D. Rose – “Revolution”

From the album Taster’s Choice

Written by: D. Rose

Produced by / Cuts by: DJ Cozmos

Directed by: Damien Randle

From Damien -

My wife burst into the room as I was touching up the final edits on the video. I immediately hit her with “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Who’s doing the scratches on that song?”

“Coz.”

“Really? Coz?”

“Yes. Coz. He’s been a DJ all his life. He’s pretty good at doing cuts.”

“You don’t have to be an ass!”

“……….”

“Anyway, his scratches sound FABULOUS! I miss hip hop like that.”

Coming from my wife, that says a lot. If there’s one thing that’s indicative of hip hop, it’s the sound of a DJ moving the record back and forth in a rapid succession that creates the sound that we know as “the scratch”. And even though I was being an ass to my wife, I have to admit that there is something about the sound of some good cutting that puts me in a good place when it comes to listening to hip hop. It’s all but extinct in most music we hear today.

All of this brought back memories of the long days in my home studio where Tasters Choice was crafted. D Rose would make the 60 minute commute from the northside to write and record his vocals; Coz would lug his MPC into the room with a crate full of disks, disks that contained every track in his arsenal. I can’t even tell you how many we all listened to before they settled on the choice cuts that would become the album.

I also thought about the night that Coz came through with the mixer and turntable, and we listened to record upon record to find the right cuts for the right track. It’s funny, because what you hear on the final version of “Revolution” might have been the 5th or 6th set of cuts that they decided on. The others were equally as impressive, but this set just brought it home. And before you ask – no – there won’t be a leak of the alternate versions. You’re listening to the version that was meant to be heard.

I admire D Rose’s work ethic as much as one can admire anything. After a few false starts, he found the resolve to put together an album that I feel is timeless in its own right.It’s rare these days to see an MC and a producer helm an entire project together. Think of Gang Starr; Pete Rock & CL Smooth; Kool G Rap & Polo and so on. In today’s world of albums littered with scattered offerings from so many “super producers”, it’s refreshing to hear an album that has a consistency and warmth that can only be created under these settings. I’m saying that and I was in the room the whole time.

When D Rose hit me up  for the video, he said that he wanted something “simple and elegant”. No frills, no bells & whistles. And that’s what you have here: a clean, vibrant look into the soul of a man who stands alone, but is always in the company of others. The city of Houston serves as a beautiful backdrop to his narrative. This was the one video that he had to do above and beyond any other on the album. It may be the song that best defines who he is.

I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed creating it.

-D-

Yep – it’s coming! “Revolution” from D. Rose’s critically acclaimed “Taster’s Choice” album!

Time is Now (produced by DJ Wich) from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Snap – “Lust” from kinetikcinematix on Vimeo.

From Kinetik Cinematix:

“I gotta fight my desires, they outta hand. It’s like Im blindfolded flying a vessel trying to land. But Im a man…”

Check the next single from Snap (of The Niyat) called “Lust” (Produced by Snap) from his upcoming “Pivotal Moments” EP.

Filmed by Wraithe for Kinetik Cinematix. 2009.

2nd Video from the “Taster’s Choice” album
Starring:
D. Rose
D. Randle
The P.I.C.’s: Savvi, Scottie Spitten, Big Mon, and Kay

Directed by: Damien Randle
Co-Directed by: C.J. The GRANDfathercloc

All three members of The Niyat stopped by today. Wrapped up the recording of “There Can Only Be One” featuring KO, D Rose, and The Niyat. Produced by King Midas. Preview for that coming soon.

I’m going to try to post daily notes about the preparation of this showcase. I’m supposed to get a vid cam this week. That’ll be a good chance for me to document history in the making.

HISD feat. KO – “Summer So Good” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.