got a letter from the company the other day. I opened and read it. It said… well, you saw what it said.

Here’s my HR-approved, legally safe response to the cease and desist letter served by my employer.

The good folks at CorpWhore.com invited me to their wonderful, yet utterly depressing site to share my experiences with you. See, I hate my job. I hate my job more than anything that I have ever hated. More than life itself. I’m on a career path to nowhere. I describe the outlook for my future as “mediocre at best”. I’m a number, a cog in the system. I’m remarkably average. I hate going to sleep at night because I know that when I wake up, tomorrow will be just as bad, if not worse, than today.

For some reason, CorpWhore.com felt like these qualities made me the ideal candidate to amuse you with storiesof my daily failures and shortcomings. Please laugh at my life, because I find it so very difficult to do so. Over the next several days, weeks, and possibly months, i’ll share my daily experiences as a corporate whore, and offer my unique insight into the impossibly hopeless world of Willie Turner.

All that I ask is this: share your stories too. I’ll probably off myself if I feel like the only one that’s going through this. Write, comment, send video – I don’t care. Let’s all be miserable together.

You can follow me and the rest of the CorpWhore crew on twitter – @thecorpwhore

-William Q. Turner

Kuumba Freeque is performing at The Standard this Friday. You already know that. Here’s one of the tracks that we hope to hear them perform. From their newly released EP, “The Byrth / The Krucifixion”

Kuumba Freeque – “SupaHero”

All hype aside, V-Zilla could honestly be the the most tenacious, driven person that i’ve ever met. He’s a virtual one-man street team. I met him (or rather, he approached me) years ago when he was in the process of releasing his E.X.H.A.L.E. CD. I listened and liked it, and soon thereafter talk of his album started popping up all over the place. I thought – “Wow, this guy has a really good street team.” I would soon discover that he was the street team. I obviously wasn’t working hard enough.

In the years since, he’s released a number of projects and toured the world on his own merits, and is preparing to release a slew of projects later this year. Get To Know the one who calls himself The Monster, V-Zilla.

March 14, 2010. Michele opens her spellbinding set.

Concise performs the King Coz-produced “Playing Marbles With The Planets” at The WOW on March 14, 2010

The song that inspired the name of the event… “The WOW” features Damien from The Legendary KO. Performed by Radio Galaxy on March 14, 2010

HISD performs “Lando”, the lead single from The Weakend. Footage captured March 14, 2010 at The WOW showcase in Houston, TX

Performed at “The WOW” on March 14, 2010. From their upcoming project entitled “_____ _______”. This is Scottie Spitten’s (From HISD) favorite song this year. That’s a direct quote. That’s Scottie sticking his head thru the backstage curtain.

HISD shared the stage a few days ago with Madlib, and here’s some footage from that show. Includes a performance of “Break Of Dawn”

Footage from a recent show that finds us performing crowd-favorite “Untitled” from the Universal album. Tough crowd that night, but we still did our thing. Appearances by D Rose and The Niyat. Filmed by (DJ?) Remix.

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-

From Peace Uv Mine:

Welcome to Space City…”

Questlove’s “group to watch…” H.I.S.D. returns with the first single ‘Lando’ from their forthcoming LP/Book project The Weakend. Click the image on the left for your FREE DOWNLOAD or copy and paste the following link into your browser:

http://hisd.peaceuvmine.com

Get Ur Space Up!

Get Your Space Up!!!

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

HoustonHipHop.Com caught up with the legendary Cut Chemist at the recent Red Bull 45 Spin event in Houston. Featuring appearances from The Are, DJ Sun, Brett Koshkin, and John Doe.

Friday, Dec 4, 2009. Lower Life Form performs at The Standard in Houston, TX and delivers a top-notch stage show. This clip contains the end of the show, where they perform “Run Go Get It”, along with a freestyle jam at the end. Drummer Eggy assures me that it was completely improvised. I believe him.

We’ve reached the halfway point of our week-long look at Lower Life Form. This footage is from a recent practice session, where they were working on “Story Of My Life”. The Standard is going to be unbelievable this Friday!

Full story after the jump:

Several months ago, I drove down to Austin, TX, where Lower Life Form was deep into recording their new album, their first with the live band. I can’t remember the name of the studio, but it was located in a pretty unassuming area of town; basically and old house that had been gutted out and reborn as a studio. A nice studio at that – but you couldn’t tell from the outside.

I arrived on the second day of their residency there, and immediately saw the trappings of a typical Low Life event: beer, pizza, and the bag of… what are those, brownies? I love brownies!

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa – these are special brownies”, said Wayne, the bassist at the time. I understood what “special” meant.

“I’ll pass. The pizza isn’t special, is it?” To my relief, the pizza had not been altered. I dug in and enjoyed.

The bag of brownies began to make its rounds. I noticed that everyone was taking pretty small bites – no more than half a brownie. They all spoke of the “richness” of the brownies, and didn’t want to get carried away. That is, everybody except Brew. Brew reached in and grabbed two complete brownies – 4 times the recommended serving size. And it just went downhill from there.

Luckily for the band, they were only recording scratch vocals, so it didn’t matter if the MCs were all the way on point. As the rest of the band recorded music, Brew sweated away in his own vocal booth, although it was about 60 degrees in the studio. He began to speak his own lagnuage. His eyes were closed for much of the session. Durig their next break, Brew stretched himself out on the couch and became unresponsive, meeting each question with a series of primal grunts and moans. I don’t think he even remembers much from that day.

In this video, the members of the band recall Brew’s spiritual journey, courtesy of a bag of magical brownies.

-Damien-

In honor of Lower Life Form’s performance at The Standard this Friday, we’re spending an entire week with the guys. We’ve dubbed this first installment “The Low Life”.

Shot and edited by Damien Randle for Ethos Music Group.

Today we have a chat with Rob Quest, a member of one of the most influential groups from Houston, the Odd Squad. With new music featuring PZ of the Luv Bugs and Snap from The Niyat. More info after the cut.

Background music:

Rob Quest – “Ohh Yeah” featuring PZ of the Luv Bugs

Rob Quest – “In Ya Ear” featuring Snap

When most people think about pioneers of Houston hip hop, the first name that usually comes to mind is the Geto Boys – and rightfully so. But during that time, there was another crew that positioned itself as a more lighthearted alternative: Odd Squad, consisting of Devin the Dude, Jugg Mugg, and the undisputed personality of the group, Rob Quest.

He calls himself the “Stevie Wonder of rap” for obvious (and not so obvious) reasons. Although he’s physically blind, he’s a visionary in his own right. He learned to play a number of instruments once his sight left him. I was shocked years ago when I saw him operating an Akai MPC – without any assistance. The absence of physical eyesight is not a disability for Rob. I remember seeing the video for “Can’t See It” back in the day and doubting whether or not he was really blind. I’m still not completely convinced at times.

These days, Rob is staying busy with a number of projects. He’s working on a “Stevie Wonder” project with The Are, and has recently wrapped up his new album, The Age Of Quest, which will be in stores soon.

For more info: www.robquest.com

In this special edition of “The KO Show Presents”, we spend a few hours in the laboratory of King Coz, and our sanity is tested. King Midas and DJ Cozmos cook up a beat from scratch.

Catch The original “Get To Know HISD” and more after the jump.

Get To Know… H.I.S.D. from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Some time during the making of his Taster’s Choice album, D. Rose emailed me a track called “The Caper” that he wanted Big Mon and me to hop on. No problem. We wrapped it up in about 24 hours and got it back to him. When I asked him who made the track, he said “This kid named King Midas. He’s one of the producers for H.I.S.D.”

Again with these H.I.S.D. cats! I still hadn’t officially met the crew, but they were definitely making their mark on the scene. A few months later, I receive a call from Midas, introducing himself and askig if I’d be willing to write to a track that he just created for their Summer Sessions EP. I’m always down to write, and i’d heard nothing but good things about him, so I said YES with no hesitation. I wouldn’t discover until months later that Justin “8 Months” Lewis was the one that referred him to me. Midas was looking for guest spots on the song, and after running through a laundry list of talent, 8 Months suggested that he let me take a crack at it. The rest is history. “Summer So Good” was created.

In the time since, i’ve probably spent more time around him than any other musician around here. King Midas is a fascinating study, because he epitomizes the term “student of the game”. It isn’t simply enough for him to know whether something sounds good or not; he needs to understand WHY. I’ve only seen 2 or 3 other producers that are as meticulous at music creation as he is. One of them is DJ Cozmos, who he aligned himself with to form King Coz. It’s amazing to see how these two, nearly a generation apart, seem to have been cut from the same cloth.

I don’t think Midas ever takes a day off. He’s always working on music. Sometimes working on tracks just for practice. Not too long ago, he worked on a track for about 12 hours, only to discard it at the end of the day. He understands that some of your greatest lessons are learned from failures.

His home contains “The Gold Room” where the HISD collective meets every week to write, record, and debate. It’s a haven for creativity, and they’re all fortunate to have a place where they can tap into that synergy and bring ideas to life.

A simple blog post won’t give you an idea of how far-reaching his talent is. I’ll let his body of work over the next year or so speak for itself. And yes – i’m documenting every move. He’s one to watch.

-Damien-

By the way, he co-produced the KO “Willie Turner” project with DJ Cozmos. Here’s a taste:

The Legendary KO “Ch 2 – Laid Off (Snippet)” from The Ballad of Willie Turner

Background music: Lower Life Form “Move To The Side”  (Produced by Soul One)

Lower Life Form is hosting The Standard. Coincidence? No.

More below:

Soul One was the person that introduced me to H.I.S.D.

I’d already known him for years as one of the “young boys” on the scene, an up and coming DJ who kind of studied under the wing of DJ Cipher. Kind of an interesting read because he started as a DJ with no real affiliation; he made a name for himself through his own accord.

He was part of the crew that played ball at a local YMCA on Sunday nights. This was when I had hops. I think it was one of those Sundays when he first told me about H.I.S.D.:

(Pulled from my fragmented memory)

Me: “So what are you working on these days. I see that you’ve started producing now.”

Soul One: “Actually, i’m working on an album now with this new crew. Kind of like a collective.”

“Anybody I know?”

“Maybe. You heard of Savvi?”

“Yeah, Savvi’s cool. I finally met him not too long ago. I told him we need to work together.”

“Well, Savvi kinda put this group together. It’s like 4 MCs and 3 or 4 producers.”

“Damn – putting together your own Wildstyle!”

{Muted laugh} “Heh. Yeah, it’s really kinda cool”

“What’s it called?”

{Pause to figure out how he’s going to explain it} “Okay. The name of the crew is H.I.S.D.”

“Like… the school district?”

“Yeah but no. It stands for Hueston Independent Spit District, But Hueston is spelled with an H-U-E instead of H-O-U.”

“Okay – I follow you.”

“The one thing we’re still working on is the ‘S’, because it can really stand for anything, like Soul or Slang-”

“Or Southside.”

{Very reluctant laugh} “No – not really.”

I may have embellished the last part of my story, but I credit Soul One with introducing me to this collective of talent. He functions as their DJ, and 1/3 of their production team.

Whatever you do, don’t ask him about the time he tried to throw me an alley-oop; he’s thought little of me ever since.

-Damien-

More below:

From Damien -

Of all the members of H.I.S.D., Ldavoice probably has the name that fits him best. He might tell you that it’s because he used to sing or that his voice is an instrument of change that should be broadcast for all to hear. These are valid arguments, but I think the name fits him best because his voice is the one thing that makes the most lasting impression on you. He uses his voice A LOT.

And not in a bad way, mind you. (He probably has a smirk while he’s reading this.) You’ll learn that he’s very passionate about almost everything, and will easily engage you in a discussion about nearly anything. In an age of apathy and diluted opinions, he’s a rare breed of person who is not reluctant to have an opinion and offer it when many tend to shy away from opinions.

If you ever get the chance to sit in on one of HISD’s infamous “debate” sessions, you’ll notice that he’s the one in the middle of the room, animatedly attacking the discussion from all sides. The kid has a lot to say, and you WILL hear it. While reviewing the footage from this interview, I quickly discovered that he had twice as much footage as everyone else. There is no question that he won’t answer. Again – he has a lot to say, and you WILL hear it.

Fun facts about L:

1. He’s a Gemini (greatest zodiac sign of them all)

2. He ran a 4.2 4.5 40 as a sophomore in high school. (I might have to race him someday and test this)

-Damien-

Day 2 of HISD WEEK delivers an intimate portrait of Scottie Spitten, the first team letterman of the crew. Visuals by Flash Gordon Parks. Musical backdrop – “On Fire” from The Gold Room EP.

Catch Scottie with the rest of HISD at The Standard this Friday

Keep reading:

From Damien -

I was kind of slow. It took me a while to realize that Scottie and King Midas were brothers. But I digress.

Scottie reminds me of my roommate from college: heavily into music and basketball; huge fan of the 90’s Chicago Bulls; Scottie Pippen is his favorite player. When you ask him why – it’s because Pippen was perhaps the most underrated player in the history of the NBA. But it’s easy to get overlooked when you’re standing in the shadow of the greatest player of all time.

When Michael Jordan gave his acceptance speech at the Basketball Hall of Fame, the first words that came out of his mouth were in gratitude to Scottie Pippen. He hadn’t even officially started his speech yet. Hadn’t thanked God or his parents. He thanked Scottie Pippen. It’s because Jordan knew that for all his accolades, all his greatness, Scottie Pippen was the cornerstone to his legacy.

In time, Scottie Spitten of H.I.S.D. might share the same legacy. From my interactions with the crew, it’s become evident that Scottie is the emotional anchor of the squad. He’s usually the first to write a verse to a new track, and often sets the tone and direction of any given song. In street clothes, he’s quiet and unassuming. You’d never know he was an MC. When game time comes he’s all business, and tends to his work with an enthusiasm unmatched by many of his peers outside the HISD circle. He studies the music as much as he studies basketball, surveying every angle and honing his game so that each move is executed to perfection. (How’s that for hyperbole?)

He also subscribes to NBA League Pass, and claims to watch every game every night. If you see him, ask what the score is… I bet he knows.

-Damien-

In honor of H.I.S.D.’s appearance at the November edition of The Standard this Friday, Nov. 13, we’re dedicating the entire week to the collective that is the future of hip hop in Houston. We start it off with Savvi and EQuality, also known as Blak Embassy.

Visuals by Flash Gordon Parks

More after the jump.

I first ran into Savvi a few years ago at what I believe was a Peace Uv Mine show, right around the time that he released his “Hueston Chronicles” CD. I’d heard of him before, but this was the first time that I’d actually seen him in person. What I remember most about that show (with my fading memory) was him being flanked on stage by a legion of singers and musicians, maybe another rapper. Here was this guy that I’d never heard of who seemingly already had a bit of a following, while managing a stable of talent all on his own. Props given.

After his set, I introduced myself to him, and promised that we’d work together someday. That day came a few years later with “Summer So Good” from the Summer Sessions EP.

EQuality was one of those guys that I knew before I knew who he was (if that makes any sense). I’d seen him at all the spots, but didn’t know he was the fabled EQ from HISD until a meeting at a mutual friend’s residence. I thought that he was FWMJ’s distant cousin, because they favor each other so much. Not too long after, I would stumble upon him in his natural element at a spoken word function. Think Gil Scott Heron meets Andre 3000 meets Charles Mingus. That’s EQ.

Check out Savvi and EQ, along with the rest of the HISD collective, at this Friday’s edition of The Standard.

HISD’s website: Peace Uv Mine

The last in a series of clips from our recent performance with D. Rose and The Niyat. We saved the best for last – “There Can Only Be One”.

From Remix (who was holding the camera):

“Ya know, when we walked in through the backstage, I had the camera on the guys the entire time. You could see that they weren’t taking themselves too seriously. They’re a group of regular guys with their own identities and personalities who have talents. They know they’re not pseudo-celebrities, or arrogant artists who can’t see through their own egos.

When we all hit the stage, the crowd was definitely expecting Tech Nine, but within 2 verses the boys won them over. Once ‘There Can Be Only One’ came on, they started really WATCHING. They were looking at the stage at first, but after a minute or so, they were intently watching. It was an interesting change.

As soon as the set was over, the boys all went back to being the same people they were before we went on: quiet, humble, funny, witty, interesting people capable of holding ACTUAL conversations and not feeling themselves because they can jump on stage and rap. They were normal people with no egos or misconceptions about who they are and what they do. Immediately we went back to talking about whatever inane, unimportant topic we were ranting about earlier, probably picking on each other.

A lot of the magic of these guys is really lost through the camera, but hopefully we can show it somehow over time.”

-Remix

The KO Show – Episode 2.2: “The Science” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Talk about irony – after knowing the members of The Niyat for over 15 years , this was the first time that we actually shared the same stage at the same time. Sure, we’ve had showcases together where we perform on separate sets, but this was a milestone for us.

This particular performance is a good study for younger musicians. No matter where you are in your career, you’ll occasionally come across crowds that are largely unfamiliar with your music. This show was a perfect example of that. Over the years, i’ve seen a lot of less experienced artists run into this situation, and are shocked because the audience isn’t really reacting to their show. Then they berate the audience and tell them “ya’ll ain’t feeling me” or “I thought {insert name of city here} knew what real music was!” Wrong move.

If you look closely at the video here, you’ll notice that the crowd - who has no idea who we are - are just kind of standing there and studying us. Listening. They came to see Tech N9ne. And when it came time for the crowd participation, they were right there with us. That’s a good sign.

So don’t get discouraged if you’re faced with an unfamiliar crowd and they’re not jumping through the ceiling for you. Do you best show, get them involved on some crowd participation, and if you’re opening for the headliner that they came to see – shout out the headliner.

Enjoy.

This is the first of a special 3-part edition of The Show, co-starring D. Rose and The Niyat. We take you behind the scenes of a recent performance.

The KO Show – Episode 2.1 “Before The Show” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

On Nov 3rd, we opened a show with Slaughterhouse and Tech N9ne as the headliner. We knew that it was going to be a pretty serious show, so we brought in D. Rose and The Niyat to make sure that the heavy hitters were represented. We’d heard about Tech N9ne’s fans and the Juggalo culture, but never really experienced them for ourselves.

Yeah…

They’re… interesting, to say the least. When you look at the video, you can tell that we’re a little apprehensive right before we hit the stage, but it turned out to be a good performance.

“Cameos” from members of Slaughterhouse.

This is part 1 of 3.  Tomorrow we’ll premiere the performance of “The Science”. Thanks again to D. Rose and The Niyat. We’ll definitely have to do this more often! Thanks to Remix for the camera work.

We take a step aside from our normal programming to bring exclusive footage of a highly competitive game of chess between KO’s Damien, and the owner of HoustonHipHop.com, Remix.

The KO Show – Damien vs. Remix in Chess from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

We’ll have some more KO Show later this week. In the meantime, enjoy this Southside vs Northside rivalry take a turn to the extreme  – with a game of chess. Without giving away the result, let’s just say that the perspn that lost the match on film redeemed themselves by winning when the cameras were turned off. A tiebreaker is eminent.

In this week’s episode: Coz is still MIA; D. Rose writes another classic in the studio, and reveals some info about the lineup for the album.

D. Rose’s Weekly Journal: Episode 03 – “Next Next NEXT Week” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

In the debut of The KO Show, we take a look on the set of Willie Turner, and Big Mon discusses his priorities – music vs. education. Co-starring D Rose, Brew and PhD from Lower Life Form, and DJ Remix.

The KO Show: Episode 01 – “On The Set Of Willie Turner” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

With DJ Cozmos at home playing Mr. Mom this week, we continue working on the new album, notching another 2 songs in the belt. Along the way, D Rose also receives and unexpected compliment.

D. Rose’s Weekly Journal – Episode 02: “Perfect Shaped Head” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Second installment of D Rose’s Weekly Journal.

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

The “Weekly Journal” is a new series from D. Rose and DJ Cozmos, that documents the creation of their follow up to the critically-acclaimed “Taster’s Choice”. We’re going to follow their progress every week; it’s an unprecedented look behind the scenes…

D. Rose’s Weekly Journal – Episode 1: “Sandpaper and Champagne” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Michele’s live performance from the inaugural edition of “The Standard”.

Oct 2, 2009

Michele Thibeaux – “Babylon Soldier” (Live) from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

In part 5 of my interview with Michele Thibeaux, she concludes the week with her thoughts on tonight’s performance at “The Standard”, and why an event like this is sorely needed in our scene. Make sure to check after the jump for an exclusive sampler of her new project!

Get To Know Michele Thibeaux (Part 5 of 5) from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

If you’re in the Houston area, be sure to check her out tonight (Oct. 2) at the inaugural edition of “The Standard”. Located in the “Green Room Lounge” of Warehouse Live. DJ Cashless is keeping us on our toes all night. 813 St. Emanuel St. Houston, TX 77003. No cover. No dress code. No B.S.

FINALLY – Here’s an exclusive sampler of “Hey DJ: Experience Michele Thibeaux” courtesy of our friends at Peace Uv Mine Ent. Mixed by the multi-talented DJ Flash Gordon Parks.

Hey DJ: Experience Michele Thibeaux Sampler (Mixed by DJ Flash Gordon Parks)

Great artists tend to surround themselves with other talented, like-minded individuals that continue to shape and influence them. In part 4 of my interview with Michele, she talks about her circle of kindred spirits that she draws on for inspiration.

Make sure to look below the jump for some music featuring Michele, as well as a special honor that she recently received!

Get To Know Michele Thibeaux (Part 4 of 5) from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Also: Michele was featured as “Artist of The Week” in the Houston Press. Click the link below to read the feature, and support her by commenting there:

Michele Thibeaux – Artist of The Week

But WAIT – as an additional bonus, here’s H.I.S.D. featuring Michele Thibeaux:

“Runnin”

Join us tomorrow as we conclude our week of Michele Thibeaux with a special preview of her new project!

In part 3 of my interview with Michele, she talks about some of the things that continue to inspire her.

Watch her perform live this Friday, Oct 2 at “The Standard” in Houston.

Get To Know Michele Thibeaux (Part 3 of 5) from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Featured Music: Lower Life Form feat. Michele Thibeaux – “Same Ol’ Song”

Part 2 of our continuing discussion with Michele.

Today Michele anwers the question: “What was your worst show ever?” As a veteran of live performances, Michele has had a fair share of stellar performances. It takes a truly humble person to laugh at one of her most forgettable moments.

Michele Thibeaux – Worst Show Ever from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Catch Michele live at “The Standard” – this Friday, Oct 2.

Join us tomorrow for part 3 of “Get To Know Michele Thibeaux”.

It feels like I’ve known Michele Thibeaux forever. Maybe it’s because I already knew her before I even met her. (The circumstances around that involve another story for another time, with Michele’s permission.) In fact, almost everyone who has the pleasure of meeting Michele have already known about her.

Get To Know Michele Thibeaux from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Music Playing: The Legendary KO feat. Michele Thibeaux - “Be Your Addiction”

Additional instrumentation by Denis Cisneros of Neon Collars

Ironically, though I’ve known Michele for the better part of 15 years, I’m always surprised by the duality of her being. She’s a songstress with a style and presence that command attention – but she’s the sweetest, kindest person you’ll ever come across. She’s a soul singer with the sensibilities of an MC. Imagine Amel Lerrieux in an Adidas tracksuit. That’s Michele Thibeaux.

I always have a tough time “interviewing” people that I already know well. So when we sat down recently to talk about 1) Her being a southern transplant from the west coast; 2) What it’s like being a champion of the open mic circuit; and 3)What the near future holds, we spent an inordinate time discussing our affinity for Adidas sneakers and the pleasures of home-cooked food. That’s Michele Thibeaux.

In honor of her upcoming performance at the inaugural edition of “The Standard” on Oct. 2nd, we’re going to spend an entire week her. Today she gives us some insight on how she arrived here, the importance of experiencing the “open mic”, quick overview of her new project.

KnightVision Vol 1: The Cool from M Knight on Vimeo.

*Tracklist
1. This Time Around – Roddy Rod ft. Carlitta Durrand and Phonte
2. Workin’ On It – Dwele
3. Real Appeal – Buff1 ft. AB (prod by 14KT)
4. Summer So Good – H.I.S.D.
5. I Don’t Like To – Shad
6. Lose Your Mind – Jet Audio ft. The Kid Daytona
7. Take Off The Blues – Foreign Exchange
8. Higher – Theophilus London
9. Lindsey Lohan – Diabolical Fancy
10. Stay Up! (Viagra) – 88 Keys ft. Kanye West
11. Go All Out – Buckshot and 9th Wonder
12. Eat To Live – Talib Kweli
13. Talking Bout You (Ladies) – Statik Selektah ft Skyzoo, Joell Ortiz and Talib Kweli
14. Renaissance Rap – Q-Tip
15. Believe – Ayah
16. Construction – Muhsinah
17. Alright With Me – Keelay and Zaire ft. Dminor
18. Play It Cool – D. Rose
19. We Here – Illa J
20. Bed Stuy – Spec Boogie
21. So Damn Down – Tanya Morgan
22. Casa Bey – Mos Def
23. For Real – Skillz

*Credits
1. Video by Humble Monarch – humblemonarch.com
2. Another Dwele Bootleg Production – www.dwele.net
3. Video directed by Jackson Perry
4. Directed by Damien Randle, courtesy of Ethos Music Group – thekoshow.com
5. Directed by HotDogGarbage
6. Directed by Lazlo – dapmag.com
7. Video courtesy of Koning Baviaan – baboonblog.nl
8. Video by The ICU – theiculab.com
9. Video by Headcrack – www.krackblog.com
10. Directed by Jason Goldwatch
11. Directed by Rik Cordero – www.three21media.com
12. Video by The ICU – theiculab.com
13. Video by dallaspenn – dallaspenn.com
14. Directed by Rik Cordero – www.three21media.com
15. Directed by Slakah the Beatchild
16. Video by Humble Monarch – humblemonarch.com
17. Video courtesy of MYX Music Label – www.myxmusiclabel.com
18. Directed by: Damien Randle, Co-Directed by: C.J. The GRANDfathercloc – damienrandle.com.com
19. Directed by Mr. Complex – frolab.com
20. Unofficial video made by Spec Boogie – specboogie.blogspot.com
21. Directed by Roy Miles for Antidivision – www.antidivision.com
22. Video courtesy of Downtown Music – downtownmusic.com
23. Directed by Rik Cordero – www.three21media.com

If I missed anything… let me know.

Mos Def – “E=MC squared” (Live) from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

April 24, 2009
Arena Theater
Houston, TX

During the “Chris Dave & Friends” set

Mos Def performs “E=MC squared”.

Soundtrack by Chris Dave and co.

Not really sure what this song is for / from, but it sounds good. He performed it at the Chris Dave & Friends show on April 24, 2009. Arena Theater. Houston, TX

Get the mp3 of this performance after the jump.

Bilal- “Playing This Song For Nothing” (Live)

Get To Know… Niyat from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Today – Get To Know Niyat. Tomorrow – Get To Know K-OTIX. (Trust me, you don’t wanna miss tomorrow’s episode.)

The story of my history with the Niyat takes us way back; about as far back as I can take it. It was our first public show as a group. We weren’t even going by “K-OTIX” yet – we were still “Guess Who”. (That’s a story for another time.) The show took place in a spot that epitomizes “hole in the wall”; it had to have been an abandoned home that had floodlights brought in to light it. There were no working utilities, but it was filled with people. Looking back on it, the “Soul Shack” was probably in violation of every building and health code that existed. But it was that show that introduced us to most of the people that we’d be working with throughout our careers, including two members of The Niyat – Snap and D-ology.

Back then they were part of a larger collective called the “Psycho Ward”, which rivaled Wu Tang in its size, scope, and talent. They basically had a lock on the scene at the time. Snap was a member of a subgroup called “Poetic Souls”; D-ology was a part of “Darkside”; Synato Watts started out with “Alphabet Soup”. (I’m pretty sure that I remember all of this correctly. If I need any correcting, please let me know.)

After that show, we chopped it up with everybody there; it was our first real introduction to the scene. As we were heading out the back we bumped into D-ology, who was just kind of freestyling to himself in the middle of the street. His freestyles sounded better than anything that we’d ever written. We stood there for about 3 hours, late into the night, watching him freestyle flawlessly about any and everything that came to mind. Wow.

A few months later, we were in the studio recording our first collaboration with them, on a track called “Up Next To Flex”, also featuring a young DJ Cozmos on the mic, as well as the cuts. If I can find a presentable version of this track I’ll share it someday, at great risk of public humiliation. Don’t get me wrong – the song goes hard, but it’s very early 90s.( I think I used the word “representing” at least 3 times. Yikes.)

As the Psycho Ward started going through its transitional period in the late 90s, the members began to splinter off and form other groups. One of the crews born from this was The Niyat. Their story is the same one that can probably be repeated in every city of this country: artists with limitless talent that eclipses who most people consider the greatest. Yes, we grew up listening to Rakim, KRS, Scarface, Nas, etc – but the lyrics that these guys were spitting at home rivaled anything that was being broadcast on the airwaves. They actually became the standards by which we would gauge our skills.

And we tell them this. It’s no secret. When I’m in a room with them I feel wack by comparison. I can listen to verses that they recorded ten years later and finally catch what they were talking about a decade before. It’s not fair.

They characterize themselves in the video, but these are my observations as an outsider:

Synato is the emotional center of the group. He’s the one that more or less dictates the direction of each sound and provides the emotional backdrop. Snap is a rapper’s rapper. FWMJ describes him best when he says that Snap makes the English language sound like a fun language to learn. His wordplay is sickeningly intricate. D-ology is the most ominous and enigmatic lyricist that I’ve ever worked with. He has a presence that humbles most people. The room shifts when he enters, and people cling onto his every word.

I’m not going to say too much more about them now, because they’re prepping a body of work right now that will support everything I’m saying about them – and more. Ladies and gentlemen – my favorite MCs of all time…

Damien

“Aintcha?” featuring D-ology, Snap, & K-Rino

“The Science Pt. 1″ featuring D Rose, Big Mon, Synato Watts, and Snap)

More Info:

Niyat On Myspace

Neon Collars – Anarchy (Live) from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

The Lounge Sessions: HISD – “The District” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

The Lounge Sessions: KO – “World Renown” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Remaking Taster’s Choice: Part 2 – Laying The Vocals from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

We’re always doing 2-3 things at a time. So it’s no surprise that on the same day that we shot “Play It Cool”, D Rose and I met a little early to re-record some vocals for the remastering of Taster’s Choice, which was already in progress.

We didn’t have a lot of time, but got it all done. Here’s a look at the vocals for the “What You Want” remix, “Blues For Trust”, and a headstart on his next album.

Remaking “Taster’s Choice” – Part 1: Laying the Tracks from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

This was the mission: to not only remaster, but recreate D Rose’s instant classic of an album, “Taster’s Choice”. The original version was about 90% of what we intended it to be, and we needed to improve it. This meant re-tracking the music, replacing some vocals, and redoing the entire mix and master from scratch.

This video is the condensed version of a recent 8-hour session in which DJ Cozmos and I laid all the tracks for the project. You’ll also catch a preview of a track for his next project (already in progress) at the 3:35 mark.

Damien

D. Rose & DJ Cozmos performing a song I don’t have yet. This must change!

Check out the full recap of The Lounge Sessions with performances by H.I.S.D., The Legendary K.O./K-otix, D. Rose & DJ Cozmos, & The Gecko Brothers!

LLF / Hero & Rad – “This Is What You Wanted” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Lounge Sessions: D Rose – “What U Wanna Hear” from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

From Damien:

I got a call from D Rose about 2 months ago. He wanted to set up a brainstorming session, which included Savvi from HISD. The reason? He felt like it was time for the whole crew to finally commit to what we’d been talking about doing for the last several years – putting on a show that highlighted our collective talents. We tried and came close at SXSW, but that fell through.

D Rose has called me nearly everyday since then. It’s been eating us all up. So when the three of us met up at my crib, we held an hour long meeting to map out what would become The Lounge Sessions.

All four of the acts involved (HISD, The Gecko Brothers, KO, and D Rose) signed on without hesitation. That was the easy part. We only had a couple of weeks to promote. That was the hard part. After seeing the venue filled nearly to capacity, we knew the the work had paid off.

HISD opened the gates and set the tone for the show. As always, they employed a high energy set, and flawlessly ran through their catalog of modern classics. Although i’ve known them all for a while, this was only my 3rd time or so seeing them perform. It’s scary to see how much better they get with every performance.

The Gecko Brothers appeared as special guests of D Rose. Originally from New York, they came down for the weekend to handle some business and honored us with a tight show.

Next up was K-otix / The Legendary KO. It was our first time performing in over a year, but it felt like we just performed yesterday. I can’t really say too much about our show because I couldn’t really watch it. We brought The Are on stage for World Renown.

D Rose brought the show home (i’m glad we went before him). He has the uncanny ability to make everyone connect with every word that he utters. I don’t know if he realizes this, but everybody’s behind him. He clearly had the most support that night, and gave us a show for the ages. Ironically, he would tell me later that he was in the restroom just before his set, praying that he would remember his verses (claiming that he drew a complete blank). I’d say that his prayers were answered.

“The Ballad Of Willie Turner” Explained from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Ethos Music Group, in conjunction with Rappers I Know, are joining forces to develop a project that may very well revolutionize how music is made and presented in the near future. The Legendary KO explains what “The Ballad Of Willie Turner” is:

From Damien (of The Legendary KO):

We finally get to reveal what we’ve been working on for the last few months: “The Ballad Of Willie Turner”, a 6 chapter EP that will be presented in a visual format.

This clip is an advance look at a project that will hopefully revolutionize the way that music is presented going forward. We’ll give you more as it progresses; we still have a lot of work ahead of us. Can’t let everything out of the bag just yet.

And judging by the dark circles under my eyes in the video, I need to get some more sleep.

P.S. – As a bonus, Big Mon relives one of his most memorable days at work.

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

Why are we such big fans of lists? Who knows. A few days ago, Big Mon and I were sitting around talking about our favorite posse cuts of all time, and happened to come up with a list. That list became a podcast. And that podcast now becomes a topic of discussion. Feel free to chime in with your favorites, what we missed, should have included, etc.

We tried to give it some structure, so we excluded features (De La featuring Common – “The Bizness”); cuts by collectives (Wu-Tang), or anything by Dr Dre, since all of his are effectively compilations. We made an exception for “Scenario”.

You’ll enjoy this one!

Track listing after the jump-

• Craig Mack – “Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)” Featuring Notorious BIG, Rampage, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes
• Puff Daddy – “All About The Benjamins” Featuring The LOX, Lil Kim, and Notorious BIG
• Mobb Deep “Eye For An Eye” Featuring Nas and Raekwon
• LL Cool J – “I Shot Ya (Remix)” Featuring Keith Murray, Prodigy, Fat Joe, and Foxxy Brown
• Cool Breeze – “Watch For The Hook” Featuring Outkast, Goodie Mob, and Witchdoctor)
• Stop The Violence Movement – “Self Destruction” Featuring BDP, Stetsasonic, Kool Moe Dee, MC Lyte, Doug E. Fresh, Just-Ice, Heavy D, and Public Enemy
• West Coast Rap All Stars – “We’re All In The Same Gang” Featuring King Tee, Body & Soul, Def Jef, Michel’le, Tone Loc, Above The Law, Ice-T, NWA, JJ Fad, Young MC, Digital Underground, Oaktown 3.5.7., MC Hammer, Eazy E
• Get The Fist Movement -”Get The Fist” Featuring King Tee, Yo-Yo, MC Eiht, B-Real, J-Dee, Kam, Threat, and Ice Cube
• Ahmad, Ras Kass, and Saafir – “Come Widdit” From the Street Fighter Movie Soundtrack
• LL Cool J – “4,3,2,1″ Featuring Method Man, Redman, Canibus, and DMX)
• The Legendary KO – “1st Team All State” Featuring DJ Cipher, DJ Cozmos, Mavrek, Rukus, Minus, Kay, D Rose, Symbolyc One, Myone, Leaf, Snap aka Red Cess, Deology, Starchy Arch, Bavu Blakes, V Zilla, J. Sin, and Chip Fu (SHAMELESS PLUG)
• Marley Marl / The Juice Crew – “The Symphony” Featuring Masta Ase, Craig G, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane
• Heavy D – “Don’t Curse” Featuring Kool G Rap, Grand Puba, CL Smooth, Big Daddy Kane, Pete Rock, and Q-Tip
• Flavor Unit MCs – “Roll Wit Tha Flava” Featuring Treach, Chip Fu, Freddie Foxxx, Queen Latifah, Heavy D, D-Nice, and Dres
• De La Soul – “Buddy (Remix)” Featuring A Tribe Called Quest, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love (and Latifah on a lil part of the bridge)
• Main Source – “Live At The Barbecue” Featuring Nas, Fatal, and Akinyele
• A Tribe Called Quest – “Scenario” Featuring Leaders Of The New School
• Crooklyn Dodgers – “Crooklyn” Featuring Special Ed, Masta Ase, Buckshot
• Crooklyn Dodgers – “Return Of The Crooklyn Dodgers” Featuring Chubb Rock, O.C., and Jeru The Damaja
• Del Tha Funkee Homosapien – “Burnt” Featuring the Hieroglyphics
• EPMD – “Headbanger” Featuring K-Solo and Redman
• King Tee – Played Like A Piano” Featuring Ice Cube and Breeze

Not included in the podcast but worth mentioning:

• Freeway – “What They Do”
• ATCQ – “Scenario (Remix)”
• Fugees – “Cowboys”
• Missy Elliott – “Hot Boys (Remix)”
• UGK – “International Players Anthem”
• And perhaps a million others

April 24, 2009
Arena Theater
Houston, TX

During the “Chris Dave & Friends” set

Mos Def performs “E=MC squared”.

Soundtrack by Chris Dave and co.

April 24, 2009
Arena Theater
Houston, TX

During the “Chris Dave & Friends” set
Bilal performs “Sometimes”

Brand new song from Neon Collars – “Anarchy”

Performed live at the Arena Theater in Houston, TX

April 24, 2009

April 24, 2009
Arena Theater
Houston, TX

During the “Chris Dave & Friends” set

Mos Def performs “Ms. Fat Booty” over Slum Village’s “Fall In Love”.

Soundtrack by Chris Dave and co.

I realized how good Dilla’s tracks sound when they’re played live.

More videos featuring Bilal, Mos Def, Stokely, and Neon Collars coming later this week.

Subscribe:

Youtube

Vimeo

Kay featuring Stokely Williams – “Walked On By” (Live) from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

You may have caught the re-re-release of Kay’s “The Talk Show” recently. There’s a song on there called “Walked On By” featuring Stokely Williams of Mint Condition. Well, this the live version. With a really good band.

Things you may notice:

• Robert Glasper (Rhodes organ, foreground) is trying to tell the soundman to adjust Jon Jon’s monitor on stage, all while never missing a beat on the keys.
• The stage at the Arena Theater (where the performance was held) rotates, so catching good angles for this show took some work.
• Casey Benjamin (who plays the synthesizer / guitar thing) had on some glow in the dark orange and green nike Dunks. You couldn’t really tell with he red lights.

I’m a big fan of Neon Collars. It’s not a secret. Plus, you know Kay is my boy. So when he invied me to the showcase on April 24th, I had to fall through. The lineup was: Caretta Bell (with Michele Thibeaux, also Savvi from H.I.S.D.); Neon Collars, Chris Dave and Friends (Robert Glasper, Jon Jon, Casey Benjamin, Stokely, Bilal, Ledisi, and Mos Def… along with a HOST of musicians).

This is a selection from Neon Collars’ set featuring Kay, called “Pain 2 Glory”.

I was finally / formally introduced to lead singer Fran, and had to compliment her on her almost surreal vocal arrangements. She’s going to be “it” someday. I told you first.

Tried to sneak some backstage food to 8 Months, but security wasn’t even allowing opening acts backstage.

Also found out that 8 Mos and I re from the same neighborhood… Sunnyside stand up!!!!

Sadly, I didn’t get my camera powered up in time to really get Michele and Savvi in action – it didn’t occur to me that THEY JUST MIGHT BE PERFORMING….

With this installment, i’m going with the top 5 hip hop producers of all time. This was by far the most difficult list to date. I tried to stray away from simply listing favorites, and challenged myself to list the “best”. Here’s the criteria that i’m going by:

• First and foremost, I’m considering the producer’s influence and legacy. Game changers. Legends. No fly-by-nighters.
• Not including people who are producers in name, like Diddy. The producer has to have shown the technical ability to make music at some point in their career.

That’s it. I kept it pretty simple. And with that, here’s the list (in no particular order):

1. Dr. Dre: Arguably the most influential hip hop producer ever. (And i’m usually the one arguing that.) Produced or co-produced some of the highest selling artists of all time – NWA, himself, Snoop, Eminem, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes. Think about how many records were sold from that list alone. You can’t deny his ability to make classic records with long lasting appeal. Some might debate whether or not he’s taking credit for other people’s production these days, but he’s still the man behind the boards. No different from Quincy Jones having session musicians.
2. Jay Dee / J Dilla: I would have been crucified if his name wasn’t one of the first two mentioned. We’ve had countless debates about who was the greatest – Dilla or Dre – and the results weren’t always clear cut. I like to believe that I won the argument with Dre, but there’s a strong case with Dilla. The sheer volume of his body of work is unfathomable. He was already deep into the game before anybody knew who he was. If you factor in his influence on the latter half of ATCQ’s career, his work with Slum Village, the endless remixes and collabs, and the legendary beat tapes, you have a producer that touched nearly every corner of the hip hop community (as well as a few outside of hip hop). His production style has been duplicated by countless producers out there. Who gavethe clap / snare its distinct sound? Who put the shift in the sequence to bring the snare in a little early? Filtered synths and loops like no other? You already know.  There’s not much to say that you don’t know about already. Truly a legend.
3. Pete Rock: For those of you that were around in the early 90s – remember when everybody had to have a “Pete Rock Remix”? Exactly. Name one weak project that Pete Rock produced. It’s okay, i’ll give you time… NONE.  As far as producers go, Pete Rock owned the “Golden Era”. He was Dilla before Dilla. The production on his own albums are still standards to this day, but he was equally as impressive with tracks for others.
4. DJ Premier: I almost put him and Pete Rock neck in neck for the “Golden Era”. You had to have a Pete Rock Remix and a Premier Remix. Premier probably stepped outside of the east coast more than Pete did. He had signature drum sounds and a style all his own. “Step Into The Arena” and “Daily Operation” were two of the best produced hip hop albums ever, comparable with ATCQ’s 2nd and 3rd albums. And he’s a hell of a DJ. And he’s from TX. Stand up!
5. This is where it got tricky. I couldn’t find a 5th without excluding someone else who could fit in its place. I polled a few people for their feedback, and here’s some of the answers that I got:

• Marley Marl – HIGHLY influential in the earl days of hip hop. Changed the game as far as sampling goes.
• Prince Paul – highly overlooked producer, was responsible for a lot of projects that people take for granted: De la, Stetsasonic, etc
• The Bomb Squad – Public Enemy’s early work, helped launch Ice Cube’s solo career
• De La Soul – a lot of people still don’t know that they do most of their production
• Organized Noize / Earthtone III – Ever heard of the Dungeon Family? Produced Outkast, Goodie MoB, Witchdoctor, etc
• Timbaland – don’t hate. He might be making the good Timberlake money now, but his sound is still rooted in hip hop
• Kanye – ego aside, he is / was a damn good producer. I wouldn’t put him in the top 5, but his name is worth mentioning.
• Manny Fresh – did a lot of popular music for the No Limit camp when they were putting out an album a week
• Pimp C – a much, much better producer than anyone outside of Texas gave him credit for. Put straight up soul and funk on anything he produced. Look at his discography and prove me wrong.
• Q-Tip – his work on the early Tribe projects (if it’s true) is classic. His tracks for Nas, Mobb Deep, and a lot of other people went HARD.

Who did I leave off the list? Who’s worthy of that 5th spot? Did I get it all completely wrong? Discuss below.

Again, this was a pretty difficult topic  to tackle. Not as difficult as the last, but still required some though. Here’s what I went by:

1. I had to think of it more in terms of my “favorites” than in terms of “best”. There is no way that anyone will ever agree on “best” because it’s solely based on opinion.
2. I disqualified “collectives” who did not meet my definition of “groups”. For example, D.I.T.C.was never really billed as a group, just a collection of individuals. For this same reason, (and possibly to the dismay of many), I will not include Wu-Tang on this list because they are essentially a collective of artists under one banner. If you want to debate this, ask RZA. He’s said it himself.
3. Instead of definitive songs, I had to go with albums this time. I’ll even try to explain why I chose the albums.

Just like last time, I’ll also include the names of some groups who may have just missed my Top 5, and the reasons why. I still hold them in high regard, but I had to narrow it to my fave 5.

So feel free to discuss, argue, or whatever. This isn’t a scientific poll. These are personal opinions. I encourage you to share yours as well.

And with that, here’s the list (in no particular order):

1. A Tribe Called Quest: This is an absolutely biased entry into the list, but they’re still justified in being here. A Tribe Called Quest is my favorite music group of all time – any genre. Feels good to say that. In my opinion, they were topically one of the more versatile groups that have come around. They could flip anything from party vibe (“Can I Kick It”); to a love poem (“Electric Relaxation”); all the way down to serious sociopolitical discussion (“Sucka Nigga”) and make it entertaining the whole time. What drew me to them was the consistency of quality music within their albums – which were largely devoid of filler. To this day, I can listen to their first 3 albums all the way through without skipping once. Think of how many groups you know that have 3 consecutive albums with such low skippage material. To me, they were the perfect combo of lyrics and music, with emphasis on the music. They infused jazz as well as or better than anyone at the time. Lyrically, they were witty enough to give you plenty of “A-HA” moments, but not so complex and cryptic that people had to focus  to understand them. In terms of sequencing their albums and giving them steady flow, they were maybe second to Dr. Dre. I won’t bore you with all my stanning on them… i’m obviously very biased, but you’ll have to live with it.

Definitive album(s) – The Low End Theory, Midnight Marauders: Don’t ever ask me to choose between these two albums; you’ll get frustrated. I just can’t (won’t) do it. The Low End Theory is a perfect album to me. Midnight Marauders took “perfect” and perfected it even more. Low End was the first album that literally brought tears to my eyes. By the time I made it to “Jazz (We’ve Got)”, I was a mess. I’m a grown man and very secure in my manhood, so I can admit this. I had a bootleg demo of Midnight before it dropped, and still bumped the retail version as if I’d never heard it. Both of these albums will be in my top 5 albums discussion. Be warned.

1a. De La Soul: Yes, i’m cheating. Sue me. But I like De La for most the same reasons that I cut for Tribe. De La is the steak; ATCQ is the sizzle. Tribe may have had more endearing songs, but De La is what hip hop should have grown up to be. De La was me. I lived in what would have been considered the suburbs at the time, but the kids around me wanted so desperately to fulfill “street dreams”. I had no desire to do so. I was perfectly comfortable with being a nerd. Never wanted to be “hood”. I valued brains over brawn. De La Soul was unashamedly normal. No, not normal – they were themselves. Not caricatures or exaggerations of themselves. That has been and will always be a refreshing quality in musicians. 3 Feet High and Rising challenged me to decipher their unique language, but also felt like a testament of who I was at the time. De La Soul Is Dead taught me that you can be who you are without taking yourself so seriously. The list goes on from there. And they’re still getting it done! 20 years later (damn i’m old!), and I still look forward to hearing what they have to say. Oh – I can’t forget – with Prince Paul in tow, they created the greatest album skits of all time. I don’t even listen to skits or interludes in albums now. If you can’t make them as good as De La did, just cue up the next song. Don’t waste your time.

Definitive album – Buhloone Mindstate: Much shorter than the 2 albums that came before it, but possibly the most poignant. It seemed like a dark and brooding time for them, but it was still an album that I could empathize with. They poured out their souls (no pun intended) all over these songs.

2. Run DMC: The first superstar group of rap. You might even argue that without them, the other groups on this list wouldn’t be here. They are often credited with being the guys that brought rap into the mainstream. No, not the Sugarhill variety. They were admittedly “street”, but were accepted into the homes of the MTV generation. They proved to the world that hip hop was not a fad. Were they the first rappers to star in their own movies? (Krush Groove, Tougher Than Leather). Their collaboration with Aerosmith was a rap / rock fusion that predated the fame that Kid Rock or Limp Bizkit ever received from doing the same. They had a call-and-response chemistry on stage that shamed the other crews whose members just kind of stood around and took turns rapping. They had arguably the world’s greatest DJ at the time, and put on a show like no other. They were my favorite group until Tribe came along. By the way – according to Wikipedia,  here’s a list of their firsts:

• A #1 R&B charting rap album
• The first major rap act to appear on American Bandstand (the Sugar Hill Gang appeared on the program in 1981)
• The first rap act to chart in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 more than once
• The first rap artist with a top 10 pop charting rap album
• The first rap artist with RIAA-certified gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums
• The first rap act to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine
• The first rap act to receive a Grammy Award nomination
• The first rap act to make a video appearance on MTV
• Signed to an athletic product endorsement deal (Adidas)

Definitive album – Raising Hell: “Peter Piper”. “My Adidas”. “You Be Illin”. “Dumb Girl”. “Walk This Way”. Done.

See also – Beastie Boys, EPMD: They took Run DMC’s momentum and garnered a ridiculous amount of success from it. First group of white guys to do it big in rap. They may have sold more than Run DMC, but you have to give it up to the architects. EPMD also made their mark. They may have even made more “classic” albums than Run DMC. But it’s RUN DMC, man…

3. Outkast: Dirty South stand up! They made me proud to live below the Mason-Dixon line. But I have an admission to make: a friend of mine let me hear an early incarnation of “Player’s Ball”, a much more Christmas-ey version. I thought it was one of the worst things that i’d ever heard. A year later, I saw the video on TV and was surprisingly intrigued  by the more polished result. Hooked. Being from the South, I was already used to the Geto Boys and UGK, who were incorporating a lot of the same musical elements that Outkast infused in their music, but these dudes could simply rhyme their asses off. While most other rappers were deep into street stories at the time, Outkast came across as the dudes down the street who would sit with you to drink and smoke, but could philosophize with the best of them. On the surface, 3000 and Big Boi seem like polar opposites, but have a synergy that instantly makes them more interesting than almost anyone else. Better than anyone, they have redefined themselves with each album and have taken risks that only they can pull off. After cementing success with the first two albums, they spread their wings creatively with Aquemini, then took it over the edge with “Bombs Over Baghdad”, the lead single for Stankonia. “B.O.B.” opened them up to the widest audience that they’d had up to that point.  Speakerboxxx / The Love Below wa a bold attempt at a largely untried concept – packaging together two solo albums in a single release. I don’t have much to say about Speakerboxx, but The Love Below was a surprisingly brilliant album. This was a hip hop album? Yes. From a southern group who had been called “slow” and “‘Bamas” by their northern counterparts? Yes. Because of their legacy, I even forgive them for Idlewild. I see what they were trying to do with it. I’m not mad. Will they ever record together again? They say yes, but I have to see it to believe it. If and when they do, it’s over for everybody else.

Definitive album – ATLiens: Arguably their best album. Actually, not even arguable. Discuss amongst ourselves.

See also – Goodie Mob: You know what? I may have liked Still Standing more than I did ATLiens at the time. Goodie was the De La to Outkast’s ATCQ. They put me on my ass with some of the topics that they put into song form. It all just ended a little prematurely. They should have been the stuff of legends. And then there was World Party…

4. N.W.A.: Hardest. Group. Ever. I don’t care if half of them were in college a the time. Hardest group ever. Period. “Gangsta” rap might not be accepted today if it were not for them. There would be no Snoop, Pac, Eminem, 50, Jay-Z, Biggie, Lil Wayne, etc, without the influence of N.W.A. They were being watched by the FBI and labeled as potential terrorists. That’s infinitely more gangsta than any skinny jeans wearing pseudo-thug pretending to make “trap music”. THEY MADE AN ALBUM CALLED NIGGAZ 4 LIFE. You couldn’t do that back then. Their best rapper and original producer broke away from the group and each went on to put their footprints on history’s neck. Are you kidding? They were unashamedly offensive, but only to those who didn’t understand the grim reality of what was happening in Innercity, USA. This was the fallout of Reaganomics in the face of America. They embody the most illustrative example of urban struggle in this country. Hardest. Group. Ever.

Definitive album – EFIL4ZAGGIN: Easily in my Top 5. Possibly the best concept album in rap history. They took the word “nigga” and made that bitch tap out.

See also – nobody. There hasn’t been, and never will be, another NWA. Nobody can do what they did today without making it seem like a gimmick. Besides, everything that they did to shock us back then is so commonplace now that we’re desensitized to it.

5. Public Enemy: May have provided some of the most enduring social comentary in the history of rap music. Also watched by the FBI. Militant, but not recklessly militant. Chuck D had some shit on his mind, to say the least. They gave it to you as straight talk – no fancy verbiage or metaphorical posturing. That’s what scared people. In early years, their backdrop of sound was helmed by the legendary Bomb Squad, who also propelled Ice Cube’s solo career. They have been the social conscience of hip hop since Yo Bum Rush the Show. I can’t really tell you more about them than you already know. If they’re not somewhere in your top 5, then you and I are probably not friends.

Definitive album(s) – It Takes A Nation of Millions…,  Fear Of A Black Planet: “Fear” could be my favorite, but I cannot discount the influence of “It Takes”.

See also – nobody. Don’t even try.

Next week – Top 5 Hip Hop albums

Most people that know of K-OTIX / The Legendary KO came to know us with the release of “Universal” back in 2001. As great of an album as it was, some of the most frequently asked questions were about the cover. Whose idea was it to do the cover? What was the inspiration? Is it true that there was another version of the cover?

For the first time ever, all of these questions will now be answered…

And in case you didn’t fully understand how we felt about the situation:

FWMJ’s Editor’s Note after the jump.

We wrap up the first round of “Get To Know…” with a look into the world of K-OTIX aka The Legendary KO

The FWMJ Edit

Thanks to everyone who contributed their time for the making of this first round of “Get To Know” videos. More importantly, thanks to everyone who supported all of the artists over the last couple of weeks. “Get To Know” will return next month with more from the artists that you’ve come to love, along with batch of new artists!

We leave you with a new, exclusive track from K-OTIX – “Be ABout It”, produced by the ubiquitous King Coz.

K-OTIX “Be About It” produced by King Coz

More Info:
The Ko Show
K-OTIX Dot Com
KO Myspace
KO Facebook
Damien’s Twitter
Damien’s Facebook

Get To Know Mic Skills from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Get To Know… Rad from Ethos Music Group on Vimeo.

Today we present a look at two rising stars in Houston, Mic Skills and Rad. Join us on Monday when we’ll wrap up “Get To Know” Week with The Niyat and The Legendary KO!!

One thing that I’ve learned in my “fifty-leven” years of making music is to recognize good music when I see it. I’ve come across a countless number of musicians who have been so consumed with their personal success that they fail to embrace raw talent that has the potential to shape the landscape of music to come.

Over the last couple of years, I’m grateful to have been introduced to some younger talent here on the Houston scene. Of course you already know about H.I.S.D, but today you get to know Mic Skills and Rad.

KO featuring Hero & Rad – “Destiny”

Mic Skills – “Criminal”

Mic Skills featuring KO – “Ultimate Weapon (Remix)”

More info:

Mic Skills (including info on his new album, “Defiant”)

Rad (including info on his new album, “Resilience”)

]]> http://thekoshow.com/index.php/2009/03/13/get-to-know-mic-skills-get-to-know-rad/feed/ 0 http://thekoshow.com/index.php/2009/03/12/get-to-know-hisd/ http://thekoshow.com/index.php/2009/03/12/get-to-know-hisd/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:51:56 +0000 KO Show Admin http://thekoshow.com/?p=80

Today we present ?uestlove’s favorite group to watch for in 2009, H.I.S.D.

H.I.S.D.:

MCs – Savvi, Scottie Spitten, Equality, L Da Voice

Producers: King Midas, E. Classic, Soul One (Collectively known as GoldenSoulClassics)

I first became aware of H.I.S.D. a few years ago thanks to Soul One, who’s 1/3 of the GoldenSoulClassics triumvirate that shapes the sounds of the collective. I’d known as a DJ, and he was telling me about this new crew that he was a part of:

“It’s called H.I.S.D.”

“Like – like, the school district?”

“Well, yeah – but it obviously stands for something else. ‘Hueston Independent Spit District.’ Or you can switch out ‘Spit’ with ‘Slang’ or substitute with something else.”

“I… see…”

“Don’t get it twisted – the crew goes hard. We got team of producers, some emcees and DJs, and it’s all coming together pretty nicely.”

Despite my initial confusion with the name, I trusted Soul One’s endorsement. Weeks later, I attended a show to see D Rose, and HISD was on the bill. (Unfortunately, I caught the last song of their set.) But looking at the collective, I recognized Savvi because he’d been on the scene for a while, and we’d talked in passing a few times about doing some work together. While I didn’t know the rest of the group at the time, I did notice that they had a respectable crowd that had come out to see them. Mental note made. I needed to see what was up with this “HISD”.

When D Rose was in the pre-production stage of Taster’s Choice, he sent over a track that was in consideration for the album, and he wanted Big Mon and me to jump on it. It was tentatively titled “The Caper”:

D Rose featuring KO – “The Caper” (Demo)

I could tell that it wasn’t a DJ Cozmos track, and I initially thought that he was producing the entire project. He said that some young cat named King Midas produced it. I was like:

“Who is King Midas?”

“He produces for HISD.”

“I keep hearing about this damn HISD thing! I really need to see what’s going on.”

So I start to check out their myspace page and website, and lo and behold – they lived up to the hype. The first thing I noticed was that they had an energy and freshness that some of us more… seasoned artists may have allowed to slip away. At the risk of sounding cliché, they made me realize that making music could be fun again.

I caught up with E. Classic through a message board and set up a rendezvous to purchase their debut, “The District”. I think it was the last physical CD that I’ve purchased. If it ends up being the last CD that I ever buy, then it was worth it.

I expected an album with a “throwback” sound to it, which would have worked for me. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that while the sound of the album was very much in the now, the feel of it recalls late 80s / early 90s hip hop, when artists seemed to genuinely enjoy making music.

I think I’ve told them this before, but I can honestly say that they’ve renewed my vigor for making enjoyable music. I went through my phase of taking everything too seriously and being too analytical with what I created. As I began to infiltrate their camp and impose myself on tracks that may have been designated for the core members (just kidding… maybe) I started to understand why so many people were drawn to them so quickly – it’s just fun. They do it because they have an absolute passion for it. If you sit in a room with them for an hour, they’ll spend 55 minutes laughing, philosophizing, and arguing about music, and the final 5 minutes creating classics born out of those discussions.

In the coming months you’ll get to learn a lot more about them, as I go behind the scenes to document the making of their new album, along with a host of other things that I can’t really talk about just yet. Yes – ?uestlove endorsed them. There’s a reason why, and you’re going to find out sooner than you think.

Damien

H.I.S.D. – “Never Die”

H.I.S.D. – “Bang Out Music”

More info:
www.peaceuvmine.com
HISD on Myspace
Savvi on Twitter
King Midas on Twitter
Soul One On Twitter
Flash Gordon Parks on Twitter

“Get To Know…” Week picks up steam today with a double dose from Kay and Starchy Arch.

If you’ve been following Rappers I Know for a while, then you’ve probably seen Kay’s name pop up more than any other artist on this site. By far, he’s the most ubiquitous member of the collective, and not coincidentally one of the most sought after collaborators. I’ve gone on record as saying that he may be one of the most individually talented artists that i’ve ever worked with.

We met Kay around ‘95 or ‘96 through DJ Cipher. He’d just moved back into town from college, and the two of them had begun working together as Example. In the decade and a half since, we’ve collaborated with him more than any other artist. He’s been featured on every release of ours since 2001’s Universal.

In late 1999, we silently began work on a project that would eventually become Ethos, and over the next few years turned it into an exercise in self-development. The purpose of Ethos was to accelerate our songwriting skills while strengthening our production abilities. The result was a snapshot of our collective at the time, including contributions from DJ Cozmos, D Rose, Michele Thibeaux, V Zilla, and a host of others. (We’re going to revisit Ethos in the coming weeks.)

The momentum from that led to Kay’s work with The Foundation and Nicolay, as well as a host of other projects. He’s never been one to shy away from work with others. That work ethic has made him one of the most sought after lyricists that i’ve known personally. We’ll have to do a separate entry for his other projects; there’s not enough space here to discuss everything that he’s done.

Kay and DJ Cipher introduced us to Starchy Arch around the time that we began working on the 48 Seasons album. They would always play us verses from this young cat who could literally flow over any track – and do it well. He collaborated with us on one of the most poignant songs from that album, “Unemployed N****s”.

We went to DJ Cipher’s studio one night to record the track, and it was my first time watching Arch’s recording process firsthand. He came in just after we’d recorded our verses, and we were listening to the playback. After salutations, he listened to the song a couple of times. Then he stood up with a bottle of adult beverage and pulled out a cigarette. He went outside for about 15 minutes, and came back inside, heading directly for the booth. A few minutes later, this was the result:

KO featuring Starchy Arch “Unemployed N****s”

He’s definitely not an artist that feels bound by subgenres. He sounds equally as impressive on a track with Paul Wall as he does Kay. That’s a good trait to have. This dude is going places. As he puts it so eloquently in his own words: “My watch is jackin’ off; that means my time is coming.”

Damien

Kay Featuring Starchy Arch “Ms. Jones”

KO Featuring Starchy Arch “Swang”

For more info:

Kay

Kay’s Twitter
Kay Myspace
Foundation Myspace
The Foundation Website

Starchy Arch
Playa Music
Starchy Arch Myspace

Today we get familiar with Lower Life Form, a hip hop band from Houston, TX and part of the Rappers I Know family.

Don’t get it twisted – this isn’t drunken-frat-party-white-boy-rap. (At least, not anymore.) My first introduction to Lower Life Form was watching Ish and PhD perform at some dark, underground spot in Houston. Ish was doing his thing on the 1’s and 2’s, and PhD was…. well, PhD. He was slightly inebriated, to say the least, and I was absolutely certain that he was going to fall off the stage at any moment. (He didn’t.)

Talking to them afterwards, PhD explains that he just rolls like that – living the high life and enjoying it all the way. That’s been the mantra of the crew ever since, and they’ve put together a collective of musicians who share the same balls-to-the-wall attitude that has cultivated a growing following. When you’re around them you get the sense that they don’t take themselves too seriously, and that’s a good thing. Stick around long enough, and they’ll probably become your favorite band.

Damien

Check this out:

Lower Life Form featuring D Rose - “Elevate”

More info on Lower Life Form:

www.myspace.com/lowerlifeform

Welcome to Rappers I Know’s “Get To Know” Week!

First up, we’re featuring the Kashmere Don himself, the much-heralded D. Rose.

I caught up with D Rose on a windy Houston afternoon, interrupting his downtown video shoot for “Beautiful World” for a quick look at one of the most talented, hard-working lyricists out there. He’s been a staple of the Rappers I Know family since day one. Do a quick search for him on the site, and you’ll see how much work he’s put in.

D Rose, along with DJ Cozmos, released a classic album titled “Taster’s Choice“. If you don’t have it yet, you owe it to yourself to get your hands (or keyboard) on it. In fact, D Rose tells you how to get a copy on the video above.

Editor’s note: Brew of Lower Life Form is also one of the featured artists on Taster’s Choice. (Sorry, Brew – we owe you a beer. A cheap one.)

Damien

Check this out:

D Rose “Just Listen” (Produced by Chris Dave)

Coming soon – behind the scenes footage of the “Beautiful World” video shoot.

Follow D Rose:
www.myspace.com/drose
twitter.com/kashmere_don

This is the star-studded final teaser of “There Can Only Be One”, featuring previews of D. Randle’s and D-ology’s verses, along with a statement by Big Mon and reactions from HISD.

I know that we stretched out this whole teaser thing for a while, but it’ll be well worth the wait. Mark your calendar – MARCH 17, “There Can Only Be One” will officially drop on Rappers I Know!

Today’s peek comes courtesy of yours truly, D. Randle, and one of the greatest lyricists ever to grace a microphone – D-ology of The Niyat. More on D-ology next week when we feature The Niyat during Rappers I Know’s “Get To Know… Week”.

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.