Concretemag nashville66 by CONCRETE Magazine

concrete615.com 6-10 .......................DJ Scream 12 .................................Villz 14 ................... Music Reviews 16-17 ......... A Loco Da Man & Bandplay 18 .....................Nashville 10: xx 20 .............................. T-Soul 22 .....................Nashville 10: xx 24 ......................... DJ Ofﬁcial 26 .......................Shon Skonie 28-30 ................. Fluid Outrage Publisher: Capo Ad Executive: Capo Art Director: Rex2-tm Nash 10 Photography: Tavell Brown Editorial Photography: Tavell Brown Ad Photography: Visual Flavor Ad Graphics: C3GRAFX, Kyro Ink Publishing Consultant: Bryan Deese

CONCRETE Magazine Submit2Concrete@gmail.com 615-200-7736 #ConcreteMagazine © CONCRETE Magazine 2016

CONCRETE: Can we speak on the new record “LIT”, it’s taking over the whole country? DJ Scream: Yeah, DJ Scream, 21 Savage, Juicy J, Young Dolph and produced by Dirty Costello. We made this record back in January and we wanted to do exactly what is being done. We just wanted to make a summer joint. I think that the summer deserves music. There is something about your car, the sun light and just the whole ambiance. I had to explain to everybody making this record that this is a fun record. There was some different bloggers and sites that felt like why didn’t you do this and why didn’t you do that. If you follow Scream I’ve done a lot, but this time I wanted to make a fun record and that’s what I told everybody. Look at what’s going on in the world, not that we can’t be conscious of it but sometimes you feel like you’re going to drive yourself crazy just over consuming yourself in that. I listen to LIT and I listen to a lot of other music as well but I whole-heartedly listen to LIT when I just want to ride. I have to give a shout out to them for giving me their A effort 21, Juicy J, Young Dolph and Dirty Costello. The video is out now. CONCRETE: What made you choose those artists? DJ Scream: For 21 Savage it’s like, I was the ﬁrst DJ to put out a record with Future, the ﬁrst DJ to put out a record with 2 Chainz. I wasn’t scared of that, when I did it people were kind of like what are you doing but I wasn’t scared. So I always try to put the new with the more established with the OGs. It’s kind of like drafting my team when I’m doing my records, this is what I want and hopefully the people will enjoy it. If you look back at the HoodRich Anthem tell me anybody who has put 2Chainz, Future, Gucci Mane, Waka and Yo Gotti on one effort. It was’nt easy but at the end of the day I just like to bring stuff new and fresh to the table. There came a point where I was like why did I even get into music or hip-hop? New shit period. continued on next page

New music, new source magazine, new videos, new shit. That’s what I’m here for and that’s what I enjoy doing. There’s so many people that hit me two years later like oh, we didn’t know you and Future oh my God you’re a genius. Now since 21 Savage’s project Savage Mode came out people are like oh yea we get it. That’s what excites me, I could go do the standard but that’s not what this culture is. You guys could of did a full size magazine but no you said we are going to do a small size and its going to be quality. I like that, you can memorize a CONCRETE and it’s dope and it’s fly. You can put it in your pocket and that’s your guys innovation and that’s how we have to be in this culture. CONCRETE: You mentioned the LIT attire, can you speak on that? DJ Scream: Yeah, ShopScream.com is the DJ Scream merch but we are reaching out to other people and you’re going to see other products from other independent fashion designers and more accessories. We have a lot of stuff coming especially by the holidays. Even if nothing else just check it out, we have lighters for five bucks, we have house shoes, girl shorts and everything. That’s another thing that excited me about the culture. I use to wait on them Def Jam hoodies and I still got them. When I look at that stuff I can remember exactly when and how and it’s like a time line of my life. So people will remember 2016 for the LIT attire. CONCRETE: What do you feel it took to get over that hump and reach success? DJ Scream: I never lost faith and in addition to that, I was coached properly. I was always told to just be ready. A lot of times people get opportunity and they blow it. I told myself, everyday is like a football player has to train say you don’t make the league and you get cut you have to train every day. The call isn’t going to come when you want it to come, it’s going to come when you’re not ready, so stay ready. When I was trying to get in the clubs and they wouldn’t let me in I said ok, I’m going to treat my bedroom like the club. I use to do four-hour sets in my bedroom like I was at the club. When they would throw my mixtape on the ground I would go and pick it up, dust it off and hand it to someone else. We are in a music industry that is so much different than the 80’s, 90’s and the top of the millennium. There is way more people doing it now, I was the only DJ in my neighborhood and in several neighborhoods. I was the only person that had the business savvy to run some records together, have instrumentals and do mixtapes. Now there are four in my neighborhood. Technology is a gift and a curse it helps you achieve your dream a little quicker but now you have more competition. I tell these younger guys you have to work harder than me in the sense of being consistent and not giving up. I had to lift crates, I had to pass out flyers, I didn’t have twitter and instagram to promote my mixtape. I had to go out person to person and make it happen. I think some of the young people need to use some of the traditional methods, get out there and touch the people and most important be ready. continued on next page

CONCRETE: Going back a little, you were recently in Nashville to organize a Hoodrich showcase what was the reason for that? DJ Scream: I wanted to go to different places and give artists a show and an opportunity to have a bigger platform, the platform of being able to come do an interview, or radio, or a major mixtape site. Shout out to Nick Jagger and the LVR$ and everybody else that came out. When I go to different markets that’s surreal to artist they are like one day I want to make it to LiveMixtapes, I’m like it’s not the easiest thing in the world but it’s not impossible just put your mind to it. Sometimes it may take budget or this or that but it can happen, or they say one day man I want to be able to do a mixtape with you, well that’s not impossible. It may not be easy but it’s not impossible. It’s really about moving around to these markets and letting people know that some of the stuff that is in the city that artist take for granted these quote unquote B markets or smaller markets would love to have those opportunities and just show the people that it can be done. So that was the biggest part of the thought process and also getting with people that I feel like do stuff for independents DJ Scream, Hoodrich, CONCRETE Magazine, Benjamin Brothers, mixtape kitchen. We came together not trying to rip the independence off but actually showing the independence love. CONCRETE: Do you feel technology has killed the grassroots side of promotion? DJ Scream: Yes, I salute the people that made it off of social media. But, there was something about waiting to hear the news at the top of the month, waiting for Source magazine to see what the hiphop quotable was going to be and what the ratings were going to be for the new albums that provided a certain amount of excitement. I’m not saying it’s bad that it’s happening in a different way now it’s just if you’re smart you will also look at some of the traditional methods. Kendrick Lamar says he records a lot to analog and you wonder how he gets that sound. You have to really be a true student of the game at the end of the day. CONCRETE: What can your fans be expecting from you leading into 2017? DJ Scream: Putting together some party dates and tour dates, I’ve been so conﬁned to recording and music that I haven’t been engaged so much with hitting the road. We are opening that back up so deﬁnitely coming to a city near you. We are doing pop up shops so now when we hit your city it might not be just a party it might be a pop up shop. I have a couple close endorsements I can’t leak but I have a couple dope things working. That’s pretty much it moving into 2017, I always like to salute the team the Hoodrich DJs and Hoodrich production group. The production group is really doing their thing of course we spoke about LIT and Dirty Castello produced that, Danny Wolf I can’t tell you just yet who he has been working with but it’s some big big people. Shout out to 1k and DJ Spinz we all know what he been doing. Salute to the whole team we keeping it moving and just building that momentum into 2017.

CONCRETE: Can you introduce yourself to our readers? Villz: My name is Villz, I’m from Miami, Florida by way of Orlando, Florida. I am a Nashville resident. I feel like Matthew (that is my government name) is from Florida but Villz is from Nashville. That’s because I truly became the musician that I am here. CONCRETE: Where did the name Villz come from? Villz: It didn’t come from Nashville, that’s what a lot of people think. It actually comes from my last name Sainvil. CONCRETE: So what’s your connection with Nashville? Villz: I came out here on some song writing stuff. I was brought out here two years ago by a Nashville based record label that I am signed to called Gold House. I fell in love, it’s like Nashville was also my boot camp. This is where I learned how to perform, where I learned the dynamics of a show. CONCRETE: How did Gold House ﬁnd you, and what is their involvement in your career? Villz: I’m going to always be with Gold House that’s my family. I have an amazing mentor, which is the owner of the label Al Lozano. I have a crazy sound guru engineer Ryan Fredrich, and then Mike Ewing is an amazing producer who taught me everything I know about music and my DJ is DJ GB, he is like my brother. The family is crazy, shout out to the whole team in case I missed someone.

They found me on YouTube, the video and song was trash but that’s what I like about Al because he seen the potential. CONCRETE: Tell us about the project you have in the works, is there a title for it and drop date? Villz: I don’t have a title yet. I was supposed to drop a project called Ego but that is being pushed back because that’s my passion project. I have a message to deliver when it drops and I really want to execute it the right way. Not saying what I’m about to drop is going to be any less ﬁre. This project is going to be the truth and it’s going to be delivered in a very unique way. Like I said this project is going to be real. Production wise I have Syk Sense, ENT, my dude AB, Fade Major, GB and needless to say Mike Ewing, he is on everything I do and will always be on everything I do. CONCRETE: Tell us about this big record you have out featuring Pusha T called “DRUGS.” Villz: I know there are a lot of people hating and wish I had to go in my pocket and pay for it. It was really one of those things where he heard the record and was like yo, I want a verse on there. I mean for one of the illest rappers of all time, he is one of my personal favorites to say I want a verse on your song was the moment that solidiﬁed this is what I am suppose to be doing.

Fluid Outrage - Before Rap

Before Rap starts off with a eery vibe sampling the song “Money, Power, Respect” which sets the tone of the album. “First Day on the Set” is the opener to the project and tells a story of a young kid new to the streets, hungry and soaking everything up from his surroundings. “Let It Stack” is another smooth laid back record that makes you want to pull out that old school and just ride. Over all this album is full of dope production and equally dope content. Songs like “They Don’t Know”, “Before Rap”, “Rollin in My Cadillac” and “Everything I Got” are a few of our go to records. Fluid Outrage delivered on this project, go get your copy today.

Shon Skonie - F.W.W.F.W.M

Shon Skonie is back with another one, this time he teamed up with DJ Ofﬁcial. The opening track “Drill Life” is short but sweet and leaves you wanting more. “No Pressure” starts off with a smooth piano loop and melodic hook that puts you almost in trance. Shon Skonie comes in doing what he does best, delivering raw lyrics over dope beats. “Lost Count” tells these haters that Shon Skonie is only F*ckin With Who F*ck With Him. “The Struggle” is a deep record where Shon meets an OG that gives him valuable street knowledge. This project is only eight songs and not one of them are weak. His lyrics are on point and not only does he rap his ass off he also exercises his singing voice on several tracks. This is a must have project.

Alocodaman - Esteban

Alocodaman has hit the local music scene like a tornado. His aggressive sound demands his listeners full attention, and he gets it. His latest project Esteban produced in full by Nashville’s own BandPlay is a six song sampler packed with serious bangers. “Chirp Chirp” starts off with a heavy base line, cool piano loop and a hook that gives you a Gucci Mane vibe. “Right Left” is an aggressive full of energy track that gives you a basic training feel and Alocodaman is the drill sergeant. “Vamonos” is probably the stand out track of the project, Loco ﬂexes in both English and Spanish hitting you with a hook that could be every hustlers anthem. Don’t sleep, go get the Esteban project today.

Big Root & Darkness - 615

Big Root & Darkness link with DJ Orig for this dope ass mixtape. It starts off with a really strong West coast vibe with Root and Darkness serving up some raw lines in a very smooth manner. The hook says S-I-X, O-N-E, F-I-V-E and is so catchy it will have you singing a long by the end of the song. DJ Orig does a great job blending and cutting on this mixtape which makes it hard to skip any record. Big Root and Darkness work well together to create some dope concepts. The group goes from smooth laid back records to deep dark heartfelt records. You will not hear a bunch of 808’s and auto tune on this project but you will hear some real hip-hop sh*t. This is a great listen add it to your playlist ASAP.

CONCRETE: Alocodaman where are you originally from? ALocoDaMan: East Nashville, Inglewood. My parents moved me out to the suburbs later on in Hermitage. I feel that really helped me gain the best of both worlds by growing up in the hood and then moving to the suburbs made me a balanced man. CONCRETE: For the people who are not familiar with LocoDaMan’s sound how would you describe your style? ALocoDaMan: Aggressive, I’m a really calm dude but I have an aggressive personality. If I want something I’m not going to stop until I get it. It can be a bitch, money or whatever if I want it then I’m going to turn up for it and that comes out through my music. CONCRETE: Aggressive rappers were big in the 90’s but you don’t hear that very often nowadays, do you feel that is a positive or negative?

ALocoDaMan: I feel like it’s a little bit of both. I feel like it holds me back a little because I don’t sound like anyone else. When you sound like everybody else, people are more prone to listen to you because you sound like the last rapper they heard. I also feel like it’s a positive because when I do get that proper shine on a global scale I will stand out. When you play a Loc song you’re going to know it’s me. CONCRETE: How did you get your name? ALocoDaMan: Originally, it was A Loc because I’m cripin. When I got put down in the gang they called me A Loc because my government name is Adam. When I was running around with my partners doing dirt they was like you crazy, you look like a crazy Mexican. They jokingly started calling me Loco. I just put it all together A Loco and then Da Man part comes from my real name Adam which in the bible means man.

CONCRETE: You recently dropped a project with Band Play titled Esteban where did the title come from? Bandplay: (laughing) It really started off as a Twitter joke. I was watching the movie Fresh, it’s a 90s movie based out of New York, and there is character in the movie by the name Esteban. I was like damn he looks just like Loc! I took a screenshot of it, sent it to him, and called him a looking ass. So I said f*ck it lets do a mixtape called Esteban. We really created over twenty songs together and just picked out six. CONCRETE: So will there be a Esteban 22? Bandplay: We haven’t really decided yet, as soon as we made that tape we shot down to Atlanta and started recording for like a week or two. We were going to do a tape based around the sound that Atlanta is making and bring it back up to Nashville. We are still in the air as far as what is next for the Esteban series. ALocoDaMan: We have so much music together I could drop a project today, turn around, and drop another EP tomorrow. Most likely, I’ll drop another album after this like my Straight Off the Porch project. That was my introduction and Esteban is showing people I’m still here moving and shows them my growth. CONCRETE: What can people expect from the Esteban project? ALocoDaMan: Esteban goes back to that aggression. I’m hungrier than ever, after Straight Off the Porch I’ve experienced a lot more. I took some falls and got a few more Ws under my belt so now there is more passion in it. The longer I’m not where I want to be the more pissed I get. I feel like a caged gorilla! CONCRETE: Bandplay, what made you want to team up with Loco? Bandplay: Actually I f*ck with Loc as a person. He was one of the ﬁrst people to come see me when I got out of jail in 2013. The ﬁrst song we made together was “I am” and that song went crazy. I actually believe in his music and we make great music together. CONCRETE: What else does Bandplay have in the works for the near future? Bandplay: I’m working on my “I am Bandplay 2” project. It’s a project that is produced entirely by me with some industry artist that I work with. We have Loco dropping and then another artist I’m working with that goes by Fat Talk, his EP is about to drop and we have two singles for him one featuring Young Buck called “Promise” and then the other single is just him and called “Move that sh*t”. CONCRETE: A lot of people say Nashville doesn’t have its own sound, what do you think of that? Bandplay: I can’t say Nashville really has a sound cause of the area of the United States that we are in it’s really like a bowling pot of everybody around us. You never really know what you’re going to get from Nashville now. ALocoDaMan: Everybody really has their own style, I’m not going to sit here and tell you I’m everybody’s friend but the rappers I do know down here, they do not sound like each other. Petty does not sound like STAN and their brothers, Gee Slab don’t sound like no one else. I can’t wait for the world to see there is all kinds of styles here. No offense to Atlanta but nine times out of ten artist sound alike, West coast artist sound alike and New York artist trying to sound like they from ATL. I’m just trying to put on for the city and use my resources so that we can all eat.

HomeTown: Chapel Hill, NC Measurements: 32 - 26 - 38 CONCRETE: Favorite Designer? Valentina: Gucci CONCRETE: Three artist we would ďŹ nd in your playlist? Valentina: Yo Gotti, Wiz Kalifa, Tiesto

CONCRETE: CONCRETE: From? T-Soul: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. CONCRETE: Musical process? T-Soul: I’ll spend a few hours listening to beats and searching for something that really catches my ear. I let it play and I try to put every truthful thing I can on there. CONCRETE: What are you listening to currently? T-Soul: I had “Never had a Friend Like Me” Tupac on repeat on the way here. It really ranges though there may be some Frank Sinatra, a lot of Bone and right now I can’t get off that “Halloween Havoc 2” by Lloyd Banks. CONCRETE: Who should we look out for? T-Soul: My boys Kwesi Skillz and Indie Chris who is also a producer. CONCRETE: Ill Minded Gents? T-Soul: A collab group that my brother and I are putting together. CONCRETE: What type of rapper would you consider yourself? T-Soul: Very conscious and no cursing. I feel like I can articulate my words and get my point across without f*** this f*** that. CONCRETE: “Bleed Between the Lines” mixtape concept? T-Soul: I stopped music four years ago. With this project, I wrote it, recorded and put it out all in a month. Something sparked inside of me that said, “hey get back to it.”What I write is me. I’m giving you me in my music, my heart and my soul. I bleed on the paper when I write....”bleed between the lines.” CONCRETE: Management? T-Soul: Cody. We linked in Nashville. We both lived in Hermitage. He is a very loyal dude. CONCRETE: How do your religious beliefs play into your music? T-Soul: I have none. I’m not an Atheist but I don’t have a title or a box that I ﬁt into. My grandmother helped raise me and she was Catholic. Very religious but never pressed it on me. When I lost her I was in a dark place. I talked to God and I never felt better but I did when I talked to her. Glenn Price had a strong inﬂuence on me, he is Christian and never looked down on me. I don’t put a name on it but I am spiritual. There is something there I just can’t put a title on it. CONCRETE: Our favorite mixtape track is “Addiction” what is your favorite song? T-Soul: I hate it. It’s not complex enough and took me like thirty minutes to write. I feel it’s a song you release after you already have a strong following. CONCRETE: Anything else? T-Soul: I’m a grown man, I handle my business and if you really want to get to know me listen to the music.

HomeTown: Colorado Measurements: 41-35-45 CONCRETE: Favorite Designer? SHIDA: I’m open minded, so I don’t really have one. CONCRETE: Three artist in your playlist? SHIDA: Wiz Kalifa, KevinGates, Weekend.

CONCRETE: Where are you from? DJ Official: I’m from Nashville born and raised. CONCRETE: How did you get your start as a DJ? DJ Official: I started to DJ when I was in the eighth grade. I actually had a studio popping off at first, everybody would come by the house and record but nobody wanted to pay. My neighbor ended up asking me to DJ her daughter’s party and I said why not. I did my first party with two DVD players and a house radio. I made my first fifty dollars and I have been DJing ever since. CONCRETE: Who are some of your DJ influences? DJ Official: It was actually a local DJ by the name of DJ Swisher. He passed away a few years ago but he was doing all the teen parties. CONCRETE: You DJ a lot of clubs but also have some mixtapes coming out, can you speak on that? DJ Official: I have the “Off the porch” mixtape already out, I have “Trapping catching cases” with me and Bryant D that’s already out and I have “Fuck With Who Fuck With You” (FWWFWY) coming out. CONCRETE: You were recently a victim of a violent crime and were shot five times, can you tell us what happened? DJ Official: The number one thing that ran through my mind was, “What did I do to deserve this?”, Was it my fault?”, “Is this what God had in store for me?” I wake up every morning having to deal with these bandages, and this bullet that’s still in my chest. CONCRETE: How did this whole thing happen? DJ Official: I was setting up for a session. Before I knew it the garage to the studio flew open and four people ran in with guns, asking where the money at? I told them it was in the car and three of them went outside. When they left, I slammed the door back down and the one guy that was inside tried to start shooting but his gun jammed. I started tussling with him and I heard the garage door come back up and shots just starting to ring out. This isn’t the first time I was shot but this is the first time I felt like I wasn’t suppose to make it. CONCRETE: After you were shot you were heavy on Snapchat, why did you feel that was necessary? DJ Official: Yeah, people were clowning me because I got shot and put it on Snapchat. Some people disagreed with it and some people agreed with it. Everybody was asking me how I’m feeling, well I’m going to show you how I’m feeling and how I’m doing. Words can’t explain how I’m feeling so I wanted to show people and let them see for themselves. CONCRETE: There seems to be a lot of holding each other back with artist in Nashville, is it the same with the DJs? DJ Official: It’s the same, it’s cool to be about the money but it’s also how you go about getting it. You don’t want to make any unnecessary enemies. In the DJ world it’s like everybody wants to undercut, everybody has a big head, but really at the end of the day people just want to hear their favorite songs.

CONCRETE: Where are you from and how did you start rapping? Shon Skonie: I’m from north Memphis, from Hollywood and Chelsey. I started off writing poetry and from there about 7th grade I had a partner who would write raps and he said you need to try and write a rap. I tried it and after I wrote the verse all these people messed with it. At the time my uncle rapped and I looked up to him. I went to his room where he was making beats and told him let me get on there. He told me to spit a verse, he liked it and I have been rapping ever since. As time went by, I found my sound and what I wanted to represent. CONCRETE: What was it you wanted to represent? Shon Skonie: Real life musc. When I say that it means there are different things you go through in life. There are sad times, good times, heartbreak and everyone experiences these things. I make different songs for different feelings. A lot of music out today is geared towards partying and life isn’t about that all the time so I steer towards more in depth subject matter. CONCRETE: Tell us what people can expect from your “Ready to Drill” project Shon Skonie: They can expect a well-balanced collection of music. It’s not a project where all the songs are geared towards the same subject matter. You have songs like “Black Lives Matter” that touches on the controversy that is going on in the black community with police brutality as well as black on black crime. Songs like “Hold Up” is about me having a conversation with me and an OG. He spitting knowledge to me and I convey that through the song. You can always expect a well-balanced collection of music from me. CONCRETE: On some of the songs, you sing the hooks, which came ﬁrst singing or spitting? Shon Skonie: Singing actually, I started singing when I was three in the church choir. I have a project that is more R&B driven called “Sample My Soul” you can ﬁnd it on Datpiff. CONCRETE: You mentioned today’s youth is attracted to the negative aspect of things and the lack of positivity in today’s industry can you explain? Shon Skonie: I feel the generation we are in now, there are no OGs in the rap game, and there is nobody with that knowledge that is really trying to teach them. So the generation of rappers that grew up today pretty much taught themselves. If you have no guidance and you try and teach yourself something all your going to do is constantly bump your head but because you taught yourself you have this self empowerment as though nobody can tell me anything. Once you made it, you feel like you the OG now and really you don’t know sh*t. Like the bible say’s we parish for a lack of knowledge.

CONCRETE: What’s your favorite song off this project? Fluid Outrage: “Let It Stack” was one. “Did It All Before” just because it’s real soulful and I can actually see all that was going on as I listen to the song it’s almost like going back in time and then” First Time On the Set”. I really enjoyed putting the entire project together so it’s really hard to pick just one. I really just let the people be the judge and pick their favorite. CONCRETE: In an industry where everything is single driven do you feel it can hurt you releasing so much music? Fluid Outrage: I think it sets me a part but I also feel like there are some artists that are good at making albums and some artist are good at making singles. Some artists have the situation to take a single and make it a hit. I don’t think it will hurt me, this is a concept album and I wanted to really stick with the story I had. CONCRETE: You also dropped a project with DJ Spade, why drop two projects at the same time? Fluid Outrage: 1995 the mixtape hosted by DJ Spade is basically a collection of songs that didn’t make the album blended in with a half song or two that’s on the album. Really it’s just a teaser something I can give away to get the people ready. It’s just another way for me to stay out there and keep building my presence. I’ve been on the road a lot just building the brand. From South By South West to Scarface, Florida with Juicy J, Scotty ATL, and Quanie Cash tour. I was just branding all those spots with my name and getting them familiar with the brand. CONCRETE: You have an extremely strong presence with promo material, shirts, wristbands, hand towels, hats and more. Why do you feel it’s so important to have that? Fluid Outrage: I feel like you have to get your name out there any way possible. Even if I have to go spray paint it on the interstate. I want people to say I can’t go anywhere without seeing this dude. When you build a presence like that, you’re going to want to hear and see what it’s about. We pull up twenty deep jumping out of sprinters every one wearing before rap material and the people are like who is this. I feel it’s important to get your brand out there before you all the way get your music out there. CONCRETE: You have the Before Rap project but you also have Before Rap Deluxe Edition what is the difference between the two? Fluid Outrage: Before Rap the album is fourteen tracks, the deluxe has eighteen tracks on it, and that’s for my true fans. It’s a marketing strategy it’s like I have the deluxe for ten dollars but if you don’t have the ten I have the other one for ﬁve. CONCRETE: How do you feel about artists giving away free CDs? Fluid Outrage: I feel like its back to the E-40, Master P days, its back to out the truck and actually reaching out to the people. The internet is cool but that’s for reaching the people that you can’t touch daily. You can make a lot of money off your music if you have something that is good and you just get out there and hustle it.

CONCRETE: You have a few projects out but let’s discuss the Before Rap project, which had a crazy campaign leading up to it, can you explain that? Fluid Outrage: I actually skipped an album. I had one I was going to drop called The Return. Something hit me and I was like I have to go harder, I have to create a new sound. Then that Before Rap shit came to me and I was like this is it. The ﬁrst song I recorded was called “Before Rap” and my girl heard it and was like that’s it right there. I have never worked on a project this long but a whole year later it came out right. CONCRETE: Where did the title Before Rap come from? Fluid Outrage: It’s just my life before rap, certain situations growing up, everyday life, something the people can relate to. CONCRETE: Who are some producers you worked with on this project? Fluid Outrage: Young & Fly beats they’re real crazy, they produced about four joints on there. Another cat named Alley Mo from Chicago, then my homie Big Head on the beat from Cali. There is like seven producers on there, it’s the ear that I have it wasn’t hard to mold them all together, it all meshed good. CONCRETE: What can the people expect from this project? Fluid Outrage: They can expect originality, some really good sounding beats, nothing too crazy not a lot of key board going up and down trying to mimic all the sounds that’s out right now. A lot of artists are like ‘I want a sound that sounds like this’ but if that isn’t you, you’re not going to be that. You have to make your sound and when you hear Before Rap you’re going to hear the Fluid sound. It’s that down South, Nashville, the real Fluid Outrage. CONCRETE: We have been asking a lot of people if they feel Nashville has its own sound, what’s your thoughts on that? Fluid Outrage: Sometimes you can tell what is a local sound verses what is a worldwide sound. I think since we have only had two artist who went national with their sound we haven’t established one push of a sound. When you hear Texas, you know its Texas or Atlanta or Memphis. I come from the golden age of the game so I know what original beats sound like. So once, I added my ear to the production side and people hear Before Rap they are like this is the Nashville sound. I worked on this project for a year. I can normally pump out like two hundred songs in that time. I minimized my studio time and only went to the studio once a week. I got really serious about the songs with my engineer Lee from Axis1 and we created a baby. CONCRETE: What’s your writing process? Fluid Outrage: One song on there “South Side” I already had the song written. I went to the studio and did not have a beat for it. I’m sitting in the studio going through beats and I heard this one track and was like that’s the beat for this song. Songs I didn’t write I just went into the studio and vibed. The Before Rap album is a story it’s like a mini movie. continued on next page