R.E. feat. Scar – "Lustful"

R.E. feat. Scar-"Lustful"

Posting some more stuff from this cat R.E. that I'm familiarizing myself with. He's DJ Toomp's new artist and he's hooked up with the homie Scar for this joint. Its also produced my by my guy Nesby Phips who ya'll should really be paying more attention to.

Spotted at BLVDST

DJ Toomp x Re: The Regeneration Project

Don't know much about this cat other than the time I saw him perform at an Almost Famous showcase. He's supposed to be sending me some music soon...so, you'll find out more about him at the same rate that I do. I'm posting this out of good faith since Toomp is messing with him. Speaking of which...where's Suga Suga?

DJ Toomp: Hardware vs Software

BLVDST caught up with renown producer DJ Toomp to get his thoughts on using Hardware and Software to use his beats. I remember interviewing him some years ago and he seemed to be all about the hardware...nowadays it looks like he's found a way to intertwine the two.

Oh yeah...this post gives me another excuse to post two of my favorite DJ Toomp tracks and two of the fiest songs of all time. Attic Crew feat. T.I.-"Dope Boy Fresh" and Big Kuntry King-"Still Kuntry" after the jump.

Attic Crew feat. T.I.-"Dope Boy Fresh" (2002)


Big Kuntry King-"Still Kuntry" (2003)

Lost and Sound: DSGB-Til Death Do Us Part (2003)

So I had to take a road trip to Fayetteville, North Carolina this past Saturday. It wasn't nothing but a 5-hour drive but those types of drives can feel like an eternity if you don't have the right music to ride to. I didn't do the best job of getting my music ready before I hit the road, so I just grabbed a handful of naked CDs in a box that I hadn't looked in for a minute. I trusted that something good would be in there because hell, I don't listen to or keep any wack shit around.

When I got in the car and went through the CDs I was more than delighted to find this gem...

As I've stated in numerous articles I've written about him, Pastor Troy doesn't get the credit or props that he deserves as far as his contributions to Southern Hip Hop is concerned. Nor does he get recognized for the strides he's made on the independent scene. I swear this man comes out with like 3 or 4 albums a year and he's been going at that pace since he got in the game 10 years ago. But, from the times I've talked with Troy about it...he could care less about the lack of props he gets. He says that as long as he gets love from the people who genuienly fuck with, he's good.

Since he exploded on the scene back in '99, he has always been heard screaming DSGB (Down South Georgia Boyz). I can't lie, I was never able to keep up with every member of this collective. Only one I always knew of was Lil Pete because he always seemed to be the one who would appear on some of Troy's more memorable songs. But after a gang of underground albums and projects an actual major label retail DSGB album was put out in December 2003.

For a man that helped put Atlanta crunk on the map, it seemed to make sense that Troy drop a project when the genre was at its height, but for some reason, it never seemed like people quite "caught on" to this album. I don't know how, because this shit was fie.

Alot of people like to blame Crunk music's popularity for the demise of "Hip Hop." I used to agree with that to a degree, because it seemed like when cats found out that they could make a little noise and money by making songs with chants and yelling on it, they just stopped rapping. Then on top of that, cats that was actually still rapping down south started to get lumped into the "Crunk" catagory. I always thought that was some BS and hated when "crunk" music started becoming a brand. Mainly becuase the term "Southern Hip Hop" started getting erased in favor of it. No one had a name for the music that made the club go wild. It wasn't called crunk music...we just happened to get crunk to it.

Anyways, I say that to say that besides Lil Jon's Kings of Crunk album, DSGB's Til Death Do Us Part was the closest thing to "crunk" music with actual rapping and just overall dopeness. To me Pastor Troy is still one of the most underrated and underappreciated rappers and songwriters/songmakers to ever touch the microphone. I know I'm getting a little wordy, so I'm just gonna start sharing some of the songs.



"Them Devils Tryin"

First off, people thought it was strange when Malice from the Clipse hopped on Mary Mary's "God In Me" remix, saying rap and gospel just don't mix...well, it does when its done right and Pastor Troy did his thing on "Them Devils Tryin" when he borrowed the hook from Helen Baylor's "Our God" and just bucked on the devil for 4 minutes. I know some of you Holy folks may feel a certain way about a song like this, but fugg it, it was fie. I swear this song makes you double the speed limit when you're riding on the highway.



"On My Block"

Another one of my favorite songs on here was "On My Block." This song just jams, point blank period. Its got some live bass and guitar on there. Troy is just flowing and riding the beat on here for the most part, proving that he don't scream on every song.


"Sittin On Thangs"

"Sittin On Thangs" was another jammin song on here. They sampled that old Loose Ends "Hanging On a String" and just went back and forth about riding clean.

Another thing I appreciated about this album was that Pastor Troy reached back and scooped up Wicket from Ghetto Mafia for a couple tracks "King of Hill" and "The Wrappa." That was a cool move on his part, because alot artists don't reach back to work some of the underground legends that helped pave the way for them to come through. It seems like the only veteran cats down here reach out to is Bun B and nobody else.

On the earlier songs I said Troy was proving that he didn't have to scream on every track to get his points across. That doesn't necessarily mean that I don't enjoy when he does.

I'm sure alot of ya'll aleady know of the self-titled single from the album, but there are a couple songs that blow that one out the water.


"I'm Outside Ho"

I've yet to be in a club where a DJ had the balls to play this song. Its one thing to rap about whupping ass inside the club, its a completely different thing to say you're gonna be waiting outside.


"My Pockets"

However...at the end of the day. "My Pockets" is hands down my favorite song on the whole album. The hook samples the last line from Crime Boss feat. 8Ball's "Story Goes" where CB gets right to the point and says "your pockets are filthy rich, my pockets are flat broke/I'm thinking 'bout jackin you, and thats how the story goes." Troy was on here basically going off on flossing ass rappers on behalf of havenots and jack-boys with lines like "my pockets, my pockets, my pockets are so empty/they talking 'bout their role'lees they talkin 'bout their Bentleys." Six years after this song was made, its probably more relevant now that it was then.

Anyways, I see that this post is getting pretty long, so I'll wrap it up. This DSGB album is a slept-on Southern classic that should be in your collection, especially if you are a Pastor Troy fan. The album features production from David Banner, DJ Toomp, DJ Montay and a young Drumma Boy before these fellas went on to become three of the biggest names in music. On top of all of that, the legendary Cooley C made some beats on here too.

Some other songs to look out for on this album are "In My City," "The Wrappa," "Off In This Game" and "Make Em Get That Money" which had the strip clubs on smash when it first came out. Of course around this time Troy had a beef with Hitman Sammy Sam so he has a song for him "Sam Diss," that was ironically produced by his former Big Oomp labelmate DJ Montay.

Depending on how you feel on a certain day....you can really let this album go all the way through without skipping anything.

DOWNLOAD: DSGB-Til Death Do Us Part

Random Jam [The "Good Life" edition]: Too Short x Blu x Kanye West

Too Short-"Good Life" (1998)

"You betta get you're sh*t together you running out of time/Something on your mind, you need to stop lyin'"

Blu & Exile-"Show Me the Good Life" (2007)

"F*ck the jewels, I think my soul glows bright enough, and f*ck whips, I learn more when I ride the bus/F*ck gold, its bad enough that we fight for bucks, and f*ck hoes, I need a wife to love"

Kanye West feat. T-Pain (prod. by DJ Toomp)-"Good Life" (2007)

"Having money is not everything...not having it is."

You know how these random jams go. The thought of living the "good life" drifted into my head just now and these three songs came to mind. Where is Blu by the way?

Creative Loafing's "Got Hip Hop?" cover

[pictured: Amond Jackson, StaHHr, Boog Brown, Kalonji Changa, Khalilah Ali, Ekundayo, Taj Anwar, Mike Flo, Doll Daze, Rita J, Señor Kaos, and Kelly Love Jones]

Am I the only one noticing how Creative Loafing is really fugging with Hip Hop and Black folks period in Atlanta right now? There was a time when the only Black people that got on the cover of CL were criminals, crooked politicians or select Dungeon Family members. Now just within the last year or so they've had DJ Toomp, David Banner (still scratching my head on that one),Dax (RIP), Gucci Mane and now this callage of underground Hip Hop acts on the cover. Good stuff Rodney.

The story revolves around Food, Clothes, & Shelter: The Street Album that celebrates the 30-year anniversary of Black August. The homie Senor Kaos is front and center on the joint, good look man.

If you're not able to get your hands on a physical copy of the paper you can read online HERE.

Dungeon Family Day

By now I've spoken with many of you about the experience I had last Monday. I'm still kinda at a loss for words for what I was around. I'm also at a loss of words because I don't want to let too many cats out of the bag out of respect from some of my professional peers...


But, in a nutshell, I pretty much got to kick it with the DF.


Big Boi, Witchdoctor, Andre3000 and Spree Wilson




Like I said, I can't really get into how and why all of these cats was together on this particular day. But, if your on the internet 24/7, happened to visit my site Monday afternoon or just nosey as hell you already know the deal. Either way, after they was finished doing what they we're doing that morning they all caravaned over to Stankonia and just chilled out. I happen to work across the street and the homie Spree Wilson gave me the heads up on all of them being over there.

I ain't gonna lie, I was kinda cautious about just going over there with my camera. This was the first time that alot of these cats had even been around each other at the same time in years. Quite a few of them was at the Stankonia Christmas party back in '07 but other than that, this was the first time that the DF had just kicked it like that. So I wanted to respect their space. I even asked my potna to just tell them I'm here with you. But he was like "shied, them niggas prolly know you better than they know me! Nigga you Maurice Garland." If you say so shawty...

Granted, I've interviewed each and everyone of these cats in my career and even broke bread with a few of them. But I don't really be expecting folks to just remember who I am all the time. So I have a habit of re-introducing myself to people the next time I see them. So, I felt kinda cool when I walked up and everybody warmed up to me on some "damn nigga, we was wondering if you was coming around" "oh man, glad you're here"-type ish.

But yeah, I asked the fellas if I could just snap a few flicks or what not just to document and share with the world. They was all cool with it, so I opted to just be a fly on the wall. I didn't want to tell dudes to pose or "you two stand together" or "you go over there." Like I said, at the end of the day, these dudes was chilling and getting back acquainted with each other. They didn't have to let me post up with them like that, hell, I was the only media/blogger dude on the premises.


Ray Murray





Mr. DJ



DJ Toomp was in the house too?

You can peep the rest of the photos in the gallery below. Now as far as some of your questions...

No, I don't think a lick of music got recorded on this day. What I do know is that they had a closed-door meeting where issues were resolved and plans for the future were discussed.

I spoke with Big Boi a couple days ago and said that over the next two years we will be getting a barrage of Dungeon Family music. His solo album (expect some big news on that soon), Dre3000 solo album, a Goodie Mob album and another Outkast album are all included in that. Backbone is working right now and Witchdoctor is still dropping projects so please go out and support those.

At the end of the day, there is music recorded and ready to go from everybody for the most part, they're all just trying to find homes (labels) for it to be put out on.

And yeah, I got a little bit of video, but I was asked to sit on that for a while, sorry. I hope you enjoy what I have been able to share with you though.

Thanks for visiting.

2008 BET Hip Hop Awards Nominees

BET released the nominations for their 2008 Hip Hop Awards show today, no surprises here.

Although I've been to the last two, never really got what the fuss was about. The first one in 2006 was basically an Atlanta rap popularity contest, which can't be blamed on the artists, hell, they was running shit at the time, plus Atlanta was the host city. But, I knew that this award show couldn't be trusted when they didn't nominate E40 for shit, even though he had two of the biggest singles that year.

In 2007, they tried to make up for leaving 40 Water out the previous year by having him MC the show, it was a good look. But they still messed up pretty much leaving the West Coast (except for Snoop Dogg of course) out, something I've mentioned in a blog long long ago.

So now, the 2008 edition is upon us and really, what are we going to see in this show that we haven't already? Really though, is it me or does it seem like the same 7 mahfuggas are nominated for all the awards? Say what you want, but that's why I think the Ozone Awards, as hood as it is, is relevant because at least there, while you may see the same 7 mahfuggas, you'll also get to see a bunch of other folks get some love.

Alot of people have been asking if I'm going, and really, I hadn't planned on it. Yeah, I guess its supposed to be my job to go, but fuck that show and everything like it right now. Getting tired of this mundane hamster wheel shit. The only surprise about last years show was seeing Katt Williams run out on stage to lip synch T.I.'s lyrics since he got jammed up earlier that day. And the only fun thing was the Konsole Kingz gaming lounge. Other than that, it was the same ol' bullshit.

For all of ya'll that's going, let me know how it is. Here are the nominees with who I think SHOULD win in "bigolmuddafugginletters" (c) Witchdoctor. Who I know is gonna win will be in italics.

Best Hip Hop Video
David Banner f/ Chris Brown and Yung Joc – Get Like Me
Common – I Want You
DJ Khaled f/ Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman and Rick Ross – I’m So Hood (The Remix)
Lil Wayne f/ Static – Lollipop
Snoop Dogg – Sensual Seduction
Kanye West f/ T-Pain – Good Life

Best Hip Hop Collabo
David Banner f/ Chris Brown and Yung Joc – Get Like Me
DJ Khaled f/ Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman and Rick Ross – I’m So Hood (The Remix)
Flo Rida f/ T-Pain – Low
Plies f/ Ne-Yo – Bust It Baby Pt. 2
Kanye West f/ T-Pain – Good Life

Best Live Performer
Busta Rhymes
Jay-Z
Lil Wayne
T.I.
Kanye West

Lyricist of the Year (this should pretty much be renamed the "Swagger Like Us" award)
Jay-Z
Lil Wayne
Nas
T.I.
Kanye West

Video Director of the Year (where's Flyy Kai and Dr. Teeth, what all did Hype do this past year?)
Gil Green
R. Malcolm Jones
Rage
Chris Robinson
Hype Williams

Producer of the Year
Akon
Bangladesh (my guy, deserves it for being slept-on for so long)
David Banner
J.R. Rotem
The Runners

MVP of the Year
DJ Khaled
Jay-Z
Lil Wayne
T.I.
Kanye West

Track of the Year
A Milli – Lil Wayne produced by Bangladesh
Dey Know – Shawty Lo produced by Balis Beatz
Good Life – Kanye West f/ T-Pain produced by Kanye West and DJ Toomp
Lollipop – Lil Wayne f/ Static produced by Jim Jonsin & Deezle
Roc Boys (And the Winner Is) – Jay-Z produced by Sean Combs & The Hitmen

CD of the Year
Jay-Z – American Gangster
Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III
Lupe Fiasco – Lupe Fiasco’s “The Cool”
Nas – Untitled
Kanye West – Graduation

Rookie of the Year (since artists with no albums are nominated, where B.O.B. at?)
Ace Hood
Flo Rida
Maino
Rocko
Shawty Lo

DJ of the Year (where's DJ Scream and DJ Skee?, most of these names are actually A&Rs)
DJ Drama (he still physically DJs and puts out tapes)
DJ Felli Fel
DJ Khaled
DJ Tony Neal
DJ Greg Street

Hustler of the Year
50 Cent
DJ Khaled
Jay-Z
Lil Wayne
P. Diddy

Alltel Wireless People’s Champ Nominees
Lil Wayne – A Milli
Lupe Fiasco f/ Matthew Santos – Superstar
Plies f/ Ne-Yo – Bust It Baby Pt. 2
Rick Ross f/ Nelly and Avery Storm – Here I Am
Young Jeezy f/ Kanye West – Put On
Yung Berg f/ Casha – The Business

Hottest Hip Hop Ringtone of the Year
Flo Rida f/ T-Pain – Low
Lil Wayne f/ Static – Lollipop
Plies f/ Ne-Yo – Bust It Baby Pt. 2
Rocko – Umma Do Me
Yung Berg f/ Casha – The Business

Best UK Hip Hop Act (I ain't gonna lie, only person I know on here is Dizzee)
Chipmunk
Dizzee Rascal
Ghetto
Giggs
Skepta
Wiley

Behind The Beats: DJ Mars Interviews DJ Toomp

Good morning all...I'm off the get me some breakfast but I'm gonna leave you with something to snack on too. Here is a new interview series Behind The Beats presented by DJ Mars. In this webisode he's interviewing DJ Toomp about his latest contribution to Young Jeezy's The Recession album (I heard the album sounds just like its title.

Oh yeah...keep an eye out for The History of Mixtapes coming soon! Mars will probably kill me if I told ya'll about it before he did.

Big Kuntry-"Da Baddest"

Kuntry is my dude. I mean, I don't really ride to this song like that, but its cool. Call me spoiled but shied, I tend to compare all of Kuntry's songs to his 2003 classic "Still Kuntry." That might be unfair as a fan, but, I'm sorry that shit is jammin like hell. Shied, that my be my favorite Toomp beat too while I'm talking.

But for real ya'll, don't sleep on Grand Hustle they got a tight little roster over there right now. T.I., B.G. Kuntry, Young Dro, MacBoney (don't sleep!), Alfamega (don't sleep!), B.O.B., 8Ball & MJG and Yung LA.

In The 'Yo: DJ Toomp & Company

If Atlanta Hip Hop is a tree, DJ Toomp is the seed. The man has had a hand in every Atlanta artists' career from Success-N-Effect to Stat Quo, counting names like T.I., Ludacris and Young Jeezy in between.

I have interviewed him numerous times over the last few years and I have to say that he is one my favorite people to talk to. He keeps it honest, almost too honest sometimes. He has got to be one of the humblest cats that I talk to, plus, I know that everytime I interview him, I will hear something new. He's like a Hip Hop historian. Not just a Southern Hip Hop historian, but a HIP HOP historian, period. I have a feature on him in the second-to-last SCRATCH issue with T.I. and Wyclef on the cover. At the time of that interview he was riding the high of having produced Kanye's lead single "Can't Tell Me Nothing," telling me the story behind the beat and and his relationship with Kanye. He made mention that he did two other songs on the album named "Good Life" and "Been Through It All"...which was renamed to this. When he mentioned those songs, of course I knew they would come out dope, but GIAT DAYUM! I wasn't expecting what they wound up being.

Anyways, I was assigned to interview Toomp again for a internet video project I'm producing for this website [when it drops, I will let you know, It's kind of big deal]. Once again the interview was dope. After we were done he started playing around on the beat machine. He started by showing off and recreating beats other people beats to show just how easy this shit is to him. Then he started playing beats for songs that were about to come out. Right now, the only ones I can remember is one he said is gonna be on Slim Thug's new album, possibly the lead single...the shit is FIE! Then he played the single he did for Glasses Malone.












Later on producer Kenoe fell through.
.
If that name sounds familiar, he used to produce for No Limit here and there. He wasn't in Beats By The Pound, but if you check the credits of some of your No Limit CDs around the 1999 end of thier run, you'll see his name in the credits. He also did alot of work for Turk, B.G., Lil Flip's Underground Legend album and Soulja Slim's last three releases. He is a producer in Toomp's NZone unit now.

Everybody started getting hungry so me and the video crew went to Merkerson's to get the fie fie seafood.

By the time we came back, my homie Nick Love and his producer Arnaz The Nazty One came through for something they were working on.

Toomp and Nick


Arnaz


Grim, Nick and Arnaz


Then, Lil Jon came through and he was crunk as usual.

He walked in the door yelling and cracking jokes. I was scheduled to interview him too, but we weren't all the way sure that he was gonna show up, or on time for that matter. The interview was supposed to be at 8pm. He showed up at 9:15pm talking about "8:30! This was perfect timing for an interview, I'm drunk and ready to talk!"

His interview was dope as hell too. I've only interviewed Jon one other time and that was back when I was in school on the campus radio station, trying to get quotes backstage at the Homecoming concert. But, I've always known that Jon ain't a character 24/7 because I used to intern at the radio station he used to work at. Anyways, it was cool seeing the love in the room. That's pretty much what the internet video thing I'm producing is about. Jon was giving Toomp props on the Kanye singles and saying how its crazy that everybody in the country has to come to Southern producers for that heat, "even the Hip Hop shit." I hope the video guys caught all of this, I know I did.

Toomp and Jon


Jon, Toomp and Arnaz


Toomp Trying on Jon's custom made Oakleys


Toomp and Jon comparing Gold chains [kidding]


Jon and Kenoe


Toomp and Arnaz vibing...I think I might have pissed Toomp off for a sec at this point. I told him that I already heard one of the beats he was playing. Of course he asked from where, and I told him it had leaked to the internet last week and it had B.O.B. rapping on it. He seem bothered at first, but I think he cool now.







Peep the rust! AKAI is up to the MPC4000Plus, and Toomp still has the MPC60II. This thing probably has plenty of stories to tell...And yes, he still uses it. I didn't see a newer model anywhere in the building.

R.I.P. SCRATCH Magazine May 2004-October 2007

Well, another rap mag has bit the dust, but I gotta say, this one stings a little. SCRATCH Magazine was one of the few Hip Hop mags left that actually talked about well, Hip Hop. It focused on producers, DJs and other behind-the-scenes people who actually make the music happen. I've written a few pieces for them and I really enjoyed working with them. We all know that controversy sells, but it was kinda refreshing to see a mag talking about music itself, instead of why the rap game is like the dope game and who's beefing with who.

From what I remember, they were the only mag to do a feature actually breaking down how many songs sampled old James Brown tracks when he died. They might have gave Kanye West his first cover. They gave the severly overlooked DJ Toomp his first multi-page feature [shameless plug]. And sheid, they were my first placement back when I was doing PR for Shondrae "Bangladesh" Crawford.

"Purists" started complaining when the mag started straying away from putting producers on the cover by themselves and pairing them with popular artists. I thought the idea was dope myself, but what do I know?

The staff was very cool, knowledgable, open-minded and fair. Rap nerds to the fullest. I don't know who is going to be the cover subject for the final issue, but I have a piece in there on producer M-16 who did the beat for Playaz Circle's "Duffle Bag Boy" featuring Lil' Wayne. Check it out when it hits the newsstands.

UPDATE: Here is the cover of the last issue. Shouts out to B.Fred