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38 10. 54.
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IX XXCLUSiVES
38. ARIEZ ONASiS
iCell Phone Watches, Gee Roberson, Danny Up and coming Worcester, MA Brown, A$AP Rocky, Mike Will Made It. artist, Ariez Onasis, is striving to put on for a city that has, until now, been flying under the radar.
24. IX FASHiON
Check out a couple must have spring jackets. Brought to you by Bob’s Classic Kicks.
32. ANDRE SCOtT
Meet Andre Scott, the man behind the Brooklyn Zoo Jordan 1 sneakers and CEO of PMK Customs.
54. JAE TiPS
Check out this issue’s co-sign of the month. Bronx, NY emcee, Jae Tips
EVEN MORE...
21. On The Radar
Hailing from Miami, Jigg, is starting to heat up in the streets. Following the release of his recent mixtape, High Grade 2.
True hip-hop fans know this man needs no introduction, but, for those who may not know who The Chef is, this is for you.
59. Juelz Is Finally Back
Young Harlem R&B singer, Deon Young, looks to take the industry by storm as he preps his debut release.
56. Raekwon True OG Status
The title says it all. Santana has returned, A!
13. 1-on-1
51. Politics
What does Obama’s win mean for you and your college education?
34. Making It In America
Are you looking for a new job, or maybe you’re interested in starting your own business. Whelp, this article is just for you.
52. Sex Talk
Having a hard time pleasing your woman? How do you ask her man for a 3some? Are you struggling, looking for the answers to these questions? Well, you’re in luck, Mr. Stansfield has all of the answers!
50. How To Budget Your First Big Check?
Congratulations, you just received your first 5 or 6 figure check, now what? Before you hit the mall, you might want to see what Financial Advisor, Marcus Matthews has to say.
14. Art & Culture
Apart of the hip-hop industry for a decade and a half, Mike Schreiber has been able to work his way into the photography elite.
Editor’s Words
Ready For The Big Stage!
READY FOR THE BIG STAGE, A STATEMENT EVERYONE CAN RELATE TOO, BUT ONLY A FEW WILL EXPERIENCE. THE COVER STORY FOR THIS MONTH’S ISSUE WASN’T ONLY APPROPRIATE FOR JON CONNOR, BUT IX AS A WHOLE. IT’S A TOUGH PROCESS COMING INTO AN INDUSTRY THAT’S DOMINATED BY VETERAN PUBLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND ALMOST LONGER THAN YOU, BUT HEY, NOBODY EVER SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE EASY. AND AS WE
strive to position ourselves as a premiere publication, we’re anxiously awaiting our breakout moment. So, for our premier issue, we bring you an “xxclusive” interview with one of the hottest up and coming artists of our time, Flint rapper, Jon Connor. Hailing from the small Michigan city, that houses a little over 100,000 residents, Connor, like any other emcee, has hopes of becoming a household name. However, as opposed to a lot of other rappers of today, Jon Connor has an extreme amount of talent. And the fact that he is co-signed by hip-hop great, Nas, and backed by former NBA player and Michigan State standout, Mateen Cleaves, only adds fuel to the fire.
And being a hometown hero, it was only right that we captured Jon right where it all started, on the front porch of his childhood home. As the table of contents shows, we have a full line-up. Make sure you check em’ all out, no skipping pages. Stay Away From Molly,
Edward “EJ” Burney Edward “EJ” Burney ej@ixmag-online.com @ej_trey
MAGAZINE
IX FEB. 2013
PUBLISHER/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDWARD “EJ” BURNEY
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER SALES & MARKETING SHE’TARA WATKINS
ARTICLE EDITOR NICOLE DIXSON
GRAPHICS
KAMAL EMMANUEL
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS TONE STANSFIELD LISA MARIE GREG KINGLEY KIM JOHNSON SORILBRAN STONE LIBBY NELSON
WWW.IXMAG-ONLINE.COM
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GETTING RECOGNITION FROM SOME OF RAPS BIGGEST NAMES, JON CONNOR IS NOW READY TO PROVE THAT HE CAN BACK UP ALL OF THE TALK.
IX XXCLUSIVES With technology expanding and evolving everyday, have Mahad Dar and Metta World Peace come up with the next great gadget?
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rom Queens, to the court, to the booth, Metta World Peace, formally known as Ron Artest is now ready to take a stab at the tech world with iCell Phone Watches, a brand new digital watch that doubles as a fully functional cell phone. Los Angeles based executive producer, Mahad Dar, the man behind Juicy J’s video, Bandz A Make Her Dance, and Artest have teamed up to bring this innovative item into the marketplace. The iCell Phone Watches are stylish wrist wear that consumers can sport while working out, jogging, or just about any other activity you can think of. In a recent interview with IX Mahad stated that“Whatever you need is accessible on this watch. You want to listen to music, you can do it straight from your watch. You want to go on the
internet, you want to check your email, make a phone call? Whatever you want to do is right on your wrist.” Now that the technology world is more advanced and competitive than ever, it’s understood that with new innovative ideas will come new and innovative copiers. But, no worries, Mahad is more than confident that iCell Phone Watch will become and remain industry leaders, in an industry that currently enlists only one company. “Whoever introduces the product first is the main dog. If you look at Red Bull, they will always be the biggest energy drink. I think that’s the same thing with iCell Phone Watch, this company will always be the biggest company out there.” Affordable, comfortable, and trendy, these are a couple of the main factors customers of today look for when planning their next purchase. And being priced at a mere $200, iCell Phone Watches just so happens to be all three. Features like, a touchscreen, 640x280 photo capabilities, and bluetooth, will help to make iCell Phone Watches one of 2013’s hot new gadgets. So, if your interested in purchasing one of these bad boys, head over to iCellwatch.com and pick out a color.
A
HIP-HOP VETERAN, GEE ROBERSON FORMS NEW LABEL, BLUEPRINT GROUP
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ee Roberson, the man behind a lot of hip-hop talent, such as Drake, Lil Wayne, and Kayne West, has moved on from his role as Chairman over at Geffen Records to form and operate his own record label, which is called Blueprint Group. Blueprint Group will act as a recording label and a full management and artist development company. Along with Roberson, Cortez Bryant, long time manager of Lil Wayne, will serve as Co-CEO of the label. In a statement recently released, Gee stated “I’m very happy about the knowledge and experience I gained at Geffen that will be very useful going forward in the future. Now it’s time to go back to my roots, that entrepreneurial spirit, wrap my arms around my own label and fold it into Interscope Geffen A&M.” Roberson has already enlisted acts such as, Chicago’s rap duo, LEP Bogus Boys and rapper/producer Hit Boy to the Blueprint roster. Gee has been very influential within the hip-hop industry through his company Hip-Hop Since 1978, which merged with Cortez Bryant’s, Bryant Management, and has managed the careers of Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Drake, and a few others. It’s going to be exciting to see what Bryant and Roberson will do with their own label, stay tuned.- Kim Johnson
A DANNY BROWN GETS READY TO RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM
After releasing his critically acclaimed mixtape, XXX, the Detroit emcee known as Danny Brown is finally ready to capitalize on that success and release his official, debut LP, which will be entitled OLD. During an interview with Fader Magazine, the toothless rapper states that the full-length album is officially 100% completed. “The new album is done,” he says. “We’re pretty much just figuring out a way of presenting it the right way to release it. I can’t really elaborate on what the title means until the album comes out, and then they’ll get it. I don’t want to give away too much because then it’ll be a much more rewarding listen for my fans.” The rapper also states the difference between his mixtape, XXX and the debut album. “It’s a rewarding listen when I listen to it. I don’t know if I laugh as much. I think I laugh when it’s over with, and that’s the difference between this album and XXX. With XXX, you laugh throughout it.” So, keep your ear to the streets as we all wait for the official release date! Lisa Marie
AMIDST ALBUM LEAKS, A$AP ROCKY DELIVERS A SOLID DEBUT With the internet being a very controlling factor in today’s hip-hop game, you see artists’ everyday placing full albums online for our listening pleasure. However, it’s a totally different story when your full debut album gets leaked a month before its release date and you were not the one who did it. So, what’s an A$APer to do? Just keep it moving as any other Harlem cat would. Riding a wave that found the young Harlem standout slowly but surely becoming a hip-hop household name, Rocky has finally put out his debut effort. Continuing with that southern style that all the ASAP fans have come to love, Rocky produces a very solid debut album. A couple of the standout joints to check out are: PMW featuring Schoolboy Q, Train, which features a hand full of industry artist’, and also Fashion Killa. And even though the album did leak a month early, it was still able to debut #1 on the charts with 140,000 units moved the first week. So, ha, take that pirates!- Lisa Marie
THE
RETURN
OF
THE
REAL
One of the most important things about fashion is to understand that, all things will repeat themselves. So, as we enter into a New Year, one of the most prominent shoes in the sneaker industry has once again become a hot topic amongst avid hip-hop fans and sneakerheads, alike. New Balance is now returning to its rightful place as an urban elite. Staying true to it’s grass roots, nothing has changed with the design, still that same stylish, comfortable shoe that we all grew up on and all you youngins’ will be proud to rock.
IX
TOP5 Jae Tips Top 5 Sneakers
not in any order
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
JORDAN 4 JORDAN 3 JORDAN 11 AIR MAX 1 LEBRON 8
HEATING UP: MIKE A SWITCH IN THE CAMERA INDUSTRY GIVES WILL MADE IT INDIE FILMMAKERS MORE POWER THAN EVER So, you have the next big blockbuster movie idea, but, let me guess, you have no Hollywood connects, now what? How about you film it yourself. Yes, you heard me right. For a small investment of, under, $1,000, you can be on track to filming your first indie flick.
EMERGING SUPERSTAR PRODUCER, MILL WILL MADE IT, IS BUILDING UP A GREAT RESUME.
Let me start by saying, just buying a camera alone will not give you the ability to produce your own independent movie. You will still need common knowledge of film cinematography and the whole movie process. Now that the red tape is out of the way, let’s get to business. OK, you have your script, you have your crew, and you have your cast, however, you have nothing to film with, problem solved. Both Canon & Nikon have comprised digital SLR’s specifically for that reason. The Canon T4i and Nikon 3200, both are an independent filmmaker’s dream come true. Both priced under $1,000 and shooting in 1080p/ 24fps, these DSLR’s are just what you will need to make your filmmaking dreams a reality. And yes, the video quality on these two beast are exceptional. Crispy clear films and ISO’s ranging between 100-12,800, these items are surely two must have products. - Greg Kingley
The young 23 year old, ATL native, Mike Williams, better known as Mike Will Made It, has been making a lot of noise in the music industry as of recently. The man responsible for hits such as Bandz A Make Her Dance, Turn On The Lights, Tupac’s Back, Pour It Up, and a slew of other tracks, Mike Will is one of the hottest producers out today. Getting his start back during Gucci Mane’s mixtape reign, which found the ATL trap spitter, freestyling over numerous of Mike’s beats, the young producer hasn’t looked back since. Since making his first beat, Mike Will has released two successful mixtapes, Est. 1989 Vol. 1 & 2, which features, Big Sean, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Future, and many more. As he moves forward with his career and continues to climb that ladder, you can expect a lot more from Mike Will Made It.- Greg Kingley
AND OUT OF NOWHERE COMES TRINIDAD JAMES The world of hip-hop has unquestionably changed. Now, instead of running to the local cd shops, or rushing home from school to watch MTV and BET, hip-hop patrons are clouding the internet. They’re logging into social sites like Youtube and Worldstar to check out their favorite artist’s new videos, latest singles, and whatever else they can find. One of the most popular artists as of recently is Trinidad James. This native of Trinidad and current ATL resident has been able to amass a large amount of both fans and money, all thanks to, you guessed it, the Worldwide Web. Signing a multi-million dollar deal with Def Jam in Dec. of 2012, James is now ready to turn that internet success into a promising career. Following the success of his single “All Gold Everything”, Trinidad James says he’s now going to show us that he’s no one hit wonder. Well, we’re all waiting and watching.- Kim Johnson
ideas. And you know French can relate to it, so the song just made itself. What can fans expect on your debut album? You can expect some edginess, some party tracks, some emotional tracks, tracks that you can bob your head to, definitely some club records. It’s gone be a story, something that people can listen to and understand and relate to. It’s a lot of real life situations I’m gone put on there. What all Harlem artists do you listen to? I listen to a lot of Harlem dudes, Dip Set, Big L (R.I.P). We got a lot of people that are letting their presence be felt around the world. You got Vado, ASAP Rocky. I listen to all these dudes, and I like what they are doing. And they definitely inspire me to let my presence be felt around the world as well, and do what I got to do. What’s one reason why fans should grab your debut album, Forever Young. It’s real music, real RnB. It’s something new, something fun. I feel that it’s a refreshment to music.
1-on-1
With Harlem Sensation Deon
RnB Young
With his new single, “Party Life”, which features fellow New York artist French Montana, tearing up the internet, newbie Harlem singer, Deon Young, looks to break into the industry in a major way. After dropping 2 mixtapes and inking a deal with Epic Records, Deon is now preparing for the release of his debut album, Forever Young. Check it out as IX goes 1-on-1 with this rising star. What prompted you to make the switch from rapping to singing? It was the whole groove of that genre. As a rapper, you’re listening to those Marvin Gaye beats, the Luther Vandross beats, and then you put some bars to those beats first. So, I’ve always loved hearing that sound, and I always loved to sing. Plus the reaction you get from the girls, ya know, that’s going to give you a little extra drive. How did the single with French come about? It was just linking up on a topic that comes up a lot and we were just having fun. New York has a big party scene. I actually had an experience when I had went to a party, then I went to the studio and just laid down my thoughts and
ART & CULTURE
MIKE
A
SCHREIBER HIP-HOP’S TRUEST PHOTOGRAPHER
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by rds Wo
arie aM s i L
s the old saying goes, “You never know what you can do until you try”, at least that’s how I think it goes. Needless to say, if this saying doesn’t fit anyone else, it for damn sure fits Mike Schreiber. This self taught, New York, photographer has captured some of hip-hop’s most passionate moments for the last decade and a half, ranging from Jim Jones, Eminem, C-Murder, Mos Def and also Brooklyn emcee, Maino. This UConn alum, whose college major was Anthropology, has made sure that through his years of shooting, one thing remains the same, he does the type of photography he likes. Black and white street photography that has the ability to say much more than 1000 words, is the style that Mike has been able to master as he maneuvered his way through the streets of New York. Going from college school paper to shooting some of hip-hop’s biggest names, Mike Schreiber has now solidified his place in photography royalty. Check out a few pictures from his collection and get Mike’s photography background.
Getting started in Photography I started school as an art major, but I didn’t really like being in the art department so I switched to Anthropology. Then I worked for the school paper as a photographer, so that was kind of like my training. As far as shooting professionally, I worked for a photo agency and I saw how the photographers would come in with their pictures, and they were concert pictures and it just looked like fun, so I figured out how to start doing it. And one thing lead
to another and I started making money. Developing photography style. I just figured out what I liked to do and what kind of pictures I liked, and that’s what I stuck with. My personality is much more all over the place and less controlled. So how you would be controlled in a studio environment never appealed to me. Doing environmental portraits or going to where people are has been better for me. It’s just more interesting, I think that’s where the background in Anthropology comes
in, it’s like the study of an actual person. So rather I’m in Mississippi with David Banner or in New Orleans with C-Murder, it’s a lot more information and a lot more interesting than them coming to a studio. It definitely developed over time, with me knowing what was best for me and sticking to that. Take on film and digital photography. I always shoot film. I’ve only shot digital a hand full of times and that was only when the client insisted on it. I really have no interest in digital or any aspect of it. It’s a totally different medium to me. It’s kind of like oil painters or water painters, they’re both painters but it’s just totally different. Digital is all about post production and fixing things after the fact, film is more about just doing it and getting it right, in the camera. Getting into Hip-Hop photography. When I first started I was shooting concerts, I was shooting for Spin Magazine a lot, so it was a lot of rock-n-roll stuff. But with Hip-Hop, I would go through the Village Voice, when it came out every week and circle every show I wanted to go to, then find out who the publicist was for that artist, fax them a request for a photo pass and then go to the shows. A lot of the shows that I wanted to go to were hip-hop shows. A lot of times I was able to get backstage and get some exclusive stuff, that other people weren’t getting. And The Source had the coast-to-coast section and Vibe had In The Mix, so I would go in there with my slides and just try to sell the pictures, kind of like a door-to-door salesman. The Source would pay me $85 a picture and Vibe would pay me $60, so if I sold four pictures to The Source and three to Vibe, I was able to pay my rent. And once I started getting stuff on those pages, the publicist would call me directly and ask me to come to things, like a record release party, because they knew that I could get their artist in the magazines. The hustler mentality has always prevailed in hiphop and it definitely worked for me, cause I was just hustling. I was getting whatever pictures I could get and then try to be the first one to the magazines the next day to try to sell them. And it just went from there.
different pictures and how they came about. And people always ask me how I got started, so it’s my journey through shooting rappers and being in the industry. And it’s not like an encyclopedia of rappers, because I haven’t shot everybody. It’s more of my approach to how I shoot, I try to stay true to the subject and I try to stay true to myself. I just shoot the artist like they are instead of the character of a rapper. I always tried True Hip-Hop the book. This was my last 13 years of work. The earliest picture to stay away from that, because it’s not very interestin there is from 1998, the picture of Mos Def and the ing to me. latest picture in there is Maino. There’s stories from
“I JUST TRY TO GET THAT NATURAL PICTURE. I THINK THAT’S WHY PEOPLE LIKE MY PHOTOGRAPHY SO MUCH BECAUSE IT SEEMS MUCH MORE NATURAL, IT’S LIKE I JUST RAN INTO SOMEBODY ON THE STREET.”
The Angola Prison Shoot I was watching a documentary about, I think it’s called The Farm, and it was about the Angola Prison Rodeo, I had no idea that things like this even happened. I was fascinated that there was a rodeo with prisoners. Then I did a little research and found out that it has been going on for the last forty-five years and that 10,000 people show up every Sunday in October. It was actually hard to get in and get a photo pass and permission. Luckily I knew somebody who use to be at Vibe and was, at the time, working for Life Magazine. They gave me a letter saying that I was shooting for them. Vibe offered to give me a letter but the prison rejected it, because Vibe isn’t allowed in the prison. And I had never been to a prison before, it was an eye opening experience, it was very, very surreal. It was crazy, talking to some of the prisoners, they were nice people and had been locked up for thirty years, that was almost my whole life at the time. I was just wondering what the hell did you do to be here for thirty years. I remember when I shot C-Murder after he got out of jail, a year after Hurricane Katrina and he told me that, during
the hurricane people were mad because they evacuated the prisoners from New Orleans but not the regular citizens, and he was one of the prisoners that got evacuated. He told me that he had got sent to Angola Prison and I had let him know that I had been there to shoot the rodeo and he let me know that it was an extremely racist environment. I had knew, because I went there and saw how things were, but to hear it from that end was pretty crazy.
Preparation behind planning shoots. I usually have a sort of rough outline in my head. Like with the Maino shoot, we definitely had an outline because it was for the album package. I’ll find a place to go to and just go from there. Usually there’s really not much planning on my part, I like to keep it loose and sort of find an interested location, even if it’s just a wall with texture, it just adds a little more than just a white background. And with black-nwhite you really don’t have to worry about crazy colors, it really breaks everything down and makes it easier. I just don’t like concepts and stuff like that, I think that they look contracted and it’s really hard to pull that off. I’m like a documentary, street photographer at heart and by nature. So, I sort of take portraits within that frame. It’s like I know I’m shooting Jim Jones but it’s like it’s not planned. I just try to get that natural picture. I think that’s why people like my photography so much because it seems much more natural, it’s like I just ran into somebody on the street.
Photoshoot with Maino. This was for his first album. The idea behind it was to kind of show, where he’d come from. It was going back to the years before he got locked up, to his hustling and the mirrors, those were the actual Polaroid’s he had when he was locked up, so we just tried to re-create that. That’s why I put so many pictures from that shoot on my website, because I wanted to show it as the whole story. That shoot as a whole succeeded in everything that they said they wanted. And there’s a lot of dimensions to Maino. There’s the fact that he came from where he came from and got out and succeeded, that’s real inspirational, and I think the pictures look really good. Especially the cover picture, that’s one of my favorite portraits.
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ON THE RADAR
WHETHER YOUR “BOUT THAT LIFE” OR NOT, 1 THING FOR SURE, 2 THINGS FOR CERTAIN, MIAMI EMCEE JIGG, HAS SOMETHING FOR YOU. The local scene in Miami has produced a couple of Hip-Hop heavyweights, with the likes of old school down south legends like Uncle Luke Trick Daddy, and JT Money. And now with, WORDS BY EJ BURNEY IMAGES BY DERICK G
arguably, the biggest rapper in the game, Rick Ross (no pun intended). As everything picks up in the city, which has been dubbed M.I.Y.A.Y.O, slang for that love-
ly white product, one rapper is really starting to stick out and separate himself from the pack. Having no gimmicks or catchy dances,
Jigg, instead depends on his ability to display vivid street tales that everyone can relate too, rather you’re from the streets or not. IX recently had the pleasure of speaking with the Miamian to discuss his passion for music, his upcoming in the rap industry, and his new mixtape High Grade 2
Listening to your music, it’s like a mixture between street music and, I guess what they call conscience music. How would you personally categorize your style? It’s hard for me to put myself in a box, I just speak on the issues that I dealt with growing up. My music is from my point of view. I grew up in the street life, so of course you’re going to hear those street tales, but it’s a more mature street side. I feel like it’s not so overly ignorant. It gives you those aspects in life of what I been through, but also the side of it like, what you can be doing and giving hope to people who live that lifestyle that I came up in.
“I talk about issues people can relate to and through my music you can tell that I’m being genuine and talking about things that I’m actually going through myself”
Now, have you kind of been able to snatch fans from both sides of the fence, people that grew up like you and then fans that just enjoy your music, but they have not lived that same type of lifestyle? Yea, yea! That’s the major thing about music. A lot of the fans that I run into, from Kentucky, Alabama, white folks, black folks, Spanish folks, they never been to a ghetto. But they really recognize the passion and honesty in my music. That was real amazing to me when I started seeing that, cause I already had the street fans, but it’s amazing to see people of that type of lifestyle accept it and really be fans of my music. How does that make you feel when the people run up on you and recognize your music? Especially people who grew up a little different from you. It’s amazing man! It’s times like that, that makes everything worth it. Being in this spot and as an artist in this business doing hard work, a lot of times you don’t reach the fruits of your labor for a long time. Times like that make me feel like all the hard work is worth it. You got people that I never met coming up to me, and they’re passionate and really love my music and can’t wait to hear what I have coming next. That’s an indescribable feeling, it’s a blessing to have fans like that.
I study the game, first and foremost, I am a fan of music, I just really love quality music. So when I jumped into this game I knew I had to put my best foot forward and make my best music. And in this day and age, you really got to know how to market yourself. I got my campaign together, I knew my demographics, created my brand and really just gave it a 110% towards that brand. I made sure that I marketed myself in the right way and didn’t just rely on my talent. A lot of people now of days just rely on their talent. They think cause they good, they gone get out there. I really grind and marketed myself, and that’s been real beneficial for me.
OK, now you’ve stated before that you started rapping four years ago. How have you been able to build up a buzz in a relatively small amount of time?
Do you have a team behind you, or it’s just you by yourself? Yea, I’m basically like an one man army. I got a couple of people that I rock with and things like that,
production. Basically what it was, I took people into my world, from A to Z. My highs, my lows and everything in between. The people really loved it, they really wasn’t use to a project like that. I was able to win Mixtape of The Year award for an independent artist, on 305.com. So, it was really critically acclaimed. That set me up to where I’m at now. OK. Now your next one was Spittaduction. First off, let’s get the meaning behind the name. That was the name that I chose because, you have all different types of artist, but I feel that I’m a spitta at heart. In laymen terms, that’s another word for a lyricist. I feel that even though I had High Grade, it was still people that didn’t know who I was and that I was a lyricist at heart. I was getting a lot of new fans, so I really wanted to take them to the grass roots of my talent. So, Spittaduction let you know what I’m about. So, before we go into High Grade 2, I just wanted to let them know that I’m extremely talented and I’m a versatile artist.
but for the most part, I’m unsigned, I never had a manager or nothing like that. I’m gone do everything on my own and make sure my campaign is strong enough before I align myself with these people. I been having meetings for the last year, but I’m gone wait and see what I can do on my own before I rush any decisions, ya know? Yea. Now let’s go through a little time line of your mixtapes. Your first one was High Grade, right? Yea. With you being a new artist when that came out, what was the reaction from the fans? Man, the reaction for that was overwhelming. To this day I still get people who listen to that mixtape and that was released last year, in April. It was a great body of work, I really took my time with it. It’s all original beats, real great
OK, and you had DJ Drama and Don Cannon on that, how did you link up with them? The executive producer on High Grade, DJ Folk, he been rocking with me for a few years, that’s one of my partners. He’s done a lot of A&R work and he has built a lot of great relationships with people in this industry. So, DJ Drama and Don Cannon heard my music by way of him and the opportunity presented itself. Now, from when you first started rapping and now that you have dropped High Grade 2, how have you grown as an artist from then up until now? I’ve grown tremendously, I didn’t know nothing about this business when I started out. I didn’t know about no blogs, I didn’t know about no DJs, I didn’t know about the industry, I just didn’t know nothing. I just had a talent and I felt like I was worthy enough to bring my brand to the masses. So now, I’ve made great relationships and it’s a new experience in life, which you will hear in my music. Everything has changed for the better, it’s a new Continue on pg. 67
XXCLUSIVE FASHION
As the weather begins to finally break, we still have a few more months of jacket and sweater weather. So, with that being said, check out these stylish threads, brought to you by Detroit clothing & shoe boutique, Bob’s Classic Kicks. Images BY: EJ Burney
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WORDS & PICTURE BY EDWARD “EJ” BURNEY
IX BUSINESS
Stepping In Style WITH ANDRE SCOTT
Cleveland entrepreneur, Andre Scott, looks to build his company, PMK Customs, into a sneaker powerhouse, even if he isn’t a sneaker head.
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Off the record. As a journalist, you better pay real close attention when the interviewee speaks these words, the misuse of said information could easily make or break your career. So, as I casually spoke with Andre Scott after we conducted the interview, he made sure to reiterate that fact once more. “Hey, that recorder’s off right” Scott said right before he let loose of some momentum information, which will definitely place his company, PMK Customs, into a different tax bracket. But, rest assured, the secret is safe with us. As I spoke with Scott in the basement of a beautifully designed home, their new downtown office had yet to be completed, he gave me an insightful look inside of his two-year old company, PMK, which is an acronym for Perfectly Made Kicks. The basement that doubled as an office for the time being, stored a Mac computer in
the back, and company papers were scattered across a circular glass table. As we prepared for the interview, Andre seemed very excited as he spoke with one of his business partners about a recent company trip to New York. “Yea man, that was definitely the best business trip we’ve had.” A business trip that put them in a meeting across from Puma as they discussed how to improve on Puma’s presence in the urban community. All good news coming from a brand new company, especially a company that was founded by someone who admits to not being a sneaker head. “I’m not really a sneaker head, it’s more that I’m just an entrepreneur” Scott says. Andre got his first taste of the entrepreneurial spirit as a young man while working at his family’s funeral home. After seeing how it was to run a business, Andre was certain on what he wanted to do with his life.
“I always wanted to see how it was not to work for nobody else, but to work for myself. I’ve been in corporate America working, but at the end of the day, there’s nothing like working on your own time, staying for seven to twelve hours, your hard sweat and tears, and still seeing everything be able to grow.” Growing from their initial days and their first custom Southpark sneakers, PMK Customs have now moved into the premier sneaker category. Their most famed shoe to date, the Brooklyn Zoo, is a custom designed Jordan 1 sneaker that is laced with nine different animal skins, including Elephant, yes, I said elephant. The shoe that was worn by Jay-Z, part owner of the Brooklyn Nets, on opening night over at the Barclays Center, has drawn more than enough press coverage. The exclusive releases that boosted a sales price of $2,500 and limited to ten pair, were only sold in Miami’s sneaker store Unkwn, and helped to launch
“I knew I was going to be successful, but I thought it was going to be a longer road. Like literally, we just been rolling for two years. And where we’re at now, we’re just extremely blessed. And things are going so fast and moving so fast, that I can’t even imagine what 2013 is going to bring.”
a healthy start for a very promising business. A business that is responsible for putting Mr. Scott in the presence of a few powerful corporations and the who’s who of the entertainment world. When starting a business, one never thinks that they will be sitting across from Jay-Z or Lebron James, but this is exactly where Andre finds himself. Starting from establishing great relationships with Emory Jones, a close friend to Jay-Z, and also Kelton Crenshaw, a businessman in the Cleveland area and business partner to Lebron James, PMK Customs now has two
powerful business partners themselves. It wasn’t until Andre and PMK customized a pair of New Balances for Emory Jones, that Andre found himself chopping it up with the best friend of a hip-hop mogul. “I just went by Emory’s condo and we talked business. He wanted to know my vision on why I started the company and where I wanted to take the company. He told me let him think about some things and he would get back with me. About a month went by and we stayed in contact. Then he told me to come back down to New York to finalize everything.”
Gearing for a very strong 2013, that will find PMK Customs branching out and getting involved with casual shoes and clothes, things are beginning to really look up for this Cleveland sneaker company. And only being in business for two years, the success comes as a surprise, even to the owner. “I knew I was going to be successful, but I thought it was going to be a longer road. Like literally we just been rolling for two years. And where we’re at now, we’re just extremely blessed. And things are going so fast and moving so fast, that I can’t even imagine what 2013 is going to bring.”
MAKING IT IN AMERICA
LIKE, FRIEND & TWEET YOUR WAY TO A BETTER OPPORTUNITY By: SORILBRAN STONE http://www.girlimagined.com
I’M THE MAN FOR THE JOB
What goes online stays online and when your using social media to get a job, the semi-permanence of the information you post online can work to your advantage. It is entirely possible to use social media to boost your career and it’s not hard to do. You just have to invest the time into monitoring your online conversation and seeking out relationships that will help you to get to the next level of your career. Tons of companies use social media for business and you should too.
The first thing to know about using social media to get a job is that your social media profiles are part of your resume package. Social profiles are just one piece in the presentation you ultimately make to recruiters about who you are and what you bring to the table. When recruiting online, hiring managers look at both your social media profile and your online posts to make a final decision on whether to hire you. So if you are in the market for a job, you have to be careful what you say and do online. You don’t have to be the dude posting all the inspirational quotes on Facebook. Don’t be fake about it. But try to tap into your less-crazy, more polished side. And if you have to act up, get an
alias that is completely separate from the official profile you use for business. Hiring managers are recruiting online and they are looking for consistency. That means from Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn (you MUST have a LinkedIn profile – some recruiters only hire using LinkedIn), the tone and theme of your social conversation should stay the same. The information contained on each profile may be different but taken together all of the social networking done in your name and all of the pictures of you that show up online should tell the same remarkable story of a man/woman on his grind.
making decisions in the C-suite, walking on the red carpet, already married and doing big things. You also need to “Unfriend” any stragglers from your past, particularly the folks who are still clinging to old drama that you’re not even on anymore.
TALKING THE TALK
WHAT TO SAY: It’s okay to not know what to say at first. An online conversation is like any other conversation. It takes a minute to figure out who is talking and what’s being said. Just like a face-to-face conversation, when you can add something productive to the conversation, speak. Then keep speaking. Keep contributing. Keep listening and keep engaging with your new circle of online friends. It’s easy to remember and start building trust with someone you talk to regularly.
WHAT TO RESPOND TO: This one is tricky. Have fun and express yourself, but filter your responses. Only say online that which can help cement your professional image. You never know when the Meme you LOL’d about retarded kids will show up in the feed of the hiring manager with a WHO TO TALK TO: Connect yourself to people in the in- developmentally disabled son. It happens. dustry you are entering – folks who have been where you want to go – and follow their online conversation. One of the great The job opportunities online are plentiful. You can find things about being online is that you can change your circle of the right connections by using social media for business as friends at the click of a button. Make a real effort to “Friend” much as you use it for play. Tweet your way into a bigger folks who are dressing better than you, earning more money, and better future. Equally as important as your profile when using social media to get a job is your social conversation. Your social conversation includes who you talk to, what you say and what you respond to online.
•TALENT – Figure out what you are good at. Natural strengths point to marketable talents. If your tongue is a razor, you may not make any money off blazing people as they walk by, but if you are good with words, you are also a clear, imaginative, quick thinker - qualities that are necessary for writers, sales people, promoters, marketers and managers. •TIME –Just like women, small businesses need time and attention. Exactly how much of your time the business needs depends on the type of business you choose to start. •RELATIONSHIPS –Your small business needs you to build and maintain good relationships. You will accomplish much more in less time by learning how to use not just your With each New Year come new challenges, opportunities and own gifts and talents, but the gift and talents of those around relationships. If one of your goals for 2013 is starting your you. Be fair. Be diligent. Be smart. own business, read on. This article is going to teach you how to start a business in 5 simple, doable steps. •MONEY – It takes money to make money. How much cash do you have to invest in starting your own business? STEP #1 – Take an inventory of your assets. If you were to start promoting and selling your products on This is THE most important step in starting your own busiFacebook right now would you have the cash on-hand to ness. Next to your own talent and heart, the three most valufulfill those orders? Figure out how much you need and if able assets any one of us has are time, relationships and money your stash is currently low, figure out how you plan to get the – in that order. capital you need to start strong.
2013 - THE YEAR OF THE HUSTLE
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STEP #3 – Make it legal! The third step in starting your own business is to put your business on paper. Dream up a few business names and corresponding dot coms then check the availability of the names and URLs using Google. Register your business with your local and state government. You can often register with the Secretary of State’s Corporations Division online with the payment of a small fee – usually $100 or less.
Step #4 - Test the market.
STEP #2 – Find out if there is really any money to be made in your business by answering the following questions: •What is the market value* of your products? •Who wants what you have to sell and how much are they willing to pay to get it? •How much will it cost you (in time and advertising dollars) to get each customer? •How much will you profit off each sale? * Market value can be found by pricing similar products online or at the mall. If you are providing a service, check craigslist.org in either the Jobs or the Services categories to find out what other professionals in your area are charging for similar services.
Test the waters before spending money on inventory by reaching out to your social network and seeing who responds. Provide potential buyers with pictures, information, prices and a link to your website. Track how many people are interested enough to go to your site. Set a minimum amount of pre-orders you will take – for instance, 1 order per day for the next 2 weeks - before placing an inventory order with your supplier. If you don’t reach your required minimum sales, refund everybody’s money and either tweak your plan or go on to the next great business idea.
STEP #5 – Launch! BLAST your social media! The more you are able to get your product in front of people, the more sales you are likely to make. Now, go get it!
ARIEZ ONASIS
W
hat do you do when you come from a small city that has an even smaller hip-hop audience? How do you handle the pressures of becoming one of the first rap superstars to make it from your town? Not sure how to answer these questions? Well Worcester, MA emcee, Ariez Onasis knows exactly how to answer them, you just keep on working. Putting on for a city that’s in dire need of a pack leader, Ariez Onasis, understands that he won’t be the only one to benefit from his success, and he’s most certainly on the right track. Opening up a studio in his hometown, this multi-cultural artist is definitely working hard toward establishing a place in Hip-Hop for him and his city. Will the work pay off? Only time will tell, but don’t expect any letting up from Onasis in the meantime.- Words By EJ Burney
Your last project was entitled the Heartbreak Kid, what made you go with that title? Well, I had it planned out for a little bit. I thought the kind of music that I make is the sub-genre of love music, it’s like heartbreak music. Since the release, how have the fans been liking it, what’s the reaction been like? Oh man, it’s been good so far! Everybody has been hitting me up saying that they all feel the new project. I feel like we still have some work to do as far as building the audience, but everybody likes it.
I was able to get a lot of new fans off of it, so I’m real happy on how it came out. Now you said you guys are working on building up the audience. Are you guys going to use a specific marketing plan? Oh yea! We’re trying to build something big here, know what I mean, one brick at a time. So as we move and build the team and get more help, we’re going to be on it. But the plan is to most definitely do it. As far as the Heartbreak Kid, do you have any joints on there that
really stand out to you? Oh yea, “Seek You Out”, that’s my favorite joint right now. It’s more up tempo, you know, party and rock. But yea, that’s my favorite record right now. Yea, I noticed on there that you have some songs that are more party and rock, then you have some more smooth and mellow joints. When you’re recording, do you record off of your vibe, or do you go in and say, I have to do a party song or a smooth song, how does it go? Man, I just come in the studio, my man J. Carter will send me
Now the single with Wiz and Planet IV, how did you put that together? Yea, we did that a while back. I met Wiz through a mutual friend. I didn’t really want to put it out, I wanted to build it up before we released the project. So, when it was the right time to put it out, I did. The video you got for your single, “Victim”, you did it like a short movie. Yea. Now what made you do it like that, as opposed to just doing a regular video? We never want to do the same ole thing, the same thing everybody else is doing. The director, Dan, he came up with the idea, we had a whole team working with it. They all put their ideas together, the whole concept and came to the table with it. And I had a show in Greece, so I decided to bring them out with me and we molded the script to fit where I was at. And they put it to work, good acting and everything, they really brought it to life. Man, how was it to be out in Greece doing a show? It’s a beautiful thing man. I’m half Greek so I’ve been to Greece before, I actually lived in Greece for a couple of years, so it’s always exciting to go back. I’ve never been there like this, as far as being booked to perform, but it was dope man, I can’t even explain it. Now with you being an up & coming artist, what is the hardest part of your career right now? You know coming from a small city with not too many industry
contacts, you don’t have a lot of things to work with. It’s just certain obstacles you face as an independent artist. Now-a-days it seems like the labels aren’t doing that much artist development, you really got to get it popping on your own right now. So it’s definitely a tough road being here, but nothing’s really easy. I feel like if you want to really get to it, you got to put the work in. Now let’s touch on your name for a minute, I watched in an interview where you said that it came from a Greek billionaire, what made you decide to run with that name? First off, Aristotle Onassis is somebody that I looked up to. He was a very influential person to me. There’s a
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IT’S JUST CERTAIN OBSTACLES YOU FACE AS AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST... YOU REALLY GOT TO GET IT POPPING ON YOUR OWN RIGHT NOW.
of here daily. So, we got a good scene, it’s just unorganized, there’s not really a lot of potential in the music scene out here, ya know. It’s just a bunch of talent with no audience. Now how does your music reflect your hometown, where you’re from? Because it’s uncommon, it’s unique. It’s about the quality not the quantity really. I feel like I’m ready to do this right now and my music is more emotionally engaged. It’s reflecting who I am as an individual and what I want to portray to the public. At the end of the day, the music has to be true for people to believe in it. I moved around a lot as a youngin’, but home is still Worcester. And that’s what makes my sound, my style and the way I stand out.
So what do you think artist need to do to build up their buzz, what’s some of the ways you built up your buzz? I mean, you just got to find a way, that’s all it is, it’s just your determination. At the end of the day, if you want it that bad, you’re going to find a way. And that’s what I’m attempting to do. I’m trying to find my way. I want it! I’m going to keep working until I get it. So that’s all it is, that’s the task at hand. You lot of similarities as well. He was a got to try to lock your hometown real ladies man, a real flashy guy. down, once you do that, you got to Man, he died on March 15th, and I lock down the state. was born on March 15th [laughs]. But yea, I thought that was me, so I Now you were just featured, retook the name on and been rocking cently, as The Source’s Unsigned Hype. How important was that to with it ever since. your career? Now your from a small city right That was huge man! That was definitely a big thing for me. Now, outside of Boston. that’s something that’s attached to Right. the resume man. Everything you OK, what’s the hip-hop scene like do is to build up your resume and your credentials, so it was definiteout in Worcester? We got a good scene honestly, we ly huge for me. And I grew up on just don’t have a big audience for it. The Source, like any other hip-hop It’s a lot of talent out here, a lot of head, ya know. So that was defigood music. I actually co-own a stu- nitely big. dio out here, called DB Studios and I see good talent coming in and out What’s next up after Heartbreak Kid, you got any tours lined up?
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some beats and it’s whatever vibe I’m in and whatever vibe the beat puts me in, you know. If I’m feeling it then I rock with it, pop a bottle and get into my zone. And I never rush anything, that’s my main thing, I don’t rush nothing. If I’m not feeling it, I’ll let it sit and then come back to it. I don’t want to force anything.
Continue on pg. 67
HAPPINESS ISN’T EXPENSIVE, YOUR CAR SHOULDN’T BE EITHER.
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I “ “
I think that as far as my style and what I’m bringing to the game right now, the reason my fan base is growing actually, is because I haven’t conformed.
Words & Photos By: EJ Burney
I’ve always wondered what’s the process that artists go threw when they’re deciding on what type of music they will make. What is it that attracts rappers to pistols, drugs, and violence. That’s probably a question that will forever go unanswered, or as I see it, a question that is not asked enough. Although hip-hop, in most recent years, has begun to lighten up, it is still filled with lyrics and tales of brick and pistol play. It’s always a good feeling when you get that fresh new artist that goes completely against the norm. An artist that talks about drugs and violence in a way that hasn’t really been done before and this is just what Jon Connor, the Flint emcee and self-proclaimed “People’s Rapper”, is doing. Hitting the scene officially in 2010, everything has been full throttle for Jon Connor and his All Varsity family. Steadily climbing the ladder and gaining some high profile co-signs on the way, the question is not, will he make it. The question that’s on everybody’s mind is, when will he make it?
How did you get started rapping? Man, I keep it so real, I was a big No Limit fan. Just watching Master P, and really before P it wasn’t nobody out of New Orleans, and I felt like that was the same thing with Flint. I was coming from a place where didn’t’ nobody know too much about, and I watched him be an entrepreneur and take stuff in his hands and build, at that time, one of the biggest record companies, period. And that’s what inspired and motivated me, like if he can do it, then I can do it. I grew up off of Bad Boy, Cash Money, No Limit, Roc-A-Fella, Ruff Ryders, and I grew up admiring all of those cats, and that’s what I wanted to be, it was like, if you gone do it, then that’s how you do it. And No Limit, on some of the CDs they use to have long endings on the songs, so I would loop the end of the instrumental and get 2 tape decks and record myself, right on that porch out there. And from rapping on the porch since I was probably 12 years old, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. At first everybody has their stories about how they got to different levels in the industry, did you find it kind of hard for people to listen to you at first? Yea. Yea. Especially since I’m from Flint, MI one of the roughest places, poverty stricken, and my message and the things that I was rapping about wasn’t necessarily go do this stuff, it was stop doing this type of shit. So when you going against the grain like that, some times it’s hard for people to gravitate towards it. Somebody once said, yo believe in yourself has to be 10 times greater than everybody else disbelief in you, and that’s what I always felt like. I just want to be myself and have a message. My mom always told me, if you gone be on that microphone and have people’s attention, make sure you saying something, do what you do with a purpose. And yea it was a rough road, but I loved it. It humbled me, to where every step I get to in the game I appreciate it that much more, because wasn’t nothing handed to me. I give this analogy to people all the time. It’s a like a person that works everyday to get a million dollars, and somebody who gets a lottery ticket and gets a million dollars. The person who won the lottery gone trip over that million, the person that work everyday, he gone be like I know how I got it, I know
what I did to get it, and I appreciate it. The person who gets the lottery ticket, he didn’t do what he was suppose to do to get it, so he can’t even appreciate it, he gone blow it, he gone do whatever. So as far as success and me with the music business, I feel like I worked hard and I still work hard everyday for everything I get, so I appreciate it a little more. OK, so one way you said you separated yourself from everybody in the city is the way you rap. Was it your style of rap or just your message? Yea, just all of that, the way I rap and that came from, I listened to everything, I listened to Hip-Hop from everywhere. I’m a student of this game, I try to study every aspect of the game. I would go to sleep listening to Nas, Illmatic, It Was Written, Stillmatic, I Am. I would listen to Soulja Slim, Give It To Em Raw, Master P Ghetto D, then I would listen to Jay-Z, then I would listen to Eminem. I was a big 36 Mafia fan. I would listen to everything, because I would want to understand, if a certain artist has a fan base it might not be my cup of tea, but let me try to understand why somebody would like it, so I took in a lot of different styles. And as far as my content, like I said, that part came from my mother. She would say, don’t just be on CDs cussing for no reason got dammit. With taking all them styles in and trying to incorporated them and trying to understand why the different fans like that. Do you ever feel pressured to try make music you’re not accustom to making? I think that as far as my style and what I’m bringing to the game right now, the reason my fan base is growing actually, is because I haven’t conformed. I think that nothing in this world is 100% new, everything is evolution, everything comes back around, and it’s always gone be balance. Like when 50 Cent came out, he was extremely gangsta, but then you had Kayne West who was the balance to that. I think that every time in the rap game when things seem to be one way for so long, people are waiting for somebody to come and be like “Fuck That” or “Fuck This” I’m not about to do that. And when you do that it’s gone make people look
and be like, wait a minute, maybe we do want something different. Fans only get offered so much, it’s only so much that they play on MTV, it’s only so much that they play on the radio, that people aren’t even really aware of everything that’s out there, so basically they’re liking what they’re being fed. Somebody once told me that if you get fed out of the trash can everyday and you got no knowledge that a steak exist, you gone find something to like about it. But when somebody comes with a steak, you be like Oh Shit! I ain’t even know this exist. And that’s to me, what I’m about to bring to the game. It was a harder road, because I don’t sound like everything else out, but that’s why now my fan base is growing and becoming what it is, and I still have a
After you released the Season 1 mixtape and your fan base started growing like that, did you feel obligated to keep dropping for the fans. Were they like, “Yo Jon, we need another a mixtape, we need this, we need that.” How were you’re fans after you dropped it, and your fan base start growing? After Season 1? Yea, after Season 1. It was still slow after Season 1. Cause I think it’s so many rappers right now, everybody rapping. But I think to earn people’s trust, to earn fans is a little harder today. It’s so
I’m from Flint, MI one of the roughest places, poverty stricken, and my message and the things that I was rapping about wasn’t necessarily go do this stuff, it was stop doing this type of shit long way to go, but it’s just that’s why it’s starting to take over now and people are starting to gravitate towards it, cause I’m offering an alternative and you have to have an alternative. Let’s talk about one of the first mixtapes, Vinny Chase: Season 1, when did that come out and what was the reception? Late 2010 is when Season 1 came out. And it was crazy cause I had did mixtapes before Season 1, but they was like underground, I really was out the trunk of the car and after clubs and all of that. Vinny Chase: Season 1 was the first just on a national level where I hit the internet but I had been doing tapes since 2005. As far as Season 1 and the reception that it got in the game, it was OK. You started to get their attention. Yea, started to get their attention, they were like OK, who is this dude, it was a beautiful thing. And we got some jewels out of Season 1. Epic, which I still close my shows with til this day, The Message, which end up having a remix to it with Consequence and Saigon and then Epic end up having a remix with Styles P and Scram Jones. It was a lot of good shit that came out of Season 1, it was a starting point, from 2005 I worked all the way to get to Season 1. It’s forks in the road and points in your life, and for me Season 1 was like a fork in the road point, it was kind of like, I was playing college ball all that time, now it’s time for me to go to the league, now it’s time for me to up my game. And that’s why after Season 1, whether it was Salvation, The Blue Album, or whatever I came out with next, I went in with that mentality that, I’m in the league now. I’m in competition with the people I use to admire, now they’re the people I need to be trying to keep up with. And Season 1 was like the beginning of that mind-set. How did you get those websites and those people to listen. Coming from Flint, where it’s not too many people that they’re looking for? It wasn’t easy man. I remember the first thing that happen with Season 1. I went on Hate It Or Love It with Rude Jude and Lord Sear. I don’t know if y’all ever listen to that, but it’s brutal, when they don’t fuck with something on there they let you know, they don’t spearing no feelings no nothing man. But everybody called in and showed me love.
many rappers on tv and on the radio, and they might have one good record and you never hear from them again. So I look at it like, it’s a trust thing between an artist and a fan. A fan gone need to trust that you gone consistently deliver quality product that they gone fuck with, before they spend money on you and yo picture they twitter avatar, it’s a trust thing, it’s like, is this person always gone deliver? So after Season 1, it was still kind of like, it was moving but it was like, “Oh that’s cool, how long he gone be around.” So, it was slow but it was picking up. Now let’s jump ahead and talk about, a mixtape that really stood out to me, The Blue Album. Because your fans from then up until now have skyrocketed. Man! I had did Season 2, which did really good for us being independent and still grinding. But the Blue Album, just the whole process of The Blue Album was crazy, because I did it in 5 days, and that’s the truth, I’m not gassing it. I had loss my mind, it just was like a passion and frustration and just a drive that in me when I was doing that project. It was like y’all got to hear me, I’m tired of getting ignored. If we talking about the time period from Season 1 til The Blue Album, I had a freestyle every week, I had dropped Salvation, I had
I was a big No Limit fan. Just watching Master P, and really before P it wasn’t nobody out of New Orleans, and I felt like that was the same thing with Flint. I was coming from a place where didn’t’ nobody know too much about
did videos, when it wasn’t a song coming out it was a video coming out. I was doing shows, I had did rock the bells, I had been traveling, so by this time, it was kind of like “Yo why is people still not hearing me?” Who knows what that’s suppose to be about but when I did The Blue Album, I was just like, you know what fuck that I’m gone do a mixtape every 2 months, if that’s what I got to do for them to hear me, even if I got to lose sleep. Dog, I didn’t sleep, I barely was eating, I had the same clothes on. I compared it to the Incredible Hulk, and I went in the lab and just stayed there and was grinding and the fan base skyrocketed because people, like I say it go back to trust and it was like, Damn! He just came out with Season 2 and now he back with The Blue Album and now he back with The People’s Rapper LP and July I’m coming back again. So my plans is not just to be no here today gone tomorrow ass rapper. Like I said, my journey started off with me looking up to Master P, Birdman, Jay-Z, and Dame Dash, and Russell Simmons, and I can’t stop til that’s what it is. Whatever I got to do, whatever burdens I got to take on to do that, I’m gone do it man. Now, the fan base grew, you doing shows, you did the SXSW. Now let’s talk about the Nas thing. I know everybody asked you about that, but I had to ask again. Oh yea, that’s cool. You gained the fans and now you’re starting to get recognition from people who really do it. So how did that feel, how did that come about? That came about because my Moe Cleaves and Nas they been cool. Him, Nas, and Chris Weber they been cool for like forever. And Moe would always talk to Nas about me. But you know, Nas is Nas so he probably hear a million stories everyday about the next nigga. So Nas, for a long time was probably like, “Yea alright, keep doing that.” Moe told me the story though, they was at C.Webb’s wedding and they was just kicking it and Moe put in my CD that I had out at the time, and Nas was like who is that, and he was like nigga that’s Jon Connor. And this was before Season 1 and before any of this. Fast forward, Nas end up hearing about me and he invited us to Chicago to come kick it with him, this is when he was on tour with Damien Marley. So, we back stage we kicking it, we chilling, and after everything, after the smoke cleared he was like y’all come back to the room and let’s talk. And that was the start of his influence as far as my career, cause he sat me down and he told me like, “Yo, you got a gift, you got it.” And for Nas to say this to me it’s crazy, cause that was one of the people literally that I studied. For me to be able to call Nas big bro, I still trip over that. I guess that like somebody who grew up wanting to play basketball, and Michael Jordan becomes like a big bro type of figure to them. Now, how did you and Mateen hook up? First and foremost, that is my brother, that is my dog. If he needed my right arm, I’ll cut it off and give it to him. Like I said on The Blue Album, that is the dude that literally changed my life. But it was like fate. Who knows why he was in this little bar that I happen to be performing at, and it
wasn’t like it was a popping night. But I had built up a reputation cause I would perform anywhere. And I was up in this little bar, going in, like I normally do. And Moe was in there, being Moe Cleaves, and anybody who know him, know exactly what I mean. His brother, Ali, told me, I had to meet him. I was nervous too man, I mean I’m from Flint and this was Moe Cleaves man. But when Ali introduced us, his whole demeanor changed. He was like “Man you Jon Connor, I been trying to find yo ass for a year and a half”. He had one of my old cd’s and was a fan. And what end of happening was that he had an autograph signing and he told me he was coming to pick me up, and to be honest, I really did not think he was gone come through, I was just happy that I had met Mateen Cleaves. But one time the next day, he pulled up, took me to the autograph signing and every since then it was on. He said he was gone do everything in his power to make me a star. He understood that it take a certain degree of political shit to happen. And he never went back on his word. And that’s why I always tell him, I owe you grammy’s.
THE BLUE ALBUM, JUST THE WHOLE PROCESS OF THE BLUE ALBUM WAS CRAZY, BECAUSE I DID IT IN 5 DAYS, AND THAT’S THE TRUTH, I’M NOT GASSING IT. I HAD LOSS MY MIND, IT JUST WAS LIKE A PASSION AND FRUSTRATION AND JUST A DRIVE THAT GOT IN ME WHEN I WAS DOING THAT PROJECT. IT WAS LIKE Y’ALL GOT TO HEAR ME, I’M TIRED OF GETTING IGNORED.
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“B HOLLYWOOD: LAND OF THE OPPORTUNITY? Juggling your dreams and your reality can be an extremely hard task at times. On the road to success, you’ll often find yourself following your heart and ignoring your common sense. However, as the saying goes, “scared money don’t make money”. So, with being said, IX chopped it up with a few Hollywood vets and got the run-down on how to make it out in tinsel town. No matter what career field you choose to partake in, making it out in Hollywood is going to be tough. It will take dedication, long sleepless nights, and several cups filled with blood, sweat, and tears. But, with the right plan (yes you will need a plan), a lot of patience, and faith the size of a mustard seed, hell, you just might be able to make it. So, sit back as we show you HOW TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD!
COME INTO REALITY
KIM JOHNSON
Instead, get outside advice from industry professionals. You can easily enlist individuals such as acting coaches, producers, etc. Listen and really value what they have to say. Show them your work, see what they think and go from there.
HAVE PATIENCE So, you’ve built up a solid resume, your mom and several other industry professionals love it, now what? You finally make that big leap and head out to Hollywood. But, please understand, nothing will happen over night. When conducting the interviews for this article, that fact was stressed the most. You have to understand, there are over 150,000 actor and actresses, basically competing for the same jobs year after year. But if you truly feel that you have what it takes, then stick it out, continue to work hard and have faith.
OK, before you pack your bags and head to the closes Megabus stop, please pump your brakes for a second. Don’t just jump up and move to Hollywood, let me say this again, DON’T JUST JUMP UP AND MOVE TO HOLLYWOOD. Whatever career choice you pick, rather it be acting, directing, producing, sound, etc, you must establish yourself first. Build up a solid resume that you will be proud to toat around and put on display.
GET 3RD OPINIONS Please do not move to Hollywood based on advice given to you from your mother. You are her child and she will never say anything to discourage you, unless she is just that mean.
HOW TO BUDGET YOUR FIRST BIG CHECK
ig money, I like it”. I mean really, Booise could not have said it better. Who doesn’t like a lot of money, legally of course. Nothing beats a big ole fat check made out to you. But what exactly do you do when you get that money. And if you answered “turn up and hit to the mall” then this article is most definitely for you. After sitting down with seasoned financial advisor Marcus Matthews, he gave a lot of valuable advice that a lot of us youngins’ can really use. What are some of the most common money mistakes that you see young adults make? The most common mistake has to be, not paying taxes. Tax problems make up around 60-70% of the problems I see with young self-employed adults. Whether it is not paying taxes or simply not understanding them so you can pay them. Yea taxes are something that comes up a lot, especially in the entertainment business, why do you think so? As big as taxes are, they’re still getting over looked a lot and it basically boils down to this, young America is not that interested in taxes. They work, they make the money, they spend the money, nothing in between. As a young successful person, you must align yourself with the right people that will advise you and guide you in the right direction. OK, how should a person balance their first big check? First and foremost, you have to understand, Uncle Sam comes first. Depending on how much you made, that can be as much as 35-40% of your earnings, so taxes comes first. Next, you have to set something aside for a rainy day. Yes, you just might have cashed a $100,000 check, but continue on Pg. 59
POLITICS
WHAT OBAMA’S WIN MEANS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. “When I’m president, I will make college affordable for every American.” -- President Obama, 2008 President Obama has already hinted how he might deal with higher education in a second term. The question now is how much of that agenda he will be able to accomplish in the next four years, given the budget crises he will face and the expectation that Republicans in Congress will continue to oppose his priorities. The president’s victory means that colleges can expect the White House to continue to stand up for federal financial aid, as well as for federal research money, in the likely fierce budget battles in the coming months. But the depth of the financial issues the country faces means that federal dollars are likely to be limited, and the president’s support is more likely to halt deep spending cuts than it is to find new money for higher education programs.
In the near term, a second Obama administration means that the status quo will continue. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is back for the president’s second term. Although the “gainful employment” regulation, which seeks to rein in for-profit colleges by denying federal aid to those whose students cannot earn enough to pay back their loans, was thrown out in court in July, the department has signaled it intends to take another stab at implementing the regulations, which the court supported in principle. The department will also go forward with new federal rules making income-based student loan repayment more generous, published in November but not yet in effect. In the short term, “I think it’s very likely that the Education Department will continue to use its regulatory authority to advance federal education policy,” said Terry Hartle, senior vice president for government and public affairs at the American Council on Education. Several new regulations are expected in the coming months, including new rules governing teacher preparation programs and a new round of negotiated rulemaking dealing with fraud. But the administration will also confront a fiscal crisis with serious implications for federal financial aid. The “fiscal cliff ” -- a combination of mandatory spending cuts and expiring tax breaks -- arrived Jan. 2, and Congress must reach a long-term deficit deal to avert across-the-board cuts to defense and domestic discretionary spending. Whether the same lawmakers who were unable to do so a year ago might be more effective now is an open question. The president is likely to continue to advocate for the Pell Grant in the budget negotiations as he has over the past four years, But the Obama administration has been
more willing to countenance cuts to subsidized student loans, and that program could well be on the table as negotiations over budget cuts begin. Obama is also likely to seek to make the American Opportunity Tax Credit, a partially refundable tuition benefit of up to $2,500, permanent. “He clearly values the role of federal student aid and understands it, and he has been a tremendous asset to higher education,” said Cynthia Littlefield, vice president for federal relations at the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. “What isn’t so positive, of course, is the overburden of regulations, which remains a challenge for all of us.” Whether Obama will be able to accomplish his broader higher education agenda -- using some federal financial aid as a carrot or a stick to halt (or at least slow) the increase in college tuition prices -- is less clear. The president proposed such a plan in his State of the Union address in January 2012, and made it an explicit campaign promise last fall, saying he could cut in half the rate of tuition increases over the next decade. The plan also included a $1 billion “Race to the Top” for states, aimed at encouraging legislatures to maintain financial support for public higher education. But the Democrat-controlled Senate declined to fund the Race to the Top in its 2013 budget, and whether it will garner more support in a second Obama term is unknown. While the administration is likely to hold the line it has established on for-profit colleges, it’s unlikely that the next four years will see significant new regulations aimed at those colleges. Future regulation, if there is any, is likely to focus on colleges that get money from the GI Bill and other veterans’ benefits. - Libby Nelson
SEX
TALK WITH MR. STANSFIELD
Deonna Z. When do guys grow out of cheating and clubbing every weekend? Baby, I’m gonna keep it 100 with you, a guy not gone stop that until he find a woman who keeps him interested in her and off the club. So you should go listen to some Nicki Minaj and step your cookies up.
THE RAW AND UNCUT CONVO BETWEEN YOU, THE READERS, AND IX’S OWN, MR. STANSFIELD
Ivory C.: Is sex a real deal breaker in a relationship, when your mate has and treats you with everything? Just imagine if a nigga cashing you out on all your bills and paid for everything but never spends time with you or isn’t even at home, your gonna eventually go out and fill that void. That’s when the problems in the relationship come to surface cause one day he gone want to spend time with you but your gonna be with guy #2 and its all downhill from there. Treasure L.: What kind of approach should I use when asking my man for a threesome with him and another man? Bitch, you better get a police escort cause that nigga gone kill, you unless he a fag ass nigga. Lita J: So, my question is, my man got good a sex game, but his head is wack and I like foreplay. I want
Keann G. What is it about alcohol that makes sex better than sober sex? Serious question. When your drunk your not really focusing on the sex, your really trying to make sure you don’t puke on your partner. So it lasts much longer than the normal session. to suck him and I want him to suck on me, but he be so wack. I pretend like it’s too good and I can’t take it but he be gnawing all on my kitty and I be wanting him to stop before he give me a hysterectomy, what can I do? Simple baby girl. Every man loves competition, so this is what you do. Throw on your favorite porno and say baby, I bet you can’t do it like that, thank me later.
Lindsey M. I’m a 25 year old white female, I date both black and white men. My issue is all the white men I date are very successful but the sexy is worthless. And all the black men I date ain’t worth shit, but the sex is amazing. What should I do? Keep your successful white man and get you a nigga when you wanna get drilled, duh! S/n, I’m available.
STANSFIELD HOW-TO How To Please Your Woman First things first, orgasm. If you’re looking to get your woman “there”, then follow these simple steps. 1. Go Deep 2. Give Her 3 Swirls 3. Pound Her With 5 Pumps. Repeat these steps 5 times, guarantee you she co-sign for that car.
Next, oral sex. Most women say men don’t know how to please them orally, well I’m here to help you guys out. 1. Lots of tongue and more spit. 2. It’s a small lump above the clitoris, give that the most attention, that’s the g-spot. Put a little extra pressure on it. 3. Tornado tongue never fails. 4. It’s all in the neck. You know when you see a little ghetto girl do the ghetto neck movement, try that, it never fails. AND THAT IS HOW YOU PLEASE YOUR WOMAN, THANK ME LATER
JAE TIPS
CO-SIGN
3 BY: EJ Burney
Deeper Than Sneakers
STICKING TO HIS STYLE OF MUSIC AND NOT BEING CONCERNED WITH ANY OTHER RAPPER. BRONX EMCEE JAE TIPS IS LOOKING TO BECOME A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE INDUSTRY. 343. To the naked eye these three digits have no significant meaning, that is unless you are Canadian and live in Ontario. However, to up and coming Bronx emcee, Jae Tips, these little numbers mean much more than just a simple area code. “Even though I’m an artist, I still work a full-time job at Footlocker, and the number 343 is my sales number. This is the number that I use to get my commission.” And aside from being his monetary ID, 343 is also the title of Jae Tips 5th mixtape. The self-proclaimed sneakerhead, who owns more than 300 pairs of sneakers, dropped, probably his best project to date on July 10th of 2012. And although the New York rapper is only 22, in mixtape years he’s a seasoned vet and much better than when he started out. “This is the first time that I put out a mixtape without going through something. Every other tape I dropped I was going through something and I was just creating music off of that. On 343, I just sat down and put some instrumentals in front of me and I just made it happen. I wasn’t dealing with a girlfriend or a breakup. I just sat down and wanted to make good music.” However, it’s the fact that Jae Tips does touch on those personal subjects that attracts fans to his music, even if they first find out about him through buying sneakers. In this overcrowded hip-hop industry, it is vital for young, up and coming artist to find their own lane and stick with it, and that is exactly was Jae Tips has done. Instead of hiding the fact that he works a full-time job, he embraces it and uses it as leverage to connect with the everyday, regular people that listen to his music. “I ain’t getting paid for them shows/ I got a full-time job that’s what paid for these clothes.” These are lyrics that 90% of America can relate too, but not all rappers will admit that it applies to them. Well, luckily for Jae Tips, he’s one of the very few.
When asked how he separates himself from the crowd, Jae states that, “A lot of young artists are still trying to find themselves, they don’t know what type of direction they want to go” he says. “I know exactly what I’m doing and I’m passionate about what I’m doing.” It’s the passion and the drive that will ultimately play a major factor in Jae Tips slowly but surely becoming one of the major up and coming emcees, and also the fact that his music is top notch. As he moves forward and his names grows and he keeps releasing project after project, one thing for sure will never change, Jae Tips love for sneakers. But, it’s much more than just your casual affection for the latest Jordan’s, Jae uses sneakers to connect with his fans in way you may never think of. “With this music thing, you’re only going to get out what you put in, so I need all types of income. I got over 300 pair of shoes, so if I can sell sneakers I had for five or six years for $200, then I’m really making something” Tips says. “And when I send the shoes, I put my mixtape in the box and people hit me up, like “who is that” and I’m able to build a relationship, to where, now, they follow my music.” Using creative marketing tactics combined with hot music for everyday people, Jae Tips for sure has a very bright future ahead of him.
“A LOT OF YOUNG ARTIST ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND THEMSELVES, THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT TYPE OF DIRECTION THEY WANT TO GO. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I’M DOING AND I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT I’M DOING.”
RAEKWON
TRUE OG STATUS
It’s no secret that hip-hop is becoming a young man’s game, that’s actually true for any profession these days. However, it seems a little more prominent in our world. With the resurgence of hip-hop belonging to a much younger generation, many of the old heads are finding themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place. But, not The Chef. It feels as if the WuTang veteran is just getting started. By Greg Kingley
As I prepared for this piece our editor made it very clear that this was both a refresher article, as well as an introduction piece on one of hip-hop’s most respected emcees, Raekwon, The Chef. Now, if your an old head like me, and by old head I mean anyone over 25, then there is a strong possibility that you know who this fella is. The Wu-Tang soldier who has been in the game for 2 decades. And if you are truly an old hiphop head like me then you have come to gain a certain amount of admiration for The Chef. Year after year he continues to remain relevant in a game that has obviously changed since him and his Wu comrades ruled the airwaves and MTV video slots. And it’s not as if he is recreating himself or adapting to the changes being made. I mean really, could you imagine Raekwon in tight fitted jeans, bright color shirts and putting out music that catered to your average high school student, hell no! Throughout the years, Rae has been able to build a cult-like following doing what he does best, keeping it real. Not forcing any music or just releasing any ol’ bullshit single, The Chef seems just as comfortable today, as he did when he released, the first, Only Built For Cuban Linx.
“
LOST JEWLRY IS SOME THINGS I HAD IN THE STASH THAT I NEVER PUT OUT, AND I WANTED NIGGAS TO HEAR IT. SO, I PUT THAT PROJECT TOGETHER, BRUNG IT TO THE FOREFRONT, CLEANED IT UP, POLISHED IT UP. I ALWAYS LOOK AT ANYTHING THAT I MAKE LIKE I’M GIVING NIGGAS SOME GEMS, SO I WAS LIKE “YOU KNOW WHAT, FUCK IT I’M GONE CALL IT LOST JEWLRY
“
Jewlry is not a typo
T
he picture on the previous pages truly says more than 1000 words. As Raekwon casually leans on the stop sign, positioned ever-so properly
underneath the steel awning, that displays a couple of dominant clothing brands of the past, with the exception of Timberland of course, they still get rocked to this day. Dickies, Carhartt, Lee, the hustlers choice of clothing when they’re occupying the block and navigating those mean streets. And as Raekwon stands in front of the most current item in the picture, his silver Maybach, you can get a strong sense of what the rapper represents. That gritty, grimy era of hip-hop. When Champion hoodies and baggy jeans with Tims stuffed under them, reigned supreme. After releasing a slew of projects, it’s now 2013 and Raekwon The Chef is still a hot topic among the blogs, magazines, and just about everyone else who enjoys this thing we call hip-hop. Adapting,
recreating, transforming, these are words that many hip-hop vets use as their careers begin to dwindle downward. You start to see them doing songs with youngins’ that are driving in a totally different lane than them, in an effort to remain relevant and current. Sometimes it works, for a short moment, but nine times out of ten, those vets will realize that hey, their time is up. It happens to the best of the them. Thankful for The Chef, he was able to build up a strong following, that has been ride or die with him throughout his career, elevating him to where he is at now. Lost Jewlry, more of an album than mixtape, is Raekwon’s latest project, and no, it does not disappoint. Rae gives you that classic and timeless music that will, hopefully, be around long after we are. And not conforming to any trend or style, Raekwon most definitely will be around for years to come.
MORE CONTINUES
Jigg Interview Continued from pg. 23
chapter in my life. Being that the game has changed and more and more rappers are emerging everyday. How do you separate yourself from the crowd? I just understand that nobody can be me better than me. I feel like a lot of artist fall victim to trying to be super hard, a super thug, or super rich, instead of just being them. I feel that a lot of fans and people relate to me because I don’t necessarily look down on the masses, I look eye to eye. I talk about issues that a lot of people can relate to and through my music you can tell that I’m being genuine and talking about things that I’m going through. And I just make sure that I portray me as much as possible and if I do that then there’s no other Jigg. I feel like if you’re being yourself all the time, you have no competition. Now what can fans expect on High Grade 2? You can expect a great amount of things. I got production from T-Minus, he did the official single, “So Hot”. I got production from Megaman, all types of production, it’s all original records, it’s an amazing body of work. When you hear it, you will see the amazing growth from High Grade to High Grade 2. I’m just extremely confident that this is my best work so far as an artist.
JUELZ IS FINALLY BACK A six year hiatus, how many artists do you know can come back, and strong might I add, after a six year absence from the game. And I’ll be the first to admit it, I myself thought that Mr. Santana had loss his edge a little bit. Sure, he had a couple of strong features, but we hadn’t heard any solo music from the bandana artist in some time, and I was all too quick to write the young emcee off. But I think I had spoke
a little too soon. The Harlem native, whose last solo album, made it’s way to platinum status, picked up right where he left off. Dropping his new mixtape, God Will’n, in the first part of 2013, Juelz was able to reconnect with his old fans and gain a few new ones as he rides that familiar wave. Going through a full list of personal troubles, that found the artist arrested and with no studio, it was nice to see a solid rebound from one of the games most talented emcees. Once again the topic of discussion, Juelz has stated in numerous interviews that he has already begun recording for God Will’n II & III. Hopefully he will be able to build on this momentum and make 2013 a great year. KIM JOHNSON
How To Budget Your First Big Check Continued From Pg. 51
being self-employed, you never know when that next big check is going to come again. So, we got taxes, saving. Next, I’m going to have to say get an accountant or financial advisor, actually you’ll do that first then pay your taxes and everything. Especially in today’s game, you’ll definitely need one. Just make sure you line yourself up with someone who is reputable and trustworthy. Ask questions, ask for current and past clients, then go from there. Once you get with a FA or Accountant, you should really look into investing. Take a little piece of that money and put it into a mutual fund or interest bearing savings account, anything that will grow your money. Real Estate has always been a fan favorite and housing prices are still down, so with the right amount to invest, that could be real lucrative. And lastly, you can splurge, but just make sure it’s responsible spending. Don’t have $50,000 left and buy a $35,000 car, that makes no sense. Set up a spending budget, and don’t go over that amount. Usually I recommend 5% of gross earnings. So, if you made $100,000, no more than $5,000 as shopping money. Ariez Onasis Interview continued from pg. 40
Yea, I got some things lined up. Right now I’m just working, I’m still in the studio working man. I’m about to put out a couple of new tapes, I’m working on a sequel to Heartbreak Kid. And I’m working on a new mixtape right now called Theme Music. And you know, shows whenever they holla at us, we go and we perform and we really show out at home. Now with the sequel to the Heartbreak Kid, what type of music can we expect on there, are you going to switch it up a little? Yea man! My next one is always my best one. We’re going to stay true to our sound and we’re still developing that sound. I don’t think it’s where it could be. But, for the next chapter, we’re going to turn it up even more.
GO HEAD, GRAB THE WHEEL!
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