JESSE Is HEAVYWEIGHT & DJ ANONYMOUS are wrapping up 'THE SURREAL LIFE' as we speak. CLICK TITLE 4 a lil leakage called "LUNCHROOM" featuring HOWHOOD & Yours Truly.
C'mon! How could rap not be one of my hats? But don't worry; there will be no conflicts of interests; my interest is simply dopeness like POOKY.
Aw man! Do you see where a little vision and some editing software can take you? Don't forget to be hot though. You must be dope to make RFM. Shouts to my man RYAN K. SMITH. Philly is happening! Nice beat by Jc.
"...Dominated rap so my next goal is to tackle golf." (BRANDOE)
We waited a while to post a tribute to Michael Joseph Jackson. RFM feels that now is the right time and we've found the right info. KING TAFARI sent me an email listing MJ's record establishing charity work. We know he didn't console terminally sick babies & donate millions in order to get props, but we're gonna give em up right now. Here are just a few reasons why MJ stands as an undying emblem of human compassion & empathy. Live on.
P.S. CLICK title 2 visit the international MJ fan site Jackson Action.
January 10, 1984: Michael visits the unit for burn victims at Brotman-Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles.
April 9, 1984: David Smithee, a 14-year-old boy who suffers from cystic fibroses is invited to Michael's home. It was David's last wish to meet Michael. He dies 7 weeks later.
April 14, 1984: Michael equips a 19-bed-unit at Mount Senai New York Medical Center. This center is part of the T.J. Martell-Foundation for leukemia and cancer research.
July 5, 1984: During the Jackson's press conference at Tavern On The Green, Michael announces that his part of the earnings from the Victory Tour will be donated to three charitable organizations: The United Negro College Fund, Camp Good Times, and the T.J. Martell-Foundation.
July 14, 1984: After the first concert of the Victory Tour, Michael meets 8 terminally ill children backstage.
December 13, 1984: Michael visits the Brotman Memorial Hospital, where he had been treated when he was burned very badly during the producing of a Pepsi commercial. He donates all the money he receives from Pepsi, $1.5 million, to the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children.
January 28, 1985: Michael and 44 other artists meet to record "We Are The World", written by Michael and Lionel Ritchie. The proceeds of this record are donated to the starving people in Africa.
1986: Michael set up the "Michael Jackson UNCF Endowed Scholarship Fund". This $1.5 million fund is aimed towards students majoring in performance art and communications, with money given each year to students attending a UNCF member college or university.
February 28, 1986: After having had a heart-transplant, 14-year-old Donna Ashlock from California gets a call from Michael Jackson. He had heard that she is a big fan of his. Michael invites her to his home as soon as she is feeling better. This visit takes place on March 8th. Donna stays for dinner and watches a movie together with Michael.
September 13, 1987: Michael supports a campaign against racism. He supports efforts of the NAACP, to fight prejudices against black artists.
October 1987: At the end of his Bad Tour, Michael donates some personal items to the UNESCO for a charitable auction. The proceeds will be for the education of children in developing countries.
February 1, 1988: The Song "Man In the Mirror" enters the charts. The proceeds from the sales of this record goes to Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a camp for children who suffer from cancer.
March 1, 1988: At a press conference held by his sponsor Pepsi, Michael presents a $600,000 check to the United Negro College Fund.
The Millennium-Issue of the "Guinness Book Of Records" names Michael as the Pop Star who supports the most charity organizations. The following projects are supported by Michael Jackson:
AIDS Project L.A. American Cancer Society Angel Food Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles BMI Foundation Brotherhood Crusade Brothman Burn Center Camp Ronald McDonald Childhelp U.S.A. Children's Institute International Cities and Schools Scholarship Fund Community Youth Sports & Arts Foundation Congressional Black Caucus Dakar Foundation Dreamstreet Kids Dreams Come True Charity Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation Heal The World Foundation Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Love Match Make A Wish Foundation Minority Aids Project Motown Museum NAACP National Rainbow Coalition Rotary Club of Australia Society of Singers Starlight Foundation The Carter Center's Atlanta Project The Sickle Cell Research Foundation Transafrica United Negro College Fund United Negro College Fund Ladder's of Hope Volunteers of America Watts Summer Festival Wish Granting YMCA - 28th Street/Crenshaw Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America: This is the oldest mentoring organization serving youth in the USA. BBBSA has provided one-to-one mentoring relationships between adult volunteers and children at risk since 1904. BBBSA currently serves over 100,000 children and youth in more than 500 agencies throughout all of the United States.
Here's a nice slice of West side rapper Fashawn's recent listening session for his debut LP 'BOY MEETS WORLD' (love that title, lol). It's encouraging for a hip hop dude like me to see west coast hip hop elites - Dilated Peoples & Plant Asia -supporting the new generation, Fashawn & Blu.
Notice when EVIDENCE discusses his ear and how any music that really stuck took a little while to grow on him. People get too caught up in being Fan & R's, as in right away they think they need to stamp a song as 'hot' or 'not'. I think it speaks to the disposable nature of today's pop music and people just doubting the validity of their opinions.
We @ RFM feel that the west coast 'underground' (I hesitate to use that 'taboo' term) has been THE MOST sustained, consistently hot pocket of hip hop for 10+ years. The beat goes on with Fashawn.
"I gotta get money every where that I go." Shouts to Mr. OT aka M. Rex; I think he'd bang this on trips. Idk if Hav produced the track; it's pure rider music.
I'm OT right now, and part of me wishes I wasn't. I miss Philly man. AU mixtape coming soon. I put on for my city.
I mean, DALLAS has it poppin right now; what can I say? It used to be that the only Dorrough that RFM knew was from Desert Storm. But we'll make room for this kid due to his crunk singles and fun videos. Dr. Teeth held Dorrough down for this one; nice girls, shiny whips and hood shots that aren't cheesy. Peace 2 David & E1 Music.
Known simply as Naledge to fans of Kidz In The hall, the self styled ‘Chicago Picasso’ enlists the support of taste-making DJs and magazines to launch his artfully titled solo debut. Sure it’s not an official album, but lengthy, collaborative mixtapes get more play than the old standard.
‘Chicago Picasso’ is hosted by Mick Boogie and DJ Timbuck2. Click title to purchase tracks or the entire mixtape @ iTunes. Indie hip hop vanguard Duck Down Records last year signed Kidz In The Hall (Naledge and producer partner Double O) to a deal that allows latitude and creative freedom according to University of Penn grad and Chicago native Naledge.
He isn’t garnering heavy media attention like Drake or Mickey Factz, but this may be a small price to pay for avoiding pigeonholes. Before the release of ‘Chicago Picasso’ Naledge linked up with Mike TV & RFM to talk about misguided producers, Duck Down Records and the reason people can’t believe he’ll work with them.
Mike TV:Do you think you’ve grown as an emcee and song writer since KIH made ‘The In Crowd’ last year?
Naledge Born:You have to grow; if you don’t grow then you’re going backwards. The way I operate, I’m always working, so when y’all was listening to that I was already making new stuff. I was listening to ‘The In Crowd’ for a year before y’all heard it; I was listening to ‘School Was My Hustle’ a couple years before ya’ll heard it; I listened to this mixtape a year before ya’ll heard it; I’ll probably end up hearing the next KIH album, which is coming out in October – I played most of these records for six, seven months, so I’m always working and I’m always on to the next thing. And I just try to create good music for people to enjoy. I don’t have to think ahead because even if I make a song now, it probably won’t get released until next year. You gotta be thinking on some next level shit or just changing up on that. This is an art form, so it should always be evolving. I shouldn’t be tryna give you the same formula just cause it worked last time.
Mike TV:Are there any distinct differences between the ways you approach a solo Naledge Born project as opposed to KIH projects?
Naledge Born:There’s no difference; the only difference is I had the final say-so on a lot of things. I still create the music the same way; it’s just that if Double O disagrees with something [then] we talk about it; on this…it’s like it’s my project so, LOL.
Mike TV:Right. You’re the boss!
Naledge Born: I ask for his opinion on things, but if I disagree I just kept it moving and still went with it. We talk regardless and he’s always around me when I’m recording. I worked with him on this project as well – he had three joints on there. So it’s always music being created, but I think the biggest difference is it’s more personal. A lot of the KIH stuff is more a joint effort; a lot of the stuff I’m talking about is more general. The stuff I’m talking about on this project is more Naledge-centric. Even the title, ‘Chicago Picasso,’ is a statement. The KIH aren’t both from Chicago; I’m from Chicago. So it’s a bigger statement for me to put a solo record out because everything is gonna come from a certain perspective; this album was made on my own. It wasn’t made in conjunction with Double O or as KIH. There’s a lot of collaborations on this record; there’s a lot of different producers on this record. Everything is different. The sound is really what you’ll get that’s different. The lyrics and the way I approach making music – it’s all the same; the beats aren’t all Double O, so obviously there’s a certain thing that you probably accustomed to hearing me over and you’re like ‘Wow! I never knew what he would sound like on this kinda beat.
Mike TV:True. That’s what I found myself saying as I heard it.
Naledge Born:It’s like ‘He can rap on these types of beats too!?’ I get people who make beats and they give me CDs full of Double O beats, and I’m like ‘Dude, if I wanted Double O type of beats I’ll go get Double O, LOL.’ Making this project I worked a lot with Nez & Rio – producers with Brainiac – and they have a different sound; they have their own sound. That was what inspired me to wanna bring them into my circle and that’s what inspires me to work with people – when I don’t have to direct them; when they just like ‘I got some hot shit! Listen to it.’ And then it’s just like ‘Wow, he’s right,’ and then I just rap on it. People who put me in a box and have a certain perception of me will never get me cause I don’t have a box, I just go with the flow.
Mike TV:So I got the promo stream of 'Chicago Picasso' and I noticed that it’s registered to CMJ and there’s another stream provided by URB magazine. Shed some light on that for the people. What’s that about?
Naledge Born:At the end of the day we just want people to hear it, but we don’t want people to steal it, LOL.
Mike TV:I feel that, but what’s the actual relationship with the mags? Why is it that two music rags are behind that?
Naledge Born: Honestly, URB has been a supporter. It just fit. There’s never any agenda with who we partner up with; it’s people we believe in who believe in us.
Mike TV:Speaking of partnerships & support, on a scale of 1-5 how do you rate Duck Down’s effectiveness at helping Major League and KIH reach your music and business goals?
Naledge Born:They’ve consistently given us…they’ve consistently given us…I guess… they’ve consistently given us a lane to come out. They’ve given us freedom; they’ve never limited us; they never tried to change us into something we weren’t. They just let us operate how we operate. That’s been great for us – having a partner that allows us to be…free creatively and gets it out to the public.
Mike TV:So is that a four, a three, a five?
Naledge Born:Everything has room for improvement, so I guess it’s like a four.
Mike TV:I went to Howard University with A. Pinks who’s on “Blessed By God." How’d you catch wind of him and why’d you wanna do this particular joint with him?
Naledge Born:It’s weird. Our managers are cool. I’ve known him for the longest; we had hung out and been around each other before we made a song, so it’s kinda weird because we been in the same circle for the longest but never recorded nothing together; we would always be like ‘man, when we get on a record together…’ People think I be blowing smoke and I just start sending them beats. He was like ‘Aw man, I thought you was just talking.’ I’m like, ‘Nah, I wasn’t just talking.’ He came to the video in LA – the “Love Hangover” video. He’s actually in the video if you watch closely. But yeah…we got the song done; it’s dope. It’s actually for the producer Analogic who’s actually a real fresh producer out of Jersey; I met him at a beat battle, which is random cause it was sponsored by Rawkus and it seem like it was ages ago, but we kept in contact. It’s another situation where I was like, ‘Lets exchange information; I like your stuff.’ And I don’t think he took me seriously either. I was just talking to him and I was like, ‘Naw, send me some joints!’
Mike TV:Why people always think you’re playing man, LOL?
Naledge Born:I think people think because I’m in a group…I think it’s situational and other artists do do that; they just say, ‘Hit me up any time;’ they give you a number they don’t really answer or they give you an email they don’t really look at. If he had a beat CD on him at that moment I think he felt like I would’ve listened to it, but when months go by and then I hit you like, ‘Man you was supposed to follow up and you didn’t follow up;’ I think that surprises people cause they’re like, ‘Wow, he really thought about me.’ We ended up doing two joints – three joints actually – and that was one of the joints we did together. The other joint was “Southside Shit;” there’s another joint that’s on his project that’s coming out.
Mike TV:That’s one of the cool things about ‘Chicago Picasso;’ I’m getting put on to a lot of dope emcees & producers I don’t know much about.
I'm MIKE TV & I don't just post anything @ RFM. This is about exposure for dope artists, hard working PR folks, and some of the SUPER TALENTED SOULS in my ORBIT. I'm a writer, journalist, film maker, song writer, and burgeoning actor. I go HARD. Come with me.
