This past month, Coast 2 Coast wrapped up our March Mixtape Madness campaign for 2010. As you probably know, we released 31 mixtapes in 31 days in the month of March, which was crazy, but very successful. All the mixtapes are available for download on a variety of sites, including datpiff.com, hiphopdx.com, and of course coast2coastmixtapes.com. This issue we were able to interview a West Coast hip hop legend (though he doesn’t like to be called that), Warren G. He actually released his first mixtape ever as part of March Mixtape Madness, “Coast 2 Coast Exclusive Series Vol. 16.” It was interesting to hear from an artist that’s been in the game for some time and to get his take on the business and how it’s affected his career. Warren G comes across as a down-to-earth, humble cat, though you can tell he is confident in his skills and his ability to make good music. This month also features a number of other great artists, producers, and DJs. We’d like to thank producer Dame Grease and Torch of the Triple C’s for talking with us, as well as all the other independent artists we’ve featured in our seventh issue. Be sure to check out the contribution from NewIndustryTips.com, “Rhythm J’s ASCAP Publishing Guru Session,” which features some great advice for artists. Lastly, we’ve locked down the details for this year’s Coast 2 Coast Convention, which will be held in Miami Beach, FL, at Newport Beachside Resort. Last year’s convention in New York was a huge success, and we know the 2010 convention will be even bigger. Tickets are available now at coast2coastconvention.com, and it’s definitely a good idea to get yours early. We at Coast 2 Coast look forward to seeing you there!
Kyle Hiersche aka Lil Fats Owner/CEO Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes & Magazine
Katie Kervin Executive Editor Coast 2 Coast Magazine
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Where are you located and/or based out of? Mount Vernon, NY, repping the whole 914 side of things. What is your daily routine? Daily routine consists of me holding down a 9–5 corporate job, after 5 p.m. it’s pretty much me sifting through all the new music sent to my various Gmail accounts for radio or mixtape placement. Once I leave my office, most my attention goes to scheduling guests for my radio show. How often do you do mixtapes? What is your biggest/best series? I drop two mixtapes a month, and my biggest series has to be “The Definition of Sex.” Those mixtapes get the most attention because they appeal to a very wide audience…That series is also a big hit because each mixtape comes packaged with a Strapped condom to play off the whole “Definition of Sex” title. Do you do any radio or club appearances? Club appearances I’ve cut back a great deal because I’m in the process of trying to start a family and I refuse to have the unnecessary interruptions. I do radio four nights a week; I’m LIVE every Tuesday 6–9pm EST on www.stickam.com/919live and Wednesday–Friday 7–10pm EST on www.1dotfmjamz.com. Which DJs were you influenced by? Right out the gate, my brother DJ Chuck Massacure because he showed me how to become a DJ. Kool Kid, Clue, Kay Slay, Premier, Pete Rock, Action Pac, Rated R, Kid Capri all were and still are very influential to me. How do you think the role of the DJ is changing with the new music industry moving in different directions? The DJ is becoming less needed because of far too many outlets you can utilize and skip over the DJ. A record can be released over the Internet right now and never receive one single spin from a DJ, and will be considered the hottest record at the moment because of the million FREE downloads it received… The role of the DJ has become more administrative than hands-on, which has allowed DJs to hold credible positions within different organizations, which in some instances has proved to be a good thing. What have you done to keep up with or stay ahead of the fast paced music industry today? I’ve stayed in my lane, plan and simple. Unlike most DJs, I’ve continually made myself accessible to everyone, so there is no middleman, and that alone has allowed me to stay ahead.
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Once people feel they have somewhat of a personal rapport built, it makes business much easier to maintain…Not allowing money to be a main focal point in my day-to-day activities and supporting good quality music will always serve as a catalyst to keeping me ahead of the fast paced music industry today. How should artists approach a DJ to play their music? Most DJs will provide an e-mail for artists to submit music, so take that and run with it. Being annoying is a definite DON’T, most people feel as if that will force the DJ to remember, but that will only make you get overlooked real fast nowadays. DO let your music speak for itself, that’s your biggest leverage with any DJ. There is a good chance the DJ might not pay attention first go around, so keep sending music until you get a response. DON’T keep asking any DJ is they got the music you sent, if they are feeling the music they will contact you. DO be open to honest criticism, not everyone will like your music. Do you have any specific artists that you work with? The world knows me for holding down the Queen of NY, Remy Ma, and I’ve been doing that since 2006 and still continue to do so. Are there any up-and-coming artists that you think the industry should keep an eye out for in 2010? Sicosyrus, Lexx9eleven, the Kid Sinsai, Nina B, Clap Cognac, Sha Stimuli, Streetz Da Gooch, Sinsay, Lawanda Michelle, Omar Wilson, Lydia Caesar, 950 Plus, Ant Da Louza, Quintescence, Illaj, Ruin, Chromatics...I can keep going. I consider myself someone who works with the underground as a whole, so I can shoot you a list of artists from any region, market, or demographic. What projects are you working on for the near future? I am currently working to get my radio show placed on an FM dial. Remy and I plan on releasing some of her new material in the coming weeks…I’m sure there will be a couple exclusive Remy Ma tracks popping up on a few Coast 2 Coast mixtapes. Anything else you would like to add? Props to all my P.F.R Boys, my whole Real A.T.M/ Money Mafia family, my management Inasirkl Music Group, to all my official haters worldwide and FREE REMY MA...Loyalty Never Love. www.myspace.com/djbedtyme357 www.twitter.com/djbedtyme357 www.jagermusic.com Jagermeister is an official sponsor of Bedtyme357.
Super-producer Dame Grease has had his hand in the music scene for awhile now. He’s worked with everyone from The Lox to Mary J. Blige to Wu Tang Clan, and more. And he’s definitely not slowing down. How did you get started in music? Were you an artist first? I actually started out in a group, a local street group. We ran around doing our thing, battling everybody out in Harlem, on the streets—you know ciphers, battling different crews…Then the owners of Ruff Ryders put a label together, they had a couple artists up in Yonkers. Everybody knew about my beats from the group, everybody knew my shit was crazy. So the owners of Ruff Ryders came down and was like, “if you put your beats with our artists, we gonna have something.” So, boom, we agreed, made the move, and then that’s where everything was at. Wave Gang is your current movement, right? Yeah. Actually the artist Max B, I was producing all his beats, and, like I said, I started rapping in a group back in the day. I started re-rapping again when I started doing all the Max B stuff. We was actually rapping as a group, me, him, and French Montana. So at the same time, it’s like our own sound movement. Unfortunately, Max B got locked up due to some things, and French Montana, we had him signed to Konvict Music with Akon. I just keep the movement moving, try to put out the mixtapes…It’s a sound and a lifestyle that we’re creating all around. What else do you have going on right now? Right now I got a new software coming out, with Magix Music Maker…I have my own beat maker program coming out called The Greasealizer. There are a lot of my custom sounds in there, so kids from around the world or professionals can make beats on there. A lot of people are familiar with the big projects that you’ve worked on [The Lox’s“We’ll Always Love Big Poppa,” DMX’s It’s Dark and Hell is Hot]. Can people expect to hear a different sound from you now? See the cool thing is, you make it a classic, you get a classic sound. If you take that classic sound and put it about ten years into the future, that’s what we gonna have. You gotta understand, when I was with the whole Ruff Ryder situation, I was just a teenager. As a teenager I developed an innovative sound, so now I’m just gonna grab it to the full future wave of music. What is your opinion of the mixtape game and market? The mixtape game to me is a circuit to the streets. If I produce a great album like It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, that’s the quality I put into the mixtapes. Our mixtapes are different; we use original beats. They’re not really mixtapes, they’re really like mixtape albums. And I design them in the same skills and craft like I did with It’s Dark and Hell is Hot. So off top, our mixtapes blow more and faster than everybody, just because we have ten elements. We have the best rhymes, we got the best beats, we have the best executive producer…all the different things—we got a whole different sound. So that’s my opinion on how mines is. I ain’t gonna lie, I don’t even worry about what people do [laughing]. It’s good. Is there any advice that you would give up-and-coming artists? There’s many different ways to get in the music industry. Anybody who want to get in the music industry and stick in the music industry should take their time and make their own shit, own style, everything. It will actually make you survive in the industry for a long time. Take great groups such as Earth, Wind & Fire, they did they own thing and you still play that shit right now. What else do you have on deck for 2010? I’ve done three movie scores already, but I’m about to start putting my own movie situation together, putting the movie out, writing it, of course the score and the music. I got numerous songs with different artists. Songs on J Millz album, I just sent Kurupt a few tracks, I got a single out right now with Lumidee and Styles P from The Lox, a new song with 50 Cent, and a movie, Dead Man Running…My day job as a producer, I’m still going strong. But my label side, and the distribution side—that’s the mixtapes—and then my artist side, doing all that stuff also. Keeping it real cool. It’s a good year so far. Shoutouts? Shoutout to the whole Live Block Wave Gang, and new music rules. That’s what’s up. www.myspace.com/damegrease www.twitter.com/damegrease www.facebook.com/damegrease
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New York bred rapper/writer Torch is a member of the heavy-hitting hip hop group Triple C’s, but that’s not all he has going. Torch talked with Coast 2 Coast about his solo projects, his ghostwriting, and more. You hooked up with Rick Ross and formed Triple C’s when you relocated from New York to Miami. How did that come about? I had caught a little case when I was around 15, 16, my junior year of high school and my moms tried to relocate me before I had to go to jail. It really didn’t work, ‘cause I still ended up going to jail for it, but in the process of her relocating me down south, that’s when I met Ross. He introduced me to Gun[play], and he became like a big brother in a sense. And a curse turned into a gift, we formed Triple C’s. So you’re with Maybach Music, and you have your own label? Yes, the name of my label is Specialist ENT. It’s not just a label; we got a film company, we got a model managing agency, we got a lot of things going on over here in Specialist world. You have a video out now for “Bang Bang.” It’s a leaker off my new mixtape coming, called “Crash Course.” It’s gonna be real monumental, so we just giving niggas a little taste of what’s in store. We getting great feedback about that record, everybody’s loving it, so just know we got more of those type of records, but on steroids. What can we expect to hear from your mixtape? Is it different from what you do with the group? Oh, definitely. By far it’s different. When I’m with the group I do what comes natural…I go hard, as hard as I could possibly go, ‘cause it’s more of a street element with the Triple C’s. We try to really focus on the street element, and that’s easy for me, that’s what I do when I’m just freestyling, fucking around. With my solo projects I’m more of a polished artist. I used to do a lot of writing, so I like to display my musical talents. It’s totally different, it’s like the ying to Triple C’s yang. But you can look out for Triple C ‘cause this album’s gonna be a lot more polished. We gonna have a couple more radio-friendly records than we did on the last album. Do you feel like living some time out of NY has changed or influenced your style? Definitely. Spending time out of the country has changed my musical style. Everywhere you go, you adapt and you bring other things, and you broaden your horizons and your perspectives on everything. In New York City, there’s a standard way, I feel like, of rhyming. Everybody’s stuck in this little box, where you gotta be a certain way in order to be respected as an artist. Whereas when you step outside of New York, you gotta do different things and be more versatile with your music to get accepted. How is it working internationally? I love it. Ain’t nothing like the international audience because they really appreciate the artist and the music more. The [U.S.] fans embrace us, but not like overseas, ‘cause there might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that they ever get to see you. And they act like that. You are also very successful as a ghostwriter. Do you prefer that to performing your own music? I love both sides of the field. I love being in front of the camera and behind it. It’s kind of funny because sometimes there’s a negative stereotype about me being from the North in a Southern group, right? But then I’ll see a record that I wrote for a couple of different artists from the South, one from the West, and they’ll be like feeling the shit out of it. And I just be laughing to myself, thinking I thought you wasn’t fucking with that New York shit? I’m looking forward to doing both for a long time. What’s on your agenda for the rest of 2010? The best thing I could tell is RIP to the competition, you might as well push your shit back to 2012. For the next two years, y’all gonna really get sick of seeing my ugly face and the rest of the Triple C’s. We ‘bout to be everywhere. Shoutouts? Yeah, shoutout to the whole Specialist ENT. Shoutout to the whole Maybach Music. Besides that, I don’t really do a lot of shoutouts ‘cause there ain’t a lot of love. But you can look out for that Color, Cut, Clarity [Triple C’s] coming, you can look out for that Teflon Don [Rick Ross] album coming. www.twitter.com/torchccc, www.torchisny.com
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What’s up to all the heavy grinders, hard working, and struggling artists, producers, musicians, managers, and DJs! Many of you may know me from my production, or my work with the iStandard Producer Showcase / istandardproducers.com; however, I still get a surprising reaction when mentioning my involvement with ASCAP. Once someone finds out I work there I get this: “Oh woooooord? You work for ASCAP?!” (Long pause) “Oh…That’s cool…” (light bulb goes off) “Oh ok…So then how do I (insert question here)” And so it begins! As I don’t mind helping anyone who approaches me in person about their ASCAP account or any other Performing Rights Organization they’re involved with (BMI or SESAC), it has come to my attention in the last couple of years that there is a glaring gap in the knowledge of many industry personnel that needs to be filled when it comes to this aspect of the industry. The most disturbing thing is that it seems people involved in the urban music genres are the ones that know the least about how to handle their PRO (Performing Rights Organization) business. I have helped managers, attorneys (as scary as that sounds), established artists, platinum producers, publishing company founders, and countless others. Being that this is the first blog a lot of people want to know what ASCAP is. What does it do really? We can all sit here and say “I got my ASCAP set up I’m straight,” but what does that really mean? I’ve had people spend the money on the account, and then call me and ask me what does it do? There have been people who have been members for ten-plus years and never touched their account and expected to magically get a check. What to expect: So what does being a member of a PRO do exactly? ASCAP BMI and SESAC collect royalties based on the amount of music that you wrote and/or published that is mainly played on Radio (commercial, satellite, internet, digital, NPR, college, etcetera) and TV (network, cable, local, satellite, etcetera). Does this mean EVERY SPIN, EVERY AIRING of your music? Of course not. So keep this in mind going in! It would be humanly impossible to cover every single thing that plays everywhere. The PRO’s also pay royalties for a limited amount of ringtones, airlines, musak (elevator/ doctor’s office music), Internet, etcetera. The web is especially growing with its royalty payouts. There are so many things in court at this point that a lot of these cases are waiting to pan out to set standards for the future. This is why the popular sites like YouTube and MySpace don’t pay out for your web hits. If you are anticipating a heavy volume of radio play, or anything that’s going to be played on national TV (this doesn’t mean your local public access station), then it would be a good idea to join: http://www.ascap.com/ about/howjoin.asp. I would recommend joining as a writer and a publisher. If one thing sticks on this blog—go home with this: One song = 50% writing, 50% publishing If you just join as one, you are getting half your money, plain and simple. We can go further with publishing deals and how keeping all of it vs. signing some away may or may not work to your advantage. We can also get into music libraries and what their exchange is in return for publishing. There are many routes we can take moving forward, so if you have any questions regarding ASCAP—whether you’re a current member or would like to join, feel free to Twitter me your questions @RhythmJ and I will either answer you via Twitter or another blog posting, depending on what you are trying to find out. Welcome to your new source of PRO FAQ! Lastly: for all artists, producers, managers in the game who are trying to network, check out the ASCAP I Create Music Expo in LA this April. http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/events/expo/ Producers, you can also submit for the iStandard Producer Showcase at the ASCAP Expo http://www.ascap.com/ eventsawards/events/expo/2010/istandard.aspx. Read more at: Rhythm J’s ASCAP Publishing Guru Session | NewIndustryTips.com
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Maybe he’s not old school, but Warren G started his career in 1990, burst into mainstream in 1994 with “Regulate,” and has released or had his hand in a slew of albums and projects since then. Currently independent, and disappointed with the way his last project was handled, the 213 member is trying a different approach to his music. He recently released “Coast 2 Coast Exclusive Series Vol. 16” mixtape with support from MP3Waxx and Wide World The Label, as part of Coast 2 Coast’s March Mixtape Madness campaign. With the prevalence of mixtapes these days, it’s somewhat surprising that we’ve never heard one from Warren G. “I’ve never done a mixtape, ever. But… it’s a movement, it’s what you do. I don’t have to change how I make my music, but I still have to move with the era of what’s going on. And the mixtapes is what’s going on to build your brand. People haven’t heard the independent record, because the record wasn’t pushed right…Hopefully millions of people will hear this mixtape.” It seems odd that an artist who’s been in the game as long as Warren G would still have problems getting his projects promoted properly. But he explains that’s just what happened with The G Files, which was released through a company called TTL Records in September 2009. “Do I regret doing the record through that company?” he reflects. “In a way I do, because if I’d have known that the company did not really know the business, the music business, I wouldn’t have done the situation. But, it was a person that I thought was a friend, who was constantly telling me that this was the way to go, with this company. But at the end of the day, it just looked like, all you wanted to get out of was a check. But then at the same time, I’m stuck with a company that don’t know what to do with classic shit. It’s like, what the fuck is going on here?” What’s unfortunate is that the project is solid, and would appeal to most hip hop fans. The album features collaborations on tracks with Raekwon, Nate Dogg, Snoop, Travis Barker, and more. “It’s a great record. But [if] you got muthafuckas that don’t know what the fuck they doing, it’s just gon’ sit, and sit, and sit. It’s just foul. Don’t get me wrong, I respect them for even coming to the table wanting to do business. But if I would’ve known that they wasn’t that tight with the business, I wouldn’t have done the deal. I would have just kept doing what I was doing. You live and you learn.” This may be a recurring theme throughout Warren’s years of work. When asked if there was anything he would do differently, career-wise—if he could go back—he replies, “I wouldn’t have changed nothing. I would still be the guy that I am, and always been. Sir Cool, Warren G.” But then he reconsiders his answer. “Actually, you know what, I would. I would’ve changed—if I knew and I could change things again—I would’ve been more business-minded. Surrounded myself with a better business team. Outside of hip hop.” But it’s not as if that’s stopped his relevance in the game, as Warren G is still one of the names that’s synonymous with West Coast hip hop. “People who, whenever they hear my name, they say: how come, you are one of the greatest, but the people where you are, out on the West Coast, don’t give you guys respect? But I’m not begging for they respect,” he says. “I think the key to staying relevant is just making good music. Making music that people will hear fifteen years from now, or twenty years from now, or forever. You gotta be talking about something. And just being a humble person and not burning bridges and cutting people’s throats.” You can hear his positivity and enthusiasm for hip hop, even behind Warren’s mellow, cool demeanor. He’s not one of those artists that thrives on rap beef or bad-mouthing other artists. “I think that it’s a lot of good music, and it’s a lot of music that ain’t good. I mean, it’s music, but it’s just not how we laid the foundation in the period and the way we did it. But it is a lot of great music, and I’m not one of those guys that’s bitter and just hatin’ on the game. I’m riding with the game, I’m rolling with the era of what’s going on. I’m not trying to be what these artists are today, but I’m just doing music, doing good music. I’m not mad at none of the new stuff that comes out, it’s just a different type of music. And he’s not that older artist who thinks the new generation of music is garbage. “Like Drake, I love what he’s doing,” he says. “Lil Wayne’s puttin’ it down. The stuff Jay-Z’s doing, he’s puttin’ it down; he’s still in the game, rolling with the era. I like that new guy J. Cole. I like what these cats do. I mean, even Soulja Boy. I like the records he be doing. A muthafucka might think it’s corny, but he’s selling records and he’s being a businessman at the same time. He’s laughing to the bank.” When asked about his advice for aspiring artists, he replies: “When things is feeling like it’s not working, keep ya head up. When you go out and you trying to push your demo and you get turned down…keep ya head up. Get you a great manager that’s connected to the industry. A great lawyer who can make sure your paperwork is tight and not all over the place. Just build you a great team around you that really have your back and that you can trust. And just keep your faith in God, and ask for guidance in this business, and in the world period and in life. And if that doesn’t work, go to number two, whatever else you want to do. Work hard at that. Then dust yourself off and try it again.” It’s clear that Warren has done just that when things didn’t turn out exactly as he hoped in his career. Perhaps that’s why we recognize him, maybe not yet as a legend or old school, but certainly as one of hip hop’s greats. Find out more about Warren G’s upcoming projects and tour dates at: www.warrengeezy.com, www.myspace.com/warreng, www.twitter.com/warrengeezy
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Wordsmith – The Vintage Vault If a Wordsmith is a skillful writer or worker of words, then “The Vintage Vault” is just what a mixtape should be. Hosted by DJ Ames, and mixed by DJ Ykcor and DJ Nominal, the project features the classic mixing and scratching that is often missing from mixtapes nowadays. “The Vintage Vault” boasts appearances from Kontact, Black Knight, Soulstice, Junclassic, RatheMC, Braille, Whitefolkz, and more. The Baltimore emcee dropped the mixtape as promotion for his new album, Vintage Experience, which was released in late March. The mixtape features tracks from a variety of producers, including Strada, J. Stillton, and Siyam, among many others. Each brings a different flavor and feeling to the beats, while still maintaining a cohesiveness and logical flow to the project. Wordsmith is clearly a lyricist who has devoted time to his craft, and his flow is smooth and often melodic. It’s hard to pick standout tracks here, as you can really play the whole tape through. The bonus track, “Dreamchild,” produced by Professa, is an intense exploration into the dark side of the mind and addiction. “Special Request” and “International Incense” will appeal to the ladies, and “March Madness” invokes the feeling of a battle rap or cipher. There’s something for everyone on “The Vintage Vault.” Wordsmith fans will love what he’s brought, new listeners will discover a true emcee and solid mixtape, and everyone will be looking forward to Wordsmith’s album.
CityBoy – My Money Talks and My Money Raps Too CityBoy has some power behind his mixtape, “My Money Talks and My Money Raps Too.” Hosted by Florida’s own DJ Nasty and DJ Kahled, the project has some big names in the hip hop and mixtape game involved. This is hustler music, with CityBoy proclaiming he’s “Addicted to the Game,” and much talk about getting money, jewelry, cars, and “selling anything for profit.” Besides the superstar hosts, the mixtape features artists such as Sly Polaroid, M.E., Stability, and more. The Chicago emcee is the creator of his own record label, C.O.R. (Crack or Rap), and CityBoy certainly makes it clear the type of life he came from, and that he’s made a choice to make his living through music rather than other avenues. CityBoy has a deliberate flow, avoiding metaphors and complicated language to a clear celebration of the life he knows, making it obvious that he’s getting money one way or another. His determination is evident on tracks like “We All Get Money” featuring Sober, and “You Already Know,” where he raps about his grind and lifestyle. There are also several remixes featured in the twenty-five tracks, including “Dem Boyz,” “Chi State of Mind,” and “Feds Taking Pictures.” This is clearly a mixtape for hustlers and those that appreciate hustler music. While there is some variation and a few tracks that would go in the club, the majority of the music is targeted to a very specific audience. And for that audience, it works perfectly. Munzta - Playtime It’s hard not to compare any female emcee to the few others that are in hip hop, but Munzta is out to make a name for herself as a woman in the game with her mixtape “Playtime.” The South Carolina emcee raps over a variety of highly recognizable industry beats ranging from Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” Biggie’s “Juicy” to Dr. Dre and Snoop’s “The Next Episode,” and various Lil Wayne tracks. The tracks highlight Muntza’s lyrical style. Her voice often reminds you of Missy Elliot’s, though her flow is less comical and more focused on proving herself as a harder-spitting emcee. Unfortunately, much of her style and lyrics blend together, which makes it difficult to pick out the best tracks beyond those that are already some of your favorite hip hop beats. That said, the tracks that shine are those where Munzta does deviate in style or topic, including “Baby By Me,” which is a twist on the original song by 50 Cent from the female perspective. The last five tracks of the mixtape are actually by another rapper, Mr. Howell aka Barkode. Munzta would have done better by keeping all her own tracks on this project, or including some that featured other artists alongside her. As it is, the end of the mixtape just doesn’t seem to fit well, as the two artists’ styles are quite different and make the mixtape seem disjointed. Munzta’s flow is the more engaging of the two. It will be interesting to see if Munzta comes with more projects, because she certainly has promise to make a mark in the game as a female emcee.
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Alamaj – The Heat Series New Jersey rapper Alamaj is gunning to establish himself and his movement, Underworld Entertainment in the first installment of “The Heat Series.” Mixing a confident, braggy flow with rhymes about hustling and full of joking sexual references, Alamaj seems to be looking to entertain rather than enlighten on this mixtape, and he is mostly successful. The majority of his rhymes focus on what he has that these other cats don’t: money, cars, good fashion sense, and of course, women—though he certainly doesn’t place them on a pedestal. Much of the production on the mixtape is handled by A.P., and there area few features, including Full Clip, Big Ooh! and Deuce. The majority of the tracks are upbeat, with some remixes over industry beats, including “Dey Know Freestyle.” On “Old School,” one of the more engaging tracks, Alamaj flows over classic hip hop beats, including Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice.” Another of his strong tracks is “The Grind,” where Alamaj uses his often clever rhyme schemes and smooth delivery to prove to us that he’s that much stronger than the next rapper. While it would be nice to hear Alamaj branch out a little as far a subject matter, he has an appealing flow and lyrics that are entertaining enough to keep you wondering what’s coming out of his mouth next. “The Heat Series Part 1” is a good set-up to what should be a strong mixtape series from Underworld Entertainment, and is definitely worth the download. Capital K – The Nine To Five EP Capital K laments “just got paid and I’m still broke” on his project “The Nine to Five EP,” a precursor to his full length album Nothing to Lose. It’s refreshing to hear a rapper talking about his back of money rather than spending a whole project bragging about everything he’s got, and the emcee’s strongest tracks on the EP are those which talk about his reality from his (often humorous) perspective. The production mostly features lofty in-your-face beats, some of which use deft sampling, such as the track “The Truth.” The listener sometimes expects that Capital K will modify his delivery to create a more mellow flow to fit certain subject matter, but the nature of the music makes it so he is often competing with it to even be heard. This is unfortunate, especially on the later tracks, where he is rapping about love and relationships gone wrong—“I Cry” features an interesting sample, but as it is looped in juxtaposition with the lyrics, much of what the emcee is saying gets lost. The final track “I’m Outside” gives listeners a glimpse into K’s crazy, almost Eminem-style dark side, which may be a little overpowering for this shorter EP. The strongest track is probably the intro “Got Paid,” which features a head nodding beat, catchy hook, and strong lyrics by both Ill Will and Capital K. In the end, “The Nine to Five EP” does leave the listener wanting to hear more from Capital K, and hoping that the full length album will have some of the kinks ironed out to better highlight the rapper’s skill and message. Fabolous & DJ Drama - There Is No Competition Vol. 2 As world-famous DJ Clue’s artist, Fabolous got his career started on the mixtape circuit. Although he is now an MTV and BET frequenter and radio favorite, he continues to prove through mixtape after mixtape, that he has not forgotten where he came from. His newest contribution is “There Is No Competition Vol. 2,” and like Vol. 1, it is a collaborative effort with the king of mixtapes, DJ Drama. Original and industry beats are a backdrop to Loso’s constant punchlines and swagged out lyricism as he plays with the concept of “killing the competition” throughout the mixtape. With this project, Fab brings fans the classic cuts that hip hop heads and traditional mixtape listeners die for. Features are scattered pretty frequently throughout the project, however, there’s still enough solo Fab to go around. The guest appearances include Trey Songz, La The Darkman, Nicki Minaj, Cam’ron, Vado, Kobe, and of course his Street Fam associates Paul Cain and Freck Billionaire. The tape starts off with a bang as two of the hardest joints, “The Wake” and “I’m Raw” top the track list. Seventy-two minutes later the it comes to an end with a closing anthem to Jay Electronica’s “Exhibit C” beat, appropriately titled “Exhibit F.”
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iLLAJ – Something Like Dali: Lost in Paradise The latest mixtape from iLLAJ, “Something Like Dali: Lost in Paradise,” is a continuation of the evolution of his musical style, skillfully mixed by Portland, OR DJ DocAdam. Presented as part of Coast 2 Coast’s March Mixtape Madness Campaign, iLLAJ is seeking to surpass the success he found with “What Would Picasso Do?” which was released during 2009’s campaign. With a combination of rapping and singing, iLLAJ seamlessly transitions between love songs, party anthems, and tracks with a more hip hop feel. Original production is handled by a variety of producers, including Stewie Vuiton, ASAP, Dizz, and Notti, with a few J. Dilla tracks thrown in for good measure. Many call to mind an outer-space journey—which may be an apt comparison to the mind of the emcee—but nearly all of the 24-tracks will either have you singing along, or at the very least bobbing your head and waiting to hear what will come next. Standouts include “One Shot,” “Neon Lights,” and “Space 2809,” though this is definitely a mixtape that can be played all the way through, engaging listeners with a variety of musical offerings. The title reference to the surrealist artist Salvador Dali is an fitting depiction of the sometimes off-the-wall and always interesting music presented here. While “Something Like Dali” might be a bit much for some hardcore fans, it is certain to expand iLLAJ’s fan base and should garner some major attention.
Jay Rock – Tales From the Hood 2 Fresh off his cover of XXL and being named one of the magazine’s “Freshman 10 of ’10,” Jay Rock drops his new mixtape, “Tales From the Hood 2.” The mixtape is presented by DJ Whoo Kid and DJ Scream and is definitely one for West Coast hip hop fans. The California rapper is clearly representing the Cali rap scene, with Jay Rock’s hard and heavy flow and tons of references to Bloods and the gangster lifestyle. The majority of the beats have a clear West Coast bounce—calling to mind classic tracks from the likes of Dr. Dre, Exhibit, and Game. Jay Rock’s intense and direct flow fits well with his talk of gangbanging, dodging police, and his reflections on coming up in Watts, California. There are several guest appearances on the mixtape, including Kendrick Lamar, Freeway, and R&B artists Tyrese and Lloyd, among others. One of the more thoughtful tracks is “Who Am I,” where we are presented with an idea of Jay Rock’s early life and influences. On “Real Bloods,” Jay Rock flows over Mary J. Blige’s “Real Love” track, and “Can I Roll,” is a true West Coast rider anthem, down to the sound of switches hitting in the background. “Tales From The Hood 2” proves that Jay Rock is deserving of one of the XXL Freshmen spots. His style and flow are recognizable as affiliated with West Coast hip hop, but at the same time sound fresh, something we haven’t been hearing as much lately. Jim Jones – The Ghost of Rich Porter The wait is finally over for Jim Jones’ new mixtape. After several delays, the Dipset member dropped “The Ghost of Rich Porter,” offering up his latest take on his history and Harlem lifestyle. This is the New York rapper’s first release of 2010 as a precursor to his LP, which is supposedly dropping in July or August. The title is a reference to the famed drug kingpin, Rich Porter, who Jones credits for being a part of the creation of Harlem culture. The project is fairly feature-heavy, with appearances from artists Gucci Mane, Rell, Shawty Lo, Byrd Game, Joell Ortiz, and Maino, among others. Musically, this mixtape is classic Jim Jones material. The beats are mostly hard-hitting, and he raps about drugs, money, beef, and fast chicks, and obviously the hustler lifestyle. There are few radio-friendly additions, which he is probably saving for the full album. Memorable tracks include “Cocaine Dreams” featuring Joell Ortiz, which is an example of Jones’ storytelling abilities; and “Younger,” a singsong track recalling the details of his younger days—one of the several tracks featuring Sen City. In all, this is what we expect from Jim Jones, delays or not. It might have been interesting for him to take the opportunity with the mixtape format to branch out a little. But ultimately, those who are not Jim Jones fans likely won’t be swayed by this one, and true fans will be pleased with “The Ghost of Rich Porter” as a holdover until the release of his next album.
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E-40 - Revenue Retrievin’ - The Day Shift E-40 has long been a staple for rap music fans on the West Coast, and over the years of his successful career he has spawned a strong national and international following. Now regarded as a West Coast living legend and pioneer of Bay Area hip hop, E-40 continues his reign with the new double disc project, Revenue Retrievin’. The double album release consists of The Day Shift and The Night Shift. While both albums Share the Revenue Retrievin’ title, they are two completely separate albums released on the same date. The Day Shift cuts right to the chase with the intro track, “Back In Business” which features hooks made from a variety of audio clips from movies, speaking on topics appropriate to the title of both the song and the album name itself. The album continues banger after banger with features from Gucci Mane, Too Short, B-Legit, Droop-E, The Mob Figaz, Mistah F.A.B., Suga T, J. Valentine, Mike Marshall, and more. E-40 displays incredible storytelling ability on “The Art of Story Tellin’,” while joints like “Whip It Up” and “B*tch” bring fans that more classic West Coast 40 Water music. Even after a longer run in the game than most rappers, E-40 continues to deliver time after time to his core fan base, which is constantly expanding. Revenue Retrievin’ is a good use of about $10 of your money in an industry and time where that is rarely the case.
Ghostface Killah, Method Man and Raekwon - Wu-Massacre Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Raekwon, three of Wu-Tang Clan’s more visible and prolific emcees came together to create the latest installment of WuTang albums, Wu-Massacre. The 12-track project was supposedly rushed by Def Jam, which may have hindered some of the creative process—and there are definitely jabs thrown at the label and music industry. But the album is still a solid showing, and most Wu-Tang fans will be pleased with the purchase. A combination of sampled soul tracks mix with the more traditional gritty street beats we often associate with Wu-Tang to weave a cohesive yet varied sound throughout. All three lyricists bring exactly what is to be expected, each staying true to his own style to create a blend of what are probably the strongest rappers of the group. “Pimpin Chipp” highlights Ghostface Killah’s ability to weave a story on a track, and “Miranda” is an example of the three emcee’s abilities to lace a head-bobbing but mellow track with smooth lyrics that will appeal to many listeners. And there are classic-sounding tracks for hardcore Wu-Tang fans as well, including the opener, “Criminology 2.5,” and the street worthy “Youngstown Heist.” Probably the most noticeable track, though, is the Rza-produced “Our Dreams,” which features a deft Michael Jackson sample as the trio raps about their different views of relationships and love. The two skits featured are some of the low points of the album, seeming to take away from what the listener is really looking for in a Wu-Tang project. Ludacris - Battle Of The Sexes Ludacris is one of those artists who always release solid albums that you can listen to all the way through without skipping every other track. Battle Of The Sexes is no different than his previous works in that sense, yet it is the most unusual project he has released to date. As more of a themed album matching the title, it has a lot of features and ends up seeming more like a compilation album than a solo project. Guest appearances consist of Nicki Minaj, Lil Scrappy, Trey Songz, Flo Rida, Gucci Mane, I-20, Monica, Ne-Yo, Diamond, Trina, Eve, Dru Hill, Lil Kim, Lil Fate, Ciara, Pibull and last but not least, Shawnna. Producers on the album range from The Neptunes and Swizz Beatz to The Runners and Bangladesh. Although most of the guest appearances on the album bring their best to the table, the one downside of the album is that there is not enough of just Ludacris, which most fans are looking for. Staying true to the title, the majority of the songs involve the relationship between men and women including the contrast between the two genders. Luda embarked on this album with a brand new concept and executed it well, creating a quality original album. We will have to wait some time to see how the sales numbers do in order to get the fans’ full reaction, although numbers do not always gauge that properly now days. We at Coast 2 Coast are happy with the album and wish Ludacris luck in the future, keep Disturbing Tha Peace!
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In March 2010, Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes collaborated with the top digital outlets for music and entertainment news to present its second annual March Mixtape Madness campaign. With support from Datpiff.com, HipHopDX.com, Bottom Feeder Music, and RapStarPromo, Coast 2 Coast successfully released 31 mixtapes in 31 days, featuring the some of the hottest hip hop, R&B, and reggae artists in the industry. Coast 2 Coast released mixtapes on a daily basis within the month of March from leading artists and DJs such as Warren G, AZ, Sha Stimuli, Kurupt, Omarion, Three 6 Mafia, iLLAJ, Tone Trump, Ace Hood, Trazz, Mikey Bloodshot, Statik Selehtah, DJ Noodles, Mr. Peter Parker, DJ Epps, DJ Ykcor, DJ Nophrillz, DJ NU, and many more. The mixtapes are available for free download on Coast2CoastMixtapes. com, DatPiff.com, HipHopDX.com, and have been promoted to millions of fans through Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes’ unique mixtape marketing services. Datpiff. com, the largest online mixtape site in the world, hosted an exclusive page dedicated to the March Mixtape Madness campaign, combined with support from HipHopDX.com and the thousands of other websites that currently post Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes. March Mixtape Madness was created by Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes in 2009 and garnered international attention with the successful release of 31 exclusive mixtapes in March. The campaign generated over 30 million downloads, plays and views from postings on thousands of urban websites and blogs, and the results should be even bigger this year. “We had another great year with the second go round of March Mixtape Madness,” says Coast 2 Coast Owner/CEO Lil Fats. “We’d like to thank all the artists, DJs, and sponsors who worked with us on the campaign, and we’d like fans to remember that all the mixtapes are still available for free download at Coast2CoastMixtapes.com and other major online mixtape sites. We’re looking forward to continuing March Mixtape Madness in 2011 and beyond.”
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How did you first become a producer? I first started as a emcee and at same time I started to produce beats, I would say about ten years ago. Slowly but surely I got my vibes more for production and I also noticed that I enjoyed more to build the concept around the songs. But I have also kept the emcee’s mind concerning the production, even when I’m not rapping daily anymore. Are you currently with a record label? No, but I’m heading to that direction, keen on producing good music and creating contacts in music industry. Maybe my own label someday. Where are you currently based? In Finland at this moment, and I’m currently networking in USA, Europe and also been in touch with African artists. What’s the current project you’re promoting? My latest collabo mixtape in the end of 2009 with St. Laz “Bury Me In Brooklyn.” Plus my upcoming album, The Stains Of The Music Industry, which will be released in the end of this year worldwide. What can listeners expect to hear from your music? Simple structured, well produced, but filled with soul of hip hop that has elements from old school to new school. I use also a lot of samples and I’m really proud of it…yes I said I’m really proud of it. It’s part of the culture and should remain in that position and should be concerning the upcoming young producers. Are there any artists or DJs you’ve been working with, or would like to? I have songs and instrumentals on these DJs’ records just to name few: DJ RPM, DJ Pimp, DJ Lexus, DJ Omegared, DJ Ophax, Blackballed DJz, etcetera. There’s actually lot of DJs that are spinning my stuff, which is great. The latest mixtape that I totally produced, St Laz, “Bury Me In Brooklyn,” is hosted and mixed by award winning producer DJ Scarface. But honestly saying, there’s so many so-called DJs today that I’m little confused. But I would say working with living legend DJ Premier would be an honor. What have you been doing career-wise for the past few months? Keeping myself busy with making beats and trying to go to as many gigs and festivals, so I could to keep my eyes and ears open. Also trying to make new connections with new artists and people in different areas in the music industry. Shortly saying: trying to build up my career slowly but surely. What are your career plans for 2010? Drop my upcoming album carrying the name, The Stains Of The Music Industry. Even I can say, this is the tape people should wait for, ‘cause it’s gonna be tight. Are you planning to do mixtapes in the future? [I] have strong vision to drop another mixtape which will be like an introduction for the upcoming album. There’s also lot of mixtapes that I’m on right now in song or in instrumental way and will be in the future. Also, Google me on the Web and on the streets and you hear and see. What is your opinion of the mixtape game and market? I think it has become one of the main areas and elements in the music industry to release good music besides an album. It has opened lot of channels for new producers and artists to express themselves more freely. It is experimental but also more open-minded way to release hit songs—doesn’t have that big pressure “it has to be a hit,” you feel me? Where do you think the music industry is headed as a whole? I would say that the past few years have been a time of change and I see it’s developing more around the Internet and that small labels are pushing it through to the audience and this is what I hope that would happen in bigger scale in the future also. Are there any other ventures you want to let our readers know about? I lived two years abroad, years 2005–2007, that was actually my wake up call to see hip hop in its purest form. Anything else you’d like to add? Try to see the future of hip hop in your hands and you will definitely find the right path to do/listen/create the culture forward. www.myspace.com/chrystalbeats
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How did you first become a recording artist? I liked good music, so I started creating my own. and what began as a hobby became my profession. Are you currently with a record label? I rap for one label and I produce for another label. I’m also singed to Island Def Jam Digital. Where are you currently based? Cincinnati, OH. What’s the current project you’re promoting? I got a street album coming out called “Kush Haze Dro.” What can listeners expect to hear from your music? To hear a wide variety of street anthems, club songs, and a couple ballads for the ladies. Are there any artists or DJs you’ve been working with, or would like to? I got a couple people I’m working with, but I’m looking for a good DJ. What have you been doing career-wise for the past few months? I’ve been producing heavy. What are your career plans for the rest of 2010? To do a lot of traveling, and to do a lot of producing for some big name artists. Have you done or are you planning to do mixtapes in the future? I have a mixtape series called “Welcome to Da Nati” being released in the summertime. What is your opinion of the mixtape game and market? I think it’s the best way to promote yourself as an artist or label, but I think it needs some new artists. Where do you think the music industry is headed as a whole? The digital game is crazy right now, but I like to buy CDs, so I think the Mom and Pop stores are gonna make a strong comeback. Are there any other ventures you want to let our readers know about? I also write for R&B artists and ghostwrite too! Anything else you’d like to add? Shouts out to Incredible Inc, MWG for life, dat 80 way! www.myspace.com/513CPBABY How did you first become recording artists? Well, L-Knox and I [Zone EZ] became artists back when tapes were the shit. It’s crazy, I had bought a karaoke machine and took a keyboard off someone’s hands, and we got started with a goal to get better at music. I put in work with working with my style and others, like Holla Point, who had the hit single “I Hate My Baby Mama.” Are you currently with a record label? Yes, I’m currently with Zoned-Out Entertainment. The current artists are Zone, L-Knox (1Two Punch), Lil Casper, 3 Studges, and a few more. Where are you currently based? We are currently based in Omaha, NE…the city where they shot the movie Belly with DMX and Nas. What’s the current project you’re promoting? The label is promoting “Hostile Takeover,” hosted by DJ Ames. Be on the lookout for the album real soon! What can listeners expect to hear from your music? The stuff you can ride to, that real stuff, and educational. Our music is for the G’s and hustlers, to the buyer and the customer. Are there any artists or DJs you’ve been working with, or would like to? To be honest, we would love to work with Dr. Dre, he’s legendary. Timbaland, Drama, boy the list go on and on. But also we’ve been working with DJ Scottie Pimpin of Omaha. What have you been doing career-wise for the past few months? Talking to people about the Battle of the Bands tour, go vote at www.battleofthebands.com/1twopunch. DJ LKnox has been working on his solo mixtape, and if anyone wants to get a collabo on it, hit the MySpace up. Have you done or are you planning to do mixtapes in the future? Yes, this summer will be a Obama Summer. Change Is Now. What is your opinion of the mixtape game and market? We love it! It’s making the game as we know it. Anything else you’d like to add? Go vote at: battleofthebands.com/1twopunch. www.myspace.com/zoneez, www.myspace.com/lknoxone www.reverbnation.com/#/1twopunch
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How did you first become a recording artist? Back in 1999 I got into the freestyle scene. We used to make beats on the trash can in the courtyard at Macadams Junior High in Dickinson, TX. I grew up with that crowd. In 2002 I started making slowed-down mixes of myself freestyling along with popular songs at the time and sold ‘em at school under the group name Throwed Up Click. I called myself DJ Skittle back then…I guess you could say that was when I first recorded. It wasn’t ‘til about 2006, after an attempted suicide and while slowly recovering from drug abuse, that I got serious and recorded and released my first retail album Wicked City Don as the artist “Real” (which is what everyone in the streets had named me). Are you currently with a record label? I’m currently working under my own label, Blue Tape Records. Where are you currently based? Houston, TX, is home base. I’m also working on promotion out in California (Los Angeles area). What’s the current project you’re promoting? My upcoming 2010 solo release, titled Suffering. What can listeners expect to hear from your music? Most of my music is deep and tells a story with a lyrical landscape. I talk about painful experiences, self reflection, and really just life as I see it from a half inside / half outside view. But I make songs for the club (with my own twist), songs to bump in the ride, and some stuff for the house parties too. Mainly down-to-earth music that I hope can help people out, but then there’s some crazy jams to get wild to. Are there any artists or DJs you’ve been working with, or would like to? I’ve worked with Klondike Kat of Street Military most recently, and wanna give a shout out to K-Rino. I’m presently working with Organized Mafia Click, Bunzzy Wittle, and Sniper with Blue Tape Records. Look forward to eventually working with Tech N9ne, Z-Ro, and Haystak. What have you been doing career-wise for the past few months? Getting ready to promote my newest album Suffering, and working on a new mixtape, “Fix Tape Vol.1.” I just got set up with all the popular social networks (MySpace, Facebook, etcetera) and really just opening up new outlets for people to hear about and listen to my music. What are your career plans for the rest of 2010? Press exposure, promotion, and a successful album and mixtape launch. Have you done or are you planning to do mixtapes in the future? So let me tell you about Real presents... “Fix Tape Vol. 1 - Tha Push.” All the artists and affiliates of Blue Tape Records are coming together with over a dozen certified original hits for your deck. It’s a little on the hush right now, but expect Vols. 2, 3, etcetera to flood the streets and the Internet. What is your opinion of the mixtape game and market? The mixtape game is all over the place. It can be good for an artist if it’s used correctly. A starting-out artist’s mixtape gives the artist a less expensive way to get his name out and showcase his skills. (These should be free to download and a couple bucks in the streets.) A big artist’s mixtape is used to build a buzz and supply his fans with material until the solo release is ready. Then you got “DJ Not-4-Real” charging hungry artists $200 a slot to be on a mixtape that wont go anywhere past his computer. Don’t just jump in, plan a mixtape. Where do you think the music industry is headed as a whole? No record stores left and iTunes is already the number one retailer of music. This is clearly due to the option to download single songs. It only means that artists who want to succeed with the changing game will have to make all their songs good. Are there any other ventures you want to let our readers know about? Look for Real on a nationwide tour in the near future. Anything else you’d like to add? Yeah. I wanna thank God and my mother Gina. You are a blessing. www.myspace.com/WickedCityDon Official website coming soon!
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How did you first become a recording artist? I was hanging out with a couple of my boys, when one of them questioned my ability to accomplish things, so I set out to prove him wrong with my passion for music. Ever since that day, I have been focused on making a career out of music. Are you currently with a record label? Yeah, ORB Muzik, Inc. Where are you currently based? I’m living in south Florida for the time being. I miss Boston, and plan to get back there. What’s the current project you’re promoting? “Daddy’s Girl,” my first single released. Impacting radios now. What can listeners expect to hear from your music? A mix of up North and down South hip hop. My current projects are feelgood music. Are there any artists or DJs you’ve been working with, or would like to? I would like to work with Snoop Dogg, and definitely Dr. Dre. Maxwell is an amazing talent, and would be great to work with on a track as well. What have you been doing career-wise for the past few months? Working on marketing, radio campaign, internet media, and more. I have been working hard every day. What are your career plans for the rest of 2010? Create a buzz, make myself a household name, and release my entire album. Have you done or are you planning to do mixtapes in the future? No I haven’t, and maybe, depending on the circumstances, I might consider it for the future. What is your opinion of the mixtape game and market? It’s great for creating a buzz on some level, but I also feel like it can give too much away. Where do you think the music industry is headed as a whole? I think the music industry is heading in the right direction. There is a niche for everyone out there now, before you had to be cookie cutter for a specific type of style, now the edges are blurred. Are there any other ventures you want to let our readers know about? I am working with some hot new artists, great producers, and I will be working to help other artists make a name for themselves through ORB Muzik. Anything else you’d like to add? I will be in Ozone Magazine in May, and I am currently doing a radio campaign. My first single is now available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, and more. www.orelmusic.com , www.myspace.com/orelmusic www.jango.com/music/orel, www.reverbnation.com/orelmusic
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In today’s world, mixtapes have become the lifeline of the urban music industry, bringing new and fresh music to the streets and the Internet with no restrictions. Coast 2 Coast Mixtape DJs is the only coalition of DJs that focuses on the constantly growing mixtape game. We represent mixtape DJs across the world that are often overlooked or looked down upon by labels, radio, magazines, etc. We stand strong together as a group to let the world see the power of the mixtape DJ and let them know that we are here to stay! We live and die by the phrase, “Respect The DJ” so this coalition is here as a platform for DJs to network and to foster strong business relationships. We provide all DJs in the coalition with the tools, connections and exposure needed to become a powerful force in the mixtape industry and beyond. To become an official Coast 2 Coast Mixtape DJ, go to http://www.coast2coastmixtapes. com/DJSite/, click on the “Join” tab and fill out the submission form. We appreciate all submissions and we will get back to you as soon as possible!
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Where are you located and/or based out of? Miami Beach, FL. What is your daily routine as a DJ? Play video games ‘til 12. Then I get some practice in for my show that night. Then I hit the beach, go to Wet Willies, get me a drink, and hit the strip and find women to come chill with me at the club. How often do you do mixtapes? What is your biggest/best series called? Once a week. My best series would have to be “Sex In The Bed.” So many women download that, and I have gotten so much love for my R&B series. Do you do any radio or club appearances? If so when and where? Of course, I do clubs five days a week. You can catch me DJ-ing at any club on South Beach during the week. What DJs were you influenced by to become a DJ? Jazzy Jeff, DJ Mister Cee, and DJ Enuff. I listened to Hot 97 every day when I lived in New York, so Enuff was on radio and I was such a fan. How important is the DJ’s role in the music industry? Very important. Without us no song gets broken and played. Lots of A&R’s call and e-mail me to ask me what’s hot in the club or who do I think is a hot underground artist. How do you think the role of the DJ is changing with the new music industry moving in different directions? It is easier for us to get music and play it. I also think its easier for DJs to break artists worldwide throughout the Internet. What have you done to keep up with or stay ahead of the fast paced music industry today? I got an assistant that downloads music for me every day (thanks Linda). She always sends me a zip folder full of music so I stay ahead. I got music that ain’t even coming out for months. I also have great relationship with a lot of artists, so they e-mail me drops and tracks. So being cool with artists is a must. What’s your advice to independent artists looking to break into the game? Please don’t say, I’m better than 50 or Jay. Be you, come to the table with hot music. And market ya self. It’s so easy— now you got MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, you have no limits. What’s your advice on how artists should approach a DJ to play their music? Do’s and Don’ts? Don’t threaten a DJ. You can get blacklisted quick. Don’t beg or stand by a dude ‘til he play ya shit, that’s annoying. If I say I will play it, I will keep my word. You should hit a DJ up before he gets on stage. I can’t DJ and have a conversation with you at the same time. Do you have any specific artists that you work with? I work with everybody, I don’t just have one person. I am looking though. Are there any up-and-coming artists that you think the industry should keep an eye out for in 2010? Yeah a dude named Cash Music in Boston. Dude is sick. Then you got Swazy Styles, and Nonsence, and Smokey. These dudes are something to look out for. What projects are you working on for the near future? I’m working on my own reality series. Camera crew following me. Now that’s something to look for. The life of a 22-year-old DJ in South Beach. You do the math. Anything else you would like to add? Yeah, make sure to watch out for me. Unsigned artists: always feel free to contact me on Twitter, I always write back. www.twitter.com/djyoungcee www.facebook.com/djyoungcee www.myspace.com/djyoungcee
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