Superproducer Just Blaze talks about the importance of artist development, building a relationship with your audience, and it’s effect on music purchases.
A three part interview featuring Just Blaze and 9th Wonder addressing the importance and mystique of being a producer, learning musical history, record digging, and alternative production opportunities.
Featuring Soul Brother #1 Pete Rock on the 1’s & 2’s and Art by: Joe Buck, M. Tony Peralta, Rafael Jimenez, Mike Stone, One9, Voodo Fe, Craig Anthony Miller, Mario Pena, Charnier Corey, Alan Ket.?? Thursday, August 21st, 2008 (6pm – 9pm) 55DSL Store 281 Lafayette Street (Between E. Houston & Prince) Soho, NYC RSVP: … Read more
School supply manufacturer Street Science has recruited Swizz Beatz as a spokesperson in their series of commerciasl/PSA’s. I’ve got much love and respect for Swizz as an artist, producer, and businessman, but… Disturbing Thoughts: I was under the impression that one of the main points of an education was to get away from "the streets" … Read more
DJ Juice, one of the best to ever step into mixtapes, runs down his list of Mixtape awards and shows off a collection of plaques and trophies.
Interesting note: 9th Wonder picks all of Murs’ beats. Quotes of the day: "Rap is really dumb right now" –Murs "3rd grade rappers…" –9th Wonder Respect always.
EPMD master producer The Funk Lord Eric Sermon dropped by the Roundtable to talk about the upcoming EPMD album We Mean Business, getting jerked in the record business, ignored Hip-Hop demographics, unreleased Rick Ross material. Def Jam A&R Lenny S even tells a Summer Jam story about a 5 thousand dollar bet between Eric and Jay Z… with Jay making it rain on the crowd with his winnings!
Three more parts after the jump!
Forbes Magazine just dropped a feature on Swizz Beatz detailing his earning potential from music and collaborative efforts with cell phone providers and clothing manufacturer Tommy Hilfiger. It’s amazing to obtain a small glimpse into the scale of Swizz’s personal economy.
Last year he rode his royalty-spewing catalog of the 400 songs he’s produced up to No. 17 on Forbes’ Hip-Hop Cash Kings list with an estimated $12 million in pretax earnings. Like many rappers, he splurges on flashy cars (a Lamborghini Murciélago, a Mercedes SLR McLaren and a Cadillac Escalade, to name a few), but his finest possession is an art collection that includes original paintings by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. He can afford a few more. His earnings for 2008 will probably top $17 million.
De La Soul’s Maseo aka Plug 3 touches down in Milwaukee to drop info about various production styles, equipment used in De La Soul’s early days, production tricks learned from Prince Paul, and the moment he knew music was going to be a real career.
Mock news clip featuring producers 88 Keys and The Abstract prepping for the October 28th release of The Death of Adam.