Conversations & Quotables: Q&A with Saan Solo

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One of my biggest Hip Hop influences, dynamic emcee and educator Saan Solo took some time to have a conversation about this thing we love so much called music. In this Q&A session, he shares the unique story of how he began rhyming, his genuinely endearing philosophies on music and some gems that can be implemented by other independent artists who love the craft.

Achickwitbeatz: Who is Saan Solo?

Saan Solo: "Stop playin, it's the s double a-n/ s-o-l-o, here to say hello/..."

I'm saan solo - originally from da zoo (Kalamazoo, Michigan) and proud graduate of Michigan State University...I currently reside in Harlem and teach in Brooklyn.

Solo is more than a name, it's a lifestyle.  Don't get me wrong-I'm a people person/social butterfly, but I love some down time, some "me" time...it lets me reflect, ponder, formulate, and create with NO DISTRACTIONS!!! I've lived by myself since '94, not married and no kids...I've made numerous cross-country trips by myself; go to games, bars, movies, restaurants, functions/events etc by myself.  A lot of times, I meet people out at said places but when I wanna leave, I wanna leave.  I really don't like answering to people...but life is all about balance.  I'm quick to call up a group of people and organize a gathering 'cuz I don't ALWAYS want to be alone...it's just that I embrace it whereas others run from it.  Would you believe I know people who'll arrive at a spot first and sit in their car instead of going in until the person/people they're meeting gets there??? Unthinkable for me, but to each his own.  As such, I apply that to every aspect of life and music.  If something becomes too popular and I was a fan of it at first, I automatically/sub or consciously go against it...don't wanna be like everybody else.  Some years back, I found a Fat Albert t-shirt and a dumb Donald t-shirt at a vintage store in East Lansing...everybody was askin' me where I got 'em, could they have one of mine, and so on...it was unique 'n' old school heads could relate to it..c'mon, who ain't love Fat Albert 'n' da' Cosby kids??? Well fast forward a few years later and then I think it was FUBU that came out with a fat Albert line...now, E'RYBODY was rockin what was once my own lil niche...needless to say, you know what happened to them 2 shirts.  As much as I love Fat Albert, them joints went straight to my donation pile!!! Same wit' a phrase I was sayin for 15+ years..."excuse me Doug E" (u know, from "The Show"- 'excuse me Doug E, excuse me Doug E, excuse me Doug E Fresh you're on'?) after every time I sneezed...I said it in class after I sneezed once and a student said, "aw u like that song too??? 'Teach Me How to Dougie' is my jam!!!".  Away with that saying...got countless other stories like that, but that's how/who I am with music too...don't like to talk about the current fads/trends as e'rybody else - no mention of designer clothes, cars, rims, jewelry, money, etc.  I may like some of those things, but it's so much more to talk about!!! I'm more into multi-syllable rhymes, puns, idioms, hyperbole, wordplay, punchlines, metaphor, similes, different cadences, etc...sprinkle in some real topics and issues of the day, plus everyday stuff anybody can relate to...I treat this as a literary art, not just simple ABC 'n' Dr. Seuss rhymes with no substance.

Achickwitbeatz: When did you discover that you needed music in your life?

Saan Solo: Moms 'n' pops had me in the church choir knowing I couldn't sing..smh...but I ended up gettin a solo "Please Be Patient With Me" and I LOVED the spotlight even though I was horrible.  Them "Christians" lied to my face telling me how good I was...lol.  I was 8/9 and I knew I sucked...it led to me writing a song with my bro on the plane to LA dedicated to our parents.  We tried to sing it to 'em when we landed and even though it was corny, I liked their reaction.  Over the next couple years I began to hone my skills as a public speaker reciting the "I Have a Dream" speech all over town while a 5th grader; serving as Malcolm X in my school's wax museum (again, that balance...MLK and X); and advancing through classroom, school, city, and state levels of a speech competition...that experience coupled with the simultaneous explosion of hip-hop made me KNOW i had to MC.  I wrote my first rhyme in 5th grade after I got called out by a fellow classmate/teammate/usher board member-Chris.  My dad used to take me to either Boogie Records or Flipside for getting perfect scores on my Friday spelling tests...I had memorized the lyrics to all of my 12 inches.  One day after b-ball practice for our church team we was just standing around waiting for everybody to get picked up...my dad was the coach so we had to wait (you know how parents always late).  Somebody started beat boxing and I said one of the rhymes off my Whodini 12"...they was stunned and unbeknownst to me, none of 'em had heard it..."that's you???" "You wrote that???" As I looked around 'n' realized that nobody was hip to it, I slowly convinced myself and took ownership, hesitantly stating "yeah that's me, I wrote it".  I repeated it a few times, tricking them and believing it more each time I said it...until Chris said, "nawl man, I don't know where or when but I think I heard it before...If you so sweet, have another rhyme ready at the next practice".  I was steaming now 'cuz I was semi caught in a lie...this was a Tuesday and the next practice was Thursday, so I did the only thing I could do- I went home and wrote my first rhyme- practicing in the mirror, using a handheld tape recorder and all the memory techniques I'd learned from doing so many speeches.  I incorporated some of my teammates names, the place we practiced at (Northglade Elementary), and a few other things so they KNEW it was mine.  I unleashed on 'em that Thursday and even though it wasn't as sweet as Whodini's, they went CRAZY, BONKERS, BANANAS!!! The rest is history, ain't been no turning back since...

Achickwitbeatz: In what ways would you say music has helped you in your role as an educator?

Saan Solo: Connecting with the kids...they always wanna hear me spit some bars so I use that as a motivator to have them behave and get their work done..."you don't handle your biz, you gets no rhymes"...has worked out pretty well!!!

Achickwitbeatz: What would you say is the most important thing that you've learned since you became an artist?

Saan Solo: Whereas you definitely have to have quality music, that's only a very small portion of it...probably 10%.  it's a music BUSINESS and the hustle n' grind is the other 90% that CAN NOT be slept on!!! Seen cats with less talent get further than those who they learned from...why is it that it's so many wack cats at the top of the charts??? Their marketing and promotions are stellar...

Achickwitbeatz: What are 5 skills/attributes that would place an artist on your top 10 list?

Saan Solo: Lyricism (wordplay, cadence, delivery)
                   Creativity
                   Subject matter/concepts
                   Uniqueness
                   Longevity/consistency

Achickwitbeatz: Conversely what are 5 attributes that would place an artist at the very bottom of your list?

Saan Solo: Lack of the 5 mentioned above

Achickwitbeatz: What can people expect from Saan Solo?

Saan Solo: Quality!!! I'm a perfectionist and don't just put out product for the sake of it.  My music, videos, artwork, packaging, etc. gotta be professional quality and industry standard...none of my stuff gon' be lookin/soundin like demo level.  I think too many underground/local cats get too excited and happy to have material out there.  If you oversaturate the market with weak stuff that's what you gon' be judged on...why not sit back and do one classic as opposed to 3 or 4 average joints???
Having said that, I'm long overdue to drop new material.  My first CD been doing well out here in NYC because it was new to their ears even though it's old to me n' the folks back home...but because it's timeless I'm STILL selling out of 'em at shows to this day...

However, I got 3 projects I'm wrapping up as we speak.  A solo album, "Bringin '88 Back"- arguably the greatest year in hip-hop; a collabo EP with someone whose name I can't mention just yet; and a mixtape I'm gonna be giving away free of charge- a DJ masterpiece that includes yours truly kickin' verses alongside some of your favorite MC's on some of hip-hop's most classic songs (i.e.- a verse or 2 off the original plays, then the DJ seamlessly brings in the instrumental as I flow over that, giving the appearance that I was right there in the lab with 'em when they created the joint...sooo much fun).  Gonna be droppin 'em over a 6 to 9 month stretch starting round Labor Day.  Video footage for two tracks already shot...new team of photographers, graphic design, website creators on deck...relieving me of some of the business aspects so I can focus on the music- which is gon' be comin' at you plenty!!!

Achickwitbeatz: How can people connect with you and stay current with what you have in the works?

Saan Solo: twitter.com/saansolo -please follow
                   saansolo@gmail.com

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: www.saansolo.com www.reverbnation.com/saansolo https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saan-Solo/252195991461248

Free music player widget at ReverbNation.com

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Conversations & Quotables: Q&A with H

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In a climate where some feel pressured to replicate mainstream music moguls, Kalamazoo rapper H shares his philosophy on being unique, authentic and delivering music true to yourself.

Achickwitbeatz: Who is H?

H: A breath of fresh air to the music scene...unorthodox maybe even, but diverse with subject matters and life events. Harmless Fun, Energetic Vibes equal I!!

Achickwitbeatz: When did you discover you needed music to be a part of your life?

H: When I was four or five coming home from an event at my church were our choir was just rocking, so much that I remember getting home and jumping onto my parents bed singing "I wanna be born again, I wanna be born again" and "Joy" shouting "joy joy joy joy" like the choir. I knew at that age I truly loved music, and the love has only grown throughout my life.

Achickwitbeatz: What would you say is the best thing about being an independent artist?

H: You rely on yourself so you hold yourself accountable for all the things you are doing, and all the things you are not. You can be tough on yourself and motivating at the same time. You're your biggest critic and while being independent you should be able to keep it real with yourself and admit to your strengths and weaknesses.

Achickwitbeatz: What are 5 skills/attributes that would place an artist on your top 10 list?

H: Energy
     Message
     Style
     Production
     ...that's it.

Achickwitbeatz: Conversely, what are 5 attributes that would place an artist at the very bottom of your list?

H: Too Much Swagg
     Low Vocabulary
     So So Beats
     Common Theme Songs
     ...that's it.

Achickwitbeatz: What can listeners expect from H?

H: A different sound mainly. I'm true to myself so what may be huge in the world nowadays probably isn't to me and won't be talked about. I talk about how I've done in my life up to this point pretty much.

Achickwitbeatz: How can people connect with you to stay current with what you have in the works?

H: http://hisotb.com/

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Conversations & Quotables: Q&A with Ashim

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I had a brief Q&A session with talented Grand Rapids, Michigan emcee, Ashim. In this session he shares his philosophies on independent artistry, his motivation and he drops some food for thought for fellow creative types.

Achickwitbeatz: Who is Ashim?

Ashim: Ashim is a psuedo hood almost smart weirdo who listened to too much rap and read one too many books [laugh]. I do not beez in any trap, I'm not extra political or conscious, I'm kind of a juxtaposition in motion. I AM ALL THINGS AND NOTHING [laugh]. I grew up poor, in Kalamazoo MI, grew up with Gutter and Anagram and those guys, so a lot of my musical philosophy, at least the foundation I credit to Gutter. The way I ingest music and interpret it and appreciate it was all kinda molded by the experience with those guys coming up listening to Wu and Ras Kass and Redman, having 3 hour cyphers or sitting on the block while people got they work off or whatever. Since then, obviously, I've evolved a bit reading one too many books and becoming a NPR supporter [laughs], but that was the basis of it, it all started on the West Side of Kalamazoo. Ashim is my father's last name, and that's a story for another time.

Achickwitbeatz: What do you love most about being an independent artist?

Ashim: What I love about being an independent artist is what I love about music today- there's no ceiling, there's no floor. You can make whatever music you want and someone, somewhere, will become an audience for it. I think for a long time mainstream artists and independent artists were still dependent on a medium to reach their audience, and it put them in kind of a box because the people controlling the conduit said "this is what you are or should be, and this is what your audience wants". Now you can be absolutely everything you want, throw that sh*t on the cloud and have a direct line to your audience - as great or as small as it may be. Also, there was a shift in hip hop, one where in terms of content in the golden era mainstream we focused on the struggle more than the victory, and now that's kind of flipped, and every rap song is about the victory - being rich off cocaine, having nice cars and bad b*tches and what not, but it opens up an avenue for indie guys, because a lot of us fans, like me, still relate to the struggle and we wanna hear the every man story more than we relate to waking up in new Bugattis, so we get to add our own voice to the fray and hope it finds it's audience. 

Achickwitbeatz: What is the most valuable lesson you've learned since you became an independent artist?

Ashim: Two things: Direct feedback is invaluable and of no value at all. People listen with a different ear to a local guy or girl than they do to Drake. People listen to me with the ear of the seasoned critic every rap fan is in real life, on the inside... instead of just appreciating the music as the whole I thought I presented it to be, because you can't tell Drake "yo I think you should add a layer to the hook for rounding" or whatever. What you get from Drake is the product, no changes are possible, and is accepted and judged as such. For a guy like me though, the immediate feedback is a bit different, and sometimes it's useful but a lot of times you have to learn to ignore it or run the risk of trying to please everyone and disappointing yourself. I mean I love that anyone listens, anytime, and I'm completely willing to sit through the inception of any fan's career as the rap answer to Simon Cowell to my Big Boy Studdard if it gets you to listen. But at some point, I want people to accept the vision as presented, no changes pending. The second thing is to plan to plan again. Avenues dry up quickly - the thing that worked for Indie Rapper A or Indie Rapper B may not be available to you as a viable option. The mixtape markets are over saturated, you can't pay Facebook to connect you to your fans in any meaningful way, and the novelty of being a trap star or a white rapper, female rapper or psuedo political but grossly misinformed conscious rapper is as worn as Kat Stacks box. So you have to appreciate the idea that at some point your game plan from jump can't be your game plan going forward, and I think that's important to note for anyone in serious pursuit of a career in music, which I may or may not be depending on my mood and the lotto numbers. I think I should get points for the Kat Stacks reference. I make 2011 today.

Achickwitbeatz: What are 5 attributes that would put an artist on your top 10 list?

Ashim: Content is number one. I've spent most of my life breaking down lyrics like most hip hop kids and I've come to believe lyrical miracles aren't worth a tenth of substance. Song structure is important. Sometimes being overly lyrical can subtract from the whole of a song, or sometimes a beat is too dope, too imposing, or sometimes a message is heavy handed. You have to have not just all the ingredients but the right balance to make a dope song, and that's song structure in a nutshell. Social relevance, track record, and impact all figure pretty heavily in my top 10 too. 

Achickwitbeatz: Conversely, what are 5 attributes that would put an artist at the very bottom of your list?

Ashim: Ummm... I'm not one of those guys. I know how hard it is to put together a project of 12-18 songs and kinda bare it all for mass consumption and critique so I'm not one of those guys who's gonna say this guy is trash or that guy or whatever. He did the work. At the end of the day, a huge part of success in any arena is doing the work. And having a great work ethic is a formidable talent all by itself from where I sit, because mine isn't that great [laughs]. That said, Snoop Dogg, Lion, Tiger whatever the f**k, the coonery needs to stop.

Achickwitbeatz: What can people expect from Ashim?

Ashim: I can't decide if I want people to expect anything from me [laughs]. I'm sort of working on a project I don't have a title for or a theme - that's backwards for me, I usually start with a title and theme and let it shape the body of work for cohesion - but it could come out this Sunday or in 10 months [laughs]. I'm 10 or 11 songs in, just counting songs I like, not ones I'll never let anyone hear, but I haven't even starting the process of reaching out for features so... It may go featureless, or I may decide I need this guy to drop a verse and the project may end up in 'waiting for 16's' purgatory like has happened so many times before. I don't know what anyone should expect, but either I'll impress or disappoint or worst case just deal with your indifference.

Achickwitbeatz: How can people stay current with what you have in the works?

Ashim: The soundcloud page is where I post a lot of stuff. Half finished stuff, finished stuff, and crazy ideas inspired by one alcoholic beverage too many. I also have a facebook music page but if any of you are fans of it I don't know because I currently can't spare a f*ck to give on it. Same for Twitter and IG and the like. Interwebs are wierd.

https://soundcloud.com/akatwhitty

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Conversations & Quotables: Q&A with Sheba Shane

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In this brief Q&A emcee Sheba Shane shares her inspiration, what lies at the heart of her music and the why behind the need for her perspective.

Achickwitbeatz: Who is Sheba Shane?

I was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. I like to call myself an honest emcee. I'm motivated to rap by words ultimately, but also by the fact that there are so few women's perspectives in hip hop. Mine is just another. Black women in general struggle in media to find something that we can 100% relate to, so we have to try and find pieces. We'll take out a word here or change a word there. I try to create lyrics we can say verbatim. But some slick sh*t. Lol.

Achickwitbeatz: When did you discover you needed music to be a part of your life?

I've always loved music. An older cousin and I formed a group when I was about 9 called Sugar & Spice. We did routines in front of the mirror, wrote raps, had dance contests. I got a lot of musical instruments as gifts as a child like a guitar, a keyboard, a drum set. In high school, I played basketball and would carry this big boombox to every game so I could play music in the locker room. So, I always knew.

Achickwitbeatz: What would you say is the most challenging thing for independent artists to overcome?

The most challenging thing for independent artists right now is investing time and money in the wrong things. There are a lot of predators in this industry who just look at you like a dollar sign. They are not genuinely interested in advancing your career or supporting your music. I suggest you ask about past winners of contests and showcases anytime someone asks you to pay.

Achickwitbeatz: What are 5 skills/attributes that would place an artist on your top 10 list?

1. I like witty artists
2. Wordplay/Vocab
3. Flow
4. Story-telling
5. Creativity

Achickwitbeatz: Conversely, what are 5 attributes that would place an artist at the very bottom of your list?

1. Unoriginal
2. Uninspired
3. Lacking substance
4. Monotonous
5. Poor production

Achickwitbeatz: What can people expect from Sheba Shane?

You can expect me to tell the truth. It can be ugly but I promise to let you know how I really feel about as much as possible. I got a mixtape coming out this summer, The C.O.M.P (The Contents Of My Purse) and that will be available on datpiff. Previous mixtape "Sheba Baby Volume One" is currently available for download on datpiff.com. You can catch me live on selected tour dates with The Nappy Roots.

Achickwitbeatz: How can people stay current with what you have in the works?

Follow me on Twitter, FB and IG @shebashane
Check me out on www.reverbnation.com/shebashane
www.shebashanemusic.com coming soon 

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Conversations & Quotables: Q&A with Bruno Browning

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In this brief Q&A session Las Vegas independent house label executive Bruno Browning shares his story, his prospective on the music industry and helpful information for independent artists.

Achickwitbeatz: Who is Bruno Browning?

Bruno Browning: How much time do you have? I’m from Atlanta Georgia but I've called Las Vegas home since 2000. I've lived in some cool spots and they definitely influenced my music. I actually “discovered” electronic music during my year living in Europe in 1991 and it changed my life. My time in San Francisco’s scene was like attending graduate school for house music. My tastes, style, knowledge and views of the “scene” were not only refined but clearly defined.
As far as my musical views they’re pretty straight forward, if the music is real and it comes from a real place then I’ll support it, regardless of genre. I really dig seeing cats going nuts on the floor while listening to a genre that might not necessarily be my first choice. It just goes to show you that music is universal and just because you’re not feeling it doesn't make it any less powerful for those that are. 

Achickwitbeatz: When did you discover that you needed music to be a part of your life?

Bruno Browning: Although I had been in the scene since 1990, I never thought about actually making music. I sang in school and could read music but that was as far as it went. In 2000 my brother and label co-founder Curtis Bledsoe offered to teach me how to mix. Shortly after I bought myself some 1200’s and a full set up and started playing every day. After a while it got to the point where I would be playing a record and think: “I love this track, but I wish it had some horns after the break down”. Eventually those thoughts evolved into my decision to start a label, teach myself how to play a couple of instruments, produce, engineer, and finally release my music. How dumb was I? It’s in my nature to take on big tasks and well this was a big one. I taught myself to play the piano, the bass and I even play the harmonica (just for fun). It’s taken us longer than some but it’s been on our own accord and I’m good with that.

Achickwitbeatz: What do you think the biggest challenge is facing independent artists?

Bruno Browning: One of the things I see happening today is labels putting out releases every week. I think in an already over saturated market it just makes it harder for the music to be heard. The turnover is so quick that if you blink you've missed a release. I might personally have more than one release out a month, however Soulsupplement Records will never release more than one release in a 30 day period. The one release a month policy is designed to allow each release time to simmer and be played. That way every artist gets a full shake, not just three days of support from the label. This was a conscious decision and I must admit that sometimes it’s tempting to try and “keep up” with other labels, fortunately caving doesn't come naturally to me.

There's about a million more but that's where my head's at today.

Achickwitbeatz: What are 5 qualities/skills that would place an artist in your top 10 list?

Bruno Browning:
-Love of music
-Walking their own path musically
-Hard working
-Consistency
-Not taking themselves too serious

Achickwitbeatz: Conversely, what are 5 attributes that would place an artist at the very bottom of your list?

Bruno Browning:
-Genre hopping (jumping on the genre of the month…every month)
-Laziness (musically and professionally)
-Taking themselves too serious (none of us are curing cancer)
-Always involved in “DJ Beef”
-General bad attitude

Achickwitbeatz: What would you say is the most rewarding thing about being an independent artist?

Bruno Browning: The ability to write and record what you’re feeling without too many people telling you to change something. Of course if you have a label you can do pretty much whatever you want and there’s a lot freedom that comes with that. Now with that being said I can still get all in my head when doing work for other labels. Sometimes I tend to over think what the label wants and that just causes all sorts of mental blocks. Because of this when I get asked to do a remix I never listen to the original and that tends to make my remixes sound completely different. Being an independent artist allows us to work with a lot of labels and a lot of artists and that is truly rewarding.

Achickwitbeatz: What's next on the horizon for Bruno Browning?

Bruno Browning: I’m teaming up with fellow Las Vegan DJ A la Mode for a monthly party in LA and I have gigs in New York beginning in 2015. I've got Ep’s and remixes coming out on many new labels and many that I've been on in the past. You’ll also see a lot more of me gigging the last part of 2014 and for the foreseeable future.

Achickwitbeatz: How can people connect with you to stay current with what you have in the works?

Bruno Browning: To stay up on any news you can always go to:

http://www.soulsupplementrecords.com/news.html

And people can always get me on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/swampyfunk

or just email me at: bruno@soulsupplementrecords.


It's been a pleasure.

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Conversations & Quotables: Q&A with Fable

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In this brief Q&A poet & host Fable shares his philosophies and experiences in the independent artist scene and the benefits of building through collaboration.

Achickwitbeatz: Who is Fable?

Fable: Who am I? Ummm, I would say I am a talker. But unlike most talkers I am also a "Do-er"
What an actual Fable is (in regards of the word) Is a story that you learn from, normally which uses animals that speak as humans. And where we grew up, people could get wild, and lived like animals.
But what I do, is I am a poet/performer/host/teacher/spoken word artist.
But most just call me Fable, and let the actions speak for themselves!
We open up the youths mind through spoken word, as well as cultivate the next level of performing artists through "speak it forward" a non-profit in which we work with public schools/juvenile detention centers. And I host two, soon four shows in four different cities across Michigan. Now Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo, soon also Detroit and Ann Arbor!

Achickwitbeatz: When did you discover you needed poetry to be a part of your life?

Fable: Senior year in high school. That is when I started writing, and a teacher of mine sent me to a creative writing class to further hone my skills.

Achickwitbeatz: What would you say is the most rewarding thing about being a poet?

Fable: I would have to say the work with the youth. Thanks to the guys of "Kinnetic Affect" and the program "Speak It Forward", we are able to do assemblies and workshops all over the state and U.S.! And seeing how it effects the kids is wayyyyyyy more than "rewarding" it's just... amazing! Besides that, I would say seeing all of the artists grow, and being able to be respected for having an open mind?

Achickwitbeatz: You host a couple of poetry series events in West Michigan, could you provide some insight as to how they developed and what attendees can gain from them?

Fable: Yeah we have "The Drunken Retort" in GR every Monday and "Put UP or SHUT UP" every Tuesday in Kalamazoo! It is just about community/support/family and honestly you get what you put into it! If you are there weekly pushing/plugging away at it, you are apart of what makes it grow, people then start doing the same with your work/your events, and that is how a scene flourishes, which is what many cities need/desire. It is all about supporting local art, with free shows, and opening the venue doors to new artists/minds.

Achickwitbeatz: What are 5 qualities that would place an artist in your top 10 list?

Fable: Heart, intentions, humility, professionalism, talent. In that order.

Achickwitbeatz: Conversely, what are 5 attributes that would place an artist at the very bottom of your list?

Fable: Arrogance. Selfishness. Bad Intentions. Hype without action. And ignorance. In no specific order. I just hate big headed people who are actually doing nothing, and nothing for the world around them, yet acting as if the world revolves around them.

Achickwitbeatz: What advice do you have to give to aspiring artists?

Fable: Work, work, work, work. If you truly want to be an artist (of any sort) put as much as you want out, into your craft.  Full time hours, get full time results.  That 5 hours of work into your craft a week, will get you 5 hours of pay in the long run. 40 hours a week + put in the overtime!

Achickwitbeatz: What's next on the horizon for Fable?

Fable: Hmmmmm. I don't like to talk about what you will see. I always have 1-3 year goals.
But I will say, a show in all of the major cities in Michigan! Getting east side artists here, and west side artists there, to unite the community/state.

Get more local artists paid, and bring in more nationally known artists to MI.
And you will see me doing a TON of work nationally here soon!
And a tonnnnnnn of work with the youth.

Achickwitbeatz: How can people stay current with what you have in the works?

Fable: Easily.
www.MindOfFable.com
and
www.Facebook.com/FableThePoet 

Fable (Fable The Poet) Is a spoken word artist from West Michigan. His main focus is cultivating the acoustic art scene in West Michigan, From teaching the youth in public schools, To traveling the United States and bringing in traveling netional artists to west Michigan, it is all about cultivating your local scene!

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Conversations & Quotables: Q&A with Mz. Jae

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In this brief Q&A session, dynamic Chicago entertainer Mz. Jae offers her insight on entertaining.  She shares her inspiration and drops some useful gems beneficial to performers seeking wisdom.

Achickwitbeatz: Who is Mz. Jae?

Mz. Jae: Mz. Jae is an entertainer. I'm a people's poet. I'm not the kind of poet that will make you pull out your dictionary. I want to make you smile, laugh and think. I don't want to beat you over the head with propaganda, but just give you enough to think about. 

Achickwitbeatz: When did you discover you wanted poetry to be a part of your life?

Mz. Jae: I always loved words. I started playing with words in high school, but really didn't discover spoken word until later in life. I was hooked. All in. 100% and never looked back. 

Achickwitbeatz: You have a fun and distinctive way of infusing some of your poetry with comedy, can you tell us about how you get your inspiration?

Mz. Jae: I really think about things that have happened to me or happened to the people around me. I usually assume that if I think it's funny, other's will also. I think that when you tell the truth and you're willing to be transparent, you can always find the humor. 

Achickwitbeatz:: What would you say is the most valuable thing you've learned since you began performing?

Mz. Jae: Rehearse and prepare. You never know who you will run in to or meet. You never know when you'll be called upon so you should always have something in your bag of tricks. 

Achickwitbeatz: What are 5 attributes/skills that would put an artist on your top 10 list?

Mz. Jae: Clever
               Smooth approach
               Extraordinary delivery
               Dope presentation
               Humility

Achickwitbeatz: Conversely, what are 5 attributes that would put an artist at the very bottom of your list?

Mz. Jae: Arrogance
               Disrespect
               Bad Character
               Messy
               Basic

Achickwitbeatz: What's next on the horizon for Mz. Jae?

Mz. Jae: Right now, I am working on my sophomore release due out in October. Expect more visuals: videos, art, etc., and if God says the same MORE SHOWS! BIGGER SHOWS! 

Achickwitbeatz: How can people connect with you and stay current with what you have in the works?

Mz. Jae: Facebook: MzJaePoet
               Twitter: Jspot08
                Instagram: MzJae08
                Reverbnation: MizzJaePoet

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Conversations & Quotables: Q&A with Awthentik

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Busy with the recent release of his album Popular Misconception, talented DMV artist Awthentik takes a moment to share his journey, philosophies, and what drives him to put out the high caliber music that he creates.

Achickwitbeatz: Who is Awthentik?

Awthentik: Im definitely NOT your typical "rapper". The room starts with silence and within a couple of hours I can have a completed song produced, written, mixed and mastered from scratch. I have never been into a studio and paid for studio time. I got the name Awthentik while working in a shoe store during highschool when a clothing line came in called "Product Authentic" and my homie says "You're Authentic". It has stuck with me since. I changed the spelling of it for reasons to be able to identify it. I live and breathe music. Literally as we are doing this interview I am in the studio with Sergio Cortez listening to a new batch of his beats. I'm from an era in hip hop when lyrics were key and production was expressed with pure skill not imitation. 

Achickwitbeatz: When did you first discover that you needed music to be a part of your life?

Awthentik: I realized that I needed music to be a part of my life when I was going through a difficult time when my mom was diagnosed with cancer back in 2004. The next year my father was diagnosed with diabetes. As their bodies both deteriorated and led to their ultimate death, music was my only real outlet . I started to write rhymes that unravelled the struggle I was going through. What started off as a form of release therapy ultimately turned into my career when I released a couple of my first recordings. The first time I realized it was going to take a recording studio and a professional engineer to make my compositions really come to life, I decided I would do it myself. I have always been a 'figure it out on my own' kind of person. With about a year of trying different means of recording, I decided to attend Omega The School of Applied Recording Sciences and Technologies in Rockville, MD in 2005. There I sharpened my production and engineering craft for two years. When I left Omega in late 2006, It was then that I realized I would be making music for the rest of my life.

Achickwitbeatz: What can listeners expect from you?

Awthentik: Honesty! I pride myself on being "real". I have always been about integrity. My parents are from Haiti so I have a deep appreciation for hustle, and grind ethic. I want people to know the real me by simply listening to some of my work. I like putting everything up front and writing songs about my experiences but ones that I know everyone is going through on a daily basis.

Achickwitbeatz: What's the most valuable thing you've learned since you started doing music?

Awthentik: The most valuable thing I have learned since I started making music is, making good music doesn't mean it will get heard. There's a quote from Tim Notke that I have on my background of my phone to remind me of this. It says "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard"

Achickwitbeatz: What are 5 attributes/skills an artist should have to make your top 10 list?

Awthentik: Foremost, I am impressed by lyrical skill. I'm from an era of hip hop where that was and still is important. Second would have to be wordplay. You know, not just rhyming one word with word, but actually rhyming with 3 and 4 words at a time within a couple of bars. Third, originality. Fourth would probably be presence. If you want to be heard you have to sound convincing. Really bothers me hearing a rapper who sounds like he is reading. And last, a good live show. I'm not trying to see my favorite artist on stage winded, out of breath, and not quite the person you heard on the studio version.

Achickwitbeatz: Conversely, what are 5 attributes that would put an artist at the very bottom of your list?

Awthentik: I can't stand a artist who is not himself. Its cool to fantasize, but that shouldn't be your complete make up. My homie Kaimbr has a project called "Why Be Somebody Else" which is the perfect explanation. That's really about it. Other then that, I'm pretty open to listening to all forms of music. 

Achickwitbeatz: What's next on the horizon for Awthentik?

Awthentik: Currently we are weighing out a couple touring options for 2015. My latest work "Popular Misconception" will be released in May and we are working on finishing a couple of visuals for that as well.

Achickwitbeatz: How can people connect with you to stay current with what you have in the works?

Awthentik:
www.twitter.com/awthentik
www.facebook.com/AwthentikMusic
Awthentik on Instagram
www.awthentik.biz 

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Conversations & Quotables: Q&A with Fusion

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In this brief Q&A with Michigan artist Fusion he shares his experiences, inspiration and drops some gems regarding independent artistry.

Achickwitbeatz: Who is Fusion?

Fusion: Hey, what up world....my name is Fusion. The name derived from the way I'm able to bring people and music together (Fusion). The music scene today is as diverse as its ever been. It's a lot of talent out here but I feel that there is lack of knowledge that leaves such a grey area, everyone's trying to do it! I'll just say this…work hard cause it's not what you got...it's about progression!

Achickwitbeatz: When did you decide you wanted music to be a part of your life?

Fusion: Music has always been apart of my life. From eight tracks to cd's i was all in!, but I really started honing in on my skills as a teenager. Started off with my childhood buddies "The Raven and Nevermore". From there I went on to do several solo projects..."Crunch Time", "Long Time Comin'", and "The UnderDawg".  Moving forward I joined the Top Flyte Ent label, ran by Top Flyte Tay Thompson, a label that I am the proud president of. I've also worked with a wide variety of artists that I want to show some love to, Knights of Mayhem, Drama, OGz ,Chyna D, David Gutter, EsDott, NoLo, Zay, T-WolfeMeek, and Joe Papi269, just to name a few....

Achickwitbeatz: What are 5 attributes/skills that would put an artist in your top 10 list?

Fusion: Delivery, lyrics, style, creativity, tone....in no particular order

Achickwitbeatz: Conversely, what are 5 attributes that would put an artist at the very bottom of your list?

Fusion: Lack of knowledge on music, stubbornness, consistently talking about the same subject on every song, low self esteem, poor work ethic....in no particular order

Achickwitbeatz: What can listeners expect from Fusion?

Fusion: What the listeners can expect to hear from Fusion is real hip hop mixed with all reality. I call it the Hip Reality effect. No, I'm not turning up, getting crunk, or trap rapping. That's not what I do...I keep it 100 at all times, those who know me know it's true statement.

Achickwitbeatz: What would you say is the best thing about being an independent artist?

Fusion: The best thing about being an independent artist is the creative freedom you get on all of your work. You can say what you want, and work with who you want..it's all up to you.

Achickwitbeatz: What's next on the horizon for Fusion?

Fusion: Well we got a few things goin on...shows of course. We have a mini-series in the works called "Wifey", more mixtapes and videos...I also look forward to working with more talent to get this thing off of the ground...Kzoo stand up!

Achickwitbeatz: How can people connect with you and stay current with what you have in the works?

Fusion:
http://www.reverbnation.com/fusion269

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ikE3XGT-mMYY9zCk1-IJQ

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=top%20flyte%20ent&sm=1

https://www.facebook.com/Fusion.gilmore

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