New Music: Tie My Hands

The Carter 3 leaked last night. I’m not supplying a link, you can find that elsewhere. For anyone that has doubted Lil’ Wayne at all, this song featuring awesome Robin Thicke on the hook should shut you up. Overall, the album is hit-or-miss really, with good and bad tracks alternating for the most part. However, I really love this song, I think I’ve played it ten or eleven times already today. It’s perfect for rainy weather,  such as what I’m currently facing. Have a good weekend everyone.
Download: Lil Wayne ft. Robin Thicke – Tie My Hands

Summer Time Part II

Not too long ago, I posted up a compilation of “summer” music. Now that it’s Memorial Day weekend, today is a perfect time, especially if you’re in the Northeast US (weather’s beautiful), to bust out some summer music for your cookout and while you drive down the street. Hope you enjoy, check it out! (Tracks might not exactly be in order, I’m a little rushed today) The final goal is to post four of these throughout the warmer months (this being the second), with a grand total of 100 songs for your listening pleasure. I mean, seriously, who doesn’t love summer music?

Tracklisting:
1. Jack Splash / Cee-Lo – Right Now
2. Skipp Whitman – Brookline
3. Blu – It’s Okay
4. Youngbloodz f. Big Boi – 85 South
5. Wale – Nike Boots
6. Little Brother – Cloud Nine
7. Atmosphere – Say Hey There
8. Busta Rhymes – Don’t Touch Me (clean)
9. Funkadelic – Music for my Mothewr
10. Toy Box Scholars – Goya Nectar
11. Koolade f. Masta Ace – Survival
12. Mood Ruff – Rocketship
13. Musiq – Just Friends (Sunny)
14. Common – Nag Champa (Orchestral rmx)
15. Robin Thicke – Magic
16. Scritti Politti – Tinseltown to Boogiedown
17. The Dove Shack – Summertime in the LBC
18. Game – Pain
19. Wale – Waledance

Download.

Let’s Discuss: Breaks from the Music

This is an interesting phenomenon here. Just about nine out of ten rap albums have an intro to start the album. Most introductions include something along the lines of someone just talking (Food & Liquor), or simply musical (At The Speed of Life), or even a little scratching (And Now). Most of the time, they do not add anything at all to the musical equation. So, this really begs the question:

WHY?

I’m not really sure why artists feel they are necessary — at all. I know how fellow blogger Max feels about intros, and his surefire love has passed on me a bit. If anyone would like to explain this “intro” ideal to me, feel free, because I don’t understand it at all.

While not as bad as the intro or the death causer coming up next, the interlude happens to be another of my favorites. Once again, this unnecessary track usually detracts from whatever is going on in the album, and most of the time, it includes you’re favorite rapper speaking about whatever is coming up next or something. Once in a while, it’ll just be an instrumental loop. If interludes were not in albums, my life would be incomplete. In fact, an entire album of interludes would just make me cry tears of extreme joy.

Lastly, here is the killer. The skit. Normally comprised of not-funny stories or tales of adventure, that might be worth listening to, hmmmmm, say….once. If that. Once again, the necessity of a rap skit is beyond me. Most of the time, they attempt to be humorous, and swing and miss, and therefore, I’ve decided that the main purpose of a rap album skit is to vastly shorten the life of my “next track” button. That is all.

If I have to hear any more of this crap I’m gonna end up looking like dude up there

Finally, I’d just like to point out that I placed this post under the “intermission” category. Ironic comedy! Yes!

Save Internet Radio!

We all know how most of the blogging world feels about the RIAA. We also know that despite downloading, the publicity and exposure some artists receive on the internet is something that cannot be found anywhere else.
However, royalties might be increased, therefore eliminating internet radio. Some great sites like Pandora (which I love and use often) and others will have to be shut down because of the royalty increase. Please feel free to check out the site:

Savenetradio.org and do what you can to help. I just got off the phone with Sheldon Whitehouse, telling him to support the “Brownback amendment to the Orphan Works Bill, S. 2913″. Basically, most of the music industry (mostly, the people that deserve your help — artists, bands, etc.) needs it.

Interview Session: Ill Poetic

1. Could you just introduce yourself quickly for anyone who isn’t familiar with you and your work?
My name is ill poetic, a hip-hop artist/producer/graphic designer/human being from Cincinnati, OH.

2. Where was the point in your lifethat you decided to pursue music as a career?
I wrote my first rhyme at 8, but i don’t think i was really handling all the business aspects properly at that age.  I dropped out of college in 2003 because of music, so i would hope that’s when i jumped in the ‘music-as-a-career’ boat. I don’t know how far it’s sunken so far:)

3. Your newest album, ‘The World Is Ours’, was released last year to plenty of positive acclaim. What was that feeling like for you?
It was amazing.  Once I finish a record, i love it, then i hate it. Then i love it again, then i really hate it. So i’m pretty much prepared for all negative reviews, because there’s nothing anyone can say about my album that i haven’t said to myself in a much more demeaning manner. Truth be told, i fell out of love with my own name 3 years ago, but it’s been with me so long that i wouldn’t know what else to roll with. So anything positive that anyone says is astounding to me.

4. Why the name ‘The World is Ours’?
I made a song called ‘the world is ours’ because of a song i sampled. That song turned into ‘cincilluminati’, and the theme just kinda stuck.  It really fit with the concept of the album cover, too.  I could get really deep into it, and say it’s a declaration of peace, etc. etc., but really, it’s just a simple, cool phrase that kinda calms you down when you really think about it.

5. The cover art for that is amazing! Where did the inspiration for that come from?
My dude young zone’s brother used to cut my hair in his kitchen. One day, I had zone’s camera, and i was watching his brothers toddler move around the kitchen in one of those little round baby-cart things. He stopped in front of the screen door, and looked at the yard outside, so i got behind him at his eye-level and took a picture. And i thought, this kid must think this yard is IT. This is the world that lies before him and shit.  Then  i thought, when you grow up, you think your city is your world, then your region, then your country. If you’re blessed, you can see the world as it is in whole. So i tranfered the idea of that picture. Re-shot it with a friend’s son and photoshopped Cincinnati in black and white behind it. That way, the kid is in color looking at the black and white city. It’s kind of a commentary on the history of race relations in Cincinnati as well. And just the way folks tend to see things in black and white. The funny thing is, the whole record was a self-fullfilling prophecy, because before it was made, my region was my world. And after it ran it’s course, i got to see the whole world. Didn’t really think about that til now. Damn. Thanks.

6. You’re a one man army, as you also did the beats on there. Was there anyone else involved at all, or did you just go at it yourself?
My man Kried made ‘inside looking outside’. He’s a beast, one of the pioneers of Cincinnati hip-hop production. he’s produced for alot of cinci legends: piakhan, holmskillit, co-produced w/ hi-tek.  And he’s a great guy. Of course the featured emcees and singers, who i was lucky to have. Deannah Dukes (’sugar shack’) is actually in my band now. Dean Hummons, sr. (zone’s dad) played keys and did the voice on ‘inside looking outside’. He’s one of my idols. so that’s cool.

7. The video for ‘The Beautiful’ is real nice. How did you hook up with director Ilyas Nashid?
Ilyas and I have known each other for a while. Most people know him for his emceeing in the group Tanya Morgan. I saw a video he shot for their song ‘we bad’, and dug it.  We both work on shoestring budgets, and he had a really fly vision for the song. So it worked out cool. He should have a host of videos coming soon, as well as the new Tanya Morgan shit, so he stays pretty busy himself.

8. Will you be shooting any more videos?
I definitely wanna shoot more videos. I’m having a new computer built for me this week, and i’ll finally be able to get more into my graphic design and video editing ideas.  I have a few people whom i’ve spoken to so far.  We’ll have a lot of vids for the illogic record as well.

9. On songs like ‘Cincilluminati’, you speak about your city. How much does the environment affect your rhymes/themes/etc.?
My environment builds me, just like i build it. just like everyone does.  It sucks, because Cincinnati is my heart and soul, but the same city has no outlets, so i know i have to leave.  Kind of a double edge sword. I just kinda gotta trust that i’ve locked the vibe in my strong enough.

10. Is there a tour for you on the horizon? I’d love to see you live.
I just talked to my man coolzey last night, so i think we’ll be doing some Cali dates in October. I’ll also be most likely heading back out to Europe more extensively following that, Hopefully with illogic and Tanya Morgan. And of course midwest runs with the band (www.myspace.com/queencitysoulrock – shameless plug)

11. You killed a live version of Slum Village’s ‘Fall In Love’. Any chance you can bless us with some unreleased stuff or freestyles?
Yeah, i attatched a song with the file called ‘while you were sleeping’…tons more coming though.

12. Since you are a man of a few trades, would you rather produce a whole album for someone else rapping, or rap over someone else’s beats for your album?
I’ve produced albums for other kats, and i love it. Specifically Prose (phenominal spoken word artist/best friend www.myspace.com/fatalprose) and illogic right now. I like molding sounds for different artists. But i usually only rhyme over my own shit because of convenience. I sit at home and listen to records, and before you know it i accidentally wrote a song. But i’m writing to some other kats beats now. I love it, because i often get tired of my own shit. I know how i make my beats, so i see the areas i need to grow in stick out like a sore thumb.

13. What’s your favorite hip-hop song?
This isn’t fair lol. it changes so often. Probably something off of ‘aquemeni’, or definitely something by outkast.

14. When someone picks up and listens to an Ill Poetic album, what do you want them to take away from it?
Whatever they want. On the lyric tip, i wanna have lines that people accidentally quote when they’re going thru something. Because that means it identified with a real moment for them. That’s what creates memories. That way, when i’m 60, someone will come up and say ‘i remember when i heard ‘the beautiful’, and i needed to hear it’.  I love press because it’s neccessary and it’s exciting, but i love creating memories for myself and others, because they last longer.

15. Any last words? Thanks so much for doing this!
Yeah. I’ll be leaking some new music from me, illogic, definition , and more in the coming month or so. I have a record that’ll be out with j. rawls (we just gotta make it first lol) in the fall, illogic in the fall (‘diabolical fun’ on weightless records), an instrumental album (‘cool reborn’) in the winter, and eventually my new album in 2009, which i’m going apeshit for right now.
Thanks alot for the interview. Hope yall dig the new music. I’m not ready to fall off yet

Support the man and purchase “The World Is Ours” at numerous online retailers including:
Dove Ink Records
Underground Hip Hop Store
Access Hip Hop Store

Now, it’s time for the exclusives. One of these has been circulating around a couple blogs, but if you missed it, it’s well worth checking out:
“BUDDEN MEETS PORTISHEAD: Mood Muzik’s Third
Most people know Joe Budden for his 2003 hit, ‘Pump It Up‘, as well as his label woes with Def Jam regarding the dropping of his second album…or a single…or him. His fans know him for his introspective, highly respected lyricism, most notably showcased in his ‘Mood Muzik‘ series of mixtapes. His latest, ‘Mood Muzik 3‘ was released in earlier this year to high praise in the hip-hop community.
Most people know Portishead as pioneers of the trip-hop genre, releasing such classic LPs as ‘Dummy’ and ‘Portishead‘. Fans know them for their unique approaches to recording, as well as lead singer Beth Gibbons’ Mournful voice. Their first LP in nearly 10 years, ‘Third, was released last week to a great response.
Most people don’t know ill poetic. In 2007, he released his national debut, ‘The World is Ours‘ to critical acclaim as well as a US and European tour. His name and/or production has received press in VIBE magazine, allhiphop, okayplayer, and countless others. He’s produced/collaborated with such underground notables as Wordsworth, Illogic, Blueprint, and Piakhan. Fans know him for writing his own self-deprecating press releases.
The following LP chops and layers Portishead’s ‘Third‘ (with some old ones in there, too) with Joe Budden’s ‘Mood Muzik 3‘, creating the kind of dark, atmospheric LP that your cousin drinks bourbon in a bathtub to with the lights dimmed.
Welcome to ‘Mood Muzik’s Third‘

Secondly, we have the aforementioned EXCLUSIVE track called “While You Were Sleeping”.
Listen to it now, or else. [sharebee]

Hope you enjoyed! Leave comments, and go buy TWIO and see Ill Poetic when he comes to your city.

Interview Session: Rik Cordero

Most recently, he’s shot the videos for The Roots’ “Rising Up”, “75 Bars” (which I talked about recently) and “Birthday Girl”. He’s one of the hardest working people out right now, and a real cool dude. Got a chance to speak with him, and here goes:

“1. For all the unknowledgeables out there, could you just quickly introduce yourself?
First of all, thank you for the interview Andrew. The blogosphere has been incredibly supportive from the beginning so it’s truly an honor to be featured on your site. Anyways, my name is Rik Cordero and I’m an independent filmmaker from New York City who specializes in music videos. I’m blessed to be a part of a talented and unorthodox collective of technicians, artists and producers that get things done by any means necessary. We’re known as Three/21 Films.

2. What made you want to direct videos?
As a kid I would make horror movies with my friends on my dad’s 15 lb Minolta VHS camcorder. That began my initial interest in directing. Eventually I went to college to study computer graphics and I worked at a Blockbuster Video part time. I remember stealing tons of good movies and being exhilirated by them. I was obsessed. I didn’t know it at the time but I was simply storing inspiration.

3. How did you get your start?
After directing a few shorts and music videos in college, I was able to pool my resources together which gave me the confidence to begin the treatment for my first feature film titled “Mend” (mendmovie.com). I wrote it after a close friend committed suicide. There were definitely a lot of weird feelings running around in my head at the time. Another friend who I worked with creatively died in a violent murder – suicide during production which was really prolific as well. I don’t mean it to sound like some kind of catharsis, but rather, it was the spark that would eventually lead me to explore repressed emotions and sort of coincidentally, direct to consumer drug advertising. “Mend” received independent distribution in 2005 and after the challenge of making a feature film with no money, everything else seemed to be a piece of cake.

4. Where do you come up with ideas or inspiration for the films?
I’m a student of every genre particularly in music and film so I’m constantly influenced by people who take their craft seriously. A lot of filmmakers put their own personal experiences on the screen. On paper that sounds fine but if not done carefully, it could feel forced and contrived. I look at directing with the same eyes for every genre, whether it’s Hip Hop, Pop, Rock, Narrative, Commercial, Experimental, etc. It’s about having an open mind and taking the time to understand the world that you’re capturing. I’ve seen directors shoot in genre’s they don’t even care about and have no interest in learning about. And that blows my mind. I’m responsible for every frame and if I’m truthful to myself, 99% of the time it will be accessible to the audience. That doesn’t mean they will like it every time, it just means that I did my research.

My motivation is capturing the human condition and with so many stories and struggles in this world, it’s hard not to find inspiration every single day. The moment I stopped thinking about success in terms of budgets and money and more about how successful I could make myself to others is when things started taking off. There’s certainly a long way to go but I feel blessed and humbled to have a strong support system and an audience who can connect and feel something through my work.

5. You’re known as being relatively “unconventional” as it applies to your filming. Any chance we’ll see a “conventional” video any time soon from you?…You know, ass shakin’, Henny spilling, etc?
Honestly, if their was a strong enough reason for it and I’m inspired, then yes. But even with a conventional idea I can guarantee that my presentation of it would be extremely unconventional. But that’s just my style and I do occasionally enjoy the ass shaking, Henny spilling video. I may go off in a tangent here but I like to equate that question to something I learned in school about Precision Vs. Accuracy. It’s like in science class your end result is correct if you and your peers share the same results according to the preciseness of your measurements. Artists and filmmakers often yield different results with each carrying various degrees of preciseness that led to their final output. There is no standard of “inexactness” in art unless someone sets them. In terms of music videos, that would probably be MTV and BET. That’s why you have kids nowadays judging art based on budgets or sound scans. The relevance of this question is to understand more about why we are doing the things we’re doing as artists. As artists we shouldn’t allow the “exactness” of machines and computers to do our creative thinking for us. There is no standard to strictly adhere to. Our accuracy is what we make it. If it is always changing to a higher level then our precision and skills will adjust as well. Basically, with or without the guidelines of how to make a Hip Hop music video, I’m gonna get it in every single time.

6. Do you sleep? Just about every video I’ve seen within the past couple weeks has your name on it.
Nah I don’t really sleep. It’s pretty addicting for me and with the Internet turnaround time is essential. If I wasn’t doing this I’d probably be blogging every single day. My goal is to shoot as fast as you guys type lol.
7. I saw you got a shout in KING Magazine. What does that mean for your company and you and the future?
Yeah that was a great look. Shout out to Matt Barone at XXL and my good friend Consequence for sharing the page. I thought it was amazing to be among the 2008 Coming Kings crowd. I knew I stood out because I looked like a little kid playing dress up among these authors, actors, doctors, etc. If me in a suit in King Magazine will bring more work in then so be it. I’m ready to represent Three/21 Films for the long haul. Our production group isn’t based on a gimmick or a trend but from the ideas of talented individuals and hard work. We’re ready to challenge the entire industry on how artists can create visual art. Our dissatisfaction with the mainstream music video scene comes from the stranglehold that technology has in the 35mm, studio based music video business. The status of the cranes and cameras, the armada of trailers and trucks and all the managers and producers whose sense of self importance taint everyone involved with pretentiousness.

Filmmaking is an artform that’s less than 100 years old. Music and painting are older have been around since cavemen could sing or write on walls. This is an artform and we’re ready to blur that budget line. Do you think a producer needs a $50,000 drum machine to make a beat or a writer needs a $100,000 piece of paper to tell a story? We will challenge the system every step of the way. You can’t stop raw talent and due diligence.

8. Who would you like to work with in the future?
Working with Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins would probably be a life changing experience. I’m always a fan first and I’ve been a fan of that band since high school. Artists like that bring so much to the table creatively, it would be almost impossible to mess up. Something like that would be amazing.

9. What do you have upcoming?
We have something very interesting coming up which I can’t talk about just yet. It’s definitely one of the most challenging videos I’ve developed so far so stay tuned. Other than that, I’ll probably be shooting some Nike Hyperdunk spots next month along with more music videos.

10. You’ve done short films and music videos…how about a full length feature film?
Glad you asked! I actually just wrapped on my second full length feature film produced by Fader Films and Three/21 Films titled “Inside A Change”. The story is about Chris Price (Ephraim Benton) who is about to serve 180 days in prison for a first time offense. When his mother (Karen Chilton) invites him home for dinner, he finds his younger brother following in his footsteps and his older brother disowning him. With his family falling apart, Chris forced to re-examine his life and how he can bring everyone together for his mother’s birthday. It’s based on the life of a friend of mine Chris Alexander who passed away in 2004. I used to produce beats back then and he was a rapper. We formed a deep artistic bond and I felt like I got a chance to glimpse into his soul. That’s something that will be with me forever and his memory is the inspiration for the movie. It’s definitely a labor of love and everyone involved came into the project because of that. Check out the website at insideachange.com.

11. Thanks for doing this, any last words?
Shout outs to my partner Nancy Mitchell, Steve Carless, Brady Nields, Mike Fox and the entire Three/21 Films group. Very special thanks to Music Essence for the support as well as all the bloggers and artists who contribute something to our Hip Hop culture. We’re in this together. Oh and for the up and coming filmmakers please remember these three things:
Success is less about money and more about how valuable you can make yourself to others.
Always stay inspired in everything you do because nothing can stop perpetual energy.
You can always tell the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.

Peace!”

Check out Rik Cordero over at Three/21 Media.
Once again Rik, thanks for doing this. Much appreciated.
And guys, the man took time to type out real long answers – show some love!