SoCal Pop Rapper Is Proving Her Doubters Wrong 10:00AM ET September 16th, 2010 Contributor : Jecquea Howsie A Rocky Williform Company
Hazel-E doesn’t care what you think about her style. She’s determined to prove the haters wrong and introduce “Valley Girl” rap to the masses. Coming straight from the not-so-hard streets of California, the self-proclaimed military brat had a atypical-for-hip-hop upbringing and that has made her transition from public relations to rapping a difficult feat. But Hazel-E disregards the doubters and embraces being a “tabloid chick”.
Why/how did you transition from publicity to becoming an artist?
I started off in acting--I was doubling for Raven Symone on the Disney Channel for a little bit--and after I graduated from college I transitioned into public relations, [and] started working for Echo Hattix for EchoingSoundz.Then about a year-and-a-half ago, around the end of 2008, I decided to go ahead and pursue my musical ambition [which] is to become the next badass pop female MC rapper.
Was this something you always had aspirations toward?
Definitely! I always had a love for music--more than just loving listening to it. I can remember when I was in college, at [the] University of Texas, at San Marcos, I just remember my girls taking our road trips bumping Lil Kim's Notorious K.I.M [and] I always loved Gwen Stefani. I’ve always loved pop music and I’ve always loved rap, though I just didn’t think at that time there was a place in the industry for an artist like me.
What made you think there wasn't place for an 'artist like you?'
I’m not a hardcore rapper. I don’t talk about sex and drugs and living on the streets and slanging.' At that time, it was just like 'What am I going to talk about--my great upbringing, being in private school?' [laughs] As the music industry progressed with artists like LMFAO and Gym Class Heroes and definitely Fergie and stuff, I found that I could do music and talk about my life and it wouldn’t be frowned upon. I wasn’t coming from the streets, so…that’s when I came up with my song “Valley Girl” and that’s what we started.
For you, what’s been some of the more eye opening aspects of just being in the industry?
You get a lot of 'no’s.' (Laughing) For me, making people believers, especially coming from being on one side of music and doing public relations and just getting people to view me credibly as an artist has been one of my toughest challenges. I’ve had a lot of the blog writers that post on me [write things like], “oh she used to be a publicist first, now she wants to be a rapper, everybody just wants to be an artist these days…” So for me it was just getting people to believe that I could do this that I wanted to do it and it wasn’t just a phase.
At the end of the day what have you enjoyed the most about this journey?
I love the fact that the ideas that are in my head--things that I want to talk about--come to life. Being that I was in PR and stuff, the creative aspect is just in my genes. I love listening to my own music, which I’m sure most artists do, but I’m a real pop junkie so when I hear my songs, “Bet You Can’t Get These Shoes” or “Valley Girl” or “Tabloid Chick” if they weren’t me I still feel like I’d still love it just because that’s the kind of music I listen to. I’ll go further and have more credits under my belt as time goes on, [but] it’s the initial response--the buzz, the fans--that’s what you do it for. That’s the reward right there. And I’m a Twitter head so check me out at Twitter.com/hazelebaby--and myspace.com/hazelebaby.
Why Dr. Dre's ''Detox'' HAS To Be A Classic 05:00PM ET September 9th, 2010 Contributor: Mathis Bauchner A Rocky Williform Company
Living legends are hard to come by, but if anyone has the credentials it’s Dr. Dre. One of the most influential artists of all time, Dre has revolutionized hip-hop three times over, first introducing gangster rap to the mainstream in the late 80’s as part of the legendary group N.W.A. Dre's solo debut and masterpiece, The Chronic, released in 1992, gave birth to the G-funk sound that permeated the West Coast and kickstarted the two-year dominance of Los Angeles-based hip hop in the 1990’s. Dr. Dre can be considered the man who introduced two West Coast legends, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg, to the masses.
In 1996 he founded Aftermath Entertainment and in the years that followed helped his protégés, Eminem and 50 Cent, blossom into two of the highest selling musicians of the new millennium. Amidst all this he released his second solo effort, 2001, in 1999, arguably the West Coast’s last truly great album.
But that was eleven years ago, and since then listeners, (not excluding this writer), have been waiting with tremendous patience for a follow-up. Whispers about the album date back to 2003, and its title, Detox, has been floating around for just as long. Countless news stories have been written about it, and dozens of rappers and producers claim to have spent time in the studio working with Dre. Back in 2004, frequent co-producer Scott Storch told MTV that Detox was “the most advanced rap album musically and lyrically we'll probably ever have a chance to listen to.” But in years that followed not a single track was heard. The album became something of a myth.
That all changed this past June, when an unmastered, chorus-less version of the album’s first single, “Under Pressure,” leaked and the hip-hop world lost its collective mind. The song itself is fantastic, featuring a punchline-riddled verse by Jay-Z and an otherworldly beat worthy of an eleven wait. Fans everywhere rejoiced. Finally there was solid evidence that rap’s greatest myth might actually be a reality.
So why this level of excitement? Why the prolonged hype? In this day and age listeners forget an artist as soon as their single falls off the charts, yet somehow Dr. Dre has managed to maintain a stranglehold on the interest of hip-hop fans across the globe.
The reason for this is simple. The man has had a practically perfect career. He’s never underwhelmed his audience, never disappointed listeners with a subpar effort. His resume is unmatched by any artist past or present. Between his own iconic material and the extraordinary production he’s done for other artists, Dre has remained relevant for nearly twenty-five years. He’s the Bill Russell of hip-hop, perhaps not the greatest to ever do it, but certainly the most consistently great.
So let’s get one thing straight, Detox will be nothing short of a classic. Dre won’t release it if it isn’t. He’d rather keep fans waiting another decade than put out an album that fails to live up to expectations, and not those of listeners or critics but his own. Because as great as the hip-hop world thinks Detox will be, Dr. Dre thinks it will be better. He’s a perfectionist in the truest sense of the word, especially when it comes to his own work. There’s a reason why he’s only released two solo albums in his twenty-plus year career. And there’s also a reason why they’re two of the most influential albums in hip-hop history. Dre will accept nothing less.
But perhaps these outsized expectations are a curse. Perhaps they’ve kept Dre trapped in the studio all these years, trying madly to craft a masterpiece worthy of completing his trilogy, refusing to be satisfied with anything short of perfection. However, if “Under Pressure” is any indication, he may finally be ready, but then again maybe not. It’s September already and a finalized version of the song has yet to emerge. So for now the rumors continue. Some say Detox will be out by the end of 2010, some say never. Either way, it’s classic or bust. And for that, fans will continue to wait. Patiently I might add.
''We Always Knew We Would Make It'' 12:00PM ET September 1st, 2010 Contributor : Chris G. A Rocky Williform Company
Taylah P and Kelci are the Vistoso Bosses, a kinetic duo from Atlanta, GA that marry streetwise sass with an infectiously pop sensibility. "Vistoso" is a Spanish word that means gorgeous, and these young ladies are very easy on the eyes, but their spirit and music are just as appealing and attention-getting. The girls--who have been best friends since 'before birth'--sat down with HipHopBlog to offer a glimpse of who they are and where they intend to go.
What's been the most eye-opening aspect of your journey to stardom thus far?
This entire journey has been an amazing, learning adventure with more to come. Really realizing how blessed and how far we've come since we first started I guess we can say is the most eye opening! It still kinda hasn't hit us FULLY! When we meet people and they cry..it's amazing! Still VERY surreal. To be able to look back to where we started and see where we are and where we are going is amazing, but almost unbelievable! We always knew we would make it, but it all happened so fast. It's wonderful.
Do you think that fans/critics make too much of the perceived 'lack' of female MCs in hip-hop?
No we don't. We can definitely see why people would want more females. There are so Many talented women involved in music and we believe in the future their will be more in the forefront! Us included of course!
Describe the following female rappers and what they mean to you:
a.Lil Kim
b.Salt N Pepa
c.Nicki Minaj
All three of these are are so dope! Of course we have been listening to Lil Kim! Nicki is dope also! We actually get compared to Salt N Pepa! We had "Push It" as an intro for one of our shows!
They all pretty much paved the way for us being that we are female artists, so we have nothing but respect for each of them.
What do you hope your younger fans take away from your music?
Inspiration! We want it to make them feel something! Something great! Like they can relate to us even though we're older. Being able to make music for everyone is fun for us! That way we can touch everyone. We want to be able to move people. Also make people think. When we started we looked at music as our outlet to the world so we could talk and deliver a message through our music. Whether it's about girl issues, world issues, being boy crazy! Whatever! Everyone should feel like they have a song by us that is for them!
What's the next step for Vistoso Bosses?
Pushing the new single "Tatted"! It's featuring Waka Flocka Flame! Produced by Fatboi and Co-written by the great Ebony Love:) You Can check that out onWww.myspace.com/vistosobosses
Also still doing the YouTube videos!YouTube.com/vistosobosses! Out here grinding! Shows! Still in the studio with different producers constantly! Working to become the best at what we are doing!
Follow us on twitter to stay posted! @vistosobosses2!
Vee.eye.es.tee.oh.es.oh have the whole world screaming out VISTOSO! Suited&booted!
Jamaican-Born Emcee Ready to Shine 8:00PM ET August 23rd, 2010 Contributor : Mathis Bauchner A Rocky Williform Company
Rapper J Star isn’t an easy man to pigeonhole. Jamaican by birth but raised primarily in Detroit and Canada, this aspiring emcee uses his nomadic background to fuel a diverse musical sound. He spent time as an actor as well, but considers rapping his true calling. With streetwise tracks such as “So I Grind” alongside the female-friendly single “YouTube Girl,” J Star refuses to limit himself to one lyrical lane. Fresh off the plane from a show in his native country, J Star sat down with HipHipBlog to discuss his musical heritage, his favorite emcees, and how he plans to take the industry by storm in 2010.
What sparked your initial interest in music?
I grew up right next to a studio when I was in Jamaica and I was always that kid that was dancing or doing something. So from a young age I just fell in love with it. I love entertaining people, seeing people have joy, or just some kind of emotion off what you’re doing. I was always attracted to that for some reason.
What do you think has contributed to the diversity of your sound?
I think it’s just part of me growing up in a lot of different places. Pops was a rolling stone, so I just rolled, whether it was Toronto, I was there for a couple years, New York, I bounced around a lot. And I always had the Jamaican side of me. You know when I was young. My mom would always listen to a bunch of different things. I just ended up loving music.
When was the moment that you realized music was something you wanted to do professionally?
Really the first time was when I heard one of Jay’s verses. When I was younger, when Reasonable Doubt came out. I was just like, ‘I don’t know how to put the words together, but this is just something that I live,’ you feel me? So the inspiration was way back then.
What other artists have inspired you?
I got to bring it back to Rakim. ‘Cause he was so versatile. He was doing things back then that people are just starting to do now, which is crazy to me. And I can’t forget Big, real inspirational. ‘Cause his Caribbean background is strong, yet he wasn’t born there. And you know who else that I base some of my style off of is Slick Rick. He’s just smooth.
What void in the industry do you see yourself filling?
I feel like I fill that young void of people like myself that can supply and demand, as far as being in business or anywhere in the entertainment industry. ‘Cause there’s a lot of cats that grew up on the block, but that doesn’t mean that they stayed there, and they still get labeled as that, so I feel like I can speak out for that culture.
What can fans expect from you?
They can expect the party. They can expect the pain. They can expect lyrical content. And they can expect, once again, the party, ‘cause it’s always about the party with me. At the same time each track will touch something different. If you don’t like one you can always skip on to the next one. You can also expect some Caribbean in there ‘cause I am Jamaican.
What's coming up next for you?
I got the mixtape coming out I’m still bubbling on. It’s going to be hosted by Ill Will. It’s going to be called What Did You Expect? I got the youtube girl project going on. The DVD’s going to be out in about three months. Utubegirl.net, that’s the site. I’m doing shows in a couple cities, Houston, New Orleans. I might go back to Jamaica ‘cause Jamaica was bananas.
Why We Need Classic Hip Hop FM Stations 06:00PM ET August 23rd, 2010 Contributor: Todd Williams A Rocky Williform Company
Urban DJ's seem to love Slick Rick's 1988 classic "Children's Story." On almost every hip hop DJ's 'old school mix,' they throw on the legendary storyteller's signature song about a violent kid who meets an untimely end. As a result, virtually everyone, regardless of how young they may be--seems to know the song that starts with the infamous couplet, "Once upon a time/Not long ago/When people wore pajamas/And lived life slow…"
But there was more to Slick Rick's career than "Children's Story." Sadly, hip hop has done a poor job of celebrating legendary figures like Rick and other stars of his era. Even hip-hop's most iconic group, Run-D.M.C., gets more love from younger fans for it's historical importance than for the impressive music it created. It's not because the music isn't good--quite the opposite, actually, the music is great--it's because they've never heard it.
They've never heard it because FM radio has ignored classic hip hop. While classic rock and soul stations abound on FM dials throughout the country, there are little-to-no hip hop stations devoted to playing the music of the 1980s and 1990s. And the end result is a genre that has completely abandoned it's Golden Age. Meanwhile, the legends of other musical genres are celebrated ubiquitously--even amongst hip hop fans. Ask a rap fan about an older, legendary R&B artist for example, and you'll get a very different reaction to their music and legacy than you would a hip hop star of generations past.
Marvin Gaye is 'classic.' Run-D.M.C. is 'old.'
It isn't at all uncommon to see old school R&B stations in the presets of many hip hop heads' car stereos. After all, just because you love Drake or Weezy doesn't mean you can't appreciate Patti Labelle or Luther Vandross. Never mind the fact that most of these listeners are a generation removed from these songs and artists--their parents instilled a love for this music. And their children have carried that love with them all these years later. Classic soul stations serve a variety of purposes; they keep older music alive for younger generations who are too young to have experienced it firsthand, they provide a platform for older artists who want to debut new music or promote current tours, and they give older fans a place on the FM dial to hear the songs that they grew up on.
But for hip hop fans, there isn't anywhere for them to go to hear the songs that shaped their love for the genre. Most cities don't have a major FM station dedicated to classic hip hop; so if an older hip hop fan wants to hear the classic songs of the 1980s and 1990s--there's nowhere for them to turn. And younger fans are robbed of the chance to become more familiar with the artists that rocked the mic before their youthful ears were old enough to appreciate the music.
As a result, the music becomes virtually irrelevant. A kid younger than 25 doesn't know that Jay-Z's "The Ruler's Back" is a rehash of Slick Rick's 1988 song of the same name. Why? Because he's never heard it. Fans don't hear the masterful lyrical skills of vintage Rakim, Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane so they never learn to love the music these MCs created and the legacy they forged. Young femcees never hear the brilliance of MC Lyte, Da Brat or Queen Latifah.
Before we just assume that younger people have no interest in hearing these older artists, think of how many of us can sing along with R&B songs that were released before we were born. Think of how many young artists in 2010 are influenced by Prince, Madonna and Michael Jackson--entertainers who's careers were at their peak more than 25 years ago. Those young people love and know these artists because pop culture and mainstream radio has made sure that these artists are celebrated and their music continues to thrive in the hearts and minds of the people.
