People might have a hard time pronouncing Goapele’s name but after listening to the album they will learn what great music is. Her debut CD Even Closer gives your 14 tracks of soulful, sensual, music that good for the soul. The title track alone will force you press the repeat button and listen to it all day long. Everyone has been singing the praises of Goaplele. She has become one of the sought after talents. Her collaboration resume reads like a who’s who in the Neo-Soul and hip-hop arena. Doing joints with Raphael Saddiq, Soulive, E-40, the Hieroglyphics, and the list continues to grow and grow. Goapele was just recently awarded SF Weekly Award for “Best Soul and R&B Artist.” And her song “Closer” will be featured be featured on the upcoming Jessica Alba movie soundtrack, “Honey.” Allhiphop.com recently spoke with Goapele and here’s what transpired. Allhiphop.com Alternatives: Do people mess up your name a lot? What are some of the worst translations you’ve heard? Goapele: All the time all my life. A lot of times I’ve introduced my self as Cuapalay which the “g” sounds more like an “h” and people may get confused and think I’m trying to say popular or gospel or something that is just a regular word in English that had nothing to do with my name. They look at me like “oh my god I know someone didn’t name her that.” That’s not her nickname. There’s different crazy variations of anything that could sound like Cuapalay since it’s so unfamiliar. Anything that can rhyme with a word. It’s a South African name it means “go forward.” It’s my grandmother’s maiden name. AHHA: What was the process for you to write the title track, “Closer?” Goapele: Closer was a song that was really was kind of a train of thought and a much more spontaneous kind of song than anything I’ve written. Amp Live and Mike Tiger who are both producers from the Bay Area produced the track and just brought it to me and just said it’s a vibe track and I immediately really liked it. And I was finishing the EP that I was doing and was finally gonna get my music out there and was gonna finally let it go and let people hear it and was really excited. The words for “Closer” just started coming to me over the music and then just really informally went into the studio and started recording it just as a rough idea because I wanted the feeling to come across and we ended up just sticking with that first raw version. It was more the feeling and a stream of self consciousness. AHHA: What was it like meeting Prince? Goapele: I have been wanting to meet Prince for a long time. I have been a fan for a long time and he came to the show at the Knitting Factory in L.A. and I guess about maybe 2 months ago. It was definitely a surprise. I wasn’t expecting him to come. I was expecting some other people to come and it was a great turnout and a lot of energy and a lot of folks there and Raphael Saddiq came and he’s come to a couple shows and that was just his offer. That was really nice. That was kind of the icing on the cake at the end of the show my brother came and said “Prince came, Prince is here lets go up there and meet him.” I had heard that Magic Johnson was gonna come and Dre and Raphael Saddiq and these other people so I was already just like so flattered and excited and I had already been anticipating that. Magic Johnson didn’t end up coming but he came to the next show. I just wouldn’t have expected that and just to be such a big fan and have a surprise like that is really touching and amazing. I went up there and talked to Prince a little bit. I was nervous but I think sometimes when I’m nervous I seem really calm so it was kind of a quiet conversation. I didn’t go crazy or anything but in my mind I was just like Wow I’m sitting next to Prince right now talking. AHHA: Do you feel like you’ve moved closer to your dream? Goapele: I feel like I’m getting closer to my dream all the time if there’s really any measuring point or in the goal or anything like that. Constantly I’m trying to move forward and I can feel it a lot of the time. I feel like there’s been a lot of blessings along the way and little benchmarks that just makes me feel like this is happening and I’m moving more towards really what I’m supposed to be doing. AHHA:Who was your favorite person to work with? Goapele: As far as people that I have done shows with that I would like to work more with is like Raphael Saddiq, and Talib Kweli. We did a show with The Roots and that band is so phenomenal. Jazzy Jeff I really like . Dead prez, Mystic and Eryka Badu and there’s a lot of people that I’ve met now as fans and its been really good to get support and see that from a lot of them and I would love to collaborate at some time. Especially when its mutual just artist that I’m feeling and artists that are really feeling where I’m coming from. I think it’s just a matter of time for me to do something with them. AHHA: You’ve worked with E-40 tell me something about that? I just met E-40 a little while ago. I really like him. He is on a remix of “Got It” from my album and we did a song together on his album. I really liked the song and I enjoyed the experience just getting to meet him and getting to do something with him. I’ve been hearing […]

Raphael Saadiq has boldly set out to etch his legend in stone just a little deeper. The formation of an independent R&B label is something almost unheard of in the music industry, and if he can pull it off successfully, he will undoubtedly set a new precedent in his already flawless career. His new label, Pookie Entertainment, has already begun to draw their own road map to success with the signing of two new artists. Two of R&B’s most vivacious songbirds, Truth (formerly known as Truth Hurts) and Joi have formed an alliance with Raphael that is guaranteed to sellout any venue. They are determined to bring forth the vibe that the major labels are seemingly unwilling to do. Raphael took time away from his current tour to speak with Allhiphop.com about the formation of the new label and how he plans to captivate the masses with his unique brand of sound. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: The last time we spoke, you were in the process of transitioning into your new label, Pookie Entertainment. How have things been since that time? Raphael Saadiq: Everything is looking real healthy. We are trying to keep our fingers crossed and keep it moving. AHHA: You got three different albums on the horizon, yours obviously, plus new albums from Truth and Joi. Talk about your plan of action to get these albums the best shine possible. RS: With Truth, I plan on letting her be who she was as far as doing the type of stuff that she was doing with Dre. Plus, Dre is still going to work with her. We are just going to try to give her more music so that she can have a full album of stuff that she would like, too. We are just going to be real guerilla tactics with it. The same goes for Joi, too. We plan on Joi just really taking off and going overseas and killing that market more than the market over here, and then come back over here. AHHA: Do you find that the market overseas is more open and honest for artists such as yourselves? RS: A lot more open. Over here, it’s getting more open, but it’s a bigger scheme of things over in Europe. It’s the same thing…you got to be able to blow up over here, too. I think Truth is a radio-friendly act. Joi is not really the radio person. She’s from the south, and her whole background is the dirty south music. She’s more underground, a more alternative rock kind of feel. AHHA: How do you blend your style of music with someone who has an alternative rock appeal? RS: I’m from every type of background of music, so that’s nothing for me. My whole thing with Joi is more like the marketing. We just have to set up the marketing and the place where she can be seen and heard. Music is international with me anyway. AHHA: When I spoke with Truth, we were talking about how this is almost a first regarding independent R&B labels. Do you plan to stay on the independent road for the remainder of your career? RS: Yeah basically. I don’t think Berry Gordy went and did anything before he became a major. I plan on becoming a major. AHHA: Talk about your solo project and what came of that. RS: That’s the “All Hits At The House Of Blues.” It came out real cool. We put out a wish list of people who should perform and everybody on the CD showed up. It made for a double CD. It’s in the stores and it’s doing cool. AHHA: Many artists have gotten into the live CD thing. What makes your live performance different from a “Maxwell Live” album or an “Erykah Badu Live” album? RS: I haven’t heard their live albums. I think Maxwell’s was an “MTV Unplugged” thing, so it would be a lot different from mine. Mine is mine! (laughs) This is 15 years of catalog on this record. AHHA: Do you have anything to speak on regarding your next studio album? RS: It’s going to be a real solid record. But, I’m just playing it by ear really. I’m already recording it, though. I got a couple of things that I’m excited about, and I’m excited to go home to really start working on it. Really man, I’m just going to go real gutter with it. I’m definitely going to work with (DJ) Premier. I’m not going to do it any different than I did any other album. I’m just going to get in there and make it happen. AHHA: Around what time frame are you looking to drop everything? RS: I’m thinking like 2nd quarter. AHHA: Explain to me what the hell happened at the last Grammy awards. You got five nominations, man. They were robbing people like it was the Watts riots or something. RS: Well you know, you can’t get too excited about them award shows, man. Those awards ain’t really built for that. AHHA: Do you view the hardware as a show of popularity more so than an appreciation of talent? RS: It’s more of a popularity thing. It does something for you once you get it because everybody’s watching it. Whether you win or lose, people are still going to watch it. AHHA: How do you plan to approach this new venture from a business standpoint? As I mentioned earlier, I think you are breaking new ground with the independent R&B label because they virtually do not exist. You are a viable businessman in this industry now. RS: I’m going to treat it as if it was a major. I’m not going to treat it like it’s an indy. I’m already doing as much as I did with the majors as far as press and shows. I’m still traveling with an 11-piece band. I’m sort of treating it like the majors treated me in the beginning. My approach is going to be to […]

With twelve years and four critically acclaimed albums on her resume, Joi is definitely no stranger to the ups and downs that the music industry offers. The story of her career reads like a never-ending roller coaster, going round-n-round, up-n- down, never stopping along the way. In 2004, she plans to rewrite her history book and make the changes she feels will be for the better. With the recent contract signing to newly formed R&B independent label, Pookie Entertainment, Joi finally feels at home and is ready to deliver the homegrown melodies fans have come to enjoy. Vowing not to take a misstep, she plans to recapture the vibe that has set her apart from all the rest. In an exclusive Allhiphop.com interview, Joi discussed the formation of the relationship with Pookie and what she plans to accomplish that she hasn’t been able to. AllHipHop Alternatives: I want to try to make this interview a reintroduction of you to the world. Talk about your upcoming project and how you ended up signing with Pookie Entertainment. Joi: The new project is going to be coming out in March. I haven’t come up with a title or anything yet. I just really got started on it. I’ve been doing some writing and stuff back at home, but that was just more so to dust the cobwebs out of my brain because I hadn’t been writing consistently in a couple of years. I hooked up with Saadiq and we decided that we was going to do it a month or two ago. I had checked out several other situations since being released from Universal last November or December. I knew whatever situation I got into was going to be something that I wanted to do and not something that I was forced into. I really wanted to go the independent route and put my own s### out. AHHA: Do you feel that you are starting from square one and starting fresh and anew? Joi: Every project is starting from square one. There’s always been high critical acclaim on every project. I’m very well known amongst industry insiders and to serious underground heads that seek music out. There are certain consumers that seek out and find music because that’s what they do. It’s always about a rebuilding and restructuring on every project. I have a very nice fan following. I have been able to eat over the past 12 years. AHHA: What do you do personally to rejuvenate yourself and regain the creativity that’s come to be known as your trademark? Joi: I never have to worry if I’m going to give my fans what they want from me from project to project because the type of music I do is in me. It’s always going to be funk-based. It’s always going to be to the left. It’s always going to have live instrumentation. It’s always going to have dicey lyrics. It’s always going to put something on sisters’ minds. It’s always going to put something on brothers’ minds. That’s just how I flow. I don’t have to formulate from project to project because I know it’s going to come out. AHHA: Do you feel as if you are competing with certain artists in the R&B game? Joi: I don’t feel there’s any competition. For the first time, I think there’s really more room. The majors got the bread, but other artists have the tenacity to just keep it going. They’ve weathered so much s### over the years that I don’t view it as a competition because everyone is so much more equipped independently. AHHA: My problem with majors is that they seem to be afraid to rock the boat. Without rocking the boat, you won’t make any water move to discover new ground. Do your issues with major run along the same lines? Joi: That’s been the story of my career. They would always say, “We think this is brilliant,” but they also had to say, “we don’t know what the f### to do with this. It’s not fitting into a formula that’s been proven to work.” We’ve seen that Mary (J. Blige) works. When I first came out, really it was just Mary. “What’s the 411?” came out a year before “The Pendulum Vibe” came out, and there were a lot of comparisons. I was like, “There’s only one Mary. Let that sister do her.” I had something else that you could get behind and push out there that could prove equally as fruitful for you. But, they couldn’t see that because here’s a little black girl from the south doing some rock and soul music, some European s### but she ain’t never stepped foot on European soil. They just didn’t see it. AHHA: Do you like being categorized and put under an umbrella as a certain type of artist? Your music comes from so many backgrounds, so it seems hard to lump you under one genre. Joi: I pride myself on doing what I do. I pride myself on knowing that when I do what I do, people expect something else from me. People expect something different that they’ve never heard before and they welcome that. They don’t expect to hear what anybody else is doing when they buy my album or when they come see me at a show. They expect something that they haven’t had and that they maybe don’t know about. They’re coming to me for the good word or for something visually stimulating that they haven’t tasted before. I pride myself on that. AHHA: What kind of success do you expect to garner working with a legend such as Raphael Saadiq? Joi: It is beyond a privilege, beyond an honor, and beyond a blessing to be able to be in Saadiq’s mist on the regular. The brother is so generous with the knowledge of the game. He really wants to see people win that come into the game. He’s a serious champion for the underdog and for […]

Anyone who knows who Truth is knows she was lied to from the very beginning. She was on the verge of becoming R&B’s next big thing, but it never happened. Her debut single, “Addictive,” blew away mainstream listeners across the globe, but that’s as far as it went. Although Truth was the victim of another failed marketing scheme, she insists on coming back for more. Everything in her life is revitalized for the better. She has signed a new deal with independent label Pookie Entertainment, and she even rid herself of the “Hurts” part of her stage name, proudly proclaiming “it don’t hurt no more.” Allhiphop.com Alternatives got a chance to hear the Truth be spoken and find out the real story behind her subsequent break-up with her former label and how she plans to blaze a new trail with the same type of music that brought her to the forefront. AllHipHop Alternatives: Everything is new for you right now. I understand that you have signed to Raphael Saadiq’s label, Pookie, and you have an album in the works. Can you give the fans a glimpse of what’s going on? Truth: Yeah, everything is all new. I found a new home, a new place, and I’m actually peaceful. I’m happy. (laughs) AHHA: That is definitely the ultimate goal. Did the first experience you had in the business change your mind about wanting to do this at all? Truth: No, not at all. I’ve been in the music business itself for a long time, so I kind of know the ends and outs. I know a lot of stuff is what it is. It’s not going to change until the business changes. I pretty much tolerate things as they are, and if it’s not for me, I just keep it moving. AHHA: People really don’t know if you have a new deal because of unfortunate circumstances or if you just decided to bow out for a minute. Truth: I’ll tell you like this. A lot of confusing things happened that ended up being bad. And it was not because of Dr. Dre. It was because of the parent company (Interscope). The lawsuit happened, and a lot of other stuff happened that caused confusion. I don’t think they were ready to promote a record like mine. As a consequence to that, they didn’t know how to put out a second single. They really didn’t know what to put out first! They went behind the first single to put out the next one, but then the R. Kelly thing was going on, and I wanted to put out the track that R. Kelly did. So, he didn’t a get a chance out the gate because radio wasn’t trying to play him. So, they really didn’t know how to handle a project like mine. AHHA: How does a label not know how to market an artist? There are some artists in the spotlight right now who will only go as far as their label’s marketing scheme. Truth: Let me tell you what’s happening now. A lot of producers are putting projects together, and the actual record company is not in the studio to really feel the artist. When it comes time for the product to be passed over to them, it’s like, what do you do with it when you haven’t been apart of the whole magic? AHHA: So, what you are saying is the record company just cuts the check? Truth: Right, and the producers say, “here’s the project, now it’s your turn.” They just grab some straws and throw you in the same magazines and the same limelight as Eminem or whoever, but you are not the same kind of artist. You really have to have a method to the madness. A lot of the companies are not doing as much of the A&Ring as they used to. Get in the studio with the artist and feel the artist. See where the artist is coming from. That didn’t happen for me. AHHA: Do you feel you got a fair shake your first time out of the box? Truth: I did and I didn’t, but I ain’t mad about that. AHHA: I asked that because many people are wondering if you hold any kind of bitterness due to what has transpired in the time since you dropped your first album. Truth: Oh hell no! I’m bigger than that. I’m a woman first, and a woman of God at that. I believe everything has its time, its place, and a season. I believe when the season is up, you keep things moving and you go on to the next. AHHA: What’s the situation with you and Dr. Dre now? Did you and him break ties on good or bad terms? Truth: We are on great terms. Dre and I speak all the time. He definitely wants to do something for my next record. AHHA: Let’s get into the new project. Touch on the new album that is scheduled to drop next year. Truth: Like I said, it’s a new situation with Raphael, and I’ve been in the lab everyday. It’s been a great start with the stuff that he and I have been doing together. We’re working with Battlecat this week, and we’re trying to get the first single out by February, possibly on a soundtrack album or just as a regular single. The rest of the album will probably come at the top of the summer. AHHA: Do you have a title in mind for the album? Truth: I’ve been throwing titles around in my head. I’m going to make sure that what I’m thinking is going to match what I’m doing. AHHA: Do you plan to have the same type of Hip-Hop crossover appeal that you had before, or can we expect a totally different vibe? Truth: Most definitely, because the streets love me and I love the streets, so I can’t stray too far from that. At the same time, I’m […]

It’s not often that you can listen to an album from beginning to end. There are always those filler tracks that the artist just threw on the album to keep it from being an EP. Well that’s not the case with New York native Stephanie McKay. Her self titled debut CD will having you grooving at one moment, then peaceful and calm at another. This is truly a beautiful and eclectic tapestry woven by the voice of Stephanie McKay. McKay is like a fine wine; she demonstrates a rich fullness that only comes with age. McKay is not new to the game. She has been singing with various funk bands, sang back up with numerous artists such as Talib Kweli, and even did a duet with Alanis Morisette on Tricky’s Blowback album in 2001. It was in 2000 on tour playing guitar for Kelis when Stephanie McKay got the green light to break out on her own. Geoff Barow, the man responsible of the legendary sound of Portishead, got a demo tape of McKay’s and convinced her to leave the tour and start working on her solo project. So with no record deal in hand McKay and Geoff started writing and laying down tracks for a year and half. Once the record was complete, it took almost another year to sign a record deal. Now in 2003 Stephanie McKay is ready to take the world in her hands, lift her voice and make people listen. McKay is label mates with British sensation Ms. Dynamite. During the summer she released her powerful single, "Tell Him" and is now out promoting her debut album. We recently spoke with McKay and here is what she had to say. Allhiphop Alternatives: What’s been your favorite moment since your CD dropped? Stephanie McKay: I guess playing the songs live for the first time, The Jazz Cafe show, going back to Bristol, and just seeing the progression from creating the music to us getting it out there to an audience. That just has been the highlight. It’s always been a live performance thing for me. And that’s been a strong point of the record. Performing the music live. AHHA: How has living in the Bronx influenced your music? Stephanie McKay: It’s a very strong neighborhood vibe around here. Everyone knows each other, everyone speaks to each other and looks out for one another. And that affects my music cause it’s so cross-cultural. We have a heavy Hispanic community, we have a Caribbean community, an Afro-Caribbean community, then we have black, it’s all mixed up. We have Ukrainians, Panamanians; it’s just a cross-cultural mix. If just affect my music as just being open to all types of music and not thinking in terms of just one style. AHHA: So is that how you as an artist got to be so international? Stephanie McKay: I think so. Growing up in New York City and growing up in Manhattan your exposed to so much more than people living in middle America. I’ve noticed that about myself. I’ve always been attracted to what’s going on across the waters. Listening to all different types of music. Whether it is Brazilin or traditional African. AHHA: So what are some good international artists to check out? Stephanie McKay: I know there are some good ones, Check out Eumu Sungargi. Then this other album called African Lullabies. I like to listen to it for the melodic content. AHHA: Like Omar? Stephanie McKay: Yeah, like Omar. I remember growing up being always intrigued by Sharon Nelson, Mica Paris, and Caron Wheeler, so many great soul artists from there. AHHA: So what inspired the song "Tell Him"? Stephanie McKay: That’s just based off a personal relationship. And the fact that people sometimes don’t want to be vulnerable in relationships. They want to protect themselves but by doing that, they don’t really get to reap all the rewards that a loving relationship can give. It’s basically about showing your vulnerability, giving all that you have and telling the person. If not then don’t bother doing it. Just let it go since your just taking the person for granted. I think it’s important to make relationship songs that kind of accept the positive stride towards positive communication. There have been a few songs out like that but we need more. AHHA: How has your music been inspired by Hip-Hop? Stephanie McKay: Hummm…I think the production style of the record was influenced by Hip-Hop, because it was very sparse and very focused. Growing up listening to Grand Master Flash and hearing them talk about social issues, it really has helped me be like a folk singer, a story teller, it’s help me use of language and help me find creative ways to bring your own personality to language and create new words. AHHA: So how do you label your music? Do you like calling yourself a black alternative artist? Stephanie McKay: No I just think it’s a soul record. I think people in America call it alternative because the production style is different. Our legacy and our history is so rich and varied. AHHA: Now you worked with Kelis? Stephanie McKay: Yeah I played guitar for her band. I worked with her for 8 months then got the opportunity to do my album. AHHA: What do you hate most about the music scene? Stephanie McKay: How they force artists to become generic and homogenous. They don’t really promote individuality and personality. They don’t want to create new ways to market a new artist. Everyone has become so complacent and not being creative. It’s up to the new labels and artist that are starting their own labels to break down those walls with distributors and marketing. We have so many good artists out here and so many varied types of black music but it’s not getting out there because a marketing strategy hasn’t been developed for it. Me as a black woman, I don’t want to take off my clothes. […]

Although the name Santi White may be unfamiliar to you, her emotions and lucid lyrical prowess are more known to you than you may know. As the scribe of 11 out of the 12 songs on the highly acclaimed How I Do album by Res, Santi White was instantly praised and acknowledged by the critical world as an authentic talent, while many fans of Res’ music remained ignorant of Santi’s existence, not to mention her contribution to How I Do. Inspired by the success of How I Do, Santi sought to find her own musical platform, from which her unique voice could be represented solely by herself, unfiltered and void of any middle man, thus, Stiffed was created. A Philadelphia native, Santi does not fall into the earthy trend of black musicians that Philly has become so well known for. No, Stiffed is a punk rock band, pure and simple. Boasting fun music and energetic live shows that promise to make you move and sweat, Stiffed is poised for success. Stiffed’s EP, Sex Sells, was released earlier this year and was received warmly by critics, while leaving fans hungry for a full helping. Before going into the studio to record Stiffed’s first full length LP, Santi spoke with Allhiphop Alternatives about the creation of Stiffed, what she thinks about being ‘that black punk rock chick,’ and how she really wants it to be all about the music. AllhipHop Alternatives: Talk a little about your background and how you got into music? Santi: Well…my father was really into a lot of music and he use to play music in the house all the time when I was little kid, so I guess that’s probable how I got into music in general. He use to be really into like jazz and reggae, and world music like Fela Kuti. He took me to see people like Fela and James Brown when I was seven. So we got to go to a lot of shows and stuff as kids. And then I guess when I was little I grew into hip hop from watching Beat Street and Breakin’ and all that stuff and me and my brother use to try and break dance. And I remember the first little piece of a song that I wrote was after I watched one of those movies, and I tried to write some song called City Streets (laughs), I think I was like eight. And then after that I started writing hip hop lyrics, from the time I was like 12 to about 19 to be honest. AHHA: Really? Santi: Yeah, that what I use to do, cause I use to write poems and I use to write rap lyrics all the time and I even wanted to produce beats so I bought a SP1200 and ASR-10. Then I think I felt like I wanted to do something more melodic, cause I was a music major is college, so I was exposed to whole lot of different stuff. I studied hand drumming, I studied West African Rhythms, Experimental, Classical, just all kinds of music. And I think after that I just wanted to add more melody and not do just hip hop stuff, not that I was actually ever performing it, I was just writing it (laughs). So then I just started writing songs after that just for fun and then very shortly after that I did the Res record. Res was somebody that I knew before because our parents were friends and I was working at Sony and Epic cause I thought I wanted to own a record company. And then Res called and said she wanted to put together a demo, so I ended up writing songs on the demo and I ended up quitting my job and just working her album. AHHA: Many people aren’t aware that you wrote 11 out of the 12 songs that appear on Res’ album. Of course Res’ singing the sound of the album played a big part in the albums success, but many people loved the lyrics Res sang and that attracted many people to the album. So was there any element of frustration, in that your work was being so well received and admired, but you remained fairly unknown? Santi: No I wasn’t frustrated cause…I think what happen was all the press started actually bigging me up more than anybody and it actually made it easier for me to go and do Stiffed. AHHA: How did Stiffed come about? Santi: After I was done working on the Res project and I just felt like I really wanted to…ya know I was still writing songs and I didn’t really want to be in the situation again were I was writing songs for somebody else, because I felt like after that I wanted to really hear my songs come out the way that I had intended them in my head and not have to deal with somebody else singing and somebody else producing. So I was talking to Chuck, who was our drummer at the time and he also drummed on the Res record, I’ve known him since high school. And I was like, yeah I want to do this, so he said come back to Philly. So I went back to Philly and we started recording stuff and then within a year we started playing it as Stiffed. Once we started doing shows it kinda took on a life of it’s own. We did little shows in Philly for like a year, year and a half. And once we came to New York is when it all started happening because that’s where all the industry people are and all the people who knew me from Res and all the people I knew in New York, cause ya know I lived in New York for eight years. Right after our first show in New York, we went and recorded the EP really quick in Woodstock, and we got Daryl […]

When Chuck D becomes President, who will deliver the presidential poem at his inaugaration? I suggest Saul Williams. Without Saul’s film Slam, would Def Poetry Jam be so popular? Without Saul’s books, the hip-hop section might be reduced to rapper autobiographies and books on Tupac. Without Saul’s album, our ears might not be ready for the bold fusions that are now being made by Big Boi, DMX, and even Jay-Z. Saul Williams recent released a new book, Said the Shotgun, to the Head. The book chronicles, in poetry, the past years of our lives: the love, the war, the religion. The text is not for the foolish. Saul Williams is one of the most fertile minds in the culture, his insights on life, love, and hip-hop are worth the read. AllHipHop Alternatives: She seemed to be focused on love primarily. In Said the Shotgun to the Head, you really added war and God to the theme of your poetry. Can love, God, and war co-exist? Saul Williams: Uh, they have to, because they all exist. The main question that the [book] raises is what do you play in its existence? There’s a Native American saying that if we’re not careful, we’ll end up where we’re headed. My whole perspective is that it’s quite obvious where we’re headed, but maybe all the information in our heads needs redirected. AHHA: At what point in the last three years did you focus your writing into this? SW: The book is one poem. I’ve been working on the poem for four years. It came into shape around 9-11. I had already been writing about an ode to Kali, the Goddess of Destruction. When 9-11 happened, it was like, “Oh man, I have to focus my attention on this poem.” AHHA: “The Pledge of Resistance” in text and audio truly captured the activist attitude of the past year. I’m sure you saw that power when you wrote that piece. But when you first performed it, was the response larger and more powerful than imagined? SW: It was larger. Some of the things I wrote on, I wrote with a lot of thought – like, “this is great, people will like this.” But that stifles my creativity, or just jinx a project itself. So a lot of times, I just don’t think about it, I just get the work done. So I actually am surprised how many hear it. It felt like something I was blessed to be apart of at such an early stage, with or without my name being attached to it. AHHA: When writing in the format that you do, how do you know when the work is complete? SW: When do I know? My answer is…when it’s complete. Pretty much I can tell when the ends are just not tied up yet. It’s usually quite a labyrinth. I’m traveling, trying to get to the end. I usually don’t know I’m there, until I’m actually there. AHHA: Are you aggressive in terms of editing? SW: I’m very aggressive as I’m writing. It’s like washing dishes. Some people do dishes right after dinner. Others wait a while. Some people let them pile up for a week. I usually edit as I’m writing. A lot of times I refuse to turn the page unless everything on the page is exactly as it should be: proper choice of words, editing out words, making sure its as concise as possible. I seldom write something down, and come back to it. AHHA: Said the Shotgun to the Head furthers your metaphors and allusions to hip-hop culture. Certainly the Seventh Octave had some pieces that were more obvious to hip-hop like ‘’1987.’’ But, is hip-hop still playing such an active role in your inspiration for writing? SW: Hip-hop plays a very active role in my definition of me: the generation, the culture, that a part of. Of course, like many of us, when I think of the current state of commercial hip-hop, it’s not as much. Of course there’s times where I’ll say, “I really like this song regardless.” It plays an important part. A lot of times I’ll use hip-hop imagery. For instance, “Cross-fade into Onk” is probably the most profound stanza in the poem. Hip-hop is a reflection of things nowadays – the whole make money, get yours, dog eat dog world -a lot of the aspects of the conservative American culture that a lot of us were against. AHHA: I think many would agree that you’re the poet laureate for hip-hop. I’ve heard the argument that MC’s are poets. Sometimes I agree. What’s your take on that argument seeing as how you’ve established yourself as both? SW: As an unjiggy MC, yes – they’re one in the same. It used to be than an MC was the master of ceremony. The master. A master has to overlook, has to oversee, has to be an aggressor. An MC acts like he knows. An MC will declare something as“No question, no doubt.” A poet, on the other hand, will raise the question. A poet will wonder what it is that you’re seeing. The MC can show no vulnerability. The poet is all about vulnerability. There aren’t many MC’s that show vulnerability and ask questions, ‘Pac to Juvenile to Kweli to Kool Keith, across the board, all those guys ask introspective questions, out loud. AHHA: How did you find that confidence for your writing, and does it carry into your speech, or is it reserved to your art? SW: There are many things that come through my pen that I do not claim authorship of. In other words things come through me. I’ll look at things I wrote and say, I couldn’t have wrote that. So that in my life, while I am a confident man…I am constantly trying to live up to my writing. That’s my mission.

The widely anticipated Red Star Sounds Vol 3: Def Jamaica album is finally here, and everyone should know that this is more than a mere collection of songs. The Heineken Music Initiative’s Red Star Sounds label worked in conjunction with Def Jam and Tuff Gong to bring together the hottest in dancehall artists and Hip Hop allstars for a good cause. Proceeds from all of the Red Start Sounds releases go to educational music programs through various charities, and this third installment in the series is definitely worth your investment. Appearances include Method Man, Redman, Capone and Noriega, Cam’Ron, Elephant Man, Scarface, 112, Stephen and Damian Marley, Jay-Z, Lexxus, Buju Banton, T.O.K., Wayne Wonder, Joe Budden, Sean Paul, and many more in a series of collaborative efforts . Scott Hunter Smith, President of the Heineken Music Initiative and creator of the Red Star Sounds label, took some time out at the Heineken House Party in Montego Bay to discuss the new album and the goals of the Music Initiative program. AllHipHop Alternatives: What is Heineken’s involvement in the Red Star Sounds/Def Jamaica project? Scott Hunter Smith: The Heineken Music Initiative’s mission is to support urban-related music charities, so what we do is each year we come up with an album. The first one was a neo-soul album with Sony, then we did a Hip Hop album with Def Jam, and now we have a Dancehall/Hip Hop album. We pick one or two charities. We’ve supported VH-1’s Hear The Music, this year we’re doing the Grammy Foundation which is music education, and also the Shawn Carter Foundation, which is Jay-Z’s foundation for music scholarships. We put two to three unsigned artists on the album with big name artists to give them some exposure, then we donate a portion of the proceeds to charity, and the rest of it comes back to do the project once again. We’re almost self-funding. Heineken gave me a couple million dollars to start this, and it’s going really well. After this year we’ll probably be self-funding, where we won’t get hurt by budget cuts and so forth. Business is tough now and corporations are gonna protect their business first. These are the kind of programs that a lot of times are cut because of those issues, so I drew up a business plan to try and make it self-funding so we wouldn’t get caught with that. AHHA: What was the original inspiration for you to do this? SHS: For the love of music, the love of education. Schools have cut into music programs left and right, and it’s been proven that music education helps further the academics of kids in general, so I said ‘what better way to do it?’. One thing is, because we are a beer company, to be careful we don’t give any money directly to any students. We always find the appropriate charity to give them the money to let them do it, because they’ll probably be able to do it better than we will. AHHA: What went into the planning for this project? SHS: Def Jam is our partner in the fusion of music and culture. It’s big and it’s continuing to grow, and so are the trends in music where a lot of reggae dancehall is being fused. We wanted to take advantage of that and do an album. AHHA: How involved are the artists with the charitable aspect of this promoting the album? SHS: Actually, in the beginning they were a little leery about it, saying ‘It’s a major corporation, what are they trying to do? Are they trying to use me?’, and that’s understandable. That’s why we try to align with reputable charities and truly show them what we’re trying to do. If you look at our album, there is a little logo on the back that says ‘Heineken Music Intiative’. Everything else is Red Star Sounds, the charities, and Def Jam. We are literally taking a back seat to try to do the right thing. I did a program on our first album with Erykah Badu, and Erykah Badu does nothing with alcohol beverages. She gave us a song on the album, it was a single actually, and we sent her out to some of the high schools. We funded it and no one knew – we didn’t put any literature at all behind it. She did an essay program and donated some money herself, and we donated money. It’s really about the kids, the music, and education. AHHA: It must make you feel good to have a brainchild like this. SHS: I’m very fortunate to have some bosses back at Heineken that believed in my vision and took a shot, and now they see the fruits of it and that this is helping. I’m blessed in that way as well. AHHA: Do you foresee what you’ll be doing with this next year or what direction you’ll be going? SHS: Actually yeah, we have some ideas and some music. I am trying to walk away a little bit from getting into trying to pull these big albums together – maybe going to producers and working with them to create these compilations to put a twist on it. Sometimes compilations get boring to people, so you gotta kinda keep it fresh and new. AHHA: Is there anything else you want people to know about the Music Initiative and the album? SHS: I hope they take a chance. Albums are expensive these days, and there’s a lot of good music out there. I hope they take an opportunity to look into what we’re doing and pick it up, because it is helping other people. The money goes for good. The Music Initiative, Heineken and all it’s partners, on our end anyway, we do nothing but use the money for good, and that’s the goal. Go online and check out our website, and give us a chance – it’s helping some kids.

Pioneer. Trendsetter. World-renowned. Legend. Choose any list of adjectives you can conceive, and none of them can accurately describe what Al Jarreau has accomplished in almost 40 years in the music business. He is the only vocalist, male or female, in history to win Grammy awards in three different categories (jazz, pop, and R&B, respectively). Originally groomed to become a social worker after receiving a master’s degree in psychology, Jarreau first hit the music scene in the mid 1960’s, but was largely unnoticed until 1975, upon releasing his widely appreciated “We Got By.” Subsequently, he would proceed to take the entire world by storm, releasing 15 full-length albums from 1976-2002, becoming a world-class figure, and receiving scores of accolades and critical acclaim. To see the 63-year old Jarreau perform today is a constant reminder of his greatness. He continues performing for millions of fans across the globe, with no signs of slowing down in sight. In the midst of a frantically busy schedule, the living legend sat with Allhiphop.com to discuss his opinions of the Hip-Hop culture and the influences that jazz has on all music. AllHipHop Alternatives: As you could probably imagine, our publication covers Hip-Hop acts, as well as R&B artists from time to time. My goal is to get more people to recognize artists such as yourself because, in my opinion, all forms of music are birthed from your particular style of music. Al Jarreau: Well, I think any new music does not happen in a vacuum, and so it does have influences. I’m not so sure about the responsibility of new artists to recognize that in any other way than doing what they ought to do musically. Maybe it’s the responsibility of other people to interview them and talk with them and ask them about those influences. It does take people with an historical perspective to point out the fact that no music is born a baby that doesn’t come from some traditional forms of making babies. AHHA: From your own perspective, what kinds of Jazz influences do you hear in the Hip-Hop genre? More and more Hip-Hop groups are becoming “bands,” taking live bands on the road with them and implementing live instrumentation into their shows. That was taboo for many years. Al Jarreau: Whenever they do that, it points at roots that, if no other reason than the fact that they’ll use a combination of tracks and drums, but to the extent that they are using a drum or even a bass. They will borrow some things from music that has it roots in the traditional R&B or jazzy kind of music. They will pick-up and relearn and give a new accent to feels that was born earlier. If you look at some of the things that are sampled, you have to understand that there are previous kinds of music that are a big part of the Hip-Hop culture. Do you agree? AHHA: I absolutely agree. I want to piggyback off of that sampling comment you made, if I may. Do you feel that it takes away from the creative aspect that music was originally birthed from, or does it pay homage to the person who originally created it? Al Jarreau: It certainly pays homage to the artist who created the particular loop that they are taking. There is something real positive to be admired in finding that and recognizing it as a great feel for what they want. On the other hand, I am enjoying that there is more real singing in Hip-Hop these days, and as you described a moment ago, are bringing more bands on the road with them. I want that 6-year old and 10-year old to have some heroes who played some bass, drums, and guitar. For a few years now, our heroes have not been real musicians. They’ve been strictly rap artists, doing their thing with poetry and all. Sure enough, there are going to be some Maya Angelous who comes out of Hip-Hop, with the messages and poetry of Hip-Hop. And I would dare to say that there are going to be some Spike Lees who come out of that as well. AHHA: What is your opinion on the messages and the images that have been portrayed in Hip-Hop, as opposed to the messages and connotations of love that you have perpetuated over the course of your career? Al Jarreau: Just in your question is implied my point of view. I don’t think there’s been a lot of balance on broadcast radio or MTV of the other part of the Black community, which is more than t### and ass. There hasn’t been a lot of balance. A teenager in Rome, Hamburg, Germany, or Stockholm, Sweden, for example, sees a kind of African-American that is not of a very balanced point of view. Certainly, for me, it’s not the healthiest image to be portraying our African-American culture in. We’re more than that. Everything doesn’t have to be the Huxtables. AHHA: They are only seeing one side of the story at this point. Al Jarreau: Right, and I think there is some cause for concern. But, it’s typical of how any pop direction tends to take over and everybody goes there, radio programmers and artists, in order to sell space. It’s very commercial. AHHA: What are your thoughts on the current talent pool in this industry today? In your time, people actually jammed! The technology that is available to us nowadays did not exist then, so if you had no talent, you were not given any visibility. Al Jarreau: Well, again you are implying something I totally agree with. There is something about that creative process that involves playing instruments. It involves knowing your instrument well enough to improvise and jam, which is missing if there are no instruments or no one learning those instruments. Creatively, it’s a very limited crop of new artists who are emulating and imitating what is immediately around them. It falls short of a […]

This is a trite bit personal. Peaches? She is simply fu**ing amazing. I was first introduced to her music from my co-worker at the office. I couldn’t believe my ears. She was saying all the stuff that my mouth wanted to say. Making songs that my ears always wanted to hear. Peaches is musical liberation at it’s best. She makes it ok to cuss at random, to talk about sex without, or to clutch your crouch and to shake it all night long. And no she’s not a rapper. She a white girl from Toronto, Canada and armed with her Roland MC-505 beat machine, monster plastic hands, and pink booty shorts she is Thee Queen of the Electro-Punk circuit. And, oddly enough, she was working with impressionable kids in a drama/music program that she helped to initiate. But she is not only a rock star. This one is also a Super 8 film junkie. A visit to her website, (www.peachesrocks.com), and you find an assortment of mini music videos that Peaches shot. She started making movies back in 1999 when she put together and erotic biker flick called “Chromezone XXX” for a Super 8 film festival in Toronto. The festival asked her to make the movie then perform live while the movie played. She then teamed with her friend Kara Blake took the films and picked songs from the “Teaches of Peaches” album and made them into videos. These Super 8 videos got heavy rotation on German MTV and other networks. Peaches got her musical start over in Europe touring with her buddy Gonzales. Peaches won over audiences with her raunchy lyrics and infectious slightly hip-hop based beats. Peaches soon landed in Berlin, and was picked up by the Kitty-Yo Record label and released an EP entitled “Lovertits” in 2000. Gaining popularity all over Europe, Peaches and the Kitty-Yo label released Teaches of Peaches album. Peaches produced and recorded every track on the album. The album took off like crazy and was heard at fashion shows and lesbian bars all over the world. Yes, Peaches is a lesbian icon to. Now it’s 2003 and Peaches is set to release her new album FatherF**ker. The album is twelve tracks of pure Electro-Punk genius. The album starts off with an updated version of Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation,” but Peaches pounds her own twist up in it. Most notable track is the duet “Kick It” with rock legend Iggy Pop. Iggy and Peaches together on a track is something that can’t be Described – you just have to hear it. Another must hear track is “Shake Ya Dix,” which is certain to be a club anthem at all the punk bars and college raves. So are you mother fu**ers ready for the father fu**ers? Allhiphop.com Alternatives: How did you get the name Peaches? Peaches: I picked the name because of Nina Simone. She has this song called “Four Women.” I didn’t think I was the women in the song but she describes four women and after each women she says “and they call her” and she says the name. At the end of the song the last women she says, ” and what do they call her, they call her Peaches,” and the way she said was like so cool I wanted her to sing it to me. I was like Oh Nina Sing to me. So ever sense then I took on that name. Allhiphop.com: What do you like most about performing live? Peaches: Just that there’s crazy energy and anything can happen. Like maybe my album I’m giving a 100% but on stage I’m giving 300%. It’s like no stopping me. I’m on the crowd the whole time. AHHA: What’s one of the craziest events that have happened to you while performing? Peaches: Crazy events happen to me all the time performing. People show their bits and pieces all the time. I sing “Shake Ya Dix” and guys will pull down their pants and shake it at me. I’ve had nine girls get on stage and take their tops off and dance around me. AHHA: Do you have a big lesbian following? Peaches: Yea I have a huge lesbian problem. When I played in Olympia, Washington, that’s like lesbian central, they all crowded me there was no stage they just jumped up and down the whole time. AHHA: Are there any artists out there that you want to work with? Peaches: Yeah just two, Iggy Pop and Joan Jett and I worked with them on my new album. I’d like to work with Missy Elliot and but I don’t know anybody who wouldn’t so ill just get in line.

In the early nineties a young insect by the name of Butterfly founded an insect collective called the Digable Planets. With Ladybug and Doodlebug by his side, Butterfly had all us earthlings expressing how cool we were with the infectiously jazzy “Cool Like Dat.” The Digable Planets dropped two hip hop gems in 1993’s Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) and 1994’s Blowout Comb, but like many of hip hop’s definitive groups, the Digable Planets would not remain a collective. After the Grammy winning Digable’s disbandment, to many it seemed as if the members of Digable had become a part of hip hop’s history, never to be heard of again, as a group or as individuals. But nearly ten years after the release of Blowout Comb, Butterfly, the groups founder and leader, has emerge from yet another cocoon, this time not as Butterfly, but as Ishmael Butler, aka Cherrywine. After moving back to his former home of Seattle, Butler used the recordings of Prince and Sly Stone to learn how to play the guitar and keyboards. He linked with the Turner brothers and they formed Cherrywine, a funk out band more concerned with emotional sincerity, than political ranting. Also finding success as an actor since his Digable days, Butler feels he has matured and grown since his recording youth, maturation that can be heard on Bright Black, Cherrywine’s debut album. Before going on tour, Butler talked with Allhiphop about the dissolving of the Digable Planets, what he’s learned since than, and why he is, despite what cats may think, still hip hop. AHH: So dude, it’s been about seven years? Ishmael Butler: Seven years, yeah, yeah. AHH: What you been up to? Ishmael Butler: Just basically doing music still in the interim, just none of it was released. So to the public it’s been seven years, but in actuality I’ve been making music the whole time. AHH: Did you actually complete an album? Ishmael Butler: Yeah, I did an album in 1999 and 2000, but it never came out. AHH: Okay, newsflash, for cats that don’t know, the Digable Planets broke up, are you willing to speak on that? Ishmael Butler: We just stopped wanting to be around each other. Everybody seems to want there to be some kind of conclusive event or something like that, but all you have to do is think about your own relationships in your life, things happen over the course of time that make you want to not be around somebody. And then maybe you get back with them at some certain time but it’s not no cataclysmic event and sh*t like that, it’s not that dramatic. There is drama, but it’s played out in real time, not in article time. AHH: Do you all still communicate? Ishmael Butler: Yeah AHH: And based on what you just said, there is the possibility that you cats could get back together? Ishmael Butler: Yeah, there’s a chance. AHH: You’ve composed music for some commercials? Ishmael Butler: Yeah, I did a Fila commercial a while back in 1998, and I did a Pepsi joint for radio. AHH: You’ve been doing some acting too, how did you get bitten by the acting bug? Ishmael Butler: I studied film at NYU and I took an acting class and I liked it a lot. We shot films at school and just got into it like that. AHH: You were in dream hampton’s movie short “I am Ali,” what was that about? Ishmael Butler: That was about a schizophrenic young man who thought that he was Muhammad Ali, and his girlfriend starts to figure out that his condition went beyond some kind of joke, that he was really not well in his head. AHH: And you played the lead character? Ishmael Butler: Yeah. AHH: Didn’t you just get finished shooting something? Ishmael Butler: Yeah. AHH: Can you talk about it? Ishmael Butler: Yeah, it’s called “Men Without Jobs,” and it’s a comedy and a drama about these two brothers that live together and their getting older and they start to figure out that they just can’t keep acting like kids, so it’s kind of like a coming of age story. AHH: Is it coming to theatres? Ishmael Butler: I’m not sure, it’s an independent movie so who knows? AHH: Any future acting projects lined up? Ishmael Butler: Yeah, there’s a film called “We Deliver,” which is gona go into production sometime before the year is out. AHH: You’ve got some interesting feelings on the state of the hip hop underground and how a lot of time underground types will look at MTV types like there not as talented or whatever. You said that you stopped looking at things like that, what did you mean? Ishmael Butler: There’s just a tendency for groups of people who listen to music that isn’t popular to feel like that music is somehow better than popular music generally. And they have a distain for success and that sort of lifestyle and amount of status and stature…I stopped doing that cause I realized it wasn’t really true. AHH: You said that you felt some of Digable’s music was rhetorical, what did you mean by that? Ishmael Butler: Well you can be rhetorical and be sincere, but by rhetorical I mean if you take a political stance, something like say political prisoners or indiscriminate amounts of blacks in prisons, and you mention it in a record and other people say ‘hell yeah that’s true,’ that isn’t essentially an action to do anything about what it is that you’re talking about. Whereas there are people out here who go to law school and they get law degrees and instead of joining a huge firm they work in the public defenders office or they try to get cases of people that have been wrongly accused and sentences turned over and sh*t like that. Basically what I’m saying is that if you have a political agenda it has to […]

He is single-handedly one of the most popular dancehall artists to emerge from Jamaica. Many will remember him from his 1996 single, “Deport Them” which garnered much success in urban radio, especially Hot 97. He has been burning up the charts since last year with his successful crossover single, “Give Me the Light”. The man is Sean Paul. A man of humble beginnings has an open and honest conversation with allhiphop.com. Sean has had an interesting childhood upbringing. He considers himself to be an “uptown kid”. “I grew up in a middle class to upper class society. I was provided for in terms of schooling, clothing, and certain societal privileges. I lived a suburban lifestyle, but I attended school with inner city children. Those are the things that make me an “uptown kid.” He informs allhiphop.com that growing up as the “uptown kid” made him more aware of his surroundings and others circumstances. “ I did not grow up in the inner city, but I understood the problems that one faced in that environment.” Though Sean lived a life of privilege, he was faced with his share of struggles. “ My family had of encounters with obstacles as well, especially my mother. My father was jailed from the time that I was 13 to 19. He was on some radical stuff. Though both of my parents families were associated with wealth and power, I can recall a few times my mother would pick collard greens from the garden to feed us. I do not look upon my life with any regrets, and I feel that there are some things that you learn to accept. These are the cards I was dealt, and I must play my own hand”. When Sean speaks of his homeland, Jamaica, he speaks with a sense of pride. “ I love the United States, but I prefer to stay in Jamaica. I have not been home for a consistent time for about a year and a half. I plan to stay there to help my family, especially my mother, who has done so much for me.” Every country has their problems. Although Sean may love his homeland, he does not agree with his homeland’s strict laws on the use of profanity. Recently he was arrested for using profanity in one of his concerts, and he explains his disdain with the political system. “ I think that Jamaica has a huge emphasis on morals. However, they violate these morals every day by overtaxing people. Politicians are corrupt, and worried only about themselves and their own progression. People are dying everyday, people are missing everyday, but they are focused on the wrong things. People are so worried about me cursing that they fail to recognize that some of the things that I say are just as bad. I may not curse, but the things I say mean the same thing.” Music has proven to be a major force in the life of Sean Paul. He cites Bob Marley, Super Cat, Lt. Stitchie, and Major Worries as his major musical influences. “Super Cat is one of my greatest influences. I admire all of the dancehall and Jamaican artists, and learn from all of them.” Dancehall music is becoming extremely popular, and has definitely made an impact on American music. It has been heard on almost every hot album of this past year. Some people believe that the dancehall popularity may cause the music to lose its meaning. Sean commented on the state of dancehall by stating, “ I am happy about the state of dancehall music. It is finally starting to emerge, and I know that it is making an impact. “ Gimme The Light” was the first time that a riddim was getting constant play on MTV. Jamaican riddims take about two years to impact on the American market. I know that it is making an influence when kids in Idaho know my lyrics, and understand what I say. I think that things will only get better.” Sean has had the privilege of appearing on a number of singles featuring dancehall “riddims” from likes of Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, to Beyonce, Mya, and Blu Cantrell. “ He says, “ I am so glad to have been given the opportunity to work with such hard working individuals. They all work extremely hard in the studio, and I honestly admire their work ethic and drive. I also admire the fact that they give credit where it is due. They reach out to someone who is from the culture, and acknowledge the impact of the music.” Sean may be very happy about the crossover success of dancehall music, but he plans to include more cultural lyrics on his upcoming project. “ I am working on something special, and I want to get back to the essence of the dancehall music.” If Sean were to be granted his chance to collaborate with a person or group on his next album, it would be the Wu-Tang Clan. “ I really admire the Wu-Tang Clan. They are a group of artists comprised of so much creativity, and they help one another with their projects. I hope to work with them.” Sean is a man of vision. Sean is a man of insight and wisdom. He is the epitome of a natural born star. Make sure to check out his album “ Dutty Rock” in stores now, and look out for future projects.

Don’t take a double take at your speakers, those throwback vocals aren’t hip hop’s latest sampling of some Bill Withers’ classics, no, it’s the original sounds of Charlotte, NC native, Anthony Hamilton. Even though the first time many of us ever heard of Anthony Hamilton was on the hook to the immensely popular Nappy Roots single “Po Folks,” Hamilton is no rookie to the music industry. The unfortunate victim of an industry unable (or unwilling) to comprehend his innovation, Hamilton found himself working with label after label and recording several albums worth of music never to be heard by the masses for nearly ten years. It wasn’t until the huge success of Po Folks in 2001 that Hamilton saw a lane to run through. Having supplied the vocals for the late Tupac’s “Thug Mansion,” and having done collaborations with Eve, Xzibit and jazz artist Roy Hargrove, Hamilton has taken full advantage of his opportunity and plans on making sure that you never forget the name Anthony Hamilton. His single, “Comin’ From Where I From,” is a perfect example of how Hamilton’s butter rich vocals and effortless delivery combine to make grown folks music with enough thump for the under 21 crowd. Allhiphop Alternatives caught up to Hamilton in the mist of the hustle leading up to the release of his album Comin’ From Where I’m From,and spoke with him about his musical journey, industry frustrations and staying humble on the cusp of gargantuan success. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: People love your voice, where you always complimented on your unique sound? Anthony Hamilton: People where like you can sing, you can sing…so I just kept singing and doing it and people starting saying ‘hey you sound like Bill Withers, Al Green, Lou Rawls, it was a lot of different sh*t. AHHA: Although the first time a lot of us saw or heard you was on the Nappy Roots song “Po Folks,” you’re a veteran of this business. Anthony Hamilton: Yeah, my first deal was in 1993, my brother had a record label he was trying to start, but nothing was happening with it, I eventually knew that I had to leave that so I started networking more. I use to sing in the clubs in Charlotte, I met Horace Brown and all those cats, it was like wow, I’m in the spotlight. Ya know Jodeci first made it, and than Horace made it, it felt good cause coming from Charlotte, NC, this stuff just doesn’t happen, it was just amazing to see them make it. They just persevered and kept going to get to the point where it actually manifested itself in reality for all our little country friends and people who had did talent shows all they life…it like yo dude, I just can’t sit around here, I’m going to do it. So I met Mark Sparks and I sang to his music, and he asked me did I want to go to New York, I was like ‘sure’ and he said he would come by the next day and pick me up, but he didn’t show, he never showed, so two or three weeks pass and I still don’t hear anything. So it’s a couple of months at this point and I’m in the barbershop still cutting hair and I start getting phone calls at the Barbershop, my family calling and telling me ‘such-in-such want you to go to New York…your family never take messages good (laughter). So one day when they called, they actually took a good message and it was Eli, who is my manager now, and Eli was telling me that Mark Sparks was looking for me. AHHA: And this is a couple of months after he said he’d holla at you? Anthony Hamilton: Yeah, so I was like whatever, if they come cool, I was excited still, trust me, but there was a part of me that said don’t get too happy. So I’m at home chilling one day and Sparks drives up with a Suzuki Side Kick, with six cats already in it, and he’s like ‘you ready.’ I only had $67 in my pocket…cause I didn’t have that many heads that day. So I scratch up whatever money I could from my folks, ain’t nobody really have none. But we drove all the way up in a cloud of smoke and singing the whole way to New York…7 deep in a SideKick (laughter). Ya know, we use to stalk out Jodeci, when they came on tour I would go to the shows man, I would be like wow, I’m gone make it, I’m gone make it, I just knew in my gut I was gone make it, God can’t give me this love for singing in vain. When Boys II Men came in town, me and my partner Chop, slept out in the parking lot and give them a tape. Nothing ever manifest with that though, it wasn’t until I got to New York and did my demo that I started making any nose. AHHA: Were did you stay when you got to New York Anthony Hamilton: We stayed in the studio, or we rode the train, slept in the car or wherever, or we just walked all night…it wasn’t that many meals, Mark held it down for us though. It took me a couple of months before I could even get in the studio, but my demo eventually did get done though, and it was tight, it was different. I did this song called (starts singing) “Bring you lovin’ home to daddy,” it was hot. We were doing hip hop with live instruments and this was in 91.’ So my demo started making a buzz and Mark Sparks ran into Jimmy Jenkins, who was Andre Harrell’s right hand man and they were starting their own label. So I signed with them. We did a showcase at D&D studios, and everybody was there, Biggie, Russell, Andre Harrell, Puffy, everybody, and I sung my ass off […]

He is not Kirk Franklin. And while newcomer KNAGUI (pronounced NUH-guy) has mad love for Kirk and his pioneering work to diversify today’s urban music scene, he wants to make a name for himself in a Franklin-dominated market. Knagui’s debut album, The Meaning of Love, with its high quality sound and notably risky covers of gospel classics, has caught the attention of a veritable who’s-who in the music industry. He has worked alongside such well-known artists as Donnell Jones, Deborah Cox, Counting Crows, and MeShell Ndegeocello, and the result is a sound that’s surprisingly “unpreachy” and groove-plenty. In an age when urban gospel tends to levitate toward watered-down versions of secular tunes and rap, Knagui says he is determined to show listeners of all backgrounds that flavor and inspiration can go hand-in-hand. He isn’t trying to out-sing anyone, and his isn’t the hellfire and brimstone gospel that your grandma played on Sunday mornings. According to Knagui, it sounds and feels good because it comes from the place where joy originates – the soul. In fact, he says he’s more concerned with tapping into the joy in your soul, than scaring you into repentance. A native of York, Pennsylvania, Knagui now resides in the “not-so-Dirty South” of Dallas, Texas, a place where gospel is just as boisterous as rap. Truth be told, a lot of today’s hottest hip hop and R&B acts got their start in the very same Texas churches that he now performs in. With the odds for achieving fame and wealth being far greater in the secular industry, some have said that his talent and looks are going to waste. So what keeps this young schoolteacher, father of two, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity brother’s “eye on the prize?” AllHipHop Alternatives sits down with Knagui to find out more. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: Knagui, your lengthy bio makes it seem like you’ve been performing and writing forever. Was music always your path in life? Knagui: Pretty much. I didn’t start writing until I was in college, and even then it was late in my matriculation; but my grandfather was a Church Of God in Christ minister so he would always take me with him to sing before he preached… and he paid me, so that was good! [laugh] And like anyone my age who liked to perform, I went through a serious MJ [Michael Jackson] phase… hair and all! [laugh] I can remember my neighbor’s daughter beating the mess out of me and making me sing and dance for her cousins… I guess I can thank her for teaching me how to perform under pressure. AHHA: That’s classic! Were you the sole writer on The Meaning of Love? Knagui: Basically I was in the beginning, but when you have a team of writers, musicians and producers like I had with me in the studio, things are definitely bound to change. The first to come onboard was my bassist, Mark [Walker]. He plays for everybody – Will Downing, Gerald Albright, Richard Smallwood, Yolanda Adams, you name it… He’s a vet and I really didn’t realize how beneficial his experience would be to the sessions, but he saved me a lot of money. Beyond that, he’s a beast on bass. The next primary player was Shawn [Smith]. He’s got hits with Gerald Levert, Dru Hill, Ginuwine, and his list goes on, too. Shawn helped me to make my tunes more universal. He has the biggest studio ears in the business in the way of vocal production. He also played set throughout the album. Shawn brought in Kenny Bell, who is one of the hottest young unsung producers in Cleveland. Kenny’s interpretation of my songs was just ingenious at times. Most times he went with what I had already tracked and sent, but on some stuff he would say all humble and timidly… “Alright Knagui, I didn’t do that song like you had it, but tell me what you think of this.” And it would bang… like on “You’ll Never Find a Love,” which was one of the songs that I actually didn’t write. He played the track with these crazy cowbells and we all went ba’noodles! They both brought Tarshá in and she’s a crazy vocalist in her own right. Then I had Paco [David Cruz] on guitar who’s worked with Kirk [Franklin] and Bishop Jakes, a mad horn section and… aww man, I almost forgot Cheese [John Williams] – he is a hip-hop track burner! As a matter of fact he’s about to do some stuff with you guys for a compilation or something. At any rate, he produced a couple of tracks, too. AHHA: You’ve gotten a lot of exposure for someone unsigned to a major deal. How did you end up at the right place at seemingly just the right time? Knagui: Well, I’ve always been really aware of the industry because of my Godmother, T###### Clark and her mom, along with Aunt Karen, Renda, Niecie, and Jackie [gospel’s legendary Clark family]. And after high school I moved to DC, and while I was there I would go to jam sessions over at Howard University and vibe with cats like Kenny Lattimore and the dudes from Shai. I even ran into the great Mr. Diddy [Sean Combs] a couple of times. It was there in DC that I began to get into production and more behind-the-scenes stuff, and learned very valuable lessons about the “music business.” AHHA: The tracks on the album are very fresh, very neo-soul meets gospel at times. And I can tell that you were influenced by secular music from all the hip hop and R&B flavor. The cool thing is you’ve brought this sound to the streets – ‘cause frankly, not everyone is in the church. Knagui: Neo-soul is cool and I love a lot of the artists who have been placed in that category, but we like to call what I’m doing “original soul music.” I have this whole thesis on music and why […]

Undeniable Hot 97 FM is one of the hottest in the nation. The morning show with the sinister Star and blunted Bucwild was off the hook with a quick wit and tongues meant for lashing. Known for its controversial subject matter and on the spot surprises there was forcasting what might happen. Then, suddenly things changed. “The Star & Buc wild show was yanked off the air. In a heated disputed with the station Star walked out and so did his two co-hosts. Prozac Girl, the third component of the successful team, tells her version of what happened at Hot 97, the controversial story behind Loon’s sudden exit from the station station and why she and Cam’ron had an on-air dispute. Although, these incidents was reported in the media they were wrought with speculation. Prozac Girl, kept it real and gave AllHipHop.com this exclusive and candid interview. In her own words: AllHipHop.com Alternatives: The name Prozac where did that misnomer come from? Prozac Girl: Star gave me the name Prozac Girl on my second on-air audition. He gave it to me because I revealed that I was taking the anti-depressant Prozac. AHHA: There is no promotional spots mentioning you as a radio host. What’s up with that? Prozac Girl: My understanding is I was picked to be a part of the Star and Buc Wild Show based on my personality. I wasn’t chosen by HOT 97 for HOT 97 alone. And I guess some of my actions on the show made it clear that my allegiance was to Star. I felt like a member of that team and anything that threaten the team threaten me as well. I was really picked by Miguel Candelaria (the producer) and Star and the team overall. I remember during the auditions on air Star said that I was Miguel’s favorite. I owe a tremendous amount to Miguel. I can never repay him or Star for this opportunity. Prozac Girl: As far as the show not being on the air at HOT 97 now, every listener knows Star always said on the air he had issues with HOT 97. I guess everything comes to pass in its own time. AHHA: Since your departure from Hot 97 have there been any offers from other radio stations, books, movies, etc.,? Prozac Girl: Well one of the things I’ve learned from Star is to have as many opportunities open to you as possible. I can’t really speak on specifics but there are several things you may see me pop up in shortly AHHA: The story of how you got discovered by Hot 97 is an interesting and peculiar story. Do you want to elaborate on that? Prozac Girl: Star and Buc Wild announced on Good Friday that they were looking for a female co-host. My friend, Shonyel, was driving through NY heard the announcement and called and woke me up. I made my entry right away and sent it in. A week later I was called in for my first on-air audition. The auditions began in April and went until the last week in July when the PD offered me the job. AHHA: How do you keep listeners once you got them? What is the key to success and how did the Hot 97 Morning Show implement that? Prozac Girl: Star’s show is very compelling. People listen whether they like the show or not because they are never sure what Star is going to say next. People also listen to the show because Star is not afraid to say what needs to be said. As far as success, everyone on our show contributes to the overall image. We are a perfect team. Star set the standard for success on his show when he started and the team just complements his vision and goals. AHHA: What advise would you give those who are trying to get their break in the industry? Prozac Girl: Follow your gut instinct. When I actually heard the ad for the co-host, I felt like the announcer was talking to me. Try not to get discouraged when it appears that things are not going your way. AHHA: What is your most embarrassing moment on the air? Was it the time you were asked to give B2K members a lap dance? Prozac Girl: Giving B2K lap dances wasn’t as embarrassing as the Lipstick Lesbian Date with Prozac Contest. The Lipstick Lesbian Contest started because Star kinda challenge me to go on a date with a girl if HOT 97 paid for it. I agreed cause free is always cool with me, and I am not homophobic. We posted the contest on the internet and took pictures. I think it was difficult at first because I noticed how people started to treat me differently at the station, wondering if I was gay. Even a HOT 97 jock asked me are you gay? I began to feel the pain and frustration that gays and lesbians go through. When I would host a party, sometimes people would come up and say that lesbian stuff isn’t true right? At first I was embarrassed, but then I became okay with it, because I saw how judgmental people really could be. AHHA: So you use your marketing savvy skills to get them to sponsor it, what did you get and how did you do it? Prozac Girl: I went to the sales department and got them to get sponsors. We did an on-air dating game, the winner would get to go to the HOT 97 April Fool’s Day Comedy Show with me, a Baby Phat outfit, gift bag and dinner at Justin’s. I came up with the concept and prize ideas. One of the sales reps, Letitia Sweat did the work securing the deals. Marketing is easy as long as you have a viable product and the right venue. The contest and show was great exposure for our clients. AHHA: Your upfront style and persona led to individual getting kicked off the […]

Zab “Super” Judah’s ability to punish as a boxer has rarely been questioned, but as a hip-hop CEO? In July, the newly appointed WBO Junior Welterweight Champion pounded Demarcus “Chop Chop” Corley despite breaking his hand in the third round. Of course he’s got other rumbles on deck, but in the interim, the Brooklyn native is getting his rising career moving on different playing field. The 140-pounder has launched a record label, recently inked a deal with Roc-A-Wear and even admits that he likes to spit in the booth every now an then. AllHipHop Alternatives spoke with Judah on his now, later, present and lone loss. AllHipHop Alternatives: You beat “Chop Chop” and now you have his championship belt – how’s it feel? Zab: Well I’m very please at myself because I took a year and a half day off. I came back with another fight previous to this one with a tough guy Omar Rice and I beat him and then I did another year layoff to come back straight for the title. A lot of fighters today don’t do things like that. They comeback and take two months and pick and choose guys. I’m coming back, taking on the best because I feel like what I’m gonna put into this game and what I’m going to bring to these dudes I’m ready for the battle. I would of feel bad if I would of just went in there fighting forth, the number thirteenth guy because I need a tune in up, What do you mean tune in up, tune me in, ya know what I sayin’ I don’t need no tune up, just tune in. I feel like I accomplish a big goal not only just winning the WBO, but just having so much time off and coming back and doing what I did. I broke a hand in the fight went twelve rounds with one hand ya know with a year off. AHHA: I wondered why you didn’t finish him off after knocking him down. Zab: It was hurting like hell, but I guess like when you in, its like you in a fight like you in the street your adrenaline is pumping and all you know is win, win, win. So I felt like if I would of start like [complaining about the pain] then he would have seen that and picked up on that. So, I said I just got to stay focused and put my mind somewhere else and that’s how I managed to get through it. AHHA: Now he was kind of a like a little bit different of a fighter. He wears ladies underwear, had his eyebrows done, and really came in the ring glammed out. Does that ever throw you because people say he may be gay, even though he say he’s not? Zab: Like I said what the man do with his personal life, I don t know, but all I know that he was the WBO Champion of the world. He made three successful title defenses and he was the guy I had to beat to get to the next level, you know what I saying? Whether he wore his g-string in the ring that night, I had to get in there and rumble up with this dude, so it was not a point about what he do when he is out the ring. I mean if you look at the history of boxing you have a lot of gay boxers that’s been hidden and later on came out. AHHA: What did you learn most about the whole Kostya Tszyu fight and aftermath? To me, it just seem like to me was a premature stoppage, but I guess your body language made the ref stop it early. Zab: I think my Kostya Tszyu fight was a blessing in disguised meaning that Kostya did not beat me, I beat myself. But the Lord also taught me a lesson like, “Zab, alright be cool, slow down a little bit, I’m put you on time out for a little bit. But you gonna get back.” And he did he put me right back in this situation of [getting the championship]. The only thing with the whole Kostya Tszyu thing was it wasn’t that he could beat me or if we was to fight tomorrow I mean I’ll show the world, but never the less I mean like I said I’m not going to chase Kostya Tszyu. I know it s a fight that I want worth business-wise, but I really don’t need him. I don’t really need him business wise. There is a lot of guys out here to fight Gatti you got Vivian Harris, Ricky Hatten, Junior Witter you got plenty guys to make money. Kostya Tszyu is just a name that there God forbid somebody don’t beat him you know what I ‘m sayin’ so, anything is possible its boxing. AHHA: So what is the very next thing for you fight-wise? Zab: Well I’m just looking at rehabilitating my hand, getting my hand back to one hundred percent and I’m looking forward to a big fight with [Arturo] Gatto. AHHA: Ok, that would be a real fight. Have you ever had a tough opponent with heart like Gatti? Zab: I use to spar with Gatti. The last couple spars that Gatti had with Micky Ward. I fought Micky Ward. I beat Micky, so it’s a lot of different thing going on that people don’t know about me beating Ward, I use to spar with Gatti. I can go in there with these dudes and show the world, in front of the world on live TV. I can get it done. AHHA: Now lets talk about stuff outside of boxing. First of all everybody saw the suit the outfit you had with Roc-A-Wear can you speak on that a little bit? Zab: Yea, yea we just entered into a big deal Roc-A-Wear deal, I’m the first spokes sports model for the […]

Domineering Hip-Hop Soul Queen Mary J. Blige has held the game tightly in her hand for 10 years strong and probably won’t let it slip from her vice-grip anytime soon. On her upcoming album, Love and Life she flips it back to ’92 as she and P. Diddy return to her musical roots. And thus, Mary showers fans with the sort of music that made them fall in love with her in the beginning. At a party in Dallas, Allhiphop.com and Mary J. shot the breeze about her new stage in life, returning to her roots, looming movie aspirations and even her thoughts on a certain “Princess of Hip Hop and R&B.” AHHA: Aside from your obvious talent, what has contributed to your longevity? MJB: The one thing that I know that has sustained me was not a positive thing, it was me not knowing who I was or what my self-worth was. I didn’t know that Mary J. Blige was a star or whatever you want to call it until like last year. It really kicked in last year that I was “somebody.” So I guess that’s what sustained me, if you want to call it humility… but at the same time not knowing who you are for real. AHHA: What are your plans for the future, are you going to do any films? MJB: Music is my first love. I love music, but I’m definitely going to go into film. But I’m not going to go into film just because I can and the door is open. I’m going to get an acting coach and try to do it correctly because people like Queen Latifah opened the door for us to get in and do it right. AHHA: They’re trying to market Ashanti as the princess of hip hop and r&b and that really makes it sound like she’s supposed to be the next coming of you, what do you think about that? MJB: I look at business like this, there is no other Aretha Franklin. There is Aretha Franklin, there is Mary J. Blige, and you cannot come to me and say “you’re the next Aretha Franklin.” No I’m not the next Aretha Franklin… Ashanti is Ashanti. And without the title “the Queen of Hip Hop/Soul” I can still do 12 more albums, so they can have the title if that’s what they want. AHHA: I wanted to know Mary, personally, going through your changes right now what artists do you get along with, who do you kick it with in the industry? MJB: Right now my real good friend is Monica. Monica is the most sincere and realest person I’ve ever met that none of this phases her. And that’s the kind of people I really want to deal with. Monica’s one of my really good friends. AHHA: What inspires you? MJB: My foundation is God and that’s what keeps me going through the day, knowing that I’m going to wake up each morning… knowing that I’ll have a chance that through my music and through my experience I’ll have a chance to edify people and women on how to be strong–and men. And tell women that there are some good brothers out there. AHHA: Does this album represent a stage in your life and if so, what does it represent? MJB: This album does represent a stage in my life, and in this stage I learned how to love Mary. I like Mary an awful lot and loving and liking Mary an awful lot, I’ve drawn to me someone that likes me a lot and I’m singing to him. I’m singing to the man I’m engaged to because he’s my other half. The part of my brain that doesn’t work, he works for it. And there’s a lot of songs on there dedicated to my fans, just thanking them and letting them know that “you know what, in my lifetime we were suffering yall, but we made it out.” And for the ladies that are still suffering, and are still in those relationships where they believe that the guy loves them and he actually hates them, there’s songs on there for them too. AHHA: A lot of female singers struggle with fame and notoriety and become scandalized. How do you manage to remain scandal-less? MJB: Well the way that I’ve remained in this music business without killing someone is because I really didn’t care what people said about me. And if I did care I did something about it. I was a savage, I didn’t care. I was a street girl… and I handled it street. So it never really bothered me because I knew that I was going to defend myself any way possible. But the way I defend myself now–I look at it like “I know who I am, and I’m not any of those things so I don’t care what you say about me. Your opinion is just your opinion.” AHHA: You look really good, really healthy and everything. Do you work with a trainer now? MJB: I do have a personal trainer. I work out three times a week, whenever I can. I’ll do an hour on each body part. I don’t eat pork, I’m alcohol-free… I curse a lot, but you know everybody’s got something. The bottom line is I drink a lot of water and I eat six meals a day and I’ve done one month without carbs. AHHA: What advice would you give to someone that wants the same kind of longevity as you? MJB: I’d say don’t let anyone talk you into trying to be someone else. Be who you are and that’s what’s important. Be who you are, and understand that this is the beginning of your career. You might not make that $5000 check, you might get a $500 check for a show. Do that show, pay those dues and you’ll survive in this business. AHHA: Besides P. Diddy, who else did you work with […]

Lately, Brian McKnight has been victimized by the music listening public’s mass narcolepsy. Nevertheless, B. McNeezy remains an R&B icon whose romantic songs have quietly influenced a generation, if not the population. Not only a singer, he’s a down-low musician, producer, athlete and biking enthusiast with thug-like undertones. Still, for over a decade he’s blessed listeners with a homogenized blend of R&B, jazz, harmony, gospel, hip-hop and even rock-n-roll. Brian McKnight, the debut album, dropped in 1992 and now, in 2003, he’s come full circle. He’s got the Grammys, the American Music awards and now he drops U Turn, his latest effort. But, understand, for all of his acclaim and notoriety, we don’t hardly know Brian McKnight. And he’s pretty cool with that. AllHipHop Alternatives: Can you talk about what is the deal with this album? B: Basically the short version. This is the most personal record I ever made. It’s filled with cats like Joe, Carl Thomas, Tank, Tyrese, Nelly, Fabolous and Kirk Franklin. Basically it’s an album for everyone. I said there’s every age group, every nationality and there’s every walk of life. I just wanna be able to sorta appeal to everybody out there. AHHA: Did you take more of a hip-hop approach? B: No, there are 3 hip-hop songs on the album out of 13 songs. I think its that the very first song with Nelly I did and some people go confused. They make their judgment on the first thing they hear. There is no rock on this record. There’s jazz. R&B, pop and there’s inspirational music all across the board and every tempo. AHHA: You are considered a veteran. I saw you Ruben and Ron Isley came out on an awards show. How is to see a new generation kind of creep in and then your considered the veteran. B: I think it great. I think what that says to me is that I’ve been in this business long enough to have gone from being a new guy to an established guy , to a veteran and not everybody gets to do that. I’m still making records and people are still buying them. AHHA: How long have you been out? B: I’ve been a professional in this business for 15 years. AHHA: I read a recent interview with you in KING magazine and you were riding a motorcycle and they said you rode with the Ruff Ryderz. Whats that all about? B: The LA motorcycle scene is a wild sorta thing. I ride with everyone. I don’t make myself exclusive. My best friend is the west coast director of the Ruff Ryderz and he taught me. We ride together and I ride with a lot of the other guys. One of my past [gigs] was being a stunt rider on street bikes. Seriously, there’s competition and there’s candy racing that we do. Its dangerous and its all the things people think it is but its release for me. Its the only place where I can be truly alone and concentrate on only that is when I’m riding my bike. AHHA: I had a friend that actually died a couple of years ago in a motorcycle accident. Does that ever worry you? He didn’t get hit or anything. He hit a patch of gravel and crashed. Does it ever concern you? B: I think that when you’re a real rider you cant really let those moments of doubt creep in. It’s all around you and its constantly around when your on your motorcycle. But if your mind is on anything but what your doing, its over. I would much rather be doing something that I love to do. I watch some of these crazy videos where a guy was walking down the street and a building fell on him. I’m sure that’s not how you want it to go when you die. I’m not trying to die on a motorcycle either but it doesn’t stop me. I want to die doing something I love. AHHA: Who is the real Brian McKnight because in that same article I saw you cussing up a storm? B: You know what I didn’t [cuss]. That’s the whole point. The funniest thing about some of these interviews, especially some of these magazines. If you really think that I was standing there doing all that cussing, you out of you mind. “F**k your neighbors?” I didn’t say any of that. It was so funny to me to read that and have somebody write that hoping that that made the article more interesting and more edgy. And even with the picture with the cigarette. What I was trying to accomplish was I was trying to blow the smoke out while I was smoking the tires. Of course they showed the picture of when I was actually smoking the cigarette. So that was kind of interesting. AHHA: Do you ever have trouble living up to the balladeer image? That’s the first thing that I thought of. You sing these love songs all day. B: There are so many sides to me man and I think that I’m just finally now starting to let people see those sides. I really only cared that they knew about what I was doing musically. Very few people are gonna be remembered for anything in this life. I’ve been know known as a balladeer so at least I have that. When I step on the basketball court against guys who never played against me you can imagine some of the things that they say. But when they see that I can play then it almost becomes an antagonizing sort of situation because they cant believe that a guy with soft songs can do this. On one hand its great because you get to dispel rumors or dispel that sort of psychology that says if you do this, that’s all you do. I try to be the jack of all trades. I wanted to do everything. I wanted to […]

There’s a female artist on the rise who isn’t your ordinary, sleazy, cheesy pop star. She does not have background dancers. She does not employ pyrotechnics during her stage show. In fact, she does not even have a record deal. What she does have is talent, business savvy, and the ability to do whatever she damn well pleases. Her name is Martha Redbone. Martha Redbone has been in the music making business for almost 2 years. She got her start working with George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars. She was doing some illustration work on George Clinton’s 1996 release T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. (The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership), which lead to her recording vocals for the legendary Clinton. It was a learning experience that helped her and musical partner Aaron Whitby craft their 2002 release Home of the Brave. But don’t expect to see Martha performing on BET’s 106 & Park. The world may not be ready for what this sister of funk has ushered to the table. With eclectic joints like “Free” and jovial songs like “Vineyard,” you will wonder why she remains unsigned. Admittedly, Martha is a hands-on kind of woman. She works the sound board when in the studio, she does her own marketing, answers her e-mails from her website, and does her own styling. When AHH Alternatives caught up with Martha she was rocking a loud, funky outfit that accompanied her outspoken nature. AHHA: What would you classify your music as? Martha: Well, according to today’s format, I consider it soul music because music labeling has so many formats other people are dictating what our music is. So I think its all a bit of a mess. Media is trying to imply that any music that is black is hip-hop or R&B. R&B isn’t just Aalyiah and Ashanti. R&B to me is still Otis Redding, Donnie Hataway, Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, and me. There are guitars and stuff like that to and a lot of times when people hear guitars, the media tries to call it alterative music, alterative to what? AHHA: So do you find that a big problem when you are trying to put your self out there? Martha: No, cause I realize that these record labels are drowning in there own mess. They don’t know what is going on, they put all these labels on things and throw it at the wall and they don’t know how to work music anymore. They’re dictating to demographics, they look at charts and numbers and not what people want to hear. I’m on the road, I been on the road for about a year and a half with my album. I’m unsigned, I have my own label, I produce my own record myself, I wrote all the songs with my partner and we’ve been on the road and evidence to me is the numbers of people who are out there wanting to hear music from someone totally unknown. People are so starved to hear real soul music. We play from here to California and when u go there it’s amazing. I had no idea that people would turn up in such large numbers. We are on a lot of college and independent radio stations, we’re on over a hundred of them and that’s just with me being on the phone and sending out packages. I don’t have management, I manage myself, I don’t have marketing, I market myself. No, I’m not playing in Madison Square Garden…yet, but you know I’m still playing in Joe’s Pub. All these other people play Joe’s Pub with major record deals, so I’m doing the same gigs that they’re doing. I played in Village Underground in New York; I played in the House of Blues. AHHA: That’s big in the south. A lot of artist will put them self out first before they even think about a record deal. A lot of people come to New York looking to get a record deal first. Martha: Yea, sometimes they have to be careful not to get their priories wrong because you don’t make music for a receipt and if your doing it because, if your thinking in back of your mind, you want to be on MTV or BET. You know if you want your face on there. There’s plenty of people who when you turn the TV on, there face is everywhere and you look at there bank account, they don’t have any money. They have the fame and the glory, but at the end of the day, if they’re not up on their business and they have nothing to show for it. I have a lot of friends, 7 or 8, who have major record deals, and only one person has made it to the stores. At one point, when I first started I was looking for a major deal, but when I saw how they want to you in a category, then that person working your project losses their job, and then everyone else wants you to be like last week news. Everyone wants to make his or her music like last week number 1. I never been like that. Even when I was a kid, I wasn’t like that. So that wasn’t going to work for me anyway. I write my own material and write for other people to. AHHA: Where do you want your career to go in the next 5 years? Martha: The same thing with a bigger house. AHHA: How do u incorporate your Native American heritage in to your songs? Martha: Well I’m not waving the big flag. I thought it would be nice to honor both my parents in my music and I talk about my life and stuff. I didn’t do it on purpose. We have one of the dancers on stage with us. When people listen to music they often forget where it coming from and there really a few acts who really show where they are coming from like […]

Dwele: Deja Vu You gotta respect a man with a belly ring fetish—says he’s all about the details. With his debut album Subject Dwele conveys his adoration of the female being, in all her voluptuous and enigmatic entirety. Even if you’ve never heard of the Detroit native, bets are you’ll recall his smooth-as-Henny vocals on Slum Village’s 2002 hit single “Tainted.” But make no mistake, Dwele has no intention of being hip-hop’s next hook boy (rest easy, Nate Dogg). By fusing old-school soul with a hip-hop sensibility, Dwele is out to bridge that often-undecipherable line between love and lust. AHH: Tell us about the concept behind your album Subject.” Dwele: [Like a] sculpture or a painting or a sketch artist who looks at his work, the album for the most part is talking about relationships with women. So I’m using women as my subject and I have to study everything about the woman right down to her curves. AHH: What I found refreshing about your album is that there were hardly any guest appearances. Dwele: Well the actual album is gonna have Slum Village on the “A.N.G.E.L.” remix and a song with Bahamadia. I think at times artists do get wrapped up in cameos and guest appearances—the point of the artist doesn’t come across. Even in having guest appearances, I don’t overdo it. AHH: Tell us about your collaborations with T-Love (“Long Way Back”) and Bahamadia (“BBQueen”) Dwele: Bahamadia is being managed by Timotheus—which is my management company right now. She came to town and when they told me she was coming I was losing my mind, cuz I loved her music. So we sat down, we kicked it. We built on the beat for “Beautiful Things” and after that she called me up and said, “I wanna do a dedication for Philadelphia.” She told me a few things about the city—how she wanted things to come across. [With T-Love] I let her hear some of my stuff and she let me hear some of her stuff and we collaborated. We spent about a week together. AHH: Did you have any idea that “Tainted” was gonna blow up the way it did? Dwele: Not at all. Didn’t know it. I mean I finished {recording} it in the studio and I was like “That’s hot! See y’all tomorrow!” AHH: How did it feel the first time you heard it on the radio? Dwele: It was crazy. I almost crashed cuz I didn’t know who to call. I was trying to call and drive at the same time. I remember taking a road trip to Virginia ..it was different states we were driving through and changing radio stations and it was just popping up.. AHH: Do you feel you’re ready for the fame and the success? Do you think you’ll be able to adjust to the changes in your personal life? Dwele: Yeah, I’m ready for it. It’s been wild the last few days –it was my first taste of the whole hustle of the business. Like surviving on only two hours of sleep. Eating whenever you get a chance to, which isn’t very often. But it’s still cool, a lot of fun. AHH: Do you think dating will be a lot easier or more difficult now that you’re in the public eye? Dwele: I think it will be more difficult. I actually sat down and talked about that with my godsister. It’s like “How do you know what’s real?” You know, we never came to any definite way to figure out what was what. I guess it’s just a matter of trial and error. AHH: What’s your relationship status? Are you single? Are you dating? Dwele: I’m single right now. Music is my girl (chuckles) AHH: Since women are the “subject” of your album, what qualities would your ideal woman possess? Dwele: Spontaneity, a witty mind, sense of humor… AHH: See, not once did you mention anything about her height, or that she has to be fine… Dwele: Oh I was just about to get to that (laughs). I don’t know, I’m a big lover of stomachs and belly rings… AHH: Yeah, I caught that off of one of your songs (“Subject”) Dwele: I’m a big fan of the female body, yes I am. AHH: So you like them thicker, slimmer..? Dwele: You know what? I can’t even really call it. I love it all. AHH: When you think of your past relationships, which one would you say broke your heart the most and what did you learn from it? Dwele: The relationship that broke my heart the most was my first true love. Actually I broke my own heart cuz the relationship was good but I didn’t know how to communicate with her and then in turn I lost her. I kind of regret it, she’s the subject of a lot of songs. AHH: So are you the only child? Any siblings? Dwele: I have a younger brother. He’s 18 right now, at Norfolk State University. He’s on a full music scholarship. AHH: What does he play? Dwele: He plays bassoon, piano, and trombone. AHH: You think you guys will ever perform together? Dwele: Actually [for] my show in DC, he drove out and worked with the stage crew. But the fact that I was on stage with my brother was great. AHH: How does he feel about your newfound fame? Dwele: He’s cool…He was like “ I don’t know if I’m ready for this man. You know I got girls running up to me asking ‘Are you Dwele’s brother?’” AHH: S###, run with it! Dwele: Exactly (laughing). He’s like a major motivation for me too. He motivates me to make music. AHH: How about your mom? How’s she handling it? Dwele: My mom’s really proud. Every time I go to the house, and someone’s over, I always hear the record playing. It’s always a listening party. AHH: To be a widow raising two sons, and one is now in […]