interview
Thursday, March 8, 2012
interview Andre 3000 talks rap, expectation and OutKast
Posted by Gabe Vodicka on Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Gorillaz feat. Andre 3000 and James Murphy: "DoYaThing" video
In case you missed it, FADER published a lengthy interview with Andre 3000 earlier this week in which the reclusive MC dished on several pressing topics, including what it's like to get old in rap, the increasing prevalence of his guest appearances and the mysterious, ever-discussed possibility of impending OutKast material (hint: don't hold your breath).
Some choice excerpts:
On Chris Brown:
Even the Chris Brown remix—of course I love the beat, but at that time a lot of people were on Chris Brown as a human being. And I know he’d gone through his troubles or whatever and I just was like—I just wanted to stand by him and be like, Hey, you know, you can’t really charge a man forever and condemn a man forever. So it’s really just like a support thing. I thought it was a cool thing to do.
On rap's new guard:
I’m happy to see Kanye and Wayne and Drake and all these new artists. They inspire me in a way because they reach back and they say, “Hey, we want to get you on these songs.” I don’t rap every day. I don’t sit around writing raps like that. And when these artists call, it’s kind of like they get me going. And I really wanna just be good for them. I want to impress them or have them be happy to say, “Okay, he did well on my song.” I don’t want to be messing their song up.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
interview Interview with Andrea Estella of Twin Sister...
Posted by Kevin Crawford on Sun, Jan 29, 2012 at 3:33 PM
Just a few days before their stop at The Earl in East Atlanta, I was able to get in touch for an interview over the phone with rising indie dream pop band Twin Sister's lead singer, Andrea Estella. She talked about everything from her family roots in Puerto Rico, to looking forward to checking out some whale sharks at the famous Atlanta Aquarium.
Kevin: 2011 was a big year for Twin Sister. New album In Heaven was released, tour dates all across North America and Europe. Do you have any personal memories or highlights of the year that stick out?
Andrea: I feel like I’ve had so many things happen that it’s difficult to pick out one moment. Someone actually asked me this last night. The day we were approached by Domino was definitely pretty memorable.
Kevin: Care to elaborate on how you guys and Domino got together exactly?
Andrea: I guess the best way to phrase it is…unusual? Haha. They ended up sending us a message over our MySpace page, which is pretty archaic by now. And then they started coming out to our shows, and we just really hit it off and they decided to sign us.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
VIDEO / interview Can Bobby Ray turn this mutha out with Strange Clouds?
Posted by Rodney Carmichael on Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 2:11 PM
"B.o.B, they say you ain't hitting in Atlanta — so what you gon' do about that, BOBBY RAY?"
"I'm gon' turn this mutha out!"
That's not exactly how the conversation went between music writer Maurice Garland and B.o.B aka Bobby Ray in the video below. But watching him talk to Garland about his forthcoming March 2012 album Strange Clouds, and the lackluster hometown embrace the MC has received from Atlanta since the release of his 2010 Grammy-nominated major label debut (B.o.B: The Adventures of Bobby Ray) oddly reminded me of the intro to Hammer's 1989 video for "Turn This Mutha Out."
As was the case with Hammer, Ray's debut effort has been criticized for being too poppy, thanks to chart-topping collaborations with the likes of Paramore's Hayley Williams ("Airplanes") and Bruno Mars ("Nothin' On You"). Of course, there are a couple of MAJOR differences between B.o.B and MC Hammer: 1) B.o.B is a lyrical beast; whereas Hammer was a dancing machine — literally. 2) It was the hip-hop snobs in New York, not his Oakland hometown, that gave Hammer a hard time early on; whereas Decatur native Bobby Ray's seemingly overnight evolution from hater-anthem A-Town rapper to left-of-center, guitar-strumming artiste may have thrown some in Atlanta for a loop.
But as Garland and Ray point out in the above video, this is the same dude that started out making unorthodox songs about smoking trees, so perhaps he is coming full circle with "Strange Clouds", the single featuring Lil Wayne.
For all the early comparisons to Andre 3000 that he garnered, the truth is B.o.B is really more of an amalgam of an Andre 3000 and Big Boi — rooted in the streets, with his head blowing in the wind. If he can find a way to tap into that same magical center on Strange Clouds that OutKast exploited royally over the course of four albums, hip-hop heads might find themselves choking off his second-hand smoke. Now that Atlanta finds itself in the same dangerous place in which New York once resided — with a well-defined sound and sense of what qualifies as "real hip-hop" — the danger is that anything outside of our narrow norm might not be accepted or celebrated as authentic. But where would this city be without its outcasts and weirdos?
Monday, September 5, 2011
interview Ron Isley talks about life, longevity and the Lord
Posted by Shannon Barbour on Mon, Sep 5, 2011 at 1:26 PM
- Courtesy of 135th Street Agency
- Ron Isley and guitarist Ernie Isley
Ronald Isley has seen it all. As part of a pioneering musical family dating back to 1959 that first came to notoriety with its original recording of the mega hit "Twist and Shout," to the '80s baby making anthem "Between the Sheets," to "Contagious" with R. Kelly, Isley and his soul brothers in the truest sense of the word are ever-present. A new generation has come to appreciate his work through collaborations with younger R&B stars and sampling by hip-hop artists. In recent years, he only slowed down in the face of major challenges: a 37-month stint in federal prison for tax evasion after surviving a mild stroke and a bout with kidney cancer. Today, he’s back on the touring circuit and in the studio to carry out his “secret” musical plans.
If you missed the show this past Saturday, you missed out, but brother Ron took a few minutes to talk with Crib Notes about his journey through life and music, and into the here and now.
What is it like to be called a soul icon?
I have a great appreciation for that. In order to stay aggressive in music you have to love it that much. I appreciate the feeling of being an icon. It's God’s blessing.
What do you think of R&B artists of today like Chris Brown or Trey Songz?
I think Chris Brown is a great dancer. As a singer, he’s coming through the same ropes that I went through. He’s working on his craft.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Listening Stack / VIDEO / interview Wonder cranks out the hits
Posted by Scott Morris on Thu, Jun 23, 2011 at 12:10 AM
- Kristien Elan Chase
Last damn year I was interviewing Atlanta-raised producer Wonder Arillo, choppin' it up over a few pints of Guinness. I had just started blogging for Crib Notes, trying desperately to keep up with the internet and post something, anything, that hadn't already blown through everybody's playlist at the speed of sound. And it's not like Wonder was a fly-by-night musician. At the time, I went to him for a feature not only because he is a friend, but because he is extremely talented. He'd put in plenty of work, winning a Grammy working with DJ Toomp to produce TI's "What You Know." Either way, I slept on publishing anything about Wonder. I blame myself. See, Wonder and I have known each other since 6th grade, and for some reason, it's a hell of a lot easier for me to write about a complete stranger than it is a guy I've always looked up to.
Nowadays, Wonder is doing even better than he was back in 2010, and things could hardly be described as bad then. Check out the sexy video for "Feelin' You" from 2Chainz (aka Tity Boy), featuring the Codeine Cowboy rapping over Wonder's hi-hat heavy reinterpretation of an Alicia Keys' interlude. After the jump, read an edited version of my unpublished piece on Wonder. In the meantime, follow him on twitter, listen out for the signature computer-voiced "Wonder" tag in front of his beats, and if anybody needs me, I'll be hanging my head in shame...
Thursday, January 27, 2011
interview / Post No Bills Jib Kidder Lives in Your Dreams
Posted by Scott Morris on Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 2:54 AM
Jib Kidder - Always Now from Jib Kidder on Vimeo.
Jib Kidder fights the information overload of the 21st Century with, well, an information overload. As a director, his videos take their cues from somewhere in between Koyaanisqatsi and Everything is Terrible!. As a musician, his songs land him somewhere in between musique concrète originator Pierre Schaeffer and cut-and-paste pioneers Double Dee & Steinski. And then we have his amazing, meticulous online collection of regional Southern hip hop, Twankle & Glisten, along with his archive of NOLA Bounce sample sources. In his spare time he makes Lindsay Lohan fast food t-shirts and weed-rap mixtapes as DJ Kid Slizzard, and turns out "So You Think You Can Dance" with club killers. Jib Kidder, a former Atlanta resident, is heading to town this Friday, January 28th, for a 9 o'clock show at the Highland Inn. He was kind enough to stop by Crib Notes for an interview...read it below.
Friday, October 8, 2010
interview 2010 A3C Hip Hop Fest: Small Eyez
Posted by Nico Behnzukeh on Fri, Oct 8, 2010 at 8:19 PM
- Nikita Gale
Morehouse alum Small Eyez has been creating blogosphere buzz ever since his 2006 debut album VipassanÄ. Opening for hip-hop heavyweights like Dead Prez, Talib Kweli, Juelz Santana, and Young Jeezy, Small Eyez definitely has the cred to be a part of the roster to close the 2010 A3C Festival. We talk about how he overcame birth complications, which left him being able to use only one arm, Vipassana style meditation, and of course, orgies.
When you were young, you were told that you could never play an instrument due to birth complications. What effect did this have on you and the start of your whole music career?
I don’t know how your school was, but in Catholic school you get to choose an instrument that you might want to play. They would bring out the trumpets, saxophones, flutes and all the shit like that. I went to the trumpet. I just was drawn to the instrument because I had just started listening to jazz and was really getting into Miles and these other trumpet players. My teacher said, “I don’t know if you’ll be able to do that, so we’re going to put you in choir.” At the time, I didn’t think anything of it. Little did I know of the ramifications that came because of it. I never tried an instrument. I just presumed that I couldn’t. Who knows, I could’ve been a fucking virtuoso. [laughs]
So I started singing in middle school all the way up through high school. Before my voice broke, I had a pretty good singing voice. So when my voice matured, I couldn’t really hit the notes anymore and that was the end of that.
And that’s when you started getting into rap.
No, it didn’t start there. The first album I bought was by Kris Kross, but I didn’t really start thinking rap was fun or cool until I really started listening to Wu-Tang. They’re just so massive. It was the whole culture, this whole mythology that I really became engrossed in. I just became a fanatic, basically. I started rapping like them trying to imitate them. I’d make these long ass tapes with my karaoke machine. I only had two or three beats, so I would rap over the same beats over and over again. From there I started doing it seriously, starting a group with my friends called the Highlanders.
So when did the name Small Eyez come in to play?
interview / randomania 2010 A3C Hip Hop Fest: Nesby Phips
Posted by Ngozi Isabelle Ahanotu on Fri, Oct 8, 2010 at 8:07 PM
The originator of Phipstapes, an alternative to the common mixtape, Nesby Phips has produced hits for several upcoming artists, including hometown partner Curren$y. His most recent Phipstape B-Side, with productions from himself, Pete Rock and Ski Beatz, gives further insight into his gulf coast flow and J.E.T.S.(Just Enjoy This Shit) movement. Born and raised in a city so rich in culture and history, we tapped Phips to list the five things that New Orleans brings to the game, some of which you'll certainly see during his performance at A3C this weekend.
Top 5 things N'awlins brought to hip-hop
5) Jazz: Jazz is an improvisational genre if you will and hip hop is nothing but that. That’s how it was created it and [the genre] birthed so many things, even reggae. This was told to me by my elders. Everyone used to get music imports from New Orleans.
4) Emcees: Jay Electronica is the most phenomenal thing that has happened to hip hop. He kinda did what Drake did but on his own hand. He’s not on some one hit wonder shit, he got some shit finna pop off in the next week. He doesn’t have an album but he got five top singles. Look at his execution method and process. He ain’t just an emcee he’s a whole another entity. Look at Lil’ Wayne. He can do a song with Taylor Swift if he want to. He’s just from a few blocks over and it’s like he came out my house. I enjoy his success just as much. From No Limit to Cash Money look at everything we’ve done and produced.
3) Bounce Music: Swizz Beatz better come say something to New Orleans about giving him his style. He ain’t nothing but a bounce producer. I know damn well he better be happy for New Orleans bringing that.
2) Producers: Mannie Fresh is a big part of that southern sound that had a lot of the drum rolls. It kept that whole hip hop shit alive. It was like a new wave of hip hop when he dropped something. N.O. Joe has done a lot of shit with Rap A Lot. Our beats have another sound.
1) Musicians: We have a certain way we lay our music down and our timing. We all got that flavor to us because of our heritage and roots. Just like Curren$y, he doesn’t carry an accent like most of us, but he’s off that [New Orleans family] tree. It’s in the water. You gotta come here to see what I’m talking about.
$20 per day. 7 p.m. Sat., Oct 9. Perfect Attendance Showcase. Masquerade (Perfect Attendance Stage), 695 North Avenue NE., 404-577-8178. www.a3chiphop.com.
interview R. Kelly’s ex-wife Andrea Kelly teaches dance in Atlanta this weekend
Posted by Ronda Racha Penrice on Fri, Oct 8, 2010 at 7:45 PM
Even after she broke her silence in a major 2007 interview with Essence interview, it still surprises many people to learn that R. Kelly ever had a wife for 11 years. But Andrea Kelly — his ex-wife and mother of their two girls and one boy, ages 12, 10 and 8, respectively — remains unfazed. A trained dancer, Andrea was a key ingredient behind her ex-husband’s many performances. Returning to her very first love, dance, Kelly is determined to spread that joy to others through the Andrea Kelly Dance Theater, now located in Chicago.
With plans to open another location in Atlanta, the Chicago native, who travels to Atlanta frequently, is giving Atlantans a taste of what they can expect by teaching master dance classes that are both sensual and fitness-oriented. Known officially as “Le Pink Kitty Cabaret,” Kelly is holding classes for $40 at Devyne Stephens’ Complex Artist Development Center, located at 1021 Northside Drive, from October 8 to 10.
Before classes start, however, Kelly was kind enough to check in with Creative Loafing from Chicago to discuss her background and provide a little insight into her life then and now.
How old were you when you started dancing?
Well the story in my family is I danced before I walked. My dad said that he just remembers that I was still in diapers and "Soul Train" was on TV and he said, "You crawled over to the TV and you pulled yourself up." He was figuring I was gonna walk, and he’s like, "Girl you started dancing and the funny thing was you did not dance like the regular kid, kind of off-beat. You were on beat and everything. It went to commercial and you held your hands up like Poltergeist and was like 'Ma, Ma' and we knew from that point on that you would be dancing."
What kind of dance did you like?
I was a theater kid. Loved modern, ballet, jazz but my specialty was more the Fosse-based jazz. I love Broadway. I just love Chicago and All That Jazz and A Chorus Line. That is actually my favorite type of dance to do.
How old were you when you first started dancing professionally?
17
How did you become a dancer for R. Kelly?
interview / randomania 2010 A3C Hip Hop Fest: Camp Lo
Posted by Ngozi Isabelle Ahanotu on Fri, Oct 8, 2010 at 11:32 AM
New York duo Camp Lo made Saturday nights with their 1997 hit "Luchini (This Is It)." After more than a decade in the industry, collaborating with everyone from De La Soul to Will Smith, Sonny Cheeba and Geechi Suede's flow has moved overseas onto several music charts. Their new album 80 Blocks to Tiffanys is ready for release, and with production from Pete Rock the group is sure to make more Saturday nights. Cheeba lists the top covers of their first hit single in anticipation of their live performance of the song at A3C.
Top 5 "Luchini (This Is It)" covers
5) Rashad feat. Jadakiss and Sheek Louch, "Sweet Misery": The texture over it. I was surprised they even did it. The flow they came with was hot.
4) Red Café feat. Fabolous, “This Is It (Luchini 2010)": He came original. He stuck to the formula of the song and everything that it was about.
3) Wiz Khalifa, “Air Born”: The way he came across, he stuck to the energy of it.
2) Precise, “Summer With NYC”(cue 2:54 for freestyle): He just caught me off guard with it. He got a song called “Barbershop Talk” and he’s not coming with the usual, he’s coming with his own walk. The young cats will dig it and older cats who rock with hip-hop can dig it.
1) Camp Lo "Luchini": Well I don't wanna sound like I'm inhaling myself but we vibed over "Luchini" with the thought of doing something new and fly. Displaying our Bronx, New York as never done before. True to the art!
$33 3-day passes. $15 per day. 9:30 p.m. Sat., Oct 9. A3C Presents Showcase. Masquerade (Red Bull Music Academy Stage), 695 North Avenue NE., 404-577-8178. www.a3chiphop.com.
