Colin Munroe’s video for “Piano Lessons” featuring Joell Ortiz has been selected on mtvU’s show The Freshman. It’s one of a select few videos that fans can vote on from now until Friday. The winner gets moved into permanent rotation on MTVU. That’s a pretty big deal so please take the time out to vote. Especially everyone who said “Piano Lessons” was your favorite Colin vid;now you can see it on the big screen.
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I think music is in a very good state right now. Creativity is being exercised and embraced. I think the playing field is a bit more leveled than it was 5-10 years ago when only the big dogs could eat. The one problem with that, now everyone has joined in. Sometimes I ask myself the question “is there anyone left that is just a fan?” It seems if someone doesn’t sing or rap, their son, daughter, cousin Pookie, or mailman does. I refuse to believe there were this many “artists” 5 years ago when you had to really be dedicated to even be able to record.
I know it frustrates the heck out of artists who really do it for the love; I even know some people who were talented but quit due to the sleaze fest that’s going on. My message to people like that is, don’t quit. Slowly but surely a lot of the fair weather artists are realizing that it just isn’t what they thought it’ll be. Each time a one hit wonder flops, 20 of his imitators cancel their myspace music accounts. Sooner or later, they’ll all go back to their 9 to 5′s and allow you to be the only music maker when you walk into your local McDonalds or CVS.
I once said, “there’s no such thing as saturation if you are one of a kind at what you do”. I mean that. Kobe Bryant doesn’t care how many people decide to play basketball, because he’s the best. If the whole world woke up tomorrow and signed up for the NBA he would still be in the elite and standout. So basically just work at your craft, hone it and own it, and you’ll never have to worry again.
Things to check out: Drake’s new mixtape. I normally stay away from folks that everyone and their mama is co-signing but this guy does have some fresh stuff. If you haven’t by now, definitely give it a listen.
An industry person that most of you probably know told me the other day that most people these days like to hear music, they don’t really care much about feeling music. They said that sucks for a person like me, because most of what I do is based on feeling. Like Soulja Boys “Donk” is a great song to hear. The drums, the lyrics, everything. It was designed to be heard and not felt. What Mr.Big Shot said about me was true, except saying it sucks. During this past week, 3 Facebook friends of mine had my stuff quoted in their respective status updates. Some of these folks don’t even like me. That means that something I came up with in my head and recorded touched someone so much that they remembered it and applied it to their real life situation. That’s satisfaction holmes. The most successful artists (Jay, Kanye, Pharrell etc), they make stuff that appeals to the hearers and the feelers…that’s what we should all strive for.
Keep rocking on fellow artists, the force is with you.
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Tagged Music Mondays, World Saving
Charlie Wilson’s new album, “Uncle Charlie” drops tomorrow. You can cop in stores nationwide or on itunes. Hopefully everyone is aware of the musical genius that is this man. He’s the reason dudes like R.Kelly even exist. From his days with The Gap Band to the newer material. “Supa Sexy” with Jamie Foxx and “There Goes My Baby” are two of my favorite joints from Charlie recently and they’re both on the album.
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Tagged Music Mondays, Night Of The Living Dead, Rule #3-Show Appreciation, The Good Ole Days
Always wanted to hear DJ Clue say “New Phella” with the echo at least once in my lifetime. Unfortunately he doesn’t do tapes anymore. It’s cool, I’ll get over it.
Even though my favorite genre of music is RnB, one thing I like about hip-hop is that you get to watch the progression of artists. With singers the public has no patience to watch them develop. If they don’t come out sounding like Whitney or Luther, people immediately write them off. With rappers like Fabolous, Joe Budden, Lil Wayne, and Lupe Fiasco, I can listen to their mixtape stuff from 6 years ago and compare it to what they release today.
So with that said I’m gonna be doing a lot more freestyles and stuff so I can have an extensive then and now catalog to compare when I get old.
“They say Phell don’t rap,even heard the word “quitter”/I said I went corporate first,it’s called a reverse Jigga”
“When it comes to ladies I like writers in goggles, not aspiring models/the latter only like those who be buying her bottles”
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Tagged Check Out My Swag Yo, Music Mondays
Happy Valentines Day to “All the Single Ladies”, the ones “With A Ring On It” and everything in between.
Scroll down just a bit and download that Lissa Monet VDay mixtape if you haven’t done so already. Heard it’s doing wonders for the gameless guys who aren’t the best of talkers. Just push play and ride to the restaurant. Remember to get her the Lobster (hahaha, inside joke).
Sidebar:why do people share inside jokes publicly? shouldn’t it just stay inside? why tease everyone else? oh, maybe so the people who do know about the joke can get it and laugh? I’m not sure.
I digress, happy Valentines once again.
Oh and remember, “it ain’t tricking if you got it”. Not like got it, but like got it, get it? Nevermind
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Tagged I Need To Grow Up
Did you peep the word play? I'm patiently waiting and impatiently waiting, all in one.
Yesterday marked the 1 year anniversary of me watching Mr.Obama speak at University Of Maryland. That moment was the fire I needed lit under me and it spawned a pretty successful February-December 2008 run.
For some reason or another, Decembers and Januaries are kind of slow and hectic months. Lots of spending, very little earning, lots of reflecting, very little action. Not just with myself, it seems to be the case for most people I know.
Right now I feel like I'm coasting. Like everything is good. Everything is fine. I don't really like good and fine;that's one step away from bad and terrible. I'm searching for great and excellent.
So if anyone out there knows anything that can spark greatness, please share. Last year for me it was the Obama speech and a few books that people recommended. I'll take whatever I can get. A movie, an article, whatever.
It's to the point where I'm ready to move sooner than I originally planned. I think the hustle and fast-walking society in NYC might do the trick but financially I need some more time to setup for that move.
So all my geniuses out there (*cough* Simone*cough*) , what's good? where's the motivation?
Sent Via Blackberry By AT&T
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Tagged The Good Ole Days, Yes We Can
Looks like it’s gonna be a windy spring and summer out here. I’m really looking forward to working some artists out of Chi town which seems to be the only place up north that still breeds creative minds as far as hip-hop is concerned.
Nephew is priority number 1. (Pictured above with Sickamore after his first meeting with us.)
About a month ago I posted a freestyle he did over the Just Blaze “Why You Hate The Game” instrumental and the response was great. Many people hit me on the email asking for where they can hear/see more Neph. Well here’s two brand new joints from him. And look for him to be featured soon on our “Life Is Better When You’re Famous” mixtape.
Nephew-Same Thing
Nephew-What More Can I Do
The next guy I’ve been a fan of for minute now. You’re probably a fan too and don’t even know it. He’s the soulful voice behind most of Lupe Fiasco’s tracks. His name is Gemstones. He was featured on Lupe’s “Pressure” featuring Jay-Z. He also was on about four or five tracks on “The Cool” album. Besides backing Lupe with vocals, Gem is a vicious rapper in his own right. I tell people that I can’t remember seeing anyone that can sing and rap on a high level the way he does, it’s usually one or the other.
His last two mixtapes are absolute classics that if you’re a hip hop head or RnB head, you can’t go wrong with. My first meeting with him (Pictured above with Nikki Jean) was nearly two years ago and if all lines up you will be seeing Gemstones and the Firm doing some things in the near future. Below are some of my favorite tracks of his.
Gemstones-I Love Her (My Most Played On Itunes)
Gemstones back when he was Gemini MURDERING Cam’s “What Mean The World To You”
A while back I posted an interview here that I did with K.O. The Legend. The guy has really good music and is multi talented. A West Coaster doing his thing. Here is his latest video for “She Wants 2 Get It”.
K.O. The Legend – She Wants 2 Get It from Kid Official on Vimeo.
Re-Up On The Interview:
Phella-Listening to your music, the first thing that jumps out is your ear. You seem to have a good grasp on what it takes to make a good song. Would you agree and how do you decide what to sample or what tracks to rhyme on?
KO-Thanks! My ear is something that I pride myself on because I’ve worked so hard to develop it. Before I started really writing and producing I was a battle emcee and my music reflected that. All of my hooks were 16 bars long and they weren’t very catchy or memorable. It wasn’t until I met with TC, my “pop guru” that everything changed. He, Shifty Shellshock from Crazytown and Paul Oakenfold completely rehabilitated my approach to songwriting. As far as what i choose to sample it’s a simple process, if I love a song and think that I can put my own twist on it without jepordizing the integrity of the original record then I’m all for it!
Phella-In your bio, it says that you are from the suburbs. You seem to embrace the fact that you’re not the most “hood” rapper. Is that by design?
KO-I embrace the fact that I’m not hood because it’s the truth! I grew up 5 min. from the beach and I was one of the only black kids at my high school. My background is public knowledge so for me to pretend otherwise wouldn’t be genuine.
Phella-Can you tell us a bit about your involvement with Britney Spears’ project?
KO-I was hired to do vocal production for her short lived Onyx Hotel tour, right when all of the drama began.
Phella-What’s the current state of West Coast rap, California in particular and do you see yourself being affected by the current state of that region?
KO-I think the wescoast rap scene is going through puberty. Trying to re-discover itself and find where it fits in the big picture. The problem is that music as a whole is changing, genres are blending and power is being taken from the major labels and put into the hands of the artists. The majority of the westcoast excluding the bay has failed to embrace the changes. I’m westcoast until the wheels fall off, but but because I’m a part of the change that’s happening in the industry I’m not at all worried about being over looked because I’m from Cali.
Phella-You have to live on a desert island for a year. Name 3 artists (dead or alive) you would take with you and 3 albums you would take with you.
KO-My artists would be Jay-Z, because someone would definitely come looking for him. Pussycat Dolls because who wouldn’t want 5 half naked chicks to kick it with on a deserted island? And T-Pain because he’s funny and he’s always down to party!
My 3 albums would be N.E.R.D In Search Of…; Jay-Z Blueprint 2; and it’s a toss up between Paramore R!OT and The Veronicas Hook Me Up.
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All the RnB junkies in the world like myself are in for a treat this Valentine. The one and only DJ Lissa Monet from up top in Toronto has released her 3rd installment to the LOVESTONED series.
In her words, the mixtape “(Features) love songs and sexy slow jams by artists such as Jon B, Drake, Jodeci & Keyshia Cole that emulate forbidden love, secret rendezvous or relationships that are better left…simply behind closed doors.”
In my words, ladies you are safe. There’s no Chris Brown on here Chris Brown isn’t literally going to “Take You Down”, it’s just a song.
Mixtape is sponsored in part by the good folks over here at The Famous Firm too by the way. ENJOY
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