HOT ASECK: interviews

Showing posts with label interviews. Show all posts

Friday, June 19, 2009

Somewhere Over The Border: J.R. Richy!

The music industry is going to have a lot on their hands with this cat. From the T. Dot (Toronto, Canada), we have J.R. Richy, an up and coming rap artist that has already started to make a name for himself up north and plans on taking the States along with the world by storm! His dope lyrics compliment his style so good that there would be no reason to pass up an opportunity to let you all in on the inside scoop of J.R. Richy. I'm pretty sure we ended music week off right with this one. Check it out!

LL: How long have you been rapping? (If there is a story behind it, don't be afraid to tell us lol)

JR: I started yesterday actually, *Laughs*. Not really though... wouldn’t that of been dope though ? *Laughs Again* I started rapping in grade school cause I wanted to impress this girl that sat two seats in front of me. *Sigh*...She didn’t even like rap music. I was better off becoming the next Bee Gee or something. It’s funny though, if I had knew she didn’t like rap music back then I’d be a Punk Rocker right now, f’real.

LL: Do you think that the music in Toronto is much different than here in the States?

JR: Nah, not really… I think the one major difference is the fact that Canadian Hip-Hop isn’t as universal as it should be, or as it could be. It’s not reaching out to enough people around the globe. I’m trying to build a brand in Toronto, it’s all about branding & making people believers… To be successful you have to have a team to support & represent you, it’s impossible to do it on your own. On top of all that, we never really had a spokesperson to properly represent our culture until just recently. As a matter of fact, document my next sentence; throw some quotations around it… whatever. They’re so many talented & passionate artists under 21 in Toronto that by 2015 they’re going to have no choice but to give the industry to us.

LL: Seeing as though Drake is a native of Toronto, what would you say to someone who said you we're following in his footsteps?

JR: Well, I’m from the New School of Canadian Hip-Hop, so I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t in some way, or another, influenced by him. I’ve been following him for years & I think he’s extremely talented. If following in his footsteps means breaking into the American market successfully then yeah, you could say I’m on his trail. I’m almost certainly at the beginning but whatever; I’m on the trail nonetheless. The thing that the general public doesn’t understand is, as an artist, there is no one on this earth that I try to imitate. What I’ve done is I’ve pinpointed a certain quality trait that I admire from certain artists & that is what I try to emulate with my own twist to it. For example, Kanye’s Passion, Drake’s Honesty... Kid Cudi’s Heart, so on & so forth, the list goes on. I think the idea of, ‘Thinking Outside of the Box’ almost died & that would’ve been terrible for Hip-Hop music on a universal level.

LL: What do you think of the word 'swag'?

JR: LOL! Swag.. I’d say *bleep* swag but, that would just backfire, lol.

LL: Who do you think stands out in the music industry now? & why?

JR: I can think of 3 artists, Drake, Kid Cudi, & Jay-Z. Drake because he’s in the greatest position any unsigned artist can be in. Kid Cudi because he’s so different they might have to give him his own genre. *Laughs* And Jay because he might’ve single handedly killed the presence of autotune in Hip-Hop... maybe, I doubt it though.

LL: Anything you want to let your fans and our readers know?

JR: Yeah, Follow Me On Twitter B*tches. *Laughs*

P.S. ..I Appreciate All The Love I Receive From Home & From Across The Border, Honestly, I Do It For Y’all, Look Out For My New Shxt, You Haven’t Seen Anything Yet !

Peace & Much Love To You,

Richy!

You can check out J.R.'s music at:
MySpace
Twitter
Blogger
& for all you crackberry addicts, his BBM Pin is 31EDB07D.

-Christopher Nic.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

You Know Big Sean

So, lets say you had a dream to be a superstar music artist and THE hottest artist out took you under his wing signed you to his label and introduced your music to the world. That'll be crazy right?? Well in Big Sean's case dreams really do come true. While in his hometown, Detroit, Big Sean got the opportunity to rap for Mr. Kanye West and Ye told him right then that he would sign him. But let's not just give Kanye too much credit. Sean has an undeniable talent, and it was only a matter of time before he got his foot in the door. Somehow in between traveling and performances we got a hold to Sean to pick his brain a little bit. And because I'm just that good to you, I'll let you see what he had to say.

DW: Ok, so I don't want to ask you the typical "How does it feel to be signed to G.O.O.D Music" question because I'm sure it's amazing. But I would like to know do you feel a lot of pressure to live up to the creativity of Kanye and your label mates (Common, John Legend, Mr. Bentley)?

BS: It's a dream come true to be on GOOD Music. Kanye was one of my favorite artist so for him to sign me, let alone acknowledge me is insane. I feel no pressure though, because you got to accept that when your on a team like GOOD, you're on there for a reason.

DW: True. So, what's your definition of success?

BS: When you can look at your life and feel accomplished, happy, and satisfied! I think success is measured not by money, but more so happiness.

DW: Being from Detroit, do you think it makes a difference where your from when trying to get into the music industry or can you really make it from anywhere?

BS:I think it makes a big difference! You can make it out of anywhere, but I feel like some places are harder then others. There are some cities who support artists who get opportunities to be radio, get signed, etc. And some cities where everybody in the city thinks they can do a better job themselves and therefore hate on the artist. Sometimes that can make or break somebody. It also depends on what type of artist you are too.

DW:Has there been a specific moment where you had to stop and take it all in and realize how blessed you are? Like fans noticing you on the street, or a special performance, or traveling to different places?

BS: All the time. I'm as blessed as I want to be. as an artist and as a perfectionist I can say I'm nowhere near where I want to be at in my career, but I can say it's coming. I'm one of the most blessed people in the world though. It's hard work though.

DW: So where do you draw inspiration from?

BS: I get inspiration from other artist, sometimes regular people, sometimes certain situations. All sorts of different things give me inspiration. I don't think inspiration will ever not be there, no matter what, it's like air. Sometimes you just don't even recognize inspiration in situations, but it's always there.

DW: When did you decide to make a career out of music? And what would you be doing if you were not doing music?

BS: I decided I wanted to do music when I was about 9 or so. If I wasn't doing music I would probably be in school trying to get my life together and figure out what I want to do.

DW: Do you plan on venturing out into other areas? (clothing line, acting, reality series?)

BS: Yeah, I'm a hell of a actor. lol. Seriously my mother was a professional actress for a very short part of her life but she was extremely good. She had to quit because she had me and my brother, and my dad wasn't around too much. I actually made a song about it on my album where I explain her story. Kanye produced it and is featured on it too.

Source Magazine

DW: Is there anything about the music industry that upsets you?

BS: A million and one things. You got to be made for this shit, or it will kill you. I can't get too much into that though. Labels can be your friend, and they can also be your enemy sometimes.

DW: As your fame grows, what do you want to avoid as a celebrity?

BS:Just a bad reputation. But I'm a cool person and I keep it real, so I think I'll be good. I want to avoid all the dirty hoes too. Send the pretty, clean, cool ones my way though, lol.

DW: Lol, I can understand wanting to avoid that. So what's next for Big Sean?

BS:Finally Famous the Album. Crazy! Got Kanye, Dream, Pharrell, etc. It's going to be something to remember. I promise. I'm also releasing a mixtape with 10 deep too that's going to be dope as hell. A good intro warm up for the album. Whatever I can get my hands on.

To learn more about Big Sean head over to UknowBigSean.com

-Doni W.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

A True Lyricist: Jon Connor

Finding a rapper who really spits with substance is like finding a needle in a haystack.

So LLM would never pass up the chance to feature one of these rare species and snag an exclusive interview with artist Jon Connor (born Jon Kevin Freeman Jr. - pronounced "Yon"). This artist/producer/song writer & Co-CEO of Avie Squad Records knew what he wanted and started going for his dreams at a young age. At 10 years old, Connor began producing and song crafting. As a freshman in high school, he began selling his own mixtapes out of his school backpack and out of the trunk of his mothers car with the help of his older sister. The Calling Pt. 1 served as Connor's official introduction to the world, as it gained him national notoriety (VH1.com, rapcapital.com, planeturban, Urbanology magazine etc.) and a loyal fan base. And it only got better from there. The release of The Calling Pt. 2: The Second Coming hit hard! It even gained Connor exposure on XXL.com along with other up and coming artists. Check out Liv Lux's one on one session with the lyrical genius, himself.

LL: Tell me about your vision when you and your team first decided to start AV ENT.

JC: Man, its crazy to even think back that far! (laughing) Because Jason Monk and I created All Varsity when we were 12 years old. But I think the vision is the same now as it was then, to be the best at what we do, you know? To just make great music no matter the genre. You know myself, Jason, Mateen we all share the same vision to be the best in the world and I believe thats why we've been blessed with so many different opportunities and progressive situations.The ultimate goal is for All Varsity Entertainment to be mentioned in the same light as the Roc-a-fellas, the CashMoneys and the Def Jams.

LL: I have a copy of The Calling Pt. 2: The Second Coming and I play it all the time. I'm pretty sure you do to, lol, but are there any other artists that you listen to regularly?

JC: (laughing) I appreciate the love...you know that's a tough one because I go through phases. I listen to everything. I might have a month where I only listen to alternative music or just two weeks of just hip hop or two weeks of techno. So at this particular time in my music cycle its Coldplay "Viva La Vida", Pastor Troy "We Ready I declare War", Eminem "Relapse" and Kenna "Make sure they see my face". But you know its constantly changing, who knows what I'll be listening to on a regular by next week.

LL: Where do you get a lot of your inspiration from?

JC: I get my inspiration from everything. Life is constant inspiration. You know the things you see, the people you meet, the conversations you have, the places you go... its crazy i look at a bird flying as inspiration you know Lebron hitting the three with one second left is inspiration.

LL: If you could do a collaboration with any artist, who would it be?

JC: Oooh, just one? There's so many... but if I can only pick one it would have to be Timbaland. I just have so much respect for him as a producer and as one of the greatest musical minds of our time, I know he would bring the very best out of me as an artist.

LL: Are there any future endeavors you got planned? I mean, I'm pretty
sure there are lol...so just inform us!

JC: As far as upcoming projects, I have two all original albums that I'm working on, "The Calling Pt.2: The B Side and "Salvation" along with a few mixtape projects to promote the albums. Towards the end of the summer I'm heading out west to do a couple promo tours... as an artist I'm trying to be everywhere!

Check em out on his MySpace page. You won't be disappointed!

-Christopher Nic.

Monday, June 15, 2009

What's Wrong With Being P.H.I.L.T.H.Y.???

So to start off music week, I figured I'd start with someone who I've personally seen slaughter some MC's in a rap battle(seriously...it wasn't fair). P.H.I.L.T.H.Y. from Lansing, MI is one of the few artists who not just gives God a shout out here and there he considers himself a "Bible Thumping Sneaker Gripper", and list Jesus Christ as his employer on facebook..."He's always hiring So if you need an app. holla at me". Well let the church say Amen! A unique mix of dope lyrics, soul, God, and style makes up P.H.I.L.T.H.Y. and fortunately we got to ask him a few questions. Check it out.

LL: What's the hardest part about getting into the music industry?

PH: The hardest part is staying patient and true to your self its so easy to feel pressure from trends and contemplate conforming or doing certain type of songs definitely in cases when there's no money coming in your pocket ....Constant pay with no label is hard too. To sum that up I think the hardest part is not losing your self just to get your deal.

LL: Do you mind when people compare you to other artists?

PH: Yes and No...part of it is like I'm flattered to be compared to such great artist but also I want my identity I want to be respected as an individual an original. It also gets whack when you get compared to certain artist not even because of your music , but instead because of your style of dress and or the way you carry yourself that's when it gets mad annoying.

LL: Explain BLAT!

PH: BLAT! has a rich history lol naw but seriously first it was just a sound we made to say we like what we heard or saw instead of clapping. Then the homey JYoung said he felt like are squad was the black version of the rat pack then the group got more diverse but we still feel were on some new Harlem renaissance Rat pack type movement.

LL: When people hear the name Philthy what do you want to come to mind?

PH: I want the thoughts of an inspiring creative artist who represents the have nots the forgotten people and shows them there's hope to rise up and grab your dreams.When did you decide to pursue music as a career? I decided to really pursue music in 2006.I had just quit a group I was in because I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life. It was the reason I woke up every morning to spread the message I felt was embedded in me.

LL: Where would your life be without music?

PH: I don't know where my life would be like I'd be a lest joyous enjoyable person I know that. I'd probably have a degree and be working at a job I hate wondering why I felt like my emotions had no outlet.