Rashad Street Drops The Corner Store Vol.1 Today

Friend of the blog Rashad Street is having a good weekend. Not only is it his birthday today, he's celebrating by releasing an all new project, "The Corner Store." Rashad Street stays busy, even on his birthday.

We chopped it up with Rashad this week, and talked about the new project, even newer projects, switching up genres. Read below. And then go download some new music.

BANDCAMP

http://www.whoisrashadstreet.com/

What's up the new release? I hear it is totally different from other things you have put out?

Yeah it is! The Corner Store Vol. 1 is a collection of instrumentals that I've conducted.

What motivated you to release an all instrumental record? Can your fans expect more of this kind of thing in the future?

I wanted to let the people know that I was more than an artist. Yes they can. I just released a project last month under the moniker Sleepyhead Goes To Paris. It's Dub Step, Techno, Electronica, etc. Expect more of these projects in the near future!!

(Click HERE to download Sleepyhead Goes to Paris)

I also hear you have a special project in the works with some folks from Denver. Can you let anything about that slip?

I've got something in the works with good friend & old classmate by the name of Brik-A-Brak. I can't really speak on it now, but you'll be the 1st when I do!!!

You're doing a blog now, right? How are you using the blog to fit into your overall hustle.

Yeah. www.whoisrashadstreeet.com. It's an avenue that's geared towards promoting myself & others who I feel can help generate a movement!! I want to help preserve an art that some may say is dying. To me, that's not the case. We all go through changes. I just hope that through those changes, we can see the good!!

What do you have on deck to release next? Are you switching it up again?I honestly cannot answer that at the moment!! Okay here it goes:

Rashad Street-If You Didn't Know

Rashad Street & Durdy Costello- The Big Payback: Unfinished Business

I have a few more, but you get the point...I'm working!!!

Ulogy, Trumpcard, and Mr. Fluid at Suite 106 Saturday Night

This Saturday, Back to Basics, Jackson's monthly hip hop showcase, will be in full effect at Suite 106. The September edition features Ulogy, Trumpcard, and Mr. Fluid. We will be celebrating the back to school season. Also, it is Ulogy's birthday weekend, so come out and buy him a drink or two and cop some CDs.

See you Saturday.

In the meantime, CLICK HERE to check out an interview we did with Mr. Fluid a few months ago.

Check back in a few days for an exclusive interview with the other Jackson hip hop artist who has a birthday this weekend.

Catching up with Slangston Hughes

If you remember a few months back, we held an edition of our monthly hip hop showcase called The Away Team Edition. Even though we try to focus our events on local, independent hip hop artists, we do take the time to reach out to artists outside that city that do things similar to what we do. Over time, we have built an away team that we consider to be kindred spirits in this world of independent hip hop.

One of the artists we work closely with is Slangston Hughes from New Orleans, Louisiana. Slangston is no stranger to the Jackson scene: he has come up to the city several times for shows and we have sent some of our folks down there to him for his monthly event, Uniquity.

Slangston is always busy, and in fact is hard at work on the follow up to his most recent project. He found a few moments to catch up with the blog recently and you can read the interview below.

Tell the people in Jackson what they need to know about Slangston Hughes. Where are you from, what is your message, what motivates you artistically?

You need to know I'm THE Connoisseur of Fine Rhyme. A moniker I don't brandish likely and do my best to live up to every day. I'm from The Mardi Mecca, New Orleans. My message is to inspire listeners to reach and aspire for more in life and ultimately understand music is more than what we're force fed daily. I'm motivated artistically by some of the obvious greats: Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Black Thought, Jay-Z, et al but most importantly the events of everyday life. There's enough complexities within our daily world to keep me moving, intrigued and inspired.

Your stage name is a play on Langston Hughes. How do you think you fit into the artistic and poetic legacy of him and the other people who made up the Harlem Renaissance.

Langston was a very creative and innovative writer, poet and playwright. When he wrote, like many others during the Harlem Renaissance, it was for a purpose. A message of Black solidarity, history and insightfulness was provided in much of his work. I feel that I continue that legacy of innovation, creativity and most importantly, thought provocation with my music and artistry.

What is up with your event in New Orleans, Uniquity?

Uniquity - now in its second year - is a live performance event that gives Hip-Hop, R&B and Spoken Word artists the opportunity to work with a four piece jazz band. I'm always looking to push the envelope with Uniquity and provide New Orleans' audiences with not only talented performers but also quality events.

What project are you pushing right now? What do you have lined up for the future?

Dollar$ & Daialogue (GET IT HERE) is my current project with emcee/producer, L'Daialogue Dicaprio. The follow-up to that album, Dollar$ & Daialogue 1.5 is up next shortly with some other projects I'm really excited about coming in the near future.

Back to Basics this Saturday Night!!

This Saturday night, Suite 106 is hosting a very special Back to Basics: 5th Child Storytellers Edition. For this show, 5th Child will give fans an in depth look at his newest release, 5th Child, which was released this Spring.

(Click here to read an extended interview with 5th Child)

The show will feature performances of songs from 5th Child, including tracks are not in the normal performance rotation. Also, 5th Child will talk about the recording of the album and the meanings and inspirations behind the songs. There will be giveaways, special guests, free food, merchandise for sale, and much more.

On top of all that, the second half of the show will feature "5th Child Jukebox," where 5th will perform songs requested by his fans. Click here to request songs for 5th to play at the show.

5th Child on iTunes

This Saturday. Suite 106. $5. Doors at 9 PM. Show starts promptly at 10:00.

ZeeDubb's Bronze Mixtape out NOW

Vicksburg, Mississippi Hip Hop artist ZeeDubb recently released the "Bronze Mixtape: Mississippi Edition," a collaboration with Wu Tang producer Bronze Nazareth. ZeeDubb has been a good friend of the blog since its inception; he held down the podcasts for us for a while. ZeeDubb and his wife, poet Scarlette, are leaving Mississippi for Arizona in August for new opportunities, and he leaves the "Bronze Mixtape" as his last hurrah for Mississippi.

The blog caught up with ZeeDubb last week to talk about the new release and all kinds of other stuff. After you read, click HERE to download the mixtape for free!!

Where does The Bronze Mixtape fit into your collection of releases? Is it part of a progression or is it a new direction? How did you get Bronze Nazareth involved?

The Bronze Mixtape is a project that I can say that I really wanted to do. The Voice of Abstract was more of a compilation of tracks I put together in a rush to release something, but The Bronze Mixtape is more focused and I'm sure you can hear the difference in the two, from the production, to the subject matter and the structure. It's definitely a direction my music is going into for now. Ever since I heard Wu-Tang meets Indie Culture: Think Differently Music and Bronze Nazareth's The Great Migration, I have been a fan of his production. So once I saw he had a compilation of his beats released, I downloaded them and began this project. Of course I hit him up on facebook and we discussed it and he was definitely down with the idea of a Mississippi & Detroit, MI collab.

I know you are married to an amazing poet named Scarlette. What is it like around the house? Do you guys spend a lot of time listening to each other's stuff? Do you guys only speak in rhyme to each other?

HA! Yea, going 7 months strong. Around the house there is either a lot of music playing, from Hip-Hop, reggae, blues, jazz, sometimes orchestra & classical (being married to a music major) and whatever else. You can definitely walk by our house and hear us blasting Yung Humma & Flynt Flossy. We keep the jeep riding!!! (laughs) Or we're watching The Office or Archer. We're definitely critiques of each others' works. She was definitely a big help with The Bronze Mixtape and she's back to working on her own music along with her poetry and I do my best to add my 2 cents. I think we'd both go crazy rhyming to each other like some musical. (laughs)

I know you have a deep love for Mississippi hip hop. What is it about hip hop in Mississippi that you see as being so special?

I love Mississippi Hip-Hop because people don't think there's anything more than what the mainstream puts out there. People wouldn't believe artists like myself and PyInfamous, Skipp Coon or Ulogy is down here. Most think of Mississippi as just David Banner back in the days of Cadillac on 22s. Which was great and helped put Mississippi on the map, but there's 5th Child, Trumpcard, 7even:Thirty, Lyrik, Eclipse and so many others to name. There are artists who are influenced from music and not just rap. The artists that I've met in the past few years have probably inspired me more than any famous artist. Half of the ones I've mentioned are activists or teachers that just want to make good music and I love that. I will forever represent my Mississippi family because they helped me grow. If these great artists get a moment to shine like they should, Hip-Hop would definitely make a big turn from where it's at now.

I also know that you are moving out of state soon. Where are you moving? What brought about the move? Are you excited to be going somewhere new to rep Mississippi?

Yes, Scarlette and I are moving to Phoenix, Arizona. I've been trying to figure out what I want to do outside of my music, and minimum wage jobs at a casino just aren't doing it for me. I'll be attending Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) and She will be teaching music. I'm very excited about moving and I plan to represent MS very well while hitting the streets on a Kawasaki Ninja!

What all do you have coming up? Any new mixtapes, albums, etc. before you leave?

I mainly want everyone to get The Bronze Mixtape: Mississippi Edition. That is the focus!!! Get that!! I may release some new recordings as an official project before I leave but time is winding down and I may be leaving sooner than expected but a majority of the songs can be found at www.soundcloud.com/zeedubb as the Exclusive set. I've got recordings with Rashad Street, James Crow and Ulogy that I know the listeners will love.

Before I leave this wonderful state, I would like to give a Shout-out to Seven Studioz/Cultural Expressions, Suite 106, DJ Phingaprint for putting me on with June Hardwick and 4ever Fridays, Kamikaze for getting me on at Dreamz (GenerationNXT) and allowing Ulogy and I to throw that bomb Double Album Release Party in VIP. Skipp Coon, Mr Nick, Ulogy, 7even:Thirty, Mike Bunch & Flicka II a Flame, Trumpcard, James Crow, Rashad Street, PyInfamous, DJ Young Venom, DJ Sean Mac, Cocky McFly, Urban Raw, C. Leigh McInnis, my beautiful wife, Scarlette, my boy Silent G and many others...You all have helped me grow as a person, artist, and performer, whether you know it or not. Shalom.

PyInfamous in New Orleans

(PyInfamous backstage at The House of Blues New Orleans. Photo by DJ Young Venom)

On Saturday, July 2, PyInfamous travelled to New Orleans to perform at the House of Blues, opening for PacDiv and N.E.R.D. The performance was one of the rewards for Py's victory in Coors Light's Search for the Coldest MC contest.

With the Essence Music Festival in full swing just a few blocks away at the Superdome, Coors Light took over the House of Blues for a special afternoon show. As anyone who has been to any music festival in New Orleans, the good times keep rolling all through the day and night, across several locations and venues. The Coors Light party fit right in with the vibe that Essence was putting down for the whole weekend.

For the afternoon, The House of Blues was transformed into a Coors Light wonderland, with interactive online stations, complimentary beer and food, and the crowd favorite Coors Light girls, in the tight silver pants.

A large contingency of Jacksonians held down the line to get in to the show. After some innovative uses of the guest list, we all got in. PyInfamous hit the stage at 3 PM, along with DJ Young Venom, who dropped a well placed "Cold as Ice" sample to get things kicked off. The crowd response was very good: besides the loud and rowdy and Jackson folks, the locals also seemed to be feeling what Py was giving them, doing their part to participate in "Still the King." The highlight of the performance was Kerry Thomas (KT) joining Py onstage to perform "Bliss (Cooler Than This)," the song that won the Search for the Coldest contest and brought us all to New Orleans. The ladies in the crowd voiced their approval for KT's singing, something that those of us that see him perform a lot have grown accustomed to. "Bliss" closed out the show and PyInfamous had shown once again why he is indeed the coldest.

After a short DJ interlude, PacDiv rocked the crowd with their energetic West Coast style. After PacDiv, crowd favorite N.E.R.D. delivered a raucous set of rock and roll based beat music. Ulogy and I agreed that the MVP award went to the drummer, who beat the hell out of the skins while keeping the band on point.

All in all, the show was a blast and it was so great to see PyInfamous do his thing in front of a large crowd in one of the most legendary music cities in the world. It was a great day for Jackson, especially those of us in New Orleans that were lucky enough to get in. Many people worked tirelessly to help Py win the award and Saturday felt like the culmination of all our efforts and work. The day certainly belonged to PyInfamous, but we were all lucky enough to share in it. Jackson's hip hop scene repped hard that day in New Orleans.

Check out a few pictures from the day. All photos courtesy of Skipp Coon.

Click HERE for more from Skipp Coon

Coke Bumaye's Translation 2: Limited Edition Drops Today

Today, June 28, 2011, Jackson favorite Coke Bumaye drops Translation 2: Limited Edition. As fans of Coke know, his Translation series has been a huge success and kept him on the top of the game in Jackson for a minute now. This Limited Edition version comes with all new songs and remixes as well as a few surprises or two.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

In addition to the digital version linked above, Coke has physical copies of the CD for sale in Jackson. AND, there is also a special collector's edition of the CD with special artwork that comes packaged with a t-shirt and a sticker.

The blog caught up with Coke Bumaye to talk about the new release and a few other things.

So, Translation 2: Limited Edition. What makes this a limited edition? What makes it stand out from the first Translation 2?

Well, its the limited edition because first we changed the packaging and second there is only two original songs from the first tape, and the rest are remixes and new material

Then it (the collector's edition) comes with a LIMITED Edition t-shirt and sticker.

What progression has your music made through the past couple of years? How intentional are you in pushing your sound further?

As far progress goes, my music grows with me, and over the past couple of years I have grown and experienced a lot and you will hear it in the music. For the most part, I try to keep my sound organic and let it just happen. I go with what I feel.

People talk a lot about the Coke Bumaye movement. What do you think it is that makes people relate to what you do so well? Are you comfortable being the leader of a movement, whatever that movement may be?

I think people relate because it’s the truth. The stuff I put in my music, you can come through my neighborhood and see it’s the person that’s in the music is really me. Everything you hear I have done it, seen it, been around it, etc and I have no problem being at the front of the movment. I feel that’s where I’m supposed to be! I’m just talking for the people who don’t have a voice.

Talk some about your work with DJ BangBang. Why do you guys work so well together? And how is it that you two are some of the hardest sounding cats in the city, but also two of the nicest dudes?

Well me and Bang work well because we are our worst critics. We both have passion for what we doing and we don’t give a damn about each other’s feelings. Plus we came up together. And as far as us being nice guys, that’s just how we try to carry ourselves, but we jus ain’t taking no shit (laughing).

Tell the people where to cop the Translation 2: Limited Edition. And, where can the people get one of those Coke Bumaye shirts I've been seeing around the city?

Ok, you can get all the music at www.cokebumaye.bandcamp.com. Get at me on twitter @cokebumaye. And you get the t-shirt free when you buy the collector edition of Translation 2. (See Coke in Jackson to get the collector's edition.)

Come out tonight to Suite 106 for the Translation 2: Limited Edition release party. DJ Bang Bang and DJ Fiya Man on the Ones and Twos. Doors at 8 PM.

PyInfamous IS the Coldest MC!!!

As you remember, Jackson's PyInfamous was in the final four of Coors Light's Search for the Coldest MC contest. After voting ended last week and the final count was made, our man Py came away victorious. Now the rest of the nation is aware of what us in Jackson have known for a long time: PyInfamous is the truth and one of the best in the game, on any level.

A special shout goes to all of you that voted for Py last week and helped spread the word. It was truly amazing to see what we could do as a movement for hip hop, the south, and Mississippi when we put our energy together to achieve a goal. In a music business where the good guy and the most talented hardly ever wins, it is a breath of fresh air to see one of the best get his respect on the national stage.

We have some exclusive music coming up from PyInfamous in the following days. In the interim, check out some of these links about the win.

Ourstage, one of the sponsors of the contest, posted this yesterday. As it turns out, Py won commandingly, with 45% of the total vote. CLICK HERE TO READ

Atlanta music blog Disclosed Native did an interview with PyInfamous. CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT

And, if you are in a celebratory mood like the rest of us, join us all tonight at Suite 106 for The Coldest Celebration Ever!

Again, huge congratulations to PyInfamous and bug thanks to all of you that gave your time and energy to get this thing done. Peace.

New track from Marcel P. Black

Friend of the blog, and recent Back to Basics performer Marcel P. Black, has dropped a new single, "Rashid," the first release from his upcoming "iLuv H.E.R. too" project, set to drop on August 30th. Marcel says about the track: "The project is a dedication to the fans of mid 90's Hip-Hop, inspired by non other than the legendary Common's seminal "I Used To Love H.E.R." record. The intro to the record, "Rashid", serves as an homage to Common, and as a nostalgic look at a host of emcees, as well as Yo MTV Raps & Rap City ."

Download "Rashid" for free by clicking HERE.

Download more of Marcel P. Black's Music HERE.

In the meantime, check out a video from Marcel P. Black.

Only 2 Days Left to Vote for PyInfamous!!!

(comic courtesey of Jackson artist Justin Schultz)

What's good everyone?

We are on the home stretch in Coors Light's Search for the Coldest MC-there are only 2 more days to vote for Jackson's own PyInfamous. As you know by now, Py has been declared the South's coldest MC and is in the final four nationally. If he wins, he gets to play a show at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.

If you haven't voted yet (shame on you), then go to www.searchforthecoldest.com and do so now. Vote multiple times by clearing your cookies between votes. It is just that simple.

Before you do that, check out a feature on PyInfamous in this week's Jackson Free Press.

Here is a video of Py performing in Atlanta at the Coors Light South show on May 25th.

NOW GO VOTE!!!!!!!!!

Check out some videos and the VOTE FOR PYINFAMOUS!!!

What's up everyone? We are into the final week of voting for Coors Light's Search for the Coldest MC. Our man from Jackson, PyInfamous, is in the final four as the winner of the South region. Please go HERE to vote for Py and help put him, Jackson, and the state of Mississippi on the map.

Don't forget to click HERE to read an exclusive interview with PyInfamous.

In the meantime, check out a couple videos that will help you make your decision to get out and vote. Thanks for reading, and check back often this week for more updates and videos from Py's friends.

Py's acting career debut.

A message from 7even:thirty

Vote for PyInfamous NOW!!!

Starting today (June 10) and running through June 17, you can, no, you MUST go to www.searchforthecoldest.com and vote for Jackson’s PyInfamous to be named Coors Light’s Coldest MC. Py won the South region with his song “Bliss (Cooler Than This)” featuring Kerry Thomas. Out of hundreds of submissions, voters elected “Bliss” into the top 40, where celebrity judges Pac Div, DJ Khaled, and Bryan Michael Cox hand-picked the final four region winners. On May 25^th, Py got the chance to perform “Bliss” in Atlanta as an opener for N.E.R.D. and Pac Div; the performance was taped and you can see it, along with the other regional winners, at www.searchforthecoldest.com.

For the next seven days, the fates of the regional winners is are in the hands of the people, as the overall winner will be elected purely by popular vote. What’s at stake? Other than getting to hold the crown of the Coldest MC for the entire next year, the winner gets to perform at the Essence Festival in New Orleans on July 2.

Now, it is no secret that this blog stands firmly behind our brother PyInfamous. As a loyal reader of this blog, we highly suggest that you go to the site, check out the other finalists, and vote for Py. If you need more convincing, here is a free download of the song that got him to the finals:

“Bliss (Cooler Than This)” featuring Kerry Thomas

If THAT isn’t enough, check out this exclusive interview we got with the South’s Coldest MC. I had to wear a sweater.

What motivated you to enter “Bliss” into the contest?

The hook for “Bliss”(I insist. This is bliss, so tell me of something cooler than this.//This is us, and I trust the cool that we pursue is a must.) seemed to go well with the theme of the contest, and it felt like the most palatable for a large group of fans with Kerry Thomas singing on the hook and the beat being a more melodic sample. Even with all of those things, I had no expectations of winning the contest. It was done more as an afterthought as anything else, but it seems that people really dig the record.

What do you like about working with Kerry? In what ways do you help each other and play off each other musically?

Kerry and I have done a few songs together. He has hooks on two of my songs, and I have verses on two of this songs. Kerry works a lot like me in that he allows the instrumentation of the music dictate what it is he does to the song. A lot of artists already know what they want to say because it’s what’s popular or what they think people want to hear, but neither of us works like that.

I think that we vibe off of each other’s energy when we work on a song. I had already recorded “Bliss” and I played it for Kerry. He started singing over part of the hook, and I knew I had to get him on it. He took the song to another level, which is a big way that we help each other. It’s the idea of synergy – the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Why do you want to win? What will it mean to you at this point in your musical career?

When I entered the contest, I didn’t even know what the prizes were. After being able to open for PacDiv and N.E.R.D. in Atlanta, I’d love to be able to rock with them without being constrained by the need for parity in the contest (I couldn’t have a DJ or additional performers in Atlanta). The day the rep from OurStage.com called and informed me that I won, I immediately thought this would be a more significant win for the State of Mississippi and the City of Jackson (and Crystal Springs!) than for me. I really want people to realize that there are great musicians here who happen to make hip-hop music.

I do a whole lot of other things, but music is what I’m most passionate about. I’ve been thinking what the next few years would hold, and winning the South region has reinvigorated me to a degree. After performing in Atlanta, I saw that a diverse group of people could rock with the music. Most of the shows we do are for “hip-hop heads,” but there were folks who wouldn’t identify with that title rocking with me. That showed me a lot.

What does all of this mean for Jackson and Mississippi in a larger sense? Do you think that if “Bliss” wins, when compared to more traditional mainstream songs, it could begin a change in popular tastes?

People throughout the nation can see what we are intellectually, musically, and spiritually rich in Mississippi. All too often, we receive titles that reflect our lack of resources or lag in development. However, we have always produced some of the greatest academic, creative and musical minds. Unfortunately, those people don’t get recognized until they leave Mississippi. The fact that someone from Mississippi who still lives in Mississippi can get recognized on a national level for a song that doesn’t necessarily fit the framework of what’s popular on the radio right now is pretty significant in my eyes.

I don’t know if one song can shift popular taste. That change would have to also come from the top, and unfortunately music executives are more concerned with profit that quality music. I do think that a win will do two things.

First, it will show aspiring artists, particularly young artists, that they can make the music that they want to make and be successful. Too many artists simply try to reproduce what they hear in an attempt to make something popular, but that has never been the way great art is made. Artists have always been a separate part of society that contributes to the larger body. Now, the larger body dictates what artists make, which is essentially backward.

Second, it will show fans that there are talented underground/independent artists making quality music. Hopefully, that will spur fans to seek out artists more and more. It seems that many hip-hop fans have lost the desire to search for good music because there is so much mediocrity out there. If they see “Bliss” pull out a win, it will mean a lot for artists like Skipp Coon, Coke Bumaye, Lexx Black, Secret Jones, Moses Rockwell, Hassaan Mackey, Super Smash Brothers, 5th Child, 7even:thirty, and others.

Tell people why they should vote for you.

A vote for PyInfamous is a vote for the South. It’s a vote for Mississippi. It’s a vote for Jackson. It’s a vote for good hip-hop music. If you feel positively about any of those, you should vote for “Bliss” in the Coors Light Search for the Coldest Competition.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR PYINFAMOUS!!!!!!

Check back often, because we will be hitting the blog heavy for the next week with all kinds of downloads, videos, and other special treats to celebrate PyInfamous as the South's COldest MC. And don't forget, VOTE!!!!

(Do What Diddy Say)

PyInfamous Finalist for Coors Light's Search for the Coldest MC!!!

Jackson's very own PyInfamous is a finalist for Coors Light's Search for the Coldest MC competition. As winner of the South region, Py is in the final four nationally and has a chance to perform at the Essence Festival in New Orleans on July 2nd when he wins. We will have a number of blog updates as the final online voting gets closer (June 10-17), including an exclusive interview with the man himself.

In the meantime, check out these links real quick to see what's up with the contest and to register to vote for Py.

Coors Light Search for the oldest MC site

Act Live Blog write up on PyInfamous

Check back soon for a whole lot more information on the contest and ways you can help one of Jackson's best get some big time national shine. Peace.

Catching Up with Mr. Fluid

If you have been around the hip hop scene in Jackson for a minute, you probably have heard of a dude named Mr. Fluid. But, you probably remember him as Verbal. After a few years in Colorado, Mr. Fluid is back in Jackson and is gearing up to rock the stage at Generation NXT at Dreamz this Sunday (click the link on the right of the page for more info). I caught up with Mr Fluid and we talked about all kinds of stuff. Check out the interview below.

BIO:

Mr. Fluid, born as Michael Norris, is one half of the Hip Hop crew Company of Strangaz which includes himself and DJ Kaotic, both originally from MS. In 2005, Company of Strangaz released New Day, their debut album that featured hard and soulful beats from NY-based innovator in drum n bass and trip-hop music, DJ Wally. Their sophomore release, The Vitaminz EP stayed true to their New York influence but a more organic sound with DJ Kaotic on production. While Fluid plans to release a mixtape soon, the latest project is a solo album by Mr. Fluid entitled Magnolia Magnificent, dubbed as a tribute to his home state. Being that both previous albums were released while living in CO, Mr. Fluid returns to MS with a concept album full of fresh sounds and new ideas. The bulk of production on the new album is executed by Fluid himself and shows an entirely different style of doing things than his previous work. Magnolia Magnificent is soulful, gritty, danceable and serious at times. The album includes guest appearances with Punchline, Kamikaze of Crooked Lettaz, Big Rube, Melatone, and Illabobcain. The album is a dedication to his roots in Jackson, MS where Mr. Fluid, also known as Verbal, made his rounds as a spoken word artist and began to emcee around 2001. Magnolia Magnificent is released 10 years later and uncovers a more mature artist hinting at new styles.

I know you were out of state for a while and just returned. Where did you go and why did you come back? Did you do music while you were gone?

I did move to Colorado in 2004 to get out of Mississippi for a while and see how life was outside of the "Bible-belt". I have a love-hate relationship with the south, as many people do with home sometimes. Also, I wanted to do music elsewhere and check out other scenes and see new things. DJ Kaotic and myself moved close to the same time and released two albums, collabed with many Colorado artists, did a lot of shows, and had much time to grow as artists. I came back however because all my family is here in MS and like that Crooked Lettaz song says, the south was on my mind. You can never escape struggle and you shouldn't try. It had been weighing heavy on my heart to give back somehow and to do that I felt I should come home. I felt it was time to return on a personal level and also I didn't feel quite finished with what I wanted to do here musically. I've seen far too much talent in Jackson and felt so much inspiration to not return, this state made me who I am and in a lot of ways so has Colorado.

Tell the blog about your music. What's it all about? What inspires you?

My music is a hybrid of NY Hip Hop and MS bounce with many other genres being picked up along the way, kind of a snowball effect. What I hope I'm accomplishing is something to be respected long after I'm gone. I wanna change lives but also have a lot of fun doing it. I want you to think but not so much that you can't dance to it. Most of my inspiration comes from what I read probably more so than what I listen to. People tend to turn away when music is too preachy, so I tend to walk a thin line at times. My fans, I suspect are like me and gravitate toward something important being spoken rather than the norm of just agreeing with what the last guy had to say. I highly respect the law of "No Biting!", so I'm always trying new sounds. You'll hear many styles on my album but always with a Boom Bap center and a message.

Who are your favorite recording artists, in any genre?

I listen to a lot of King Tubby, Easy Star All Stars, Mobb Deep, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Operation Ivy, Rancid, Wu Tang, Outkast, Killer Mike, Goodie Mob, A Tribe Called Quest, Leela James, Portishead, Guns N Roses, UGK, Brother Ali, Elvis Costello, The English Beat, Roy Orbison, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, the list could go on without any particular focus because I like to switch it up. Different genres for different moods but mostly Hip Hop gets me amped to get up and move.

What projects do you have coming up?

I have a mixtape in the works with DJ 360 to promote my album, and of course the album itself, Magnolia Magnificent. You can keep up with progress by searching "Michael MrFluid Norris" on Facebook, "MrFluidFilms" on You Tube, and searching "Mr. Fluid" on Reverb Nation (or, just click HERE).

What do you want Jackson to know about you?

Jackson should know that it's the reason I fell in love with Hip Hop in the first place and that it left a lasting impression with me with Seven All Arts, MS Vibes, 90.1's MS Cipher, and many other open mics and venues that allowed me to grow and my love for this place and the people has brought me back. I'm excited to be home again and can't wait for the opportunity to return that love.

Thanks for reading. On your way out, check out a couple videos. Peace.

Rashad Street Interview-Download New EP "Who Am I?"

As you read here last week, Rashad Street just recently released his brand new EP, "Who Am I." The EP is is the second release in a trilogy, which includes his previous effort "The Most Unknown" and the forthcoming "I Am Rashad Street."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD "WHO AM I' AS WELL AS MORE FROM RASHAD STREET

The Blog caught up with Rashad Street last week, and we talked about the EP, as well as a few other things. Check it out.

(Rashad Street performing live at Back to Basics at Suite 106 in February. That is the lovely Ms. Rashad Street in the background)

This EP seems to come from a personal place for you. Tell me about that.

This project is the result of what I've seen & what I've been through this past year. It's really been a GOOD & BAD year for me!!! GOOD (music wise) & BAD (personal). Some people don't realize the power struggle between the MUSIC & LIFE beyond music. So I just tap into some issues of my own & spoke on them through music.

This is the second part of a trilogy. What was the first part? What are you saying with this trilogy? What is the last installment?

The 1st installment was "The Most Known Unknown" which was a mixtape or a medley of tracks from previous & unreleased material. "The Who Am I EP" is the follow-up, which is showing me finding myself through music. The last installment will be titled " I Am Rashad Street" which will bring everything full circle. In order to understand, you have to go back!! So go get "The Most Known Unknown"!!!!

You say you do this for the love and for the people. How do you make sure you keep doing that? Why is that so important to you?

The "People" I give reference to are those who don't have a voice. The everyday, blue-collar, "go hard for they money" type of people. Anyone that's been counted out, that's who I speak for!!! The "Love" is what insures that what I'm doing means something to somebody other than myself!! So with that being said, every show, every song, I'm going to give you the best of everything I have!!! Because people need to see that!!! I want you to believe that what I convey in my music is real!!!

You did the majority of the production on the EP. How do you feel when you are in the studio making beats? Is this something you see yourself doing more of moving forward?

That's the greatest part for me!!!! I love new sounds & working with other producers. That's where it starts for me....with the beat!! I believe that I won't put the mic down ever because that's where I began. Although I do want to get more in tune with the production. We'll see!!! Stay Tuned!!!!

Extended Interview with 5th Child

As we reported earlier, 5th Child released his new album last week. So far, it is getting great reviews and he is even offering for FREE download for a limited time. CLICK HERE TO GET IT!

A few weeks before the album dropped, I got to hang out with 5th for an extended interview about the album. We sat in his studio and he gave me a song-by-song breakdown of the album, the meanings behind the songs, and the process he went through to make what he and many others feel is his best work to date.

So, go download the album, sit back, and read about the album in the words of 5th Child himself, with a few of my opinions thrown in as well.

The state of Mississippi is a musical Mecca, having produced some of the most well known and well respected artists in the world: Robert Johnson, B.B King, Malaco Records, Trumpet Records, and the Mississippi Mass Choir are just a few of the names that put Mississippi music on the map.

Yet, when it comes to hip hop, the state has had relatively few representatives in the mainstream. Of course, David Banner immediately comes to mind, especially his album with Kamikaze, Grey Skies that introduced the world to the soulful yet hard-edged Mississippi sound. More recently, Big K.R.I.T., from Meridian, has thrust himself into the popular consciousness with his blend of dusty, sample-based beats and southern-twanged braggadocio rhymes.

Beyond Banner, Kamikaze, and K.R.I.T., however, Mississippi suffers from stereotyping by many hip hop fans that says music from the state must be club ready, gangster-dance pop that appeals to the lowest common denominator. And, sometimes stereotypes are true, as a sizeable amount of the hip hop music produced in the state falls within these parameters, as some artists make concerted efforts to play into stereotypes in an effort to please listeners, and, more importantly, it seems, the people, like record executives and A&R reps, that can make careers.

Breaking the mold of these stereotypes is a group of artists from Jackson, the capitol of Mississippi. The city boasts an eclectic mix of hip hop artists that are more a throwback to the days of heady production, heavy rhyme skills, and socially conscious edge. Leading this charge is 5^th Child, Jackson’s premiere double-threat producer/MC. On May 13, 5^th Child released his fifth album, the self-titled “5^th Child.”

“5^th Child” is the third concept album in a trilogy, which includes his previous two efforts “Behind the Music” and “Pianos in the Dark.” “Behind the Music” was a complex examination and critique of the music industry, and found 5th in a “celebratory” mood, with college graduation looming. “Pianos in the Dark,” with its gloomier soundscapes and darker subject matter, represented 5^th’s “transition into adulthood, where you learn that most things you were taught about the future were not true,” he says. His inspiration for the title was a vision he had of a black pianist alone in a white jazz bar at the end of the night who knew “he was getting played.” 5th began to question his role in the hip-hop game, wondering what it all meant and where he even fit in anymore.

“5th Child,” the album, provides answers to the existential questions he faced. “The new album is about self-actualization and not trying to find explanations for everything anymore. It is about realizing and accepting who I am wholeheartedly,” he says. “I finally learned how to be 5th Child.”

On the record’s opening track, “Introducing,” 5^th says to the listener, over an intentionally “epic” swath of horns, synths, and haunting atmospherics, “One might say this is the moment you’ve been waiting for, but for me, more than that, it’s the moment I’ve been living for.” From this point forward, the listener is taken on a journey down 5^th’s path of “self-acceptance. I’m ready to be that dude,” he says.

“Feeling Good” is one of only five tracks that 5^th Child did not produce himself. 5^th’s mentor and “big brother” from New Orleans, Dappa, made the beat and offers a verse. On the hook, 5^th declares, “I’m feeling good/Cause finally I made it/My gas tank is full/And my life is so amazing.” If, as 5^th says, he is “trying to pull himself back up with this album,” then he seems right off the start to be comfortable with his newfound happiness.

5^th produced “Run,” the soulful first single off the record that represents the journey he has taken to get to now. “Run” features singing from Houston-native Cello. “I originally sang on it. It sounded bad,” 5^th says. “As a producer, I know what I’m looking for, but I am not entirely sure until I hear it. When I got a tape of Cello singing, I knew that was exactly what I wanted.”

5^th’s production has progressed to be less sample based, as he is becoming more familiar and comfortable with crafting his own beats and melodies. On “Gifted,” though, he samples pianos, horns, and a breakbeat to put underneath his playfully braggadocious rhymes. Similarly, 5^th borrows from Memphis Bleek for the hook of “I Wanna Be,” saying, “I got to sleep with a picture of a Porsche on my wall, man I’m trying to come up on ya’ll.”

“Franchise,” which features a well-placed verse from fellow Jacksonian Rashad Street, is an homage to the ladies. “Now that I’ve been playing more shows, I make songs to be performed live,” he says of the inspiration for the song. The banger “Stand For” might sound a but out of place, but 5^th has a perfectly good explanation: “I do one ridiculously hood song on every album. I came up listening to conscious, underground music, but I’m still from Jackson.” The song features a verse from his show DJ and close friend, DJ PM.

“Relax,” produced by Cincinnati Monster and featuring Trumpcard, is the smoothest track on the album, coming across as the music in a chill room somewhere in outer space. It is part of 5^th’s effort to “hit all of my character traits” on the album. The sample-heavy “I’m Ready” finds 5^th Child in “stream of consciousness” mode, stringing together “random punch lines” to explain all the ways he is “ready to be that guy.”

With “Bedtime Story,” 5^th takes his biggest risk on the album. “This song is really close to my heart, because I don’t normally do many story songs,” he says. In “Bedtime Story,” 5^th is faced with tough decisions about what to do to help a friend that is involved in darker sides of the game. “I thought, ‘what if I die in it.’ It happens in the movies and is always cool,” he says. 5^th went to great lengths to make the song “sound perfect sonically” and to continue the cinematic theme he began in the beginning of the record. As such, “Bedtime Story” serves as the sonic climax of the album, where all the themes and progressions in 5^th’s sound come together.

“8 ft.” was written after 5^th heard the beat produced Jackson’s Donche. “I heard it and thought, ‘I need that beat.’ It’s always easier to write to a beat someone else did for me,” he says. “Chapter 2” is 5^th’s most self-reflective moment on the album. He made the dark, stirring beat then let it tell him what the song should be about. “Chapter 2” centers on a friend who “lost his podna about a week ago,” allowing 5^th to examine his own reaction to loss and sadness as a reflection of his own self-absorption that causes him to be an absent friend.

The guitar heavy “My Culture” shows 5^th ready to stake his claim. He raps, “Big K.R.I.T killin ‘em, Banner went platinum/So I’m gonna take it over as soon as I get a crack at ‘em.” With “Breaking Point,” 5^th delves into his “issues with society.” He wrote the song around the time of the situation in Egypt, which influenced both the lyrics of the song and his decision to experiment with drum patterns that are outside his normal comfort zone.

“Free,” produced by C Donche and featuring the second apperance of Cello, is a spiritual song, as God is always an important topic for 5^th. Further, “Free” is for 5^th a chance to get “into the next phase and become a better song-writer and using my voice as an instrument.” 5^th rides the beat, changing up his cadence for a fresh sound that offers a glimpse of where his rapping might be headed in the future.

“5^th Child” ends with “Anything,” which features a verse from Jackson. 5^th raps, “I gotta keep it moving/For the first time in my life/I’m not afraid of what I’m doing/I’m never looking back never looking at obstacles/I Know nothing’s impossible.” For 5^th, the song “sums up the entire album. It’s my Simba moment: Yes I am the King. It’s like when Bruce Leroy got the glow,” he says laughing.

And in all seriousness, it is refreshing to see such honesty from a hip hop artist these days. While many have no problem telling you they are the best, very few give you a look at the struggles it takes to get there, including the self-doubt, personal questioning, and casting off of demons that 5^th Child went through to accept himself. In the end, this is what makes “5^th Child” even greater than the sum of its parts: the rare glimpse inside of the mind of an up and coming artists who is not afraid to turn himself over to the listener.

Thanks for reading. We have all kinds of updates on deck, so keep checking back often.