For Those Who Can't Sleep On Hip Hop

Edley Shine- Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years.

July 13, 2008

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Over 15 years ago, the groundbreaking act Born Jamericans made their debut Kids from Foreign on Cali imprint Delicious Vinyl. Following this effort up with Yardcore, the group’s eclectic fusion of hip hop and dancehall was a bit before it’s time. But never-the-less, the duo made their mark on fans through out the world — for they brought elements of dancehall culture to the mainstream.

Edley Shine rose to fame as the larger-than-life DJ whose trademark bass heavy voice ripped through infinite hits like “Boom Shak a-Tack,” “Warning Sign,” “Cease and Seckle” and many others. It was his piercing microphone skills that indisputably wooed the ladies, motivated the gents and kept the vibes flowin’ from start to finish.

Although Born Jamericans weren’t able to weather the storm, one half of the former act Edley Shine has continued to rule his destiny. Of late, the DJ has been busy dropping bangers on the underground and mixtape circuits. As June came to a close, he was off to Chile, South America with Mad Lion to celebrate the release of his red hot new mixtape Edley Shine Foreign’s Finest, Street Mix Volume 1 (Bandulu Records and One Draww Sound).

Available at www.mediafire.com/?nztm1d20l3m, this mixtape boasts pure fire — including the smashes “Boned Love” and “Drop a Sleep.” Without a doubt, Edley Shine also puts it down on his latest singles “Bashment Girl” over the Lookgal riddim and “Try No Go Round It” on the Unfinished Business riddim.

Both July and August are destined to be chock-full for Edley Shine, as he is recording tracks for a back-to-school mixtape for the fall and prepping for monstrous birthday bashes to be celebrated in Washington D.C. (July 26 – Setting Night Club) and Los Angeles. There is no question that he will use these events to promote his new music.

As you read this, the DJ is negotiating a distribution deal to secure getting the hottest “riddims” distributed in America without a hitch. All the while, Edley remains humble about his vibrant past, viewing it as a true learning experience. When asked about the most important thing he learned over the years, without much thought he blurted, “Loyalty is everything. Everyone entering the business should know this.”

The sky is certainly the limit for Edley Shine as he gets in gear for forthcoming opportunities. In addition to releasing fiery music, it’s clear where else his passion lies. “In the next few years, I want to be the eyes and ears of the people dem – bridging the gap between Jamaica and America……… I think that I can provide dancehall artists in Jamaica with a great understanding of the American music business and vice versa,” says Edley Shine with sincerity. “My whole purpose is to entertain and educate all rising artists, from the gullies and trenches to the garrison. And of course, I want to sell a million records, who doesn’t?”

Impressively, Edley Shine has already started on his career quest by working with upcoming artists Carlissa Meeks and Bolo, who kills it on “Round of Applause”, a spicy counteraction to Rihanna’s “Take a Bow.”

Overall, Edley Shine is confident of a music-filled future. Each day, he wholeheartedly embraces his Jamerican background, a rich recipe of cultures that will inevitably continue to manifest in his music and walk.

To keep up with Edley Shine, visit: http://www.myspace.com/edleyshine.

Flair Lindsey

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Radiohead and the Digital Single Package Further Usher in The New Music Economy

June 26, 2008

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Here’s another event noting the end of mass media, as we know it. Radiohead recently made individual tracks from their song “Nude” available for download on iTunes. These tracks consist of various components of the song: vocals, bass, guitars, effects, and drums. Digital downloads of the five individual tracks which make up “Nude,” and the actual song itself, were made available as a digital package for $5.99. Fans were encouraged to download the tracks and create their own remix of “Nude” using software such as Garageband. The combined sale of these stems, as they are called on iTunes, helped “Nude” debut on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart at the 37 position. This chart is comprised of data from the sale of music and radio play, however, according to Billboard, at the time of their first charting, “Nude” was only receiving airplay on three or so stations. So, the song’s basis on the charts is mainly due to the 60,000 paid downloads it received last week.

What’s ingenious about Radiohead’s offering is that it was a hugely successful way to merchandise a single song, digitally. In a world where music consumers are less likely to purchase an album, and instead opt to pay .99 cents for a song, Radiohead has effectively sold a single for $5.99. Again, this is really a tribute to connection that this band has with its diehard fans. Since most artists aren’t able to sell entire digital albums to their fans for $9.99, it is more than likely not possible for these artists to effectively sell this type of digital single package of sorts to fans.

Ultimately, creativity, options, and strong connections to fans are proving to be the components of success in the new music economy. Radiohead is doing a great job of ushering in this new era- one where Clear Channel, mass merchants, and major labels are not the gatekeepers for the success of a music release.

(Photo credit- RoadsidePictures Flickr creative commons )

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Radiohead and the Digital Single Package Further Usher in The New Music Economy

June 26, 2008

216462933_2137cb9676_m.jpg

Here’s another event noting the end of mass media, as we know it. Radiohead recently made individual tracks from their song “Nude” available for download on iTunes. These tracks consist of various components of the song: vocals, bass, guitars, effects, and drums. Digital downloads of the five individual tracks which make up “Nude,” and the actual song itself, were made available as a digital package for $5.99. Fans were encouraged to download the tracks and create their own remix of “Nude” using software such as Garageband. The combined sale of these stems, as they are called on iTunes, helped “Nude” debut on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart at the 37 position. This chart is comprised of data from the sale of music and radio play, however, according to Billboard, at the time of their first charting, “Nude” was only receiving airplay on three or so stations. So, the song’s basis on the charts is mainly due to the 60,000 paid downloads it received last week.

What’s ingenious about Radiohead’s offering is that it was a hugely successful way to merchandise a single song, digitally. In a world where music consumers are less likely to purchase an album, and instead opt to pay .99 cents for a song, Radiohead has effectively sold a single for $5.99. Again, this is really a tribute to connection that this band has with its diehard fans. Since most artists aren’t able to sell entire digital albums to their fans for $9.99, it is more than likely not possible for these artists to effectively sell this type of digital single package of sorts to fans.

Ultimately, creativity, options, and strong connections to fans are proving to be the components of success in the new music economy. Radiohead is doing a great job of ushering in this new era- one where Clear Channel, mass merchants, and major labels are not the gatekeepers for the success of a music release.

(Photo credit- RoadsidePictures Flickr creative commons )

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Australia’s Ivens “Sounds To Expire To” by CyPhEr777

June 24, 2008

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IVENS-SOUNDS TO EXPIRE TO OBESE RECORDS

This review, along with all my others, are obviously geared towards certain types of Hip Hop fans. The type of fans that ignore the commercially saturated radio waves and so called video channels. The type of fans who are willing to take a chance on what some might not consider conventional. Nasty Nas (better known as Nas), released an album that claimed that Hip Hop was dead. And although some might think this is true, Ivens’ “Sounds to Expire To” proves the contrary. This seminal release by Ivens is proof that Hip Hop isn’t dead but, is in fact very much alive and is being held hostage; purposely suppressed so that the corporate conglomerates can stuff their pockets with more loot while bombarding all facets of entertainment (audio and visual) with garbage.

To the rescue is Australia’s Ivens “Sounds to Expire To”! It’s funny how even though Ivens reps the down under, “Sounds to Expire To” is like everything you loved about hip-hop before it went all flashy and pop domestically. Ivens is a well-rounded battle rapper and writer in his own right, reminiscent of a younger and hungrier EL-P. Plutonic Lab step in as a major production force concocting sick beats that are stranger than the most abstract, heavier than the most metal, blacker and more claustrophobic than the most industrial. “S.T.E.T.” consists of 13 tracks in which Ivens and Plutonic Lab take chaos and carnage and twists them into musical shapes which strain, struggle and bend against the boundaries of the art form.

Ivens’ distinctive style is laced with spitfire delivery, relentless wordplay and. is a refreshing blend of knowledge, truth, and exceptional wit. His lyrics are a diverse and dynamic representation of hip-hop. The opening line on the “Intro” sets it off:

“Re-alignment of the frame works coming to pass let’s bend and shape/

Splintered driftwood overlooked seen as an accessory for the taking/

Craftsmanship from a different plain story boards that need no order/

Original etchings fine tuned to the point they seemed distorted.”

As a fan of this incredible art called Hip Hop, I along with many others grow increasingly frustrated that Artists/Groups like this are constantly overlooked. Tracks like “The Grudge” or my favorite “Well Oiled Machine” offer proof that these tracks can hang on any radio station played alongside any commercial artist. Yet the musical playing field is still uneven. Other notable tracks include my second favorite joint “MODLITONTHEMANOCORNUTO”, “Ninth Letter” and every other track I didn’t name. Any fan that is appreciative of dope music will easily connect with this release. To me, this is easily the best LP of this year and should get multiple mentions in all media outlets. Ivens once again proves that there is great music out there if you’re willing to take a chance on it. Trust me, take a chance on this cause you won’t regret it! To support Ivens please check him and Plutonic Lab @ http://www.myspace.com/daveivens. Thanx CyPhEr777

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Raekwon Flashback Interview

June 12, 2008

Let’s talk about the progression between “Built 4 Cuban Linx” and “Immobilarity.”

R: Number one, when I made “Cuban Links” I was kind of a young cat. My mind was basically street mentality. That’s all I knew everyday. When I made that album, I was basically talking about life stories. At the same time, if you listen to the narration, in the beginning of the album, me and Ghost was just saying ‘yo, we tryin’ to get money, we got to get money. We gotta get out of here. It’s not happening for us over here. So whatever we do, it’s got to count for something’. That was where we were at in real life. It’s about being confident in your self. That album was just full-fledged confidence right there.

So now, when that album is dealt with we reached “Immobilarity” it’s like I grew up as a man. I went from being a young man to being a man now. It’s like the whole game changed in front of my face. I matured after six years later. . at the same time it’s business, as well as it’s still fun to me, but it’s business now. I could have been getting jerked…I didn’t care at that time. Through the years, I always thought, when I finally get a chance to do a personal album it’s really gonna feel like, I gotta put my work in. I wanted brothers to be knowing that I can do it and do it with no problem. At the same time I knew what I was doing it for…it was about basically taking care of my family. When I’m in the street I get love from everybody. Not only drug dealers. But it could be from drug dealers down to somebody that work at a church.

Rza has hundreds of beats. But what makes me and Rza classic at what we did was the time that we had to share with one another… business gets so real that you don’t see brothers a lot. At the time I can’t be responsible for letting another man control my destiny when it’s time for me to do what I got to do. ..I’m one of them cats that’ll give a brother a try because that’s how we got our try.

What were your sales for “Cuban Linx”?

R: “Linx” did platinum. “Linx” is more like a street bible. It went platinum through the years.

What has your relationship been with Rifkind?

R: Being a part of his family for years. I always kinda play the background a little bit. And have men go in there and deal with the situation for me…it’s not really good for artist be businessmen because you can’t see all the sh*t that people who do that sh*t see. He kept me a millionaire…but at the same time I didn’t see a lot of results being taken care of. Even on “Immobilarity” really had no promotion. At the same time the label didn’t really want me to drop it. This is my career, this is my life, the people have to hear me.

Why didn’t the label want you to drop it (the album)?

Because they was talking about the time. It wasn’t that the project wasn’t a good project…Steve has many companies. Coming to a label that you’re not always there, you have so many different things to do. Everybody is doing everything else except doing what the f*ck they gotta do for me. You gotta take care of your racehorses. You don’t put racehorses in the same stable with regular horses. The ones that wins golds and championships have special trainers. At the end of the day I didn’t receive any type of promotion or marketing.

Why do you think they were sleeping on you at that time?

R: I don’t think they were sleeping. I just think they were doing a lot of other sh*t. You know how people are. They think they can get money from every different thing but don’t really realize where the real sh*t is at.

What is your current relationship with Rza?

R: It’s all gravy. We do a lot of phone tag…other than that I know when I really need him he’ll come through for me.

It seems as though Wu Tang has been having less interaction musically, is that true?

R: It is true. We do have less interaction…it’s like being on a baseball team, you have these famous men and they all have different interactions, you know, when it’s time to get out there and play ball. They play ball. The chemistry is different now, guys got endorsement deals, gotta deal with movies…we just trying to explore our horizons. We just don’t get a chance to say, ‘yo we wanna do a joint’.

When you were on Loud, were you signed directly to Loud or were you signed to a production deal through Rza?

R: It was done through a production deal situation. Being signed to Wu Tang and being Wu Tang that was always like the guidelines to it…it was like I am always going to be Wu regardless, before RaeKwon.

Do you feel that Wu Tang Clan’s fame was used to launch so many offspring groups that is also diminished the name- watered it down in the minds of the fans?

R: …People tried to call it something that it wasn’t. It wasn’t Wu Tang, it’s just it had a Wu Tang stamp on it automatically people assume that this is what we about. .. People never separated it. ..people might have felt like that’s mediocre or that’s wasn’t classic, top classic sh*t. They had every right to feel like that cuz why you call it something that it’s not. I’m not frontin’ on you, yeah… At the same time, I guess we was so comfortable with what we was dealing with at the time. We didn’t look at it to be a problem. Until later on in the years.

How did the “W” album do?

R: The “W” album is a platinum album.

When Loud disappeared, did that basically make you a free agent?

R: When Loud’s situation happened, yeah that made me a free agent. Which was good for me, cuz I had a long contract I was still in with Loud.

How does it feel to be a hip-hop millionaire?

R: I am millionaire only because of the assets. I’m not a millionaire with the cash in my pocket. But it’s still a struggle because I got people around me that I look out for… I am constantly giving.

Talk about Ice Water.

R: I think as an artist I owe myself to bring up other brothers in the same way. I’m not gonna be here rhyming forever…I’m trying to recreate what I came for. What I created. What I was a part of at the time.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in all of these years?

R: The most valuable lesson is to love yourself. And to be appreciative…without that I couldn’t be doing it the way I’m doing it.

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