Kid Daytona) come to life?

Fraud has been producing for me for more than a decade. He and I chose the beat and agreed on Sean Price as the main feature. We got our verses recorded. And Shakespeare was in Fraud’s studio with me, so it made perfect sense to ask him to do the hook. His voice and his writing are great. And then not long after that, on Halloween I think, I was at a club in the Lower East Side of Manhattan with Statik Selektah and ATG, and we ran into Daytona, who I had never met before that. He loved the idea and recorded his part at Fraud’s studio within a day or two. And that was the start of their relationship — now Daytona is signed to Fraud’s Surf School label.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RxMJ43kdlw&hd=1

http://awkword.bandcamp.com/track/bars-hooks-ft-sean-price-the-kid-daytona-the-incomparable-shakespeare-prod-by-harry-fraud-2

6. What made you want to do a project for charity? Was that your initial plan from the beginning?

I have been an activist, community organizer, volunteer and philanthropist for years, and since I am no longer as active on the streets and in the community centers, I wanted to give back — specifically to the youth in the neighborhoods that birthed Hip Hop and keep it alive and fresh today — through my medium: rap music.

Doing this album, World View, for charity was actually was not my original plan. The concept really started through myspace more than 5 years ago. I dropped my solo debut LP ‘See the Light’ (no longer available), and DJs and producers from all over the world were contacting me on myspace asking for acapellas so they could create remixes. That gave me the idea of publicizing on myspace a remix contest, with the best submissions being used for a free remix mixtape. Realizing the global nature of this, how worldwide Hip Hop has become, I thought of the name “World View”, as the album would essentially illustrate the world view of Hip Hop. What ended up happening though was that I continued to make more and more new music and receive more and more positive press, so I expanded ‘World View’ to include 38 songs across two discs. The first, featuring mostly new music, was released February 2 through DJBooth, with all proceeds going to a 501c3 charity fighting to eradicate street violence through education and empowerment of “at-risk” youth (Guns 4 Cameras). The second, featuring a lot of new music and a number of remixes, was released March 17 through DJBooth as a FREE thank you to my supporters.

http://AWKWORDrap.com/World-View

http://djbooth.it/wrldvw

http://djbooth.it/wvbonus

7. I’ve heard from an MC I respect before say something along the lines of “Don’t let your name describe you”…Are you really awkward, Awkword?

My name is more than anything about being a tragic personality — accepting, owning, taking pride in my problems. One of them was feeling like an outcast, an outsider, uncomfortable and awkward within a community of people who were conservative, Christian, rich, racist, homophobic and misogynist. So when I chose the name AWKWORD it was a direct response to all of them, and who I used to be, as well as a celebration of being different, and overcoming the awkwardness. Today, I am anything but awkward around others. But I will always be different, never following trends, perpetually pushing boundaries.

8. If you were in the middle of nowhere, on a deserted island, and could have one THING with you what would it be?

Sunscreen or sunglasses. My partial Palestinian Jewish heritage doesn’t help — I am not a fan of sunlight or heat.

9. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

http://lyricallyfit.com/breaking-news-is-awkword-retiring-talks-working-w-legends-

In the home studio, recording with my talented wife and daughters. And in my library, writing.

10. Any last shout outs?

Rest in peace, my brother Praverb, who we lost yesterday completely unexpectedly. He had a wife and baby child. And he was one of the good guys in this perverse rap game. Help us pay for his funeral costs at bit.ly/Praverb-Fund

CONTACT:

[@AWKWORDrap]
Rap Singer. Activist. Sociologist. Gonzo Journalist.
NYC x Upstate NY x Worldwide

AWKWORDrap.com

DOWNLOAD THE ALBUMS:

djbooth.it/wrldvw X djbooth.it/wvbonus
AWKWORD.bandcamp.com/album/World-View x AWKWORD.bandcamp.com/album/World-View-Bonus-Disc

AWKWORDrap.com/World-View

FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE & CONNECT:

http://twitter.com/AWKWORDrap
http://facebook.com/AWKWORDrap
http://instagram.com/AWKWORDrap
http://youtube.com/AWKWORDvideos

Interview: NiGE HOOD

1. What’s your name? What city are you representing?

A: My name is NiGE HOOD, and I represent myself by way of Charlotte, NC.

2. As a lyricist, who would you say is your number one influence?

A: Nas, I would say the foundation of my flow came from him.  Nas had a slow delivery, he used the multiple syllables of words, broke them apart, and smoothly lays them down over the beat to construct his verses.  I adopted that flow early as a youngin’ because it allowed me the room to fit all of the deep ideas in my head over a beat.  As opposed to me rapping like Ludacris or something, lol, my songs would sound a lot different.

3. Top 5 Dead or Alive?

A: I’m gonna cheat and instead give the 5 pillars of what made up great Hip-Hop for Myself as a fan:
Nas, UGK, Outkast, Eminem, The N.W.A. lineage (Cube, Dre, Eazy) and A Tribe Called Quest

4. Do you feel Charlotte is going to get the attention it deserves in the industry?

A: I believe that attention is attained via talent, presentation, luck and hard work.  Charlotte definitely has the talent to entertain America and the larger world.  More and more rapidly, the quality of our projects, videos and overall presentation of our artistry is improving.  If we continue to work, work HARD, all we need is the will of God and good timing.  That’s how every movement gains force.

5. Best place to eat in Charlotte.

A: I rocks with Maddie’s Diner and of course I’m getting dessert at Amelie’s French Bakery. Jack Beagles in NoDA has some DANK Mac n Cheese!

6. Are you working on any projects? What do you have out now?

A: Right now I am promoting my recent release, “THOUGHTS Vol. 2”, available on iTUNES, GooglePlay, Amazon and Spotify.

You can find my past projects at www.Soundcloud.com/NiGEHOOD/Sets

7. Any shout outs?

A: Shout out to my team at BLVCKUNIVERSE.com!  The Charlotte music family, Mic Iver, King Callis, Joe Sig, Elevator Jay, Jay Pluss, Quent Young, SeniorYr, Tim Stack$ just to name a fraction of the talent that we have out here in the city.

Shout out to Domo from iKnoDomo.com who holds me down on her site whenever I have a new release or update.  Shout out to my incredible videographers Devon Jackson (@Dev_ShotYa) and also Tyler Cox (@SkyboxVisuals).

Shout out to Durham, NC, Virginia, California and Washington, DC.  I have major support in those spots just to name a few.

FOLLOW NiGE HOOD ON TWITTER