HIP-HOP MUSIC
ÑËÎÂÎ ¹15
Rogue MC represents independent hip hop from Atlanta, US. Her lyrical style and music break down typical stereotypes about southern rap and remind everybody, that real hip hop with its rich history, problems and life joys has not disappeared in the modern conditions, where music for clubs has the first priority. Her first album called «Got Something for You» Rogue MC released back in 2006. Later she dropped two mixtapes: «Desert Rose» in 2010, and «Black Baccara» in the beginning of the 2012. Now she's working in the studio, ready to release the next EP. Each of those deserves to be talked about, along with Rogue MC's other works and her opinions on contemporary hip hop scene. And that's what we did.
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HIP-HOP MUSIC
ÑËÎÂÎ ¹15 Tell us about your music. When did you first start recording? What are your main influences\inspirations and how did they turn you into being an MC? Name other MCs or beatmakers you have worked with? I started recording when I was 14, before that I was only writing songs & poetry. I was heavily influenced by my life at home and the people i saw around me. The music that I sought to listen to was Hip Hop & Alternative Rock...it seemed like those were the genres that expressed raw emotions so I was drawn to that. I decided to record in a creative, raw, emotional style specifically after hearing Eminem's album "The Slim Shady LP." I related so much to his attitude & story that I decided to write in a similar way.
In addition to DJing and beatmaking, Flux makes the video project called «Flux TV». Tell us what events are told in these videos. In the FluxTV videos it really started off as the two of us joking around and recording the things we do & the places we go on a regular basis. Our viewers began to grow so we decided to continue to release these webisodes. Flux TV is very real, we don't stage anything. Flux lives a fun life and I come into an episode here and there to participate in the good times. We are simply showcasing our Life & Times...from business, to silly antics & even blooper moments lol. For «The Black Baccara» mixtape, basically, you recorded everything by yourself, with a bit of help from Dj Flux and Puertoroc. Is beatmaking represents another one side of your creativity? Will there be more beats of yours for your future releases? I've always done a lot of my own recording and have recently used Flux to engineer my recording sessions. I've always made a lot of my own beats unless I've borrowed mainstream instrumentals in an attempt to pay homage as well as have fun on some really cool tracks that people are familiar with. In the beginning I made all my own beats because guys didn't want to work with a female rapper, they would discriminate against me.
In 2006, you released the album called «Got Something 'For You», later in 2010 - the «Desert Rose» mixtape, and at the beginning of this year «The Black Baccara» mixtape. Tell our readers about these releases, their concepts and also about the changes you brought in your style over the years. "Got Sumthin For You" was my 1st musical release ever. I wanted it to stand for what I was going through. I was always told you spend your whole life making your first project & it was true in my case. It has songs from when I was 14 all the way to 17. It was about me making myself known as a talented female who could bring lyrics as well as production. For all those who don't believe....I've got something for you. "Desert Rose" came about after I took a year off from Emceeing. I didn't have that passion anymore; I was dealing with a death in my family as well as other life hardships I encountered. That break felt empty...like I was in a Desert of my own mind. I knew i was a bright, colorful person who loved life but, I wasn't seeing that daily. Desert Rose was expressing that journey from the desert back to a more thriving place...a livelier me. "The Black Baccara" I consider to be my best work to date. A Black Baccara is a Black Rose; roses are a symbol of beauty as well as strength. A black rose can be associated with the death of a red rose or a more taboo dark red rose. Ive always identified with a rose, its thorns, etc. So I wanted the mixtape to explore Right vs.Wrong...Strength vs. Fear...Pride vs. Insecurities...Love vs. Hate. It's about the battle with ones self. With each one of these music projects I feel like I've grown lyrically and have perfected my style. Each project has helped me evaluate myself & look in the mirror, hoping that the listener relates to it as well, being that we are all human. DJ Flux has been working with you on all your releases. What does these collaborations with DJ Flux mean to you. DJ flux has been a great help in the creative process. He started off as just my DJ for shows. But over the years we began working creatively on concepts for songs. It's great to have support from someone who understands your vision and wants to help to make it a reality.
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HIP-HOP MUSIC
ÑËÎÂÎ ¹15
believe in a balance in HipHop. For example I feel like Outkast bridged that gap perfectly. Are there a lot of MCs from the south who represent the underground rap with classic old sound and social lyrics at the same time? Tell us about the most outstanding MCs in your city\state. The underground movement has the best music in my opinion. I've heard so many talented artists. People who don't get their proper shine. I can't really narrow it down to Georgia as far as who's the most outstanding lyrically because a lot of unsigned artists are conforming to make club music but I do listen to unsigned artists such as NobodyFamous & Son1, & before he was signed to a major label I listened to Atlanta rapper B.O.B
So really if I wanted to rap, I had no choice but to make my own beats. I still like to use beats i made because sometimes only I know how I want something to sound. Like "The Pain" on TheBlackBaccara, It was something that grabbed me...I couldn't help but create a song that reflected how I was feeling at the moment. I was the only one who could know exactly how to create a beat that expressed that emotion. And for that reason, I will continue to make my own beats on occasion for future releases. When people hear about the rap from the south of the United States, they surely think of such styles as “dirty south'' and “crunk”. Apparently, you do not work in these styles. What influenced your choice in hip hop directions and how do you feel about the club rap? My influence in HipHop comes from my family. We are originally from NewYork...most of my family has the classic northern accent and everything lol. So even though i was born in Atlanta, ga...my cousins would introduce me to music from rappers like WuTang, Lost Boys & Nas. I spent a lot of time up north in the summers and would just sit and listen to the radio...I fell in love with the truth in it. Fell in love with the videos too, watching RapCity. That's why even now my music videos are simple, in your face & in the city, reminiscent to the videos where artists like NAS were rapping under bridges or on a street corner. But, I like southern rap as well because it represents fun & sometimes you want to be silly and dance but for me personally, I prefer my music to be REAL. So club rap has its place, but I
We have a lot of rappers who love to debate about the mainstream and underground hip hop difference, whereas in the U.S. even such hip-hop heads as Questlove, DJ Premier and even KRS-One sometimes work with the mainstream artists. Do you think this is how the boundaries between the concepts of underground and mainstream hip hop are being erased? I don't believe the lines are being erased. I think mainstream artists collab with Underground because they are reaching to each others audience or they know each other. Before your "mainstream" your considered "Underground" so a lot of these artists come up in the same circles... some just make it over others. So I think they are just reaching other audiences, branching out and making great music with artists they find interesting. I don't think the "Line" will ever be erased because there's a certain vibe & feel that Underground HipHop will maintain that the Mainstream will never be able to keep up with and realistically copy. Nowadays, rap is being performed all around the world. Are you interested in hip-hop outside the USA? I love the fact that HipHop/Rap culture is all over the world!! I truly believe it is a Culture that everyone should embrace and I'm so happy every time I see people enjoying HipHop in other countries! I'm very interested in HipHop outside the U.S. I want to travel and perform in other countries, all they have to do is contact me lol. I love the artists overseas, they may speak in another language or different accents but the essence of HipHop is still within them. They are living life their way and embracing themselves & influencing the people around them. What differences in the perception of hip-hop outside the USA can you see? And what is the specificity of the American hip-hop, in your opinion? I like that the view of HipHop in other countries still has a realness to it, it hasn't been tainted like I feel it has in the States. I think people here take it for granted & sometimes don't respect the music and the culture. Outside the U.S it seems like they cherish it and appreciate the freedom & love Hip Hop brings. I think once corporate America found out they could profit from HipHop it became over processed in a sense, or watered down.
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ÑËÎÂÎ ¹15 That's why we had debates here about HipHop being dead...we were killing it and it seemed like very few cared to fight back. Tell us about the industry of small labels and local radio stations in the United States. How does it all work? Is it easy for the young MC to get on the radio or to release an album? Releasing an album you can do independently...that's not the hard part. But radio play isn't easy for Emcees. Smaller stations or college radio may play your song but as far as larger more popular stations playing your song...those days are gone. Its not impossible, but its not as easy as it once was to show up and get your song on air. Unfortunately its not about the music in most cases...its about the business & politics. You have to work hard, pay someone or have a big label pushing you to get in constant rotation. For smaller artists you have to know someone or participate in DJ Mixshows. To me its sad but, the artist market is so oversaturated here so i guess its cause and effect. Hip-hop, nowadays, is probably the most popular style of music. Due to its popularization, what kinds of advantages and disadvantages do you see , as an MC? Like i said previously...hip hop is a culture that has influenced a lot of people. Once mainstream created the popularization of it there became a lot more rappers & artists chasing a dream. Its great to see people writing and pursuing a passion but the disadvantage is that so many people are in one lane. It's oversaturated, it's hard to find the good artists when labels & listeners have to sift through so many bad ones. People become numb to artists, almost everyone you meet is saying their a rapper or singer. The problem is there are some of us who actually take it serious as a craft & the ones that don't sort of make things more difficult. Different social problems are reflected in the numerous amount of rap tracks. How does hip hop help with attracting the attention of the youth to these problems? Music no matter what genre I think reflects some aspect of life. As the youth we are always ahead in regards to what is really going on in the world and in our cities. We write music about the things we see and others listen and are educated & informed on social & economic problems. Music is so powerful...just like 2Pac bringing attention to Poverty in California. He made so much noise congress got involved, mainly against his lyrics though lol. But whether people want to hear it or not music is going to point out problems as well as Positive things in life.
people within HipHop that can motivate. What events held in 2011 inspired you to write your lyrics? In 2011, I was going through a lot mentally. Living in this struggling economy, floating from job to job...watching friends struggle to pursue dreams as I pursue my own it gets tough sometimes. Dealing with wanting to live the best life possible but running into personal issues with others, it's all motivation for my tracks. I wrote not only from my own personal experiences but my friends and the people around me. My events and theirs inspired me to write TheBlackBaccara. Also, what are the topics, you believe, are the most important for you right now? What are you going to talk about in the future tracks? The most important topics for me now are always going to revolve around LIFE. Each time i approach a new song or project I think "where am I in my life?" Then I write songs to capture each feeling and each moment. I going through a lot but I am happier than I have been in previous years. I want to explore songs about independence as well as living care free. Breaking from your own shell...but I also know that nothing is perfect and I still have a lot of growing to do and rainy days will come. So I have to stay true and write about all of it. The way I live and the way those around me live and what I see in the world overall...that's what my future music will be about. Life and that Journey. Are you currently working on the new album? If yes, when are you going to release it, and are there going to be any other projects you plan on working? Right now I'm working on my Album EP titled "Roses & Karma." I don't have an official date of release for now but I'm looking to release it early next year. I plan on performing more in the U.S and hopefully outside the States, I really want to travel. I also plan on working with other artists on songs and production. I'm in a very good place musically and I'm excited about the future!
Does it (hip hop) help to motivate people to participate in social protests? For example, like these recent «Occupy Wall Street» actions in the United States? Yeah it does, just like Diddy & Will.I.Am showing support for Voting or Russell Simmons a hip hop mogul is currently supporting the Occupy movement as well as the rapper, Immortal Technique. It shows you don't have to be a rapper to be a voice, you just have to use your voice to try and motivate people similar to you to take an interest in their future. The music motivates too...definitely but it is the
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