AIN'T NOTHIN' TO IT, BUT TO DO IT!

As he does so often, young Gilliem (that’s me!) was engaged in meaningful banter. This time, with a rising super producer by the name of Wil May. Ever heard of him? Well, I suppose you will…At any rate, we were discussing creative processes when we oh so suddenly reached a point of contention. Not to fear. As civilized young professionals, we took a tenet from most 2nd grade curriculums: We “talked it out.” Being somewhat of a creative mind myself, I purported, (and keep in mind, my verbiage has been cleaned up considerably in my own attempts to come across as “smarter”…) “One should never force his/her creative process. Let the genius flow when it comes naturally.” I added, “When you force the act, you get a product that may not be at all up to par.” It turns out the old fellow (Wil) wasn’t saying much too far off from me. Though his take echoed a notion to the effect of, “force yourself to write”, it had EVERYTHING to do with preserving a creative mind state. The logic, as he learned from the creative people in his life, was that you learn by doing. The purpose of forcing creativity, which may seem paradoxical, is to increase the time when you are in a “creative zone.” If you’re always writing, creating, and producing, then writing, creating, and producing will become easier for you to do. You are conditioning yourself to create. What’s your take? Until next time, do YOU, do music.

-Gilles

LOOKS ARE EVERYTHING...(@ first)

Aight, I’m back off in this micky-ficky mo-fo. Today, I’ma give u the skinny like Calista Flockhart after being in a full body-cast. My insider tip for the day (holla back Martha Stewart!) is simple: presentation is key. Years ago, I remember this fresh-faced, aspiring superstar: eyes full of hope with a handful of his “hot off the burner” cds in paper-sleeves. He was on his way to meet an aggressive fast-talker interested in managing his music career. I was lucky enough to witness the ensuing exchange. After an ordinary exchange of pleasantries, the novice emcee handed his cds to the slightly more seasoned manager. (keep in mind, the young manager is still interviewing for the job) Before any significant number of seconds could pass, “Manager X” was already explaining to “Rapper Y” that paper sleeves just won’t get the job done. He continued, “When you want people to take you seriously, presentation is everything. Your cd has got to look more professional.” Rapper Y tried to argue, “But, listen to the music…it’s flawless!” Unfortunately, he soon found that the contents of his cd are secondary to the appearance of it. LISTEN UP LADIES AND GENTS. You should package your music to be both eye-catching and professional-looking. Otherwise, it may never be heard. I’ll put it to you like this: before you, (male or female) decide whether a person has all of the qualities you look for in a perfect mate, you engage in conversation, or cease to do so, based on their looks. You’re never going to say, “Hey, I know that you’re butt-ugly. However, you look smart and funny so let’s go out on a date anyway.” Likewise, these music folks won’t give your music the time of day if it’s not presented to “look the part”. It’s just the way of the world. Until, next time, do YOU, do music.

-Gilles

The Future...

I had the awesome pleasure of attending a showcase last night at The Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta entitled "The En Crowd Presents". Invited by my good friends Fort Knox & Big Tah (the event's organizers and Strong Arm Management founders) it was certainly a sight to see as they brought together some of the best talent Atlanta has to offer. Artists like Joe Billz, Flo, Re, and FountnHead are setting the bar unbelievably high for new artists hoping to be at the forefront of music in the near future. You had to be there to witness "the monstrosities" , as Knox would call it. I was absolutely blown away to see the level of creativity and promising talent in the room as Joe Billz and Re gave us a peak into the "future" and as The FountnHead and Flo had the audience in an uproar. You heard it from me first...these artists will be regulars on your ipod's playlist very soon.



Go To Joe Billz's Myspace




















Go To The FountnHead's Myspace

















Go to FLO's Myspace







Go To Young Re's Myspace

Your Tipping Point...

No matter how you define success there are certain things you know you have to do in order to feel, and be successful on the daily basis. As an artist those things are pretty obvious. Things like writing, recording, and performing are the foundation but how about the little things that make the big difference? If you haven't already, I suggest you pick up this book entitled "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell. It talks from a general perspective about how a bunch of little things that happen on their own, or that you purposely do, can make a huge difference when they all actualize together. Much like Mr. Gladwell, I'm suggesting that tomorrow morning when you wake up make it a point to not only focus on the obvious things like making a beat, writing, recording, or whatever...tomorrow I challenge you to also focus on the little things that you've been neglecting because those will probably make the difference between your glass simply being full or "tipping" over the edge.

How to Go on Tour

Taken from:
http://www.artsandmedia.net/cgi-bin/dc/expo/2003/10/14_tour
and

(Without killing your bandmates and losing your ass)
By Conan Neutron
If you've accomplished the feat of actually getting a band together, you're naturally inclined to want to share it with the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, what most people don't realize is that the world of luxurious tour buses, endless free drugs and copious sex is nothing more then an illusion propagated by the media.

But if you enjoy seeing places far from home, meeting cool people, and love the culture of music, you're doing the right thing.

Booking
Everybody but masochists and the neurotically friendly hates booking. It's a thankless, terrible job. Fortunately, there are ways to make life easier. The Internet is an incredible resource for booking and touring. Pollstar.com, Google and your favorite webzine that features tour dates will all become your friends very quickly as you become painfully familiar with places you've never seen before.

Nine times out of ten things are easier and quicker if you approach venues by telephone -- especially because not all the great venues out there have even figured out how the "information superhighway" works, let alone have an up-to-date calendar.

Before trying to book a venue, talk to other bands — bands you like and/or sound like. See who your favorite bands play with when they go to a particular town, check out their music, make contact, tell them about yourself and that you're a fan, and offer to trade shows. The key to successful touring is the buddy system -- that's how underground music works. You can also "snipe" for shows -- that is, find the places where bigger bands are playing and attempt to get on their bill. Your success with that can vary greatly.

Approach the booker willing to do their job for them. It sucks, but it works. "Hey, we're looking for a show on this date with this local band, do you think you could help us out?" goes a lot farther than "Do you have a show for us, some band you've never heard of from who knows where?"

It also shows that you're smarter then the next band and willing to go the extra mile. This will get you noticed at the better venues, and makes for a good first impression. Some bookers love it when you have a few dates to throw at them, and some aren't flexible at all. Try to be ready for anything, including plenty of flakiness.

Get everything in writing -- addresses, names, payment, etc. If it's a door deal, what percentage is yours? If it's a flat fee, how much do you get there? Does the venue take a cut of the merch sales? Don't be afraid to ask the important questions. Find out beforehand and get it in writing, so when the sleazy ex-con reprobate at the venue tries to convince you it's different than what you've been told, you can tell him where to stick it.

Be ready to send lots of demos and press kits out to potential bookers. It doesn't have to be a work of art, but it should describe who you are and what you've done with a minimum of hyperbole, and clearly list the date or dates you want.

Ok, so you've got the tour booked. Cool, but you're not done yet.

Promotion
Now it's all about promotion. Assume that every place you play is going to do NOTHING to promote the show. Seventy-five percent of the time you'll be right; the other twenty-five percent you'll be pleasantly surprised. Track down local college or pirate radio and send them your music -- try to arrange to play live or give an interview if you can. Is there a local Internet music discussion group or message board? Check them out and let people know you're alive.

Research local music papers, find a writer that you like and make contact. Send them a package and see if they'll do a preview or review. If you have a friend in town, send them flyers or posters to put up, or ask them to make some. You could very well spend a decent chunk of change sending this stuff out, but every bit of energy and money used to promote the show can increase your visibility.

Travel
Your chosen vehicle is going to be your home away from home for the duration of your trip. So once you've begged, borrowed or stolen your van, be willing to spend money on oil changes, get the wiper blades replaced, rotate the tires and get everything checked out -- an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure for a blowout on a freeway 2,000 miles from home. Get something big enough to haul all of your equipment, personal belongings and people -- and that won't break down on hills or in the desert.

Enjoy yourself. Space your drives apart, make sure that everybody gets time to themselves. Realize that sometimes a bandmate's "funny" habit becomes impossible to deal with on the road, so, think patience and respect. Realize that, for a short time, anyway, this is your world, and you're spending 95 percent of your day preparing for that half hour where you go out there and do what you're driven to do.

It's what separates the hobbyists from the diehards, and it's harder then hell, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

More advice on how to book a tour:

http://www.artsandmedia.net/cgi-bin/dc/expo/2003/10/14_tour

http://www.ehow.com/how_2025344_organize-rock-tour.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2186627_up-book-own-musical-tour.html

How do I get my song ready for the Mastering Engineer?

Taken from:
http://www.x2mastering.com/faq_ready_for_mastering.php

Through no fault of their own, musicians and mixing engineers often misunderstand exactly what a mastering engineer wants. Some mastering engineers like to pretend that there is some hidden aura around what they do, and that they can work magic with whatever you give them. The truth is that these mastering engineers only make their own job harder. There are a few simple guidelines to follow when preparing your mix for mastering:

DON'T MAKE IT LOUD!

If you only read one thing on this page, please make it this paragraph. It's perfectly fine if your mix doesn't sound nearly as loud as your favorite album — it's not supposed to yet. Part of the process of getting a song mastered is increasing its loudness. Of particular note: If you record and mix 24-bit audio, your mix could peak as low as -20 dBFS without any difference in the loudness or quality of the final CD master. You should feel comfortable sending mixes that peak around -6 dBFS to your mastering engineer. Most of the energy of your mix (RMS) should be around -18 to -20 dBFS. It doesn't matter what genre you produce when it comes to mix loudness - let the volume come during mastering.

What Format?

High-resolution data files are preferred, especially for clients who choose mastering online via FTP. Save your songs as 24-bit WAV files if at all possible, but 16-bit files are also acceptable. Sample rate matters less, but here they are from most to least preferred: 44.1kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 48kHz, 192kHz. If you already work in one of those sample rates, please don't convert it to another before sending it to me. Also, if you mail a CD, please make sure it's a data CD and not an audio CD.

Wait, I thought the highest sample rates were the best?

While higher bitrates are always preferred, higher sample rates aren't always required. When recording, higher sample rates will be more accurate and true to the audio being recorded. However, mastering engineers typically prefer to apply as few processes as possible to projects in order to maintain fidelity. Since a CD is burned at 44.1kHz, I prefer to work with files that are 24-bits and 44.1kHz. Reducing the bitrate is always part of the last step in CD mastering, because the rest of the process is typically done at 32, 48, or even 64 bits.

Edits, Fade-Ins, and Fade-Outs

Fading tracks in and out is not commonly understood to be the mastering engineer's job among indie artists. It's fine if you have a few seconds of "dead air" before and after your song. In fact, it makes some tasks like noise/hum removal much easier. If you trim a song so that it begins with the music and fades out to digital silence, it can be much harder to isolate a sample of pure noise or hum for the cancellation and removal process. Fade-ins and fade-outs can be done with extreme precision during the audio mastering process; simply let me know where you want the tracks to begin and end, and how long you want any fades to be.

Stereo Mix Bus Processing

It is typically best to leave any stereo mix processing to the mastering studio. If you have an equalizer or compressor across the master bus, or affecting the entire mix, please disable it when you prepare your files for me. By all means, print a second copy with the bus effects activated so I can hear the direction you want your mix to go. Very mild processing, such as 1 or 2 dB of compression with your favorite sounding compressor, is perfectly fine. This tip more applies to those who try to get their mix to sound "huge" or "loud" or before it's supposed to sound that way.

Music Conferences 101

Have you ever tried doing a search for music conferences? There are tons of them! And all in different major cities. Just on the first page of a Google search, you will come across, Winter Music conference (Miami, FL), Atlantis Music Conference (Atlanta, GA), Millennium Music Conference (Harrisburg, PA), Independent Music Conference (Philadelphia, PA), Summer Music Conference, Baltimore Music Conference (Baltimore, MD), SXSW Music and Media Conference (Austin, TX). And there are tons more where those came from! So if you’re lacking in the music knowledge arena, don’t think there isn’t any opportunity out there for you to learn. Music Conferences provide an abundance of information in addition to networking, promotional, and showcasing opportunities. Two of my personal favorites are the Atlantis Music Conference, and the Billboard Hip Hop and R&B Conference. Check out links to their websites below

Atlantis Music Conference

http://www.atlantismusic.com/

Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Conference

http://www.billboardevents.com/billboardevents/rb/2005/index.jsp

INDIE-ana Jones...

In recent years, the artist (if he/she has ANY business savvy whatsoever) wears many hats: as producer, manager, stylist, writer, performer etc. There’s no rocket science here. If YOU do more work yourself, you pay others less…especially those powerhouse record labels whose professional colleagues include the likes of Bishop Don Magic Juan. I can think of a four-letter word that describes most record companies. I’ll give you a hint: it starts with a “P” and ends with an “imp.” Frankly, the economy is just not what it used to be and, I for one suggest you take back the money that is rightfully yours. How you ask? Start a record label. Even if you’ve done a less than stellar job of keeping your ear to the street, it has been virtually impossible to miss the recent wave (and by recent I mean within the last 15 years) of indie labels popping up left and right. These folks have got the right idea. Though it’s fairly inevitable that you WILL need the help of a major, being first signed to your own label creates more bargaining power for you. WATCH CLOSELY: Joe Schmoe is a rapper. Schmoe creates a record label, Schmoebility Music Group. Schmoe signs himself to Schmoebility but still needs help with the distribution of his forthcoming project, Schmoe Can On Hay. Schmoe sets up a meeting with a major record company, Phony BMG. Phony is very interested in Schmoe and wants to become involved with the project. Because Schmoe is already signed to Schmoebility, the good folks over at Phony cannot exclusively sign him to their company. The only other option available for Phony to cash in on the Schmoe project is to arrange some sort of partnership. Partnerships = ching ching. They generally call for a more equitable distribution of funds/profits among partners. In laymen’s terms, partners make more money. You’re no longer working for the company…you’re working WITH the company. As easy as I have relayed this information to you, I can assure you that starting a record label is no simple task. Do your research. Until next time, Do YOU, do music.

-Gilles

WHEN YOUR POWERS COMBINE...

Think two heads are better than one? Yeah, me too…But, get your mind out of the gutter. What YOU’RE thinking about is a whole ‘nother conversation. I was referring to music. For some strangely gratifying reason, since the wee hours of the morning, I keep hearing what is arguably the best rap/r & b collaboration in the history of either genre: Method Man and Mary J. Blige’s All I Need. So, like I try to do at least twice everyday, I got to thinking. Collaborations have added and continue to add tremendous value to music, both as a business and a product. What’s it worth to you? Bear with me. I’m gonna try something different. I believe we commoners refer to the proceeding few lines as a “list.”

THE PROS ON COLLABORATIONS

1. Collaborating with other artists establishes to the “powers that be” that YOU can work well with others. Music is just like a job interview and record execs want to know that you’re not going to be a pain to work with.
2. Collaborating with other artists can enhance your music. Like my opening sentence in this post, often times, another creative mind can give you fresh new ideas from a different point of view.
3. Collaborating with other artists can give you access to other fan bases. THE MATH: Take an artist that you work with. Then, add his/her fan-base to yours. END RESULT: HELLA people…(no I’m not from California…)

Like all things, collaborations should be done in moderation. At the end of the day, if you’re a solo artist, the “Big Wigs” want to hear music from YOU and not featuring YOU. With that being said, aim for a healthy balance that allows you to make the best music you can. GO TEAM! Reach out and touch somebody! (again, get your mind out of the gutter…)

Until next time, do YOU, do music.

-Gilles

30's the new 20? (pt. 2)

Welcome back. My second edition to 30’s the new 20 approaches my previous “age” discussion from a different perspective all together. This commentary is more so geared to those artists who are no longer “in their prime” (based on industry standards) and still haven’t quite made it over that hump to stardom. Is it ever too late to stop dreaming? If you haven’t “made it” yet, should you throw in the towel? According to an independent study that I recently conducted among members or fans of the underground rap scene in Atlanta, (meaning I just asked some folks…) a surprising number of your favorite un-signed rockers are in the 30 yr. club. In the words of fallen song bird, Aaliyah, age ain’t nothing but a number. Having been around the block a few times is a benefit. It gives the seasoned veteran wisdom that one can only gain from experience. (from dealing with shiesty managers to perfecting your stage performance) I only shed light on this subject to illustrate that it’s never too late to do what you want to do. Age like wine…Until next time, do YOU, do music.

-Gilles

30's the new 20? (pt. 1)

So when is old, too old? Let’s say there’s a young, fresh-faced musician who has grown up to become a middle-aged dreamer still in hot pursuit of that illusive but, oh so gratifying 15 seconds of fame. Is it time for him/her to hang it up? There was once a time when artists could ride off into the sunset, knowing that their time was up. They could rest assured that their contribution to music was both unique and noteworthy. While talking with a fellow music connoisseur about the present trend of rappers to remain making music well into their 30s, he raised an interesting point. He suggested that periodically, throughout the relatively short lifetime of rap music, there have always been opportunities to pass the torch on to the younger generation. Moreover, he added that perhaps the seasoned rapper’s unwillingness to relinquish his/her “claims to the reigns of rap” is both the testament of an old generation’s apathy and a new generation’s inability to carry the torch. I would be remiss not to consider the large sums of money to be made in this very lucrative business as a reason for the veteran rapper to stick around. However, let’s assume for the purposes of this post that the evils of capitalism are not such significant factors as to control every rapper’s life. Let’s get deep for just a second. This phenomenon is a symbol of lost hope. Old heads don’t rap because they want to; they rap because, if they don’t, who can they trust to hold it down in their absence? Get @ me with comments for this one…I’ve got to hear some opinions.

Stay tuned for pt. 2

Until next time, do YOU, do music.

-Gilles

Move Your Feet!!

This month our feature article speaks directly to aspiring artists and producers. Our question to you is...Do you plan on being an ASPIRING artist forever or one day being established? If so, then make that day TODAY. If you're wondering how in the heck am I supposed to do that here's the answer...MOVE YOUR FEET! Without getting too complicated, you can be certain that nothing will ever happen for you if you do not move your feet. Go places, meet new people, make new contacts, build new relationships, get stuff done! If you decide to commit your self to doing this everyday the worst thing that could happen is that a bunch of people know who you are.

Here's a start for my local artists and producers: How to plan for a productive week...

1. You should have a list of at least 4 music-related events that you will attend every week.

2. Keep a list of new contacts you make every week and most importantly KEEP IN TOUCH! Email and MySpace should not be your only integrations with a "true" contact. Plan to physically sit down with at least one of your contacts every week.

3. Keep a short list of specific individuals you want to get close to and be strategic in how you go about initiating those relationships. Keep in mind that most people succeed at getting close to these individuals by getting in good with everyone around them first. Research where these people hang out, eat, play, and work. Envision how the conversation will go when you finally meet this person and when you get your shot, execute.Persistence will win every time.

4. Master your craft! You should plan to create new material by the end of every week. This doesn't mean that you have to record a song or make a beat everyday but make every effort to make music every chance you get. This does mean that you should think outside the walls of your home setup. Making music with others opens a whole new world of opportunities and perspectives. Oh, and work or school is not a valid excuse for not being able to put down new material.Whether valid or invalid the bottom line is that if you have reasons why your not getting stuff done then obviously your not getting them done which means that there is no forward progress.

5. Get a job, internship, or apprenticeship with a reputable company with contacts in the music industry. The more contacts the better. I promise that this is by far the fastest way to gain some valuable contacts and initiate relevant relationships.

Feature Article-July

Move Your Feet!

This month our feature article speaks directly to aspiring arists and producers. Our question to you is...Do you plan on being an ASPIRING atist forever or one day being established? If so, then make that day TODAY. If you're wondering how in the heck am I supposed to do that here's the answer...MOVE YOUR FEET! Without getting too complicated, you can be certain that nothing will ever happen for you if you do not move your feet. Go places, meet new people, make new contacts, build new relationships, get stuff done! If you decide to commit your self to doing this everyday the worst thing that could happen is that a bunch of people know who you are.

Here's a start for my local artists and producers: How to plan for a productive week...

1. You should have a list of at least 4 music-related events that you will attend every week.

2. Keep a list of new contacts you make everyweek and most importantly KEEP IN TOUCH! Email and MySpace should not be your only interations with a "true" contact. Plan to physically sit down with at least one of your contacts every week.

3. Keep a short list of specific individuals you want to get close to and be stategic in how you go about initiating those relationships. Keep in mind that most people succeed at getting close to these individuals by getting in good with everyone around them first. Research where these people hang out, eat, play, and work. Envision how the conversation will go when you finally meet this person and when you get your shot, execute. Persistance will win everytime.

4. Master your craft! You should plan to create new material by the end of everyweek. This doesn't mean that you have to record a song or make a beat everyday but make every effort to make music every chance you get. This does mean that you should think outside the walls of your home setup. Making music with others opens a whole new world of opportunities and perspectives. Oh, and work or school is not a valid excuse for not being able to put down new material. Wether valid or invalid the bottom line is that if you have reasons why your not getting stuff done then obviously your not getting them done which means that there is no forward progress.

5. Get a job, internship, or aprenticeship with a reputable company with contacts in the music indusry. The more contacts the better. I promise that this is by far the fastest way to gain some valuable contacts and initiate relevant relationships.

Putting Together Your Own Tour

1. Booking the Tour

a) The Internet is an incredible resource for touring and booking
b) Nine times out of ten things are easier and quicker if you approach venues by telephone
c) Before trying to book a venue, talk to other bands
d) The key to successful touring is the buddy system
e) Approach the booker willing to do their job for them
f) Try to be ready for anything, including plenty of flakiness
g) Get everything in writing
h) Be ready to send lots of demos and press kits out to potential bookers

Additional tip: Hire a tour manager

2. Promoting the Tour

a) Assume that every place you play is going to do NOTHING to promote the show
b) Track down local college or private radio and send them your music
c) Is there a local Internet music discussion group or message board? Check them out and let people know you're alive
d) Research local music papers, find a writer that you like and make contact
e) Send friends flyers or posters to put up, or ask them to make some

Additional tip: Get a club list for clubs all over the country

3. Traveling

a) Your chosen vehicle is going to be your home away from home for the duration of your trip so plan accordingly
b) Get something big enough to haul all of your equipment, personal belongings and people enjoy yourself
c) Realize that sometimes a band mate's "funny" habit becomes impossible to deal with on the road, so, think patience and respect
d) Realize that you're spending 95 percent of your day preparing for that half hour where you go out on stage

Additional tip: Don’t set tour cities too far apart

4) Additional tips

• Book motels in advance
  
• Set a budget for each day
  
• Collect money after the show as soon as you possibly can.
  
• Always keep detailed notes in a database
  
• Be flexible but persistent, be organized and be efficient.
  
• Look for possible endorsement deals

Tips Taken from artsandmedia.net

Additional Tips taken fromehow.com

http://www.artsandmedia.net/cgi-bin/dc/expo/2003/10/14_tour

http://www.ehow.com/how_2025344_organize-rock-tour.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2186627_up-book-own-musical-tour.html

How do I get my song ready for the Mastering Engineer?

Through no fault of their own, musicians and inexperienced mixing engineers often misunderstand exactly what a mastering engineer needs to be able to deliver a quality master. For the sake of business some mastering engineers like to pretend that they can work magic with whatever you give them but the truth is that bad mixes only make their own job harder. Here are a few simple guidelines to follow when preparing your mix for mastering session:

1. Don’t Make it Loud!
It is ok to apply an L2 Maximizer and/or compressor to your track when bouncing a version for listening but doing this when sending your track in for mastering only gives the engineer less to work with. Your master fader should be hitting at about ¾ for the best results.

2. High Resolution data files are preferred (24-bit WAV).
16bit files are ideal for CD but mastering engineer need a higher resolution file to manipulate.

3. While higher bit rates are always preferred, higher sample rates aren't always required.

4. Fading tracks in and out is not commonly understood to be the mastering engineer's job among indie artists.
Make sure you have arranged your piece exactly how you want it. The mastering engineer generally will not make any mix changes during his session.

5. It is typically best to leave any stereo mix processing to the mastering studio.
Generally it is not a good idea to apply any effects to the master fader on your mix session before bouncing a file for mastering.

Who's in The Studio

In Studio 995

With bookings by DJ Toomp, Drumma Boy, Shawty Redd, The Clutch, and Sean Garrett, this past June was all about the producers and the writers. DJ Toomp was working on several tracks for Nas’ N.I.G.G.E.R album including “What U Say” and the title track “N.I.G.G.E.R”, while Producer Drumma Boy was working with a couple of artists including Gucci Mane and Alli. PatchWerk’s Kori Anders engineered the “Fast Lane” track, “Snap Shot”, and “I’m a Star” for Gucci Mane while he engineered the “In My Purse” and “Ya Heard Me” tracks for Allie. Producer Shawty Redd with guest engineer Seth Ferkins tracked “I Got it Like That” and “Swisher”. J. Que from the songwriter collective “The Clutch” was in the studio working on reference tracks for Mary J Blige, while last but certainly not least, singer, songwriter, and record producer Sean Garrett blocked off a couple nights to work on “Come On In” with his engineer Miles Walker.

A few artists also stopped through this month. Nico Solis engineering a session for Young Jeezy, while Gucci Mane was working on “The Recipe” &“She Got That Hot Stuff” engineered by Kori Anders. Kari Bell (Ciara’s New Artist) worked on “Scared” and “Matching Hearts” (Engineered by Mike Salvatoriello).

Other sessions in 995 included Young Berg, Joe Billz, London, Sweet Rush, Gohn Geezy, Static Major, Cannibus Club, HB, Young Haze ft. Gilly, Aleeyess, Trap Squad, Gorilla, and Young Hoss.

In Studio 9000

PatchWerk welcomed Whitney Houston this past June! She was working on a song entitled “Like I Never Left” produced by Akon and engineered by Mark “Exit” Goodehill. As if that wasn’t enough, PatchWerk also welcomed Mannie Fresh, UGK, Q. Parker (from 112), SUAI, Playaz Circle, Vawn, and Blood Raw.

Leslie Brathwaite worked on “Imma Get Mine” for Mannie Fresh ft. Lil Wayne and The Show, while he mixed “Up and Down” (produced by Jazze Pha) for Def Jam’s Vawn . Brathwaite also mixed a majority of the other sessions in 9000, including “Hard as Hell” for UGK, “Crazy Crazy”, “Fly”, and “Lonliness” for Q Parker and “Look What I Got” for Playaz Circle.

Guest Engineer Mark “Exit” Goodechild was at it again, this time tracking sessions for Konvict Musik’s SUAI, while Miles Walker handled tracking sessions with Sean Garrett.

Finally, the Blood Raw Listening Party! Mr. Louie Bag himself came through to host the event on our 9000 side this June. Music industry veterans and guests came through to get a sneak preview of Blood Raw’s new album: My Life: The True Testimony. Special guest included Kinky B, Young Jeezy, Greg Street, and Snake (of CZAR Ent).

Other Sessions on 9000 included Gucci Mane, Young Tre, Kardinal Offishial, Boogie Bandero, Hustle Boy, and Jessica

SHOW and prove

Just in case you haven’t been out much within the last 8 months, I’ll let you in on a little secret: The underground music scene in Atlanta is…for lack of a more refined term, poppin’. If you’re an up and comer in the A, this might be the best time for you to build your portfolio and rock a few shows. Typically, for young urbanites like yourself, Atlanta tends to offer the same brands of nightlife entertainment: the booty bar, the club/lounge, the bowling alley, or the movies. Now, amidst a nationwide recession, “the powers that be” have incorporated “song and dance” into Atlantan evenings. (well, minus the shuck n’ jive…) Basically, now more than ever, YOU can find awesome opportunities to grace a number of stages. Wait, did I forget the best part? They’re paying! Though this is no guarantee, an inside source has informed that your unsigned and indie-label brothers and sisters have long been compensated for their talents. Don’t miss the boat! Between Myspace and Facebook you should be able to get a decent gauge on what’s the haps in these streets. From there, it’s just a matter of you utilizing your gift of gab to werk out an appearance. So get on it…sing into that comb or remote and tear down that stage while standing in front of your mirror. It’s show time! Until next time, do YOU, do music.

-Gilles

WHEN KEEPING IT REEL GOES WRONG...

Good morning class. Today we’re going to cover a highly evolved and complex species in the world of hip hop: The Rapper-turned-actor. (scientific name: Actora fromecium Raptilien) Did everyone do the assigned reading? No? No worries. It has been well documented that dating as far back as the 1980s, rappers have often tried their hands in various theatrical capacities. Since the very beginning of this phenomenon, a slew of mixed reviews have made it nearly impossible to take a firm stance one way or the other. Simply put, some rappers are just more talented than others. Because of this dichotomy, I will stay away from an official “yay” or “nay” on the subject. For reasons beyond my understanding, hip hop artists always seem to lose credibility among their original fan bases whenever they attempt to make that jump into Hollywood. To my knowledge, there are a few key exceptions worth noting: Tupac Shakur (Above the Rim and Poetic Justice), Andre 3000 (Be Cool and Four Brothers), and Common (Smoking Aces and Wanted). However, I’m not here to say that the odds are stacked against you. Once you’re successful, the opportunities will come a’knockin’. I can only suggest that when your number is called, you approach the thespian craft with the same vigor as you would approach your beloved music. Any effort less is nothing short of disrespectful, to both the select few members of the population who have worked so hard to perfect their acting talents, AND to the thousands of people that long to be in your position. By all means, get your money…But respect the game. Until next time, do YOU, do music.

-Gilles

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue?

Doggerel. In laymen’s terms, Doggerel pretty much describes the kind of writing that is typical of the phrase above. Cliché, forced, very elementary. Supposedly a lot of comics use it to poke fun at simple verse. Remember when you were in fourth or fifth grade when you first started to learn to write poems? First you learned that poems rhymed. Then you learned that poems used simile and metaphor. Then you learned that poems flowed to a certain pattern called meter.. And then… You grew up. And you learned, that many good poems, can be quite the contrary. It’s kind of the way I feel about a lot of the music that is out right now. I feel like some people are stuck in the elementary stages of rap and r&b, for instance. ‘When I’m alone in my room sometimes I stare at the wall, And in the back of my mind I hear my conscience call .’ They have not learned that a good poem or good verse period, does not always necessarily have to follow the rules. Step out the box. You don’t always have to rap to the beat. Your lines don’t always have to rhyme,. and you don’t always have to have a metaphor. How many times can we hear a different version of ‘Like a Fat Kid Loves Cake’. Take your music to the next level. Graduate elementary school . Know that all Roses are not red, and all violets are not blue.

AMBITIONZ AZ A RAPPAH

Why pursue a career in entertainment? You must’ve gotten the memo that the entertainment industry is nearly impossible to get in to. And, even if you CAN sneak over the barbed-wire fence, through the mine-field, and passed both the armed guards and attack dogs, you’ve still gotta crack that safe to stardom in order to live “the dream.” So why do you do it? Is it for the love? The money? Or maybe it’s a mixture of both: the love of money. (Shout out to Bone Thugs N’ Harmony!) Perhaps you noticed the continued deterioration in the quality of rap music and thought, “Hey, this is easy. I can do this…” Rather than type your ear off on this one, I’ll keep it short and sweet. Not every man can make it to the NBA, no matter how “easy” professional basketball may look. Why should the rap game be any different? PUT IN WERK. Until next time, do YOU, do music.

-Gilles

No Imitators Allowed!

So you’re on you’re grind. You have your CDs pressed up, your flyers are hot off the printing table, and your Myspace page is fresh to def! You have done everything indicated by the professional panels and music industry books for your career but still no one is feeling you! Now what?!

Well, you could second guess yourself and jump on the next industry band wagon by creating an imitation of the most popular sound and dance. OR you can not sell yourself out and stand your ground. These days you have to give folks reasons to feel you. Do you may think that Soulja Boy thought that writing his name in bubble ink on a pair of white shades was kinda crazy at first? Probably… Hopefully. (Bad Juice) But if he was going to have every 13 year old girl doing the same thing he had to believe that it was too flyy.

Last week, I attended the “Man Behind the Man” panel at one of the ATL Record Pool’s events. (Shout out to P.Brown!) The panel was a stellar cast of managers who’re responsible for bringing some of today’s biggest music stars to the forefront. One point that all the panelists’ agreed on was that there was a time when folks were just not diggin their artists. Kanye West will be the first to tell you he was considered whack by all the label big wigs and now he’s one of the Kings in the game.

Now I’m not tryna get all mushy with the “don’t give up” spiel, but since you’re possibly sitting alone at your computer reading this, I’m hoping that you’d open up a little since it’s just you and me. The point I’m trying to make here is that YOU have to be your biggest fan. You have to trust that your sound, look, skills, verses, etc is like no other. No. People won’t get you right away (I believe this is referred to as “Hating”) it’s on you to make them. Quit cutting corners and stay true to you. Remember that self-preservation is key and don’t stop until you get what you want for YOU!!!

Reasons to stay true:

1. You will have longevity because you're genuine.

2. Respect.

3. Folks will remember you - not the movement you copied.

4. It's just easier to be yourself!

P.S. There is a chance that you’re sound…ummm….just might not be what’s up. If so, tweak it until it is. However, do not throw that which makes you unique out the window simply because one person doesn’t understand it. In this business, the werk never stops and neither should you.

-Always with love, Miss Juice