Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Ruthless Records Returns With L.A. Multi-Talent Hopsin
Author: Jake Paine
Hip Hop fans remember Ruthless Records for being an introduction point to N.W.A. [click to read], The D.O.C. and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony [click to read]. Owned by Eazy E, the famed imprint also played home to artists including will.i.am, DJ Quik [click to read] and Above The Law throughout its 23 years in business. However, with few new releases after Eazy's 1995 death, and even less after the Bone Thugs camp vacated the label in the early '00s, the legendary Rap label has overhauled its roster.
In addition to Stevie Stone, one of the label's new hopefuls is 23 year-old Hopsin. A native of Panorama City in the valley, the emcee, who shares a love of film and skateboarding has brought his many talents to the label that's negotiated a new distribution deal through Sony Red.
"Before I got the deal, I was doing little Hip Hop showcases every now and then, and basically just promoting myself on MySpace. I didn't really have a lot of knowledge as far as marketing myself, 'cause it was just me," Hopsin admitted to HipHopDX, speaking from the Ruthless offices in Los Angeles. "I was making all the beats that I rap to and directing all my videos, but I just didn't know how to get out there; I didn't have a manager too." In an age where artists like Drake and Mickey Factz have created movements without labels, the west coast rapper says label support made him national, "The buzz wasn't really, really that big. It was nothing, except around my neighborhood."
Although he appreciates the tradtional label structure, Hopsin is hardly a traditional artist. A triple-threat, he raps, produces and directs his own videos. "Nobody can write my rhymes for me, 'cause they don't know my life. Nobody can direct my videos for me, 'cause they don't see my vision," he said, about his creative demands on his art. In an age pioneered by Dr. Dre 15 years ago, where rappers direct their own videos, Hopsin says his hardest task in the process is creating a team. "Find a good camera-man! It gets real tough," shared Hopsin, noting numerous occassions where he employed crews that did not measure up.
Being focused on music, the rapper echoes the sentiments heard in the Midwest from Kid Cudi and B.o.B. in the south, as far as isolation and sacrifice. "I had to throw a part of life away. I was in high school, but I didn't have fun. I didn't do the girlfriend thing; I was focused on music. It's now paying off," he said, claiming his peers today are likely "trapped in the matrix."
As far as the matrix of the music industry, Hopsin says that Ruthless has innovative plans to unveil their third-generation acts. "I was told that they're pushing everybody out at the same time. They've got an individual focus on every artist. [Label CEO and Eazy E widow Tomica Wright] doesn't want to specifically brand the label, she wants to focus on the mind of each artist individually. Eventually, you'll know what label we're all on, but it's all about the individual aspects of the artist."
Asked if he upolds any of the Ruthless traditions in music-making, Hopsin told DX, "I'm all about the rawness - being raw and saying what I want. I'm not gonna say, 'F the president,' but if I have a topic to speak on, as far as other rappers, or how I feel about a girlfriend or a homie, i express how I feel. That's what I feel I bring back to the new roster at Ruthless Records." Joking that Panorama City is hardly Compton, the 23 year-old also made commentary on Rap's evolution since the '80s. "If I rap about guns, not everybody has [used] a gun in their life. But if I rap about fighting, everybody has been in some sort of confrontation in their life. I do it in a way that's acceptable."
The fist-fights, break-ups and commentary is reportedly coming together in a 2010 body of work titled Gazing At The Moonlight. With two singles already surfacing ("Pans In The Kitchen" and "I Am Here"), Hopsin explained his title song as, "A deep, conscious song talking about how a lot of people sell themselves out and in a way, sell their souls to the Devil 'cause they don't have the true skill to do it. I'm explainin' to everybody that I'm not gonna fall to that influence." The album will be entirely self-produced, with self-directed videos, including an early work, posted below.
hiphopdx.com
Hip Hop fans remember Ruthless Records for being an introduction point to N.W.A. [click to read], The D.O.C. and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony [click to read]. Owned by Eazy E, the famed imprint also played home to artists including will.i.am, DJ Quik [click to read] and Above The Law throughout its 23 years in business. However, with few new releases after Eazy's 1995 death, and even less after the Bone Thugs camp vacated the label in the early '00s, the legendary Rap label has overhauled its roster.
In addition to Stevie Stone, one of the label's new hopefuls is 23 year-old Hopsin. A native of Panorama City in the valley, the emcee, who shares a love of film and skateboarding has brought his many talents to the label that's negotiated a new distribution deal through Sony Red.
"Before I got the deal, I was doing little Hip Hop showcases every now and then, and basically just promoting myself on MySpace. I didn't really have a lot of knowledge as far as marketing myself, 'cause it was just me," Hopsin admitted to HipHopDX, speaking from the Ruthless offices in Los Angeles. "I was making all the beats that I rap to and directing all my videos, but I just didn't know how to get out there; I didn't have a manager too." In an age where artists like Drake and Mickey Factz have created movements without labels, the west coast rapper says label support made him national, "The buzz wasn't really, really that big. It was nothing, except around my neighborhood."
Although he appreciates the tradtional label structure, Hopsin is hardly a traditional artist. A triple-threat, he raps, produces and directs his own videos. "Nobody can write my rhymes for me, 'cause they don't know my life. Nobody can direct my videos for me, 'cause they don't see my vision," he said, about his creative demands on his art. In an age pioneered by Dr. Dre 15 years ago, where rappers direct their own videos, Hopsin says his hardest task in the process is creating a team. "Find a good camera-man! It gets real tough," shared Hopsin, noting numerous occassions where he employed crews that did not measure up.
Being focused on music, the rapper echoes the sentiments heard in the Midwest from Kid Cudi and B.o.B. in the south, as far as isolation and sacrifice. "I had to throw a part of life away. I was in high school, but I didn't have fun. I didn't do the girlfriend thing; I was focused on music. It's now paying off," he said, claiming his peers today are likely "trapped in the matrix."
As far as the matrix of the music industry, Hopsin says that Ruthless has innovative plans to unveil their third-generation acts. "I was told that they're pushing everybody out at the same time. They've got an individual focus on every artist. [Label CEO and Eazy E widow Tomica Wright] doesn't want to specifically brand the label, she wants to focus on the mind of each artist individually. Eventually, you'll know what label we're all on, but it's all about the individual aspects of the artist."
Asked if he upolds any of the Ruthless traditions in music-making, Hopsin told DX, "I'm all about the rawness - being raw and saying what I want. I'm not gonna say, 'F the president,' but if I have a topic to speak on, as far as other rappers, or how I feel about a girlfriend or a homie, i express how I feel. That's what I feel I bring back to the new roster at Ruthless Records." Joking that Panorama City is hardly Compton, the 23 year-old also made commentary on Rap's evolution since the '80s. "If I rap about guns, not everybody has [used] a gun in their life. But if I rap about fighting, everybody has been in some sort of confrontation in their life. I do it in a way that's acceptable."
The fist-fights, break-ups and commentary is reportedly coming together in a 2010 body of work titled Gazing At The Moonlight. With two singles already surfacing ("Pans In The Kitchen" and "I Am Here"), Hopsin explained his title song as, "A deep, conscious song talking about how a lot of people sell themselves out and in a way, sell their souls to the Devil 'cause they don't have the true skill to do it. I'm explainin' to everybody that I'm not gonna fall to that influence." The album will be entirely self-produced, with self-directed videos, including an early work, posted below.
hiphopdx.com
"Pans in the Kitchen" - Hopsin from Hopsin on Vimeo.
Posdnuos Talks New De La Album, Working With Gorillaz
Author: Slava Kuperstein
De La Soul's Posdnuos recently took time to speak about the group's upcoming album, You're Welcome.
"We have several tracks that are coming together incredibly," said Pos, according to Entertainment Weekly. Included amongst the songs are "We Are (For the People)," featuring vocals from Chuck D and Flavor Flav (get out those running shoes!), as well as a song titled "We Are God."
Pos also revealed that the group also hopes to get a feature from Damon Albarn, Blur's lead singer and mastermind behind the Gorillaz.
De La Soul met Albarn after appearing on the Gorillaz' 2005 hit "Feel Good Inc.," featured on their multi-platinum album Demon Days.
In addition, Posdnuos discoled that De La Soul has contributed vocals to two songs so far for the next Gorillaz album, which is tentatively titled Plastic Beach. The working titles for the songs are "Sloped Tropics" and "Electric Shock." The latter has the same name as one of the Gorillaz demos Albarn debuted on BBC Radio 1 in January of this year.
In related news, De La Soul released a 10-track mix of running music comissioned by Nike titled Are You In?
hiphopdx.com
De La Soul's Posdnuos recently took time to speak about the group's upcoming album, You're Welcome.
"We have several tracks that are coming together incredibly," said Pos, according to Entertainment Weekly. Included amongst the songs are "We Are (For the People)," featuring vocals from Chuck D and Flavor Flav (get out those running shoes!), as well as a song titled "We Are God."
Pos also revealed that the group also hopes to get a feature from Damon Albarn, Blur's lead singer and mastermind behind the Gorillaz.
De La Soul met Albarn after appearing on the Gorillaz' 2005 hit "Feel Good Inc.," featured on their multi-platinum album Demon Days.
In addition, Posdnuos discoled that De La Soul has contributed vocals to two songs so far for the next Gorillaz album, which is tentatively titled Plastic Beach. The working titles for the songs are "Sloped Tropics" and "Electric Shock." The latter has the same name as one of the Gorillaz demos Albarn debuted on BBC Radio 1 in January of this year.
In related news, De La Soul released a 10-track mix of running music comissioned by Nike titled Are You In?
hiphopdx.com
U-God Talks "Dopium," Sharpening Skills
Author: Sean Ryon
Names have always played an important role in the Wu-Tang Clan. From their epithets like “the Man of All Rainbows,” to their Cuban Linx pseudonyms, the nine members of the classic Hip Hop ensemble have always paid careful attention to their numerous monikers. This summer, U-God introduces a new name into the Wu-Tang vernacular. His latest album is called Dopium, dropping June 23 on Babygrande/Frank Radio.
“[The title Dopium came about] one day. I’m sitting in the house and there are all these drug commercials: Xanax, Lithium, and all this other crazy shit. I’m just like, ‘Damn, all these companies are coming up with these names for these drugs," said the Staten Island emcee. "The Like, shit, where do they get all these names from?’ And they’re legalized drug companies. So I’m sitting there, saying to myself, ‘Damn, [Dr.] Dre had The Chronic, and shit, [these companies] make billions and billions of dollars off of these names and these legalized drugs,’ and I also had the thought…that everybody says ‘I’ve got the crack rap.’ I’m sitting there thinking, ‘You know what? I’ve got to come up with a drug name that represents my music and how I feel my music is.’ U-God deduced, "'I’ve got that dope shit. I’ve got dopium.’ I cut off the words ‘dope’ and ‘opium’ and put them together, and said ‘I’ve got that dopium.’”
Since the Wu-Tang Clan’s emergence in 1993, U-God is infamous among his fans and his fellow emcees for his hard-hitting guest verses, garnering the epithet “the 4-Bar Killer.” He promises that Dopium will even surpass his past lyrical brilliance.
“[In] my years of rhyming, I’ve been able to sit back and study my brothers [in the Wu-Tang Clan],” said U-God. “I can’t deny nothing: I learned all my craft from the nine greatest emcees to ever embrace this earth. Being that, I [sat] back and gathered what I call in my mind ‘the manual’ for Rap. Being that I sat back and was taught by the best, I’ve been able to sit back and see things in music and rhyming that other people probably can’t see right now. He continued, "In other words, you’ve got spiritual Rap, you’ve got compressed Rap, you’ve got bouncy flows, you’ve got stutter step, you’ve got all types of different rhyming. What [I’m] able to do [is]…I can bring [those styles] about anytime now because I went through the so-called ’36 chambers,’ and I completed my dragon stance. This is what I’ve been able to do so far. I completed my chambers and my chamber task, and I became a master. So now, I can master any style that’s brought about. Any which way somebody wants to take it, I can do that with ease right now.”
Although releasing two albums in 1999 and 2005 respectively, U-God admits he's had a slower rise than some of his brethren. “It took me awhile to get like this. I believe in the story of the tortoise and the hare. You’ve got dudes that are real fast, and can go in things and do them. I’m not that dude; I’m the turtle. I take my time, but I get across the finish line when it’s time to get across the finish line.”
While many of Wu-Tang Clan members’ albums boast features from their associates, Dopium features an even more diverse list of guest artists. Included on the album are collaborations with Jim Jones , Sheek Louch and legendary producing emcee Large Professor.
Looking at the guest list, U-God said, “[Jim Jones], that’s my man, that’s my peeps. I was always up in Harlem [when I was] growing up, so I always felt [there were] certain dudes I could reach out to. And then one day, we were in the studio recording shit, and I happened to know that he was going to be there in the same studio. So what I did was, I just went to the studio session. He had a hundred dudes up in there, them niggas were smoking weed, he was doing whatever. I just went straight to the dude and said ‘Yo dag, I want you on my joint,' and he said ‘Aight.’ Two weeks later, he was up at my favorite spot, and I went up there and met him. I sat there with my man and I got a verse from the dude. Dude is a real dude; ain’t too many real dudes left in the game. I recognize real dudes. I can see a lot of dudes are faking, acting like they’re the shit, acting like they’re like this, that and whatever. But Jim [Jones] is a real dude. I approached him, and he gave me his verse in 15 minutes. Bang, it was nothing. Same thing with Sheek Louch. Bang, 15 minutes in. [There are] certain dudes I can see ‘He’s hood oriented, so he ain’t going to take me through that movie-star status shit, or not call me back he because he doesn’t feel level I’m on his level'...[Sheek] gave me a nice dart, too.”
go to http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.9229/title.u-god-talks-dopium-sharpening-skills/p.2 to read the rest
hiphopdx.com
Dilated Peoples To Headline Bay Area Benefit
Author: Anthony Springer Jr
While the latest Bay Area renaissance in Hip Hop was dominated by the “hyphy” craze, the northern end of the West Coast has always been active in its community and unified. The spirit of unity and community will continue June 25 when Dilated Peoples, Opio and Pep Love from the Hieroglyphics crew come together with other artists to support DJ RasCue.
The Bay Area DJ is in need of a kidney transplant. All proceeds from the show will go directly to DJ RasCue.
In addition to helping out the DJ, the benefit show also seeks to raise awareness about the millions of individuals in need of organ transplants and the importance of organ donation.
Since being placed on the US Kidney Transplant List, RasCue says in addition to the physical changes his body has gone through, the battle has taken a toll financially as well.
“Finding myself in this position so young I have really taken time to examine and fully appreciate, and cherish my life,” RasCue tells DX via statement. "But perhaps more importantly, I have learned how much it can really mean to a person when someone chooses organ donation.”
For fans in the area, the show takes place at the Temple Nightclub, located on 540 Howard Street in San Francisco.
For more information, visit Urban Umpires.
hiphopdx.com
While the latest Bay Area renaissance in Hip Hop was dominated by the “hyphy” craze, the northern end of the West Coast has always been active in its community and unified. The spirit of unity and community will continue June 25 when Dilated Peoples, Opio and Pep Love from the Hieroglyphics crew come together with other artists to support DJ RasCue.
The Bay Area DJ is in need of a kidney transplant. All proceeds from the show will go directly to DJ RasCue.
In addition to helping out the DJ, the benefit show also seeks to raise awareness about the millions of individuals in need of organ transplants and the importance of organ donation.
Since being placed on the US Kidney Transplant List, RasCue says in addition to the physical changes his body has gone through, the battle has taken a toll financially as well.
“Finding myself in this position so young I have really taken time to examine and fully appreciate, and cherish my life,” RasCue tells DX via statement. "But perhaps more importantly, I have learned how much it can really mean to a person when someone chooses organ donation.”
For fans in the area, the show takes place at the Temple Nightclub, located on 540 Howard Street in San Francisco.
For more information, visit Urban Umpires.
hiphopdx.com
More Details Emerge About Slaughterhouse Debut
Author: Salima Koroma
Last week rumors swirled about the status of Hip Hop super-group Slaughterhouse’s upcoming album [click to read]. But the group, which consists of Joe Budden , Joell Ortiz, Crooked I, and Royce Da 5’9” finally confirmed rumors of a July 7 release and has added a few more details about the project.
“We did an entire album in six days!” said Joell Ortiz in a statement. “When you genuinely love what you’re doing everything is effortless. It was like a long party. I can’t wait for the fans to experience this album.”
Producers StreetRunner, The Alchemist, and DJ Khalil were speculated to have a hand in the project. Not only did members of Slaughterhouse confirm these speculations, but they also announced that Mr. Porter (Kon Artis of D12 fame) will also produce tracks for the album.
The group was added to the Rock The Bells lineup and will join Nas, RZA, Common, and many others on tour next month.
"This group is really something special,” said Royce Da 5’9”, “and this summer I'm excited to show the world what we have to offer! If you thought that we were just gonna release a few tracks to the net and then disappear you are in for a very rude awakening.”
The upcoming album is currently untitled.
hiphopdx.com
Last week rumors swirled about the status of Hip Hop super-group Slaughterhouse’s upcoming album [click to read]. But the group, which consists of Joe Budden , Joell Ortiz, Crooked I, and Royce Da 5’9” finally confirmed rumors of a July 7 release and has added a few more details about the project.
“We did an entire album in six days!” said Joell Ortiz in a statement. “When you genuinely love what you’re doing everything is effortless. It was like a long party. I can’t wait for the fans to experience this album.”
Producers StreetRunner, The Alchemist, and DJ Khalil were speculated to have a hand in the project. Not only did members of Slaughterhouse confirm these speculations, but they also announced that Mr. Porter (Kon Artis of D12 fame) will also produce tracks for the album.
The group was added to the Rock The Bells lineup and will join Nas, RZA, Common, and many others on tour next month.
"This group is really something special,” said Royce Da 5’9”, “and this summer I'm excited to show the world what we have to offer! If you thought that we were just gonna release a few tracks to the net and then disappear you are in for a very rude awakening.”
The upcoming album is currently untitled.
hiphopdx.com
Grandmaster Flash Honored By UMA
Author: Edwin Ortiz
As one of Hip Hop’s most influential artists, Grandmaster Flash [click to read] has rightfully been given the recognition he’s deserved for a career that spans from the 1970’s to his latest release The Bridge [click to read]. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 alongside The Furious Five, Flash will add to his regiment of accolades with the UMA Living Legend Award.
The New York deejay will be presented with his award during the Urban Music Awards on July 17th at the Highline Ballroom in Manhattan. Jordan Kensington, founder of the UMA, explained why Flash was the right choice. “Flash is an absolute legend and he remains an inspiration to the Hip Hop culture all together by flying the flag from its inception to the success it has become today. The Urban Music Awards fans across countries even as far as Japan, Africa, United Kingdom, Dubai, Caribbean, and throughout America have voted Flash to receive this people’s choice award which goes to show how much of an impact Grandmaster Flash has made worldwide.”
With over 175,000 people across the world voting for the Bronx-native, Flash humbly stated, “I am honored to receive this award and I can’t wait to attend the awards show in July. The Urban Music Awards is different from all other awards shows because it represents the whole world.” Adding Flash, “Our music is main stream and we have to connect with our fans from all around the world to build an even bigger community so thank you to all my fans worldwide and the UMA for this opportunity.”
Tickets for the Urban Music Awards are on sale now and can be purchased at their official website www.urbanmusicawards.net.
hiphopdx.com
Dead Prez Pt. 2: It’s Bigger Than Hip-Hop
Turn Off The Radio, Vol. 3: Pulse Of The People, is the mixtape that dead prez hopes will stimulate the masses to action on June 23. Mixed by DJ Green Lantern, the effort is laced with features from Chuck D, Bun B, Styles P and the talented new recruit, Johnny Polygon. The listener is in for an audible revolution. This lyrical reformation will feed a ravenous Hip-Hop appetite. Borrowing Afya Ibomu’s idea that “food is consciousness,” Stic.Man expounds on the sentiment, “I would like to paraphrase her quote, music is consciousness.”
This elevated awareness will become more apparent on the third dead prez studio album Information Age that will be release later this year. “We’ll use the chemistry of sound to try to inspire and to share our journey of getting knowledge itself and growing—and everything under the sun. Stic.Man continues, “We created a new sound, a new energy working with a new producer named Dirk Pate out of Denver, CO. He had the sound, he had the bass, he had the futuristic funk that we needed to take our consciousness to the next level.”
As dead prez continues to challenge their skills to perfect their art form by creating mixtapes and albums their sound will continue to evolve. In the conclusion of their interview they show that they’ve been bonded by music but it’s still bigger than Hip-Hop.
AllHipHop.com: Is there a definitive release date for Information Age?
M1: We’re still working on that bad boy, but hopefully this year. Pulse of the People will be out June 23rd which is the album we’re working on with DJ Green Lantern; that’s going to be the prequel. That’ll be another stage in the development of us rounding out the sound of Dead Prez. A lot of our effort, just like the Turn Off The Radio is there to communicate with a whole street movement that’s about disconnecting with the kind of radio that doesn’t reflect what our reality is. The Turn Off The Radio vibe really came as a two-prong approach on getting music out to the street…We’ve upped it to the next level with DJ Green Lantern and came out with a super-powered, on steroids, joint that basically became this new album that we’re about to put out now.
AllHipHop.com: Is there a difference when you’re making a mixtape as opposed to making an album?
DJ Green Lantern: There’s definitely differences; the timeframe is probably the biggest difference. We did Pulse of the People, three or four days. It’s about spitting one song and [voicing your] mind what’s on your heart, and boom, you give it to them. That’s a mixtape; that’s its own energy…
Stic.Man: With an album you have a protracted amount of time to develop a theme, to edit a lot more to just build in a different kind of way—For us they are very much similar because we think conceptually when we do s**t. We like to create with a body of work that’s conceptual and cohesive. So, on some of our mixtapes, it’s gonna sound like an album anyway. That’s what people are going to get on Pulse Of The People.
AllHipHop.com: You’ve both released solo albums, Confidential and Manhood, as a group is it necessary to embrace solo expression?
M1: I’d say definitely… I think there’s an expression that’s unique unto ourselves. I don’t know if everybody wants to hear that s**t; I think it deserves to be expressed. That’s how you need a project like Confidential and mine. Learning from the art of production; because, Stic is a monster producer as well as Green and I’m a producer myself— Then trying to use our voices in the illest way to find what we can contribute to the whole. I think it is important just for the people to grow as artists. We go through the growth stages of refining our talent.
AllHipHop.com: Has dead prez discovered the essential element of what’s needed for a group to stay together and enjoy longevity?
M1: We’re still learning it. But, I can tell you this, when people ask what is it that helps us stick together is that, bigger than Hip-Hop is our slogan, bigger than Hip-Hop is a lifestyle of two Africans who have a common goal. [We’re] bound by political unity, will of action, being in the same boat trying to keep the ship afloat and understanding that we all want peace. At the end of that day, all together, that becomes much bigger than any entertainment or music industry process that we can ever be involved in. So, to me, music is the background, the underlay to what’s really happening and we can continue music for a long time…
AllHipHop.com: Has the recession impacted the way that you fund or donate to any charities/organizations that you’re affiliated with?
M1: To me it’s similar to voting. Every four years you’re supposed to vote for the President…To me that process happens every day. I cast my vote when I wake up in the morning and I decide to turn on the TV, or not to let my children engage in some backward educational process… To me, every vote we make is a strike for or against the system in a particular way. Not only does that influence me in what kind of contribution that I make towards organizations; but, everything is a contribution.
The system is on 24/7 it; it never shuts off. Either we feed it or we go about the business of dismantling it. So, every move that we make hopefully does that and not just one particular chance. Even in this particular time, we understand the recession as over-aching, long-reaching, before it was recognized in the system. We want to be freedom-loving, freedom-fighting people, who will do whatever it takes all the way down to the vote; just to win. So, there’s not one particular day or one particular cause.
AllHipHop.com: In a separate interview I did with DJ Green Lantern he spoke about a project you did with director Rick Cordero; what can you tell me about that?
DJ Green Lantern: It’s a series of songs in one video. It’s a little unorthodox. It’s a video encompassing around four or five songs in it. That’s not going to be edited and whatnot just yet.
M1: The digital aspect of the art is paramount right now because of the age that we live, the information age. The music with the images, or the snipe— the cross-sections of real life is tantamount to us moving forward to making the thing real palpable for the people. At the end of the day that’s why we take this video s**t so serious… That project will come in its time. We’re working on it now, we’re in the middle of it, these images—I think they’re really going to set the tone of the Pulse of The People in the right direction.
AllHipHop.com: What are your thoughts about being environmentally conscious and what green products are you taking advantage of?
M1: I take advantage of Green Lantern’s production. [laughs] I’m just kidding… One of my lines I recently wrote it, you can’t go green without that black and red. The reason why I say that is because it’s going to take power in order for us to really change it. Right now there is a huge—opportunistic green market—which is developing, at the hands of the government, which recognizes it’s a way to offer jobs. Capitalism is ruled by its wallet and its stomach. That’s what moves capitalism and I think that’s the reason why you see this whole green thing happening. I don’t think it’s because of any righteous conclusion that people have come to. I have to be aware of that. I don’t think that Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth was just a coincidence. It was a very convenient truth for government...
But, I think a lot of it is about changing our minds, not just by changing a light bulb. We need to change our minds…We have to be conscious about the fact that we’re going to be living here… So, we can’t clutter this place with things that won’t be biodegradable or things that will be toxic to our environment… We plan to package our albums in recycled paper and recycled materials. Even with this given age it helps us going green because there’s less of a waste factor in the whole thing. I think on the basic level that’s where that is.
AllHipHop.com: Is there anything else that you’d like to elaborate on?
http://thenewliberator.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/deadprez.jpg
DJ Green Lantern: Pulse of The People, on June 23 it comes out— It’s going to be released and heavily marketed online, so all your online stores… It’s definitely going to be a physical presence. If you’re a dead prez fan like I’m a dead prez fan and you’ve been waiting for years for these guys to come back together and put their minds together and go in that studio and make some crazy ass music, now is the time, it’s coming out on June 23rd. Cop that! That’s what I got to say. Invasion!
M1: I’d like to say thank you, to AllHipHop, for wanting to hear what we got to say and wanting to print our words and let the world know.
allhiphop.com
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