CONCRETE Magazine: Alabama #2 by CONCRETE Magazine

6-10 ......................... Translee 12 ....................Jurian Isabelle 14 ........................Whip Game 16 ....................... Starr Adkins 18 ........................ Chris Kemp 20 ............C-Wiz Music Reviews 22 .........................HaterProof 24 ..........................Ben Frank 26 ............................ D. Butts 28 ....................... Mic Strange 30-31 ....5 Star Chick: Ms KY Diva We are excited to release Issue #2 and will continue our mission to showcase the diversity of music, art and entertainment in Alabama. Our goal is to capture the culture of Alabama in its entirety. Thanks for all the support. Editor: Angela Dalton Ad Executives: Rick Bradshaw, Angela Dalton Cover Photo: Issac Ward Art Director: Rex2-tm Ad Design: Jimmy Heart, Isaac Ward Online Editors: Jimmy Heart, Issac Ward 5 Star Photography: Tavell Brown Publishing Consultant: Bryan Deese

CONCRETE Magazine PO Box 3542, Huntsville, Al 35810 concretealabama@gmail.com 256.542.1150 ÂŠ CONCRETE Magazine 2012

He captivates the ear by delivering one meaningful bar after the next. With strong lyrical depth, Translee highlights realities in our society that beg the question, Does Anybody Love Anymore? Under the guidance of Mr. Collipark, manager Chris Hunter and producer Todd Marshall, who’s beats on several occasions were “left in a puddle of blood” Translee brings a new trend with Digital Native Culture that doesn’t intend to be like everyone else. Mainstream music will be forever changed once all are privy to at least Know Translee. CONCRETE: What artists inspired you growing up? Translee: Immature, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, The Hot Boys, Lil Wayne, I was a big Wayne head for several years. Eight Ball and MJG, UGK, people that really made hip hop. I use to be a big “screw head” too. I use to listen to a lot of screw music. It was like a phase really for about two to three years. If it wasn’t chopped and screwed I didn’t want it. Music goes through eras and it’s an era of really good music out right now and I’m glad to be a part of it. CONCRETE: Can you remember ﬁrst the song you wrote? Translee: I remember the ﬁrst time I got in the studio. I had an Impala SS and the rhyme was like,” I’m a rookie on the mic but a veteran in the streets, Impala SS with the grey leather

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seats, wood grained out with some 12’s for the beat. It’s summer time bi*ch and we bringing the heat.” I thought it was dope and I recorded it and put it on a CD. I rode around to that for like two months and fell in love with it. I always rapped with my partner Lil Miller, but actually putting it on a CD and taking to pass out, we really didn’t do that. We would just give it to the people in the neighborhood. As long as they were bumping it we were happy. Getting out and promoting is a different mindset and once I crossed over into that I just started going crazy. CONCRETE: What prompted you to begin recording? Translee: I took it upon myself. We knew the dude that had the studio. We would always joke about going and then when we started going it was like a constant thing, we just fell in love with making music. We would always freestyle and stuff when we were younger but to actually go and put something on wax it was incredible. Out of my clique I just kept doing it. In college, when I met Chris Hunter, who is like my manger, producer, engineer and Todd Marshall who is my producer too, that’s when it took off. Me and Chris would go to Atlanta and different states and try to get around and meet people. CONCRETE: Tell us about your musical progression? Translee: I use to be one of those rappers that would just fabricate a lot of things. I would get on a song and just talk about all the latest stuff that I didn’t have. I wasn’t getting anywhere and this is during the time I was interning with Collipark. When I was interning with him it was around the Soulja Boy and V.I.C. “Get Silly” time. I use to always try to impress him so I took him a CD with some song I did where I was rapping about crap, I asked him, “Are you working with this?” He said, “Look man, do you want to be somebody or do you want to be like every other rapper out here?” That hit me and I was like damn. From then on when I got in the studio, I decided I wasn’t rapping about anything unless it was something that I could do. If I could physically do it then that’s the only way it’s going in the verse. It just clicked, so I rap about things that go on in my life. CONCRETE: What interest you outside of music? Translee: Thinking about music. The people that I’m around, Collipark Music, Young Mogul, the whole company, everybody continued on pg 10

works their ass off. I’m around millionaires every day and their work ethic is insane. He’ll call me at like eight o’clock in the morning most days and will say, “What’s up, what we working on today?” When you are around people like that and you see the things that they have, how they got it, and the dedication that goes into it, you become that. Every day we bust our ass. I feel sick if I go a day and don’t do something. It’s a lot of people that just say they want to do something but they take days off or go weeks without doing it. If you want to do something you have to become it. I feel like I’m transforming in to that and it’s a good thing. You just have to work hard. CONCRETE: Deﬁne success for you? Translee: I want to be a voice. So when I speak people listen and I can try to speak whatever I can while I have that voice. CONCRETE: How did DNC come about? Translee: Digital Native Culture. That’s the company we came up with when we were in college. It basically means if you were born after 1980 then you are a digital native. You grew up in a world with all the digital stuff, even more so the kids who are growing up now. You grew up in a digital world so you’re a digital native. If you were born before 1980 then you’re a digital immigrant because you didn’t grow up with it and had to migrate to it. That’s kind of the concept behind it. As far as me, I’m really not a super tech geek, I’m not up on all the digital stuff but I know I grew up with most of the stuff.

CONCRETE: “256” with you a CP brings the club alive in Huntsville, tell us about that project? Translee: I actually had recorded that a while ago, we didn’t do it together I just emailed it to him. I use to listen to a lot of Lapone growing up. Around the city he was my favorite rapper, period. I did my first mixtape and got a lot of good responses. When I did the second one I said I have to get CP on it. I made calls, got his number and hit him up. He did it ASAP and sent it back. I just wanted to make a record everyone could enjoy. CONCRETE: Who do you look forward to working with? Translee: The producer No ID. As far as artists, Andre 3000, I would definitely work with him. CONCRETE: When can we expect an album? Translee: I want to work to that. I want to get to the point where when I sit down at that table I’m bigger than what I am now. I’m really trying to get something. That’s why we work so hard. CONCRETE: What’s next? Translee: Hopefully this record with Raheem DeVaughn, Does Anybody Love Anymore? CONCRETE: Any advice to industry new comers? Translee: Be yourself. I know it sounds cliché, but a lot of people say it and don’t do it. If you’re going to do music, do you and don’t let anyone influence how you do your music. Network and no days off.

CONCRETE: What inspires you? Jurian Isabelle: I’m a bit of a book nerd. So, when I’m not shooting you can find me in Barnes and Noble or Books a Million soaking up everything in the fashion magazines. Fashion and art inspire me a lot as far doing videos. CONCRETE: What are you listening to right now? Jurian Isabelle: The Syndicate. I really do listen to everything though. CONCRETE: All aspects of production are now digital. Do you feel creativity is being lost with digital advancements? Jurian Isabelle: Hype Williams is a big inspiration to me. He came in and brought style into the video and it looks like its leaving back out. Everyone is just obsessed with digital and ultra-realism or false reality. I’m more interested in bringing out the art and keeping the creativity in it. CONCRETE: Give us insight on the video process? Jurian Isabelle: An artist contacts me and sometimes they will come with a song or concept and want me to help bring it to fruition. Usually they’ve seen my work and want to shoot a video and don’t know what exactly they want. We will sit down and go through their songs. An artist by the name of JO was like that. He originally wanted to do a video for his song Five Shots but I heard Gettin 2 Da Money Money. It was on a CD and wasn’t finished but when I heard it I knew that was it. He won an online magazine contest and flew out to LA and everything from that video. CONCRETE: What’s next? Jurian Isabelle: I wrote a screen play for a Grammy award winning singer Ann Nesby. It’s about her life. They are pitching it to some studios now. I’m about to do some work for a girl group in Atlanta called Zip Code. My next movie Last Disciples ... coming soon. CONCRETE: Anything else you want our readers to know? Jurian Isabelle: I’m a very spiritual person, strong believer in God and the overall unity of people. I have a lot of followers on Facebook and Twitter and I want to thank them because they encourage me to keep doing what I’m doing.

88 Caprice Classic Brougham on 26 inch Dub Stasholas with TRU Candy Brandywine

The sultry R&B Blues singer has made her way back home to Alabama after having years of success on the west coast. Her humble beginnings started in gospel choirs as early as age 8. At the time, she had no vision of gracing the stage at the Apollo, however, did and would go on to win twice. Her ﬁrst single “My Knight In Shining Armor” showcased her vocal talents and new musical direction. Starr has a keen ability to captivate an audience through song, but doesn’t stop there. She’s made several motion picture appearances in The Net Net,

My Best Friend’s Wedding and Jackie Brown. Besides being the front-person, she’s also been a background vocalist for musical greats such as SOS Band, Omar Cunningham, Danise LaSalle, Little Milton and Latimore and many more. Starr is never a stranger to sharing the limelight with the best of the best. Her ﬁrst solo album was released late 2011 and appropriately titled Queen of the 21st Century Blues with the highlighted single “It’s My Turn”.””. She is accompanied now by the musical styling of the First Choice Band. Starr Adkins is truly a living legend.

*Upcoming performance dates for Starr and the First Choice Band can be found by visiting www.concrete256.com

CONCRETE: Any preferences around how you collaborate with artists? Chris Kemp: It’s different for each person. Of course someone from overseas we can’t get them into the studio. So they will go ahead and e-mail us the projects. We have the Ableton and Pro Tools and if they send us something in Pro Tools we can work on it here. A lot of times they will want live drums on their electronic music or vocals and we’ll email it back and forth. My ideal is having somebody here and they have an idea and we can produce it together. I have a lot of clients and they don’t give me a song but will say, “I want my song to have this feeling.” So, I will actually create the song around their track. CONCRETE: What separates you from other producers? Chris Kemp: I can hit every genre. I have people that come in and want me to produce Blue Grass. So I can go from Blue Grass to Dubstep. I went to Thailand with Xane two years ago and while there I took two days and went to a club we were spinning at and learned Dubstep. I sat there and just practiced Dubstep for two hours. I talked to other producers over there and they gave me a lot of ideas. When I came back to the states I started honing in on it and now we have a lot of DJs that come to us. CONCRETE: What is your favorite album from a production stand point? Chris Kemp: The one that inspired me the most is the White album from the Beatles. What they did with the equipment they had back then is mind blowing. A lot of stuff that Jimi Hendrix produced himself like All Along the Watchtower stands out. CONCRETE: What deﬁnes success in your music career? Chris Kemp: Since I was little I just wanted to make a living doing music and that’s what I’m doing. So, I guess I’ve already succeeded.

Zilla- Zilla Shit

Listening to Zilla Shit is a refreshing glimpse into what real southern street music is about. Filled with the dirty south swag we’ve gotten used to from hip hop artist Zilla couples his lyrical use of country slang with a host of others via massive guest appearances. This CD is full of features which give it the feel of a compilation but all the artists are certiﬁed and come with it on the microphone. ‘Keep pressing’ ft Junebug is anthem for anybody that’s ever had haters and relied on self motivation to keep em going. On ‘Bitch Dawg’ (also featuring Junebug) Zilla reafﬁrms his gangsta status to any doubters. ‘Like a Jungle’ gives you a view of where he came from and how he became the G he is today. If the mix has any shortcoming it would be a few tracks that could have been better produced. Even with that it’s still a very solid project.

Kristmas - W2 Boy

The ﬁrst line of the album says ‘Niggas been rapping bout trapping for so long, by having a job it felt like I was doing something wrong.’ DAMN!! This CD is a refreshing look at what really exist in the hip hop world. There are a lot of cats that don’t sell drugs that have true rap skills and Kristmas is at the top of the list. ‘Simple Economics’ breaks down how a lot of rappers lying about they’re hustle with the line ‘if everybody’s selling it then who the hell is buying.’ The ‘Kristmas goes to jail skit’ has to be the funniest shit I’ve heard in a while. ‘My Good Thang’ is an ode to remaining faithful to ya girl. I actually wish more rappers would make tracks like this cause most of the rappers I know do have a ride or die chick that they’ve been with for a while. For me this CD proves that skills aren’t exclusively synonymous with a life of crime. This is REAL people music that speaks on regular people situations and illustrates that a criminal record is NOT a requirement for a career in music.

Short Change - The Beam Up

This CD has a very familiar Southern sound that has been heard one too many times in our down South atmosphere. The intro Beam Up has a very familiar sample from one of our favorite black ﬁlms and it lost me. As I continued to listen to the Beam Up I was taken back to the days of early 3-6 Maﬁa when the subject matter was based on very typical subject matter with that deal a lot with money, balling and women. Nothing is wrong with that, however I’m looking for some southern that’s has a more current feel. The intros in songs like Pumpin All Day & Million Dollar Dreamz are too long and if I had to guess this is their 1st mix tape and they need to work on the sound of the CD, there was no mastering. Their hardest song is Dope Boi Yella and ZonedOut but their intro is too long.In closing, this CD was just ok, and I’m sure the next one will show more growth in their quest for musical greatness.

Mic Strange - Zombieland

This CD has one of the dopest intros I’ve heard in a minute especially since intro are rare on mixtapes. ‘Goin Hard’ infuses slick shit talking rhymes with a classic Posse on Broadway sample to give you that bump that’s a must if you got subs in your trunk. ‘I’m Local’ is another standout track that features Mata, Boy Wonda, Cain and Gunt who all bring dope skills to the table on this posse track. Mic Stranges unique voice blends ﬂawlessly with the top notch production throughout the CD. There are a lot of producers who don’t know how to make tracks to compliment the rappers delivery style so I love to hear it done the right way. The tracks were perfectly arranged by DJ Pyrac but as a DJ I would’ve put a few more tags on the tape to remind everybody I was in the building. Overall a very solid mix tape and a must have for your i-pod.

CONCRETE: Where you from? Haterproof: North side, Meadow Hills. CONCRETE: 2010 you gave school supplies to the kids in Meadow Hills are you going to do this again? Haterproof: I’m going to do it again this year. I wanted to do it to give back to my community and show my hood that I appreciated them. I also named my label after the hood to put my community on the map. It shows people that someone from the hood can be somebody. I’m a living legend in that hood. I’m the ﬁrst rapper to come out of there and bring it to the table. I want to make it bigger this year. CONCRETE: What inspired the song “By Myself”? Haterproof: I write about real things in life and a lot of things I do by myself. I came down here by myself and when I leave I’m going to leave by myself. You come out of your mother’s womb by yourself. It’s a real concept behind that. Everything I say I do. It keeps the mess down from dealing with different people who have hidden agendas. When you’re by yourself you don’t have to worry about none of that. CONCRETE: Who would you like to work with in the future? Haterproof: I’m not really looking to work with anyone. If you’re not reaching out to me and you see what I’m out here doing, I’m done with that. I’ve reached out to a lot of guys, and they haven’t got back with me. Everyone always says get a feature, but I feel like I’m good enough to get on by myself. Why should I pay a man to get on and get his fans, when I’m trying to build my own fans? I can take that money and invest it in myself. CONCRETE: What’s next for you? Haterproof: I’m working on the MHP Ben Frank Exclusive Part 2. It should be ready around April. CONCRETE: Any advice to industry new comers? Haterproof: Be serious about what you’re doing. Don’t do it just to be popular. Make sure your heart is in it.

CONCRETE: Deﬁne success for you in this industry? Ben Frank: Success is for me to be able to provide for my family off music. I don’t have to be rich or famous. As long as I’m doing what I love to do and can take care of what I need to take care of with it, then I’m successful. CONCRETE: Any industry setbacks? Ben Frank: Being sued. I did the beat for “Ain’t I” and it was some bad paperwork really. There was a situation before the song came out and I caught a couple of lawsuit cases behind it. I lost a lot of buddies too. It was all just a learning experience. CONCRETE: King of the Booth Vol. 2 tell us about that project? Ben Frank: It solidiﬁed me. It started making people wonder who I was and really start listening to me. The Scapbook 1 was a follow up to the King of the Booth Vol. 2, but a lot of people say they like the King of the Booth better than the Scrapbook Scrapbook. I think it was just the situations I was going through at the time I was recording them. King of the Booth was more fun and the Scrapbook was more serious. CONCRETE: First Annual Bama Music awards producer of the year, did you expect to win? Ben Frank: Not actually. I knew it was going to be between me and Mali. I thought it was going to be Mali because he has been doing it longer, and I felt he deserved it more than I did. When they gave it to me I was happy. CONCRETE: What are you currently working on? Ben Frank: I’ve been doing a lot of work with Can’t Stop Music. I just did a song for Nelly. It’s actually on a mix tape right now, called Hello Goodbye. I’ve been working with an artist in Dallas called Tre D who just got in a situation with Interscope. I’m also working with Alley Boy. I’m in the process of starting my own production company, Big Dog Productions.

CONCRETE: You DJ and produce? D. Butts: I use to play around with producing on Logic but I didn’t take it seriously. Then I started DJing and I got pretty good pretty quick, not to gloat or anything. I got lucky and I met a lot of the right people. They kind of taught me the fundamentals and showed me the right way and since then it’s been work. CONCRETE: What makes your sound different from others when you mix? D. Butts: Technique. There is a lack of technique around. Since I’ve been around, and that’s only for two years which in the great scheme of things really isn’t that long, but there’s been another generation that’s come in and they don’t appreciate it like they should. They don’t say anything with their music, as cliché as that sounds. Try to communicate something and put some emotion behind it. CONCRETE: Do you have any special rituals you do before a performance? D. Butts: Red Bull and Vodka. CONCRETE: Interests outside of music? D. Butts: I get sick of writing tunes because you can’t fake inspiration. When you do it sounds contrived and it’s not supposed to be. I like playing video games lately, as cheesy as that sounds, to occupy my time. Reading philosophy, it might be inherited since my grandmother was a theology major. CONCRETE: What is your take on the Alabama music scene? D. Butts: Weird. It’s really fad oriented. CONCRETE: What’s next for you? D. Butts: Getting 3 EPs ready for three prospective labels. CONCRETE: What’s your favorite genre? D. Butts: I’m mood dependent to be honest with you. My favorites will change depending on how my day is going. I have my high strung days and then I can revert to the laid back smoking vibes you could say.

CONCRETE: You have a new song out “For Sale” with Don Trip. Can you tell us about it? Mic Strange: I’m a huge Don Trip fan. He did a show here and the first chance I got to chop it up with him I did. I got his information and it went from there. When I got a track that I felt like would smash, I sent it to him and he had it back in three hours. CONCRETE: Why the name Mic Strange? Mic Strange: Short for microphone’s strangest. When I came up with that name the CDs that were coming out I didn’t like but everyone else did. So I figured if I do songs that are lyrical and better than what’s coming out then I’m strange. CONCRETE: Tell us about the Crazy in Alabama project? Mic Strange: That’s my new street album. It will be all original beats and very few features. The main idea is to highlight how crazy it is in Alabama with drugs and just other crazy stuff. I just do the music and I make sure it’s a story arch. The story arch has a beginning, middle, and an end. CONCRETE: What artist would you like to work with in the future? Mic Strange: People gonna be mad when I say this, but I want to do a song with Ray J. Ray J’s first CD is the soundtrack to my life when I stayed in the projects. I love Ray J’s first CD. I listen to all kinds of music R and B, rap, country, just whatever is hot. CONCRETE: Are you affiliated with a label or entertainment group? Mic Strange: I’m out here by myself, but I deal with Play Cousans. I grew up with them. I feel like the bigger I get the bigger they will get. There are only a very few people that I can say supported me. When I go to Play Cousans crib they make me feel like I’m the best.

CONCRETE: How long have you been modeling? KY Miss Diva: Almost a year. CONCRETE: Who inspires you? KY Miss Diva: My daughter. CONCRETE: Worst pick up line? KY Miss Diva: Did It Hurt? When you fell out of heaven and into my arms. LOL! CONCRETE: What deﬁnes success in your career? KY Miss Diva: Continued grind, no time for breaks. Push it to the limit. CONCRETE: Interests outside of modeling? KY Miss Diva: Acting and hosting on radio or tv. CONCRETE: What’s currently on your MP3 player? KY Miss Diva: J. Cole. CONCRETE: Advice to newcomers to the industry? KY Miss Diva: Don’t broadcast all your moves, let your actions speak for yourself.

Name: KY Miss Diva From: Kentucky Height: 5’8 Measurements: 34D-28-42