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Skillz Ponders the Wack MC Infiltration of the BET Cypher
“I lost so much respect for so many rappers today…” …says Skillz in a elevator headed down to the first floor of Green Pointe Studios in Brooklyn, New York, on a cold rainy night. Skillz and his manager, who have been here all day with his other client UK songstress Estelle and his label rep, are leaving the taping for the “Cyphers” that will air during the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards and Skillz is in another place. “I never thought it was possible to lose that much respect for that many rappers in one day. These are the cats that are supposed to be hot?” he says as we ride back across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan. Skillz is clutching his phone and still talking about what he just witnessed. “I hustled to get here, and no one in that room came to play today,” he continued. Hustling to him is nothing new; he’s always found himself in the position of having to prove himself. In the late 90s, he found himself trying to make people pay attention to his wordplay, spit from a state that really hadn’t been on the Hip-Hop map at all – Virginia. Depending on who you ask, he seems to have pulled it off. The clever rapper with the quickness, Skillz started out on Big Beat/Atlantic, then went to Timbaland’s Z Man/ Interscope (Beat Club), then to Rawkus Records, and now to E1. He’s had his fair share of label woes, but he never stopped making music. “A label doesn’t define me, it never has, I just needed them to get my music to the masses, but in today’s market, I need them less, and they know it,” he said proudly. Technology has changed the music business, and Skillz refuses to be dependent on a label to get himself heard. “If you are fortunate enough to have fans, then find them and deal with them directly. It’s the best relationship that you will ever have,” Skillz states with experience. He’s almost overly active on his Twitter and Facebook accounts (both under @SkillzVa), and at times, he seems to be more of a comedian than a rapper. As we sit in traffic in Lower Manhattan, and since he’s already talking, the opportunity presents itself to pick the brain of one of Virginia’s proudest MCs. When asked exactly why he lost respect for some of his counterparts on this particular day, he replies, “Because none of them came there prepared.” “Well, I can’t say none of them, but a lot of them didn’t! he says, choosing his words with more intention. “Watching some of that sh*t was sad. I watched two particular rappers who are all over the blogs, mixtapes, radio, and magazines stop and start their verses over 64 times!! 64!! I stood there and counted, yo! Between the two of them, they started over 64 times!! We talking 16 bars, yo! And I don’t mean they messed up at the 14th bar and started over. You f*cked up at bar three! I mean, damn, did you write the verse??? Watching that sh*t was sad, ‘cuz let the web tell it, you’re the new hot kid on the block. But, what I saw didn’t represent that at all. I don’t know. I expected more, I guess. Like, know your verse. Come prepared. I felt bad for DJ Premier. He had to sit there through that and remain professional,” he recalls. Skillz then gets somewhat agitated as the driver gets cut off in traffic during the ride. As he stares off into the distance of the greatest city in the world, he responds to why he seems to take this particular incident so personally: “I don’t know? Maybe because I expect rappers to know their raps! But maybe that’s not it anymore!” He and his manager laugh uncontrollably at his last remark. Laughter is something that Skillz has been known to bring back into music in the last few years with his yearly “Rap Up,” a Hip-Hop staple where he recaps events from the previous year. “I’ve always said that I would stop doing it if people stop asking for it, but they expect it, so what am I gonna do? Not give ‘em what they’re asking for? That wouldn’t be smart,” he says with conviction. And smart is something that a rapper who made his debut in the 90s has to be in 2011 – for the simple fact that a lot of lyricists and rappers from that era aren’t the forefront of Hip-Hop anymore, and Skillz knows that time changes all things. “The bottom line is if I tell you how I really feel, then it will be confused as hate, so that’s why I just keep my mouth shut,” he says. His passion for the culture is something that one can never doubt after sitting with him for more than 20 minutes. But, one also picks up on the fact that he’s holding on to the way things used to be, as opposed to how they are right now: “I know I’m from a different era, I’m proud of the fact that I’m still here and able to make the kind of music that I want to make. I appreciate every listen that I get, because I’m totally aware that they could be listening to someone else.” When Skillz talks about his fans, he doesn’t really refer to them as fans. He feels as though they connect with him more than they do his music. “These people don’t just listen to my music. They know me through my music because I’m honest in my music. My rap life is my real life,” he says. Check Part 2 of our exclusive interview with Skillz here.
Kevin Hart Gets Serious About Funny Business
A hugely successful 90-city comedy tour. Top hosting duties at the BET Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards. Shooting a pilot for a new TV show. Dropping a concert film on September 9. More movies coming soon. All in 2011. Comedian/actor Kevin Hart might be the definition of “hustle, hustle hard.” He’s obviously tired, or possibly getting bored with doing back-to-back press interviews. AllHipHop.com encountered an unusually calm, soft-spoken person named Kevin Hart recently – his demeanor light years away from the loud, funny man who is currently kicking in the door on Hollywood. He yawned twice during the interview, but still managed to laugh at a few of the interviewer’s brave attempts at jokes. He earns a pass on the yawns. Hart works like crazy and is obviously a little man on a big mission: AllHipHop.com: This has been like a crazy, breakthrough year for you – hosting multiple awards shows and the comedy tour and everything. What’s this ride been like for you so far? Kevin Hart: It’s been hectic but it’s been great. You know. I wouldn’t ask for this experience to be different at all. You know what I mean? The rise and growth of my success level has been crazy, and the reason why is because I got to see it gradually grow in the past 14 years of me being involved in entertainment and this particular profession. So, I’m thankful and humbled to be where I am right now. AllHipHop.com: I want to tell you that the more you blow up, the taller you’re looking to me! [laughter] I think you’d grown a few inches when I saw you on the VMAs. Kevin Hart: That’s a good thing! [laughter] That’s a beautiful thing. AllHipHop.com: No doubt! You hold it down for the little guys. [laughter] OK, so “Laugh At My Pain,” the concert tour – I read that you grossed $15 million in two days, breaking Eddie Murphy’s record. Are you sprinkling crack on the tickets? [laughter] Or, why do you think people are filling the seats so fast? Kevin Hart: [laughter] It was that I grossed $15 million throughout the tour dates. If I grossed $15 million in two days, you wouldn’t see me. I’d be somewhere living on an island, you know what I mean? My money would be ridiculous. So, basically we broke Eddie Murphy’s record in ticket sales for the show that I did at the Nokia Theater, which was like $1.4 million in ticket sales in a day. That was crazy. Kevin Hart: Any type of acknowledgement you get, when people can look and see what you’ve done in the past, that’s huge. For my fans to be as loyal as they are and support they way that they support, it’s unbelievable, you know? The feeling is indescribable, but I try not to think about it that much because I’m not content. I’m not content with my level of success. I want to get further and you know, the only way to get further is to set your goals pretty high. So, before I achieve all of those goals that I’ve set, I don’t want to look back on my accomplishments and kind of bask in whatever little glory there may be. You know, because there’s so much more to come. AllHipHop.com: Let me ask you about the inspiration behind “Laugh At My Pain.” To me, that kind of sounds like that saying about the “tears of a clown,” or someone who has been teased or bothered, but has learned to laugh at himself despite other people. Is that what that means? Kevin Hart: Well, here’s where it comes from. The title, “Laugh At My Pain,” basically comes from me saying hey, you know what? I’ve talked about so many things. I’ve talked about family, I’ve talked about my kids, I’ve talked about me and my involvement in so many things. I’ve yet to talk about a darker side. I’ve yet to dig into what could be considered as pain, so I wanted to talk about the things that kind of bothered me coming up – from my dad being involved with drugs, to my mom passing away, to me going through relationship turmoil – so many things that people wouldn’t necessarily laugh at. I wanted to talk about it, and give people my point of view and perspective on what’s been going on and how I feel about it, what my opinion is, and you know what? I found a unique way to do it so people can laugh at it. AllHipHop.com: Well, I know the tabloids have been going kind of hard on you over the past two years with your personal life and everything. How do you keep your cool, and keep the smile on your face? Or, do you just consider that as part of your initiation, like you’ve come of age? Kevin Hart: Yes, of course, I would be a fool not to see it and not to realize it. I just don’t like to dwell on it. AllHipHop.com: OK, you don’t like to dwell on it, but do you have anything to say to your naysayers? Kevin Hart: What? To people that say good or bad things? AllHipHop.com: To people who have something negative to say about you who don’t know you basically, except for your art… Kevin Hart: Oh, well, that’s the beauty of people. Everyone always has something to say, and it’s not always going to be good. Sometimes negative stuff is the stuff you should listen to the most. They could be saying something that other people are afraid to say. I don’t look at everything as hate. You gotta find a positive in everything. At the end of the day, I know that I’m good at my profession. I know that I’ve chosen the right career. But I’m not perfect. I don’t strive to be perfect. I don’t act as if I’m perfect. I’m a human. I make […]
Shyvonne: The New Hue of Music
Shyvonne Sanganoo stands on stage at mid-sized bar in Manhattan. She didn’t scout this space out before opting to perform here on a blustery winter night. Men are fixated on the stage. Rock acts are on deck and an acoustic songstress just left for the crowd. Pinning down what sort of venue this represents is difficult. The whole crowd is White, but there is Hip-Hop music playing between acts. The ambiance is rustic, reminiscent of a Wild West saloon. And then there is Shyvonne, colorfully dressed, draped in her own style with a bunch of loyal friend-fans. She was recruited to be here, as the owner of spot spotted her at another New York venue. Although, her career is just getting started, Shyvonne is already walking. By the time she starts singing, all the eyes in the room are on her. Predictions are that she’ll be flying very soon. AllHipHop.com: How is it to perform in front of weird crowds? Shyvonne: [Laughter] That depends on what your definition of weird is. Let’s pretend you mean simply different crowds, I love it. I learn a lot from shows with different crowds as opposed to shows with familiar faces and ears. If I can grab that attention of that random guy in a suit who has no idea who I am, then I served my purpose and it was a good show. I like strangers. [Laughter] AllHipHop.com: Is there a mother and/or father to your musical style? Shyvonne: [Pauses] I would more so say I was raised by a village of influence rather than just a musical mother or father. I love so many different genres of music and have been influenced from them all: from rock, to Hip-Hop, show tunes, to soul, to club music. AllHipHop.com: Your music spans across several genres. What’s your definition of the music you make? Shyvonne: That’s always a hard question that I’m often asked. Its like if you had a very mixed background and on an application you can only check one box for race. It’s hard to sum up all of your music into one genre so ill have to make up a long run on sentence to answer that one. I am a Rock & Soulectro [the new genre she’s created] superstar, charismatic person but with a sad soul at times with a story to tell. My music is simply my expression, my therapy. Often people ask me why am I so bitter in songs, but seem happy at parties. First of all, most songs are about relationships not just with boys, but family, friends, work and myself. Second, I am happy and its because getting feelings out through song is what helps me deal with certain things and disappointments that life my throw my way. Our way. I define my music based on my mood which often changes. Sometimes I wanna punch someone in the face, other times I want to cry, smile, and dance my heart out. My music is me, and that’s not a one worded answer just yet. AllHipHop.com: Explain your relationship to your hair. Shyvonne: My favorite question. “I am not my hair,” someone famous once said, but to a certain extent I guess I am at times. My hair used to serve as a form of rebellion. My parents were strict and I didn’t express myself as much I used to want to because of “rules.” So when I went to college, I wanted to let it all out and I did so through my hair. From pink, to orange, red, teal, blonde, to blue…I’ve done it all and it all correlates with my life. I get bored easily and see the beauty in change. I like to mix it up, and start again and if it was good maybe ill even go back here and there. Hair color makes me smile. It’s an extension (no pun intended) of me and my versatility. AllHipHop.com: How about your personal style, since that’s unique as well. Shyvonne: I’m a firm believer in “you wear the clothes, don’t let them wear you.” Your style is reflected in how you talk, walk, type, dress – its everything. I think a lot of people are now trying to go out their way to be “different” and it doesn’t work out because there’s too much effort behind it. My style is unique blend because it changes naturally. I love combat books, but I’m learning the sexiness of a heel, I love bright colors, pink lipstick and tee shirts, dresses, and playing in the dirt [Laughter] AllHipHop.com: What aren’t you willing to compromise in the music industry? Shyvonne: I‘m willing to grow, but I’m not willing to compromise my soul and who I am as a person. I will never say the N-word in a song, because that’s not me, I will not parade around in a bikini singing “yeah big daddy” or something. But I am willing to work out so I can look good in a bikini.
Skillz Part 2: Opinionated King of the Year (End)
Along the ride, Skillz has been blunt about the BET Cypher and his disappointment with some of what he witnessed. The car stops, and he exits and scurries out of the rain into one of his favorite restaurants in New York, Red Rooster. Skillz settles into a secluded booth in the corner of the room and grabs a menu. “Music today is like this menu; it’s a bunch of sh*t in front of me, but all of it isn’t good,” he says. He talks about technology and how the business has changed right before our eyes. “Like who’s that kid, Tyler The Creator? What’s the name of his group?’ he asks. Odd Future. “Yeah…yeah…that’s them, I wasn’t familiar with his music, but I watched him win a VMA, for a video that MTV couldn’t even play. That’s the definition of a Odd Future! I went to YouTube and looked at his video, and it’s been viewed 27 million times! MTV could never play a video 27 million times! If that’s not a sign of the times, then I don’t know what is. I read a writer say that he’s the Black Eminem. That’s gotta be the dumbest statement ever. There will never be a Black Eminem, because Em is white,” Skillz says adamantly. “Black people accept a lot of things in music, but we don’t accept crazy. That doesn’t compute with us. I saw his video, and he hung himself at the end of it. You’ll never see that on a network, so the Internet is the perfect platform for something like that. You’d never see a Black rapper on TV shoveling dirt on a grave saying, ‘I’m sorry, Mama,’ because we don’t view our mothers that way…even if we did grow up in a crazy environment. Then I listened to their music, and it wasn’t that I couldn’t relate to it. It wasn’t good. I’m surprised they made it this far. But with a buzz anything is possible, I guess.” A buzz is something that Skillz hasn’t had a problem creating. From his “Rap Up’s” to his web series, Hip Hop Confessions, he manages to keep people talking. Consider earlier this year when, less than 24 hours after Jay-Z and Kanye West – The Throne – he dropped his own “Otis,” a back and forth boasting session complete with a stripped down sample of Otis Redding ad-libbing over a soulful break in one of his songs. In less time than a day, Skillz had already written, recorded, and released via Twitter his own version of their song. What followed next was an Internet frenzy that had sites and bloggers alike scratching their heads and listening. “I did that because I was inspired; I was inspired by their song. I mean I loved the track,” says Skillz. “I wasn’t too crazy about the actual song, though. But isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? Inspire each other?” The other “Otis” was a blazing barrage of punchlines, wordplay, and what some took as shots at two of Hip-Hop’s heavyweights. According to Skillz, “I mean I can see how some people may have taken that freestyle as a diss, but it was far from it. I honestly believe that I’m the furthest thing from Jay and ‘Ye’s mind. I mean why would they be thinking about me?” The fact that Skillz chose to rename the freestyle as “Yeah…So What (Otis Freestyle)” didn’t help either. Some Hip-Hop fans took to the web and cried foul, even speaking to Skillz directly via his Twitter account. “Some people went out of their way to let me know how they felt, and some we’re feeling it. I mean it was fun to me,” he said with a grin. What wasn’t fun was a certain blogger making it known that he wasn’t feeling the fact that Skillz had released his version of “Otis” in such a quick manner that it didn’t allow The Throne’s version to flourish. “Now that was funny. Picture me stopping them from shining, like how ridiculous is that? A lot of these bloggers feel as though they have the power to dictate what we do as artists. They don’t. Well, not me anyway. Try that on one of these new artists. But please believe, I’m gonna rap over what I want to rap over when I want to rap over it,” says Skillz. “Blogs have, in some sense, become the new record stores where artists and fans meet. We have come to a point in the music business where these two entities need each other. Whether or not we want to accept it, the music business has changed…forever. The Throne opting to not release physical CDs until after they released their project digitally shows evidence of this new day in the game. “I feel like that was a smart move. When you have a project of that magnitude, then it makes total sense to go digital. That’s how most people were going to get the album anyway. I know it p##### off retailers, and it should have, but things done changed. I even feel that Jay and ‘Ye somewhat got over on us as fans as well, because I haven’t listened to that album since the day it came out. It wasn’t that good of an album in my opinion.” And his opinion is important to him – and it probably would still be if no one else cared. As he thumbs through his iPhone, he shows me the people whose music he has paid for. All sorts of artists from Talib Kweli, Trey Songz, Coldplay, The Jonas Brothers, Adele, Lady Gaga, and Kanye West are all holding space in his phone. “I’m a student of music, I love it. I learned at a young age that words are powerful. I know that I don’t have to buy this music at all. But I also know that some of these people need me to pay for their music in order to be able […]
Hip-Hop Rumors: Uncle Luke Sons Rappers for Exploiting Miami!
Uncle Luke To Diddy, Lil Wayne, and DJ Khaled: ‘Give Back or Get Out of Miami’ Miami has been glamorized by rappers as a lavish kingdom of bootylicious strip clubs, ever-flowing champagne, constant monetary precipitation, and a hub for the most epic parties on earth. But, Hip-Hop’s hoe wrangler, Uncle Luke, is tired of it. The elder rapper has called Diddy, Lil Wayne, and DJ Khaled out for “freeloading and mooching” off of Miami and not giving anything back to the communities. In a letter posted in the Miami New Times, Uncle Luke blames Miami’s entertainment industry for becoming groupies and allowing these rappers to freely run a muck in their city. He also called Lil Wayne a sell out for celebrating with the Mavs after they won their NBA Championship over the Miami Heat. In the midst of his rant, he did praise Pitbull for his positive work in the community. Check it out below: “I’ve got a message for Lil Wayne, his Cash Money Brothers, DJ Khaled, Puff Daddy and all the rappers from other parts of the country who now live in Miami. I’m tired of seeing these cats using up our beaches, soaking up our sunshine, taking over the nightclubs, and sleeping with our women without investing anything into the community. I want to know when Lil Wayne is going to do more than show up courtside at the American Airlines Arena. Hell, it’s not like he paid for them anyway. You know he got comped. This free loading and mooching of my city has got to stop. There used to be a day when out of town rappers were scared to throw their weight around Miami. It didn’t matter if they were coming from New York or Los Angeles, they knew better than to act like they owned this motherf*cker. Artists knew better than to come to Miami and disrespect us. But now folks in Miami’s entertainment industry have gone soft, turning into a bunch of groupies just because they want to say they drank Rozay with the Cash Money crew. Just ’cause Lil Wayne and DJ Khaled are from New Orleans doesn’t mean they don’t have to be a part of the community. They’re getting rich under fun and sun. They rap in their songs about King of Diamonds and LIV nightclub, where Lil Wayne was partying it up with Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks after they beat the Miami Heat for the NBA championship. What kind of sell-out move is that? I want to see Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, Puff Daddy and all their boys start doing more for Miami. I want to see them doing fundraisers to help youth sports and after school programs. I want to see them at FCAT rallies. I want to see them do like Pitbull who works closely with the Kiwanis Club in Little Havana and DJ Irie who puts on a charity weekend for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. I’m giving them a deadline. They got until January 1. If I don’t see them giving back to the Magic City, I’m gonna have their Miami cards revoked. They won’t be getting into any more nightclubs. They won’t be able to go near our women. And Lil Wayne is gonna have to find floor seats for New Orleans Hornets home games because he won’t be allowed inside the Triple A.” Uncle Luke put a deadline on those dudes! If they don’t put together a charity basketball game or something by January 1, 2012, he is banning them from his city. But, when did Luke become the gatekeeper of Miami? If my memory serves me well, he tried to run for Mayor and his city didn’t elect him! Let me go book my flight to Miami before Uncle Luke bans me. Until next time…. Xaviera
Breeding Ground – Marcus Manchild: A Manchild Among Rappers
The city of purple Sprite and “chopped and screwed” music has long been a staple for providing the South with some of the best country fried music in Hip-Hop. With legends like UGK, DJ Screw, Scarface, Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Trae tha Truth, Mike “5000” Watts, Paul Wall, and many others, Houston doesn’t come up short in the star power category. It’s where Jas Prince, son of J Prince, found Drake. It’s where the legendary DJ Screw dropped his first mixtapes and established a home for Texas hip-hop. But times have changed, and the sounds kids like – in Houston and beyond – are different. Enter the next big star – Marcus Manchild. Signed to AMG, the label that recently brought Hip-Hop fans Killa Kyleon, this young, up and coming wordsmith can flip his words like some of the best from the Midwest, but also maintains the Southern swag ever present in music from Atlanta to Houston. Bouncing from strip club to strip club, and now signed up for The Smokers Club Tour with Big KRIT, Curren$y, Smoke DZA, Method Man, and several others, Marcus is certified as one of the next in line to take the reigns of rap. Take a look at AllHipHop.com’s exclusive sit down with one of the game’s rising stars, who has made a name for himself not only amongst the slow moving listeners of the city of Houston, but also amongst Hip-Hop fans nationwide. Marcus Manchild: Chillin, chillin man… in the studio, mannnn… AllHipHop.com: Word… We heard you’ve been making a little, or should I say a lot of, noise down there, actually. Just wanted to catch up with you and talk with you man… Marcus Manchild: Oh man, I appreciate it. We just got done working on the Preseason 2 right now, so we just pushing that, getting all these virals poppin’, and making sure things pop off the right way. I hope you’ve been hearing good things about me. man! AllHipHop.com: Oh yea we’ve been paying attention since back when “Red and Yellow” joint came out, that “Black and Yellow” remix. I know Nate over there at AMG has been putting in work for a while. Recently, that Travis Porter and Big KRIT one was dope and has everyone buzzing. How did that single come together? Marcus Manchild: That’s really my single. I mean, really, we didn’t really put it out as a single at first; we just put it out on Twitter. But we just kind of leaked it on Twitter, the fans picked it, and it’s what they wanted to hear from me, so we put it out on Twitter and they were like, “It’s hot, hot, hot.” So, we were like, let’s run with it, but some of my people got in touch with Travis Porter’s people and some people got in touch with KRIT and Dutch. That was actually the first song they done ever did together. so they were both excited to do the track. That sh*t just came out right, we all from the South…that sh*t gonna go. AllHipHop.com: Obviously, with the AMG label, the work they did with Killa, and now you, everything is looking real nice right now. How is that AMG machine working out for your business? Marcus Manchild: It helps, because we are just like a family, and we are like brothers, and they gonna be hard on me because I am the youngest. But, it also helps they are developing me before I hit a major label. We are independent, but we move like a major label machine. Being in the clubs, the only thing I didn’t get was the colleges, and now we are going back on that. But they just helped me promote myself out here in Houston and on the Internet. They taught me everything about music before I got a name out here and everything. If it wasn’t for them, there wouldn’t be no Marcus Manchild. AllHipHop.com: Right. Now, about the name “Manchild” – why are you a “Manchild?” Marcus Manchild: I feel like just a young dude that’s done done a lot, and I knew that question was going to come up, but I mean the Manchild name is just a young person who does stuff out of the ordinary or other young people. I think a lot of these young people don’t get to move around. I’m not no lyrical person, I can’t say that, and I try to show them some versatility. Me, as a young person with the maturity and understanding of the game, that is a “manchild.” That’s the name, and I just stuck with it. At first, it was corny, but I was like hell naw, I gotta keep that man. AllHipHop.com: Who taught you about rapping and about the game? Marcus Manchild: My cousins really put me up on rapping, but really when I got with AMG Boss, George, and Chad, they were real hard on me. Everything I was doing was wrong because I was just rapping. I was like, “I’m gonna just go rap,” and they were like, “Nah you gotta find your lane and do this, and that.” Them being strict on me prepared me for what I need to know when I come out and, now people are like, “Ohhhhh, that’s Marcus Manchild” AllHipHop.com: So, what do you need to do to take things to that next level, based on what the guys are telling you? Marcus Manchild: Work hard everyday, going to the studio everyday, reaching out to fans on Twitter, staying in touch with the fans, I’m trying to get this going. Get up training in the morning, shouting out my friends and fans on Twitter. Just keep going and keep going and make music that the fans who are listening to me want to hear. AllHipHop.com: Can you describe your relationship with Killa Kyleon? Marcus Manchild: Yeah, I mean, me and Killa, we cool. He’s part of the AMG fam, but he is just […]
CHARTWATCH: J. Cole Hits #1 With RocNation Debut; Wayne Hangs Around Top 10; The Throne Go Platinum
In what is sure to be an unforgettable and cherished moment for the North Carolina native, RocNation rapper J. Cole moved over 200,000 copies of his debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story (RocNation), in the week since its release. The official SoundScan numbers put the album at 217,324 albums sold. Coming hot off the heels of his recent smash single, “Can’t Get Enough” featuring Trey Songz, he has already released a video for his next single “Daddy’s Little Girl,” which you can check out below. J. Cole is the first artist in 2011 to reach the #1 spot with a debut album and has also claimed the title for having the highest selling Hip-Hop debut since Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday (Young Money/Universal) was released last December. It will be interesting to see where Cole ends up on the charts next week. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeS4pmFeZGE] After almost a month in stores, Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV (Cash Money/Universal), which has already been certified platinum, moved another 67,527 copies in the past week, a 23% decline from the week earlier. You have surely heard Wayne’s recent single “She Will” featuring Drake every hour on the hour on radio stations across the country, so don’t expect Wayne’s relevance to falter anytime soon. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7tOAGY59uQ] Coming in at #11 this week is Jay-Z and Kanye West’s collaborative album, Watch The Throne (RocNation/Def Jam) which was certified platinum on September 21st. This week, the album sold 27,085 copies, a 15% decline from the week prior. Be on the lookout in the next few weeks for the music video to the album’s new single “N***as in Paris.” [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoEKWtgJQAU] The Top 50’s only other Hip-Hop album, Bad Meets Evil’s Hell: The Sequel (Shady/Interscope) moved 10,475 copies in the past week and charted at #36 off the success of the recent Bruno Mars assisted single for “Lighters.” This is one of the first weeks in about a year that Nicki Minaj and Wiz Khalifa have not charted and helped to round out the Top 50. Dropping This Week: (10/5/11) Styles P will be releasing his fourth studio album, Master of Ceremonies (D-Block/E1), which is also his first official album in four years. The album features the singles “Harsh,” which features Busta Rhymes and Rick Ross and “It’s Good,” which features fellow D-Block and Lox member Jadakiss. Other appearances on the album include Lloyd Banks, Pharoahe Monch, Sheek Louch, Pharrell, and more. Production on the album comes from Warren G., Araab MUZIK, Pete Rock, Statik Selektah, and more. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P17axMxY9g] Dropping Next Week: (10/11/11) DJ Drama will be releasing his third compilation album, Third Power (E1), which is his first release not related to his famous “Gangsta Grillz” series. The album’s first single, “Oh My (Remix),” which features 2 Chainz, Big Sean, and Trey Songz has been steadily climbing up the charts since its release to radio. The album also features a star-studded cast of artists like: Fabolous, Wiz Khalifa, Wale, Cam’ron, B.O.B., Red Café, J. Cole, Lil Wayne and many more. Production on the album comes from AraabMUZIK, Don Cannon, Cardiak, Drumma Boy, Jim Jonsin, DJ Toomp, and Boi-1da. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIsue6gGJNg] Murs will be releasing his seventh studio album, Love & Rockets, Volume 1: The Transformation (DD172/BluRoc). The album will feature appearances by Tabi Bonney who is also releasing an album, The Summer Years (DD172), on the same day. Other features include Locksmith, Ab-Soul, Dee-1, and O.C. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BipNwqYoUmk]
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Action Bronson: Cooking Up Rhymes, Punchlines, and Dinner?
Kool G Rap, Noreaga, Mobb Deep, and Nas all have one thing in common – other than being some of the greatest entities in Hip-Hop, they all hail from Queens, New York, just like Action Bronson. After releasing his critically acclaimed debut, Mr. Lecter, last Spring, Bronson’s star profile has been furiously rising. He has appeared on a number of projects, including Statik Selektah’s upcoming Population Control album, as well as on the recently released Wu-Tang’s Legendary Weapons. Not only is he a verbal “cook” in the studio, fans might also be surprised to know that he is also an employed chef in New York City. AllHipHop.com caught up with Action Bronson at his headlining show at Brooklyn’s The Knitting Factory to talk about how he became “Action Bronsonelli,” his upcoming album with Statik Selektah, who he’s currently feeling in the rap game, and what means more to him: being the greatest rapper alive or the greatest chef alive. Find out what he had to say below: AllHipHop.com: You’re certainly a one-of-a-kind personality in Hip-Hop. If you could describe yourself in a couple of words, tell me, who is Action Bronson? Action Bronson: I’m like the Mario Batali of the rap game man. You know. There’s really, there’s no words to pretty much describe it. It’s just, you know, it’s just another level type thing man. I don’t even know yet. We’ll have to see as it develops. AllHipHop.com: In terms of your own stuff, you seem to always stick to working with only one producer per project. Why is that? Action Bronson: I just like for an album to have a sound. I don’t like a cut and paste type of project, and I like to work exclusively with one person because it’s like a comfort level type of thing, you know. Like, you just get that album feel that you don’t get when you hear 20 different producers on one album you know. You just get that flow. Like listening to N.W.A. albums back in the day, you hear how it has that sound? Everything goes into each other. Everything is mixed properly. That’s what I’m trying to do. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNKeBoRbifw&w=515&h=310] AllHipHop.com: You work with Statik Selektah a lot. What about him is so special to you personally? Action Bronson: Well, Statik is just a good dude man. He was one of the first dudes to start f*king with me in this rap game s### so, you know, I have much love for Statik. Much love for my man P.F. Cuttin. Much love for my homie Tommy Mas. Much love for DJ J-Love. You know, like those are the people that started f*cking with me since the beginning. AllHipHop.com: You’ve surely heard the Ghostface comparisons time and time again, and I’m sure he and the rest of Wu-Tang influenced you coming up. Who were some other major influences that helped create and mold Action Bronson into who he is today? Action Bronson: Of course, Kool G Rap is my favorite rapper ,period. If anyone was to compare me to someone, I wish it would be him. I mean that Ghost sh*t is cool, but at the end of the day, I am me. I don’t sound like nobody; it’s just me. Nothing is taken from anybody. Nothing is f*cking borrowed from anybody. I just grew up in the 90s man, so Queens sh*t, Mobb Deep, Cormega, Noyd, Nas. AllHipHop.com: What can you tell me about the new project that you have coming out with Statik Selektah? Action Bronson: The album’s been done for a minute. It’s called Well Done, and it’s 15 f*cking bangers, man. It should be out in November. AllHipHop.com: Did Statik produce everything on there? Action Bronson: Statik produced everything, man. AllHipHop.com: Any features that the fans should be looking out for? Action Bronson: Mostly just features from the family and just Meyhem Lauren, AG Da Coroner are on there. I got Lil Fame from M.O.P. on the hook of a track. That’s pretty much it. I don’t need a lot of features, man. I like to shine on my own. At the end of the day, motherf*ckers get a lot of people on their albums to try and sell it. I don’t want that. I want it to sell for my own merit, you know? AllHipHop.com: Definitely respect that. Who are some other artists out there right now that your feeling? Action Bronson: Well, I just recently met Termanology through Statik [Selektah], and he’s one of them. My people man, like, AG Da Coroner, Meyhem Lauren, Matthew Raggazino. I f*ck with Danny Brown. My homeboy Party Supplies. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiAQ9xQQHeQ&w=515&h=310] AllHipHop.com: If you could be the “greatest rapper alive” or the “greatest chef alive,” which would you choose and why? Action Bronson: Greatest chef alive, man. This rap sh*t is easy, but being the greatest chef is not easy. That takes a lot of work. This rap sh*t, it just comes kind of naturally. I didn’t know it happened, until it started happening. You know, for the most part, I would rather be the best chef in the world, 100%, because I don’t have to fight after the club. I want to get p*ssy after the club. I don’t want to f*cking fight. So, I want to eat good food. You know, p*ssy and lamb. AllHipHop.com: What does 2012 have in store for Action Bronson? Action Bronson: Time will tell, man, you know? You might see me on the cover of Food & Wine. Action Bronson’s Dr. Lecter is available now on iTunes. Statik Selektah and Action Bronson’s Well Done drops November 11th! Follow Action Bronson on Twitter at @ActionBronson.
