Editor’s letter
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LIFE IN A BLUR
Looking back at our formation in 2011, there has definitely been a lot of changes, some for the best, others for the worse. But, as the great Jay-Z once said, “For even in defeat there’s a valuable lesson learned so it even’s it up for me.” With everything I’ve learned and all the trials we’ve been through, I just look at it like this is our first issue, we’re starting fresh. And as we attempt to create something larger than all of us, our goal is to not live life in a blur. Now, you may be asking yourself, “what’s he talking about? Life in a blur, I don’t get it.” I came up with this concept while out in New York. As you roam the streets of the big apple, you can’t help but notice how fast everyone is moving, it’s literally the city that doesn’t sleep.
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ISAIAH 40:31
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
So I pulled out my camera one night in downtown Brooklyn and snapped away. Everything was moving so fast that all of the images were blurry. Then I thought, these people move so fast that they don’t even know I’m taking pictures of them. Just think how many times we move so fast that we miss out on something extremely valuable (i.e. a blessing, money, knowledge, etc.). My advice to you is, don’t live life in a blur. Slow down, relax, and enjoy this thing we call life and just watch how your life changes. EJ@IXONLINE.NET
table of contents
IX Xxclusives
CONNECT WITH US SOCIALLY @ indie_xxclusive
8. Understanding The 360 Deal 4......................................... Fruitvale Station Ever heard of a 360 deal? Do you understand it? Read this! Following the tragic shooting of Oakland native, Oscar Grant, California based 21. Sneaker Con writer and director, Ryan Coogler, decid- The one and only exclusive ed to do more than the average citizen. event for real sneaker-heads So, he made a movie. 29. IX Tips 5............................................................ T.R. Ellis Thinking of buying your first Follow this rising basketball star as he home? We’re sure this will chases his dreams of playing pro ball help! overseas.
7................................................ Boldy James
Detroit native, Boldy James, drops his latest mixtape, Jammin 30: In The Morning. and gets ready for the release of his debut album, My 1st Chemistry Set.
FEATURES
16.......................................GUNPLAY 18.............................................Ron.D 22................................................SINO
10...................................COVER STORY
y t IX XXCLUSIVES
FRUITVALE STATION
OAKLAND, CA WRITER/DIRECTOR MAKES A POWERFUL DEBUT The story of Oscar Grant is one that will forever be indebted in our minds and within our communities. The fatal shooting of Grant took place New Years day, 2009, in Oakland California inside of the Fruitvale Subway Station. Dozens, terrifyingly, looked on, also filmed, as Grant was laid face-down on the concrete pavement, hand-cuffed, then shot by an on-duty subway officer. The tragic event, which would eventually make it’s way to YouTube, sparked riots locally and nationwide. And was the focal point for the movie Fruitvale Station. Newbie director and writer Ryan Coogler, who is a native of Oakland, made his theatrical debut with this profound and moving film. A film that depicts the life of a young African American man, who was 4 OCT/NOV 2013
condemned by the media for his troubled past and labeled as a criminal/ex-drug dealer. Fruitvale Station shows a much different side to Oscar, a side that the media had not had the pleasure of experiencing. In my
While a student at USC Ryan Coogler directed 3 award winning short films: Locks, Gap, and Fig. CONTINUE ON PG. 31
opinion, Fruitvale Station showed what it is like to be a young, black man attempting to restructure your life. Coogler says “Our hope was to focus on the specifics of Oscar’s life. I wanted people to see a little of themselves in Oscar even if they were outside of that community. Every human being feels their own reality and it’s difficult to understand someone’s reality until you walk in their shoes.” Fruitvale Station’s leading man, Michael B. Jordan is best known for his role as Wallace, in HBO’s series,
The Wire
y T.R. ELLIS
Ya know how that old saying goes, “you either slanging’ crack rock or you got a wicked jump shot.” And although T.R. Ellis has that wicked jump shot, his journey has been a little different than your average neighborhood kid. Born on the Westside of Detroit, T.R. would juggle his childhood years between two of the city’s most crime stricken neighborhoods, Dexter Ave. and 12th Street. A sports fanatic for as long as he can remember, you could say that it was predestined for Ellis’s life to include sports in some way, shape, or form. A standout on the high school level, Ellis would see his life take a drastic turn for the worst, when during his sophomore year his father, whom he had a tremendous bond with, was gunned down in the streets of Detroit. Despite this devastating misfortune, Ellis would be able to mustard up enough strength to, not only attend school the same day, but also partake in his scheduled basketball game that evening. Following his
DREAMCHASING AT IT’S FINEST senior year at Melvindale, where he led his team to the Michigan quarterfinals, losing a close game to Renaissance High School, T.R. would make the transition from inner city Detroit to suburban Ohio where he attended Owens Community College. Ellis says that “ coming from the neighborhood going into a college setting it was a little difficult at first, because you have so many people and everybody is from different places”. Despite being thrown out of his comfort zone a bit, T.R. was able to standout at the collegiate level, averaging close to 20 points per game and also obtaining his first college degree, an Associates in Psychology.
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I just couldn’t give up, it’s too many people depending on me and want CONTINUE ON PG. 31 me to make it. OCT/NOV 2013 5
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YO GOTTI PREPARES TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM, I AM
I’m a hustler, I’m a businessman, I’m a father, I’m a brother, I’m a lot of different things to this culture.
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THEY SAY THIRD TIMES THE charm and in, Memphis rapper, Yo Gotti’s case it damn sure is. After two previous, failed, deals, one being with Cash Money, Yo Gotti has finally got right and climbed on board of the Epic Records ship. Signing a multimillion dollar deal for, not only himself, but also his CMG (Cocaine Music Group) brand, Yo Gotti is now in a position that is long over due. “CMG/Epic, that’s big business ya know”, Gotti says. “Basically every label in the game done tried to do some kind of business with me”, he says. “They put a lot of different things on the table, but I felt like me, LA Reid, and Epic Records was the perfect match to be business partners. I felt like he (LA Reid) understood my vision and was willing to allow me to do me, and that’s most important where I come from.” As Yo Gotti prepares for his forthcoming album, which is titled I AM, he treated his fans to, yet, another mixtape, Nov.19th, titled after the release date of the LP. The mixtape features Meek Mill, DJ Drama, along with his CMG camp which includes, Zed Zilla, Snootie, and Jordan Hollywood.
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As for his official album, I AM, Gotti says, “I come from Memphis and I feel like that phrase is a strong phrase. I’m a hustler, I’m a businessman, I’m a father, I’m a brother, I’m a lot of different things to this culture.” He goes on to say, “I think it’s the best work I done did yet. You gone get a chance to see me put music on a higher platform, but still do me, giving you that Yo Gotti you accustom too.” After his debut album was, unknowingly, released, it’s good to see Yo Gotti finally getting that major label push he deserves.
EDITOR’S MUSIC PICK
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NEW MIXTAPE FROM BOLDY JAMES SETS THE TONE FOR DEBUT ALBUM
COMING FROM DETROIT, we know about that streetlife all too well. So, it was no surprise that 313 rapper, Boldy James, has burst onto the hip-hop scene and decided to display that, trueto-life, street style of hip-hop through his lyrics. Giving hip-hop fans an inside look on what it’s like to hustle on the cold streets of the D, Boldy James is definitely one of the Detroit artists who has the ability to appeal to the local listeners, while gaining a more, broader, national fan base. And while fans, patiently, await his debut album, My 1st Chemistry Set, which is produced entirely by The Alchemist, James has teamed up with DJ Whoo Kid, DJ Ray Ya Dig and DJBJ to bring the game his latest project, Jammin 30: In The Morning. As DJ Drama says, “Quality Street Music”, this is what Boldy has the ability to
deliver. From the cover to the last track, Jammin 30: In The Morning seems like the perfect fit for a lost episode of The Wire. Bricks, pistols, and money all wrapped up in clever lyrics, placed on top of some hot beats. Through his unhurried and relaxed demeanor, James effortlessly brings listeners into his world, as he describes his past years of hustling. Of the 17 tracks that are on the mixtape, the song that really stands out is track six, “Michigan U’s”. Although the title may be a little confusing for outsiders, the song is most definitely one that will be enjoyed. It features Detroit emcees, Dusty McFly along with Forty Da Great. Together, the three make this record a certified street anthem. All-in-all Jammin 30: In The Morning serves as an attractive appetizer to the much talked about main course, My 1st Chemistry Set.
IX XXCLUSIVES
Understanding The 360 Deal
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AS RECORD SALES
slowly, but surely, begin to rise, Record labels must find alternate routes through which to gain revenue. As a result, the industry has over the past few years seen the introduction and growth of the “360 deal”. To get a better understanding of this complicated subject matter, we sat down with Miami entertainment, sports and intellectual property attorney/manager, Matt Buser, and got the inside scope on the kinds of components this type of deal may contain.
What exactly is a 360 deal? A 360 deal is an exclusive relationship between an artist and a label, through which the label typically provides funding, development, branding, recording resources and/or management to the artist. In return, the label receives a
commission percentage of the artist’s revenues received in the entertainment industry. Is there a standard 360 contract? As of now, unfortunately, there is no standard 360 deal. Fortunately however, this leaves room for negotiation, which, of course, depends on the leverage of each party. From which areas do labels draw percentages? Revenue streams usually include performance/touring income, publishing income, merchandising income, and all other forms of revenue, including endorsements, sponsorships, appearances/hosting, book deals, TV and movie deals, that the artist may realize in the entertainment industry. In exchange for fully managing and developing the artist in all avenues of the industry, the label then takes its commission on all revenues received as a result. What are the “normal/ standard” percentages that labels may receive
CONNECT WITH MATT AND HIS FIRM AT:
@MattyB305
in a 360 deal? Again, there is not standard 360 deal, but some typical label commission percentages are: 50%= Music Video revenue 25%= Merchandise Revenue 25%= Touring/live performance revenue 25%= “Digital Products” revenue (ringtones, ringbacks, sales from artist’s website) 25%= Music Publishing revenue (reflects a co-publishing split arrangement between artist & label. 25%= Endorsements, sponsorships, use of artist’s name 25%= This is the “catch-all” provision. It will usually say something to the effect of “any other income received in connection with artist’s career in the entertainment industry.” Is it wise for artists to accept large advances? It depends. There is no across the board answer I can give. Whether or not an artist should accept an advance depends on a number of factors, including the amount of the advance,
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EDITOR’S BOLD PREDICTIONS percentage of recoupment against the advance, and other provisions in the contract. However, with the many various revenue streams being exploited in a 360 deal, it is important for an artist’s attorney to negotiate for the label to actually earn each of its various commissions. This means, if the label is requesting a 25% commission for endorsement and sponsorship revenue received by an artist, for example, it is wise to try to include language that obligates the label to actually seek and procure such sponsorships and endorsements.
EMINEM’S NEW ALBUM WILL SELL MORE THAN 600K THE FIRST WEEK After seeing what JayZ was able to do with Magna Carta Holy Grail, I’m predicting that Eminem will top that and move close to 700k the first week.
PUSHA T’S ALBUM WILL REACH #1 ON THE CHARTS Let’s face it, he’s got enough buzz generated, Kayne’s backing him, and his music is fire! So, Joe D finally got an
PISTONS WILL GO offseason right. Hopefully TO THE 2ND ROUND OF Brandon Jennings and J. THE PLAYOFFS Smith will be great assets.
TOUCHING THE CHARTS INDEPENDENTLY
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project that fans would actually have to pay for and the support was overwhelmo matter how far ing. In a weeks time Starlito, self-proalong in their ca- claimed step-brother to Don Trip, would reer an artist is, go on to move nearly making it onto the billboard 4,000 units, 3,800 to charts is a monumental realiza- be exact. Accompltion, it’s even more surpassing ishments like this when you do it as an indepen- should give young dent artist. And that’s exactly emerging artists what, Nashville emcee, Starlito hope, knowing was able to do. that anything July 2nd, Starlito reis possible. leased Cold Turkey, his first
FRENCHIE HIS TIME: NO TURNING BACK FROM HERE
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YOU JUST GOT TO KEEP WORKING HARD AND KEEP GRINDING, KNOWING THAT WHATEVER YOU DROP, YOU’RE GOING TO GET FANS
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:47, on what was supposed to be a rainy afternoon in New York City, Queens to be exact. Location? Fort Totten Park, the once Army base that now houses the training facility for New York’s men and women in blue. Yea, I know, not the best choice for a photo-shoot with Bricksquad Monopoly artist, Frenchie, but hey, Y.O.L.O. I wait patiently, well relaxing really, on the porch of house 203. Everything was scheduled for 2:30, I expected Frenchie to arrive no later than 4. However, after just 17 minutes, I receive a call from Birdman, Frenchie’s manager. “Yo, we at the gate, where you at?” I jump up and meet them at the entrance, hop in the black Tahoe and guide the driver to the corner house. “Yo, what’s this place?” Frenchie asked, as he scanned the base and notices the passing cops, surprisingly not raffled at all. We keep everything moving smoothly as we hit the worn-out, cracked and partially falling porch. After a dozen or so pictures, we head to a dark corner for a few more close-ups. Now, the Queens’s rapper and nephew to Aunt Deb,
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Waka Flocka’s mom/manager, is a bit more intrigued. In between shots, he checks a few doors to see if they are open, no luck, which was a good thing being that we didn’t have any permits for the shoot and was attempting to break and enter into a home surrounded by the Army Reserve and the NYPD. But, not the one to give up, Frenchie hits the side door and BOOM! We got action. Without any hesitation the dreaded emcee heads right in. “Yo, this shit is ill man.” We go room to room, floor to floor, poking behind every corner and looking through every window, all while snapping pictures in the process. In the midst of all the action, Frenchie stops in a room and blurts out, “Somebody got killed in here fasho man.” And that was our queue to exit. And for the rapper, who goes by the nickname of his Pops, an infamous street dude from Queens, NY, lately his days have been a lot like this. Just a few months ago he was on Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, a rite of passage in the hip-hop community. The following day after this interview and photo-shoot, he’s scheduled for a full day of interviewing over at 50 Cent’s ThisIs50 headquarters.
OCT/NOV 2013 11
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My career is about to shoot off from here, you can look at it and tell. A lot of good things are happening for me and I’m thankful for it.
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Not to mention he’s fresh off the release of his biggest single to date, “Power Moves”, which features his first cousin and frequent collaborator, Waka Flocka and has went on to reach #45 on the Billboard Top 200. Sounds like the schedule of a thriving, veteran artist, huh? Well, that’s exactly what Frenchie is. And when he’s not busy dealing with the hectic life of a rapper, he’s probably entertaining a lovely female fan. “I do funny shit on
mixtape after mixtape, the southern style rapper has seen his name continue to rise, in an industry that hasn’t been so pleasant to others. . “It’s just been me staying around, I never left my camp man. Once I was plugged in and my Aunt took me to meet Gucci, he loved my energy and just put me on a lot of songs and I just stayed down.” Staying down paid off in the end for Frenchie. Having been
Twitter like, females, what’s my favorite color? Whoever gets it right wins a date with me. We fly em’ in, get the date, and fly em’ back out. And I got a crazy one right now stalking me. I keep switching my number, I don’t know how she keeps getting em’.” Since 2008, when a then relatively unknown Frenchie was featured on a barrage of Gucci Mane hits, including: “Shirt Off ” and “Sun Valley”, it’s literally been non-stop ever since. Dropping
through the So Icy days and now with the BrickSquad Monopoly movement, Frenchie has been able to snatch fans throughout the years as he continues to build up a solid resume of continuous hits and mixtapes. Now that it’s 2013 Frenchie is ready to hit the ground running and fully establish himself as a solo artist. Not saying that he wasn’t one already, but it’s just a little different now. There’s tension in the camp,
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““I “ Power Moves is the one that opened the door for me
between Gucci and Waka, which Frenchie doesn’t really like to speak on, and the momentum following his breakout hit, Power Moves, is surely undeniable. As you look throughout hip-hop, every artist needs that first hit. Gucci had “So Icy”, Waka has “Oh Let’s Do It” and now Frenchie has “Power Moves”. “Power Moves is the one that opened the door for me, due to the fact that, i’m on the charts. This is the first song that is mine, that is on the charts. It just makes me feel good to know that I can even make it on there, ya know? It’s a lot of people that’s struggling and going so hard for that. It’s 200 people on the charts and I’m number 45?” Often times when emerging artists find themselves in the same clique as notable hip-hop heavyweights, it can be a daunting task trying to escape from the shadows and rise to the forefront. Too often as fans and critics we are quick to align artists with their successful counterparts (i.e. Memphis Bleek/ Jay-Z), creating an uncomfortable environment. Same was the case for Frenchie. Being a very talented artist in his own right, you can only imagine how impatient it must have been,
having to wait for your time to roll around. “I use to always feel like muthafuckas didn’t know me that much. But now I realize you’re never going to know how many people actually know you. You just got to keep on working hard and keep grinding, knowing that whatever you drop, you’re going to get fans. And I go outside and get my results. I do videos, media, interviews, like I’m doing now, then I go outside and see the results.” And that’s exactly what Frenchie is doing. His latest mixtape, appropriately entitled, Long Over Due, has received positive reviews thus far, and now focus has shifted to No Turning Back, his forthcoming project. “If you pay attention, my last one, Long Over Due, got a real good response. Now it’s, No Turning Back. It’s like I’m in here and it’s no turning back from here. My career is about to shoot off from here, you can look at it and tell. A lot of good things are happening for me and I’m thankful for it.”
I use to always feel like muthafuckas didn’t know me that much. But now I realize you’re never going to know how many people actually know you. OCT/NOV 2013 15
7GUNPLAY QUESTIONS FOR
words by edward j. burney
You might think of Gunplay as just that wild, crazy, untamed goon often seen with Rick Ross, and on numerous occasions you’re right. However, as his solo career begins to skyrocket, Richard Morales, Jr. is looking to channel his inner calmness and focus just on the music, can he do it? Only time will tell. You were a part of the first group, Triple C’s, now that we are in 2013 and you begin to establish yourself as more of a solo artist, what can we expect from you now? You can expect my life, know what I’m saying? My point of view, separate from Triple C. You gone see what I can do on the world stage. You can 16 OCT/NOV. 2013
expect a lot of energy, a lot of real shit, basically just my life. Now as you begin to take your career more serious is it hard to separate Gunplay the artist from Gunplay the street nigga? Oh yea most definitely, because I’m still out here on the turf. I’m still trying to get to that higher level, but I’m still here. I still got other little issues and shit. I don’t
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THE ONLY THING I WANT IS FOR THE PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO MY MUSIC AND REALLY RELATE TO ME AND HAVE THAT BOND.
live in the hood but all my niggas is there so I still go through whatever I go through. And I gotta learn to separate it because this shit can be taken away from you, your career, and your freedom. It’s just a learning lesson. So do you think your stint on house arrest kind of helped you out a little? Oh yea! Like I said, your life and your family and friends, all that can stop in one day, if you don’t have that balance. So I’m real calm now, ya know, I just take it out on the music. How was it while you were on house arrest. Did that turn you into a workaholic, or were you impatient, ready to hit the streets? Oh yea, I was ready to hit that turf man. But I was recording while I was on house arrest, so I still was getting work done, but I was just ready to get back out there and make some money. For the MMG Vol. 2 album, you had probably the most talked about verse. When you dropped your verse on “Power Circle”, did you know it would be as big as it was?
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Naw man, most definitely not. You know what, I knew it was going to be a bunch of artists on there so I just tried to give it the best I had. And it wasn’t any competition, I wasn’t trying to out rap niggas or none of that, I just wanted to be clear and explain what my position in the power circle was. Just show them that I’m somebody to watch and I just basically gave it my all. Now one of the lines that really stood out to me was when you said “You should see us now taking pictures, acting like we rap” Coming from where you came from, did you ever see yourself being the big rap superstar? Not really, you know you have dreams of it but you don’t think it’s ever gone happen, it’s just like the NBA or NFL, and not many people get to go to the big leagues. So it’s the same way with rap, it’s like what’s the odds. But I just kept at it, kept hope alive, and just kept dreaming. And now it looks like this year is going to be a good year. Ok, you said 2013 is going to be a good year for you, what do you predict? I predict my music finally getting to where it needs to be. I’m not going to say I’m going to sell a million records that would be nice. But, the only thing I want is for the people to listen to my music and really relate to me and have that bond, then the record sales will happen organic after that. So that’s my main thing, making sure that the music gets to where it needs to go. OCT/NOV 2013 17
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It’s just been a lot of d cities supporting my I just feel like at hom slept on a little bit. SEPT/OCT. 2013 IX-ONLINE.NET
Ron. D THIS DETROIT NATIVE IS LOOKING
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TO CHANGE THE WAY
YOU VIEW DETROIT HIP-HOP AS WELL AS THE CITY IN GENERAL
It’s not every day that you have a rapper that speaks on nothing but positivity, especially a rapper that comes from Detroit. Labeled as America’s most dangerous city, the 313 has certainly received its share of bad press. Streets filled with drugs, violence, and images that mirror the crime scenes on Dick Wolf ’s Law & Order, it only seems right that the city’s rappers add in their own two cents. However, Ronald Williams, better known by his stage name, Ron. D, plans on changing that stigma a little. “If people don’t really follow me, they may not know how positive I am in real life. I don’t just do the positive tweets, I’m really, seriously that positive.” It was just last year that Ron. D had released his sophomore mixtape, You Can’t Deny Me. Having gone through a few personal issues during that time, Ron put all of that emotion into that project. A project that, might have been considered a little “left-field” for some of Detroit rap fans, went on to prove that Ron. D is definitely one of the most talented artists in the city. Fast forward to 2013 and now attention has shifted to his upcoming project, You Still Can’t Deny Me. “With the
different y music. me, I get
mixtapes, I pretty much was just putting out anything. But with the EP, I’m a little more serious. And it’s more original material; I’m just taking the EP way more serious than the mixtapes.” Although gears have switched, Ron. D still has that same grind; nothing has changed in that department. That’s obvious when you see the Detroit native shipping boxes of Ron. D t-shirts to fans across the country, but what about the fans in his hometown. It’s all too common for artists that do music a little different than the masses to become a little overlooked in this compacted Detroit market, no worries, Ron. D realizes this and just keeps it moving. “With my t-shirts and stuff, I’ve been getting a lot of sales from overseas. I’ve sent some to the UK, Australia, Ireland, a lot of them are going down south, like Texas and Atlanta. It’s just been a lot of different cities supporting my music. I just feel like at home, I get slept on a little bit.” But it’s known within the music industry that it only takes one record to get the people’s attention. And with his single “Ron. Dilla”, a tribute to the late Detroit super producer, J. Dilla, Ron. D just might have that record. OCT/NOV 2013 19
After releasing the song via a classic, 90s style video, which found the emcee spitting some heavy hitting bars over a slew of Dilla beats, Ron. D saw his stock in the Detroit hip-hop industry begin to rise. “Ron. Dilla was actually going to be a mixtape. We were gone do a whole Ron. Dilla mixtape and release it on Dilla Day, but as time went on, we kind of chalked the idea.” However the initial idea was the source that fueled the actual single, a single that has went on to get praise from everyone who has heard it. “Just all of the Detroit legends like Fat Cat, Guilty Simpson, Awesome Dre, Seven The General, just everybody I felt that could of said something, said something.” As Detroit continues to break the barrier and strives to get more of that mainstream spotlight that artists like Big Sean, Black Milk, and Royce Da 5’9 have received it’s going to be vital that as a whole we realize its two sides to every story. So, as you go about your day showing love to all of the trap rappers, don’t forget the other side of the tracks, the side that Ron. D represents.
QUICK SMOKE BREAK
FUN FACTS ABOUT HOOKAH
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he new trend as of lately has obviously been the causal smoking of hookah. However, there are a few unknown facts about this popular smoking method that you may not be aware of. So, IX took the time out to gather all of the informational material and present it to you. What you do with it is your business, but you can’t say we didn’t warn you.
FACT #1 Hookah smokers are at risk for the same kinds of diseases caused by cigarette smoking.
FACT #3 Due to the mode FACT #2 The volume of smoke of smoking, including freinhaled during a typical hooquency of puffing, depth of kah session is about 90,000 milliliters (ml), compared with inhalation, and length of the 500–600 ml inhaled when smoking session, hookah smoking a cigarette smokers may absorb higher
concentrations of the toxins found in cigarette smoke
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SNEAKER CON There’s currently not another event that impacts the sneaker community like Sneaker Con! IN ANY BUSINESS, the philosophy is supply and demand. And not too many businesses are in high demand like the sneaker industry. So, where there are sneaker heads, you better believe there will be hustlers looking to make some quick cash. Thanks to Sneaker Con, this transaction couldn’t possibly get any easier.
1000s of shoe fanatics flocked to NYC in 2009 for what turned out to be the first ever, Sneaker Con. Each year following, the numbers continued to grow in large proportions. “There’s currently not anything else like it. I mean where else can a kid come and make $1,000, legally in about 2 hours.” Says Mike Stewards, a self-proclaimed shoe freak and
Sneaker Con ticket holder. At these events you can expect some of the rarest shoes, accompanied by the exclusive price tags to go along with them. After breaking the attendance record just recently in NYC, Sneaker Con hit the nation’s capital on September 21st. And after that, they will be invading Chicago, so sneaker heads, get ready! OCT/NOV. 2013 21
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s you search throughout Detroit’s buzzing hip-hop scene, you’ll notice a nice amount of quality artists. A few already in the industry and a few industry ready, looking to break into that mainstream market. Of those artists is Sino. Hailing from Fenkell Ave., or 4-1 as us Detroiter’s like to call it, the rapper, whose physique mirrors that of a Detroit Lion rather than an emcee, is on the right path and ready to take Detroit and the whole music industry by storm. Knowing that it won’t be an easy task, Sino is willing, and able, to make those necessary sacrifices and do whatever needs to be done to make it. And not just for himself, he’s got a lot of people counting it.
“ “ Y I just think, my family got to eat off this. People that’s working with me, they family looking forward to this, so its something that I have to do, it has to get done. You just released the 5 Mile mixtape, what’s the response been like since you dropped it? The response been crazy. Actually it’s a better response than I expected. I just kind of been embracing all the love from everybody humbly. But it’s been a hell of a response fasho. How is this one different from Best Kept Secret? I can only go by what other people been saying, they say this one is more street the last one was kind of like more commercial. My input on it, I definitely put a lot more work and a lot more time in this actual project than I did with Best Kept Secret. Best Kept Secret was like, I had so many songs and I had to let some of them go, plus I wasn’t planning on that being a mixtape. With 5 Mile, everything was just more planned. That’s probably why it’s a little better outcome than the last one. Now on the last one, I was with you for a lot of the recording. Right.
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On this one, was the vibe any different? It just seem like I record better when I’m going through a lot of stuff, just personal shit. I think that’s why a lot of emotions was put into this one and a lot of it came out so classic because I was going through so much. I really kind of did what I felt and not what everybody else wanted to hear. So yea it was different. So how do you juggle being an indie rapper? Basically you’re doing everything on your own and you still got real life issue that you are dealing with. Man, it’s hard, but that’s kind of like my motivation, dealing with different stuff. I take that negative energy and turn it into a positive. Then I just think my family got to eat of this. People that’s working with me, they family looking forward to this, so its something that I have to do, it has to get done. Especially now that I’m this far into doing music, I got to make it
pay off. And not only with money, but to know that I put hard work into this and it paid off. With the scene in Detroit finally starting to pick up, what’s your take on Detroit music now? I love it! Detroit hip-hop is now going super hard. It’s a lot more unity than it’s ever been. Despite the little stuff that’s going on with a selected group of people, overall it’s better than ever. And it’s more support with the radio too, and that’s something we was missing. The local rap scene is beautiful right now. You were saying that The Best Kept Secret was a little more commercial and that 5 Mile is more street, what style do you prefer? It really don’t matter, I just be doing me. I just go in there and do what I feel. As far as my peers around me, I don’t try to make them happy no more. I’m just gone go with my flow and do what I do, rather it come out street or commercial.
Now that you’re making that transition to being a full-time artist, is it hard adjusting? I know as a rapper, especially an indie one, the schedule can get a little crazy. Yea it is crazy! It’s times when I don’t see my son or my girl. She understand but with my son being younger he don’t really understand sometimes, why his daddy gone all day, why he don’t see me until the next morning. It’s definitely hard but it’s the sacrifice that I have to make to get what I want to get and people just got to understand that. What’s next up after 5 Mile the mixtape? For the present moment, I’m just trying to focus on really pushing this. I think this is the project that can break me into different markets. I’m actually working on some more music right now. I might go to the studio once a week and mess with a few records to see where I want to take it. So, next up hopefully I’m in a good ass position. OCT/NOV 2013 23
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I wanted to show what my hood represented and what I brought out of my hood.
You said you’re trying to break into different markets, what’s the strategy? We still sitting down trying to get everything together to see where we gone take it, we don’t want to make any kind of mistakes. We are just trying to look at it from a few different angles, different from Detroit. Because with Detroit, sometimes we accept our own and sometimes we don’t, so, we just want to make sure we present ourselves to the world right, and not keep our minds stuck in a local place. Now on the 5 Mile mixtape, one of the songs that really stood out was
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Now do you think somebody that’s not from Detroit who listens to that song will understand what a 5 Mile nigga is? Yup! I think that they won’t put me so much in a box. I wanted people to know that I’m a normal muthafucka. That’s why I did a song about my two homies that got killed, my brothers and a few of my close friends. I wanted people to know it ain’t all about no drugs, money, and women, it’s some real life stories where I come from. I actually got a homie, Blitz, from Brooklyn and he be playing it in the projects and he said that’s they favorite song, “5 Mile Nigga”. It’s like how Jay-Z make you want to be
I wanted people to feel, like damn, I wish I was from 5 Mile. I want people to feel like they know from New York or Brooklyn, that’s how I me personally. wanted people to feel, like damn, I wish
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the intro. It had that old school vibe to it. Coming from listening to Best Kept Secret, it was like a complete change. When you’re recording music like that, does it kind of get you out of your comfort zone a little bit, or is it still the same as you doing any type of other music? Actually, when Helluva played that, I was looking for an intro. And when he played that, I didn’t want to go to no other beat. That song just came out so easy, I did that shit in like 30, 40 minutes. Like you said, the beat gave me an old school feel, like an introduction. It’s like I was introducing myself to the world. The reason I named it “5 Mile Nigga” was because I wanted to show what my hood represented and what I brought out of my hood.
I was from 5 Mile. I want people to feel like they know me personally. And that actually might be my favorite song. You were touching on the loss of your best friend. How do you deal with that and still make music? Is it hard touching on subjects like that in your music? On that subject it’s real easy to touch on it, Rest in peace Stu. Like when he got killed I took off a whole year with just recording, being in public, it just kind of fucked me up, I fell into depression. I didn’t want to be around nobody, talk on no phone, nothing. Every time I got around somebody I was paranoid. I actually just took a trip to Atlanta, rented a few cars, drove around and just listened to different music and I snapped out of it. I told myself I had to get back to it, because that’s what my homie would have wanted for me, to get back to the music. OCT/NOV 2013 25
INDUSTRY ALBUMS
MMG KEEPS IT MOVING WITH SELF-MADE VOL. 3
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As of recently there has not been too many hiphop labels that have had the type of longevity MMG has been able to retain, and 2013 proves to be no different. Wale’s third album, The Gifted, went on to reach #1 on the Billboard charts,
Rick Ross is still Rick Ross, Stalley is gearing for the release of his debut LP and despite the tragic death of Lil Snupe, Meek Mill continues to push forward. Now, all signs within the Maybach camp are pointing to Self Made Vol. 3, which turns out to be an extremely solid compilation. Like the two that precede it, Vol. 3 displays just how talented this group of rappers actually is. The album starts out with a solo joint from Meek Mill’s protégé’ and the recently deceased
Lil Snupe. The song finds the young, Louisiana, emcee ironically rhyming about finally making it out of the hood. It was an overjoyed feeling to hear Snupe, not only on the album, but to hear him first. Outside of the bitter-sweet intro, Self-Made Vol. 3 is filled with quality music. Of course you have the lead singles, which include, “Levels”, “Poor Decisions”, and “Bout That Life”. Adding to the buzz built from those tracks, are singles like “Black Grammy’s”
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WE BELIEVE IN PUTTING OUT THAT SACK, WE BELIEVE IN PUTTING OUT THAT WORK AND THAT’S WHAT KEEPS US AT THE TOP OF THIS GAME. -rick ross and “The Great Americans”, which are, arguably, the best tracks on the album. “Black Grammy’s finds Wale, Meek Mill, Rockie Fresh and J. Cole, who wrote his verse on the spot, trading a few heartfelt bars over a classic soulful sample. As the boss, Rick Ross stated, Vol. 3 is only here to warm the fans over until the Maybach Music artists drop their official LPs. So, let’s wait and see what they have in store for us.
The Weeknd continues his suburb music with debut.
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Following in the footsteps of his Canadian brethren, Drake, Canada R&B singer, The Weeknd, delivers a stellar project with this debut album, entitled, Kiss Land. The smooth,
mellow singer, who has been featured on a barrage of hit records, keeps up with his winning formula and doesn’t deviate from what’s been working. From the first track to the last one, Kiss Land plays like one entertaining single. From the moment you pop the cd in, you almost become captivated by the The Weeknd’s voice, which ultimately, makes it a daunting task to skip one song, let alone press eject. Kiss land is an extremely polished debut from one of the game’s most promising new artists. OCT/NOV 2013 27
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4 THINGS THAT MUST BE DONE BEFORE YOU CAN GO HOUSE SHOPPING.
1. FIND OUT YOUR CREDIT SCORE.
Before you even think about owning a home or begin your house search, you must first determine if your creditworthy. Most lenders won’t touch you if your FICO scores are below 620. And those that do will offer extremely high interest rates and down payments to offset the low scores. First, pull your credit report. Dispute any inaccurate information and pay off whatever outstanding debt you have. Open up, a maximum of, two credit cards, preferably secured, and get the ball rolling.
2. GET PRE-APPROVED.
Once your credit is all lined up, the next step is to get pre-approved. Contact a respectable mortgage company and let them take it from there. 9 times out of 10 you will need: last year’s 1040 (tax returns), 2 previous check stubs, and your latest monthly bank statement. Once you are preapproved, make sure your mortgage specialist goes over the different loan types with you. And FYI, just because you are approved for 100k home, doesn’t mean you have to buy a 100k home. Crunch the numbers and determine what you are comfortable buying and go with that.
3. MAKE A MUST-HAVE LIST.
Sit down, get your pen and pad together and create a list of must haves. Now, make sure you make this list as realistic as possible. That 50k home may not be able to have 13 ft ceilings. List the number of bedrooms you need, square footage, lot size, etc. Make your list and stick with it.
4. FIND AN AGENT.
Search the internet, social media sites and ask for referrals. Once you locate your agent, show them your list and let them get to work!
MORTGAGE FACTS THE CURRENT INTEREST RATE FOR A HOME LOAN IS 4.46%
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THE LAST PIC.
TUNNEL VISION
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his pic was snapped while I was hanging out of a moving car, that just so happened to be going about 60 mph. While driving I
thought “this would be the perfect time to get a picture as we leave New York�. So, I set the ISO to 200, adjusted the aperture, leaned out the car and snapped probably 50 or so pictures, this one just so happened to be the best. To me this represents what everyone should have, TUNNEL VISION.
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SEPT/OCT. 2013
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Keeping his basketball dreams alive Ellis went from Ohio, back to upper Michigan, where he attended Urbana University and continued to excel both athletically and academically. At the university, Ellis would be a two sport athlete, averaging more than 15 points per game and playing wide receiver for the school's football team. Upon graduation, he would receive, yet again, shocking news. This time in the form of a letter from the NFL. “Actually right before I graduated I received a letter from the NFL Combine and I really put it on the back burner, why I don’t know. Honestly I was thinking about basketball and wasn’t expecting a letter from the
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NFL.” TR would graduate from Urbana with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, however, it would be close to 2 years before he would receive another letter pertaining to sports. “I just felt like nothing was going right. No one was calling, no one was emailing me back, nothing. I thought maybe I wasn’t good enough or something, but I kept working hard. I just couldn’t give up, it’s too many people depending on me and want me to make it.” It wasn’t until a July afternoon that he would receive the call he had been so anxiously waiting for, for nearly two years. And that call would come from Rome. Ellis would
FRUITVALE STATION walks you through the events that took place before Oscar’s death. It starts off with actual cell phone footage of the shooting then rewinds to the previous day. It shows Grant interacting with his daughter, conversing with his mother and pleading for his grocery job back. Michael B. Jordan, best known for his Wallace role in HBO’s hit series The Wire, gives a stellar and believable portrayal of Oscar Grant. Even so
try-out for the Rome professional basketball team and compete in an international 3-on-3 tournament, alongside some of the nations top basketball prospects. “Honestly when I first landed I was thinking about the Jay-Z song when he said, “Hov just landed in Rome.” I was like damn, I really just landed where Jay-Z said he was. From there it felt like a dream, I didn’t want to come back home.” Now, waiting once more for his official offer, TR finds himself a little more confident and hopeful. “From here I think I’m going back to Italy and play. If I don’t go there, I know I’ll be playing somewhere out the country.
that Oscar Grant’s mother, Wanda Johnson, says that, at times it was almost as if she was watching her actual son. Fruitvale Station was made for under $1 million dollars, funded almost entirely through grants, and was produced by Forest Whitaker’s production company, Significant Productions. Following a modest initial theater release, the film has gone on to gross more than $13 million dollars worldwide. OCT/NOV 2013
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