’ s r e g i T Detroit randerson G Curtis g g e L y k an t S a d yz Do o B S G e with th a: m a b O .” e s ’ k e i l b I u r T eve You t a h w o d n a c I “ ts s i t r A ace p S y M Meet ‘Em Mamis t e G e h T
Monkeying around with
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smick Perkins Publisher: De nderer Editor: KT Hi Rodrigues Jorge Leandro : or ct re Di t Ar afer, t, Jennifer Sh Melissa Stewar rgan, Kristen John: rs to bu ri nt Co a Mo ard, Christin las, Danielle Amanda Pritch Christopher Wo , er dd Ru de son, Auriane Hester ew Crozier Cover photo: Dr
F F A T S
To find those who deserve the Crunk Certified seal of approval is no easy task. It’s not hard to find somebody who thinks he’s the next thing to blow. Dozens of hip-hop artists are releasing debut albums this quarter and we’ve got to weed through all the wanna-bes and find you the one who could some day go down in history as hip hop an icon. Difficult? Hell yeah. Impossible? You haven’t met the Crunk Certified staff! In this issue we covered all the bases. We’ve got cover boy Gorilla Zoe, who talks about staying true to his roots while putting out his sophomore album. We’ve talked to the GS Boyz about their Stanky Legg hit, tips on how to do it right and getting signed to Young Joc’s new label. We’ve got the run-down of upcoming releases, DJ Cnote’s list of the next to blow and an interview with the Detroit Tigers’ next big baller. Think you know the next big thing? Hit us up and let us know who should be on our radar screen! Twitter: @CrunkCertified MySpace: myspace.com/crunkmagazine Till next issue... Keep it Crunk
kT
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Page 6 Y Page 7 - ouTube Obama M Page 8 - aino T Page 9 - witter @CrunkC ertified Page 9 - DJ C-Note Page 10 Carnival Page 12 - Cy Young Page 13 - Lil Haze Page 15 GS Boyz Page 19 In Your Words: R Page 20 Swagg Entertain enaissance Page 22 - Fashion: Vintige ment Page 25 - Get Em Mamis Collection Page 27 - Gorilla Zoe Page 29 - Sports: The Nex - Droppin t Baller g It Like I t’s Hot! 5
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’s Obama By Jennifer Shafer Iman Crosson is known as Alphacat on You Tube and he’s burning up the Internet with his Barack Obama impersonations. To his credit, more than nine million viewers have tuned in to his T.I. Whatever You Like SPOOF. And his Beyoncé - Single Ladies SPOOF, released a couple months ago on YouTube, had five million views in the first four weeks. You know the video, the one with the catchy hook, “If you voted for me, change is on the way know it,” as he attempts to dance like Beyoncé while impersonating President Barack Obama. He’s funny, offering a whimsical and dashing impersonation of the President, and has managed to entertain viewers from both political parties. Dubbed as one of the best Barack Obama impersonators in the country, Crosson was trained as an actor at Wright State University in Ohio for two years before being picked up by Dayton Contemporary Dance Co. Crosson danced with them for two years before moving to NY. He came up with the idea of impersonating Barrack Obama while working in a restaurant in NY during the presidential campaign. People joked, calling him Barrack Obama. At first he laughed, but then, “I thought about it. Me being an actor, I should probably impersonate him, because I know he’s probably going to win, and he’s going to be the most important guy on the planet,” explained Crosson. He decided to post his videos on YouTube, seeing it as an opportunity to get his name out. If you’re creative, passionate and determined it works, “I gotta give YouTube a big old hug, because they’ve been a tremendous help,” Crosson said. Crosson has been making videos on YouTube since 2005. He’s a self-taught one-man show, writing, filming, editing and acting in his own videos. He was never
been formally trained on how to film, edit or write. The videos are shot on a small flip camera nothing expensive or fancy, just a basic camera he says. His video productions are very grassroots at the moment. He spends hours practicing his Barack Obama impersonations. Paying close attention to Barack’s hand mannerisms, his gazes and the looks that the President gives. Crosson explained that the voice is the most important part, “There’s a very distinct Obama voice, a very distinct cadence,” he said. “You’ll never completely become someone you’re impersonating, so there’s always room to work on it.” In just days he was able to produce the Beyoncé spoof all by himself. The public’s reaction has been fantastic. It’s a lot for him to grasp, going from a regular guy to an Internet star, “It’s very humbling to get so much positive feedback,” Crosson said. He hopes to meet Obama someday and get his Presidential stamp of approval on his impersonation. Until then, he’s going to continue working on his technique and posting new videos, like the recent Barack Obama- State of the Nation Address (Hip-Hop Interpretation).
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Mad Beats
Maino
By Amanda E.H. Pritchard
Saying hi to all his haters Maino only knows how to Hustle Hard. Representing Brooklyn, Maino is blowing up on the scene fresh beats and quick witted rhymes that will have you thinking damn, where’d he come up with that? “I’m not hot yet, I’m goin’ show you hot in a minute,” Maino told the people’s choice, DJ Envy. “I’m just getting started. The engine is just on, it ain’t heat up yet.” Blazing the streets for years on the mix-tape scene as well as working his way through the DVD circuit Maino made a name for himself with “Rumors” which escalated his career to the next level with the club hit Hi Hater. Hi Hater, the first single from Maino’s debut album, hit the national scene so hard that Alicia Keys performed with him at HOT97’s 2008 Summer Jam in East Rutherford, NJ. And there’s a remix video that includes T.I., Swizzy, Plies, Jadakiss, Fabolous Next up for this now bona-fide hip hop star was Maino’s debut album, If Tomorrow Comes, which dropped in September. Just six months later Maino’s current single is with none other than hit maker, T-Pain. Killer hook and a nice flow, “All the Above” is hip hop gold. Hell bent on “bringing New York forward.” Maino says, “the only way to bring it forward is to breathe new life into it. That’s how you keep hip-hop alive, you give birth to the new. I want to be the one bringing that new life.” Coming from the streets Maino captivates his audience with true life experiences that many of his fans have been through themselves. “I’m not trying to be the next anybody,” he says. “I can’t do what Jay-Z does. I can’t do what Diddy, 50, or Wayne can do. I can’t do what Big or Pac did. I can only be me and master what I do.” Maino developed an affection for the genre early on. Born Jermaine Coleman, Maino grew up on Nostrand Avenue the heart and soul of Bed-Stuy Brooklyn. With the classic age of hip hop in full swing by the late eighties Maino was influenced by some of the greats like KRS One, Rakim and Brooklyn’s own Big Daddy Kane. As these pioneers were paving the way for the future of hip hop, Maino was recording “ill rhymes” on mix tapes. As he developed Maino confesses, “I wasn’t really writing rhymes yet; I was doing it because I was such a fan.” Arrested in the early 90’s for a drug related kidnapping Maino eventually learned after spending almost a decade in lock up that the criminal lifestyle was no longer a part of him. Maino told HOT97’s Angie Martinez back in the summer of ‘08 “When I was in jail I wasn’t really learnin’ anything. I could’ve been out in five years, wound up doing almost ten because I really wasn’t learnin’ anything. I was getting into the same thing that I was getting into in the street. So, I was bumpin’ my head. I was getting into a lot of altercations. Did a lot of box time, what you call solitary time, and it was under those circumstances that I started rapping.” Having gone through hell Maino started laying down tracks about life lessons through hip hop and started Hustle Hard Entertainment is 2003. Proclaiming himself as “Brooklyn’s Future” Maino has teamed up with some of his city’s finest as well as hip hop royalty; Lil’ Kim, Busta Rhymes, Swizz Beatz, Plies, Jadakiss, Fabolous as well as his label mate T.I. Fresh out of jail and hot on the mix tape market Maino was signed to Universal. But, with the rising southern presence in rap, Universal didn’t now how to move “New York rap” so Maino and Universal parted ways in 2007. Maino put his hustle hard mentality into overdrive and quickly landed a deal with Atlantic Records. Extending his gratitude towards his record label Maino said, “I appreciated the opportunity, being signed at a time when New York rappers weren’t really getting deals, but being at Atlantic I feel like I can go to another level.” From that relationship came his debut album, If Tomorrow Comes, and his first rising radio hit, All the Above. “New York City just get use to it,” Maino said. “I’m just getting started.”
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Tweet . . . s i h T By KT Hinderer
To make it in the biz today an artist has got to have more than mad vocals, a dope sound and crazy lyrics. He or she has got to go beyond the art of music creation, in order to CREATE the one thing every artist needs - an audience. An audience is made through radio spots and celebrity endorsements but to really blow on the scene an artist needs more than just the groupies who are going to run to the store when the album drops. The audience needs to feel personally connected to the artist. They want to know the artist is real, human, substantial. To create this connection, to develop a kind of family around a sound more and more artists are using social media. Yeah, it’s been around for a decade now. Everyone, and there mother, has a facebook or myspace account; and artists are no different. A new sound gets signed to a record label, the marketing department creates a myspace and facebook page for the group or singer trying to catch viewers. And while this is an effective way to get the sound out, it’s not always going to create the loyal fan base and personal connection needed to make it past ‘one-hit-wonder’ stardom. Some artists on the other hand, use social media sites to foster a loyal fan base and in the process it helps to give him or her more recognition on the hip hop scene. These people don’t let their marketing team do all the posting, they get in there, bust out their blackberrys and get busy updating. To make it today this is a must, ‘cause while it’s great to read the latest about an artist’s album and concert lineup what we really are all dying to know is who he is, what makes her tick, what’s he care about, what pisses her off. We can’t get those things with a basic PR post. Here’s a short list of the big names @CrunkCertified is following on Twitter: -Diddy! A Twitter god, of sorts, @iamdiddy has more than 550,000 followers. Micro blogging about his 2009 release Last Train to Paris, the new artists he’s signing and just offering inspiration for the day, Diddy knows how to keep us all coming back for more.
-Keri Hilson! Her debut album dropped at the end of March and this girl is one fire. @MissKeriBaby -Swizz Beatz! He’s got thousands of followers, tweets a dozen times a day and showcases his love for art through the account. @therealswizz -Ludacris! So some of the posts are from his ‘team’ and @ludajuice is not as proficient on the site as Diddy, but he posts several times a day. -DJ Drama! His tweets are short and usually all in caps. But he keeps his more than 26,000 followers happy with many tweets a day. @djdrama -Jim Jones! He takes full advantage of the 140 characters he gets to use for each tweet. If only @jimjonescapo tweeted about the new tattoo he just got inked. -Shaq! @The_Real_Shaq is a powerhouse and big-time replier on Twitter. -Soulja Boy! With more than 82,000 followers @souljaboytellem is creating his own community here. -MCHammer! Yeah, he’s on here too. And @MCHammer has more followers than even Diddy has managed to compile, with roughly 260,000. -Snoop Dog! Ok, he’s funny and the tweets from @ snoopdogg are just insane. -Dawn Richard! Former Danity Kane singer. @dawnrichard is now working with Cassie and Diddy. -Cassie Ventura! She tweets and posts pics via twitpic. The latest pic by @cassieventura - half her head shaved! -Mariah Carey! Although she only follows Diddy, Obama, and her man, @MariahHBF tweets a lot. Warning, she tweets a lot about how much she loves @NickCannon4Real. -Tyrese Gibson! The man seriously posts dozens of tweets daily. @Tyrese4Real is obsessed. From this issue of Crunk Certified: -Gorilla Zoe: @GorillaZoe -GS Boyz: @gs_boyz -Maino: @mainohustlehard -Renaissance: @realrenaissance -DJ Cnote: @DerrtyDjCnote -Vintige Collection: @vintige
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Who’s Got
the Beat? By Amanda Pritchard
The thrill of spinning records and bumping the beat came early on for one of STL’s hottest DJ’s, Cnote. Born Creston Waters, Cnote was inspired by his uncle who traveled the rural areas of the dirty south mixing his beats as far south as Alabama and Arkansas. After growing up in Decatur, IL, Cnote made his way to St. Louis in ‘97. After studying the scene for nine months Cnote jumped right in. Citing “meeting the right people who just knew everybody” not only did Cnote begin spinning he also became an on-air disc jockey for a local radio station. “Back in the day I had an underground radio show called Black Liberation. It was a pirate radio station that I ran from my apartment.” Cnote went on to say, “that led to my first radio gig for a public radio station. It was an overnight party mix show.” Cnote’s days of jumping parties off be it on the college scene, raves or at warehouse parties were finally paying off. Now, Cnote delivers his beats at Club Casino, “you know the one Nelly talks about?” and produces the Rickey Smiley show for Radio One’s WHHL, Hot 104.1 as well as provides his on words ‘o’
wisdom as an on-air super star for Hot 104.1. Cnote says, “I’m in the business of making money.” Cnote says it takes about 4 weeks for a song to make it. “We break the songs in the club first. Other DJ’s follow the songs we break in Club Casino.” How he knows what’s going to be the next beat to blow, “I’m looking for instant response that gets the club going from the jump,” Cnote said. The last song he heard that had the hair on the back of his neck stand up was “Money Talks Bull Shit Walks” by St. Lunatics. “That beat is hard! I had goose bumps.” Artists about to blow, according to Cnote: -St. Lunatics Current Single: Money Talks Bull Shit Walks -Ludi Current Single: She Can Get It -Hakeem the Dream Current Single: Think With It -Young Ro Current Single: Dunk That Booty
C arnival, Populatio.n of In v is ib le P e o p le
While struggle is no doubt a recurrent theme in most hip-hop, the members of Carnival--Youngstown Ohio’s latest Christian rap export--keep their music fresh by infusing positivity. Despite the hardships that threatens any rising group’s success, Carnival has pushed for their moment, performing alongside Tre 9, Hezekiah Walker, DJ- Morph, K- Drama, Everyday Process, Pettidee and many other successful artists along the way. Their first single, “B.E.Z.” is a new take on the old cliché, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going.’ The song urges listeners to step up to the plate when dealing with hard times. And the members of Carnival know about hard times, “We all have lost our fathers during this process so, we all have something major in common. To make a long story short we began our ministry and fifteen years later here we are now.” says Sean Robinson of the group. A release like “B.E.Z.” reinforces Carnival’s clean, but also experi-
enced, image. Carnival member Brandon Robinson describes the group’s sound as “a mesh of old school to new school hip-hop with hints of R&B which ultimately has an original sound all its own.” Produced by Kevin Deane--who has worked with Mary J Blige, Tina Turner and other greats--the members of Carnival are ready to see their fifteen-year pet project go professional. Pushing other uplifting tracks like “Foundation,” and “Passion,” these artists are here to take hip-hop to a new, uplifting level. Tone-Beatz--a new Ohio-based beat-production team, hopes to also make their mark with their work on the Carnival release. The album, “Population of Invisible People,” debuts July 28th. Named after a special bonus cut on the album, “Population of Invisible People” is the group’s effort to provide a voice for those who cannot speak out, many who have lost their faith and can no longer feel, or those who are simply living their lives unheard.
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Lyric Crafter
CY YOUNG By Kristen Johnson
In the early 1900s, the Ohio-born farm boy turned Baseball Hall of Fame legend, Cy Young, would have laughed at the possibility of a Queens-raised professional basketball player taking his name for a music career. Enter: Cy Young, a 6’7 emcee causing more than local noise. “I wanted something that represented versatility, and I didn’t want (a name) like Killer,” Young said, about picking his artist name. “The MVP pitcher of the year gets the Cy Young Award, and you have to the best. You have to be very versatile; have to have real pose on the mound and be able to change it up.” Young’s style strongly reflects these award-winning baseball players. Strong and steady while keeping it fresh, Cy Young proves his similarities through his newly released album Exactly! The LP Extended Version. This collection of 13 tracks includes beats Young and friends have been creating for years and reaches every point on the hip-hop spectrum. The album begins with the more rugged, “State of Emergency,” rousing the importance of being careful with actions and words to those located in all regions. “Young World” slows the album down to its conclusion, smoothly rhyming about the lack of proper guidance from older generations, resulting in an innocently ignorant young world. Cy Young’s interest in his music initially formed not only through his environment in NY, but also through his attraction to words. He said his older sister and brother are talented poets, and they greatly influenced his present skills. When his siblings stopped pushing their own writing to help him become more immersed in his own abilities, he began to realize his potential and his passion for its results. “What keeps me going is touching people and to really write a piece to change somebody’s mood or change their outlook. (When) I can be somewhere and someone can verbatim, line-for-line break it down and say, ‘This is what you wrote and this is what it means to me.’ That’s powerful. That’s almost enough right there; it’s served its purpose,” Young said. His music journey shot into warp speed one open mic night in Washington D.C. when he became interconnected with rapper and producer Kev Brown. Brown took notice of his talent even though Young was new to the area without any recorded songs. He was filled with a need to be heard and Brown picked up on that. “This music is the way I vent. This is the way I express myself. That’s part of me being Cy Young - the versatility. For me to just put out an album of party joints, I wouldn’t be true to myself” he said. Young’s schedule of shows constantly grows with upcoming performances in Texas and the D.C. area. He’s also constantly cranking out new sounds with friends and artists, both locally and internationally. Young doesn’t want to try top predict the future but knows he’ll always be involved with crafting words. “I’m always going to be involved in writing in some aspect just because it’s that strong to me - it’s like breathing,” Young said.
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The South has yet to turn over the reign of hip hop. Music makers are doing it big in ATL and Florida by kicking up a firestorm of hits, and no one seems to be able to stop the fire from burning, even with beef brimming from the North. When you think of music coming from Birmingham, Ala., some think they should probably stick with gospel music. Lil Haze of Birmingham Entertainment says that’s not so. He was born Ahmad Rashad Johnson (his dad was a fan of the famous football star) and is now known as Lil Haze. But there’s so much more to him than people would assume, from a small town guy from ‘The Ham.” His music speaks volumes of who he his and where he comes from. Lil Haze is a man comfortable in his own skin, doing things his own way and expecting big results. Believing in the mantra that everything that glitters ain’t gold, Lil Haze approaches his music the way he does life. “I don’t curse when I talk and I don’t need it in my music. You do and say other stuff so people get the point. I may drop the ‘N’ word on occasion, but that’s it.” When you listen to his music, you don’t miss the bitches
and ho’s and you forget about getting fucked up. There are no mofo’s in his debut album “Doing the Most.” But what you can find on the album is a hot joint shared with R&B heartthrob Ray J. The two produce a very sexy cut titled “Work that Body” that Lil Haze is very proud of. It’s a banger that ladies will love. And the video? Wait on it! That’s hot too! Lil Haze also teamed up with Atlanta duo the Ying Yang Twins to pen “Whut It Iz,” a promising club hit and radio favorite. But when Lil Haze reminisces on hip hop coming up, he remembers that “Today Was a Good Day” (by Ice Cube) as the first song he ever learned. “Cube was one of my favorites because even though he was hard, he could be positive.” Haze also hits hard throughout “Doin the Most” without forgetting to shout out about struggle. “I fell in love with hip. How when I was a kid and I always knew this was what I wanted to do with my life.” Listen to Lil Haze on http://www.myspace.com/ lilhaze205. By Melissa Stewart
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r u o Y e e S Can We ? g g e L y k Stan
By Christina Morgan
Can you do the Stanky Legg? Still trying to infuse your swagger in the steps? The song, turned dance sensation from the GS Boyz, is taking the nation by storm, and all before the group even had a record deal or label to represent them. The hot new group is made up of five boys from Arlington, Texas who managed to first grab America’s attention through the web. Their names Slizz, Prince, Marc D, Soufside and DK are on the way to becoming household names now that the video for Stanky Legg, which was posted and blasted out on YouTube, has reached millions of viewers. The GS Boyz were formed only four years ago at a Texas high
school. Slizz, Prince and Marc D met at school, and then met Soufside through his sister and DK just hanging out at the mall. A few years later, Soufside and Prince came up with the song for Stanky Legg, and then everyone else pitched in to come up with the club favorite dance. After the music video was made, GS Boyz said, “Man we just pushed it like crazy. We put the video on everybody… our MySpace page and blasted the song out.” Before the boys knew it, everybody was jumping on the bandwagon to check out the smash hit and learn how to do the stanky legg. DJs picked up hit from YouTube and MySpace and started playing it in the clubs. The song was a club favorite and hitting the airwaves even before
the group had a record label backing them. Now the group’s been signed to Young Joc’s label. The fivesome got hooked up with Yung Joc through DJ BayBay. “We did a show at this club at CoCo’s for BayBay and we wrecked the show. BayBay said that he was going to call us with a deal and he did!” They soon received the call from Yung Joc, who wanted to sign them to his own imprint Swagg Team Entertainment. “When they came across my desk, I knew that this was gonna be the next situation,” Yung Joc said. He was impressed with the guys because his five-year-old daughter and nephew already knew how to do the Stanky Legg dance. The GS Boyz knew Yung
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Joc would launch their careers to a new level. “It’s great working with Joc because he’s like a big brother to us and he shows us a lot of things that we need to know about the business.” The group also talks about the first time that they heard the song on the radio. “Man, it was crazy because we never thought we would hear it on the radio or in the club. To see everybody going crazy for the song was great!” The GS Boyz’ first album is ex-
pected to drop in the Spring of 2009, and the group said it’s got songs on there for everybody. There will be some crunk hits and even some slow songs for the ladies. The record will be released through Swagg Team’s partnership with Jive Records. The group will also be BMG Label Group’s incubator imprint Battery Records. The boys list Plies as their number one influence and as their debut album gets ready to drop the GS Boyz are dreaming large; with hopes of working with The Dream and Soulja Boy. No stranger to dance sensations, Soulja Boy even posted his own video on YouTube offering his rendition of Stanky Legg for the world to see. In their own lives, the five guys from Arlington keep it real. When asked about their individual personalities, they explain that Soufside is the crazy one of the five; Prince and Slizz are laid back; DK is outgoing because he’s the only singer in the group; Marc D is very outstanding. Together, they
all become extremely outgoing and a little bit crazy. As for hobbies, Marc D spends his time playing basketball and making beats, Slizz loves to shop and play football, Prince is a track runner, DK would usually be found on a basketball court or singing and Soufside is a grease monkey working on cars and likes play basketball. And as for the Stanky Legg dance? Well, now on YouTube, you can catch even Snoop Dogg trying it out. The guys laugh, “We were with DJ BayBay and he had a video of Da Game doing the Stanky Legg. It was real crazy.” For those people that haven’t tried or perfected it yet, the guys give some easy advice to do it, “Just stick your legg out and move it. Just put your on swag to it!” Everybody’s doing the Stanky Legg. Yung Joc laughs, “I’m trying to get it man!” While he perfects his dance, Young Joc is also holed up in the studio for the boys to finish their debut album. The release date hasn’t been set yet, but it’s coming. In the meantime, do the stanky legg.
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Name: Renaissance City: Brooklyn, NY Age: Grown! Label name: Scorpio Records, Inc.
Number of years you’ve been in the game: Got my first industry check at 15 soooooo… a few years now.
How you got started: I was a writer before I got into music. Then I developed an interest in music so of course writing it just came naturally. I was writing r&b songs at 10 years old and then my first raps around 12. The talent was God-given and I just enjoyed it so I kept at it, developing my skill. I started producing in college ‘cause I got tired of getting wack beats from other producers.
Your most noted song: “Thug Passion” from my album “Life’s Soundtrack”
Ultimate aspirations: To work with some of my favorite artists incl. Gladys Knight, Maxwell, Jay-Z, Shirley Caesar, Jill Scott, Prince and Garth Brooks. What you’re working on: New music for the summer. I’m talking to a few artists that I’d like to do some collaborations with. I’m also producing tracks for some other artists so there are a few things to be on the lookout for from me. I’m also hoping to put a live band together and do a few shows with the backing band. My music has a heavy soul influence and I think live instrumentation would just make it sound extra dope at my show. Plans for 2009: I plan to start an online web-tv show. People can tune in online and just watch me do the nutty things I do. It’ll be another way to connect with my fans and expand my online presence. I plan to do more shows in more places so that I can touch more of my fans in other parts of the country and the world. Hip Hop is growing in so many different ways now and one of those is the movement I started with my music called ‘Neo Hip Hop’. So my focus is on propelling the Neo Hip Hop movement to the forefront.
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from: Love inspires me so much! The good and the bad and thick and the thin of it. Be it my own or the people around me. I love, love but I can’t stand sappyness, lol. So I guess that’s why I can write these hip hop love songs and make neo hip hop and have both the ladies and the fellas vibe with me. Women, we’re always suckers for love & romance, and while guys don’t usually really like sappyness, real guys can always appreciate genuine love. And my music walks that line pretty well.
Hip hop: dead or in recession? Hip Hop isn’t dead but it is an endangered species. If there’s no one to carry on tradition it will surely die. These kids gotta be taught what real hip hop is and means. And since no one really did that, they have no sense of hip hop history. If that history is not passed down or taught then it is lost forever. You can’t blame them for making wack music when it’s all they’re mostly exposed to. A lot of what’s popular isn’t good hip hop. But there is still plenty of dope hip hop bubbling just beneath the surface. I can think of several underground artists making dope hip hop, that, if they had the same kind of tv/radio exposure would be just as famous as the people on top right now. Hip hop’s definition: It’s a simple equation. Real Hip Hop = Dope beats + Dope rhymes + Truth x Originality What is Neo Hip Hop: Neo Hip Hop is to Hip Hop what Hip Hop soul is to R&B. Both hip hop & R&B are fathered by soul music. So the fusion between the two is natural. Hip Hop soul is R&B with a hip hop feel to it. Neo Hip Hop is Hip Hop with a soulful feel to it. And the same way people associate Mary J. with hip hop soul, I want them to associate Renaissance to Neo Hip Hop.
Where your inspiration comes
Artists you admire: Jay-Z, Salt n Pepa, 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Lauryn Hill, Dolly Parton, Maxwell, Prince, Sade, Jill Scott, Phonte of Little Brother
best interest to pay very close attention to us. Who’s got the most swagger in the industry: T.I. It clearly comes natural for him whereas I see a lot of folks running round screaming about their swag and it all looks staged. But with T.I. you can see it comes from within and it’s just his truth. Twitter: www.twitter.com/RealRenaissance MySpace: www.myspace.com/RealRenaissance Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/ Renaissance/41487869868 YouTube: “http://www.youtube.com/RealRenaissance” Website: www.RenaissanceOnline.net
5 albums you’d die without: Reasonable Doubt, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite, The Love Jones Soundtrack, Me Against the World, Life’s Soundtrack Song you’re feelin now: “Successful” by Drake, Trey Songz, & Lil wayne Music video you can’t get enough of: “Thug Passion” is still the dopest video to me! If you haven’t seen it yet, oh man, you’re so missing out! Stop right now and go to youtube. com/RealRenaissance and watch that joint! Song you never want to hear again: Turn on the radio and whatever song comes on- THAT ONE! Hip hop drama you’re watching closely: 50 Cent’s Saturday morning cartoon series & Pimpin Curly keep me thoroughly entertained right now. LOL. The next big thing: Besides me, I’d say some of my underground friends like Verbal Sideshow, Spokinn Movement, Big Trip, Kats & Domer. We all got our individual movements going and our grinds are ridiculous. It would be in everybody’s
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Yung Joc Launches Swagg Team Entertainment By Christina Morgan In 2008, Yung Joc was featured in three of ten top 10 singles on the charts including “Get Like Me” featuring Chris Brown, “Lookin’ Boy” by HotStylz and “So Fly” by Slim. His latest single “Beep” by Bobby Valentino is also rapidly rising on the Billboard charts. But as of lately, the young entrepreneur isn’t only focused on his own music. In addition to getting his third album “Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood” ready for release, Yung Joc also recently launched his own Entertainment Company, Swagg Team Entertainment. Yung Joc calls it a “springboard operation” that’s ready to take the world by storm. Swagg Team Entertainment recently signed popular acts HotStylz and GS Boyz, and Yung Joc anticipates huge success of the newcomers. HotStylz, a comedic rap group who won a BET Laugh Award for Best Comedic Video in 2008, boasts their success on being more of entertainers than rappers, roasting anonymous targets with amusing insults. Yung Joc says, “They are a brilliant crew of individuals representing Chicago. Right now we are working on their second single called “Ohh Yeah.” Readers can check it out on MySpace and YouTube.” GS Boyz, five teen from Arlington, Texas, emerged as a phenomenon on YouTube after their release of their hit single “Stanky Legg.” The new dance has sold over 200,000 downloads according to Nielsen Sound Scan, and is popular among children and adults alike. Both groups will release their debut albums through Swagg Team’s partnership with Jive Records later in the year. Does Yung Joc like the entrepreneurial side of the Hip-Hop world. “I love it,” he reveals. “We are in the studio right now, we ain’t playin’ no games!”
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Iman Tatum is a man on a mission. The 28 year old was not only the first in his family to graduate from college but he’s also the founder and lead designer of Vintige Collection, an Atlantabased clothing company. What does he create? Tatum defines his line as “fresh, dope and original.” His pieces have been worn by Keri Hilson, DJ Don Cannon, DJ Infamous, Shondrae aka “Bangledesh” and Bone Crusher. Vintige Collection was started in 2006 after Tatum began looking at the people around him and recognized there was a lack of individuality. He’s a firm believer in “creating your own lane” so by 2007 the line had its first showcase at the las Vegas Magic Convention and has grown steadily since. Now the men’s clothing line can be found in 50 stores in the US and abroad. Tatum prides himself in the way he has “reinvented the wheel of fashion by creating trendsetting individuality with a unique fit, design, and attention to detail.” In the months ahead, Vinitge Collection will expand to include knitwear, outerwear, denim and accessories. Striving for excellence no matter the circumstance, Tatum says he tries to live by the mantra ‘Nothing Else Even Matters.’
By KT Hinderer
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MySpace Artist on the Rise:
Get Em Mami’s http://www.myspace.com/getemma By Auriane de Rudder A Baltimore rap career can be a double-edged sword. Rapping and living an authentic, tough-as bullets existence gains Baltimore artists enviable street-cred. Still, many hip hop artists find themselves trapped in a world where the combo of poverty, drugs and little opportunity combat their creative endeavors. Street-cred or not, how can an artist express themselves successfully when violence is the majority of what surrounds them? Enter Baltimore’s newest, Westport-repping duo, the Get Em Mami’s. Half silly, half serious, these girl’s tracks are blowing up online and challenging Baltimore hip hop artists to lighten up a little bit, even if they are from the hood. On 2008’s “Beyond Hamsterdam: Baltimore Tracks From The Wire,“ the Mami’s debuted a song that would pleasantly reverberate in the ears of seasoned rap lovers. The song was “When You See Us,” the sound was straight Baltimore, and the buzz was about to get serious. The girls, however, were not. Our recent talk with Roxzi and Symphony was surprisingly light-hearted. Seems these girls just want to make the world a Get Em Mami’s cocktail, teach us all a new language, and have a little--okay, a LOT--of fun. Their ages? The girls playfully stated they are “from the age of Terawesome,” (that’s part terrific, part awesome) and went on to say, “We hail from the Planet Swagg.” Fond of using their own brand of made-up phrases, the girls say they want to develop a new language by the end of 2009. When it came down to talking sexism in the rap-game, the girls wouldn’t play. Brushing off questions about their abilities versus their gender, the two instead started listing what they love about Baltimore (everything), and what they can do despite working in an arguably male-dominated career (anything). Since the original hype in 2008, G.E.M. has attracted the attention of writers at Fader, Vibe and the Rolling Stone--where the Mami’s earned a respectable rating for their single “Cold Summer.” Another burst of attention erupted after some unexpected online-networking with internet darlings, Waffles and Falafels. A clothing company run by girls with their fingers on the pulse of what’s hot in music and fashion, the W&F Girls blogged and bulletined about G.E.M., and fans took notice. You can download Roxzi and Symphony’s current personal fave, “Crazy,” as well as many other tracks on their myspace page.
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Monkeying Around
with Zoe
By Melissa Stewart Photography by Drew Crozier
Please understand that if you are not here to support the movement, then move out of the way. This is the sentiment I gathered from walking into the inconspicuous Block Entertainment office which is (but really doesn’t have to be) located in one of ATL’s most famous hoods. Emblazoned on the doors in the office is a note explaining that Gorilla Zoe is the priority right now and everyone has to be on board or jump ship. I find Zoe looking refreshingly slim in the studio with an entourage of producers, artists, DJ’s and friends. I couldn’t help but comment on his weight loss. It’s no secret that he wanted to lose weight. Starting at 245 pounds, Zoe encourages others to follow his routine of drinking lots of
water throughout the day and eating about four small meals to keep the hunger down and the energy up. He also insists keeping the sodium and sugar to a minimum and offers these tips, “Get on the treadmill and pop in a DVD and watch a good movie while you walk. That time will go by fast.” Fortunately time didn’t stand still and we didn’t have to wait too long for the self named primate to drop another album. Last years success from his debut, “Welcome to the Zoo” peaked at number #3 on Billboards Top Rap albums chart. He set the tone with his rough intimidating voice and fans immediately fell in love with it. But with much success the pressure is always on with a sophomore album. “Don’t Feed the Animals” now feeds a
staff and everyone at Block Entertainment Studios is working hard to see that Gorilla Zoe is a success. He understands the pressure and rises to the occasion and he humbly appreciates the effort. “Now, I’ve tasted success and been around the world, but I’m still hood. I’m hood rich and I’m telling my story from that point of view.” Zoe transcends his healthy lifestyle to putting his energy into “Don’t Feed the Animals.” Not for nothing, but Zoe delivers with his sophomore album ‘Don’t Feed the Animals’ which debuted on March 17th. Using what he now knows to be his most powerful instrument- the voice, Alonzo Zoe Mathis cranks his talent up a notch by issuing a forewarning that he’s not to be underestimated or underrated. He recognizes
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that his voice is his signature and says, “I actually learned that’s what people like most about me. Since I found that out, I’ve perfected the way I use my voice. It is my instrument.” Gorilla Zoe brings it. He explains his growth, but also notes, “My writing ability has gone through the roof. The production and the way I deliver on this record is so big.” With club bangers and highly rotated singles “Lost” and “What It Is” (featuring Rick Ross and Kollosus), Zoe introduces listeners and fans alike to what he describes as a breath of fresh air. “It crazy; nothing sounds like it…it’s so street, so hood and so new!” …and like a kid with a brand new toy he says, “You wanna hear it?” In between songs, I got a first-class seat to the maturation of Gorilla Zoe. So I’m having my own listening session and I see that there’s something for the hood figgas, something for the ladies and some things that you have to simply put in heavy rotation. But as a lady, what can Zoe say to us that can get our attention? “I Got It.” What woman doesn’t want a man to assure her that he can insure her? He explains, “Whatever you want and need; I got it. Whatever it is in the world, I can deliver. You know why, cuz I got it…” For the men, the guys in the room nodded their head and put their hands in the air for the next hood anthem “Shit On ‘Em!” Now I’m thinking he had to be high to come up with this. According to Zoe, “I was high! I was thinking bout shitting on some niggas.” Figuratively of course, but according to Zoe, a great deal of thought was put
into doing this song. “These niggas flexing and putting on and just doing it for himself and ain’t helping the crew out. He ain’t collabing with nobody else. He don’t wanna meet up with niggas like us. You gotta face us. We coming to take yo’ place. They can’t go nowhere alone. The song was pure fun, but we can walk around the city fully iced up with ten twenty stacks. No security. Just respect. We real niggas just like them. Everybody know me. I can walk in the club by myself. Why I need security when I went to school with everybody in the crowd and the security guards.” “Don’t Feed the Animals” has many ups; twists and turns. But hold on, he brings in none other than Roxy Reynolds to put her shine on “Talk Back,” a song about a woman seducing her man. This is not a stretch from her many talents, but Ms. Reynolds now adds lyricist to her repertoire. Gorilla Zoe doesn’t let his celebrity allow him to stray too far from his roots. With songs like “Man I” and “Dope Boy,” he’s able to relate to a wayward youth who matures into a man looking to improve his quality of life all while enjoying the fruits of his labor and keeping those in the struggle in mind that their day will also come. In all, Gorilla Zoe sees himself as the hood spokesperson and keeping his music relative to the streets while showing his growth is what he’s about. “Don’t Feed the Animals” is in stores now.
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The Next Big Baller By Christopher Wolas He’s been called the ambassador of baseball, but the 28-year-old Curtis Granderson is a big deal on and off the field. Playing for the Detroit Tigers as a center fielder since 2006, Curtis has continued to impress the world of baseball, this year playing in the World Baseball Conference. This bigballer has hopes of playing in the Olympics. Besides baseball, his charity foundation has helped inner city kids find success, but it’s all part of being on top his game and doing what he does best. CRUNK CERTIFIED: One of your initiatives is to bring baseball back into inner cities. You seem like you’re trying to educate kids – are you? CURTIS: I’m mainly trying to show kids that baseball can be fun, can be exciting and there are people like them playing today. Kids are shocked to find out that baseball players make the highest salaries on average for all the four major sports (baseball, football, basketball and hockey). I know that shouldn’t be a selling point, but kids are attracted to money, and when they hear that, it opens up their eyes a little bit. My main goal is to get kids interested in wanting to play baseball, and if money in the future is a reason why, then why not let them know they have a chance to make a lot? CRUNK CERTIFIED: You give back to the community you came from and do work through your foundation Grand Kids. What’s that all about? CURTIS: The Grand Kids Foundation tries to show the importance of education to children in inner cities. I feel that the education that I received throughout my life has been a big key to allowing me to do some of the things that I am able to do today. I want to give kids some of the same opportunities that I had growing up and show why it is important to get an education. CRUNK CERTIFIED: Not many MLB players have college degrees and you’ve donated money to Detroit Public Schools. What do you say to the kid that says he doesn’t need education to be like you? CURTIS: I say you always need some sort of education, and it doesn’t have to be your typical math, science, and English education. If a child wanted to be a pro baseball player, he or she will need to learn how to
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manage their time, be able to take instruction, be able to be a team player, and be able to learn opposing hitters or pitchers. I know this doesn’t sound like your normal high school curriculum, but it is still some sort of education needed to be able to do these things. A lot of these skills come from grade and high school. CRUNK CERTIFIED: So far, your charity and career seem to be making you the next big baller in the game. There’s a lot of buzz about you. Was this ever your goal or do you just play the game? CURTIS: I really just play the game. If you play the game and play it good, then people will talk about you and you become a “baller”. If you aren’t good at the game, then there is no mention of you in that category. So my main goal is really to just keep improving for myself. If that gets me to “baller” status then cool, but I won’t be upset if I don’t get there. As for my foundation, that wasn’t set up to get recognition. I do promote it to try and raise money, but I don’t promote it to show people that this is some sort of good deed I’m trying to do. I’m passionate about education, and really hope we can do some big things for years to come. CRUNK CERTIFIED: You seem like a natural on TV. How was it being an analyst on TBS? CURTIS: It was fun doing that. I never really planned on being on TV doing the analyst thing. It’s sort of something that just happened. The TBS people have been really cool to work with and who knows, maybe I’ll do it again. CRUNK CERTIFIED: What music gets you going before a game (or during training/workout)? CURTIS: I’m a little different than most people when it comes to this. I can easily go to the gym and get a workout in with no music or head phones on. At the field and before a game, I usually never have my headphones on either. I’m usually able to just get ready to go. I do remember in the 2005 season we would always play T.I. “Motivation” before each home game. Great song and I know a lot of guys on the team loved hearing it to get themselves ready for the game. I really just liked the song. CRUNK CERTIFIED: What do you want the readers of CRUNK CERTIFIED to know about Curtis Granderson? CURTIS: I get this question a lot and it is always the hardest to answer. I’m really just an everyday person. People always make the comment that I just seem so normal. Just because I play in MLB, doesn’t mean I’m any different than you. My job title is, but that is it. There are people who make way more money than me, do bigger and better things in life than me, so there is no reason for me to treat anyone else like I’m better than them.
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Mike Jones
Title: The Voice Label: Ice Age/Swishahouse/ Asylum Records. Release date: April 28th Releasing his sophomore album entitled “The Voice,” Mike Jones no longer has audiences asking “Who Is Mike Jones?” The Voice, which includes tracks produced by Mannie Fresh and features guests like Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Hurricane Chris and Twista, is due in stores on April 28th. It’s first single, “Next to You” is already making its ways up the charts.
Shiest Bubz
Title: The International Bud Label” Babygrande Records. Release date: April 28th Don’t call it a come back because he’s been here for years—that is, Shiest Bubs, CEO of Purple City and longtime Dipset affiliate, who will release his album, The International Bud, on April 28th. No real word on collaborations, but Bubz says the fans will definitely be surprised by the quality of music on this new album.
Regime Change
Title: The Int’l Party Release date: March 21st Multi-cultural hip-hop group Regime Change (Okai, stupid?, and Max!m!l), will release their debut album, The Int’l Party, on March 21st. The album features Producers and MCs from around the world including: Switzerland, Italy, Canada and the US.
Maino
Title: If Tomorrow Comes… Label: Hustle Hard Entertainment/ Atlantic records Release date: May 2009 With his CD “If Tomorrow Comes…” not in stores until May, rapper Maino is already soaring to the top with his two singles “All the Above” and “Hi Haters.” The Hustle Hard Entertainment/Atlantic recording artist has been topping the charts for weeks. “IF Tomorrow Comes…” includes tracks produced by T.I, Jamie Foxx, Saigon, Pilies and Ludacris.
Jon Famous
Title: Crazy Genius Label: Fresh Exec Entertainment Release date: Spring 2009 Fresh Exec Entertainment is slated to release artist/producer Jonathan “Jon Famous” Hendry’s debut CD “Crazy Genius” in Spring 2009. Jonathan AKA Jon Famous is no new comer to the industry. He has produced for notable industry giants Lil Wayne, Rich Boy, Jim Jones, Too Short, Mack Maine and many more. Look out for his first single, “Certified Hustla” featuring Jim Jones.
Zaki Ibrahim
Title: Relapse Label: Interscope/Aftermath/Shady Release date: May 19th One of hip hops most controversial (beloved) artists is back and in rare form. Eminem, aka Slim Shady, aka Marshall Mathers will drop his much anticipated album Relapse on May 19th, 2009. The first single, “Crack a Bottle, “with Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, has already generated buzz.
Title: Eclectica (Episodes in Purple) Label: SonyMusic Independent Network. Release date: Spring 2009 International songstress Zaki Ibrahim is set to release her debut album, Eclectica (Episodes in Purple) in the U.S spring of 2009. The British Columbia native has been said to captivate audiences’ around the world with sultry lyrics and messages of respect, positivity and love. EP singles “Grow Again” and “You Choose” include big name collaborations with DJ Khalil (Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Nas). Musical influences include: The Roots, Erykah Badu, Tumi and The Fugees.
Oleta Admas
Shawty Lo
Eminem
Title: Let’s Stay Here Label: E1 Entertainment Release Date: April 21st Leading independent music label E1 Entertainment is set to release Oleta Adams’ first album since 2001 entitled “Let’s Stay Here.” The album will hit stores on April 21, 2009. Expect to hear soulful and unforgettable songs. Some track titles include: “No Way to Love Me,” “Feeling Good” and “Yesterday.”
Title: Carlos Release date: May 5th ATL ghetto superstar Shawty Lo gets more personal with his sophomore release Carlos. His debut CD “Units in the Street” included instant club bangers like “Dey Know” and “Dunn Dunn.” This time around he has brought in a variety of artists like Trey Songz, Lil Wayne, Mannie Fresh and more. He says, “The whole concept is this album is really an interpretation of how I and a majority of the people around me feel or have felt and the lives we’ve lived.”
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LIL Haze Smoke N Haze Detroit Tigers’ Curtis Granderson Do da Stanky Legg with the GS Boyz YouTube’s Obama: “I can do whatever I like.” Meet MySpace Artists The Get ‘Em Mamis CRUNK CERTIFIED.indd 32
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