Benz and a Backpack

Rapper Big Pooh’s contribution to Little Brother’s success has been downplayed by some in the past. Not until his solo debut, Sleepers, was it made abundantly clear that his rhymes were a crucial element in the LB formula; it put the spotlight on the shrewd lyricism that gave the group a necessary edge. While you could always count on Phonte to tell it like it was, Pooh’s quick-wit cemented the group as a force to be reckoned with. Take a look at the these bars from “For You” off the groups critically acclaimed debut, The Listening; on the last verse Phonte raps, “making the crowd cheer massively/I tell ni–as ‘y’all aint wack’/'y’all just sound wack rhyming after me’” and Pooh later continues the thought by cooking up this heater, “thugs getting open to me/and yo mad hands up in the air/ like I told em to freeze.” Their contrasting styles brought 9′th’s larger-than-life production back down to Earth.

Rapper Big Pooh dropped his sophomore album, Dirty Pretty Things, at the beginning of this month. Like Sleepers, the hard-biting production showcases that signature Big Pooh sound, but it also explores more approachable subject matter. On “Right With You,” Big Pooh proves he has matured as a solo artist. Essentially his love-letter to hip-hop, clever lyrics like, “Seeing how my boys act/like they like you more than me/that kinda turn me on/it don’t evoke jealousy” are effectively applied to a laid-back beat. It wouldn’t be surprising if he appropriated a mob of new fans with the track “Around the World (ladies love),” a pleasant surprise complete with the infectious crooning of Novel. As he explains on “Interdependent,” the album is all about telling his story; “this is my struggle/this is my pain…emotionally drained/married to the game/this is chapter 2/welcome all to the change.” The beats are meticulously arranged to suit him, consistently hitting the mark and the album as a whole is really well-rounded. This could be the beginning of something much bigger, so get familiar.

As the title of this post suggests, Benz and a Backpack was fortunate enough to snag an interview with Big Pooh only a few days ago. Hit the skip to see his take on the NBA lockout, his future projects and Spotify. You’ll also find the tracklist for Dirty Pretty Things and a link to purchase the album via iTunes. Read the rest of this entry →

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5. Buffalo Sabres

I grew up in the 90’s like millions of other people. [Hockey] was my shit growing up, it was all I did from when I was 8 or 9. I played for the school team and was the captain and all that shit, which was pretty cool. My drive with music is pretty much the same as it was with hockey. That’s why I was successful at hockey and was doing what I was doing, but it took a backseat [to music] later on. I’m not gonna be one of those people like, “Yo, hip hop changed my life.” Yea, it totally did, but I’m not gonna be a fake person and be like hockey never existed for me. – J57

When I first approached J57 about putting up a list of his favorite things, little did I know he would suggest digging into his too-deep knowledge of 90′s hockey. I had a few minutes to catch up with the producer from the Brown Bag AllStars, and we shot the shit about his favorite sport growing up, working at Fat Beats and the formation of BBAS.

4. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim's Wild Wing Jersey

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Last week, Thirstin Howl The 3rd listed his favorite Lo gear. This week, another Polo Godfather blesses us with knowledge. Straight from Rack-Lo, major props to him.

The Polo Godfather Rack-Lo & Polo Ralph Lauren (The Connection)

As a young kid in junior high school, I became fascinated with the lifestyle of Polo Ralph Lauren. First, it started as just getting my hands on any Polo that I was able to get at that age. But as I got older and gained more understanding I started expanding my likes, interests and wardrobe all based around Polo Ralph Lauren. And all of my friends from Friz-Lo, AV Rock, G George, Hector, Dollar Bill Dave to Boostin Billy to countless others all did the same thing. People around the neighborhood called us the “Polo Boys” or the “Polo Crew” until “Polo Posse” came along and then finally USA and Ralphie Kids to “Lo-Lifes”. Since 1986, I have been a lo head and done seen a lot of people come and go. I’ve seen people try to dress like us and use our dress code to get them further in life, but they always fail because they are frauds and clones. Only the real, the originators, the founders deserve to benefit from all of the blood sweat and tears we have experienced through the decades of rocking Polo. In my plight to be the “Flyest In The City” and the “Lo-Life” catalyst that I am, here’s some of the RL Polo symbols that I liked and made sure I got my hands on. These are five of my favorites.
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With the epic success of Odd Future, it was only a matter of time before more hip-hop skating, do-it-yourself collectives started appearing in the music world. Perrion and his brother, Microphone Preview, have been building up their own posse, High Off Music Entertainment (or HOME), based out of NYC and Atlanta. The most recent release from their group is Perrion’s Le Bourgeon mixtape. With creative production and solid lyrics covering a range of topics, Le Bourgeon is an enjoyable summer listen. Hit the skip for the full text of our interview with the young jedi.

Fantastic: For those who don’t know, who is Perrion?

Perrion: 20 year old rapper/producer from Washington Heights, NYC.

Fantastic: On your first track you mention you were signed by a record label for a brief period when you were 14; how long have you been making music and what went on with the label?

Perrion: Well I was signed to Universal Records with my brother. We were signed by this dude named Kedar and [then] Sylvia Rhome came and took over and pretty much dropped all of Kedar’s artists. I’ve been making music since around the age 9 or 10.

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“Polo socks match my Polo hat.” Seeing as almost every rapper rocks a Polo get up in at least one of their videos or photo shoots, I thought it only right to get the low down on the hottest Polo gear from someone who has been wearing Polo since before some of these rappers were even born: Lo-Life founding member Thirstin Howl The 3rd. If you’re a Lifestyler, sit back and reminisce with Thirstin as he lists his favorite badges and pieces. If you’re not, get educated by the Lo-Life general who made it okay for your favorite rapper to rock Polo (or any other high-end brand, for that matter).

1) The Cross Flag – 88 Edition
Thirstin: The Cross Flag was hot even before Lo-Lifes was formed, and it was hot when we first did it for Lo-Lifes. It was everything, too: the socks, the visors, the hats, the knitteds, the shorts. Everything. Read the rest of this entry →

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Straight from Clutchamatic at MTVHive:

“MTV Hive just published an interview with Compton’s Kendrick Lamar. In it, he talks with Andrew Nosnitzky (Noz of Cocaine Blunts) on Section 80, the Reagan era, religion, and the secrecy behind Dr. Dre’s Detox. Here’s an excerpt.”

Are you tired about people asking about the Dr. Dre shout-out yet?

No, I’m not tired of it. It’s an accomplishment, I’m blessed for a West Coast legend that I always looked up to acknowledge my work. But what I don’t want people to misunderstand is that you’re hearing Kendrick Lamar’s name because Dr. Dre said it. This is something I’ve been building from the ground up since I was sixteen. I’ve been putting out music, and in order for him to even say my name he had to hear the music first, the same [way] everybody else did.

Do you have any Detox secrets you can reveal?

Aw, no, I can’t reveal no Detox secrets! He gon’ be mad at me. Just know the shit is classic. It’s fucking incredible.

Really? Because the singles haven’t inspired much hope.

Right yeah, I see the people saying that but they won’t be disappointed once they hear the album.

Read the rest of the interview over at MTVHive.com.

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With the Random Axe album due out in five days, Ruby Hornet’s Sean CK caught up with Da God for an honest, funny, and at times off-putting interview. Among other things, P Body talks about Guilty Simpson and Black Milk, the differences between Detroit and Brooklyn, and how P’s forthcoming album might just be the most ignorant album in hip-hop’s (relatively) short history.

Ruby Hornet: Can you describe the relationship between cats from Brownsville, and then Midwest folk from Detroit etc. There seems to be a relatable vibe between the two.

Sean Price: Man, ya’ll Detroit and ya’ll Chicago nigg*s, ya’ll are crazy. We ain’t like that out here. We get it poppin out here, but not like that. Ya’ll nigg*s are crazy! Having big automatic weapons an shi*t. We might have a pistol, you feel me, maybe a nine, at the biggest maybe a mac or a tech, ya’ll nigg*s be having Ar-15′s, you know what I mean, Big Johnny Rambo sh*ts in the back of ya’ll rides, we don’t do that out here. We got a bunch of fu*kin projects and a bunch of windows, so when you pull out an AK, yo ass is getting told on. Someone is telling on you. we can’t do all that. Nigg*s get it in, don’t get it twisted, but it ain’t like that. We put it in with small caliber weapons, compared to the sh*t ya’ll be doing.
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When Clutch and I were getting started with Benz And A Backpack in 2009, we made two crucial connections very early on, before we’d even really gotten our legs under us. The first was with Gedi of PotholesInMyBlog.com (and if you follow Gedi or Potholes, you already know how vital that was). The second was with underground emcee Trek Life, someone whom we respected both as a rapper and as a person. Trek distinguished himself to us in this oversaturated market by displaying an unparalleled dedication to his convictions: he is a father, a friend, a peer, a mentor, a trendsetter, and above all else he practices a conscientious form hip-hop that has afforded him the continuing opportunity to travel the world and disseminate his message.

We recently caught up with Trek nearly a year and a half after our first interview, and a lot has changed since then. Trek dropped two major projects last year, had a song featured on ESPN, and was written up in the ‘Pop & Hiss’ section of the Los Angeles Times. We figured right now was a good time to talk to Trek again, to reflect on his recent successes and foreshadow his future ones. Hit the skip for the full text, and make sure you holler at Trek on Twitter!

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The buzz surrounding Massillon, Ohio’s own Stalley is enormous right now. In the wake of a wholly positive response to Lincoln Way Nights, his most recent (and still free!) mixtape, Stalley made another round of headlines earlier this week when he purportedly signed to Rick Ross’ Mayback Music Group. The rumor was all but confirmed two days ago when Ricky appeared on the remix of the title track off Stalley’s Lincoln Way Nights.

If it is what it seems, Stalley adds breadth to MMG’s roster, bringing substantial lyrical depth and a notable dedication to speaking the truth through his music (ironic, isn’t it?). No matter how you look at it, Stalley is comfortably situated in a powerful position. With a show coming up in Providence on May 7th at Industry (formerly Jerky’s), Clutch and I caught up with Stalley to talk firsthand about Creative Control splitting from DD172, keen advice for aspiring beard growers, and the possibility of collaborating with Bruce Springsteen. Hit the skip for the full interview plus a download for the remix to “Lincoln Way Nights.”

Stalley ft. Rick Ross – Lincoln Way Nights (Remix) by BenzAndABackpack6

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“I come from a place where everyone has a backyard, there are trees, it’s quiet outside.  Coming here, especially in Harlem, it’ll be 3 in the morning and I’ll just hear noise and people yelling, traffic noise and stuff. And I’m really not used to that, because my street at home, when it comes to night time it gets dead silent.  And it’s not busy, you can go outside and kick a rugby ball in the middle of the road. You don’t have to worry about anything like that.” – David Dallas

Don’t be mistaken, David Dallas is not from Texas.  The self-proclaimed islander moved to the United States towards the end of 2010, after reaching number one on New Zealand’s iTunes charts with his premier solo album Something Awesome. During a last minute meeting with Duck Down Records, Dave’s management team got the label excited enough to eventually follow through with a record deal.  His third album, The Rose Tint, will be released later this April.

The three most famous things to come out of New Zealand are their rugby team, the HBO series Summer Heights High, and the DJ software Serato. Dallas breaks down the dynamic of these three phenomena, in addition to talking about having a degree in Computer Science and living in Harlem.  He’s yet to live in the United States for a year, but he is one good album release away from turning from a hometown favorite into a bonafide internationally renowned rapper. Check out his first episode of “Coming to America”, a mini-documentary about how his new life is playing out thus far.

Previous: Buff 1 & David Dallas – Eyes on Success [prod. P-Money] (Video)

Hit the skip for the full interview.

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“A lot of times at my live shows you see progression. There are tracks that people have heard, but it’s like, you really haven’t heard this track until it’s live. What they’re listening to may be a year and a half old version of a track, so they don’t understand how the track may be flipped at the live show. When you come to a live show, there might be tracks that you’re thinking, “Oh, this track is good,” and then you see the live show performance of that track, and it’s a little more than you thought the track was. And you’re going to definitely hear my melodies come through a lot stronger at the live shows.” -BiAS

Previously: Spotlight on BiAS

Progression is the operative word, and BiAS has shown a lot of it. The Atlanta-based vocalist is currently at work on two projects, including his debut album Sent By Messenger: Act I. We caught up with BiAS to chat about Joe Mad’s cartooning, Joe Johnson’s hooping, and Joe Six-pack’s journey through a dystopian world. If you’re in Atlanta tonight, catch BiAS and his team perform at S.O.B.’s starting at 8PM.

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“I think art in our society has definitely gotten commercialized, but as the internet has grown, really gained a lot of diversity. I think it really shows in our music because, I mean I don’t know anybody who doesn’t listen to a bunch of random shit. Everybody is blending stuff. Hip-hop has had such a universal effect on music, I guess you can see it everywhere now. The dance tracks, techno is definitely starting to influence a bunch of stuff. I guess the music we make is definitely indicative of our time” – Glenn Saddler

Previous: Spotlight On: Glenn Saddler

Glenn Saddler is a musician based out of Atlanta, Georgia, and is currently working on two projects, including his debut album Anthem. During our conversation, we talked about everything from his creative process, T-Pain’s influence on music, and the unique perspective he feels his generation has concerning art and culture. Hit the skip for the entire interview, and if your in the ATL, catch Glenn and his squad perform Sunday 2/27/11 at S.O.B.’s.

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