Hailing from Ohio, the legendary O’Jays are influential across the board in music. It’s amazing to think how many people nowadays are unfamiliar with their music and samples being put forth of their classic material. With a career spanning over forty-four years and a slew of hits from “Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby,” “Backstabbers,” “Love Train” to “For The Love Of Money” and “Lets Ride,” these guys are legends.

Through Sanctuary Urban Records, on September 28th, 2004 The O’Jays released their latest venture “Imagination.”

MVRemix: A lot of people nowadays and throughout your career have looked up to you as an influence and inspiration. Who did you look up to when you were starting off?

Walter Williams: When I was starting off I looked up to James Brown, Otis Redding, Jackie Wilson, The Drifters… I think what really got me going was Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers came to town at the Canton Memorial Auditorium. I think after he came and performed, it seemed like twenty-five or thirty groups sprang up all around that area. Canton, Massland, Alliance, Ohio, Warren, Ohio, Akran, Ohio, the groups just started coming from everywhere singing at the YMCA, at the Urban league. It stayed with us. One of those groups was Rudy and The Romantics. That’s what inspired me.

MVRemix: Which of your counterparts inspired your work ethic to be what it became?

Walter Williams: I really liked the group, The Drifters. They had several different lead singers and of course they had a lot of hits during those days. I like Jackie
Wilson… and James Brown. I thought he (Jackie Wilson) was a phenomenal performer of
excellence. James Brown was the opposite, he was a hard worker but with excellence as
well. I thought I got a chance to see two sides of the coin watching both of them and
actually getting an opportunity to do shows with the both of them.

MVRemix: How do you keep your content diverse while remaining on the subject of love and romance?

Walter Williams: I just think if you get a great response from the audience, and we usually do when we’re up to par, and we try to stay up to par. I just think the love that
they give. You have to give it back. Does that answer your question?

Eric Grant: And also, you have to, when you learn this craft – you have to go out there and project. You have to go out there and get it across to the people. That’s
not always easy. Because, I learned from Eddie and Walter that you have to feel people.
You can’t just go out there and think everything’s gonna go as planned or as you rehearsed it at your rehearsal studio. Sometimes you go out there and something might not work that worked in DC, it just won’t work in LA. You have to be quick enough and have a love for those people and feel those people to say “That’s not gonna work. I need to go over “here” and try this,” because I know this is what they like. Everyone can’t do that. You gotta have a plan, you’ve got to have a game plan. But sometimes you can’t run that running back up the middle. So he might have to flank out to the right, and we may have to improvise.

MVRemix: Is there anything about the industry now that you would have liked more of in your earlier years?

Walter Williams: The industry has changed quite a bit. I think the big plus of the changing industry is the technology. The way we record today isn’t as taxing as it was
fifteen or twenty years ago. You can sing one hook and get it perfect, or as close to
perfect as you can and then you can vie it in [chuckles] for the rest of the song. That’s
a plus. Of course we’re making more money today and necessarily so because things are so inflated and out of proportion that you’ve gotta make more money today. We’re experiencing larger crowds today because the venues are much larger and nicer. You might be too young to remember the “Chitlin circuit” – small clubs throughout the South and part of the North. If in fact they [still] exist, they’re not being worked as much as they were twenty years ago. Maybe someone should do that again because those are grass roots people and it’s a more interesting setting, in my opinion.

MVRemix: Tell me about “Imagination.”

Walter Williams: “Imagination” is just what the title says. Eddie explained it really good earlier today. If you wanna sit and you’ve got a problem and you want to talk it out with your woman, that song is on there for you. If you want to get up and dance with her or anyone else, that song is on there for you. Or if you’re just in a great happy mood and wanna kick it, that song is on there for you too. So use your “Imagination.”

MVRemix: To the generations that have hopped on the soul or R&B bandwagon but know nothing about The O’Jays, how would you school them on The O’Jays music?

Eric Grant: Here’s what I would do – first of all I’d have a big meeting up there in New York and invite all those groups and I would tell them, man, “If you’re gonna be in this business, you have to know this business. That means you have to go back and try to chorale those groups and those singers, the ones who have the talent and dug deep in their soul where they lived. That’s the one thing that I try to tell young people today; if you haven’t lived it. It’s really kind of hard to sing about it. Because you don’t really know what that pain is. When I watch Walter and Eddie sing in the studio. I wonder how they get that soul that they portray on record and it’s because they lived it. And I would have them to actually take out time and chorale your talent and know what your strengths are and what you’re weaknesses are. Whatever your weaknesses are, you need to strengthen that. Do whatever you’ve got to do.

I remember having a group on tour with us one time. There was three guys and The O’Jays are three guys and those guys never ever came to see The O’Jays sing. They were on a show with us but they never came to see us perform. I never understood that. I never understood how you could have three guys and you don’t watch the masters of this, do that. When I was coming up I watched up The O’Jays, I watched The Temps, I watched Smokey Robinson, The Dramatics… it didn’t matter. I learned something from every one. So I would tell those young groups today “Learn this! Whatever you’re trying to do, learn it!” I mean, if you Usher, you should be watching James Brown and Michael Jackson and Jackie Wilson and Joe Tecks. You should know the history of this business. Not just ’cause you get a hit record. A hit record don’t make you have longevity. The O’Jays, The Temptations, The Four Tops and The Whispers, that’s longevity. Patti Labelle, that’s longevity.

Walter Williams: And that’s because you put time in and you worked on having a hit act. You sustained yourself for much longer with a hit act than you do with a hit record. You need ‘em both, but you really need a hit act.

MVRemix: Now, you’ve been sampled a lot in Hip Hop. How do you feel about having your music sampled?

Walter Williams: I think it gives you staying power because again, you’re being put out there with other artists, other acts, and especially if they’re younger then younger people are listening to what you’ve done. If they accept it and they like it then they gravitate to you as well. So I think it’s a plus. Although, I think sampling diminishes your skills to come up with new licks and new ideas. So, there’s got to be a happy medium there somewhere.

MVRemix: What do you think about the fundamental differences between our R&B and your classic material? What do you think contributes to lack of romanticism nowadays?

Walter Williams: Now’s R&B compared to our older material…

Yeah, what I mean is R&B today is more sexual. Whereas your R&B tended to be more loving – there was more depth to it…

Eric Grant: Once again, and I said this earlier. You can’t sing about what you don’t know about. If all you doin’ is hittin’ the skins and runnin’, that’s all you know. If you haven’t been in love, if you haven’t been hurt – you can’t sing about joy and pain. You can’t sing.

Walter Williams: And I think skillfully, and very understandably, you have to convey it simply in a song where people can understand it in good lyrics. That it’s not complicated and make it plain and clear. We talk about men/women relationships a lot. We explain it, just how it happens, how it goes down, so it isn’t complicated. I think that’s the difference; the tenderness, the lovingness, the way it’s explained. Sometimes it’s sexual or with sexual overtones. That’s involved in a relationship and especially a good relationship.

Eric Grant: But it’s not blatant.

Walter Williams: No. And distasteful.

Eric Grant: You have to have some type of reservation for other people’s listening ears. Some of these artists don’t care about how a person receives it as long as they’re receiving it.

Walter Williams: There’s a thousand ways to say “I wanna lick you up and down.” There’s a better way to say it than that. There’s a much more tender and loving way to say it and a way it’ll be received and digested in a good manner. Instead of saying “That’s distasteful, I don’t want my child to hear that.”

MVRemix: Is there anything out there right now that you can see standing the test of time?

Eric Grant: As far as music?

Walter Williams: I like what Beyonce’s doing.

Eric Grant: Love what she’s doing! I put Beyonce.

Walter Williams: Hmmmm. [chuckles]

Eric Grant: It gets rough after that. It gets rough after that because when you look at the substance and you look at… Maybe Alicia Keys.

Walter Williams: Yeah, Alicia’s talented. Her stories are tasteful and you can digest them without any negative reaction. But the field gets very small after that.

MVRemix: Do you have any last words to your fans that are going to be reading this?

Walter Williams: Yeah, thank you! Yeah, thank you for being with us all this time. Its been forty-four years and that’s a long time to be with anyone. Thank you, we love you and we appreciate the love that you’ve shown us over the years.

The O Jays Interview

Bun B: Remaining Trill September 2005

As part of UGK (Underground Kingz) alongside Pimp C, Bun B has been one of the South’s most familiar and respected faces. For thirteen years, he has taken Southern Hip Hop to higher levels of respect, and after a break with Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin” UGK were known by Hip Hop fans across the world.

Over the past few months, Bun B has been on everyone’s album and mixtape. From Paul Wall and Slim Thug to Lil’ Kim and everyone else, a guest appearance by Bun B has been easy to find.

This October, through Rap-A-Lot/Asylum Bun B will release his first solo album “Trill” featuring a large array of big name guests and producers.

MVRemix: Where does the name Bun B come from?

Bun B: Bun is short for Bunny and B came from the early 90’s where everyone pretty much just had that initial.

MVRemix: Tell me about “Trill”

Bun B: The album is coming out October 18th on Rap-A-Lot/Asylum records. It’s my first solo project – ever… Born out of necessity rather than anything to keep the name and the UGK legacy alive. Basically it’s the soundtrack to the steets.

MVRemix: Can you tell me about guests/producers that are on there?

Bun B: Sure, there’s production by Mannie Fresh, Jazze Pha, Lil’ Jon, Mr. Lee in Houston, Salih Williams who produced “Back Then” and “Sittin Sidewayz.” A couple of vocal producers, I was trying to get a couple of guys – Shot To The Game by Blackout Productions out of Miami.

MVRemix: People wondered, why work on a solo with Pimp C’s parole hearing coming up so soon?

Bun B: Well because of the fact that we put it off until the last minute to do it because we were hoping that he’d get an early release.

MVRemix: A lot of people want to know whether your verse from the song “Murder” on “Ridin’ Dirty” freestyled or written?

Bun B: It was a written rhyme, but it literally was written on the spot and recorded on the spot.

MVRemix: With the volume of verses you’ve put out over the past 2 years, do you feel burned out, think it sounds repetitive or ever suffer from writer’s block?

Bun B: No, not at all. I’ve got more than enough information – sometimes I feel like I don’t do enough songs.

MVRemix: What really happened that night Master P had Pimp C beat up in that hotel room?

Bun B: It’s kind of hard to say because I wasn’t really there. Yeah, you’d probably have to ask Pimp C or Master P about that.

MVRemix: Do you know what it was over?

Bun B: [Nonchalantly] People don’t get along all the time. That’s the way the world works sometimes, everybody’s not meant to get along. You know? Sometimes these things get bigger than… These things happen.

MVRemix: What was it like working with J. Prince?

Bun B: I mean I’ve always in some form or fashion done business with J. Prince over the past thirteen years of my career. But this point is that we’re just actually working together on something that we’re doing as opposed to working together on something he’s doing or working together on something I’m doing. This is a collaborative effort.

MVRemix: Do you have any connections or ties with the other guys that were in the original 4 Black Minister or UGK?

Bun B: Of course, Big Mitch was in my video this weekend when we filmed “Draped Up” in Port Arthur. I couldn’t get in contact with Jalon.

MVRemix: Is Middle Fingaz “No Apologiez” being released at any point in the foresseable future?

Bun B: Yes, in the first quarter (2006). We’re looking at a February release some time we’re co-ordinating for promotion around the time of the All-Star game.

MVRemix: There were rumours of a new Geto Boys group you were going to form – is there any light you can shed on that?

Bun B: It was something that was thrown around a couple of years ago about another possible inception of the Geto Boys. But after further consideration, it was decided for everybody that the original Geto Boys weren’t done yet and that’s where you get the foundation of it.

MVRemix: How would you compare your career before and after the success of “Big Pimpin” with regards to your level of exposure?

Bun B: Naturally, of course, exposure wise I got moved into a different level of exposure. Anyone, it doesn’t have to be UGK, but any artist, even today, any artist that were to do a song with Jay-Z would be automatically propelled into a totally different media bracket. But yeah, it definitely helped as far as exposure with getting us out there. I mean, of course, it’s not like Jay-Z put UGK out there. We were on the song, I mean he put us on the song but once we were on the song we made it ours.

MVRemix: With all the beefs that have been going on with Texan artists and artists in the South, do you have any stance as to what has been going on… Do you see the reason for it escalating now because of their recent success?

Bun B: I think that there’s so many more outlets for so much more information. I think there has always been beef in Hip Hop and people have always had problems with people. It’s just the fact that you didn’t hear about everything all the time. I think now that with the net and blogs and chat rooms and everything and mixtapes… There’s just a lot more avenues for that information to be passed around and unfortunately some of that information is diss music or cut downs or whatever the fuck you wanna call ‘em.

MVRemix: What are your thoughts on the way the US Government has handled Hurricane Katrina thus far?

Bun B: I think for a lot of people it’s a wake up call. Me, myself, being from Texas I’ve already seen the action or should I say in-action that a Bush-regime will take in certain circumstances with certain people. I guess for America this is a wake up call for a lot of people who may have still given this guy the benefit of the doubt.

MVRemix: A la “Fight Club,” “If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight?”

Bun B: Probably Michael Jackson.

MVRemix: And what would be the reason?

Bun B: [in a low tone] I think we all know the reason.

MVRemix: Aside from the album do you have any other guest appearances or compilations you’ve been working on?

Bun B: Yeah, I’m featured on pretty much everybody coming out from the south right now. A few from the east and one or two from the west. I’d hate to speak on somebody in a publication and not mention everybody because I really don’t know everybody that I’ve worked with. But yeah, I’ve done a lot of stuff for a lot of people. What’s happening now is you’ve got a lot of artists who are in a situation where they can bring other artists into the game. And like with the Middle Fingaz, I’ll do something with their artist that they’re trying to bring up and they’ll do something with one of my artists in return. Like say for instance, Jim Jones will come and do a verse on a Middle Fingaz album and in return I may do something with Hell Rell or J.R. Writer, whatever’s the case.

MVRemix: Any last words?

Bun B: Yeah, definitely wanna let them know that it’s UGK for life. Definitely wanna let them know we’re still screamin’ “Free Pimp C!” And if they down with Bun B and if they down with Pimp C and if they down with UGK, if they “Trill” or wanna be “Trill” or wanna know what”Trill” is then go get the album on October 18th on Rap-A-Lot/Asylum records.

Bun B of UGK Interview

These are the transcripts of an interview with Cage. The interview was conducted by Hugo Lunny on August 26th, 2000. Cage is most well known for his ‘Agent Orange’ 12″ and is set to drop some more gems within the next few months.

MVRemix: So, why “Cage”? What’s the background of you having that name?

Cage: When I got out from locked in, my name then remained.

MVRemix: How did you, Eon and Mighty Mi hook up?

Cage: We were soliciting the same slorrs, we thought hey, lets make a single…eventually figured we could make enough to choke an elephant with, and so we are!

MVRemix: Can you tell us about forthcoming Smut Peddler releases? I read somewhere you’d worked with Apani, will she be appearing on anything soon with you?

Cage: Nah, Milo hooked that up for this song called “Josie,” I never even met her. She’s on the hook.

MVRemix: Now although I loved and still enjoy “Agent Orange,” the movie “Clockwork Orange” I could only sit through about a quarter of. What I saw was a little too strange for my liking. What was it about that film that you loved so much that you made a track about it?

Cage: Well, I didn’t make the song solely about that movie. I was also institutionalized at 16, like Alex. I related to that movie and years later thought the music was intense enough to pull off a song about being hospitalized.

MVRemix: I’ve read that you and Necro have some problems with one another, what exactly happened?

Cage: You must be reading off the net, we dont have beef, we never did. We just started doing different things. I started to work with other producers and he didnt like that I guess. So we still talk, he talks shit, that’s what he does. He’s a mental patient, just not certified. I got papers of 2 years to prove my illness. I like necro though, he’s not afraid to let his insecurities outta the bag!!

MVRemix: Alright, we all know roughly about the “bitten style” thing with Eminem. But, what exactly occurred? Did you hear him and then find out via a show or radio appearance or was it something else?

Cage: A bunch of misconstrued shit from the mouths of idiots!!! There is no beef. If you want to know the deal, look around the net and run with the one you like the most!

MVRemix: Will you be doing any more diss tracks aimed towards him like “Still CAGE”?

Cage: Uh, no. “Still CAGE” ain’t a diss to Eminem. I borrowed the beat to shit on pop music, not Dre.

MVRemix: Can you give me some information on future projects? For example, who you’re going to collaborate with or details about an LP etc.

Cage: I have a 3 song single coming out in October, Smut Peddler single in September, Smut album “Porn Again” in November…you can finally cop Cage in every chain store in the world!!! Yikes.

MVRemix: Any last comments you’d like to make about things we haven’t covered?

Cage: We had some girls over the lab, they kept spilling beer, so when they passed out we markered our web sites on their asses. Suicidal failure. October… kill yourself to it!

Cage Interview

Ne-Yo: So Sick of Love Song November 2005

Conducted by Hugo Lunny

It’s hard to believe what people can accomplish given the right surroundings. Ne-Yo is at a level most of us will only dream of. Having penned, and still writing hits for some of today’s biggest musical names, the man is concentrating on applying the finishing touches to his own debut which has reportedly had over 300 songs recorded for it. Ne-Yo is currently on tour with John Legend and will be releasing his debut “In My Own Words” at the end of December.

MVRemix: How do you stay creative while remaining on the subject of love and romance?

Ne-Yo: There’s really no exact way that I do it, it’s just I have a very vivid imagination and I have a lot of colourful characters in my life. So there’s always somethin’ to write about; be it somethin’ that I’ve gone through, be it somethin’ that a friend of mine was telling me about… Me being who I am, I can find an object in the room or a magazine and write an entire story or song behind that word or that object, and turn that into a song. Inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere.

MVRemix: Which was your favourite Matrix movie?

Ne-Yo:The first one.

MVRemix: You didn’t like number three did you?

Ne-Yo: I hated number three actually. It’s like they got worse as they went. Number one was the absolute best; number two was okay, number three sucked to me.

MVRemix: You recently collaborated with Remy Martin of the Terror Squad – can you tell me about how that came about and how it went?

Ne-Yo: I’m not exactly sure how we got hooked up – it was through her people and my people… We’re moving around a lot out here in New York and the name is getting out there. So I’m guessing we contacted them or they contacted us and us artists – they don’t really let us know too much about what goes on behind the scenes or how stuff gets hooked up. All I know is that I met with her in the studio. She’s one of the coolest people I’ve ever met and it was a very, very pleasurable experience being able to work with her.

MVRemix: Can you describe to me your stage show, I’ve heard it’s like a musical…

Ne-Yo: My stage show… Yeah, I do dance but I didn’t want dancing to be the main focal point of my show because I’m a songwriter first. So I want you to actually listen to the song, listen to the words – pay attention to the song. It’s kind of hard to do that when I’m turning dance moves and doing all crazy flips like, “Ah, that was the best move! What was the song about?” I didn’t want to do that. So I found a way to incorporate a little bit of the dance in, but make people really pay attention to the song and the story behind the song by taking a good three-four of my songs and just stringing them all together as a short story. So yeah the stage show, it’s kind of a play.

MVRemix: How often do you write? Is it forced, or is it mainly taken from previously written material after emotionally intense moments?

Ne-Yo: I write pretty much every single day. Every day I write. Like I said, inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere. As long as I’m livin’, as long as there’s people on this earth, there’s always gonna be somethin’ to write about. I’ve never really found myself having to recycle songs or recycle topics. But, being that the English language is so vast, there’s so many different ways to say the same thing – so there’s always a song to be written.

MVRemix: You say you want to write music that inspires emotion, which are some of your favourite tracks of that sort which effect you every time you hear them?

Ne-Yo: Wow. Pretty much every song that Prince has ever done. But one song in particular that I can never find are “Joy and Repitition,” it’s off the “Graffiti Bridge” soundtrack. The song, and you know to this day I can’t really tell you what it’s about but it’s just the way that the song is put together, the chords that are used, the melodies that he decided to go with… It’s just one of those songs where you don’t even have to know what it’s about. You feel it as soon as it comes on. It triggers something. That song personifies everything that I try to do in my music.

Again, pretty much everything Stevie Wonder has ever put out. Stevie Wonder is a person that’s so in tune with the other side of this whole writing thing being that he can’t so. His vibe can’t be corrupted by a visual; he’s all feel, he’s all emotion. That comes through so vivid in his music. So yeah, pretty much everything he’s ever done.

There’s a song by Billy Ocean that I just got re-introduced to, I remember it was one of my favourite songs as a kid – it used to make me cry and I never understood why I was crying… It’s called “Suddenly,” I don’t know if you’re familiar with that song.

MVRemix: No, I haven’t heard it before.

Ne-Yo: You should look that one up, it’s a really, really good one. What else? Let me see… What else, what else… what else… Michael Jackson, “Lady Of My Life.” Michael Jackson’s “She’s Out Of My Life.” There’s a billion, billion different songs right now – basically anything that came out around late 70’s. All that music was pure emotion. It all came from a place where it wasn’t about “Let me make this song, it’s gonna make me the most money right now.” The music scene was genuine back then.

MVRemix: How do you feel about having other people that you’ve written for being more credited and recognized for your words than you?

Ne-Yo: I don’t mind that at all because I know I wrote the song, they know I wrote the song – it’s just that the world doesn’t know that yet. That doesn’t bother me. As long as the world hears that song and likes it, it’s just like it’s me up there accepting that award for whatever – it’s the same thing to me.

MVRemix: Due to your passion for writing – what are your thoughts on manufactured groups and artists?

Ne-Yo: That, um… Ah… Like I say, a lot of people that do music today – a lot of the acts that are out today are out because somebody behind the scenes is trying to make some money. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with making money, hell, you need it to live… But, this is art! When you throw something as practical as money into something as emotional as art, it kills it. You can hear it in the music when you get these manufactured groups and you throw a pound of auto-tune on their voice so they sound halfway decent and you throw that out on the radio. I mean we’ve got to a point as consumers where we don’t even mind. That’s a little depressing to me, there’s songs out right now and I’m like, “Is this where music is going? God, I might as well hang it up.” I can’t do that. I can’t write a song for money. I can’t do that. The fact that I make money off the songs that I write, that’s a fringe benefit. I don’t write songs for the money. I know that if I stay true to my soul with the music that I’m doing then people are gonna recognize that. People are gonna relate to that and the money will come eventually but that should not be the motivating factor as to why you do music.

MVRemix: From your material, it appears that when in a relationship, you try to make it work. What is it that drives you to actually end things when the time comes?

Ne-Yo: That’s an interesting question. I’m trying to find a politically correct way to answer this question. You know what? Honestly, that point comes when… A relationship is 50/50, there’s give and take. When one person is doing more giving and the other person is doing more taking, and you try to make it work and it’s not computing like “Look, you’re not contributing as much to this relationship as I am” then you’ve got to break it up. I’m not the type of person that’s gonna stick around in a relationship when I’m uncomfortable. I’m not the type of person that’s gonna stick around in a relationship because I feel sorry for that person. Though I have been before, that’s why I’m not that person now because I’ve learned from that experience.

If you stick with somebody that you know you don’t want to be with because you hate to see her cry or you’re afraid of what she might do if you leave her because you’re her support system. If you stick with that person, you’re gonna end up resenting that person and it’s just gonna make matters worse. So it’s best to just break it off then when you know that there’s absolutely nothing that can be done to save this relationship. The best thing you can do is break it off. Don’t hold onto that.

MVRemix: When I say to you “the stupidest argument you’ve had in a relationship,” what springs to mind?

Ne-Yo: I remember arguing with a girl once over the light in a refrigerator.

MVRemix: How far did that escalate?

Ne-Yo: That escalated into a full blown mad argument. We were screaming and hollering at each other at the the top of our lungs to the point where by the end of it we didn’t even remember what we were arguing about. Yeah, it gets that dumb.

MVRemix: How many songs were created for “In My Own Words”?

Ne-Yo: A good three hundred.

MVRemix: And what’s the situation with those that weren’t chosen – will they spiral off into other people or future albums of yours, or…

Ne-Yo: There are certain songs that I’ve written that didn’t make it to this album that I refuse to let go of, I will not let go of just because I feel that they’re honestly – not to toot my own horn or sound conceited but I feel that they’re honestly too good for me to give to somebody else. The Mario thing (writing “Let Me Love You”) was a complete accident that was never written for me. It was a situation where I couldn’t have kept that if I wanted to. But I feel that I’ve written songs that are as good, if not better than the Mario song that did not make this album for one reason or another. But those I’m definitely holding on to.

Then there’s other songs that I feel are just as good, but are to the point where they’re written well enough that I could pass them onto somebody else and the point would still get across. Whereas the songs for myself I honestly don’t feel anybody’s gonna get the point across as well as I’m gonna get the point across on those songs. So yeah, some of ‘em I’m keeping for other projects for myself, other ones I submit to other people. It just keeps going.

MVRemix: Tell me about Compound Entertainment and how it was formed.

Ne-Yo: Compound Entertainment is my production company. It was formed by myself and my current manager. When we first met… My manager is the ultimate businessman, almost to the point where he doesn’t have a personality he’s so much of a businessman. [chuckles] He’ll probably hate me for saying that too. I honestly don’t feel that there’s nothing that this man can’t do from a business standpoint. There’s no product that he can’t sell. He has never said that he was gonna do something that he didn’t do. He has never gone into any type of venture that he wasn’t successful at. I basically told him the idea of me basically wanting to take over the world as far as the entertainment division of the world and he came up with the idea of, “Lets put together a production company. I know you know people that sing, I know you know people that write, I know you know people that produce. Lets get all these people together and form a compound.” That’s where the name came from and basically how it came together. We have six producers and four writers currently. We’re growing everyday. We’ve got Compound Entertainment, off of that we’ve got Compound Films, we’ve got Compound Real Estate on the way. We’re all over the place with it. It started with the music but it’s becoming something that’s bigger than the music.

conducted by Bayer L. Mack

I’m sitting in a parking lot trying to make sense of the scribbled
notes in my lap. They’re from an interview I did earlier with some “new”
artist on Atlantic. It’s one of those interviews you do for your “friend”
at the label in order to get a big fish later. Don’t get me wrong; he
was a real cool brotha. Our conversation was broad. It shifted from his
desire to be recognized outside the South, to his relationship with his
late father and baby mama. As I sift through my chicken scratch, a song
comes on the radio. Instinctively, I begin to nod to the track’s
infectious hook and hard driving beat. I like it. Then it dawns on me. The
song on the radio is by this same guy. I think to myself, “This could be
big.”

That was August 22, 2003. The song was “24’s.” The artist was
T.I. The rest is history.

Fourteen months, four days and over a million albums later, the
self-proclaimed King of the South is calling again. He’s gotten the acceptance
and recognition he so desired. However, true to the immortal words of
the Notorious B.I.G., mo’ money brings mo’ problems, jealousy and envy.
In March of this year, T.I. was incarcerated because of various open
court cases. It was during this time that another popular southern
rapper, Lil’ Flip, reportedly began “bad mouthing” him over his “King of the
South” claims which launched a much publicized feud that has yet to be
officially squashed.

Still, through it all Clifford Harris has been hustling. The rapper
continued to record new material and release hit single after hit single.
He even filmed a video in jail. That’s what you call being on the
grind.

On November 30th, the saga will continue with the release of Urban
Legend, T.I.’s much-anticipated follow up to Trap Muzik.
Haters better mark that date on their calendar because the rubber band man
is coming for that a**.

MVRemix: Okay, let’s get these hardball questions out of the way first.
You’re legal troubles made headlines earlier this year. What’s the current
situation?

T.I.:
I handled it. Basically, as long as I stay out of trouble, I’m
straight.

MVRemix: Do you feel like people intentionally try to get at you sideways to
start something?

T.I.:
I’ve dealt with that as long as I’ve been in the game. Like Jay-Z said,
‘It’s a full time job not to kill n***as.’

MVRemix: Why did Lil’ Flip’s comments get you so upset?

T.I.: Anytime someone speak on me and don’t know me, that [is upsetting]. I
don’t speak on no other man. I live and die by respect. I’ve heard
comments about Flip and his lyrical ability for a long time, but I didn’t
speak on it. I wasn’t raised like that. Plus, why [Flip] wait until I go
to jail before he say something?

MVRemix: Well, you dropped that lethal mixtape on him so hopefully it’s water
under the bridge. Let’s switch gears. What’s on the horizon for Grand
Hu$tle?

T.I.:
P$C. That’s the Pimp Squad Committee. They’ll be in action next year.

MVRemix: Are they coming through Atlantic or…

T.I.:
Nah… they’re going to be on Grand Hu$tle all the way. We’re being
distributed through Asylum. That’s another one of the small labels in the
Warner Music Group.

MVRemix: When did you record Urban Legend?

T.I.:
I’ve been recording the entire time. This is what I do. I’m recording
the third album right now.

MVRemix: Trap Muzik had everything. You had beats from hot producers
like Jazze Pha and David Banner. What’s the biggest difference between
that album and the new joint?

T.I.:
I got Jazze Pha and David Banner on this album too. I got Scott Storch
(“Lean Back”) and the Neptunes. Diversity… that’s the major difference.

MVRemix: Releasing four music videos is unheard of for a rap artist nowadays.
Do you think you could have still worked Trap Muzik?

T.I.:
I feel you. Yeah, I could have released eight singles from that album.
See, my deal with Atlantic is 50/50. I’m in control of my budget. I
spent the same amount on four music videos as some people spend on one. I
made the “24’s” video for about seventy-five to eighty thousand dollars
instead of $200,000. “Be Easy” cost about $170,000 where most people
spend $300,000 or more on a second video.

MVRemix: Lots of rappers claim to be the CEO and running their company, but
you actually seem to be pretty hands on with Grand Hu$tle.

T.I.:
Hell, why wouldn’t I be? If you in the game to make money, you got to
handle yours. Every time we did a video, we looked at how many records
we’d already sold and how doing another video would [affect that]. You
can’t make money if you waste money.

MVRemix: Okay, I want you to finish the next four statements about Urban
Legend. Ready?

T.I.: Let’s do it.

MVRemix: If I liked “24’s,” I’ll love…

T.I.:
If you liked “24’s,” you’ll love “Countdown” because it’s letting
haters know I’m coming for them.

MVRemix: If I liked “Be Easy,” I’ll love…

T.I.:
Hmm… I’m trying to think of something that musical.

MVRemix: That’s right, because you had those organs going.

T.I.:
Yeah… if you liked “Be Easy,” you’ll love… I’d probably say “Stand Up.”

MVRemix: Okay, if I liked “Rubber Band Man,” I’ll love…

T.I.:
“ASAP,” just like on “Countdown” I’m letting them haters know I’m
coming for them and they have a short amount of time. They better get it
together “ASAP” — as soon as possible.

MVRemix: Last one, if I liked “Let’s Get Away,” I’ll love…

T.I.:
“Freakdom” produced by the Neptunes and “Chillin Wit My B***h” produced
by Scott Storch.

MVRemix: Urban Legend drops November 30th. How do you defeat the
bootleg man? Or is there even a way to?

T.I.:
Technology is technology. Nah… you can’t stop em, but me… I’m gonna hit
the warehouse. I hit a bootlegger on the street. They be like, hey it
ain’t me. I’m just the little man. Then I be like take me to the big man
and they do.

MVRemix: You’ve actually done that before?

T.I.:
I’m notorious in Atlanta for that sh*t. Ask the bootleggers down here
about T.I. I’m worst than the task force and the narcs. We done had
cases. We’ve had shootouts and fistfights. You ain’t gonna steal from me.

MVRemix: If you were a football or basketball player, probably football
because you’re from Georgia…

T.I.:
Nah, I like basketball too, but I’m football man, yeah.

MVRemix: Okay, if you were a football player, who would you be? Who would
your skills as a rapper most equate with?

T.I.:
Damn… that’s a hard question because there’s so many. I’m gonna give
you two on offense and two on defense. On offense I’d say [Hall of Fame
running back] Barry Sanders and [Atlanta Falcons quarterback] Michael
Vick. Barry was just graceful. No matter how good he was at his game
[critics] never wanted to give him that spot of being the best. Like me
saying I’m the King of the South. It’s like to say ‘I am’ is to say
[someone else] ain’t. With Mike Vick, the league was used to doing things a
certain way, but he had his own intentions.

MVRemix: Do you ever run into Michael Vick down there in Atlanta?

T.I.: Yeah… we cool as hell. We hang out all the time. We hit the clubs. Me
and [former Atlanta running back] Jamal Anderson is real cool too. We
went to school together.

MVRemix: Okay… here’s my last question.

T.I.: I didn’t tell you my defensive players.

MVRemix: That’s right. Who would you be on defense?

T.I.: They both on the [Baltimore Ravens]: Dion Sanders and Ray Lewis. Dion
because he so arrogant and cocky, like me, but you can’t say nothing
because he back it up. Ray Lewis is just intimidating.

MVRemix: As king of the south, what does the Dirty have to do to stay on top?

T.I.: We got to keep on making hits… period. Right now the South has to
maintain and keep it’s game up.

Original T.I. Interview

conducted by Hugo Lunny

Wil May Interview: The Frathouse Is Like A Traphouse

MVRemix: For those that are now hearing about you for the first time, tell us about yourself.

Wil May: I’m Wil May, artist / producer, urban ewasp numero uno, el presidente of the fraternity called Makeshift / MSP. we accept girls also, probably more so than guys.

MVRemix: Does Hip Hop and Rap today leave you jaded, or inspired?

Wil May: Nah, I actually like where hip hop and rap is. It’s colourful. Lots of variety. The only thing I hate is those copy cat radio songs.

MVRemix: As a songwriter, who has influenced you?

Wil May: David Bryne, Pharrell, Prince, Trent Reznor, Beatles, Pink Floyd, Spike Lee, Stanley Kubrick, girls, girlfriends, homeys, haters, winners, losers… Lots of folks.

MVRemix: Tell me about “The Frathouse Is Like A Traphouse” LP, how does it compare to the EP?

Wil May: It’s basically if you put a Fresh Prince-type dude, with a Jeezy mentality in a foreign ivy league-esque environment and what ensues. Sounds crazy but it really happens.

Then there’s two sides;: a hustle side that ends with paying my tuition in cash and being college hood-rich, and a relationship side; which details college relationships with the girls in the many forms they exist.

As far as the EP / LP, basically I was spitting up my LP project, which I hadn’t decided on a name for. I was gonna release was an EP / preview of what was to come was called “The Frathouse Is Like A Traphouse.” It was supposed to be a more extroverted version of the project. Since that EP didn’t drop, I just took the name for the entire project.

MVRemix: How did the title come about?

Wil May: People often laugh and are taken aback by the title. It seems like a made-up idea but it stems from reality… Once you think about it. you’ve probably noticed it for yourself, if you’ve been to a frat party, just never made the association.

Much like the hood, every campus has it’s own unofficial supplier and profiteer. Aside from the extreme violence and tragic outcome usually attributed to trappin’, it’s activities are similar to the dynamics of a fraternity. Commerce, drug experimentation, promiscuity, camaraderie and machismo run rapid. Most college kids are intrigued and influenced by the lifestyle of trappers, which is why gangsta rap was so popular to them.

MVRemix: How long did the record take to record and how planned was it – ie did you set out with a tracklisting and stick to it or record a number of songs and chose a select amount leaving the rest on the “cutting room floor”?

Wil May: This is kind of a difficult question. Now I understand what the Clipse went through with Hell Hath No Fury, or Dre with Detox. The writing of this project has been basically done since ‘07. I started it at the end of ‘06, and now somehow it’s ‘09. It has been a very honest process though, and I have had a lot of things I wanted to incorporate, but now it’s just time… To drop it on the unsuspecting but thristy public. It’s either now or february 31st of next year.

MVRemix: What do you wish to achieve with the album?

Wil May: With this record, I just want to tell a story of a very meaningful college experience. The commentary is unique and subversive, and no one has ever commented on it. College isn’t just about beers, booze and bitches. For a lot of people it is a very serious struggle. A lot of people will relate and be intrigued.

And from a hip hop standpoint, I wanna show kids my story is just a meaningful as what Jigga did before “Reasonable Doubt” or Jeezy did before “Thug Motivation.” There’s more money in what they did [laughs] but you get my point.

MVRemix: In this economic climate, why should people opt to purchase your album or attend your show. What is it that you offer the listener that they should invest in you?

Wil May: In a climate like this, people want hope and truth. If you had to pick, I would say my album. It’s motivation and realness you can take with you. Listen and be inspired. Then we can rock out at a show in the future since you’ll know all the words. And also, I do free shows from time to time too. Chester French and I just did one together in LA last week, which was dope.

As for what I offer, I will promise a unique perspective and experience unlike anything they’ve seen or heard, and I won’t let them down.

MVRemix: Any videos planned?

Wil May: Two videos; one for “Immaculate,” which is a style / machismo record, one for both “Hands Touchin’ Paper,” which is an autobiography of sorts, and this song called “Northface,” about paranoia on campus, combined. After that, we will see.

MVRemix: You refer to yourself as “post-modern” rap music, explain what you mean by this.

Wil May: I was intrigued by the concept of post-modernism during college. I used to talk about it. People started to know me for it so it stuck. Now I write raps with themes from post-modernism, as well as other philosophy. Mid high brow shit even though you can digest it like fast food.

MVRemix: In a sentence or less, what do you do to relax?

Wil May: 3 w’s; wine, women, ____. The blank is new thing I’ve been taking up.

MVRemix: Have fun with this one, a la “Fight Club” – “If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight”?

Wil May: Imagine you interviewed Chris Brown in January [laughs] But with me, I think everyone would want me to fight a certain someone, whose thematic elements are not dissimilar to mine.

MVRemix: Would you win?

Wil May: Absolutely, I’m scrappy. And with that said and I need Lil’ Jon in the back yellin, “Don’t start no shit, won’t be no shit!”

MVRemix: Do you have any non musical aspirations?

Wil May: I like politics. I don’t know if I would be a politician though. I want to make films. That’s what I studied in college. I want to teach also. But at the moment, no aspirations other than this here music are in mind.

MVRemix: What next do we have to look forward to from you?

Wil May: Tons of creativity and real artistry. I will always keep it innovative and intriguing. I promise.

MVRemix: Any last words?

Wil May: As I start off my song “Maybe Love,” check me on my RSS feed: www.wilmayMAKESHIFT.com and also on the Twitter, which all the cool kids are using: www.twitter.com/wilmayMAKESHIFT

Jibbs – Round One Mixtape (Download) See Tracklisting Below

“Round One” Mixtape Tracklisting

1) J Walk ft Lil Boosie
2) Flex Muscle
3) Stuntin
4) Get Ya Money Up
5) $1000
6) Trunk So Heavy
7) Tru That
Swag So Official
9) Keep It Gangsta ft Pleasure P
10) Sorry
11) Midget
12) Hood Luv
13) Swag On Intro
14) Turn My Swag On
15) The Dedication (Ay DJ)
16) Sub 0

Jibbs
New Tempo, New Swag – Summer 09

Dudley Perkins Interview by James Smith, April 2009

MVRemix: Its been awhile since your last record, “G&D: The Message Uni Versa” was released. What have you been doing since then?

Dudley Perkins: We’ve been studying ourselves, studying sounds, and thinking of better ways that we can help people. I think we got it now.

MVRemix: I heard that you have a new relationship with Koch. Can you tell me about that?

Dudley Perkins: It’s a solid distribution deal. When we made a deal with them they changed their name, so it’s E1 now. Entertainment 1. We can utilize our records more.

MVRemix: What was the deal with “Astormsacomin?” I see that it’s out now but it was also floating around the internet a few years ago.

Dudley Perkins: Huh?

MVRemix: The record, “Astormsacomin?”

Dudley Perkins: Huh..? Nah, I’m just kidding, man. [laughs] Someone got a hold of it, so I leaked it myself. I was a victim of downloading so then I just became a downloader. Koch is pretty solid, so I think things will be tighter over there.

MVRemix: What about “Someothaship Connect?” I remember that there were ads for that record in early ’08. Is it still coming out?

Dudley Perkins: Yeah. It’s a compilation album with people that we have a good relationship with. People like Flying Lotus, J. Sandz, and other artists. The artwork is done by Tokyo. It should be coming out this year. That’s the record that will begin leading up to the climax which will be the solution to madness. I appreciate you asking me questions about the music, but I’m not really tripping off that now. This planet is going through a major shift right now and people are being destroyed. They need to be healed. Music is a vibration that touches all. I really don’t like Autotunes, to be honest with you. It sounds like it doesn’t have any heart and it’s a deadening sound. People need to realize that you have to be very careful with music. Music can create peace and war. During this whole time, I laid low and watched how this music affected people. A lot of times it keeps people stupid sort of like how the government and religions do. I’ve been studying and learning.

MVRemix: So what made you become more conscious of this? I hate to use that word but…

Dudley Perkins: Georgia is really smart and she studied facts. I went off more on situations. We’ve both done a lot of meditation over the years. We follow music, stay real to ourselves, and keep in tune with truth. Everything affects us, you know? What’s in the food we eat? Why you eat stuff like pork on Sundays? I know how the church do. We have soil and seeds. You can create life, you know? Bodies from Africa need to eat food from Africa. The sounds that we make are all in with meditation. It’s a true art. Remember that your spirit brought you here. Sound…

MVRemix: Yeah, about sound. What exactly do you mean by sound used as a way for healing?

Dudley Perkins: Alright, listen. This is how it goes. I used to go to a Christian church and sometimes I’d be doing my own thing and one of their songs would be in my head. It would resonate. Now picture a song resonating in your head before you do something stupid. Remember that people have to be careful in music.

MVRemix: Right, they used to play drums and blow trumpets when you went to war.

Dudley Perkins: Right and I don’t understand war, especially when people use it in the name of their religion. You have no right to take a life, and what kind of God do you serve to allow that to happen? If you kill others, then you kill yourself. When you think about it you can’t help but feel terrible because I’m no better than they are. We’re talking right now while people are dying over crazy stuff all over the world.

MVRemix: Speaking of war, what about politics? How do you think Obama’s doing?

Dudley Perkins: First off, I really don’t believe in the system and how his slogan was change. He’s just trying to work the system instead of really making change. [singing] If I were president…

…if I were president, I would find more ways to stop wars instead of creating them. I would stop illegal dealings with all the allies, because you know we do have our hands in their pockets. When I try to send these messages through my music, people turn their backs and I like that. It makes me start shouting louder. When they walk away I get even louder. They run away, I get down on my knees and get even louder.

MVRemix: Ok, let me go back into music now. Will you have any new releases coming soon?

Dudley Perkins: Yeah. I got two coming out. “Holy Smokes” is produced entirely by Georgia Anne Muldrow. It’s a lot of songs that fit the vein of Message Uni Versa. The second one is “The Fonk,” produced by Quazadelic. It’s more about respect. It’s going to show how I still get down as a West Coast lyricist.

MVRemix: What about the movie that you were supposed to be doing? I think there’s a clip on Youtube or something.

Dudley Perkins: Oh, the DVD? Yeah, it’s getting tweaked now. It’s about me quitting alcohol. You really need to get stuff like that out of your system. I haven’t had a drink in 3 or 4 years, plus I don’t eat the blood of animals or the life of animals. It’ll be out on E1.

MVRemix: Who are your major influences?

Dudley Perkins: Really that knowing of a creative spark. But with fonk, you know it’s gotta be George Clinton.

MVRemix: Are there any new projects coming?

Dudley Perkins: Yeah. Georgia has Ms. One coming out May 19th. Her mother Mrs. Rickie Byars Beckwith has “Supreme Inspiration” coming out shortly after that. I’ll have “Holy Smokes” which should be out by Juneteenth and Quazedelic’s album, “The Arrival (2012 AU” should be out shortly after. Going back to Georgia, she’s really doing a lot. You know a lot of people are biting off what she did on Olesi?

MVRemix: Yeah. I remember you said something about that on your Myspace page.

Dudley Perkins: That album was made in a sad point in her life. Why would you want to take something from a sad spirit?

MVRemix: Yeah, the album was like walking in on someone praying or something.

Dudley Perkins: Exactly.

MVRemix: Is there anyone that you would like to work with?

Dudley Perkins: I don’t trip, really. The little media I get kind of takes shots at me so people are scared. We’re carrying a new sound anyway but we need to bring a new level around. We’ve got crazy potential, trust me. I been walking the walk.

MVRemix: What have you been listening to? What’s in Dudley Perkins’ i-Pod or disc changer?

Dudley Perkins: I been listening to a lot of The Commodores, Richard Pryor’s Bicentennial Negro…you know he was funny. A lot of Georgia’s beats. I really don’t listen to too much rap these days.

MVRemix: Yeah, I know what you mean. Me and a friend were just talking about that.

Dudley Perkins: Yeah man, the spirit is missing. That spirit of when you hear something the first time and it hits you? That’s gone. KRS-One still captures that and a few other people but it’s almost out of here. BET plays nothing but buffoonery. Brothers need to wake up! Put that in there. Take the diamonds out, stop eating pork, and look at the packaging on your food. If it’s always pushed on you, that means they’re forcing it on you and it’s not good for you. That spirit of being innocent is gone. It doesn’t matter who is in the White House. You ever notice how most of the flags that are going through major turmoil and problems are red, black, and green? What does that say? They don’t want us here. There’s a major shift going on.

MVRemix: Like how you mean with 2012?

Dudley Perkins: Man, we’re waking up and using everything we need. People use that alien crap as a scare tactic. We are trying to use everything for truth. When all is done, the weapons will be put down. It’s stupid to kill people of your own. The military needs to wake up. Everybody in the military should not have a Bible with them if they are going to keep on fighting. Put that in there.

Dudley Perkins Interview

Georgia Anne Muldrow Interview by James Smith, April 2009

MVRemix: Let me get right into “Ms. One and The Gang”. What can you tell everyone about it?

Georgia Anne Muldrow: It’ll be out May 19th. It’s a collaboration album and it’s a wide scope of everyone who rolls with us. I’ve been working really hard and this is giving a taste of what I’ve been doing. It’s sort of like a mixtape.

MVRemix: Did you approach this project compared to others that you’ve done in the past?

Georgia Anne Muldrow: Yeah. Really I was done with it before I knew it. It’s more varied and I only have a couple of solo songs.

MVRemix: What inspires you to create music?

Georgia Anne Muldrow: My ancestors or at least my African ancestors since they are the only relevant ones. I’m their vehicle. I try to serve them as they serve me. My need for liberation is also inspiration because music is always required for that. It will never happen without the arts. I feel saddened that people don’t use the soul power they have for the right reasons. Hip-hop is African and so welcoming. It serves a purpose. Being that I’m African I take it as a responsibility. People who hate themselves are my inspiration too. I can lure people into the fonk and have it hit you at the heart of your soul. Dance is a warrior activity, you know? If it weren’t for the ancestors I wouldn’t have drums. I really do appreciate crate diggers and the way they use samples. I love it! But I’d rather dig into the etheric crates. So with compilations, I just wanted to use different experiences from people. Illicit was incarcerated so he’ll hit home with some people. Everybody goes through experiences and phases. I’ve been through a lot but I think I’m more focused and the strongest at this phase in my life. Creativity all depends on how I feel. More on if I’m lazy or not.

MVRemix: What are your musical influences?

Georgia Anne Muldrow: African music because it’s really based on feeling. One of the main ways for me to get inspired is just by sitting still. Getting quiet. It gives you time to open channels. I listen to a lot of people, like Pete Rock…it would take another interview to go down the line. My first tapes were De La Soul and the X-Clan and I’m not saying this just because, but Dudley is one of my all time favorites because that’s how he is in life. He is who he is. BDP was a big inspiration. “You Must Learn” was the first video I saw. I remember a teacher showed it to us at Marcus Garvey School. It blew my wig back. That’s real and we still need that. We really need to get rid of so much of the greed and violence here. It’s all colonialism and I’m going the other way. I’m taking African language courses and the like. It’s sad that people are going around talking about I gotta eat. What are you eating? Get your dollar by being positive. Going back to inspiration, checking myself is a big one. Some women are like, “I need stilettos or high heels.” For what? To make you feel sexy? What is “sexy?” If anything I want to be free. It’s all about what’s inside and I learn something everyday. I’m not really into materialism. I’m ready for spiritual laws. I think the music speaks for me and my people. My daily mind frame is trying to refine myself. You heard of Llaila Afrika?

MVRemix: Yeah.

Georgia Anne Muldrow: I remember something he said about if you want to eat meat, kill your own meat. Some of these rappers come out like they’re hard all the time. They could be saying a lot more than just saying something that would make you “Oooh” and “Ah.” So I’m like, if you are that hard, eat your meat raw. [laughs]

MVRemix: Growing up in a musical family, were you pushed into music or did that just happen naturally?

Georgia Anne Muldrow: Seriously? I chose my family. I wanted to be part of them. I deeply love both of them. My father is on the other side right now but we still communicate. I definitely chose them.

MVRemix: I heard a lot of rumors concerning your next solo album. Some stuff about you fully rapping, you doing an all instrumental album, or something in the similar vein of “Olesi.” Can you tell me about it?

Georgia Anne Muldrow: It’s called “Umsino,” which means sound in Zulu. I love the Zulu culture and their cosmology. They believe that they are from outer space and you know black people are about 2 billion years old. I wanted to tap into that. It means sound and noise. On the inside of the CD I have a poem which basically says after war is over and Babylon is destroyed then I will exist as sound. I’ve been in all of this since preschool. We need to keep in contact with out political prisoners too like Mumia and the MOVE 9 to name a few. They have hearts of gold. A letter means a lot but nothing hits home more than art. Send them some art. I got a Christmas card back from Phil Afrika and it really hit home when he did that. We really need to defend the innocent because they are always getting attacked. What’s real is that those people that are locked up are living the ultimate, literal reality of how we are living out here. My God mother works with children who are already locked and will stay there. Isn’t that something? This is what I’m addressing in “Umsino”. Death and Life too. It’s an eternal moment.

MVRemix: Where are you headed musically on this project?

Georgia Anne Muldrow: “Umsino” has a lot chants, some songs are 5 or 6 minutes, some have rap verses. This one is more epic than “Olesi.” I was transforming on “Olesi.” It’s a continued thing but the production is more scenic and more refined. It has some low-rider fonk. You can C-Walk to it. No disrespect to the Crips but I mean “C” as in Cosmic. I’ve been doing a lot of meditation, sun staring; really channeling that energy. The music is really varied; some tunes are shorter than others because people catch on to things differently. Some rhythms are meant to be longer than others.

MVRemix: So are there any other projects coming up on the horizon?

Georgia Anne Muldrow: There are all kinds of stuff. Dudley told you what other stuff we have coming out. I have a lot of other projects: a jazz album mostly on vibes, a blues album, and a rap album. This whole thing is my life!

Georgia Anne Muldrow Interview

MVExpose Interviews DJ Rob Stacks and Fame and Chizz

MVExpose caught up with DJ Rob Stacks and Fame and Chizz, grabbing quick interviews with the DJ and rap group to shine a little more light on their talent.

Fame and Chizz “Get Off My” video shoot: