Makin’ It
THE INDUSTRY’S #1 MUSIC CONFERENCE... IN PRINT!
DJ Unknown
Booking Indie Artists on
Major Stages Across the Globe!
@DJUnknownNY
@JonBoiiBeatz
OVER
75 INDUSTRY CONTACTS
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Connect with Artists, Producers and DJs from across the country in our first ever SC Directory!
INSIDE
CANNABIZ
5 RAPPERS
GETTING TO THE GREEN!
ALSO INSIDE: VIC SPITS + CA$H IZ BIZ + EMORY FORBES + B ROSSI + FORTYWEST SXSW 2016 RECAP + CASSIUS JAY PLUS MORE Follow Atlanta’s #1 Music Industry Magazine online at @MakinItMag
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The Louisana Producer Impacting the ATL!
ISSUE 30 - Quarter 4
Jon Boii
MAKIN’ IT MAGAZINE Publisher Kelby Cannick
IN THIS ISSUE
DEPARTMENTS
Operations Manager Kimberly Cannick Contributing Writers M. King D. Banks B. Walker Contrib. Designer Kouture Designs Contrib. Photogrphers Jay Wiggs Eazy Vision Published by Cannick LLC 3939 Lavista Rd.E-249 Tucker, GA 30084
CANNABIZ:
4
NEW RELEASES
7
ON LOCATION South by Southwest Music Business Empowerment Conference ATL Premiere (Atlanta) The Rap Game (Premiere) Honoring Women in Radio
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UPGRADE YOUR TIMELINE
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SALUTE Tatyana, Good Life Music Group, DJ Punch MicxSic
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SNAPCHAT DIRECTORY
14
FEATURES
5 RAPPERS GETTING TO THE GREEN 8
Ca$h Iz Biz
6
Persia Grai
10
Ms Proper
10
Okirike
11
Chillz Muzik
11
For Feature Consideration Submit at www.MakinItMag.com/submit
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THE FOLLOW UP Cassius Jay, Vic Spits, FortyWest, B Rossi, Emory Forbes
Join #TeamMakinItMag Apply at MakinItMag.com/Team Opportunities for Writers, Sales Reps, Junior A&Rs, Promoters Videographers & PR Assistants.
JON BOII 6
DJ UNKNOWN 10
Rest in Peace Carlos “Shawty Lo” Walker 1976 - 2016
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Makin’ It Magazine | 3
#TheFollowUP WHERE ARE THEY NOW??? RECONNECTING WITH MEMBERS AND PAST MAGAZINE FEATURES.
Cassius Jay Issue #28
Cassius Jay continues to expand his brand and make an impact on the current hip hop scene. Having spent much of 2016 in the studio with some of raps biggest names, he’s also recently released his Trap Sinatra mixtape on Spinrilla which features collaborations with Quavo, Peewee Longway, Lloyd and more. In addition to that, Cassius has also released his official Trap Sinatra plugin/ Kontakt Library. With over 4 gigabytes of Sounds, Presets and FX, up and coming producers can now have their beats dripping with sauce too. // @CassiusJay07
Vic Spits Issue #11
First gracing the pages of Makin’ It Magazine in 2008, Atlanta rapper, Vic (formerly Viciou$), was among the first handful of artists to land an investor from being featured in our publication. While the situation didn’t ultimately lead to super-stardom, it did inspire him to step up his business accumen. Falling back from music to develop as an entrepreneur, he successfully launched the primary business that has allowed him to return to music as the captain of his own ship. 100% independent and self funded, his focus is on making great authentic music that resonates with true fans of hip hop. Check out his latest project, “Independently Major!” // @VicSpits
FortyWest Issue 12
Currently residing in Japan as he works on his album, Memphis native Fortywest has travelled half way around the globe since we first introduced him to readers. Spending time in LA where he honed his singing and acting skills, he featured in several stage productions, formed his own band, and 4 | Makin’ It Magazine
managed to complete a visual anthology that encompasses his debut single “Conquer” along with it’s follow up, “Patiently Waiting”. Scheduled to return to the states in early 2017, Forty says he’s excited about the new music he’s working on and looking forward to sharing it with his fans. // @FortyWest www.MakinItMag.com
Emory Forbes Issue #28
B Rossi Issue #22
Discovering Brandon Rossi shortly before he inked a deal with Rocnation, we were the first to feature the Atlanta Rappers/Singer/Songwriter. Since then, he’s been busy juggling his own music with writing for other artists. Gaining some tractions on blogs early this year for the video release to his song “Talk About It”, Brandon can be more recently heard on “40 Acres” along side Killer Mike off of TI’s “US or Else” project.
Since last being featured in the magazine, Emory Forbes has continued working in the studio, Releasing a video for “Pulling Up” and a new EP entitled “#HellIfIKno”. With a slim playlist of only 4 tracks, the EP covers a lot of ground topically. Featured on the “In the Game Segment” of Sway in the Morning, Emory managed to earn a perfect 10 out of 10 score after having two of his songs played on air. Shortly after his Satellite radio debut, Emory threw his first live show in Baltimore to celebrate the release of the project and is already hard at work planning his next. // @EmoryForbes
Upgrade Your Timeline! Get familliar with a few of our readers making moves.
Don’t just follow... ENGAGE! #DoubleTap #MakinItMag #Networking
@Beestroh
@DJKerosene
@GotReec
@IAm_Mali
@IAmMissMulatto
@MegaMeezy
@SaintBoogie
@YesJulz
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Makin’ It Magazine | 5
JON BOII
by K Cannick
Most widely known for his extensive work with gold and platinum selling artists Future and Rocko, Jon Boi is an individual who would much rather spend his time in the studio than in the spotlight. Having production credits which include artists like Snoop Dogg, Yung Joc, Rick Ross, Diamond, Peewee Longway and Lloyd, he remains humble and passionate about crafting new sounds. Playing the drums since age four, music was a major part of his life. This passion eventually led him from Louisiana to Florida, where he earned his Associate’s degree in the Recording Arts from Full Sail University. Ultimately relocating to Atlanta, his talent landed him in the right circles but it was his consistency kept him there. One of the few producers of his caliber who still shows a lot of love to the independent artists, it was only right that we collaborated with him for our next Kill the Track competition. For those unfamiliar with our Kill the Track program, it’s a unique songwriting competition where all participating artists receive the exact same beat record to and the one who creates the best record wins exclusive rights to the beat in addition to thousands of dollars in FREE promotion. Jon Boii has been generous enough to provide us with three tracks to choose from, so we’re letting the artists vote on which beat we should use for the competition. To listen to the tracks and vote visit www.MakinItMag.com/Ktt9 To stay in tune with Jon Boii follow him on instagram at @JonBoiiBeatz
CA$H IZ BIZ by D Banks
Massachusetts based Rap & R&B Group, Ca$h Iz Biz is independently building a considerable resume. Between group members, AG Ca$h, Inn~O~Sense, K-Floyd and producer Smokey Haze, they’ve released several Singles and Music Videos from their debut mixtape, which have opened the doors for College Radio Play, Mixtape Placements (Hip Hop TXL 147, Coast2Coast 289, Bars on Deck, etc) and Major show openings for Machine Gun Kelly, Joel Ortiz, Joe Budden, Royce Da 5’9 and MORE. Currently working on their second mixtape, “A.N.C. (Addicted Not Committed) Hosted by DJ Scream”, you can connect with them online at youtube.com/user/dancinmachine88. For all booking and business inquiries contact cashisbusiness@gmail.com or 617.708.5763
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#NewReleases “Fresh Outta Space 3” by Nef The Pharaoh @nefthepharaoh
“Community Service 2!” by Towkio @towkio
“Know Me (King Wolf)” by SauceLord Rich @saucelordrich
“Eldorado” by Ro James @rojamesxix
“Rare” by PJ @justpeej
“Freedom” by Big Mike Mic @BigMikeMicWhoa
“Thank You Lord” by Big Mouth Ben @bigmouthben
“Gone” by King 2 @ iam_king_2_
“Geisha and Samurai” by Chillz Muzik & Lady Art @ChillzMuzik
“Punch Radio Vol. 5” by DJ Punch @djpunch317
“#FRFR” by Draeco @draeco101
“The Prelude” by J-Hen @1jhen
“Lebron” by J Jig Cicero @j_jig_cicero
“What’s The Plan” by Morgan @morgantheceo
“Bandit” by Nate $avage @1BigBadBandit
“iCampaign(TheKevinParkerAlbum)” by Sleep Parker @sleepparker
“No Question” by N’Lyss @official_nlyss
“Soullionaire” by Okirike @Okirike
“Jiggy” by Otown Da Kid @otowndafnkid
“TRQ6IX” by Rayed R @rayedr_dtr
“Tha Judge and Tha Jury 2” by Sonz of Hustle @sonzofhustle
“Opulence” by Vorheez @vorheez
“Fake Deep” by Phresh Ali @phriday13
“Trap All Day” by RGR Juno @rgrjuno
by Moss Da Beast @mossakamarleysun
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“Moon Rock”
Makin’ It Magazine | 7
CANNABIZ 5 RAPPERS GETTING TO THE GREEN by Mehakvelli King
sence of hip hop presence in its latest The open use of cannabis by artists movements which have literally been like Snoop Dogg, B-Real, Redman, reshaping the map. Wiz Khalifa and others has helped change the way those who use the Across the country, there are at least plant are viewed. Having greatly 24 states, including the District of helped remove the taboo associated Columbia that have given the citizens with cannabis, it’s time to see more From fashion to politics, rappers have the right to consume cannabis for ei- emcees cashing in on this emerging used their influence to give life or ther medical or recreational use. With billion dollar industry. Here are a death to many different brands and the potential for even more states to few rappers that are already in on the causes. While the cannabis culture join the fold after these upcoming ground floor. has greatly benefitted from the hip elections, a new cannabis based econhop community, there is a notable ab- omy is already forming. The term “MC” was said to mean, “move the crowd.” Over the last few decades, the MC has most certainly done that. Since the explosion of hiphop, the MC has moved the crowd in many directions.
SNOOP DOGG Snoop and cannabis go together like peanut butter and jelly. When he first broke into the rap game in the nineties, he did with a cloud of chronic smoke following him. Snoop would later find himself as the face for many cannabis related brands. More importantly, Snoop has launched his own website, Merryjane.com The site is a lifestyle platform for cannabis consumers and people who want to know about the plant. Merryjane guarantees that Snoop will have a voice in the cannabis community for years to come. Snoop also launched his own line of products called, Leafs by Snoop. The brand includes bud, edibles and concentrates.
B REAL Co-Founder of the legendary group Cypress Hill, B-Real is hardly on stage without a joint rolled. The group’s debut album solidified them as a hit in both the hip-hop and cannabis community. Later, leveraging more than 20 years spent rapping about weed, B-Real has capitalized off the brand to launch the Cypress Hill Phunky Feel-Tips glass filters and most recently winning the right to be ONE of only six dispensaries licensed to open in Orange County, California.
BERNER Taking a strain and turning it into a lifestyle, The Bay Area rapper/ganjapreneur is part of a crew called the Cookie Farm that is responsible for bringing smokers such favorites as Gelato, Cherry Pie and of course, Girl Scout Cookies. Berner took the Cookie name to another level when he launched the complimentary clothing line, which soon blossomed into a full lifestyle brand including accessories like grinders and rolling plates. His celebrity co-signs in the rap world include artists like Wiz Khalifa and Young Dolph among others. Along with the music, Berner is doing a good job balancing the rap with the pack.
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WIZ KHALIFA What Snoop started, Wiz took to another level. Through slick videos and countless hit records dedicated to his love of weed smoke, Wiz helped make cannabis consumption even more cool amongst a younger generation. After lighting up tons of weed, it’s only right that he gets his own strain. Khalifa Kush a.k.a. KK or Wiz Khalifa OG was created with help from his Cookie’s fam. The strain along with various infused products and concentrates are available for sale in Colorado.
KURUPT Kurupt’s collaboration with Dr. Zodiak has resulted in Moon Rocks, one of the industry’s most talked about strains. Along with it’s reputation for literally knocking people out, a cosign from the legendary Kurupt has helped shoot the popularity of the Strain through the roof. While Dr. Zodiak has also helped develop products for Ghostface Killah and Master Killah, Moon Rocks may go down as his most potent creation.
4 Ways YOU Can Get in On the Action! Invest in Cannabis For rappers that love to brag about frivolously spending their money, now would be an excellent time to invest some of that cash into a few cannabis related stocks. As laws across the country continue to change, companies currently trading for pennies may soon be worth much more. Companies like Kaya Holdings, whose dispensary is regarded by some as “The Starbucks of Cannabis”, will undoubtedly be expanding their footprints once more states open for recreational usage. When this happens, expect Kaya to be a key player in the game. For those leery of the stock market, angel investing is always another option. There are plenty brands building a great customer base that could flourish with a little extra influx of cash. Placing money behind a brand that’s already established in the industry, is
always a safer bet than starting on your own. Much like the tech boom, cannabis could very well turn into big money for those with the confidence and financial ability to brave out the journey
Collaboration Kurput’s partnership with Dr. Zodiak is possibly the best example of a successful collaboration between hip-hop and cannabis. Kurupt’s ability to use his brand to push a new strain provides a solid template for those looking to follow in his footsteps. While there are a lot of brands that would love to see the bump in sales and recognition that an endorsement from a successful hip hop act could bring, not all would be a good fit for your image or audience. Pick wisely and remember, like any investment, patience is key. Your ultimate returns will be seen in the future, not the
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present.
Invest Around Cannabis Some of today’s most profitable companies don’t actually produce anything. Uber, for example, is an international “Taxi” service that owns not a single car. Companies like Uber, Priceline and Amazon are all billion dollar enterprises based on making our lives a little easier. Outside of the obvious business models, there will surely be complimenting technologies and services poised to disrupt the market. Whether it’s a company like Ardent that produces a personal consumer appliance enabling cannabis users to better measure dosage or a social media platform like Mass Roots which is already connecting over 900,000 cannabis users, the first billion dollar company in the cannabis industry may have nothing directly to do with the growth or sell of cannabis. Technology can reap big returns for
those who know how to pick a company.
Spread the Word Cannabis is often mentioned in songs but we rarely hear rappers speak about their business dealings in the industry. While Rick Ross bragging about owning Wingstop franchises is cool, it would be considerably doper to hear Kurupt speak about his deals or listen to Snoop and Wiz speak about their many endorsements. I personally recognize the value of the MC’s words, having learned to roll a blunt by listening to Redman’s “How to Roll A Blunt.” The most important thing any MC can do now is add to the conversation. By doing so, we can hopefully continue to move the crowd, but maybe this time it will be toward claiming their piece of a multi-billion dollar industry before the window closes.
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DJ UNKNOWN by K Cannick
Orginally from New York, DJ Unknown ascended the ranks of the music industry from rocking clubs to rocking concert venues. Forming strong relationships with artists and their managements, he expanded into booking and talent buying. From there his connections continued to grow. Forming relationships with some of the Top performance venues and Event Promotion companies in the country (Livenation, AEG, etc), he was inspired to launch a boutique agency specializing in putting independent artists on major stages. From there, Artist Auditions was born and has since booked over 500 independent artists on national and international shows. Serving as an avenue to help independent artists raise their visibility and grow their fanbase, you can find details on the latest shows and performance opportunities at www.ArtistAuditions.com. Persia Grai, is a Rapper, Singer & Songwriter that is representing Detroit’s independent scene well. Having opened for Big Sean, Diggy Simmons and Elle Varner, the young talent has even landed radio play on Detroit’s Hot 107.5. His latest single, “Calabasas” has definitely found its audience organically approaching 10,000 plays on SoundCloud. Producers would be smart to start building with him now. #Network
Connect @ www.makinitmag.com/user/10905 10 | Makin’ It Magazine
A native of Fayetteville, NC, Ms Proper is a true lyricist who channels her life, the good and the bad, into her music. With four mixtapes under her belt, she recently released her first studio album, “Escaping Reality”, which has received positive reviews. Catch her performing at this year’s A3C Hip Hop festival in Atlanta, or in a city near you, as she has just joined the #FreedomTour2016.
Connect @ http://www.makinitmag.com/user/9533 www.MakinItMag.com
#SALUTE
“Celebrating the accomplishments of independents making moves.”
The individuals that go the hardest for independent artists tend to be those that have walked a mile in their shoes. While MICxSIC has grown an increasingly large reputation as one of the city’s preimmenent curators of Hip Hop shows, he is still at his heart a cold blooded Emcee. That’s why it was great to see him get some national exposure on the debut episode of BET’s One Shot television show. (@MICxSIC) → → Congratulations to site member DJ Punch and DJ Davinci on the official site and mobile app launch for their GettyDownRadio platform. Broadcasting a mix of today’s hottest music along with up and coming talent, be sure to follow DJ Punch (@DJPunch317) → → Major S/O to our family at Good Life Music Group for taking home the 2016 AEBL (Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League) Championship. Competing against teams from Think It’s a Game Records, Street Execs and MORE over several weeks, the Good Life squad proved to be unstoppable. Dominating on and off the court, we have to
A dope lyricist who takes a unique approach to everything he does, Chillz Muzik ensures that he stands out. Whether it’s his over the top performances at live shows, the eclectic yet trippy vibes of his music, or how he literally raps interview questions to the guests that he’s interviewing on his “Chillz Chewed” web-series, he ensures that you will remember him. Get familiar with him and his music at ProspectzNation.com
Connect @ www.makinitmag.com/user/9465 Formally releasing the follow up to his well received “I AM” LP, Okirike returns with “Soullionaire”, a six track EP that is characteristically filled with positive and uplifting material that is equal parts soulful and energetic. Lead by the single, “Take a Load Off ”, this project is definitely one to add to your playlist. Check out the full project on SoundCloud and be sure to network with him for features.
Connect @ www.makinitmag.com/user/166
give an additional S/O to Good Life’s Law on winning the 2016 Male Artist of the year at the 3rd annual Producer Music Awards. Make sure you follow the whole Good Life camp online to keep up with their latest releases and accomplishments. (@Law_GoodLife, @GoodlifeNette, @GoodlifeMusicGroup) → → Our final Salute goes to a 16 year old singer from Kissimme, Florida, who performed at a recent Exposure Open Mic. While her nerves had clearly gotten the better of her, she was able to pull it together and finish her performance strong. Speaking to the audience before leaving the stage, she explained just what that performance meant to her. Having struggled with her weight, she had been bullied to the point of deleting every Youtube video she posted of herself singing. Overcoming those insecurities, she to took on a part time job and saved up her own money to register and travel to Atlanta for that performance. For not only being a beautiful and talented young queen, but also overcoming her obstacles and working toward her dreams, Tatyana, gets the biggest salute of all. Follow her at (@SlayedToTheGods) → →
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Makin’ It Magazine | 11
#OnLocation!! WE’RE ALWAYS IN THE STREETS PROMOTING AND NETWORKING WITH THE PEOPLE.
South by Southwest 2016 - For the past 4 years I’ve covered this monster of an event in addition to helping clients book performances, coordinate promotional campaigns and even producing several of our own unofficial stages. This year, after some last minute headaches with Credentials, Booking Flights and Lodging, I wasn’t very enthused about SxSW. To be honest, I had mentally checked out by day two, but in doing so, I opened the door for having my greatest SxSW experience to date. For the first time ever, I roamed the streets of downtown Austin without being preoccupied with networking, promotion, interviews, meetings, etc. I took off my industry hat and enjoyed this amazing event for the first time as a FAN. I saw some of my favorite artists perform live for the first time, I discovered amazing new talent I never heard of and had fun with total strangers. I eventually checked back in to get some work done (we had two un-official stages on Saturday and a ton of events to cover after all) but I did so with renewed vigor and increased appreciation for the event. Even as I write this, I’m already looking forward to next year. Hopefully you’ll be there to check it out with me. PHOTOS BY @JAYWIGGS
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PHOTOS BY @EAZYDIVINCI
Atlanta Premiere Party August 25, 2016
MBE Conference August 15-28, 2016
Blizm’s Salt & Pepper Video Shoot August 26, 2016
The Rap Game Season 2 Premiere Party July 22, 2016
Honoring Women In Radio June 20, 2016
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Makin’ It Magazine | 13
SNAPCHAT?
While Snaps (the messages posted to the service) may be temporary, the unique connections created by this often overlooked social network are far longer lasting. As its user base in the 25+ demographic is growing by 2x and its monthly engagement is outperforming that of Instagram, now may be the time to start considering how this quirky platform can play a part in your marketing, promotional or PR mix. At the very least, you should create an account to start experimenting with it. To help you get started, we’ve composed a list of some of our members for you to follow. Happy Networking!
@9GODSKY6 Missouri | Entrepreneur
@MACDERRO Mississippi | Entrepreneur
DJ
Rapper
@DJPUNCH317
@DRAECOOFFICIAL
Georgia
Entreprenuer @9WES_
Illinois
Manager @PESO-JUGGIN
Alabama
@TRVPYATTI
Georgia
@MRBYRD84
Florida
Producer @TRU_AKIL
Georgia
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Georgia
@SACREDDG
Washington
@BIGMIKEMICWHOA
Georgia
@RAPZNSINGZ
South Carolina
@COPESODOPE
Georgia
@KASHFAVE
North Carolina @VOREHEEZ
Georgia
@RTIMERECORDS Georgia | Rapper
@TREYOLOGY3
@ILLPROFIT
@GEORGIA_NCE
@AIKOFINESSE
Texas
Georgia
@MSPROPER
North Carolina @THA_GIZZLE
Georgia
@MYSTIQUERIOT
Georgia
@KINGYOSHIMAN
Georgia
@ESINTRIK
Georgia
@GMACKTHEBANDMAN
California
Georgia
South Carolina @J-HEN3
Texas
@DESTINYMALIBU
California
@HEYTHERENY
Ohio
@YOUNGJOEYBISHOP
South Carolina Publicist
@LALAASHEP
Georgia
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