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DJ YRS Jerzy
Chris Pierre
Skypp
D-Rock
In This Issue... HMMM...
INTERESTING! Homosexuality in Hip Hop
LEIGH BUSH
GRAMMY Camp
Jersey Shore Festival Performance Slots
Find out exactly what happened in the career of R&B artist Sammie, why the name change and what he is doing now.
YOUNG TWAUN
Get the scoop on how one of Detroit’s finest made it to the big stages as an indie.
One cypher each month. We'll provide the beat. You upload your verse on YouTube or SoundCloud. Email us the link. We'll upload it here. Fans will decide who killed it. Winner gets crowned MacTunes Cypher King or Queen. Winner gets the track tag-free from the producer. Any questions? www.mactunes.org
Up Close & Personal What Every Indie Needs
See how A-Way answers MacTunes’ crazy, off-thewall “Up Close & Personal” questions and scenarios!
Our Sta C. ReneÊ Mangum Senior Writer & Editor
Destiny LeFlore Staff Writer & Producer
Marcus A. Clarke Founder Yvette Lee Staff Writer
Sheree Jaye Staff Writer
Imari Obadele Staff Writer
Marguerite Clevidence Executive Assistant
About MacTunes The Movement MacTunes is a media outlet that is dedicated to showcasing and educating independent artists. It is our mission to provide a global outlet for artists and entertainers to unite, network and expand their reach. Being an independent artist is being a part of a movement. MacTunes' visionary Marcus A. Clarke is a trailblazer in this movement, helping indies stay indie, therefore keeping their profits in their pockets. We are here to help push the music industry more towards individualism, real talent and proprietorship, instead of monopolization by major labels and publishers. MacTunes aims to show the general public of music fans how much they've been missing out on in the underground music world. It's time to become household names without the use of gimmicks and record deals. Real artists. Real music. Join the movement.
Voted By Listeners www.live365.com/mactunes419
1. Stunna Goons by Stunna Quad & Young Offishall 2. The Artist Is Back by The Artist & FGA 3. Man Hunt by TC 4. Best Night Ever by REO 5. Countin Money by Jayce Verse
6. Work It by New Yitty 7. Anxious by Mylezia 8. Ah Yeah by Jacob Latimore feat. Rico Love 9. You Ain始t Know by Story Teller 10.Missing You by Stello & Ez Up
Photos: Founder of MacTunes in New York at the World Famous Apollo Theater
CHECK OUT THE
MACTUNES
NEW MUSIC
PAGE ON OUR SITE! WWW.MACTUNES.ORG
Controversy Corner: Forced In The Closet Homosexuality in Hip Hop Written by Sheree Jaye
In recent times, it seems as if homosexuality has evolved into a more accepted lifestyle than before. There was a point in time when being gay was frowned upon, ridiculed and, to religious groups, considered to be outside of the will of God. However, society has accepted being gay as a natural state of being. It’s been said that just like one can be born straight, one can be born gay. Many debates occurred because a majority believes that one chooses to be gay; however, in recent research scientists believe that there is such a thing as a gay gene. In this case, the individual does not choose to be gay but in fact is born gay. No matter how much they try, they are physically and mentally attracted to the same sex.
because the rap game portrays an image of being tough, and being gay seems to be the opposite? Is it because of the lack of honesty that celebrities have with themselves and their fans?
Regardless of whether being gay is taught, a genetic happenstance or just simply a lifestyle choice, there is one place where being gay is considerably unacceptable the rap game. Specifically in the Hip-Hop culture, being a part of the LGBT community is the last thing any rapper wants to be labeled. But what makes being gay in the rap industry any less acceptable than for a judge, a baker, a nurse or any other profession? Is it because the Hip Hop culture is predominantly black? Is it
There were rumors of the manager running some kind of sex trafficking scheme, in which he bribes artists for sex in order for them to receive their record deal. According to a current article written by B. Scott, Starshipgod (a rapper claiming to also be a part of Rich Gang) took to Instagram to declare that the Bird Man indeed “f**ked me, and I sucked his d**k for my record deal!” Although many have not heard of this rapper before, one can’t help but to think there is some truth to the candid statements made about Bird Man.
There have been speculations of artists being “in the closet” for years, such as Diddy and Ja Rule. The most frequent and relevant speculations are the members of the Rich Gang group, which consist of famed rap moguls Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug. The two are constantly addressing rumors defending their bromance relationship and their sexuality. The group is managed by Cash Money’s very own Bird Man, who has been the most accused of them all.
Just bromance? What do you think? Discuss on
www.mactunes.org
The relationship between Weezy F. Baby and Bird Man has been in question for years, starting from a picture that circulated of the pair kissing on the lips. According to Lil Wayne himself, the kiss was totally justifiable because Birdman was like a father to him. Regardless of the strong relationship the two have, kissing on the lips was a bit extreme! Even biological fathers stop kissing their sons on the lips after they reach a certain age. Although there are plenty of homosexual artists in the music industry today, such as singers Sam Smith and Frank Ocean who are openly gay and are still widely accepted by the fans, rappers do not get the same amount of support from their fans. Even in the new hit TV series “ Empire,” one of the sons was compelled to hide his true identity of being homosexual due to the position his father held in the music industry. But the main question is… Why? Why is homosexuality such a taboo when it comes to rap artists? Is it not the same if your local baker or teacher or R&B artist is gay? MacTunes wants to hear your thoughts. Why are rap artists forced to stay in the closet more than others? Go to our website and chat with us on this topic.
Ghetto Chris !
An Inspiration to All Written by Yvette Lee
Have you ever consumed a Smithfield product? Nine times out of ten, you've eaten some Smithfield bacon, ham or sausage in your lifetime (google it). This is the city that is claimed by the up and coming artist Ghetto Chris. Smithfield, VA, home of the Smithfield Packing Plant. "Mostly everybody that lives out here graduates from high school and then work at the Smithfield Packing Plant," said Ghetto Chris. "That's life out here; thats it," he added. With the love of his 757 area code, Ghetto Chris' music is filled with lyrics that uplift the urban community, especially those residing in his area. In addition to uplifting people through his music, he also serves his community in many ways. Along with his crew 8th City, he has sponsored the annual 8th City Day which is a nonprofit community event. "Kids love me. At 8th City Day we have face painters, speakers, dancers and a lot more...all for the kids," says Ghetto Chris. With his sudden rise in popularity, I was shocked when Ghetto Chris revealed that he once suffered from severe depression. At one dark point in his life, he
admits that success in the music business wasn't coming fast enough and he wanted to give up. For a while he actually did succumb to his depression and briefly quit the music business. It was the love that he received from fans missing his music, including his son, that made him return to his craft. "I was at a point where I was like what is this music gonna do? I put a lot of money in, and I just quit for a lil bit," revealed Ghetto Chris. Now back into the music game, Ghetto Chris is determined to stay relevant in the business. Through speaking with Ghetto Chris you can tell that his heart lies within his community. He's passionate about educating his community (especially children), that there is more to life than working at the Smithfield Packing Plant. For those that don't know, if you are from Smithfield, VA, you are considered country; and you can definitely tell that from his strong country dialect. "When you think of country, we is country, country!" he says.
Ghetto Chris was also cool enough to let me ask him a few Off The Wall questions without any rejection or resistance. Take a look below.
Ghetto Chris' new single "Racks On Me" Feat. T-Rifik is out now!
UPCLOSE&PERSONAL Would You... Yay or Nay Marriage:! ! ! PDA:! ! ! ! Interracial Dating:! ! Sex On The First Date:!
Nay Yay Nay Yay
Do a nude sex scene?... Yes Accept a million dollar movie role that required you to dress and act as a transexual?... It depends, I'm gonna say nay for now. But if I'm in the business of acting, yeah; as long as I don't have to do anything crazy like kissing‌ I was just thinking about it, I'm gonna say nay...I can't do it, I can't do it...I won't be able to do it.
MacTunes Chats with Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Paperboi Bankz is an aspiring 26-yearold father of three on the grind to get his talent recognized. Whether it is performing on stage or laying down a few tracks in the studio, Paperboi Bankz is sure to bring the fire with his lyrical content of real life stories that just about anyone can relate to. Being that he is a father of three, his music had come to a halt for a few years so that he could dedicate his time to providing for his family. However, Bankz is off hiatus and has promised that people will begin to know exactly who he is. MacTunes writer Sheree Jaye had the opportunity to talk with the down to earth Midwest rapper and discussed a few things. Sheree Jaye: Paperboi Bankz is an interesting name, how did it come about and why did you choose it as the name that the world will get to know you as? Bankz: Well the name Banks is a name that stuck with me throughout high school because many people thought that I looked like the G-Unit rapper Lloyd Banks. So everyone always just called me Banks. I later decided to add the Paperboi part because that’s who I am today. I’m on a money chase and I’m a guy that’s about his paper. Sheree: What kind of artist would you label yourself as? Bankz: I am versatile, I want to make music for everyone. I can rap, I like slow R&B music, I‘ve even made a Gospel song at one point, so I am versatile. Sheree: Interesting… So when did you first realize that music was a passion of yours? Bankz: Back in 1999 is when I realized music is something that I wanted to be a part of because everyone that I hung around or had any association with was into music. Growing up I was always taught that God surrounds you with
Paperboi Bankz
people with like interest and I was surrounded by many people who loved music, and that’s who peaked my interest. Sheree: Being that you are a hip-hop artist do you consider rap as the type of music you prefer? Bankz: Actually believe it or not, I’m more so into Old School, R&B music. Like 70’s-80’s music, Temptations and Al Green; you know that kind of Old School. Sheree: Who are some of your lyrical inspirations and why? Bankz: Being that I’m from Detroit, MI of course I have to say Eminem is one of my lyrical inspirations because although his music can get a little crazy, he tells a story. His music has a meaning. I would also have to say 50 Cent because his lyrics were also meaningful when he first came out and he was able to take over the game. Sheree: Do you have any others that are not necessarily in the music industry that inspire you as well? Bankz: People, in general inspire me because I am fueled from those that doubt me. When you have haters it just makes me want to work that much harder. There are going to be those people that encourage you no matter what you do and there will definitely be those that hate, and those are the kind that inspire me! Sheree: Were you ever a part of a group or have you always been a solo artist? Bankz: I used to be a part of a group called DCG (Detroit Chain Gang).
There was me and another guy that made up the group. Sheree: Well, What happened to DCG? Bankz: We fell out, there was some envy there and who he was trying to be I didn’t like, and so we just fell out. Sheree: Have you ever opened up or did shows for anyone major in the industry? Bankz: We opened up for Lil’ Scrappy at one point but I honestly would not consider him a mainstream artist. Sheree: Where do you see yourself in 10 years within your music career? Bankz: In 10 year I expect the world to know who I am and I hope that at that point, my music inspires other people. And although I know that it will not necessarily be the music for everyone, I just hope to inspire most. Sheree: Most artists have a signature on their tracks, whereas you know that it’s them. For example, Rick Ross Grunts, and Big Sean says “Boi.” What is one way that artists will know that you are on the track? Bankz: Well you would know it’s me on the track because I’m going to announce myself, “Paperboi Bankz” is here. Sheree: What are some things that you want people to know about you? Bankz: I want people to know and recognize that I am not going to be like typical Detroit Rappers. I want to make it further than just being local. I have bigger dreams and goals to accomplish. I am not the type of artist that wants to rap about nonsense. I want my music to have meaning. His music will soon be found on SoundCloud and MacTunes Radio. He is also one of the newest members of the Undadogg Pillaboy Music label, so expect more from him. Follow him on Instagram @paperboibankz and watch for links to new downloads.
Skypp
@skypp317
S K Y P P
Success Came With a Price
@skypp317
Although Skypp went from being a local sensation to now having a national presence with his music played in over 30 countries, success has not come without a
Skypp, "and that hurt. But I knew change was needed in order for me to grow, " he added. In his latest single Unsung Heroes,
describe his craziest groupie story, Skypp revealed that he once had a fan offer to have his child. These days Skypp likes to focus on his music and doesn't get misled
price. Upon meeting Grammy Award winning songwriter Sid "Uncle Jamz"
Skypp expands upon the journey of people who, without hesitation, perform random acts of kindness and receive no
by distractions. "When I first started rapping, I wasn't very good," said Skypp, "but I kept at it,
Johnson, Skypp was encouraged to stop using "The N Word" in his lyrics and create more positive content. It was after
recognition. The video follows several Unsung Heroes that perform great deeds for those in need.
remained focused and eventually I got to where I am today," he added. When asked what advice he would give a newcomer to
Skypp made these changes that his popularity began to soar. Unfortunately some of his core supporters viewed this change as a form of abandonment. "I lost the support of my hometown," admits
Skypp, who is very close with his mom, says that she wasn't supportive of his rap career at first, but she has since come around, even appearing in the Unsung Heroes video. When asked to
the industry he said, "success is all in your mind. You have to envision success before you can achieve it." Written by Yvette Lee
Young Twaun “WHERE YOU FROM” is a big question not only in Detroit, but also in California, and get this… also in DUBAI! Yes, you heard it right. Young Twaun has made some huge moves in the eyes of others, but he says he’s just getting started. He has proven that coming from Detroit, you can climb
!! Reaching new heights, Twaun says he just wants to share his testimony with people and real life issues easily motivate him. He lost his cousin and partner in music to violence just shortly after his move to California to pursue a basketball career. He was then pushed by friends and family to take his
your way to the top with who you started with, while changing the minds of others.!
music career seriously. Although he had many challenges moving to a new city, all of these things made him a better artist and a better person overall.
!! It’s obvious that Young Twaun is all about action. Just recently Twaun was crowned winner of a huge competition in L.A. (where he now resides) called Jack N’ For Beats. When a friend encouraged him to enter the competition, he took heed to a long list of rules and guidelines. He provided a very skillful sixteen bars that landed him in competition with some of L.A.’s most
!! Taking a different route than other artists, Twaun has made it his business to let the world know that he’s dedicated and loves one woman. He recently proposed to his now fiancé. Young Twaun says he has to take everything in his career more seriously now because of his family. “Our bond and our union have grown from these experiences. Our generation makes it seem like it’s a bad thing to be in love.” Twaun states that he’s found the woman who God has put on
promising artists. Making it to the Top 10, he continued to battle not only his competitors, but also the audience. Twaun describes the experience as not so
earth for him and he won’t deny it, no matter what this generation or fans may feel about it. Along with huge milestones in his personally life, Twaun’s career is taking off. !! Not yet revealing the labels he has been talking with, he says that he is in conversation with a few and looks forward to making the announcement when the time comes. Until then, the question “WHERE YOU FROM” remains! Follow Young Twaun on all social networks to keep up with him and his movement. Be on the lookout for his new single called “Change” featuring the iconic R&B diva Chanté Moore, coming Spring 2015.
pleasant. Being from Detroit, he didn't have the advantage as the other artists. “It was like I had to battle the whole club,” he stated. “Everyone had their friends and family. The audience seemed so bias because everyone came to support their own.” But with having strength mentally and faith in God, Young Twaun claimed the crown and new fans across the world.
Photo Credit: Left Right Creations
@Young-Twaun
@TheRealTwaun
@TheRealTwaun Written by Destiny LeFlore
Mechanical Royalties Written by C. ReneĂŠ Mangum
There are many different types of royalties being paid for various reasons. In Understanding Royalties, we will break them down one by one. As a songwriter, one of the most important revenue streams is from mechanical royalties. Mechanical royalties are per-unit payments made by the record companies to the music publisher for the reproduction of copyrighted musical compositions appearing on CDs, cassette tapes, vinyl albums, and other such manufactured formats. In a nutshell, each time a fan purchases a sound recording, publishers receive a mechanical royalty payment, and that is then passed on to the songwriter. In terms of digital purchases, download providers are required to pay the mechanical royalties. As a songwriter/publisher, you are owed a royalty every time your work is reproduced in any way. In the US, you are paid based on the legal statutory rate, which is an amount determined by Congress and can change periodically. Right now, this royalty rate for physical formats (CDs, cassettes, LPs) and permanent digital downloads is 9.10 cents per copy for songs that are 5 minutes or less, or 1.75 cents per minute or fraction per copy for songs over 5 minutes.
The statutory mechanical royalty rate for ringtones is currently 24 cents per copy. For digital downloading, the royalty rate is at 0.091 cents. For streaming, your record generates a royalty of about 0.005 cent per stream. If you are a songwriter with multiple songs being mass distributed, you are in the business of making nice money as these mechanical royalties rack up. That is, if people are purchasing and downloading music legally and the companies at-hand (iTunes, Spotify, Rdio, etc) pay up as they should. To make sure your songs are registered to receive royalties, you need to be signed up with companies such as BMI and ASCAP. In the next segment of Understanding Royalties, we will break down performance royalties.
3
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As an independent artist, there are some very essential items that you need if you intend to be taken seriously. If you have all three, you are ready for promo, press, shows, and overall advancement. It pangs me every time an artist doesn’t have these very simply yet critical items when submitting for feature review, and unfortunately it happens often. The three things that every indie artist needs are professional photos, a biography and an online presence.
Professional photos A bathroom selfie is not what we need when we ask for a professional photo. Camera phones have done an amazing job with consistently updating software to make pictures higher quality. However, in terms of your career, your iPhone or Android photos are not the quality you should settle for. If you want industry professionals to take you seriously, your first impression is everything. The biggest part of that first impression is how your photos appear. It sends a clear message of how serious you take your own career and how much you are willing to invest in yourself. If you aren’t investing in you and if you don’t take your image seriously, why should the rest of us? When a promoter is looking for an act for a show, they may consider what you would look like on their flyer. Does your photo screen low budget or top notch? Go find a picture of your favorite mainstream artist on Google. 9.5 times out of 10, you won’t find them using photos from their bathroom or their grandmother’s living room to market themselves. You have to take your
Written by C. Reneé Mangum
image seriously. Find a professional photographer and always be prepared with current, high quality, digital photos. When asked for photos, there should be no question or hesitation in furnishing them.
A Biography Now I know that the typical fan may not always read your bio. However, if you want to get into nationally syndicated productions or have the media take you seriously, your bio is critical to your reputation. ! With that being said, my honest suggestion is to take your bio seriously enough to outsource this responsibility. In other words, hire a writer! It is worth the
investment to have a professionally written biography. If you feel that you can’t afford a professional writer and you or a friend scored highly in your English Composition classes in school, you may feel confident about writing your own. If that’s the case, let me give you a few pointers. 1. Proper grammar is key.!There are many resources online that speak about grammar. If you are unsure if something makes grammatical sense, at least consult the Internet. Also, it is beneficial to have someone else read and edit your writing, giving you feedback on what may or may not make sense grammatically. !
Cover artist Leigh Bush took to Instagram to give us all a sneak peek of a recent photo shoot
Here is what Beyonceʼs website landing page looked like at one point. She is constantly reinventing. Look at the menu bar to see what was included.
2. Do not write in first person.!Meaning, don’t write “I” and “me” in your bio. You should be writing from a third person perspective about yourself and your accomplishments. ! 3. Remember that this is a professional biography, not a personal bio.!There should be facts detailing your journey in your career. You can include some personal aspects, such as when and where you were born. However, your biography should not be your entire life story. Focus on your entertainment story and what you bring to the industry with your particular art and style. ! These are only a few pointers. There are many things to consider when writing your bio. The most important is to keep your audience in mind at all times. ! If you are not absolutely positive that you can produce a great quality biography, again I suggest hiring a writer. Your bio can make or break your first impression in the professional realm of the industry. So take it seriously. Be proud to send your bio and headshot to magazines, reporters and
other media sources. Stand out. Be professional.
Online Presence So where do you put these professional photos and biography that you’ve acquired? Most seasoned artists have professional websites that showcase their photos, music, videos, biography, press, shows, merchandise, contact information and anything else important to that artist’s career. This is another area that should not be taken lightly, and I would suggest hiring someone to build a website for you if this is not your forte. However, in the industry today, while a website will certainly set you apart from the average artist, there are other ways to develop an online presence as well. SoundCloud, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, ReverbNation. All of these should ring a bell to you if you are an artist. Quite frankly, you should have a social media presence on all of these for the best results overall. These sites allow fans and industry professionals to find you, research you, see how others feel about you, etc. These social sites are your tools to building and
maintaining a fan base. Interacting directly with fans is extremely necessary as an independent artist. If you do not have social media sites that showcase you as an indie artist, you will not make it in the industry as it is today. Running an effective social media page is a different conversation, but these are bare minimum requirements for creating an online presence. MacTunes is soon to begin offering indie artist “Start Up Kit” packages that include professional photos, a professionally written biography, website development and a few other offerings for very affordable prices nationwide. If these are things that you are in need of, reach out to us and see how we can help. We want the best for you all.
TLC fans, get your fan mail ready! They are back for their all-new very last studio album together. After almost 13 years since their last album, the group has decided to give their fans one last hooray. Many artists utter the cliché line when thanking fans, “we couldn’t have done it without you.” However, for TLC, this is no cliché; it’s the absolute truth. Fans are funding this project. ! The legendary multiple Grammywinning female R&B group has been away for quite some time now. After losing 1/3 of their group, Lisa “Lefteye” Lopes, in a fatal car accident back in 2002, the group split. In 2005, remaining members Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins began making attempts to revive their careers. They hosted a competition reality show to cast a third member for the group. T-Boz was also a member of the cast for Celebrity Apprentice for five episodes before being fired. They were each presented with their own reality shows as well, following their personal lives. Now, the beloved group has finally decided to come together to record their last studio album. ! Instead of going the traditional route of seeking a recording contract, the group set out to find its own sponsors amongst
their fans. TLC set up a Kickstarter funding campaign seeking pledges from the general public to fund their last project. “We want to do an album, but we want to do it on our own,” Chilli stated in a recent interview as for their reason for doing the Kickstarter campaign. Their goal was to raise $150,000. In exchange for donations, the group offered various incentives ranging from signed copies of the album and video chats with fans to VIP packages and photo shoots with the group. Their unconventional endeavor paid off. Their funding campaign lasting from January 19th until February 19th got them over $450,000 in pledges from supporters around the world. They even gained support from other celebrities, such as recording artist Katy Perry who donated
$5,000 to the campaign. ! TLC has been known for songs that were relatable and tackle subject matter suitable for the times at hand. They have committed to continuing their legacy in this way. They plan to create more timeless classics that fans new and old can appreciate. They are gearing up to get started with recording. More updates to come! ! What do you think about TLC’s method of funding? Are you excited about this last album? Written by C. Reneé Mangum
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Catching Up with MURDA M4TT
The name Murda M4tt may sound familiar to some and it should! The 25-year-old suburban Detroit rapper is no stranger to MacTunes. He was the featured cover
Matt and the Family Records team are coming out stronger this year! When MacTunes first introduced Murda M4tt, his stats were as follows: 25,000 + Facebook
MacTunes’ own Sheree Jaye had the opportunity to speak with M4tt and she admits that it was pleasurable and entertaining. From discovering who
artist for the March 2012 issue. He has returned to remind us of exactly who Murda M4tt is and what we could expect
likes, over 61,000 Twitter followers and almost 120,000 fans on ReverbNation. To any normal eye, those numbers would
inspired some of his music to just learning which superhero he would have liked to be as a kid, Murda M4tt did not hold back the
from him in the future. There is no secret that Murda M4tt is a very cool, down to earth kind of guy whose love, dedication
seem astronomical, but in the last two and a half years those numbers have more than doubled. Today’s stats are now as follows:
truth. Many artists today are out putting on a façade about what their true lifestyle was like before fame. One thing about Matt is
and appreciation illuminate through his words. However, don’t get it twisted. When it comes to slaughtering a track, Murda M4tt takes no prisoners (hence the name) and according to the “My 2seater” rapper, the world better brace themselves.
129K Facebook likes, 546K twitter followers and well over 600K fans on ReverbNation. Murda M4tt has an enormous fan base, so what are you waiting for? Obviously if you aren’t a fan, you should be!
that he’s very truthful. When asked about what he wanted to be before he indulged in music, he simply answered, “a professional soccer player.” But according to the Detroit artist, negativity clouded his judgment and landed him in some
Murda M4TT on the cover of MacTunes Magazine, March 2012 issue.
troublesome situations. Long story short, he went to jail a few times and Matthew Sarhan became Murda M4tt. The lyrics in his music definitely allow us to see why the name is so fitting. He may be a confident rapper now but this was not always the case. He used to be very timid rapper but since last talking to MacTunes, Matt said that he has definitely come into his own. “ I can definitely say that I have found my sound. Not that I never had it but I found me and exactly the persona that is Murda M4tt.” With all the new talent that’s on the rise, M4tt gave his take on the new artists that are given the limelight and whether or not he believes they deserve it. Some of the artists M4tt credited with having actual talent were fellow Detroit rapper Royce da 5’9, Shine, Kendrick Lamar, Big Krit and, although he referred to J- Cole is an “asshole,” he had to give the proper props to the artists. He recollected his experience when he was the opening act for the now famed lyricist. Just like any other upcoming artist Murda had a few inspirations in his music career that he would not mind doing a few collaborations with. And who can blame
him with influences such as the late greats Tupac and Biggie. Who could go wrong with them? He grew up listening to Eminem, Jay-Z and T.I and credits them as being true respectable artists as well. Lately Murda M4tt has been working diligently on promoting his Sarhancelot album, which is available on
SoundCloud and ReverbNation for download and has several singles now on iTunes. Although the name seems to be a bit intimidating, M4tt not only cares about music in general but he and his label mates are very giving to local and national philanthropies as well. According to his website, Matt donates part his donations to charities such as the Breast Cancer Foundation and other non-profit organizations, hoping to make a difference in today’s society. During the month of March, 50% of sales from his ReverbNation account will be donated to the Beat Making Lab in hopes of supporting the craft that many inspire to perfect. Matt has admitted that when he was younger, the superhero he always wanted to be was The Flash because, “he is super fast and he can go to all the stores and steal whatever he wants and not get caught!” Just like The Flash, Matt and the Family Records team are stealing the hearts of many Hip Hop fans and they do not plan to give them back anytime soon! The Family Records have several projects that are in store for 2015. So stay tuned and chime in to MacTunes Radio and Pandora to hear new tracks from Murda M4tt and the Family Records.
Written by Sheree Jaye
ReverbNation Sponsoring Indie Artists to Perform at Jersey Shore Festival
The Jersey Shore Festival is a free, 3-
Festival is the largest emerging Artist
chances of getting selected to perform,
day festival that celebrates both
festival in New Jersey, with upwards of
you can also apply directly on their site,
emerging Artists and the real Jersey
15,000 expected attendees.
which implements a $20 submission fee
Shore, in addition to kicking off the hotly-anticipated summer season. With performances by over 200 up and coming Artists, the Jersey Shore
to fulfill the other 150+ available slots. The Jersey Shore Festival will select at least 15 ReverbNation Artists from these no submission fee, ReverbNationsponsored slots. To increase your
www.jerseyshorefestival.com
Undadogg Pillaboy Music MacTunes Chats With Pillaboy Crook Written by Sheree Jaye
Undadogg Pillaboy Music is a Detroit, MI independent record label that was founded in 2012. The label is the home for 16 plus artists that consist of a mixture of groups and solo artists. It’s even home to a 16-year-old R&B artist that was recently taken under their care. MacTunes had the opportunity to talk with Pillaboy Crook, who is considered to be the head honcho and “Big Homie” of the organization. Crook is one of the older members of the Undadogg Pillaboy Music crew and is the mentor for the other artists on the label. Looking back on when he first began his musical journey, there weren’t many others around to guide him and be the voice of reason for him. That led him to take on this role for others. Pillaboy Crook has been in the music game for the last 20 years, 10 of which he was incarcerated. However, that did not stop the determination that the group had to make dreams into realities for Detroit artists. While locked up, Crook’s brother continued to build the Pillaboy
Empire. But with the lack of equipment, it made things a bit difficult. Once released, Crook saw just how serious everyone was about making the Undadogg Pillaboy Music happen, and so they set out on a mission to make the label truly become a realization. Crook describes the music his label produces as “gumbo” and it deems fit to be true, considering that there is a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy. Staying true to the essence of what Hip Hop stands for, The Pillaboys consider their music to be the voice of the people. They have true meaning to the lyrics and there are a few songs that have the turn-up aspect as well. The Undadogg Pillaboy Music label is definitely full of talented individuals and the world better brace themselves, because they are taking the industry by storm. Although Crook can attest to the fact that the music industry has a different feel today than what it was when he grew up back in the 90’s, he honestly respects the crafts of his fellow artists. The label mates put in long hours, banding together to create the in-home studio that they have today. Purchasing all the equipment needed to have a successful studio, the team now creates, produces, engineers and markets their own music. By next year they plan to be a full fledge distributing label. Crook mentions that building their studio may in fact be one of the greatest accomplishments that they’ve had thus far. But as far as he is concerned, it does not stop here. Pillaboy Crook and the rest of the Undadogg Pillaboy Music family have been promoting their new mixtape The Campaign Trail. It includes a plethora of songs with borrowed beats that is now available for digital download on SoundCloud and will be fully released on 4/20/2015.
Another thing to watch for coming from the Undadogg Pillaboy Music label is the next mixtape entitled The Election, which will be released on iTunes in November. Also watch for solo projects coming from the individuals throughout the year. The group also has a clothing line called Agape Garment in the works. Agape is the Greek word for love and it is yet another word to that fits the group properly. Pillaboy Crook is a part of a group founded in Detroit, MI called “It takes a Village Y’all” which focuses on finding missing people in Detroit and other ways to better the community. Undadogg Pillaboy Music has just begun and they are staying for a while.
UPCLOSE&PERSONAL with A-Way
Written by Yvette Lee
Two years ago, A-Way's popularity began to soar as his music began to receive more and more airplay. He has since made appearances on Bet's 106&Park and toured with a number of national artists. His current single Loud or Liquor is climbing the charts. Be on the lookout for the video on Worldstar Hip Hop and MTV Jams. A-Way stopped by MacTunes to play Up Close and Personal- a series of off-the-wall questions and scenarios.
Yay or Nay Skinny Jeans on Men:!! Groupies:! ! ! Ferguson Protests:! ! Sushi:! ! ! ! Oral Sex:! ! ! Interracial Dating:! !
For A Million Dollars, Would You... Nay Both Yay Nay Yay Yay
Have Sex With Whoopie Goldberg:! ! ! ! Eat a Moldy Donut Out of a Garbage Can:! ! ! Cheat on Your Girlfriend:! ! ! ! ! Dress as a Transexual for a Day:! ! ! ! Run in the White House and Slap President Obama:!!
Yes No Yes No No
D-ROCK Not many people at the age of 24 could say they’ve produced music and started a band, all the while playing several instruments. Devon “D-ROCK” Whitehead can. Most of us for certain are busy partying and finding ways just to be happy temporarily. Devon has had an early start on being successful. !! Devon started his own 8-piece jazzfusion band that goes by the name of Epic Movement. Recording music in front of a live audience is one thing they can check off their long ‘to do’ list. Devon has also made a way for his band to give back through music by performing live at the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit, Michigan. On the same program with national recording artist Big Sean, Epic Movement was a part of The Chauncey Glover Project, which is an mentoring program that was created for inner-city teenage boys. This event was held to raise money for college tuition for teens growing up in Detroit.!
Epic Movement in rhythm, he is also a drummer with many other talents. He plays bass guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. “My passion for drums, I was born with,” Devon explains. “I wanted to be a drummer, but I wanted to do more. I never want to limit myself so I had to do more.” This same mentality is what separates Devon from his competition.! !! Taking music more seriously, Devon has done just what he has set out to do, which is to live limitless. Many people go through their life and career with excuses. He says that with social media, he can connect with anyone in the world, eliminating any possible excuse. Based on his talents, efforts, and networking, he landed an opportunity with Decibel Records! Decibel Records gave D-ROCK the platform to release his work of art entitled Project One where he played drums on the entire project. Proudly stating he hasn't yet signed with a record label officially, D-ROCK wants
!! Not only is Devon the beat that keeps
everything to be just right when and if he
does. “I want to maintain my integrity in everything I do,” he says. If you love music the way we do, and if you want exciting and emotional, you will want to remember Detroit’s very own Devon DROCK Whitehead.
epicmovementband
@epicmovementtv
@epicmovementband
Written by Destiny LeFlore
Leigh Bush
The Whole Story
Written by C. Reneé Mangum
I Like It… Crazy Things I Do… You Should Be My Girl… Come With Me… The list of incredible hits goes on for R&B sensation Sammie, now known by
rocky road that ever so often accompanies success, which included betrayal, label changes, leaving the industry and finally returning with a
The Name Change
the alias Leigh Bush. Fame came easy for the young heartthrob back in 1999 with the release of his debut single I
new sound as Leigh Bush. MacTunes writer C. Reneé Mangum caught up with Leigh Bush (LB) to get knee deep
Like It, followed by his debut album From The Bottom To The Top. But over the years, Sammie encountered the
into his journey and find out where he is present day.
EP in 2013 entitled The Leigh Bush Project, which was the general public’s first introduction to the name Leigh Bush. When asked about the new alias, he stated, “I know this for sure. I’m forever Sammie in the eyes of my fans, and I appreciate that…
Obviously, you may be wondering why he changed his stage name from Sammie to Leigh Bush. He released an
LEIGH BUSH
we looked at it more as an extension of the Sammie brand.” He goes on to explain that it was an experiment in a way, to stir up conversation. Since becoming independent, there is a lack of major funding to market the product. He was known as Sammie for 15 years. So it was unclear in the beginning how Leigh Bush would be embraced. It turned out to be a successful tactic. People wanted to know if this was something permanent or just for the project. Label executives became aware of the change and grabbed hold to it. Fans took heed to it. LB expounds, “Leigh Bush is just the mature Sammie, but it’s all me.”
Hiatus
done hard drugs. He hasn’t had to battle depression or lack of identity. He doesn’t have to endure what many of his industry peers have – the struggle to face reality when the lights and camera aren’t on.
The name change does not imply that the Sammie brand is being left behind. In fact, his younger and newer fans may not have
Success came very fast for Sammie after the release of the smash hit I Like It. He was still attending public school three days a week, but touring for the other four. Life was hectic being a normal kid and superstar at the same time for the budding teen. To add to the fast-paced personal life, things weren’t going according to plan in the business realm. Famed music mogul Dallas Austin, whose credits include Monica, TLC, Boyz II Men and Michael Jackson, was producing him. There were conflicts between management, the label, and production. Things got chaotic and became too much for a child to juggle. He and his family wanted him to have normalcy and not squander his teen years. Leigh Bush stated, “I don’t care how much money you
knowledge of who Sammie is at all. He doesn’t believe child stars should stray away from early success; instead, they should build on it and captivate new
have, you can’t buy time back.” In an effort to salvage his precious childhood time, he, his family and his music colleagues agreed that it was best for
hold fast to them as a man. He professes his love for God frequently to his fans. Between his social media pages, he is able to reach hundreds of thousands of
audiences as well. So he is working on a way to introduce the whole story from I Like It to Crazy Things to Hardball to
Sammie to take a hiatus away from the industry.
followers. If at least one of them sees that God is the reason for his success, he feels that he is pleasing God. His commitment
now. For his next album, he is creating a plan to completely connect the dots.
Looking back, LB still feels this was a very critically important, and possibly lifesaving, decision they made. He has never
to God is not taken lightly, but he acknowledges that he isn’t perfect.
LEIGH BUSH NEW MUSIC SERIES 3187 AVAILABLE NOW ON LEIGHBUSH.COM
The hiatus allowed him to know who he is as an individual. It made his transition to manhood much smoother. He attributes the time away as what makes him so relatable and down to earth, since he had the opportunity to be a normal kid. The agreement was that when he turned 18, he could return to the industry if he wanted to again pursue a music career. That’s precisely what happened.
Manhood His family instilled values and morals in him at an early age and he has learned to
LEIGH BUSH
LB confessed, “It’s difficult of course. I’m surrounded in an industry where my job is to please women. Obviously there is a conflict of interest.” You may catch him having a few drinks or going to a few parties, but he can also be seen reading his bible and honoring God. “It may go against what some see as being a Christian, but nowhere in the bible does it say man is perfect.” His transparency in his life further proves how genuine he is, unashamed of his humanity and his journey to being the best man he can be for himself, his family and God.
“Money doesn’t change people. It just allows you to be who you always wanted to be. So if you were always a greedy person, if you were always a snake, you have the money now to show that.” - LEIGH BUSH
Being the down to earth man he is, he also believes in love and relationships. He has had a girlfriend on and off again for the last four years. Although at the time of the interview they were not together, that doesn’t mean he would select a random woman to spend Valentine’s Day with (sorry, ladies). “If I have a girl, it’s all about her. Since I don’t, I’ll be in the studio.”
Major VS Independent Being in the studio as an independent artist is much different than recording under a major label. Before trekking out on his own, he had some experience as an indie with Dallas Austin’s Rowdy Records. Contrary to what many believed, Rowdy was being independently funded by Austin
himself. The painstaking diligence involved in promoting his self-titled album Sammie with Rowdy was frustrating. R&B is not one of the dominant genres in terms of record sales, such as Hip Hop, Country and Pop. It takes a lot of money and work to make a successful R&B project. He later decided that if he would be indie, he would go it alone. He started Star Camp Music and signed himself to his own label in 2009. Here we are six years later and it’s a brand. Being indie has taught LB how to be more than a sultry singer. He learned to write songs for himself since he wasn’t in a position to have writers working for him. He learned the importance of mastering your craft and being self-sufficient. “Now I’m like an animal in the studio. It’s nothing for me to create major records back to back, because I was forced to learn it. It’s kinda like, live or die. And I chose to live.” Even if he signed to a major label, he would take Star Camp and his new work ethic with him. He had this to say about signing with a major label: “No one is going to believe in my art the
way I believe in it. So I just think that, even if you’re signed, I would encourage any artist to still have the indie mentality. The world is different now. Labels make their money back and you can end up in the freezer for years. You have to wise up and educate yourself to see what fits best. I’m not again mainstream, I just want to be in the perfect situation.” Along with learning the indie grind, perhaps the most important thing he learned was how to surround himself with a great team of loyal people.
Loyalty Is Everything If you’re heard Leigh Bush’s underground mixtape Swag & B Volume 1, then you know he had some issues with his former team. His song Mafia Music made it pretty clear that things weren’t favorable between him and his ex-manager. LB described his former manager as being more like family at that time than a business partner. He was like a big brother, and family means everything to Sammie. This was someone he looked up to and aspired to mimic in life. He went above and beyond working hard for him. He missed out on family
LEIGH BUSH
“I have so much love and admiration for my fans’ loyalty. I’ve been through a lot and they had every excuse and reason to stop riding with me, but they didn’t. Be great. Don’t accept mediocrity. Have a mission to stay positive and change lives. Keep God first and last in life.” - LEIGH BUSH
from being high school hang out buddies to making business moves together. In high school, they discussed going to Tokyo one day, and now they’ve made that a reality. “It just makes sense to have my brother of over a decade on my right side everywhere I go and in every decision I make,” LB explained.
Leigh Bush & Star Camp
moments. He encountered late night flights while being sick. He made many sacrifices because of the love and respect he had for his former manager. As time went on, he discovered that the family impression was not mutual. Sammie realized he was nothing more than a meal ticket, a dollar sign for his former manager. He was manipulated and told, “you can come back and I’ll fix it, or you can go and die.” This betrayal taught him an extremely valuable lesson about friendship in the business: they don’t come easy.
to show that. You have to hide your face when you’re trying to obtain those things. But once you get it, it just allows you to be who you always wanted to be.” With this knowledge, he learned how to man up and grow on his own. It also taught him how to be selective with building his own team. His experience showed him that loyalty is a must. It’s important that money, status or women not sidetrack his team. No matter how much money you do or don’t get, it shouldn’t alter the relationship. He also believes in good energy and karma. He
Listening to Leigh Bush’s most current music, it’s mature and jazzy. Looking at his style, it’s very clean-cut and classy. His video blogs are in black and white. The EP cover has a vintage feel. Where did this old soul come from? According to Leigh Bush, he has had an old soul since he was a child. It just didn’t make sense to dress and behave as an adult when you’re 13. He confessed that Marvin Gaye is a huge influence. After watching Marvin Gaye’s documentary, he saw much of himself in the late great singer. He was soft-spoken but the ladies loved him. His father was a pastor, so he battled some of the same conflicts. Leigh Bush’s song Ms. Bartender was influenced by his soulful connection to Marvin Gaye.
LB’s words of wisdom, “Money doesn’t stated, “You can have blessings blocked by change people. It just allows you to be who affiliating yourself with the wrong people.” Being that LB is from the church, he has to you always wanted to be. So if you were An example of the loyalty and good energy feel and connect to the music himself before he can make it connect with anyone always a greedy person, if you were he needs around him is that of his current else. After seeing Marvin Gaye’s story and always a snake, you have the money now manager Kennedy Grant, KG. They went
LEIGH BUSH
coming into adulthood, he is finally able to unleash the part of him that has been bottled up for so long. Being independent, he is able to showcase his inner self more in his music. He isn’t restricted to a brand made by a label. He wants to give his fans real musicianship, which people say isn’t appreciated anymore. But Leigh Bush is on a mission to prove “people” wrong. With no major distribution, video or radio play, he debuted in the top 10 nationwide on iTunes. There is a fan base for real music but someone has to feed it to them. That’s what he is doing with his new brand. He may do his share of “turn up” music, but he has always been a man of passion, substance and vulnerability.
If Not Music, Then What?
He is applying these same concepts to his indie label, Star Camp Music. As an artist,
Being the man of faith that he is, Leigh Bush bluntly explained that he has no back-up plan because that’s not how he lives his life. He wholeheartedly believes that he is supposed to be the greatest songwriter, singer and performer of his time, and his Plan B is to make that happen! However, if he hadn’t come back to music in 2006, he intended to study at FAMU in the field of psychology. He has always had a passion for people and possesses the ability to articulate and speak life. He particularly has a passion for young men who grew up in broken homes and don’t fancy education. He would’ve put energy into talking to young men about what it means to be a real man. This is something that he is still passionate
he is working to get himself to an elite level before he signs an act. However, he does have producers and writers signed to Star Camp. He is also molding an 11-year
about. Creating activities and avenues for young men without positive male figures in their lives is a part of his purpose in life, and music is his gateway to doing so.
old boy to be the next young R&B heartthrob (no names, we don’t want anyone trying to snatch the “little
He also loves basketball and is rumored to be quite good at it. But he humbly
acknowledges that, “God made me R&B height” (laughs).
New Music Yeah, it’s time! In 2012, he released Insomnia. In 2013, he released The Leigh Bush Project EP. He didn’t drop any new music last year for a reason. He was being a lab rat. He was devising the perfect plan to execute his sound. As a gift to fans, Leigh Bush released four new songs free on his birthday (March 1, 2015), entitled Series 3187. There will be a new EP following up from The Leigh Bush Project, and then of course the album we’ve all been waiting for. He intends to flood us with music this year, so be ready for his best work yet.
GET LEIGH BUSH’S NEW MUSIC NOW
Sammie”).
WWW.LEIGHBUSH.COM
LEIGH BUSH NEW MUSIC SERIES 3187 AVAILABLE NOW ON LEIGHBUSH.COM
Written by C. Reneé Mangum
The GRAMMY Foundation has announced their plans for this summer’s 11th annual GRAMMY Camp. GRAMMY-winning and GRAMMYnominated industry professionals team up in the GRAMMY Camp for high school students. This music industry camp engages students in aspects of performance, recording, music journalism, video production and music business. There is financial assistance available for qualified students. It will take place in three cities. GRAMMY Camp New York will include a nine-day interactive residential summer music experience. This camp takes place August 2-10, 2015, hosted by Converse Rubber Tracks. GRAMMY Camp L.A. will be a 10-day residential experience held June 20-29, 2015, hosted by the University of South California Thornton School of Music. GRAMMY Camp Nashville will be a 5-day nonresidential day camp experience for local students held June
1-5, 2015, hosted by Belmont University. Due to generous donations from Converse and Journeys, Nashville campers are offered discount tuition at only $100.00. Financial assistance is available for the New York and L.A. camps, due in large part to the generosity of the ASCAP Foundation Irving Caesar Fund, Converse, Bruno Mars Scholarship Fund, the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Fund, Journeys, The Recording Academy and numerous donors of in-kind support. To apply, high school applicants must complete an online application, video audition and program-specific requirements at www.grammyintheschools.com by March 31, 2015. There is an application fee of $25 per student. There is also a separate financial assistance form provided to needs-based students.
For answers to many questions concerning the programs or application, GRAMMY Foundation staff members are holding a few informational conference calls. Wednesday, March 18th at 8pm EST will be the conference call entitled “GRAMMY Camp: A Parent’s Perspective.” Thursday, March 19th at 8pm EST will be the “GRAMMY Camp: General Info and How to Apply” conference call. To RSVP for one of the calls, email grammycamp@grammy.com.
CATCHING UP WITH
DJ YRS JERZY Oprah or Whoopie? Oprah Mayo or Mustard? Mayo SUV or Ferrari? Ferrari Family Pad or Bachelor Pad? I'd probably say both
@IAMDJYRSJERZY
@IAMDJYRSJERZY
/DJYRSJERZYPAGE
MacTunes writer Yvette Lee caught up with DJ YRS Jerzy while he was on tour. Yvette: Where did you get your name? DJ YRS Jerzy: Basically, I was in a camp and now it stands for Young Rich and Successful. Jerzy is just a name that people in Charlotte started calling me when I moved here from Jersey. Yvette: How long have you been in the music game? DJ YRS Jerzy: Since I was 17 , so that'll be about 4 years...I'm 21. Yvette: Who are your musical influences? DJ YRS Jerzy: I like to listen to a little bit of everything like old school, 90's, some of everything. I like to work with different people and everything, just to get a different experience. Yvette: Describe your style? DJ YRS Jerzy: Hip-Hop, I make EDM beats too, and I'm gonna be working with some artists out in LA pretty soon.
Yvette: With all thats going on in your life, do you have time for a social life? DJ YRS Jerzy: Of course, I mean you just can't be working 24/7 I definitely be out here chillin. Yvette: Do you have a girlfriend? DJ YRS Jerzy: Nah, not right now, I'm just chillin right now. I'm just moving around on tour (laughs). Yvette: What do you look for in your ideal woman? DJ YRS Jerzy: You gotta be smart, you gotta have a good head on your shoulders and everything like that. Funny, and stuff like that. Yvette: Who are the two favorite women in your life? DJ YRS Jerzy: Definitely my mom and my grandma. They've always been around. Yvette: Do you have any groupie stories that you can share?
DJ YRS Jerzy: Not any that I can share, I'm trying to keep my image upright (laughs). Yvette: So, you're saying that you do have [some] groupie tales, right? DJ YRS Jerzy: Yeah, a lil bit (laughs). Yvette: Has anything changed since your popularity? DJ YRS Jerzy: I mean, it's not really nothing different. I'm always around the same people and stuff like that. People that I've never met before like show me love and everything, they be showing me love. A couple people had to go along the way, but that's how it is. Yvette: What do you think is the key to staying relevant in the music game? DJ YRS Jerzy: I can't say that until I make it big, big! Right now I would say to keep dropping and dropping and dropping.
Maintaining Industry Connects
Written by Destiny LeFlore
There is no secret that making connections in the entertainment industry is everything. After all, we’ve all heard people say, “Sometimes it’s not what you know but who you know.” Being in the music industry specifically, artists can possibly make or break their careers and
should always be prepared to give them something in return, even if it’s promotion of their brand to your followers on your social sites. Have something to offer in exchange for what you’re asking for. Communication. Communicating is
Let’s use a realistic example. Let’s say you are invited for an interview by a local radio station. In return, you must promote their station on your social sites. After the interview, you fail to keep up on your end of the deal and months go by without you reaching out to them. Then,
how people view them just by the relationships they create. Talent hardly means anything if you don’t know how to
key to retaining any relationship. And let’s face it. We live in a time where everything you need is right on your
you finally reach out to have your new music played on their station. Don’t be surprised if they respectfully decline!
connect and maintain relationships. Bartering. To barter means to “exchange (good or services) for other goods or services without using money.” In all relationships, there must be giving and receiving on both ends. One of the most important things to remember in the industry is that the giving and receiving should always be a two-way street. When asking for something from vendors, producers, radio stations, blogs, etc., you
phone. So there is no excuse for why you shouldn’t be able to communicate effectively. A lack of communication from you will eventually lead to losing out on opportunities. Stay on your network’s mind by communicating regularly. We all get wrapped up in our work sometimes, but you never want to get to the point where you are neglecting your connections.
Your lack of upholding the bartered terms and lack of communication hurt your chances of ever getting recognized by them again. And realistically, word of mouth is the biggest form of promotion or disgrace. Once you disappoint one avenue, they will talk to others. This could hurt your chances elsewhere. Maintain your connections and strengthen your network consistently.
Written by Yvette Lee
When I first started our interview, I had no idea that fellow Detroit native Chris Pierre would be as open about every aspect of his life. We talked about everything under the sun and no topic was off limits! His calm demeanor made it seem as though I was talking to an old friend. Before we knew it, a whole hour went by. By the end of our interview, I could clearly see why there is so much buzz surrounding him. We caught up with Chris Pierre while he was recording in Washington DC. The Beginning He was born into entertainment! His father was an entertainment manager, his mother a vocal coach. Growing up he played many instruments including clarinet, violin, piano and cello. Some of his classmates thought he was weird for listening to classical music during his downtime at school. Pierre can recall being raised listening to Led Zeppelin, Prince, and Fleetwood Mack; yet he has
an appreciation for hip hop icons like Biggie and Tupac. It was during high school when Pierre started to show his "inner pop star." Pierre said, "In high school I became, let's just say‌rebellious." He went on to say, "When I want to do something and I believe in it wholeheartedly, then I'm gonna do it; despite anything else." It was in high school where Pierre really began to become the artist that he is today. High school is where he gained his desire to go to New York. After high school, Pierre fulfilled his dream by moving to New York and pursuing music full time. The Present Chris Pierre's latest releases Exotica and Michelangelo respectively showcase
his unique abilities as an artist. Exotica is a club hit surely to have you jumping on your feet while screaming "erotic, erotic." Michelangelo has a cultic feeling as it places your mind in sort of a trance as you listen. "When I open my mouth, people don't expect this voice to come out of me," admitted Pierre. While working on Michelangelo, Pierre enlisted the help of a film composer to help with the music arrangements. Right now he has a KickStarter for the short film and music video for Michelangelo, which will be shown at the Miden Festival in Paris in June. The Personal: Being Gay in Pop Music While chatting with a female fan, she told Pierre that he makes her feel "comfortable and sexy," in her skin. "For me to be a gay male and still be able to connect to women in that way, makes me happy," says Pierre. He appreciates the love and support from both his male and female fans.
!"#$%&$'()*&+,-(.$ /0)*1$%*2-3-*2-*+4 Written by C. Reneé Mangum
Being independent is the new hot commodity. Some mainstream artists are attempting to break away from their major labels. Other signed artists are dropping projects without using the money given by their labels for promotion and marketing. Majors that are still tied to record deals are creating their own independent labels and signing talent. Icons like TLC left the game and are coming back without seeking new recording contracts.
costs, promotional and marketing costs, tour costs and music video production costs, as well as other expenses. The record company is making the upfront investment and taking the risk, but the artist eventually ends up paying for most of the costs. While all of this can
Despite this trend however, many underground artists are seeking the huge recording contracts and distribution deals from major labels. Not even considering how those who have these relationships are breaking away from these arrangements. Let’s explore why this is happening and how being independent will change the entire world of music.
be negotiated up front, it tends to be the norm that the artists pay for the bulk of expenses out of their royalties.
Contrary to popular belief, there isn’t as much money in getting a standard record deal from a major label as one may think. Typically, when recording artists sign a recording contract or record a song (or album), the record company pays them an advance that must be paid back out of their royalties. This is called recoupment. In addition to paying back their advance, however, recording artists are usually required under their contract to pay for many other expenses. These recoupable expenses usually include recording
So, in other words, when you get a recording contract, you are essentially receiving a loan. This loan is to allow you the means to record hit records. This means that the funds in the deal are not there for you to go and buy houses and cars and take your mom off of her tiring job. These funds are given to you to go and make all their money back, plus some. So while you may be achieving fame and notoriety, you are not achieving much money. After years of working hard, perfecting your craft, building a fan base, touring, etc., you
realize that the majority of money made is not going into your pocket. And if you are the type of artist who is capable of making millions for the label, they want to keep you around as long as possible, giving you small percentages of what you actually earn to keep you content. For artists who have their own following and have made a name for themselves, why would they want to keep making someone else filthy rich from their work? Thus, the indie shift has begun. With artists taking back the control and finances of music, the world of music is in a new, prime state susceptible to change and growth for artists everywhere. Indie artists don’t necessarily need the backing of a major label anymore. Look at Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. They made it to the tops of charts before ever getting a label involved. This means that they had total control over their creativity and their money. This is what indie artists need to start aiming for. This is what success should look like. And just think, being independent, you have had to learn the art of hustling and build a strong work ethic to get where you are so far. That is an advantage in the music game. Keep pushing. Stay independent. Let the majors and mainstream artists come join you in this game, not the other way around.
Q The Question It all started in 2006, when Philadelphia native and journalist Quinton Hatfield decided to go after his dreams and start SKE Records. Now know as Q The Question, he and label mate Trel Mack decided they wanted to form a label that had the potential of
Question has even written a book (available on Amazon) called "The Secrets to Speaking Spanish Fluently in Less Than a Year." 2014 was a busy year with SKE Records. Both Trel Mack and Petter Jones released several singles with
made it no secret that his preference is Latina women. "Latina women love Q The Question, and I love them right back." he says. When asked about his ideal woman, he mentioned that his woman must know how to cook, love music and love football.
having a global presence. Fast forward to the present day, SKE Records is now one of the top contenders for hottest indie
accompanying videos. Trel Mack's single "Hell Yeah" recently stirred controversy due its lyrics. In the song, Trel Mack
SKE Records has many exciting things coming up in 2015. Trel Mack has an upcoming northeast tour. Both Mack
label of the year. Today, SKE records artists consists of Trel Mack, Petter Jones and Spanish language artist Audrey Sawysa. The company has a strong presence in both English and Spanish speaking countries which is due, in part, to Q's fluency in the Spanish language. "We're very popular in Spanish speaking countries, our Spanish fans are amazing!" says Q. A heavy
admits to getting a tattoo that notes an affiliation with the illuminati. Although Q The Question refused to comment on the controversy, he did say that he supports all of his artists to the fullest. As a mogul in the making, Q credits his strong work ethic to his mother. As of today, he is single and has no children. Although he's single, Q The Question has
and Petter Jones have singles to be released. They have also added a new DJ, DJ Ali, to the SKE family. In addition, SKE Records also has an in-house videographer to capture the highlights of various events and moments. Follow Q The Question on social media to keep up with SKE Records and their artists!
enthusiast for the language, Q The
@QTheQuestion
@QTheQuestionSKE
Q The Question Fan Page
Written by Yvette Lee
Choppin’ it up with Dime MacTunes writer Destiny LeFlore caught up with Hip Hop artist Dime to see what he’s been up to and get his thoughts about the Hip Hop world. Check out what he had to say. Destiny (Des): So of course we want to start with the most important, the one thing we all want to know. Can you tell me what's been new with you since the last time our MacTunes fans heard from you? New music? New shows? Collaborations? Dime: Well I've dropped a mixtape since then, which was "All or Nothin Reloaded." It’s on Datpiff.com and did a little over 6,000 downloads. That was almost over 2 years ago. Now I’ve been working on my upcoming project "Bleu October" which dropped February 16th. It will be displayed on Datpiff.com with a
total of 8 tracks on it, just something small but will impact many with the songs displayed. It’s a body of work, a sound I push to be different and not the same ol’ music my city produces... Something to path my own lane in my city... Just a project of good music. I'm just trying to build my buzz and give people music I feel they will love. I’m trying to produce music that will surface to the ears needed to take my music to the next level that I know it can reach. This project has collaborations from artists and producers "Phourthelove" and Big Soj. I had shows on February 19th, my release party at The Temptation Lounge in Hamtramck,
Michigan. February 22nd was at Golden Gate Cafe in Detroit on Woodward. And then on February 28th was at LoveLace Hall on Detroit's east side. I’ve just been really trying to put my all in my work this year. Not that I haven't before, but now I’m just really putting pressure on myself and my music. I have to make it. I feel I gotta be that voice for my city and do it for the people that believe in me. This music is my everything. It’s bigger than me. I don’t do it just for me but for the people that have been supporting me. I don’t want to let them down and be a “used to.”
That's awesome. It’s always good to see artists stay busy. A lot of times in the industry we see artists change over time. Does that apply to you? Has your style changed at all? Um yea, I'd say change helps every artist or person grow. That’s life, you know. Like anything you do, you start as beginners and with change you grow from intermediate to advance. It’s!all about how you accept it. All of our favorite artists started from somewhere. They needed change to be where they are now. So yea, I believe I changed with time. As you get older you can’t help it, but I believe I changed and it shows in my music in a good way. I can hear it from being around the right people and facing life’s obstacles, just by the kind of music I’m making and the subject matter. I believe I’m more confident in my music now than I was before honestly. My style has changed a little, maybe with the flow or how I look at the beat and control the song and subject matter. So as far as my style, yea a little, but not too much. I’m still hungry
around me that help me make good music. It’s always important to have a team around you that share the same goals. That's especially important in music. I've followed you on almost every social network and I noticed you hashtag almost every huge record label whenever you post your music. Is it your dream to be signed to any of them? Which label have you always wanted to sign with? What do you think you have to do in order to get them to come your way? Yes, it is my dream. It’s the old-fashioned music dream where an A&R hears a song or two, asks me questions and next thing I know, I’m in a room with champagne bottles and label executives with a pen and paperwork at!the end of the table lol. Although independent is financially better, I just always thought of representing myself with a label, with that machine pushing behind me. I've always wanted to sign
and paying attention to the kind of music people accept and creating it in my own. I’m more hungry now than ever
with DefJam just because of its foundation and history. Also Atlantic and Roc Nation. In order to get them my way, I need to
and it’s showing in my music. You mentioned that you
make good music. Drop that hit that surfaces around the world like a Bobby Shmurda or DejLoaf.
have new music that just came out (Bleu October). For those who haven’t heard
They got their shine from one record. Not downplaying them at all, but I just need the industry
it yet, what can we expect from your new body of work? What's different this time around? What can we
plugs (which I don’t have right now) and the right ear to hear my music. I believe it will happen, it’s just a matter of when. That’s how
look forward to? You can expect a more creative style from me. I think my vibes for songs, as far as hooks, are getting better. I’m focusing on my word play a lot but letting it come in where it fits and not forcing it. I think the style of music I’m making will keep up with the flow of Hip Hop. If not, at least try and evolve it. I think that has to be every artist’s goal when they are seriously getting into music. What’s different is my outlook on music, what me and my team! collide ideas about for songs and implementing it our own way. Not necessarily making it to make money but making it because it’s fun and it’s something we love to do. Our ideas for music are so rich that we really feel the world needs to hear that we can make good music. You can look forward to a great body of work that I feel is dope material my own way! that will be a part of the mainstream music industry. I have the right people
I’m going to look at it, you know. I feel I have what it takes, just need the right ears listening. In my city, how most viewers look at things is, if you’re not on the radio or already signed [to a label], your chances of getting people’s ear is hard. It’s all about dedication and continuous drive to know one day they are gonna love me… but love is blind. So you mentioned being from your city. Are you saying it's harder to get noticed when you come from where you come from? Or do people mostly follow trendy music? Yes, it’s hard as hell. You’re up against people that will drink with you, chill with you, shit even sleep with you, and still not support you lol. It’s crazy but that’s how this generation is. I’m not bitter about it. I’m just stating facts. Unless you’re on tv, radio, or signed, nobody really respects your craft, then everyone
are “Day One’s.” That’s why I have the musical viewpoint now, I don’t listen to just anything because I don’t believe in everything being made. Nowadays it ain’t real music that’s being glorified. It’s just loud music, trendy music now. It’s just people repeating themselves every bar or else it’s not music. Everyone can think of a song like that now. That shouldn’t even deserve to be played on the radio but that’s radio for you. It can make you listen to whatever they want even if you hate it...lol power of music and power of the radio. You were artist of the month for Streethop, how did that happen? Is it up to the fans to vote for you? How does that make you feel?!
getting back into performing for real and I had 3 shows last month. That’s the most I’ve done in a while and probably the most I’ve done in a month’s time. I try not to look at people reciting the words cause I’ll be in awe and probably forget them from the excitement. I look forward to that though. So with so many artists making it with club and party songs, what’s keeping you from going that route? What keeps you motivated with trying to be the change we see in music?!
Well I was pushing my single "One Time" on Instagram and I was already following Ms. Gigi. We chopped it up on there. She let me know she hosts a radio show and that she had this competition every month on her show. I was like, cool. I let it settle then as the deadline approached, she hit me up again. It was a competition between me and 4 other artists. You vote the
I think I got party/club songs, but they are just not really like what everybody making. Its content is a little different. I have a song on my Project called "Cathedral Ceilings." It gets me and others hype. That’s like the turn up song of the project. But yea, it’s the same. I’m into beats heavy. I’m very particular when it comes to beats. I just express it in my own way. I don’t even consider myself a huge change because I like the direction it’s going. The J Coles, the Kendrick Lamars, Drakes and Meek Mills, you know. Lyrics are coming back and I love to see that.
entire month. Whoever had the most votes wins and I was fortunate enough to have supporters who looked out. It makes me feel blessed and happy. I’ve never really won any rap things for real, so it was a dope experience. I was shocked at the
I hope we can stop just listening to beats and calling it a "hit / banger" without listening to the overall words. That’s the era I’m from or how I was taught about music, you know. So I’m not a change. I just feel I’m another artist adding another step to
supporters and love I was getting and just how much people saw my drive and knew I really wanted to win this.!They did that for me and I’m grateful for that.
the process to bring the music industry’s genre of Hip Hop to a better state. Weed the weak music out. It’s literally to the point where artists are making mixtapes telling us they can’t rap in
That's awesome. I can only imagine that feeling! Doing something like that and getting a response from people who
the titles, and people are supporting it. And artists from the bottom have to go through hell and high water to make it. No hate. The game just can be dirty and not make sense in a
really love your music has to be the greatest feeling ever. Are you noticing change and growth in your fan base? Do you meet people now that approach you knowing your music? Or how is it when you perform? Do you notice the
business that makes cents off records that literally don’t make sense… if that makes sense lol.
crowd singing along with you?
Check out his new project “Bleu October” here: http:// dimemusic.bandcamp.com/album/bleu-october
Um yes, very slowly but yea. I’m gaining more supporters every so often. Thousands of people can hear your music but how many will actually stick with you? You can be just another post on their timeline, you know. It’s about people that genuinely follow you and 100% support you enough to invest their interest, time and money in you. Yea I’ve met people that have walked up to me and started rapping. As weird as that is, that was humbling for me. I’ve met females I’ve never known in my life who can recite my verses. That’s impressive to me lol. I've had a kid know who I was who I never met before who thought I was dope. He thought I had a record deal and thought I lived in a mansion. He looked at me like, "what are you doing here?" Lol I’ll never forget stuff like that. When I’m performing, it’s mostly people I know there. I’m really just
We’re with Dime. Let’s continue to bring real Hip Hop back.
Polished Crowns: Darryl Lowrance Does a Benefit for Mike Brown Turn your radio on and take a moment to listen! Sit in silence for a brief moment and take in what you hear and what you see! Kids are singing lyrics and mimicking arrogant demeanors of artists who’ve never lived what they speak over beats. With today’s generation, most people would label Hip Hop as a lost hope. That is until you hear the voice of an upcoming Downriver King who is just in the process of polishing his crown. Darryl Lowrance grew up just 15 minutes outside of Detroit, Michigan.
What unites people of difference races more than music?! “It’s crazy but music brings people together more than anything,” he explains. “It’s a feeling you can’t deny, no matter how much you hate someone different than you. So a benefit
! With such a visible passion for music, Darryl has a growing fan base but says, “making people into believers without selling myself out,” is the hardest part about being an independent artist. With confidence and a heavy load, Darryl Lowrance has taken on the responsibility to reach the world through music. “I cant lie to the kids and glorify the life of violence,” says Darryl with hopes of creating a new avenue for those to come after him. !! Having dreams of someday opening up with artists like Justin Beiber, Darryl
With a pencil in hand at 12 years old, he knew at a very young age what he wanted to spend the rest of his life doing. What
concert… it was the perfect idea.” Although it didn’t go exactly as planned, Darryl is proud to say that he was a part of
Lowrance has huge plans in 2015 including dropping his album Good For Nothing. It will be available for download
started as just another way to get the girls to notice him, quickly turned into a passion. Although his music did have a
a group who contributed at least a few hundred dollars to a family who lost a loved one.
on livemixtapes.com. This time around Darryl plans to give his fans more of himself which even includes him singing!
way of capturing young girls’ hearts back in the day, Darryl describes his first written pieces as “terrible.” He jokingly says that those girls were lying about how much they loved his music. Recently headlining and orchestrating his own show in downtown Detroit, Darryl
Lowrance put on a benefit concert to raise money for the parents of the slain Michael Brown. Darryl has taken independence to a whole new level. He felt a need to stand up for such a cause, thinking this could have easily been him or anyone he loves in Michael Brown’s situation.
With songs like Understand, Honestly, Gossip & Gloom and Hearts In Smoke just to name a few, Darryl Lowrance has a sound that is often compared to Drake. Considering he is known for addressing serious subject matter at times, his fans also compare him to J. Cole.
As you can see, this upcoming Downriver King is just getting started. Stay tuned, turn your radios up… Darryl Lowrance is up next!
Written by Destiny LeFlore