[RH Interview] Rapsody
Three years ago, while a junior in the Journalism school at the University of Iowa, I hooked my first artist interview for a small blog I had established for a class. The artist’s name was Rapsody, then a new signee to super-producer 9th Wonder’s then-new imprint, JAMLA. At the time, she was full submerged in 9th's "rap boot camp" as she described it then, spending endless hours in the studio honing her craft with notes from him and the rest of the JAMLA team, who earlier this week released the collaborative JAMLA Is The Squad.
Three years later, the foundation she built through those long hours of study and practice have molded her into one of the craftiest lyricists in hip-hop today. Where she was the student then, she is now looked to by younger artists for inspiration and guidance, something she never could have imagined back then. Six projects have spanned the time since I last sat down to talk to Rapsody and each one has shown a calculated growth in everything from her delivery to her cadence. In a world where artists can go from no one to the front of a magazine seemingly overnight, the North Carolina native is a bit of a throwback to a time when the art was more important than Youtube views and Twitter followers. I ran into her last month at a JAMLA event celebrating the addition of Chicago artist Add-2 and caught up over the phone recently to discuss the what the past few years have been like since we last sat down for a Q+A. Check out our full conversation below.
[Album] JAMLA: "JAMLA Is The Squad"
Years ago, while in college and attempting to make an initial name for myself in the writing game, I somehow found myself interviewing 9th Wonder from my tiny apartment bedroom in Iowa City, Iowa. Since then, 9th and his team, JAMLA, his record label/hip-hop team that has made a distinct effort to bring soul and knowledgeable lyricism back to hip-hop. Acting as a sort of sensei for the JAMLA family, 9th has been known to put new artists through what has been described as "hip-hop boot camp," helping rappers and signers work on writing while opening producers minds to new influences and ways of creating different sounds. Last night, 9th Wonder, Rapsody, Khrysis, Halo, Terrence Martin and the new addition of Add-2 come together on JAMLA Is The Squad, a compilation project of tracks from the label. Joining the squad on the release are the likes of Pete Rock, BJ The Chicago Kid, Blu and Talib Kweli who help craft a boom-bap-ish sound that pays attention to what 9th calls the "twenty year loop" in music. Check out the latest from the sample genius and his band of talented artists, streaming here below and check back to RH tomorrow for more from the JAMLA team!
[Songs of The Day] 1/24/13 (Feat. G-Eazy, Kool Keith, Grizzly Bear, 9th Wonder and more)
For today's songs of the week we have a smattering of what's what around the Internet today. Kool Keith came out of a deep dark slumber to release the eclectic, "Strip Club Husband" which kind of plays out exactly as you'd expect it to. Chicago and North Carolina link up as BJ The Chicago Kid, Add-2 and 9th Wonder flex on Add's addition to JAMLA with "15 Minutes". Along with those, we have fellow Chicago native Nylo teaming up with G-Eazy and a remix of Grizzly Bear's "Will Calls" by Baths. Check it all out below and stay up to date with the latest release below.
Grizzly Bear "Will Calls" (Baths Remix)
Jamla "15 Minutes Of Fame" (Feat. BJ The Chicago Kid, Add-2, and 9th Wonder)
G-Eazy "Sleepless" (Feat. NYLO)
Kool Keith "Strip Club Husband"
[Video] Add-2 Interview with FUSE
Chicago's Add-2 and recent JAMLA-signee Add-2 slid through the FUSE offices earlier this week to sit down and talk about the whirlwind of an end to 2013 he had. Add chats about signing with 9th Wonder and what it was like working with the legend himself while crafting his latest mixtape, Between Heaven & Hell, with fellow JAMLA artist Khrysis. While touching on the different aspects of his latest project, Add gets into the inspiration for the title and songs on it like "The Ugly Side Of Beautiful", "Club Church" & "Death Of Chicago". Since 9th put him on the team, this has been one of the most exciting collaboration-signings I have seen in a long time, not to mention one that makes almost too much sense for all parties involved. Add worked hard last year to get where he is now, check out the interview below as he prepares to do it all over again in 2014.
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[Video] Add-2 Toca Tuesday Freestyle
Chicago's own Add-2 has been consistently adding to the great year he's had already and the other day continued to do so, stopping by Shade45 to spit a freestyle on Toca Tuesdays. Riding over a beat set down by Tony Touch, the witty lyricist mashed together a healthy helping of rhyme scheme and wordplay to prove why he got a look from legendary producer 9th Wonder, who signed Add to his JAMLA imprint back in October. It's been exciting to see Add get his due, and to add another Midwest product to the larger hip-hop landscape. Check out the video of Add-2 going in streaming below and be sure to pick up his latest project, and his first as part of JAMLA, Between Heaven & Hell with Khrysis.
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[Mixtape] Add-2 & Khrysis: "Between Heaven & Hell"
If you've been following the site lately, you may have noticed my excitement at Add-2 being signed by 9th Wonder's JAMLA label. To me, it is a perfect ious MCs with one of the most legendary producers in hip-hop music today. Through JAMLA, 9th has established a group of artists and producers that work under his tutelage. Of those pupils is Khrysis, who Add linked up with for this celebratory mixtape project, Between Heaven and Hell. What ensues is a soulful prelude to what will certainly come from the collaboration of JAMLA's newest signee. Check out the full team tonight at The Shrine, where Add-2, Khrysis, RapSody and 9th Wonder will all be in attendance to celebrate their new member. Info here.
fit of sorts that brings together one of the Midwest's most capable and lyrically consc
Add-2: "Club Church"
Add-2 signing to 9th Wonder's JAMLA imprint is easily one of the most exciting link ups I've seen recently. Ever the quintessential lyricist, the Chicago MC made a wonderful career move by getting together with the sample professor himself in 9th and will have full access to JAMLA's talented stable of producers and artists such as Khrysis, who provided the beat for this early look at how the collaboration will go with this single, "Club Church". If you're in Chicago this weekend, make sure to head down to The Shrine on Friday for a celebration of Add-2's signing featuring a showcase of the JAMLA team, including sets from Add-2, RapSody and Khrysis. Full details available below and here.
Add-2 Signs with JAMLA, 9th Wonder
Add-2 has been doing his thing on the underground circuit for awhile now and things are really starting to roll along for the Chicago MC. Along with announcing today that he has signed with 9th Wonder's JAMLA label via a tweet from 9th himself, Add also dropped a new track with JAMLA artist Khrysis, titled "Don't Go". The song serves as a preview of what is to come from the Midwest hustler as he joins one of the most soulful, complete teams in hip hop today. It's good to see the hard work pay off as Add-2 continues to show Chicago is a place to be for hip-hop music today. Check out the track below.