[Interview] AEMMP Record Producer: Ikon
We have linked with Columbia College's student run record label AEMMP Hip Hop for a little subset of our Record Producers column. If you've haven't seen the column, it's an in-depth interview with Hip Hop's best producers, new and old. Focusing on the new, the AEMMP Hip Hop edition will highlight producers that the student run record label is currently working with for their forthcoming compilation, which will be a follow-up to last year's Class President. Much like rubyhornet, AEMMP Hip Hop's efforts are aimed at providing young musicians with a platform to expose their talents to a larger audience.
Today we kick off the feature with Ikon, a senior at Columbia from Forest Park, IL. Ikon's production on the yet to be titled AEMMP compilation will come via two tracks, both featuring this week's AEMMP Artist of The Week, Saba. Read on for the full-interview and a short clip introducing Ikon.
[Interview] AEMMP Hip Hop Artist of The Week: Saba
"At end of the day, the product will speak for itself, don't let me bore you with all of this reading and these pictures of my beautiful face. Just listen haha."
Chicago is ripe right now with multifaceted and disciplined crews. These crews are not just made up of rappers and producers, but also poets, writers, videographers, photographers, fashion kids, plus anything and everything in between. These crews become a home base for creativity, as well as a megaphone for the individual members. One such crew that has been gaining steam since the summer is the PIVOT Gang, fueled in good part by Saba, the talented emcee and producer. It turns out that Saba is also a Columbia College student, and is this week's featured AEMMP Hip Hop Artist of the Week.
Head over to the next page to get to know a little bit about the PIVOT front-man currently balancing music and school. If you are a Columbia College student and a musician, submit your music to submit.aemmp.org to be the next AEMMP Hip Hop Artist of The Week.
[Interview] Sean Price: Get Busy
Sean Price is a one of a kind emcee. One of the best lyricists in the game, Sean uses his bars and sense of humor to stay relevant in a time when releasing a project every other month is normal, and marketing a lifestyle over skill set is the standard way of doing things. Yesterday's album release, Mic Tyson, was Price's first solo release since 2009 with the former fighter inspired mixtape Kimbo Price. Yet, in that time off, P was not running around NYC, making music, and micro-managing his next project. While he did release an LP as a part of Random Axe with Black Milk & Guilty Simpson, "Seanwuar" was most notably enjoying the simple joys of an average family man.
"My oldest son is in high school and just got his first piece of p*ssy, he going nuts," Sean said. "My twelve year-old still thinks he's a wrestler and shit jumping all over the place. Then my daughter thinks she's the queen of the house," he continued. The Brownsville, Brooklyn emcee had his third child about two years ago and also got married to his longtime girlfriend both of which can trump any album and/or mixtape in battling for priorities.
From recording four songs in a short period of time, to taking months off at time from recording altogether, the mixture of family responsibilities and his job as a rapper has worked out well for Sean Price. Professionalism is something Price takes extremely serious, and for him that means bringing A-game lyrics to each and every bar he pens. When asked about his close relationship with his record label Duck Down, Sean stated, "I do realize it's a business and I'm not just signed cause we peoples, I give them quality shit to work with. I'm not signed because I'm their homeboy, I'm signed because I get busy."
That's one thing Sean wants listeners, fans, and haters alike to know. He get's busy.
[Interview] RH First Look: Jason [^_-] Davis
Moving around a lot can be pretty tough on a child. You're always the new kid at school, and making friends can be tough. For some though, being forced to entertain yourself can have its perks. Jason Davis, an emerging emcee and producer, found some benefits from following his mom from job to job and state to state. The constant relocation led him to discover the comics, toys, speeches, and philosophers that would lay the foundation for his art.
Davis began dabbling in music in 2007, writing verses and posting them to his Facebook page with the weird face that would become his calling card, and continued mentions of a Robot Army. He started to notice a solid response and that others began to latch onto this "army", which soon grew to include photographers, producers, emcees, and video directors, all drawn to Davis' off-center imagery and skill.
Since the release of his first project in 2009, Welcome To The Robot Army, Davis has continued to work on music, getting better and more serious with each release. In 2012, Davis released his best project to date in the form of Spectrums of The Mind. He deems it his debut album, and something that is reflective of what he's been going through over the last few years, both good and bad.
I sat down with Davis to talk about his new album, the Robot Army, and what he needs to do to be taken seriously in Chicago's current Hip Hop scene. Check out the interview as well as Davis' new album on the next page.
[Interview] AEMMP Hip Hop Artist of The Week: Sin Cordell
We're back with the third installment of our AEMMP Hip Hop Artist of The Week spotlight. For those of you that are new to the series, we've partnered with Columbia College's student run record label, AEMMP Hip Hop, in an effort to shine light on Columbia College students that are balancing course work with studio sessions. This week we turn our attention to Sin Cordell of Chicago's WWNNN crew. The label selected Sin as the latest AEMMP Hip Hop Artist of The Week. Check out his interview and some of his music on the next page.
If you are a Columbia College student and interested in being featured, visit AEMMP Hip Hop to submit your work.
[Interview] Rza: The Passion
Two weeks ago, on a rainy and cold Saturday afternoon, I had the opportunity to sit down with the Rza and pick his brain about the Wu-Tang Clan and his upcoming film, "The Man With The Iron Fist". Over coffee in Wicker Park, Rza opened up about his abilities as a filmmaker, how being the leader of the Wu prepared him for his current endeavor, and his secret weapon: passion. Peep Rza insights below, and look for our video feature to debut next week along with the release of "The Man With The Iron Fist".
Passion as a secret weapon:
"I'm a capable person. I think I've proved that through my musical career and really starting from zero and being able to take not only myself, but a bunch of families with me. I proved my capability. When I'm passionate about something, I'm the first fan of it. I'm the first dedication and I think people know one thing, my passion definitely did help inspire them. It's been proven when I'm passionate about something, I bring it to life."
How Wu-Tang Clan prepared him for a film career:
"It was actually the best training I could ever have. I didn't know that. I wasn't conscious that all my trials and tribulations, good times and bad times with Wu-Tang would help me become this kind of psychiatrist of thinking towards other artists and talents. But also one of the biggest things that helped me is that I'm an artist. I understand the grind, the gripes. I understand right now we're getting out early in the rain to sit here and talk to you about a film instead of on the bus, curled up warm. I understand how it feels, so I appreciate what an artist does. As a director, I'm going to have compassion. There was a situation where we just had a problem, some of the producers were like, 'push through it, push through it, push through it.' I was like, 'no, no, no, no, no. You're not going to push through it. You're not going til he's ready."
Success was certain:
"I was sure that music was the savior of me, and my community, and my buddies... I don't need to be praised for nothing. There were days I would come to the neighborhood and be talking my mouth off about what we needed to do, what we were going to do, and how it's going to be. Sometimes they'd talk this way, talk that way, cause they weren't sure, but I was sure. I guess now that I think about it, I was passionate and my passion brought them along, and they agreed with me. It's a blessing. I knew musically it was going to succeed. I was very confident... The difference between me as a director and me as a Hip Hop artist is that I know that Wu-Tang and myself and this organization was the best! I knew I was the best. Now, in film I can't say that yet. I got a long way to go. But in a few years, if I really master this craft, I won't be shy to say, oh, I got the belt right now."
[Interview] Hodgy Beats: Find Your Own
"We collaborated on some shit today. I don't even know what it's called. Don't care. Just sounds good." And with that, our Closed Session with Hodgy Beats was finished. The Odd Future/MellowHype/MellowHigh emcee happened to come through the studio during down time in the windy city, where his Odd Future collective had a show later that night at the Vic Theater.
Hodgy was calm and relaxed throughout the session, slightly different that the Hodgy we came to know through Odd Future's live shows and music videos. While we kind of expected Hodgy to come in, bounce off the walls, and take over the space, he instead grabbed a spot on the couch and methodically listened to production from Thelonious Martin. With Left Brain beside him, Hodgy found his beat, and went to work.
After cooking up a nice new joint with Thelonious, Hodgy sat down with me for a new interview. Here he talks about his need to constantly be create, the value he places on originality, his adjustment to fame, and of course, MellowHype's sophomore LP, Numbers, which released shortly after this interview took place.
Hit the next page to read the full interview. Enjoy.
[Interview] AEMMP Hip Hop Artist of The Week: Shonen Domo
Today we continue our AEMMP Hip Hop artist of the week spotlight. This week, the kids over at AEMMP send us Columbia College student and aspiring emcee, Shonen Domo. Domo opens up about his start in music, balancing college and rap life, and the inspiration he takes from comic books. Peep the interview on the next page as well as his track "Back The Fuck Up". If you'd like to be the AEMMP Hip Hop artist of the week, visit AEMMP Records and submit today.