Interviews: October 2007 Archives
THE ALMIGHTY MIXTAPE has been responsible for launching countless careers in the hip-hop world and such is the story of these four youngins from the Bay Area known collectively as THE PACK.
One day rap veteran Too $hort was driving to a show in Berkeley when he heard somebody bumping The Pack's latest mixtape. He got out to see who it was and instantly decided he needed to find this group. It just so turned out he knew Uno's father and the rest is history as they say. Mix that type of serendipity with the hard work and grinding it took to put the mixtapes out and add the infinite reach of Myspace to their Based music (a combination of hyphy,crunk and Miami Bass) and you get instantaneous success. "I gotta be a star. Anything else would be uncivilized," casually says Stunnaman.
All under legal drinking and voting age, this hip-hop Based Music quartet has blown up and achieved monumental success spreading their California sound across the country. Their single "Vans" did for skateboarders what "Air Force Ones" did for Midwesterners, their episode of "You Heard It First" was the most viewed and downloaded show in MTV.com history, and their video held the #1 spot on MTV2 for several weeks and they have yet to release their debut album. And we thought Kanye was the only one who got that type of buzz before putting out an album.... Nope and with a record like this Mixtape Kings had to sit down with some of Jive Record's youngest and hottest in the game right now.
It was truly a pleasure to talk to Lil B, Stunnaman, Uno, and Young L. They are full of jokes, laughter, insight, and love for their mamas (yes they are mama's boys). Of course the first thing I had to ask is what has it been like working with Too $hort, the originator of raw and uncut rap. No crazy stories or outlandish adventures (at least none the minors shared) but they were full of admiration and respect saying $hort has taught them a lot about rap music and being focused to get your hands on the prize. In addition to having $hort as a mentor, Uno's dad used to rap back in the day with $hort, Stunnaman's brother makes beats, and his mom is a poet who started him acting at a young age providing multiple sources of advice and support for the teenagers.
Being fresh faces on a rap scene that has become redundant, The Pack has inspirations that range from James Brown, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Hendrix to modern day Jeezy, Fabolous, 2 Live Crew, and Pac, with their biggest influence being themselves. "I try to keep my mind fresh so I can create my own thing because when you are influenced by someone you somewhat recycle the person who inspired you," says Stunnaman who looks to himself for most of his inspiration. Perhaps this why they have made a made a courageous decision to have no features on their debut album outside of production, an 8 bar and a vocalist who makes a guest appearance, a rarity for an emerging group but fully confident of their skills and charisma the groups says they are not looking for other people's names to boost them.
With solid minds in place to keep them grounded, these young men are much more than rap's latest carnation of the boy band. They are well rounded and educated ensuring that a hit song or cd will not be the summation of their life. "A lot of people say I want to be a rapper and they focus 100% of their energy on that and don't look back. They don't have a backup plan. Anybody who wants to be anything in life needs to make sure they are in school," says Young L who was in college studying business until tour demands became too much. Stunnaman, on the other hand, reminds us that we can go to school even if we are not in school. "I'm from the hood off the block. I never could pay for college and I don't want to go into debt owing nobody nothing. My mother always taught me school is supposed to be free.I am going to make enough money and then pay for myself to go to college so I am not left owing. I am not knocking school or what professors teach but learn how to pick up a book because you want to and don't let school kill your creativity."
On that note (and after a back and forth about being self taught and going to college along with a whole lot of cracking on each other and jokes) the guys had to run to the next interview but before I let them go I had to find out what they had on their feet and see if anyone was wearing Vans. The answer: one pair of Vans, throwback 1996 Nikes, some Creative Recs, and Pradas.
Their last words to Mixtape Kings on the importance of the mixtape: "Having mixtapes out is a real push. It was a big help putting music out and flooding the streets. It is always a major boost. It gives everyone a chance to get a feel for you and helps you build life long supporters."
The Pack's debut album, "Based Boys" drops on Octoer 30th.
What happens when a Queens-bred DJ and a Brooklyn rapper join forces? The Co-Op!!! That's what happens. DJ Envy is a two-time winner of Just-O Mix Tape Award, one of New York's leading club & mix tape DJs as well as a Mixshow DJ on Hot97 and if that isn't enough on his plate DJ Envy currently serves as President & CEO of BLOK Entertainment, his own management and production company that has already produced scorching tracks for artist such as DMX, Murderers, Funk Flex, Foxy Brown, Juvenile, Petey Pablo, Fabolous and more. When I asked him how he accomplished all this in a short span of 10 years he simply responded, "I stay consistant & persistant, I don't sleep, theres always a young DJ out there trying to take my spot and I'm not ready to give it up yet".
Mainstream music listeners are just now getting a taste of Red Cafe, the man who underground audiences have heralded as a legend for almost a decade now. When I asked him why he thinks it took so long for his music to go mainstream Red Cafe responded, "I don't compromise! What I give is honesty from my walks & journeys".
Both of these talented artists have been on the same journey yet on 2 different paths, encountering the same trials and tribulations otherwise known as Industry Rule 4080 (record company are shady). Red Cafe signed his 1st deal with Violater Records at age 19 and said "I have had a new deal every year since 1998, whenever they tried to take me for a sucker: I left". DJ Envy released his first LP, The Desert Storm Mixtape: Blok Party Vol. 1, in 2003 by Sony Records; it only sold 110,00 units despite featuring notable artists like Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and DMX. Envy was quoted "I put my life onto that Sony album," "I was so disgusted with Sony and the system that they had in place, so I said I'd never do another record in my life. But all it takes is one good artist or one feel good record to make you change your mind. Red Cafe came in the picture, and when we started doing records it made me want to do an album. Everything came out so good and so smoothly that I had to give it another a chance."
When I asked them both what they learned from their experiences, it was easy for both of them to respond, "we learned the ins and outs of a deal, and together we know our shit, we have our own money & together we invest in ourselves, we also have a great lawyer". I asked how the two met, Envy replied "I would see him in the clubs consistant with his music, we got together and put out 30 to 40 songs and I said we have to do something with this" DJ Envy refered to him and Red Cafe as the "Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff of 08".
The Co-Op, you know I had to ask how that name came about, we all know what it means but I asked them how did it relate to them? LOL, DJ Envy asked me" do you know the show THE WIRE?" I said yes, (DJ Envy)" its like the wire you have the North click, South, East and West, all doing their thing separetly until they all got together and formed a Co-Op, same here We came together and formed our Co-Op"
These guys haven't stopped working either Red Cafe informed me that they are both working on their solo projects, which led me to ask where do they find the time to do all of this? DJ Envy said "we priortize go do a club at night, wake up and do my morning show, going back and forth". It doesn't stop there either both these men have businesses outside the music industry, Red Cafe told me "I own real estate properties as well as strip clubs, while DJ Envy owns a couple of houses".
DJ Envy & Red Cafe 2 guiding staples of New York's urban scene join forces to form The Co-Op and present it's Moving!!!! Volume 1. In stores now!!.
Here is a little inside information, DJ Envys favorite track is called "Buck-Buck", Red Cafes favorite track is "Invisible" and if you care my favorite track is the Nina Sky-assisted "Things You Do". It's a must get album if you love music, period!
If you would like to get a hold of either DJ Envy or Red Cafe you can click on there myspace links below, and incase you are wondering yes I did ask them do they answer their own myspace or does someone else do it for them, the reply was simply the best "its part of the daily grind, we check It everyday".
The Market Place
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